Pregnant Leg Workout AND Great Breakfast Casserole!

May 17th, 2013 . No Comments »

15 weeks! Yay, I am well into the 2nd trimester! It’s the feel good trimester for sure!

This trimester with Makena is where I gained MOST of my pregnancy weight. I was a good eater and had a great appetite and the belly wasn’t over big so it was still comfortable to eat a good portion of food :) I found in my last trimester I had a little more of a sweet tooth but I couldn’t eat as much at one time without getting over full and stuffed. Between the baby getting bigger and my stomach being all crammed in there somehow, I got full quick. But that’s just what I remember, it can all be different this time around, you never know.

I feel like I am hungrier this time around!! Food aversions are gone, but I feel like it was a little “finicky” with my foods this time around than last pregnancy. Other than that, I feel very similar to my last so I feel like it may be a girl again! We’ll see!

FYI- this is not the time to low carb it girls!! There are plenty of healthy carbs that you should be eating. Not the cake and donut carbs lol! You got brown rice, whole grains, ezekiel products, brown rice pastas etc!! Unfortunately the salad days without the baguette are gone for this girl haha! I am just not satisfied without it, but make sure your eating whole grains at least. Baby needs it, it’s OK!!

EXERCISE

Don’t stop now! Make it a habit, because you will feel a little more energy this trimester so take advantage and get moving! Here is a great LEG Workout to try:

Legs:

Kettle Bell Squat 15x

Plie Kettle Bell Squat 20x-Isometric hold on last rep for 20 seconds!

Rest 45seconds total of 2-3 sets

 

(Slow) Kettle bell/Dumbell Deadlift 15x (Keep back straight, do NOT round)

Stability Ball Leg Curl 20/30x-Hold But up in the air on last rep for 15 seconds!

Rest 45seconds total of 2-3 sets

 

Dumbell Split Squat 15x each leg

Single Leg Knee Extension 20x each leg-Isometric hold on last rep for 15-20seconds!

Rest 45seconds total of 2-3 sets

 

EXERCISES IN PREGNANCY

Once you hit the second trimester, you have to change how you do some exercises. Here are some examples and things to remember about pregnancy workouts:

-Stay hydrated is the #1 rule.

-No lying flat on your back after the 1st trimester for chest press exercises.

-CAN do stability ball hamstring curls/hip extension on your back for up to 30s. Enough time to do 20-30 no prob.

-Can also do with TRX for hamstring curls/hip extension. Use variety.

-Try not to “pull down” heavy weight as it may overextend your abdomen and may cause diastasis recti. Keep Lat pull downs to a moderate weight and ALWAYS keep the core engaged.

-Keep an eye on your heart rate especially during cardio. You want to be able to work hard, yet be able to hold a light conversation. Back off and rest if you get too out of breath, then resume.

Just a few quick reminders! Check out this Egg Casserole recipe that I made- SOO good and healthy!!!

BREAKFAST EGG CASSEROLE

Ingredients:

1 box of fully cooked and thawed turkey sausage links (as natural as you can find)

1/2 small yellow onion

The equivalent of 10 eggs, I used 3 eggs and the rest egg whites. Look for the egg conversion on the egg white carton.

1 cup 1% cottage cheese-I used whipped.

1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar

1 cup chopped broccoli

(can add whatever other veggies of choice as well. I added a tad more egg whites as I also included spinach)

Salt and pepper

Splash of milk (I used almond milk)

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*

Mix all ingredients together.

Grease 9×13 inch pan with coconut oil and pour mixture and spread out.

Bake 45 minutes or until eggs are set.

ENJOY!!

I had extra cooked brown rice in the frog, so guess why I did? I mixed it with a little egg white and spread it out on top of egg mixture as a “crust” and broiled it at the end to brown it slightly. Try to incorporate leftovers, especially any veggies just throw ‘em in!!

 

Posted in Pregnancy Health & Fitness

Chocolate Banana Bites

April 16th, 2013 . No Comments »

So I actually have ENERGY today so I have cooked up a storm-dinner for my hubby, pumpkin spice coffee cake, these banana bite cookiesand a chicken salad for my lunch tomorrow. WOW, lets just hope I will want it all, as I have been funny with my foods lately. Good news is, I have been eating a little more meat lately, SO excited to get back to eating normally. (Sigh) Anyways-

You totally want this yummy cookie recipe thats gooey and chocolately!!  I am liking these being pregnant because it has all natural ingredients and you can have them gooey because there’s nothing raw in them ;)

Ohhh these are so good!! There aren’t that many ingredients so it’s easy to make! Hope you enjoy my pregnant snack!

I got the base of the cookie recipe from my friend Michelle but changed just few things to make them really banana – chocolate flavored. Click on her name above to get some yummy recipes too!

Chocolate Banana Bites

Ingredients:

1 Cup Almond Meal

2 Cups of Quick Oats

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Baking Powder

3 Mashed Bananas

2 Tsp Banana Extract

2 Tsp Coconut Oil-melted

1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips (I used Dairy Free)

 Directions:

Preheat Oven to 350. Mix dry first, mix the wet in a separate bowl, then combine! Roll into little balls, place evenly on a cookie sheet. Press down to flatten with 2 fingers. Makes approx 18-20 HEALTHY CHOICE cookies! Bake for 15 minutes.

Enjoy these as a snack during the day or for “dessert”!

Posted in Health, Recipes
Tags: , , ,

“Party of Five”

April 12th, 2013 . 1 Comment »

No, not the old TV show, our own family!! Makena is going to be a BIG SISTER!

This family of 4 (yes Blue is a member) will now grow to be a “Party of 5″ haha!

So excited to announce the great news. Currently, I am 10 weeks pregnant due on November 8th, 2013. That makes all 4 of us (people) November Birthdays! Blue is in December…so close! Along with both our moms having Birthdays in the same month, it makes November a busy time for celebrations! Then the holidays- Hanukah and Christmas oh my! My princess Makena and the new baby will be 23 months apart, just a few weeks under 2 years ;)

Here We Go Again…

I feel like I just went through pregnancy! But  am happy to be back in it again! Thank goodness I am so happy that I got back into my best shape prior to this pregnancy. It’s funny, my body was a little different though, but it was better. Some parts of me were leaner, some were a little curvier, and some things were the same. After I lost weight and hit the gym etc., I found a way to still keep active, eat healthy but still be myself, much more than before Makena. This made for a much happier me haha! And a much more “normal” me. Finding that balance was really important. I realized that I didn’t have to be so strict with myself, and I still got the SAME RESULTS that I was happy with! That was a great feeling. You still have to be on top of things, especially if you want to lose the baby weight. Then maintenance is key. But deprivation should NEVER be part of your “diet”. YOU CAN DO IT TOO! You just have to pay attention to what your eating and become more active.

SYMPTOMS (Guys you may not want to read this as it really pertains to “us girls” haha)

I knew I was pregnant but waited til the last day possible to take a test. Jussssst to be sure!! Also my cycle is super irregular, anywhere from 35-45 days, not your typical 28-day cycle. SO, I just wanted to be sure. I had an inkling when I started to feel slight implantation cramping/uncomfortableness and bloating, peeing a lot, etc. Then the bloating went away but I just felt like there was something there, weird, but thats what I felt. Another strange thing was I had ZERO soreness in my boobs! My Dr said it means NOTHING, just a different pregnancy, could feel different symptoms.

I took a test at 5 weeks and got a sonogram at 6 weeks, seeing and hearing the heartbeat. It really is JUST as amazing now as it was the first time. If not, more because you know what a true miracle it is, and to be so lucky to have gotten pregnant in the first place. And yes, it is just as exciting as the first time too!

CRAVINGS?

OK, so then started the pregnancy eating! What I mean by that is you can’t eat certain foods, such as deli meats and certain cheeses unless pasteurized etc. Can’t use certain facial products like Face Wash with salycylic acid, etc. But the hardest part is when my “Protein Boycott” started at 8 and a half weeks. UGH. This happened with Makena too, weeks 9-13 so I was right on schedule. I am currently getting turned off by turkey and chicken, steak is OK, breakfast meats are ok-organic and nitrate free turkey bacon and chicken/turkey sausage seem to be fine. BUT I am super finicky with food- what I wouldn’t want in the morning, I would have for dinner. I would spend hours making these elaborate meals because I would see a recipe for them and they would look SO good, and I wouldn’t even want it by dinner time. Talk about frustrating lol! But I am making do so far…but let me tell you it’s like a carbloading few weeks along with cheese too. Same thing with Makena during this time, so at least I know/hope it will pass soon!!

WEIGHT GAIN GUIDELINES

This is basically what every woman is concerned about, so here it is! Ladies, if you are small to begin with, then it’s OK if you gain a few extra pounds-your body NEEDS it! Just stay in this range and what is healthy for your body and you’ll be fine! You have to be mentally prepared to gain at least 25 pounds if you are normal weight.

  • Underweight: Gain 28-40 pounds
  • Normal weight: Gain 25-35 pounds
  • Overweight: Gain 15-25 pounds
  • Obese: Gain 11-20 pounds

AVOIDING Nausea

The Trick for ME, was to NEVER let myself feel/get hungry. Eating every 2 hours AT LEAST. I always have snacks with me. What really is satisfying to me RIGHT NOW are Ezekiel English Muffins in the morning, oatmeal, or my oatmeal cookies that I make weekly. Even some cereals with almond milk. Normally I don’t eat a lot of cereals because they are high in carbs and processed, but I am choosing organic ones, low in sugar. I am a BIG believer in not forcing yourself to eat something the body doesn’t want when you are feeling this way in early pregnancy. If you don’t want chicken, it’s simple, don’t eat it. Make sure to get protein from other sources for the time being, from beans and veggies,eggs, etc. If your body wants carbs, EAT THEM silly!! Just don’t eat pancakes every meal! Your blood sugar tends to be relatively low in early pregnancy which could be the cause of possible cravings from hormones etc. Try not to eat high sugar and processed carbs and try eating whole grains to avoid the insulin spikes, fat storage, increased cravings, and a crash shortly after!

SUGAR!!!

I did cut out most artificial sweeteners and use brown sugar. Truvia was actually approved by the FDA  in 2009 and is listed as safe when pregnant, so I use it sparingly when I bake still, in conjunction with real sugar, but eliminated pure raw Stevia. I really never used straight Stevia when I baked anyway, but I am not having the protein that is sweetened with Stevia anymore. Stevia is not approved by the FDA. To read more on FDA approved sweeteners, visit THIS SITE. It has a list of safe and unsafe sweeteners. Just try to be the most natural during your pregnancy. I am not an extreme person, as I didn’t eliminate everything last pregnancy and did consume some stevia that was in certain protein that I used and everything was fine. But I would avoid the stevia and stick with Truvia if you are going to choose a sweetener other than natural brown sugar or coconut sugar.

One other thing to avoid, which I was unaware of, is Flaxseed when pregnant! It is high in plant based estrogens-phytoestrogens which may interfere with your own estrogen levels in the body and could effect pregnancy or have effects on your breastfeeding child. Get your info from credible sources. I found a LOT of helpful info in THIS BOOK.

PRE AND POST WORK OUT: What to eat?

Pre and post work out I make sure to consume food. About 45 minutes before a work out I will have either my oatmeal cookies, or half an Ezekiel Muffin. Eating too close (and too much) prior to working out when you are pregnant may result in acid reflux as well. So if you get it when you are at the gym, take note in what you ate recently. Post work out I will have maybe some greek yogurt with a little sugar in it, for fast absorption and glycogen restoration. Sometimes I will make a protein pancake with egg whites and fruit that my friend told me about. Make sure to drink a LOT of water because it is common to feel lightheaded and “see black” when you stand up. Make sure you are hydrated.

Well that’s it for now!! That’s the news!! Check back weekly for my updates and tips/workouts/recipes to try when you are prego!

XO!

Posted in Pregnancy Health & Fitness
Tags: , , , ,

Makena in a Nut Shell

March 13th, 2013 . No Comments »

So yes, since the last time I really blogged…WE HAD A BABY! Ha! I still can’t believe it. I won’t go into everything but she was born on 11/25/11 at 7 pounds 6 ounces. Here she is after 1 year!

I really do believe exercising helped me feel good all through the pregnancy and help with the labor. It went very smooth and I progressed super quick, I almost didn’t have time for an epidural. I was like “WHAAAAAT?” but at 7.5 cm the anesthisiologist walked in. For those that don’t know, once you hit 8 cm dilated, it’s to late. I did a lot of laboring at home so that by the time I got to the hospital I was 6cm already.  Everyones story is different, and I was waiting for my water to break-never did. Dr had to do it. I just started to feel small pains that eventually got worse ;) I actually had a compound birth, where her arm came out with her leg! You just never know.

But it was funny, I was thinking the whole time-this better go good or i’m throwing all this exercise ISH out the window LOL. You tend to think irrational when your in that much pain! But it went well. And if it wouldn’t have, it definitely helped with post-partum weight loss. It was hard  for me to get to a gym until 5 months, so I did at home things but seriously wanted to blow my brains out after that long. LOL Moms, you know you just want an hour to yourself not to worry! But you’ll always worry anyway, so i’ve learned!

But I am fortunate that keeping excessive weight off during pregnancy helped post partum because I didn’t have an excessive amount to loose. I gained 20-22 lbs, and my weight on the scale was down almost right away but obviously my composition wasn’t the same. Thats when the workouts kicked in. But anyway-so YES it DOES help all around. Even if you are a high risk, There are STILL things you can do. Get clearance with your doctor and start to move a little bit;)

DAIRY ALLERGY

OMG. I am so over this, but she is doing much much better. I breasted for 5 months, while on a dairy free diet. Dairy is in EVERYTHING!!!! Whether as an ingredient or as a preservative, it’s there. So that was tough. Something still kept getting in my diet because she kept having blood in her stool, so I switched her to Alimentum. Yuck. At a year we tried milk and that was a disaster-same issue, more throwing up. Then we did soy, and now she is on almond milk. Both were fine, but Almond milk is MUCH healthier than soy, as soy may effect hormone levels, etc.  My advice to anyone having a baby, don’t put rug down. I am SO happy we had put wood floors, because Makena was a puker. Ugh! You never know what you’re gonna get!

 SAHM

Yes this stands for Stay At Home Mom. Just learned that one haha! and YES it REALLY is a JOB, a FULL-TIME 24-hour job. Thats really all I have to say there, lol.

But yes, I am currently not working, as I am no longer personal training or teaching. I have to say that when I stopped working in the gym, I became a little more normal again-and it’s so nice. But let me stress I am normal/healthy. I think it is SUPER important to eat healthy and feed your family healthy options. I just don’t freak out about every single thing anymore, lol. Unfortunately being healthy means you have to cook and prepare but it is SOOO worth it!!

MAKENA and BLUE

He loves her just as much as he is jealous of her. He steals her toys, barks for attention, but then some nights I’ll find him laying outside her door ;) And he always stands between her and a stranger. So cute!

WORKOUTS and NUTRITION

I would still love to still share tips, workouts and recipes with you as I LOVE it and I am still passionate about it!

So excited to be back on my blog and I will still share my healthy habits with you all soon ;-)

 

 

Posted in Family
Tags: , , , ,

Chocolate Chip Raspberry Cookies-HEALTHY!

March 4th, 2013 . No Comments »

OK, so YEAH i’ve been MIA for like, ahem, 15 months…but thats because my  job is a SAHM. Stay at home mom. Which I recently learned thats what that stood for lol. Blogging is something I did because I enjoyed it and I decided to get back on it!! I’ll blog another day about little miss Princess Makena Marie but first I had to share this recipe with you that I have been using for like 6 months now and really love it, and everyone who has tried them loved them too. Seriously so good and not bad for you! a GREAT healthy snack to keep us on the go- busy moms going all day strong ;)

I had posted it up on my facebook a few months ago but I want to start logging the recipes again on my blog so it’s easy to access.

Chocolate Raspberry Oatmeal Cookies-makes about 17/18 Cookies!

2 Cups QUICK oats

1/2 Cup Almond Meal

2 scoops protein powder-chocolate or vanilla will work. Try each and see which you like better ;)

1 TeaSpoon Coconut Oil

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 Cup apple sauce

1/2 Cup egg whites

1/4 Cup Truvia/Stevia

2 TeaSpoons vanilla Extract

2-3 TBSP Dairy Free MINI chocolate Chips (whole foods)

1/4-1/2 Cup of Freeze Dried Whole Raspberries found at whole foods (crumble after as you add to batter)-optional

 

Preheat Oven to 350*

Mix all wet and dry then combine. Add Chips then raspberries at the end. You can put everything in a food processor as well. It comes out a little smoother that way. Just add the chips and mix by hand after you process everything else.

Take a table spoon and drop onto a lightly greased baking sheet, and flatten if needed. They will be more like “muffin-cookies” as they won’t spread like typical cookies as they back.

Bake for Approx 12 minutes but CHECK ON THEM. You don’t want these to over cook. If edges are starting to brown remove immediately. Remember they will continue to cook once taken out of the oven for a few minutes, while sitting there.

Hope you enjoy these yummy cookies!! These are my husband favorite and really the only ones out of the healthy ones that he will eat LOL. I do make other healthy baking recipes but these have great taste and seem a little more normal! I think you will thoroughly enjoy these!

 

 

 

Posted in Health, Recipes

Simple Turkey Chili

November 8th, 2011 . No Comments »

A Healthy, Complete Meal!

One of my all time favorites because it is so simple, quick and easy! Not only is it healthy, but also it tastes awesome!! The last time I was in NY, I made it at my mom’s for myself because they were having a dinner that wasn’t the healthiest. I decided to make a pot for myself and my dad actually tried it. Mind you, him and healthy food don’t mix, so he was prepared NOT to like it. BUT, to our surprise, he liked it! Here’s an easy recipe and I bet you have most of these foods in your house anyway, so give it a try.

INGREDIENTS FOR CHILI:

1 lb Extra Lean Hormone Free Ground Turkey

¾ Sweet Onion Diced

1 Can Organic Diced Tomatoes (14.5 oz no salt added)

1 Tbsp Dried Oregano

1 Tbsp Cumin

1 Tsp Paprika

2 Tbsp Chili Powder

1 Can Red Kidney Beans (16 oz reduced sodium)

3 Cloves of Garlic

Optional 1 Small 4 oz Can Tomato Sauce depending if you like chili a little more “soupy”

Salt and Pepper to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR TOPPINGS:

Slice of Avocado

Cut Up Scallions

Sprinkle of 2% Cheddar (just a sprinkle)

Dallop of Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt (acts as sour cream)

 

These healthy toppings REALLY make the chili SOOO YUMMY!

DIRECTIONS:

Sautee Garlic and Onion in non stick pan with a little chicken broth (you don’t want it too watery). Once onions start to turn clear, add in meat and cook until no longer pink. Add in all spices and mix well. Cook for a few minutes then drain any excess fat/broth from pan if there is any. Add in tomatoes and beans. If you want to add in the extra tomato sauce, add in here. Heat until a slight boil then simmer for 20 mins. You can even let simmer less than that, but this lets the spices flavor the chili even more. Add in a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into bows and top with toppings! Don’t forget the avocado!

ENJOY!

HEALTHY CROCK-POT OPTIONAL COOKING IDEA:

 

I had to walk Blue one night when I planned on making this, and it was already sooo late, so I was like, OK, how can I do this EVEN quicker?? Well, I quickly sautéed the garlic, onion and meat together in a nonstick pan in a little chicken broth and transferred it to a crock-pot. Literally took me 5 minutes total. I cooked the meat separate because I am able to drain the fat this way; otherwise, it sits in the crock-pot and becomes part of your meal—yuck. In the crock-pot, I added everything else (except the toppings of course!) Took me 3 minutes. I turned it to high for an hour (just in case Blue kept me out past the normal 20-30 mins) and bolted out the door. When I got back in, I helped myself to an awesome dinner. It was great because I didn’t have to be around to watch the pot toward the end and I got Blue’s walk done!

Posted in Recipes
Tags: , , , , ,

COOKED at 37 weeks

November 8th, 2011 . 1 Comment »


9 Months and 1 week, (37 weeks) AKA baby is Cooked, DONE, READY!!!!

Ohhh boy, it’s almost time! If my sister-in-law has it right, I will be giving birth on the 14th instead of the 26th!!! Omigoodness, but there’s still so much left to do, right?? I mean, the tricycle isn’t even put together yet!!! HAHA, noo, I am not THAT crazy… :)

Well here I am 37 weeks! WHOA

                             


WHAT’S NEW?

Well, once I hit month 9, that’s when it started to get a little more uncomfortable. I get this muscle cramp in the upper portion of my right abs, sort of feels like a charlie horse, a pang, a burning and ache that then spreads to the right. Doc said not much I can do-part of pregnancy for me! My baby is really sitting on my right side, so I bet that has a lot to do with it. Some times are worse than others, especially if I am running around doing too much (which is a lot). It taught me to slow down a bit. If I rest in a certain position, it subsides for a little while. A bit of sciatica, little heartburn-but hey, if that’s the worst of it, bring it on! Thankfully I have had an easy pregnancy so far so it’s all good!

I went to the doctor and I am dilated 1 cm! Last week I was a fingertip, so I am making progress :) Could be any day!!

Drop it Like it’s Hot!!!!

The baby has definitely dropped in the past couple weeks since my shower. Not terribly, but I think it definitely has. Not only do people notice it, but I FEEL it. I even contemplated wearing flip flops to the gym one day because I just didn’t feel like putting my sneakers on!! Haha, don’t worry Billy, I put them on :) Darin has to buckle some of my heels (yes I am “Pregnant in Heels” LOL) and take my boots off for me!

Burning Baby Burn!!!!!

Alright, enough with the corny lyrics, I get it.

Well, aside from getting a stomach virus just as I turned 36 weeks, my heart burn and indigestion kicked in full force! Stomach is getting better and better and heart burn and indigestion are now controllable when I watch what I eat. None of this really bothered me prior, so I was not used to it! Now that I know what to avoid, it’s tolerable and Tums are a wonderful snack and are always in my purse now!

Exercise:

Yes, still going, but I am going to call this my last week of “scheduled exercise”, meaning I will not be on my program and if I get to the gym, I get there if I feel like it. I want to be well rested and I will be doing lots around the house these last 2 weeks, so rest is important to me now!

Interesting Prenatal Supplements

Evening Primrose Oil

Aside from prenatal vitamins, I am now taking Evening Primrose Oil by capsules. I got some advice from my Doula that I will be using to help with labor and she has been great so far. Any questions I have, I just give her a ring! I ask her all the annoying questions that you don’t need to ask your doctor about. It’s wonderful! Anyways, Evening Primrose Oil has a lot of benefits later in your pregnancy, in weeks 36-40.

It is a rich source of gamma-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid. Fatty acids are important for building prostaglandins, which are necessary for several body processes. In pregnancy and labor, this oil acts as a prostaglandin, which ripens the cervix. This will help soften the cervical tissues and increase flexibility of the pelvic ligaments. This does NOT start labor, just prepares the cervix.

You can take it orally the last 4 weeks of pregnancy. 3 capsules for week 36, and 1-2 per day for the remainder of your pregnancy, weeks 37-40.

Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

This helps to strengthen the pelvic and uterine muscles so that once labor does start the muscles will be more efficient. Recommendations are 2 cups per day in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

I am currently doing both evening primrose and raspberry tea (just started). I make it as iced tea :)

How Am I Feeling About Having a BABY!?!?

Well, of course I am SUPER excited about this new chapter in me and Darin’s life. It will be really amazing to finally get to hold this little baby that I have carried inside of me for 9-10 months! On the flip side, it is super scary too! You are now responsible for this human life! I am used to a dog life LOL! I am just hoping for an efficient labor that is not too long! And not too painful :)

I don’t know if this will be the last “update on my pregnancy” blog, but it may be, depending on when I go!!! In the meantime, give me some advice on labor pains, and how you knew you were in labor:

ADVICE FOR THE MOM-TO-BE

If your water didn’t break, how did you know it was “time”?

What did your labor pains feel like?

Did you get an Epidural? Did you have a reaction to it?


Posted in Pregnancy Health & Fitness
Tags: ,

Healthy Pancakes!

November 2nd, 2011 . 1 Comment »

Banana and Protein Pancakes!! YUM!

Check this recipe out if you realllly want pancakes, but don’t want to feel bad about it! You can put your choice of fruit in these pancakes, not just banana. See substitutions below! They are underlined.

Enjoy these topped with fresh berries, walnuts and even a piece or 2 or turkey sausage and you have yourself a complete breakfast. Try to avoid syrup and juice as it will save you a LOT of calories.  If it’s a must, make it organic and a small amount.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 Cup of Organic Oatmeal (Quick Oats)

2/3 Cup Vanilla Protein Powder

2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon of Organic Cinnamon (optional)

4 Organic Egg Whites

1 Cup of Unsweetened Organic Almond Milk

2 Ripe Organic Bananas

OR ¾ Cup of Canned Pumpkin (add allspice to batter as well)

OR ¾ Cup Apple Sauce or flavored apple sauce (unsweetened is best)

OR ¾ Cup Pureed Berries or other fruit of choice!

1 Teaspoon of Banana Extract

OR Vanilla Extract if using any other fruit!

 

DIRECTIONS:

Mix first 5 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add in egg whites, almond milk, fruit, and extract. Blend Well. Preheat a large skillet and coat with Pam, wiping off any excess Pam. Pour 1/4 Cup of batter for each pancake. Turn pancakes when bubbles form on top. Cook until golden brown and serve with fresh berries and top with organic walnuts.

Enjoy!

 

Posted in Recipes
Tags: , , , ,

5 Weeks Out!!!

October 21st, 2011 . 1 Comment »

35 Weeks-8 months and 3 Weeks…WHOA!

Keep reading to see what’s going on and to get a great pregnancy work out too!


WOW, time is FLYING! I need more time to get everything done!!! I am sure it will all come together in the end though!

How are YOU doin’???

Still feeling great! No crazy cravings! Sorry, I really don’t crave pickles with peanut butter.

I am however starting to feel my pelvic bones shift…WEIRD! It gets achey/sore at times. So strange but it is normal. How else are we supposed to get baby out?

I am getting a little acid reflux every now and again. Mostly when I have spicy foods. Trying to limit that a little bit.

My belly is getting in the way now of putting on shoes and opening doors, leaning over my bathroom sink to do my makeup, etc. Little things that were never difficult now take a little more effort and some creativity to get things done!

I had my FL shower here at Acquolina (YUM) and it was GREAT! My mother in law, sister in law, niece and best friend did an amazing job! It was beautiful! Here are some pics of me and my expanding self, from the shower! Below is Tiffany, Darin and Leigh!

What Else is New?

Well, since my NY shower, not too much has happened-just getting bigger and bigger!  I still feel good, but now as I am well into my 3rd trimester, I am feeling a tad more tired. I notice that when I have a busy busy day, it makes me tired the next!

I am crazy nesting, as not only are we doing the baby’s room, but we are tying up all the lose ends in our house that weren’t done before, decorating and organization-wise. I washed everything, like the sheets, stuffed animals I got, blankets, etc. I am ready to wash some baby clothes to get me started with my soon-to-be newborn baby girl! Her closet is FULL of clothes already and she is going to be just like here mommy as she already has a ton of shoes to get her started! When I hit 8 and a half months, or 34 weeks, I took out EVERYTHING out of ALL of my kitchen cabinets and rearranged it and cleaned it…nuts I know! There’s that nesting…To top it all off I am just about done doing Christmas and Hanukkah shopping!!

I did my maternity pictures at 33 weeks, and they were a LOT of fun! I will post pics up soon! I used a GREAT photographer Sam B. Photography. Lots of fun, girly, sexy, cute and intimate pics of yourself, your belly and your hubby! We even got Blue in a pic with us outside too!!! You know, since he is our “first born” and all. Haha! No, but she was awesome. If you live in the Fort Lauderdale/Weston area, check her out HERE!

What’s Your Weight?

A few weeks back, most of you know I had another sonogram at 31 weeks and they confirmed that it is still a girl so that’s GREAT! At 31 weeks my baby was measuring 4 pounds 4 ounces already! I did a small poll on Facebook and had people guess the baby’s birth weight! You can join in too-just leave a comment on here or on Facebook with your guess! I am currently going on 35 weeks, so do the math and get your guess in! We haven’t thought of a prize yet…nor did we come up with a name for our baby girl yet either…but that’s beside the point! Anyways, I got all kinds of guess-weights from 7 pounds to 16 pounds! We’ll see!! It’s funny what people say to you when they see me prego.,. Some think I am due in a day and some can’t believe how far along I am. Some ask if it’s twins, some SWEAR that it’s a boy and others “just knew” that it was a girl. It is very comical and always makes for an interesting day no matter where I go!

I definitely will miss being pregnant. I have to say I really got to enjoy it-ALL of it (so far…). I know that it will be a different experience when I am pregnant with a 2nd child, as I will have 1 already to take care of. I also see that no 2 pregnancies are (usually) alike, just as no 2 kids are usually alike! Right now being pregnant is easy and fun and it’s my first so that’s super special (even though 2nd and 3rds are special too…) you know what I mean! Time to enjoy it now, because life changes, as we know it in just a few weeks!!!!!!!!

Exercise

Of course, I am still truckin’ along. I am not gonna lie-I seem to be feeling more lazy (I think it’s the tiredness and me being busy doing a million house things) BUT, NO excuse, I still go 5 days a week and feel GREAT when I am done. I am lightening my load as my pregnancy progresses, but still challenging myself safely and effectively.

Check out what I am doing on my Chest and Back Day: Pregos give it a try!

Your weights now should be lighter, but still challenging by the end of the set.

A1. Decline Chest Press 20x

A2. Wide Grip Lat Pull Down 20x

A3. Decline Chest Flye (standing or seated) 20x

A4. Triangle Lat Pull Down 20x

Rest 60-90s Total 4 Sets


B1. Seated Chest Press 20x

B2. Seated Rope Row 20x

B3. Seated Flye 20x

B4. Dumbbell Upright Row 20x

Rest 60-90s Total 4 Sets

Band Set: 20-30s of each exercise using a resistance band, standing.

GO FAST!

C1. Band Chest Press C2. Band Row C3. Band Flye C4. Band Swimmers (straight arm shoulder extension)

Rest 30-60s Total 2 Sets

Til Next Time!

Posted in Pregnancy Health & Fitness
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The “Dirty Dozen” and The “Clean 15″

September 28th, 2011 . No Comments »

Which types of produce are the dirtiest, and which have the least amount of pesticides?? Find out what you should be buying organic, and what you can get by with conventional!

Know Your Risk For Pesticide Exposure!

So I know I always say to try to buy organic fruits and veggies, but realistically it is a little more pricey than the conventional. So a lot of people ask:

Which ones are worth buying organic? Then the next question that follows is…

Which ones can I “get away with” buying conventional?

The EWG-Environmental Working Group has released its 7th edition of its Shopper’s Guide to Pesticide in Produce, with information of fruits and veggies and the amounts of pesticides on them. I am sure you have heard of the “Dirty Dozen”. If not, they are the group with the MOST amounts of pesticides on them. Therefore, THESE are the ones you should ALWAYS buy organic.  They also came out with the “Clean 15”, which are the cleanest group in conventional produce. The EWG points out that if consumers chose their recommended five servings of produce per day from the “Clean 15”, they would reduce the amount of pesticides ingested by 92%-without having to spend more money for organics.

2011 “Dirty Dozen” list has THE MOST PESTICIDES.

BUY THESE ORGANIC!!

1.Apples (shocking right? The most common fruit is the dirtiest!)

2.Celery

3.Strawberries

4.Peaches

5.Spinach

6.Nectarines

7.Grapes

8.Sweet Bell Peppers

9.Potatoes

10.Blueberries

11.Lettuce

12.Kale/Collard Greens

2011 “Clean 15” list has the LEAST PESTICIDES.

If you want, you can get these conventional and it will cut down on your intake of pesticides.

1.Onions

2.Sweet Corn

3.Pineapples

4.Avocados

5.Asparagus

6.Sweet Peas

7.Mangoes

8.Eggplant

9.Cantaloupe

10.Kiwi

11.Cabbage

12.Watermelon

13.Sweet Potatoes

14.Grapefruit

15.Mushrooms

Hopefully you will find this as interesting as it is super important!! I do find, however, organic produce is much more tasty than conventional, putting the pesticide issue aside.

Hopefully you will be able to choose your produce more wisely with these lists. I know people who have printed this list up and keep it in their purse when grocery shopping, so they are always making better choices-health and money wise!

Happy and healthy shopping!

Posted in Health
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries