So, I had a little boy in November of last year. I ate pretty much anything in sight and gained 50 lbs (started at 130ish). I lost the weight fairly easily in about 4 months.

I found out in May that I am pregnant again and due in January! Well, I am going insane! All I want to do is EAT. All day long. Anything I can get my hands on. I have gained minimum 15 lbs (I am afraid to weigh myself) and I know I am gaining more and more. I am 20 weeks, by the way. I was like this in my son's pregnancy, but not as bad. I deal with this somewhat when I am not pregnant, but it is much, much worse when I'm pregnant. I feel like I am on the fast track to gaining 100 lbs this time!

Has anyone else dealt with this? Were you able to overcome it and keep from gaining an insane amount of weight? This is getting ridiculous. It's as if all the issues I have with food become hugely magnified during pregnancy.

Thanks ladies!

I didn't have the issue while pregnant, so I don't have any tips from what I personally have done, but I have had moments like that when not pregnant. Unfortunately, when I get that way I tend to stuff myself on whatever it is I'm hungry for. Yesterday I went berzerk and broke my diet. Ate a ton of pita chips. I was proud of myself though...I was able to stop (told my husband to take the bag from me) and I was eating pita chips rather than some other worse for me regular chip.

Whenever you get so hungry you are threatening to eat the box the pizza came in along with the pizza, maybe try eating something that is really filling but low in calories, same could go if you think it is mostly psychological and not that you are actually hungry. Have a big thing of popcorn, have a ton of celery with just a teeny bit of ranch to dip it in so you get more flavour, eat all the squash you can cram in your face.

If it is actually that you are craving something...find good substitutes for fattening versions. If you are wanting something sweet...have a cantaloupe (when I was pregnant with my first I'd eat one a day sometimes), if you want something salty and crunchy...go for the popcorn. Try to find "safe" foods that cover anything you might be craving.

When I was pregnant with my second, I went from 145 to 200 lbs. I was STARVING the entire time, I ate whatever I wanted. Big mistake. If I could do it over again, I'd make myself cut down substantially and eat healthier.
Why? I haven't been able to lose a damn pound, and my son is 13 months old. I HATE being this heavy. But, I got myself into a pattern where now, I can't deny myself food whenever I want it, and I have an awful oral fixation.
Draw support from whereever you can. The baby father, ask him to gently take the food away when you start overeating. Do not listen to anyone who tells you that it's alright to stuff your face silly because you're carrying. They aren't doing you ANY favors- they won't be the ones carrying a ton of extra weight long after baby arrives.
Best of luck on the pregnancy hon, and here's to hoping for a healthy bebe! :-D

Thanks for the responses ladies!

I believe my issue is mostly pyschological. I eat whether I'm hungry or not. This is something I've always struggled with and was one of the biggest reasons why I was overweight in the past (that and overeating) and why I gained 50 lbs with my son. All the issues I have with food become out of control when I'm pregnant. Maybe somewhere inside I'm thinking, "You're going to gain anyway, might as well eat whatever you want!"

My husband makes things harder too. He's always asking if I want a milkshake or fastfood or pizza. He doesn't understand a woman's body and doesn't believe in overeating (he can eat whatever and not gain). His answer is always more exercise. I try to explain to him that more exercise isn't going to help if I'm eating 3000 calories a day (it is sometimes that high )!

I'm at the point now where I am thinking maybe I should just try to make my choices as healthy as possible and not worry about gaining. I do lose the weight pretty easily after all.

I think you should explain to your husband as simply as you can that although you might like pizza or a milkshake its filling your baby up with all sorts of nasty things! Just tell him to stop offering those foods, even if you 'need them!'

I agree you just need to eat as healthily as possible. Again you're baby needs nutrients, ya know? You should be trying to eat healthy for baby anyway. Good luck

I am trying to eat healthy and I do eat lots of fruits and veggies. There is just too much junk mixed in. I know I need to cut the junk out once and for all for the baby's sake, and mine of course, but it's easier said than done. It's so hard for me to say no. Also, hubby is trying to gain weight, so he is always bringing cookies, ice cream, chips, etc. into the house. I'm really struggling. It's frustrating. Thanks for the response.

I'm with Lauren...tell your hubby that it is better for the baby if YOU eat healthy. Let him know that he can eat all the junk he wants (though that isn't healthy for him either even if he is trying to gain weight...eat avocado, more lean protein, all sorts of healthy things that will help him gain weight if he really wants to) he just isn't allowed to bring it into the house, because of the baby.

I've thought about it, but I really don't want to tell him what he can eat and do. What I'd love to do is learn some self-control! When I do the shopping without him, I don't buy the junk. So it isn't always in the house. Maybe it's time once and for all to confront my issues with food and really work on overcoming them.

But that involves work! You are supposed to be pampered while you are pregnant. Maybe just ask him while you are pregnant and more hormonal, and then tell him he can bring all the junk into the house he wants when you've had the baby and THEN work on your issues.

I have my moments, but I really don't have too hard of a time with food when I'm not pregnant. That's the weird thing. It's a good thing I'm still nursing my son, because I think that's keeping my weight down a bit. I'm eating more this pregnancy. On a good note, today wasn't too bad of a day!

Oh good, I'm glad you had a better day today. Nursing while pregnant...that can increase your food drive, but it DOES help to keep off the weight. BTW...good job keeping nursing while pg. Not everyone bothers to do that.

Thanks for the encouragement! Many people are so negative (uninformed) about it. My son was so young when I got pregnant that it was only natural to continue nursing, and I knew he'd be devastated if I weaned him.

When I got pregnant with my first my sister asked if I'd be nursing. When I said that of course I would she made a horrible face and said she can't see how anyone would, it is just so disgusting. Aaah well, thankfully she doesn't have any and doesn't want any kids.

When people hear that I am going to be tandem nursing both after the baby is born, they just go crazy!

I can imagine. Well...tough for them!