8th month recap

group B-strep test is up next, guys.  HEY FIT FOODIES!  i'm gonna get in as much last minute preggo blogging as i can these last few weeks (or days, that's cool too).  my 8th month has whizzed on by

*bloop*

and i'm knocking on week 36 in like 2 days, praise God!

O_o :P   >:( :'( :| #flipacoin

early AM workout classes & breakfast:

so, getting up at 4:15am to teach my classes is only getting rougher.  but i'm hanging in there! that's my automatic answer for my gym members every time they ask me how baby and i are doing, lol.  that's really all i can say though, seriously.  sure i'd rather get those extra hours of sleep but i feel good after i get on up and most days and the urge to workout is still strong.

mmhmmm, don't forget that. aim to move every single day, even if it's just walking around your hood.

i am asked how i am still doing HIIT training  this late in the game.  modifications! lighter dumbbells, monitoring my heart rate, using my knees instead of toes for pushups...just a few examples. see vid below!  plus i'm doing way more coaching/encouraging/motivating and 'working' the group exercise room more. the classes are NOT about me anyway- it's all about the members!  i'll do a quick demo of a high intensity/plyometric move though, then quickly modify it just so i can keep moving with the members.

[wpvideo lBg6kZRN]

 eating, on the other hand.... i know my appetite is flaky cause baby boy is growing rapidly and fattening up for his grand exit/entrance, but after breakfast and a small lunch (even after working out), i could honestly be done for the day.  the rest of my meals are pretty much forced since i'm still very active,  so WE need those cals and nutrients to keep coming. and they shall.  so i have my pre workout snack (usually banana w/ peanut butter) on the way to the gym, then tackle my real breakfast afterwards as usual.

here are some breakfasts i've been rotating (clockwise starting from the top L):

1. spinach, tomato, and mushroom scramble (1 whole egg, 2 egg whites) with strawberries and blueberries

2.  4 egg whites over a whole wheat english muffin & topped with homemade guacamole w/ blackberries & a halo

3. spinach & mushroom egg scramble taco (La Tortilla Factory 80 cal light low carb, high fiber flour tortilla) w/ shredded part-skim mozzarella & pineapple salsa w/ berries

4. plain greek yogurt with strawberries & blueberries and dribbled with maple syrup (also a great post-workout snack)

individual workouts & lunch/dinner:

i have been enjoying taking classes to the fullest these last few weeks!  why?

1. i'm not up there teaching so i can stop at any time :P
2.  i get ideas and inspiration for new moves i can use later in my own classes and just experiencing another instructor's style, music, and motivational sayings
3.  group fitness is FUN and keeps me motivated!  i look forward to it. period.

i do a combo of the following every week:

• TKB - turbo kickboxing
• Zumba
• Barbell Strength (Lifetime Fitness signature formatted class)
• Step (don't knock it lol! keeps my heart rate nice and steady... great cardio workout vs. the boring treadmill and elliptical)
• Weights - since i'm not lifting crazy heavy, i'll do a full body workout in one day most times using basic exercises for each muscle group. 3-4 sets of 12 does the trick. looking forward to getting back to my postpartum 6 Pack USA workouts though.

lunches and dinners (starting clockwise from top L):

1. homemade Chipotle inspired salad (i cut the chicken into chunks and marinated it in Weber Kick n' Chicken seasoning blend)
2. Kick n' Chicken pan seared chicken breast with pan roasted brussels sprouts and grilled pineapple
3. pan seared whiting (cheaper than tilapia at Walmart right now so i gave it a try) grilled squash, and fresh coleslaw
4. salmon & avocado deviled eggs sprinkled with sweet & smokey paprika and black pepper with raw sugar snap peas and sliced roma tomatoes on the side.

the bump and i will be walking down the aisle in my brother's wedding this weekend! can't wait to party and celebrate gaining another sister. fun times ahead. and cake.

-----> if you are preggo and need help with staying on track (or starting) a healthier workout and nutrition regiment for you and your little bundle-to-be, please check out www.pregnantnotpowerless.com and sign up!  even if you're not preggo but know a woman who is, please tell her about this awesome program created by one of my inspirations and fellow fit mom @babyfatboss on IG. follow herrrrrr! <------

fit foodie who?

so i'm roughly 16 weeks and some change and finally climbing further and further away from my first trimester symptoms.  thank. God.  if you were to have asked me who Fit Foodie Le was from weeks 8ish to about 13 i would not have been able to answer.   at my 8 week appt., my doc asked me if i needed any nausea meds and i proudly said 'nope!'. i prolly had a 'who, me?' look on my face to go with it.  weeeeell week 9 came and socked me in the face like a bag of rocks.  nausea (evening sickness) headaches, annoying forehead acne (still here), confused appetite, mood swings, and some of the worst fatigue i've ever experienced took over my world.  i felt like one of those cartoon characters with a black rain cloud following them everywhere.

i didn't want to do ANYTHING.  y'all don't hear me. NOTHING AT ALL.  no blogging, no IG, no social media whatsoever. i just wanted to disconnect from everything, everyone and sleep.  after walking up the stairs in our home, i had enough energy left to crumble to the floor once i finally made it to the top.  carrying Chiso across the room made my heart rate skyrocket.  i had no desire to workout and used every single excuse i could not to hit the gym when i wasn't teaching my fitness classes. i mainly blamed the weather (smh) which has never been a factor for me.  had no desire to go anywhere, do anything, be social, talk about fitness, eat or cook healthy food, and definitely no desire to motivate and inspire anybody else when i couldn't even get my own behind going.  because baby #2 was still secret, i had to keep quiet on social media and act like nothing had changed.  truth be told, i was on strike from vegetables with Chiso during that time cause the sight or smell of them made my nausea flare up.  most days, especially after a gym class, i'd be super hungry, but everything i thought of to eat repulsed me. friends, over those few weeks i ate some things i hadn't eaten in years because i wanted them and just didn't care! this flood of new hormones made me completely unfocused.  was i craving them? i wouldn't even call it that.  i just didn't want any healthy food and had to eat something.

but subway is a great pick, right? everything in moderation friends, even subway. i had my fave sammich (the turkey breast on wheat) for lunch and dinner for about 2 weeks straight. it's all i wanted. and conveniently located right next to Sonny's job :lol: .  then things took a slight turn...

 

a tartar sauce-less fillet O' fish from Mc Donalds. who even eats these anymore!?!?  hadn't eaten one in decades but a tv commercial was all it took.  it was as delicious as i remember.

Timmy Chans wings and rice. with gravy. I KNOW. :shock: :shock: :shock:

fresh, hot, Shipley's donut holes. i figure the holes would help me nip my 'craving' in the bud rather than eating a whole donut or four. but if you eat them all at once then that theory doesn't actually work now does it :roll:

more chocolate chip Eat Pastry vegan cookie dough. eaten raw,

and baked.

now THIS really was a craving! i can eat Papa Johns pizza any time of day, hot or cold, preggo or not. omg. pineapple, ham, and plenty of CHEESE.  5 slices later....... and i could have honestly kept going.

normally i get oatmeal or a whole wheat english muffin/toast on the side when we go out for breakfast (which is super rare anyway) , but nope, i ordered and devoured a pancake bigger than my head at The Egg & I.

aaaaand this guy... I IG'ed this weeks ago and i consider it the start of my indulgent, sporadic 1st tri eats. it's the Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie,  a Chili's classic.  the last time we ate there though it was called the Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie!  its been a while.

so the wack part of it all is that immediately after i ate those things i felt worse. every time.  i'm not just talking food guilt here guys. i'm talking bad physically.  i don't know if those foods tasted so unbelievably incredible because i'm preggo or because i hadn't eaten them in soooooo long or what! they only satisfied me for the moment though and wreaked havoc on my 'plumbing' later, if you will.  things were just as bad in the exercise department.  i'd dread my drive to the gym and gripe, moan, and complain the entire way there.  once i got going and was actually  moving and sweating though, i felt like ME again and back to normal.  soon as i stopped? back to crappy town. so i figured i might as well force myself to eat healthy stuff again since my workouts were struggling and eating those terrible processed foods was a threat to me and the baby's overall health.  also, i was heavily contributing to early, unnecessary weight gain and reintroducing former unhealthy habits.    my classes have literally saved me.  if it weren't for them i would not have exercised at all.  some might say 'what's the big deal with not exercising for a few weeks???'.  i don't want my first trimester to set the tone for the rest of my pregnancy.  once i sit down for too long, even two days, (even when i'm not preggo)- it's like pulling teeth getting back into a routine again.  if you're struggling to get through your first tri or pregnancy period, just HOLD ON!!! indulge in a craving every now and then and just keep moving. what can i say..it will all be worth it ;)

my OB assured me things would change with time and thankfully they have.  hellooooo, 2nd tri!  my goal is no longer weight or fat loss, none of that! i just want to keep moving as much as possible, have fun with my workouts, and keep my healthy eating habits going along with some Papa John's pizza here and there. that's it. no pressure. until i deliver and recover; health for me and baby is my priority. i'm excited to share my 2nd fit preggo journey with you again!

looking forward to some of these prenatal exercises now that my desire to move again is back:

1. spinning - works wonders for circulation for mom and baby without all the joint pressure from weightlifting or say kickboxing classes.  plus, you determine the speed, intensity, everything.
2. yoga- no hot yoga though! eases tension, boosts your mood, and can even make for an easier delivery.
3. walking- i walked 98% of my 1st pregnancy and did a few 5 and 10ks along the way. ain't nothin' changed.
4. zumba- it’s a great cardiovascular workout that  requires side stepping, jumping, and turning movements. keep an eye on that heart rate though.
5. water aerobics - 'It may reduce pain during labor, according to a study published in Reproductive Health, finding that women who did water aerobics three times a week were less likely to ask for pain relief during labor, compared to those who didn't exercise.' hmmmm! i like those odds.
6. booty barre - a ballet-inspired class that includes legwork with minimal jumping, making it a great option for preggo women.  they will be offered at Lifetime Fitness soon!

the real Fit Foodie Le has returned and is ready to rock round two RIGHT! here we gooooooooooooo

le