I have always had trouble in the past with meal planning, but it can really improve the health of your family, save you time, and money. Here's how I've made it work for my family.
Healthy Holiday Treats
Turkey Day Fitness
Dance Workouts for Non-Dancers
28 Day Fitness Challenge
Cardio Dance Party Playlist for People Born in the 80's
The Ultimate Grey's Anatomy Workout
Quick and Fun Playground Stroller Workout
The weather is warming up here in the Northeast and it's the perfect weather to get outside. Warm, but not too hot, park weather. Being at the park is the perfect time to get your workout in. This may not be for the super self-conscious, but its a great way to workout, spend some time outside, and let the kids run around. If you feel too awkward, maybe go to a less populated park or at a less active time. Either way, here's how to get your fitness and vitamin D all at the same time!
Exercising with Baby, No Carrier Necessary
I love exercising. It makes me feel strong and fit. It gives me energy for my day and clears my mind. I usually like to exercise in the morning before the kids get up, but that doesn't always work out. When the baby wakes up early though, that doesn't stop me. I put together this little routine for exercising with baby that both Hailey and I love. We use it whenever she wakes up during my usual exercise time or when we just want to play together!
Energy Boosting Baby Wearing Workout
At Home Free Winter Fitness Sources
It is winter which means we have little to no desire to leave the house. Who wants to suffer the cold when you don't have to. It's the perfect time for at home workouts. But what if you have exhausted your DVD collection and are bored with the same old workouts? This happens to me every so often. While I love my favorite trainers (read: Jillian Michaels and Chalene Johnson) sometimes I need to switch it up. It is at these times that I look to free online workouts to give some variety o my workouts and change things up. The following are my top 5 resources for free online workouts.
Staying Fit During the Holidays
It is that time of year when foods are rich and desserts seem to be available in abundance. Even those who have a steady fitness routine throughout the year can succumb to the temptation of holiday treats. It really is hard this time of year with less opportunities to workout outdoors and more sugary treats appearing everywhere we turn. I've put together a list of tips to help us all stay fit during the holidays.
An Effective Postpartum Diet
There are a lot of conflicting sources of information regarding postpartum diet. What works for one person may not work for someone else. Breastfeeding adds a whole new factor into the mix. While you want to lose the baby weight, you don't want to lose your milk. There are also still some dietary restrictions for breastfeeding moms. Therefore, I thought I'd share my diet with you which has helped me lose most of the baby weight at approximately 5 months postpartum. Hopefully, this can help you as well.
Breakfast
On work days, breakfast is pretty simple. Since I like to workout most mornings, after I feed the baby I'll judge my energy level. If I feel I need a little something before working out, I'll have half a tablespoon of peanut butter otherwise, I hold off til breakfast. For breakfast, I generally have one of 4 combinations: Cheerios and yogurt, Cheerios and a protein shake, oatmeal with raisins and yogurt, and oatmeal with raisins and a protein shake. I like to keep it quick and easy on work days. On the weekends I may get fancy with a veggie omelette or homemade waffles. Finally, I have coffee pretty much everyday.
Lunch
Lunch during the week is PB and J more than I would care to admit. I mean it's organic strawberry spread, natural peanut butter, and wheat bread, but still PB and J. With it I will often have some apple sauce, a sparkling water, and some pretzels. Other entrees include Amy's lentil soup or vegetable lentil, organic Mac and cheese, madras lentils, and maybe once a week, a chicken and vegetable wrap or panini. Other sides may include greek yogurt, organic chips, a fiber one brownie, or a vegetable squeezy. On weekends if we are out pizza or a salad might be had.
Dinner
This is where it gets tricky in our house. I get out of work at 5pm and my husband usually has work at 6pm. So I get home at 5:15 and have to feed the baby, making it my husband's job to cook. My husband is no cook.... So on nights he has work it's usually turkey burger and fries, pasta and a vegetable and turkey meatballs, Mac and cheese and a vegetable and nuggets, ravioli and a vegetable, and quesadillas and a vegetable. The meatballs, nuggets, ravioli, and vegetables are generally from frozen. Take out generally happens at least once a week. When the hubs doesn't have work I try to mix it up with pork chops, or chicken stir fry, or steak with rice or mashed potatoes and a vegetable. Other times we'll do tacos or grilled chicken.
Evening Snack
In order to get through studying after the kids go to bed, I usually require a snack. This generally consists of hot chocolate and pretzels, or skinny pop popcorn, or string cheese and crackers.
Every once in a while a cookie or dessert creeps in to my diet. I try not to have them on a regular basis so I don't feel guilty when I do indulge. I generally don't do soda or candy so keeping sugar down is easier. I take my coffee black. I keep my calories intake at about 2000 calories daily and I exercise 5-7 days a week for about 30-40 minutes. I do a mix of weights and cardio.
While there is not huge variety in my normal diet, it helps me stay consistent as far as calorie intake and calories burned. In general, my philosophy is to eat when hungry but try to make healthy choices. I also continue to take my prenatal vitamins and vitamin D. I also use the myfitnesspal app to keep track of everything. Definitely check that out in the app store. It syncs with a variety of devices including Fitbit which I also use.
I hope you find this helpful. This is the result at about 20 weeks postpartum. Cheers,
Emily
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Postpartum 20 Week Update
Postpartum 14 Week Update
So here we are at 14 weeks postpartum. If you haven't been following along, you can find my last few updates here and here and here. Since my last update, I have been consistently working out 6-7 days a week. Each workout is around 30-40 minutes and it's something that Hailey and I do together! We'll sort of.
Each morning I wake up around 5:30 when Hailey wakes up to eat. I feed her, change her, dress her, and we play a little. Then it's time to work out. I like workout DVDs with fun music. I put Hailey in her bouncy chair facing me and we dance with the workout DVD. Hailey seems to enjoy it very much and moves her arms and legs right along with me. She smiles all the time. It's actually some of my favorite times with her.
I like to mix up my workout DVDs. In general though my top 3 trainers are Jillian Michaels, Gillian and Teigh of Yoga Booty Ballet, and Kelly Coffey-Meyer. I like to switch up intensities as well as switch between cardio and weights. I am slowly building back my strength and endurance.
Every once in a while, T wakes up while I'm working out and joins us. He likes to join the cool down during the Yoga Booty Ballet DVDs. So here are our progress pics:
Hailey at 14 weeks
As for Hails, she is doing well at 14 weeks. At her check up last week her Dr said her hormone levels were perfect. She's weighing in at 10.5 lbs and is 23 inches. She's getting very high when she pushes up, and she's even rolling over. She loves to kick and smile. She is starting to reach for and grab her toys. She also holds her head up really well. She loves to babble and T tries to interpret what she is saying.
Now on to me...
And this is why people wear clothes. I am currently about 10 lbs away from my goal weight. The belly skin is still loose but other than exfoliating and moisturizing, there's not much to do there. It just takes time. I am not quite comfortable in my skin yet, but I'm getting there.
While I'm not buying myself a new wardrobe I have found a few nursing shirts that I love. They are comfortable, provide access, cover the belly and are actually cute. These are shirts that I would wear even if I weren't breastfeeding. I will be talking about those next week!
As far as eating, I try to make healthy choices. Sometimes sleep deprivation gets in the way of that and I crave sugar to keep me up, but for the most part I'm doing well. When I do crave sweets I try to satisfy it with fruits instead of cakes/cookies/candy. It doesn't always work, but I try.
In the next 4-6 weeks I'm looking to get down a few more lbs. November is my sister in law's wedding and December will be Hailey's baptism, so I want to try to be as close to my goal weight as possible.
Tune in for the next update at 20 weeks postpartum. In the mean time, have a great weekend and I'll see you Tuesday!!
Cheers,
Emily
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Postpartum 10 Week Update
So it has now been just about 10 weeks since Hailey girl was born. She is doing really well. Her hypothyroidism appears to be in control and as of her last appointment last week we are down to monthly endocrinologist appointments instead of every other week. She is also back on track with growth and weight gain. She's still teeny, but her rate of growth is now on track.
Now that she is on track with weight gain, it's time for me to get on track with weight loss. Pre-pregnancy, I was working out almost daily. About 1-1.5 weeks ago I started really missing my workout routine. I started to workout a few days a week. Nothing crazy, mostly cardio. I started Yoga Booty Ballet routines. These are fun easy workouts that combine cardio and strength. I'm not so into the meditation part of it, but the the routines are fun and light.
I hope to be able to keep this up and build on it in the coming weeks. Next week I go back to work, so I will again be adapting to a new routine. I hope to stick with working out while I make this transition.
As far as weight, I am now at 134 lbs. Pre-pregnancy I was around 120 lbs so I have a little ways to go. So far there has been little progress since the last update at 2.5 weeks, but also little effort so there's really no surprise. Plus, with breastfeeding you can't really decrease your calories too much. Now that I'm back to working out progress should be much faster.
As far as belly size, I'll let the pictures do the talking. This is the picture from last time at 2.5 weeks post partum.
This picture is from today at almost 10 weeks postpartum.
Definitely going in the right direction. Now to make it go a little faster. To get the skin tighter, I have been exfoliating and using a cream from It Works for stretch marks. However, there is only so much you can do. These things take time. I still regularly forget to use the belly bandit... Oh well.
I plan to do the next update in 4 weeks at just under 14 weeks postpartum. I hope to be down another 2-4 lbs by then.
What did you do to lose the baby weight? Do you still have weight to lose?
Cheers,
Emily
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Post Baby Belly
So here we are are at 2.5 weeks post partum. While sleep is still less than abundant, everyone is adapting to the new schedule. Hailey is growing, and T is learning how to be a big brother. Some days are too exhausting to think about exercising and others I just want to jump back in the saddle and get me pre-pregnancy body back.
There are two important things to remember as you start to get back into your fitness regimen. The first is to start back slowly. Even on the days where you feel relatively more energized, it's important to remember that your body performed a momentous feet and it needs to recover. It's important to gradually increase your exercise regimen. You can plan it out. Start with walking, then maybe light yoga and then light weights. You can gradually increase intensity until you are back where you were pre-pregnancy and then beyond.
This is a time when you really need to listen to your body. You may feel fine and then end up pushing yourself too far. This can do more harm than good. Take things day by day. Remember you are running on reduced and oft interrupted sleep. The best thing is to eat well, get as much sleep as possible and slowly increase activity.
The second thing you must consider is your abs. This is probably the area you want to concentrate your efforts, but there is a lot to consider. First off, it takes a while for your uterus to shrink back to its normal weight. By four to six weeks, it should be close to its pre-pregnancy weight of about 2.5 ounces. This process is called involution of the uterus. So some of the excess bloat may be your uterus still not back in your pelvis.
Even after your uterus shrinks back into your pelvis, you may continue to look somewhat pregnant for several weeks or longer. That's because your abdominal muscles get stretched out during pregnancy, and it will take time – and regular exercise – to get your belly back in shape.
However, before you start packing in the crunches, there is another issue to consider. Diastasis recti. Diastasis recti is commonly defined as a gap of roughly 2.7 cm or greater between the two sides of the rectus abdominis muscle. This is common following pregnancy. Doing the wrong kind of ab exercises can increase the gap. In fact, crunches are one of the exercises you should not do if you have this problem. To check if you have diastasis recti, lie on the floor as if you were going to perform a crunch with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Lift your head off the floor and place your fingertips on the center of your abs to check for a gap. This is also something that can be check by your doctor.
The following are exercises that can help strengthen your ab muscles and reduce diastasis. Note that these exercises involve the pulling together of your ab muscles as opposed to crunches which push them out.
Core contraction - In a seated position, place both hands on abdominal muscles. Take small controlled breaths. Slowly contract the abdominal muscles, pulling them straight back towards the spine. Hold the contraction for 30 seconds, while maintaining the controlled breathing. Complete 10 repetitions.
Seated squeeze - Again in a seated position, place one hand above the belly button, and the other below the belly button. With controlled breaths, with a mid-way starting point, pull the abdominals back toward the spine, hold for 2 seconds and return to the mid-way point. Complete 100 repetitions.
Head lift - In a lying down position, knees bent at 90° angle, feet flat, slowly lift the head, chin toward your chest, (concentrate on isolation of the abdominals to prevent hip-flexors from being engaged),[6] slowly contract abdominals toward floor, hold for two seconds, lower head to starting position for 2 seconds. Complete 10 repetitions.
Upright push-up - A standup pushup against the wall, with feet together arms-length away from wall, place hands flat against the wall, contract abdominal muscles toward spine, lean body towards wall, with elbows bent downward close to body, pull abdominal muscles in further, with controlled breathing. Release muscles as you push back to starting position. Complete 20 repetitions.
Squat against the wall - Also known as a seated squat, stand with back against the wall, feet out in front of body, slowly lower body to a seated position so knees are bent at a 90° angle, contracting abs toward spine as you raise body back to standing position. Optionally, this exercise can also be done using an exercise ball placed against the wall and your lower back. Complete 20 Repetitions.
Squat with squeeze - A variation to the "Squat against the wall" is to place a small resistance ball between the knees, and squeeze the ball as you lower your body to the seated position. Complete 20 repetitions.
As for myself, I have started walking regularly and doing squats and non weighted arm exercises. I do kegels a few times a day and am starting to incorporate some of the above abdominal exercises. Below are a few pictures of my belly progress.
Here's a reminder of last time.
This is definitely a case of slow and steady wins the race.
The next update will probably be in a few weeks. A) so there is more progress and B) so we can get back to more time management organization type posts.
See you on Friday!
Cheers,
Emily
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Post Baby Body: 1.5 Weeks
So you delivered a baby. While this means you have a beautiful little person to love and care for, it also means your body went through an ordeal. Whether you delivered vaginal or c section, with or without drugs, it takes time for your body to recover. Your post baby body may not be what you expected.
While I am a big proponent of working out throughout pregnancy, I am also a proponent of giving your body time to recover following delivery. Your body completed no small task, so it needs time to restore itself.
In the days following delivery, your mind many swing back and forth between two opposing thoughts. I know mine did. On the one hand, you can't believe that a few days ago your belly was big enough to carry this baby on the inside. On the other hand, you feel like it's taking forever for your stomach to go down. Between lack of sleep, adapting to caring for a new baby, and unhappiness about your body, your time post delivery can be rough. So what are you to do?
First, give yourself a break. While you should definitely be caring for your post baby body, this doesn't mean jumping back into workouts and dieting. It does mean taking it easy, getting sleep when you can, and allowing your body to heal. The only real exercise I would advocate during the first few weeks post delivery are kegels and walking, once you feel up to it.
Even those of us who worked out daily during pregnancy need time for our muscles to recover. In the days following delivery, I was shocked at how heavy my 3 year old seemed when I picked him up. My ab and back muscles were worn out. Even my arm muscles had strained as I pulled my legs back for delivery. Just now at 1.5 weeks post delivery is picking him up starting to feel easier again.
Here are my stats regarding my pregnant and post pregnant body. By then end of my pregnancy I weighed in at 155 lbs. My pre-pregnancy weight was 120 lbs, giving me a 35 lbs weight gain. This is me on Sunday, May 15, 2016, three days after I delivered.
Yup, still looks like there's a baby in there. In fact, Tyler informed me that now we have 2 Hailey's, one on the outside and one still in my belly.... Way to boost my self esteem Tyler, lol. Straightening this out may take some time...
Since delivery, I haven't done much as far as exercise goes. I've walked around a bit and done kegels, when I remember. As far as abs go, I bought a belly bandit, but I've only used it twice so far. I don't know if it has helped my abs, but I do appreciate the back support it provides. As far as stretch marks go, yes, I collected some of those. Here's a close up of the belly.
I have been testing out the It Works Stretch Mark Cream. I don't know if it actually works yet, but it does feel great going on.
So here is the belly progress about a week after the first picture and 10 days total postpartum.
Wanna see that in a side by side? Here you go:
I am currently at 136 lbs which is about 19 lbs less than my pregnancy weight and 16 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight. So progress is being made even without exercise. Of course, a lot of that was baby, placenta, fluids, etc..
At this point the only thing is I'm really doing is eating relatively healthy. You know whole grains, fruits and veggies. But I have allowed myself treats as well. My body did a lot of work and my taste buds are reaping the rewards. Soon it will be back to a slightly more strict regimen.
One thing I will note, is I am also exclusively breastfeeding. This does help the uterus contract faster and this in turn reduces belly size. I definitely support it as a way to speed up your body's return to its pre-baby shape. Plus it's a super cost effective way to feed your baby. It's also a lot of work, so there are pluses and minuses. For us, the convenience and health benefits for both mom and baby make this the right choice for our family. I breastfed T for a full year, and I intend to do the same with Hailey.
So that's where I am at right now. Once I start working out again, I will report what I am doing as well as my progress.
In the meantime, tune in Friday for a Memorial Day craft project and next Tuesday when we discuss diastasis recti.
Cheers,
Emily
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Healthy Pancake Recipes
Did you know? Today is National Pancake Day! I learned this from IHOP which of course is the authority on pancakes. In honor of this day, I decided to share with you some healthy pancake recipes which you can share with your family today, or any other day.
We start off with a healthy alternative for the typical flour pancake.
Quinoa Pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon course salt
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, plus more for skillet
1/4 cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, plus more for serving
Fresh fruit or fruit preserves (optional) for serving
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together quinoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together egg, egg white, butter, milk, and syrup until smooth. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and whisk to combine.
Lightly coat a large nonstick skillet or griddle with butter and heat over medium-high. Drop batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles appear on top, 2 minutes.
Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside, 2 minutes. Wipe skillet clean and repeat with more melted butter and remaining batter (reduce heat to medium if overbrowning). Serve with maple syrup and fresh fruit or preserves if desired.
Makes about 12.
Here's a delicious pancake that also allows you to get your fruits and veggies in! I love sweet potatoes!!
Banana Sweet Potato Pancakes With Honey Nut Yogurt
Ingredients
Pancakes:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup mashed baked sweet potato
1 egg 1 1/4 cups skim milk or soy milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 banana, diced
Yogurt sauce:
1 6-ounce container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons skim milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or almond butter)
2 teaspoons honey
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar. Then add the sweet potato, egg, and milk, and mix until smooth. Add the cinnamon. Stir in the diced banana.
Place a skillet over medium heat, and spray lightly with cooking spray.
While the pan is heating up, make the yogurt sauce. Mix together the yogurt, milk, peanut butter, and honey in a small bowl. Set aside.
Drop large spoonfuls of batter onto the pan, making pancakes that are about three-and-a-half inches in diameter. Cook until bubbly, about two minutes. Flip and continue cooking until golden brown. Makes about 12 pancakes.
Place three pancakes on a plate, and pour one quarter of the yogurt sauce on top. Add some slices of banana or other fresh fruit, sprinkle on some chopped nuts, and enjoy!
Makes about 12.
This final recipe is for those who can't live without good old fashioned pancakes. Here the recipe is modified for a healthier version of the classic.
Healthier Good Old Fashioned Pancakes
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups nonfat milk
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in milk, egg whites, and melted butter; mix until smooth.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake, pour or scoop batter onto griddle. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
I hope you enjoy these recipes and Happy National Pancake Day!!
Cheers,
Emily
Scientists have shown that your brain really does change during pregnancy, but the effect is not what you might think.