Safety while Running

I had the opportunity to attend a running safety seminar at Athletic Annex off of 86th Street in Indianapolis this past week. It was an evening program that was put on by Run Safer a business owned by Todd Williams (Olympic runner and Jiu Jitsu Black Belt. It was a great program and I am glad that I took the time to go. Lots of the things I was already aware of, but it was a great reminder and he had some wonderful tips on how to defend yourself, physically, from an attacker. WTHR did a segment on the event and I thought it was a nice summary of the program - CLICK HERE FOR THEIR VIDEO. 

If you want to watch the talk that Athletic Annex sponsored check out the video below! 

There was some great take away points from Todd's talk that I wanted to make sure to share. Always remember to be aware of your surrounds.This can make all the difference. I think lots of time attacks happen because people are not aware of what is happening around them. If you are running with headphones, keep the volume down so that you can hear what is happening around you.

I liked the idea of running in a group or at least having someone aware of your running plans. Sometimes you don't have anyone to run with and just making sure that you have someone who is looking out for you at home can be helpful. There are apps/devices that you can use that can track your location, but if you don't have that, then make sure you are telling someone about your route and how long you will be gone.

If you see some thing suspicious or makes you feel uncomfortable, report it. I think this a huge take away. If you run often, you have sense/feeling about things and sometimes things just don't feel right. So make sure that if you see some that makes you uncomfortable, call 911 and report that. This not only protects yourself but can always help to make sure a safer community.

The last take away that I learned was about physically defending yourself. Use your legs (if you are knocked to the ground) and make sure that you strike vulnerable locations on the body (Head, neck, eyes, nose, and groin). Use your legs, elbows and hands. Be in a prepared stance and make sure you are facing your attacker to give you a better chance in a physical fight.

Being aware of how to protect yourself is important for men and women. It also gives you confidence when you have a plan so that you aren't caught off guard if something were to happen. Hopefully this is helpful and has got you thinking about what you would do if you find yourself in a dangerous situation. I think having a plan helps to make sure that you are safe while you are out running. Stay safe!

Gearing up to Move

Just wanted to update you all that my family and I are moving. We are staying in Indiana, but we will be moving into Indianapolis from the suburbs. It is exciting, but will be a slight headache over the next 2 weeks. Just wanted to let you know in case I ended up missing one of my Monday blog posts. 

With all this extra stress in life it definitely makes eating healthy and exercising tough. When life gets crazy it is so easy to use that as excuse to throw health out the window. It is way easier to stress eat and then grab fast, unhealthy foods compared with trying to reach for a healthier alternative. Honestly with moving, it is tough, because you are packing up your kitchen equipment and that means preparing food at home is challenging. Whether you are gearing up for a move and another stressful life change, work on handling that stress in a positive way.

Ways to stay healthy while stressed: 

1. Plan and stay organized. I think this is such a challenge in the midst of moving or a stressful time in life. These are the times when you feel like you don't have time for lists, but it turns out to be the time when you need them the most. Coming up with a goal for your time and list of things that you need to accomplish. I know I have put together a list of places to contact to let them know of our change of address. I have been working my way through that list the past couple of weeks and I have been adding to it when I think of another place I need to contact. I  am going to make a list of what is left to pack/organize in each room this week as well. For example, I am going to get all the pictures off the walls by the end of Tuesday. Then I am going to make sure that everything is pulled out from under the bed and packed by the end of the week. Set small goals for yourself and then stick with your list you have made. Being organized and having a plan will go a long way in decreasing your stress levels. 
2. What you eat matters. I am not sure if you have noticed this, but stress eating is a thing and then when you have over-indulged, you feel terrible. At least, I do. I literally feel like crap. Stress eating isn't going to help solve any of your problems. In fact, it might lead to more stress. So set yourself up for success, try to have healthy options around you and avoid the urge to purchase something you don't need. If you have to indulge. Try to have that food item in moderation. Really enjoy your small cup of ice cream and remind yourself when that craving comes up again that you already had that treat and you will have to wait. I have been using dried fruit as a trick for my sweet tooth. I have been trying to eat less sweet things and so I portion out a small baggie of dried fruit each day to take to work and that is my "sweet snack." 
3. Make time to rest/sleep. Your body needs to rest and needs to unwind. Taking time to sleep is so important in your overall health and well being. I know that with the stress of moving, when 10pm rolls around, stop what I am doing and get ready for bed. All of the boxes and stuff will be there in the morning and I can deal with it another day. This holds true with anything. Work on your task as hard as you can for a set period of time and then take a break, walk away and get some rest. This will help ensure that you are ready for the next day and you can continue to work hard tomorrow.

Hopefully these tips will help you as you head into whatever challenge you are facing. I will definitely be sharing some pictures and moving progress on Instagram so make sure to check that out. It can be exciting to face a new challenge and at same time difficult. Embrace the change and remember to stay organized, make smart food choices and take some to rest. 

Working Moms

I have a new round respect for working mothers. I didn't realize how crazy life is being a working mom. It is a totally different experience than what I ever imagined. I have learned so much about myself and realized what I am/am not couple of over these last 5 months of being a mother. 

Things I have learned, as a working mother ... 

1. You can survived on little sleep. In fact, you can do better than survive you can go into work, do your job for 8hrs, come home, do tasks around the house and you can accomplish all of this while waking up 4 times during the night. 
2. You can multi-task and do at least 12 things at once. It is amazing how my multi-tasking skills have improved over the last 5 months. I can think of at least 3 things I need to do while completely another task and then start in on working on those 3 things I was just thinking of. 
3. Must plan ahead. So the next day to do smoothly, everything has to be ready and put together the night before. That is only way this entire operation functions smoothly. So each night there is whole routine that must get accomplished - the lunches get packed, bottles get labeled, diapers get rinsed, and the bags get all packed for the next day. 
4. If it outside of the normal routine ... it won't happen. The things that I have forgot/messed up have been changes to my routine. If there is something that I have to do outside my normal rhythm of things, then chances are that I am going to goof it up and something is going to get over looked. 
5. My personal time has decreased quite a bit. That means that my time end up being at the when I drive to work, when I have time to take a shower and when I finally lay down in bed for the night. The entire rest of my day is filled with taking care of things at work and coming home and taking care of my family. 
6. I do laundry ALL the time. I have a love/hate relationship with my washer/dryer. I love putting all the dirty clothes and diapers into the washer and and getting them out of the dirty clothes hamper. It is such a great feeling, but then when the laundry is done in the dryer I have to fold it and put it away and that is part that I don't enjoy. 
7. My exercise time has to happen during the day or in the evening with William. My time to exercise isn't have flexible has it use to be. This means in the evenings that if I work it, it is normally with William and we go running. If I want to go to the gym or do yoga I have to take time during my lunch break to fit that in. 
8. Cooking dinner can be tough. Have the time/energy to prepare dinner is challenging. Learning how to balance grocery shopping and then food prep with a baby is tough. I think that I have a nice rhythm down .... finally. I go to the grocery on the weekend and get items for the upcoming week. Then I make sure that whatever I am cooking can be done in about 30 minutes. That is the only way we end up with a warm, nutritious dinner is if I have something already in the refrigerator I can prepare and it takes no longer than 30 minutes. 
9. I love my job. I really do love what I do every day. I enjoy the challenging and using my brain in a different way than I use it the rest of the time. Some times I wish that I could be hanging out with William or puppy, but I also work to really value my time away from work. In the evenings, I try to be present and spend as much time with William before bed time. I really value that time with him. 
10. Some times I need to step away. It is so easy to get caught up in the all the things with work, extra activities and then hectic-ness of running a house. Sometimes I have to disengage with all the extra things and just relax. This weekend I had that chance. I took a nap with William on Saturday and on Sunday ... gasp! I know! I can't remember the last time I actually took a nap. It had been too long and let me tell you it was glorious. 

Life is crazy and being a working mom is even harder, but I love it. I am so thankful for my amazing job, great co-workers, and my wonderful family. I am glad to have a flexible job and the chance to do what I enjoy. I am still working hard to keep all of this in balance and some days go better than others. To all my working mothers out there ... keep it up. If you work outside or inside the home ... it all counts and it is all a challenge. 

Thank you Mom!

I know this is a day late, but I thought I would share with you a few things that my mother has taught me over the years. I was very fortunate to grow up with a mother who valued her own health and her family's health. I am a Registered Dietitian today, because my mother suggested that I look into that major at Purdue when I was in high school. I have developed a love for exercising and encouraged to pursue my passion for fitness because of my mother. Thank you Mom for always encouraging me to pursue my dreams. There were plenty of times that I questioned what I was doing and how I would get there, but you were always just a phone call away to provide some encouragement. There were plenty of times that I would call you, frustrated and feeling discouraged, while taking organic chemistry, and you encouraged me to keep working hard and to give it my best shot. 

Now that I am a mother and have a child of my own. As I think back to things that you have taught me I want to be that example for my child. I want him to know how important his health and wellness is and learn to love exercise. I take him with me when I go out for a run and I know that as time goes on this will be something that he will remember and hopefully cherish. 

Things my Mom has taught me ... 

• Never give up. You taught me to always finish whatever activity I start and to never give up. You encouraged me to keep working hard and accomplish the task at hand. 
• Don't have regrets in life. This is something that I still live by ... going through life with regrets is a tough burden to bare. Working to make sure that whatever you do, you enjoy and when you look back, you feel confident in that decision.
• Put your best foot forward. Be that best version of yourself and always push yourself to be better.
• Enjoy what you do! My Mom has worked a variety of jobs throughout her life and she always worked to enjoy whatever she was doing. Life is too short to spend time doing something you don't enjoy. 
• Gift of hospitality. I really enjoy having people into my home and hosting parties. I love bringing people together to have a good time and build relationships. This is something that I got from mother and I am so thankful she taught me how to give back to those around me. 

These are just a few of the many things that I have learned from my mother over the years. I am the person I am today, because of her and I am so thankful to be her daughter and get to call her Mom! 

Exploring St Louis

We had the opportunity to explore St Louis a few weekends ago. We took an extended weekend trip down to St Louis, Missouri, which happens to be about 5 hours from our home in Indianapolis. We decided to head to St Louis to meet up with some friends for the weekend who live in Mississippi. It was so great to get away and get to spend time with some amazing friends. This was also William's (my 4 month old son) longest car ride to date. 

We had a wonderful weekend. Of course we took the time to eat at some delicious restaurants along the way. As you may remember, whenever we travel, you avoid all chain restaurants and only eat at local places. 

• On our way out of Indiana we stopped in Terre Haute and ate lunch at Traverse Pie Company. It was amazing! I got a quiche and Chas ordered their pot pie. So delicious and of course the combos came with pie for dessert. Totally worth and such a delicious treat. I definitely recommend this spot if you find yourself on the west side of Indiana. 

• When we arrived to St Louis we had to stop for some St Louis style pizza. Now if you aren't familiar with what that means - here are the qualifications ... a thin, cracker like crust, Provel cheese and sliced in squares (instead of triangular slices). There was a local pizza shop not far from our Airbnb. Pizza-A-Go-Go is in a cute neighborhood and has some delicious pizza. It is a small shop and only serves pizza. We had to wait awhile, but it was worth and such a tasty treat.
• No trip to St Louis is complete with a stop at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard. Well good thing we were staying just a block or two away from one of the locations. We walked there the first night in town and of course had to partake in yummy ice cream. It is always so delicious and quite a busy place to be.
• For brunch on Saturday morning we went to the Mud House. It is a super cute cafe/coffee shop and had not only delicious coffee, but amazing food. It was very busy on a Saturday morning, but obviously being so popular is a good sign = good food! We really enjoyed the grits and I loved the huge bowl of fruit that I got. It was a little expensive, but we thought it was worth the cost. 

• One of our excursions on Saturday was to the Anheuser Busch St Louis plant location. We went on a tour of the Brewery and had a chance to enjoy a beverage afterwards. None of us had been there before and it was a activity for a cold/rainy afternoon. 

• For dinner on Saturday evening we ended up getting hotdogs. I know that sounds lame, but they were quite yummy. Steve's Hotdogs were awesome! I am not a huge hotdog fan, but these were made from quality ingredients and had some unique toppings. It worked out well for the boys to go get them and bring the back to the Airbnb for us to enjoy. 

• Sunday morning was filled with church and then saying our good byes to Joshua and Angela. Then before we hit the road back to Indiana we had lunch at a cute cafe with some amazing brunch food. You may have noticed a theme that we love brunch. 

Overall we had an amazing trip and really enjoyed the chance to get away for a weekend and enjoy time with friends. This was our first big trip with a baby and it went great. The Airbnb we stayed at was lovely and we enjoyed having good food and time with some amazing friends. If you find yourself in St Louis any time soon, check out some of these local eateries and enjoy your time exploring an amazing city! 

Breaking the Sugar Habit

I have a confession. I have been obsessed with sugar and I have been eating WAY too much of it since becoming a mom. Yes, I am blaming my over consumption on my child, because I use to have more time to sleep better, eat better and exercise more prior to my child entering our family. Since his arrival, I sleep WAY less than I would like, I have WAY less free time do anything and then I have been eating more sugar, because I am starving and it sounds good. 

It has gotten so bad that my husband even noticed. He made a comment to me about eating most of a cake that I made and a blueberry buckle coffee cake. So it is time to break this cycle of too much sugar. My husband, Chas, is going to do this with me and we are working to eliminate unnecessary sugar sources in our diets. We are cutting out soda (don't need it and really should be drinking more water instead, even though it was diet), no more candy or other sweet treats (except for special occasions) and less sugary breakfast cereals. I am going to try to get up earlier again, go to bed earlier and then make breakfast in the morning (toast with an egg). I tend to eat better throughout the rest of the day if I have some protein in the morning. Breakfast cereal just doesn't stick with me that long. 

It is tough to break a habit. Eating too much sugar is a habit that I have fallen into over the last 4 months and it is something that I need to work to change. I really would like to lose the last 5lbs of baby weight and get my abs back. I need to focus on building back up my abdominal strength so that those muscles can help support my back and in my activities of daily living. Being able to make some small changes and break some of these bad habits will be helpful in living that "health lifestyle." 

I wanted to share this with you to help hold me accountable. I believe that sharing the good things in life and the struggles are important. We all struggle with things and have bad habits that we want to change. What is holding you back? What is keeping you in those bad habits? Once you have taken a moment to pin that down, then you can start creating a plan to make some healthier changes. Well so far I have made it all morning without needless sugar snacking ... I will keep you posted on how things are going!

Fueling Your Fitness

This past week I had the opportunity to talk to a group at Endurance House in Zionsville about nutrition. Endurance House had a 5K running group that were gearing up for the Zionsville 5K in June. The leader for the running group, Sarah Hill-Abel, was a friend from Lafayette. I had met her and worked with her at Tri-N-Run up in Lafayette for several years. Both her and I had moved to the greater Indianapolis area and I was excited to work with her again when she reached out to me a month ago. 

Since this running group was new to the whole running scene, I wanted to just touch on some of the basics of exercise and nutrition. 

• Discussed Healthy Snacks
  • Find snacks that you enjoy that pair a carbohydrate with a protein. This will help keep you feeling more full and will help to rebuild some of that muscle you broke down while exercise. It is best to have this protein after a work out and stick with carbohydrates prior to exercising. 
  • Bring your meal/snacks with you on the go (to work, while running errands, etc). This helps ensure that you are reaching for a healthy option. It removes the temptation to stop by the drive through or picking out something unhealthy from the grocery store. 
  • Have something to eat prior to working out. If it is in the morning, make that food item something light that you can easily tolerated (banana, granola bar, smoothie). Then add in some protein after the work out to help keep you feeling satisfied through lunch. 
• How to Stay Hydrated
  • Make sure that you have water with you. Water is going to be the best thing to use for refueling for any exercise  taking < 60 minutes. Water is great because your body can easily use it and it is refreshing. 
  • If you are working out for > 60 minutes, then you can consider a sport beverage. This will provide carbohydrate and electrolytes, which are necessary to replenish after a long work out. 
  • There is water in foods that count as well. So drinking to thirst is a good way to know if you are hydrated. Don't stress about a "magical" 8 glasses as a day. Instead focus on making sure that you aren't feeling thirsty. 
• Fueling for Exercise
  • Eating 3 meals a day with snacks is important and necessary when you are working out. We want to make sure that you are fueled properly so that you can complete the activity you want to do (running, walking, biking, etc). 
  • Making these meals/snacks healthier is key. Find ways to work in plenty of fruits and vegetables. Remember to fill your plate with at least 3 food groups to keep variety in your diet. 
  • You will quickly learn if there are foods that you need to avoid prior to exercising. If you eat and then wait 2-3 hours before exercising that is normally enough time to cause any GI distress.

We had a great time talking about nutrition and hearing what this woman do currently to help them make healthier choices. Lots of time, being healthier and setting yourself up for success looks different for different people/families. If you hate cooking, then maybe you look to purchase pre-made food items from Whole Foods that have fresh vegetables already in those meal items. Maybe your buy your veggies cut up, because you know you would never spend the time doing that. Whatever helps you be successful in your diet journey, that is the key. Figure out what that is and try to make those chances so that you can be properly fueled for life and your upcoming run. 

IAND Spring Meeting

I had the opportunity this last week to attend the Indiana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (IAND) Spring Meeting. Not only did I get the chance to attend for one of the two days, I also got be a presenter. I was asked to talk about being a Neonatal dietitian and what my role is in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I was honored be to asked to speak and was excited to share about my job. I think I have a really neat job and having the chance to talk about nutrition in newborn, preterm babies is like a dream come true. #nerdalert 

The day of conference speakers was fantastic. I really appreciate having the chance to network with my fellow RDs around the state and also have the chance to learn more about nutrition. I thought I would share some of the highlights from my presentation and some of the highlights from the conference as well. 

Below you will find some of my favorite slides from my presentation. I talked about the history of the NICU and how nutrition plays an important role in the development of these preterm babies. I discussed the various types of formula available and how our goal is to use maternal breastmilk for feedings. I also talked about assessing growth in newborns and how we run our Formula Rooms to prepare feedings for our patients. 

The entire day at the IAND Spring Meeting as fantastic there were several speakers who discussed some very interesting topics. 

• Sharon Palmer, RDN spoke about eating a Plant Based Diet and finding ways to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in your daily meal routine. She did a great job and at highlighting the importance of eating more plant based and how it can taste good. I liked how she didn't put down meat in a negative way, but instead encouraged using meat as a seasoning and less of the main course. 
• Kate Byers, MS, RDN spoke about everything coconut. Kate is a fellow Purdue Alum and we have gotten to know one another on the College of Health and Human Sciences Alumni Board. She had a great presentation talking about coconut - how it is grown, how it can be used, what to look for on labels and some research about how healthy it really is or is not. 
• Sandi Morris, RDN also spoke about Order Writing Privileges for RDs in the state of Indiana. That was a great topic to discuss, because that can change how RDs operate in the hospital setting. 

It was a great day and I was so excited for the chance to attend and have the opportunity to speak! 

The Reality of Being a Parent

I know that this is a blog about nutrition, exercise and wellness. I however, feel that being parent overlaps with my nutrition, exercise and wellness so that is how I am tying this into my normal theme on this blog. I would also argue that being parent is having an impact on my nutrition, exercise and overall wellness. The balance of work, family life and staying healthy is quite the challenge when you add a small child into the equation. This small, tiny human now demands all of your attention and limits your ability to stay late at work to hit up the gym or may drive up your alcohol consumption due to his needless crying in the evenings. Of course, you also have to factor in the lack of sleep. When breast feeding at night, you have to wake up every 3-4 hours, change the baby and then feed him. All of this totally throws off your own sleep schedule. All of these factors have an influence on your overall health. 

I didn't want this to be a total complaining session about how tough it is to be a parent, but I wanted to discuss the challenges and maybe some ways to help you be successful in overcoming them. I have quickly learned that I need to take time for myself. That is use to always be going for a run, doing yoga or walking the dog. Now with a baby this has had to change and shift a little bit. I honestly haven't been able to run as much as I would like. By the time I get home from work, make something for dinner, feed the baby, and get the dog walked, the sun is setting and I have lost daylight for a run. I am excited with the lengthening spring evenings that I will be able to fit in more week night runs with William. But even if I can't fit in as many runs as I would like, I try to take time each night for myself. Last night it was a shower. Simple, I know, but after being frustrated by a fussy baby and needy dog I just wanted to do something for myself and nice warm shower fit the bill before crawling into bed. 

• Take time for you.  I am working on this and I am still figuring it out. It looks different each day, but taking this time for me helps me to be a better mother, wife and employee. 

• Don't sweat the small stuff.  I have to admit this is a huge challenge for me. I am a Type A, control freak and learning to let go has been tough. I like to do things my way and learning to delegate is necessary. I also have had to learn to be ok with things not always getting done, like cleaning the bathrooms or doing ALL the dishes every night. 

• Enjoy the little moments.  There are some great moments in being a parent. Those smiles that I get after feeding William or taking a moment to snuggle with my husband on the couch after William has fallen asleep. Those little moments are wonderful. Stopping from rush of life and embracing those moments has been another thing that I have been trying to do.

Hopefully you have found this post encouraging. You are NOT alone in your parenting journey and it is tough. That balance between your role as a parent, your job, and your family is something that is always changing. Keeping working hard at it and enjoying every moment. 

Motivational Monday

I wanted to write a blog post about motivation and try to encourage you to get up, get moving and meet your goals. What do you want to accomplish this week? How are you going to meet those goals you have set for yourself? 

1. Put together a list of the things you need to get done this week. Each week I make out a list of the things I need to get done at work and in my personal life. These things are items that I need to get done and it serves as a reminder to me of what my priorities are. It is so easy to get off track and lose focus. My husband had to remind me to this last week and encourage me to stay on task and get my work done quickly and well so when I come home I am not stressing about work.
2. Re-evaluate that list on Wednesday. Taking some time to look at how you are doing on your task list part way through the week can be helpful. You might find that you ahead of schedule or behind. Then after your re-evaluate your progress you can decide if you need to buckle down or maybe you do something fun and take a break for a moment to reward yourself.
3. Once you have accomplished the tasks on your list, celebrate! At the end of week, take a look at how well you did with your task list. Is everything done? Did you meet your goals for the week? If so, then great! Do something special for yourself. Last week after charting on ALL of my patients by Friday, I took the time to leave work a little early and I stopped by Target on my way home. It is a nice treat to do something fun as a reward for all the long hours I had put in earlier in the week. If you haven't met all the goals on your list then take a moment and see what needs to get done right away and maybe some of those things can get push to next week. 

The Powers of Breastmilk

I had the opportunity for the past week to attend an amazing 5 day long conference about breast feeding. I know for some people that might not be an exciting topic, but I thought it was fascinating. St Vincent hosted the event and brought in two wonderful speakers to teach us for the 5 day course. The name of the course was Foundations for Best Practice for Lactation Care and the instructors were from Evergreen Hospital in Seattle, WA. Molly Pessl was one of the instructors and she has been a nurse for over 50 years. She has been working with lactating mothers for the majority of that time and is such a wealth of knowledge on the topic. 

I hope that over the next year or so I can work towards completing the course work to become a IBCLC or an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. I first was exposure to working with women and breast feeding at WIC during my dietetic internship. I really enjoyed that part of the rotation, but didn't think much more about it, until now. I work in a NICU and we are always wanting and needing maternal breastmilk for our little babies. I thought that this would be a great time to start working towards that credential. Then this 5 day course was offered by St Vincent and I had to do it. 

I just thought I would share with you some of the amazing things that I learn during this coursework. I have never attended a lactation conference before so everything that was shared was new to me. We talked about the changes/development that happens for Mom and the baby during pregnancy, delivery and into the 4th trimester. It is amazing how the woman's body is designed to sustain life in the womb and afterwards. We talked about how the mammary glands work and how the hormone changes creates breastmilk for the infant. We talked about child development from in utero through 12 months of life. It was neat to discuss case studies as a group and have this chance to learn from the experience of people in the class. Of course at the end of the 5 days, I was so excited about everything that I have learned. I obviously think breast feeding is an amazing thing and something that every woman should be encouraged to do. It is worth all the hard work and effort to provide this unique food to your baby for a few days to a few years. 

I hope this post helps to normalize breastfeeding. This has been the way babies have been fed for thousands of years. I know that baby formula can help and save lives for lots of children, especially those who are premature, but their own mother's breastmilk helps even those tiny babies. I hope you are encouraged by this post and have a desire to show support and love to those mothers who are out there breastfeeding their babies and giving that gift to their children.

National Nutrition Month

March has arrive and that means it is National Nutrition Month! This is the month where all of us in the dietetics field celebrate eating healthy and encourage people to put their Best Fork Forward! 

So I really like the theme this year ... Put your Best Fork Forward. I think that this hits home the message and we need to select healthy foods to put in our mouths. It starts with each bite that we take. I am guilty to totally choosing to eat too much cereal and not enough vegetables. When life is crazy (and it is now) it is way easier at times to grab the cereal box, versus grabbing some carrots out of the refrigerator. I have been trying to balance the hecticness of life and planning ahead to have healthy meals during the week.

• Aim for a variety of foods in your diet. Variety is defined as a diverse assortment of foods and beverages across and within all food groups. These foods should be selected to fulfill the recommended nutrients you need each day without exceeding the limits for calories and other dietary components. So this means that all foods are far game, but we want you to select healthy foods most of the time. Definitely balance with a sweet treat or beverage every once in awhile, but everything in moderation.
  • Plan meals that include different colored vegetables through the week. 
  • Experiement with different vegetables when preparing healthy soups or salad. 
  • Choose vegetables that are in season, whenever possible.
  • Pack of variety of different colored fruit as snakcs. 
  • Enjoy fruit in place of sweets for dessert.
  • Try choosing whole grain options - such as brown rice in place of white rice. 
  • Look for cereals and snacks that use whole grain flours. 
  • Substitute plant-based proteins in new recipes. 
  • Experiment with seafood by grilling and baking fish in place of other protein options for dinner 1-2 nights/week. 
  • Give sweetened plain, low fat yogurt a try with different fruits/whole grain cereals. 
  • Make smoothies with fruit and yogurt. 
• Watch out for the sodium hidden in foods. This can be challenging, especially if you are eating out a lot. Take the time and try to prepare some meals at home and use less salt. Making some small changes can have a huge impact on your heart health.
  • Use the nutrition label to look at the sodium in food and compare with other options. 
  • Try purchasing lower sodium versions of food items.
  • Flavor foods with other spices in place of just adding salt.

Enjoy this month and take the time to think about what you are putting on your plate and ultimately on your fork!

via GIPHY

Your Gut Microbiome

This past weekend the stomach flu went through our household. Let me tell you, that was an awful experience. It had been several years since I have had the flu and I had forgotten how terrible it is to be sick. I had to day time off of work, because I didn't want to spread the illness to the medical staff or babies in the hospital. It was the best choice to stay home and rest up. 

This recent illness had me thinking about overall health and how your health impacts your body overcoming an acute illness. More and more research is being done on our GI tract microbiome that is showing how our health really impacts our quality of life. The food that you eat each day has an impact on the types of bacteria that live and grow in your GI tract. They have found that depending on your diet (healthy vs unhealthy) will prompt the growth of certain types of bacteria. These bacteria living in your GI tract are known as your gut microbiome. This bacteria helps to digest the food you eat. Sometimes our guts get colonized with a "bad bug" like a with the flu virus and that can lead to unattractive side effects (vomiting, diarrhea, gas, etc). Often if you get put on an antibiotic, these drugs kill/destroy the bacteria (good and bad) in your gut and it can take awhile to repopulate that good bacteria. After having an illness, like the stomach flu, making sure that you consume healthy foods will help to promote the grow of the "good" bacteria in your gut. We don't want to promote the growth of "bad" bacteria that will not help boost your immune system in the future. 

What are good foods for gut health? 

• Choosing foods that are high in fiber is great for gut health. These fibrous foods also serve as great food for the "good" bacteria living in your GI tract. Aim for more fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds. 
• Fermented foods can survive your GI tract and serve as food for the "good" bacteria. Eating foods like yogurt contain live/active bacteria cultures that can help repopulate your GI tract after an illness. There are some other foods out there that are gaining popularity - like Kefir (fermented yogurt drink), kombucha (fermented) tea, tempeh (fermented soybean cake) and fermented vegetables (like sauerkraut and pickles).
• Gut diversity. It is important to make sure that you are eating a variety of foods and this will help ensure that the microbiome in your gut is balanced. Reaching for colorful produce, whole grains and various forms of protein will help build a healthy GI tract.

Hopefully you have avoid getting any stomach bugs and have a healthy winter this year. Remember to take care of your gut and eating a healthy, varied diet will help accomplish that! I am excited that spring is arriving and hopefully we will all be healthy and back to normal here soon!

How Much Water Do You Really Need?

I am sure that you have heard that you need to drink 8 glasses of water a day. But is that true?! Is there is something special about 8 glasses? Not 6 or 9 glasses a day, but 8. Who came up with that recommendation anyway?

That is what I want to talk about today ... what your body actually needs to keep you hydrated. Your body is made up of ~60% water. For babies, their body composition is about 75% water and decreases to 65% by their first birth day. Your body relies on this water and it is necessary for your survival.

Water does lots of things for you ... 

• Utilized by the brain to manufacture hormones and neurotransmitters. 
• Forms saliva to help you digest your food.
• Keeps your mucousal membranes moist (eyes, nose, throat).
• Helps to regulate your body temperature through your breathing and sweating.
• Helps to rid your body of waste, through your urine. 
• Lubricates your joints.
• Helps deliver oxygen all over your body.

This list can keep going. As you can see this element is vital to your body working appropriately. Did you know that women actually have less water in their bodies compared with men. People who have more fatty tissue have less water in their bodies compared to their less fat counter parts. Now does this mean that we need differing amounts of water per day? YES! It does ... unfortunately we do not all need the same amount of water per day. 

Sadly there is no straight forward recommendation about how much water we each need every day. Instead,  you will have to do a little self-reflection. Do you feel thirsty? If so, that is a great indicator that your body is in need of water. I know it sounds simple, but making sure that you always drink water when you feel thirsty will be an easy way to make sure that you stay hydrated. Now if you are wondering if you are getting enough water, then take a moment and observe the color of your urine. Again, not glamorous, but it is effective. There is a great chart (CLICK HERE) to compare the color of your urine to your hydration status. Another easy way to know if you are drinking enough, is to track how often you use the restroom. Most well-hydrated people use the restroom 7-8 times per day that is about every 3 hours. Sometimes that can increase to 10 times per day or be as low as 4 times per day.  That is why noticing what color your urine is will help evaluate if you are appropriately hydrated. The handout mentioned previously, also includes some signs/symptoms of dehydration. One way to prevent dehydration, is carrying water with you where ever you go. Find a water bottle that you love and take it with you. You can fill it up with water, lemonade, tea, whatever is your favorite beverage and make sure it goes with you when you leave the house. This will help ensure that when you feel thirsty you will have a way to easily quench that thirst and avoid dehydration. 

As you can see, that 8 glasses of water per day recommendation may not hold true for everyone. It is a great goal to make sure that you are carrying around a water bottle and staying hydrated throughout the day. Make sure that you are using the bathroom on a regular  basis and taking note of your urine color. I know it is not glamorous, but it is worth it to make sure that your body's fluid needs are being met. This allows your body to function at its top potential. Now grab a glass of your favorite drink and bottoms up! 

Hitting the Pavement Again

I am back running! I couldn't be more excited. I got the go ahead from my OB that I could resume my regular exercise routine. It had been 6 weeks since I had been able out for a run and let me tell you it was kind of an adjustment getting back out there. I headed out on a Saturday morning run ... my favorite time to run! I love it because it is normal peaceful outside and I can come home and make a nice warm breakfast. This past Saturday was kind of cold and I thought about not going out, but then I saw a lady run past my house with her dog ... I was like "if she is out there running, I can too!" So I laced up my shoes and headed out. It was glorious.

It was also hard to get back out there, literally I was sore afterwards. My abs have been through quite a bit - having a baby, being pulled apart to make room for said baby and then the whole trying to go back to the way they were after baby was born. So being out there and running ended up being quite the ab work out. My hamstring was quite tight as well. I didn't realize that those ~3 miles would feel so long, but I did it and I was proud of myself. 

The weather ended up being kind of nice this past week and headed out again for another run, but this time brought William with me in the BOB jogging stroller. It was fun to get to bring him along and he did great in the stroller. I absolutely loved the BOB stroller as well. It worked great and I could easily control it as I ran. It did end up making the run a little harder. I found that it turned into a work out for my upper and lower body. I am sure that William and I will log lots of miles on that stroller. 

Besides just sharing with you my experience at hitting the pavement again after having a baby, I wanted to encourage you get out there, set a goal for yourself and make it happen. What are obstacles that are standing in your way of accomplishing your goal? Is it something like time, lack of self confidence or putting your family's needs above your own? It is important to take a look at what obstacles are keeping you from your goal. Take those obstacles and come up with ways to move them. If the obstacle is time, then schedule time to work out and meet your goal. If it is self confidence, then find a gym or park where you can exercise and feel comfortable without a lot of people around. If it family obligations, then talk to your loved ones and schedule "you" time where you can focus on what you want to accomplishment. For me, I want to go to the gym 2-3 times per week and lift weights, use the elliptical and treadmill. If the weather is nice, I want to get outside and run on weekends and maybe one night a week. I also want to go through and do the 31 days of Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. I love yoga and I want to be able to do that in the evenings after work and before bed.

Well good luck to you as you set your fitness goals and work on accomplishing them. I will keep you posted on how my return to running is going and how well I accomplishing my own goals. 

LOVE Your Heart

Well February is upon us and that means it is time to think about your heart health. Even if heart disease doesn't run in your family, taking the time and making you are making heart healthy choices can improve the quality of your life. 

What is a heart healthy diet? A heart healthy diet is one that is low in animal fats and high in plant based fats. This also includes consuming fish on a regular basis. The omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in fish have been associated with lower risks of heart disease. Consuming more a more plant based diet as also been found to help heart healthy and improve your body composition. People who were of normal body weight had less instance of heart-related medical complications and lived healthier lives overall. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has put together a great list of cooking changes that you can makes for your heart health. Make sure that you are limiting your saturated fats (from animal sources) and trans fats (man made fats, found in some margarine products). When cooking animal meats, make sure to drain off extra fat or grill the meat so that the fat falls away from the meat when cooking. If you consume high amounts of saturated (animal) fats this type of fat can build up in your arteries and this can lead to a blockage/heart attack. That is why a lower fat, more plant based diet is recommended. 

Put down that salt shaker. In addition to watching the amount of fat in your diet, keeping an eye out for the amount of sodium in foods will go a long way in blood pressure control. If you have a history of hypertension, or if it runs in your family, then taking the time to watch your sodium intake can help keep your heart beating strong. Lots of fast food or pre-made, frozen entrees have a fair amount of added salt to help with the favor and preservation of the food. That is why when you can prepare meals at home, from scratch, that will go a long way in limiting the amount of added salt you consume each day. Make sure that you are not adding salt to your meals after they have been cooked. That is why moving the salt shaker off the table and into the spice cabinet can limit your added salt intake. If possible, purchase lower salt food items - low salt diced tomato or chicken stock, low salt lunch meat or sliced deli cheese. These little changes can help with your blood pressure control. 

Move more. You can never under estimate the benefit of being physically active. Exercising helps your heart by having it beat harder and grow stronger. Your heart is a muscle and for it is stay strong it needs to be worked out. That means scheduling time to be physically active will help your heart to stay strong and continue to beat for a long time to come. Exercise can look different for different people. Find something that you enjoy and do that activity on a regular basis. If you enjoy exercise classes, find a gym and attend classes that you enjoy. 

Hopefully you can take some of these tips and recommendations and put them into use this month to help show your heart some love! 

The Art of Cooking with a Baby

Can I just tell you that finding a way to juggle holding a baby and preparing dinner is one of the toughest things I have done. It takes special talent to figure out how to get dinner prepared and then balance that the eating schedule of a newborn. Of course, the baby wants to be held during the time when dinner needs to be prepared. I have been working on acquiring my skills of balancing this act of motherhood and the need to make food to feed myself and Chas. 

Things I have learned and skills I am cultivating: 

• Do what you can while they are sleeping. As soon as William falls asleep I take advantage of that time to figure out what I need to get done. I have also learned that I need to prioritize my to do list. For example, being able to eat something for lunch should always trump working on the computer or some times even showering. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is in full affect. If I am not trying to feed myself I am normally trying to prepare food for the next meal. 
• I am learning to operate within a 2-3 hour time window. So if I have to run errands I know that if I feed William I have a solid 2 hours and possibly 3 hours before he is hungry again and needs to be fed. This means that I am left prioritize where I need to go and what I need to do so I can get home before his next feeding. This is a total change of pace for me, but I am learning and getting better at it each day. Often that means only 1-2 stops while I am out at a time. Gone are the days and being out to ALL the errands done at one time.
• I have learned that crock pots, bread makers, etc are amazing devices ... use them! I have fell in love with my crock pot again. Being able to chop up ingredients or get the meal prepared ahead of time and tossing it into the crock pot = the best thing ever. That way it is done and can be ready to be eaten whenever. 
• I have embraced the fact that as soon as I think I can get something done, like chopping the veggies to go with the roast, the baby starts to wake up and crying. I have walked away from all the veggies that I have pulled out and gotten them ready to cut up, to feed the baby. I have just left this mess to come back to it when I have a moment to finish that task at hand. 
• Master the one arm hold. I have been practicing and I have become much better at being able to carry William around in one arm and then do things with that other arm. I have been able to make some coffee, toast bread or stir soup. I have been proud of myself and I know that this skill will continue to improve with increased practice. 
• Cook with the baby. I have brought William into the kitchen and put him in his Bumbo seat and let him watch me cook. It is normally content for a little bit to hear all the noises and stare at the lights. This way I can be reassured that he is fine and I can work on actually doing some productive things, like get a meal prepared. If having in next me to isn't making him happy enough the next thing I have learned to try to to attach him to me. He likes to be carried around in a wrap and that allows him to feel comforted and me to use both of my hands to get things done. 
• I have discovered online grocery store ordering via Kroger. This is quite exciting that I can place my order online and then drive to store and pick up the things that I need. How neat is that! I am excited to use this and I think this will be become something that I do quite frequently in the months ahead! 

Vitamin D and Your Child

When you have a newborn baby you have probably heard your pediatrician talk about Vitamin D. They have probably asked you if you are giving a Vitamin D supplement to your child. Now you might be wondering why this is necessary and how important is it really? Well that is what I wanted to share with you is the importance of Vitamin D for your growing baby.  

Vitamin D is a an essential vitamin that your need to get through sunlight exposure and your diet. The challenge for all of us, especially in the winter, is getting enough sunlight exposure. This holds true for adults and children. If you are breastfeeding your infant, your breastmilk doesn't pass along very much Vitamin D. If that is solely what your infant is getting for nutrition and it is the middle of winter, your child really needs a Vitamin D supplement.  There was an article that was released this past week that prompted me wanting to write this post - CLICK HERE for a link to that write up. 

Why is Vitamin D important? Vitamin D helps with bone development and if your child isn't getting enough in their diet, sun exposure or via a supplement they can develop rickets. This occurs when the bones are weak, they bend and children have issues walking. This can be prevented through simply making sure your child is getting a minimum of 400 IU (international units) of Vitamin D each day. If your child is taking breastmilk or formula, supplementing with Vitamin D is necessary. There is an estimated 1 IU of Vitamin D in 1 fluid ounce of breastmilk. This is surprising for a lot of parents, but most people hear that breastmilk is the perfect food for your infant. That is true for most nutrients and for all of the antibodies that are passed via breastmilk. The one area where breastmilk falls short for term infants is the amount of Vitamin D available. Fortified baby formula contains 15 IU of Vitamin D in 1 fluid ounce of formula. Again, this surprises a lot of parents, but formula is designed to be nutritionally completely, but it like breastmilk is inadequate in the amount of Vitamin D it provides. As you can see, when the recommendation daily for infant is 400 IU per day, both breastmilk and formula fall short of meeting this goal. That is why providing your infant with a supplement is needed. 

Supplements - Now that we have established that your child, whether breastfeed or formula fed needs additional Vitamin D what are you going to purchase? There are lots of different brands of Vitamin D that are available. The main thing you want to make sure is that when you purchase a supplement you are giving 400 IU per day to meet the recommendations set out by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Most supplements will provide 400 IU in about 1mL of a liquid supplement that you would squirt in your infant's mouth daily. There is a product out there that provides the 400 IU of Vitamin D in 1 drop of this liquid, which can be placed on the mother's breast. This would mean the child would ingest it when they go to breast. This product is called Baby Ddrops. There are a variety of products out there and finding what works for you and your child is important. 

The main take away from this post is to help encourage you to give your infant their daily dose (400 IU) of Vitamin D each day. It is necessary for proper bone growth and development. When possible, make sure you take your child outside and get some sun exposure as well. Being outside for 15 minutes at midday with full sunshine would provide an adult with 10,000 IU of Vitamin D. So being outside for a less than 15 minutes as a child will help to meet their daily Vitamin D goals.  

The Gift of Breastfeeding

So I am officially a breastfeeding mama. It has been quite the adventure let me tell you. I have worked with Moms and breastfeeding with my job a Registered Dietitian and on a feeding team, but this is my first time actually doing this myself. I wanted to make sure that I talk about on this blog the reality of breastfeeding. Sometimes I think Moms aren't exactly sure what they are in for and sometimes it can be very overwhelming. 

Here are some statistics for you about breastfeeding that came from an article that was released just a few days ago: 

• In 2012, estimated 80% of mothers started breastfeeding their infants. By 6 months of age, an estimated 51.4% continued to breastfeed and by 12 months of age that number fell to 29.2% of mothers still breastfeeding. 
• Goals for Healthy People 2020 are for these rates at birth to be at 81.9%, by 6 months keeping 66.6% of mother breastfeeding and by 12 months of age having 34.1% of mothers continuing to breastfeed.
• Breastfeeding support programs are effective in helping to encourage and support mothers of all ages to continue to breastfeed.
• Breastfeeding has several maternal benefits including - lower risk of breast and ovarian cancers, less visceral adiposity, reduced rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the mothers.

I wanted to make sure that I shared with you some of my experiences with breastfeeding. I have only been doing this a few weeks, but I think it is an important thing to talk about and prompt discussion.

The initial latch - Can we talk about how when your baby latches for the first time it hurts? It is very uncomfortable. I was really concerned at the beginning that William wasn't latching correctly and that was causing some pain, but after speaking with a lactation consultant in the hospital, he was doing a great job and had a great suck. It took about 2-3 days for the initial "pain" with the sucking to go away. Lanonlin was my best friend. That helped so much to help relieve some of that pain and keep my nipples from cracking and bleeding. I would apply it after each time breast feeding. 

Milk coming in - Oh my goodness this was a surprise. My milk came in on day #3 after having William and WOW! I was so overwhelmed. It was painful to have super huge boobs and have them filled with milk. I didn't know this was going to happen so quickly. I had a ton of milk immediately and I didn't know what to do with it all. Originally, I was not going to pump for the first month, but when my milk came in I had to pump. I had to relieve that pressure. So I started pumping twice a day and I have been sticking with that regime since that first day home. 

Engorgement - I didn't know how to handle this side effect of breastfeeding either. I wasn't prepared for the engorgement feeling and again because my milk came in so quick I was so overwhelmed. It was such a crazy experience to be solely responsible for feeding your child. I have been thankful that I have a good milk supply. I know that lots of women struggle to increase their supply. Breastfeeding is tough and takes lots of time. 

It is a gift - In the midst of feeling overwhelmed and learning how to breastfeed I had a wonderful chat with my husband, Chas. He was so encouraging and helped to remind me that I didn't have to breastfeed. If there was any point that I felt like I didn't want to breastfeed, I didn't have to. There are other ways that we could feed William. He reminded me that he would support me in whatever I decided to do. He also said that if I continue to breastfeed that is a special gift that I am able to give William. It is something that I can choose to give him. Taking that perspective has been so helpful for me. Viewing breastfeeding and pumping as a gift for my son really hit home for me. I thought this perspective was worth sharing. If you are a breastfeeding Mom and feeling discouraged, remember what you are doing 6-12 times per day is a gift. All of the hard work is something special that you can give your child. 

I will keep you posted on how breastfeeding is going. We are now 3 weeks into this adventure and it is going well. William loves to eat and is growing quickly. Our next big challenge will be next month when William goes to daycare and I head back to work. Until then, we will continue to breastfeed, practice with a bottle 1-2 times a day and pumping ~3 times a day. Keep up the hard work if you are currently breastfeeding and if you know someone who is breastfeeding give them a pat on the back. 

The Birth Story

If you have been following my blog, you would know that I have been pregnant and writing up some blog posts about my experience. Trying to debunk some pregnancy nutrition/health myths along the way. A lot of people aren't familiar with what happens during pregnancy and so I was eager to share what I was learning with you all. Well my pregnancy finally came to an end on December 23rd. You may have seen on Instagram, we welcomed our first little baby into the world and his name is William. His birth story is rather boring, which is fantastic, because that is exactly what we wanted. 

If you want all the details on William's arrival into this world, let me know (some people might want to know more and I don't want to bore you) ... I will share the highlights with you here. Labor started around 6am in the morning. I was having some pre-labor contractions (they ramped up to 3 minutes apart and 1 minute in length) immediately. They lasted until about 730am and started to die down in intensity and lengthened out. But then by about 8am or 830am the contractions had increased again in intensity and were getting slightly stronger. I was scheduled to have an appointment with my OB that morning at 11am, but Chas called the office for me and they had me come in early. Chas was awesome at working to keep me calm. I sat in our bed this whole time, just trying to relax and ride the wave of each contraction. The more relaxed I was the less painful the contractions were. Chas finally got me in the car and we had all of stuff loaded in the car already. We then started the trek to the OB office and arrived there around 930am. My OB took a quick look and confirmed that I was dilated to 6cm and 60% effaced. She sent us directly over the hospital were I was a direct admit to the Labor and Delivery Unit.

It was a wonderful experience being at St. Vincent Women's Hospital. Our birth plan was very simple ... a very hands off approach with minimal interventions as possible. I wanted to go through labor without any medicine (no epidural or other pain medication). I felt like this was something that I could do and would give my baby the best chance at a healthy delivery. I didn't want any IV fluids either. I worked out throughout labor to continue to drink water so that I wouldn't be dehydrated. I had an IV placed (per hospital protocol), but thankfully it never had to be used. I also wanted to make sure that at the end, once William arrived, if possible I wouldn't need any picotin. Thankfully, it all went well and I didn't need any IV pitocin administered. I also wanted the wireless fetal monitor, but unfortunately it broke the day before we arrived. I was able to go on intermittent monitoring - meaning I was on the monitor for 20 minutes of every hour. The nurses were great about only coming into the room to hook up and take off the monitor and check my vital signs. 

Labor was long. I knew it was going on for awhile, but thankfully I didn't have a good concept of time. Chas did a great job at protecting me from that. The total length of time that I was laboring was 20 hours. I have been told that is fairly common for your first child, but it was quite the marathon. Thankfully that was the biggest challenge. Towards the end of labor, we learned that there was meconium staining, which means the bag of water had meconium in it. If William would have aspirated any of this then that could have caused an infection and required intervention (respiratory or medication). Thankfully he came out crying, the NICU team was there was quickly assessed him and he didn't need any type of intervention. He did great and maintained a perfect heart rate throughout the 20 hour labor process. He welcomed a healthy, strong boy into the world at 1020pm that night on 12/23. It was wonderful to see him finally come out and that long, marathon of labor start to come to an end. 

We can't thank everyone who helped us throughout this pregnancy and during the labor/delivery enough. We had a wonderful experience at St Vincent Women's Hospital and were so impressed with the amazing care and support we received. We were so thankful for going through the Bradley Childbirth Classes to help feel more prepared for the long labor process. I am also thankful for keeping fit throughout the 9 months of carrying William so I was able to go through labor, exactly how I wanted. It was great to have done prenatal yoga through the entire pregnancy and I felt physically as prepared as I could be to bring a baby into the world. If you have any questions or want more details ... feel free to get in touch with me. I wanted to just provide a nice close to my pregnancy journey. Now I have embarked on my next adventure ... being a breastfeeding Mom. Don't worry there will be a few blog posts about that as well!