2009 July | Fit and Fabulous Pregnancy Blog


July 27, 2009

The 3rd Trimester: What you are facing and how to deal with it…

Filed under: 3rd Trimester, General, Pregnancy Exercise — Rebecca @ 12:07 pm

So you thought you were clumsy last trimester? Watch out!

It gets worse! Although your bulging belly is fun for most

people to see AND feel, it can also cause falls if you aren’t

careful!

-wear shoes that fit well, with little to no heel

-watch out for hazards, be especially careful of wet floors!

-use your core (especially the abdominals between your hip

bones) by pulling them in toward your spine slightly, this

will help your balance and help ease back pain

Lack of Motivation:

Some women have lots of energy while others feel tired all

the time. If you are one of the latter, give yourself a break,

your baby is probably taking a lot of your energy! If you

need to, take a couple days off. You can always do your

exercise at another time. Remember there are seven days in

a week and you don’t have to push your workouts all into

the first two!!

Feeling Overwhelmed:

This is a very exciting, yet anxious time of your pregnancy.

There will be a lot on your mind. Besides taking time off,

you need to take time for yourself, go to a spa, get your hair

done. But don’t forget to exercise too. This will help you

focus on something else besides the coming birth and baby

and give you’re an adrenaline rush that will lift your spirits.

You will also feel good that you’ve done something positive

for both you and your baby!

Learning to Slow Down:

a bit. Ease up on yourself, take more time to rest between

sets, and decrease your repetitions a bit. Be sure you are not

pushing yourself too hard.

If you have any problems, STOP and consult your Physician!

As always the most important things are you & your baby.

July 23, 2009

Important Heart Rate Information

Filed under: Pregnancy Exercise — Rebecca @ 11:23 am

You may have heard from friends or other pregnant women that you should

keep your heart at a certain rate during pregnancy. Pregnancy and the extra

weight your body is carrying make your body work harder even when you

aren’t exercising.  Exercise increases the flow of oxygen and blood to the muscles being worked

and away from other important parts of the body. So it is important not to

overdo it during pregnancy.  The “talk test:”  If you are able to talk normally while

you are exercising, your heart rate is at an acceptable level.

July 20, 2009

How to Cope with Gas and Bloating:

Filed under: General — Rebecca @ 12:51 pm

Not only do we have to deal with our expanding waistlines during pregnancy, but we have to worry about these two beauties as well! Pregnancy hormones are responsible, especially progesterone. This hormones job is to relax the uterus, which decreases the likelihood of uterine contractions until the baby is ready to be born. Unfortunately it doesn’t just affect the uterus; it affects all the smooth muscles in the body, including the stomach and intestines. The result? Your digestive system gets sluggish! What can you do? Even though these not-so-fun symptoms may not make you feel like exercising, a workout may be just the thing to ease your discomfort! Physical activity actually improves digestion, and reduces gassiness and bloating.

More hints and suggestions on reducing gas and bloating:

Eat many small meals instead of three large ones.

Stay away from foods that seem to cause you to have gas.

Don’t hold gas in - that will make it worse!

Try rocking vigorously in a rocking chair, pushing off with your feet at the bot.tom of the chair’s downswing. For some reason this seems to help gas pass from your system more easily

July 17, 2009

Sources of important vitamins & minerals for your pregnancy:

Filed under: Pregnancy Nutrition — Rebecca @ 7:32 pm

Vitamin A:

Green leafy vegetable, dark yellow vegetables, whole

fortified skim and low fat milks, liver

Vitamin C:

Citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes

Vitamin D:

Fortified milk, fish liver oils, exposure to sunlight

Vitamin E:

Vegetable oils, whole grain cereals, wheat germ, green

leafy vegetables

Folate:

Green leafy vegetables, orange juice, strawberries, liver,

legumes, nuts

Calcium:

Milk and milk products, sardines and salmon with bones,

collard, kale, mustard, turnip greens

Iron:

Meat, liver, dried beans and peas, iron-fortified cereals, prune juice

**There is no time like the present to eat right, it will give your baby the right

nutrition and set a great example for your “bundle of joy” after birth!

July 15, 2009

Staying Motivated!

Filed under: General, Pregnancy Exercise — Rebecca @ 12:45 pm

Good intentions are good, but when all the changes of

pregnancy weigh you down, it’s hard to stay motivated!

Here is some advice I hope helps you stick to it!!!

Set your sites low!

 

 

 

Make your goals realistic, not

fantasies!

Make a commitment!

 

 

 

Write down your intentions

and put it on the refrigerator or on calendar. Then

put an X on each day you get your goal done!

Reward yourself!

 

 

 

Positive reinforcement works for

kids AND it works for mothers-to-be! Maybe that

new movie you are dying to see or a nice pre natal

massage!

No self criticism!

 

 

 

If you have a terrible week and

don’t get your exercise in, don’t get mad at yourself!

You are pregnant, which means your body is

already working hard and once in a while you’re

allowed to take some time off.

July 14, 2009

Do you need to be consistent with exercise during pregnancy?

Filed under: Pregnancy Exercise — Rebecca @ 8:42 am

The simple answer is YES! The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends at least 3 days a week (do more if you feel up to it!) and has shown that it is much better to be get in 3 days a week or so consistently than to do it sporadically. Since your strength workouts I send you are all different it should keep you interested, but if you are tired of your cardiovascular workouts, switch it up! Don’t forget that you can even get in exercise while you are having fun, say while shopping (especially if you are “window shopping”). Or if you are taking another child to the pool, go ahead and wear your swimsuit. Even if you’re not a swimmer you can get in a good workout by treading water or even walking around the pool in waist deep water!

 

July 13, 2009

How cardiovascular workouts can help you with labor.

Filed under: 1st Trimester, 2nd Trimester, 3rd Trimester, Pregnancy Exercise — Rebecca @ 12:55 pm

Remember that labor, with or without drugs is hard and you will need endurance and strength to

get through it. The more fit your heart is, the more energy and endurance you’ll have for you and

your baby’s big event! So…how do you get a more fit heart?

Cardiovascular fitness, of course! A strong heart is better able to supply your hardworking

muscles with freshly oxygenated blood, which keeps them primed for action. And, if you want to

go straight to the heart of the issue, women in the real world have testified to the fact that being

fit helped them tolerate labor pain better and increased their stamina to endure the whole labor,

pain AND pushing!

There is no single way to get in good cardiovascular fitness. There are many ways! Remember

to consider your fitness level first and foremost and then the Borg Scaled of Perceived Exertion.

You should stay around a 2 to 4 for your cardiovascular work.  If you cannot talk while you

are working out, you are probably at too high of an intensity.

You can also switch it up, walking one day, swimming the next or any combination you want.

You should try to get in 2 to 3 days of cardiovascular work depending on how you are feeling!

July 12, 2009

2nd Trimester Nutrition

Filed under: Pregnancy Nutrition — Rebecca @ 6:25 pm

As a pregnant woman, you may have looked forward to pregnancy as a time to

splurge on those food items you don’t usually let yourself eat. And although it’s

perfectly ok to allow yourself a treat now and then, your pregnancy gives you an

excellent time to redeem your “not so great” pre-pregnancy food habits.

Remember, the foods and drinks you take in directly impact your growing baby.

Developing good eating habits now can mean a healthier child AND a healthier

you for years to come!

Try not to think of pregnancy as the ice-cream and candy “free for all” it’s often

shown to be. You will need extra calories, but only approximately 300 calories

and a well balanced diet is more important during pregnancy than ever!

What should you eat?

You need to continue to get your protein, fiber, calcium, folate, plenty of vitamins

and minerals from fruit and veggies, and good carbohydrates that contain whole

grains. And never forget to take your pre natal vitamin prescribed by your Physician!

Some nutrient-packed snacks and mini meals to choose from:

(All around 300-500 calories!)

• 6 whole-grain crackers, 2 ounces low-fat cheese, a small apple,

and a cup of 1 percent milk

• a container of low-fat yogurt, a medium banana, and 1/4

cup bran cereal

• a sandwich made with 3 ounces turkey breast meat, on 2

slices of whole-grain bread, and 15 grapes

• 2 cups unsweetened cereal, a cup of 1 percent milk, and a

cup of berries

• a small bagel with 2 tablespoons peanut butter

July 1, 2009

Your pregnancy & how you are gaining the weight

Filed under: General — Rebecca @ 8:58 pm

You have probably seen a chart showing the “average”

weight gain during pregnancy. But you must remember that

before pregnancy we all come in MANY different shapes and

sizes and during pregnancy is no different! In fact, there are

even more variable then! Even women with similar diets and

activity levels are very different during pregnancy! It

depends a lot on how much the baby weight, how much the

placenta and body fluids weigh and how our body carries the

weight. Some women carry the baby all in the front, down

low, up high, or out to the sides! So don’t try comparing your

beautiful, pregnant body with anybody else’s!

Just be sure to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and keep an

eye out for overeating high fat, low nutritional foods!

Remember, it’s not just about you, but your coming bundle of joy!



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