Hello Again!

Hi all! With 2016 here, and the last day of winter vacation, I figured it was time to start writing again. I am now in my ninth month of my 3rd (and last) pregnancy. I have gained an exuberant amount of weight, and it just seemed to creep up in the past 2 months or so. I did not follow a diet, I ate what I wanted, and my body is paying for it. My back aches, and my stomach is full of stretch marks, and stretched out to full capacity. I cannot wait to deliver and meet my baby girl. I have a growth check on Tuesday. It is at the point where I have to go to the doctor every week to check progress. I am having Braxton hicks contractions,  they feel like moderate period cramps.

I also cannot wait to start a diet and exercise program again. While I can begin watching my calories, and eliminating the junk I have been consuming, I have to wait to work out for 6 weeks postpartum. So after I deliver, and spend many sleepless nights, nursing my newborn, I get to go to my doctor to make sure all is well, and then if I get the go ahead, I will begin my jogging. The treadmill is my main source of exercise, however I do walk outdoors as well. I will probably be able to walk before the 6 weeks are up. I did so after my first 2 children. Just have to go slow, and steady, and listen to your body. I also like to order workout videos from Cablevision, On Demand.

Juices are the rage! Are they?

My sister told me about this juice challenge, where the prize is $500. Lucky there is a prize because she had to shell out lots of dough for the produce involved. Plus there's a fee to join the contest. I'll post a link to it below*. As far as I know juice cleanses are effective, if you follow the guidelines. But once you begin with regular eating, you tend to gain all or most of your lost weight back again. I would make sure to add light to moderate exercise as well.

*"Clean Slate Program" Jan 4th- Feb 3rd. The Juice Chick


If I juice I will blog about it on here. I plan to post my post baby weight loss journey on here, to help motivate myself, and inspire others. Be happy, be healthy.

Cathie

Are you a Carbohydrate Addict?

Answer these questions to find out:

1. After eating a full breakfast, do you get hungrier before it is lunch time than you would if you had skipped breakfast altogether?

2. Do you get tiered after eating a large meal, or find that you are sluggish and/or hungry in the afternoon?

3. Have you been on diet after diet, only to regain the weight you lost?

4. Does stress, boredom, and tiredness make you want to eat?

5. Do you sometimes feel you aren't satisfied, even though you just finished a meal?

6. Do you find it harder to take off weight- and keep it off- than when you were younger?

If you answered "YES" to 2 of these questions, you are probably mildly carbo-addicted.

If you answered "YES" to 3-4 of these questions, you are likely to be moderately carbo-addicted.

If you answered "YES" to 5-6 of these questions, you probably have a severe carbohydrate addiction that may be greatly affecting your life.

You can manage your carbohydrate addiction so that you can lose weight and be healthy for the rest of your life- without feeling deprived or struggling to manage your eating patterns and your weight.

The following plan is from "The World's Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets" (2005), and worked for 80% of the 1,000 carbohydrate-addicted patients they consulted at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York.

You can have your CARBS and eat them too, once a day, to prevent the release of excessive amounts of insulin.

Carbo-rich foods include: breads, grains, cereals, ice cream, milk, yogurt, fruit and fruit juices, lunch meats, pasta, noodles, rice, snack foods, sweets, and starchy vegetables(beets, carrots,zucchini, corn, tomatoes, peas and potatoes).

Craving-reducing foods: red meat, poultry, fish, cheese, oils, tofu, fats, dressings, non starchy vegetables (brusselsprouts, green beans, peppers, lettuce, asparagus, broccoli and mushrooms).

The Basic Plan

Eat one balanced "Reward Meal" everyday for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The meal should consist of
two cups of fresh salad
one-third craving reducing protein (meat,fish,cheese,eggs,tofu)
one-third starchy vegetables
one-third carbohydrate rich foods
*Use good sense, and listen to your body when sizing the portions.

Complete your "Reward Meal" within one hour. Otherwise your body will be hungry all over again.

Eat only craving-reducing foods at all other meals and snacks.

Consult with a doctor before starting any diet or exercise plan. Follow the program for two weeks, you should notice a lessening of your cravings.

Source: "The World's Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets" 2005 Bottom Line Publications (Pg. 343) Print.


Another great diet to try is Atkins. You can find plenty of low-carb options, and it is very effective. Sugars are highly addictive and cause weight gain.  Look for more on Atkins in my next post.

Halloween Tips

Happy Halloween 2015


Some health and safety tips:

• Check your candy, do not eat anything opened or tampered with
• Do not over indulge, stick to serving sizes
• Stay hydrated with plenty of H20
• Wear bright colors while trick-or-treating, use glow sticks/bracelets if possible
• Stay in a group, safety in numbers
• Remove all make up before bed
• Brush your teeth before bed, do an extra good job if you did lots of candy-eating

Best Candies, lowest-cal, to grab

3 Musketeers   (Gluten free, and serving size is low cal)

York Peppermint Patties (Low fat, minty fresh)

Tootsie Rolls  (In moderation only)

Peanut M&M's (Protein)

Hershey's Almonds (opt for dark chocolate for antioxidant benefit) 

As always, consume with moderation. Stick to a serving size. 

For a full list of Gluten Free (2015) candies, visit Gluten Away

Flu Shot Info 2015

This year, the medical industry is recommending that all individuals age 6 months and older should get the flu shot.

While flu is unpredictable, it’s likely that H1N1 viruses and regular seasonal viruses will cause illness in the U.S. this flu season. The 2015-2016 flu vaccine will protect against three different flu viruses: an H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus that caused so much illness last season.


Common Sense Health Tips:

• Wash your hands, (and make sure your kids wash their hands)
• Sneeze into your arm or a tissue (than wash your hands)
• Avoid being around sick people, if you are sick STAY HOME
• Get plenty of rest
• Keep your body as healthy as possible
• See a doctor if you have a fever for more than 48 hours
• To relive pain(headache, reduce fever,etc.) common OTC pills like Advil and Motrin are recommended

FAQ'S about the Flu
http://www.cdc.gov/flu/faq/


                                                   

Benefits of an Alkaline Diet

The Alkaline diet is based on the idea that the foods you eat can alter the acidity or alkalinity (the pH value) of your body.

Acidity is thought to make you vulnerable to illness and disease, whereas alkaline foods are considered protective. By choosing more alkaline foods, you should be able to “alkalize” your diet and improve health.

Food components that leave are acidic include protein, phosphate and sulfur, while alkaline components include calcium, magnesium, and potassium

• Acidic: Meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, grains and alcohol.
• Neutral: Natural fats, starches and sugars.
• Alkaline: Fruits, nuts, legumes and vegetables.

This diet encourages a high consumption of fruits, vegetables and healthy plant foods, while restricting processed junk foods.

As always, follow a balanced meal plan. Have a cup of lemon water with every meal to alkalize your diet. 

image source 10/21/15 google

Anti Inflammatory Grocery List

We all want to live a healthy life, and our diet can shape our wellness. The typical Western diet of pastas, pizza, and too much sugar, is just unhealthy and causes many health problems. Alzheimer,s, obesity, diabetes, pain, etc.

Try to cut out the junk, and add super foods, fruits and vegetables to your fridge. Try this shopping list to improve your diet and your health.

• tomatoes
• olive oil
• green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, and collards
• nuts; almonds and walnuts
• fatty fish; salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines
• fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, and oranges

Try to avoid dairy, good substitutes include; almond milk, cashew, hemp, and soy. Give them a taste to see what is right for you. 

To learn more I recommend reading about Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Diet. As seen on Dr. Oz.