Creating Better Choices

If carrots came individually wrapped in colorful cellophane packages and salad came in air filled foil bags, would we eat them more often?
I know we all love chips and candy bars but we know how unhealthy they are. I'm sure we would all love to eat food that is good for our bodies. So what's stopping us?
Take this , healthy lunch idea, for example. Who wouldn't love a hot turkey and swiss sandwich, toasty bread and sliced lettuce and tomato? It's not too hard, too time consuming. Right?

Well, what if it's one of those days when your baby does not want to be put down and you are grabbing ingredients with one hand, have to slice a tomato, wash and cut lettuce, spread mayo, flip the sandwich on the griddle, all while little hands are grabbing at the butter knife, the sharp knife, your hair! Oh!!! Forget it. I'll just have a doughnut. Because the doughnut is ready to eat, delicious, and fills you up with grease and sugar.
Perfect.
Except that 30 minutes later you are going to feel sluggish, hungry, and cranky. And you just might grab another doughnut.
Ms. Garcia says that the midday meal is just as important as breakfast because when you are running after a toddler, you need a full burst of lasting energy to get you through to dinner. You need to be present for your baby, not thinking about how hungry you are.
As she mentioned last week, a protein and a vegetable for every meal will give you all the energy you need.
So, how does baked chicken and salad sound? Great? Well, who has time to make that for lunch?
You do!
Again, says Ms.Garcia, planning ahead is your greatest asset.
When you have extra time, while you are already cooking dinner or on a quiet Sunday afternoon, place 2 or 3 chicken breasts in a preheated iron skillet. (You can find the pre-cut kind in your super market or you can cut a large one into single serving pieces). Season the chicken any way you want, then lower the heat to medium low or low and cover. While you wait twenty minutes, your chicken breasts will "bake" in their own juices.
After they have cooled, slice any way you like and place in ziplock bags and store in the fridge.

Now, for the salad.
Pre-cut and wash your lettuce, grate some carrots and separate into ziplocks. Keep some cherry tomatoes on hand and when you are ready to eat, throw it all in a bowl and you have your salad! Heat up one portion of chicken in the microwave for a few minutes and enjoy, and it can all be done with one hand!
As for dressing?
Our expert advises us that if you are following healthy eating habits, the type of dressing you use will not throw you off track. But if you want a low calorie, homemade, quick dressing, try 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of white or red vinegar and a teaspoon of mustard. Stir right before you are going to eat because the oil and will separate.
Mix it up with your salad or drizzle over your chicken.
Prepare 2 or 3 days worth and you will have a filling, healthy lunch waiting for you!
There you have it, no more hand fulls of pretzels for midday meal followed a half hour later by half a bag of fritos.

Now, the next phase of our exercise program.
After you have gotten some strength back, while lying face up in bed, bend your knees, keeping your feet flat on the bed and your knees about shoulder width apart.
Lift your bum all the way up until your belly is above your torso.
While in this position, gently pulse your knees in and out.
Do 3 sets of 12.
This move is for working your thighs and your gluts (your rear end).

Although this exercise is fairly low impact, Ms. Garcia recommends starting slowly, first trying out the lifted position alone and making sure you don't feel any strain. She also recommends waiting until your 6 weeks of rest and healing after birth have passed before you start this particular exercise.

Thank you for joining us on health and fitness friday!
Have a good weekend!