Fitness Tip: Check your insurance

Quick tip: most insurances give you some type of wellness benefit. These companies are all about printing wellness in every aspect!

So my old insurance used to give me a discount on any gym. I used to pay $20 a month for 24 Hour Fitness.

My new insurance offers 2 programs:

1. They reimburse you $20 a month for the gym membership as long as you go 12 times a month.

2. They offer discounts on certain gyms or classes.

So, get on that phone and call your insurance and ask about wellness programs. Every penny counts when it comes to staying healthy and budgeting. 

Beyond Diet: Something New

Remember I said that part of my blog is to document  my progress on my health and fitness. I am not sure if it is because I am a mom or 32 years old now, but I have become a lot more aware of my health and finding or learning healthier habits. I am always down for a good diet to loose weight and look good. But always tend to get discouraged when the weightloss doesn't happen quick enough or at all. I have a huge problem with reaching my plateau too fast. So I think that instead of dieting and getting frustrated I should just learn how to eat and enjoy my food!!!

I found a program that I want to try! It's called Beyond Diet by Isabel De Los Rios. I can't say much about the program because I just started it this week. So far I am reading her book and I find it very helpful. Now, the best part of this book is that she teaches how to do all this on a budget!! As you already know, I am all about budgets. I just refuse to believe that I cannot be healthy without spending a fortune. Many of her tips I already had implemented so I know it works!

I will be sharing my progress and what I learn as I go!!!! Stay tuned...

Dare to Dream!

As little girls we believe in fairy tales and we believe that they are true. We believe in princesses and happily ever after. Then as we grow older we become teenagers and our dreams change to something more "grown up". Then we become adults and forget how to dream and wish upon a star....

Why does this happen? Well, as we live life we encounter multiple disappointments and obstacles that fog our dreams and makes us realize that reality vs dreams are not so, well, real. Worries take over, then responsibilities and then those bad experiences!!!

We have the power to change that! Just dare to dream!!! And takes those dreams and work hard on them to make them a reality. Don't forget that obstacles will happen and when they do then tweak your dream and keep going!!!! After all, life wouldn't be life if we didn't have dreams. Let the inner child in you come out and DARE TO DREAM!!! I will guarantee you that you will be living a more positive life once you start chasing those dreams. 

I have a strong belief in God and even sometimes I wonder if he took a vacation on me! Life happens and things happened to me but I decided to not let that stop me from dreaming. Once I jumped that big hurtle I started living a happier life and started focusing on my positives. Every negative has a positive and every life has both side so make a decision and flip that side and just DREAM! 

Quick exercise: something that worked great with me is making a dream board. Cut out images of what your dream is and see how it looks from the outside!

Feeling Sexy Lately?

So I was reading a very good article from @parenting called "How to be a mom and still feel sexy". It got me thinking quite a bit. To be honest, I always struggled with "feeling sexy" thing. I always struggle with self worth and I am my worst enemies. I don't take compliments well which makes my husband's job a littler harder lol. Society tends to tell us what is sexy and how to get there. In turn, motherhood completely takes that away. Like the article mentioned, imagine your self not showered for 3 days, hair a mess, and pumping breast kill and leaking everywhere!!! Sexy is so out the window!!! I must admit I laughed at the image because been there done that.

What exactly IS sexy???? Believe it or not the answer is only within you. Fashion magazines (although I live them) and celebrities make it look like its all in the outside when it is not. Some women feel sexy when they improve their intelligence others feel sexy by pampering themselves for themselves.... I feel great when I go shopping!!!! I just feel like another person altogether. 

So, the article had some interesting and useful suggestions/tips. Here are some:

1. Buy something that fits: many people told me to NOT buy clothes until I loose all my baby weight. I agreed but then quickly realized that it doesn't fix me feeling better about myself! So buy some clothes that fit! I don't suggest to buy a wardrobe because chances are that you will loose weight and to be honest maybe our bodies will not go back to before and just be better!!!!

2. Have some me time: going on a date with girlfriends or watching a chic flick at the theaters will motivate you to get all dolled up for yourself and for once you can focus on yourself for yourself. 

3. Join a class: I love Zumba and I feel so good about my body after a Zumba class! It's fun and energizing! Oh yeah and u can loose weight while having fun!!!   

These were my favorite tips from the article but they mention a lot more like reading a novel, indulging on yourself etc!!!! Check out parenting.com and look for the article!!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

Mother's Day has always been special because I still have a mother! However, now that I am a mom I truly appreciate my mother....

Motherhood is no joke and I never once saw or heard my mom complain about being a mother! I love her to death but she doesn't live near me :(. Thank God for video chats lol.

On this Mother's Day I want to congratulate all my fellow mothers and enjoy yourselves out there and share those precious moments!!!!

PPD the Silent Pain

As a psychotherapist, I was very aware of the probability of postpartum depression. I did not, for once, underestimated it. Since I have no family living nearby I made sure I found a support system to lookout for me. It is really hard for you to notice whether or not you have postpartum depression (ppd). I had conversations with my friends regarding this issue and researched more about just to be aware. My biggest fear was to become extremely depressed and for my behavior to be harmful to me and or the baby.

What did I experience? Well, first of all lets talk about the difference between baby blues and depression. It is completely normal to fee a little down right after giving birth. Let's face it, even though it's a beautiful experience, it is also a very traumatic experience with a great reward! I know it sounds a little contradicting. Your body goes thru a tremendous pressure and the recovery really depends on the individual. Now, besides your hormonal and body change, there is your mental health. As a new mom, you feel like everything is up to YOU. Especially if you are breast feeding! It would be great if men could breast feed so we can sleep a little huh?!? Baby blues happens to almost anyone! It is when you feel down and a mild depression. It is more than not having energy to do anything but not having any motivation as well. Baby blues usually lasts up to 6 weeks and sometimes longer. It can easily turn into PPD. The difference is that PPD is more severe where you just want to give up on everything like taking care of yourself or the baby, loss of interest in almost everything, lack of motivation, constant crying, feeling like everything is going wrong, and in extreme cases thoughts of  hurting yourself and/or the baby. 

Reading this symptoms would probably make you feel like a horrible person. At least that's what I felt!!! 

Please know that you are not a horrible person, you are just going through something and you are not alone. Many women go thru this painful process but keep it a secret. Others feel ashamed to feel like this because you are "supposed" to be happy to have a baby....

I sure was not feeling like this. I had mild baby blues and my family was here to help me. However, when they left the depression hit me out of nowhere and like a brick! I will never forget how I was in the shower and just burst into tears for no reason. It's like I went from loving my life to hating it within seconds. I didn't want to touch my baby and I couldn't stop crying. My husband didn't know what to do. I called my closest friend and just cried for help. I didn't know what to do. I remember my husband asking me if I feel like hurting myself or the baby but my answer was no. 

PPD is a silent pain that many new moms  go thru. No one wants to admit experiencing horrible feelings. I am very happy to see that PPD is not perceived as a weakness nor bad parenting. I was amazed to see the reactions to my mommy group when I took the courage to say "I have PPD". The amount of love and acceptance was unbelievable. And even better, my courage to share prompted other moms to say "me too". So we are not alone after all! 

What to do when you experience PPD? My biggest suggestion is to NOT keep it a secret. There is a huge benefit with talking to others. Therapy is a good approach and it will help you better understand this phenomenon. Find a support group. Listening to others' gives you a different perspective on things and teaches you that you are not the only one. Leave the house! Yes, those walls ARE moving. Take a walk, join a friend for coffee, or go to a park. Baby steps are important. If you make small goals they are easier to achieve and that is important. And finally, do not underestimate yourself. Don't think you can deal with this in your own because you don't have to. The help is here for you to use!!!

Parenthood & Friendship: The Ugly Truth

There is this phenomenon called friendship! I know I have blogs about this in different aspects but never imagined to see it from this point of view. I knew that some friendships were going to change after having a baby. That was expected. As I entered a new cycle of friends I realized that not everyone can master this positively. What do I mean? I will tell you. In the parenting world there are tons of diversity like the social world. I don't intend to separate the two but its an illustration. Some people have a hard time with other customs, cultures, races, etc.
Well, parenting have different styles and not everyone is going to agree. The question is will you be able to be friends with other parents that don't share your point of you? Personally I am able to accept others' views and respect them. But I do struggle with others telling me that my way is the wrong way!

What's the ugly truth? As parents we have to accept others' opinion regardless or how else will we get along? Accepting someone opinion does not mean you have to agree with them. It just means you value that person's friendship enough. Let me warn you, it is not easy. So be ready to encounter topics that will make your blood boil and if you can't handle it feel free to change the subject!!!

Fitness Fun Tip: Rollerblading

Did you know you can burn almost 700 calories if you roller blade for 1 hour???? I was shocked!!!! So let the summer fun begin.

The cool thing is that u can do that with your baby in a stroller 😊. Make sure you buy all the safety pads and go enjoy the warm weather!!!!

Fashion: June's Hot Trends

Just because we are moms or just had a baby (in my case) doesn't mean we cant brush up on trends out there! Here is what I discovered for June:

1. Revlon's monthly color: Fruity Coral- love this color because it's a fresh summer color and it really gives you that pop of color

2. Definitely DO for June: fuchsia lipstick- I gotta try this because I am not a pink fan but it looks fab!

3. Blues: every shade of it!!!! So nice and cool. Perfect for any occasion!!!

4. Jewelry for your feet: gemstone sandals- great for beach, bar and dinner!!!

5. Wavy Hairstyles: check out glamour.com for ideas for all lengths and textures. And bangs are making a comback so I gotta see what works for me!

Also don't forget it's beach and pool season so pretty up those nails and toes and go out there on your best bathing suit outfit!!!!

Friendship: Be Prepared!

One thing I was never prepared for was drastic change in friendships. While I was pregnant I was slowly loosing friends and it took an optional toll on me. I felt like those weren't real friends and I felt like an outcast. I vented to other mommies and they were going thru the same thing. Like if having a baby was a contagious disease or something!!!
Well, I finally understood (throughout time) that this was part of the transition to parenthood. I was mad at those friends I lost until I realized it was not personal nor anyone fault. Think about it! What makes a friendship? Common interests, personalities, walks of life and priorities. So if a lot of those things change then most likely the friendship will change. It doesn't mean you are no longer friends it just means the caliber of the friendship chances!!! Even the strong friendships undergo big drastic changes. I do believe that some friendships are meant to last forever thru all changes and others are transitional! Regardless of what type of friendship it is just enjoy it and treasure it.

How I dealt with it? Well, I looked for new friends!!! Now this is so not an easy task for everyone especially if you are an introvert. But it is not impossible, so if you are a social butterfly then look for mommy groups and if you are an introvert then seek around your current circle. I bet there is at least 1 person in the same tract as you!!!!!
Friendship is something that is completely necessary don't rob yourself from that treasure and remember there always someone out there going thru the same thing as you!!! I learned that....