Mommy Monday - Increased calories = Increased nutrition

It's very easy to increase portion sizes or in between meal snacking time to satisfy the surplus of calories that are needed during pregnancy but before you super size your next combo let's take a detailed look at what this means.

Over the course of the pregnancy, you'll need to consume approximately 70,000 extra calories. It doesn't mean you want to hit that quota as fast as you can! Spread that over 9 months, and that is only about 150 extra calories a day during the first trimester, and around 300 extra calories a day during the second and third trimester.

Above is just a few treats for 150 calories or less, click HERE for a list of 20 treats for you to indulge! ;)



So what does 150 or 300 extra calories mean to you?

You'll also need an additional 10 grams of protein within those extra daily calories. The dose goes from 50 to 60 grams, for the development of your precious fetus. Most of you won't have a problem with this since you already overshoot your needs by consuming extra everything and increasing your portion sizes! Maybe take a step back and rethink how much you are putting into your bellies.

Calcium is doubly important during pregnancy. Some experts are recommending up to 1,500 milligrams of calcium (from your daily recommended of 1,000 milligrams). Calcium is responsible for YOUR strong bones, teeth, and the proper function of blood vessels, nerves, and muscles, as well as maintaining healthy connective tissue. So during pregnancy, calcium is now looking after you AND your growing baby's bones, tissues, and teeth. If you decide to skimp out on the calcium-rich foods (and don't take supplementation), the calcium in your bones will be used for the increased demands of the growing fetus. You know what that means? Higher risk of osteoporosis for you, Mamma...not good.

Last mineral I will touch on is Iron. During pregnancy, your body jumps from needing 15 milligrams daily to a whopping 30 milligrams, about doubling your requirement! Here is why: Iron is found in your blood, and is what carries oxygen to every cell in your body. Pregnant women have an expanded blood volume, meaning more blood...which requires more iron. Also, you have to supply oxygen to both your cells and the cells of your baby.

Next time we'll discuss some of the foods rich in nutrients and vitamins to keep your belly growing healthy!

Health respect & happiness,
beki

Foody Friday - Simple garlic herb chicken stir fry with peppers

With my sometimes hectic schedule, cooking up a healthy fast meal can be quite challenging.
This was made with leftover chicken breasts and veggies I had in the fridge....give it a try on those lazy cooking nights.

Remember, I hardly measure my food...so if you are unsure, taste often while you're cooking so it's to your liking!

-2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
-half red bell pepper, chopped
-half green bell pepper, chopped
-chopped garlic (more if you like it garlicy...like me!)
-your choice of herbs! I used: basil, Rosemary, cumin, garlic powder & a touch of Chipotle chilli. Get creative with the different tastes!
-salt, pepper to taste
-extra virgin olive oil, a tiny bit of water

While you wait for your pan to heat up, begin to coat the chicken with salt, pepper & half of the herbs you are going to use.
Splash a little oil onto the pan, add the chicken. Let one side brown a little before flipping. (about 3-5 mins) Add fresh garlic and continue to cook a bit before adding veggies. (5 mins or so)
We want to steam the veggies a little by adding a little water into the mix. The pan should sizzle! You can taste more to see if you like...if not, continue to add the remainder of the herbs.
Continue to cook until the chicken juices run clear.
I had this with quinoa, but feel free to enjoy this over any bed of rice!

Let me know how it went!

Health respect & happiness
Beki

Warning Wednesday - Is your scale lying to you?

You know that saying, "Age is just a number."? Well, the same almost applies to the number on your scale. "Weight is just a number", unless you understand the difference between just seeing the number and knowing how that number relates to your lean muscle tissue and body fat mass.

Take a look at this picture below:

Can you guess how much they each "weigh" from just looking?

Believe it or not, they both weigh 130lbs. Are the scales lying?

Unfortunately, they are not. The number is just a number.

The public needs to educate themselves to understand that the scale does NOT know the difference between body fat weight and lean muscle mass. They also need to know that 1 lb of muscle is only a fraction in size to 1 lb of fat, which makes muscle weigh more than fat. So having more muscle on your body may appear on your scale like you are heavy but you will look smaller. Is your head running in circles yet? Forget the regular scales..and get measured properly by a digital bodyfat% scale with a fitness professional.

A picture speaks a thousand words...so maybe this will help clear up that headache:

So to conclude and answer this article, YES! Your scale IS lying to you!! 130 lbs is not just 130 lbs....get your smart on and get measured properly.

Until next time Team, have you measured your body fat% lately?

Health respect & happiness,
Beki

Foody Friday - Quinoa avocado salad with fresh veggies

My boyfriend is new to the super grain, quinoa. And has been asking for me to make him a dish...and so a few days ago, I whipped this super easy recipe together.

I am one of those who rarely measures her ingredients...so you may have to eye ball your stuff and tastes as you go along so it's to your liking.

I made a huge batch, which lasted 2 days...between 4 people. And they all loved it!




Here's the recipe!

1 1/2 cups of quinoa (rinsed)
3 cups of water
Half each: red bell pepper, green bell pepper, cucumber (I peeled off the skin, it's up to you)
2 avocados
1 tomato (de-seeded)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Cumin powder
Chipotle chili powder
Extra virgin olive oil
A few fresh basil leaves

Cook the quinoa with the water and a bit of salt by bringing it to a boil, then turning the heat to low for about 15 or so minutes (and all the water is gone). Let it cool to room temperature.
Chop up veggies to your desired sizes. I had them very finely chopped. Throw em all into a bowl with seasoning & oil. Taste to your liking.
If you want your salad to be more avocado-ish, add one more..if you want more veggies, add more..etc.
Add the quinoa to the veggies and mix. Taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Finely chop the basil and garnish!

Enjoy your delicious, fresh & healthy meal packed full of your daily nutrients!

Until next time Team, don't forget to comment below how the recipe turned out for you & share any modifications you may have done!

Health respect & happiness,
Beki

Therapeutic Thursday - Detoxifying with heat

In the last few years, infrared saunas have been popping up everywhere in health & wellness spas and more recently, in fitness centers as well.

So what is "Infrared Light Therapy"?
Infrared saunas radiate heat (or energy) which mimics the source we receive from the sun with many of the health benefits but without any of the negative effects from solar radiation. The energy travels 2 - 3" deep into the body, increasing blood flow and nourishing damaged tissues. When this happens, cells communicate better with each other, the body functions more harmoniously and the removal of wastes (or toxins) becomes easier. They differ from conventional saunas because of their low temperatures and specific heat distributions.

In fact, because you don't need to take any pills, drastically change your diet or buy special detox products, you can presume infrared sauna therapy is probably one of the most natural ways to let the whole body detoxify: through natural sweat. And don't be fooled by the conventional steam/dry saunas. One liter of sweat from the conventional sauna contains approximately 3% toxins, whereas in an infrared sauna has approximately 20%!
Analysis of sweat from Infrared Sauna:
- 80 to 85% water
- fat
- cholesterol
- acids
- natrium (sodium)
- ammoniac
- heavy metals: lead, cadmium, nickel, copper, sodium

During an infrared therapy session, you will lose a lot of BAD stuff! To help with the expulsion of the body's toxins, you must stay hydrated! Drink plenty of water before and afterwards.

Every person will have individual experiences and options they will choose to fit their body's tolerance level, here are a few things to keep in mind:

- if you are new to infrared, begin with 100 degrees and gently increase the temperature 5-10 degrees until you reach a temperature you are comfortable with

- timing will depend on how your body responds, don't overdo it! Begin with 5-15 minutes. Some people may choose up to 30 minutes, and some, 45 minutes even.

- after your session, take a warm to cool bath to remove sweat and toxins from the skin. Refrain from shower products and lotions since they will only clog up the pores you just opened up and cleansed.

- in some instances, you may feel light headed and tired (or the complete opposite!) which means it may be a great time to get in some relaxation time!

There are many more benefits from infrared sauna therapy beside a natural detoxifier, to name a few: Fat burner, Pain reliever, Skin regeneration, Stress reliever and Boost immune system.

Until next time Team, find some time to 'sweat it out' (comment below & tell me how your experience with infrared sauna therapy has helped you!)

Health happiness & respect,
Beki