Diet and Nutrition Tips for Women

Posted by: TRAPS Posted date: 3:57 AM / comment : 0 , , , , , ,

There is a lot of controversy about diet. Our society tends to equate a thin body with health, and therefore there are a lot of diets and diet supplements which are used by the public that are harmful.

To be sure, they will usually help you loose weight, however they will not promote good health. The fact is that our bodies need three macro nutrients on a daily basis. They are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Carbohydrates have really been given a bum rap lately, and that is because of the "impostor carbs". I call these impostor carbs because they have the same chemical structure as carbs accept that they are much much shorter, and they do not have the same nutritional value as "real carbs". impostor carbs are simple processed carbohydrates that we get in so many of our foods now. These are the bad guys, not complex carbohydrates that we get from raw fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and pastas. Our diet should be 50% complex carbohydrates.
I remember years ago that fat was the number one enemy. All kinds of fat free diets were around, and all kinds of food additives came out to "cut the fat". The problem is that fats are essential to the health and function of our bodies. They are used to produce certain hormones, and they make up the cell membranes of each of our cells. Without fats, we do not absorb vitamins A,D,E, or K. Like with the carbohydrates, we need to consume the proper kinds of fats. These should be non-saturated, sis fatty acids. We get these from olive oil, sesame oil, avocado, nuts, cold water fish oils, real butter, and eggs. Healthy fats should make up about 30% of our diet.
Now we get to Proteins. There are many healthy sources of proteins. Nuts, lentils, beans, deep green leafy vegetables, and lean animal products. We want to avoid animal products that are high in saturated fats. Healthy proteins should make up about 20% of our diet.
Even with a careful, well rounded diet it is difficult to get all of the micro nutrients that we need because of soil depletion. Therefore it is necessary to supplement our diets. We need to seek out supplements which are food based, and not synthesized in a laboratory. If we take nutrients which are not derived from food sources, and do not have all of the synergists associated properly we are likely top create deficiencies.

7 Steps to a Fit N Firm Pregnancy

Posted by: TRAPS Posted date: 7:03 AM / comment : 0 , , , , ,

If I could wave my magic Fairy Godmother wand and grant you three wishes for your pregnancy, what would they be?
To stay fit and firm during your pregnancy and banish wobbly fat and cellulite forever?
To nurture a healthy and happy baby?
To have an easy labour?
To have an even better figure after pregnancy than before you started?
OK, well that's four, but hey, who's counting?! Well, no sooner said than done, your wish is my command! Here's what you need to know to make the most of your pregnancy fitness program and guarantee your pregnancy health and happiness:
1) Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition!
Good pregnancy nutrition really is the foundation of a successful Pregnancy Health & Fitness program. There is still the common belief that if you exercise properly you can eat pretty much what you like, but this is so wrong! Exercise only counts for 20%, your pregnancy diet is 80%. You really are what you eat and now, your baby is too!
To keep the pregnancy pounds and cellulite at bay you should be eating from clean, wholesome, nutrient dense foods 90% of the time. This means avoiding processed foods like the plague and giving a wide berth to sugar, wheat and processed dairy. Base your pregnancy diet around fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh organic animal proteins (like corn fed chicken, grass fed beef and organic eggs) and whole non-wheat grains (like oats, rye, quinoa and buckwheat).
2) We are 70% water!
Water is essential for a healthy thriving baby and pregnant women are terrible at drinking enough of it, (probably something to do with having to pee every 2 seconds!). The volume of your amniotic fluid is completely dependent on how much water you drink. If you don't drink enough (even if you are only 500ml short) your amniotic fluid will decrease. Amniotic fluid protects your baby from shock, nourishes him through the nutrients held in it, and develops your baby's lungs - he must inhale and exhale the fluid for the tissues to form properly.
Use this formula to work out what you should be drinking: Body Mass (lbs) / 50 = X litres water per day
3) Pregnancy Specific Exercise: Resistance Training
Resistance training during pregnancy is a must! Your pregnant body is going to change dramatically over the next 9 months or so and to make sure you don't suffer with nasty aches and pains like pregnancy back pain you need be strong enough to deal with the extra load your baby will put on you.
Strength training also prepares your body for the intense physicality of labour. The stronger and fitter you are the eaiser your labour will be!
Lastly, resistance training builds lean muscle and lean muscle is your metabolism. If you want to stay in shape and avoid piling on pregnancy pounds and losing your body to a mass of wobbly fat and saggy cellulite then strength training is the ONLY way to do it! 15 minutes of short burst resistance training 3 x per week is plenty to keep you fit and firm and ready to get beck into your skinny jeans just days after your baby is born!
4) Pregnancy Specific Exercise: Interval Training
The most effective way to do your cardio during pregnancy is to interval train. Long, boring cardio sessions that take 30 minutes or more are a waste of time and will leave you feeling overtired without any results!
Interval training is short, sweet and to the point and will rev up your metabolism long after your 15 minutes is up. So to keep your metabolism working for the next 24 hours focus on 60 seconds of moderately-high intensity work followed by 60 seconds of very light activity and repeat for 6 complete rounds.
Don't forget to warm up and cooldown!
5)Get some sleep!
Your body is going through some pretty intense activity right now as you create another human being inside of you, so make sure you are kind to yourself and you get enough rest. Your body undergoes physical repair and regeneration whilst you sleep and balances your hormones, so if you want to stay calm, happy and full of energy then take a nap in the middle of your day and get to bed by 1030pm at the latest every night.
6) Bond with your baby
Even if you are still in the very early stages of pregnancy your baby is part of you and no matter how small she is, she will know when you are thinking of her. Spend at least 10 minutes before bed every night connecting with your baby and telling her about your day, the people you met, the places you visited and the things you saw.
7) Breathe!
Spend 10 minutes a day doing your abdominal breathing. This will destress and relax your mind, increase your circulation and oxygen flow to your baby, stimulate the relase of endorphins (feel-good hormones) and train your deep core abdominal muscles for an easy labour and a flat post-natal belly!
So how many of your wishes are coming true now?
If you got all 7 then great - you are probably looking and feeling great and loving every minute of your pregnancy! You got all your wishes!
If you got 5 then you're doing pretty good, but with just a couple of little tweaks and you could be feeling vibrant, glowing and gorgeous all the time!
You got just 2 of your wishes
If you got 3 or less, then it's definitely time to do something about it! All the exhaustion, nausea, pregnancy acne and pregnancy aches and pains must be getting you down by now, so why not take action today? In just 7 simple steps you could have all your pregnancy dreams come true!
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