Losing the Baby Weight...Again

How do celebrities lose their baby weight so quickly?

Lately, there have been so many magazine covers touting new celebrity moms who lost their baby weight in record time, and their baby isn’t even three-months-old yet! It took me more than a year to lose all the baby weight after my first daughter was born.

After the arrival of my son, the weight is coming off quicker, but I still have those last pesky 10 pounds that I would like to lose pronto. I don’t want to celebrate my son’s first birthday with this extra weight, so what can I do to lose the baby weight…again?

Here are some tips I found when researching how to lose baby weight!

- Find time to exercise.
“Duh”, you may be thinking…so simple, yet so true. With two kids and a husband who travels quite a bit, finding my way to a gym is not so easy. My goal is to find ways to exercise that works for my family, such as taking walks with the kids (outside on nice days, and inside at the mall on cold, rainy days). I can also utilize nap times and work out in the living room with my Wii Fit or an exercise DVD while the kids are sleeping. Finding time to exercise will make a difference in your day, as well as a difference in your mental and physical health.

- Have healthy snacks readily available.
It is so easy to eat what’s left on your toddler’s plate, or to hit up a drive-thru restaurant on your way to pick up your oldest from preschool, but resist. Have nourishing snacks near you at all times. Put some nutritious snacks in your purse and in your pantry in plain sight. Grab for those wholesome snacks that will satisfy your hunger. Some great grab-and-go healthy snacks are: edamame, baby carrots, string cheese and rice cakes.

- Drink more water!
If you drink a glass of water before each meal, it will make you feel fuller, making you eat less. Also, if you are nursing, make sure to drink a glass of water during each feeding as well.

- Set a fitness goal.
I find that if I set a goal to work towards, it will actually happen. For me, that would mean working towards running a race or working out a certain amount of days a week. When you reach your fitness goal, reward yourself with a special treat, such as new running shoes or a pedicure!

- Delay, delay, delay!
If you are feeling hungry, drink a glass of water and wait fifteen minutes to see if you are still hungry. Often times, moms mistake thirst for hunger. Also, at the end of a meal, instead of rushing to get seconds, drink a glass of water and decide if you are still hungry. Taking a break from eating will allow you to figure out if you are indeed full and satisfied.

Check out this article from Parents.com for more weight loss secrets. It has 18 great tips on how to lose the baby weight for good from real moms!

A New Adventure: Making My Own Baby Food!

My son is just starting solids, and this time around, I decided to try to make my own baby food. When my daughter was a baby, I found the idea of making her baby food at home overwhelming, so we never attempted it. I feel more confidant in my abilities the second time around, so we are going to give it a try!

Why make your own baby food, you may ask? For me, I thought it would be fresher, healthier, easier and more economical in the long run. Instead of buying prepackaged foods, your baby can eventually eat what the rest of the family is eating. Also, because you selected the organic foods yourself, you know exactly what is going into their little tummies.

Here are some tips on how to make your own baby food.

- Get the tools you will need to make the baby food ahead of time. You will need some sort of blender to puree your baby’s foods. A regular kitchen blender or food processor will do, or you can opt to get a baby food maker, such as the Beaba Babycook from Williams-Sonoma (there are other baby food makers out on the market as well.) You may also need to purchase storage containers and ice cube trays to use for freezing extra portions.

- Select the freshest fruits and vegetables you can find. Organic produce is best, but you will have to be mindful to use them in a timely manner, usually within a day or two. You want your baby to eat as organically as possible to ensure pesticide-free and additive-free baby foods.

- Label your freezer packages with what the food is and the date it was made. Baby food can be stored for up to three months, so put the freshest foods in the back of the freezer and use the older foods first.

- To avoid wasting the baby foods you have prepared, only thaw our small portions to heat up and serve. Once you have thawed out baby food, it cannot be refrozen. Also, do not save any baby food that is leftover after a feeding because once your baby’s saliva has touched the food (via the baby spoon), bacteria can grow in the food.

- Play with the textures and tastes of your baby’s foods. Because you are able to puree the foods and mix the foods to suit the taste buds of your baby, transitioning to table foods will be much less stressful.

- Do not add any salt, pepper, seasoning, butter or spices to your baby food. Your baby’s digestive system is not ready for that yet!

If you decide to make your own baby food…good luck and have fun with it! Post some of your favorite baby food recipes in the comments section below. If making your own baby food if overwhelming to you, remember that your local grocery stores more than likely carry organic baby food brands, such as Gerber Organics, Earth’s Best, Happy Baby Foods, and Natures One.

Mom Resolutions in 2010

When thinking of my New Year’s resolutions this year, most of them revolved around my children. Some of my initial thoughts were:

- I am going to add more structure to my daughter’s day.
- I am going to feed my children healthier foods this year.
- I am going to read more to my kids.

It got me thinking…am I the only one out there that has “Mom Resolutions” (or “Dad Resolutions”) for the new year?

If you, too, made Mom Resolutions, what are they and how do you plan on achieving your goals? Post in the comment sections what you are striving to do for your kids in 2010!

Happy New Year from Pure and Honest Kids!

Did You Know...

Did you know about our deal of the day? Every day, we feature one item from Pure and Honest Kids that is marked down considerably and is known as the "Daily Deal." To check out what the deal of the day is, go to our homepage, http://www.pureandhonestkids.com/, and look to the far right column, and you'll find the Daily Deal section.

Who knows?!?! You could find just what you are looking for at a remarkable price. Happy shopping!

Stars Like To Keep It Clean, Too!

Even celebrity moms are all about "keeping it clean" this flu season with Baby Silk's Gentle All Over Clean Towelettes! As seen on Celebrity Baby Blog, celebrity moms such as Nicole Ritchie, Christina Aguilera, Halle Berry and Courtney Cox Arquette are all fans of Gentle Clean All Over Cleansing Towelettes.

These towelettes are great! Developed by two pediatrician moms, they’re made with an alcohol-free formula of organic aloe, ginger root, chamomile and vitamins E & B5 so they’ll keep your children's skin clean and moisturized without harsh chemicals.

Jennifer Garner and Sheryl Crow also use the brand’s SPF 30 sunscreen towelettes to protect their little ones from the sun.

Both the cleansing towelettes and the SPF 30 sunscreen towelettes are available at Pure and Honest Kids!