Long daylight hours for walking

Now that the days are long, we've been doing a lot more late day family walks. Actually, we've kind of been forced out of our house each evening. You see we're trying to sell our house and realtors keep calling to show the place after 5 PM. With lack of a better idea, we've been sticking the kids in a stroller and going for long walks to the playground. And you know what? My husband and I are getting a ton more exercise. Pushing two kids, plus a stroller up the hills in our development is quite a workout. We come home drenched in sweat. Maybe once the place sells, we'll keep up the walks (at least that's the hope).

New Report by the USDA: Creative Solutions for Controlling the Purchase of Unhealthy Foods

I just came across an interesting report (click here to access a more in-depth review of the report) by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) with proposed methods of helping consumers choose healthier foods -- I must admit, it is one of the more creative (government) solutions to the obesity epidemic yet. It mainly has to do with helping adjust behavior vs. more education. It may work for those who struggle with the temptation to purchase unhealthy foods (which is pretty much everyone).
Here are some of their suggestions --
*using a prepaid "healthy card" in grocery stores and schools - an example would be limiting the purchase of treats and sodas or at least keeping them to a minimum. Also, the report states that in schools it could be pre-determined what portion of the card had to be spent on fruits and vegetables.
*portion sizes - we get it.
*on-line grocery shopping -- this could help avoid the temptation of buying less healthful foods at the store, you would simply drive up and pick up your order.

Moms need a good laugh

The other day my one-year old son took a yogurt and dumped the whole thing on his head, then proceeded to rub it in. My natural reaction was to clench my teeth and scream. But as I heard my 4 year old just laugh at the baby like it was the most hilarious thing he'd ever seen, I let go of the anger and joined in. You know what...as the three of us were laughing, I felt calm and more relaxed. In the often stressful life of a mom, you need a hearty laugh on a daily basis - it really makes things better. I guess that's why studies show that laughter is good for your health and can even make you live longer. (Bonus: less stress can help with weight loss, too.) Here's a great site, made especially for moms, for one of "those days," when a good laugh is what you need.

Too much weight during pregnancy = more weight 15 years later

Well, it seems that all women tend to gain weight over time, but those who gain too much weight during pregnancy keep even more pounds on. A study out of Sweden showed that women who gained more than the recommended 25-35 pounds (healthy pre-pregnancy weight) or 15-25 pounds (overweight pre-pregnancy) had higher weights 15 years later than those who gained either the recommended amount or less. On average they weighed 22 pounds more than they did prior to pregnancy even 15 years later; those who gained the right amount during pregnancy still weighed about 15 pounds more 15 years later compared to pre-pregnancy weight.
It sounds bleak, but it doesn't have to be. During both of my pregnancies, I was concerned about gaining too much. So, I made a pretty big effort to eat close to the way I ate before I was pregnant. I would have an extra snack or two when I got hungry, but stuck to lowfat yogurt, nuts or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I also made sure to keep exercising, at a bit lower intensity. I gained about 20 pounds during each pregnancy and took it off within a month of giving birth. My boys were both a healthy 7 pounds 10 oz so for me it was the right amount to gain. I'm a big proponent of keeping the weight gain closer to the lower end of the range as much as you can. The key is to continue eating a good diet, exercising and listening to your body. Those are my tips. What worked for you?

Avoid packing on pounds when traveling

Memorial Day weekend kicks off the summer travel season. Whether driving, flying or taking the train, keeping your weight loss "on track" while on vacation can be a challenge. Here's a good article from a well seasoned travel writer who just lost 42 pounds with lots of tips on eating light and fitting in exercise when you're away from home. Happy trails!

Good article -- Which diet is best?

I just saw an article that is really good. I cannot link to it but you can find it in the May 22 issue of the Harvard Health free HealthBeat Newsletter called Which Diet Works Best? -- it explains and compares the different popular diets, low carb, high protein and low fat diets. Their bottom line -- all diets will work as long as you decrease calories. So, good news - pick the diet that works for you ( just remember to choose the good carbs, good sources of protein and healthy fats in whichever diet you choose).

Breast feeding and weight loss after pregnancy

I've had several recent conversations with moms of young children about the topic of breast feeding and weight loss. Since breast fed infants are provided about 600 calories through breast milk, logically, breast feeding would help with weight loss in the mother if she doesn't increase her intake by as much. It's also a notion supported by scientific research as well as nutrition guidelines for lactating women, who are told to consume 500 calories more per day than non lactating women. In my own experience, breast feeding helped to take off the weight I gained during both of my pregnancies.
But, recently two women I spoke with on separate occasions, told me that for them, breast feeding actually kept the pounds on and they didn't lose the weight until they stopped nursing at about a year. I wonder if psychologically they continued to "eat for two" until they stopped nursing or if their body adapted to the increased needs and "hung on to the weight" during this time? Have you had this same experience? I'm curious how many people have a tough time losing weight while breast feeding - perhaps because of a stoked appetite - but then take off the weight once they wean.