I hate the word... DIET

What is your daily routine and diet? The word “diet” simply means what we consume on a regular, daily, basis. Ones “diet” should never be a short-term deal.  If the diet you are following is not something that you can continue for life, or you feel guilty about the food you're consuming on a regular basis, then it’s not a good one. PERIOD. This is why I am so against “dieting” because eventually everyone goes back to their old habits. And guess what happens then, the weight comes back on, and your health goes back down. You may even be someone that does not struggle with weight but if you aren't consuming healthy fruits and vegetables on a regular daily basis you will not feel healthy and this behaviour will catch up with you as you age.

So ask yourself these simple questions.

#1 Am I happy with my diet?

#2 Am I happy with my weight?

#3 Am I happy with my health?

#4 Do I get 7-13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?

If you’ve answered "no" to any of the above questions then email me (amy@livewellgr.com). I can and want to help you get there!

All we need to focus on is one simple change at a time.  I believe the key is to focus on one simple change until it becomes a habit. For example, drinking more water, or taking the stairs, or increasing your daily consumption of fruits and vegetabes, can be the spark that gets your health back on track. I am so passionate about wellness. Let me help you be your best self and learn to LIVE WELL and BE WELL. God gave us our bodies and it is our job to take the best care of them!

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.