Androgynous America

Americans, I fear, are turning into an androgynous society. The signs are everywhere:

• Women who wear the pants in the family
  
• Sexless relationships (the mojo is gone)
  
• Infertile women
  
• Men with boobs
  
• Men with hips
  
• Women with facial hair
  
• Failed relationships due to gender roles not being played out.
  
• Estrogen replacement commercials
  
• Low testosterone commercials
  

And then there's that self talk or bet between friends, "Is that a man or woman over there?"

We don't have two genders of humans roaming the globe anymore. We have several.

We have:

• The estrogenized male, chubby with girl hips and bitch tits
  
• The de-testosteroned male (think Gelding in the horse world)
  
• The she-male or gender bender equivalent
  
• The gay bitch (actual term in the world of homosexuality), girl in a male-male relationship
  
• The builder, manly man in a gay relationship
  
• The metrosexual
  
• The knight in shining armor- the traditional man's man and woman's affection
  
• The tomboy
  
• The dominant lesbian or bull dyke
  
• Mustache Mary- Low estrogen, zero sex drive, PCOS
  
• The dragonlady- aggressive boss/ manager or business owner and runs the house at home.
  
• The submissive female of any relationship
  
• The prom queen, suzy homemaker
  

Is there a right or wrong to all this? No, not at all. But I'll tell you this- if you want to adapt you better understand who you are dealing with. Just like the breakdown of personalities into dogs if you have read Sales Dogs or the gems like Dani Johnson uses, understanding is the beginning root of knowledge. Which direction should I go with this?

Do I delve into how we need to understand the many facets of being humans and how to interact with success?

Or

Do I address the environmental impact on our bodies where hormones are being altered and thus altering the dichotomy of the human species into a conglomerate of beings?

Why Sleep is a BIG Deal

How much and well do you sleep? If you seem to think you can function on 4-6 hours and not have insomnia and think it's a non-issue... Think again.


 
Remember the line, "killing me softly"?? Yeah you could be doing it to yourself.


 
Here are some disturbing facts that you should be aware of: 

Sleep deprivation is the quicker route to death than starvation.

There is a direct correlation between the diminished hours of sleep and body mass index - You know the how fat are you index.

Sleep debt builds up on you, contributing to carbohydrate intolerance and fat gain over time.

Before the invention of the incandescent light bulb, we averaged about 12 hours of nightly sleep. 

Lack of mental clarity, weakened immune system and less than desirable physical performance are also characteristics of the sleep deprived.

Glucose tolerance and endocrine function are negatively affected by insufficient sleep quality and being awake at the wrong hours of the night.

Coffee and related stimulants contribute to later bedtimes and can corrupt cortisol, adrenaline, and inflammatory markers. Extended sleep deprivation decreases leptin secretion at night, not cool seems how leptin is a good guy in the fat loss battle. And nobody wants a cortisol belly.

A study in adolescents not only showed an 80% rise in the odds of obesity for each hour of sleep lost each night, but also a 3% drop in daytime physical activity for each hour of sleep disturbance.

Sleep disturbances in part related to higher nighttime epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine concentrations, have been found in individuals who exercise hard (as in weights and cardio). Similarly, a doubling of training load has been reported to induce insomnia and depression as part of the overtraining syndrome. So those of you who are ramping up training efforts may want to get more total hours on the pillow to compensate.


 
These following tips may be especially helpful to men, women and even children who appear to get less sleep.


 
1. Get in a 9-12 hour night at least once or twice weekly.

2. Nap to compensate for lost sleep. Whether it be a full sleep cycle of 90 minutes or a 20 minute power nap.

3. Meditate for 20 minutes during the day; winding down with breathing techniques and progressive relaxation before bedtime is especially helpful.

4. Avoid falling asleep with the tv on… you know what just avoid tv altogether, the mindless programming is really unnecessary in your development as a greater person.

5. Avoid stimulants 5 hours before bedtime, in other words an evening coffee or tea doesn't contribute to a good night's sleep. Neither does a depressant such as alcohol, sure that glass of wine may help you to fall asleep initially; but the rebound effect after metabolizing depressants can result in a second wind at 3:00AM.

6. Get into a bedtime routine. Do those mundane tasks that put you into an active meditative state, fold the laundry, wash the dishes, read a book that won't allow you to go beyond half an hour, take a warm bath... you get the idea. You might be surprised how a small series of behaviors, done every night, creates a habit that prepares the mind for shutdown mode.

7. Have a small late night snack like I use to and have butter, natural peanut butter and jam or honey on multi-grain bread with a glass of whole chocolate milk. I am kidding. Don't be tempted by late evening carbohydrate/ gluten induced coma to get to sleep.

8. If you live in a noisy area, try subtle white noise at night to drown out distracting or startling noises. Sounds of water trickling or babbling brooks fountains can help ground most restless souls. I personally listen to either classical musical or a hypnosis/ meditation audiotrack to talk me down to a relaxed state.

9. If you do wake up like I have a history of doing, around 4:00 AM, try 20 minutes of breathing meditation before sleep. This elevates melatonin levels by 300% naturally within the body's own secretion pathways without supplementation.

10. If your mind races and mulls over the events of the day or what all you need to tomorrow. Do 1 or all of these 3 mind clearing activities. 1) Journal and/or reflect on the day's happenings and find the positive occurrences as well as the things we need to work on. 2) If you are experiencing a creative thoughts flow as your mind settles, by all means write these great ideas down. 3) Write out what you are to do tomorrow.

Bonus. If you don't need to function within society norms such as an 8-5 job but have projects to work on, feel you can run on a couple hours of sleep but multiple siestas per day and want to live as Ben Franklin did, of sorts; may I suggest polyphasic sleep. Google it. Warning: Not suitable or practical for most people.

Band Assisted One Arm Push-Ups

Nice work!
You can do push-ups pretty well.
Need a new challenge? Howabout one arm push-ups?
No worries, we can ease into and get your form right by using a band for assistance until you can do these push-ups on your own.

Upcoming Summer Group Session

Don't forget to sign-up for my summer group classes starting soon!!! Fill out the registration form located right here on my blog (right hand side tool bar). I have a classes for both ADULTS and YOUTH! It is never too late to get into shape for the summer!

Young Living Essential Oils Presentation in Fargo

Monday night May 24^th at 7:30pm

Jen Springer and Monty Moran will be hosting a casual experience in learning more about Young Living Essential Oils.

We will have lots of oils and nutritional supplements to show and explain as well sharing our personal stories in how our lives changed since we started playing with the oils and started using many of the other products.

This is intended to be a fun experience where you can see, smell and put the oils on.

Don't expect a business presentation or a sales meeting.

Do expect Jen to be very chatty.

We just want to share our excitement and see firsthand what we do with the oils and supplements in relation to:

Asthma relief

Colds & allergies

Emotional lifting

Stress relief

Weight loss

Pain relief

Concentration

Energy

Safe household cleaning

Nutrition

If you would like, we will have products available for purchase, help with setting up orders and support if you decide "I want to be a distributor too!"

Again, we invite to come and see, smell and touch.

Location: Nodak Mutual Insurance

1101 First Ave North

Fargo

Date:

Monday May 24^th 7:30PM

Part II: 124 Ways Sugar Ruins Your Health

By Nancy Appleton, PhDWell here it is. The second half of the list. Once again, think about what you feed your body. Does it make you look good, feel good or function well? The majority of what ails us can be linked to what we put in our mouths.

Oh p.s. the sources of each finding are listed at the bottom again. Read on...

66. Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention.
67. Sugar is enemy #1 of the bowel movement.
68. Sugar can cause myopia (nearsightedness).
69. Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.
70. Sugar can make the tendons more brittle.
71. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraine.
72. Sugar plays a role in pancreatic cancer in women.
73. Sugar can adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders.
74. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves.
75. Sugar can cause depression.
76. Sugar increases the risk of gastric cancer.
77. Sugar and cause dyspepsia (indigestion).
78. Sugar can increase your risk of getting gout.
79. Sugar can increase the levels of glucose in an oral glucose tolerance test over the ingestion of complex carbohydrates.
80. Sugar can increase the insulin responses in humans consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets.
81 High refined sugar diet reduces learning capacity.
82. Sugar can cause less effective functioning of two blood proteins, albumin, and lipoproteins, which may reduce the body’s ability to handle fat and cholesterol.
83. Sugar can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
84. Sugar can cause platelet adhesiveness.
85. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance; some hormones become underactive and others become overactive.
86. Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones.
87. Sugar can lead to the hypothalamus to become highly sensitive to a large variety of stimuli. 88. Sugar can lead to dizziness.
89. Diets high in sugar can cause free radicals and oxidative stress.
90. High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion.
91. High sugar diet can lead to biliary tract cancer.
92. Sugar feeds cancer.
93. High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant.
94. High sugar consumption can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration among adolescents.
95. Sugar slows food's travel time through the gastrointestinal tract.
96. Sugar increases the concentration of bile acids in stools and bacterial enzymes in the colon. This can modify bile to produce cancer-causing compounds and colon cancer.
97. Sugar increases estradiol (the most potent form of naturally occurring estrogen) in men.
98. Sugar combines and destroys phosphatase, an enzyme, which makes the process of digestion more difficult.
99. Sugar can be a risk factor of gallbladder cancer.
100. Sugar is an addictive substance.
101. Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol.
102. Sugar can exacerbate PMS.
103. Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce. 104. Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability.
105. The body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch. 106. The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects.
107. Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
108. Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition.
109. Sugar can slow down the ability of the adrenal glands to function.
110. Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases.
111. I.Vs (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain.
112. High sucrose intake could be an important risk factor in lung cancer.
113. Sugar increases the risk of polio.
114. High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures.
115. Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people.
116. In Intensive Care Units: Limiting sugar saves lives.
117. Sugar may induce cell death.
118. Sugar may impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in living organisms.
119. In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44% drop in antisocial behavior.
120. Sugar can cause gastric cancer.
121. Sugar dehydrates newborns.
122. Sugar can cause gum disease.
123. Sugar increases the estradiol in young men.
124. Sugar can cause low birth-weight babies.


SOURCES
66. Ibid. fluid retention 67. Ibid. bowel movement 68. Ibid. nearsightedness 69. Ibid. compromise the lining of the capillaries 70. Nash, J. "Health Contenders." Essence. Jan 1992; 23: 79_81. 71. Grand, E. "Food Allergies and Migraine."Lancet. 1979:1:955_959. 72. Michaud, D. "Dietary Sugar, Glycemic Load, and Pancreatic Cancer Risk in a Prospective Study." J Natl Cancer Inst. Sep 4, 2002 ;94(17):1293-300. 73. Schauss, A. Diet, Crime and Delinquency. (Berkley Ca; Parker House, 1981.) 74. Christensen, L. "The Role of Caffeine and Sugar in Depression." Nutrition Report. Mar 1991;9(3):17-24. 75. Ibid. 76. Cornee, J., et al. "A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France," European Journal of Epidemiology. 1995;11:55-65. 77. Yudkin, J. Sweet and Dangerous.(New York:Bantam Books,1974) 129. 78. Ibid, 44 79. Reiser, S., et al. "Effects of Sugars on Indices on Glucose Tolerance in Humans." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986:43;151-159. 80. Reiser,S., et al. "Effects of Sugars on Indices on Glucose Tolerance in Humans." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 1986;43:151-159. 81. Molteni, R, et al. "A High-fat, Refined Sugar Diet Reduces Hippocampal Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, Neuronal Plasticity, and Learning." NeuroScience. 2002;112(4):803-814. 82. Monnier, V., "Nonenzymatic Glycosylation, the Maillard Reaction and the Aging Process." Journal of Gerontology. 1990;45:105-111. 83. Frey, J. "Is There Sugar in the Alzheimer’s Disease?" Annales De Biologie Clinique. 2001; 59 (3):253-257. 84. Yudkin, J. "Metabolic Changes Induced by Sugar in Relation to Coronary Heart Disease and Diabetes." Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):5-8. 85. Ibid. 86. Blacklock, N. J., "Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone." Nutrition and Health. 1987;5(1-2):9- Curhan, G., et al. "Beverage Use and Risk for Kidney Stones in Women." Annals of Internal Medicine. 1998:28:534-340. 87. Journal of Advanced Medicine. 1994;7(1):51-58. 88. Ibid 89. Ceriello, A. "Oxidative Stress and Glycemic Regulation." Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(2 Suppl 1):27-29. 90. Postgraduate Medicine.Sept 1969:45:602-07. 91. Moerman, C. J., et al. "Dietary Sugar Intake in the Etiology of Biliary Tract Cancer." International Journal of Epidemiology . Ap 1993;.2(2):207-214. 92. Quillin, Patrick, "Cancer’s Sweet Tooth," Nutrition Science News. Ap 2000. Rothkopf, M.. Nutrition. July/Aug 1990;6(4). 93. Lenders, C. M. "Gestational Age and Infant Size at Birth Are Associated with Dietary Intake among Pregnant Adolescents." Journal of Nutrition. Jun 1997;1113- 1117. 94. Ibid. 95. Bostick, R. M., et al. "Sugar, Meat.and Fat Intake and Non-dietary Risk Factors for Colon Cancer Incidence in Iowa Women." Cancer Causes & Control. 1994:5 :38-53. 96. Ibid. Kruis, W., et al. "Effects of Diets Low and High in Refined Sugars on Gut Transit, Bile Acid Metabolism and Bacterial Fermentation." Gut. 1991;32:367-370. Ludwig, D. S., et al. "High Glycemic Index Foods, Overeating, And Obesity." Pediatrics. Mar 1999;103(3):26-32. 97. Yudkin, J and Eisa, O. "Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men". Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988:32(2):53-55. 98. Lee, A. T. and Cerami A. "The Role of Glycation in Aging." Annals of the New York Academy of Science. 1992; 663:63-70. 99. Moerman, C., et al."Dietary Sugar Intake in the Etiology of Biliary Tract Cancer." International Journal of Epidemiology. Ap 1993; 22(2):207-214. 100. "Sugar, White Flour Withdrawal Produces Chemical Response." The Addiction Letter. Jul 1992:4. Colantuoni, C., et al. "Evidence That Intermittent, Excessive Sugar Intake Causes Endogenous Opioid Dependence." Obes Res. Jun 2002 ;10(6):478-488. Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Society, Toronto, June 17, 2001. Www.mercola,com/2001/june/30/sugar.htm 101. Ibid. 102. The Edell Health Letter. Sept 1991;7:1. 103. Sunehag, A. L., et al. "Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition" Diabetes. 1999 ;48 7991_800. 104. Christensen L., et al. "Impact of A Dietary Change on Emotional Distress." Journal of Abnormal Psychology .1985;94(4):565_79. 105. Nutrition Health Review. Fall 85. changes sugar into fat faster than fat 106. Ludwig, D. S., et al. "High Glycemic Index Foods, Overeating and Obesity." Pediatrics. March 1999;103(3):26-32. 107. Pediatrics Research. 1995;38(4):539-542. Berdonces, J. L. "Attention Deficit and Infantile Hyperactivity." Rev Enferm. Jan 2001;4(1)11-4 108. Blacklock, N. J. "Sucrose and Idiopathic Renal Stone." Nutrition Health. 1987;5(1 & 2):9-17. 109. Lechin, F., et al. "Effects of an Oral Glucose Load on Plasma Neurotransmitters in Humans." Neurophychobiology. 1992;26(1-2):4-11. 110. Fields, M. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Aug 1998;17(4):317_321. 111. Arieff, A. I. Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Francisco. San Jose Mercury; June 12/86. IVs of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain. 112. De Stefani, E."Dietary Sugar and Lung Cancer: a Case_control Study in Uruguay." Nutrition and Cancer. 1998;31(2):132_7. 113. Sandler, Benjamin P. Diet Prevents Polio. Milwakuee, WI,:The Lee Foundation for for Nutritional Research, 1951. 114. Murphy, Patricia. "The Role of Sugar in Epileptic Seizures." Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients. May, 2001. Murphy Is Editor of Epilepsy Wellness Newsletter, 1462 West 5th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97402 115. Stern, N. & Tuck, M. "Pathogenesis of Hypertension in Diabetes Mellitus." Diabetes Mellitus, a Fundamental and Clinical Test. 2nd Edition, (PhiladelphiA; A:Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2000)943-957. 116. Christansen, D. "Critical Care: Sugar Limit Saves Lives." Science News. June 30, 2001; 159:404. 117. Donnini, D. et al. "Glucose May Induce Cell Death through a Free Radical-mediated Mechanism."Biochem Biohhys Res Commun. Feb 15, 1996:219(2):412-417. 118. Ceriello, A. "Oxicative Stress and Glycemic Regulation." Metabolism. Feb 2000;49(Suppl I):27-29. 119. Schoenthaler, S. The Los Angeles Probation Department Diet-Behavior Program: Am Empirical Analysis of Six Institutional Settings. Int J Biosocial Res 5(2):88-89. 120. Cornee, J., et al. "A Case-control Study of Gastric Cancer and Nutritional Factors in Marseille, France." European Journal of Epidemiology 11 (1995):55-65. 121. "Gluconeogenesis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition. Diabetes. 1999 Apr;48(4):791-800. 122. Glinsmann, W., et al. "Evaluation of Health Aspects of Sugar Contained in Carbohydrate Sweeteners." FDA Report of Sugars Task Force (1986) 39. 123. Yudkin, J. and Eisa, O. "Dietary Sucrose and Oestradiol Concentration in Young Men. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 1988;32(2):53-5. 124. Lenders, C. M. "Gestational Age and Infant Size at Birth Are Associated with Dietary Intake Among Pregnant Adolescents." Journal of Nutrition 128.1998:1807-1810


For more related information go to her website

http://www.nancyappleton.com/

Three Classic Weight Loss Stories

December 2009, I have an opportunity to expand my services outside the Sports Center again. This time it's an insurance company that has a fitness room in their building. Of the 90-some employees, six ladies sign up to train with me. My baseline and recurring test numbers revolve around simply a weekly weigh-in and 5-site circumference measurements. Could have gone more tech but a third party is doing the bodyfat percentages, besides women want to know two things with fitness results: weight loss & size or inches lost.

I tell clients in this demographic that one of three things will happen with embarking on a fitness/ weight loss program with me. The following are three distinctly different real world stories.

JD

Started and ended at the same weight over the course of 2 months. Even though JD didn't experience an overall weight loss over the Christmas Holiday season she lost a total of 2 inches. What happened? JD was consistent in her workouts, She did the strength training and the interval running on treadmill as well as elliptical and recumbent bike. However, she didn't clean up her diet. Bright side was she lost inches primarily in the waist, didn't gain weight over the holidays, improved her stamina, balance, coordination and gained strength. Age mid 30's

KB

Took off like a jackrabbit! She lost 5 pounds the first week. She did the same workout routine as JD (5 days a week, about 40 minutes each day). The difference. KB got serious about her eating habits. It became a lifestyle. Sure KB hit plateaus with weight loss and losing inches. But overall she steadily improved. After 3 months KB lost 20 pounds, lost a total of six inches on her body circumference measurements with the majority being in hips and thighs. I now have her on a 5K race training routine (keeping in mind she has exercise induced asthma) in addition to challenging her on strength training. KB proudly wears better fitting clothes- and she should be proud. Age just under 50.

JP

The most classic story and such a great story to tell; JP made sure that I went easy on her. She gave me the laundry list of limiting conditions. Specifically, HER RUNNING DAYS ARE BEHIND HER, so just walk on treadmill and negotiate speed & elevation. With JP the workouts were modified to activities that were appropriate for her fitness level. The first six weeks JP gained 2 inches overall and gained 5 pounds. Her strength and stamina improved and arthritic knee pain was alleviating.

Here's what happened:

Increased activities stimulated increased appetite, but she didn't have the eating habits corrected yet (and yes it is a lifestyle change which takes time).

People new to strength training or re-introduced after a long hiatus will store more water in the muscles as it requires water uptake to allow the muscles to recover.

Together the increased appetite without diet modification and water intake for recovery makes for weight gain.

Next, JP turned the corner. She cleaned up her diet more than she thought she needed to… until we had some talks about the crap that is packaged and sold to us as "food" or rather belly fillers. As JP's weight began to drop and lost some inches, her confidence increased. Being in a group setting with colleagues who were also experiencing life changing results for the better, and a few ladies starting to run intervals or do the 5K training program I set up for them; JP had a "What-If" moment and tried running on the treadmill. She did just fine and the arthritic knee felt good. No flare ups. When I called JP out and reminded her what she said from the beginning about how I would not get her to ever do (RUNNING); She proceeded to reflect and we had this talk.

You know when you get to a certain point where you're at your heaviest and limiting health conditions arise, it's easy to hide inside yourself and accept that the days of fitness and being healthy are over.

It's only until you start thinking about how you take care of yourself directly affects everyone who is important to you. Being overweight comes with the burden of lack of self-esteem.

The paradox is it takes self-esteem to better yourself. This is why it is so difficult to start a fit & healthy lifestyle, in addition to the programming (habits) people have been submitting themselves to for so long.

Thankfully momentum works in both directions (like a pendulum). If you can muster up enough courage and self-preservation to commit to taking back your life, there will be immediate and encouraging results. And as the body adapts to the challenges of exercise along with eating to nourish, you will stop fighting your body and start to become in-tuned with yourself.

As JP said, "I have just experienced a new kind of freedom, realizing I can run again."

Wow! Fitness related to a feeling of freedom.

She followed up, "I was trapped inside my own body for so long." "Now it makes me wonder what else I can do." The whole emotional side of making the transition to a healthy lifestyle is that we need to address our self worth. Are you emotionally prepared to spend time and energy on improving yourself? You should be. After all you are worth it. And to put it bluntly, you are worthless to everyone else if you become so sickly out of shape that you become the one who needs cared for on a variety of levels. Contribute to others by contributing to bettering yourself.

In 3 months, JP lost 14 pounds and 6 inches. Age Lower 50's.

* Just prior to posting this, I happened to visit with JD. She is working out on her own now. The eating habits are still an issue. But she is now off of her cholesterol lowering medication. Next goal is get her blood pressure under control and go off those meds. She replied she's not sure if that will ever happen because it's genetic (whole family has high blood pressure).

My response, "JD don't play that card!" High blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes... all of these are reversible. Just need to follow the white rabbit to a new world of thinking.

Fitness During Pregnancy

This topic is so big and so very important that I recruited an expert to guest write. Erin is a nutritionist as well as a nurse and proud mother of a charming 1 yr old.

Erin Blackwell Igo

Fitness in pregnancy can be challenging thing. You are not only responsible for your own well-being, but now you are entrusted with the sole responsibility of growing another human being. For some people, pregnancy can be a very difficult time. We spend our entire adult lives trying to be "fit" and maintain an ideal weight. Then one day, we wake up pregnant and are told we must gain weight, let our abdomens grow so we can't see our toes, and buy new HUGE clothes. This can be a struggle in two different ways:

1. We are so excited for it to be socially acceptable to gain weight that we take "eating for two" literally and gain too much.
   

or

1. We know that we are supposed to gain weight, but have such a hard time giving up our normal jean, that we decide to restrict our diets which can cause substantial harm to the baby.
   

   
   

   The International Organization of Health has set the following pregnancy weight gain guidelines:
   Underweight women- 28 to 40 lbs
   Normal weight women- 25-35 lbs
   Overweight women 15-25 lb
   Obese women 11-20 lbs (although, this is under scrutiny as many studies are showing that obese women can have healthy babies without gaining any weight).
   

   
   This weight should not all be gained in the first week. We shouldn't pull out the ice cream claiming we need to gain 35 lbs. In fact, in the first trimester weight gain should only be about 2-5 lbs and caloric intake does not need to be increased. If you are hungry- you are lucky! Eat! But continue to make wise choices. Because calcium and protein needs are greater during pregnancy (protein needs increase to 60 g/day), choose to have a glass of skim milk or opt for a protein snack. After the first 16 weeks, weight gain should average one pound per week and you can increase your calorie intake 300 calories per day. Once again- this shouldn't be seen as opportunity to eat a candy bar everyday because there are 300 extra calories to consume. Add two healthy snacks a day- yogurt, cottage cheese, a handful of nuts, or even a tablespoon of peanut butter.
   
   Some people follow another train of thought. Instead of "I get to gain 30 pounds??? Bring on the bacon!" they think "I have to be fat and gain how much??" This is normal. In my first trimester I gained 5 lbs, couldn't fit in to any of my clothes, and felt like a fat slob. I knew that the fetus weight was about an ounce at this point and had a really hard time justifying how large I was getting so quickly. But, this is how the weight gain plays out by the end:
   

   
   8 lb of baby
   3 lb of amniotic fluid and placenta
   2 lb of uterus
   4 lb of extra blood
   3 lb of extra breast tissue
   5-10 lb of "maternal stores"
   

   
   So even though that fetus is 1 oz and you have gained 5 lbs, that is 5 lbs of extra fluid and tissue that is being laid down to appropriately create and develop another organism. The hardest part to swallow is the 5- 10 lbs of "maternal stores." It is a pleasant way of saying "fat." This is necessary, though (unless you are already overweight or obese.) The belief used to be that this fetus was a parasite- it took everything first and mom got the leftovers. This is true in terms of vitamins and minerals, but not calories. Studies have shown that if mom doesn't have a high enough body fat percentage, the baby will break down mom's muscle tissue to use as energy while mom's body uses the calories consumed to increase her body fat. This is not good for your baby's developing brain. While you aren't looking forward to laying down 5-10 lbs of fat, it is good for your baby. Also, if you cautious not to lay down more than that- you will be able to easily get rid of it by breastfeeding and chasing your baby around within the first year.
   
   The last thing is exercise. It is important to exercise during pregnancy, but I cannot stress enough that every person is different. Some women can run marathons while pregnant (although, I don't recommend it), while some can't find the energy to walk down the block. I am an avid runner and before I was pregnant I ran about 20 miles per week. By the 4th month, I had stopped all together. I was TIRED, and the extra weight made me feel like I was running through mud. So, I switched it up. I walked a lot, I did prenatal yoga, and most importantly- I did what felt right. If your body is screaming, "Stop! This is too much!" then it probably is. As you gain weight, the activities you do burn more calories. Therefore, you can take it down a notch and still have an equally as effective exercise routine. Also remember, the point of exercise during pregnancy is not to lose weight- it is to be healthy.
   

Monty Moran's Notes

Thanks Erin. In addition, I would recommend the protein intake increased to at least 60 g and up to 120 g per day depending on your lean body weight. More lean body mass requires more protein. Go with whole milk, there is a reason why it started out that way… more proteins and healthy fats that all work together to nourish the body. Obviously omit if milk allergies are an issue and those with diabetic conditions definitely need to stay away from skim milk because it's basically white colored sugar water. Healthy fats are vital for baby's development and NO – healthy fat in meals does not beget fat moms.

After bouncing some theories off of Aaron Jones (a chiropractor here in the Fargo-Moorhead area) we agreed I should address a few more things. With exercise, I wouldn't recommend starting a running routine during 2^nd trimester and on. However if you are a runner, keep these things in mind as you progress through your pregnancy term:

You will gain weight which obviously adds a form of resistance training to your running.
Your center of balance will change which will change your running mechanics.
Like Erin said, you may not have the energy to run like you did and may need to either cut the mileage back or cut the frequency down to recover between runs.
There are other options or complimentary activities such as yoga, Pilates, strength training, biking and so on.
With strength training, the same issues apply. Weights may not be as heavy but higher reps can suffice. Certain exercises will not be comfortable to perform for obvious reasons.
Luckily, maintaining a fitness routine is somewhat easy as it is a way of your life, your body changes gradually and fit people are more in tune with their bodies and know what works or as Erin said, "I did what felt right."

As far as taking vitamins & minerals consult somebody who knows what they're talking about, mega vitamins are not the answer. Quality, absorbable, well balanced, non-toxic vitamin/mineral supplements should be sought after – with that said, by all means don't go shopping in the Wal-Mart aisles for anything health related.

If you are not in a fitness routine and want to start (even during pregnancy) consult your OB/GYN and a competent fitness professional to put you on the right track and monitor your progress.