Sweet Cheats!

I don't think I've ever plowed through an entire 1-pound box of Sees.   I've never, even in my most heartbroken depression, devoured a pint of Ben & Jerry's in a single solo sitting.   That "whole bag of oreos" thing?  I just like it as a metaphor.  They're metaphor-cookies.  Really.

But I do have a sweet tooth. 

After several months of first trimester "random-time-of-day-sickness," I was definitely enjoying flashing my pregnancy card in my second trimester to entitle me to ice cream, cookies, donuts...ok, things I was already eating more than I ought to have before I was ever pregnant.  But the pregnancy gave me a "get out of guilt free" pass.   At least, it did in my head, where it counts.  Especially considering the fact that I had actually lost weight in my first trimester, and for once, I wanted to watch my waistband expand. 

And it did.  I was finally about on track for my weight gain by the end of my second trimester, with one visit recording a staggering (to me, anyway) ten-pound gain in a month's time.   My doctor said that was fine, though--she said everyone gets one "spurt" that they don't worry about, and for me, considering that it was only at the prior visit that I actually regained my pre-pregnancy weight, this spurt was probably needed, because I hadn't put on the weight most people do by that point in a pregnancy.  (I'll post my blood sugar levels here, but if you think I'm posting my weight on this, you're crazy).  Let's just leave it at this:  I'm not very tall and my weight was in the normal BMI range, so, I know for some women who start out their pregnancy heavier, they don't worry if you don't put on much weight for the first few weeks, but I didn't have a lot of cushion in that regard. 

Was I worried about turning into a pumpkin by my Halloween due date?  Not particularly.  Maybe I should have been--and everyone has told me that the "perk" of being a Voodoo Doll is that massive weight gain just won't happen, assuming you are following the plan, because of what you are allowed to eat, and the exercise you are supposed to be doing.    But that wasn't my real concern.   Wrong or not, given the option, I think I would have rather put on too much weight during this pregnancy and been able to eat what I wanted, when I wanted, and later have to fight it off, vs. get stuck with gestational diabetes and have a much more constrained weight gain. 

So when I was preparing to be tested to find out if I was a Voodoo Doll, I admit, there was one thing I kept fixating on, picking at it like a scab:  No cake at my own baby shower.  And there was a reason for that:  a few years back, at my sister's baby shower, there are two things I remember about the cake:  One, there was a stork on the cake that everyone thought was a duck, and it drove my mother crazy, and two, my sister had the tiniest sliver of the cake possible, and it was HER cake.  I think I was traumatized by that.

When I got the news that I had, indeed, failed both the 1 hour AND the 3 hour tests, and would be forced to eat "sensibly" and "be active" (isn't eating an activity?), you better believe that the first thing I thought of was this:  No cake at my shower. 

Well, I got to experience a sneak preview of that the next day at work, where I faced not one, but TWO cakes.   I ate salad and pouted. 

So, at my first clinic visit, I asked a lot of questions about Sweet Cheats.  You know, sugar free, fake food products that I could still have, even while being a Voodoo Doll.

The first thing the clinician told me is, if I wanted Hershey's Kisses, I could have them.  Like, one per meal.  And that's good to know.  But the willpower to eat one kiss and not a handful?  For me, it's better to just pretend they don't exist.  A bite of something--unless it's a Bordeaux from Sees--just makes me want more. 

What was better news was all the Sweet Cheats I *could* have, in portion sizes that humans eat.   Sugar free jello.  Sugar free popsicles.  (Much appreciated in this recent heat.)  These were "free" foods that didn't even count towards my other meals or snacks--which, especially when it comes to a popsicle, it was nice to have after my post-dinner exercise and blood test, when my "night snack" would be more than an hour away.  And I get a whole popsicle.  Not a bite, then shove it back in the freezer, another bite four hours later, shove it back in the freezer, repeat ad nauseum.

Other cheats? Sugar free pudding, sugar free ice cream--mine is sweetened with Splenda, sugar free mousse, sugar free frozen yogurt.  These weren't free, because they counted as my milk serving.  But, I get three milk servings a day, one per snack.  So, I still couldn't eat even a whole pint of sugar free Breyers, but I certainly don't feel deprived if I'm eating a pudding cup and chomping on some almonds.  (Every milk must also have a protein portion.)   She even told me I could make smoothies.

And smoothies have basically been my salvation.  We got a rocket blender when we got married, and I had used it exactly twice, to marginal results.  (Aioli and pesto.)  Now, it lives on my counter, and is working overtime. 

So, here are some of my favorite smoothie "recipes," and I use that term loosely, because I basically eyeball everything and throw in whatever I want, so long as it's allowed. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie:
Ice + either chocolate or vanilla SF ice cream (I prefer Breyers) + 2 T peanut butter (creamy) + small banana (or 1/2 large banana) + a little splash of milk + SF chocolate syrup (if you were using vanilla ice cream, that is).    Rocket blender it, drink!

The best thing about that one?  It's a complete snack.  The PB is your protein, the milk and ice cream are your milk serving, and the banana is your fruit.  Great in the afternoon.

Yogurt & Fruit Smoothie:
Ice + 1 container light yogurt in whatever flavor you have + fruit, best if frozen + splash of milk.  Rocket blender, drink!

You can mix and match fruits--strawberry yogurt + banana added, or go for an overdose of berry, like I did with blueberry yogurt and frozen blueberries.  

This one is delicious, but you need a protein source too, so you either have to eat a protein portion on the side, OR, add protein powder to the mix.  Once I got a carton of protein powder from Trader Joes, it was easier, because honestly?  I don't want to eat a handful of nuts with every drink, or snack on cheese too, while I am trying to enjoy my shake.  The protein powder does have some carbs in it, but fairly low, and a serving is two scoops, while I only use one.  Nutritionally, I've compared it to the peanut butter, and the peanut butter is actually worse in that department:
PB:  1 serving = 2 T, 200 cal, 16 g fat, 7 carbs, 8 g protein;
Protein powder (vanilla): 2 scoops (I only use one, so I am halving the amounts for the values): 65 cal, 1 g fat, 5.5 carbs, 8 g protein. 

So I am getting the same protein but actually less fat and fewer carbs.  And I love peanut butter but it does not belong in a yogurt shake!

My favorite cheat? 

Frosted Mocha Shake: 
This one is full of so many cheats it's ridiculous:
Ice + milk (and/or a little sf ice cream, if you have it, you don't need it) + 3 tsp of sugar free decaf international foods instant mocha coffee mix + sf chocolate syrup + protein powder, Rocket blend, pretend you're at Starbucks!   

Here, you've got all these sugar free products, so this isn't one you should have *every* day, because while the splenda based products are "free," they don't want you overdosing on aspartame and other artificial sweeteners.  But in limited amounts, they are a much needed treat!  And if you can find them all with splenda as the base instead?  Knock yourself out! 

Finally, last but not least, a non-smoothie, non-creamy drink that I also think is a lifesaver, for a few different reasons.

First, I miss juice.  I love juice.  Juice is a no-no when you are a Voodoo Doll.   Second, I take iron supplements due to my low hemoglobin levels.  I am supposed to take it with OJ because iron absorption is increased with Vitamin C.  But I hadn't been able to do that.  And my hemoglobins were not increasing.   But, thanks to my Aunt Sue, I tried some "diet" juice from Ocean Spray.  It's sweetened with Splenda (bingo!) and has only a few carbs per serving--as few as my sugar free popsicles.  So I count it as "free." 

But, since I take my iron at breakfast (where it won't be mixing with dairy, which actually blocks iron absorption, and I can't have milk at breakfast), and breakfast is the meal where most people are likely to spike in their sugars because you've been fasting overnight, I don't want to risk an entire glass of even this "diet" juice.

My solution?  1/2 serving of juice in a big, tall glass, and fill with sparkling water.  Now you've got a juice spritzer that is better than what you can buy.  Most "juice spritzers" have almost no juice in them, and little to no Vitamin C.  This has 50% of your Vitamin C, actual juice, and no carb impact.  I can have juice at breakfast, take my iron, get my C's, and the other nice perk?  It's easier on the wallet than drinking straight juice, because a bottle of sparkling water costs much less than juice. 

Since I'm not a doctor and don't play one on TV, I can't say that all these things are "good" for you.  I can just say they haven't made me have a single spike, and if I enjoying an ice cream shake or a yogurt smoothie, I am in a better mood, and c'mon, who doesn't want that?