Pregnancy Workout Myths & Second Trimester Workout #7

Thanksgiving, work and this joyous holiday-crazy-shopping season have kept me busy the past two weeks, but don't fret I've still managed to keep up my weekly gym routine, which means I still have tons of workouts to post.

I'm 29 weeks as of yesterday and as my belly is getting bigger (I feel like it's massive at this point, but there's still lots of time to go), I've run into a couple issues at the gym. Nothing serious, but things I definitely wanted to be open about and cover in case anyone else is going through the same stuff:

• LOWER ABDOMINAL PAIN "CRAMPING"  -  After discussing with my OB and other moms, I've realized that mild cramping during exercise is not uncommon during pregnancy, and is not a cause for alarm (of course severe pain is- so pay attention). A common cause of cramping during exercise is round ligament pain. The round ligament supports the uterus and expands as your grown your "bump" so a cramp can be triggered by any movement, even one as mild as going from standing to sitting. I occasionally get these when working out and when I do I find that stretching and resting for a minute or two often alleviates the pain.

•  LOWER BACK PAIN  -  What you haven't experienced this yet? Ah, I pray it doesn't ever hit you (cause when it does it's like taking a punch to the face: totally undeniable and incredibly painful). Lower back pain, though completely annoying and uncomfortable, it is absolutely normal. :) yipee!  Your spine has to support the weight you're gaining, so this causes increased stressed to the spine. And beyond that, your center of gravity also changes, so your posture can change which just increases the pain. Also, as your body releases more and more relaxin (a hormone), which allows ligaments in the pelvic area to relax and the joints to become looser, it can cause ligaments that support the spine to loosen, leading to instability and even more pain. Getting excited yet? Because if all that wasn't enough, the separation of your rectal abdominis muscles may worsen your back pain. This separation is common, by the way, it occurs in 1/3 of all pregnancies.

Okay, onto my workout workout post and a few pregnancy workout myths you should definitely be aware of!

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) advises against aerobic exercise if you have any of these conditions while pregnant:

• Heart disease that significantly affects the way blood circulates in your body, such as pulmonary hypertension (abnormally high blood pressure)
• Lung disease, such as severe asthma or chronic bronchitis (an inflammation of the bronchial tubes)
• Cervical insufficiency/cerclage(premature dilation)
• Multiple pregnancy (twins or triplets, for example) if you're at risk for preterm labor
• Persistent second- or third-trimester bleeding
• Placenta previa after 26 weeks
• Preterm labor
• Ruptured membranes (meaning your water has broken)
• Preeclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure)

Signs to stop exercise during pregnancy: 

Regular physical activity is an important part of a healthy pregnancy. Even if your doctor gives you the go-ahead to work out, don't overdo it. Stop exercise immediately and contact your healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Vaginal bleeding
• Dizziness or feeling faint
• Shortness of breath
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Muscle weakness
• Calf pain or swelling (which could indicate a blood clot)
• Contractions or preterm labor
• Decreased fetal movement (Keep in mind that the baby is often most quiet when you're most active.)
• Fluid leaking (or gushing) from your vagina

And for my own journaling purposes, photos:

Workout #6 & Peanut Butter Protein Bites

Little babe,

You are a mover. It's official- day, night, after meal, during meal, before meal, while I'm sleeping, when I'm working, etc. you are always moving, little babe. It's lovely and special, but sometimes it makes me feel a little nauseous and sometimes it just downright hurts. I watch your little dance every night before I fall asleep, it reminds me that although you might cause slight discomfort, you are in there growing and happy. I am so incredibly grateful for that.

Your daddy has been home for a week- and this is a HUGE blessing. He not only adores you and loves to spend time talking to you, but he also takes over some of the housework and this give my back a much needed break!

Your aunt, Whitney (who you'll call Titty because as a child I could never say "Sissy"- this became our nickname for each other growing up) loves you so already. She has 3 of her own boys and has already walked me through much of "what to except".  She took me to register for all your baby necessities this week and wow was I overwhelmed! SO many types of everything, from burp-cloths to strollers there were options galore.

Don't worry, little one, you'll have everything you need and probably more. 

27 weeks...and I love you already more than I ever thought possible.
xoxo, your mommy

I am still documenting my workouts and hoping to utilize all this documenting through my next pregnancy to A) laugh at myself and B) have a gameplan (I will be grateful to not have to recreate the wheel with a little one at home).

In an effort to get more protein (for the babe) and to keep my energy levels good through some tough workouts, I decided to create my own protein-packed energy bites at home (did I say they were peanut butter flavored?!). I've seen them in specialty stores, but they are expensive and usually have a whey based protein powder (I only use plant based protein powder). Honestly, I was shocked at how easy these were to make and DELICIOUS! Even my nephews loved them! They kept requesting more "peanut butter balls"!

Fit Pregnancy Workout #5 & Healthy Chicken Tacos Recipe

I love fall food and when fall rolls around, out comes my oh-so-loved Crockpot. I am quiet obsessed with this little machine. It can make everything from fresh bread, hearty soups, tender chicken dishes, and even delectable desserts. Although this little wonder has a very special place in my heart, I literally only bring it out in the fall/winter (habit I suppose?). I must reevaluate next year.

Being from South Texas means I also love one other thing A LOT...mexican food! Below is a healthy chicken taco recipe I came up with. I compared the recipe to my favorite Mexican chain- Chipotle. I mostly like Chipotle because it's healthier than most other Mexican options. Don't worry Texas friends, I still love a lard-loaded tortilla, but these days I have to save my calories for more protein-dense foods. :)  My recipe didn't win by a landslide, but it definitely will save you some calories, fat & sodium- plus it's cheaper and the leftovers keep well (freezer or fridge).

RECIPE
Servings: 4-5 (3 tacos per serving- feed that baby!)
        -enough for 12-15 tacos total

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs raw skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• salt, to taste
• 16 oz roasted salsa verde (hands down my fav salsa to cook with)
• 4 oz. can green chilis diced
• 8 oz. chicken broth

Taco & toppings (included in calorie count):

• Black beans 
• Chopped Avacado
• Fresh Pico (Tomatoes, onion, salt, cilantro)
• Chopped Romaine 
• Corn Tortillas

Instructions:
-Season chicken with garlic powder, cayenne, cumin and salt and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with salsa verde, canned chilis, and broth. Cover and cook HIGH 2 hours, until chicken is cooked through.
-Remove chicken, shred using 2 forks. Remove 2/3 cup of liquid from the slow cooker and discard. Place shredded chicken back into the crock pot with remaining salsa, adjust seasoning to taste if needed and keep warm.

WORKOUT!
And onto the 15 week, second trimester pregnancy workout! This is a crazy cardio one, but I LOVE IT! And still do it today at 25 weeks along.

 



Progress pic (18 weeks vs. 25 weeks)! CRAZY!

Asheville + Fit Pregnancy Workout #4

The 24 week mark has arrived and I must say....I feel huge. I can't imagine this baby growing for another 16 weeks, but I suppose many other women have thought this before. I think part of it is that my stomach just shot out over the weekend. Seriously, it probably doubled in size. Part of the growth was probably normal baby growth spurt stuff and part was definitely due to the massive amounts of amazing food I consumed this past weekend.  J and I took a last minute trip to Asheville to celebrate this little babe growing inside me. We stayed at an amazing Bed & Breakfast and I seriously ate my entire weight in sweets over the weekend. I just could NOT get enough.

Now that I'm back at home, I'm forcing myself back on the program (i.e., no more Halloween candy or donuts). J and I headed straight for the gym when we returned. The nice thing about us both being fitness people is that after two days of not working out (and eating like pigs) we were both craving gym time. Last night I just did an hour on the stair mill, serious cardio was just what this body wanted. This morning we headed back to the gym for a more serious workout. J wrote me up a great one that I will share soon.

For now, take a peek at workout #4 back from when I was 14 weeks. I still do this one today with modified burpees and push-ups! It's intense and I have to take lots of breaks and drink tons of water.

And for my own documentation, here are pics from my fun & romantic weekend in Asheville. The weather was crazy, it went from beautiful fall to intense snowfall overnight. It was beautiful. A tiny blessing of beauty for J, my sweet babe, and me.

Fit Pregnancy Workout #3 and FALL!

I am feeling great still- thank you God, really, I know it's not a given. I'm 23 weeks and I feel so close to this little one inside my belly. I call him by name now, hopefully we will share soon. I pray for him often and I just have such a strong desire to keep him safe in there, to keep him growing big & strong, and to tell him lots of little things about his dad (who travels all the time).

I still have energy to get up early and workout so I do, 5 days a week at about 6:30am. Here is my #3 workout (written when I was 13 weeks) but one I still do today. I basically rotate through these workouts and add a new one each week of my pregnancy to change it up and keep my muscles conditioned. I do 3 days of strength training a week and 2 cardio only days.

This past weekend J was home and we had a fun day enjoying fall things, although the weather here is not quiet "fall feeling" at 80+ degrees. I ate way too many candy apples and eating them (for the record) is only half as fun as making them. And here is also my 22 week progress pic- sweet little babe is growing and I LOVE IT!