Let's start off the week with another tip to help keep us motivated and on track with our wellness plan!
So many of us are in a rush to lose those extra pounds immediately after birth. We want to quickly reclaim our bodies after giving so generously to our precious little ones over the course of 9 months. Weight loss, when done right, is best achieved through a healthy diet and regular exercise. One without the other will likely keep you from reaching your goals.
Sustaining a nutrient dense diet is as important in the post-partum period as it was during your pregnancy. For those of you who are also breastfeeding, it is even more essential as your body will take what it needs from your storage to make fabulous breast milk for your baby. Unfortunately, it means that we are often left depleted!
Ideally we should eat every 3-4 hours, to help ensure that our glucose levels don't drop dramatically and to keep our metabolism working hard for us. Whenever possible we should ensure we are reaching for whole foods instead of pre-packaged meals and snacks (they are often the biggest enemy to achieving a healthy diet!). A healthy diet requires adequate intake of:
- a quality protein source (meat, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts/seeds etc)
- healthy fats including DHA (fish including salmon, sardines, mackerel etc, cod liver oil, walnuts, avocado, peanut butter)
- quality carbohydrates (whole grains, cereals, oats, fruits, vegetables, beans etc)
Refer to the Canada Food Guide recommendations to achieve overall good health and vitality.
Here are some other great examples of meals and snacks that hit the mark for this weeks challenge.
Finally,here is another good resource to help you better understand Good Fats vs Bad Fats.
The article Choosing Healthy Fats can also provide some guidance on your next grocery shopping excursion.
Enjoy!
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