Bon Appetit

Entire Roast Chickens

If you have a brother who is older than you, you might remember his huge appetite during his teenaged years. Maybe you recall everyone kidding him about his insatiable need to eat and the fact that he could and did eat entire roast chickens or glug down quarts of milk to accompany whole packages of Oreo cookies at one sitting. Now that you're expecting and past the morning sickness you're thinking: "Good grief—I've become my brother!"

You're not far off. The increased appetite that arrives with the second trimester of pregnancy is not unlike the increased appetite that visits teenaged boys. Both pregnant women and growing males need extra calories and the constant hunger you now experience is your body's way of ensuring that you and your baby are getting the nourishment you both need.

Go with the Flow

The best way to handle this phenomenon is to go with the flow. Don't try to fight off the hunger pangs by chewing gum or drinking lots of water. You need to eat more now, so let your body tell you when it needs feeding. In fact, if you couldn't eat very much in your first trimester due to nausea, your body may be trying to play catch-up now.

The main thing is not to overdo things by taking your increased appetite as a license to eat everything in sight. Eating healthy, wholesome foods is the right way to go. If you eat 6 tomatoes you've just loaded up your body with vitamin C. On the other hand, eating a jumbo bag of corn chips isn't going to do anything but pack on the pounds. The best way to ensure you eat right is to stock your refrigerator and pantry with nutritious foods.

Here are some tips to get a handle on your need to eat more:

*Make healthy choices for snacks and meals. A double order of fries and a coke will fill you up nicely, but you've done nothing but take in empty calories.

*Eat foods that keep you full for longer. A wholegrain bagel will keep you going longer than 6 cookies.

*Eat foods that take longer to eat, such as big salads as opposed to a huge serving of mashed potatoes.

*Eat 6 smaller meals rather than 3 large meals.

*Don't buy foods filled with empty calories. If you keep them out of your home, you'll keep them out of your stomach.

*Keep a nutritious snack handy at all times. For instance, you might make up a nutritious trail mix and set it up in small baggies to take in your handbag whenever you're on the run.

*Don't deny yourself the food you crave. It's better to have one piece of pecan pie, than to hold back until you can't take it anymore and devour an entire pie. If you're having a craving, give in with grace but don't go hog-wild.