Shakeology and Pregnancy: The great Vitamin A debate

The biggest question I have received since I made my pregnancy public (at least for those who don't see me everyday and kind of figured it out) is "What are you doing about your shakes?"

And that question plagued me the minute I saw two little lines pop up on the pregnancy test. So I put my advanced English degree to use and started doing research. I started with my friend Katy who I knew drank shakeo during her second pregnancy. I asked her how she approached her doctor and her doctor's response. I wanted to make sure I had all the information I needed when I headed to my first appointment.

The other thing I really wanted to figure out WHY some doctors were clearing it as totally fine and
others were telling women to hold off and not drink it during pregnancy.  Was it that some doctors aren't familiar with the product and ALL the ingredients and really didn't have the time to dig into it so they were saying no just in case? Or were there real issues to be concerned about and maybe these doctors knew more about that. Because dealing with certain herbs and other ingredients we don't normally use can be tricky. Studies aren't done on pregnant women so when there is a question and no one really knows the answer, everyone aires on the side of caution....which makes sense.

BUT if shakeology was so good for me daily before, why shouldn't it be amazing for me during pregnancy?

And should I wait until my doctor's appointment to see if they are cleared or keep taking them until I can talk to my doctor?

So many questions....so many possible answers and reasons. Seriously....motherhood starts the minute you pee on a stick and it says pregnant. And it doesn't get any easier.

So I dug in and this is what I found:

When I asked my previously pregnant colleagues, those that had doctors that said no to shakeology during pregnancy did so due to the levels of Vitamin A. And for good reason....too much vitamin A has been linked to birth defects like cleft lip, cleft palate,  hydrocephalus (water on the brain) or major heart malformations.  (For more information on Vitamin A and the study done at the Boston University School of Medicine click here.) 

BUT there is a difference in the type of vitamin A you are getting (which the above article also states.) Vitamin A from animal sources (liver is the biggest source and is not recommended to eat during pregnancy but it is also found in fish oil, fish and seafood, dairy and fortified cereal.) and preformed vitamin A (which your body uses directly and is also known as retinol) is responsible for the birth defects while vitamin A derived from carotenoids (which your body converts to vitamin A and includes beta carotene) is not....so you can munch carrots and other vitamin A rich fruits and veggies to your hearts content. 

With all the scary problems listed above why not avoid vitamin A altogether? Well it is kind of important for mom and baby. It helps with embryonic growth (source). It's important for mom because it helps with tissue repair (important post partum!) and also supports vision and a healthy immune system.

So what kind of vitamin A is in shakeology? 

The whey blends of shakeology (Chocolate, Vanilla, Greenberry and Strawberry) are fortified which makes it easy to list all the vitamin amounts. (Yay consistency!) Chocolate, Greenberry and Strawberry all contain 5,000 IU of vitamin A sourced from beta-carotene and Vanilla has 500 IU. This is only so it doesn't cause issues in the coloration due to it being derived from beta-carotene (which is what makes carrots and pumpkins orange.)

Below is the nutritional label from chocolate shakeology. I circled the vitamin A content in pink so it was easy to find.

But I drink vegan shakeology and it isn't fortified....

And I do. I don't do well with diary so I drink the vegan formula which made this whole thing a lot trickier.

Well it did and only at first.

The reason that vegan shakeology does not have the vitamins and minerals listed on the packaging is because those are derived from whole foods. Which, was one of the reasons I loved the vegan formula so much in the first place.

Just because there aren't added vitamins, doesn't mean there aren't any vitamins at all. I have been drinking vegan shakeology for almost two years and have noticed many benefits, one being that I don't get sick as often as I used to.

So what did my* doctor say....

She pretty much told me all I need to do is add a folate supplement (or folic acid, I chose to take folate because it is the natural form of folic acid. Folate is what is found in food where folic acid is the synthetic version. I found a pretty reputable brand on Amazon that wasn't very expensive.)

She also told me that since I had issues with prenatals making me sick during my last pregnancy, Shakeology may even be a better option for me than a prenatal would. I really had to play with when to take my prenatal last time. It would make me extremely nauseous. This time I didn't have that issue at all. I made sure I took my shake everyday. I did make it more of a snack though instead of having
it as a meal replacement. I found that I was hungrier (I mean growing a whole new person does require a lot of energy and this way I was getting the extra calories I needed for a healthy pregnancy.)


Interested in talking to your doctor about Shakeology? Here is a great resource to get the conversation started. Click here to download.



* This was MY doctor's opinion for MY pregnancy. Everyone is different and has different circumstances which make all of our pregnancies different. If you are curious about Vitamin A in pregnancy, Shakeology during pregnancy or have any pregnancy questions you need to talk to YOUR doctor(s). They know your history and what will be best for you and your growing family. I am not a doctor and this post is just strictly for sharing my experience.

Sources:

http://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/07/us/study-links-excess-vitamin-a-and-birth-defects.html

http://vitamins.lovetoknow.com/Sources_of_Vitamin_A

http://www.babycenter.com/0_vitamin-a-in-your-pregnancy-diet_675.bc?page=1

https://faq.shakeology.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/8902/~/lower-levels-of-vitamin-a-in-vanilla-shakeology

The Cat's out of the Bag.....and it's Okay (okay)

So I have been pretty quiet on the forefront of all things health and fitness. Not really toting any new health and fitness groups. Not posting any new meal plans or what my plans are to stay on track for the holidays.

And that's because I have felt like a big old hypocrite.

I haven't been working out 5-6 days a week like I normally do. I haven't been sticking to my meal plans and I haven't been quite so rigid about what kind of treats I am allowing myself to have. And I have been gaining weight like a champ.

Why?

Well because B is going to be a big sister in about four months.

So shouldn't I feel okay about all the things I listed above? Shouldn't I feel all glowy and wondrous and joyful about wanting to eat nothing but donuts for two weeks straight? Shouldn't I cut myself some slack when I am exhausted and can't' even fathom the thought of getting up extra early to squeeze my workout into an already jam packed day?

Maybe I should...but I don't.

It's hard to undo all the standards that I've held myself to over the past year and a half. And while yes in my brain I know I'm supposed to be gaining weight and letting myself get a few extra hours of sleep it's hard to not just feel like a slacker.

It's hard to get rid of the feeling of dread when my belly is getting into the way of my stretches....the way it used to a year and a half ago before I started this whole health and fitness journey. And I know that there is a much better reason for it now. I should be happy to see my baby growing and that we are both healthy. I know that in my head but it's still hard to shake that feeling.

And with that feeling comes the fear of gaining too much weight...not being able to get it off as quickly as I want. The downside of being a part of the health and fitness industry is that you see these women who are gorgeous...who gain the minimal amount of weight (that of course is all baby) and then four weeks later are back in their pre pregnancy jeans before they are even cleared to workout again by their doctors.

And then there is me. Who pees on a stick and gains ten pounds overnight. Who does not gain the kind of weight that is all baby. Who gains weight crazy easy even when she isn't' pregnant despite all the workouts and meal planning. And who would be stoked be back in my pre pregnancy jeans in four months instead of the two and a half years it took me last time.

It's taken a few months to wrap my head around all of that. To come to terms with it and be okay with the fact that working out 3-4 days a week is okay when I need the extra sleep. That giving in and opting for the easy dinner option after a crazy busy day is okay because sometimes that is all you can do. That eating white toast for a month straight was okay because it was the only thing that didn't send me running to the bathroom. That not working this Beachbody business as many hours a week as I was five months ago because I am exhausted and can barely form a sentence is okay. Because I need to put me and my kids first.

What matters is being aware and 80% of the time trying to eat the healthiest I can. What matters is cutting myself a little bit of slack and not comparing myself to anyone else who has had a baby and looks like a supermodel in their going home with baby pictures. What matters is to not compare myself to any other Beachbody coaches and their success because this is my journey and my road bumps are very different from everyone elses.

And guess what.

I am okay with all of it.



When I signed up to coach, I did so to hold myself to a higher standard and I help those who wanted to join me on this journey. I did it so that I could fit working around my life and be able to put my family first. I didn't do it to make a million dollars. My goal was to make enough to cover monthly expenses. Preschool, gymnastics, gas and groceries. To treat my coaches and clients like a family. To be there to help them with whatever they need, no matter where they are in their business and weight loss journey. A daily check in. A little extra motivation. Questions about meal planning and how to make it happen. I wanted to inspire, not sell. I wanted to encourage people to make it part of their lifestyle not offer them a quick fix.


And why should any of that change because I no longer fit in my jeans?

It shouldn't. Instead of letting myself be inspired by the success of others, I let their success impede my own. I took three big steps back when I should have been proud of what I have accomplished and what I am accomplishing (because chasing a three year old, growing another human being, supporting my team and the clients I currently have and still finding the time and energy to take care of me is a lot.)

So here it is....my big confession and my commitment to being back in the game (without feeling bad about wearing elastic pants while I do it.)

If you want to join me as part of my team or as one of my challengers as I navigate pregnancy, the holidays and fighting the Christmas cookie battle please don't hesitate to contact me or fill out the application below for more information.

Fill out my online form.

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