Eat Well, Be Well

The number one law that can’t be avoided when it comes to weight loss is the “law” of thermodynamics which simply means that you MUST burn MORE calories than you eat. You may be thinking wow, that seems like a lot of calories…but remember you are burning calories all day long unless you really just sit there all day. There are a bunch of ways to achieve this deficit.

One way to start would be by reducing your daily intake by trading in empty-calorie food that you’re likely to binge on for nutritious whole foods that will fill you up. In order to do this just take it one step at a time.

Step 1: Eliminate added Sugars

This one step is the SIMPLEST way to quickly clean up any diet. I read somewhere that Americans eat about 82 grams of sugar a day which is almost 20 teaspoons then equaling over 300 calories!!! Are you kidding me?! We should be eating no more than 8 teaspoons of sugar a day…which is less than 10% of your daily food intake. So where is all this sugar coming from? Well besides soda and candy (both FULL of empty calories) you may be consuming too many baked goods, breakfast cereals, FLAVORED yogurt, ice cream plus sugar is hiding in other everyday products like ketchup, granola, dried fruit, fruit juices, etc.

Step 2: Cut back on Starch

Starches are the main carbohydrates in bread, pasta, & rice (and I’m not talking about just the white bread, pasta, etc.) Whole-wheat/whole-grain pastas, etc. also contain starch. Why are starches bad? Well, for starters, too much starch messes with your blood sugar. Limit yourself to 2 servings of starches a day. Consider 1 serving to be about 20 grams of carbohydrates (equal to about 1 slice of bread, one cup of oatmeal, half of a large potato, 1/2 cup of pasta, rice or beans. Remember you burn more carbs. on the days you workout so give your body more fuel on the days you need it, and less on the days you don’t. Also, always choose whole wheat/whole grain pastas, breads, etc. & brown rice unless you are allergic to wheat of course.

Step 3: Watch your CALORIES

You need portion control. Remember there is 3,500 calories in 1 pound of fat. You can easily be consuming that many calories a day if you are eating any of the above to an extent. Eat until you’re satisfied, not stuffed. Focus your diet on healthy food options like proper doses of protein, fiber and good fats that fill you up, keep you satisfied and regulates your blood sugar. This will help you reduce the number of calories you consume, speeding up your fat loss! However, if you have too many “cheat” days, or if you eat mindlessly you’re not likely to lose fat. Think about what you’re putting into your body. Try keeping a food journal. This can help you make better food choices throughout the day and help you keep track of calories.

• NEVER restrict your produce intake. “No one ever got fat from eating produce.”
• Have some PROTEIN with EVERY meal.
• Don’t be afraid of fat-there is a such thing as good fat (avocados, nuts, olive oil, etc).
• Eat until your satisfied, not stuffed. Like 80% full.

 

Fit-Foodie Finds

This is such a good desert/snack idea. Use dark chocolate chips= brilliant.

Failure to Plan is Planning to Fail

To ensure that good, healthy foods will be always be available when you need them, use the Sunday Ritual. This is performed by setting aside time every Sunday to write out your menu for the week, shop for the week, and prepare your meals for the week. Cook all the meat, chop all the vegetables. Grab them in the morning and bring them with you regardless of what your day holds in store for you.

By planning, preparing and storing your healthy meals for a whole work week you’ve taken the stress out of settling for something below par.

First start by making out your meal plans for five full dinners and 5 lunches using the 2 and 4 Method. Start by choosing  two healthy meats (grilled chicken, ground turkey, tilapia, etc.) and four vegetables (fresh if you can) you will primarily work with for the week’s meals. Of course, you will need to have additions for your meal plans on hand, such as fruit, whole wheat pastas, whole wheat bread and possibly whole wheat tortillas. Think about how you can use each meat and vegetable you select at least twice.

A day devoted to feeding yourself and/or family for a week is a day well spent, saving you time, money, bad choices and stress.

Baby WGC’s Birth Story

After hoping and praying that our little guy would arrive sooner rather than later (for my own selfish needs I admit, as I wanted to have more time to train for my favorite half marathon in October) and after trying every trick in the book to induce labor (which NOTHING works by the way so really…don’t waste your time or money) our little dude decided to arrive fashionably late. A week and two days late to be exact.

My last bump picture.

It was a Monday night, September 2nd on Labor day (isn’t it ironic?) when our little dude decided that he would try to grace us with his presence. The key word here is TRY. My husband had just gotten off of work at 10 pm and called me when I started having painful, consistent contractions. When he arrived home I had already started timing my contractions which were anywhere from 1:30 to 5 minutes apart each lasting 45 sec. to a minute and a half. This went on for a while so we decided to get our hospital bags (which had been packed for about a month) and head to the hospital.

This was our last picture as non-parents! This was during our 1 hour hospital walk.

Once we got to the hospital we found out that I was only 1 cm dilated which was pretty much no progression from my previous disappointing appointments (yes, I’m impatient). However, my contractions were strong and consistent so they decided to keep me overnight at the hospital. Around 1 am they told me to walk around the hospital for an hour in hopes that my dilation would progress. So the husband and I went on our own little tour of the hospital. It was a beautiful evening so most of the walking was done outdoors. My contractions started to get even more painful, so painful that I couldn’t walk through them, but found myself clenching on to my husband instead. After that hour we went back in only to find out that I had not progressed yet again. They decided to drug me to help my tense body relax and to help with the pain…not to mention knock me out for a few hours. AJ decided to go home and get a little sleep while I was knocked out. I woke up at 6:30 am in so much pain. Each contraction was worse than the previous one so I called for the nurse. She decided to check me again and finally some good news, I was 4 cm dilated!! Woo hoo! I was told they were going to take me to the labor and delivery floor now and that my baby boy should be there by that afternoon. I was feeling beyond excited and in pain. I text messaged my husband to get to the hospital immediately and then asked if it was too soon for an epidural…which I pretty much got 15 minutes later when I got to my laboring room.

Playing the waiting game…

Oh sweet relief. I had my husband at my side, an epidural in place and I was 4 cm dilated. All of our family was on their way or arriving as we sat excitedly in the room, waiting. 12 pm came around and I was still 4 cm dilated. They decided to break my water for me in hopes that this would speed up the process. Sure enough, a few hours later and another dose or 2 of medication later, I had progressed another cm which is NOTHING! Finally, by 6 pm I was about 6 cm dilated, starving and parched. They allowed me to eat some ice chips and jello but no water. Family and friends had come in to see me, give me little gifts and wish me good luck throughout this time. By 9 pm I had a fever, and a swollen cervix, not to mention another few doses of the pain killing medication. The medicine from the epidural kept wearing off every couple of hours. The husband and I started to grow impatient, but what could we do but wait it out?! Over time I finally progressed to 7.5 cm and stayed that way until 2 am.

At 2 am I still had a fever and a swollen cervix. I was also losing oxygen and the baby’s heart rate had increased significantly. It was then when the Doctor and Nurse came in to have “the talk” with me. I was going to need a C-Section. I was not progressing fast enough and because I was stuck at 7.5 cm they feared the baby was in an odd position or couldn’t fit through. Plus my fever wasn’t getting any better, etc. I started to cry…this was my worst nightmare. Here I am feeling like my hips are ripping apart, like my back was being hit by a hammer, like my head was going to explode, with the biggest fear of needles, blood and surgery…28 hours later and I had to get a C-section. They gave me an oxygen mask, and 45 minutes to let my new reality sink in. AJ informed our mom’s who were sleeping in the waiting room (bless their hearts)…they came in to see me before I was wheeled away to get my surgery.

Once I arrived to the operating room they gave me a new epidural as I was in SO much pain. After the new epidural was placed they put me on a new bed and gave me some more drugs. The next thing I remember was waking up in what I thought was heaven. I remember thinking I had passed away and that I was looking down at everyone in the operating room. I slowly snapped out of it and realized I was indeed alive and began asking questions. The husband said then my sense of humor and positive outlook kicked in as I made funny remarks about being alive and on drugs. I guess I had also thanked the staff several times for doing such an awesome job with drugging me and getting the procedure done quickly. I also said a few other remarks that I will not say as they involve foul language but are hilarious none the less. =) In the end I found out that my hips and pelvis are too small for giving birth, that’s why I stopped dilating at 7.5 cm which makes sense…I am a very petite 5’2″ girl who can shop in the little girl’s section. At least I now know for next time.

My precious angel, baby Wyatt came into this world at 3:40 am on Wednesday, September 4th! He was 7 lbs 7 oz and 21 1/4 inches long. Our wonderful parents and siblings got to meet him about an hour later. All of the waiting and pain was TOTALLY worth it. It was the BEST worst day EVER!

We ended up staying at the hospital a couple more days before getting discharged early. Wyatt and I passed all of our tests with flying colors. AJ and I were so happy to leave the hospital and finally bring our baby boy home. Needless to say we are both head over heels in love with our little guy. He is definitely our greatest adventure.

Just minutes new!

This was at his newborn photo shoot. 1 week old!

Fit-Foodie Finds #6

Fresh young coconut water is my new obsession. It is the tastiest coconut water I’ve had. Did you know the young coconut is one of the purest and highest sources of electrolytes know to man and also a blood purifier. YUM!

These are basically the only chip I’ll eat. Late July’s organic multigrain chips are full of chia seeds, flax seeds and all kinds of other all natural nutritional ingredients! Yep, a chip that has nutritional value besides kale chips.

 

Yes, I’m obsessed with hummus and whole wheat pita chips, but my husband recently brought home these all natural Melba snacks and I must say I think I like them more than the traditional whole wheat pita chip. They are full of flavor, low calorie and have an awesome crunch. It was hard to stop snacking on these…no wonder they’re just called snacks and not crackers

I love Yerba Mate because it is the perfect stimulant with a number of nutrients like antioxidants (about 90% more antioxidants than green tea), amino acids, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. Plus it helps you control your weight, aids digestion and support cardiovascular health! I especially like this organic sparkling drink because of the flavor, calorie content and the fact that it is sweetened with stevia.

So I’m pregnant and I’m not always wanting to wake up and make breakfast right away. My favorite go to quick and easy breakfast are these organic whole wheat and flax waffles from Sprouts Farmers Market. They are only 190 calories for 2 and full of fiber, omegas and protein! Top with some sugar-free syrup or agave nectar and some fresh fruit and you have an amazing breakfast.

Like I said above, I’m pregnant and I don’t always feel like cooking. This salad I found at Togos. It is the Farmer’s Market Salad…all veggies with a fat-free dressing on the side. I opted for no meat because they do not have all natural meats. I’m extremely picky when it comes to meat. This salad was very low-cal but a great, refreshing, quick salad to go!

Here’s another delicious and healthy restaurant option from Baja Fresh. I’m always looking for the healthiest options when I go out to eat even if that means revising the meal. This is the Baja Bowl with all natural, hormone free chicken. I opted for black beans and no rice. So it’s basically a big, tasty bowl of veggies, chicken and beans! I love guilt-free restaurant eats!

 

 

Rise Protein Bars are one of my favorite simply because they are all natural and they only have 3 ingredients!! Yep, no GMO’s, soy and other crap, just good ol’ almonds, honey ans whey protein!! Two thumbs up!

Stay On Track & Follow These Fit Rules

1. Drink a lot of water…at LEAST 8 cups a day. Always hydrate for performance as I like to say.
2. Eat every 2-3 hours. Aim for 4-6 small meals per day, including protein shakes.
3. Always choose lean proteins, veggies and fruits.
4. Avoid sugar, simple carbs. and food with no nutritional value.
5. Don’t think of fitness as an instant transformation. Approach it as a lifestyle and stay dedicated!
6. Make working out your number one commitment, because it builds confidence and discipline that you need to succeed in your every day life.
7. Give yourself one cheat day per week or two cheat meals a week as a ONLY if needed.
8. Take a day off from working out to allow your body to recover from training and rebuild your muscles.
9. Get 6-8 hours of sleep, this is a time when your body is growing and repairing itself.

Simple Ways to Cut Calories

Here’s a fact: If you can cut 500 calories from your daily menu or burn an extra 500 calories a day, you can lose about a pound of weight a week.

Here are some calorie-blasting strategies that will help you lose weight and burn more fat all day long without even stepping foot in the gym.

Food Swaping. Cutting calories is as easy as swapping one food for another!

• Bagel for a whole wheat english muffin to slash 220 calories.
• A glass of whole milk for reduced-fat to save 70 calories.
• Three-egg omelet for one egg and two egg whites.
• Pork sausage for turkey sausage to cut about 125 calories each.

Measure portions. So many of us have serious portion-distortion. Measuring out one serving can save you hundreds of calories and help you to realize what foods give you more bulk for the bite. For example, a cup of granola can have up to 600 calories, while a cup of high-fiber cereal has only about 120.

Move on your lunch hour. Walk during your lunch for five days and burn 500 extra calories. Also, try wearing a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day, or about 5 miles—you’ll automatically burn 500 calories without even hitting the gym.

Order wisely. Use hummus or mustard instead of mayo, and a roll for sliced bread on your sandwich, and cut about 200 calories. Opt for a salad with lite dressing on the side instead of fries to save another 300 calories for a total of 500 saved.

Chew you food. Slow down when you eat! It takes 20 to 30 minutes for your body to register that you are full, eating more slowly allows you to get to the point where you feel satiated on fewer calories.

Downsize your plate. Simply going from a 12-inch plate to a 9-inch plate will allow you to cut 500 calories without feeling deprived.

Wait to have seconds. Wait 20 to 30 minutes to have a second helping. Then if you do opt for seconds, you’re likely to get a smaller helping because hunger hormones won’t be driving your appetite.

Make over your sweets. Save up to 400 calories by eating fruit. Get creative! Slice one peach and one small banana into quarters, thread four pieces fruit each onto two skewers and brush with one tablespoon honey each. Grill each side for about 4 minutes, or until flesh is tender but still firm. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Leave something on your plate. Leaving a quarter of the meal on your plate can save up to 500 calories. Leaving a few bites of any potato or noodle dish cuts up to 100 calories alone.

Play with your pets or kids. Playing frisbee with the dog, going for a bike ride with the kids. Family walk after dinner- everyone benefits!

Take a stand. Did you know that you can burn up to an extra 500 calories a day by standing rather than sitting? Try standing to make a phone call or try to squeeze in 5 minutes of push-ups or jumping jacks to burn another 50 calories.

Drink up. Swapping water for soda can save you about 300 hundred calories a day if you drink two cans. Also, drinking 20 to 60 ounces of water daily might also help boost your metabolism so you burn even more calories. To make water more appealing, try adding sliced cucumbers, lemon/lime, or low-calorie flavor packets that offer fizz and a shot of vitamins.

Try commercial cardio. Doing some kind of cardio, such as jumping rope or jogging in place, burns about 10 calories a minute. If you watch an hour of TV a night and add cardio moves during the 10 commercial breaks that typically air, you could blast up to 300 extra calories without missing your favorite shows.

Sleep in. People who get less than 6 hours of sleep eat up to 300 calories more during the day because a lack of sleep triggers the production of the hunger hormone, grehlin. Each extra hour of sleep could save you 100 calories!

Run some errands. Spend an afternoon healthy food shopping and unloading groceries to burn close to 500 calories. Cook dinner to burn 136 more.

Switch up your workout routine. You can burn up to an additional 250 calories in a half-hour, or 500 in an hour, by incorporatingintervals instead of just exercising at the same pace. Increase the calorie burn by picking up your pace to the point where you are so out of breath that you can’t even talk for 30 seconds, then slow down for one and half minutes to recover. Repeat for as long as you can!

What are you favorite ways to cut and burn calories?

Be Prepared for Bootcamp

1. Enter class with a good, “I can do it” attitude. Your workout will most likely be challenging. It’s so important to keep a good attitude and continue to motivate yourself and keep your mind focused when your heart is racing, your blood is pumpin’ and your muscles are burning.
2. Hydrate one or two hours before class. You should bring water or a low sugar sports drink to class as well to sip on…especially on hot days… just remember, it’s difficult to bounce around when your belly is full of liquid.
3. Remember to breath, to “draw in” your abs and to keep good form. You need to breathe deeply through your exercises while simultaneously contracting your abs to protect your lower  back. You also need to keep your chest out, shoulders down and back and stay tall throughout most exercises. It may seem awkward and uncomfortable at first, but you will eventually train your body to breathe deeper while keeping your abs engaged and soon enough, you’ll be practicing good form all day long!
4. Listen to your instructor and stay present. Don’t concentrate on how much it hurts and how much you want to quit.  Actively focus your attention on your instructor, and you will distract yourself from the pain. Remember, pain is temporary!!
5. Push yourself. Of course the instructor is going to be pushing you, but you need to challenge yourself. Ask yourself: Can I be going harder? Can I do one more rep? It’s important to get the best out of your workout and never cheat yourself!
6. Stretch. Sure, you’re going to do some stretches before and after your class, however, it’s important that you find time the following day to stretch as well. Your muscles are going to be sore and tight. Make sure to gradually stretch your muscles and never force a stretch. It’s best to hold a stretch for a minimum of 20 seconds. Your body will thank you for this.
7. Load up on protein and electrolytes after class. Intense workouts and sweating cause you to lose essential electrolytes. Be sure to replenish them with an electrolyte filled snack or drink. Remember to watch the sugar and calorie content. I don’t recommend Gatorade even though it’s an electrolyte drink. Coconut water is a great choice…but if you must have a Gatorade, choose G2 for way less calories and sugar. Consuming protein within 90 minutes of your workout is essential. After your workout, the body begins the process of recovery. Therefore, any protein you intake will go directly to your muscles to help them recover and rebuild.

Watermelon & Peach Protein Smoothie Goodness

The only thing more refreshing than a slice of watermelon in summertime is this delicious watermelon and peach protein smoothie! This is a great meal replacement or post workout shake! Watermelon is 92% water (so it will help keep you hydrated) and is packed with vitamins A and C… Plus lycopene which is an antioxidant that helps protect against cancer and other disease.

Here’s a fun fact for my fellow Prego ladies…did you know that watermelon can help alleviate morning sickness and the obvious dehydration? Also, the minerals in watermelon can help prevent third trimester cramps.

Add a peach which is also full of antioxidants and minerals plus some protein powder power to help your muscles recover and you have an amazingly delicious and nutritious smoothie. Don’t forget the chia seeds for an extra nutritional punch!

*Note- You can also make a super low calorie watermelon and peach smoothie without the protein powder!

Recipe:

• 2 fresh peaches with a 1/2 cup of ice (or more ice if you prefer)
• -or-
• 1 cup of frozen organic peaches with no ice
• 2 cups of seedless cubed watermelon
• 1-2 scoops of vanilla protein powder
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• Blend and enjoy!

Makes 2 servings

Tips to Help Out Muscle Soreness

After you workout hard, there’s a good chance that you’ll be feeling a little sore. Most likely you won’t be feeling this pain until the next day or maybe even a little longer. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This delayed pain is caused by microscopic tears in the muscles when a certain exercise or activity is new. These tiny tears eventually produce inflammation, and corresponding pain 24 to 36 hours later. Luckily, there are some steps you can take to help soothe your pain.

• First of all, eat some high quality protein within an hour of your workout or sooner. Doing so will help speed muscle repair. When I say high quality protein I don’t mean a hamburger or fried chicken. I’m talking grilled chicken, eggs, protein shake, tuna, etc.
• If you workout early, make sure to continue to eat high quality protein throughout the day, plus plenty of fruits and veggies.
• Stretch!
• Use a foam roller or another self massage tool to help roll out your tight muscles. Learn about Foam Rolling HERE.
• Take 10-20 seconds alternating bursts of cold and hot showers.
• Get a massage.
• Ice bath or epsom salt bath.
• Keep working out and do something active every day, even if it’s as simple as taking a walk around your neighborhood. Getting your muscles moving again is usually the best therapy!