New York City, Here We Come!

We recently traveled coast to coast to visit my husband's family. To our shock, our connecting flight from Newark NJ to Virginia had been cancelled. The next flight would not be until the next day. Because we needed to get to a family reunion, we decided to rent a car and drive 8 hours to our destination. It was a travel day to be remembered but not repeated!

The upside of all this was that we had the chance to spend the day in Manhattan on the way home. My husband grew up on Long Island and New York is one of his favorite cities in the world. We would have never planned a vacation to the Big Apple with 2 young kids, but we had a blast!

A funny thing happened in Chinatown. We were so tired from walking and just stumbled into a restaurant without paying much attention. We ordered sesame chicken and noodles. When the chicken arrived, it looked strange. Turns out we had chosen a VEGETARIAN restaurant and the mock chicken was really tofu! The waitress was so polite to us and when we left the restaurant, we read the big sign above the door "VEGETARIAN CHINESE RESTAURANT." I don't know how we missed it.

But here's the funny thing: we all ate the tofu, even my kids, and they even liked it! So you can get creative with your foods as you're trying to lose weight and maybe even look for a vegetarian restaurant on purpose!

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way." Psalm 37:23

-Arlene

Oh No...It's Swimsuit Season!

Yes, summertime is in full swing and there's one thing that strikes terror in the new mom...the thought of putting on a bathing suit, in public! Talk about a prayer request - ha ha! So moms, here are 3 tips to make the most of swimsuit season:

1. Choose a bathing suit that is most flattering to your figure. This may be your maternity swimsuit. Use a cover up when you're not in the pool. A sarong wrap that ties around your waist and covers up that post-baby belly works great.

2. Don't focus on the way your body looks. Focus on having fun with your friends and family! Remember that almost every woman in the pool or on the beach feels conscious about her body too!

3. Set a goal for yourself to get back into your pre-baby bathing suit. Why not use that pesky bathing suit as incentive? It may take several months, but make it your goal to put your old bathing suit on next season. Here's a video tip I made about this and you can see me in my old bathing suit (after some hard work of course!).

So are you ready moms? Put on that bathing suit, smile, and let the good times roll! If you're not happy with the way your body looks, use it as motivation to lose weight! Bathing suits aren't nearly as serious as what Joseph endured in the Bible, but remember what he said? "What you meant for evil, God meant for good!" (Gen. 50:20). Bathing suits may seem evil at the moment, but God can use them for good - to motivate to shed pounds and get healthier this summer!

So here's your chance to vent...how do you feel about getting into that bathing suit?

Power Up with Power Foods

Did you know that what you eat affects your mood? Load up on too many twinkies, and you might enjoy the indulgence but I promise you'll feel miserable after!

When you're facing challenges, from breastfeeding to fatigue, sickness to depression, reach for foods that will boost your mood and fill your body with good fuel. Have these foods on hand, ready to eat, so when you need to snack, they are very easy to grab and munch. They are actually proven to combat disease and help you lose weight:

• Blueberries/Strawberries/Any berries
• Whole grain bread
• Apples
• Watermelon
• Avocado
• Eggs
• Broccoli
• Salmon
• Peanut butter/nuts (small portions)

Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and
the fruit tree....And God saw that it was good." - Genesis 1:11-12

-Arlene

Are You a Late Night Snacker?

Before you had your baby, you were probably up having a late night snack. Now that baby has arrived, you’re still up at 3 a.m., but now you’re feeding, changing and comforting baby!

When your stomach growls in the wee hours of the night, it’s probably not the best time to dive into that carton of ice cream. After all, you’re about to go to bed (even if it is only for a few short hours!). You’re not going to be burning off those calories while you’re snoozing. So here are a few ideas for snacks that will satiate your hunger without packing on extra pounds:

Celery sticks
Apples
Strawberries or other berries
Snap peas
Soybeans
Other raw veggies like broccoli
Popcorn without too much salt or butter
Rice cakes

Try not to indulge in treats late at night. You don’t want to build habits that will be hard to break long after your baby is sleeping through the night. After dark, every time you feel a craving for something sweet, mediate on the Lord instead of food. Think of Psalm 119:103, "How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"

When you crave sweet food, train your mind to instantly think of the sweetness of Christ. Make it a game. See how many things you can list to remind you of God’s grace in your life. Here’s what it might look like: It’s 2:30 in the morning. You’ve just put your baby back to bed. You’re thinking of the last piece of cake that’s in the fridge. Instead you focus on the Lord’s sweetness, “Lord thank you for your kindness in giving me a baby. Thank you for the strength to feed this little one. Thank you for our warm home.” Drink a glass of water and maybe eat a rice cake if you’re still hungry, then go to bed for some much deserved rest.

Focus on God’s Word to strengthen you instead of sugar and treats. You’ll not only lose weight after baby, you’ll grow stronger spiritually--even in the middle of the night!

How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! - Psalm 119:103

-Arlene