The Countdown Begins!

Like most new moms, I am faced with the inevitable countdown to my return to work. Don't get me wrong... I love my job - what I do, who I work with and the environment in which I spend my days. But now that I've experienced being a mother, I don't ever want to leave my girl!! I've got a little more than two weeks to enjoy my peanut all to myself (well... my husband gets time too!), and it can't possibly last long enough. I never thought that I would want to be a stay at home mommy, but it's all that I dream of now!! It's funny how things change, isn't it??

So now that my girl is getting a little bit older, I find that I have less time to prepare a healthy meal and even less time to squeeze in a workout!! Here's my recipe and exercise of the moment... both require very little time out of your day but are SO worth the effort!!

Exercise:

Hop Squats - start with your feet together, step to the right with one foot until your feet are shoulder width apart... and squat. Instead of stepping back to place and stepping to the left with a squat, add a hop! So as you are coming up from the squat, jump up and kick that left foot out to the squating position and gently land into a squat. Repeat going right, left, right, left until you get truly fatigued. It should be a very smooth transition from right to left. Once you get the hang of it, add a medicine ball (or jug of water, or a dumbbell) for an extra challenge - just hold the extra weight up near your collarbones. Good luck - let me know if you need help with it:)

Recipe:

Mixed greens

Vine tomatoes

Cucumbers

Red pepper

Shredded carrots

Asparagus (quickly steamed) -- this is my favorite part, but you can substitute broccoli or another veggie if you wish

Chicken (any brand works - bake, boil or grill your own, or buy a lower fat tender like Bell and Evans nuggets)

Balsamic Vinegar (spend a little more money on an "older" vinegar and you will notice a difference in consistency AND taste!

Go Go Go - Who Has Time For Healthy??

Traveling is great, isn't it? If only we could all travel a little more... I'm not sure about you, but I find it very difficult to stay on track when I travel. First, there are so many temptations when it comes to food options that it's nearly impossible to resist the delicious treats that are loaded with calories! Here are a couple of important things to remember when you're traveling...

WATER

When you travel, make sure you continue to drink lots and lots of water - dehydration actually makes you feel hungry when you're not, can you believe it? You'll have more energy, less headaches, and a more controlled appetite when you are well hydrated.

GUM/MINTS

And always keep some gum with you, as sometimes you're less likely to pick up that bag of chips or candy bar when your mouth is minty fresh! If you have the opportunity, brush your teeth - it'll work the same way as gum only you're making your dentist proud too!

EVALUATE

Finally, it's OKAY to indulge, but be smart about it. Evaluate all of your options before making your choice. Otherwise, you may end up eating way too many calories before you find what you really want. Start with a plan - decide which meal you will focus on... will it be some fluffy waffles for breakfast, a toasted panini for lunch or some lasagna for dinner? Once you make that choice, you can make good choices up until and after your tasty reward. Also, Remember that snacking on those foods packaged so nicely in travel sized pouches is very dangerous - those calories add up fast!

EXERCISE

There are always so many excuses not to exercise when you're traveling. You need to stay on track -- not only will you feel better, but you're more likely to make better food choices when you stay active! There are lots of things you can do to get in your workouts, even if it's not in a gym.

WALK

Whenever possible, walk. It sounds so trivial, right? But when your coworkers or partner takes the elevator, tell them you'll meet them and take the stairs. If you have the opportunity to walk, take it! Plan your schedule accordingly so you can allow yourself extra time to walk to wherever you need to be...

WORK WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT!

Before you leave your hotel room for the day, do some squats, lunges, push ups and crunches. You don't need a lot of space for those exercises, and they are extremely effective because they use a lot of muscle groups in a short amount of time! Try not to put it off until the end of the day, because you are likely going to forget or make excuses not to work those muscles.

Good luck travelers! Let me know where you're at so I can live vicariously through you!!

Did I Realy Eat That Yesterday?? Ugh...

How many times have you regreted the food choices you made the previous day? Whether you attended a deliciously catered party, were forced to eat on the run with little choices, or just simply lost control... you ate too much of the wrong things and you feel lousy. Try not to let your mistakes consume you - accept it and move on, but take steps to avoid that in the future! I highly recommend keeping a food journal to help keep you on track with your goals. If you keep track of EXACTLY what you ate, and how much of it, you're less likely to actually eat the bad stuff! Once you make a habit out of recording the type and quantity of the foods, add the time of day and how you were feeling emotionally when you ate it. You might see patterns that you can make an effort to change, like if you find you're eating high calorie foods when you're bored. Take a look at the entries the next day, and again at the end of the week - you'll be surprised how much it will affect what choices you make!

Sample Food Diary Entry:

8am: (feeling tired)

1 cup non-fat yogurt

1/2 cup blueberries

1/4 cup low-fat granola

12:30pm: (feeling rushed)

2 slices of whole wheat bread

4 slices of turkey breast

1 slice of provolone cheese

1 tablespoon of mustard

2 cups tomato soup

Give it a try for 4 weeks, and I promise you'll make better choices! Just remember... don't think of it as "dieting" but fueling your body intelligently.

Good Luck!!

Support Me!

I am very fortunate to be surrounded by amazingly supportive people -- my coworkers, my family, my in laws, my friends and of course my husband. Now that my daugher has arrived, I've realized how much I rely on these people support and motivate me in so many ways. Without this support system, I would be lost! Losing weight and getting fit is not easy, so make sure you create a circle of loved ones that will push you to be the best you can be. Tell them your goals so they can hold you accountable and inspire you. Remember - these people love you for all that you are, and want you to be happy, so let them be there for you when you need it the most!

ABS... Oh Where Have They Gone??

I think we can all agree that pregnant bellies are beautiful... and I think we can also agree that it's the most difficult area to recover after nine months of expansion!! It's almost unbelievable how much our bellies can expand... When I was six months pregnant I thought "my belly can't possibly get any bigger!" But boy does it! So how do we get our beautiful pre-pregnancy flat bellies back?

Here are some ideas taht are easy to fit into your day...
1. Put baby into the Bjorn (or other front carrier), As you're standing, lean back just enough to feel your abs engage. While holding that slight lean, lift one knee at a time to the outside of the carrier - like knee strike for anyone that has done kickboxing before! If you really concentrate on holding that lean and curl into your knee as it reaches waist level, you'll feel the muscles working!
2. Hovering Planks - My baby girl loves this one! Lay your baby on a blanket on her back on the floor. Place your forearms flat on the floor on either side of her, lift your body up off the floor onto your toes (now just your toes and forearms are on the floor), tuck your rear end under and your shoulders (so they're not rounded) so your entire body is flat. Engage those abdominal muscles while cooing at the baby! To rest, drop your knees to the floor. Repeat as many times as you can!

Good luck -- you'll see results in no time!!

Get Outside!

For those of you living in New England like me, it's a beautiful day to pack up the little one, leash up the dog, and convince your husband to join you for a walk outside! A great way to bond with the family while getting some exercise, and you're getting some much needed fresh air too. A couple of tips for the walk... (no laughing allowed!)
Look for the hills in your neighborhood - Even if the hill is not on your intended route, take it and feel the burn!
Exaggerate each step and really engage your leg and glute muscles while you're walking.
If you need to stop for a light or to talk to a neighbor, do some standing hamstring curls - flex your heel, bend your knee and pull your heel up toward your rear end... relax and repeat!
Get outside and enjoy the day:)

Finding Time

It's amazing how quickly a whole day can pass when you are busy with a baby, isn't it? When the day begins at the crack of dawn (earlier sometimes!), it seems like we'll have time to do anything we want... then it's dark again and the day has escaped us. So when do we fit in exercise? It's easy -- remember, something is always better than nothing, so fit little bits in throughout the day. You also have the opportunity to spend additional time with your precious baby by including her into your daily routine! Not only will you get in shape, but you'll also set a good example for your little one and be close to her doing it! First thing you need to do is invest in a Baby Bjorn or other similar carrier if you haven't already.

Once you have a carrier, here are some exercises you can easily do with the baby on board!
1. Squats: Stand with feet shoulder or hip width apart, sit back keeping your feet flat on the floor (toes and heels shouldn't come up from the floor) until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Extend your arms out to the front or hold onto a sturdy chair while you sit back for additioanl balance.
2. Forward Stationary Lunges: Begin with feet together, step forward with one foot, bend back leg until knee almost touches the floor, push back to place using the heel of your foot until you return to the starting position. Keep one hand on a sturdy chair for additional balance if necessary.
3. Resistance Band Upper Body Exercises: Bicep Curls - Stepping on the band with both feet, curl arms up. Alternating Front Raises - Stepping on the band with both feet, palms facing the floor, raise one handle at a time to shoulder height, return to the starting position and repeat.

That should keep you busy over the weekend - enjoy!!