Can I safely maintain/lose weight while pregnant

I went to the doctor and they gave me some harsh but encouraging information in regards to my weight. As you know, I am clinically overweight. My BMI (body mass index) for a 5 ft 7 and 179 lb woman is considered to be overweight. Thank God I am no longer in the obese rankings. They say I am a 28.

• Underweight = <18.5
• Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
• Overweight = 25-29.9
• Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

With that said, my doctor told me I can safely continue on my weight loss journey by walking briskly after meals, eating a diet consisting of healthy foods, avoid high fat foods, and I can even go to the gym. He expects me to gain only 14 lbs through out my pregnancy which is fine with me. That would mean I will safely carry a baby and deliver at a weight of 193 lbs which is what I will aim for. I am going to continue to go to the gym, he said I can safely consume 2150 calories daily for my baby and we both will be fine. I am happy to know this because putting on too much "baby weight" for someone whose already overweight is not healthy for myself or the baby. I will keep you guys updated. My due date is March 18th and after I have the baby, I will immediately continue on my weight loss journey:)

OMG! Guess what I just found out!!

After all of this dieting, eating right, watching calories, drinking protein shakes and being active - I have found out the most happiest but indifferent news of all time! I am not sure if I am happy or sad or what, but I am pregnant! Yes, I took 6 pregnancy tests. I took 5 at home and one at the doctors office and I turned up pregnant. My husband and I have been sooo careful so I dont know how that happened.
Don't fret, everyone. Pregnant women can still pursue healthy lifestyles so I will continue on my weight loss venture. O gosh, not another one... LOL. My baby is only 13 months so another one so close will certainly be a task for me. Wish me luck!
By the way in case you're wondering, the pic is of me with my first baby. My stomach isn't that big yet ha ha!

HIDDEN SUGAR affects weight loss!!

Have you ever thought of how to convert grams of sugar listed on labels to teaspoons or tablespoons of sugar?

Well I have the answer! One teaspoon of granulated white sugar is equal to about 4.2 grams. If you are buying a bottle of flavored water with 44 grams of sugar, you would divide 44 by 4.2 which is equal to 10 teaspoons of sugar. Disgusting, huh? Did you know that sugar which is not burnt off with daily exercise will just turn into fat as stored energy? Hardly anything we want to happen to our bodies! I advise you to keep your sugar intake as low as possible, read those labels, and don't be fooled by manufacturers who state "low fat" or "low sodium" because when they lower one thing, surely enough, they higher something else.

High Blood Pressure in Black Women

They call it the silent killer. High blood pressure can cause a host of issues if left untreated. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure a few months ago and since then, I have been on a drug called hydrochlorothiazide, also called HCTZ 25mg (a diuretic). I take 1 pill a day. They say my blood pressure is not high enough to put me on something a little more powerful. The average American woman's blood pressure is 120/80 but prior to taking meds, mine was in the 145/95 range. Not dangerously high, but high enough to cause concern.
My doctor said the HCTZ will rid me of water weight. Thats the drugs primary function. When the water drains out through my kidneys, it will also flush the salt along with it. The results will be a lower blood pressure. Well, I have taken the drug for a month now, and my blood pressure has went down to 130/90 which is awesome.
Now, you are asking yourself, how does this post relate to weight loss. Well, HCTZ has been known to slow down weight loss. The drug does rid you of water weight which is every PMS'ing woman's dream, however, the drug also spikes your blood sugar! High blood sugar means that you are going to be hungry not long after you eat because your body processes the food so fast... which will cause weight gain and possible insulin resistance.
So, what should I do. Should I look to western medicine to rid me of my high blood pressure, or should I do it the natural and safe way. That would be proper diet and excercise. I have been eating proper for the past 7 months, but I was eating salt along with my foods. We will see how this goes with the salt free diet and the diuretic prescribed medication. So far, so good but the fact that my blood sugar is at risk worries me. I am going to get my blood sugar checked next week and tell you guys my numbers.

How to lose belly fat

Tired of that fat sitting around your waist? Tired of doing crunches to no avail. 1000 crunches will give you the same results as 100 crunches, so just quit it - it is a hopeless venture. I will reveal the secret on how to get rid of belly fat once and for all!
Now, most of us do not know this. Our bodies choose to store fat in our bellies because its lots of space there and its convenient for our bodies to store it there. Our bodies say "Gee, look at all that space, lets put the cheeseburger and fries RIGHT there on his/her tummy after it digests"! VOILA, there goes your belly fat, stored up to live happily ever after (not unless a famine comes along).
Well, when we venture on our weight loss quest, we intend to lose body fat, right. Well, you do - just in the places you wish would go last and not first. For instance, when I started to lose weight, my legs were the first to go. I still had the belly fat, and I looked like a chicken in the mirror LOL! Every pound of fat you lose from the belly, it takes fat from another part of the body and stores it in your tummy (again, prepping for the famine). This means you have excess fat, which is why you are partaking in the weight loss efforts in the first place! Don't you wish you could sit down and have a nice long conversation with your body and make it do what you want it to do?
Unfortunately, we do not have that option, so this is what you have to do:

• Eat more often, a minimum of 6 short meals a day.
• Have a portion of lean protein in every meal. This could be a protein shake, chicken breast etc...
• Eat a high calorie breakfast (but lowfat), and dinner like a toddler.
• Always eat your green vegetables, and get lots of fiber in your diet.
• Try to have a glass of green tea after every meal. This helps control your hunger.
• Drink plenty of water a day, theres no getting around it!
• Keep sugar levels low. Don't keep them too low because you need sugar in your system to keep us active.
• NEVER STARVE YOURSELF, eat 6x a day no matter what! If you starve yourself, that triggers fasting inside your delicate system, and the body stores more fat instead of burning it (again, prepping for the famine - the body is an amazing vessel)
• Here is the part we hate to hear. Burn fat all over your body with excercise. Try some resistance training with weights. If you burn fat all over, fat can not survive in our bellies for too long. At first, you will not see results but when you do, pat yourself on the back and be proud of what you have achieved! Remember to stay at it. It will be worth it in the end!
  

I know all of this sounds simple, but when you try to commit to following these simple steps, you fall short after the first few days. If you need help and support, feel free to email me at divaonadiet79@gmail.com and I will give you encouragement and guidance for FREE!

Youtube takedown

I have decided to not vlog anymore on youtube anytime soon. I will continue to blog. Thanks for your support.

Weight Loss PROGRESS!!

There was a time when I could not fit this shirt. It was back in summer 2007. I distinctly remember one day getting ready to go out to eat brunch with my husband and crying in the closet because I couldn't find anything to wear/fit. I remember trying on this shirt and even though it is stretchable cotton, I had stretched the characters on the shirt so much that you couldn't understand what the shirt said and my fat rolls were showing. It was an overall uncomfortable experience and one I remember very well.
Well, my husband, baby and I went to the beach last weekend for some relaxation, and I had a moment of Deja Vu in the closet after I reached for this shirt. Sometimes we forget how much weight we have truly lost and need to be reminded in our fitting of clothes.
I picked up the shirt, immediately thought 'I can't fit it' and put it back in my drawer. Then, something told me "yes you can" so I put the shirt on and YES!!! I could fit it!
I even had room left over in the shirt and no fat rolls protruded though for the world to see.
My shorts are a size 11/12 from old navy. I ordered them online. When I placed my order a few weeks ago, I subconsciously clicked on size 18/20 and then it hit me - 'chica you lost weight' - so I ordered a 11/12 and after i submitted the order, i smiled to myself. I realized that now, I am on my way to a healthier and happier new me. I love it!

BERRIES!!

According to raw food extraordinaire David Wolfe, berries are the most natural food for human consumption and a cleanser for the human body. We spend so much time thinking about what we put in our bodies we forget the importance of what comes out! Furthermore, berries are a wonderful source of Vitamins C, E, calcium and folic acid and are rich in phytochemicals.

Berries are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, which has been linked to lowered cholesterol levels and weight loss. Some forms have even shown to have anti-cancer properties in laboratory settings. The goji berry, the #1 food in Chinese medicine, is one of the highest anti-oxidant foods on the planet and well-worth looking into!

For breakfast, (if you are cost concsious) try some frozen blueberries and rasberries along with plain yogurt and granola. You will find yourself feeling rejuvinated after eating this wonder breakfast which has all you need to get through the day. Add in some protein and you will be good to go!