Constant Hunger With Gestational Diabetes

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I thought I was hungry during my first trimester until I hit the third trimester.   I feel like I cannot stop eating the past week or so.  Week 32 has been nonstop hunger.  Not a great combination with Gestational diabetes, but I'll tell you what I have done to help and what you can do.  There are lots of ways to add extra volume and extra calories to your diet. 


To begin, you want to start looking at the composition of your meals.  Are you maxing out your available servings of carbs? You can probably have 30g-45g carbs per meal and 15g-20g carbs per snack unless directed otherwise. For me, my favorite breakfast is a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.  I normally have an open face sandwich, but because I was so hungry I started adding a second slice of bread and some avocado. I was still under my target glucose levels and I was full for longer.  Make sure you are also consuming lots of fats and proteins as well. More complex carbs and low GI carbs are also better for satiety.  They will keep you full for longer. Same with pairing your carbs with fats and protein.  Pairing your food can help keep you full for a lot longer.  Adding lots of vegetables will add lots of volume to your plate, which can also help with hunger.  Simple carbs are the more processed carbs that your body processes quickly, while complex carbs are usually less processed, have more fiber, and take longer for your body to break down.  


Complex carbs

Basmati Rice

Wholemeal bread

Nut and seed whole grain bread

Sweet potatoes

Quinoa

Oatmeal


Simple carbs  

White rice

White potatoes

White bread  

Sugar

Fruit



So what happens when you have eaten a good filling meal, you have another hour or 30 minutes until you can test and you are ravenous? You can still eat some fat/protein snacks.  Right now it is winter in Melbourne and has been really cold. So I have been enjoying a soft boiled egg as a snack when I need something extra.  There are lots of other easy snacks you can enjoy as well


Protein and Fat Snacks

Soft boiled egg

Avocado and chicken

Avocado and canned Tuna

Cheese 

Nuts and seeds

Carrots with 1 tbsp of Hummus

Cheese Cake Jelly Pots


Because all of those options are basically carb-free you can eat them before testing without it affecting your numbers.  I've never had a problem as long as I stick to carb-free foods.  


When it is time for your carb snack there are lots you can do here as well to make sure that you are staying full. You can basically have another meal if you need to, as long as you are sticking to one serving of carbs.  Again make sure to have low GI carbs and adding protein and fats will help with satiety.  


Toast with Chicken and Avocado

Egg on toast with cheese

A small portion of rice with meat and veggies

Apple with peanut butter and nuts


The goal for your snacks is to make sure you are pairing the carbs with lots of protein and fats to keep you full for longer.   Complex carbs are better for hunger because they should keep you full for much longer than simple carbs.  Veggies are a great way to bulk out a meal as well to help with fullness.  


I am hoping my hunger levels go down to normal soon.  I think baby is having a growth spurt. All I want to is eat and sleep.  Only 7 more weeks until the baby is here! Then I'll have to deal with breastfeeding hunger.  



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