Healthy Pregnancy

Being pregnant comes with a lot of perks – but it also comes with risks. Take care of your growing

baby and your own body. Having a healthy pregnancy doesn't have to be hard.

Here's what it takes:

 

1. Have a trusted practitioner. Whether its a Certified Nurse Midwife, an Obstetrics Doctor, or another trained professional, make sure that you are visiting with someone for regular checkups during your pregnancy.

 

2. Take a prenatal vitamin. Start taking a prenatal vitamin a few months before you conceive.

 

3. Eat healthy. During pregnancy, follow the 80/20 rule – if 80% of what you eat is completely healthy, then you can have fun with food for the other 20%. Watch your weight gain and stay on track – and remember that you are providing nutrition for two!

 

4. Exercise – a daily 30-minute walk, or other gentle exercise will keep you from gaining too much weight and will move your pelvic muscles and joints, which prevents stiffness and will help the pelvic region to be more flexible during birth.

Visit my website http://www.thewayup.com/

 

Please follow us on  and like us on

At Work Toning Moves

Adding some exercise into your workday has been shown to help you think more clearly, focus better, and do your job well. By learning how to add a few body toning exercises to your work time, you will get ahead both in your career and in your fitness goals.

 

For most of us, a cubicle or an office is plenty of room. Convenience is the key to this particular workout.

 

To begin, get warmed up a little, especially if you’ve been sitting for a long period of time. Roll your neck around a little and then move your arms in circles. This will help get the blood moving and ready for a few simple strength training movements. Here is a simple routine to start you off:

 

Upper body push aways – Place your hands on your desk when you’re sitting close to your desk and then push your body away. Admittedly, this works much better if you have a rolling chair. If you have a stationary chair, you can lean into your desk and away from it when you’re pushing.

 

Sitting crunches – Move your chair away from your desk and stretch your legs out from under your chair away from your body. Try to bring your knees into your stomach and then back down without touching the ground. If you have wheels on your chair, be sure you’re holding onto something so you don’t roll away.

 

Stand ups – Moving your chair even farther from your desk, try getting up from your chair, but only slightly. You want to raise yourself up just a few inches and then move back down if you have. Support your hands on the edges of your chair to make this easier.

Visit my website http://www.thewayup.com/

 

Please follow us on  and like us on

30 Day Fitness Plans

Are you looking to jump start your fitness routine, or just start a fitness routine, period? If so, it is important to remember that you need to create a regimen that will be sustainable for the long term. By developing good habits around your exercise plan and working with a plan that is actually doable, both physically and for your time schedule, you boost your chances of sticking with the new plan.

To start, you should chose a fitness plan that appeals to you. Are you interested in cardio and weight training? Yoga or pilates? Walking or running? Once you know what you’d like to start with, honestly evaluate your current physical condition and your health. Those with health conditions would do well to consult their physician about any limitations or risks they need to take into consideration.

Here is a quick peek at a 30 Day Fitness Plan focused on walking:

 

First week: Take a 15 minute walk five days of the week. Keep the pace gentle and remember to stretch each time.  This is building up your baseline.

 

Second week: Take a 20 minute walk five days a week. Amp the pace up to moderate after the first five minutes of your walk (you should still be able to converse, but not sing). Keep stretching, and add an abdominal exercise routine 3x per week.

 

Third week: Take a 25 minute walk five days a week. Keep at a moderate pace.  Continue stretching and ab workouts.

 

Fourth week: Take a 30 minute moderate-paced walk five days a week. Continue with stretching and ab workouts.

                                                    

Visit my website http://www.thewayup.com/

 

Please follow us on  and like us on

Healthy Decadence

Dessert for Breakfast? Why not, with this sweet treat that is low fat, low calorie and full of fiber.

 

Chocolate Cornmeal Waffles

Ingredients:

3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 oz semisweet chocolate, finely grated

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup 2% milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, separated

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1/4 cup nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt (per square)

1 tablespoon chocolate sauce (per square)

Fresh raspberries (optional)

Confectioners’ sugar (optional)

 

Directions:

Heat waffle iron. Combine first seven ingredients in a bowl. Stir in milk, oil and 1/2 cup water until just combined. Add vanilla, but don’t stir. Add yolks to batter; stir until just combined. Beat egg whites in another bowl until they just hold firm peaks; fold whites into batter until combined. Coat waffle iron with cooking spray. Cook batter in batches, three to six minutes. Break waffles into four pieces; top each square with frozen yogurt and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Garnish with raspberries and confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

 

Nutrition Facts:

245 calories per square (with frozen yogurt and sauce), 41.1 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 7.3 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 4.8 g protein

 

Visit my website http://www.thewayup.com/

 

Please follow us on  and like us on