Here’s a question we hear almost every day: Is the Whole30 safe during pregnancy? We asked registered dietitian Stephanie Greunke for her perspective. Today, she’s answering the question and addressing the four common fears that are often behind it.
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Four Recommendations for a Smoother #PregnantWhole30, From Stephanie Greunke
I love the “Whole30-while-pregnant” question! It shows me how serious someone is about their health and the health of their baby. As a registered dietitian, I’m happy to say that a Whole30 is safe for most pregnancies. And as a mom, I can lend you my support and encouragement because I did a Whole30 during my pregnancy.
During pregnancy, it’s possible to complete a Whole30 exactly as outlined in The Whole30 program guidelines. However, I have a few additional recommendations to make those 30 days as smooth and stress-free as possible:
- Listen to your body
- Make sure you are eating enough (see Concern 1)
- Enjoy smaller meals and snacks, if desired (see Concern 2)
- Consider your protein and carb intake (see Concern 3)
Note: there are a few reasons why a Whole30 may not be appropriate for every pregnant person, at every stage of their pregnancy. If you’re dealing with severe morning sickness or Hyperemesis Gravidarum, you’re having difficulty gaining weight or experiencing significant weight loss, or you have a history of disordered eating behaviors, we do not recommend the Whole30 while pregnant.
Four Common Concerns Around a #PregnantWhole30
Concern #1: I’m afraid I’ll LOSE too much weight if I do a Whole30.
When you start a Whole30, you remove foods (grains, legumes, and dairy) that may be accounting for a large percentage of your total calorie intake, especially if you’re coming from a standard American diet. In addition, you’re replacing those foods with foods that promote satiety (non-starchy vegetables, healthy fat, and protein). All during a time when your body needs an additional 300-450 calories to promote the health, growth and development of you and your baby. Do you see how this can set us up for potential weight loss or under-consumption of calories?
Pregnancy isn’t truly a time to eat for two. However, your body does require additional calories. You want to ensure these additions come from nutrient-dense foods. From a Whole30 perspective, your meals should contain plenty of healthy fat (like avocado, olives, nuts, seeds, and coconut products), protein, vegetables (starchy and non-starchy) and fruit. If you’re coming from a low-fat or calorie controlled diet, you may have to make a conscious effort to include enough healthy fat with each meal. If you’re exercising during your pregnancy, you’ll need to mindfully include starchy vegetables and/or fruit. Foods like potatoes, squashes, and fruit can help support your activity level. This will ensure that you are providing yourself with the nutrients required to grow a tiny human.
At any point during your Whole30, if you’re losing too much weight or feeling under-fed and exhausted, it may be time to take a break from your Whole30. Now isn’t the time to “push through it” or “Whole30 harder.” Listen to your body! Do whatever you need to do to get through the rough time. As your energy levels increase and you feel better, check in with your healthcare provider. You can consider restarting your Whole30 at a later date.
Concern #2: There’s no way I can eat that much protein, fat, and non-starchy vegetables at each meal!
The recommendations of the traditional Whole30 program say to avoid or minimize snacking. You may need to ditch this recommendation during your pregnancy. This is especially true if you are dealing with morning sickness. Having smaller meals every three hours may help alleviate some of the nausea you experience, which can be triggered by an empty stomach or low blood sugar. As your baby grows, you may not have the physical space in your stomach to eat larger meals, especially in your third trimester. Do the best you can with the specific issues affecting you! Remember that everything you’re eating on your Whole30 is nutrient-dense and healthy for your baby, which is really reassuring.
Click to read about how to build a balanced plate during your Pregnant Whole30.
Concern #3: Should I modify the recommended portion sizes in the Whole30 Meal Planning Template?
Pregnancy is not the time to follow a very low-carbohydrate diet or restrict healthy fat. You’ll want to add some form of starchy vegetables and/or fruit to most of your meals. This will ensure you and your baby receive a wide-variety of nutrients and keep your energy levels more consistent. Consider an additional serving of added fat to ensure you’re consuming enough calories, especially on days where you’re not feeling hungry.
Many women experience protein aversions during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. You may naturally find yourself consuming less throughout the day. For example, to get enough protein from eggs you actually need 3-4 eggs, not just 1 or 2.
If a palm-sized amount of protein at each meal seems impossible, you can try:
- Having smaller, more frequent meals
- Using a plain, unsweetened egg-white, pea, or hemp protein powder
- Adding collagen peptides to your beverages
- Having a cup of bone broth mixed with collagen peptides
- Choosing easier to digest proteins like eggs or heated chicken sausage
- Or whatever you need to do to make it work
Don’t stress about it too much. Many pregnant people find they feel much better once the second trimester hits, and can resume eating their normal protein staples.
In addition to tossing out the “no snacking” recommendation, you may also choose to ditch the Whole30 recommendation to limit fruit to two servings a day, eaten with your meals (and not on their own as a dessert or snack). I found myself craving fruit during my pregnancy and enjoyed it a few times a day. Just make sure to pair fruit and starchy vegetables with protein or fat. This will reduce the impact on your blood sugar levels. The more we can prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes, the better you’ll feel. And you’ll be less likely to develop pregnancy-related complications.
Concern #4: How do I stick to the “no stepping on the scale” rule?
While it’s against Whole30 rules to weigh yourself, your prenatal care visits will likely require weight gain checks. If your provider asks you to step on the scale, you can simply ask them not to tell you the number or avert your eyes. However, there may be reasons that your provider wants you to know your weight, and they may want to talk to you about it. If that’s the case, your provider’s priorities take priority over the Whole30 rules. If your provider is concerned with your pregnancy weight gain (or lack thereof), you should be following their instructions, including weighing to ensure you stay on track.
You can have a healthy pregnancy!
Melissa and I are not advocating that you do a Whole30 throughout your entire pregnancy. In fact, you may not choose to do a Whole30 while pregnant at all! We simply want to help you determine how the general principles of the Whole30 program can support your desire to have a healthy pregnancy.
The information included in this post is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for your own situation, or if you have any questions regarding conception, pregnancy, or your prenatal treatment plan.
