The NEW Mighty Mommies Has Launched!
Hi Everyone,
I am proud to announce that the NEW Mighty Mommies website has launched. I hope you all will check it out and enjoy. Please feel free to leave comments and feedback. This will be my last blog entry on this page. All of my blog entries will now be at www.mightymommies.com/blog
This includes my product recommendations and my recipes. Thanks for following.
All My Best,
Autumn
Whats In Your Easter Basket?
Easter is just a few days away and if you are anything like me you have waited until the last-minute to go shopping for all of the goodies you will fill your childs Easter Basket with. As I walked through the “Easter Basket” isles of Target yesterday I couldn’t help but feel frustrated at all of the CRAP that lined the shelves. Tweeps, Cadbury Eggs, Jelly Beans, Candy Bars, Chocolate bunnies and crosses, Chocolate Eggs and oh so much more that just makes my stomach turn. I’m not an over the top mom who doesn’t give her kids treat but think about it, how much do they really NEED to have given to them all at once????
I decided to be a little more creative for my boys (Dominic, is 1 and Max my step-son is 10). Dominic was easy, he doesn’t understand the idea of an Easter Basket so he wont know what he’s missing, but Max is another story. He looks forward to the candy and chocolate and likes to eat it every day (or as much as we let him) until its gone. As if that isn’t bad enough he ends up getting 3 baskets. One from my husband and I, one from his mom, and one from his grandma. That is an insane amount of junk food for any kid to be given all at once.
So what do you do instead of the normal sweet treats? You get creative! Dominic will be getting a few new toy cars, a new book and sidewalk chalk. Max is getting a large bubble maker, water balloons, and a small gift card to Target. They both got a new outfit and YES I did get them each a little bit of candy. We will also color eggs, which is great because they both love hard-boiled egg and this is a healthy fun treat. They look forward to picking their egg each day that they get to eat.
When you start shopping for goodies think outside the box. What game can you get them to use their bodies, is there a book that your child might enjoy reading. Have they been asking for something from a specific store that you can get them a gift card too? Also make use of those plastic eggs, put notes, coupons and small amounts of money, keep it fun and remember Easter is NOT about the candy.
A little motivation for keep large amounts of candy out of your childs Easter Basket
Peeps: 4 of these fun marshmallow treats adds up to 130 calories and 32 grams of sugar. YIKES can you say “bouncing of the walls?”
Jelly Beans: How bad can they be? Well if you eat 2 or 3 not to bad. Each bean has about 6 calories. But these are one of those candies we eat mindlessly. You can easily go through 3-4 servings (35 jelly beans = 1 Serving) very fast and each serving has 140 calories.
Cadbury Creme Egg: The 1.2-ounce egg comes with 150 calories, 5 grams of fat and 25 grams of carbs. These are my FAVORITES.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg: This Easter Basket favorite has 180 calories and 10 grams of fat. If you were to eat a regular Reese’s cup you would eat HALF the calories of the Egg. They taste the same I’m going for the lesser calorie count:)
Large Chocolate Bunny: This one might shock you, the average 7 ounce rabbit contains 1050 calories.
5 Brachs Malted Easter Eggs: 180 calories
1 Nestle’s Crunch Solid Chocolate Easter Bunny: 692 calories
12 Cadbury Chocolate Eggs: 190 calories
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Lets do a little experiment, what might you eat on Easter day from the basket?
6 Cadbury chocolate Eggs…95 calories
1 serving of Jelly beans (35 beans)… 140 calories
1 Reese’s peanut butter egg… 180 calories
1 Cadbury Cream Egg…150 calories
1 Peep…32.5 calories
Total Calories…597.5
Thats in 1 day before eating any Easter dinner. Not the best.
Enjoy Easter but remember EVERYTHING IN MODERATION.
HAPPY EASTER
Second Trimester Fitness
Can you believe it? 14 weeks has passed and you are now in your second trimester. Morning sickness should be subsiding, your energy should be on its way back and before you know it you will feel the first movements from your little bundle of joy. This is the second trimester and probably the time you will feel BEST during your pregnancy. Enjoy it!
Once again we need to look at your workout routine and make a few minor adjustments. First of all it is best if you no longer lay on your back for long periods of times, as this can put pressure on your Vena Cava, slowing the blood flow back to you heart and causing you to get dizzy. It can also slow the blood flow to your baby. Im sure your first thought is that you can no longer do crunches or any exercise to keep your abdominal muscles strong because you can’t lay on your back….NOT TRUE. It is important to continue to work your core muscles all the way to the end of your pregnancy. There are a few ways to modify your abdominal exercises.
1.) Most crunches can be done standing up: This might sound weird but it works and is very safe for you and the baby. Here is a link on how to do a standing crunch as well as a standing bicycle crunch.
2.) You can also do exercises in a sitting position. Once again this prevents the baby from putting pressure on the Vena Cava. Here is a link of mine on how to do sitting abdominal exercises.
3.) Plank is also a great abdominal exercise. If you are a beginner start on your knees and work your way up to the more advanced versions. Here is the link on how to do a plank.
Now that we’ve covered working your core lets talk about cardio. Your blood volume has been steadily increasing and soon your body will be caught up and your heart won’t have to work quiet as hard as it did in the first trimester. You will still get out of breath much faster than you did before you were pregnant, you are growing a baby afterall. In the 2nd trimester you can usually step up your cardio just a little. You can walk a little faster, swim a little longer or bike a for a few extra minutes. It is still important to listen to your body and not over do it. If you feel good go for it, but remember if you are tired or not feeling good take it easy or take the day off.
All of the rules from the first trimester still apply in the second. Drink plenty of water, don’t exercise in extreme heat, wear loose fitting clothes that keep you cool and most important have your doctors permission before you begin a fitness program.
What types of exercise will you do during your second trimester?
Turkey Chili
Ok everyone I have to share this recipe with you! I have really gotten into clean eating and cooking this last month and I get so excited when I find a great recipe. I actually came across this recipe back in November, I tried it then and have been making it at least once a month ever since. It is for turkey chili, I use Jenny O ground turkey meat. The best part about this recipe is the 1 cup of red wine, it really sets off the taste. Try it out and let me know what you think. Courtesy of healthy-endeavors.com
Southwestern Turkey Chili
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I loved Eden Organic brand, no-salt added variety)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (I like Muir Glen fire roasted tomatoes)
1 cup red wine
3 cups cooked turkey, diced
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
Directions:
1. In a large saucepan or soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Saute pepper, onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.
2. Add beans, tomatoes, wine, turkey, chili powder, cilantro, crushed red pepper and salt.
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
Get Ahead of the Curve: Childproof During Pregnancy
Todays post is by guest blogger Kimberlee Mitchel of The Safety 1st Squad. Kimberlee Mitchell, child safety expert and founder of Boo Boo Busters Professional Babyproofing Service in southern California, is chief advisor to the Safety 1st Squad development team. This enterprising “momprenuer” has partnered with Safety 1st to expand her home childproofing service expertise
to the east coast through the launch of the Safety 1st SquadSM
After reading about Kimberlee and her business, I couldn’t wait to have her do a guest blog for Mighty Mommies. Childproofing is so important and yet very tedious. It’s not one of the fun parental tasks that we look forward to doing. I know my husband and I put it off until the very last-minute which came rather quickly because Dominic hit all his physical milestones early. He was rolling over at 3 months, sitting up at 4, pulling up at 6 months crawling by 7 and walking by 9 months. One day he stayed where I put him and the next he was across the room. It was very stressful trying to get all of the childproofing completed. So, take some advice from the expert and do it early. Here is what Kimberlee has to say. ENJOY!
Get Ahead of the Curve: Childproof During Pregnancy
Most new parents consider childproofing “something they’ll get to later”
and then “later” they find themselves in a panic when the baby begins to
crawl. Times flies! A newborn requires an inordinate amount of time and
attention and your days rush by at a rapid pace. Before you know it,
your little one is mobile! Be proactive and get parental peace-of-mind
by getting ahead of the curve and childproofing during pregnancy, when
time is abundant and sleep is plentiful. The average baby begins to
crawl at about six months, at which point the job of parenting becomes
more exciting, as well as, scary when your child no longer stays where
you put him. Some industrious infants can even roll before they sit up
and surprisingly lay some serious tread all the way across the room!
Your little one’s curiosity sans (yet to be developed) common sense,
propels him into harm’s way time and time again and it’s your job to be
one step ahead of your little one paving the way of safety. With
unintentional injury being the #1 killer of children between the ages of
1 and four claiming more lives than violence and all disease combined,
parents simply cannot afford to procrastinate.
Read more about Childproofing 101
http://www.safety1st.com/usa/eng/Safety1st-Squad-News/Detail/416-Childp
A Green Pregnancy
Everywhere you turn you hear about the benefits of “Going Green.” Well I’m hear to give you a few more reasons and a few more ways to “Go Green.” Your pregnancy is an amazing and beautiful time to bond with your baby. As this beautiful new life grows inside of you, you will become overly aware of how scary the world is and you will want to do everything you possibly can to change it. Changing the environment that your baby is growing in is an excellent ways to start protecting your new bundle of joy.
Lets look at how to change YOUR environment, by that I mean your body, where your baby is growing. Eating organic, local grown food when possible is best. This may be harder for some depending on what part of the country you live in, because not everyone has fresh farmers markets year-round. You can still shop organic at the grocery store though. There are certain foods that are high in pesticides and contamination, these are the foods you should try to buy organic as often as possible. Below is a list.
Buy Organic:
Apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, strawberries and spinach
Foods that are less likely to be contaminated include avocados, bananas, broccoli, cauliflower, kiwi, mangos, oranges, pineapple, corn, and peas.
You should also try to eat grass-fed and hormone free meet and poultry, watch how much salt you take in and avoid food with chemical additives.
Another way you can protect YOUR enviornment is by switching to mineral makeup and avoiding skin care products and perfumes that contain phthalates. Phthalates are not always listed on the label so check consumer-safety sites. safecosmetics.org
Now that we have tackled your body lets look at the house. The air we breathe is essential to life, not just your but now your babies as well. When we use chemicals in our homes to clean we breath them in and certain ones can be more harmful than others to you and your baby. First off get rid of the air fresheners. A home that smells good is always nice, but studies show that infants in homes that use air fresheners on a regular basis have a 32% increase in diarrhea. I don’t care how nice the house smells nothing is worth changing that many more blow out diapers… trust me!
unfortunately the candles have to go as well ladies, unless they are soy candles. I hate to be a party pooper but paraffin candles release carcinogens such as benzene and toluene. If you want to make the house smell and look good try a vase a fresh flowers, they smell great and if your husband happens to be the one who brings them home they will put a smile on your face each time you look at them.
Next is the nursery. I know, you can’t wait to paint the walls, buy the furniture and hang up all the clothes but remember to take precautions. Use paint that is nontoxic, non-VOC- or low-VOC. Opt for hardwood floors as new carpet can emit harmful chemicals. Consider buying an organic baby mattress and bedding. Before you wash the babies clothes make sure you have purchased a detergent that is safe and gentle to your new babies skin.
It might seem like a lot of work but you and your family are worth it. Share your favorite ways to go green with us.
A Must Have Says ModernMom.com
I was so excited to wake up to the news today that Mighty Mommies 9 Months of Fitness was now a must have product on ModernMom.com
Lisa has impeccable taste and for her to say that this video is a must have for moms is a HUGE compliment. I put a ton of hard work and time into designing the workout for all of you expecting moms out there and I hope you all enjoy it just as much.
May you feel stronger, sexier, and healthier each and every time you do it.
Check out Lisa’s review
http://www.modernmom.com/must-haves/
THANKS ModernMom.com!!!
Eat For a Better YOU!
As many of you know I attended The Womens Wellness Weekend in Nashville last week. The conference was on all things wellness including fitness, nutrition, spirituality and yes…sex. I learned a lot and was so happy to be inspired by so many knowledgeable women. One speaker who grabbed my attention was Dr. Jana. My sister has been a patient with Dr. Jana for over a year now and I always hear how much the Dr. has helped my sister and her family.
I would be lying if I said there was a part of me that was not a little skeptical about the benefits of coconut oil and cutting out certain foods, but I decided to listen with an open mind and an open heart. As Dr. Jana gave her presentation things began to make more sence and I understood why small changes had helped my sister and her family on their path to wellness. Dr. Jana gave a 12 weeks to wellness plan that is broken up in to 3 phases.
Phase 1 is the hardest because you eliminate a lot of foods from your diet. This is because there are SO many foods out there that cause problems in our bodies that we are not aware of. Below is the introduction from Dr. Jana and the list of approved foods for “Phase 1″.
Please remember I am not a nutritionist and you should always check with YOUR doctor or health care provider before beginning any type of diet/meal plan and exercise program.
“In order for the body to heal and permanently decrease body fat, we must wipe the slate clean by removing inflammation and toxins from the body. This starts with a system of detoxification combined with an alkaline and anti-inflammatory diet. Therefore, regardless of your condition, this is where we MUST begin in order to lose weight and start the healing process. I have tried to make implementation of this process easy for my patience by outlining a system of “approved foods” in the following literature. It is critical to commit to a healthy lifestyle if you truly want to feel better, lose weight, and stay on track for many years to come. This is not a temporary weight loss program for patients. This will be a learning experience in which patients learn how to make more educated health decisions, how to regain their health without being overwhelmed, how to stay on track for a lifetime, how the human body REALLY works, as well as how to become more proactive throughout this transition to a better life! Your health is your greatest wealth! I have worked extra hard to make this transition into natural health an enjoyable and rewarding experience! Welcome to “Phase 1” and a journey that will forever change your life. Also know that you will cheat and fall off the plan. We all do. Its how much discipline you pick up along the way to walk down the healthy path and respect the amazing body you have been blessed with that really matters. You did not lose your health overnight, so this is a process. It requires dedication and yields amazing results. Be patient and enjoy the journey.”
“During Phase 1, your body will become more sensitive to insulin, food addictions and cravings will begin to cease, the body’s natural processes (blood pressure, blood sugar, metabolism, hormone systems, etc) will begin to normalize, and food allergies and skin problems will begin to diminish. You might experience unpleasant symptoms as your body lets go of toxins, but this is perfectly normal. Detoxification is a critical step in the healing process.”
Approved Foods – Phase I PROTEIN SOURCES Meats (Hormone-free/organic is best, but non-organic is still permitted): Beef Lamb Venison Liver & Heart (must be organic) Goat Veal Elk Buffalo Meat Bone Soup / Stock Beef/venison sausage, etc (organic w/ no pork casing and nitrite/nitrate free. Use sparingly.) Fish (Make sure it has fins and scales) Salmon Tuna Scrod Haddock Sea Bass Pompano Trout Tilapia Snapper Mackerel Herring Whitefish Halibut Cod Sole Grouper Mahi Mahi Wahoo Orange Roughy Anchovies Fish Bone Soup / Stock Salmon (canned in spring water) Tuna (canned in spring water) Sardines (canned in water or olive oil only) Poultry (organic is best, but non-organic is still permitted) Chicken Guinea Fowl Duck Turkey Cornish Hen Liver & Heart (must be organic) Chicken/Turkey Bacon or Sausage (nitrite / nitrate free) Luncheon Meat Turkey (preservative & nitrate free) Eggs– NOT grain fed (high omega-3/DHA) Chicken eggs (whole with yolk) Duck eggs (whole with yolk) Dairy Goat’s milk yogurt (plain) Goat’s milk kefir Soft/hard goat’s cheese Unsweetened Almond, Hemp or Coconut Milk (I know they’re not dairy silly) FAT SOURCES Fats and Oils (organic is best, but non-organic is still permitted) Ghee Cow’s Milk Butter Goat’s Milk Butter Sesame Oil Coconut Oil (BEST for cooking, sold in office) Hempseed Oil (NOT for cooking) Avocado Flaxseed Oil (NOT for cooking) Virgin Olive Oil (NOT for cooking) Hemp Milk Coconut Meat / Flakes / Milk Almond Milk (unsweetened) Nuts and Seeds (non-roasted, organic, RAW or soaked is best, but non-organic is still permitted) Sesame Seeds Hempseed Sunflower Seeds Pumpkin Seeds Pine Nuts Sesame Butter Hempseed Butter Sunflower Butter Pumpkinseed Butter Almonds Cashews Cashew Butter flaxseed CARBOHYDRATE SOURCES Vegetables (organic fresh or frozen) Broccoli Asparagus Cauliflower Cabbage Squash Beets Mushrooms Tomatoes Zucchini Peppers Artichoke Celery Carrots Brussel Sprouts Eggplant Garlic Okra Spinach String Beans Cucumber Pumpkin Onion Lettuce Kale Leafy Greens (i.e. collard greens, mustard greens, etc.) Sea vegetables (kelp, dulce) Sprouts (i.e. bean, sunflower, pea shoots, radish sprouts, etc.) Raw, fermented vegetables (lacto-fermented only, no vinegar) Fruits (organic fresh or frozen is best) Blueberries Strawberries Blackberries Cherries Grapefruit Lemon Lime Coconut (fresh/dried: great to add in smoothies, yogurt, berries, etc) MISCELLANEOUS Condiments, spices, seasonings(organic is best, but non-organic is still permitted) Salsa (fresh is best) Guacamole (fresh) Sea Salt White Vinegar Omega-3 Mayonnaise Pickled ginger Organic flavor extract Organic mustard Horseradish Organic Soy Sauce (no MSG, use sparingly) Wasabi (no additives) Coconut Flour Herbs, Spices, & Roots (no added stabilizers) Coconut cream/milk Goat’s milk protein Canned Goat’s Milk/Cream Olives Capers Whole organic commercial salad dressings without high fructose corn syrup Beverages Purified, non-chlorinated water Natural sparkling water, no carbonation (i.e. Perrier) Herbal/green tea (preferably organic) – unsweetened or with a small amount of honey or stevia Raw vegetable juice (in small quantities) Sweeteners Unheated, raw honey (2 Tbsp/day max) Stevia Agave
Please share with us how it is going, the ups the downs and all that comes in between
Cleaning For A Reason
I received this information in an email earlier today and felt it was important to pass along. If you or anyone you know is undergoing chemo please read on.
All My Best,
Autumn
Cleaning for a Reason – Help for women undergoing chemo If you know any woman currently undergoing Chemo, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning – 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service. http://www.facebook.com/l/89e78;www.cleaningforareason.org Please pass this information on to bless a woman going through Cancer treatment. This organization serves the entire USA and currently has 547 partners to help these women. It’s our job to pass the word and let them know that there are people out there that care. Be a blessing to someone and pass this information along.
A Valentines Day Walk to Remember
Lets catch up a little. Yesterday was Valentines Day and I hope everyone had a great day with the people they love. I spent most of the day with my little Valentine…my 1 year old Dominic. It was a beautiful day in Southern California yesterday, about 75 degrees and blue sky’s so I decided to spend the day outside with Dominic. I packed the diaper bag with EVERYTHING I could need, put littleman in the stroller and headed to the park 2 blocks from our apartment. We played at the park for about 30 minutes and when he was good and tried I put Dominic in the stroller and started what would be a LONG but very enjoyable walk. I wanted to walk to the Santa Monica pier which is about 5 miles from our apartment but I could walk along the bike path by the beach so it wouldn’t be to unpleasant.
The the smell of the ocean, the breeze in my hair and the sun on my face made for a relaxing walk down the strand. Dominic slept most of the way and I people watched. It took me just over an hour to make it to the pier. Dominic woke up when we got there and I decided to stop and have lunch. We ate at a little seafood restaurant right on the pier, I was hoping it would be yummy but I have to say it wasnt the best food I ever ate. I ordered fish n chips, I favorite of mine that I never really have because lets face it, it’s not the best thing you could ever put in your body. But I went for it, I was in the middle of a 10 mile walk and felt I more than earned my fish n chips. unfortunately they were not that good, the fish was lacking in flavor to say the least. I peeled the beading away, because why waste the calories if it doesn’t taste good and ate just enough to give me energy to finish my 5 mile walk back home. I had an apple in the diaperbag so I enjoyed that along the way.
We walked almost all the way back to our apartment and I decided to take Dominic out of the stroller to play at the beach for a while. He LOVED putting his little toes in the ocean and feeling the waves hit his legs. We spent a little more time in the sand and then headed up the BIG hill to go home. Dominic was exausted he took a 2 hour nap. What a treat for me. I enjoyed a healthy snack (whole wheat toast with peanut butter and honey and blueberries) I also got to enjoy a shower and watch a little TV before littleman woke up.
When Kent got home from work we enjoyed a nice dinner and watched a movie. All in all is was the perfect Valentines day. What did you do to celebrate?
