How to boost your energy with five easy steps

1. Have protein and Low GI foods for breakfast
Protein sustains the appetite meaning you are unlikely to snack mid morning and your energy levels remain stable until lunch. Many people grab some cereal or quick slice of white toast as they rush out of the door in the mornings. Big mistake.
An egg – boiled, poached or scrambled with a slice of wholegrain toast and piece of fruit may sound like a lot for breakfast but your energy levels will stay up all morning – you won’t need a ‘pick me up’ come mid morning and the savings you make by not needing to snack later means that during the course of the day you are likely to eat less.

2. Up your Iron
Low Iron level is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy and post baby. Iron is needed as your body needs to make more blood when you are pregnant to carry the oxygen around the body. Therefore you need more iron. Without the body’s tissues and organs will not get the oxygen needed to function properly. Your body needs more during the last trimester to maintain placenta and fetus stores. You need 30mg per day in pregnancy and after childbirth. Best food sources are: Red Meat, dark poultry meat (the dark bits of the chicken and turkey), fish, eggs (well cooked) and molasses.
Ensure you have foods rich in vitamin C (50mg a day) when you are eating the iron rich foods, otherwise your body will not be able to absorb the iron. Broccoli, Blackcurrants, red peppers, green peppers, Watercress, Curly Kale and Savoy cabbage, Brussel sprouts (steamed). Kiwis are your best snack option. Spinach actually doesn’t have has much viatmin C as Watercress (26mg versus 62mg per 100g).
Steaming vegetables is best as it will retain all the nutrients (plus it’s quicker!)

3. Improve your Sleep
When you sleep your body re-generates and repairs to bring it back into balance (known as homeostasis). Sleep is also very important for hormone regulation. Hormones have certain jobs to do such as how much fat you store in your body, your heart rate and blood pressure and have a vital role in how or when you get pregnant. Melatonin is key sleep hormone to it regulates when you sleep and quantity of sleep you need. Low levels in your body will result in restlessness, poor sleep and night or early morning waking. It’s produced by the pineal gland and increases during dark or reduced light. Melatonin production is optimum between 10pm and 2am. By dimming the lights an hour before you go to bed you are giving your body the sign to increase production of melatonin. Then make sure you sleep in a pitch black room for great sleep – blackout blinds will help you achieve this.

4. Boost Mood with Selenium
Selenium is a powerful nutrient vital for helping boost immune system, warding off disease and boosting mood. Sickness makes us feel low and lethargic and in pregnancy illness can be make you feel terrible! So snack on foods rich in selenium - brazil nuts are right on top of the list. Chop them and add to muesli or natural yoghurt. Five brazil nuts provides you with your daily recommended amount.

5. Rewire your body
It’s important to learn to relax properly – with today’s ‘racy’ society with everyone on the ‘go’, it’s difficult to ‘switch off’. These two exercises will release tension and boost you.

Shoulder release.

• Lift your shoulders to your ears and place one hand on your chest.
• Does your chest rise as you breathe? Note: This means it is short and shallow and will leave you feeling anxious and low on energy.
• Bring your shoulders half way down, but still in a held position, then imagine they are softening and melting like ice cubes.
• Let them drop naturally to where they should be.
• Feel the back of your neck lengthen and try to breath from your stomach, rather than chest.
  

Neck release.

• Place the palm of your hand against your forehead.
• Press your forehead against the palm of your hand so your head comes forward.
• Keep breathing and avoid pushing your hand or head too much.
• Feel the muscles in the side and front of your neck stand out. Release and let your neck soften.

Two of the best exercises to strengthen and tone your bottom without the gym

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Top exercises to lift and sculpt your bottom

Our bottoms are the largest muscle groups of the body and it's important to strengthen it - not only will it become more toned up, it means it will also mean the body will recruit this muscle when you perform activities such as walking or jogging. These two exercises will help strengthen your bottom and a strong bottom is a toned bottom.

Mini Band Ankle Walks

How to:
1. Start by placing a mini band around your ankles or tie a resistance band around your ankles (with so that your feet are just less than shoulder width apart with the band stretched). Stand with your feet parallel.
2. Keeping your hips level throughout the movement slide your left foot to the left about 6-12 inches or until the resistance is too great and then slide your right foot to a parallel stance again.
3. Repeat this movement for the desired reps or distance.
4. Repeat with the other leg.
5. Make sure you keep your hips level and do not hike your hip to left the lead leg. This will defeat the purpose of the exercise.
It does take some time to master the subtle lifting of the lead foot and abducting it out to the side. Start with a light band until you have mastered the technique. Your foot should only raise just enough to slide it to the side which is like 1/4in.

Dosage: 2 sets of 10-12

Supine hip extension with resistance band

How to:
1. Lie on the floor and place a resistance band across your waist and pin it to the floor with your hands.
2. Extend your hips up towards the ceiling keeping your feet and back on the ground.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Dosage: 2 sets of 10-12

So what do you think? I’d love to hear your comments or answer your questions - post feedback or leave your comments, or feel free to forward this blogpost to your Mummy friends.

Halloween recipe: Curried Pumpkin Soup

This soup is a power food for all mums who have had sleepness nights and need some energy. It is great to have for lunch or dinner. Easily digested and the seeds are good for you being rich in Iron for energy, phosphorous and potassium for metabolism, magnesium for proper nerve and muscle functioning and zinc, improves immunity and (wait for it) sex drive!

A nutrient rich food, pumpkin is rich in Vitamin A and E - good for you eyes and skin. It also contains Antioxidants helping to prevent cell damage that can lead to types of cancer.

Plus - It's quick, and easy to make. Prepare a big batch and keep it in the fridge when you need something 'instant' to eat.

Ingredients
serves 4:
2 tbsps of Vegetable Oil
1 large Onion, finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic, crushed
1-2 tbsps of Curry Paste
900g Pumpkin, peeled and diced
900ml Vegetable or Chicken Stock
Black Pepper

How to cook:

1. Heat 2 tbsps vegetable oil in a large saucepan, add the large onion and Garlic (crushed)and cook for about 5 mins or until onion is softened.

2. Stir in Curry Paste, according to taste and cook for a further 2 minutes

3. Add 900g Pumpkin, peeled and diced and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes

4. Add 900ml vegetable or chicken stock and black pepper, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft.

5. Allow to cool slightly then blend in blender or liquidize in food processor until smooth.

6. Return the puree to pan, adjust seasoning and add a little more stock if necessary.

7. Add 2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt if you like for a creamier texture.

8. Reheat until hot and serve with warm, crusty wholegrain bread.

Exercise of the Week: The Monster Walk

A Taster from our Beez Kneez Mums and Baby fitness session and Mums exercise this week and one of my personal favourites, the Monster Walk.

Target muscle: Gluteus Medius (bottom). This is one of the muscles, aside the tummy, that a new mum wants to tone up and strength first. The role of this muscle is to stabilise the hip during running or walking. If it is weak, it can be a contributing factor in knee pain.

Technique:
• Loop a small length of elastic tubing around thighs, just above the knees or use a resistance tubing with handles and stand on it with feet shoulder width apart.
• Bend knees slightly and start stepping sideways, taking small steps.
• Avoid excessive motion: shoulders should stay over hips and avoid any see-saw type action
• Change direction and repeat

For more exercises, see information on our group fitness courses.

Top Ten Foods to flatten your Mummy Tummy

1. Porridge Oats
Perfect fat fighting food. Oats fill you up as they contain fibre and keep your blood sugar levels even. This means they stop sugar cravings and give you more energy which lasts for longer!

2. Apples
A great ‘handbag snack’ as they are easy to grab and go. Apples contain pectin - which lowers cholesterol, can help diabetes and improve insulin resistance, relieve diarrhea, and acts as a detoxifier, meaning they help empty the stomach and digestion. This improves bloatedness and aids a flat stomach.

3. Blueberries
Perfect with porridge or natural yoghurt at breakfast. A bag or pack in a handbag serves as a good portable snack. An anti-aging superfood, high in antioxidants. Also containing tannins, which bloatedness and promote a healthy flow of food being digested through the intestines.

4. Almonds
Add to chopped fruit or great as a snack to stop sugar cravings. Keep to 1/4 cup and carry in a small Tupperware box. Good for skin and hair condition

5. Eggs
Great source of protein to help build lean, toned muscle. They also keep you satisfied and energised. Great for a quick, easy breakfast – boil and egg in 3-4 minutes.


6. Spinach
Not just for popeye. Spinach contains 5 calories per cup and is incredibly versatile. Add to omelettes, chicken or turkey sandwiches, wraps, salads. Add some cream cheese and lemon juice for a tasty accompliment to salmon. Very good for energy, boosting metabolism and protecting the body against cancer.

7. Yoghurt
I love Greek Yoghurt with fruit and nuts for breakfast as it’s quick and easy to prepare. Yoghurt is a great source of protein helps digestion and makes you feel fuller for longer. Be careful of your choice of yoghurt here – avoid fruit yoghurts and ‘low fat yoghurt which contain High Fructose Corn Syrup or artificial sweeteners, like ‘yoplait’.

8. Chicken
Grill, roast, bake or poach! Very lean and really satisfies the appetite. Great in a wrap or pitta bread. Ideal to help build muscle tone.

9. Wild Salmon Steaks or Fillets.
These contain omega-3′ - essential fatty acids that lower cholesterol and promote fat loss. Salmon regulates insulin levels so good for diabetes and improve blood sugar control and stops cravings which can lead to overeating. Plus omega-3s help your body to burn off calories before they get stored as fat.

10. Figs
These tasty super fruits are full of fibre to prevent you over-eating on other not so healthy foods. Reach for one of these instead of chocolate – you can bake them and eat them with feta cheese for variety and interest!

BONUS TIP: Beat the Bloat with Peppermint Tea.
Peppermint relaxes the muscles of the digestive system – it helps relieve stomach ache, bloatedness and tension. Great to help digest a heavy meal – opt for this ‘superdrink’ rather than coffee when you eat out. My friends over at Teapigs do a delicious ‘Peppermint Leaves Tea’.

Three easy exercises to flatten your mummy tummy,

Discover your abs again and reduce the ‘bulging’ appearance of the mummy tummy and relieve back ache with these easy to do exercises, which focus on the very deep muscles known as the ‘transverse’ or ‘core’. They can be done if you’ve had a c-section or if you gave birth 24 hours ago!

Get ready to elevate your mood, energise and relieve anxiety and stress without pounding a gym or doing crunches.

Plus you can do them feeding the baby or online shopping or reading emails!

For all these exercises you want to imagine your lungs are in your stomach. Your stomach is like a balloon, inflating as you breathe in.

The ‘Belly Breath’
Most people don’t give much thought to how breathing can help them work their abdominal muscles! That’s because many people are ‘chest breathers’ - ‘anxiety’ led breathing in response to everyday life stressors. Correct breathing comes from the rib cage, taking air in and out from the part of the belly right below your ribs and feeling the inner most abdominal muscle move forwards and backwards.

Babies breathe deeply and correctly – just watch when they are sleeping their abdomen goes forward and backwards, which demonstrates my point!

Deep controlled breathing is also an exercise in relaxation, perfect for a new mum who feels overwhelmed or stressed out.
What to do:
1.Sit in a chair with your back supported against the back of a chair or sit against a wall, lower back touching the wall.
2. Place your hands on your stomach above and below your belly button.
3. Breathe in through your nose and blow out your stomach – your stomach is filling with air so watch it expand!
4. Breath out through your mouth, empty your lungs and draw your belly button back in towards you and towards your spine.
5. You should feel your muscles going in and out, forward and backward.

When? When feeding baby, driving, sitting.
How many? 30 breaths drawing your belly button back x3 times a day.

Tip: If your chest rises up and down, this means you are not breathing from your diaphragm, rather breathing too quickly and with your chest. Keep focussed on breath from your stomach.
Relax your shoulders, pulling them down and back.


Stomach Flattener 1: Belly Stepping

What to do:

1. 1.Start seated and place one hand on your belly button and one hand above with fingers spaced.
2. 2. Imagine your transverse (or corset) is a sideways muscle with six steps from belly button round to the parallel point of your spine (lower back). Move one hand around from belly button to the parallel point of your spine.
3. 3. Take a ‘belly breath’ in, as above, feel the transverse muscle expand. Breathe out, pull your belly button in as if you are step backwards to the third step (half way between belly button point and spine). Hold your belly button here and continue to breathe in and out, counting out loud to ten.
4. Now pull your belly button in more, imagine you going back two more steps to the 5th step. This point is ‘belly button to spine’. Count out loud to ten.
   
   CHECK: Keep shoulders pulled down and back.
   CHECK: Your chest has not risen. You should feel your ribs coming together.
   
   Once you’ve mastered this, pull your belly button back one more step to the 6th step, as if it is pushing against a parallel point of your lower back.
   How many? 30 repetitions x 3 a day.

Stomach flattener 2: Contractions
Not the contractions you had during labour! These are more pleasant and get you to re-discover those deep stomach muscles.

What to do:
1. Start seated in a chair or against a wall, with lower back supported.
Place one hand above belly button, one hand below so you feel upper and lower abs, moving backwards.
2. Take a ‘belly breath’ in and your belly inflates.
3. Breath out and pull belly button back to the 3rd step. This is your start position. Now hold the belly button at that position and continue to breathe in and out.
4. Draw the belly button back further to 5th step (Ribs come together)
5. Then release just slightly go forward a little to 3rd step (avoid relaxing belly button completely – you need to keep holding). Count out loud for 3 counts.
6. Draw back to 5th step and hold. Count out loud for 3 counts.

How many? Repeat x 50 (starting at 3rd step, back to 5th step and back to third step is 1 repetition).
When? Whilst feeding the baby or online shopping. Babies love this too – they feel the motion of your transverse muscles as it’s the same side to side movement they felt when they were inside you and you were walking.

Why Bread WON'T make you put on weight

I hear a lot of clients say to me “Bread makes me put on weight” or “I’ve eaten too much bread this week”. Here’s the deal with bread.

It’s what you put on or serve with your bread that can make you pile on the pounds.Plus it’s the type of bread you eat that counts.

The butter, margarine, jams, cheese you put on your bread is fattening, not the bread itself.Fat is fattening – fact you cannot argue with! Here’s why - Carbohydrate (bread, cereals, rice, pasta) has four calories per gram. Protein (fish, meat, eggs) contains four calories per gram. Fat has more than double at NINE calories per gram.
So, you can see which food group is really fattening!

Bread is a source of fibre and complex carbohydrates, it is low in fat. This means it will fill you up, without lots of calories - so you are less likely to snack too often. Plus it aids digestion and reduces sweet cravings.

Norwegian scientist Dr. Bjarne Jacobsen found that people who eat less than two slices of bread daily weigh about 11 pounds more that those who eat a lot of bread.

Certain research from Michigan State University shows that certain types of bread actually reduce the appetite. The research compared white bread to dark bread and wholegrain, high fibre breads (with small nuts and seeds). The students who ate daily slices of dark high fibre bread felt less hungry on a daily basis and lost five pounds in 8 weeks. The others who ate white bread were hungrier, ate more fattening foods and lost no weight.

Plus, as well as not sustaining the appetite, white bread will give you a very short term energy ‘buzz’ but you’ll actually feel lethargic pretty quickly and want another ‘pick me up’.

So you’d want to choose to eat dark, rich high fibre breads – pumpernickel, wholegrain, mixed or multi-grain or granary. The average slice of wholegrain contains only 60-70 calories and will provide you with a steady release of energy and combat any lethargy for the day.