21: Pregnancy Expert: This is Exactly What You Should EAT for a Healthy Pregnancy! - Lily Nichols

"No One’s Talking About This Pregnancy Risk—But She Is."



Lily Nichols, RDN, is a registered dietitian, researcher, and bestselling author behind Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Known for challenging outdated nutrition guidelines with sharp evidence and deep clinical insight, Lily’s work has changed the way thousands of practitioners and mothers approach prenatal health.

In this episode, Lily dismantles the myths surrounding pregnancy nutrition—from gestational diabetes fearmongering to why protein isn’t just important, it’s non-negotiable. You’ll learn why common OB guidance is often decades behind the data, how cravings and aversions are more than just “pregnancy quirks,” and how sperm health can even impact birth complications. Lily breaks down the science, the politics, and the massive gaps in mainstream care—and shares real, actionable strategies for building a healthy pregnancy on any budget. This one will make you rethink everything you’ve been told about what to eat when you’re expecting.

You’ll Learn:

• How protein timing and quantity impact blood sugar stability during pregnancy
• Why standard gestational diabetes guidelines may be worsening outcomes
• What outdated prenatal nutrition advice fails to account for, and what to do instead
• How to optimize pregnancy nutrition on a tight budget without sacrificing quality
• Why cravings and aversions might signal micronutrient deficiencies or blood sugar issues
• How sperm quality influences placental development and pregnancy complications
• What OBs and dietitians aren’t taught about prenatal nutrition—and why it matters
• How to approach blood sugar monitoring at home as an alternative to glucose testing
• Why high-protein, high-fat meals may reduce nausea and support fetal development
• What to prioritize during the first trimester when nutrient intake feels impossible

Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[01:58] Why current pregnancy guidelines often fall short

[03:02] Real food approach and clinical outcomes

[04:26] The risk of challenging mainstream prenatal advice

[06:34] Common myths repeated in prenatal nutrition books

[08:34] Vegetarian diets and blood sugar challenges

[10:43] How protein stabilizes blood sugar in pregnancy

[11:51] Why “eat more protein” works better than restriction

[13:00] The lack of prenatal nutrition training for providers

[15:39] Conflicts between guidelines and fetal nutrient needs

[17:44] Nutrition tips for early and mid-pregnancy

[18:54] Protein, hunger, and pregnancy cravings

[21:01] Budget-friendly ways to boost prenatal nutrition

[23:47] Animal vs plant protein: cost and nutrients

[25:12] What cravings and aversions reveal about deficiencies

[28:05] Why meat and vegetab