“We are loving watching my belly start to grow, I am totally fascinated and in awe of my body right now and talk about it 24/7,” wrote Ella Mills, founder of plant-based food company Deliciously Ella, in an Instagram post from earlier this month. In January, Mills—whose impressive résumé includes cookbooks, the Mae Deli in her home base of London, a brand-new podcast, and more—made her pregnancy Instagram official with a picture of herself and husband (and business partner) Matthew Mills holding an ultrasound of their unborn child.
The post could literally split your heart in two, and it made all of us here at Well+Good wonder: How has the healthy-living maven—who’s carved out so much of the animal-byproduct-free wellness space—changed up her wellness routines since finding out she was expecting?
To get the details, I chatted with the foodie, who told me she’s committed living a holistically nourishing life through food and beyond during pregnancy. That commitment manifests in many ways—one being savoring every moment when she has a chance to unroll her mat to practice yoga.
“It’s been such a positive tool during a period of such change,” Mills tells me. “I’ve slowed down [my practice] and definitely spend more time in child’s pose than ever before. I’m gentler on my body in general and try to really listen to what it needs each day.” And given that yoga and meditation are a couple that have been together a long time (like, thousands of years), it makes sense that she also makes room in her schedule for mindfulness. “I’m upping my commitment to meditation as I start to look at HypnoBirthing, the importance of breath in birthing, and just generally trying to slow down when I can and not push myself to the absolute max with everything I do,” she says.
“I’ve slowed down [my yoga practice], and definitely spend more time in child’s pose than ever before. I’m gentler on my body in general and try to really listen to what it needs each day.” —Ella Mills, founder of Deliciously Ella
As for what she’s putting on her plate, of course it’s all equal parts nutritious and tasty. “I’m still eating and loving a plant-based diet. I’m just eating a little more and am being conscious of having three proper meals a day, getting as much fruit and veg as I can, and having lots of fiber, as my digestive system is a little slower,” says Mills.
Here’s a sampling of what’s been on Mills’ menu now that she’s expecting.
Breakfast: “I’ve been having things like bircher muesli with coconut milk, almond butter, and banana for breakfast or a frozen mango-and-spinach smoothie with dates, almond milk, hemp seeds and chia seeds,” she says.
Lunch: For her midday meal, she’ll eat whatever Mae Deli is serving, which is often “a big spicy lentil dal with brown rice and avocado,” she tells me.
Snack: When the afternoon munchies kick in, she reaches for her homemade energy balls or hummus and crackers.
Dinner: “Dinner is the time we tend to sit down, and I love using that time to really experiment and get creative in the kitchen,” says the chef. “I’m obsessed with our Sri Lankan curry at the moment, which has roasted sweet potatoes and butternut squash cooked with roasted red peppers and mixed into a base of red onion, green chili, garlic, spice and coconut milk.” (Um, yum.)
Burpee queen Kayla Itsines is pregnant too! Here’s how she’s been adapting her workouts.