#Mamavation Monday: Making a Fitness Game Plan, Part 2

Last week, I explained my workout plan and how I’ve set my fitness goals. While exercise is an important factor in keeping in shape, diet is equally (if not more) important, especially with a baby on the way. You can work out all you want, but if you’re eating sh*t, you’re missing out on a healthier, longer life, and a simpler, safer road to fitness.

Now I have to lay this out here: I have a REALLY really hard time sticking to healthy eatin’s unless I have a solid, simple plan. The food pyramid seemed about as simple as it gets and thus far it’s been pretty effective. I’ll tell you how that’s all going when the crazy cravings kick in, but thus far they’ve been fruit. Thank. Goodness.

I also have to lay this out: I am no doctor. My thoughts are my own, though I’d like to think they’re well researched and informed. Feel free to disagree, but this is simply a set of guidelines I’ve set out for myself. Maybe they’ll be helpful to you or maybe I’ll just sound super smug and self righteous, but I’m just sharing my gameplan.

So first and foremost:

Water

-100-120 oz water/day – I’ll discuss how I came to this conclusion next week, but in the meantime, water is crazy important in maintaining a healthy, balanced, and hydrated body. Fluid intake does include fruit, veggies, tea and coffee, by the way. They all do contain water, after all. I don’t personally count coffee, but then again I haven’t been drinking it for a while.

And no, soda doesn’t count.

For the next part, I checked out mypyramid.gov for the latest recommended dietary recommendations, and I found that they’ve really gotten on top of the nutrition and online information game! You can register and create a personalized menu based on your BMI+Age+How often you exercise, with guidelines based on caloric intake goals, food group requirements and extra’s allowances. On top of that, there are specific sections for pre-schooler and children’s nutrition, as well as nutrition requirements for pregos! They break down your intake needs by trimester and everything, PLUS they break down the types of veggies you should aim to eat by week! If you haven’t checked it out, give it a look. It’s super nifty and I’m quite impressed.

Also, there are alternatives for the lactose intolerant and vegetarian folk. It’s a beautiful thing, and times certainly are a-changin’. Anyway, below is what I’ve found will be best for my age/weight/height/part of pregnancy/workout schedule. For you 2nd & 3rd trimester gals, your intake will be upped a bit. Here’s a sample of a prego pyramid breakdown (yep, it’s mine, and my current weight is in there).

My Pyramid Recommendations

(These are daily, btw)
-2 c of Fruit (2 medium apples, 2 large bananas, 4 large plums, etc.)*
-3 c of Veggies (6 large stalks of celery, 3 medium potatoes, 6 cups of cooked greens, 3 cups of raw greens, etc.)*
-7 oz Whole Grains (7 slices of whole wheat bread, 3.5 cups of oatmeal, 7 cups plain Cheerios, etc.)
-6 oz Proteins being Lean, Unprocessed (and by unprocessed I mean not deli style) Meats, Nuts, and Beans (3 cups refried beans, 6 cups of soy milk, 3 chicken thighs, 6 tbsp. of peanut butter, etc.)
-3 c Low Fat Dairy (4.5 sticks of string cheese, 3 cups of milk, 3 cups of yogurt, 6 cups lowfat cottage cheese)
-6 tsp Oils (6 tsp olive oil, 6 tsp oils from nuts, avocados, meats, 6 tsp 0 trans fat mayonaise, 6 tsp 0 trans fat salad dressings)
-Caloric intake between 2000-2400 calories.
-Extra fats & sugars under 290 calories.

*Here is a SUPER simple guide on fruit & veggie serving sizes! Also, feel free to eat more veggies and fruits than the guidelines say.

Note that fats are still in there – your body does need some! Plus, you’ll find a lot of healthy oils contained in some of your fave foods (like nuts, olives and avocados!). However, solid fats (i.e. fats that solidify at room temperature and liquify with heat) should be avoided. I mean, think about it: if it can solidify on the counter, it can solidify in your arteries. Gross. Might seem delicious right now, but a triple bypass surgery speaks volumes otherwise.

My Personal Guidelines

-Avoid fake foods and foods of questionable origin. This means foods processed beyond recognition like refined sugars (including high fructose corn syrup), non-sugar sweeteners (like aspartame and saccharin – pretty obvious), and other foods & additives that don’t decompose. Just because it doesn’t have calories doesn’t mean it’s healthy, safe or that your body can even process it. I’m a big fan of the Skinny Bitch series and I’m just about to dig into Skinny Bitch Bun in the Oven (both shameless Amazon links), because the authors do an AMAZING job of outlining the reasons that fake foods wreak havoc on your body.**
-You don’t HAVE to finish everything! If you’re full, you’re full. Get to know your capacity and don’t push it just because you feel like you have to. If you’re worried about being wasteful, don’t make, order, or serve yourself more than you can stomach. (This is where knowing your limits comes into play). And it’s called leftovers, y’all. I know leftovers aren’t always convenient so if you’re really that concerned with wastefulness, brown bag it, order the kids size or see if there is an option for reduced portions. Either that, or find someone to share with you. Teaching kids not to be wasteful is a great example. An even better example is teaching healthy eating habits and physical self awareness PLUS not being wasteful. Trust me when I say (firsthand) it’s a harder habit to learn once you’re older. Anyway, listen to your body and avoid eating to the point that you get the itis, yes?
-Drink your water. Soda is the devil. Just embrace it now and thank yourself when you’ve maintained healthy bone density later.
-Read labels and be skeptical. Think V8 Splash and Vitamin Water are essentials in keeping your tush tight? Think again. They’re packed with sugar, V8 Splash is made with fruit juices from concentrate (read fruit sugar syrups), and the only natural ingredient in Vitamin Water is vegetable juice. For color. Only.

**Disclaimer: The Skinny Bitch series is brash, in-your-face, and brutally honest (read not for the faint of heart, politically correct or generally sensitive). Also, they do push veganism and while it’s not a lifestyle I choose for myself, they make valid points which make for a more informed eater.

So there it is!! The food game plan and guidelines for healthy eatin’s. What are your personal guidelines for eating healthy?