Staying active while you are pregnant is important for many reasons.  For one, it keeps you sane and keeps you and your baby healthy.  You will gain weight while you are pregnant, and 25-35 pounds is about average, depending on your starting weight.  But, too much weight isn’t good for you or for the baby.

It was really hard for me to workout during my first trimester because of the way that I was feeling.  I felt sick and tired for the majority of the day, so working out was not a top priority.  Luckily, it was summer time and I love to be outside, so I did try to fit in quite a few walks.  Walking actually made me feel better!  The sickness would subside for a bit, and I would feel like myself again (kind of ).

During my second trimester, I worked out as much as I could.  I took it easy, of course, but I was able to run, walk, swim, lift light weights, etc.  I felt great!

Now that I am in the third trimester, it is definitely harder.  I just feel big!  And, the tiredness has come back, so working out seems to take a backseat some of the time.  There are just certain days where I feel like rest and relaxation is more important than fitting in a workout.  I still try to get in some form of exercise 4-5 days per week, inclusing walking, the elliptical, swimming and using resistance bands.  And, I feel great on days that I do!

You don’t have to workout while you are pregnant, but the majority of people would recommend it.  Not only does it keep you healthy and in shape throughout your pregnancy, but it will help you during labor as well.  Every woman’s body is different, and some may not be able to workout while pregnant, but even a 20-30 minute walk 4-5 days a week will help with your breathing and circulation.  It will also keep your baby healthy!  And, who doesn’t want that?!

I’m not going to lie, nowadays when I go to the gym, I feel a little weird!  Over the past 7 months, I have not seen any other pregnant woman at the gym!  Yes, people definitely look at me when I am on the treadmill or swimming in the pool, but who cares?!  I am doing what feels good for me, and keeping my baby healthy.

If you would rather workout in the comfort of your own home, then I highly recommend this DVD!

Summer Sanders goes through 3 full length (or express) workouts specifically for the first, second or third trimesters.  I am loving supplementing my walks with this DVD because they use resistance bands to build some strength (which will help when carrying the baby) and a lot of squats to prepare you for labor.

The most important thing is to have fun!  So, get out there and enjoy the fresh air and time by yourself while you can.

Last night we made another dish from 101cookbooks.com with some substitutions.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts & Apples (recipe here)

Since the recipe can be found from Heidi at 101cookbooks.com, I will just let you know what we changed:

• 2 herb chicken sausages instead of tofu
• 1/3 cup pepitas instead of pine nuts
• chopped brussels sprouts instead of shredded
• added shredded parmesan cheese on top

I don’t think that these changes/substitutions changed the flavor of the recipe at all.  If was super quick to make and delicious!  We both kept saying “Mmmmm…” after each bite.

The chicken/tofu and apples are sauteed with maple syrup giving the a subtle sweetness.

And, the brussels sprouts are cooked until browned and caramelized.

Everything mixed together was delicious!

We served this over a bed of quinoa (cooked, then mixed with 1 tbsp maple syrup, salt and pepper) and sprinkled it with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Backing up to breakfast, which was a yummy bowl of oatbran cooked with 1/2 banana, vanilla and cinnamon.

Topped with chocolate almond butter, banana slices and coconut.

Lunch was a tuna fish sandwich mixed with dijon mustard, relish and stuffed into a pita.  With an apple on the side.

Before dinner I snacked on a Luna Bar…

…and headed out for a 45 minute jog.  It was chilly, but felt great to be active outside in the cool weather.

It feels so great to have our baby news out in the open…it will make it so much easier for me to post my meals and recipes and tips.  I don’t have to worry about slipping with cravings or if what I eat is just plain wierd!

I woke up yesterday morning and snacked on 2 slices of toast with maple almond butter.  Then, I headed outside for a run.  I have been trying to keep as active as I can because I think that it will help me throughout my pregnancy.  There are wonderful benefits to working out while pregnant, but I just have to remember to listen to my body and rest if that is what I need.

I make sure to always carry water with me (or stop at the water fountains frequently) in order to keep hydrated!  I definitely get tired more quickly now, but I still feel good while running (and swimming and walking).  It is nice to not worry about time, just to run by how I feel.  I have really been enjoying it!

I walked for about 10 minutes, ran for 35 minutes, then walked for another 10 minutes.  I love my warm-ups and cool-downs now, whereas before, I hated them and often skipped them!

After my run, I whipped up a smoothie to get some nutrients and protein.

In the mix:

• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1 cup hemp milk
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 cup frozen berries (cherries, blueberries, raspberries)
• 2 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tsp honey
• shake of cinnamon

Blended in the Vita-Mix for about 30 seconds until smooth.  And, served in my new glass smoothie jar!

I saw this idea awhile ago, but just got around to having my Dad drill a hole in the lid.  Just take a glass mason jar, drill a hole in the plastic lid and enjoy your smoothie.  It fits my glass straws perfectly!  And, I don’t have to worry about plastic or anything spilling.  I love it.

Smoothie’s taste great on humid days.

When lunch time rolled around, I didn’t really want my packed lunch.  So, I stopped at Panera Bread for a salad.

BBQ Chopped Salad with romaine, corn, black beans, peppers, tomatoes and tortilla strips.  Ranch dressing and BBQ sauce on the side.

I drizzled on a little BBQ sauce and shook it up.  It was a great salad dressing!

After my salad, I snacked on some a lot of dried canteloupe spears.

I skipped my afternoon snack today because I wasn’t very hungry, and surprisingly I still wasn’t hungry when I got home!  For some reason, I haven’t been very hungry at night…but, I know I need the extra fuel!

Dinner was simple, but so delicious!  A salad with CSA greens, dried cranberries, kaia curry flavored sprouted sunflower seeds and honey balsamic dressing.

And, a grilled cheese with apple on flax grain bread.

This was a perfect light dinner…and it made it feel like fall with the apples.

We’re having a pizza party tonight!  Have a great day.

Good ways to add protein into your smoothies:

• nut butter
• nuts
• protein powder
• yogurt
• milk
• oats

A smoothie can definitely be made into a meal by adding a few extras other than fruit.  Try a tbsp of peanut butter or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) for extra iron or hemp seeds for extra protein.

This morning, I was feeling like chocolate, so I mixed away in my Vita-Mix!

• 1 frozen banana (the key to a thicker smoothie!)
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (antioxidants!)
• 5 frozen strawberries
• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 1 tbsp mango jelly
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 tbsp cacao powder
• dash vanilla
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds (extra protein)

It was a pretty yucky color, but sure did taste good!

Yum.

I try to stock up on frozen fruit when I am at Trader Joes because they make excellent smoothie additions.  The frozen fruit adds depth to the smoothie by making it thicker and colder.

Moving on…

I have been so thirsty lately!  Has anyone else been?  It must be the weather because I already drink a lot of water, but have been drinking so much more recently.  Darn humidity!

I wasn’t really hungry for a mid-morning snack, so I skipped right to an early lunch since that was on my mind - leftover Stuffed Patty Pan Squash!

Packed in two seperate containers to prevent them from tipping over and heated in the microwave at work, they were just as good as last night.

Along with the leftovers, I had a blueberry yogurt and 2 apricots.  A pretty well-balanced lunch if you ask me.

An afternoon snack included Livin’ Spoonful raw crackers (filled with nuts and herbs and oh so flavorful!) and lemon hummus.

And, a Refresh Glo Bar.  I loved this flavor.  Chocolate and mint is a favorite combination of mine!

I’m thinking of a quick run tonight before dinner, then I’ve got another quick and yummy recipe to whip up.

See ya!

I was on-the-go all day long, so I needed some healthy and portable to-go snacks.

I felt like heading out for a run in the morning, but once I stepped outside I knew the air-conditioned gym would be a better idea.

Before I left, I mixed up a delicious concoction of Lemon-Lime Amazing Grass + Lemon Lime O.N.E. Coconut Water + a splash of water.

I added 1 scoop of the Amazing Grass to my shaker and filled it up with 6 oz. coconut water + 2 oz. water.

It was good!  Very lime-y.

I also grabbed a Heaven GloBar.  I loved this flavor because of all of the coconutty flavor!

This new Amazing Grass makes me feel great.  It leaves me feeling energized without drinking caffeine.  I love it.  And, mixed with this new Lemon Lime Coconut Water from O.N.E. made it taste even better!

I received a few samples of their new coconut water flavors from O.N.E., including this Lemon Lime.  They came out with 3 Active flavors that contain coconut water along with a mix of natural energizers that help replenish you before, during and after a workout.  My initial thought about the Lemon Lime was that it tasted too sweet, but mixed with a little water before my workout, it tasted great.  After my workout, the sweetness was perfect!

Workout

I got to the gym and started with a 5 minute warm-up walk on the treadmill, then hit the weights circuit style:

(3 sets of each)

• 21′s
• squats with overhead press
• triceps kickbacks
• deadlift with upright row
• chest press
• triceps extension

Then, I ran 5 miles on the treadmill and did a 10 minute cool-down walk.

It felt great!

Once home, I craved a smoothie – a Chocolate Cherry Smoothie!

• 1 frozen banana
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 2 tbsp vanilla hemp protein powder
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 2 tbsp cacao
• 4 oz banana yogurt
• 1 cup filtered water

Poured into a to-go mug to bring with my while running errands.  YUMMY!

Once I made it home, it was time to make our way down to NYC for the weekend.  I wasn’t ready for lunch yet and I knew we would be having dinner upon arrival, so I packed a few road trip snacks.

Avocados travel very easily.

Just cut it in half and remove the pit before packing.  Bring along some spices to sprinkle on it and pack a spoon!  Then, enjoy on the road.

Homemade juice also travels easy.  Just make your juice (and clean the juicer before leaving!) and pour it into a glass smoothie cup for easy travel.  This way you can throw it in a bag and not worry about it spilling all over.

In the juice:

• 5-6 celery stalks
• handful carrot tops
• 4 small carrots
• 1 knob ginger
• 2 small apples
• 2 small beets

Deliciousness.

I also packed a container of pre-cooked lentils and a fork.

All together – juice, avocado, lentils – this made a decent meal and kept me occupied on our drive.

Off to explore, have a great weekend!

The beach was gorgeous this morning!

While waiting for the race to start, I headed out on a 4.5 mile run of my own.  I ran the course route and loved how peaceful it was.  I was feeling good and finished the 4.5 miles in 40 minutes.  My run was complete on a Sunday morning by 6:30am!  I had the whole rest of the day to relax.

I snacked on an Empower Glo Bar and a coconut water while watching the race.

A few of you asked me to let you know how the Glo Bars were.  Well, this is the only flavor that I have tried so far, but it was unbelievebly delicious!  I don’t know how Angela does it, but the bar was soft yet stuck together so well.  The flavor was awesome – I love the coffee and chocolate combination.  I can’t wait to try some more!

After the race, we ate breakfast – yogurt, hemp granola and a banana for me.

And, a veggie juice (I have no idea what was in it, since the shop was out of a lot, but it tasted mostly like carrots).

Then, we headed out on the boat!

We ended up on Shelter Island’s shore.  The houses are gorgeous!

It was a phenomenal day – sunny and hot, but cooler on the water.

Everyone had fun swimming in the ocean and enjoying the day.

It was the perfect summer day.

We ate a late lunch, then headed to the ferry for our journey home.  I hate that weekends have to come to an end!!

After my run, all I was craving was a smoothie.  I mixed up my favorite Chocolate Cherry Bomb.

• 1 banana
• 1 cup frozen cherries
• 1 cup chocolate almond milk
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 4 oz vanilla yogurt
• 1 scoop vanilla SunWarrior protein powder
• 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

This was perfect after a hot and sweaty run.  I slurped it up and it kept me very full until lunch.

For lunch, I made up a bowl of leftover Cabbage Stirfry from last night and leftover Breaded Eggplant from Friday night’s dinner.

I really really liked this stirfry!  The flavors were awesome and the eggplant held up really well.

I also had an apple with cinnamon peanut butter as part of my lunch.

A good and filling lunch.  I always like when lunch has different parts to it.  It keeps it interesting.

Mid-afternoon on my way to pick up our CSA, I snacked on a Mango Maca Prana Bar.  This flavor was awesome!  The mango was not overpowering and I could taste coconut, which I love.

I hit up the Natural Foods Store on my way home to buy a few things and I picked up this Kombucha Drink as well.

Mmmm…so good!  It basically tasted like a sparkling lemonade.  I loved it.  It was $1.29 a pop at my local health foods store, but I have heard that they are more at Whole Foods.  Each drink is 60 calories and contains Kombucha, green tea, lemon and natural cane sugar.

Once I unpacked all of our CSA items (post with everything to come later this week), I got started on dinner.  We kept it simple tonight because we were both hungry!

A Sunshine veggie burger on a whole wheat burger bun topped with lemon hummus, homemade pesto and ketchup.  I’m not going to lie, this tasted great!

And, kale chips with a ketchup dipper.

After washing and drying the kale, I sprayed the leaves with a little olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and pepper.  Then baked for 15 minutes at 350F.

Kale chips are such a good way to get your family (and friends!) to eat their greens!  They may not taste like potato chips, but they are pretty darn good, especially if you sprinkle them with salt and dip them in ketchup.  Even kids would like them!

Dinner was very satisfying, but I have gotten into this bad habit of having at least a bite of something sweet after dinner…off to find a bite of chocolate!

Good night.

When on vacation with a group it is sometimes hard to always eat what you want.  Not everyone has the same tastes, you don’t want to spend a lot, etc.

In order to keep from stressing too much about that, I just make sure to bring my own snacks and healthy additions to meals and desserts.  It is much easier to bring food along when you are going on a road trip, but it is definitely still possible to throw some simple things into your suitcase on a plane.

Before the weekend, I made a trip to Trader Joe’s to pick up some simple and healthy snacks.

I picked up bananas, almond milk, and a few packets of protein powder to make quick, simple, satisfying and healthy smoothies.  These can be made for a quick meal or for a mid-day snack.

I packed my small Magic Bullet, too!  I just got this blender, but I plan to take it with me regularly on trips now, including on a plane.  It does not take up a lot of room and you could pack protein powders in the cup itself to save room.

Yogurt, bananas and granola can always be eaten for a meal or snack.

Hummus, avocados and crackers (and I will be sure to pick up some veggies when we get down there) for me to bring out to snack on when the bags of chips and other snacks come out.  Hummus and avocados can also be added to salad or veggies to make a meal!

Another simple and easy thing to bring is pre-cooked rice and beans!  Trader Joe’s has a great variety, my favorite being the Black Beluga Lentils and the Brown Rice.  These pre-cooked packets can be heated on the stove or microwave in a couple of minutes and make the perfect addition to any meal.

Other snack items include dried fruit, trail mix, granola bars and peanut butter packets that you can pack and bring anywhere with you.

I also made sure to make some healthier homemade muffins and cookies.

Carrot Banana Muffins (see recipe here)

Blueberry Muffins (see recipe here)

Super Charge Me Cookies (see recipe here)

By bringing my own snacks, I can piece together simple meals if need be.  I feel better about myself and my body feels better when I continue to eat as I normally do.  I want to feel good while on vacation, so a little planning beforehand is well worth the effort.  Plus, once you get into this routine, it takes no extra time to prepare at all!

Yes, this may seem like a lot, and it is because we are taking our car, which means a cooler is available.  If you are flying somewhere, pack some granola bars, dried fruit and protein powder packs in your suitcase for snacks and hit up a grocery store for fruits and veggies once you arrive at your destination.

I also always pack my resistance bands and exercise clothes.

The bands are easy to use for 10-20 minutes each morning for a quick workout along with pushups and situps.  While walking and/or running is a perfect way to explore a new area and a great way to squeeze in some exercise!

Working out and eating well while traveling can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be!  All you need is a little prep and your vacation can be all that you want it to be.

Happy traveling!

I pulled out the last container of the Sprouted Quinoa salad leftovers, a yogurt and some peaches.

The salad was just ok today.  The avocado, apricots and strawberries were a little mushy, but nothing I coulnd’t handle.  The flavors had really absorbed as well.  I am not a waster, so I picked my way through and ate mostly the fruit and quinoa and dumped the rest.

This yogurt is full fat and tastes amazing.   Full of apricot and mango chunks!

It has more sugar than I would like, but I normally eat plain yogurt, so a little sugar isn’t going to kill me!

(ps…try freezing this yogurt for an hour or so and enjoy a rich, creamy frozen yogurt in place of dessert!)

Have you ever seen a peach look like this before?

That, my friends, is a donut peach!  Otherwise known as a saturn peach or saucer peach due to it’s resemblance.

It may look like a donut, but it sure doesn’t taste like a donut!

These donut peaches are actually delicious.  They have very very fine fuzz on the skin and are extremely sweet and juicy.  They remind me more of the look of a nectarine or white peach because the skin and flesh is mostly white.

(Source)

And, you get the faintest hint of almond flavor at the end.

I love trying new fruits and veggies.  It keeps it interesting.

I scarfed down this granola bar before my quick 3 mile run tonight (in 27 minutes).

They are the best granola bars!

Then, made a super quick dinner before heading out.

An Apple & Goat Cheddar Sandwich on Chipotle Black Bean Bread.

I sliced up the apple really thin, cut small strips of goat cheddar cheese, spread some dijon mustard onto the bread and drizzled everything with honey!  Then, grilled the sandwich until the cheese was melted.

Served along with another salad.  A mix of red leaf CSA lettuce, radishes, jicama, a few pumpkin seeds, rosemary marcona almonds and raisins.  Once again, the greens were mixed with balsamic honey and olive oil.

I learned a new trick yesterday from Emily at The Front Burner.  Chop up your raisins so that you can spread them around your salad more without all of the added calories.  You get a raisin in every bite!

The sandwich combination was awesome!  Sweet and spicy.  I loved it.  With a few tiny pickles.

YUM!

Below are just a few fun finds from the market!

Radishes

Garlic Scrapes

Workout

After taking ALL of last week off of exercising, I started to really miss it.  I spent the first half of my week panicking about my test, and the second half having trouble getting motivated!  All of a sudden I didn’t have to study anymore and I was completely exhausted.  I figured that catching up on sleep was the most important thing for me to do.

But, it’s a new week and I’m back at it!

After work today, I hit the road for a much needed workout.  I ran 5.25 miles in 51 minutes, then walked for another 9 minutes to give me 60 minutes of cardio.  Once home, I spent a good 20 minutes on strength, balance and stretching exercises.

After taking a break from weight training, I am trying to focus on my stability and balance before jumping right back into it.  That last thing I need to do is get hurt!  Tonight, I focused on a circuit session with squats, lunges, pushups and plank, then stretching.  It felt good to stretch so much!  So many people jump right into weight training and forget how important it is to stabilize your core before hitting up a tough routine.

Breakfast

For breakfast, I had some Steel Cut Oats that I had previously prepared.  Yesterday, I made up a big batch of oats for the week.  I used 1 cup of steel cut oats and 4 tbsp of freshly ground flax seed.

This morning, I took out a serving and mixed in a little bit of milk, 1/2 of a mashed banana and 1 tsp cinnamon, then heat it up in the microwave.  It surprisingly came out just like normal!  I am trying to find ways to make my breakfasts easier in the morning to be able to enjoy then instead of eating on the go all the time.  This worked wonders…and I have enough to last me all week.

I added 1 tbsp vanilla almond butter, raw granola and a few chopped strawberries for toppings and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast!

Native strawberries might be my favorite summertime fruit!

Lunch

For lunch, I packed my leftover Cabbage Pizza from Saturday with some hummus and salsa for dippers.

And, the last of my Saratoga yogurt with a few strawberries and Kaia Raisin Cinnamon granola.

Before my run, I snacked on a Pear Ginger Prana Bar, then came home to make an easy summertime dinner.

Dinner

The Clean Food cookbook is quickly becoming a favorite of mine.  Terry Walters, the author, has so many wonderful and simple recipes in the book (and, I cannot wait for her new cookbook to come out soon)!  It is definitely worth purchasing.  Over the weekend, I sprouted some grains to have for the week (more on how to sprout later this week!), so dinner was easy to put together.

Sprouted Quinoa with Strawberries and Lime (recipe from Clean Food)

I chopped up the following:

• 1 heaping cup strawberries
• 1/2 jicama
• 2 tomatillos
• 1 daikon radish
• bunch of radishes from farmers market
• 2 avocados
• 2 apricots

And, mixed up a dressing which I changed around a bit since we didn’t have all of the ingredients the recipe called for.  We mixed up 1/8 cup olive oil, 4 tbsp lime juice, 1/8 cup lemonade, 1 chopped jalapeno.

I added the dressing to the sprouted quinoa and fruits.  I kept the avocado separate and gently mixed that in afterward to keep it from getting mushy (this technique worked well!).

This was such a refreshing meal served on a bed of lettuce.

I enjoyed it with a few small slices of black bean bread and a glass of my Mint Mojito Iced tea.

I love summer!