MIRANDA KERRS DIET (AND NOW MINE TOO)

Like most women, I have made many a declaration I was going to change my eating habits for good and be in the very best shape I could be. All for superficial reasons of course. I usually had a photo of a supermodel next to my bed, staring at me with her temptress eyes & perfect body, motivating me to get out of bed & exercise, always swearing that this time would be THE time I was going to change my life, glow with health and maybe turn into a supermodel? However, after a few weeks I would always return to my old ways. So, its ironic that after all of those years of angst and failure, I have finally worked it out and it had nothing to do with superficial reasons (well of course it did a little bit...maybe 49%), but for my current, more pressing desire in life…ENERGY. It has become a precious, precious commodity to me since becoming a Mother, just like its friend sleep. I am hungry for more, selfish in my actions to get it, I would do ANYTHING for more energy – and that includes a total health & diet overhaul and FINALLY having the strength and willpower to stick to it.I will admit, I did begin my overhaul by typing into google search Miranda Kerrs diet, (come on, weve all done it) and found so much information on her KORA Organics website, which gave me the tools and motivation to begin my own journey. And now, I want to pass what I have learnt onto you! Because, mother or not, who doesnt want more energy? (And, maybe be that little bit closer to the holy grail... Miranda). THE BLOOD TYPE EATING PLAN Miranda follows the Blood Type Eating Plan (read about her experience here) so I booked an appointment with a Naturopath to get some advice, and whether or not it was safe to begin whilst pregnant. Basically she said that it was the perfect time, as I would be giving my body (and my baby) exactly what it needs. I won’t go into too much detail but I am a TYPE O, which is the meat-eater of the groups. Type O also shouldn’t consume any dairy, grains, gluten or wheat. This is because Type O is the primary blood type (Hunter/Gatherer) and basically we just lived off the land – so purely anything you can catch, or pull out of the ground. We don’t react well to grains, dairy or wheat because agriculture wasn’t introduced into our diets. Other blood types are able to consume these foods as they are more evolved. (Basically Type O are the Neanderthals) It is actually incredibly interesting how each blood type has evolved and why our bodies react differently to certain food. For more information on the blood type eating plan go here. MY DIETI would firstly like to say that I am able to follow this diet about 2 or 3 days a week. The rest of the time it is a variation of this diet with whatever it quick & easy to eat or if I am out & about its usually banana bread (I am pregnant! I cant go a day without it). Other days, it is a catastrophic annihilation and complete obliteration of the plan and then I pay for it with headaches & exhaustion and wonder why my boyfriend doesn’t feel sorry for me when I lie on the couch complaining. (He likes to remind me I shouldnt eat that Magnum I am about to buy...he is shot down with an evil glare.) As I am TYPE 0 – I need a lot of protein (meat), fruit & veg and of course, no dairy or gluten. It is recommended that you eat 1 gram of protein per kilo of your weight a day (if you are pregnant – you need 1.5 grams per kilo). So, I need about 90 grams of protein a day whilst pregnant which can be difficult to reach but not if you know the right foods to eat. I also drink at least 2 litres of water per day (I put lemon slices in my water if I get sick of it, and lots of ice-cubes). Lemon also helps your body break down & digest any (good fat) in your diet...so avocado, salmon etc. Another reason why protein is so important for ENERGY PRODUCTION is because it is slow releasing energy, rather than short bursts & crashes from sugar and complex carbohydrates. BREAKFAST: 2 egg omelette (protein) turkey breast or tofu (protein) & tomato, mushrooms (protein) if I can be bothered (this meal alone is already 30 - 40 grams of protein!) SOY MOCHA: I cannot give up my one coffee a day…I can’t, I wont and I bloody deserve it! (Soy Milk is ‘neutral’ for my blood type). MORNING SNACK: Fruit & nut salad containing (usually) apple, banana, mango, strawberries, blueberries, walnuts (protein) & almonds (iron) – honey and 2 tablespoons of CHIA SEEDS. This is my absolute favourite meal of the day. You could also try a smoothie that Miranda Kerr recommends - it is packed full of so many amazing ingredients - read more about it here. LUNCH: Chicken salad, turkey & salad sandwich on rye, tofu (a whole protein) and salad on rye wrap…or leftovers from night before. This is usually the meal I stuff up which is actually the most important because my energy slump is always about 3pm....and thats when toddlers seem to lose their minds?! I am working on this.AFTERNOON SNACK: Buckwheat (alternative to gluten or corn – taste’s almost the same) Cruskits with promite or cream cheese and tomato. DINNER: Steak & Vegies, Chicken Curry, Salmon, Mexican, Spaghetti Bolognaise (just swapped to wheat free/dairy free pasta). I just make sure we eat meat every single night. (If you course, I am not exhausted and we have toasted sandwiches). EXERCISE: I take my son for a walk most mornings (not in the past few weeks though, it wipes me out for the rest of the day), it usually takes about 40 mins and I get my beloved soy mocha while I am out and Justice and I get to play on the beach and have a swim every morning. It is the best way to start the day and it makes Justice reallllyyyy tired and realllyyyy happy. SUPPLEMENTS Ah, supplements. We have all tried them. And if you are currently pregnant, you are probably sick to death of them. I know I am. And most of them make you nauseous and do you really need that on top of everything else!? Here are some that actually work for me.LIQUID IRON I have low iron levels all the time, however especially when I am pregnant. I take three liquid iron sachets (Spatone) each day now that I am in my last trimester. I take them with OJ as iron is absorbed best into your system with Vitamin C. You also shouldn’t have iron with dairy, tea, coffee or close to a protein based meal as it affects your bodies ability to absorb the iron. I just have it first thing in the morning with OJ and then wait half an hour until I eat anything.SPIRULINAI take six Spirulina tablets each day, I could take more but I usually forget! CHIA SEEDSI put these on my fruit salad every morning. Some people (you know who you are) put them in their water bottle to drink throughout the day however I find this DISGUSTING. So, I just try to consume them the easiest way possible which is mixed in with fruits/nuts/yoghurt & honey (so I can’t taste them). Get em’ down however you can! Read about Mirandas favourite supplements on KORA ORGANICS here THE RESULTS HEADACHES I have been following this eating guideline (sometimes well, sometimes very, very badly) for about six months now and I have noticed some massive changes. Firstly, I have suffered from almost daily headaches for as long as I can remember; most days I was consuming AT LEAST four pain-killers a day to combat the pain. I already knew that too much dairy & bread wasn’t good for me – an extra coffee or white bread was usually immediately followed with a headache…but sometimes, you just can’t help yourself. As soon as I removed dairy & gluten from my diet completely – I am head-ache free! I also haven’t suffered from Migraine’s since I changed my diet, and I would seriously rather give birth than have another Migraine. This change alone has turned me into a lifelong die-hard fan.ENERGY LEVELSIt is hard to gauge my energy levels whilst pregnant but some days I can actually get through the day full of energy with my son & then stay up late working on my blog whilst heavily pregnant. That is saying something! If I am strict with my eating plan (which is SO hard to do when I am pregnant and all I want is chocolate and sugar) I can feel such a massive difference in my energy levels, overall happiness and mood I wonder why I cheat all the time. I can’t wait to see how I feel when I am not carrying around all this extra weight. WEIGHT GAINI have put on 6kgs less than my last pregnancy! I am of course, running around after my son all day and not really able to nap as much as the last pregnancy so that would definitely be a factor, however this baby is actually bigger than Justice was, probably because it is getting so much protein.Tip: Download the Eat right for your type application for IPHONE…it gives you food lists of what your type can and can’t eat – perfect for food shopping.Don’t know your blood type? Look at your pregnancy records or it is a simple finger-prink test at the doctors or naturopath. THE FINAL SAY I cannot rave about this eating plan enough! (And if you are one of my close friends you are probably already sick of me talking about it) I have honestly never felt healthier, there has been a massive improvement to my energy levels and I am no longer popping Panadol every four hours. Obviously I am not bouncing around all the time, I am still exhausted by the end of each day, but I feel like I have given my body a good foundation for not only recovering quickly from the last birth, but the impending birth and my bodys gradual healing process that will take place over the next year. I am also excited to see if perhaps it is much easier for me to stay in shape with these new eating habits. (Yay!)And finally, my beautiful friend Britt Newmann, is a Naturopath and has agreed to give some advice on the Blood Type Diet as well as some suggested supplements pregnant woman can take. (And I would listen to Britt - she is one of those woman who GLOWS with health- and is currently on a trip around the world! I am sure she is glowing with happiness right now somewhere in the world.) "Here is some information on supplements including, tissue salts/ flower essences/ herbs/ nutrients, helping to boost energy, assist in dealing with any emotional upheaval that can come during pregnancy and/or after birth & help to improve general well being so bodies are strong, glowing and full of vitality". FLOWER ESSENCE/TISSUE SALTSFlower essences are a form of vibrational medicine and are produced by imprinting a flower’s unique vibrational healing signature onto the carrier solution and are used to treat imbalances at a higher level, bringing about emotional and spiritual balance and well being in the whole person.A fantastic remedy for pregnancy or mothers is a flower essence called Bottlebrush. Bottlebrush can be used when feeling overwhelmed by major life changes. it can help pregnant women who maybe feeling weighed down by their physical condition and by the responsibility to come. It can also be used for "feelings of inadequacy" and aid in the bonding of mother and child.A fantastic tissue salt for pregnant women is called Cal. Phos: its a nutrient tonic that helps to build new blood cells, strengthen the body for better nutrition and assimilation of foods.HERB FOR ENERGY & NERVOUS SYSTEM SUPPORT Panax Ginseng (Korean Ginseng) is a herb used for its adaptogenic and tonic qualities. Its been shown to have positive effects in improving mental and physical performance, especially when under stress. This is a great herb to help enhance energy levels and is safe to use during pregnancy, but avoid using with other stimulants such as coffee or during times of acute infections.Matricaria recutita (Chamomile) is used widely for its carminative effects when feeling anxious or restless. It is also fantastic to reduce inflammation within the digestive tract, helping to reduce andy irritable bowel, flatulence or bloating. It can be used as a tea and again it is safe to use in pregnancy.BLOOD TYPE DIET The blood type diet was developed by Dr Peter J DAdamo, a naturopathic physician who believed the key to unlocking longevity, physical vitality and emotional strength was by looking at the powerful genetic makeup of each individual - Our DNA. Blood is the most fundamental source of nourishment to our bodies and by determining which blood type you are, you are understanding which foods are going to be beneficial and nourishing to the body and what foods can cause susceptibility or predispositions to specific illnesses and diseases. Not only does the blood type diet look at nutrition but, it can also help us to understand what type of exercise is going to have a positive response, how much energy we have and our emotional response to stress.The blood type diet is categorised into 3 groups:BENEFICIAL (foods that act like a medicine)NEUTRAL (is a food that acts like a food)FOODS TO AVOID (foods that act like a poison)Type O - Are the meat eaters (high protein/ low carbohydrate diet), they feel invigorated by intense physical activities such as aerobic exercise like jogging.Type A - Are the vegetarians (high carbohydrates/low fat diet), they feel energised through lighter forms of exercise such as yoga.Type B - Can have a varied diet between all the blood types, although they can not tolerate dairy products. Exercises such as swimming and walking are suited to B types.Type AB - Are not affected by any specific food intolerance, they too can have a varied diet all blood types, as their immune systems are the strongest. All exercises are accepted.The blood type diet is the natural restoration of your genetic rhythm, as each human is unique, it allows the interpretation of individual needs and variations that can take place in both health and disease. With this knowledge of the blood type diet, the body will be better protected against infections and viruses, will assist in the elimination of fats and toxins, reduce your susceptibility to life threatening diseases, and slow down the ageing process by reducing the deterioration of cells.And finally, to finish off one monstrosity of a post...Justice on one of our morning walks.