An Update on Mama's Fitness !

Its been awhile since Ive blogged. And boy does it feel good ! I have been busy with myself being a mom, trying out the world of Usana. Even went to a Dr. Oz event, in which case he spoke about the benefits of health. He mentioned somethings in everyday life that I agree. But being a personal fan myself, I agree with most suggestion in every day health.

It was definitely a good experience in a new chapter in my life. At the event i was able to see and hear speak from the founder and CEO of Usana. Got some great pictures. So yea, it was a good experience.

But one thing I still see around me is the importance of fitness. I promote health, I promote vitamins and in some cases. Protein shakes and bars, depending on your fitness goals. But i cant stress the importance of movement of the body. I cant go for more than 2 days with out working out. Maybe it sounds odd, but i feel stiff in my joints and my mood feels altered in a negative way.

But back to my fitness. I undoubtedly have GRRR ! moments when it comes to my body. I am back again battling my jeans. Oh , how i loath that feeling of self pity over a piece of fabric.

But i also learned how to take my mind out of that horrible mind set and reevaluate my food habits and physical movements. I can say with all honesty, that i was over consuming candy, ice cream and chips. I broke my own rule by bringing a bag of candy in my house and i found myself munching on snicker bites through out the day.

 I have to admit ! I love FOOD !

But I think I love my vanity more. As i get older, it is a challenge to keep up with the image i once had of myself as a teen. I'm a mother and getting older, this is a hard fact to come to grips with. I also came to grips with the fact, I have a habit of being consistent and once i break for a day or two. This break can last a week or two, or even in worse cases a month. I'm starting to recognize these awful habits and I want to change myself.

 So once again, i am back to trying to loose a 1-2 inches again from the waist. To fit my jeans. Ugg!  But I also think at this time in my life,  i dislike where i live because i do not have the spacey home i once had and i don't move about my home like i once did. I look forward to moving to my next home this year because i want to make this my home fore the next couple of years. I have been moving every year for 5 years and its getting kinda old.

I want to focus right now on my son, he is getting into childcare. My big boy is getting so big and i must break away for the best. So i can work more, for extra mula for us. Im working towards our new home, I also want to focus on my health as well my son's, my education- school starts next month  and my blog. I let my attention drift to things that are no so important and i need to crack a whip on myself.

So this past week, I am getting things done. No more excuses !

As far as my food, I got rid of my candy and sweet breads. I have more fruits and veggies in the fridge. I need to cook more for myself. I recently fast my self for almost 2 days and got my bloated stomach down. And I started eating better and working out again. I feel much better about myself compare to a week ago but not yet thrilled. But this is a start.

Here are some recent pictures of myself. ...

Thanks for reading !

Tasty Snacks under 100 calories !

Hey You !
Ship Shape Mama is going to help introduce 100 calorie snacks to curb your sweet tooth that helps you stay on your diet. Now, you can enjoy your sweet cravings with out the guilt of thinking its too many calories. Here's a list of foods I have tried out through times I was watching my food in-take.

A list of 100 calorie & under tasty snacks !


*  100 cal. wheat bread

*  100 cal. cappuccino drink packs

*  100 cal. cottage cheese w/ fruit snack pack

*  Quaker oatmeal 80-90 cal. chewy bars
    ( original, chocolate chip and peanut butter )

*  Nesquik Chocolate Milk 100 cal. drink

*  Quaker Oatmeal packs original or brown sugar/ 100 cal. per pack 


*  100 cal. Twinkies snack packs

*  90 cal. mini Coke Cola soda cans
     (other flavors available )

* 1 Mini can Sprite 70 cal. and C affine Free

*  100 cal. mini Ice Cream Drum sticks

*  1 chocolate or vanilla mini ice cream cups 100 cal.

*  1 low cal. chocolate  Fudgesicle   40 cal.


*  10 cal. Crystal Light lemonade powder packs on the go !
     ( other flavors available )

*  100 cal. Pretzels snack mini bags on the go !

*  100 cal Nabisco Oreo cookie packs 

*  100 cal Nabisco chocolate chip cookie packs

*  100 cal Cheese-itz snack packs

*  100 cal teddy grams cookie packs  

*   1 Kraft cheese string cheese 40-60 cal.

*   0 cal. Mustard !

*  3 thin slices of thin cut ham 60 cal. with 1 slice
    bread 50 cal. with 0 cal. mustard !

* 1 boiled or scrambled egg 40-60 cal.
    with 1 toast bread 50 cal. !

*  100 cal. Pop corn packs ! with low sodium !

*  90 cal. Caprice Juice packs

* 50 cal. per serving Gatorade

* 50-100 cal. per a corn tortilla with 1 slice cheese 50 cal.
   ( quesadilla )

*  Tortilla wrap !
1 corn or flour tortilla 50 cal. with 1 thin slice ham 20 cal and 1 slice cheese 50 cal. ( 0 cal. mustard )

* 50 cal. & under 1 raw with skin Apple

* 70 cal. 1 Banana

*  1 navel Orange 50 cal.

*  1 serving of red or green Grapes 35 cal.

*  1 peach 30 cal.

* 1 serving of watermelon 35 cal.

*  1 serving of Pineapple 30 cal.

*  1 pear 75 cal.

*  1 small mango 100 cal.

*  1 serving of Raisins 45 cal.

*  1 Nectarine 70 cal.

* 1 serving of Black Berries 65 cal.

* 1 Kiwi 50 cal.

* 1 Lemon 20 cal.

* 1 cup of Strawberries 50 cal.

* 1 medium Tomato 20 cal.

*  1 cup of diced Celery 20 cal.

*  1 Romain leaf 2 cal.

*  1 Ice Berg lettuce leaf 2 cal.

* 1 cup of chopped Broccoli 30 cal. with 1 slice cheese 50-60 cal.

*  1 cup of sliced Bell peppers 20 cal. with a 1 scrabbled egg 40-60 cal

*  1 cup of  Yo-plait Yogurt 100 cal & under !

 *  1 cup of Chocolate or Tapioca snack pack pudding 90 cal.

*  1 serving of Real Reddi Whip Cream 20 cal.






 

There are many more Food Items out there to help you stay on track!

Hopefully I could give you a head start on what you can eat while watching your diet !



Thanks for reading !

SOME Questions about What Exactly is Yoga ?

So what is exactly is Yoga ?    Some people ask some obvious to odd questions about it..so I will answer some now.   ;-)     I will try to keep it short and simple .



1. What is Yoga ?
        Its is the physical and mental health of ones body.

2. Where did Yoga come from ?
       Yoga came from India and it has been around for over 5, 000 years.

3. What is the most important thing to do while practicing Yoga?
      Practicing Breathing techniques while staying focus is very important.

4. What is Ujjayi breathing ?
         It is (vigorous) breathing practiced through your stomach rather from your chest with concentration and focus.

5. What are asanas ?
      It is poses that are used in yoga.

6. Where does your posture start from?
      Posture starts from the top and it is important to be mindful of ones body when practicing yoga to prevent injury or aches.

7. What are the 3 main parts to protect while practicing Yoga ?
      The lower back, neck and knees are most important to protect.

8.Whats the main action of my spine while doing Yoga ?
    Keeping the spine, muscles, tissues and bone straight at all times when the pose calls for the spine to be straightened.

9. What are proper and improper alignments?
     Hunching your back is a improper alignment than keeping it straight.

10. Why do people say Namaste and what does it mean?
     Namaste means from the soul of great honor and respect to the teacher to student and student to teacher. We say it to have a great and peaceful day.

11. What do you do after a back bend?
        You do a forward bend to loosen the tension in you back.


These are some examples of yoga positions (asanas) for beginners to start off with. ;-)

Thanks for reading !

My yoga routine.. ;-)

So far my yoga routine has kept my body looking fantastic, but recently I had a bit of a food consumption issue. I am a very picky eater, I can love a particular food like for example eggs and hate it the next. Don't ask me why why but its like a trigger that goes off in my head that just says eggs equals vomit lol...and let me add, even if I attempt to eat it.I will throw it up....Most can say its all in my head and yes I agree but its a trigger that I yet to find what causes it. Maybe I over indulge first than get sick of it later huh lol

Because of my silly minor set backs, I have to find other ways to get my protein in-take. I'm a huge cow and pig eater lol... sorry vegetarians ;-) Lets not forget beans...love them. Back to yoga...I had to cut back because it was making me too lean...yuck! and my muscles showed more...idk I think I looked dude-ish to me...lol maybe because I'm to much of a chick lol

Anyway, I gained a couple of pounds which I am aiming for because I'm trying to feed my muscles and keep my woman-ness aka boobs/booty lol I am going to stay on that road for another week. Than start back up with my yoga.

For anyone curious of my food intake...I'm doing beef and pork..I drain the fat...not all of it ! I like it and so does your body, just don't over do it. I eat veggies like corn, green bean and carrots. Its really hard for me to eat steam veggies by itself so I make my self meat loafs or I fry some beef with corn and papas lol nam nam yum lol I hate to say but I'm a soda freak so I will try to cut back and I have a little but to Gatorade. Its better but not as good as water ya know ...

thanks for reading ;-)

My adventure after birth.. ;-)

Since giving birth, everything went according to plan as far my weight lose. I consciously took in a specific about of calories through out my pregnancy. Before I went into labor, the day before I weighed my self at 145. After giving birth, the first month I lost a dramatic weight lose of 30 pounds. I took full advantage of breast feeding for the first two months. After, I'm sorry but I couldn't keep up with my son. loll

After all that water weight shed so quickly. I was left with a body i like to call skinny fat. I had no muscle definition but of course my internal muscles where stretched out. It literally took me months to feel right again. Though a woman may appear fine several months after giving birth. I can tell you the opposite, I still felt weak and not just muscles but just a very well conscious feeling that your insides are still positioning. Organs are still shrinking back to size. I also realized that if you don't watch your weight carefully, you can gain weight after giving birth easily because of the habit of eat a large amounts of food. And breast feeding can trick you because you get even more hungry.

Any way I watched my caloric intake and if your wondering. I ate a majority of protein to slim down. I mostly eat beef, potatoes and selected veggies..I am a very picky eater and I'm a plain Jane. So I like my food really simple. I will mention my nutrition later on blogging..

I worked on my body my practicing my yoga moves. I really don't a specific time frame or day I do this. I usually do it in a daily bases for a few seconds or maybe a hour...when ever the mood strikes me to be active. I enjoy listening to music while I exercise. I also started using a pull up bar but trust me, It took me a year to finally say i can do several reps..ha ha

Everything took patience and yet it is still a battle playing the waiting game loll :-)

Tips that I have followed through out my Pregnancy

First let me just share that even though I am starting my blog late in my pregnancy. And I have not shared my day by day routine of my journey of maintaining my weight in my earlier months. I still want to share what steps I have taken to get where I an at today.

I also want to share the tips or as I call them (guidelines) that have worked for me. But I want to stress towards my readers that what may have worked for me, may not work for others. Also, I am not an expert in weight loss, nor managing your weight. This also includes exercising or doing moderate exercising such as everyday movement, like house hold cleaning.

First and for most, I followed simple guidelines that has helped me through my pregnancy. (With the help of my husband has my reminder.)

1. "Listen to your Body"! (When you are hungry,full,tired,achy or achy from a workout.)

This also includes the following guidelines I follow....

2. "Eat until you are Satisfied"!, "Not Full"! (Don't over eat just because the food around you looks good or if you are bored.)

3. Drink water everyday. (The more you drink water the less you drink your calories, plus it is good for you.)

4. Eat fruit and vegetables everyday. (Careful how much fruit you eat, fruit has natural sugar and you can over consume to much sugar than your body needs.)

5. Exercise 3-4 times a week, starting at 1-2 times a week is a good start whether it is 5 to 30 minutes. (You can take a walk, ride a recumbent bike or do yoga.) These are just a few ideas...

6. Have a journal or calendar handy so you can keep track of your weight, days/minutes you exercised and any other things you want to keep track of.

7. Buy sweets such as cookies and ice cream in 100 calorie portions. (This will help you start good habits in portion control.)

8. Pick up a hobby if you spend the majority of your time at home. So you'll stay busy and avoid eating when you get bored. (Examples: scrap booking, painting and even blogging)