Focus on Protein

I may have just figured out why I was so hungry the first few weeks of pregnancy. I was ridiculously hungry to the point that I got tired of eating because it was just too much work (hey when you're pregnant everything is tiring). I think the reason was because I was not eating enough protein. When I was in college I learned that the average person needs .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. To find your weight in kilograms simply divide your weight in pounds by 2.2. (1 pound is equivalent to 2.2 kilograms). In the months prior to becoming pregnant I weighed 120 pounds, 120/2.2 = 54, therefore my body needed 54 grams of protein each day. Well now that I'm pregnant I guess it's not based on weight anymore, but I apparently need to be getting around 70 to 75 grams of protein per day. I can almost guarantee I wasn't do that early on. I think I am now as I have started eating more meat, cheese, and rice and beans (which when mixed create a complete protein = one that contains all nine essential amino acids). 
Okay Protein soapbox time, the sad truth is that most people in America consume excessive amounts of protein. Most people can't imagine going a day without meat let alone a meal without meat. And don't get me wrong protein is good for you but too much, like many things, can be bad. The Liver is an amazing organ, it has the ability to transform the things we put into our bodies. When we eat more protein than our body needs, the liver may convert it into carbohydrates or fats for storage. We all love it when our bodies store fat right? Excessive protein usually means excessive nitrogen, and it's your kidney's job to get rid of that. Thus consuming excess protein also stresses the kidneys. People don't seem to realize how much they stress their body by simply eating badly....
So back to me. I've always taken pride in the fact that I do eat less meat than the average American. As part of living a healthy lifestyle I find ways to get protein from non-animal sources, in the past we were eating meat maybe once a week, if that. So it's possible that early in my pregnancy I wasn't getting the recommended amount of protein for a pregnant woman and my body was letting me know by keeping me hungry all the time. Now that I am aware of this I have taken steps to add protein to my diet. After my pregnancy is over I will go back to the rule of .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.