New Beginnings

It has been so long since I last wrote that I don't think I was even pregnant. Well....I'm pregnant and have about 3 months to go. We are having a little boy, and are very excited. As is our gorgeous little girl, Ava. She will be a wonderful helper, and big sister. Like all things worthwhile pregnancy brings with it many joys and pains, laughter and crying, naps and chaos, shopping and saving, sharing and listening, but most of all, unbelieveable bliss when you hold your precious baby in your arms for the first time.

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Ummm...Fingerlicking Good!

Fats are truly tasty.  It's what gives us that sense of satiety, or fullness that is so satisfying after a meal.  Unfortunately not all fats are good for us.  We have all heard that good fat, bad story and wanted to start weeding out those nasty saturated fats, so why not start this week by trying to eat less saturated fats, and little to no trans-fats.  According to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines set by the HHS and USDA, for a healthy adult saturated fats should be less then 10% of their total calories, and total fat 20-35% of their total calories.  So, based on a 2000 calorie diet, that is approximately 44-77g of total fat per day and of that total no more then 22g should be from saturated fat.  Remember to always choose meats, poultry, dry beans, and milk products that are lean,  low in fat or fat-free, and little to no trans-fats.  When looking on the back of a package if the ingredient list says partially or fully hydrogenated soybean oil or any other oil, there are trans-fats in that product.  Try to choose options that do not contain that ingredient at all.  Also try to choose options that have less than 5 grams of saturated fat.    

Tip

 

Fats 9calories/gram (If there are 6 grams of total fat per serving then multiple 9x6=54calories from fat.  To find the percentage of fat calories of the total calories, divide 54/total calories per serving and times by 100.

Carbohydrates 4calories/gram

Protein 4calories/gram

Rules to staying Healthy?

Yes, there are rules to staying healthy, but they are not as hard as you think to achieve.  So many people want to eat healthy and stay healthy, but what does that mean.  Weighing under 130 pounds!  Not having those lovely "love handles"! Or, eating grass for the rest of their lives!  None of these statements have to be true in order to be a healthy person.  According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 and the USDA, a healthy lifestyle consists of finding your balance between food and physical activity. Remember these helpful tips when making those wholesome habits in your life.

• Stay within your daily calorie needs.  (Depends on wt, ht, age, & physical activity.)  To find yours go to www.mypyramid.gov
• Be physically active for at least 30 minutes everyday or most days of the week.
• For some people at least 60 minutes day of physical activity may be needed to prevent weight gain, and 60-90 minutes a day to maintain weight loss.
• Children and teenagers should be active for 60 minutes a day, or most days.                          
  

Future Forcast

Sunny Days!!!

• Healthy Eats!-Recipes
  
• How to pick the right multi-vitamin
• Everybody loves fruit snacks!

A wholesome week begins with a wholesome breakfast

Starting the week off right let alone the day can be a hard tantalizing task for many of us.  Trying to get the kids dressed, fed and out the door for school, leaves many of us moms skipping that morning meal that helps fuel us throughout the day.  Quite frankly having a 10 month old I find it hard to sit down and eat a healthy meal at any point of the day.  That's why putting that extra effort into the morning can help motivate you to make wholesome habits throughout the rest of the day.

Weekly Goal

• Choose to be intentional about the first thing that you put into your mouth in the mornings.
  

This morning I made a smoothie packed with:  protein,  calcium, potassium, vitamin C, Omega-3s, Fiber, B-vitamins and much more.  All I did was cut up some strawberries, a banana, half of an apple, 1/2 cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt, pure frozen acai berry (I bought at Trader Joe's), flax seed meal ( choose the meal instead of oil or seed, for better absorption) and some water and ice.  I was able to eat a healthy meal in one hand and hold my baby in the other.  

• To save time pre-cut your fruit and set out the blender the night before.   

The Hunt for the right Hue-Easter Eggs

 Have you ever thought that the dyes that you let your kids use to make those beautiful Easter Eggs could be harmful, not only to their health but also the environment.  One magazine that I absolutely love is Natural Solutions.  In their April issue there is an article, Eco-Eggs to Dye for, that give easy wholesome ways to color those eggs.  And the best part is that these natural ingredients; you already have in your kitchen at home.

Purple Dye: Mix 1 cup of frozen grape juice from concentrate with a teaspoon of vinegar.  Let sit overnight before dyeing. 

Yellow Dye: Boil 2/3 cup of water and mix with 2 teaspoons of ground turmeric powder, and one teaspoon of white vinegar.  Cool before dyeing.

Red Dye: Boil 2/3 cup of water, add 4 tablespoons of grated beets, and 1 teaspoon of white vinegar. No need to let cool before dyeing.