Weight Loss Tips Part 1

I am on a self journey to better my life, and part of this journey includes loosing weight. As I embark on my journey, I would love to share everything I learn.

*Quick disclaimer: These tips are solely tips, and while they may have worked for me, they may not work for everyone. Always make sure that you see a doctor during your weight loss plan, to make sure that you are doing what is right for your body.

So with that, here's Part 1!

Protein.

Consumption of protein goes beyond physical appearance and muscular strength, whether you are aiming to loose weight, gain weight, or maintain your weight. Protein is an important component for all body types; it contains 22 amino acids, which are well known as the building blocks of life. Without protein, our bodies would not be able to get essential oxygen or grow and repair muscles and organs. It is an essential nutrient that we need in large quantities. It is recommended that your protein intake be anywhere from 10-30 percent of your total daily calorie consumption.

In weight loss, protein has been proven to help control hunger. That is why there are so many "high protein" diets. Protein sends a signal to your brain that will diminish your hunger pains. It also helps accelerate your metabolism to help conserve your muscle mass. For diabetics, adequate protein intake helps slow down the sudden "ups and down" of blood sugar levels.

Of course, when you talk about food, there are foods that are high in protein, but there are also foods that are high in protein but may also be high in other areas that you don't want them to be such as saturated fats. Here is a small list of protein rich foods that have been recommended by doctors for years (includes how many and how much protein):

• egg whites- 7 whites= 25 grams
• cottage cheese (fat free)-1 cup= 28 grams
  
• fat free yogurt (sugar free)- 6oz= 5 grams
• fat free milk- 1 cup= 10 grams
• chicken breast- 3oz. cooked= 25 grams
• turkey breast- 3oz. cooked= 25 grams
• shrimp, lobster, or crab- 4oz cooked= 22-24 grams
• tuna- 4oz packed in water=27 grams
• beans (black, pintos, etc.)- 1/2 cup cooked= 7 grams
• lentils- 1/2 cup cooked= 9 grams
• tofu-1/4 piece= 7 grams
• soy bacon- 4 slices= 21 grams
• whole wheat bread- 1 slice= 3-5 grams

Those are just some examples.

Again, no matter what your goal is, it is essential to consume a good amount of protein per day. You will need to intake no less than 10% of your total caloric intake as protien. As I mentioned before, it is recommended that you consume 10-30% of your total caloric intake per day. Here's an example of one plan I followed for a week:

Total Calories per day=1500

Breakfast= 1 unit of protein and one fruit. I ate 7 egg whites and 1/2 of a grapefruit.

Morning snack= 1 protien snack. I had 1/2 cup of roasted soy nuts.

Lunch= 1 unit of protein+ 2 veggies+ salad+ 1 grain + 1 fruit. I ate one 6oz chicken breast with 2 cups corn, 1/2 cup whole grain rice, 1 large orange, and 4 cups mixed greens with light italian dressing.

Afternoon snack= 1 protien snack and one fruit. Again, I had 1/2 cup of roasted soy nuts, but I also had one medium sized apple (I'm partial to Gala's and Fuji's!!)

Dinner=- 2 units of protien + 2 veggies+ salad+ 1 grain + 1 fruit. I enjoyed an 8oz fillet of sole with a light teriyaki sauce, 1 cup of steamed spinach and one cup of steamed carrots, 1/2 cup of whole grain rice, 1 cup of sliced cantelope, and 2 cups of mixed greens with a light balsamic vinagrette.

I followed this 1500 calorie plan, which also focuses on protien, for one week, and I actually lost 5 lbs. I didn't feel as hungry as I normal do, which is one thing that eating protein is supposed to help do. But because I did that in the beginning of my weight loss trek, I didn't last too long. I actually needed to intake more calories because I was also going to the gym daily. Your intake will vary depending on your lifestyle. But remember, make sure you doctor knows.

Looking Ahead to After Pregnancy-Foods to Avoid while Breastfeeding

Should I breastfeed or not? That is a common question for many new moms. If you choose to breastfeed, there are some things you should be aware of that can affect your baby. Not all women though will have these problems, or will need to watch what they eat:

By: Carrie Lauth

Women in our culture are sometimes advised to avoid spicy or "gassy" foods when nursing. Or they are told that chocolate, citrus, carbonated beverages or dairy causes problems in all nursing babies.

As a breastfeeding educator, I often see women warning other Moms that they need to avoid certain foods while breastfeeding. There are also websites that give unproven breastfeeding advice that claim that women must eat a certain kind of diet in order to make quality milk for her baby. So what is the truth?

Does a nursing Mom need to restrict her diet?
Are there foods that a Mom should avoid while breastfeeding?

Generally speaking, a nursing Mom does NOT need to restrict her diet.

Obviously, drinking heavily or excessive caffeine consumption (meaning several cups of coffee a day) is a no-no, but other than that, there is no reason for a breastfeeding Mother to assume that she needs to avoid any foods.

So called "gassy" foods do not affect the nursing infant because the undigested carbs that cause gas in Mom do not pass into breastmilk. It is literally impossible for "gassy" foods to cause gas in babies except in the rare case of an infant being allergic to one of these foods.

Interestingly, according to the La Leche League (considered the world's foremost authority on breastfeeding) website, "In Italy, mothers are often told not to eat garlic, cauliflower, lentils, and red peppers. In India most mothers eat all these things and breastfeed very happily. Actually, in parts of India they believe that garlic helps a mother to breastfeed successfully!"

There are even a couple of studies that showed that babies nursed longer and with more vigor when their Moms ate garlic.

The advice given to a nursing Mom varies according to local culture and the popular "old wive's tales". Women all over the world eating a wide variety of foods produce good quality milk and have thriving babies. There is not a shred of evidence that supports the idea that eating a special diet helps make breastmilk "richer".

Consequently, there is no one food that all breastfeeding Moms should avoid. Breastfeeding women should eat a variety of healthy foods, just as they did while they were pregnant.

The only exception would be if your baby has food allergies/sensitivies, which is rare but not unheard of. If your family has a strong history of allergy to a specific food (such as peanuts), you might consider avoiding that food while nursing and during pregnancy.

Enjoy nursing your baby!


Carrie Lauth is a Mom of 4, breastfeeding educator and the owner of www.TheHappyBreastfeeder.com, a free newsletter for Moms who want to breastfeed their babies.

Looking Ahead to After Pregnancy-The Weight Loss

I found this article on a forum I frequent. Since I myself am coming close to having my third child, I felt this article would come in handy to save as a guideline for myself. Of course, if I feel I can use this information, other women would appreciate this info as well!


By: WittyArticles

Weight loss following pregnancy and hanging up the tent sized maternity clothes is something all new mothers look forward to with anticipation. For most women, but for others, the baby fat is a bit more difficult to shed. Each woman is different and there is no "one size fits all" formula for shedding the weight gained during pregnancy. However there are a few weight loss guidelines to follow that will have the new Mom back feeling great and wearing her jeans once she gets her strength back.

How much weight did you gain during pregnancy?

The 25 pounds the average woman gains during a pregnancy are spread out more or less like this:
-Baby-8 pounds
-Placenta-1.5 pounds
-Amniotic fluid-2 pounds
-Breasts-2 pounds
-Uterus-2.5 pounds
-Fat, blood volume and water retention

If you were already a little overweight when you first became pregnant, remember that the numbers on your scale kept going to go up almost every time you stepped on it. Fasting or Weight-loss fasting diets following pregnancy are absolutely not a good idea.

A Latino tradition following pregnancy

One of the best Latino traditions during the time right after childbirth is cuarentena, or the quarantine. The mother will spend forty days resting with the newborn after delivery and only worry about taking care of the baby. The new mother doesn?t even consider weight loss issues during this time. Other members of the family will keep house and watch over the other children. While this may not be practical for most new mothers of today, if you do have relatives who live nearby, it would be a good idea to follow some version of this tradition. You'll feel like a new woman after those forty days of recuperation (or even twenty).

A nutritious diet is more important than weight loss for the first six weeks.

Pregnancy is a magical and mysterious time of life and many women worry about how to achieve weight loss after they give birth. During the first six weeks of postpartum, a healthy diet is much more important than a weight-loss diet. Continue to eat a balance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, calcium, and iron. Whether or not you're breastfeeding, your body is still recovering from the pregnancy and birth, and a nutritionally balanced diet will help you heal and feel better much faster.

Your care provider or doctor may recommend that you take an iron supplement for the first six weeks postpartum, while your body recovers. If you're breastfeeding, it's even more important to eat a well-balanced diet, since you're still sharing all the calories you're consuming. If you count calories, a breastfeeding woman should consume the same amount as she did before pregnancy to maintain her weight plus about 500 calories. For many, this means about 2,500 to 2,700 calories a day, which will support milk production and allow for moderate weight loss of half a pound per week.

Continue to avoid fish that are high in methyl mercury in your weight loss plan. Other foods, such as sushi, raw milk products, and deli meats, are less risky these days, but you should still take reasonable precautions to avoid food-borne illnesses. Precautions include cooking meat and poultry all the way through, washing all cooking utensils thoroughly, washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and only eating raw foods like sushi from a dependable source.

Healthy weight loss

Other than feeling good and having more energy, there are many motivators for systematically striving for weight loss following pregnancy. If you carry extra pounds, you have an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Losing weight will improve your health not only now but it can also influence your weight in future years to come. Studies have shown that women who breastfed beyond 12 weeks and participated in postpartum aerobic exercise had lower weight gain 15 years later. Excess pregnancy weight gain and failure to lose weight in an appreciable time are indicators of obesity in midlife. Weight loss following pregnancy involves three things: Nutrition, exercise and scores of patience. It?s generally difficult to lose weight without exercise being part of your weight loss program.

If you're breastfeeding, a good bit of the pregnancy weight will come off fairly quickly. But this isn't a time to try to lose weight. Whether or not you're breastfeeding, your body won't recover as well or as quickly if you cut back drastically on your portions or calorie intake. If you ate a lot of sweets or treats during your pregnancy, you can start to cut back on those. But otherwise, there's no need to add the extra pressure of dieting to an already stressful period pf taking care of a newborn baby.

Cautions of exercise

The six-week postpartum visit is a simple check-in with your caregiver or doctor. You'll be weighed, have your blood pressure taken, and you'll be asked about any problems. You will probably be given the green light on exercise.

Most caregivers recommend waiting until the six-week postpartum checkup before starting vigorous exercise, but that's a somewhat arbitrary time frame, based on the typical model of obstetric care. If you?re stitches seem to be have healed, and if you want to be more active. Moderate exercise before the six week postpartum visit shouldn?t be a problem

Listen to your body. Don?t push yourself hard. Start out slowly, and if you find you?re tired or uncomfortable, take your activity level down a notch. There is no reason to rush the healing process. There will always be time to exercise and address weight loss.

If you suffer from obesity, your doctor will tell you what kind of diet and exercise you should follow following the childbirth for weight loss.

Eating for one

When you were pregnant, you may have eaten more than usual to support your baby's growth and development. Proper nutrition is still important after the baby is born - especially if you're breast-feeding - but your needs and goals are different now. Making wise choices can promote healthy weight loss after pregnancy. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Foods high in fiber - such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These foods provide you with many important nutrients while helping you feel full longer. Other nutrient-rich choices include low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk, yogurt and low-fat cheeses. White meat poultry, most fish, beans, and lean cuts of beef and pork are good sources of protein, as well as zinc, iron and B vitamins. These foods will help in your weight loss program.

1. Avoid Temptation- Buy healthy foods at the grocery store and don?t keep junk food in the house.
2. Eat smaller portions - Don?t try starving yourself or skipping meals. Just cut back on the portions.
3. Eat only when you are hungry - Distract yourself with an activity if you are constantly hungry.
4. Drink water before meals.

Beginning exercise

It's a good idea to start taking short, easy walks as soon as it feels comfortable for you. If weather permits, simply load up the baby in the stroller and take brisk walks to the park, library, neighborhood coffee shop or anywhere that makes the exercise walk enjoyable. If you have a reliable baby sitter, joining a local gym would be an excellent idea.

The most important factors in weight loss after pregnancy will be patience and consistency, along with a sensible, healthy diet and an exercise plan. It generally takes about 6-12 months to achieve the total weight loss following pregnancy.


The Weight Loss Research Center is where you can read Independent Information and see consumer ratings on weight loss pills, diets, exercise programs and trainers. www.yesweightloss.com/

Thank you for the comments!

Healthy changes have been happening in my life, but I have not had the opportunity to share or update on prior posts in a long time due to computer issues. But have no fear, there is tons to discuss!!

As I was going through my old posts, I came across this comment on my post from April of 2006 (found here: http://healthnwellness4u.blogspot.com/2006/04/cellulitis-and-staph-infections.html).

Anonymous said..

I am currently recovering from a Cellulitis based Staph Infection on most of my face. I just spent 4 days in the hospital on IV antibiotics. My skin is still itchy but I feel a lot better minus the lack of energy.
I was wondering if you have had any signs of it returning since this happened to you?

December 01, 2007 3:10 PM

Here's my answer:

What I encountered after the round of Vanco was recurring fungal infections. When I was in the hospital the last day I started to get a fungal infection on my hands and feet. Apparently I had a mild case of athletes foot before my staph infection, which didn't go away completely. The vanco, of course, knocked my defenses out, so the altheltes foot just took a hold and caused much undue pain and suffering in my hands and feet. It caused my feet to swell up dramatically- I couldn't walk or put normal shoes on, it was that bad. And unfortunately, as we all use our hands to put the anti-fungal cream on our feet, I had some of the fungus stay on my hands. Obviously hand washing after applying the cream wasn't as effective as I thought.

The doctor prescribed me a powerful anti-fungal cream to dry it up, which thankfully worked. However, I came to find out that certain things would cause it to flare up. Processed sugar being one. That was the prompt for me to post about the dangers of processed sugar (http://healthnwellness4u.blogspot.com/2006_09_01_archive.html).

It took me over a year to completely recover from the effects of the staph and vanco. My energy level was what took the longest to recover. To this day I watch all my cuts and immediately wash them and put an anti-biotic ointment and cover them. Thankfully I have not had a recurrence of Staph, but I know that it's lurking out there. I pray that I never have to deal with it again!

In Honor Of Congenital Heart Defect Week!!

A friend of mine posted about this in her work at home forum. The following is from her post:

As you all know my daughter has a Congenital Heart Defect. She just turned a year old and is going well. This week in Feb. very important to me. I wanted to take one big donation from the At Home Resource boards to donate to Congenital Heart Information Network. I want the donations to start today and end Feb 5th. I will donate all the money to help out these very special little children. I am currently trying to get the Govenor of Maryland to pass a bill to support goals and ideas of this week. If you are interested in donating you can send payment to paypal at athome@athomeresources.com Thanks!! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
An international coalition of families, individuals, non-profit organizations, support groups, and health professionals participate in a campaign to increase public awareness of Congenital Heart Defects and Childhood Heart Disease.

In November, 1999, Jeanne Imperati, organizer of the Awareness campaign, encouraged members of our online support groups, visitors to our site, and interested health professionals to write to their governors, requesting that February 14, 2000 be proclaimed as A Day for Hearts: Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day™ in their state.

Within several weeks of her initial announcement, Mrs. Imperati and members of our online community received proclamations from forty-four states!

In 2006, well over 100 hospitals, practices and organizations throughout the world participated in awareness activities, celebrations, media events, and local press interviews.

Congenital Heart Disease is considered to be the most common birth defect, and is a leading cause of birth-defect related deaths worldwide.

Despite the fact that CHD affects millions of families, a relatively small amount of funding is currently available for parent/patient educational services, research, and support.

By sharing our experiences and providing information, we hope to raise public awareness about conditions that affect approximately 40,000 babies each year in the United States alone.

It is our sincere hope that efforts to educate the public will result in additional funding for support and educational services, scientific research, and improved quality of care for our children and adults. http://tchin.org/aware/index.htm


Erin will actually be accepting donations continuously!! Visit her forum at www.athomeresources.com to get more information!


My next posting will be ways to protect your heart!! Keep your eye out for that!! ;)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Resolutions and Exercise

Ahhh, the new year. Resolutions. Bet you made a resolution to exercise more... wanna know how to really get over that hump and stick to it?? Here are a couple tips, courtesy of the Your Health and Happiness Newsletter provided by Beliefnet.com:

• Leave Dieting out of it: We need to first figure out why we resent exercise. It's not really all about dieting anyway.

• Make it Fun: there is too much emphasis on loosing weight. So what if we don't look like the magazine- I doubt they had fun getting that thin!
  
  

Click here to view the rest of the article: Six Steps to Overcoming Exercise Resistance.

Need help with becoming motivated to exercise?? Read this article, Motivation to Exercise: Where Does It Come From?

Would you like to receive more health tips such as this? Try subscribing to Beliefnet's newsletter too! Just go to www.beliefnet.com, click on newsletters, then Your Health and Happiness. Great tool by the way!! I've learned a lot from this newsletter!!

I'm cutting out refined sugar!

Here's why: I think I have discovered the reason for one of my problems. Every once in a while I've been getting outbreaks of the fungus that I got after my heavy antibiotic treatments in April from that staph infection. I think I have had about three outbreaks since the first one in May. I have been drinking tons of green tea even before my infection, and tons more lately, with sugar and honey. But I've been using the sugar in the raw for my tea and local honey. Well, I decided to buy another 1/4 lb of tea to make at home, to try and save some money. Three days later, I am now getting another outbreak on my fingers. I realized today that the refined sugar I've been putting into my tea is the culprit. That is the only thing that I have changed in my daily tea drinking routine, actually in my total daily eating habits, since buying my bulk green tea. I was warned a month ago that the fungi thrive on sugar, when I complained about the last breakout I had. I didn't see it then, but I do see it now. The last breakout was under the same circumstances. So BUH-BYE REFINED SUGAR!!! I'm looking for either xylitol or sugar in the raw to use from now on.

I highly reccomend that if you have ever had a skin allergy or other skin problem, that you find out whether or not it is a food reaction. It very well may be!!

The Healthy Mom Resource is UP!!!

Now my site is more or less complete! I am extremely happy with how it came together! Now I am looking for more readers and feedback from all of you! So please take a few minutes to read through my site, sign up for the newsletter, and sign my guestbook!

The Healthy Mom Resource!


Never fear, I will not stop gathering information and posting here!! :o)

Exciting News!!

I am in the process of creating a website. What's so special about this one, you say? I am dedicating the site to becoming healthy and wealthy!! The site is tentatively called The Healthy Mom Resource! There will be links to health related sites, health advise, and health products. I will also be featuring different business that are health conscious and also sell healthy, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly products. So watch for the official launch of The Healthy Mom Resource this fall!!

Osteoporosis and Calcium

This is a subject that all women worry about- bone loss and the potential of getting osteoporosis. For me that is a stark reality. I have never been able to take in the required amount of calcium, due to the fact that I am allergic to nearly every dairy product around. My mother has osteo-arthritis. She has to take a large amount of calcium supplements and do a little exersise each day to combat the effects. But there is hope for people like us!

I get periodical research reports from RM Barry, who is affiliated with that amazing health and wellness company I am partnered with. The most recent report came to me this week, and I was astonished to read the findings. Read for yourself:

http://www.rmbarry.com/research/calcium.html

I am now pleased with myself that I have at least undertaken a few of the suggestions in the report to combat my potential problems. I hope that what I am doing now will prevent the onset of osteoporosis for me in the future!!

In short, take good care of yourself no matter what. ;)