BethelFitMum

Nutrition in pregnancy

Tolu — Wed, 23 May 2018 18:30:21 +0000

Having been through 2 previous pregnancies and currently, in my third, I know all too well the struggles that many women face in pregnancy – from food cravings and aversions to heartburn and indigestion and of course the almost inevitable nausea. While the last thing that you might want to hear while you are dealing with these issues and more is that you need to make “healthy choices”, research has shown that a mother’s nutrition and lifestyle choices during pregnancy can affect the health of both herself and her baby. A healthy diet coupled with regular physical activity can help prevent/manage pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia or excessive weight gain.

If you are currently pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you might find the following nutrition guidelines useful.

Calories

Tracking your calories during pregnancy is not required, it’s something that I myself never do or advice. However, it is important to ensure that you are not eating too much or too little…but what exactly does that mean?

These are the general guidelines available for each trimester of pregnancy.

1st Trimester – There is no increased caloric requirement during the first trimester of pregnancy. Usually, during this time, women tend to experience nausea and food aversions that may make it hard to even meet their daily caloric requirements. I personally find it hard to keep anything down during this period of my pregnancies. I have found that starchy foods and foods high in fiber and protein can be very helpful during this time. Try to choose whole grain options as much as possible for your starches to ensure that you are not eating too many processed foods.

2nd Trimester – During the 2 nd trimester the recommendation is and additional 340kcal/day. This is the equivalent of a slice of bread with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or a small meal of ½ a cup of brown rice with chicken. Many women find that they regain their appetite during the second trimester and are able to better tolerate food, which may lead to overeating. It is important therefore during this time ensure that you are choosing healthy options for your snacks and staying well hydrated (because often times thirst may manifest as hunger).

3rd Trimester – The increased calorie recommendation for the 3 rd trimester is 450kcal/day. This is the equivalent of 2 slices of bread with peanut butter or a turkey wrap. While this is the time with the most caloric need, it is also the time when the belly is at its smallest during the pregnancy, thanks to the growing baby. It is best during this time to eat more frequent smaller meals than to try eating a large amount of food in one sitting, which could leave you feeling extremely uncomfortable to cause heartburn. I find that smoothies are a great way to get calories in during this time. My favorite mixes include berries, banana and kale.

Macronutrients

In pregnancy a diet high in fiber which consists of whole foods (fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates), lean protein and essential fatty acids is ideal. The only macronutrient that has an increased recommended daily allowance (RDA) in pregnancy is protein. It is important to ensure that you are getting adequate protein which is the building block for tissue – and therefore your baby.

Micronutrients

While there is a slight increase in caloric requirements during pregnancy, there is a more notable increase in some micronutrients that are important for fetal development and growth and well as the health of the mother. These include;

Folate – Folate is required for cell growth, and for reducing the risk of neurological tube defects in the fetus. Folate-rich foods include green leafy vegetables, legumes, and folate-enriched flour. However, a folic acid supplement is required because the increased requirement cannot be met through diet alone.

Vitamin B12 – Vitamin B12 is essential for the formation of red blood cells, brain development and for normal neurological function. Pregnant women who are vegans or vegetarians are likely to be deficient in vitamin B12 because it is mostly available in animal products such as, beef, fish and eggs. Such women may require supplementation.

Iron – Iron is required in pregnancy to support fetal and placental growth, as well as the increasing blood volume of the mother. Iron can be absorbed from meat, meat products, fish and dark vegetables. Women who are vegetarian or vegan may require a supplement if they are found to be anemic.

Calcium – The calcium requirement during pregnancy does not increase, however, it is important to meet the RDA because calcium is taken from the mother’s skeleton to support fetal bone development. Calcium is primarily found in dairy products, as well as in leafy vegetables, fortified soy products and cereals.

Vitamin D – An increase in vitamin D is not required. However, it is especially important to have sufficient vitamin D during pregnancy to enhance calcium absorption and deposition. Dietary sources of vitamin D include milk, eggs and oily fish.

Most of the above mentioned micronutrients can be derived from an adequate diet as mentioned as well as from using a good prenatal multivitamin as recommended by your doctor.

Family Food Planning

admin — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 21:48:50 +0000

Guest Blog post by Tracey Sokoya

Happy Labor Day and welcome to another edition of HELP for Mums!

I hope you had a wonderful long weekend with your loved ones even as you prepare for the month ahead.
September is one of my favorite months of the year for a number of reasons;

Its the beginning of Fall -the most beautiful season!
The start of a new school year – which I always loved as student, but love even more as parent
My Wedding Anniversary Month – which we always get to celebrate over labor day weekend!

I guess I just love the fact that September is a month of new beginnings for me and my family and is such a beautiful month. I always feel so motivated and inspired in September. Therefore its only fitting that this month I will be featuring some wonderful Mums who motivate and inspire me.
[If you are new here, check out the Inspire Series I did back in March which featured some pretty amazing women!]

We start off this month’s series with Tracey Sokoya of Traycees.
Tracey (pseudo name Traycees) is a Yummy Mum of 2, a Food entrepreneur, a Food Writer & a Food blogger. Traycess provides simple, tasty, tried and tested recipes for the family.
Today Tracey shares some great Family Food Planning Tips.

Ok so, the world is talking healthy lifestyle, from food to exercise and the list could go on. Healthy eating has now become a part of everyday living in many homes including yours and mine:D. As a busy mum who is managing the family’s needs including food and everything else which competes for your time, it is important to develop some techniques to help ensure that your family continues to eat different foods to;
Increase varieties
Increase nutrient intake because you are varying the family meals… and very importantly
Reduce boredom in the kitchen (as you are not cooking the same thing all the time)

Developing healthier eating habits requires some dedication in order to build a healthier, happier home… Taking bite-size steps can help even the busiest of mums!
As a busy mum of two young ones, food planning is essential to ensure that my family takes in a variety of foods, fruits and vegetables within my food budget. Below are a few of my family food planning tips to ensure my family gets a variety of healthier options.
• Each week, I have a habit of spending at least 30mins/1 hour planning out what we (as a family) will eat for that week. This is especially important if I know I will have a busy week ahead attending to work and business.
• I allocate a certain amount from my food budget for fruits and vegetables for the week. Sometimes, I buy fruits and vegetables from farmers markets because they are organic, sometimes cheaper and taste even better than shop bought fruits and vegetables
• I try to balance the food for the family to ensure that we are having a variety of different foods i.e. decent amount of carbs, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and vary dishes from Western to African foods, curries, stews, sauces. We also love our little desserts for afters- mostly during the weekend
• I use healthier oils in my cooking for example rapeseed oil, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil as they contain saturated fats which are resistant to heat and less likely to react with the oxygen in our bodies , producing free radicals that are harmful. I always look for offers in supermarkets on healthier cooking oils because they are generally more expensive!
• Using herbs, spices and seasoning in my cooking reduces my chances of using prepacked seasonings which contain chemical additives and in some cases, refined salt. Some of my favorite everyday herbs include parsley, thyme, oregano, basil, coriander. Chop away and get those exotic natural flavors in your everyday cooking!
• “Themed fruits” for the week keeps a balance on the fruit intake especially if you find yourself throwing away a lot of fruits because no one is eating them.
• Using ginger and garlic in your cooking has health benefits – for example increasing digestion and absorption of food.
N.B. Did you know that garlic is also great for fighting cold and flu like symptoms? Add in lukewarm water, with some cut ginger , teaspoon of honey and squeeze of fresh lemon for that homemade remedy to fight the cold *wink*

Planning ahead like in all things – saves you time, money, adds value and creativity!
Eat well, live well, feel good…
Blessings

If you would like to get in touch with Traycees here’s how you can do so.
Twitter – @trayceesinfo
Instagram – Trayceesfoodfashion
Facebook – yummymummies food club
Email – traycees@mail.com
Website – www.traycees.com

How To Stay Fit And Healthy As A Mum

admin — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 21:57:29 +0000

Hello there and welcome to another edition of HELP For Mums. Today we get some helpful tips on how to stay fit and healthy from Bunmi Banwo founder of I Am More Than A Diet. I am more than a Diet is passionate about helping women especially new mums tone their bodies and develop healthy eating habits.Borne out of a passion to mentor women who want to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. Bunmi helps women become who they really want to be and compliment their goals with a body and mind to match.

Put your health first: I discovered fitness during maternity leave after I had my second child. On going back to, I had no clue on how I was to cope with taking care of 2 kids, work, house chores, cook and getting out of the house in time to gt to work, much less a workout. It looked daunting. I broke out in spots within a week. But it made me realise that I needed to get creative. I needed to practice what I preached to my clients. My daily 1.5 hour workouts were a thing of the past (and that’s OK), but being active was still a part of who I was and the family life I wanted to create. I began hitting the pavement early in the morning, when that didn’t work as I was getting late to work; I packed my gym bag and hit the park at lunch time. When that didn’t work, I broke my workout into 2 sections in the day. Morning and evening. That made things worse :). I mean I tried every trick in the book till I found what suited me and my lifestyle. As the kids are now older, the challenges have changed and I adapted accordingly, but being fit remained a priority and a measure of my creativity. In all this time, I realised being fit was way beyond losing the baby weight. It is about my health, my sanity and purpose in life. And for this reason, fitness will always be a priority for me. This does not mean I exercise everyday I just don’t make excuses when I have to.

Include the kids in your Exercise time:
- Create family fitness time (Challenge your kids), go to the park for some games, get bikes for the kids and yourself. Have fun with them and get fit at the same time.
- Home exercise: Fitness DVDs are a good way to stay in shape. You may get bored in the end, but it is a good place to start.
- Plan your exercise /fitness around your daily activities: When I take my kids for any activity and I have to wait for them, I don’t sit around playing with my phone. I go for a quick sprint, walk or jog. I have been known to take to the streets with my Jump rope.
- Fitness play dates: invite you friends over for some exercise with their kids. The kids can play together and you and your friends can get your fit on.

Include your family in your new lifestyle: Learn how to cook healthy meals for your family so that it becomes part of your life and you don’t have to eat separate meals. Agreed there will be foods you can’t share with them. But ultimately life will be so much easier for you if your family is included. Especially if we are talking sustainability.
Eat as close to the farm as possible: Whilst exercise is important for energy and fat loss, Eating balanced meals rich in all macronutrients is the key to having lots of energy for your daily activities, clear skin, and melting away the fat that hides your gorgeous curves. Don’t go on a diet. You will only find yourself back to square one. Instead device a plan you can live with for the rest of your life. Avoid cheap shelf-life fat-enhancing chemicals foods that are full addictive’s. Instead, invest in whole quality foods — vegetables, fruits, lean organic meat, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. Drink lots of water. Cut out refined sugars and flours, sweetened beverages sugar laden drinks including diet drinks. So when I say eat as close to the farm as possible, I mean stay away from foods you will not typically find on a farm.

Tips on how

Learn how to read labels. Reading labels is much more than checking the calorie content of the pack. It also involves, serving sizes and macronutrients such as fats, carbohydrate and protein. Also as a rule, if I cannot pronounce an ingredient name on a label , I wouldn’t buy it.
Keep healthy snacks at home
Make your snacks
Don’t eat your kids left over or snacks
Pack your lunch.

Plan: Planning and consistency can take you wherever you want to be a.) Meal prep: This is where most moms fail. Having a simple guide on what foods you want to eat for the week/ day goes a long way. Take a step further and prepare your meals for the week. It will save you a lot of time during the week and a lot of calories. Every Sunday I get back from church, and I cook my meals for Monday – Saturday. This helps me stay away from fast food. This way, I can control what goes in my mouth and my waistline. b.) Exercise: Every weekend sit down and set times to workout throughout the week. Pre-planning gives you time to make adjustments and make it work. Know what you want to achieve each week, making sure you have a balanced workout. For me, I change my routine every month. So I know what I am doing every day of the week. If anything changes. I go with the flow or I improvise. I find that it you don’t plan for your time, some else or something else will plan it for you.

Support System: No one survives without support from one person or the other. Surrounding yourself with people who encourage and support your fitness goals is crucial to your adherence. The road can be long and lonely if you attempt to do it alone. Find a buddy to jog together. Find a buddy who likes to talk about fitness as well or who is aspiring to have the same body you want to have. Motivate each other. If you don’t find anyone, invest in people. Some people do not know they what they want until they see someone else do the same. Draw them closer because the more they learn from you, the more advanced you become.

Sleep, Sleep and Sleep. I am one of those that if sleep deprived, you will not get anything out of. As mums, it’s easy to cut back on sleep to get things sorted for everyone else but us. But Lack of sleep or lack of enough sleep induces stress, which in turn makes us lethargic, causes us to binge, and reduces our metabolic which all point back to weight gain. And of course, if you don’t sleep early, I don’t think waking up early enough to exercise is an option. Even though the time of exercise does not matter, I like to get it over with in the mornings. One of the best decisions I have made lately was to start sleeping early. Everyone in my house is aware that at 8.30pm I am on my bed preparing to snooze no matter what it takes. Because the quality of sleep I get also impacts on the quality of the care they get from me.

The #MyMarchMaddness Inspire Series – Didi Amajor

admin — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 17:01:40 +0000

Hello!
This is the final post on the #MyMarchMaddness Inspire Series. I really do hope that you have enjoyed the features and are as inspired by all these AMAZING ladies as I am!

As that popular poem goes “People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.”
The lady I’m featuring today definitely fits into all three of these categories for me!
Although we have never “met”, Didi has been a major source of inspiration, encouragement and support to me on my fitness journey, and I have learned so many valuable life and fitness lessons from her.
Didi pioneered the #3to30 Fitness Movement which took various women from different walks of life and united them in a cause for healthy and active living. I am so fortunate to have been a part of this initiative out of which a sisterhood was formed and so many dreams were born.
I could go on and on about this lady, but I’ll let you hear all about her inspiring fitness journey from Coach Rexie herself!
For THE BEST workout videos, fitness advice and coaching visit #3to30fitness.

Didi Amajor aka Coach Rexie

Q:What does FITNESS mean to you?
A: Hmm. What does FITNESS mean to me? Fitness means waking up at 5am and spending approximately 86 seconds wondering if hitting the gym for an interval run is really necessary. Fitness means cursing myself for climbing stairs and for eating that extra serving of rice. Fitness means forming, strengthening and developing meaningful relationships. Fitness means getting excited when a friend tells you he or she needs some help with a workout. Fitness means creating a safe haven/platform (#3to30, my fitness group) for over 30 women to share their goals, struggles and success as relates to not just fitness but other aspects of life. Fitness means taking time out of your grueling schedule to record a video or research the benefits of including green foods in one’s diet, knowing that it may impact someone’s life at the right time. Fitness means getting on a rollercoaster and knowing you’ll love and hate it…at the same darn time!

Q: When did you begin living a healthier lifestyle and what inspired you to do so?
A: In April of 2009, after many failed diets/tries (one of them being the infamous Beyoncé diet of cayenne pepper, maple syrup and, was it lemon? I forget), my cousin suggested we lose some weight in preparation for an upcoming girls trip in May. I accepted the challenge, and got straight to work – and this time I knew I would not survive if I tried one of the quick-fix methods or shortcuts. I was 12lbs lighter by the girls trip, and I haven’t looked back since then.

Q:What is your biggest struggle/constraint (if any) to maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
A: I’d say time, and my proclivity for eating/overeating (lol). With regards to time, I’m not referring to the general “I don’t have time” excuse (which I do not subscribe to, bleh). I simply mean that often times, I wish I could spend more time working on things I need to improve fitness/health-wise. Unfortunately, there are only 24 hours in one day (although many have said my days have 28 hours), hence the constraint. As far as overeating goes, I’m a GENUINE food lover (this isn’t about gluttony but actually appreciating the many interesting and creative meals one can concoct using just a few ingredients). Or maybe this is about me being a little (or a lot) greedy? Who knows man, who knows?

Q: What is your favorite type of exercise?
A: That’s a tough call – I like so many! However, at this point in my fit-life, I’m loving body weight exercises like push-ups and pull ups. I also LOVE weighted squats and deadlifts. And jumping. Yes, jumping for sure – jumping jacks, jump lunges, jump squats, burpees etc. What I’m trying to say is, I generally like any exercise that feels like death.

Q: One piece of advice you’d offer to someone that’s feeling discouraged on their fitness journey.
A: You’re going to stumble and it’s going to suck sometimes. You may even cry, throw tantrums or give up on your 20^th “Day 3”. It is OKAY. You are more than your failures or your scale number. What matters is, you learn from the mistakes or slip ups, and you wake up every day with one thing in mind – make the right choices and be the best version of yourself possible. It won’t ALWAYS go as planned but hey, if you shoot for the moon, and fail, at least you’d still be among the stars, right? Lastly, (and I know you said ONE piece of advice but I’m a little loquacious) surround yourself with people who not only inspire, motivate and push you in the right direction, but hold you accountable.

Q: What body part (if any) would you change?
A: Is this a trick question? It kind of feels like my response should be, “Nothing! My body is perfect!” Okay well, since we are talking TRUTH here, I’d say my lower back needs to house juuuuust a little less fat, and my upper mid-section need not protrude as much. Oh, there’s also another area which for PG reasons, I will not mention. Let’s just say, I was unduly robbed by the fat loss gods and Mother Nature but I still do believe that I was wonderfully made by my Maker!

The #MyMarchMaddness Inspire Series – Lola Akingbade

admin — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 15:46:05 +0000

I am VERY PASSIONATE about prenatal /postpartum fitness! It’s one thing to get active in order to lose the weight after having a baby, it’s quite another (admirable) thing to stay active throughout the pregnancy!
I stumbled upon Lola’s Instagram page (@christsoildergirlfitness) a few months back and was so intrigued by her preggo exercise videos. I admired that she stuck with it right through to the end because that is something that I have never been able to do while pregnant. I have also enjoyed watching her get right back into it after having her baby.
If you need some prenatal/postpartum fitness advice, inspiration and coaching check out the CHRISTSOLDIERGIRLFITNESS webpage.

Here is Lola’s #MyMarchMaddness interview…
Lola Akingbade aka christsoildergirlfitness

Q: What does FITNESS mean to you?
A: Fitness is a lifestyle that involves the body, soul and mind. It involves much more than being physically strong or fit. Being fit impacts every area of our lives in ways that we may not think about. It changes how we think about life by teaching us to push the limits. While in the gym, you try something and think it’s impossible to do, but with practice, before long, you are doing much more than you expect. It basically helps maximize potentials in every area.

Q: When did you begin living a healthier lifestyle and what inspired you to do so?
A: I started working out when I gained my share of freshman 15. I worked out for hours, ran, tried so many diets till I eventually lost the weight. However, I only focused on the number on the scale and thus it was not a lifestyle but just a way to avoid gaining weight. It really became a lifestyle about 3 years ago when I started to include weight lifting and running in my workouts. I fell in love with working out realized it didn’t have to be about the number on the scale. I also learned that the scale may not show the inches coming off or the benefits this lifestyle is making both physically and emotionally. I started to focus more on how I look and feel.

Q: What is your biggest struggle/constraint (if any) to maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
A: My biggest struggle right now is finding time to workout with my 6 weeks old baby. I have had to become more flexible in working out by making use of any free time she is sleeping or even include her in my workouts by using her as my weights. Some days I am unable to workout, but I try to stay active throughout the day.

Q: What is your favorite type of exercise?
A: I love lifting weights most especially doing squats and deadlifts. They target the entire body and work more muscles than most workouts do. Weight training improves muscle tone, burns more calories and also increases strength and endurance.

Q: One piece of advice you’d offer to someone that is feeling discouraged on their fitness journey.
A: The main advice I will give is to never compete with anyone else but yourself. Competing with others will only get you frustrated. Our bodies are different and so results will always vary even if you do the exact routines. Also commit it to God and trust him. Stay dedicated to your goal on this journey and get back up after every stumbling block. It’s easy to fall off the wagon when you don’t see the results you expect.

Q: What body part (if any) would you change?
A: I actually really love my body and so i don’t really have a body part I would change, however I would love to have tighter glutes and thus I try to focus a lot of time on training them.

The #MyMarchMaddness Inspire Series – Ronke Edoho (9jafoodie)

admin — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 05:07:36 +0000

The Bethel Fitness/ Bethel Fit Mum platform was born out of my desire to inspire and motivate other women to a healthier lifestyle after going through my own weight loss journey. But it would be unjust of me to say that I did is ALL on my own. Yes I put in the work and made the changes, but there were people that I was able to look to for the inspiration and motivation that I needed along the way!

For the next few days I will be doing features on some of the wonderful ladies that have inspired and motivated me in my fitness and healthy lifestyle journey.

Ms. Ronke Edoho aka 9jafoodie

If you love Nigerian food and you don’t already know about 9jafoodie then your dishes are probably not achieving their Full Yumminess Potential (FYP)!
I stumbled upon this lovely lady’s blog early in my weight loss journey. Being more health conscious, I wanted to ensure that my entire family was eating better, and her recipes were just what I needed to accomplish this! Before I discovered 9jafoodie I HATED cooking Nigerian food because I felt that the process was always too long and tedious, but her recipes make cooking fun and save me lots of time!

She recently released the Lose It Nigerian (LIN) e-book which has become a permanent fixture on my kitchen counter :). With over 50 recipes to choose from, there is something (very yummy!) for everyone. I am a proud member of the LIN family and always will be!

Ronke is an inspiration to me because even though she is an internationally known food blogger and working mother she has managed to keep up with a healthy lifestyle. I love the fact that she has been able to turn her love for food into something that can help others achieve a healthy lifestyle balance – which just goes to show what a genuinely caring person she is!

For #MyMarchMaddness, I asked Ronke a few questions about her fitness journey and here’s what she had to say…

Q: What does FITNESS mean to you?
A: Fitness for me is about confidence. When you eat well and exercise, you are just more confident about yourself no matter what size that might be.

Q: When did you begin living a healthier lifestyle and what inspired you to do so?
A: My quest for a healthier life started in my early 20s. I was overweight and depressed about my size. I wanted to be a better version of myself and that meant working hard and making conscious healthy eating decisions.

Q: What is your biggest struggle/constraint (if any) to maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
A: For me, it’s being a food blogger. I cook a lot of things for the blog and it’s often difficult to not overindulge in the calorie dense dishes.

Q : What is your favourite type of exercise?
A: I love strength training.

Q: One piece of advice you’d offer to someone that’s feeling discouraged on their fitness journey?
A: DO NOT rely solely on the scale. You might be losing fat and gaining muscle at the same rate so the scale might not change. Take measurements as well as weekly pictures, these are better indicators of success.

Q: What body part (if any) would you change?
A: My waist. I will love love love to have a 26 inch waist. This is not something I think I can ever achieve but a girl can dream. Lol.

#MyMarchMaddness

admin — Tue, 01 Mar 2016 00:00:56 +0000

Hello! The month of March is finally here and so is #MyMarchMaddness! No I am not a basketball fanatic, but I will admit that I am a fitness fanatic I love the month of March for various reasons-

It’s the beginning of SPRING (read “END OF WINTER!”)
Easter (sometimes)
AND most importantly MY BIRTHDAY (aka PI day!)

This year is a special milestone birthday for me – I turn THE BIG 30! – and rather than have a big stressful birthday party that I honestly don’t have the time or energy to plan, I want to celebrate by really focusing on the things that matter the most to me. 1. My Faith 2. My Family 3. My Fitness And they really do fall in this order (most of the time) I have decided to capture the Fitness portion of this celebration through #MyMarchMaddness;

MOTIVATING others to

increased ACTIVITY

DETERMINING to remain

DEDICATED to good

NUTRITION

building ENDURANCE and

STRENGTH and

offering SUPPORT! I will be sharing various aspects of my my fitness journey/regimen over the next 4 weeks like;

exercise routines – for all fitness levels to try (trust me these will be fun!)
some meal prep tips, ideas and awesome recipes I use (for the whole family!)
features on people that have helped and motivated me along this journey…

and so much more!

I welcome you to come along with me on this journey and I hope that you get inspired to a healther and more active lifestyle along the way! “Beloved, I wish above all thing that you mayest prosper and be in good health, even as your soul prospereth” – 3 John 1:2