Cindy’s Best Preggo Tips Ever!

cindyprego1.  Where you overweight before you got pregnant and are scared of weight gain?
Please don’t worry!  You can do this!  The most important thing if you are in this situation is to not be out of control with your food. Its even more important for you to workout throughout your pregnancy!  This is not to be taken to extreme but eating every 2 to 3 hours, small meals with a mix of complex carbs/lean proteins/good fats and non processed foods; plus drinking at least 70 to 90 ounces of water a day is perfect!  Blood sugar regulation is the key to maintaining your weight but insuring your baby is healthy and avoiding gestational diabetes!  I walked 30 minutes a day with all my pregnancies and lifted light weights to maintain my muscle.  I lost my baby weight fast and felt great throughout all my pregnancies!
2.  Have you gone through miscarriages or medical help to get pregnant with crazy hormonal issues?
I have been there!  Its so hard and being hormonal and makes you feel like you are crazy right?  Well, there are so many women who go through this!  I really felt that keeping my nutrition balanced and at least walking everyday made a huge difference in my emotions and my mental state.  If you go off the deep end and go crazy with sugar and not workout it only makes you feel worse!  I did that too for a few months and snapped out of it because it only made me sick and feel bad about myself!
3.  Are you pregnant and gone through tragedies in your life? 
All I can say is you can’t be the victim!  Overcoming something tramatic in your life is life changing!  It changes who you are!  If you choose not to lay down and die and choose to be the best you can be for your family you will reap the rewards!  Eating right and working out will increase your blood flow, produce endorphins that will improve your mood and energy levels, and make your baby feel happy and loved, not stressed!  I recommend prenatal yoga, meditation, swimming and counseling!
4.  Have you had or having a c-section pregnancy?
Please don’t freak out!  I have had 3 C-sections and I am still as lean as I was before all of my pregnancies!  It will take longer to get your abs back but it is totally possible!  After your doc says you are good, its time to get moving!  Walk, swim, bike anything low impact for at least 30 minutes a day with light weight training!  I recommend getting a qualified trainer to get you started and then you can do it on your own!  Nutrition is key!  Small portions, non processed foods, fiber, lean proteins, complex carbs and water water water is your best friend!!!!!!!!!
5.  Are you an older pregnant woman scared of weight loss after you deliver? 
Listen, I’m not going to lie!  It’s more difficult to lose weight in your 40’s than in your 20’s!   When I had my girls I was 28 and 31!  It was so much easier at that time then it was at 40!  But it is so worth it!  It just takes more dedication and time!  You have to be more strict when you are older for sure!  Consistency and time is the key!  I worked out for an hour a day!  I love interval training the most!  Interval training is the fastest and best way to get back in shape after having a baby!  If you are short on time it’s the best way to maximize time and effort!
6.  Are you just not motivated to workout when you are pregnant?
Listen, we have all been there!  There are days when you are so tired, feel sick and just not motivated because you think it’s pointless!  At this point, you have to think about your baby!  The healthier you are, the healthier your baby is!  Your pre and post natal body depends on how you treat your body when you are pregnant!  I recommend working out in the morning!  Eat a healthy breakfast with a complex carb and a good protein at least a half hour before and then go for it if your doc says you are good to go!  Give yourself one treat a day!  I took a bath everyday at 2pm with a cup of my favorite frozen low fat ice cream and talked to my family and friends!  It was my treat!  For the rest of the day I was really good with eating right, working out and taking care of the rest of my family!  I looked forward to that time everyday and it carried me through my healthy pregnancy!

Think You Can Eat That? Think Again! Healthy Foods Debunked!

cindy2Foods you think are healthy but will ruin your diet!
There are so many foods that people think are healthy and lean but will ruin your diet!  If you are trying to lose weight and stay lean these foods will cause problems if you abuse them!
1.  Granola– Healthy breakfast right?  I never let my clients eat granola when they are trying to lose weight!  Granola is super high in sugar and fat!  I love the FitZee foods protein pancakes!  Healthy mix of complex carbs and protein but also provides energy!  I give them to my kids before their sporting events!  They love them too!
2.   Pre-made Smoothies– These store bought smoothies are packed with sugar and can have more calories than a cheese burger!  Yuck!  Even when they just have great fruit and veggies in them, they are loaded with sugar!  This is bad for a diet!  They can run up to 650-1000 calories in a glass!  I like to chew my food too!  I’m not a smoothie fan at all!
3.  Trail Mix- So many people snack on trail mix all day for energy and weight loss.  This is not a good snack if you are trying to lose weight!  One handful can add up to 600 calories!  This is more than your meal should be!  Unless you are a triathlete or marathon runner or that kind of an athlete, I would avoid trail mix all together!  FitZee Foods has a gluten free snack called Karmic Krunch, that is a much better choice!  My kids love it too!
4.   Frozen Yogurt– You may as well eat ice cream!  Even fat free yogurt is loaded with sugar and calories!  This will increase your blood sugar, causing your body to store fat!  It would be better to eat a piece of fruit and an egg white or a Greek yogurt instead!  Greek yogurts have less sugar, more protein and are low fat!  Much better choice!
5.  Fat Free Foods– Fat Free doesn’t mean calorie free at all!  In fact, the sugar content of fat free foods goes up to make up for the no fat so that it tastes better!  Processed foods in general are tough on a diet if you are someone who is trying to get lean!  That is why I love the FitZee foods concepts and meals!  They are lean, non processed, real foods that are amazing in taste and are perfectly proportioned for your body!

 
6.  Energy bars– Most energy bars or so called protein bars that you can find on the market could be compared to a candy bar!  High in high fructose corn syrup, saturated fat and processed proteins!  Just eat a Snickers instead!  Just Kidding!  Please don’t!  I love the FitZee food bars because they are more natural, high in fiber, low on the glycemic index and satisfy your sugar cravings! 
*** For more foods that you think are healthy but will ruin your diet watch this segment I did on Good Morning SD!
Stay Fit and Healthy! 
Cindy Whitmarsh