Is It Okay To Stay Paleo During Your Pregnancy?

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Pregnancy is a time in a woman’s life where she has to be aware of what she puts into her body, not just for herself, but for her baby as well. So is it okay to stay Paleo during your pregnancy?

Once you become pregnant, your nutritional needs change, including caloric intake, micronutrient needs, and even sometimes macronutrient ratios. The lifestyle you stick to during pregnancy can alter how you feel during pregnancy, how much weight you gain, how morning sickness affects you, and can even set the stage for your baby’s health.

If you want to stay Paleo while pregnant, you’ve probably already come into some clashes with your doctor – unless you’re lucky. The USDA recommends a diet very different from what Paleo provides.

There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to staying Paleo while pregnant, including diet, exercise, and even what you put on your body when it comes to personal hygiene.

Nutritional Needs

You’ve probably heard the saying, “eating for two” during pregnancy. This isn’t exactly true, though, as a woman only needs about 300 calories extra starting in the second trimester.

In addition, a woman’s weight gain is really dependent upon her body composition before she got pregnant. A woman who is overweight to start with can get away with gaining a lot less than a woman who was underweight before becoming pregnant.

Eat Enough for Your Activity Level

Pregnancy is not the time to diet. Your actual intake requirements will change depending on your activity level. If you have a desk job, don’t work out, and are pretty much sedentary, then your caloric intake should be a lot less than someone who has a strenuous job or works out a lot.

Basically, if you figure out your Total Daily Energy Expenditure, you can eat at maintenance during the first trimester and add 300 calories per day during the second and third trimester.

Standard Nutritional Recommendations vs. Paleo

The USDA and its infamous Choose My Plate recommendations are pretty outrageous. They suggest looking for low-fat and fat-free options over butter and fatty meats, and even recommend “healthy” oils like soy, corn and canola! 

For a woman who is almost 18 weeks pregnant, the Choose My Plate recommends nine ounces of whole grains per day! The USDA recommends a low-fat diet with “healthy” canola oils. Paleo has a very different approach.

Paleo nutrition, of course, follows suggestions almost completely opposite from what conventional “wisdom” recommends. For example, whole milk (if you do dairy) is not only healthy, but ideal. Low-fat is most certainly not. Healthy oils are those like coconut and olive, not canola, soybean, corn, and other vegetable oils.

A typical Paleo breakfast for a pregnant woman might consist of two or three eggs scrambled in raw milk pastured butter, some cooked chicken, fish, or seafood, some fruit, and some wilted spinach or other greens. There’s absolutely no need for toast, a bagel, or other grain.

The Importance of a Balanced Diet during Pregnancy

Women who were following a low-carb diet pre-pregnancy should probably increase their carb intake during the first trimester. The placenta grows best when fed a good diet with moderate protein, moderate carbs, and high fat.

This can also help prevent low blood sugar, which is thought to contribute to morning sickness. When your pregnant body craves carbs, go for potatoes, berries and root vegetables.

If you find yourself with lots of carb cravings, listen to your body. Just make sure to pick healthy carbs, like those from sweet potatoes, white potatoes, beets, and other root vegetables. Fruit like berries are also a great choice.

Pick those that are local and in-season, and try to avoid those on the Dirty Dozen list unless you get them organic. Eat as much from the Clean 15 list as you want, of course.

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Supplements

Most doctors will recommend a prenatal vitamin to pregnant women, and for good cause. Most women simply don’t eat a diet sufficient in all of the micronutrients needed to grow a healthy baby.

Even women who eat a strict Paleo diet probably could benefit from a good-quality prenatal vitamin, or various vitamins separately depending on what is lacking in their diet. Make sure if you do choose a multi, that you pay close attention to the amounts of each micronutrient.

Most have too much of some things (like Iodine or Folic Acid) for women who eat Paleo, and not enough Vitamin D or Vitamin K (if it even has Vitamin K in it at all). A great source of Vitamins D and A is fermented cod liver oil, particularly if you don’t eat organ meats.

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Exercise

Exercise is another of those sensitive subjects where a lot of people will think that just because you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t work out. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, but of course, it all depends upon your activity level before pregnancy.

If you never did any cardio or lifted weights before you got pregnant, pregnancy is not the time to start. If you worked out regularly before, there’s no reason to stop just because you got pregnant (unless there’s a medical reason).You can certainly exercise while pregnant. Just make sure to take it easy!

General tips would be to make sure your core temperature stays below 102F, avoid high-risk or contact sports, and don’t allow your heart rate to stay above 140 for more than a few minutes at a time. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids before and during, and stop immediately if you feel lightheaded, nauseous, or dizzy.

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Natural Hygiene Tips

Being Paleo isn’t just about the foods you eat; it should also address what you put on your body, like personal hygiene products. Natural hygiene items will help reduce your exposure to toxic substances, and thereby reduce your developing baby’s exposure as well. Read the ingredients on labels and try to avoid as many chemicals as possible.

You might even consider switching your household cleaning products to natural ones like vinegar and baking soda. You’ll not only be making the best choice for your baby, but you’ll save money, too.

Watch these 2 videos below:

EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY | DO’S AND DON’TS!

Pregnancy Stretching Routine | Best Stretches to Relieve Pregnancy Symptoms!

Written by PaleoHacks Team

Author Bio:

PaleoHacks is an online paleo diet community that promotes a healthy lifestyles through primal methods. PaleoHacks started as a way for people share recipes, ideas and general opinions about the Paleolithic lifestyle. Now, whether it be the paleo diet, physical fitness or overall wellness, PaleoHacks has evolved into an online resource for healthy living. check us out on Facebook.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

Why Do I Need Vitamin B12 and How to Get More?

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Vitamin B12- More Important Than You Realize

Vitamin B12 is possibly one of the most important vitamins, period. You may only be modestly familiar with it, but certainly your cells are not; B12 is involved in the metabolism of every cell in the human body.

Deficiency of B12 is akin to going crazy, as it is linked to psychosis. It is found in a variety of foods though, so rest assured that it is fairly easy to get enough.

However, deficiency rates are much higher than they should be and they are especially common among vegans and vegetarians. This is also true of pregnant women. So, read on about how, and why, getting enough vitamin B12 is vital to good health.

Why It’s Important

Vitamin B12 is vital to every cell, and nearly every chemical reaction in the body. Plants and animals are not capable of constructing vitamin B12. This is intriguing, since humans can construct a variety of things endogenously. Bacteria and archaea can biosynthesize vitamin B12 because they have the required enzymes.

DNA production requires B12. Since DNA is an important structural element to nearly all life, you can begin to understand the vital importance of B12. Cells will swell in size (they normally divide quite quickly) if B12 is low. This is known as macrocytosis.

Besides DNA production, B12 is used in production of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals, which help to communicate information throughout our brain and body.

Nerve damage is a risk for people extremely low in vitamin B12. Symptoms usually first appear in the hands and feet and then may even move to the brain. Vitamin B12 is vital for mood regulation, sleep and overall health.

B12 is also important for mood regulation. Researchers have found that low B12 levels in the body can stop serotonin production, which is especially important when being treated with anti-depressant medications.

Some researchers have even pinpointed obsessive-compulsive disorder as an early manifestation of B12 deficiency. People with OCD have dysregulation in the serotoninergic system and in the efficacy of SRIs. This lends credence to the earlier point that adequate B12 levels are vital to normal physiologic function and mood, as well as sleeping patterns.

Also, the majority (a whopping 62%) of pregnant women have been found to be deficient in vitamin B12. If pregnant, getting enough B12 will make a huge difference to the health of both yourself and your unborn child.

Best Seafood Sources of Vitamin B12

It almost seems as though fish was created almost solely as vehicles for B12! Higher in omega-3 fatty acids, the most important of which is docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), wild-caught seafood is a vital part of any nutrient-dense diet.

Of the many Paleo-friendly foods that contain vitamin B12 — most of which are fish — the best by far are sardines. With a whopping 337% of the daily value of B12, all for less than 200 calories, sardines should be your go-to food when you’re feeling low.

Unsurprisingly, tuna is another great source of vitamin B12. With over 100% of the daily value for less than 200 calories, tuna contains plenty of this special vitamin. Try making these spicy tuna rolls to get your fill!

Salmon is next on our list, with over 200% of your daily value of vitamin B12, and it is also quite possibly the most perfect food you can eat, nutrient-wise. These Salmon Burgers Recipe with Jicama Coleslaw and Dill Dressing taste pretty perfect, too!

Cod is also a great choice, with just over 100% of your daily value of B12. Though not quite as nutrient-packed as our first three foods listed, cod is excellent by any other standard form of measure.

With a full daily serving of selenium, cod is a great seafood choice to make, as often as possible. Bulk up on seafood: sardines, tuna, salmon, cod, scallops and shrimp have the highest concentrations of vitamin B12.

Scallops, though often forgotten, are an excellent source of vitamin B12 and many other nutrients. They are high in choline, selenium, protein, phosphorous and iodine.

Easily making the cut for so-called “superfoods”, scallops should be added to any healthy Paleo diet.

Shrimp is another great choice, as well as a source of astaxanthin, which is being studied for its antioxidant properties. Shrimp is also high in selenium, phosphorous, choline, protein, copper and iodine but low in calories.

Best Meat Sources

The first non-seafood item on our list, lamb contains much more than your daily recommended amount of vitamin B12. It is also packed with other nutrients and minerals, such as: vitamin A, copper, selenium, iron and riboflavin.

There is also plenty of zinc and enough protein to make lamb an obvious choice for your next nutrient-packed meal. Grass-fed beef is also an excellent choice.

Unfortunately, plant foods are not a great source of vitamin B12. This puts vegans and vegetarians at risk for deficiency, and they may be the best candidates for supplementation.

Supplementation

Though it should be very feasible to get enough vitamin B12 when following a Paleo diet, there are some reasons and situations which may require certain individuals to follow a supplementation plan.

This can include, but is not limited to: improper absorption, complications due to other medications or conditions, and/or a vegan or vegetarian diet. Need a vitamin B12 supplement? We recommend getting methylcobalamin.

In fact, I recommend to all my vegan and vegetarian clients that they supplement with vitamin B12 to make sure they do not become deficient.

The three kinds most common types of supplements are hydroxocobalamin, cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin. Of these, I always have my clients supplement with methylcobalamin, which has been shown time and time again to be the most superior form.

The Bottom Line

Does it seem that you may be deficient in vitamin B12? It is more common than people seem to think. Hopefully I’ve outlined both the dangers of deficiency in this vitamin, and the right way to include great amounts of it in your diet.

Nerve damage and anemia are not things that you want to experience, and eating some tuna or sardines is a small (and easy!) remedy to this potential problem.

Watch this video – All About Vitamin B12 in 10 Minutes

Written by Casey Thaler

Author Bio:

Casey Thaler, B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS is an NASM® certified personal trainer and NASM® certified fitness nutrition specialist. He writes for Paleo Magazine®, The Paleo Diet® and Greatist®. He is also an advisor for Kettle and Fire and runs his own nutrition and fitness consulting company, Eat Clean, Train Clean®.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

7 Benefits of Weight Lifting Every Woman Should Know

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Discover the benefits of weight training and how to build strength with easy exercises.

It’s still a large misconception that women should not lift weights and many women still spend most of their time in the gym on cardio machines. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, only about 20 percent of women practice strength training.

It’s time for that number to change. Pumping iron a few times a week will not only trim inches off your hips and waist, it can transform your entire body and your health.

The benefits of strength training can last hours after a workout and can boost your mood all day.

7 Benefits of Weight Lifting for Women

1. Lose Body Fat

Weight training builds muscle, as lean muscle increases so does metabolism. A higher metabolism means that you will burn more calories all day long. 

Studies found that the the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3.5 pounds of fat. For each pound of muscle you gain, you’ll burn 35 to 50 more calories per day.

That can really add up over the long term; for example, 4 extra pounds of muscle can burn up to 10 extra pounders per year!

2. Gain Strength without Bulking

One of the most common reasons women avoid weight training is because they are afraid of “bulking.” This is a misconception as it physically cannot happen. Women simply don’t have the testosterone to build muscle like men.

Women have 10 to 30 times less testosterone than men and have a much harder time gaining size from strength training. Insead women develop muscle definition and strength without the size.

3. Decrease Risk of Osteoporosis

Weight training not only strengthens muscles, it strengthens your bones. Weight training increases bone density, which reduces the risk of fractures and broken bones. 

Research has also shown weight training can increase spinal bone density to create a strong and healthy spine.

4. Reduce Risk of Injury

Weight training also increases strength in connective tissues and joints. Strong joints, ligaments, and tendons are important to prevent injury and can relieve pain from osteoarthritis.

Strengthening muscles and connective tissue will make injury from daily tasks and routine exercise less likely, and can even improve sports performance.

5. Burn More Calories

Weight training has been proven to raise your metabolism for up to 24 hours after a workout. The more intense the workout the more calories are burned.

After an intense workout there is more Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, or EPOC, meaning there is an increase in oxygen consumption, helping break down fat stores in the body.

6. Improve Posture and Reduce Back Pain

Weight-training will strengthen your back, shoulders, and core, helping to correct bad posture so that you can stand taller, with shoulders back and spine straight. A stronger back and core will also prevent lower back pain

7. Enhance Mood and Reduce Stress

Exercise and weight-training release endorphins. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that prevent pain, improve mood, and fight depression. An increased in endorphins naturally reduces stress and anxiety.

Endorphins also stimulate the mind, improving alertness and boosting energy. Weight-training can brighten your entire day or help you combat a bad one.

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Beginner’s Dumbbell Workout

Complete 10-20 repetitions, depending on your strength, and three sets of each exercise. Do this workout two to three times per week to build strength and muscle.

Goblet Squat

Hold one dumbbell by the end and stand with feet a little wider than shoulder width apart and knees and toes slightly turned out. Lower down into a squat. keeping your torso upright and your abdominals engaged. Press through your heels and stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Deadlift

Hold dumbbells with palms facing in and shoulders back. Hinge at your hips, keeping your back straight, and keeping the dumbbells close to your legs. Keep your weight in your heels so that you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, and straighten back up pressing your hips forward.

Chest Press

Lay on a bench, holding both dumbbells at 90 degree angles out to your sides. Press the weights up over your chest and squeeze your chest muscles together at the top. Slower lower back to the starting position.

Single Arm Row

Hold one dumbbell with your RIGHT hand and place your LEFT hand and knee on a bench. Keep your back flat, holding the weight with your palm facing in. Leading with your elbow pull the weight up, sqeezing your shoulder blade at the top. Repeat with the LEFT arm.

Overhead Press

Hold both dumbbells with a 90 degree bend at your elbows and your elbows shoulder height. Keeping your core strong, press the weights overhead without letting your back arch.

Watch this video – 30 Min FULL BODY DUMBBELL WORKOUT at Home | Muscle Building

Written by Deanna Dorman

Author Bio:

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

7 Strength Training Benefits + a Total Body Workout

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

7 Benefits of Strength Training (Plus: A Total Body Workout)

If you are looking to boost your immunity, energy, and your mood in one go, a strength training routine is just the thing you need.

Just like eating healthy and taking your vitamins, strength training is an essential part of a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle. Don’t be fooled into thinking that lifting weights is just for building muscle. In fact, the benefits of adding this type of exercise to your workout are vast.

Here are the top reasons you should dust off those dumbbells and get lifting!

7 Benefits of Strength Training

Increases Bone Density

Your bones, like your muscles, are a living tissue that gets stronger with exercise. Weight- bearing exercises like weight training and calisthenics have been found to be the most effective for building bone density – reducing your risk of osteoporosis. Bone mass peaks for most people during their 30’s, so the earlier you begin strength training, the better.

Aids in Weight Loss

As we age, our resting metabolic rate – otherwise known as our metabolism – naturally decreases, leading to an excess of stored fat. Strength training helps increase your muscle mass, boosting your metabolism so that you can burn more calories at rest.

Prevents Injury

Strength training promotes the growth and strength of tendons, ligaments, muscles, and bones, helping to stabilize the joints and to prevent tears, breaks, and other injuries.

Increases Overall Performance

Adding strength training to your routine can increase performance in other areas of your life. From daily activities like carrying the groceries into your house and getting up off the floor, to running and playing sports; strength training will make you stronger, faster, and more balanced, helping you to kick butt on the day-to-day.

Eases Chronic Disease

Strength training can help to reduce the signs and symptoms of chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), back pain, obesity, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.

Boosts Energy and Mood

Strength training puts the body under stress, causing the release of mood-enhancing endorphins. These hormones help to decrease stress, depression, and anxiety; improving your mood and energy naturally.

Improves Posture

Most people sit at a desk all day, commute to work in a car or bus, and then go home and watch television at night. All of this sitting leads to tight chests and hip flexors, rounded shoulders, a forward head, and a weak core. Proper strength training can reverse some of these negative effects and improve posture through strengthening the back, shoulders, and abs.

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Total Body Strength Training Workout

Follow this total body workout to strengthen your whole body and to get all the benefits of strength training. All you need is two lightweight dumbbells (about 3-5lbs) and an exercise mat.

Dumbbell Squats | 12 reps

This exercise helps to strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core.

Stand with your feet hips-width distance apart.

Hold a light dumbbell in front of your chest with both hands and engage your abs.

Inhale as you sit your hips back, like you are sitting in a chair, until your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Keep the weight in your heels and your chest lifted. Make sure your knees stay in line with your toes.

Exhale to press into your heels and stand all the way back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Repeat for 12 reps.

Single Leg Deadlifts | 12 reps per side

This exercise targets the hamstrings, glutes, and back; strengthening your lower body and core.

Hold a kettlebell in your right hand.

Shift your weight onto your left foot and pick up your right foot to point the toes behind you. Keep a slight bend in your left knee.

Engage your abs and keep a flat back as you inhale and start to lift your right foot up behind you while also lowering your chest down.

Exhale to return to the starting position.

Repeat for 12 reps, then switch sides.

Single Arm Row | 12 reps per side

This exercise strengthens the upper back, biceps, and core.

Begin in a low lunge with your right leg forward, the dumbbell within arm’s reach.

Place your right hand on your right thigh and pick up your dumbbell with the left hand. Engage your abs and find a flat back.

Exhale to reach your elbow up in line with your ribs, squeezing the shoulder blade up.

Inhale to straighten your right arm, lowering the dumbbell back towards the ground.

Repeat for 12 reps, then switch sides.

Shoulder Raises | 12 reps

This classic strength training move tones the shoulders, arms, and core.

Start standing with your feet hips-width distance apart, holding one dumbbell in each hand. Engage your abs and bend your knees slightly.

Keep a slight bend in your elbows and inhale to lift your arms up, bringing the dumbbells in line with your shoulders.

Exhale to slowly lower the dumbbells back down to your sides.

Repeat for 12 reps.

Curl Kickbacks | 12 reps

This exercise strengthens the biceps, triceps, and the core.

Stand with your feet together, a dumbbell in each hand. Engage your abs.

Keep your weight back in your heels and sit your hips back at a 45-degree angle.

Keep your palms turned in and inhale as you curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders.

Exhale to straighten out your arms, flexing your triceps for an extension.

Repeat for 12 reps.

Bridge Sit-Ups | 12 reps

This dynamic exercise strengthens the lower back, glutes, abs, lats, and shoulders.

Begin lying on your mat with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and reach your arms straight back behind your head.

Inhale to lift your hips to come into a bridge position.

Exhale to slowly lower your hips to the ground, then do a sit up while reaching the dumbbell straight out above your knees. Keep your arms straight.

Lower back to the starting position.

Repeat for 12 reps.

Watch this video – 45-Min Total Body Strength Training (No Weights, No Jumping!) | Joanna Soh

Written by Kelly Collins

Author Bio:

Kelly is a certified Personal Trainer with NASM, a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher, and has her B.S. in Kinesiology from San Diego State University. She is co-owner of Roaming Yogi Adventures, a yoga and adventure-based retreat. She believes that having fun and well-rounded exercise is the key to maximizing strength, flexibility, and mental health.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook