Happy Hump Day!

I hope your hump day is rolling along nicely so far! Mine started off with a kick butt 6 AM Barre class at ToddPilates. I am always so impressed by all the people who get up bright and early to work out week after week. They never cease to amaze me.

After class, I headed home and tried to wake the beast (E is not a morning person). As I sat down to enjoy a cup of hot water with lemon, I saw one of the books I am currently reading sitting on the coffee table and thought I would share. I am actually reading three different great books right now on various subjects. I am usually not a person that reads multiple books at one time, but these three were just too good to wait on.

First up, is Chia Vitality by Janie Hoffman. I was sent this book by the wonderful people over at Mamma Chia. In Chia Vitality, the author, Janie Hoffman, describes her struggles with an autoimmune disease and how incorporating chia seeds into her life helped her overcome it. She discusses in detail how chia seeds can help boost your stamina, help you lose weight, and feel more alive. It is also packed with delicious healthy recipes. I just started reading yesterday, so I promise to report back with a full review and GIVEAWAY soon!

Next up on my reading (well, really listening) list is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.

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I actually downloaded this book using Audible so I could listen to it while I drove to and from Houston this weekend. If you have never listened to a book on tape while driving, I would highly suggest it. Having something interesting to listen to made the trip fly by. I've also been listening to it while taking my daily walks which is nice as well. Plus, I am in love with this book!



This is so not your typical self help book. The story begins with Gretchen riding a bus and thinking about why she isn't happier with her life. She has a loving marriage, two great kiddos, she loves her job, lives in New York City, and just generally has a wonderful life. She decides that there is so much in her life to be thankful for and happy about that it's a shame to let all of that go to waste. As a writer and avid reader, she sets out on a quest to read as much about happiness as she possibly can.

After gathering all of her resources and information, she decides to dedicate a year to finding more happiness in her already great life. Each month she focuses on a different area such as her marriage, parenting, or her job, and sets resolutions to work on for the month. The book tells the story of this year from her point of view. Gretchen actually reads the book herself and her sarcastic, witty personality makes it all that much more entertaining.

I consider myself, like Gretchen, to be blessed with a wonderful life; however, I all to often dwell on what I could be doing better or worry about things that are out of my control. I am only to the month of May in her journey, but I have definitely had a couple of revelations so far and picked up many helpful tips to help me keep in perspective what truly is important. I would highly suggest this book to everyone!

Now what kind of pregnant lady would I be if I wasn't reading some kind of baby book right? Well have no fear! Book #3 on my reading list is The Happiest Baby On The Block by Dr. Harvey Karp, M.D
This book discusses how the 5 S's can help your baby sleep better, be happier, and avoid colic. It actually goes into a lot of great detail on what different doctors theorize cause colic and why they are incorrect. Additionally, it discusses how other cultures have soothed their babies for centuries and why westerners may be missing the mark when it comes to helping our little ones find comfort.

The overall premise of the books is that babies need 5 things to be comforted when they are first born.....
1) Swaddling - They need to be swaddled to feel safe and protected.
2) Side/Stomach Position - They prefer to be on their side or stomach which can aid in digestion.
3) Shushing - A shushing sound imitates what they were used to hearing in the womb and is therefor very comforting.
4) Swinging - Babies are used to constant motion when they are in their mothers womb, so a swinging motion helps to soothe them.
5) Sucking - Sucking actually triggers the calming reflex in babies.

Dr. Harvey Karp describes in detail how each one of these helps to soothe babies in it's own way, but also why doing them all together is the most important (and often most missed) step. It is totally worth the read if you are a mommy-to-be or have a fussy baby at home. Of course, I haven't actually put any of this to use on Annabelle yet, but it's fascinating none the less!

So there you have, the three books that are currently occupying my brain space! Now, it's time for some breakfast.

What are you currently reading?

In health,

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Howdy!

I think I might be allergic to Dallas. I never had any problems with allergies when I lived in College Station, and I really hardly ever got sick (minus my ongoing battle with headaches). However, since I moved to the lovely Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, I have been a walking immune system nightmare! It is starting to get pretty frustrating. Eric didn't feel all that great at the end of last week and this weekend, so I knew I was doomed. I woke up on Tuesday feeling (and probably looking) like death. Yesterday was pretty rough, but I am feeling a bit better today. I have been spending some quality time with my heating pad (body aches are the worst)! In fact, I am leaning against it right now.

I had heard stories of people getting sick when they moved to new places because of different allergens in the air, but I didn't think I would be one of them since I had never had "allergies" in the past. Boy was I wrong! Apparently, I am not eating enough winter super foods or something. A lady at work told me to eat local honey to help my body get used to the pollen in the area faster. Has anyone ever heard of that, or have any other suggestions?

Anyways, enough complaining! I just finished reading a book called You Are What You Eat,  by Dr. Gillian McKeith. I would actually go as far to say that I have been studying the book pretty intensely. Check out all of the color coded tabs. I know, I'm a dork!


It was a great book. Dr. Gillian McKeith really knows her stuff! There are really two parts to the book. In the first part of the book, she goes over different symptoms you might be experiencing and what those say about your diet. For example, we all assume that dark circles under our eyes mean we are simply tired. However, according to Dr. McKeith, this could actually indicate that you are experiencing food allergies and possible weak kidney energy. To remedy this, she suggests rotating your food, eating quinoa, drinking cranberry juice and eating from a list of foods that nourish the kidneys. The book goes over dozens of these kinds of scenarios! It's really cool to see what deficiencies could be causing your different symptoms.

The other half of the book, discuses Dr. McKeith's diet of abundance. This section includes the top 100 foods you should have in your diet as well as suggestions on foods you should eat if you are tired all the time, have digestive problems. have stress related issues, or a suppressed immune system (maybe I should go re-read this section). Essentially Dr. McKeith shows you how food can cause and cure common ailments. It's really pretty cool.

Although this book is very interesting, it would be very hard to follow her diet to a "T." Dr. McKeith goes into a lot of detail on food combining, and what foods you should and should not eat together. Let's just say, I tried to follow her rules and it lasted about 1/2 a day. But other than that, I was a huge fan of the book! I have definitely learned a lot about nutrient deficiencies and what foods I need to be eating more of.

Food for thought:
Any advice for adapting to a new cities allergens?
Has anyone else ever gotten sick after moving to a new city?
Has anyone read You Are What You Eat? What did you think?

In health,

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Quote of the Day: "The groundwork of all happiness is good health." Leigh Hunt

Article of the Day: 17 Ridiculously Healthy Reasons to Exercise

One of the main reasons I love health and fitness is that it is always changing. There is always new research being produced and new fitness equipment being invented. However, all of the changes can sometimes lead to clutter and a lot of false information floating around. Hopefully, by sharing my thoughts about the latest books, equipment and research, together we can weed out some of the clutter.

I am currently reading, “This is Why You’re Fat (and how to get thing forever)” by Jackie Warner. Some of you might recognize Ms. Warner from her TV show Workout on Bravo. She is what they call a celebrity personal trainer. I’m not sure if that means she trains celebrities or if she is a personal trainer that just happens to be famous. Anyways, when I saw her book my first thought was, “wow what a harsh title.” However, I was intrigued so I hit the internet super highway to see what people were saying about the book. Most of the reviews I read were positive, so I decided to pick one up.

The tag line for the book is, “Eat More, Cheat More, Lose More- and Keep the Weight off.” Well that sounds too good to be true right? Based on the TV show, Jackie seems like a very intense person who is probably very strict with her diet and workout routine. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The main theme of the book is that sugar is the enemy and if you fuel your body with healthy good for your foods your body will naturally burn excess fat. There are no crazy food restrictions or crazy juice only detox diets. She uses sound nutrition principles and encourages consumption of food that naturally help your body burn fat and stay healthy.

The beginning of the book discusses how what you eat affects your hormones, and which hormones make you fat and which ones make you thin. I thought this was the most interesting part of the book. Next Jackie shares her diet and nutrition principles and exercise plan.

Key Diet and Nutrition Principles:

1. Never skip a meal. You should always eat three meals a day and 2 snacks to help regulate blood sugar.
2. Sugar is your enemy not fat. Excess sugar is like a wrecking ball to your body. Initially, sugar is stored in your liver in the form of glycogen. However, when your liver runs out of room, glycogen is released in the form of fatty acids. These travel all over the body and lodge themselves in your fatty areas.Yuck!
3. Follow a 5-2 eating plan. Eat clean 5 days a week, and then enjoy 2 (yes 2 not one!) cheat meals on the weekends.
4. Do not eat food with more than 9 grams of sugar (during your 5 clean days).This one requires you to pay very close attention to nutrition labels.
5. Pay attention to serving size. Learn what a proper portion is, and stick to it!
6. Do not use working out as an excuse to eat whatever you want. You have to be at a calorie deficit to lose weight.
7. Eat within an hour of every workout to prevent your body from eating into muscle for energy.
8. Add certain nutrient rich foods to your diet every day. Some of these include eggs, oatmeal, detox veggies, whole fruits, water with lemon, whey protein, and herbal teas. Again none of these are crazy! 

Key Exercise Principles:

1. Ramp up your intensity! It is not important how long you workout, but how hard. You should incorporate 20 minutes of high intensity cardio each day. (I’m not sure how I feel about this one. I did one of the workouts from the book and only burned 250 calories, which means I have to be pretty restrictive on calories to produce a calorie deficit. However, I do agree with the work harder not longer method. I’m just not sure if 20 minutes is long enough.)
2. Weight training is essential for all women trying to lose weight. Aim to do resistance training 3-4 days a week. Jackie points out, if you add 3-5 pounds of muscle to your body, you will burn 250-500 extra calories per day which equals 3-5 pounds of fat loss per week. That’s huge!
3. The fastest way to your ideal body is through power circuit training. Jackie combines three upper body exercises and three lower body exercises into one giant set. You do not rest in between and you alternate quickly from upper to lower body exercises for maximum fat burn.
4. Focus on the mind muscle connection. You want to visualize the muscles you are working to actually increase muscle tone.

Overall, I have really enjoyed reading this book. The information on how what you eat affects your hormones, and in turn your weight loss was very interesting. The best thing about this book, is that it can be done by anyone. No expensive pre-packaged meals or gym membership required.

Yours truly,

Lauren G.

P.S. Are you reading any good books right now or is there a book you are thinking about reading but haven't started yet? If so, let me know what! It does not have to be health and fitness related.

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