Intro

Something that doesn't seem to be talked about nearly enough is what to eat while you're pregnant, especially if you're on a food freedom and intuitive eating journey. Well, if that is a question that you have been finding yourself asking, then SociEATy member Bernadette “Bennie” Davis is here to provide some insight! Bennie is on her own food freedom journey, but she's also pregnant, so she shares with us what it has been like to eat intuitively while having to worry about not just herself but also another little human that is growing inside of her!

Like many SociEATy members, Bennie didn't always have the healthiest relationship with food. As she shares with us, there was a time when she found it hard to enjoy food like she wished that she could, causing her to feel jealousy toward other people who did seem to be enjoying it. Tired, unhappy, and emotionally tortured by the impulse to exercise, she began her intuitive journey with The SociEATy because she was looking for a positive change, and she has definitely found it!

Bennie and I chat about exercise and how an impulse to exercise is often about a need to compete with ourselves and to constantly outdo ourselves, how it is important to properly fuel your body while pregnant and to monitor your stress levels and your mental health, pregnancy cravings, and – perhaps most importantly – how to find the delicate balance between properly nourishing the baby growing inside of you while also avoiding food rules and diet culture. Bennie offers us actionable tips on how to improve our relationships with food, body image, and exercise, regardless of whether or not you're pregnant, and also offers advice to pregnant women who are trying to eat intuitively while pregnant.

Be sure to follow Bennie on Instagram, and also be sure to reach out to us if you have your own thoughts and/or stories to share!

 

Time Stamps

[1:18] – Colleen introduces SociEATy member Bernadette “Bennie” Davis to the show and also introduces this episode's topic – eating intuitively while pregnant. Bennie gives us some background information about herself and how she came to join The SociEATy.

[4:56] – We discover how Bennie realized that something in her life needed to change.

[7:02] – Colleen relates to Bennie and narrates some of her own story about her past relationship with food.

[8:48] – Bennie tells us about how emotionally and practically difficult that it was to reach out for help.

[12:51] – Bennie elaborates on how she used to view exercise and how she views it now that she has been on a food freedom journey.

[16:46] – Bennie explains that finding a balance between exercising for fun and exercising for good health required experimentation.

[17:58] – Colleen touches upon how an unhealthy relationship with exercise is often about competing with yourself.

[20:57] – Bennie provides us with advice on how to prepare for an expected child when eating intuitively, such as being sure that you're properly fueling yourself with food.

[26:05] – Bennie shares her story of strange food cravings during pregnancy and provides us with advice on how to handle pregnancy cravings.

[29:04] – We learn how Bennie finds the balance between fueling her body for her child but also not abiding by food rules, describing it as a delicate balance.

[34:44] – Bennie details what it has been like to watch her body physically change while pregnant.

[38:19] – We receive some actionable tips from Bennie about what we can do to improve our relationships with food, body image, and/or exercise.

 

Links and Resources

Colleen Christensen Nutrition – Website

The SociEATy – Website

Colleen's Instagram Page

The SociEATy's Instagram Page

No Period. Now What?: A Guide to Regaining Your Cycles and Improving Your Fertility

Bennie's Instagram Page