Exercise While Pregnant

When I was 9 years old or so, I did not try out for a local gymnastics team because you had to run a mile and that terrified me. When I was in high school, I quit basketball because the amount of running was something I did not want to endure. I stuck with fastpitch because it requires a minimal amount of sprinting.

Then, I got semi-overweight.

In college, I started working out. During my freshman year, I didn't gain my freshman fifteen, I actually probably dropped fifteen pounds. It made me feel much better about myself and it also got me into running and participating in various races so I could motivate myself to workout. For the record, I do not enjoy working out. However, I LOVE the feeling after a good workout and I love sore muscles.

So, when I got pregnant, I didn't really know what I could and could not do workout-wise. For about a month, I didn't really do anything but I was running a bit. I asked my midwife what I should do and how far I should push myself and she said that I could really do everything I was still doing. I could even be training to run further. At first, this made me feel really lazy because I definitely wasn't pushing myself and I was hoping for a good take-it-easy speech. But, my midwife informed me that exercise would mostly likely make pregnancy and birth easier. I kinda sorta knew that, I mean, how could that not make sense if I am having a healthy, low risk pregnancy. (side note: if you are starting a workout routine you should consult your doctor first. I am not a doctor, just a know-it-all.)

Currently, I have a weekly routine that includes prenatal yoga, weights with cardio two times a week, and a circuit training once a week. It is pretty awesome and while it pushes me (and it is getting harder as my belly grows) it doesn't make me feel too tired and it doesn't include things that can harm my body nor Baby (eg. sit ups, crunches, twists, etc).

Because I like my routine so much, I wanted to share it with others in case someone else is looking for a good routine.

First, for prenatal yoga, I signed up through a local yoga studio and it is SO awesome! Not only are you learning some great prenatal poses, you are practicing relaxation and breathing through muscle tension which is great for birth.

Secondly, for my weekly weights, I do running (about 2 miles) and legs one day and running and arms the other day. These include: Legs 1. Warm up- Cat/Cow Pose (cow is neutral back, not concave) 2. Elevator 3. Squat Combo 4. Baby Pick Ups 5. Plie Squats with Lateral Arm Lift 6. Wall Sit (30 seconds) 7. Inner/Outter Thigh Lifts 8. Donkey Kicks 9. Side Donkey Kicks 10. Arm/Leg Reach 11. Butterfly Stretch (I do mine with a band around my ankles. I hold onto the bands and lean back to open my chest/shoulders/upper body).
I do 3 sets of 10-12 reps each with weights varying from 6 - 10lbs depending on the exercise.

Arms 1. Warm up- Cat/Cow Pose (cow is neutral back, not concave) 2. Elevator 3. Wide Shoulder Raise 4. Wall Sit with Hammer Curl 5. Sit and Reach 6. Tricep Extensions 7. Rows 8. Plank (30 seconds) 9. Arm/Leg Reach 10. Butterfly Stretch (I do mine with a band around my ankles. I hold onto the bands and lean back to open my chest/shoulders/upper body)
I do 3 sets of 10-12 reps each with weights varying from 6 - 10lbs depending on the exercise.

And now for a dog picture

For my circuit I do:
Warm Up - 1 set, 10 reps each
Weighted Jumps
Side Squats
Weighted Squats
Jump Squats

Then I do each of these exercises in pairs. I finish the 3 sets of each before moving onto the next pair of exercises.
Push Ups with Arm Lift     3sets  5reps each arm
Medicine Ball Twists (but I don't do a full twist, just mini twists) 3 sets 20reps

Squats with weights   3     12
Tricep Dips    3     10

Butt Kickers     3     30seconds
Bicep Curls with Back Against Wall     3     15

Side Planks     3    10each side
Side Donkey Kicks     3     10each leg

Sprinting     3     1minute on treadmill
Lunges with Bicep Curls     3     5each leg

Fast Cycling     3     1minute hard
Plank     3     30seconds

Cool Down
Pendulum Lunge     2     5each leg
Donkey Kicks     2     10each leg

Whew, that is a lot of links (maybe someday I will get pics of me doing them). But, I guess if you don't know what you are doing, they will be quite informative. Make sure you drink water throughout your workout and give yourself a good stretching afterwards. Also, make sure you breathe. That's always important too. Have fun!

Cleaning During the Week

A friend of mine wrote on her blog that her goal was to clean the kitchen every night before she went to bed. Then, when she woke up, it would be nice and clean and her day would start a little brighter.

Now, boys, they may not understand this.

But, I thought that was genius. I hate having a messy kitchen, especially when I spend 3/4 of my home time in the kitchen (when I am not watching library dvds in the living room). However, because I spend so much time in there, I get it pretty messy. Making your own meals regularly is a tough business. I just want to make dinner, eat it, and go sit down. Cleaning the kitchen sucks.bigtime.

Alas, this past week, I recruited the Mr to help clean the dishes regularly during the week and lo and behold, the kitchen stayed pretty clean. I would put away the leftovers, wash the counters, and sweep the floor. I even vacuumed the carpet in the living room during the middle of the week so it didn't look like we had carpet made purely from dog fur. It all felt really good and I stayed in a much better mood, rather than getting all stressed out from having a shitty house.

I plan on keeping up these new tasks. The only difficult part is getting Mr Peps involved but he knows he is helpful and that I love him just a little more in my heart when he does the dishes (and sometimes cleans the entire kitchen!). Wish me luck.

Me, with a dirty attitude and dirty kitchen. (Clearly, not a current pic)

Getting the Dog Ready for a Baby

Our Buky Boy is a great dog. He is very loving, wants to be around his mah and pah all the time, loves walks and running, knows his commands, and can be trusted in the house all by himselfums during the day.

With that said, it pains me to report that his not-so-good traits are really annoying me during this pregnancy. These traits include: not walking properly on a leash, getting super excited and running in the house (without getting his paws cleaned) after he takes a dump, and he sheds white hair like a madman. I know that the leash thing is our fault but damnit, I am annoyed because I can't go for a run without battle him for most of it.

So, there are some habits that we are trying to break Buk of before the baby is born because we need him to not be his pushy-self:

1) He must walk properly on a leash. This means that I will be painstakingly taking him on 3 minute walks to train him. You gotta keep the walks short so the precious pup does it correctly and you keep his attention (aka before he loses interest and pulls on the leash to poop). I will probably use this method and see how it goes: http://master-trainer.com/Behavior%20Modification/003Pulling%20on%20Leash.pdf

I have started this training and it is going pretty well. We have gone on two walks now and he kinda gets it but I don't think he understands why we are stopping every two steps. We will continue with the praise and treats and see what happens.

2) Buk must let us go through doors before him. Otherwise, he and the Little One are just going to fight to get into the house first...and, Buk will probably win those fights. This one is pretty easy though because Buk is very good at "wait" so we just make him wait and we enter first. He just needs more practice so we don't have to remind him every time

That is really actually all that Buk needs to improve on. I guess two really is quite good. We can't really do anything about the hair expect vacuum more often, which is something I will have to get used to, blegh. But, this leash thing may kill me. My patience at the moment is zilch so I am going to try really hard to be patient and kind. It will be good practice for parenting, I suppose. But, dogs...argh, they are really getting on my nerves right now.

Due Date

The Mr and I had our 19 week ultrasound that told us loads of interesting things about our kid. (I'll disclose the sex of the baby later because I would like to dedicate a whole post to that.) 

We ended up with 18 pictures of Babe because the ultrasound technician just kept printing and printing shots. She kept saying, "I could scan this baby all day." I don't know if she says that to everyone but she did say that she has never taken 18 pictures before. She also wasn't the most pleasant person so I choose to think we were special and our kid is cute (for now, at least, we anticipate some really awkward teen years, lawdhavemercy).

Anywho, something that they did tell me, that I have decided I really am not fond of, is that they changed my due date. They now say I am due July 11, which is about a week later than my original due date. Argh. It really shouldn't bother me all that much but it does because I liked thinking I was currently at the halfway mark. Now, apparently, I am not. They took away my halfway badge.

Now, I know that babies come before their due date, but they also come after and I kinda wanted a early July baby. We will see what happens. Although, I do kinda have a theory that Babe is just small because I didn't eat enough protein. That is pretty awful to say but I definitely wasn't getting enough protein earlier in my pregnancy.

I am not really telling people they moved my due date back though. I don't know why but I just haven't.

Now, on a positive note, this picture is very precious (and looks like most ultrasound pics, hah, I know). This is Babe with the hand going to the mouth. No thumb sucking though. Hopefully that doesn't happen because I was a thumb sucker and my front teeth were effed.

Protein for Pregnant Veggie Wife

As you may, or may not, have heard, I am a vegetarian. I am a vegetarian who went vegan for awhile but that lasted about two weeks because having no cheese just wasn't cutting it for me. I also have been mostly-gluten-free since 2011 because I found I was gluten sensitive. I still would eat a bit of gluten but usually I was able to stay away from it.

Now that I am pregnant though, some of that has changed (besides my growing self).

For those who needed to see the 19 week belly bump. Can't you tell, I really dressed up for this pic.

First off, gluten. Gluten doesn't seem to bother me as I am pregnant. I have eaten entire meals of spaghetti, I eat toast regularly, and I definitely ate cupcakes on my 30th birthday. It just doesn't upset my stomach anymore. I still try to not eat it for every meal because generally, eating all that gluten really isn't all that great but when I want a bagel with cream cheese, I can now eat it. Thankgod!

Secondly, protein. During my 3 month midwife appointment, we were talking about protein and how it is important for baby. I hadn't really told them I was a vegetarian or anything because I didn't think it would matter but in the back of my mind, I knew I probably wasn't getting enough protein. Tofu wasn't in my diet much, because what pregnant lady craves tofu?! I hadn't really been eating my cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, and so and and so forth either. And, I really hadn't even been eating cheese. Plus, I still wasn't eating eggs because that shit is gross.

So, the day after my appointment, I wrote down everything I ate and the protein content. Pregnant women should be getting about 60 grams of protein a day. I was at 30. Whoopsie daisy. It was time for a trip to the store where I bought yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, nuts, beans, and tofu. I now eat these regularly throughout my day.

The one thing though that has been difficult for me is the egg thing. I mean, before they started grossing me out, I LOVED eggs. I loved the over-easy egg on a piece of toast! Now, that would make me vom. But, because they do pack a punch of protein, I decided to give it a go again with local, grass-fed eggs. I still can't do the whole egg with the yolk, so instead, I fry up my egg white almost every morning with some seasonings and enjoy it with a little toast, spinach, and cheese. That is about 7 or so grams of protein.

What I am trying to say though is that being a vegetarian while pregnant is semi-difficult. While I don't crave a steak, I don't crave most other protein sources either. French fries really don't have much protein, unfortunately. I definitely have to consciously eat my protein throughout the day and occasionally force yogurt down my throat even though I don't really want it. (It's not that I don't like it, I just have never really been a big yogurt eater, but it does have 14 grams of protein!)

But, today I AM going to make hummus. I plan on eating that all in one sitting this afternoon! Too much protein? Methinksnot!

And Now For a Cat Picture

Buk and Stanley are precious babies laying in the sun together. Although, I think Stanley got the short end of the stick in this deal.

Gluten-Free Crepes

I have a confession. All week I have been debating whether or not to end my blog. Well, maybe not end it but take a long vacation from it. I haven't been taking pictures and I just don't feel interesting. HOWEVER, I have some good news, because obviously if you are reading this you semi-care so it would be good news....I have decided to keep plugging along.

This morning I made some gluten-free crepes and I just felt like I had to post it.

Then, I opened this here blog and saw that I had something like 50 hits one day this week. So, I looked at what people are googling to find me and lowandbehold, when you type "pregnancy blog" in google, my site is on the second page. That is pretty impressive. Especially since I have one post talking about my pregnancy and nothing else exciting for mothers-to-be.

So, yes, I am going to continue. And I am going to continue with my regular banter along with some new pregnancy banter/complaining/interesting shit because the people are demanding it, damnit! 50 people!

We will start with my morning crepes that inspired me to open my blog, that I have been avoiding for at least two weeks. By the way, this recipe may look like it takes 45 minutes to make but it really only takes 20 minutes or so. You'll have breakfast in no time!

Gluten-Free Crepes
makes 4 smallish crepes
created by Muah

INGREDIENTS

Crepes:
1/2c plus 2T milk or milk substitute
1 egg
1T melted butter
1/2c all purpose GF mix or 1/4c almond flour, 1/8c tapioca flour, 1/8 chickpea flour
1T flax seed (optional)
1/4t salt
1/2t vanilla
1/16t baking powder (I know that is minuscule but just do it)

Innards/Sauce:
I like to put cream cheese in the middle of my crepes with a little bit of fruity sauce. If you would like to do the same, which I highly recommend, go ahead and soften about 1/4c cream cheese and then make this here sauce.
1/4c water
1/4c frozen berries, or fresh berries
1T maple syrup
1T cornstarch
2T favorite jam
1/2T butter

METHOD

Crepes:
1. Whisk together milk, egg, and melted butter in a mixing bowl.
2. When well blended, sift in GF flours.
3. Add flax, salt, vanilla, and baking powder into the bowl and whisk together.
4. The batter should be like runny pancake batter. If it is too thick, add more milk.

Now you should make your Sauce:
1. In a saucepan, bring water, berries, and syrup to a boil. Squish the berries with the back of a spoon a bit while you stir.
2. With a spoon, take out 3 spoonfuls of the boiling berry liquid and put into a small bowl. Add cornstarch to this small bowl and stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add cornstarch liquid back into saucepan. Stir well. The liquid should thicken up now.
3. Turn off the heat and add the butter and your favorite jam. Mix together.

Cooking your Crepes:
1. Heat a small pan on medium-low. When warm, add a bit of olive oil or cooking spray. Add about 1/8c batter to the pan and by picking up the pan and tilting it, spread the batter throughout the bottom of the pan.

2. Heat for about a minute and then flip.
3. Heat the other side for about a minute.
4. When done, fill with cream cheese and a bit of berry mixture. Do it all again and then top everything with the berry syrup!

Mr Peps said that when our kids have friends over to spend the night, I should make this for breakfast. It will be the Pepperworth breakfast trademark methinks.