THE PRAM DIET
by Rebecca Mugridge
The inspirational journey of a mum who turned her life
around with one simple thing: her baby's pram!
So many diet books on the market are written by people
who have never followed the diets they have created, but The Pram Diet
is different. Tried and
tested Rebecca Mugridge's Pram Diet is a simple and affordable way to
achieve simple weight loss, boost mood and confidence and be a happier,
healthier and better mum.
Like many Australians, Rebecca Mugridge has struggled
with her self-image and weight for most of her life. As an adult she
enjoyed a fulfilling job in horticulture before she became pregnant.
After the birth of her baby girl Rebecca battled with Post-natal
depression and dealing with her weight gain. She would avoid being in
family photos and was even cutting herself out of them.
"I was
irrational, oversensitive, on edge all the time, putting huge and
unrealistic pressure on myself. Eventually, one day, I reached breaking
point. I could cry no more. I had had enough. Angry and frustrated I bundled my baby into her pram. We set off stormily on a life-changing
walk. It was this moment, this walk, that would change my life forever. I
returned from this rejuvenating and exhilarating walk a new version
of myself."
In The Pram Diet
Rebecca shares her
experience and what she has learned in the hope that other Australian
mothers can benefit. She includes her complete diet and fitness program
and advice on how she lost her pregnancy weight, improved her outlook on
life and now maintains a healthy lifestyle with her family. Peppered
with gardening tips for growing your own fruit and vegetables (both a
healthy and budget-friendly activity!), sample menu plans and an
extensive collection of Rebecca's own recipes for improving your
lifestyle
The Pram Diet is set
to become the lifestyle bible for a new generation of mothers.
Postpartum Depression: A Secret Shame
by
responsiblefamily
When a woman has a baby, it is often assumed that she will be happy and joyous at the arrival of her newborn child and everything will be just wonderful. Some women may find this to be the case, but for others, the reality can be very different from this expectation. Often times, women will find themselves crying uncontrollably, uncomfortable in their own bodies, suffering from hormonal shifts and resenting the changes that the responsibility of caring for a child brings to their life.
Due to the fact that women feel the pressure to be the perfect mom, there is often a shame that comes with the negative feelings of baby blues or postpartum depression. This shame causes women to hide their feelings of sadness and depression. In order to decrease the incidence of baby blues and postpartum depression the families, friends, and doctors surrounding new mothers should be knowledgeable and observant of the possible symptoms of postpartum depression in new moms.
If left untreated, postpartum depression can cause negative effects on newborns and possibly turn into postpartum psychosis (remember Andrea Yates?). So, it is crucial that the community knows the symptoms of postpartum depression and where to turn for help.
Symptoms of Baby Blues
- Can occur 3-4 days after baby is born and last several days
- Mild depression
- Tearful for no apparent reason
- Emotional, easily upset
- Difficulty sleeping
- Anxious or tense
- Worrying about anything and everything
- Feeling of low energy despite rest
Symptoms of Postpartum Depression
- Can occur anytime within 6 months after baby is born and last for varying amounts of time depending on treatment
- Loss of appetite
- Less energy and motivation to complete daily tasks
- Sleeping more than usual
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Increase in crying or tearfulness
- Feeling that life is not worth living
- Feeling restless and irritable
- Constantly worrying
- Thoughts of hurting self or baby
Who is At Risk
Women with a history of depression are at higher risk of developing postpartum depression, so family and friends should be vigilant about supporting the mother and offering assistance if need be. Women who are encountering marital problems or other stressful events during or right after pregnancy are also at an increased risk of developing postpartum depression.
There have been studies that suggest that Omega supplements, exercise and breastfeeding can help to keep the symptoms of postpartum depression at bay. But, the most important thing for a new mom to receive is support.
All women need support after the birth of a baby. They need people to talk to, people to occasionally take care of the baby, someone who can offer them time to rest and emotional support. Having a baby is a major life event that comes with many emotions and adjustments. Both moms and dads go through a lot of changes when a baby comes into their lives, so communication is essential to overcoming postpartum depression and developing an ability to enjoy family life.
If you think that you or someone you know is suffering postpartum depression, there are many resources available for you. The first point of contact should be the obstetrician that delivered the baby. Make an appointment with the doctor as soon as symptoms surface. The second step should be finding a therapist or community support group (often offered at local hospitals where babies are born). Often times the right therapist can help guide new moms to a place where the cloud is lifted and they can finally enjoy life again.
Resources
Postpartum Support International http://www.postpartum.net/
Women 's Health.gov http://www.4women.gov/faq/postpartum.htm
Responsible Family Company
http://www.ResponsibleFamily.com
About the Author
Britt Michaelian, MA is the founder and CEO of Responsible Family Company. Her DVD, Care for Kids: The Essential Guide to Preparing Caregivers educates caregivers about medical emergencies. Sign up for the newsletter and get a free Child Safety Report at
http://www.responsiblefamily.com
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Planning Your Fitness Program-Fitnees
By
Robert Baird Baird
You now know that regular physical
activity and exercise can help you avoid preventable diseases and add to
both the quality and length of your life. If you are currently active,
you are more aware of the benefits of regular physical activity and
should be motivated to continue your efforts. If you are sedentary or
sporadically active, you realize that you should not delay one day
longer in making the behavioral changes necessary to improve your
fitness level.
Identifying Your Fitness Goals
Before you initiate a fitness program, analyze your personal needs,
limitations, physical activity likes and dislikes, and daily schedule.
If you have inherited no major risks for fatal or debilitating diseases,
your specific goal may be to achieve(or maintain) healthy levels of body
fat, cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, or
flexibility/mobility.
Once you become committed to regular physical activity and exercise, you
will observe gradual changes and note progress toward your goals.
Unfortunately, you can't get fit for a couple of years while you're
young and expect the positive changes to last the rest of your life. You
must become committed to fitness for the long haul-to establish a
realistic schedule of diverse exercise activities that you can maintain
and enjoy throughout your life.
Designing Your Fitness Program
Once you commit yourself to becoming physically active, you must decide
what type of fitness program is best suited to your needs. Good fitness
programs are designed to improve or maintain cardiorespiratory fitness,
flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, and body composition. A
comprehensive program could include a warm-up period of easy walking
followed by stretching activities to improve flexibility, then selected
strength development exercises, followed by performance of an aerobic
activity for 20 minutes or more, and concluding with a cool-down period
of gentle flexibility exercises.
The greatest proportion of your exercise time should be spent developing
cardiovascular fitness, but you should not exclude the other components.
Choose an aerobic activity you think you will like. Many people find
cross training alternate-day participation in two or more aerobic activities(ie, jogging and swimming)-less monotonous and more enjoyable
than long-term participation in only one aerobic activity. Cross
training is also beneficial because it strengthen:, a variety of
muscles, thus helping you avoid overuse injuries to muscles and joints.
Responding to the exercise boom, fitness equipment manufacturers have
made it easy for you to participate in a variety of activities. Most
colleges and universities now have recreation centers where students can
use stair-climbing machines, stationary bicycles, treadmills, rowing
machines, and ski-simulators.
What Do You Think?
You now have the ability to design your own fitness program. What two
activities would you select for a cross-training program? Do the
activities you selected exercise different major muscle groups?
Cross training Regular participation in two or more types of exercises
(e.g., swimming and weight lifting).
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Diet Don'ts for
Weight Loss
By
Richard Bean
There is no simple way to lose weight,
and certainly not a single diet that will work for everyone. The best,
and ultimately the simplest, way to lose weight and keep it off is to
understand what works, what doesn't, and why, and then put that
knowledge into practice. To put it simply, you need to educate yourself.
Sadly, there are a lot of dangerous diets out there, and many others
that simply don't work. This chapter is a consumer's guide to fad diets
and other weight-loss schemes.
What's wrong with this diet?
If you spend ant time perusing the diet shelves of bookstores, or
watching daytime television, or surfing the Internet, you are
undoubtedly aware of an avalanche of diets: celebrity diets,
low-carbohydrate diets, 3-day diets; diets designed to fit your blood
type, astrological sign, age, gender, what have you. Most promise some
sort of miracle, something quick and easy. And you may be tempted to
give them a try.
Yo-do dieting
Most likely, you have dieted before. Maybe you lost a few pounds, maybe
you lost many. But the reason you bought this book is that you gained
them back again. This is the familiar diet yo-yo.
Although some people say that yo-yo dieting messes up your metabolism
and does lasting harm to your health, this is actually not true.
Medical experts call it weight cycling, and this is what they have to
say about it:
Weight cycling does not increase the amount of your fat tissue.
Weight cycling will not turn you into an "apple," causing you to regain
lost weight as fat deposits in your abdominal area.
The main thing wrong with yo-yo dieting is that it is discouraging.
And the main cause of yo-yoing is diets that result in temporary weight
loss rather than encouraging permanent changes in your eating and
exercise habits.
High-protein, high-fat diets
The most popular diets today are based on the premise that being
overweight is caused primarily by carbohydrates. These diets call for
eating a lot of protein and little or no carbohydrates. Most of them
also permit you to eat as much fat as you want. Their promoters claim
this is a healthier way of eating.
You undoubtedly know some people who have lost a great deal of weight,
and quite quickly, on these diets. And it is hard to argue with success.
But I'm going to do it anyway. High protein, low-carbohydrate diets are
extremely unhealthy. The reasons for this are:
They violate every known fact about nutritionally balanced eating.
They ignore the established health risks of diets high in cholesterol
and saturated fats.
They overload you with protein, which results in loss of calcium from
your bones, which may lead to osteoporosis. Protein overload also puts
stress on your kidneys as they try to eliminate large amounts of urea, a
by-product of protein metabolism.
They forbid foods known to lower the risk of heart disease and many
cancers.
They deprive you of carbohydrates, the nutrient group most readily
converted to energy. Even moderately active people will notice this lack
during exercise.
They deprive your brain of glucose, which it needs for normal
functioning. The result is a slowdown in thinking and reaction time.
They deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is found in
carbohydrate-rich foods.
They are deficient in essential vitamins.
They cause potentially dangerous changes in your body chemistry.
They deliver temporary weight loss. Weight gain is rapid once you go off
the diet.
Some "carbs are the enemy" diets are based on pseudo-scientific theories
about insulin. Carbohydrates do not overstimulate insulin production in
people whose insulin-secreting cells function normally. The best way to
ensure that you do not have an "Insulin problem" is to have a blood
glucose test as part of an annual preventive health examination. If your
blood sugar level is abnormal, your doctor will investigate the cause
and discuss dietary changes with you. If your blood sugar is normal, the
healthiest thing you can do is to ensure that 55 to 60 percent of your
daily calories come from carbohydrates, primarily complex carbohydrates.
The rapid weight loss seen in people on low-carb diets is mostly due to
water loss.
Protein metabolism produces urea, a toxin eliminated in urine through
the kidneys. Every gram of urea requires 50 ml of water to flush it from
the body. That's a little more than an ounce of water, and remember: A
fluid ounce of water weighs an ounce. In addition, fat metabolism
produces ketone bodies, another toxin that increases water loss.
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