Is it okay to exercise during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, Mom's behaviors directly impact baby's growth and development. One of my favorite topics is pregnancy. I love the fact that a woman's food choices and lifestyle behaviors directly impact the development of another human being during this time.

In working with pregnant women, I quickly learned exercise is something women either shy away from during pregnancy or finally start engaging in. So, if you are pregnant, or trying to become pregnant, listen up!

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), weight bearing exercises during pregnancy (ie: walking, low impact aerobics and jogging) not only helps improve mom's fitness level, it can also aide in maintaining a healthy amount of weight gain while improving recovery after delivery. How awesome is that?

Here are a few tips from the American College of Sports Medicine in becoming and staying active through out your pregnancy:

Exercise during a "normal" pregnancy can continue and begin for most women (ie: one without any high risk factors). Though, for specific recommendations tailored to your own needs, consult your midwife or obstetrician for guidance.

During the first trimester (weeks 1-12), not much changes in mom that would require adjustments to her workout. Instead, it's important to note she may tire out earlier then normal. Pay special attention not to overheat (see tip below) or do exercises that could risk injury to the abdominal region.

During the second (weeks 13-25) and third (weeks 26+) trimesters, the same holds true as above, but mom should no longer exercise in the supine (ie: on stomach) or prone (ie: on back) positions. As the baby develops, mom's center of gravity and balance will be off. Therefore, she should also discontinue bicycling (though, stationary bikes are typically okay and recommended).

Take caution...and follow these guidelines.

- Maintaining your hydration before, during after work outs (ie: drink your water!)

- Wearing loose fitting clothing

- Avoiding exercising in hot weather an high humidity

- The pregnancy is not progressing

- Vaginal bleeding

- Membrane rupture (ie: water breaks)

- Persistent pain

- Chronic fatigue

In the end, pregnancy is amazing opportunity, and reason, to realign all of your lifestyle behaviors toward a healthier you. If you are already active, continue exercising at the same, or a lower, intensity you were prior to pregnancy. If you are just beginning an exercise program, tread lightly. Work with aerobic instructors and trainers understanding the precautions needed during pregnancy and that check your level of exertion regularly.

Happy exercising- for you and baby!

Caffeine and Pregnancy.. Do They Mix?

I’ve never been much of a morning person, so the thought of giving up my a.m. cup of coffee during pregnancy was less than appealing to me. Though some choose to give up caffeine all together, I decided to simply limit how much I was taking in to no more than one cup of coffee per day.

Most studies show moderate caffeine intake of less than 300 milligrams (mg) per day, equal to about 2-3 cups of coffee, is safe during pregnancy. However, erring on the side of caution and limiting intake to no more than 200 mg per day is preferred by March of Dimes. This is because large amounts of caffeine (greater than 300 mg per day) are associated with miscarriages, premature births and low birth weights.

Pregnant? Track your caffeine intake to keep baby safe (Note: following values are approximate):

~Andrea

How many carbohydrates are in that Halloween candy?

Here's an abbreviated listing of common Halloween candies provided by Children with Diabetes, Inc.

CANDY: SIZE/PACKAGE-CARBOHYDRATES (g)

3 Musketeers: 16 gram fun-size bar- 12g

Charms Blow Pop: 1 sucker- 14g

Brachs Candy Corn: 15 pieces- 25g

Jolly Rancher: 1 piece- 4g

Kit Kat snack-size bar: 1, 2-piece bar- 9g

Twizzlers Licorice Twists: 3, 6-inches long- 23g

M&M's Plain Minis: 1 bag- 10g

Skittles: mini pack- 18g

Snickers: 20-gram fun-size bar- 12g

Starburst: 4 pieces- 16g

Tootsie Roll Pops: 1 pop- 15g

Tootsie Rolls: 2 bars- 20g

For more examples of candies and their carbohydrate content, check out Living Well Eating Smart's Little Y's Corner in issue #19. Download it by clicking here!

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Is air travel safe during pregnancy?

Is it safe to travel the high skies during pregnancy? That’s exactly what I asked myself a few months back and thankfully, my doctor gave me the green light to do so. In fact, according to a revised Committee Opinion released by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), “As long as pregnant women don’t have any other obstetric or other medical complications, they can follow the same precautions for air travel as the general population and fly safely.”

So at my 24th week of pregnancy, I will be buckled up and taking flight to the annual American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo in Denver, CO. If you’re an expecting mom and plan to fly like me, here are some tips for feeling your best. Though, always check with your doctor before taking to the high skies.

Here’s to happy flying!

-Andrea

Hunkering Down for the Holidays? Get moving!

With the holidays and cold months ahead, its way too easy to just hunker down and "wait" the season out. That won't get you anywhere. So, get moving!

If you're going to turn over a new leaf in time for the holidays, let me know! We can easily turn our autumn changes into an online community of support for when the days get tougher to maintain. Until then, happy moving!

Living Well Eating Smart has a Baby on Board!

The Living Well Eating Smart program has two parts— Carrie and myself. Come this winter, it will have a third unofficial member— one baby boy. I am now 22 weeks into my first pregnancy!

To help keep mothers, mothers-to-be and those preparing for motherhood in the loop of all things nutrition and baby, Carrie and I will feature special Mommy-to-be tips every Friday on the MassLive Living Well Eating Smart blog and every other Friday right here from now until winter.

If you have any specific questions you want answered, let us know. We’ll be sure to find out the answer if we don’t already know it off the top of our heads.

Here’s to a healthy and happy pregnancy!

To submit your questions, e-mail us at askcarrie@bigy.com.

True or False? Olive oil is a healthier choice than butter because it has less fat.

This is a common misconception- more common then I thought it was BEFORE I began asking the question. In fact, on my first meeting with DJ Mike Stacy from Lite 100.5 WRCH for our current "Recipe Smackdown" collaboration, he was under the assumption that it was, too. Alas, it is not....

Although switching from butter to olive oil when cooking may be a heart healthy change-- olive oil provides heart healthy unsaturated fats versus butter that contains heart disease promoting saturated fat -- you are still cooking with a fat!

Olive oil is a fat just as much as butter. One tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil provides about 14 grams of total fat and 120 calories. One tablespoon of butter provides about 11 grams of fat and 100 calories.

And when it comes to overall heart disease risk (and watching weight), total fat and calorie consumption is just as important as they types of fats you choose.

Here are two good rules of thumb for "healthifying" the fat content of a recipe:

Step #1- Can I reduce the amount of fat used in this recipe and still end up with a great tasting dish?

Step #2- Can I switch out the type of fat used in this recipe to a healthier version?

In the end, total fat consumed in your meal plan is the first thing to look at. Then, you focus in on the type of fats being chosen. The same goes for recipes.

But remember, if the only healthifying that can be done to the fat content of a recipe is the type of fat, than make the switch! As long as it doesn't effect the flavor or quality, that single switch may be all you can do and a great one at that.

To learn more about the Mike & Carrie Recipe Smackdown program- maybe become one of the guests at the Big Y Bistro table in-studio or submit your own healthified recipe- visit the Carrie & Mike Recipe Smackdown webpage on the Lite 100.5 website. Stay tuned to Lite 100.5 next Tuesday morning from 8-9am for our live, in-studio blind recipe taste testing of meatloaf...yum.

Food Safety 101

In my kitchen, food safety is a must. You'll never see frozen chicken defrosting on my countertop - or raw meat hanging out with produce. Since September is National Food Safety Education Month, make sure food safety is a priority in your kitchen, too!

Here is a fun fact from the Partnership for Food Safety Education to get you thinking about food safety:

Myth: Putting chicken in a colander and rinsing it with water will remove bacteria like salmonella.

Fact: Rinsing poultry in a colander will not remove bacteria. In fact, it can spread raw juices around your sink, onto countertops and onto ready-to-eat foods. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry can only be killed when cooked to a safe internal temperature, which for poultry is 165°F, as measured with a food thermometer. Save yourself the messiness of rinsing raw poultry. It is not a safety step and can cause cross-contamination!

Did you get it right? For more food safety or general nutrition questions, e-mail myself or Carrie at askcarrie@bigy.com today!

How much added sugar are YOU recommended?

For one of my recent blog postings on MassLive.com, I discussed the difference between “added” sugars and “natural” sugars. Added sugars are those added to food during cooking, processing and at the dinner table to make food sweeter. Natural sugars occur directly from Mother Nature and make food sweet (ie: fruit).

On August 24th, the American Heart Association released their new guidelines on the recommended upper limit of added sugars in one’s meal plan. Though these recommendations received quite a bit of attention, after reading more about it, I quickly learned the American Heart Associations’ recommendations were not new.

The American Heart Association guidelines are simply a reinforcement of the recommendations made by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) back in 2005. That said, the reiteration of recommendations do not make the message any less important.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans set by the USDA explains each of us have a little bit of “extra” calories in our daily meal plan when meeting food group goals. These extras are called discretionary calories. You can read my MassLive.com blog from March 25th to learn more about discretionary calories.

Added sugars were recommended by the USDA to fall within one’s daily discretionary calories, as was added fat and alcohol consumption. Because your level of discretionary calories is dependent upon daily calorie needs, your amount of added sugars may vary from the other people in your life.

For example, an individual following a 2,200 calorie meal plan is recommended to have nine teaspoons of sugar as their upper limit of daily added sugars. Meanwhile, an individual following a 1,800 calorie meal plan will have a five teaspoon limit.

How do you figure out teaspoons of added sugar when reading a Nutrition Facts label?

Every four grams of sugar listed is equivalent to one teaspoon of sugar. BUT, the Nutrition Facts label does not decipher between natural and added sugars. The way to figure out if you’re eating more natural sugars than added sugars is to read the Ingredient’s listing. For products with more than one of the following listed: high fructose corn syrup, syrup, sugar, cane juice, molasses, honey or anything ending in -ose (i.e.: maltose), much of the sugar (if not all!) is coming from added sugars.

In the end, here are the recommendations from both the American Heart Association and the USDA for the upper limit of daily added sugars one should follow each day:

1,600 calories= 3 teaspoons

1,800 calories= 5 teaspoons

2,000 calories= 8 teaspoons

2,200 calories= 9 teaspoons

2,400 calories= 12 teaspoons

2,600 calories= 14 teaspoons

2,800 calories= 15 teaspoons

3,000 calories= 18 teaspoons

To learn your specific daily calorie goals, Visit MyPyramid.gov. After entering your age, gender, weight, height and activity level you will find out which calorie level meal plan is recommended for you and how to achieve it!

Big E Countdown!

While shopping at my local Big Y last night, I was pleased to hear an advertisement for discount tickets for the Big E. Anyone who knows me can tell you how much I love the Big E. And it’s only two weeks away! Whether you go because you love the food and the rides, or get “dragged” there by your significant other (like my significant other will tell you!), here are healthful ways to enjoy this great New England tradition:

~ Walk, walk and walk some more. If you’ve been to the Big E, you know there’s always a lot of walking involved. So put on some comfy walking shoes and get moving! You’ll burn calories, gain energy and meet your physical activity goals for the day when you walk for at least 30-60 minutes.

~ Be aware of healthier meal and snack options. Oftentimes we think of typical fair food as less than healthy – corn dogs, fried dough, pizza, even fried veggies. Thankfully, there are plenty of nutritious options out there. Try a must-have baked potato (go easy on the toppings); fresh produce like corn on the cob, apples or fresh blueberries; protein choices like salmon-on-a-stick, bean-packed chili or grilled chicken with a touch of BBQ sauce; or dairy products like calcium-rich milk and cheese from New England dairy farmers.

~ Eat a balanced snack (with protein, carbohydrates and fat) before leaving the house. By filling up beforehand, you won’t be so inclined to eat every yummy food in sight. However, always allow yourself to enjoy bite-sized indulgences without feeling guilty. We all have favorite foods at the Big E – whether it’s the famous cream puff or homemade peanut butter fudge. Simply savor a few bites and share the rest with a friend. Or, pick and choose one or two “must haves” and skip on the rest.

~ Stay hydrated! Remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid dehydration. And save a few calories by passing up sugary beverages like sodas and punches when possible.

So enjoy all the Big E has to offer this fall – and remember to purchase your tickets in advance at your local Big Y for a fantastic discount!

:::Living Well Big E Tip::: Are you a breast feeding mom? Visit the La Leche League nursing mother’s booth in the New England Building (located near the cream puffs) for a comfortable and clean place to feed baby and for great educational resources. Be sure to stop in and say hi, I’ll be volunteering there in October!