Please tell me I'm not alone. Can't get enough to eat and am gaining weight rapidly

[bookworm0901]

Ok, so this is my third baby. I gained quite a bit with my other two kids but mostly because I didn't watch what I ate and assumed I could deal with it once the baby was here. So after having my daughter, I was 57 lbs above where I wanted to be.......

BUT, I lost the weight. I worked so damn hard. I cut my meals to 1200 cal/day and worked out all the time and I enjoyed it. I got down to 142 lbs (dropped 45 lbs) and wanted to lose about 12 more to get to my goal weight when I got pregnant with this one. I was pretty happy eating 1200cal/day and my very first sign of pregnancy was that my 1200cals wasn't filling me up anymore. I was getting so frustrated. I'm very strong willed and not the type to "cheat" or "fall off the wagon", I stick to what I say I'm going to do. So before my BFP, I was already really hungry.

Morning sickness hit at around 7 weeks and I was so sick that I went into survival mode and just ate what sounded like it wouldn't make me puke. This wasn't always good choices but I kept telling myself that it would be okay temporarily and I would get back to eating well and eat healthy. Well, I'm finally getting to where everything doesn't make me sick anymore and I'm slowly starting to feel good....but I'm STILL famished. I feel like I'm eating double what I should be in a day but it's not because I'm just a lazy pregnant girl and want to, it's because I'm starving.

Take this morning. I made french toast for my kids and I ate two pieces. I was so hungry after the second piece that I wanted a third SO badly but I'm getting really worried about how much I'm eating so I was trying to hold off. I ended up eating my son's leftovers and I made myself STOP. Then, I took my kids to the zoo. We ate lunch in the zoo food court. By the time we stopped for (AN EARLY) lunch, I was so hungry that I was feeling like I was going to puke and that is not an option in the middle of the zoo food court with a 1 year old and 3 year old. We got our food and I ate every single bite in front of me. In between bites, I had to close my eyes and take deep breaths to try not to throw up because I let myself get too hungry. After eating all of my food, I ate all of my kid's leftovers and I could have kept eating, I'm completely embarrassed by the amount of lunch I consumed but that is honestly what it took to keep me from feeling sick and hungry.

I am only 11 weeks and as of this morning, the scale said 153. That is ELEVEN pounds in the first trimester. But I don't know what to do about it. Because even if I start eating as healthy as possible all the time now that I finally feel better, the amount of food I eat is going to cause me to gain tons of weight anyway. Don't get me wrong, I'm eating healthy now anyway, it will definitely help but I can't stop eating.

I'm really really thinking it might be twins. It's all I can come up with. And it scares the hell out of me because I have 2 little ones and did not want twins at all (but, of course, would love them anyway). Also when I ask my three year old if he wants a boy or girl, he says "two babies! a boy AND a girl!"

Anyone else expecting singletons eating constantly to this extent? When I try not to do it, I just get sick. I'm so disappointed in the work it's going to take to get this weight back off after I have my baby even though I know I can do it. And I'm done having kids after this, which will definitely help me get my body in the direction I want it without being derailed.

Please help. First ultrasound Oct. 8.

 

[Spiffynoodles]

Me! I'm hungry all the time, and feel awful if I don't eat. I'm only 8 weeks and up 4 pounds already (I still had weight to lose after having my last baby, too, so I'm not happy about it). I was starting to freak myself out about twins, as well, so I actually paid for an early scan last week just to check. Nope. Just one greedy baby in there.

 

[laila 44]

I feel like I could have written this myself. I'm also on my third. My first I gained 75#! My second 65!! And I'm a fit slim girl! And now I feel like I'm headed down the same shit road. I can't stop eating, I'm constantly nauseous. All I want are carbs and I try to eat as best as I can but I just can't get full!! I also Crossfit still and I'm starting to believe that no matter what my body just has to explode during pregnancy. I can't fit into my jeans already! It's not fckn normal.

 

[mum2jaydon]

Me!! Lol I'm also on my 3rd. With my first I gained about 3 stone 😱 second not much weight gain. This pregnancy I'm so hungry all the time, today for instance so I don't eat breakfast. Never have. Dinner I had McDonald's for tea we went out to eat had starter and main. Amd right this minute my partner is out getting me pizza 🍕 lol I need to stop. Bit I feel so sick if I don't eat and not much is appealing atm x

 

[laila 44]

It sucks. I was just crying on the phone with my mom earlier saying how sad I am to be gaining weight again. Some ppl breeze through pregnancy with a 20 pound weight gain and I have to explode! I loose it all with training and hard work afterwards but it's a longgggg road back and it's depressing. Like you OP, my quantities is my problem. Today I had veggie soup for lunch and I needed 3 bowls!!! I was hungry 1.5 hrs later... No control. It is what it is! I just finally got my bikini body back..

 

[Powell130]

Hun, its NORMAL to gain weight in pregnancy! Our bodies are making babies! i've already gained 10lbs. No worries here because I'm creating a human being!

 

[Marumi]

I have gained 9 lbs so far and lost some early on because of diarrhea. I think 11 is fairly normal. So far all seems to be baby weight since my clothes fit the same.

If you really do worry about gaining too much later on you may want to look at what type of calories you are eating. My husband for example does not each much at all and not even junk often...yet he gains weight when he only thinks of carbs. His body just works that way. So if he wants to eat well but not have his weight go up he limits empty calorie carbs like bread, rice, pasta, corn potato. Basically eating plenty of meat, veggies, fruits ans good fats. That way he even ingests more nutrients while not gaining (or even losing if he cuts down on calories a bit).
I started eating this way for health reasons, and I have the opposite problem. My body does not absorb certain carbs welll so I will lose too much weight, meat, eggs, butter help me keep a healthy weight.

 

[Eleonora]

How about this: Worry about WHAT your are eating OR HOW MUCH you are eating but not both? I am trying to eat healthy but not really worrying about quantity or total calories yet though I am also gaining weight a bit too fast. (more than 5 lbs at week 12) In fact even after just a few days after the BFP my appetite really increased and food started tasting soooo good. I find the charts that provide weight gain guidelines don't account for the fact that my body immediately started demanding more food. At least in the second trimester you are allowed to really start putting on weight. And like lots of people, if I don't eat frequently, I feel like crap.

 

[biscuits104]

I am sure that some of it (if not all) is water weight. I gained 6 pounds in one day, and I sure didn't eat 3500x6 calories

That said, I'm like you, just famished and it's hard to be kind to ourselves. Treat yourself like you would your best friend...what would you say to her? And then BELIEVE what you would say.

 

[DobbyForever]

I kid you not, my bloat has weighed in from 2-7 lbs

 

[stephalie]

I can relate. I had my son three years ago (9/16) and I never lost the 50 I gained. I lost 20 initially, but never the last 30. Finally in April I got to it and at 1200 cal a day and worked out 5x a week. I got down 25 lbs before I got pregnant. I'm pretty happy about that.

I'm experiencing the same guilt. I started eating clean and that is how I lost my weight. I definitely don't eat clean anymore. It is too much work for the amount of energy I'm left with at the end of the day. I feel guilty allllll the time. It's hard to ignore, but we are pregnant and we need food in our systems. I'm trying my hardest to make the best choices that I can and eat often. I'm constantly eating almonds, apples, bananas, Kind bars. It is ridiculous, but if I get too hungry it is like I'm beyond help. I've gained 2-3 lbs, but I attribute that to still working out 4x a week. It helps with my energy and sanity. I don't work out quite like I used to, but even a step aerobics with Denise Austen will help.

Good luck!

 

[SpringCrane]

I want to hug all of you that are worried about weight gain.

The fact that you know how to eat well and the fact that you gained a similar amount in prior pregnancies should reassure you. Doctors are worried about people that ignorantly eat everything in sight because they feel like it, not the women who are eating to keep from feeling ill and know what healthy food choices are.

Please, please don't beat yourself up. Try to make healthy choices, avoid things that spike your blood sugar, and make sure you are getting lots of protein to keep you feeling full. Eat often so you don't get to that I'm going to barf if I don't eat phase (not always avoidable, I know...). Keep a food log so you can see what you are actually eating in a day and how long each meal keeps you full. Share it with your OB. If you have aversions and can only eat crap, go for it.

Some women just gain more. My mom weighed less than a 100 lbs before me and my brother's pregnancies and gained 50-60 for each. She's a very fit 55 y/o Grammie today.

Weight gain guidelines are important, but they aren't a one size fits all. Take care of yourself... your mental well-being and physical.

And, please, don't let your children see you beat yourself up for nourishing yourself and their sibling. Remember, too, that the need to eat to not feel ill feeling will likely pass as your pregnancy progresses. You might still feel famished, but it is likely to be less dire hunger.

Hugs!

 

[ChocolateC]

This sounds like my 1st pregnancy. I'd wake up super early just STARVING. I'd sneak downstairs and eat handfuls of nuts, then sneak back into bed and wait for breakfast. This time around, I don't have that at all, but once I get going then I keep going. It's the opposite of what you're supposed to do: instead of having lots of little meals I have two or three long ones, where I just keep eating...

I don't have any good advice other than keeping yourself from getting starving like you did in the zoo and asking yourself when you're really hungry and when it just tastes good. That could be bullsh*t advice though. I never went hungry while pregnant because I think if your body really wants it, it's important.

Oh, I also had meat cravings last pregnancy and it turned out I was anemic and really needed the iron in that meat, so that was why. Sometimes there's a good reason for those cravings.

 

[linz85]

All I want to eat is carbs, carbs and more carbs and its killing me! With my first I was sooo healthy, salads-fish, fuit.
Second was a little more rubbish thrown in with crisps and chocolate.

This one, omg. I cant stand the sight of fruit or veg or salad. I've put on half a stone already

But we are like PP said, creating little miracles and they need so much substance from us, yes we can all deal with it after pregnancy but we've also got to have time to enjoy our newborns and other children
It's a toughy!

xx

 

[EmmySocks]

I've always been slim and never had an appertite like this before! I'm trusting my body knows what it needs and whatever it wants it can have. I'm keeping healthy snacks available though so that if its just a case of being hungry an apple is easier for me to get than crisps or chocolate - and that works well most of the time - its amazing how if food is acessible (like leftovers) thats what i want but i think its because its easy rather than because thats what my body really needs. If i really want something i can have it. But i have to go to the shop to buy things like apple pies that i really really wanted yesterday.

Cereal is quite good - its filling but not horrifically unhealthy and its really easy to have.

I'm 11 and a bit weeks and have put on about 5pounds so far.

 

[minties]

Could you perhaps offset some desire to eat more by adding in some more exercise? I was very briefly pregnant and lost it just as quickly a week ago, I put on like 8lbs in the week before the BFP and the couple of days after it! I was so hungry. Most of it has come off in the last 7 days but it was a shock.