As this pregnancy inches towards the end, I find myself constantly thinking about what my diet will look like once this baby decides to finally make her debut.  Let’s be real here, there is going to be at least 15-20 pounds that won’t come off when the baby is born and that’s ok.

It’s no wonder because my diet these days has been AWFUL and I know that getting back to a healthy diet will be hard.  Let’s take a look at a couple of the dishes I have been finding myself eating these days to give you some perspective:

Spaghetti Bolognese (with a side of garlic bread no less!)…so freaking delicious but not so good for your health or waistline

MEATBALLS!!!! 

Other eats have included: pop tarts, ice cream, pizza, brownies and the freaking list goes on!!!

Since my diet has been this terrible, I am planning on tackling my post-pregnancy diet in phases.  I am doing this because I feel like if I try to do a total overhaul all at once, I am setting myself up to fail.  SO, here is a general guideline of what the plan will look like:

1st week post: No changes, work on my new life with a newborn

2nd: week post: eliminate all desserts; no more pop tarts, candy, ice cream, etc.

3rd week post: eliminate breads & pasta (this will be the most difficult phase for me)

4th week post: eliminate most processed foods (including: granola, cereal bars, etc)

5th week (depending on how things go): eliminate dairy <— this is a hard one so I’m not sure I will take it to this level but if I feel that I need to go there, I will.

I don’t plan on counting calories at first but in the back of my mind, I am thinking that 1,800-2,000 calories a day should do it (higher than what I would normally eat but I plan on breastfeeding).  Again, if I don’t see any progress, the next phase will involve counting calories as well.

In short, I need to get back to eating meals that look like this:

Chicken breast with a side salad

Crock-pot chicken with pineapple, avocado, spinach, cilantro

Egg frittata with watermelon + arugula salad and sweet potatoes

I know it’s going to be hard but I am looking forward to getting back into eating healthy.  Working out is going to come more slowly so I am planning on focusing on my eating habits first.

It’s hard to believe this new diet will be slapping me in the face in about 6 days (hopefully)!!!!!

I don’t think I’ve grown too much in the belly department these last few weeks but I am definitely huge:

37 weeks:

38 weeks:

39 weeks:

The doctor seems to think I will have a “petite little baby” so I’ve got that going for me.  However, I definitely think I will be at least a week overdue before anything happens.  #ShootMeNow

Any tips for getting your diet back into shape after eating poorly for an extended period of time?