Third Trimester LIFESAVERS For the Active Momma

A lot of things have happened towards the end of my 2nd trimester and beginning of my 3rd.


-GETTING FAT!

 I have not eaten more food than I usually do, and I still workout every day; however, I have gotten chubby! My arms and legs have cute little deposits of pregnancy fat. It's blowing my mind! I'm starting to think it has to be from slower digestion, to where my body just can't handle or digest the amount of food I usually eat. They say to eat slightly more during pregnancy, but I think this is a myth that needs to be debunked. Eat normal. Americans usual overeat anyways, so you should be good.


-Sleep is HORRIBLE.

Oh I just want a good nights sleep! I toss and turn, have RLS, my belly hurts, everything is just pure misery!


-Working out is harder.

My pelvis and abdomen have started to get pains while working out, and this stresses me out. I can't do normal pushups anymore because it puts too much pressure on my abs and pelvis. I'm starting to fret about how I'm going to keep at a healthy weight if I am eating normal and CAN'T workout much. This will be my journey to take on.







SO, with these new developments, I have found some relief in certain items (I wouldn't write about these if I didn't truly think they were lifesavers...).



1. Belly Band





This belly band has changed the way I'm able to work out! I do have higher hopes now that I've purchased this. Although I do my pushups from a step now, my stomach and pelvis get enough support from this band that I am able to continue on without pain. It also makes it so I can jog! I never thought I'd be able to jog during pregnancy!

***I do believe in having a strong enough core to support your belly, so I only use this during exercise.




2. Brita Filter Water Bottle


 


I have not been drinking as much water as I should ever since the start of my second trimester. Reason? Water tastes gross! I am much more sensitive to the mineral and metal tastes in water, that I usually only like bottled water but do not want to spend money on that. My solution was to get a brita filter water bottle. I have a Brita Filter on my tap water, but I need it DOUBLE filtered, so I pour the filtered water into here. LIFE....SAVER. I'm excited to keep my water intake up!



3. The Step




Yes, Brian Regan has a joke about the step... ("***Ding dong****"Oh! My step is here!" **runs down the steps to get it...).  But seriously. This thing does wonders! With this and my belly band, I can do BURPEES NOW!!!! Who would've thought?! I am able to do burpees, pushups, and tricep dips all comfortably. I even try step workouts every now and then :) This is a must.



4. Yoga Booty Ballet: Baby on the Way

Find at my beachbody shop: www.beachbodycoach.com/donicanash

This would not be the greatest workout for the fitness guru, but if you're starting working out or need an extra nighttime routine (or are having a tired day), this is great! It's not too much of anything. IT has a little cardio, a little stretching, and a little strength. The stretching is great, because when you're pregnant, you really are at a risk of overstretching. This is a perfect little 30 min routine that is GREAT for the third trimester.


5.  Pregnancy wedge



I don't have one of those expensive fancy pillows, mainly because I'm cheap and not willing to spend that much on one item... But sleep is hard! I have tried to use pillows to prop my belly up, but they are too big and uncomfortable. This is AMAZING if you have pain with your belly when sleeping.

25-27 weeks pregnant

26 weeks

SO... 26 weeks came and went (and I'm now in the third trimester!!!). Gained 20 lbs so far. I can tell that about 5-7 of that is fat weight, which I hear is normal (past that is just excess!). So I'm not going to fret over that, and just enjoy the whole pregnancy process :) Here's the thing about being pregnant, or being a woman for that matter: you will be judged. Women will  always compare themselves with you and therefore put judgement on you. 

For example, a lot of women think I am small and have no belly. 1) this is false, my belly is measuring exactly the same as the week I should be (in cm)    AND 2) women exaggerate in their mind what they think their belly was OR are ashamed of the way they held a baby in their belly.

This is not healthy! In no way should we be comparing or judging others. I realize it's a way for people to make themselves feel better or put the blame on somebody else (i.e. "well SHE just works out too much..." etc) for the way they imagined they looked, but it is not a good mindset to indulge in. If I have learned anything, it's that all women handle pregnancy differently and uniquely. It is beautiful! OWN the way you do pregnancy! That doesn't mean you should own the fact that you just want to eat candy and sit the whole time, because this is not "owning" your pregnancy, it's letting pregnancy own you. But yes, let yourself have that craving every now and then, get physically active for the health of you and your baby, but let whatever happens to your body happen! You might carry your baby differently than someone else, or you might have non-elastic genes and get stretchmarks or have your belly button stretch out even though others don't. OWN IT. Those things you can't control! 

And I wanted to point out in a picture format why some people don't see me with a belly....it's called walking with a tight core. Ever since I started focusing on keeping my core tight while working out and walking, my abs naturally became tight. I didn't do any more ab exercises, I just let my normal routine all go through my core; and strong abs came as a result. I try to keep up this habit even while pregnant because I want to support my posture and keep my core strong without doing much abdominal work. So below you will see a picture of me tightening my core, and one of me letting it hang lose (at 26 weeks).

See the difference? Yes, I like for people to know I'm pregnant. And sometimes I feel pressured to look big and purposefully stick my belly out just to ease people's minds (people judge when they think you should be bigger than you are). But it's not an okay pressure, and I don't like to give up my posture just to put on a show for others. Womanhood is a hard process! We hurt ourselves by allowing our minds to compare or criticize. 

I'm finishing phase 1 of T25 this week and am moving on to phase 2 (beta) next week! I've added the weight routine from "How to Exercise When You're Expecting" on MWF because I modify much of my T25 moves and therefore need a little strength added to it. But I love T25 during pregnancy! It's great, and the modifications make it so I can do it any day throughout my whole pregnancy.

If you'd like to find out more about exercising while pregnant, you must get this book!

Up to week 24

This momma has had a rough summer! As commerical fishermen, we don't really know what our summer schedule will be like EXACTLY. Last year we were on call mid-June through the end of July, and only fished 12 days. We worked another 10 on top of that around our site. This year, we fished almost every day mid-June through August! It was crazy, and since my husband banned me from being on a boat, I was stuck in the kitchen as the camp cook. You know what this means for me? Constant eating. Let's face it. I gave up completely my normal eating routine. I was eating bread, and lots of it, on top of candy and all those baked goods I made for crew motivation. This is my struggle. I am not a person who can handle being around a kitchen and not constantly snacking. It was rough, and it really changed my eating habits for the bad. So I have gained an extra 5 fat lbs on top of the mid-range healthy pregnancy weight gain. YIKES! I am trying to get back on track by eating healthy and consistently, eliminating those extra carbs and sugars I ate. No, I wasn't eating out of pregnancy cravings or nutritional need. I was eating out of my bad binging and emotional habits, eating foods I actually wasn't craving at all but were just lying around. This is a problem. When people say "oh, it's for the baby!", I get mad. First of all, I know myself, and this is not healthy eating. It's a trap of going back to where I was before; an emotional binge eater. Secondly, if it IS for the baby, I sure as heck better stop feeding her candy! OH, did I mention she's a girl? :) So, I've started up with T25 and finished week one last week. I modified a lot of the moves and because of that I have also added the weight circuit from "How to Exercise When You're Expecting" by Lindsey Brin on Mon, Wed, and Sat. That brings three of my workouts to 50 minutes instead of 25, which is still not a whole lot of time to give! This week, I am adding in portion control containers (get yours here). My calorie intake will be 1800-2099 and I am ALSO going to allow myself a yellow container with whatever I want... you know, since I'm pregnant. That will be an extra 100-250 calories. Which is still within an appropriate amount for someone pregnant. Plus, this is a TRANSITION for me to get back to normal so I don't want to make the process extra hard. Portion control isn't dieting, I will be eating my normal healthy things (along with Shakeology! Getting everything momma and baby needs!), but I will just be reminded of how much is a good amount. I am just going to be doing it for the 21 days, hoping that this will reset me into my normal eating again. It's a very hard adjustment from letting yourself eat WHATEVER and HOWEVER much you want to trying to get back to normal. It's easier to never let yourself get to that point! I found myself very unhappy and self-conscious this summer, because I knew what I was doing to my body. I knew I was making bad choices, and those choices were not making me happy. This directly affected my relationship with those around me! I was not content in who I was and I was projecting that on to others. I want to be happy, healthy, and content for my baby! SO here it is... some photos that show that weight gain. Again, I realize this isn't an out of control weight gain, but I was NOT healthy and if I hadn't stopped myself sooner I would end up somewhere far worse. But those pants I wearing were loose around my thighs and butt during my first trimester...

All in all, I'm not worried about it. I AM going to do something about it, but most of that is going to be post-pregnancy. Right now, I just don't want to lose my eating habits and want to keep healthy for baby and me :)

Water intake with your blender/shakeology bottle!

I bought one of these blender bottles, only to find out that they have something similar with beachbody (go to shakeology www.beachbodycoach.com/donicanash). 

Water intake is a HUGE deal, pregnant or not pregnant. I tried doing the huge water jugs so I had my day's worth of water with me at all times, but it was so big to carry around and a bit overwhelming. I've been using my blender bottle for my Shakeology and results and recovery formula, and end up using it for water as well. I found that my water intake comes much more naturally when I have to refill my water! 

To get your water intake in, follow this plan.

1 water upon waking up (in blender bottle)

1 Shakeology

1 results and recovery formula or water during workout

1 bottle in between breakfast and lunch

1 bottle after dinner

Depending on how much you fill the bottle, it will be about 20 ounces each bottle. 

Total water intake for the day: 120 ounces.   

Now, this is more than your "8 cups of water each day", but for an active person (which you should be!) your body needs more water than that. The high end of water intake is about 1 ounce per body pound. The low end range is half that amount. So as an active person, find what seems comfortable for you to drink, whether that is filling your bottle up 15 ounces each time or eliminating one of the bottles in your day. You will feel a huge difference once you keep up your water intake! As a pregnant woman, you almost can't get enough water! 

Pregnancy weeks 15-17 1/2

Pregnancy weeks 15-17

You can see the difference!

As you can tell, week 17 is when I really started to show! I stepped on the scale this morning and was shocked to see I have gained 11 pounds! This is such a weird thing to get used to. That scale is NOT going to go down for another 5-6 months! It's a little bit nerve-wracking and takes a lot of reassurance to know that this is NORMAL. If you're adding the weight of a uterus big enough to hold a baby, of course weight is going to be gained. The scale no longer matters anymore. 

I have been eating normal and doing my workouts, modified still. I found out that my initial blood tests showed that I was low in iron, and I was shocked because I like to consider myself a very healthy, moderate person. I began to look at labels on food to find foods high in iron, and turns out that WHITE BREAD has the highest amount of iron in it! Being that I was gluten free up until getting pregnant, this low iron level makes sense. So, for all you avoiding wheat, remember to be eating other foods high in iron! 

We weren't able to see the baby's gender at our last ultrasound, being that it was sitting with criss-crossed legs... Come on baby! Open up for mama! We are going to wait another month until our next appointment to take a look. I expect things to finally start to feel real once I'm able to start imagining a little boy or girl! 

All in all, things seem to be going well. My sharp pains from the uterus stretching are still in full force, and I have found myself with random bouts of nausea early in the morning that wakes me up. But other than that, I'm feeling great! And I'm feeling like I need to capitalize on this energy while I have it.

That's it in the Nash world, can't wait to update with the baby gender :)

Pregnancy: Cardio Core

My favorite style of exercise is, and always be, interval training. With a bunch of opinions about exercise during pregnancy, I find that I'm more comfortable just staying on the safe side of things. I do believe there is too muc judgement towards women who maintain their fitness regimen, but I'm one to easily crack to such outside pressure :/  Therefore, I take it a lot easier. I take time to do a gradual warmup so my heart rate slowly grows; same goes for a cool down. I also don't push myself like I normally would. My heart rate doesn't get as high, and instead of trying to max out, I just try to endure through and not take any breaks. This might mean I'm not pushing as hard, but I still get a good sweat.


So during insanity max, I don't max out. I also modify a lot, and when fishing season is over I'll post a pregnancy modified insanity workout! But here is a short interval workout I've done during this pregnancy:


Warmup and stretch 5-10 min

20 second on, 10 second rest. Repeat each round 3x

Round 1-
Push-up punch (or modified on the knees)
Knee up punch
Squat to backwards lunge (squat down, backwards lunge)

Round 2-
Frog jumps (or wide squat if not comfortable with the jump)
Wide push-ups (on the knees for modification)
Squat kicks (squat down, kick one leg up

Round 3-
Squat stance air punches
Lunge kick /left side(step back to lunge, bring back leg forward to a kick)
Lunge kick/right side

Modified push-up punch

Knee up punches (alternating sides)

Weeks 14&15

Getting close to halfway! And close to finding out the gender!!! My uterus popped out, but I don't notice a significant belly growth. I found that at the beginning of week 15, my nausea came back! I was being awoken by bouts of morning sickness and this was an unpleasant surprise. I also have bad, sharp cramping pains and those are SUPER...

What I have discovered is that I really CANT run while pregnant unless it's ONLY on an incline. I don't know how people do it! My uterus gets super sharp pains and can't handle it. So I've stuck with my Beachbody programs with some modifications. I've found that it's just really important to listen to what YOUR body is saying.

Again, Shakeology is a pregnant lady's BEST FRIEND. This, and water :) I've found it really hard to get my nutrition in, especially when I'm nauseous! All I want is bread and carbs to settle my stomach, and this makes my gut feel gross; so Shakeology is my saving grace! My stomach also eats itself out if I get hungry, to the point where I feel like there is permanent damage to my gut when I don't have a snack....


Now here are a few pregnancy progression photos :) I found that you can suck in your uterus so it just looks like you have a little fat pooch, I'm interested in what everyone else does for their photos?! Suck in? Let it hang? Give it a little push out? So I started taking a picture of flexing my abs and then relaxing. The 13& 14 week photos are of my relaxed belly. My uterus looks like it's dropped or something from week 13 to 14.

Week 13

Well, people started guessing after this photo got "released".  I was 12 weeks when my belly finally "popped" out, and also a matron of honor where I was displayed for all to examine my now odd-shaped belly.  Once the photo got out on facebook all whispered to each other about my belly, so I set the score straight not too long after :)

So it's now public, I am PREGNANT! I went in for my 13 week ultrasound today and saw little baby wiggling and kicking around. So thankful I can't feel it yet! That's a lot of moving and wiggling, I'll take the numbness as long as I can!

After seeing the baby alive and well, I'm now so thankful for my relief from day sickness! It is always scary wondering if maybe something happened to baby and wondering if THAT'S the reason your sickness is gone.

I am still working out consistently, now doing a lot more than I did the first trimester. I always back down when I feel uncomfortable, whereas before pregnancy I would just push through. There's a lot I'm gladly backing down on, because it's not just MY body I'm taking care of now. Therefore, I gladly accept offers to go take naps. I also gladly use an excuse to do very modified versions of workouts. I am NOT expecting to keep in perfect shape or at an optimal weight, I want my pregnancy to be relaxed, healthy, and also fun! So I will eat like I usually do and ease down on my workouts. That may add a few extra pounds to lose, but I'm happy with that! It will also make a better "body after baby" segment ;) 

Right now I am doing my beachbody programs. I started Insanity Max 30 and am hoping to do the program all the way through over the summer, modifying all exercises I feel like. I also found that there are ways to modify for my needs that are more intense, but still safe, than the modifications offered on the DVD, I'll have to do a post on those modifications! I plan on ordering T25 next and maybe doing that with some piyo. I want to commit to routines through my pregnancy that I know I can keep up when baby comes, and 25-30 minutes a day is about all I can commit to! When I add in healthy eating and choose my splurges appropriately, I don't need more than that. 

Looking forward to next month when we get to see if baby Nash is a boy or a girl!!!

Bodyweight Circuit (Pregnancy safe!)

This is not a circuit only good for pregnancy, it's a great one outside of it!



- Warmup by walking on an incline of 10-15 for .25 mile
Jog/run for.25 (incline of your choice)

Repeat 2x for warmup. This will take 10-15 minutes


Workout (again, must be done with the warmup!)

Upper body circuit:
10 shoulder pushups
15 standard pushups (use bench, wall, or incline if your belly is growing!)
25 russian twists (side-to-side equals 1)

Walk on incline .25
Run .25

Lower body Circuit:
10 lunges
15 plie squats
20 standard squats
25 russian twists

Walk on incline .25
Run .25

Repeat both circuits one more time, and then STRETCH!

10 things you need to know about your first trimester

Pre-pregnancy

Oh me oh my! My body does NOT like pregnancy. This is my third pregnancy, and my first that has made it this far. I suffer from horrible morning sickness (throughout the day...), bloating (I look more pregnant in my 7 week photo than now! Drink your water people, helps with the bloating), constipation, dizziness, loose joints, insomnia, sharp shooting pains, etc.... You name it! I always imagined I'd be that person who could workout just as hard and you wouldn't even notice I'm pregnant. But that is NOT the case for me.

I have taken it quite easy since becoming pregnant. First off, I have lost two babies before and wanted to go easy on my body. Secondly, my normal workout routine causes lots of cramping for me! I did a lot of interval training and high intensity workouts, and therefore I've had to adjust a lot! I'll jog and do weights, maybe low impact interval training. Although they say to focus on your core your first trimester, I can't. It makes me cramp too much, and even if the cramping is okay, it scares me. I can't do things like burpees (the jumping my feet back jolts my uterus) and feel like a total wimp. But I'm starting to find out what I can do and how I can still get good workouts in even with my limitations! I'll have more posts to come on what my workout routines consist of now.

But for right now, I'm gonna give 10 facts on what early pregnancy CAN be like (it's so different with everyone!):

1. Don't freak out if you have a spot of blood. 

You can expect spotting, but if it's anything more, be very concerned. If it's bright red, be concerned. *Disclaimer: for those intimate spousal times, you MIGHT have bright red spotting. This could be from your cervix getting irritated. Don't freak out if after the deed is done you have slight spotting, keep your eye on it and if no more comes out or it's fine in the morning, you should be okay.

2. Expect to pee a lot.

How horrible is it that the time you need people's sympathy is the time when you're supposed to keep your pregnancy secret?! I had to pee all the time at work, and this is because all of the new hormones in your body. And then about 3-4 times each night... Say goodbye to sound sleeping!

3. Constipation.

Yeah, you get it. I found that taking fiber supplements made me gassy, so now I combine a probiotic supplement with fiber (they feed off of each other) and it is better your your digestion and relieves a lot of the gas! (Check below to see what I use to relieve constipation!)

4. Bloating and zits

You might feel huge right away, and this is because of bloating. Drink LOTS of water, and keep active! As for the acne, I have no answer. I have never struggled with acne before, but immediately upon getting pregnant I have become quite the adolescent... I went on a two week fast food craving spree so maybe that didn't help as well! I flipped a switch and now am on a clean eating crave (where all I desire is clean foods).

5. Dizziness and headaches

Keep your eye on these things, for they could be signs of other problems. But I struggle with dizziness like an old man (each time I get up I have to hold on to something), and headaches every now and then. 

6. Sharp shooting pains

Also could be a sign for concern (talk to your doctor). I had immense shooting pains, to the point that I couldn't sleep at night. It was very scary. But everyone's body is different and reacts differently to hormones and your uterus stretching. If there's no blood, don't freak out, if it continues and you're worried, call your doctor.

7. Cramping and loose joints

I have cramping right away when I get pregnant. I never made it far enough before to experience the loose joints, but I now get to experience that lovely side effect. I feel so old and useless, but I NEVER do anything that feels uncomfortable and I stop when my knees start to act up. That could be  a mere minute into your workout, but don't lose heart! Do something low impact even if it doesn't give you the sweat you want.

8. MORNING SICKNESS

I'm sorry all, I don't have an answer for this. I've tried saltines, gingerale, ginger tea, ACV, etc... Nothing helps. In fact you might feel so sick that the thought of ingesting any of those things sounds repulsive. It can come and go throughout the day. Although it's miserable, I take it as a good sign. When I miscarried, I lost the feeling of nausea the day before. So now I treasure each time I feel it knowing that something is still living in me! Keep your belly consistently filled and keep active! Both of these relieve nausea temporarily. 

9. Crazy terrible emotions.

I was on high dosage of birth control to control endometriosis pains prior to getting pregnant. Once they switched me to the high dosage, my emotions leveled out. I felt like a champion! When I went off the pill to get pregnant, I became a basket case. So imagine that, times a million once you get pregnant. The world might possibly end. 

10. Remember your husband

That first trimester might kill your libido, and it might make you a total witch. I try to remember my husband's needs, and I apologize when I'm not feeling well. It may not seem fair that you need to apologize, but I still do. I know I'm not fun when I'm a total sick basket case for three months. Even when feeling sick, I try to suck it up as much as possible to be intimate and love on my husband. My belly is only going to get bigger and I'm only to come up with MORE excuses as the rest of the 9 months progress. Don't make the whole 9 months all about you, remember your husband in this process as it is hard on him, also!

4-11 weeks

May 25, 2015

Fear

Well, if you want to waste 40 seconds of your life, below is the video of our first ultrasound! I am telling you, it was a crazy experience. Everything was verified, there was a real human in me, and watching it wiggle around and it's heart beat so fast just made me bawl. I saw my cute little bean, and didn't really feel much emotionally until she zoomed in and I saw the rapid beating heart. I immediately became a mother in that moment. I didn't care if my child was a boy or girl anymore, absolute zero preference, and I knew that I would do anything to protect and care for that little child. Life meant so much in that moment, and I my role as a mother so much more important. Watching my baby safe and sound, cozy in my womb, really made me think that I better have a darn good reason to bring a life out of my womb and into this crazy world. 

Right after getting out of our appointment, a day after to be exact, I lost all my symptoms. My boobs no longer hurt, I was no longer nauseous all day, my bloating had gone down, and I had more energy for my husband. This terrified me. I was still constipated as heck, but the loss of all other symptoms shot me right back to my miscarriages. I was terrified. Was I going to lose this little life that I suddenly became so attached to? All friends and acquaintances I knew never experienced such nausea as me (oh it was horrible!) and therefore didn't provide much advice on the issue. 

Well, after about a week of nothing, I started getting a few bouts of nausea, and my uterus cramping is back a bit, too. I feel hopeful! Even more hopeful when I see that my belly grew that week, even though the bloating went down, so baby is still growing in there!

How horrible that a week of pure bliss (i.e. no nausea) turned out to be the most stressful week ever. I was living in fear of losing my baby. I have 17 more days until my next ultrasound so fingers crossed that I see a moving, growing baby in there! Trying to remain calm and enjoy moments in life despite the unknown.

Baby Nash in my belly!