Bye Bye Baby Weight : How to regain your figure

Whether you’re a new mother or not, I bet there is something in today’s article that will help become more fit, gain confidence or just learn a little empathy.

No matter how or why you’ve gained weight, know that it takes as long – if not longer – to lose that weight again.  Pregnancy is a special time and new mothers need to concentrate on their baby but you  may need to reprioritize if you are still blaming a spare-tire on baby weight, three years later!

Dads-to-be often gain baby weight too – if someone around you is eating more then the temptation to join in is hard to refuse. This week, I’m going to share five tips that will help you regain the figure you want.  

I think the sole focus for new parents should be enjoying every second with their new little human because they change so quickly.

Since it takes forty weeks to gain baby weight then you should give yourself at least forty weeks to lose the weight too.  When we see airbrushed photos of celebrities who have six-packs within weeks of giving birth, we shouldn’t try and compare ourselves.  A sensible approach – giving yourself plenty of time to be with your baby and learning to balance the diaper changes, feedings, and lack of sleep is much better than looking at yourself in contrast to a pampered celebrity.

Stay safe.  New mothers need to be careful when they first begin exercising. Check with your doctor about when to recommit to exercise: without exception your joints may be weak and your body may be sore.  Rather than make my mistake of rushing in too quickly – try these weight-loss, figure-regaining tips.

Post pregnancy tip 1:  make time

Trust me, I know that as a new parent you don’t have time but you have to grab a moment when you can. Try to find some time every day – aiming for 10 minutes is a good start. Ask a family member or your partner to make a commitment to give you a break or put it in your schedule during baby naptime. If you’re already back at work, then try to fit in a walk around the block at lunchtime. It’s hard but exercising will ultimately give you more energy.

Post-pregnancy tip 2:  no more excuses

Try to at least walk, stretch or do something that involves moving every day. Exercise naturally boosts your energy levels so don’t hide behind excuses. Knowing you are doing something positive for yourself, when you’re also realizing that your life is no longer all about you, may help you get motivated and better adapt to the new person in your world.

Post-pregnancy tip 3:  be creative

I’ve said it before: any time exercising is better than no time. You need to be resourceful, so try jumping rope, adding in  squats while washing baby bottles, and doing crunches in bed. This might all sound crazy but it’s a workable way to fit in activity. Start with a 10 minute routine in your bedroom each morning and evening that can be enough to start pushing you back to fitness.

Post-pregnancy tip 4: focus on your core

Work on your posture all day because pregnancy alone can mess with your posture and balance. Lifting a growing baby, bending over a crib, pushing heavy strollers and more … means that your postural muscles may need stretching throughout the day. Holding in and contracting your abdominal muscles will help strengthen them, so pull in your tummy a few times a day – whenever you remember – and each time you’ll be developing your muscles. Go ahead; pull in your tummy right now!

Post-pregnancy tip 5: eat well

Aim for quality nutrition every day. I saved the most important tip for last because immediately post pregnancy is not a time for fad diets that deprive your body of essential nutrients. Starving your body is never a good solution for weight loss. A smart calorie-controlled diet that provides your body with essential carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals is a much better choice because it is sustainable long term. Learning how to balance your caloric intake and caloric expenditure will help you to lose weight at sustainable rate. 

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Make time to play, head outdoors and keep moving. Every step will help you regain control of your figure.

That’s it – I hope that when you read my tips they seem manageable.  I am so passionate about helping people to reclaim their body no mater what the reason because I’ve dealt with having to reclaim mine. 

I'm still working on reclaiming my body it is an everyday work in progress, it’s stronger than ever and I use it to run around the soccer field with my kids, hug them when they need comfort and I love to jump and dance, because at one time I couldn't .  Losing the weight was part of my goal but fully committing to taking part in my life was the best outcome! Start your journey today with commitment and a smart approach because you may just surprise yourself.

Here is the best way to start your journey Register for our 6 Week Body Transformation Challenge that starts Oct.2 Click here for more details.

Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry With Mango 

Eating healthy does not need to be boring! This Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry with Mango will wake up your taste buds, feed your muscles and satisfy your fiber needs, all in one delicious bowl! Meals like this, built around lean protein and veggies, are the way to eat in order to get your best fitness results possible. Enjoy! Servings: 6 

Here’s what you need…

• 1 pound organic, boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 heads broccoli, chopped
• 2 carrots, cut in half and then into 2 inch segments
• 2 heads baby bok choy, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• 3/4 cup chicken broth (divided)
• 2 Tablespoons arrowroot starch
• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
• 1 Tablespoons ume plum vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon coconut aminos
• 1 ripe, organic mango, peeled, pitted and chopped

1. Rinse the chicken and cut into 1 inch cubes.
2. Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions, sauté for about 10 minutes, until soft. Add the broccoli, carrots and chicken and cook an additional 10 minutes. Add the bok choy and zucchini. After 5 minutes add 1/4 cup of chicken broth, cover, and cook an additional 10 minutes.
3. In a small bowl combine the remaining 1/2 cup chicken broth, arrowroot, sesame oil, vinegar and coconut aminos. Add the seasoned mixture to the skillet, along with the chopped mango, and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (without rice) equals:  243 calories, 11g fat, 675mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 4g fiber, and 19g protein 

Call For Your Free Fitness Analysis 219-548-3480
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What to do when you fall off your diet plan

Whether you’re eating healthy to lose weight or maintain weight, everyone falls off their nutrition plan from time to time.  Know what your triggers are, and how to deal with a momentary diet lapse.

Your day started out great.  You got up early, did your workout, had your protein shake.  You showered and dressed, packed a healthy lunch and headed into work feeling energized and ready to tackle the day.  As you go through your emails, you find one from your boss asking for the report you promised her – the one you thought was due next week.  Your stress level skyrockets.  And in a panic, you get to work – but not until you’ve grabbed a donut from the break room.

It only takes a moment for your diet to go from terrific to terrible.  You have a bad day and think a bowl of ice cream will make you feel better.  Your movie companion offers you some buttered popcorn and you just can’t resist.  You cook too much food for dinner, but rather than packing it up for tomorrow’s lunch, you just finish it off instead. 

No matter how good your intentions, you can’t expect to follow your nutrition plan perfectly every minute of every day.  There will be those times when you have something you shouldn’t – so the trick is figuring out not only what gets you into trouble in the first place, but also how you can talk yourself back down.

If you’ve fallen off your plan – and everyone does – here are some tips to help you get back on track:

Know that lapses happen.

Everyone makes mistakes from time to time.  What you don’t want to do is beat yourself up about it, because you’ll feel as if you’ve failed – which could lead you to just give up and lose control completely.  A single event – eating something you shouldn’t, or exceeding your calorie limit for the day – is simply a lapse.  Recognize it for what it is, but don’t let things get out of control.  String enough lapses together, and you’ve got a relapse – and you’re back where you started.

Know what triggers you to eat something you shouldn’t.

Most people can identify what it is that triggers them to eat when they shouldn’t.  Stress, for example, is a big one – when people eat in response to stress it’s because they think a treat will make them feel better.  And it might – at least momentarily.  But then the guilt sets it, which stresses you out, which causes you to eat more … and the cycle continues.  Fatigue, loneliness, frustration, boredom – there’s a whole host of emotions that can trigger you to eat.  Sometimes there are people in your life that are the problem – like the ones who are always urging you to have something ‘just this once’.

Figure out how you can change your response next time.

If emotional eating is a problem for you, you’ll want to work on finding other ways to deal with your emotions that don’t involve food.  It’s been said that people eat to ‘stuff down their emotions’ in order to avoid feeling sad or lonely or frustrated.  But many people also say that it’s really the fear of experiencing the emotion that makes them eat … and that when they simply let the emotion happen – and learn how to deal with it – it’s never as bad as they thought it would be. When your emotions are getting the best of you and food is calling to you, try writing your thoughts down, calling a friend, turning on some soothing music, taking a walk, or having a cup of tea instead.

Talk nicely to yourself.

If you’ve eaten something you haven’t and the little voice in your head is saying, “You’re such a failure, you’ll never lose weight!” you need to be a little nicer to yourself.  Instead, say the same thing to yourself that you’d say to a friend if you were offering support.  “So you got stressed and grabbed a donut – it’s not the end of the world!  Let’s take a walk at lunch to burn off some extra calories and stop for a salad on the way back”.

Wait it out.

Delay tactics can work really well when you’re feeling tempted to eat something you shouldn’t.  If you’re keeping a food diary, take a look at it before you indulge.  Just taking a moment to consider what you’re about to eat – and why – can be enough to stop you in your tracks.  The other thing that often helps is to tell yourself that you’ll wait 10 minutes once the urge strikes, to see if you still feel the need to indulge.  Most of the time, you’ll get busy doing something else and just forget about it.

Get back on track right away.

Don’t let the day get away from you.  A slip is one thing – just don’t let it turn into a fall.   If you ate something you shouldn’t have, just get over it and pick right back up at the next meal.  It’s too late to do anything about the last meal you had – focus instead on the one you plan to have next.

Remind yourself of how much you’ve accomplished.

Sometimes after a slip, it helps to do a little ‘system reset’.  Think about what motivated you to make changes in the first place, about how far you’ve come, and the accomplishments you’ve made.  You have the know-how and the commitment – and you know you can achieve your goals because you’ve been making progress.  And remember that progress is measured in many ways – not only by what the scale says.  Every time you make the best choice in a restaurant, pack a healthy lunch, turn down an offer of food you don’t want – or skip the donut when you’re stressed and take a deep breath instead – you’re making progress.

Chicken Quinoa Stir Fry

Here is a simple, wholesome meal that is ready in 30 minutes – perfect for busy weekday dinners. There's no reason to hit the take out line when you have this quick and delicious recipe on hand. Eating simple, wholesome meals like this and exercising regularly will get you to your goal weight. 
Servings: 4 

Here's what you need:

• 1 cups cooked quinoa 
• 1 tsp olive oil 
• 1/2 onion, chopped 
• 1 clove garlic, minced 
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped 
• 1 ear of corn, kernels cut from cob 
• Handful of asparagus stalks, cut into 1 inch pieces 
• 2 cups baked chicken breast, cut into small cubes 
• 1 can of organic black beans, drained and rinsed 
• splash of lemon juice 
• splash of lime juice 
• dash of salt and pepper 
• splash of soy sauce 
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1. Cook the quinoa and set aside. Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil, onion and garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers, corn and asparagus, cook until the vegetables are tender. Add the chicken and beans, cook for another 10 minutes, adding the rest of the ingredients.
2. Place a serving of quinoa on each plate and top it with the vegetable mix.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 293 calories, 5g fat, 32g carbohydrate, 4.6g fiber, and 29.4g protein.

Need help sticking to a nutrition and exercise plan. Register for our 6 WEEK BODY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE. Click here to register. Register before 9/25 and save $100

CALL FOR YOUR FREE FITNESS ANALYSIS

219-548-3480

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Welcome Our Newest Trainer!

Welcome Daniel Delaney

Daniel recently graduated with a degree in Psychology from Valparaiso University, where he played baseball. While his collegiate baseball career has come to an end he his still pursuing playing professional ball. Daniel started working out as a teenager when as he saw a need for self improvement. As he continued to exercise he fell in love with both the mental and physical benefits of working out and wanted to share it with others. So it is no surprise that he became a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), which has allowed him to encourage others in their exercise journey. 

Daniel has worked as a PT technician working along side physical therapists and chiropractors, suggesting exercise modifications to correct dangerous movement patterns and corrective exercises for upper and lower extremities.  Daniel has also worked with young and high school age athletes improving their speed and agility.

Through his own experience, Daniel has learned that both weight loss and weight gain can fit different needs. He works to push his clients in an encouraging way to help them meet the goals they set for themselves. Please help us welcome Daniel to the Pumps family!

Get Ready For Our 6 WEEK BODY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE coming soon! Click here for more details.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This is a truly guilt free meal! It’s fun to assemble and devour these lettuce wraps. Stick with simple meals like this that are comprised of lean meats and vegetables in order to favorably convert your body composition.

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need

• 4 chicken breasts, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 2 cups white mushrooms, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup pine nuts
• 1 Tablespoon ginger root, minced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper
• ¼ cup coconut aminos (or light soy sauce)
• ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
• 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 head butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce

Instructions

1. Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sesame oil and the chopped chicken. Cook until the pink is gone, then drain the skillet.
2. Add the chopped mushrooms, garlic, pine nuts, ginger, green onions, salt and pepper. Sauté for 8 minutes.
3. Combine the coconut aminos, coconut palm sugar and vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture in the skillet. Mix well and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Serve with large lettuce leaves. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

One serving equals: 219 calories, 10g fat, 13g carbohydrate, 80mg sodium, 8g sugar, 1g fiber, and 20g protein.

CALL FOR YOUR FREE FITNESS ANALYSIS

219-548-3480

Pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

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Belly Fat In Women Over 50 - Why It's There And How To Get Rid Of It

A common complaint among women over 50 is that it gets harder to lose weight and any weight gained tends to settle in the belly area. As you age your metabolism drops as much as 10% per decade. When you hit menopause your metabolism can take an additional 5 to 10% drop due to hormonal changes. Add to this the fact that these same hormonal changes make it easier for your body to deposit fat in the abdomen and you end up with a growing belly fat problem.


While this may make it seem as if there are a lot of hurdles to cross to get rid of belly fat, there are steps you can take to prevent or remove belly fat after the age of 50.

1. Exercise. If you never exercised in your life, now is the time to start. If you have been a regular workout enthusiast, then add a bit more to your weekly routine.

Part of the reason metabolism drops is because your body loses muscle with age. Muscle is what burns calories, even when you are at rest, and exercise is the best way to preserve muscle, and therefore your metabolism.

2. Eating. The way your body handles nutrients changes as you age. For example, carbohydrates were easily converted to energy when you were in your teens and twenties. However, now that you are in your fifties, more of the carbohydrate calories that you consume get converted to body fat.

To work around this issue you can reduce your carbohydrate intake by about 200 calories a day. To avoid hunger, you can replace those lost calories with the same amount of protein.

3. Triggers. Even though your body changes as you age, the basic mechanics still apply. In other words, if you feed your body only what it needs, then it will be able to utilize those calories for energy and general body repairs. However, if you overeat, especially if you eat too many carbohydrate calories at one time, these extra calories will "spill-over" and create belly fat.

To avoid this learn what your eating triggers are. What causes you to overeat?
Your trigger may be psychological. For instance, you may eat when you feel stressed. Or, you could be triggered to overeat by eating the wrong foods. Research shows that foods that contain fat, salt, and sugar are highly addictive. This would include a burger and fries, potato chips, and many other "trigger foods."

After the age of 50 women do have a tendency to gain belly fat. But by using the tips above to shift your eating habits, exercise routine, and identify your triggers, you can burn the belly fat and get the slim waistline you want.

Possibly the most important thing to keep in mind is that every successful fat loss story begins at the same place, with a compelling and motivating personal goal

Chicken and Butternut Squash Salad

When working towards a fat loss goal it’s important to incorporate plenty of greens and lean protein into your diet, while removing starchy and grain-filled items. This Chicken and Butternut Squash Salad makes a really satisfying meal that will propel you towards your weight loss goals without making you feel like you’re missing out on tasty food :-) 
Servings: 6 

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com 

Here’s what you need…

• 1 Butternut Squash, cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 6 cups Arugula
• 2 cups leftover roasted chicken, chopped
• 5 Dates, pitted and chopped
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 avocado

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cube the butternut squash and place in a large bowl. Toss it with the olive oil, cinnamon, paprika, cumin and sea salt. 
2. Spread over a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Stir the squash and cook for an additional 15 minutes. 
3. Combine the squash and all of the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 109 calories, 10g fat, 3g carbohydrate, 28mg sodium, 1g sugar, 2g fiber, and 4g protein. 

CALL FOR YOUR FREE FITNESS ANALYSIS

219-548-3480

Pumpstrainingandpilates@gmail.com

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