Clean Eating Meal Plan - Since It's Fit Friday and All

Breakfast

Banana & Strawberry Smoothie

- 1 banana, chopped

- 1/2 cup of strawberries, diced

1/2 cup of frozen Greek yogurt

- 1 tea spoon of honey

- 1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk

Blend til' smooth. Enjoy.

Eat Clean with Me - My Clean Eating Food Diary

 

Clean Eating is NOT a diet!

It is a lifestyle choice of eating -- or in my case attempted eating -- of non-processed foods.

Clean Eaters don't shy away from fats or limit their caloric intake. Rather, they opt for foods, fats included, that are pure in ingredients and naturally good for the body.

Clean Eating Vs. Dirty Eating - a Noticeable Difference

Due to increased motherhood duties, I became lenient in my clean eating habits. After about two months, I've realized a HUGE difference! Not only is my body looking bloated and dumpy, energy level went from tip-top to non-existent. I've become so lazy that I skipped the gym, which used to be a favorite past-time, for days in a row.

I gained about 5 lbs. too. It sucks! (I know I said clean eating is not a diet, but my personal goal is to lose postpartum weight. Just wanted to clarify.)

A few days ago, I began to eat clean again. Once more, body toned, energy regained, and weight dropped. 

Wish I have before-and-after pictures, but I don't. So you'll just have to believe me when I say that clean eating works. 

Eat clean with me!

Because it's healthy.

Lose weight, live longer, etc. -- no matter what fitness goals you have, consuming hearty, healthy foods is the best way to start. And if you need help getting started, check out my food diary below. Perhaps it can be of motivation, or give you meal ideas?

My clean eating food diary:

7:30 a.m. - One bottle of water

Water consumption is extremely important in clean eating. I started the day with a bottle of water.

 

7:30 a.m. - Breakfast

A banana and hard boiled egg whites provided the carbs and protein I required for breakfast, the most important meal of the day.

 

Make Hair Grow Faster - Myth or Truth (Beauty Blog Post)

You have been told many ways to make hair grow faster. Are they all true? Today, let's visit age-old methods, and find out which ones are "myth," and which ones are "truth."

How to make hair grow faster - myth or truth

1. Trim your hair every six to eight weeks.

Myth

Hair grows from the follicles, not your ends. Although some trims can give you the appearance of fuller and longer hair, they do not grow hair faster.

2. Apply mayo.

Myth

Applying mayo, or any products, is completely topical. It makes your hair shiny and healthy, but doesn't speed hair growth.

3. Take supplements

Truth

Vitamins are absolutely necessary for healthy hair growth, especially vitamin c, which moisturizes skin, and vitamin B6, which promotes blood flow. To avoid vitamin definciency, you can Order hair vitamins, like Hair Formula 37. It's a nourishing supplement designed especially for faster hair growth.

4. Always use the same shampoo

Myth

Actually, you should switch shampoos once in a while. If you use the same shampoo all the time, it eventually stops working.

5. Massage scalp

Truth

Massaging your scalp increases circulation and blood flow, enriching follicles.

   

6. Use a hair brush with natural boar bristles

Truth

Natural boar bristles promotes hair growth by spreading natural oils from roots to ends, and gently massages scalp during use.

Are there any myth or truth you'd like to share on making hair grow faster?

    

Lose Weight After Pregnancy - Dos, Don'ts and Initial Weigh In

Let's get the painful part over with, shall we? AHHHHHHHH! That dreadful scale again.

Officially two weeks after pregnancy, I weighed in at 124 lbs this morning. 

Suppose 124 lbs is both good and bad: good compared to the 145 lbs of final pregnancy weight I carried; bad because it's still 16 lbs from my svelte pre-pregnancy weight.

Here I go again -- in the familiar territory of postpartum weight loss. Let the "Fitness After Pregnancy" posts start.

Dos and don'ts of Fitness After Pregnancy

 

Do: Breastfeed.

Breastfeeding helps your uterus contract back to its original size, and gives your baby healthy, natural nutrients.

Don't: Get Overly Excited About Working Out.

Heal your body first, and then begin an exercise regimen. Don't forget to start slow -- growing a baby for nine months took a toll on your body -- and going gun ho with working out can cause injuries. Start light and progressively increase in rigor.

Do: Read Fitness Magazines.

Need a mental kick start? Pick up the latest issue of Shape or Fitness. These magazines are full of new moves, tips, meal ideas, and motivating stories.

I'll always find time for a good read.

Don't: Compare Yourself to Celebrity Moms.

So what Heidi Klum walked the Victoria's Secret runway weeks after having a baby? She's a high profile celeb; you are a regular person. She has access to the best fitness gurus, but also faces high expectations by the public to lose weight fast.  

As an ordinary mom, you shouldn't set the same expectation as a famous lingerie model. Instead of shedding weight with lightning speed, focus on eating healthily and working out regularly, and let your body lose the baby weight on its own schedule.

Not everyone can achieve a body like hers merely weeks after having a baby.

      

Do: Snack Well. Snack Often.

Apples and oranges will always be better for you than candies and cakes.

To curb cravings, try eating smaller meals five or six times throughout the day.

Need a juicy snack? Try these sweet tomatoes.

Don't: Find Excuses.

Of course, a breastfeeding mom requires more calories than other women -- and perhaps you have gained so much pregnancy weight that you are embarrassed to be seen at the gym -- but please don't let these minor details become reasons to binge on junk food or avoid working out.

By the way, breastfeeding moms need only 300 to 500 extra daily calories; your friends at the gym will most likely commend you for coming back than laugh at your weight gain.
  

Fitness After Pregnancy Progress Chart

During "Fitness After Pregnancy" from my first postpartum weight loss, I tracked progress with a chart. Because the chart helped a lot with momentum, I am bringing it back.

Date	Photo	Weight (lbs.)
10/31/2012 (2 weeks post partum)		124.2
Date	Photo	Weight (lbs.)
10/13/2012 (1 week before due date)		145
Date	Photo	Weight (lbs.)
02/2012 (Pre-Pregnancy)		108

Pre-partum or postpartum, it's always good to have fitness goals.

 

What do you say, girlies?

 

Join me on my fitness journey?

 

Skin Care Blog Post - Jennifer Aniston Beauty Secrets

Can you believe Jennifer Aniston is currently 43 years old? With such radiant skin, she could pass as a 20-something, making aging appear so easy.

For those of us who want to age as gracefully as Jennifer Aniston, we might be out of luck in affording A-list beauty team and expensive procedures. However, the low key actress has some down-to-earth beauty secrets that all of us non-A-list girlies can use.

 

Jennifer Aniston Beauty Secrets

1. Moisturize with Vaseline

Before bed time, Aniston applies just a dot of vaseline around her eye area to seal in moisture all night long.

 

2. Clean Deep by Steaming

For a deep cleaning, Aniston steams her face for 10 minutes each night to open pores, and then washes her face with a gentle cleanser. Doing so allows cleanser to get deep into her pores.

 

3. Wake Up with Ice Water

Aniston washes her face with a bowl of ice water every morning. Cold water not only jolts her awake, but also closes pores and refreshes skin.

See? You don't need expensive products or procedures to look like a movie star.

Do you have any beauty secrets to add?

5 Ways to Feel Pretty During Pregnancy

In need of a confidence boost during pregnancy? All the bloating, weight gain and discomfort can really make a girlie feel un-pretty. 

Although you can't stop from being pregnant, you can boost your confidence in small ways. Here are five suggestions:

1. Move Your Body

I cannot stress enough about fitness during pregnancy. Even when you become too big for regular exercise, you can always go for a light stroll. 

Keeping your body in motion provides both physical and mental well being.

Took our dog out for a sunny stroll today.

 2. Get a Fresh Cut

Armed with shears and blow dryers, your local stylist is both a beauty guru and a "physical therapist."

A new haircut not only cleans up your look, it makes you feel refreshed as well.

Regis Salon at Seattle's Northgate Mall is a wonderful place for an inexpensive cut, by the way. I loved what stylist Caitlin did with my hair.

At Regis, walk ins are welcome.

It's not a fancy place, but Regis is clean, friendly and affordable.

Feeling rejuvenated after chopping off four inches of messy mane.

3. Keep up Your Appearance

You don't have to doll up every time you walk out the door. Just continue taking care of your skin and looking presentable make you feel like your old self.

If you need help with skin problems, Tanda Skincare is a wonderful website that provides innovative solutions. It offers luxurious tools for rejuvenation, hair removal, acne light treatment, and many more ways to improve your skin.

Of course, makeup helps too :O)

A little gloss always puts me in a better mood.

 4. Buy Yourself Something

Isn't pregnancy the perfect excuse to buy new clothes? And shopping always makes a girl feel pretty.

I am in my third trimester. Even stretchy tanks cannot fit a belly this big. For only $7.50 each, these maternity tank tops look bright and pretty, and will carry me to through the last few weeks.

Love bright tanks in the summer.

5. Get Intimate with Your Partner

The best way to feel good during pregnancy is being intimate with the person you love. I like to give my husband a nice, long, soothing back massage.

This odorless body oil is great for a back massage.

Pregnancy is hard. You should really pat yourself on the back for making it this far.

 

How do you feel pretty during pregnancy?

Natural Cure for Pregnancy Insomnia

There is no beauty sleep during pregnancy. 

In addition to pregnancy's horrible side effects, you don't sleep well at night. All the heart burn, heaviness, bloating and hot flashes make it hard to obtain needed rest.

Recently I discovered pure camomile tea, and it seems to help. This herbal sleep aid is 100% caffeine free and completely natural. One whiff of this herbal brew sends me to relaxation.

Pure Camomile Tea by Twinings

 Are you also a mama-to-be? Hang in there girl! Month 9 is not that far away.

And if you are just suffering from insomnia, and not pregnancy, you can benefit from camomile tea also.

Any other cure for insomnia out there?

Pregnancy Workout - Get Your Cardio On!

You are pregnant, not dead. Get out and get your cardio on. It's great exercise for pregnant women.

As long as you don't exhaust yourself, you can do whatever you want. Of course, a growing belly hinders you from exercising like you used to. But don't let that stop you from doing at least something.

When your belly is too big to run anymore, jog. When you are too big to jog, walk. Being active is the best way to feel like your old self and have a healthy pregnancy.

Getting my stretch on before a sunny jog.

Looking forward to hitting my normal route - run, jog or walk.

 

Trust me. An active pregnancy workout feels much better than lounging on the couch.

 

Do you have any pregnancy workout(s) to share?

 

Beating the Housewife Blues - How to Survive Your First Year as a Stay-at-Home Mom

You are a stay-at-home mom. What do you do ALLLLLLL DAY?

Though I was not offended by my ex-manager's question, I have been answering similar questions from other career women. 

Another friend, who just became a new mom and wanted to quit her job too, expressed similar curiosity. She was especially concerned about feeling like a lonely housewife.

Their curiosity is understandable -- for someone who always worked outside of the house, the lifestyle of stay-at-home moms must seem so foreign. To these women, as well as anyone contemplating on becoming a stay-at-home mom, I say, "you needn't worry at all."

Yes. A new baby changes your life drastically. Going from career girl to full-time mom takes adjustment, and the first year is especially difficult. But you'll get the hang of things in no time.

Here's how.

A not-so-appealing stereotypical depiction of housewives.

Create a daily schedule

Think a schedule is too stringent? Think again.

Even for the most free spirited mom, schedules make a convenient tool for planning your daily life. 

Everyday, figure out when your baby's nap and feeding times are, and stick with them as much as you can. Once a schedule is in place, you can then plan other activities within the gaps.

One thing to take note on is that babies' nap times change. So re-adjust if you must.

The aquarium is one of the many places you can take your baby to.

Get outside of the house every day

Speaking of activities, schedule one for everyday of the week. Make sure it's outside of your home. 

Hit the play ground, go to story time, or meet up with friends. You can do whatever you like, as long as you are not sulking at home.

Remember -- you are only as lonely as you allow yourself to be.

Here are some ideas:

Local libraries

Bookstores
Kid-friendly coffee houses
Shopping malls

Community centers

Parks and playgrounds 

meetup.com

You can always enjoy a walk on sunny days. I like to stroll along the waterfront of downtown Seattle.

Pick a regular activity to meet other parents

Once you have attended various activities, pick your favorite one(s), and consistently go to those each week. 

People become friendly only if they feel comfortable with you. So create a certain comfort level with other parents by making yourself available and familiar.

Once you've connected with other parents, extend casual chit chats into a lunch or coffee break. 

Eventually, you will become friends with these parents, and even get invited on play dates and birthday parties.

A few moms and I often go eat at the local Asian grocer for lunch.

Lately, we have been into bubble tea.

Don't set your expectations too high

Of course, friendships take time. Don't expect every parent to become a new buddy. Just because you both have a baby doesn't mean you have a lot in common. 

Be open. Be friendly. But also be understanding if you don't connect immediately. Great relationships are neither forced nor quick.

Take time for yourself and your husband

An easy way to adjust to a new life is to keep a part of your old life in tact.

Prior to baby, did you go on date nights with the Mister? Did you have girls' nights? Continue doing them once in a while. Taking a breather from 24/7 mom duty gives you both a physical and emotional break.

Local parks are always good places to go and meet people at.

Find a passion. Develop a hobby.

You don't need a paycheck to feel accomplished. Now is an opportune time to explore your passions and hobbies. 


Obviously, I took up blogging. But what about you? Do you like to knit? Sew? Bake dog treats? 

The possibilities are endless. And when you become really good, like my friend Susan with her photography (Susan Ulep Photography), you might even turn your hobby into a lucrative business -- how's that for accomplishment?

Are you a stay-at-home mom too?

If so, any suggestions?