Guest Post: Running While Pregnant

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Hi! I’m Nicole from Making Good Choices and I’m so happy to be here with you while Lindsay spends time with her little one. I’m a small business owner and health counselor (like Lindsay) so I spend my days working at Pure Bliss Eats (www.pureblisseats.com) and helping people live a healthier life. You can read more about my business here.

I am (as of when I wrote this) 25 weeks pregnant. I’ve enjoyed following along with Lindsay’s pregnancy and keeping track of her experience. It’s so much fun finding pregnant bloggers, especially since I don’t have too many IRL friends who have babies/have been pregnant.

Ever since I got pregnant I have been running anywhere from 9- 15 miles a week. Generally I run about 12. When I found out I was pregnant, I wasn’t sure about a lot of things, but running wasn’t one of them. I just figured I’d keep running until I couldn’t anymore. So far, so good.

Now, let me tell you some days are WAY harder than others. Some days it takes my body 2 miles just to warm up and feel normal running. Those are the days where I stop and start and take lots of walking breaks. I try hard to just be super happy I’m running instead of discouraged I need to stop and start so much. 99% of the time I’m in a positive mindset. 1% of the time I need to get over myself and keep going.

I have been running for years. Sometimes longer distances, sometimes shorter. Before I got pregnant I was running up to 6 miles at a time. I was physically fit before getting pregnant, which is why I kept up exercising and running.

I wanted to share some tips that have worked for me over the past 6 months to keep me happy while running.

Getting out and exercising: In the first tri when I felt awful I would get up to workout and it was the only thing that made me feel better. I took it easy most days, but just getting the heart pumping and blood flowing really helped. If I ever had felt worse I would have stopped.

When I was in the first tri, I would do run/walk intervals. I think in weeks 7-8 I ran 5-7 minutes and walked a couple of minutes and repeated that. Eventually I got back into the groove and now walk 1-2x per run.(Which probably will go back to being 3-4x in the third trimester.)

Allow yourself to walk whenever you want. As long as I’m getting out there, I could walk 1 time or 4, I don’t really care.

Don’t worry about pace. Some people (like Michele) are still super fast. Before getting pregnant I ran about 9:30-10 minute miles when I was just out for a typical run. Now I’m running between 11-12 minute miles and celebrating every one.

Hydrate and go to the bathroom about 10 times before you run. Or better yet, go running FIRST thing when you wake up. I’ve found that if I just wake up and go I am MUCH happier and don’t feel like I have to go to the bathroom ½ mile in. I try to make sure I’m drinking enough water, but I don’t want to drink too much before I run because then I’ll have to go to the bathroom 5 minutes in.

Carry a cell phone and water if you think you’ll need it. I ALWAYS carry my cell phone while running. You never know if you just can’t finish the run, or if you need to picked up.

Listen to your body. If you feel pain or are very uncomfortable, stop.

Whatever you thought about running before, throw it out the window. It’s important to be FLEXIBLE and to do what you’re body needs. If you need to stop and start or take a break do it. The important part is that you are getting out there and moving.

Don’t give up! I’ve had many runs where the first 20 minutes are awful, but the last 20 are amazing and I’m on top of the world. I can usually tell if it’s a head game or if I’m just off that day. Push through and keep going! (Unless something is really wrong, then obviously, stop!)

Have fun! This isn’t a time to be super serious about your running. Enjoy the fact you are running!

Note: I spoke to my doctor about the fact that I run and he said that as long as I was doing it before, I was fine to continue. Speak to your doctor before you do anything!

Thank you for letting me share my running while pregnant experience with you! I hope you’ll visit my blog as I talk about food, fitness, health and being pregnant!

Weekend Fitness: Hitting the Trails

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This weekend Neil and I have been super active because it’s been beautiful out and as part of “Project Get This Baby Out.” Friday Neil and I went for our evening walk and then Saturday we did lots of walking downtown and then we went for a nice swim.  Sunday took the cake though with a wonderful afternoon on the trails at the Ethan Allen Homestead.

It’s actually pretty depressing that I have lived in the Burlington area for most of my life and this is the first time I have ever been to the Homestead.  Neil and I took a look at the trail map and picked a few routes to go on, it was absolutely wonderful. We did around 2 miles, which is a good distance for me especially in the heat and since I’m 39 weeks and 3 days pregnant!

We had a great time and are really looking forward to many more walks on the trails when baby arrives.

How did you stay fit this weekend?

You can check out more photos from our walks at The Ethan Allen Homestead over on Naturally Family.

 

CSA Week 3

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This week our CSA was filled with many of the same items that we have received the past two weeks. The new items we did receive were tomatoes and napa cabbage, however the cabbage was in rough condition. The cabbage has been eaten to pieces by bugs and was actually thorny to the touch- has anyone else experienced this before? Needless to say we weren’t too impressed and contacted our CSA farmer regarding this.

I don’t have any huge plans for the veggies this week, except to use them up as quickly as I can since (fingers crossed) we will be at the birth center for a few days (hopefully). This morning I am planning on making TLT bagel sandwiches and green juices for Neil and I, which will use lettuce, tomatoes, collards or swiss chard and the cucumbers from last weeks share. Neil is also working from home today so I will make a veggie packed lunch- maybe a curry noodle? Then for dinner who knows- something with more veggies!

What are your favorite recipes using the ingredients below?

{Pregnancy Update} 39 Weeks

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How far along are you: 39 Weeks! (Well really 39 weeks 1 day now)

How big is the baby:

Your baby’s waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it’s likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath. (source)

Baby’s Gender: We both are on the fence. At times I lean more towards girl and Neil is leaning more towards boy- we both are pretty clueless at this point.

Baby’s Name: We have a name for a boy and have 2 for a girl.

Weight Gained: Not positive 30 lbs?

Clothes: Pretty much only wearing dresses and the occasional tunic with leggings.

How are you feeling: This week I have been feeling a little up and down.  I started off the week really motivated getting tons of work done and I even went on a mad woman cleaning spree Monday night (Neil thought I had lost it). Tuesday I had an acupuncture appointment that went really well and it felt amazing, I was so relaxed and even took a nap! Wednesday rolled around and Neil and I were both pretty lazy and then yesterday I was just feeling a bit in a funk.  I am hoping that today I can get started off on the right foot and get some work done, a little light cleaning and relax before we head to our midwife appointment this afternoon.

What do you miss: At this point I miss cool weather (this heat is killing me), RUNNING and being able to bend over comfortably.

Symptoms: (source)

Cravings: Frozen blueberry lemonade. Tempeh Sandwiches.

How are you sleeping: Sleeping has been going alright.  We actually moved our room around a little bit to fit in the pack n’ play (where baby will sleep for the first few months) and this meant we had to move our fans around and now they are in the perfect spots for both of us so we are nice and cool at night.

Workouts: This week I went to yoga which was really wonderful, went swimming (this feels amazing) and did a lot of waddling.

Things I’m looking forward to: Meeting our baby!

Spotted: I am now writing for ERGObaby so head over and check out my Staying Fit and Eating Healthy During Pregnancy Post.

If you haven’t stop over to our family blog, Naturally Family, then head over now and Meet The Family.  This week we have been discussing my pregnancy ups and downs, touring our nursery and talking about how we chose our crib. Also don’t forget to enter the baby pool– will BabyRWT be a boy or a girl?

You can also check us out on  Facebook and Twitter.

Recipe: Agave-Lime Tempeh

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Agave-Lime Tempeh
with Peppers, Onion and Potatoes

This dish at first glance looks like it might be on the heavier side but as soon as you taste it the sweet citrus flavors with a hint of chili spice really lightens the dish up.  This is a perfect dish for any time of the year.

Serves 4-6
Sauce:
1/4 cup agave (or honey)
1/4 cup lime juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t cumin
2 t chili powder (chipotle if possible)
2 t Italian seasoning
1/2 t sea salt

3 T water
8 oz tempeh, diced
1 bell peppers, diced
1 medium onion, diced
6 fingerling or small new potatoes, large dice

 

Directions:

  • Heat the water in a saute pan over medium. Add the potato and top with tempeh, bell pepper and onion. Evenly pour over the sauce.
  • Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes stirring occasionally until the potatoes and veggies are tender
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve over quinoa or rice. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley leaves.

Get Your Summer Satisfaction

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As a former 9-5er I know what a challenge it can be to enjoy all that summer has to offer during the week.  However there are a number of things that you can do to enjoy the longer days and warmer nights (and not just on the weekend).

  • Join a team. Or in my case have my husband join a team so I can go to his games. Often you will find adult recreational league sports teams and even many companies have summer sports teams to play on.  In our area you can find softball, soccer and even kickball leagues for adults to participate in during the week. Neil plays softball once per week and it’s a great way for him to get out, enjoy the weather and socialize during the week (as well as stay active).

  • Run clubs. Join (or start) a summer run club.  One of the greatest things about summer is that it stays lighter out so much later which allows for running outside to be more accessible after work.  Many athletic stores, running associations and even some towns/cities have summer group runs that are after work (and some before).
  • Farmers Markets. What better way to enjoy summer than to also enjoy locally grown food? Often we think of going to weekend farmers markets but did you know that many areas also have afternoon/evening weekday farmers markets? This is the perfect opportunity to get outside, do a little shopping and enjoy summers bounty!
  • Local Studios. Check out what type of summer events are happening at your local yoga studios or Lululemon.  In our area we have one studio that offers AM yoga on a dock at the waterfront and our local Lululemon has a number of outdoor fitness events that go on (and most are free).
  • Local Events Calendar. Check out your town/cities local events calendar to find out what fun summer events are coming up for the week/month.  Often you will find outdoor movie nights, carnivals, live music, brewers festivals and so much more.  Locally we have a movie night in the park once per month in June, July and August and every Thursday night there is Summervale a fun little event down at a local cooperative farm that features local food and lots of activities.
  • Eat Outside. Take advantage of the weather by dining al fresco!  You could plan to pack up a picnic to take to a park or down by a lake after work, head out for dinner at one of your favorite restaurants or make a home cooked meal and enjoy it on your porch (patio, balcony, lawn, etc). This is as great way to really enjoy summer and to create a fun dining experience for your whole family.

 

Q: What are you favorite ways to take advantage of all that summer has to offer?