Whether you need to lose weight after pregnancy or whether you simply want to get and stay fit and healthy, experts advise us to eat six (6) small nutritious meals each day. Have you ever thought to exercise in the same manner? Six (6) small healthy exercises every day preceding those six small meals? Let’s think about this. There are basic exercise moves that, when put together throughout the day, will work every muscle in your body. The moves will increase your heart rate, build muscle, and give you the extra energy you need to take care of your family – whether you hold a full-time job outside of the home or whether you are a stay-at-home mother.
Before breakfast, perhaps while watching the news on TV, JOG/MARCH … begin with a low-impact march for two (2) minutes … then begin lifting your knees higher until you are jogging … do this for six (6) minutes … you may alternate between marching and jogging during this time … then, for the last two (2) minutes, end with the same low-impact march you did in the beginning. Ten minutes of exercise completed. Drink a full glass of water and eat a healthy bowl of whole grain cereal topped with a low-fat fruit yogurt, instead of milk. Exercising before a meal aids circulation and digestion, and will also increase the metabolic rate in which your body uses the energy from the food you eat.
Anytime between breakfast and lunch, do PUSH-UPS … any way you feel comfortable, against a wall, from the knees, modified, on the floor, or regular push-ups from your toes … do three sets of 10, resting and stretching your arms between each set. These should be completed in about five minutes. Follow up with a glass of water and a snack, such as celery sticks topped with cheese or peanut butter.
Preceding lunch, JOG/MARCH again for 10 minutes. Drink a glass of water and eat baked, sliced chicken on top of salad greens with two whole wheat crackers.
Anytime between lunch and dinner, LUNGE … first with the right leg, then with the left, making sure you hold good form … until five minutes have passed. Drink your water and munch a medium-size apple.
Before dinner, while your meal is still cooking, JOG/MARCH again for 10 minutes. Drink some water. Eat a healthy, well-balanced dinner of baked salmon with the marinade of your choice, fresh asparagus, a garden salad with 1-2 tablespoons of dressing, and a baked potato.
Anytime between dinner and bedtime, do SIT-UPS … any way you feel comfortable … do at least 50 sit-ups … in groups of 10. Elongate your body when you are finished so that you can stretch the abdominals before retiring to bed. This should take you about five minutes. Drink another glass of water, have some popcorn for a snack, and relax.
So what did you just do? You carved out 45 minutes of exercise time during your day. You ate a healthy, well-balanced menu. Small bursts of energy like the ones in this routine and eating nutritious meals can help you lose weight after pregnancy. Getting in the habit of living a healthy lifestyle will keep you fit for years to come.
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This post was written by admin on April 12, 2009
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One of the best ways to lose weight after pregnancy is to begin working on your core stability and strength. For nine months, give or take, your body has been working hard to create a safe place for the beginnings of new life. Needless to say, the creation of new life has taken a toll on the core, or midsection, of your body.
Once your healthcare provider clears you to resume a normal activity level – usually between 5 and 6 weeks after giving birth – you should commence the following core building exercises.
- Sit-Ups:
Regular … lie on your back on the floor, knees bent, face to the ceiling, arms crossed over your chest with your hands near opposite shoulders. Contract your stomach muscles and lift your upper body toward the ceiling. Make sure you keep your face toward the ceiling, with your neck elongated, throughout 3 sets of 10 repetitions. Stretch out your body by placing your arms over your head and straightening your legs with pointed toes while lying on the floor. Do this every day and gradually increase to 5 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
- Push-Ups:
Any way you feel comfortable … against the wall, from your knees, modified on the floor, or regular push-ups from your toes. Push-ups are a terrific exercise used to build core body strength. You will be strengthening your back muscles, your arm muscles, your abdominals, your shoulders, your gluteus, and your legs. There is no BETTER exercise than the push-up. The muscle you build translates into an increased metabolism, which in turn, works to burn fat cells and assist you in your quest to lose weight after pregnancy. Two things to remember: Focus on straight alignment when executing the exercise, keep your head and neck aligned with your body, and gently stretch after you finish each set of 10. Try one set of 10 at first. Then work up to 3 sets of 10, challenging yourself along the way.
An additional step to take in order to lose weight after pregnancy is to get your blood circulating and your lungs to begin breathing deeply. You may not feel like going for a walk or run, however, once you begin some form of cardiovascular exercise, your energy level will increase. The best way to test this is to get out and take your baby for a stroller ride. Your body was made to move, so get moving.
A final morsel of advice on how to lose weight after pregnancy is to NOT keep any junk food in the house. This point cannot be overemphasized. If a certain food item is not stocked in the kitchen, it stands to reason that it will not be eaten. Be creative with food preparation and think low-calorie substitute. For example, use cottage cheese or avocado in place of mayonnaise. Instead of spreading mayonnaise on a sandwich, use thin slices of avocado, which provides a healthy kind of natural fat. Use low-fat cottage cheese when making tuna or chicken salad, instead of mayo. Bake everything – from potatoes, to sweet potatoes, to chicken, turkey or fish.
Genetics play the largest role in how quickly a new mom will lose weight after pregnancy. However, if you do your part, you will become a healthier, stronger version of your old self. Take the first step and begin … take baby steps, if you will.
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This post was written by admin on April 12, 2009
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Motherhood may be only one of the many hats you choose to wear in your life. You may be a wife, a sister, a friend, your family’s chef, housekeeper, chauffeur, event planner and therapist. On top of all that, you may choose to work outside the home as well. In order to successfully navigate through all these roles, you must be particularly skilled in planning, coordinating and organizing.
The first item on this agenda is to purchase a calendar … one main place to write everything down. Success requires documentation of all things important: hair appointments, doctor’s visits, scheduled exercises, getting to the dry cleaners, fun activities, social events, birthday parties and even downtime. If something is not written down on your calendar, something may get lost in the shuffle of your life.
The second item on the agenda is to schedule time for planning. A half hour to an hour of planning time once a week will go a long way toward achieving immediate and long-term goals. Plan the week’s menu, who will carpool or chauffeur to special events, plan birthday parties well in advance and holiday gatherings.
The third item is to recruit help from your husband, family and friends. Delegate responsibilities and work as a team. A good support network of family, friends and perhaps church or social organizations is one of the best resources a working mother can draw upon.
The fourth item on your agenda is to create a schedule. Develop a routine at home and all responsibilities will be taken care of. Running a family is like running your own business. Many, many chores and responsibilities that cannot be shirked need attention. One way to ensure that everything gets done is to create a routine whereby there is a place and time for everything on your “To Do” list.
The fifth item to keep in mind is to always have a “Plan B.” In life, nothing is a sure thing. Daycare providers get sick, kids get sick or hurt, and you or your husband may have to work late on some evenings. Always have a backup plan.
Finally, decide whether full-time work outside of the home is the right choice for you. Some mothers opt for part-time positions so that they can spend more time with their families. In today’s world, some employers offer alternatives such as telecommuting or working from home and flex time. There are a lot of choices out there, but the only one who can make the decision about what kind of lifestyle is right for your family is … your family.
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This post was written by admin on April 12, 2009
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The absolute best way to lose weight after pregnancy and get healthy is to exercise and eat right. We’ve heard it time and time before, but what does it mean? And what does it mean for you, as a new mother?
Let me share with you how I lost 40 pounds of pregnancy weight in four months. I did not opt for a quick fix to my health and weight problems. I wanted to lose weight after pregnancy the right way, the healthy way, the successful way.
The key for me was in joining a gym … a gym that has an excellent childcare facility. One of the best choices I have made in my life. Another great choice that I made was to hire a personal trainer. I knew that I would not go to the gym as often as I should (3-4 times per week for 30-60 minute exercise sessions) unless I had someone to hold me accountable. I had appointments with my trainer three times a week … same days and times each week … a schedule. I had no excuse for missing any appointments. After all, I could bring my kids with me.
The most successful method to lose weight after pregnancy is to increase your metabolism. Your metabolic rate is the means by which you burn the calories from the foods you eat. A faster metabolic rate burns more calories, more efficiently. This process results in decreased fat cells in your body if you consume less than you expend. Simple, right? So how do you increase your metabolism?
You speed your metabolism by engaging in weight training three times per week, half hour to hour-long sessions, and cardiovascular exercise four times a week, in half-hour sessions. Weight or resistance training builds muscle. Your muscle cells are much more metabolically active than fat cells. Thus, more muscle in your body translates into less fat. It is really a beautiful process which turns you into a more beautiful version of your old self. Even if you cease to lift weights for a week or two, your body will continue to burn calories because you have successfully increased your metabolic rate.
Cardiovascular exercise, such as walking or a combination of walk-jog, four times per week for 30 minutes, further increases your metabolism. Three of these sessions can be completed after your weight training. Aerobic exercise has been shown to benefit your heart and circulatory system, reduce stress, and effectively control weight.
Part of eating right includes choosing foods that stem directly from Mother Nature. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, healthy fats, and low-fat dairy are choices on which you should focus. Also, while weight- or resistance-training, you need to increase the amount of lean proteins in your diet. These proteins assist your muscles in the recovery process.
A final note about eating right: The very act of consuming food helps to increase your metabolism. Therefore, eating six small meals throughout the day, every couple of hours, keeps your metabolism high. The most harmful thing you can do to your body is to skip meals, especially breakfast, because this will only slow your metabolism down. Not eating is counterproductive and unhealthy.
You, too, can lose weight after pregnancy. It takes a little work, but once you get into the mindset and once you begin your sessions, you will see the results you crave. It almost becomes second nature after about two weeks of training. Once you stop exercising, your body and muscles will let you know that it is missing the joy of movement.
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This post was written by admin on April 12, 2009
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Eating a healthy menu after your baby is born can be a bit of a challenge because new moms are somewhat time-strapped. Due to this reason, a little planning goes a really long way. No matter whether you decide to breastfeed or not, the same principles guide a healthy, nutritious diet. A breastfeeding mother increases her caloric intake by about 500 hundred calories … for a total intake of 2,700 calories daily. A mother who bottle feeds should consume around 2,200 calories per day. Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? Not when you choose foods that are close to Mother Nature.
Of what should those calories consist?
- Grains – 6 oz. (half of all grains should be whole grains)
- Vegetables – 2.5 cups (variety)
- Fruits – 2 cups (variety; easy on sugared juices)
- Dairy – 3 cups (low-fat)
- Meat and Beans – 5.5 oz. (lean meats and seafood; avoid frying)
Now for the planning. Go to the grocery store, or send your significant other. Have a healthy food list already in hand and do not stray from the list. Your list should include: a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables (preferably ones like spinach, which pack of bunch of iron for new moms), whole grain breads and cereals, unsalted nuts like peanuts or walnuts, lean meats such as poultry or seafood, 1% milk, low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese. You get the idea that you should stock your refrigerator and pantry shelves with healthy foods. Do NOT buy junk foods or anything else processed.
Make time to prepare whole food breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Take a Sunday and dedicate part of it to chopping vegetables for salads, cooking lean chicken breasts, sort recipes and actually prepare your week’s worth of meals and snacks.
Drink water. You can even flavor your water with a little juice from whatever fruit you decide. Stay away from sodas and anything else packed with processed sugar or sugar substitute.
Eat six (6) small meals each day. For the three (3) snacks during the day, make sure you eat fruits and veggies … apples, bananas, crunchy carrots and celery. If you would like a little variety, you could always dip apple slices in honey, a natural sweetener.
If you find yourself craving something sweet, reach for a piece of fruit, such as a pomegranate or apple. If you find yourself craving something crunchy, reach for the salt-free nuts or raw vegetables.
If you ate a healthy diet during your pregnancy, you are in luck … you already made the lifestyle change to a healthy, whole food, nutritious meal plan. If you are afraid you did not eat so healthfully during your pregnancy, it is not too late to make a lifestyle change. After all, you are now a role model for your new little one … wouldn’t you like to share the gifts that Mother Nature has given you with your baby?
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This post was written by admin on April 12, 2009
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The best defense against unwanted weight gain after a pregnancy is a well-thought-out and executed meal, exercise, and sleep plan during the pregnancy.
Precautions to take in the food arena to prevent excess weight gain include:
- No junk food
Processed food items may contain high amounts of sugar, trans fats, sodium, and … calories. These empty calories translate into excessive weight gain when eaten before, during and after pregnancy.
- Do not overeat
When a woman is carrying a baby, the notion of “eating for two” is a misnomer. A pregnant woman needs to consume between 1,900 and 2,500 calories per day; her healthcare provider can assess how many total calories on a case-by-case basis. A pregnancy diet should consist of whole food groups, such as grains, fruits and vegetables, protein, low-fat dairy and healthy fats.
- No fried foods
Avoid preparing or eating fried foods. Choose, instead, a baked or broiled version of lean meats and seafood. Eat a baked potato versus a serving of French fries. Any foodstuff that can be fried can be baked or broiled.
- Don’t do breakfast, lunch and dinner
Do breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. Eat six small meals daily. The smaller portions digest more easily, and the body can make more efficient use of the calories consumed. Also, the very act of eating helps to boost metabolism. Thus, by eating more often, you keep your metabolism running steady all day.
Living a sedentary pregnancy is a sure-fire way to make more work for yourself after the baby is born. Chances are good that you will most likely have a lot more baby fat to lose. Therefore stay active, attempting to stick to an exercise routine throughout the pregnancy period unless this goes against your doctor’s orders. You can achieve optimal pregnancy health results by exercising three (3) times a week for 20 minutes. Choose low impact fitness routines and/or use stationery bikes or treadmills to build cardiovascular health.
The final life component to get a head start on during pregnancy is that of your sleep pattern. It is beneficial to stay on a regular 8-hour per night schedule, as studies have shown that a lack of sleep is linked to obesity. Attempt to set a normal bedtime and turn in at that hour. Of course, your sleep pattern will change drastically after your newborn arrives, but the important thing to remember is that you need to sleep when your baby is sleeping.
Take care of your health during your pregnancy … eat the proper nutrition, stay active and stick to a regular sleep schedule … and you will not have to work extra hard once the baby arrives to lose an unusual amount of baby fat.
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This post was written by admin on April 10, 2009
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By Holly Rigsby, CPT
http://www.afterpregnancyweightlossnow.com/fitmummy.html
The holidays are a time to offer thanks, to spend time with loved ones and a time to EAT - turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, etc. Unfortunately, the holidays are the time of year when many people end up putting on the extra “holiday pounds” which is easy to do for the season continues for just about two months! But the holidays come once a year. What’s the point of refusing a piece of pecan pie, then feeling miserable? As my most successful strategies are about to reveal…..it’s absolutely OK to enjoy your favorite holiday treats and continue to make progress. Incorporate the following 7 strategies to fight back against the battle of the holiday bulge.
Make Exercise A Priority
The first key to preventing weight gain is to increase your activity level. Besides burning extra holiday calories, exercise reduces stress, elevates your mood and gives you more energy. Sure it may seem difficult to fit in a workout when you are traveling, shopping, baking plus a ton of other holiday-related activities. That’s why it’s important to first make a commitment to your fitness goals and incorporate short burst exercise into your routine – all you need is 90 minutes a week!
Have a Plan
If you are known for overindulging, you must have a plan in place. Visualize what and how much you will eat before you approach the festive meals and treats. You can also incorporate a backup plan that requires you to be more active for that particular day, or the following day, to keep your metabolism humming so you burn off those extra calories.
Don’t Skip Meals
On the day of the holiday feast, be sure to eat regularly all day long. If you will be eating in the evening, start with a supportive breakfast – particularly something with protein and high fiber carbohydrates. Be sure to eat something light in the afternoon like a quality high protein snack. Protein will help you feel full longer so you’ll be less likely to binge. Once you arrive, go ahead and indulge in some of the delightfully delicious foods. Since you have eaten meals earlier in the day, you will find that you aren’t as tempted to go overboard and eat everything in sight. Whatever you do, do not starve yourself. Not only will you slow your metabolism down to a hearty fat storing rate, arriving ravenous will guarantee overindulgence.
Portion Control is Key
Allow yourself to enjoy your favorite foods with the ones you love, but do so in moderation. Take time to survey the foods before you make your choices. Try a “serving-spoon” size of the foods you really want to eat and ½ the size of the foods you just want to try out. This way you can enjoy trying many different foods without overeating. Eat off a smaller plate and skip the seconds. Instead, save room for dessert. You don’t need to deprive yourself of the foods you love, otherwise your cravings will grow and you’ll be more likely to overindulge.
Wear Form-Fitting Clothes
Want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season? Wear your most form-fitting clothing. Another trick is to tie a string around your waist under your clothing to help keep you mindful of the actions you take during the holiday feast.
Limit or Avoid Alcoholic Beverages.
The average alcoholic drink contains 200 calories per glass while an 8-ounce cup of eggnog with rum contains 450 calories. Not only does alcohol pack a lot of empty calories, but over-consumption lowers inhibitions and self-control…..not a good combination when you’re near a buffet of festive foods! If you decide to drink alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer or for non-alcoholic alternatives try club soda with lime, tomato juice or diet soda with a lime.
Practice the “Cheat Technique”
If you make supportive food choices 80-90 percent of the time, you have every right to let loose and ”cheat” the other 10-20 percent. This not only allows you something to look forward to so you stay on track, you’ll also enjoy the festivities without carrying them around on your waistline and into the New Year.
“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”
You have the choice to make fitness your priority. Thinking you’ll “get around to it” or that you are “waiting for right time” are simply excuses that take you nowhere. Make a plan, write it down, and stick to it. If you do over-do it, be forgiving of yourself and get back on track the following day.
Have a Fit and Healthy Holiday Season!
Holly Rigsby, CPT, MAT America’s #1 Fat Loss Expert for Busy Moms and the author of www.FitYummyMummy.com. Holly has worked with over 300 Mom’s to help them lose the stubborn baby fat, get their pre-baby body back and reclaim their yummy-ness. Don’t miss her Free Report: Top 5 Busy Mom Metabolism Boosters.
Related article: Lose weight after pregnancy
By Holly Rigsby, CPT
http://www.afterpregnancyweightlossnow.com/fitmummy.html
Breakfast is easily the most overlooked solution than all other fat burning tips combined.
Q: Breakfast.
I always eat breakfast but often don’t get to it until about an hour or sometimes two (if I’m up early) after I get up. Is this OK or do I have to eat earlier than this? (I’m busy during the week getting the kids ready and off to school). What’s the maximum amount of time I can go from waking to eating brekky?
A: Hooray! You are eating the most important meal of the day!
Many Busy Moms tend to skip this meal for a variety of reasons. However, doing so will only work against your body’s ability to lose fat.
Skipping breakfast will only send the message to your body that you’re starving - you haven’t had food in the last 6-8 hours. This leads your body to SLOW your metabolism for survival purposes. You essentially are choosing to start your day in fat storage mode.
PLUS - if you do not start your day with a supportive breakfast, it is only natural that by the time lunch rolls around - You are STARVING. The best of intentions cannot overcome the cravings that accompany this feeling. Sure, you may start off your “lunch time” snack or meal with something you consider to be quite healthy. Yet, those nagging cravings do not go away and you are compelled to eat more.
To make matters worse, skipping breakfast also leads to eating more later in the day - a big “dinner”. Eating more calories during the last meal of the day, when your metabolism is naturally slower during the second half of the day and slower because breakfast was skipped leads your body to store those calories as fat.
In fact, studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. If you skip meals, you tend to feel hungrier later on and you will eat more than you normally would.
To get the Best Benefits of Breakfast - yes, eating within an hour of waking is best. Breakfast will provide you with the energy you need to get through your day. The more energy you have, the more active you’ll be and the more active you are, the more calories you burn.
Favorite Busy Mom Breakfast: Cereal is a MUST. It’s convenient, easy to prepare, easy to eat and full of nutrients – No…”Whole Grain Lucky Charm” does not fall into this category. Choose cereals carefully based on the information on the food label.
Top Breakfast Choices have:
~ 5 grams of Fiber or more
~ 8 grams of Sugar or LESS
~ Sugar is not listed as one of the first 4-5 ingredients.
Holly Rigsby, CPT, MAT America’s #1 Fat Loss Expert for Busy Moms and the author of www.FitYummyMummy.com. Holly has worked with over 300 Mom’s to help them lose the stubborn baby fat, get their pre-baby body back and reclaim their yummy-ness. Don’t miss her Free Report: Top 5 Busy Mom Metabolism Boosters.
Related article: Lose weight after pregnancy
By Holly Rigsby, CPT
Lose weight after pregnancy
“I’ll Begin When….”
Sound familiar? Waiting for the right time to begin your fat loss program?
I’m wondering something….
What is the magic in waiting?
What do you expect will suddenly be different one week, two weeks, a month from now?
As Busy Moms - there will always be too much to do. And guess what….there is no “perfect time” - except the time that you can take RIGHT NOW - to make a firm decision to begin something that is Overflowing with benefits into your life and the lives of your family.
If I told you that you could…
~ Have more energy
~ Eliminate cravings
~ Dramatically reduce stress
~ Drop a Jean Size
~ Feel good about yourself again
Would you smile, look me in the eye and say….”No thanks, not right now, the time just isn’t right” Huh…?
If not now -to Look and Feel great…. then when? And when that time arrives….what is to prevent you from making the exact same statement? Then you look up to find another year has passed!
So what are you hoping to accomplish by putting off what you deserve to have right now?
It is quite unfortunate that during the holiday season, on the cusp of the New Year where “resolutioners” come out of their sedentary lifestyles for a brief moment as they promise…”This time I will lose weight” - only to find themselves defeated yet again as they quickly revert back to old habits.
It’s pretty obvious that this approach just does not work. Taking the easy route, the route that allows us to stay with unsupportive, familiar habits is giving us nothing in return - in fact it is draining and taking away your 3 sources power … your valuable time, money and energy.
Super Busy Mom, Sarah Z. came to an amazing realization…
“One of the things that has been holding me back was needing to feel like everything was ‘in place’ (more or less) before I took the time to exercise.
I felt like I had to ‘have time’ to exercise.
Nope, I’ve got to make time, I know…but now I know what that really means.
It means making time to do it REGARDLESS OF THE CHAOS around me. I am now starting to visualize a messy house (not too hard 
a stack of piles waiting for me — and me exercising anyway — and then tacking all that stuff AFTER I’ve exercised.”
This is a brilliant realization and one you need to take to heart, moms.
“Your actions express your priorities”
What statement are you making about what matters most to you if you put it on the back burner?
Moms - It’s Time! Time to make your health and fitness, your ability to reclaim your pre-baby body, your ability to look in the mirror and feel good about what you see a Priority starting today. Fit Yummy Mummy is your solution to putting your priorities into action.
Holly Rigsby, CPT, MAT America’s #1 Fat Loss Expert for Busy Moms and the author of www.FitYummyMummy.com. Holly has worked with over 300 Mom’s to help them lose the stubborn baby fat, get their pre-baby body back and reclaim their yummy-ness. Don’t miss her Free Report: Top 5 Busy Mom Metabolism Boosters.
Related article: After pregnancy weight loss
