You may wonder why it is that you crave sugary, cookie, cakey foods, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. Here’s why…when we don’t get enough sleep our bodies want energy, so we crave foods that give us quick energy, and then within an hour or two our energy plummets. Often when people diet they deprive themselves from eating and this too causes your body to desire quick energy, and that’s when you crave the high fat, high calorie carbs. So the solution?? 1. Get enough sleep. When you get enough rest your body will be less likely to crave quick energy. 2. Don’t Deprive Yourself of Food. We need food for fuel or energy. When you’re trying to lose weight, listen to your body, and feed it when it’s hungry…just chose wisely! Chose healthy foods that will fuel your body! Reach for whole grain breads and pastas, nuts (especially almonds), low fat cheese (such as mozerella), and plenty of veggies and fruit.
Interested in learning more? Email me at info@fitbysara.com for a free 20 min. coaching consultation!
Prenatal yoga is so useful to prepare you for your labor. The breath alone will help reduce stress and tension, and specific postures help to open your pelvis making labor easier. I had both of my sons completely natural (yes, no pain meds), and I attribute it to prenatal yoga. When the pain became intense I would focus on my yoga breath and picture riding on a wave. Deep inhale as rode the wave up, and deep exhale as I rode the wave down. My doulas couldn’t believe how calm and centered I was throughout my birth. My husband even commented, “It’s kindof sad that we decided not to have any more children since your birth was so beautiful.”
For specific prenatal yoga exercises to help prepare you for your birth checkout my prenatal yoga dvd’s I created around each of my own trimesters of pregnancy. (1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester prenatal yoga). Visit: http://fitbysara.com/prenatal-yoga.php
Have you been consistently working out and eating healthy to reach your weight loss goals? If so you deserve a reward! Rewards will keep you motivated to stay on track. Some examples of good rewards are a manicure, pedicure, massage, etc.. For example, mark your calender at week 3 with a pedicure and notice how you’ll stay motivated!
As you approach your third trimester, you may have a harder time breathing because your baby is pressing on your diaphram. Below I describe a great prenatal yoga posture to lengthen your waist and open your ribs allowing in a full breath.
How to do the yoga posture: Seated cross legged comforably on the floor (you may want to put pillows underneath you) place your right on the floor next to your buttocks. Extend your left arm up towards the ceiling. Inhale reach even more towards the ceiling, then exhale lean over towards the right side. Use your breath (inhale in throught the nose and out through the nose with your mouth closed) and imagine lengthening your waist, creating space. Hold for 4-8 breaths and repeat the sequence on the other side. Perform the stretch 4-6 times on each side. Notice how much deeper you can breathe! You can find this exercise on my prenatal yoga DVD for the 3rd Trimester. click here: http://fitbysara.com/prenatal-yoga.php
Our children watch the way we do everything…including the way we eat! Be a role model and chose to eat healthy and exercise. Also your children should eat what you eat…so show them that healthy food is good! My kid’s personal favorite is whole wheat pasta w/ turkey meatballs and carrots. Just think, do you want them to grow up doing the same behaviors that you’re currently doing? If not, this is the time to make changes!
I was personally training a client when my normally calm husband came barging into my session. He was holding our screaming baby. On instinct I searched my baby’s face for gashes, then continued to search for other signs of great impairment. Right away I saw his left arm, completely limp. My husband said that his sister (my step daughter) was playing with him twirling him around when all the sudden he started screaming non stop. My husband, Brad asked him how she had been holding him. She said it was as she always held him, around the elbow and upper arm.
We rushed our baby to the emergency room. Our baby had stopped crying, but still could not move his arm. As we walked to the emergency office two little kids passed with broken arms. We thought, “is this a preminition?” We were so relieved when right away he was diagnosed with “Nursemaid Elbow”. It is when the joint gets jammed and the doctor has to “pop it” back into place. Apparently it’s a very common condition with babies up to age 5 since their ligaments and tendons are developing. It was amazing…after our baby’s arm was adjusted, he was back to his active agile self. Phew…what a relief! I wish I knew about this before it happened! I hope our experience will help you.
A great exercise to tone your thighs when your pregnant is the good ole “pilee squat”. I’ve got a great variation that will tone your thighs. Remember, a strong body makes for an easier labor!
To do the move:
Thigh Toner: Turn to the side of the back of a chair. Step your feet about 3-4 feet a part with your toes turned slightly outward. Holding onto the chair bend both knees making sure your knees stay over your heels and never beyond your toes. At the bottom of your pilee squat pulse for 10-15 reps. PAUSE and hold at the bottom of the last rep and count to 10. Repeat the pulse and pause sequence 2 more times. Feel the burn! 
After having a baby many women experience low sex drive and lack of desire. On Friday December 21st I will be a guest on Playboy Radio, Sirius 198 http://www.playboy.com/playboytv/radio/. I will share tips to boost your sex drive and exercises you can do to make sex better! Listen on Sirius Channel 198 at 1p.m. Pacific, Dec. 21st. Call toll free and ask me a question at 877.205.9796.
Don’t have Sirius?? To listen for free, on Fri. Dec. 21st go to the Sirius website and sign up for a free trial: www.siriusradio.com
Check out what Rachel Sarah, single mom, author an editor of Pregnancy Magazine had to say about my upcoming interview w/ Playboy! http://blogs.parentcenter.babycenter.com/momformation/2007/12/17/pat-him-on-the-butt/
On Regis and Kelly, Kelly shared her workout to work her abs. She calls it her “Alphabet Workout”. Since seeing the show, I’ve incorporated her alphabet workout into my sessions. Try this simple exercise to tone you tummy.
Holding a 2-6 lb. weighted ball, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Keep your arms straight and use your arms and torso to draw each letter in capitals with your body. Check out a clip of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uV7iU-MjbY
It’s fun way to work your torso, and a long with healthy eating you’ll enjoy the results!
When you’re pregnant it’s very “normal” to feel a bunch of emotions from happy, to sad, to anxious. One way to keep your emotions in check is to have your partner involved as much as possible. Have him come with you to your doctor appointments, tell him to touch your belly often, share your excitement and worries with each other and come up with a plan now that will keep you united when baby arrives. The more connected the two of you are the more relaxed and happier you’ll be.
