Jessica Alba just a couple of weeks (if that) post baby, already looking fabulous….

Q: My baby is almost 4 months old…what do you recommend regarding exercise, losing weight and breastfeeding? I have read conflicting things and would like to know the best, safest way to lose the baby weight without it affecting my breastmilk.

Thank you!

–Michelle B.

A: This is a question that is near and dear to my heart since I am expecting my first baby at the end of August. I am someone who practiced what I preached. I kept a pretty strict diet and worked out pretty hard – I avoided wheat, dairy and most starches/sugar on a regular basis and weight lifted at least 2 times per week plus cardio 4-5 times per week. WOW did my world get turned upside down when I got pregnant. Needless to say that I have put on more then a couple pounds and had to slow down with the workouts. The result is that I feel fat! I know, I know…I’m pregnant but I thought I would be one of those people who only gained the appropriate 25 pounds. NOT SO!

When I got this question it sparked an urge to formulate a “Bring Sexy Back” plan for all of you moms who want their pre-baby body’s back.

From the research I have done, it is okay to work out pretty intensely assuming you exercised pre baby. It’s the calories you take in or lack thereof that mostly affects the amount of breast milk you will produce. As long as you are providing your body with the right amount of calories coming from good quality, ‘clean’ food there should be no reason you can’t lose the weight!

THE “BRINGING SEXY BACK” PLAN

*If you have never exercised before reduce the exercise portion by half the days and time and work up to 4-5 days per week.

Consult your physician before starting any exercise or diet plan.

Consistency is key!

Exercise:
Cardio: 4-5 times per week for at least 30 minutes (moderate to vigorous intensity)
• Walking/running on the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical or stair climbing.
• Classes at a gym.
• Going for a brisk walk with a stroller.

Nutrition:
Breastfeeding moms need to make sure they are getting enough calories. For weight loss purposes it’s the type of calories that matter. Maximize your eating by consuming lots of low calorie foods like fruits and veggies!

Tips:
• Make sure you are eating every 3-4 hours
• Don’t let yourself get hungry – then the cravings are too strong to avoid
• Ensure you have cut up fruits and veggies on hand to snack on
• Spend some time cooking and freezing - helps to avoid ordering take out
• ALL MEALS SHOULD CONTAIN A LEAN PROTEIN AND GOOD QUALITY FAT
• Avoid starch at dinner
• Avoid empty calories – sugar is the enemy!
• Load up on fiber

Breakfast: HAVE IT!
• Make sure it contains protein and a complex (full of fiber) carb
• Slow cooking oats with egg whites or cottage cheese is a good choice

Snacks: Fruit with nuts or whole grain crackers with a nut butter

Lunch:
• ½ cup complex carb (quinoa, brown rice etc.)
• 4oz protein
• Veggies
• 1 tbsp fat

Snack: Veggies with hummus, cheese, or yoghurt

Dinner:
• 4 oz protein
• 2 cup veggies
• 2 tbsp fat

I plan to have a protein shake later on in the evening or throughout the night if I get hungry. [Haley's note: for a good protein shake recipe, try Lori's Shake To Go!]

Remember that everyone is different [Haley's note: If you want a more personalized plan, email Lori herself!]. I have had clients who couldn’t lose the weight until they stopped breastfeeding. Consuming organic, good quality food and avoiding processed simple sugars is a great place to start!

Good luck!

Lori

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Got a nutrition question of your own, Gorgeouses? Ask LORI (click here to ask your question). LOVE!

Q: I am a person who absolutely has to eat breakfast daily. I will eat (for example) two slices of multigrain toast with local honey and a non-fat yogurt with fresh berries or oatmeal with raisins and skim milk. I always have a 1/2 cup of orange juice, coffee (usally black, sometimes with a bit of 5% cream) and a tablespoon of Salba seeds in unsweetened applesauce.

I am 5′10″ tall and weigh about 142 lbs. I am currently nursing a 7 month old baby boy. Even though I eat what I think is a good amount of food in the morning (around 7:30 am), I am weak by mid-morning (let’s say by 10 am).

What can I eat to prevent the mid-morning blood-sugar lows (if that is what it is)? Any suggestions?

Thank you!

– Lori L.

A: Your mother was right when she said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! In North America we have our eating habits backwards having our largest meal at dinner time instead of in the morning when we need the most energy from our food. What you eat for “break – fast” helps to determine your energy levels and food cravings throughout the rest of the day. It is important to consume a balanced breakfast that contains a good amount of protein, complex carbs and fat. A bowl of cereal even if it’s a fibre or a flax cereal with skim milk just doesn’t cut it.

Carbohydrates convert into sugar (energy) which can quickly raise blood sugar levels. Whenever something goes up, like your blood sugar levels, it quickly comes down. This “crash” is experienced by feelings of more carb cravings, fatigue in the early morning or in the afternoon, headache, irritability and light headedness.

In my weight-loss program 10 Weeks to WOW! all my clients do for the first week is change their breakfast. I give them pages of balanced breakfast recipes that they must consume for 7 days. The comments I get at the end of the week are that they have a lot less sugar cravings; they have constant levels of energy and are able to make better food choices throughout the day; most even lose 1-2lbs! This is because their breakfast now contains protein and fat whereas before it was all carbs.

The question I was asked was how to avoid blood sugar dips a couple hours after eating breakfast. It’s a great question.

Let’s break down your breakfast –- REMEMBER a balanced meal means that the meal contains protein, carbs and fat:

2 slices of multi grain toast – approx 30g carbs
Honey (1tsp) – 5g carbs
Non-fat yoghurt (100g serving) – 5 – 10g carbs & 4g – 6g protein
Berries (1/2 cup) 10g carbs
½ Cup Orange Juice – 15g carbs
Total Grams Carbs: approx. 70g

Keep in mind the average daily consumption of carbs should be between 120 – 200g of carbs per day! This breakfast contains half the amount of carbs one should consume in the entire day first thing in the morning. I am not debating that these foods are healthy –- they are, but they are not balanced.

My advice would be to cut the honey and the orange juice and have 1 slice of toast instead of 2. If you want the taste of orange in the morning, have ½ an orange instead of drinking the juice. The orange contains fibre. You can still have the yoghurt and berries. On the slice of toast I would add a raw nut butter like almond or walnut butter (1 tbsp). I would also add in a good source of protein like ½ cup 1% cottage cheese or 2oz low fat (7% M.F.) cheese or ½ cup egg whites.

Remember that a meal should only keep you full for approximately 3 hours. Try having a snack around 10am –- something that also contains protein or fat.

Hope this helps!

Lori

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Got a nutrition question of your own, Gorgeouses? Ask LORI (click here to ask your question). LOVE!

Q: Can you recommend some good protein bars? I’m constantly on the go, and I’m getting a little bored of the Zone bar. What do you suggest? Thanks!

– Sarah C.
(These are not Sarah’s exact words, btw. I [Haley] deleted her question by accident and this is what I remember, but anyway. THANKS SARAH!)

A: There are a lot of bars on the market and choosing one can be daunting and confusing. Although I think that protein bars serve a purpose, I wouldn’t suggest choosing a bar over good quality food. Here are some points you want to look for when choosing a protein bar.

Sugar Content:

Protein bars taste good because they usually contain a lot of refined sugars. Be sure to read the ingredient list in addition to checking the nutrient profiles to determine which sugars are naturally occurring and which ones are refined. FDA labeling laws require that all ingredients be listed in order of quantity used. If a refined sugar is within the first three ingredients it is not a good choice. Refined sugars: sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, chocolate, brown rice syrup and corn syrup. Bars with these ingredients are chocolate bars with protein powder added into them.

Saturated Fat:

Most protein bars contain a moderate amount of fat, usually anywhere from 2.5 – 10 grams of fat. This is not a bad thing unless the majority of fat is saturated. You can tell how many grams of fat are saturated by reading the food label. The saturated fats are coming from hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats as well as palm oil, palm kernel oil and other tropical oils which are oils you would want to stay away from. You want to check the ingredient list for these types of ingredients, too.

Calorie Breakdown:

The calorie breakdown will determine if the bar is either an a) protein bar; b) energy bar; c) meal replacement bar. A protein bar has approximately 25-30grams of protein usually coming from whey protein. An energy bar is mostly carbohydrates and is good for endurance athletes. A meal replacement bar usually has about 300-400 calories and has more carbs (25-40grams) than protein (10-15 grams).

Best “Clean” Bars Around:

There are a bunch of “clean” bars that are now on the market. The ingredients vary from dates, raisins, oats, flax, unrefined cane sugar, maple syrup, almonds and protein from soy or whey isolate. These bars are considerably more healthy for you and can be eaten more frequently than the usual protein bar.

Examples of “clean” bars: Elevate Me, Vega Energy Bars, Greens+ Express Bar and Daryl’s Hi-N-R-G Bar.

Enjoy! Lori

CHECK OUT LORI’S BIO HERE!

Got a nutrition question of your own, Gorgeouses? Ask LORI (click here to ask your question). LOVE!