One of the most important nutrients that you can consume for the development of your baby during pregnancy and breastfeeding is the omega-3 fatty acid called Cocosahexaenoic Acid or DHA. Studies have shown an improvement in a babies visual acuity and attention span. It’s also been shown to have an impact on kids and adults with ADHD and depression.

How Much DHA Do I Need?

According to the ISSFAL (International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids) the recommended amount of DHA for pregnant or lactating women is 300 mg/day.  Unfortunately, the average consumption was between 45 mg and 115 mg per day for the women in the study.

Where Do I Find DHA?

DHA is most often found in fish oils.  That means you’ll find it in most oily fish including salmon, anchovies, and sardines.  It’s still present in most other fish, just not in the same concentrations.

How Much Fish Should I Eat?

Most experts agree, if you eat some sort of fish at least 2 times a week, you will have no problem meeting the recommended amount of DHA to insure your baby is getting what he or she needs.

What Type of Fish is Best?

When choosing a fish, make sure you select one high in DHA but low in mercury. This includes fresh or canned wild salmon, sardines and herring. Chunk light tuna also contains DHA with a low amount of mercury. Removing the skin when eating fresh fish reduces your exposure to Polychlorinated biphenyls or PCB’s.

What If You Hate Seafood?

If you don’t eat fish, it is going to be virtually impossible to get a sufficient amount of DHA into your system.  If this is the case for you, consider consulting and expert about taking supplements.  Fish oil capsules vary in potency, so make sure you talk to someone who knows their stuff.

Achieving results with your exercise routines can be hard enough, so don’t get stuck making these seven mistakes that can sabotage all your gains in the gym.

1. Too much time in the gym- Your cardio should not make-up the bulk of your time in the gym, rather it should compliment a sound nutrition and weight training program.
2. Resting to long- If your goal is to lose unwanted body fat and stay lean, you should keep your rest between sets and exercises to a minimum. Thirty to sixty seconds is all you need. This isn’t time to talk with your friends. Set up time after your workout if you schedule can accommodate it.
3. Going without a plan of attack- Have your routine ready before you set foot in the gym. Going without a plan of action is like building a house without blueprints. In the beginning of your new life in the gym, you’ll probably have to check your workout plan a few time while you’re there. That’s ok!
4. Not having a backup plan- There is nothing more frustrating then going to the gym with your plan in hand and someone is already using the machine! Having a backup plan ensures you spend more of your time in the gym exercising and less time feeling frustrated. If someone is using the chest machine, no big deal: Do push-ups instead.
5. Not working hard enough- Intensity is one of the biggest factors to achieving results. If you are training in the 12-15 rep range, it should be a challenge to do 14 or 15 reps. If you can do close to 20 reps then you need to increase your weight. As you improve never allow yourself to get to the point where you’re doing more than 14 reps of each exercise.
6. Not using your full range of motion- If you are not using your full range of motion when performing your exercises, you can be sure that you are wasting your time. Be sure you are using correct form to be sure you are getting the results you desire.
7. Not seeking the advice of a professional- If all the top athletes have coaches and professional trainers, don’t you think you could use their advice? Having a trainer will help you to get further along in your training then trying to do it by yourself. He or she will help you to use proper form, technique, rep ranges, tempo, rest intervals and exercise combinations to maximize your results and minimize your frustrations

Exercising in a fasted state results in a greater proportion of fat being used as exercise fuel compared to doing the same workload after a carb-containing meal or snack. However, it is possible that you could have a better and longer workout if you were to eat a small snack 2 hours before your workout in the form of carbohydrates.

It Depends on Your Goals:

To make a decision about whether to eat before or after your workout, take a look at your personal goals.

• Gain Performance - Eat a small meal 1-2 hours before working out.
• Lose Weight - Save your meal until after the workout session.

When to have a full meal

As a general rule you should eat a full meal 3-4 hours before working out and a snack 1-2 hours.

Fat usage, for energy, during exercise is very sensitive to the amount of time between eating carbohydrates and starting exercise. Eating a meal high is carbohydrates stimulates your pancreas to produce insulin which inhibits the breakdown of fat. This forces your body to rely more heavily on carbohydrates you just ate, as a fuel. In other words, to increase the amount of stored fat used for fuel during your workout, delay the consumption of carbohydrates if at all possible for an hour or two.

Pre-workout choices:

If you need the carbs for energy during a longer workout, have something light. Make it something that’s fairly easy to digest so it doesn’t feel heavy in the stomach. All you need before exercise is 100-200 calories, mostly carbohydrates with a little protein and fat, such as fruit or yogurt. That should be enough to get you through a workout that lasts up to an hour.

Post-workout choices:

After exercising, have the breakfast bar with fruit filling or some fresh fruit. If your morning workout is vigorous, you may also want something more substantial like a bowl of oatmeal and fruit. Listen to your body. It will let you know what you need. Just don’t over do it.

Helpful Tip

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Now that you have a baby in your life, you’re probably realizing it’s a lot harder to get your workout routine into your busy day. Don’t fret, there are a few simple things you can do to get back on track.

Once I started having babies, I found it was much harder to find time to workout. So, I decided, if I got started a few changes at a time, I would get my workout routine back into my “now busy” lifestyle. How do you eat an elephant? One small bite at a time!

Change what you’re doing right now.

The first thing I decided to do was to change the way I got around. If I could walk somewhere instead of drive, then I wouldn’t have to use my car. Gas prices are through the roof right now, so it made my husband and his wallet happy to boot; Killing two birds with one stone.

My training doesn’t always go as planned. With more time spent in the house I found little things throughout the day helped to get my fitness routine back into gear. For instance, if I’m sitting on the floor with my daughter, I would make it into a counting game and start doing sit-ups and push-ups.

Give yourself mini-goals to achieve.Try to give yourself a goal and then work for it one step at a time. By giving yourself goals, it helps to keep you motivated and focused. My next goal is participating in my first marathon. That sounds like a huge goal to set, but it’s all about smart scheduling. Because there are so many things that can get in the way, adding smaller goals to work towards will get you to your bigger goal in manageable chunks. You can even reward yourself with a new outfit or a day at the spa with each mini-milestone you hit.

Here is a workout routine I follow:

Make sure your workout routine is a combination of aerobics and weights

Day 1: Run (at least 30 minutes)

Day 2: Chest, triceps, legs, abs + run 3o minutes

Day 3: Rest ( take a walk around the block to keep yourself motivated, it makes a difference)

Day 4: Back, shoulders, biceps, abs + run 30 minutes

Day 5: Run 30 minutes

Day 6 : Run 45-60 minutes

Day 7: Rest - Do Absolutely Nothing

Supplement it with healthy eating

Lean meat, complex carbohydrates from fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains, all followed with plenty of water, is the perfect recipe for success. The greatest secrets to fat loss lay in what you eat, not some magic pill you can buy in a a magzine.

Kick the habit

Kicking the sugar habit may be the hardest part of your post natal comeback. It was very hard for me to do this, but I did. I found sugar was not only in cake, ice cream and cookies but it was hidden in foods I thought were good for me. When I was craving ice cream or cookies, I would find relief in a healthy bowl of cereal with a little Splenda sprinkled over the top. It literally saves me. But, be careful not to have this too late in the day. Give your body time to burn those extra carbs.

Pilates allows you to transform the way your body looks and feels. It helps you to build muscle without excess bulk, like a weight lifter, while helping you to achieve the sleek, toned body of a dancer. When it comes to a post natal exercise and workout routine, it’s one of the best for your changing body.

1. Build strength without “bulking up”- gain long, lean muscles and flexibility

• Pilates elongates and strengthens your muscles while conventional workouts tend to build short bulky muscles, something most women don’t want.

2. Develop a strong core - flatten your abs and strengthen your back at the same time

• The exercises used in pilates will help you to strengthen your core muscles, or center of the body. A body with balanced strength and flexibility is less likely to be injured. If you’re using this as a post natal exercise, the core will be “core” to getting back in shape.

3. A mind-body workout

• By using proper breathing methods, correct spinal and pelvic alignment, and concentrating on smooth, flowing movements, you will become aware to how your body feels. Proper breathing is important, and helps you execute movements to maximum power and efficiency.

4. Reduces stress

• Learning how to breath correctly helps you to reduce stress. Crying babies, the added expense of diapers and formula will add a ton of stress, proper breathing helps alleviate a good portion of it.

5. Prevent sports injuries

• Because pilates exercises tend to focus on the core of your body, you can be sure to get a balanced workout. By strengthening the muscles at the center of the body you will be less likely to be injured. No more back strain from bending over to pick up your new baby.

6. Stay challenged

• Pilates is a very flexible exercise routine that can be modified to meet you at a beginning level and adapt to a more advanced routine that best suits you. As you shift from a post natal exercise and workout routine, to something more long term, you’ll want a plan that grows and changes with your bodies needs.

7. Fast results!

• Once you start doing pilates regularly, at least two times a week for an hour, and build uniform strength throughout your body, you’ll be amazed at the difference in your body and athletic performance. Before your newborn jumps up to the next size of diapers, you’re body will be in much better shape.