HEALTH FOR TWO by The Sexy Chef

I couldn’t wait to get pregnant again. My ultimate joy in life is being a mother to my rowdy little munchkin and I’ve always wanted a big family.  The good thing about pregnancy and childbirth is that you tend to forget about all the tough stuff the minute your little bundle of joy makes his appearance in the world. And thank goodness for that convenient selective memory. Otherwise I think the world might just be populated by single child families.

With my first pregnancy I gained 55 lbs. Yup that’s about 25lbs over the recommended weight gain range. My doctor wasn’t too pleased with me but overall I had nothing to worry about as I had a healthy pregnancy and my sugar levels were always normal.  I attributed my weight gain to gosh-awful morning sickness that only abated when I ate carbs (the simpler the better) and my aversion to anything green (yup quite a turnaround for this vegetarian). Oh and my English genes didn’t help either…I think it’s just easier for tiny Asian girls to keep their weight within the stipulated norm. Then again, I am quite the eater with a wicked sweet tooth so my gaining the equivalent of a pre-pubescent may simply have been a result of  that.

And while I managed to lose the weight quite fast (4 months to get back to my pre pregnancy weight) that doesn’t mean it was EASY. I vowed to myself that during my second pregnancy  I would be more vigilant with what I ate because it was my  ”blood-sweat-and (many,many) tears” kind of hard work getting those happy baby kilos off of my frame.

 

Fast-forward to the present, while I am definitely smaller than my first pregnancy at this juncture, I still managed to gain more weight than I wanted. The nasty morning sickness struck again as did the same repugnance for healthy food that I had the first time around. I was a vegan when I got pregnant this year and once that embryo attached all I craved was delicious dairy…cheese, butter and my achilles heel-chocolate.  I have since made peace with the fact that I will probably never be one of those “skinny” pregnant ladies (it’s just not in my genes) but I didn’t want to blow up to that the size of a small country again. I decided to enlist the help of The Sexy Chef and expectant mummy herself, Barni Alejandro-Rennebeck.

I explained my dilemma to Barni and was thrilled when she told me that The Sexy Chef has a program specifically tailored for pregnant ladies called Health for Two. It was exactly what the doctor ordered.

 

The Sexy Chef explains:

Contrary to what most expectant women think, pregnant women need only a few extra calories to keep themselves and their unborn children healthy.

Debunking this myth is one positive way of approaching your pregnancy and focusing more on consuming functional foods that achieve a nutritional balance. You need to look for chemical compounds in food you infuse to deliver the proper nutrients necessary for your daily nourishment while expecting. To consider calorie and portion control without compromising the consumption of good-tasting meals to enjoy during your pregnancy.

To take the guesswork out of coming up with the right balanced and healthy eats during your pregnancy, The SEXY Chef has come up with a health and wellness food program for the eager and health-conscious mother-to-be and her little baby.

 

HEALTH FOR TWO is suited for pregnant mothers who wish to consume a nutritious and well-balanced diet during pregnancy that ensures an adequate intake of nutrients while gaining weight at the right rate. This plan can serve as a guide for designing your own pregnancy eating plan.

 

Containing nutrient–dense and delicious recipes, this eating plan has been adapted for The SEXY Chef by U.S. Certified Nutritionist Nadine Tengco and supervised by Dr. Joey Shinshioco (OB-GYN-Perinatology).

 

 

Health For Two Food Plan

- Helps mom maintain a healthy weight gain

- Prevents gestational diabetes which occurs when moms gain too much weight

- This is not a diet but a healthy eating plan.  It is recommended for moms who have gained too much weight during their pregnancy.  It’s also for Moms who want to achieve a healthy weight gain during pregnancy.

 

I embarked on their 2 week plan and wondered at first if I would be hungry at all or miss my chocolate. To my delight, the meals and snacks keep you full all day and they have many sweet treats to keep your cravings at bay.

Since I am a vegetarian, they tailored my food plan to suit my dietary needs.

After the 2 week plan I felt better, hadn’t gained much weight and had more energy. This plan also suited my extremely hectic schedule because they deliver the day before and it is simple to take the meals with you on the go. I found that one of my problems before when I was in charge of my meals is that I would grab the easiest things to eat because I was too busy to prepare my meals at home. And the easiest, fastest and most convenient things to grab are usually the unhealthiest.

Another thing I love about the Health for Two plan is that they take the guesswork out of whether you are consuming enough nutrients for your pregnancy. It is hard work making a whole new person and you need to ensure that you are fueling your body with the right food for optimal fetal growth as well as providing your own body with healthy stuff. And it teaches you good habits (like snacking in between meals so that you don’t indulge in naughty things due to excessive hunger when you eat your main meals).

It works out cheaper at the end of the day and you are getting meals that are packed full of good nutrients for you and your baby. And the best part of all? The food tastes really good!

I couldn’t recommend this program more highly for expectant moms on the go. The program is delicious, nutritious and takes the work and stress out of meal preparation and calorie counting for busy pregnant moms.

The Health for Two plan costs P1,100.00 per day and is inclusive of Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and 2 Snacks delivered daily

Because every pregnant woman is different, so as it is with any food plan. Call The SEXY Chef at 721-SEXY (7399), 721-8881 or (0917) SXYCHEF (799-2433) or visit their website at www.thesexychef.ph or www.facebook.com/thesexychef.