Bed Rest, Exercise, Clean Eating -- Seems Contradictory But It Can Be done!

I am 27 weeks pregnant with my 4th child, and my first little girl!  I went in for a doctors appointment this last Wednesday and I am already dilated to a 2 - yikes!  My babies just like to come early!  So, the doctor has put me on bed rest; I can't work, or really move to do anything.  At first, I thought I would go crazy seeing that I am a busy-body and love to be active.  I like being productive at work and I love my morning gym time but all that has to change until my angel arrives.  It is time to get creative and since I'm new to this "bed rest" thing my mind has been flowing with ideas to maintain my sanity.  I hope if any of you are experiencing anything similar that my ideas may be able to help the time pass more positively as I know we are all counting down the days that it ends!

Disclaimer - I know there are different extremes to bed rest so please consult with your doctor before you try anything new as you don't want to make issues worse.

Exercise is VERY important to me! I believe most of us feel the same way. Our body and minds crave it more than we know. Bed rest is a quick way to deteriorate the muscles and bring on depression making life very unhealthy. I know this can be avoided.  Just like I found my motivation to wake up early every morning to go to the gym because I loved the results, I know I'll have to do the same thing with my new found bed rest prescription.

If you have already encompassed the clean eating lifestyle this will all be much easier on you. If you haven't this is a good time to start.

Help is obviously needed when on bed rest since we can't really do anything ourselves. The only time I am allowed out of bed is to go to the bathroom or to take a shower, which I look forward to.  I know it's important to move to prevent blood clotting so blood circulation is key.  Let me share some ideas...

First, have someone get in the habit of getting you a big glass of water for you first thing when you wake up. Stimulating your metabolism is important to help keep the blues away! My husband fills me up a big container of ice water with my no-sodium electrolytes that I love (I have them listed on my blog).  The potassium and magnesium will help your muscles not to feel so stiff as well as keep you hydrated.

If any of you have a Cocomotion I can't rave enough about it! My next morning regimen is to have my warmed vanilla coconut milk with some added cocoa (mixed and warmed in my cocomotion). I use the SO Delicious coconut milk brand. Yum! My husband has got good at making this for me. Coconut milk has more calcium than milk and the fat in it is SO good for energy and your immune system. If you've read any of my other posts/recipes, you know how much I love coconut oil and its health benefits and the same goes with the milk.

Now that I have all my liquids right next to me at my convenience I am ready to stimulate my muscles a bit. To prevent muscle deterioration, you have to use resistance weights.  I have a 10lb dumbbell that lays right next to me all day. For those of you that are not use to lifting weights I would suggest starting with 2 1/2 pound weight. You only need one dumbbell as you don't want to engage your core too much by having one in each hand. Start off slow and be sure to have someone place the dumbbell close to you where you don't have to strain to reach it.

I like to start with a military press. I can't sit with my back completely straight as this is a "no no" but laying at an angle I slowly press the dumbbell from the side of my body,  a 90 degree angle away from my head, palm out, and keeping my elbow in a square position - I do 25 repetitions on both sides, repeating twice back to back.  I then move to chest press staying in the same laying position.  I push the dumbbell up away from my chest toward the ceiling, keeping the elbow square in the down position. I like to straighten my elbow at the top of the movement, not too tight, but enough to engage my triceps. I do 25 repetitions on both sides, repeating twice back to back.  Oh, it feels good! You can feel the blood moving!  I then take the dumbbell and grab it with both hands holding it horizontally straight in front of my chest. I extend the dumbbell above my head, keeping my arms straight with a slight bend in the elbows, and bring it straight down in front of my chest. I do 30 repetitions, repeating twice back to back.  Last but not least, I hold one end of the dumbbell with both hands and do a center chest/tricep press.  Raise the dumbbell above your head and bend the elbows to bring the dumbbell in front of your face. You'll feel this in your chest but probably more so in your triceps as you just engaged them in the previous exercises.  This should take about 5 minutes to complete.  Try to do it throughout the day to get a total of 20 minutes in.

I just ordered an exercise band from Amazon as well that I can use to stretch my legs and arms in bed to prevent blood clotting. They are very safe and easy to use and provide the needed resistance that I need to keep from swelling through out the day.  As for now I can lay on my side and do knee lifts to get the blood moving in my legs. I will also lift my leg slightly, not too high as again we don't want to stimulate the core, and hold and contract it in position for 20 seconds.  Point your toes and circle your feet and really get the blood moving.  I also take my exercise ball and push one of my heels at a time and roll it in towards my butt.  I repeat this 25 times on each leg, twice back to back.

Once my blood is moving I function so much better. Now, go get a good magazine or book and read. I don't watch much TV so unless my husband is home with me the TV stays off, not to say it's a bad thing. I am currently keeping my mind occupied with reading, writing up exercise plans for when I am in recovery after the baby is born, creating recipes that I can test when I can be "ME" again, and writing on my site. :) Finding a good hobby such as knitting or art work would rejuvenating too. There is so much that can be done. I've thought about starting a journal, which I should do anyway, and document each day. I have set a goal to learn something new every day whether it is about nutrition or anything that interests my mind and to write it down - I could add that to my journal.

Clean Eating - yes, you can still eat clean on bed rest. If anything, it's probably easier. Snacking every 2-3 hours is great. My hummus and gluten free whole grain crackers is one of my favorites. I also love the protein shakes I use to make but now my husband gets to do it. :)  We make a fruit or a chocolate shake packed full of goodness! Yogurt, nuts, unsweetened dried fruit, salads, are all good snacks to eat through out the day. I have a mini crock pot next to the bed where I have a sweet potato that slow cooks for me.  I dob it with a little bit of coconut oil, cinnamon and agave before I devour it, skin and all.  Don't let yourself get full. Eat when you are hungry otherwise it will be easy to gain a lot of weight quickly. Be sure to drink your fluids, especially water through out the day.

I would love to hear any of your ideas as I am sure there are many of you who are pro "bed rest-ers". :)  Healthy tips are much appreciated!

I am throwing positive thoughts all your way - send them back to me too! ;)

1 Minute Flax Muffin

 This muffin recipe is sure to be a favorite!

Mix together:
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
1 egg
1 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp agave

Place parchment paper inside a mug.  Pour mix into the parchment paper and microwave on high for 1 minute.

Variations:
Cinnamon, baby food carrots, baby food prunes, apple pieces, almond butter, bananas, unsweetened dried fruit,etc.  Get creative!

Coconut Flour

Coconut oil is one of the greatest oils to cook with.  It has a long shelf life unlike most other oils.  The health benefits are wonderful.  Did you know that coconut oil is made up up 50% lauric acid?  Lauric acid is the medium chain fatty acid found in breast milk.  It works to strengthen the immune system and works to destroy disrupting fungus and bacteria.  Besides breast milk, coconut oil is the only other food source that contains high amounts of lauric acid.  Cheap vegetable oils are being used in replacement of coconut oil which could be one of the reasons we see so much more sickness these days.


 

 

Gluten Free Baking & Pancake Mix

This mix is by far one of my favorites.  Whether you need to eat gluten free or not, this will become a favorite!  I have used this mix to make crepes, muffins, pancakes, waffles, cinnamon rolls, biscuits, banana bread and pumpkin cake.  Baking gluten free has never been so easy.

If you sign up for Amazon's Subscribe and Save program, the pricing on this mix is the cheapest I have found anywhere.  It is even less expensive than when it goes on sale at my local Sprout's and Whole Foods.

iHerb.com

Save $10 on your iHerb.com purchase of $40 or more now through March 31st! Free shipping on any orders over $20 too. This site offers great prices as well as FAST shipping. Use promo code KEN780.

Happy shopping!

Gluten Free Coconut Flour Cornbread

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Mix together cornmeal and milk. Set aside.
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup milk or coconut milk

In a separate bowl, blend together the following:
1/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
2/3 cup coconut flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt

Whisk together:
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 T. Sucanat
4 T. Agave
1 egg
1 1/4 cup milk or coconut milk

Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Pour into an 8x8, coconut oil greased pan and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Thank you to all of you who have left comments. Please continue to do so.

With getting married, relocating and trying to find work, I apologize for the lack of entries on my blog.

I am dedicating most of my recipes, going forward, to those with Celiac's Disease. I have been eating a clean, 100% *gluten free diet, but if anyone has requests regarding recipes that do include *gluten (*the protein found in wheat, rye and barley), please let me know. I am always busy creating new and wonderful clean recipes. I want to help you ALL achieve a successful clean eating lifestyle.

I wish you all the most success to feeling your best with clean eating!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

For those of you who have an allergy to wheat or Celiac disease, this is an awesome recipe for you! There's no reason to feel deprived now! Even individuals that CAN have wheat tell me that this is their favorite cookie! I hope you enjoy!


Honeyvillegrain.com is where I purchase the Hi-Maize resistant starch and corn bran. Everything else I purchase at my local whole foods store.

1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 cup soy flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup corn bran
1/4 cup Hi-Maize resistant starch
1/4 cup macaroon style coconut (no sugar or dioxide added)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder (aluminum and gluten free)
1/4 tsp sea salt

2 eggs
1/2 cup + 2 T extra virgin coconut oil (melted)
1 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 cup turbinado sugar
2 T agave
1/4 cup sucanat

1 pkg gluten free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl mix the flours, starch, coconut, baking soda, baking powder and sea salt together. Blend well. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, coconut oil, sugars, agave and vanilla until well blended. Add the wet mix to the dry mix. Stir well. Mix in the package of chocolate chips.

Use a cookie scoop to ball the dough onto a cookie pan (I use stoneware). Bake for 8-9 minutes.

French Coconut Pie

*Choose from pie crust below

2 1/4 cups turbinado sugar

2 T. whole wheat pastry flour

6 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

1 cup macaroon style coconut (unsweetened)

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and flour.

In a large bowl, mix the eggs with a wire whisk. Whisk flour mixture into the eggs until smooth. Stir in buttermilk, coconut oil, coconut and pecans. Pour into unbaked pie crust.

Bake in a 9 inch deep dish pie pan for 1 hour.

Easy Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (soft white wheat)

2 tsp turbinado sugar

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

2 T. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place all ingredients in a 9 inch pie pan. Stir together with a fork. Pat mixture in the bottom and up the sides of pan. Poke holes in bottom and sides of crust with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes or until light brown.

*Bake prior to filling the crust if the recipe calls for it.

Almond Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups almond meal

4 T. coconut oil

2 T. turbinado sugar

Press in the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan.

Almond/Coconut Pie Crust

1 cup almond flour/meal

1 cup (unsweetened) macaroon style coconut

1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
3 T. Milk

2 T. turbinado sugar.

Press in the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan.

Pecan Pie

*Choose from pie crust below.

Pecan Pie Filling

2 tsp butter

1 1/2 cup chopped pecans

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup real maple syrup

1/4 cup turbinado sugar

1/4 cup sucanat

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 T. whole wheat pastry flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On the stovetop, melt the butter in a pan on low heat. Add the pecans and stir for about 5 minutes or until nuts are toasted.

Mix together beaten eggs, maple syrup, turbinado, sucanat, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt and flour. Stir in nuts. Pour filling into uncooked pie crust. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack.

Easy Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (soft white wheat)

2 tsp turbinado sugar

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

2 T. milk

For all pie crusts below, bake before adding pie filling if the pie recipe does NOT require cooking. For all pies that require to be cooked, place filling in the unbaked crust.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place all ingredients in a 9 inch pie pan. Stir together with a fork. Pat mixture in the bottom and up the sides of pan. Poke holes in bottom and sides of crust with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes or until light brown.

Almond Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups almond meal

4 T. coconut oil or butter

2 T. turbinado sugar

Press in the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan.

Almond/Coconut Pie Crust

1 cup almond flour/meal

1 cup (unsweetened) macaroon style coconut

1/4 cup melted butter

2 T. turbinado sugar
2 T. Milk

Press in the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan.

Easy Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (soft white wheat)

2 tsp turbinado sugar

3/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

2 T. milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place all ingredients in a 9 inch pie pan. Stir together with a fork. Pat mixture in the bottom and up the sides of pan. Poke holes in bottom and sides of crust with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes or until light brown.

Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup turbinado sugar (you can use 1/2 cup turbinado and 1/4 cup sucanat for a richer flavor)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
1 (15 oz) can Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt and spices. Beat eggs lightly in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Stir in evaporated milk. Pour over unbaked pie crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted in the center, comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.

Almond Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups almond meal

3 T. coconut oil or butter

2 T. turbinado sugar

Press in the bottom and sides of a 9 inch pie pan.

Cheescake with Almond Flour/Coconut Crust

4 (8oz) packages of cream cheese

1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar

3/4 cup milk

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 T. vanilla

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (also known as soft white wheat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan with coconut oil.

For the crust, in a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup almond flour/meal, 1 cup (unsweetened) macaroon style coconut, 1/4 cup coconut oil 2 T. turbinado sugar, 2 T. milk. Press in springform pan.

In a large bowl mix the cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk and mix in eggs one at a time. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Turn the oven off and let cake cool in the oven, with the door closed, for 1-2 hours. This prevents cracking.

Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

2 cups cooked chicken
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 cup slivered almonds (for added flavor, toast the almonds)
2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 can Health Valley Cream of Chicken Soup (you can find this at your local health food store)
1/2 onion, diced
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut chicken into small pieces. Mix all the ingredients together. Place in a 9x13 pan, top with shredded cheese and cook for 30 minutes.

*Optional - add steamed broccoli or spinach to the mix.

Whole Wheat Bread

3 cup warm water
1/4 cup honey or agave
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T. sea salt
1 - 12 oz can evaporated milk

Blend above ingredients together.

In a separate bowl, mix together 4 cups hard white whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup gluten and 2 T. yeast. Add to wet mixture above. Add up to 8 more cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough pulls away from sides of the bowl. Let knead for 8 minutes.

Let dough rasie until double in size. Punch down and shape into loaves and let raise again.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tartar Sauce

1 cup olive oil mayonnaise
1 T. dill pickle relish
1 T. minced onion
2 T. Lemon Juice
Sea Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

Fish Tacos

For replacement of the beer in the fish batter, take 1 cup chicken broth and mix it with 1 teaspoon yeast. Let sit on the counter at room temperature for a few hours or until ready to make the batter.

Before preparing the fish batter make the white sauce as listed below.

White Sauce:
1/2 olive oil mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Juice of 1 lime
1 Jalepeno pepper, minced
1 tsp minced capers
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground oregano
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
Mix all ingredients together.

Fish Batter
In a large bowl mix the following:
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp guar gum (thickener)
1 cup fermented chicken broth
1 egg


Cut up 1 pound of fresh cod fillets into 1-2 inch portions. Place 1 cup coconut oil in a med sized saute pan. Warm the oil on med-high heat. Dip fish in the fish batter and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Lightly oil a separate pan with coconut oil and warm the corn tortillas until nice and soft.

To serve, place fish in corn tortilla topped with shredded cabbage and white sauce.

Popcorn Snack

1 bag of Orville Redenbacher's Natural Simply Salted Popcorn, popped
1 cup Corn or Wheat Chex
1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 T. turbinado sugar
1/2 cup peanuts or toasted almonds

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the popped popcorn, melted coconut oil, cinnamon, turbinado sugar, and nuts. Enjoy!

Quick & Easy Pasta

1 1/2 boxes Dreamfields Rotini Low Digestable pasta, cooked - http://www6.netrition.com (if you can't find this pasta at your local grocery store, you can purchase Dreamfields Pasta at this site)
1 8 oz. package neuchatel cheese (located with the cream cheese)
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 lb. cooked ground turkey
1 packet dry Italian salad dressing mix
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Cook and drain the pasta. Mix the neuchatel cheese into the hot pasta. Add cottage cheese, cooked ground turkey, Italian dressing packet and shredded cheese. Mix thoroughly. Enjoy!