My Life. Her Choice. Adoption.

Wellness is definitely a passion of mine and I love encouraging others to live well, exercise and eat right but my spiritual life is something so special to me and I need to share something that God has been weighing on my mind lately.

I am the result of a closed adoption. My parents have always shared this information with me and I have never felt strange or different and since it's not a big deal to me I rarely ever talk about it unless asked. However, after having both of my boys I can't help but think about going through a pregnancy and giving my child away, and the complete selflessness that that involves. Pregnancy is no joke, and I consider both of mine very low risk, one could even say "easy", for the most part and it still does so much to your body physically and to your hormones and emotions. I can't even fathom going through that and giving away my child but I am married, have financial stability and want a family. Take away my finances and my husband and the want for a child and I would be scared to death if I became pregnant. I feel for all of the women in this situation. It goes without surprise though that I am an advocate for adoption. It is an AMAZING GIFT you can give to your child if you or someone you know finds themselves in the situation of an unwanted pregnancy.

There are a lot of things in this world that are confusing to me. One of them is why God allows so many unwanted pregnancies but puts couples through infertility who desire a child so much. Working in OB I see these situations frequently and both circumstances break my heart for those women, especially if abortion is involved. Having been the result of a successful adoption I feel the need to share that I am so thankful for my life, for all of the experiences and blessings I've been given and that I am so in awe of how everything has worked out. I mean think about it my life was her choice.

 I felt compelled to share this and maybe it will help someone choose adoption for their little one. And just know if you do, or know someone who did or is considering those babes will be ever so grateful for the life you chose for them. Thank you birth mom. 

Oh and I promise I will start blogging wellness articles again soon http://www.livewellgr.com and head over and like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Live-Well-GR  This working mama of two boys is busy busy busy.

For more information on adoption check  https://www.facebook.com/Adoption/?fref=ts and http://adoption.com

Be kind to yourself.

We all have days when we overeat or indulge in some yummy dessert or snack that may not have been the best choice but it is all about having a "well" mindset. We should enjoy these things and not get down on ourselves when we do.  It should not be viewed as a "slip up" if you enjoyed it and once it was done you moved on.  For women especially we can feel guilty and start talking negatively about our body and behaviors which really affects us and sabotages our goals more than we think.  What if talking kindly to yourself would actually help you reach your health and fitness goals.  Studies have shown that it does in fact make a huge difference, and it makes sense to me. When you are feeling badly about yourself you're less likely to take the time to make a healthy meal or the motivation to exercise. However, by practicing positive self-talk and affirmations you will learn to phase out the "it's all ruined" mentality, forgive yourself (if that's necessary) and get back to living well.  

Questions about breastfeeding and weight loss for all of the postpartum ladies!

When is it time to start exercising after having a baby?

       I just had my second son three weeks ago and I am starting to feel back to my normal self. After having a baby it's really important to wait until your doctor clears you for exercise.  Typically if you are feeling pretty good and your bleeding has stopped you will be ready to get started.  It's important to remember you were pregnant for 9 months and it takes awhile to get back to your pre-pregnancy self so start slowly and LISTEN to your body. If you push yourself too much you could make your recovery process longer. I love starting with walks outside with my baby and exercises I can do inside while my toddler and baby are napping. Aiden, my three week old son, usually is sleeping right in front of me while I do an exercise video. Somedays it won't 'work out' (ha!) and as a mom I know that every day is different and I have to be flexible. My go to postpartum video is 'Tracy Anderson Method: Post-Pregnancy Workout'.  It is challenging but yet if you're not ready for certain exercises she recommends adjustments and you really can feel yourself getting stronger as you continue with the exercises. It is really motivating when you can do more and more every week and see your skin attaching back to your abdominal muscles.  So get outside while it's still nice out (I am NOT looking forward to winter) and try to do something for yourself everyday. Some days it may be more important for you to nap while your baby naps. Remember to LISTEN to your body and take it slow. Also, make sure if you are breastfeeding you are consuming more calories when you start exercising regularly to replace those lost calories. Exercise is helping pull everything back into place and tighten and tone everything.  You also must make sure you are drinking enough water otherwise you could see your supply decrease.

What’s the deal with breastfeeding and losing the baby weight?

Working as a physician assistant in an OB office, women ask me all of the time if I breastfeed to help lose the baby weight. Unfortunately the answer is NO and you shouldn't diet and breastfeed. I am starving all of the time and to breastfeed properly you have to eat 500 more calories everyday to make sure your milk is healthy. If you don't it's very hard on your body to try to produce breastmilk out of nothing, versus consuming adequate calories and nurturing your body properly. Breastfeeding is not a weight loss tool; but it does produce contractions that help pull your uterus and stomach back into position better. It also forms a great bond between you and your baby and is a way to feed them and support your baby’s health.  Every mom is different with how their body will react to breastfeeding. On demand breastfeeding for most women will burn more calories than what they can consume and so will actually aid in their weight loss. But, it definitely doesn't work like this for everyone. 

The Pegan Diet

One of the newest diet trends right now is the Pegan diet; a combination that incorporates two of the more well known diets: paleo and vegan.  The pegan diet focuses primarily on fruits and vegetables, specifically encouraging that 75 percent of your diet comes from plant based foods, and the other 25 percent from animal protein and high-quality fats.  Animal sources should come from organic, grass-fed and antibiotic-free animals like chicken, beef, fish and eggs, and high-quality fats from olive, coconut and avocado oils, as well as avocados and nuts. The diet also incorporates healthy grains from gluten-free, whole grains, like quinoa for example. Soy, dairy and sugar are three big no-no's while following this diet plan. 

From a dietitian stand point I love that 75% of this diet is based on fruits and vegetables.  I definitely think that this brings vitamins, minerals and nutrients that our bodies need in their purest and most absorbable form.  I also agree with the healthy fats that are encouraged, this is what we should always gravitate towards regardless of following a pegan diet or not.  One huge problem I have though is the discrimination against dairy. For individuals who can't tolerate dairy, and I know there are a lot of you, then yes of course stay away. But, if you tolerate dairy well, then I encourage three servings of low fat dairy daily from milk, cheese, or yogurt. Some studies have shown that this helps with weight maintenance.  Another problem I have is the limited amount of protein.  If people are trying to lose weight then they optimally need at least 35% of their total calories to come from lean, healthy protein.  We don't want the body to break down muscle to get its protein needs, we want to encourage lean muscle building and that means adequate protein intake. The pegan diet also excludes legumes/beans, besides lentils, which I definitely don't agree with.  These are good natural sources of protein and should not be discarded from any healthy diet plan.  

So, if you want to try to follow a pegan diet go for it, but if you tolerate dairy don't leave it out, and keep consuming legumes. Otherwise how can any dietitian argue with a diet that encourages 75% of intake from plant based foods...I love that!