HBBC Roll-Up Weeks 5-7

HBBC wrapped up this past weekend! While I haven't posted on my progress in a few weeks, that doesn't mean that I didn't continue working towards my goals (and meeting some - hehe). While my average weekly points went down quite a bit in weeks 5-7, I met my number one goal of eating my full servings of fruits and veggies every day during the challenge! So I score that as a SUCCESSFUL CHALLENGE!

My first real Pregnancy Pic:
27 Weeks, Post Challenge!

HBBC Week #5 Roll-Up: 

Miles Run/Walk: 7Strength/Core Workouts: 4Yoga Practice/Stretching: 2Group Cardio Workouts: 1

Total Weekly HBBC Points: 31.5

Swims: 0

Days w/ Complete Freggies Intake: 7

Bonus Points: 8

Week 5 Goal: Pick back up on the overall exercise level. (Since I hadn't met this goal  

This week started off strong, Matt and I got to the gym Monday night after work and knocked out some cardio. But then it went downhill, Well, as we started getting sick and we had a little crud going on throughout weeks 5 and 6. Also, Matt did not get home from work as early as I'd expected for the rest of the week. So, most of my exercise was teaching my classes, walking the dog, and stretching! But still, better than nothing!

Surprise of the week: Basically, the cold surprised me and kept me on the couch for a lot of the week. :(

HBBC Week #6 Roll-Up: 

Miles Run/Walk: 4

Strength/Core Workouts: 2

Yoga Practice/Stretching: 5

Group Cardio Workouts: 1

Swims: 0

Days w/ Complete Freggies Intake: 7

Total Weekly HBBC Points: 25

Bonus Points: 8

Week 6 Goal: Pick back up on the overall exercise level. (Week 5's goal carried over, since I didn't reach it)

Lots of couch time w/ Knight! ;P

Still sick and Matt was even more so. Again, workouts involved the Pump classes that I teach and then I stretched or did some yoga poses while watching tv to just get something in!

Surprise of the week: I was surprised how the pregnancy is affecting my muscles and ligaments, in that I still just feel a little too stretched from the hip opener focused yoga that I'd done a few weeks ago!

HBBC Week #7 Roll-Up: FINAL WEEK!!!

Miles Run/Walk: 5.57

Strength/Core Workouts: 3

Yoga Practice/Stretching: 4

Group Cardio Workouts: 1

Swims: 0

Days w/ Complete Freggies Intake: 7

Total Weekly HBBC Points: 25.57

Bonus Points: 6

Week 7 Goal: Pick back up on the overall exercise level. (Again Weeks 5 and 6 goal carried over, since I didn't reach it...again ;P)

We finally started feeling well again this week (although I had a sleep hangover on New Year's Day from staying up too late and that has thrown my whole sleep schedule off). I was able to get back to the gym for BodyCombat and CXWORX and led a yoga class on Saturday that was packed and the energy was awesome!

Surprise of the week: I was still surprised at how the HBBC and group motivation was encouraging me to get out there even when I didn't want to! Whether it was the lure of points or feeling guilty when I saw all the other participants' activity, the HBBC helped to get me off the couch and out moving!

Veggies on my pizza!

Final wrap up: Huge Thank You you to Amanda @ RunToTheFinish for hosting such an amazing challenge! My overall goal going in was to use the motivation to force me to eat more whole fruits and veggies so that I can give all the needed nutrients to my Little Tuna growing in my belly! This challenge was definitely just what I needed. Whereas I entered my second trimester still not craving fruits and veggies, I am now going into my third craving them again! I can't eat enough berries, apples, and bananas. Even salads, broccoli, and green beans sound pretty tasty these days! I will be participating in the HBBC next year - and will consider the potential Spring challenge (only because it falls around my due date, but that really doesn't matter - still need to be somewhat active, right?)

Did you participate in the HBBC? What was the greatest benefit you gained from participating?

Are you wondering what the HBBC was? Well, check out this page and then plan on joining in on the fun, hopefully in the spring!!!

Fitness Workouts while Pregnant: Who knows your body better than you?

Today, at the gym, I talked to a girl about working out while pregnant. She said that when she was pregnant, she became borderline diabetic and her doctor had recommended that she stopped working out after the first trimester. She followed his advice and went through her pregnancy gaining excess weight and having difficulty during her delivery because she had lost her endurance and strength since cutting back on exercise. She said that she was generally fit pre-pregnancy and really wanted to continue her workouts at the gym throughout, but followed her doctor's recommendation and merely walked for exercise throughout pregnancy. She is thinking about having another child and she would like to approach fitness and pregnancy differently this time around!

Wow! Ok, I am not a doctor, but I was saddened to hear that she'd received this recommendation from hers! Doctors are great (my dad is one), but sometimes I think we need to listen respectfully to what they offer in certain situations and then listen to your body, do your own research and then make a decision on what is right for you. Everything that I have read about exercising while pregnant does start with consulting your doctor, which is important, especially if you had health issues prior to becoming pregnant. But my motto in life is balance and moderation. If you can find a good balance between maintaining a good fitness level through pregnancy while also monitoring your body to ensure you are doing all that you can to protect and grow the little one inside you, then why not?

Here are a few ways that I modify my fitness workouts while I am pregnant to ensure that I am still remaining active and maintaining my strength and cardiovascular capacity, so that 1. I can keep growing a strong and healthy Little Tuna, but also 2. so that I can be strong throughout my labor and delivery!!

First Trimester - The first trimester is when I did cut back on my exercise level and frequency, however I did not stop!

• Strength training 2-3 times per week - I am a fitness instructor so this was actually less than I had been, but even if you're not an instructor, 2-3 weeks is great and you can modify your intensity as needed; I already decreased the weight amount I lifted in this trimester
• Running 2-3 times a week - I had just started training for the Army Ten Miler when I learned I was pregnant and had not been running consistently in over a year, so I only ran very easily during the first two months and walked whenever I felt winded or pulling in my belly - read more on that here
• Yoga a few times a month (I could have increased this, but I was really tired, so sleep was more important to me)

The only race I'd done in the year prior to pregnancy,
while I was recovering from plantar fasciitis.

Considerations:

• In the first trimester, you're dealing with increased fatigue and probably some form of morning sickness. I was just nauseous all day and really the only times I felt well were while working out or the 30-45 minutes after I had eaten (So I ate small snacks very frequently). But definitely work with your fatigue and don't overexert yourself any time during your pregnancy.
• Your body is already making tremendous changes during this trimester, so always listen to your body! For example, my chest was growing fast and hurt, so running did not always feel awesome, hence the slow pace and walking.
• As for yoga, this is the one trimester when you can still do most of the poses, so, if you are new to yoga and want to incorporate it into your prenatal program, this is when to start it up, learn the poses and then you can build strength, flexibility, and consistency. In the following trimesters, you can then edit poses as needed.

Yoga with my two faves, during the first trimester!
Knight really has Side-Lying Savasana down.

These are a few ideas on how to continue on (or even begin) your fitness journey during pregnancy. Tomorrow, I'll cover the second trimester (which I'm currently enjoying!). 

Just remember, YOU KNOW YOUR BODY BEST!

How have you modified your fitness workouts during a pregnancy? Are you newly pregnant and looking for ideas on where to start? If so, let me know!

Running while Pregnant: 5 by the 5th Virtual Series

I've had a struggle with loving to run for, well, for my whole life. ha! But I do enjoy races and I love the calories that it burns when I do run, so I power through it. After the Army Ten Miler in October, I took at least a month off from running and only jumped back in to earn points for the Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge starting in November (yes, I can be bribed to exercise when needed). When I got sick over Christmas, I cut down on the running, but had previously signed up for this great virtual race series, http://www.mommyrunfast.com/5-by-5th-virtual-run-series/, hosted by Laura @ Mommy Run Fast. The challenge is to commit to running either 5K or 5 Miles by the 5th of each month, from January to June.

So, now that I'm feeling better...and January has arrived, I had to get in my run! I ended up doing my Resolution Run for Amanda @ RunToTheFinish and my 5K all in one on 2 Jan (yes, better late than never), but I had a killer hangover from staying up so late on New Year's Eve! (apparently baby likes consistent bedtimes). Knight and I ventured out in my bright new Christmas running shoes, Saucony Progrid Mirage 2.

We ran 3.12 miles, just over 5K, in 37:16. Nice and slow, but I did push it on the last mile, which is something that I haven't been able to do in awhile, so that was good. It required a nice long cool down walk afterwards.

The shoes feel really good and provide more support than my Saucony Kinvara's that I can't really run in anymore as they aggravate my plantar fasciitis. What I can't blame on the shoes is something I've felt over the last month since I picked running back up; it's what I call ice skating feet. It's the sore pain I've felt in the sides of my feet whenever I ice skate, since I was a little kid. I don't know if anyone else feels this pain, but since I do enjoy skating, I always powered through it and took breaks as needed. It might have something to do with my wide feet, but I say the new shoes aren't the cause, because I've even felt it while wearing my trusty New Balance 763's, the model in which I've been running for at least 10 years as my 'safe' shoe. I do think this new sore feet feeling is somehow related to pregnancy. Maybe my feet are swelling or maybe it's something else. Not sure.

But, I got my mileage in and hopefully will get some more in before February arrives. ;)