I'm blogging, not bullying

Long time no blog!  So it's been 3 months since I gave birth to my bundle of joy and this is my latest bathroom selfie (sorry for the sour face, it's just not as fun taking bare belly photos without the cute baby bump)....

Not bad, right?!  Some people think because I'm a personal trainer I live in a gym, but those people couldn't be more wrong.  First of all, I do in-home training, so I don't even go to a gym to train my clients, I go to their homes - not to mention I personally haven't stepped foot in a gym since a month before the arrival of my baby boy.  I also don't work out with my clients (unless I'm using their session/workout as my workout for the day), there is such a thing as over exercising and I don't care for that. I simply write workouts for my clients, hold them accountable, and make sure they do the exercises correctly.  With all that being said, ANYONE can achieve my pre and post baby gut.  

Here's what my typical day entails:

• taking care of baby
• training clients
• writing workouts and plans for clients
• taking care of dogs
• house chores
• working out myself

For those of you with babies, you know that everyday is different, hence why I just have bullets of what I do everyday and not an actual schedule.  For the purpose and this blog, I will only talk about the workout aspect of my day.  To start off, I never do it when Jack (my baby) is napping, that's just an excuse waiting to happen... "the baby woke up!  I guess that means my workout is over."  However, that's not the main reason I don't workout when Jack naps, I workout while he's awake because he loves it!  He loves watching me do burpees, jumping jacks, lifting dumbbells, you name it.  He kicks his legs and moves his arms like crazy, as if he's imitating me.  I also engage him in each workout.  I count enthusiastically, talk to him in between sets about the exercises and how tired mommy is... he seriously loves workout time!  He also loves when we go walking or jogging outside.  He seems to enjoy looking at the trees and getting fresh air.  As long as he is fed before, he is good to go.  It's a great activity to get babies stimulated, plus I believe you're creating a healthy lifestyle for them by showing the importance of physical activity in your daily routine.

In conclusion, exercising with a baby is completely possible and extremely enjoyable (if you ask me and baby Jack).  That being said, I hope no one takes this entry as me being a "bully."  You know what I'm talking about:

 

When I saw this picture a few weeks ago on facebook I thought "Damn, she looks good, especially after having three kids, plus they're all back to back!"  Then I heard that people were saying she was a bully. Come on!  How is this bullying? She's trying to inspire people because she looks great.  The people that are bashing her for being a fit mom are not only the actual bullies, but haters because they're just jealous that they're too lazy to find the time to workout but seem to have enough time to browse the internet and give their hateful 2 cents about a hot mama... but that's just my take on it.  

Have a nice day and get a workout in!  It will make it even nicer :)

 

5 Weeks Postpartum - Staying Motivated

It's been a month since I delivered my little guy and we are doing great!  He's already over 11 lbs and I'm back to my normal weight, just working on getting my tummy back to normal as well.  Yes, I was supposed to wait 6 weeks to start working out again but I was feeling good enough to workout and am feeling even better now so oh well, Doc!  Get over it. Here are some recent selfies:

 

 

 

Now let's talk about staying motivated.  As a new mom, I have a lot more on my plate than I used to.  Between my clients, housework, and my new little person, working out is not as easy to fit in to my schedule as it used to be.  Not only can it be hard to fit in a workout, but there's also the fatigue issue.  But I don't let these things stop me... they are just excuses.  So, here are some things that motivate me to keep working out and will help motivate you to workout as well:

 

- First, buy a couple of new workout outfits!  You will feel better working out in something cute, plus you'll feel obligated to use them (especially if they're Nike or Under Armour and you spent $100 on one outfit). 
 
- Your baby!  You need to be healthy and set a good example for your little one.  Include them in your workouts too - go for walks and jogs and have them watch you while you do exercises.  This way you're doing something with baby while also doing something (good) for yourself.
 
- Your husband!  Obviously he loves you no matter what you look like, but making your body better never hurts.  And let's be honest, having a baby can put a little stress on your relationship... working out not only helps you to look better but feel better too, so hopefully you won't feel the urge to yell at your husband because he slept so soundly through the night while you're running off an hour or two of sleep :)  Plus it will help keep your sex life alive even though you're exhausted, and hubby will be happy about that.  Happy wife may mean a happy life, but a hubby needs a chubby or he just won't care.  I just made that up - not bad, right?
 
- Energy!  Working out gives you energy... seriously.  So even though you're tired and may not feel like it, do it anyway.  You will feel much better and be able to keep up with all the things baby wants and needs from you!
 
- "I'm awesome!"  This one is my favorite.  I've been watching a lot of "How I Met Your Mother" recently on Netfilx.  I'm sure many of you know this, but if not, one of the characters, Barney, always says "I'm awesome."  So, the other day I was out for a run and felt tired and wanted to walk, but instead I told myself "I'm awesome" and just charged up that hill like it was nothing and finished my run at a great pace.  I know it sounds dumb but it works.  Trust me and just try it. 
 
- Last but not least... read my blog.  Reading about some chick who worked out her entire pregnancy and continues to workout with a newborn, plus posts pics to show that the stuff she talks about actually works, should definitely help motivate you to workout!

 

 

Staying motivated in a nutshell: Read my blog, get a new and cute outfit, tell yourself "I'm awesome" and go workout because you'll be healthy, love your baby, hubby and life more plus have the energy to keep up with it all.

 

  You're welcome :)

 

 

 

One Week Postpartum

 

Baby Jack is finally here!  He was born on July 20th, 2013.... making him one week old already!  Here are my one week postpartum traditional bathroom selfies, plus one with the man who inspired my Baby Gut blog:

 



 

 

Since I'm not supposed to workout for 6 weeks after my delivery, I don't really have much to say regarding exercise, except that doing it while pregnant really speeds up the process to getting your pre-pregnancy body back (and breastfeeding doesn't hurt either)!  Now that we covered that, I'd like to introduce you to the love of my life (in addition to my husband)... my beautiful baby boy, Jack Matthew!

 

 

 So little, so sweet, and so freakin' cute :)

 

 

 

 

40 weeks: Um, why am I still pregnant?

 

Ok, so let me start off by saying that I am very thankful that I have had such a healthy pregnancy... but seriously, why am I still pregnant?!  40 weeks is enough.  I mean if 37 is considered full-term, why do I have to wait until after 40 to be induced?  Each week after 37 is just torturous and redundant in my opinion; not to mention at my 37 week ultrasound, baby Jack was already measuring over 8 lbs!  What does that make him now?!  My doctor said he doesn't see me having more than a 7 lb baby... I'm hoping he's right and she's wrong - I'll keep you posted.  Either way, he seems to be extremely healthy so I guess I shouldn't be worrying about what size watermelon I have to squeeze out of me.

 

Now let's discuss the discomforts I've been feeling this last month of pregnancy.  Jack has been sitting low for a long time now.  When I say low I mean LOW - since 34 or 35 weeks my doctor has been saying how low his head is and how uncomfortable that must be... ya think?!  By the end of the day it feels like I've been repeatedly kicked in the crotch.  Multiple times a day I get shooting pains out my hips that imitate what I imagine it would feel like if someone was to twist a knife in your side.  Then there's my personal favorite, when my legs just stop working, something locks up and I can't move my legs and have to clutch onto my husband so I don't fall (which is very amusing to watch I'm sure).  Now I've started getting the knife twisting pain in my hips when my legs lock up, that's always a fun one.  I can't make this stuff up, people!

 

Not to toot my own horn, but I am still working out despite all of these lovely pains and discomforts.  I've been taking a 30 minute walk just about every day and doing light weights and toning exercises about 3 times a week.  The exercise gets your blood flowing which I believe helps to counteract the aches and pains, not to mention the swelling that comes along with pregnancy.  I am very proud to say that at 40 weeks my ankles look normal! Not one bit of swelling even in the dead heat of summer!

yay for seeing bones!

Well there you have it!  40 weeks of pregnancy in a blog.  We covered the normal aches and pains, the benefits of health and fitness, and the hormonal rants.  I will say I've probably had an easy pregnancy compared to some, however that doesn't mean I'm someone who "loves" pregnancy, in fact I cannot wait for it to be over!  I'm trying to think of a clever line to wrap up my 40 weeks of having a baby gut, but all I can think about is that I really just want a big ass glass of wine, and then I want to chase it with another glass...  while holding my beautiful baby boy of course :)  Cheers! And be on the lookout for post-baby gut blogging on how I'm losing my baby gut!

34 weeks! Pregnancy Etiquette

I have a couple of topics this 34 week post.... we'll discuss my workouts (obviously) and pregnancy etiquette, or lack there of.  Now when I say "pregnancy etiquette" I'm not talking about the expected behavior of us pregos, I'm talking about the etiquette towards us, and again I say "or lack there of".  Excuse me in advance for the complaining but I'm hormonal so it's excusable.  When I first found out I was pregnant, I remember one of my personal training clients telling me how she loved the treatment she received while pregnant from strangers.  Everyone was so courteous; holding doors, offering a helping hand, letting her go before them in a bathroom or grocery store line, etc.  They did simple things that were greatly appreciated, especially when lugging around extra cargo (all in your uterus might I add), which is extremely uncomfortable and at at times quite painful for those of you who have yet to experience the "joys" of pregnancy.  With all that said, I rarely get any of this!!!! WTF.  No one cares anymore about us procreating ladies - this excludes my husband FYI, he's truly amazing, and pretty cute too...

See, those are some good genes.  Ok back on topic... I can't tell you how many times I've had a door slammed in my face, or someone book it to get in a grocery store line before me (and I only have a few things - but one of which is a gallon of milk that I'm struggling to hold while I'm juggling my basket of food and purse, oh and baby gut), or my personal favorite, I'll be walking one of my great danes and there's someone coming towards me on the narrow sidewalk (usually a chauvinistic pig, I mean a middle aged male all by himself or two power-walking bitches, I mean two middle aged ladies) and they don't move out of the way!  This eight month pregnant girl and her extra large dog are forced to get into the road... REALLY??!!  This rant may seem as though I feel entitled, however I think these manner lacking individuals are the ones with the sense of entitlement, I'm just hormonal so I can blame my neediness on that, these people are just rude and insensitive.  But anyways, when this happens I just smile and/or say "Good morning!" but then usually give them the finger when their back is towards me - maturity at it's finest. 

Now that I got this off my chest, I hope this will inspire you to hold the door for a prego today, step out of her way while she's waddling on the sidewalk, let her pay for her groceries first because she probably has to pee really, really bad or her legs just hurt from that 15-20 lbs in her belly of a growing baby and amniotic fluid, not to mention the added weight of the groceries she's carrying or pushing around.  If this does not inspire you to do this, then I hope you never get pregnant or impregnate someone because you obviously only care about yourself and are incapable of caring for another human being.  True story.  With all this said, there is one good thing coming out of this lack of etiquette; that same client that told me she loved the generosity of others during her pregnancy also said she was depressed when she had the baby and the generosity abruptly stopped.... I guess I won't have to worry about that side of postpartum depression! HA!

Now on to workouts.  I'm still working out just about everyday!  My cardio is pretty much limited to ellipticals and walking, but I do try to do some light jogging here and there.  I keep my weight training on the light side, not using more than 5-8 lbs. or a 20 lb. straight bar for squats and lunges.  I take adequate breaks in between sets and drink plenty of water..... and it's all paying off!  I just had my 34 week appointment where we also got an ultrasound which was awesome since we haven't seen baby Jack since we found out he was going to be a baby Jack, and he's extremely healthy.  I can't wait to finally meet my little workout partner I've been carrying for the last 8 months!  Here's a sample layout of what our third trimester workouts have consisted of:

20-30 minutes of cardio - walking, jogging, or elliptical
3 sets of 10-15 reps of squats or sumo squats with 20 lb. straight bar
3 sets of 15 seated dips
3 sets of 10 incline push-ups (can't do regular or I'd be bouncing off baby Jack!) 

If you have any workout questions for yourself or just need some advice, please don't hesitate to ask me!  :)

TMI: PRESSURE!!!

31 weeks of pregnancy.... my pelvis definitely feels it. TMI? Oh well, it's the truth.  Either you know exactly what I'm talking about or you don't...  and either way you're going to read about it!  It's just pressure from the baby and uterus pushing down, and it is very uncomfortable.  I think that's why pregos tend to waddle, not because of their size, but that's just my opinion.  Unfortunately, I've come to the conclusion that I can't jog anymore because of this pressure.  Saturday at my Boot camp we started out jogging 2.5 miles.  I felt fine during the run, but I can't say the same for the rest of the day.  The pressure on my pelvis was so bad, not to mention my butt and legs as well, I could barely move!  When I woke up Sunday it was pretty much gone, but I don't think I want to deal with that again, especially considering it will only get worse since the baby will only be getting bigger.  Sorry for the TMI but what else is blogging good for?  Here's a 31 week baby gut pic:

Running may be out of the picture, but walking and toning still feel good though!  I will say that my fatigue is back (just like they say!) so I take it easy when necessary.  I always try to fit in a walk because I believe it's better to fit in some activity than to just sit around all day, but I adjust the length of my walks and pace based on how I'm feeling.  Also, in regards to toning, I'm pretty much just sticking to 5 lb. weights now.  I've just been doing basic toning exercises for my arms, back and legs to keep my body feeling as good as it can during this uncomfortable stage of pregnancy:

overhead shoulder press
lateral raises
forward raises
bicep curls
seated dips
body weight squats
lunges
sumo squats
dumbbell row
dumbbell butterfly

I just pick a few exercises a day or every other day and it seems to be keeping standard pregnancy aches and pains to a minimum, swelling down, cravings and mood swings at bay, etc. 

 

Ya'll come back now, ya hear!

Nesting mode

So I've definitely been slacking on the weekly posts.... but in my defense I have been busy with training clients and getting ready for Jack to come!  I've been doing that nesting thing like crazy too.  Everything is so organized now (I have always kept a clean house so didn't have to worry about that)!   I've been told it won't stay that way but I'm sure it will. I guess you could say some of my motivation comes from proving people wrong... like ohhh I don't know... staying fit while pregnant? :)  

Speak of, I just had my 28 week doctor appointment (including that gross glucose test! YUCK) and everything is going great, not to mention I feel great too (besides the tummy getting bigger everyday thing, that's kind of uncomfortable - but that's to be expected).   And yes, I am still doing my workouts!  Jogging here and there, walking a lot, and of course toning.  Can't say that I've had any crazy cravings yet, however I did go to Dairy Queen in the middle of the day last week which is very random for me (ice cream is an after dinner dessert thing).  Got a mint Oreo blizzard in case you were wondering - it was delicious. Anyway, here are some bathroom selfies to catch you up on the baby gut progress:



week 26

week 27

week 28

bare belly shot of week 28... looking so happy (probably because I just realized my baby gut desperately needs a tan)

  Now that we're all caught up, I think I'm going to go workout!  I'm thinking 30 minute walk/jog, then 5 sets of 12-15 squats to shoulder press alternating with sumo squats to forward raise.  Keepin' it simple and safe, the way a pregnancy workout should be, especially one in the third trimester!!!!!  Yes those exclamation points symbolize my excitement!!!! I'm getting so close to meeting my baby, Jack!!!

Prego Problems

(Extremely) short story time: 

A couple days ago I was jogging on the treadmill and something happened to me that has never happened before.... my gut hit the front bar on the treadmill!  Normally this would be upsetting, but since it was caused by a baby gut and not a regular gut, I would actually classify this as very exciting.  Here's what I'm working with at 25 weeks:



I look angry but I'm not

Not only is Jack obviously getting bigger, but he won't stop kicking!!!  No, seriously, I'm talking all day AND all hours of the night too (give or take).  I'm not sure if he's just restless like his mom, or if he has inherited his dad's love for soccer (and hopefully his skill too!).  Either way I'm thinking we are going to have our hands full.

Speak of being restless, I'm still keeping up with my workouts!  Walking, jogging, weights... they're all still feeling great despite my growing gut!  However, my core workouts are pretty much non-existent.  I do have one exercise that still feels good: side plank.  Unfortunately, I hate side planks, so I rarely do them.  But for those of you who don't mind boring stability exercises, your love handles will be so happy during your pregnancy!  Do some side plank with love handle leans after a good cardio sesh and those pesky love handles will be one less thing to worry about post-pregnancy.

 

My workout for the day:

 

Cardio:

0.5 mile walk to warm up

2 mile jog (outside so I don't have to worry about baby gut hitting the treadmill bar)

 

3 circuits of:

12 side lunges on each leg holding 8 lb. dumbbells

10 incline push-ups (so baby gut doesn't hit the ground either)

15 seated dips

 

30 sec side plank on each side (even though I hate them) 

x3

 

Fueled by:

 

raspberry Greek yogurt

2 eggs

broccoli

and of course a cup of Joe

 

That's an A+ breakfast and workout if I do say so myself :)

 

my favorite pregnancy workout

24 weeks down, 16 to go!  I'm feeling great in general, and my workouts are still feeling good as well, but I can definitely tell a difference in my strength and energy level.  Obviously the hormones play a big part in that, but I'm sure the size difference in my baby gut does too. 

 

Check this out... me at 8 weeks and me now (at 24 weeks): 

 
WHOA!  My how Jack has grown in the past few months.  Anyway, as I was saying, I'm sure my belly size has a little something to do with the difficulty of my normal workouts.  That being said, I'm not going to give up my workouts all together, I've just been modifying them instead.  This is one of my favorite workouts to do since I've had a more noticeable baby gut:

 

30-40 minutes of cardio (I'm pretty much just sticking to a brisk walk outside or a treadmill pace of 3.8)

Then 3 sets of:

20 squats with a 30 lb. straight bar

12 bicep curls with 12 lb. dumbbells

12 shoulder presses with 12 lb. dumbbells

 

 

Now keep in mind that I was working out regularly pre-pregnancy, so please don't go grab a 30 lb. straight bar if you're a fitness novice!  Start with no weights or grab some 5 lb. dumbbells, and lower your repetitions if you need to.  Same thing goes for the bicep curls and shoulder press.  I just wanted to tell you about this workout because it works my entire body and all of the exercises are simple and extremely baby gut safe! :)

 

  

 

Week 23 - Getting bigger by the day!

 

Hi!  Here's my baby gut at week 23 :

 

He's moving like crazy!  He's kicking, uppercutting (yes, uppercutting) and doing somersaults, mainly when I'm trying to relax, probably because he's preparing me for the future, which I've been told contains zero time for relaxation.

 

Anyways, I have a video for you all (lucky you).  I received an email yesterday asking me for a good love handle exercise to do while pregnant.  Obviously I chose my favorite, the love handle lean... which looks like this:

 

 

 

Sorry for the poor quality, but I specialize in exercise not videography.

 

Just incorporate this exercise into your weekly workout routine and you should see better love handles in no time! 

 

 

My workout today:

• 40 minute power walk outside - yep, pumped my arms and all!   
• 4 sets of 12 squats to shoulder press with 10 lb. dumbbells
• 3 sets of 12 love handle leans with 10 lb. dumbbells

 

My meals and snacks today:

• Breakfast - bowl of grape nuts and a cup of coffee (with a prenatal vitamin of course)
• Snack - orange juice and a banana
• Lunch - peanut butter and honey sandwich and an apple
• Another snack - pear and sourdough pretzels (my faaaaaavorite!)
• Yet another snack - cottage cheese
• Dinner - we were going to have chicken, brown rice and broccoli, but I just told my husband I want Thai food instead.  Drunken noodles anyone?  

 

 

 

 

22 weeks!

There it is, an official baby bump!  I say "official" because I'm at the point where it sticks out all times of the day, not only after a meal or because of the prego push - you know, in the earlier stages of pregnancy when pregos push out their tummies rather than holding them in... I've been doing it since the "awkward fat" stage aka the "I'm pregnant... not fat" stage.  True story.

Now let's talk about workouts.  Yes, I am still working out (for those of you who said I probably wouldn't be after 20 weeks).  Working out while pregnant is just like working out while not pregnant, you either make it a part of your lifestyle or you don't.  It's a choice you make.  You can let pregnancy be an excuse, but I choose to not let it be.  Instead, I've simply changed my workout goals for the duration of my pregnancy.  I'm used to pushing myself and sweating my butt off, but now I take it easier so I don't  risk overheating or overdoing it. I'm not trying to be the fittest prego ever, I just want to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle for myself and create one for my baby boy.  Exercise is always good for you, no matter what.  You just need to be aware of your limitations and adjust your workouts accordingly.  Don't give up! 

 

Here is how I've adjusted my workouts:

• When I run, my pace has gone from a 7-8 minute mile to about a 10 minute mile
• I have decreased my mileage (2.5 miles seems to be my max) 
• I often choose to walk or use an elliptical for cardio instead of running
• I stay away from heavy weights and stick to using 5 or 8 lb dumbbells
• I take more breaks
• I stretch more

 Just listen to your body (especially your belly!) and you can't go wrong :) 

 

       

Breaking Baby News

Sooooo we found out recently that we're having a BOY, and I couldn't be more excited!!!

Sportin' the blue for my baby boy

 

  I already got him his first Bootcamp outfit!

 

 

And I got him these to go with his abs of steel... 

 

 

He's awesome already, I know. 

 

 

The Truth About "Eating For Two"

During pregnancy, one of the most common phrases you'll hear over and over again is "eating for two."  You probably hear this from your parent's generation and most likely your grandparent's too, but that's because this is what they were always told, just like they were also told they couldn't run, jump, or get their heart rate above 120 bpm.  Which is all obviously BS.  So, should you be eating for two?  

Um no, you shouldn't, at least not literally.  Think about it...  Are you giving birth to a full grown adult? No. You're giving birth to a baby that will not weigh more than 10 lbs (most likely).  I like to say I'm eating for one and an eighth.  That being said, being pregnant is not a time to watch your weight, carbs or calories, BUT you shouldn't overdo it either.  The best advice I can give you is to eat every 2-3 hours so you're never worried about your baby lacking or needing nutrients.  I rarely let myself get hungry, because if I do, it makes me think I'm depriving my baby!  I'm sure that's not true, but I'd rather not worry about it or risk it, so I eat every 2-3 hours.  Just keep in mind that you're eating snacks in between meals, not full meals every two hours, that would probably put you in the "60+ lbs Gained Club" during your pregnancy, which is not good for you or the baby (hence why doctors say only 25-35 lbs). 
 

Now let's discuss "cravings."  Being pregnant is not an excuse to go to Dairy Queen everyday or to Burger King in the middle of the night.  If you find yourself wanting to do this, it's not a "pregnancy craving,"  it's just you letting go of your self control because you can use the "craving" excuse.  Pregnancy is a time to feed your body healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, veggies, dairy and protein.  It's not a time to feed yourself crap, especially if you think you're eating for two, then that would be two servings of crap - YIKES!  When I'm in the mood for something not so good, I ask myself this question, "What would I feed my future child?" 



Mmmmmmm!

It works pretty well.  Here's an example:  A few days ago I was out running errands.  When it was time for lunch, I knew I had to get fast food since I didn't bring anything with me.  I decided on Chick-Fil-A because I'm a sucker for their spicy chicken sandwich.  But as we know, fast food is not the best thing for us.  This is when my question comes in handy.... "What would I feed my future child?"  So, I ordered just the sandwich, no fries and no soda.  When I got home, I had an apple and some yogurt, which are much better choices than fries and soda.  Go me!   
 

Need some nutrient rich snacking ideas for in between meals?  Here you go!  Notice I try to include fiber in almost all of my snacks (an EXTREMELY important thing for a prego)!

• fruit and nuts
• whole grain crackers and cheese
• yogurt and fruit
• cottage cheese and veggies or fruit
• veggies and hummus
• peanut butter and apple
• one package oatmeal and fruit
• pretzels and fruit
• water, milk or juice
• hard boiled egg (I usually have two, or I'll have one with fruit or veggies)
• beans (black, garbanzo, kidney, etc.)
• a couple pieces of dark or milk chocolate - if you need to indulge a little during the day :) I like to have a small handful of chocolate covered almonds  

Long story short: Don't literally eat for two, don't give into ridiculous cravings, and ask yourself "What would I feed my future child?"  Making good choices will not only give you a healthier baby, but a happier, less stressful pregnancy.  It's a win-win situation! 
 
 


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Prego Cardio

I love running, but it has definitely been challenging since I've been "with child,"  probably because of just that, I'm running with a little child in my belly.  So more power to those ladies running marathons while pregnant.  I've never been a marathon runner though, and most likely never will be.  I ran cross country in high school and have been running regularly since then, anywhere from 2-6 miles.  I have gone through my periods where I run more than that, but I find with my regular weight training routine, my joints prefer less mileage, not to mention I personally prefer a body with tone and definition over a stick skinny one... just sayin'.     

 

Now that we've covered that, here's a recap of my workouts this week.  I'm at 19 weeks, here's another bathroom selfy for you to enjoy :)

love my lil' baby gut!

 Since it's Wednesday, we'll start with that day a week ago....

Wednesday: I did my favorite simple warm up of jumping jacks, high knees and butt kicks.  Then I did an all leg workout which felt awesome!  Meaning I definitely felt it the next day (so did the clients I did this workout with).  Here's how it went:
Warm up - 20 seconds each of jumping jacks, high knees, and butt kicks
Repeat 5 times
Leg Workout - 20 squats
20 lunges (10 on each leg)
20 plie squats
Repeat 5 times
Take a 30 second break when needed

Thursday: 25 minutes on the elliptical
I needed to give my arms some love since I did all of that leg stuff the day before, so I did bicep curls and seated dips.    

Friday:  I took my doggies on a jog. I took them individually - one is a pure bred Great Dane (Cody) and one is a Great Dane/Black Lab mix (Cooper), so naturally the lab mix has more energy than the lazy Dane, plus it's just easier for me to take one massive dog on a jog  than two. I took Cody for a 1 mile jog and Cooper for a 2 mile jog. That would be 3 miles total if math is not your specialty.

My boys... aren't they handsome?!

Saturday:  I normally teach an outdoor Bootcamp (emilyexercise.com will give you more info on that), but we'll start up again in March when it's hopefully not so darn cold outside!  So instead, I went to the gym with my hubby and did a treadmill interval workout: 
10 min warm up walk
1 min run at 7.0
1 min walk at 3.8-4.0
Repeat 10 times
5 minute cool down
Then I just followed up with some shoulder toning and love handle exercises

Sunday:  No workout!  I went shopping for maternity clothes instead :)

Monday:  Kept it simple and did a 30 minute walk on the treadmill.  I maintained a 4.0 speed with (what I call) a slight incline at 6.0.

Tuesday:  I did another treadmill workout. 
10 minute warm up
5 min run at 6.5-7.0
5 min walk at 4.0
I did this for 30 minutes
Then I did some assisted pull ups and other back exercises.

As you can see, I like to mix it up with my workouts.  Not only with weight training, but my cardio routines as well.  Being pregnant, you feel different everyday.  Some days you may feel great and hardly notice a growing baby in your belly (my Friday) and other days you will just feel sluggish (my Monday).  But no matter how you're feeling, sitting around all day won't help your body or mood feel better.  Match these cardio workouts to your personal pregnancy mood of the day (and to your personal fitness level too, of course) and see how much better you will feel!

Now go do some cardio and have a good day!

 

Basic Prego Exercise Guidelines

There are so many opinions on what you can and can't do exercise wise while pregnant.  The way I see it, if it doesn't hurt or feel strange, then you're golden.  Just keep it simple to keep it safe.  Tried and true exercises are safest in my opinion.  This really isn't the time to try some new fitness craze... but that's just my opinion.

 Legs:

I can't tell you how many people have asked me, "should you be doing squats while pregnant?"  Ummmm YES!  Strengthen those legs.  Do you honestly think your baby will fall out?  Does it fall out while walking up the stairs or while sitting down into a chair? No. A squat or lunge is performing the same type of motion, so trust me, those exercises are safe.  You should definitely do squats and lunges while pregnant to help support your growing belly.  Plus I heard it helps with pushing during labor!  Safe exercises for legs include: 

• squats
• lunges
• plie squats
• side lunges
• straight leg dead lift

Arms:

Keep them toned!  After your pregnancy, you will have your work cut out for you trying to tone that belly and getting back to your "pre-pregnancy weight,"  don't give yourself more work or added stress by skimping on one of the easiest body parts to keep the same during pregnancy.  Safe arm exercises to try:

• bicep curls
• tricep pressdowns
• seated dips
• shoulder raises (lateral and forward)
• shoulder press

Back:

This is an important one.  Your belly is growing, so it's very easy to get back pain.  Try to keep this pain to a minimum by doing simple, basic, and safe exercises:

• rows
• lat pulldown
• assisted pull-ups 
• rear lateral raises

Core:

I've also had several people tell me I shouldn't do core exercises when pregnant.  That's not true either.  If you're afraid to do your normal core exercises (since we've been told not to do exercises where you lay on your back), keep in mind that all exercises incorporate your core (squats, lunges, bicep curls, shoulder press, etc.).  Just make sure you're standing up straight, keeping your core tight, and not arching your back or using momentum to lift the weights.  Also, stand up when doing arm exercises, don't sit down, otherwise you're not going to engage your core.  Some safe exercises include:

• standing core twists
• plank
• side plank 
• mountain climber
• wood chop with dumbbell

You're welcome :)