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!

Its on and poppin 100%

Hey everybody, I managed to smooth out the crinks in my efforts to lose weight. My husband had convinced me that my weight loss efforts were becoming obsessive but I explained to him that whenever I commit myself to something, I give it 100%. He said he already knew that and told me I can do whatever make me happy so um... Its about to be on and popping AGAIN! I will give it my all again. Right now, I sit at 180 which is fine because its basically me starting where I left off + 4lbs but I will get that off the first week of me losing my pounds. Watch me shed the pounds effortlessly... OK I am lying. It won't be effortless but I will try to make it seem that way.
I am going to start by going to the gym. It is a free gym here on the military base. I will also eat right and start taking pictures of what I eat. I am going to approach a cheaper method of losing weight such as using frozen veggies, stuff on sale (diet foods are ALWAYS on sale) and maybe some canned fruits w/no sugar.
The last time I approached weight loss, it was pretty expensive and although we could afford it, I just thought spending that much money on food was outrageous and now, I am going to do it as cheap as possible.
Now, for breakfast today, I had a pepsi but thats because I got only 4 hours of sleep lastnight. My daughter got up lastnight to eat, shes a little greedy one ha ha!
OK, you can follow me on youtube as well to watch me videograph my weight loss efforts. Much love to all of you who support me and I won't let you down - but most importantly, I wont let myself down, either!
Toodles~

Whats a girl to do?

2007 when I was 220 lbs!!! WHOA ME~~~!!

First of all, let me explain to you guys how much I love my husband and I respect him FULLY!! I also give him my undivided attention whenever the baby isn't my first priority and then.... you guys fit in there somewhere. Well, with all of that being said. I have a dilemma.

My husband actually sat me down and told me that my weight loss goal was starting to become obsessive and I was obsessed with losing weight. I thought I was doing everything right. I was watching my calories, weighing myself ever so frequently, shopping correctly, and working out every chance I got along with documenting it via my blog and youtube. Well, he thought I needed to give it a break and chill out, so I did. I directed my attention to something else to help pass the time. I decided to start playing in my makeup/hair on a daily basis. I play in it all the time and shop online for the best deals. I love it, it takes me away from my daily task of cleaning up, cooking, and all the other stuff us stay at home moms do. Well, my husband said AGAIN that I was becoming obsessed with my makeup and hair! I decided to cut back a little on the hair/makeup thingy and I started watching youtube videos in my spare time...now keep in mind, I do all of these things AFTER I've taken care of home, and everything is squared away
Well, low and behold he told me I was obsessed with youtube so of course, I had to give it a break.
I had to stop and think.... "what the hell am I to do now". Well, I've come up with - nothing - I guess I will start blogging more often since my other hobbies were something my husband thought was obsessive. I would like some feedback on what you ladies think of this.

I mean, I really want to start losing weight again, play in my makeup/hair, and watch videos but my husband always says I am obsessed with something when all I am doing is simply engaging myself with extra curricular activities to pass time when everything else is done around the house.
Granted, I know you guys are going to ask if I spend time with him. Of course I do! We sit and watch TV together, we have dinner together every evening when he gets off work, we lay in bed together at night and reflect on our days adventures, we go out for icecream sometimes after dinner, we watch TV together amongst other things we like to do so I dont know whats the problem. Why do you think he doesn't like me to engage in my hobbies. When I asked him about it, he said I was exaggerating and I need to do my hobbies in moderation. So, all of that said..where do I go from here. I guess I will start blogging more?

My My My!!!

As some of you know, I took a vacation and gained upwards of 10 lbs within 2 weeks. All of that hard work and dedication came to a screeching halt once I arrived in America ( I live in Japan at the moment). My sis in law, mom, and family cooked the most delightful foods and deserts that a tongue palette could ever taste! I know I ate atleast 4000 calories every single day I was home, and if you do the math... my weight gain calculates to that. I told everyone that I am on a diet but they still cooked foods and insisted I eat them, they still fed me the wonderful calories that my body craved, and they still had their homes smelling of sweet, mouth watering soul foods that I grew up on and haven't tasted since 2005. Sure, I am an adult, I can make my own decisions...and I guess I made the wrong ones......heres the break down!

3500 calories = 1 pound
I was there for 2 weeks
2 weeks = 14 pounds
I gained = 10 lbs in 2 weeks

So, If I were supposed to gain 14 lbs, I guess that means that my metabolism must have burnt off the other 4 lbs of misery I would have gained if it weren't for my metabolism working in my corner. Nevertheless, I will quit the whining and feeling sorry for myself....
On the brighter side, as soon as I got back, I lost all of the weight right away. I lost 10 lbs in about 2 weeks (give or take a few days). I then lost 1 more pound the following week after my successful 10 lb loss, and then another pound this week so give it up for me you guys! A standing ovation for losing a total of 12 lbs since I got back from america, the beautiful!
To those of you who read my blog, I love u guys and keep rooting for me... I need ALLLL of the support that i can get. Much love
Michelle

Bad News!

Hey Guys,
I went on vacation to America from Japan (my current residence is Japan) and this vacation caused me to fall off track COMPLETELY!! I have done the following:

• ate 2 large Pizza Hut Pizzas in 2 days
• ate over 3000 calories in a days time
• started smoking cigarettes again
• stopped drinking 8 bottles of water a day
• haven't worked out since I've been back
• sleeping schedule is all messed up
• late night binge eating

And thats just to name a few. I had got down to 173 on my vacation, but then I started eating good food that my mom and sister in law cooked and now I am up to a whopping 186 lbs. That is a 13 lb gain within 2-3 weeks! I am so devastated with my hard work gone down the drain only because I went on a vacation! I need all the support and motivation I can get during this trying time. I want so bad to be able to get back on track and stop smoking cigs... I haven't smoked cigs in YEARS and now I am back to smoking...gee - I am so mad. Well, thats my update and hopefully you guys can whip me back into shape and get me back on track! SMoocHeS!

Diligence and persistence

I have been beating myself up in the gym. I work out until I have burned a total of 600 calories or more. I won't leave until I have atleast 600 calories burnt off my waist line. I have gotten to the point where I am comfortable in my skin and i feel confident enough to walk around the gym without a frumpy sweater and huge pants. My transformation is breath taking, its a huge undertaking and I can't believe someone like me - a once lazy, sedentary, fried food and french fry loving woman such as myself has turned to a healthy lifestyle.



Here is a rundown of my diet today:

Breakfast - 1/2 cup scrambled eggs w/green pepper and onion

1 bananna

1 piece of toast



Snack 1/4 cup walnuts

1 smoothie w/ bananna, strawberries, and rasperries/yogurt



Lunch 1 cup butternut squash soup

1/2 grapefruit (ruby red)



Dinner baked beans

cereal bar (fiber one)

TOTAL CALORIES!!! 1445



I had lots and lots of water and I went to the gym twice today for a total of 840 calories burned in ONE DAY!! I have been busy with getting ready for a big trip from Japan to america and I am sorry I havent had the time to update my blog but once I am back home in Japan, i will update more frequently. Thank you for all the support and kindness!! I appreciate it:)

Going Good and Back on Track

So, lately I know I've been sort of the blogger you don't want to be around. Ha Ha, I was just down in the dumps from the slow weight loss but I am indeed back on track. I just lost 1.8 lbs, you guys and that is HUGE for the slump I've been in lately.

Last Week: 181.6
This Week: 179.8
DOWN!!!!! 1.8 lbs

YES!!! (jumping up and down) I am officially in the 170's and theres no turning back to the 200's, 190's or 180's anymore. I am on a healthy voyage in life and it feels so good to finally see the 170's...this is something I haven't seen since my teenage years (im 29). Um, I can't complain at all. I have been eating a lot of citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruits, and I've been putting a product called TRUE LEMON in my water. Of course you know that lemon detoxifies your body as well as put your PH balance back on track. If your body isn't bagged down with toxins, it can lose weight more efficiently. Lemons also are blood sugar stabilizers that speed the metabolism and keep weight loss moving along so get some lemons in your diet and citrus:)

Sorry I haven't been putting up pics of what I eat lately, however, I have been eating pretty much the same diet. Heres a rundown of what I ate yesterday just to give you an idea as to how my diet is going

• Breakfast: 2 egg whites w/greenpeppers and onions scrambles and toast 135 cal
• SNACK: grapefruit and hummus w/pita bread - 160 cal
• Lunch: Tuna wrapped in Lettuce with boiled egg - 140 cal
• SNACK: whole wheat crackers w/laughing cow cheese and grapes- 220 cal
• SNACK: handfull of walnuts 200 calorie
• Dinner: chicken breast, black beans with salsa, brussel sprouts - 450 cal
• I was hungry snack: homemade (non microwave) popcorn - 100 cal
• TOTAL: 1405 calories for the day!!!

I hope you guys have been doing good. I am subscribed to so many blogs that I rarely get a chance to read everyones so if you really want me to check out a certain post, put it in the comments section and I will head on over to your blog and check it out. I am sorry if I haven't been by your blogs lately but I am so busy with my 9 month old baby and being a busy wife that sometimes my downtime (browsing online) is nonexistent. Ok, I am back on track and excited for whats to come. Next week my goal is to be atleast 177 so watch out world, here I come!

How to do the Liver Flush

What is a Liver Flush you ask, well I did a video on this a while ago so check it out, but if you are unable to view the video...here is some useful information on the liver flush:

One of your liver's main tasks is to regulate the metabolism of fat, and to remove excess fat from your body in the bile. Alcohol, chemicals in the home or workplace, medicinal drugs and excess waste products resulting from a poor diet (especially from processed foods) can all damage your liver. They cause excessive fat to build up within your liver, which impairs its ability to function. This means that your liver is no longer able to handle fats properly, allowing fat to start accumulating around your waistline or being deposited under your skin as cellulite SO FLUSH IT!!!!!

In some severe cases of excessively fatty livers and/or slow sluggish livers, it may be necessary to continue on the liver cleanse for several months to see good results. I've heard upto 6 months for optimal results. However some people see results much sooner than that.
Some people also opt to add another supplement to this regime in order to increase the bodys ablility to burn off fat stores such as Omega 3 supplements and Fish oil/flaxseed oil

Fatty degeneration of the liver is not a condition that often makes the headlines. Yet it affects more than 50 per cent of people The most common symptoms of this condition are difficulty in losing weight, a potbelly or 'spare tyre', cellulite and a high blood cholesterol reading (which can be detected through a simple blood test).

It's vital to look after your liver - it's the largest organ in your body and has many important functions. Everything that you eat, breathe or absorb through your skin must be refined and detoxified by your liver.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Lemon Juice (real lemons)
2 Grapefruit Juice(real grapefruits)
2 Oranges (real oranges)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 TBSP Epsom Salt
LOTS OF WATER

wisk the first 5 ingredients together to emulsify the ingredients, then add water gradually throughout the day and sip. This will cause you to go to the bathroom so make sure you can stay in all day. When I did this on 1/25/2009 I lost 4.2 lbs at my next weigh in so it works!