What to do about that unhealthy pregnancy craving…

Posted by Travis

There are a lot of changes that go on within your body and emotions when you get pregnant.  One of the most enjoyable can be the pregnancy craving.  Throughout your pregnancy, you will be having some wild cravings.  A lot of women might mistake the craving with the your body telling you what the baby needs.  Although this can be the case sometimes, it isn’t necessarily true with every craving.

Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you should give up on eating healthy and taking care of yourself.  If you pay attention to what your cravings are and choose which ones would be good for you and your baby, you are going to have a much easier time losing the weight after pregnancy for one.  You won’t put too much extra weight.

I’m not saying screen all your pregnancy cravings, but you don’t have to fulfill them all.  At least try and choose a healthy alternative for the really bad ones.  Any pregnancy craving involving fattening food covered with fattening food is a bad idea.

Pickles and peanut butter seem to be the pregnancy craving that’s pretty common with my clients.  This craving is not a bad one.  Peanut butter does have a high amount of fats in it, but as long as you consider your portions sizes, you won’t go overboard.

You are going to experience a pregnancy craving no matter what.  The best way to avoid the unhealthy ones are too eat a well balanced diet throughout the day.  Make sure to be eating 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day.  This will help keep yourself a little more full than 3 large meals would.

You could also choose foods that fill your stomach.  Any food containing fiber is a good choice for this.  Fiber is very important for your developing baby and yourself during pregnancy.  So, it will give you two benefits right off the bat.  Any whole grain breads, cereals, or rices will have a good amount of fiber in it.

Like I said before, the pregnancy craving you feel may not be bad for you, but you can usually choose a better option.  Keep your eyes open for quality snacks to replace those cravings with.  Check out these 5 nutrition for pregnancy snacks.  Being able to recognize the healthy and unhealthy cravings will put you one step closer to being one hot mama.

Get the right nutrition for pregnancy with these 5 delicious snacks!

Posted by Travis

Nutrition for pregnancy can be a simple thing to do.  Even though there are some extra guidelines that come along the way, you can easily get all the right nutrients in your system with no problem at all.

First thing you want to do is to get the thought of weight loss out of your head.  As long as you get the right nutrition for pregnancy and keep active, you don’t have to worry about your weight gain.  Doing those two things will keep the weight gain to a minimum, and it will make weight loss after delivery much easier.

I think the difficult thing about nutrition for pregnancy women have is not knowing what foods have what nutrients.  Make sure to read your labels if you’re unsure.  They don’t hide anything in these foods, or at least we hope not.

You want to make sure to get enough of the right nutrients either by food or supplement.  The majority of your nutrients should come food.  You should take a prenatal vitamin as well though just to make sure you are getting everything you need.  Important nutrients you need during pregnancy are essential fats, protein, iron, calicum, vitamin D, vitmain C, vitmain Bs, folic acid, carbohydrates, and vitamin A.

Here are 5 delightful snacks you can eat to get the best nutrition for pregnancy:

  1. 8 oz low fat yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup raspberries and 1 tbs honey – this comes out to be about 205 cals and is packed with vitamins and minerals
  2. Awesome fruit smoothie: 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream; 1/2 cup unsweetened apple or pineapple juice; 1/2 cup milk; two cups fresh or frozen fruit (bananas, berries, peaches, or other fruit) – blend all this together and enjoy.
  3. 4 tbs of hummus with 1/2 cup carrots, three small whole-grain bread sticks
  4. 5 crackers; 2 tbs of peanut butter; sliced banana on top – This is a delightful snack thats quick and easy.
  5. Rockin Cookie Recipe (thank you Baby Zone):

Ingredients:

    • 1 cup sunflower seeds toasted
      1/2 cup sesame seeds, toasted
      1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
      1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
      1/2 tsp sea salt
      1/2 tsp baking soda
      1/2 cup vegetable oil
      1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
      1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
      one egg or egg replacer
      1 tsp vanilla extract
      2 tbs milk or yogurt .

    Cooking Instructions:

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Oil cookie sheet. Coarsely chop sunflower and sesame seeds in food processor, blender, or by hand. Place in large mixing bowl with flour, spice, salt, and baking soda and whisk together. In separate bowl, beat together oil, sweetener, molasses, egg, vanilla, and milk or yogurt. Add liquid ingredients to flour mixture. Stir until combined. Scoop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes, or until bottoms are golden. Cool on wire rack. Makes four dozen.

    Pay attention what you eat and make good healthy choices.  Nutrition for pregnancy doesn’t have to be difficult.  Nutrition plays a huge role in being a hot mama, and after pregnancy weight loss.  Don’t over look its importance.

    The secret to after pregnancy weight loss…

    Posted by Travis

    Don’t go into pregnancy worried about how much weight you are going to gain.  I know many of you are thinking about trying to keep your weight gain to a minimal.  I say don’t worry about it.  Why do I say that?  Well, I know the secret to make the after pregnancy weight loss simple. 

    I guess I can’t really claim it’s a secret.  Most women don’t take advantage of the simple steps to make your pregnancy easier and the weight loss afterward painless.  It comes down to exercise and nutrition.  These two things are all you need to make losing those extra fat pounds after delivery a piece of cake.

    It’s okay to gain 40 pounds during your pregnancy.  Sometimes that’s just what it takes for your baby to develop the best it can.  The trick is to put on that weight with healthy choices. 

    Many women use pregnancy as an excuse to let themselves go.  This is not a good idea if you want to have an easy time with the after pregnancy weight loss.  Fulfilling every craving during pregnancy without a second thought will make it extremely difficult to shed the weight afterwards.  Some of those cravings are good for you and your baby.  Then at times, your body will crave something very unhealthy.  Make a concious effort to find alternatives to the foods that will do you more harm than good.  Fried foods and foods high in sugar are a few you want to avoid as much as possible. 

    Your nutrition goal to make the after pregnancy weight loss easier should be to consume all the necessary nutrients you and your baby needs.  These nutrients like calcium, iron, folic acid, etc won’t be found in a snickers bar.  You want to make good solid food choices to get all your nutrients.

    You can and should take a prenatal supplement to make sure you get all the nutrients required, but don’t rely on these supplements to give you everything.  You have to get most of your nutrients from actual food.

    Exercise during pregnancy is the second key to a simple time with after pregnancy weight loss.  The exercise routine doesn’t have to be too strenuous either.  During pregnancy, your exercise goals to making the pregnancy and recovery easier.  You will want to focus on building up your stamina and strength in your labor muscle.  Doing cardiovascular exercise is also great for helping make pregnancy easier.

    To really help you be one hot mama, you should check out the 3 things you need to know to avoid a massive weight gain pregnancy.

    The pregnancy diet plan you don’t want to miss…

    Posted by Travis

    Are you trying to eat a healthy diet while still trying to get enough food for your baby inside you?  I know it can be frightening imagining yourself not being able to lose the extra weight you put on through pregnancy.  It’s okay though.  As long as you follow a good pregnancy diet plan and get plenty of exercise, you will have no problem shedding the pounds later on.

    During your pregnancy, the rules of eating a healthy diet can be slightly bent.  Not broken, just bent.  Many women have thought the cravings you experience are what the baby wants and your body is asking for.  This can be true at times but learn to recognize what the body truly desires.

    There are some important nutrients you want to make sure you get enough in a pregnancy diet plan.  These things include protein, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Vitamin D, folic acid, and essential fats.  Each day you should be getting enough of these nutrients in your system for you and your baby.

    This example pregnancy diet plan contains all of these nutrients:

    Breakfast

    Bowl of honey nut cheerios, glass of orange juice, banana

    Snack

    10 Saltine crackers, peanut butter, glass of milk

    Lunch

    Large spinach leaf salad, roasted chicken

    Snack

    Apple, handful of almonds

    Dinner

    Sweet potato, salmon, broccoli and carrots

    Yum!  Depending on your current weight, the portion sizes will be different.  Those meal choices cover all the necessary nutrients.  To ensure you get enough vitamins and minerals, I do suggest you take a prenatal vitamin.  Always talk with your doctor first though.

    It’s easy to put together nice and healthy diet plans.  The above pregnancy diet plan comes out to right around 2000 calories using average portion sizes.  Remember, you have to eat larger than you did before pregnancy.  You may have to scale the portion sizes up or down depending on your metabolic needs.

    Even when you have a planned meal schedule, don’t neglect your cravings.  Remember to think about what your craving and evaluating if it’s a good choice or not.  If the food you are craving is a poor food choice, look for healthy alternatives.

    If you are trying to go through pregnancy the healthiest way possible, then make sure to keep on track with your fitness and nutrition.  These two things are all you need to know to have a much easier pregnancy.  Don’t over indulge and you won’t have to worry about a massive weight gain pregnancy.

    Fight pregnancy diabetes with exercise and a good nutrition plan.

    Posted by Travis



    In todays’ world, having diabetes during pregnancy doesn’t have to be such a dangerous situation.  Pregnancy diabetes, also know as gestational diabetes, can occur usually around 28 weeks or later.  This happens to many women. It doesn’t necessarily mean you had diabetes before you got pregnant, or that you will have diabetes after you give birth.  It’s very important to talk with you doctor about how to keep your blood glucose levels in check during pregnancy.

    Two very important ways to battle pregnancy diabetes is with exercise and healthy nutrition.

    If you are more than 20% overweight, losing only a couple pounds can help you avoid getting type 2 diabetes.  You have to choose the right foods to get the best results.  Eat a variety of foods that follow the appropriate guidelines for pregnant women.  You should be intaking lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and water.  Keep an eye on your portion sizes and limit your fat intake to 30% of your total calories.  Good fats from fish and nuts are great for getting the right nutrients for you and your baby.

    Developing a healthy eating habit can help tremendously with preventing diabetes and other known health problems.  It also will help you the rest of your life.

    When you exercise, your body will use glucose without using extra insulin.  This will help your body fight insulin resistance.  It usually won’t take much exercise to improve your current health status.  Talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

    Pregnancy diabetes will usually go away after labor, but your chances that you will have gestational diabetes in your next pregnancy rises.   Many women with diabetes during pregnancy will develop type 2 diabetes later in life.   This makes health care professionals believet here is a link between gestational and type 2 diabetes.  Keeping up with your healthy nutrition and exercise will help avoid diabetes later in life.

    Treatment for pregnancy diabetes will help lower your risk of having a C-section birth as well.  If you keep with your diabetes treatment, you will help your baby avoid future health problems.

    Even though gestational diabetes is a health issue to have concern about, your health care team can help you keep your blood glucose levels at the right balance.  Use the help and advice of your doctor to help you have a healthy pregnancy for you and your baby.

    To get your diet and exercise in check, grab this free guide on how to be one hot mama.  It will help you learn what’s necessary for fitness and nutrition during pregnancy to be affective.

    How to keep diabetes and pregnancy in control.

    Posted by Travis



    As if you don’t have enough to worry about when you get pregnant, keeping diabetes and pregnancy under control can have a huge impact on your baby’s health.  At least in today’s world, a healthy pregnancy for a woman with diabetes is nothing to fear as long as you take the necessary steps.

    The key to having the best pregnancy with diabetes is to keep your blood glucose (sugar) levels in the correct range.  This is both important before and during pregnancy.  To really take control of your blood glucose levels, you have to have a good plan for your meals, exercise, and insulin.  As your pregnancy progresses, so will your plan for each of these.  Make sure to keep track of your blood glucose throughout your pregnancy and talk with your doctor about what steps need to be taken.   If you keep control of diabetes and pregnancy, you are sure to have a healthy baby with little trouble.

    Nutrition

    Before changing you current meal structure, talk with your dietitian about what nutrients you need to get to avoid problems with your pregnancy.  Also talk about the steps necessary to avoid unbalanced bloog glucose levels.

    You also need to speak with your doctor about the healthy amount of weight you should gain during pregnancy.  If you are going into pregnancy weighing too much, its a bad idea to think about losing weight.  This just isn’t the time for that.  Normally, you will gain 25-35 pounds during pregnancy.  Instead curb your weight gain to maybe only put on 15-25 pounds.  You may need to gain more than 35 pounds if you are starting pregnancy underweight.  Your doctor should be keeping track of your weight gain along the way.

    Exercise

    Now, we come to my favorite subject, exercise.  Keeping diabetes and pregnancy in control can be easily done with exercise.  This is especially true for people with type 2 diabetes.  It is best if you get yourself in shape before even getting pregnant.  Exercising throughout pregnancy will help you have an easier time throughout the 9 months and even during the delivery.

    If you have never exercised before, you can start when you get pregnant.  Don’t go straight into a strenuous exercise routine, but start slowly and work your way up.  Talk with your doctor before starting a exercise routine to make sure there will be no complications.

    If you have been involved in an exercise routine before getting pregnant, it is okay to continue with your current plan.  Keep in mind that you are pregnant now and your goals will not be the same.  You are preparing your body for an easier pregnancy and labor.  With diabetes, you will be able to keep your health levels together and provide the best conditions for your baby.

    Get the right nutrition for pregnancy and exercise to help with your diabetes and pregnancy. Swimming, walking, low impact aerobics, and yoga are all great exercises to do while pregnant.  You can keep your diabetes in control even when you are pregnant.  I will give you all the information you need to get the right exercise and nutrition program under way in my newsletter and free guide to be Be One Hot Mama.

    The 2 things you need to know to avoid a massive weight gain pregnancy.

    Posted by Travis

    Oh no!  The dreaded thought of gaining too much weight during pregnancy is one that nearly every women experience.  Having what I like to call a big weight gain pregnancy is too common.  There are too many simple steps that can be taken to avoid gaining too much weight.  Take a look at these 3 tips to ensure you don’t over do your weight gain this pregnancy.  It will ensure an easier pregnancy and also an easier time losing the extra weight after pregnancy.

    • Eat Healthy

    It may sound so simple, but people in today’s world have a very hard time eating correctly.  When you get pregnant, diet plays a huge part in you and your baby’s progress.  If you choose the right foods, you have a better chance to reap all the benefits of a healthy diet.  These benefits during pregnancy are things like less discomfort, more energy, and most importantly, a more healthy baby.

    Avoiding a massive weight gain pregnancy can be easy if you choose a good healthy pregnancy diet.  Make sure to get all your nutrients that you need.  Eat a well balanced diet without going over the top and you will have no problem keeping the weight gain to what it’s supposed to be.

    • Have an Exercise Routine

    Staying fit during can be extremely beneficial for you during and after pregnancy.  Your fitness goals do change during this time, so your work outs won’t be as straining and stressful on your body.  Doing only 30 minutes a day can help make delivery easier.  I know quite a few women who would of loved to of had a chance to make their delivery easier.

    If you have never excerised before, start slowly and work your way up.  There is no reason to rush into to a hard work out especially in this time of your life.  Start off doing only 15 minutes a day and add 5 minutes each week until you do 30-45 minutes a day of either cardiovascular or resistance exercise.

    Make sure to do both of these to avoid having diabetes and pregnancy.

    There really isn’t much more to avoiding a massive weight gain pregnancy than that.  This is a very important time in your life, and you shouldn’t hesitate to learn as much as you can to make the best of it.  If you are serious about having an easier pregnancy, grab my free Be One Hot Mama report.  Along with the free report, you will receive safe and effective workouts, diets, recipes, and much more.

    Want to know the secret to after pregnancy weight loss?

    Posted by Travis

    Are you worried about how you are going to get your old body back after your pregnancy?  Is it bothering you to think about all that after pregnancy weight loss that’s going to be needed?  Well, there’s no reason to worry.  I know a little secret to help get rid of that fat quick.  Exercise during your pregnancy.

    Exercising during your pregnancy not only will make losing weight after delivery much easier.  It will also make your pregnancy easier on you.  There are countless number of reasons why you should exercise pregnant.  If I could only name a handful, I would pick the top 45.

    If you haven’t worked out before or it’s been a long time since you’ve put in a good work out, there is no need to worry.  The exercise required to get the results you want during pregnancy aren’t as strenuous as a normal day at the gym.  The best idea is to go into an exercise routine like any other day.  Start slowly and work your way up.

    Now, if you have been exercising regularly and just found out you are pregnant, you can continue on with your normal routine as long as you take it easy on yourself.  You have to start considering the babies health as well as your own.  Putting your baby at risk of injury just to finish your last mile is not a good mindset.

    Your goals are different when you become pregnant.  You no longer are looking to lose that last 10 pounds before bikini season starts.  Now, your focus should be directed to making your pregnancy easier on you and on your baby.  Relieving back pain, more energy throughout the day, and an easier labor are only a few things that will come from getting ready for after pregnancy weight loss by starting now.

    You should always talk to your doctor before starting any exercise routine.  This is especially the case when you are pregnant.  There are certain situations when exercising would be an unwise choice.

    So, if you are wanting to have an easier time with the after pregnancy weight loss, you should try and stay fit during pregnancy.  You can find some of the best exercises pregnant women should do right here at WorkoutPregnancy.com.

    How to make your own healthy pregnancy diet.

    Posted by Travis

    Eating well during your pregnancy is a very important factor determining the health of your baby.  A healthy pregnancy diet should never be over looked and might take more effort than you thought.  You have to do more than just eat more.  You also have to think about what you’re eating.

    When you are pregnant, the main source of nutrients comes from what you eat and drink on a daily basis.  This makes your nutrition decisions important.  The extra food you eat shouldn’t just be any type of calories.  The extra food should provide the right nutrients for your growing baby.

    When you are deciding on the right healthy pregnancy diet for you, consider these recommendations:

    1. Eat many small meals throughout the day.  Don’t eat large heavy meals 3 times a day.  This can cause consitpation, heart burn, and morning sickness.  Eating smaller meals throughout the day will help keep the digestive tract working throughout the day bringing you more energy.
    2. Eat lots of calcium.  Getting enough calcium during pregnancy is very important.  Your baby needs calcium for development of bones, teeth, etc.  If you are not receiving the extra calcium from food or supplements, your body will use calcium stored in your own bones.  This can lead to osteoporosis.
    3. Proteins are also very important during pregnancy.  They are needed in the baby for cell growth and blood production just to name a few.  You should have plenty of protein in lean meats, legumes, and dairy products.
    4. Take in a lot of iron.  Iron is needed for the production of red blood cells and is very important during the development of your baby.  You can find iron in red meat, green leafy vegetables, and refined breads.
    5. Increasing your intake of folic acid can prevent problems with your baby’s developing brain and spine.  Folic acid is very important for both of these areas and development occurs very early in pregnancy.  If you are not pregnant yet, you should still increase your intake of folic acid especially if you plan on getting pregnant soon.
    6. Get your Vitamin A, B’s, C, and D.  All of these vitamins are extremely important during pregnancy and shouldn’t be over looked.

    Now, along with the foods and nutrients you should be getting in your healthy pregnancy diet, here are some recommendations on what to avoid:

    • Alcohol consumption should be avoided.
    • Recent studies have shown caffeine may be related to higher risk of miscarriage.  Due to this, avoid caffeine.
    • Avoid anything raw that may carry a food born bacteria.  This includes fish, soft unpasteurized cheeses, raw eggs, raw meat, and processed meats like hot dogs.
    • Any fish high in mercury content.  Shark, king-mackerel, tilefish, and sword fish are a few.

    To create a healthy pregnancy diet, eat foods from different food groups throughout the day.  Follow the guidelines on the recommended proportions per nutrient.  Don’t get too worried about the scale no matter if it’s going up or down.  Focus on getting a good balance of nutritious foods in your body to keep your baby healthy.  Cravings are going to come during your pregnancy.  Fulfill them the best you can but remember that just having more calories might not be the best approach to a healthy pregnancy diet.

    Eating healthy during your pregnancy won’t only help you have a healthier baby.  It will also help you with the after pregnancy weight loss.  To really learn more about having an easier and healthier pregnancy, check out my free report, Be One Hot Mama.

    4 Myths of Pregnancy and Nutrition.

    Posted by Travis

    When it comes to pregnancy, I’m sure you want to do everything right.  It doesn’t matter if it’s related to health, nutrition, or even physical activity.  You want your growing child to develop the best it possibly can.  Pregnancy and nutrition is something you will want to pay attention to.  Eating correctly is one of the most important parts of having a healthy baby.

    In today’s world, there are way too many myths floating around.  This isn’t just the case when it comes to topics involved with pregnancy either.  This can lead to false information that may actually harm your progress.

    Here are the top 10 myths out there related to pregnancy and nutrition:

    1. Don’t eat fish during pregnancy  – The British medical journal, Lancet, showed that fish is an extremely important substance to have during pregnancy.  Children whose mothers ate fish during their pregnancy had a “higher intelligence quotient” than those who didn’t eat fish.  This is largely due to the omega-3 fatty acids.  Fish were always looked down upon due to some having high content of mercury.  Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tile fish all should be avoided due to their extremely high levels of mercury.  The FDA says you should have 2 servings of fish per week while pregnant.
    2. Eat as much as you can, you’re pregnant now – Even though it’s true that you are eating for two, don’t forget you are not eating for two adults.  There has been some debate on how much food is necessary for a baby’s healthy development.  Current information says you should increase your calorie intake by at least 300 calories per day.  Today, they look at your calorie intake on more of a personal basis.  If you are overweight, it may not be necessary to increase your intake at all.  While if you are underweight, you may need to eat more than 300 calories a day extra just to allow your body to catch up for optimal baby development.
    3. Alcohol Consumption -  Alcohol remains a serious concern when it comes to pregnancy and nutrition.  There still has been no direct link between alcohol and fetal problems but there is a recognized association.  In the past few years, there have been rumors of light drinking during pregnancy to be okay.  Currently there is not enough data to show what the stopping point on alcohol consumption to be to prevent harm to the baby.  Because of this, no alcohol is what is recommended to be the safe amount.
    4. Caffeine during pregnancy -  Caffeine has also been a substance that has been under scrutiny during pregnancy.  The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists state that “there’s no proof that small amounts of caffeine harm the fetus.”  They maintain the idea of one to two cups of coffee per day is safe.  New studies are showing the idea of limiting caffeine consumption may be quite helpful.  The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology published a study showing women taking in more than 200 mg of caffeine per day doubled their risk of miscarriage.

    Don’t believe everything you hear about nutrition and pregnancy until you’ve looked into it more.  Nutrition during pregnancy is very important for your health as well as the baby’s.  If you really want to know how to have an easier pregnancy using nutrition and fitness, this will really be helpful for you.