Week 20, It's a GIRL!
This picture of Dillon is pretty detailed. Can't wait to meet her!
I guess I better go straight to the good stuff, it’s a girl! Dillon Claire Dean will be here in January and we are very excited to meet her. Ryan and I were not shy about expressing that we were hoping for a boy, and that hasn’t change. I still would love to have a son one day, but since I have no children of my own I was happy either way. It has different challenges, some things will be easier and all of it will be worth it. It is all in perspective. I have always loved the name Dillon for a little girl since I was young, so I got to use that name at least!
My first Hay Ride and Poker Run.
Happy Food's now being sold at Donut D-light in Columbia MO.
The more I have thought about it this week the more excited I get about a little girl. Maybe she’ll be a little yogini with me. I will have a friend to go shopping with and pick out outfits. We’ll cook and bake together. I love the feeling that with my yoga, nutrition and cooking background she will most likely have a healthy eating habit growing up. That will help her in the future stay healthy and happy. When I think about raising a girl I think about every woman I have met throughout my life and the one thing they all have in common. Body image doubts and low self esteem. Not saying they are bad people, but society has made females believe in an impossible shape and beauty standard that is not real for living a happy and healthy life. I have dealt with many of these issue and hope to teach my daughter how to live healthy and happy about herself from the inside out.
Organic Turkish Figs. A great way to satisfy my sweet tooth craving.
Nutrtion School blowing my mind with facts.
Let’s talk about my nutrition lessons because I love them and want to share some great information that I am learning. So nutrition is the intake of food considered in relation to the body’s dietary needs. The benefits of having a well balanced nutritional diet is vitality, energy, boosts immune system, helps reach/maintain a healthy weight, delays aging, improves sports performance, enhances concentration/mood, fights/prevents disease, and strengthens bones/teeth. Malnutrition is either being undernourished or overnourished. The first lessons we go into are the who, what, where, when and why behind malnutrition, which I absolutely love learning!
First time trying the goat cheese cheddar, amazing! (lactose free)
Spaghetti quash with Happy Food Marinara. So freaking good!
Strawberry and blueberry tart I made for a client of mine, Fred Seaman, and I made a small one for myself. So so good! Berries, maple syrup, vanilla, arrowroot starch for filling, and oats, garbanzo bean flour, coconut oil, cinnamon and maple syrup for crumble on top.
The second lesson is on Macro and Micro Nutrients. We are recommended 10-15% protein, 20-35% fats, 35-50% carbohydrates, 25g for women of fiber and 38g fiber for men for our daily dietary energy intake to have a healthy sustainable diet. In addition to drinking a lot of water and physical activity. The third lesson then explains the healthy eating guidelines to keep these recommended daily averages. More carbohydrates, fiber, fats and protein in the whole grain, vegetable and fruit forms, rather than in the refined or processed food forms. We discussed what a serving size actually is for every type of food, the glycaemic index, healthy food swaps, food recommendations for each country and how they differ.
#shawacademynutrtitionchallenge of eating more fruits and veggies a day. Here's a classic meal I eat. Saute whatever veggies you have in house and add hummus add flavor. Delicious and full of nutrients!
The fourth lesson was on understanding weight loss and fad diets. I have never been one for fad diets but I have lost 40lbs since 2007 (not counting the added baby weight now). It was a great and informative class that really resonated with my goals and obstacles to lose weight and keep it off. It was a very reassuring feeling to know I have made the long term choices along the way to keep this healthy lifestyle the rest of my life. The fad diets definitely blew my mind with what some people are willing to do to their bodies to lose weight. It goes to the extreme in some cases where people starve themselves for days out of the week. I love food and eating, and never want to live a way where I am starving or in a poor mood because of a diet.
Fred's no cholesterol and low saturated fat mac'n'cheese. Of course it's free from processed foods and gluten!
With all of this nutrition knowledge that I am gaining during this time in my pregnancy, I am able to stay on the right path of eating healthy for myself and Dillon. I have also noticed a difference on the days I eat healthy vs. the days I don’t. Sometimes the effects carry over to fatigue and lack of energy for days. If I have eaten badly the day before, I find it hard to get motivated to be active, and it will start to affect my sleep. I think a food diary is one of the greatest gifts you could give yourself when making a healthy diet change. It allows you to just become aware of your eating habits, hopefully without judgement, so that you can start making better choices.
Fred's berry tart
This time of my pregnancy and in my life I am grateful for this month to be finishing up my nutrition diploma, and growing my business. Spreading the love through yoga and food is the best thing I have ever done in my life. If I can do one thing as a mother it is this; that I live my life in a way that shows my daughter how to live a healthy and happy life, rather than telling her how it is and not taking action. I want her to be able to see my actions and interactions with others and how that is living my dreams, so she one day feels confident enough to live hers.
Join me!!
