One of the things i could not wait to do after i had baby M was get back into the gym for a good sweat sesh. Looking back i was uber careful during my pregnancy with working out, i basically stopped all cardio and stuck with light weight lifting, walking and yoga. Im happy i did, because it gave me piece of mind that i was not overdoing it and potentially causing harm to the baby.
My first "workout" came about two weeks after i had M, i went down to the gym for an incline walk. This was a great first workout since i had stopped working out about a week before birth plus the two weeks after birth. The next time i worked out was at 3 weeks pp (pp= postpartum). This time i decided to step it up and do some high intensity interval training, mainly in the form of burpees and air squats. The higher intensity felt great, but i was dead by the end of it (30 minutes or so). Over the next couple of days, i noticed a big decrease in my milk supply. After a quick google search, i realized that my intense exercise may have caused this (inadequate hydration was another culprit). I was a little frustrated since i was so excited about getting back into the swing of things, and firming up my core! So i took it easy for the next 2-3 weeks, only going for walks with baby M and some light yoga. I also made sure to drink a TON of water and eat a lot of healthy fats. About a week ago i decided to attempt a high intensity workout again, this time making sure i was hydrated before and after and making sure to eat an extra meal high in healthy fats to make up for the workout. My milk supply didnt suffer and i have been able to maintain working out 3-4 days a week for the past 2 weeks. Looking back, i think the mistake i made the first time was not drinking enough water. Lesson learned!
I have been focusing on lower body exercises because i have a 10 pound 6 ounce weight that gives me all the upper body training i could possibly need :)
Here is the workout i did this morning, it was a doozy!
Workout 1
Lunges with Rotation (20 on each side)
Squat with cross body medicine ball (20 reps)
Burpees (1 minute- as many reps as possible)
Squat with side kick (20 on each side)
Curtsey squat with kick (20 each side)
Air Squats (1 minute)
Laying plie squat (20 reps)
Arabesque (20 reps)
Cardio: 30 minutes on stair mill
Monday, September 16, 2013
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Postpartum Eats
I hadn't really thought about how my diet would change after pregnancy, though i knew i still needed to be careful of what i ate while breastfeeding since the mothers diet can impact the taste and tolerance of breastmilk. Overall my diet after having baby M has been pretty much the same as during my pregnancy, though i have indulged in rainbow rolls and a few glasses of chardonnay! While breastfeeding it is very important to make sure you are taking in enough calories to maintain milk supply (I keep having to remind myself that extra calories from ice cream and chocolate aren't the best). Healthy fats are also key to making sure your milk is adequate for the baby to grow, so bring on the avocados, nut butter and salmon! It is also important to continue taking a prenatal vitamin. Your body will use your stores of vitamins to make sure your breastmilk is supplying your baby with all the needed vitamins, so you must make sure you are maintaining your stores of vitamins so you don't become deficient yourself. We have been lucky in that baby M has been tolerating breastmilk so far, and i haven't had to make any drastic diet changes like excluding dairy.
Typical day of eats:
Breakfast: Oatmega bar, apple and coffee
WATER
Lunch: Huge salad with one whole avocado, a hard boiled egg, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes (and any other veggie i have on hand), blue cheese dressing
WATER
Lunch dessert: high protein cookie
WATER
Afternoon snack: apple with peanut butter, two squares of dark chocolate
WATER
Dinner: varies- homemade pizza, stuffed chicken and salad, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken picatta, pasta with sausage etc
WATER
Dessert: pudding with cool whip, ice cream or skinny cow ice cream sandwich
WATER
As you can see, water is hugely important in maintaining milk supply!
Typical day of eats:
Breakfast: Oatmega bar, apple and coffee
WATER
Lunch: Huge salad with one whole avocado, a hard boiled egg, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes (and any other veggie i have on hand), blue cheese dressing
WATER
Lunch dessert: high protein cookie
WATER
Afternoon snack: apple with peanut butter, two squares of dark chocolate
WATER
Dinner: varies- homemade pizza, stuffed chicken and salad, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken picatta, pasta with sausage etc
WATER
Dessert: pudding with cool whip, ice cream or skinny cow ice cream sandwich
WATER
As you can see, water is hugely important in maintaining milk supply!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Life Lately
I read numerous blogs daily, but have again neglected to be consistent with my own. I keep telling myself that i will get into a routine and start blogging on a regular basis, even if it is only once a week. Though i find myself favoring playing with the little one while she is awake, and reading, catching up on my favorite TV shows, and prepping food while she is napping. I just cant seem to incorporate blogging into my daily routine. So this is another attempt :)
July 30, 2013 at 1:21 pm, our lives changed forever. Little miss Madison Grace was born and we were instantly enamored and more in love than we ever thought possible.
I have spent the last 6 weeks figuring out how to be the best mommy for baby M that I can be. Sleep has been limited, but the love and joy we have experienced is unmatched. I never thought being a mommy would be a natural instinct for me, but i was pleasantly surprised. I know i still have a lot of learning to do, but i was surprised at how comfortable i felt with baby M and how i knew how to feed, love and nurture her from the start.
So what has life been like lately? Our families have been visiting, which has been awesome. It is so nice to see baby M meet her grandparents, aunts and uncles. Living away from our families has always been tough, so we feel blessed that they have all made the effort to come visit and spend time with our new family of three.
A day in the life...
We are still not on a regular schedule since M is still eating every 2-3 hours, so times can vary depending on when she eats, though we do have a sequence of events that we usually do each day.
6-7am: wake up for the day, feed baby M. After eating and a diaper change, Baby M hangs out in bed with us while we drink our coffee, check emails etc.
8-10 am: After playing in bed a bit, we get M ready for her first nap of the day. Sometimes this is in our bed, sometimes back in the crib.
10-11 am: Wake up, eat, play! When M starts to look tired again, she goes in the car seat and we walk to the gym. She usually falls back asleep on the stroller ride to the gym and then I can get a good workout in.
12-1: I shower while baby M is usually starting to wake up again. After my shower, baby M eats again, we play a little and then back down for a nap. I usually try to do some prep for dinner in this afternoon nap.
3-4: Baby M wakes up, we eat and play again. She usually will not go down for another nap after this. For some reason, early evening is the witching hour and she is pretty fussy. I usually cant do much for dinner prep until the hubby comes home and can relieve me since M is still pretty fussy.
6-7. We try to eat dinner...lol
7-8: Feed baby M, then it is bath time! M loves the bath and it usually tires her out pretty well. After the bath we read a couple of books and rock in the glider. We put on the lullaby station on pandora and have quiet time.
8-9: Getting baby M to sleep. We usually have to stay in her room for a little while, keep putting her pacifier back in her mouth when she spits it out and cries. She is usually asleep by 9.
9-10: Unwind with the hubby.
10-11: Dreamfeed for baby M, then we go to bed.
I have been getting up once in the middle of the night because M can now get a 5 hour stretch after the dream feeding (usually i get up around 3), and then the next feeding is between 6-7 and i get up for good.
I feel like i have a lot more to talk about now that i am busy with a baby, especially some nutrition and fitness related topics. Ill be checking back in soon...
July 30, 2013 at 1:21 pm, our lives changed forever. Little miss Madison Grace was born and we were instantly enamored and more in love than we ever thought possible.
So what has life been like lately? Our families have been visiting, which has been awesome. It is so nice to see baby M meet her grandparents, aunts and uncles. Living away from our families has always been tough, so we feel blessed that they have all made the effort to come visit and spend time with our new family of three.
 |
| Grandpa O and Aunt LaDonna |
 |
| Mimi |
 |
| Pops |
 |
| Mimi and Grandpa Deni |
 |
| Pops and Gamma Sue |
 |
| Aunt Dom and LaDonna |
 | |
| Mimi and Aunt Kelley |
A day in the life...
We are still not on a regular schedule since M is still eating every 2-3 hours, so times can vary depending on when she eats, though we do have a sequence of events that we usually do each day.
6-7am: wake up for the day, feed baby M. After eating and a diaper change, Baby M hangs out in bed with us while we drink our coffee, check emails etc.
8-10 am: After playing in bed a bit, we get M ready for her first nap of the day. Sometimes this is in our bed, sometimes back in the crib.
10-11 am: Wake up, eat, play! When M starts to look tired again, she goes in the car seat and we walk to the gym. She usually falls back asleep on the stroller ride to the gym and then I can get a good workout in.
12-1: I shower while baby M is usually starting to wake up again. After my shower, baby M eats again, we play a little and then back down for a nap. I usually try to do some prep for dinner in this afternoon nap.
3-4: Baby M wakes up, we eat and play again. She usually will not go down for another nap after this. For some reason, early evening is the witching hour and she is pretty fussy. I usually cant do much for dinner prep until the hubby comes home and can relieve me since M is still pretty fussy.
6-7. We try to eat dinner...lol
7-8: Feed baby M, then it is bath time! M loves the bath and it usually tires her out pretty well. After the bath we read a couple of books and rock in the glider. We put on the lullaby station on pandora and have quiet time.
8-9: Getting baby M to sleep. We usually have to stay in her room for a little while, keep putting her pacifier back in her mouth when she spits it out and cries. She is usually asleep by 9.
9-10: Unwind with the hubby.
10-11: Dreamfeed for baby M, then we go to bed.
I have been getting up once in the middle of the night because M can now get a 5 hour stretch after the dream feeding (usually i get up around 3), and then the next feeding is between 6-7 and i get up for good.
I feel like i have a lot more to talk about now that i am busy with a baby, especially some nutrition and fitness related topics. Ill be checking back in soon...
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Homemade Pizza Dough
One of my favorite meals is homemade pizza. The storebought or take
out variety just do not compare. I originally got hooked when my mom
started making homemade dough, but it took me a while to actually try
to make my own. I think the whole yeast and having to let the dough rise scared me!
One of the reasons i never wanted to attempt to make my own dough was
that it took too long. After mixing up the dough, it would have to
rise in a warm oven for a couple of hours. I have never been one to
come home from work and spend a few hours making dinner. I like 30
minute meals, because when im hungry, im hungry. I luckily found a
quick rising yeast at HEB that does not require the lengthy 2 hour
rising session. Just mix all the ingredients together, roll out the
dough, add the toppings, bake for 15 minutes and voila!
Dough:
2 cups flour (I use 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup white)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 packet quick rise yeast
1 tbsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 cup warm water
Directions:
Start with 1/2 cup wheat flour and 1/2 cup white flour in mixing bowl.
Add olive oil, yeast, oregano, salt and sugar. Add warm water and stir
until all ingrediets are mixed and a wet dough starts to form. Place
1/2 cup flour on countertop, roll wet dough mixture onto flour pile on
countertop. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour to top of we dough mixture (so
your hands dont get covered in dough). Knead flour into dough. dough
will become drier and less sticky. Once all flour is incorporated,
roll into desired shape. **I usually sprinkle cornmeal on the counter
while rolling dough out to avoid the dough from sticking to the
counter.
Add your favorite toppings. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes!
Some of my favorite pizza combinations:
Pesto, sundried tomatoes, mozarella cheese, feta cheese, chicken
sausage, onion, mushrooms, spinach
Crushed garlic and olive oil drizzle, mozarella, goat cheese, feta
cheese, red onion, mushrooms, artichokes, fresh basil
Marinara sauce, sausage, bell pepper, mushroom, onion
out variety just do not compare. I originally got hooked when my mom
started making homemade dough, but it took me a while to actually try
to make my own. I think the whole yeast and having to let the dough rise scared me!
One of the reasons i never wanted to attempt to make my own dough was
that it took too long. After mixing up the dough, it would have to
rise in a warm oven for a couple of hours. I have never been one to
come home from work and spend a few hours making dinner. I like 30
minute meals, because when im hungry, im hungry. I luckily found a
quick rising yeast at HEB that does not require the lengthy 2 hour
rising session. Just mix all the ingredients together, roll out the
dough, add the toppings, bake for 15 minutes and voila!
Dough:
2 cups flour (I use 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup white)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 packet quick rise yeast
1 tbsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
2/3 cup warm water
Directions:
Start with 1/2 cup wheat flour and 1/2 cup white flour in mixing bowl.
Add olive oil, yeast, oregano, salt and sugar. Add warm water and stir
until all ingrediets are mixed and a wet dough starts to form. Place
1/2 cup flour on countertop, roll wet dough mixture onto flour pile on
countertop. Add remaining 1/2 cup flour to top of we dough mixture (so
your hands dont get covered in dough). Knead flour into dough. dough
will become drier and less sticky. Once all flour is incorporated,
roll into desired shape. **I usually sprinkle cornmeal on the counter
while rolling dough out to avoid the dough from sticking to the
counter.
Add your favorite toppings. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes!
Some of my favorite pizza combinations:
Pesto, sundried tomatoes, mozarella cheese, feta cheese, chicken
sausage, onion, mushrooms, spinach
Crushed garlic and olive oil drizzle, mozarella, goat cheese, feta
cheese, red onion, mushrooms, artichokes, fresh basil
Marinara sauce, sausage, bell pepper, mushroom, onion
35 Weeks
Originally written 7/1/13
Time is flying, i cant believe in just 5 short weeks (or less) we will
have a precious little baby girl in our arms! It feels like i have
been pregnant forever, but honestly thinking about only having 5 more
weeks left makes me forget about how long i have been pregnant.
Nothing is really new this week, we had a doctor appointment this week
which is the last of the normal pee, blood pressure, weight, heartbeat
appointments! We are moving on to pelvic exams starting next week to
track progress. According to the doctor, my belly is measuring
"perfectly" meaning the little bean is growing just right! This makes
me a happy mama, partly because it reassures me that im not overly
large (since that is how i feel), but also because it reassures me
that i have been feeding the little bean enough to grow at the pace
she needs to grow at to enter the world healthy. As a dietitian,
providing proper nutrition without going overboard has been one of my
biggest worries throughout pregnancy and im sure it will continue
throughout breastfeeding and childhood.
Im looking forward to getting through labor and delivery, hoping that
my efforts in continuing to work out and practice yoga will get me
through a quick and easy delivery. Workouts have definitely changed
over the past few weeks. Pilates type leg exercises had been feeling
good, but now i feel a pulling in the lower abdomen that hurts during
the exercise and leaves me feeling crippled for a good 12 hours, so i
have stopped those. I have also become pretty lax on the yoga, now i
just do about 5 minutes of stretching (without the video) to stretch
out whatever i feel like. I have also been doing the Tracy Anderson
Pregnancy Project videos. These are broken down into 9 disks for each
month of pregnancy. I just started with month 8 this week (i had been
doing months 5 and 6 since i still felt like i could do the all of the
exercise) and there are some noticeable differences in the exercises.
Many are done with a chair for support, and it is a little slower
pace. This is perfect at this point, because it doesn't take much to
get the heart rate up and get tuckered out!
Looking forward to our last ultrasound next week! I hear they will be
estimating her weight...im hoping she is not measuring at 8 pounds
already!
Time is flying, i cant believe in just 5 short weeks (or less) we will
have a precious little baby girl in our arms! It feels like i have
been pregnant forever, but honestly thinking about only having 5 more
weeks left makes me forget about how long i have been pregnant.
Nothing is really new this week, we had a doctor appointment this week
which is the last of the normal pee, blood pressure, weight, heartbeat
appointments! We are moving on to pelvic exams starting next week to
track progress. According to the doctor, my belly is measuring
"perfectly" meaning the little bean is growing just right! This makes
me a happy mama, partly because it reassures me that im not overly
large (since that is how i feel), but also because it reassures me
that i have been feeding the little bean enough to grow at the pace
she needs to grow at to enter the world healthy. As a dietitian,
providing proper nutrition without going overboard has been one of my
biggest worries throughout pregnancy and im sure it will continue
throughout breastfeeding and childhood.
Im looking forward to getting through labor and delivery, hoping that
my efforts in continuing to work out and practice yoga will get me
through a quick and easy delivery. Workouts have definitely changed
over the past few weeks. Pilates type leg exercises had been feeling
good, but now i feel a pulling in the lower abdomen that hurts during
the exercise and leaves me feeling crippled for a good 12 hours, so i
have stopped those. I have also become pretty lax on the yoga, now i
just do about 5 minutes of stretching (without the video) to stretch
out whatever i feel like. I have also been doing the Tracy Anderson
Pregnancy Project videos. These are broken down into 9 disks for each
month of pregnancy. I just started with month 8 this week (i had been
doing months 5 and 6 since i still felt like i could do the all of the
exercise) and there are some noticeable differences in the exercises.
Many are done with a chair for support, and it is a little slower
pace. This is perfect at this point, because it doesn't take much to
get the heart rate up and get tuckered out!
Looking forward to our last ultrasound next week! I hear they will be
estimating her weight...im hoping she is not measuring at 8 pounds
already!
Friday, June 14, 2013
32 Weeks and Feeling PREGNANT
I was beginning to wonder when i would really start to feel pregnant. Not that i havent felt pregnant for the past oh 20 weeks or so, but i feel like i have been lucky enough to avoid many of the said pregnancy pitfalls..swollen feet, waddling etc. That all seemed to change this week, I think my belly has stretched so much and the little lady continues to grow so rapidly, that i am now flat out UNCOMFORTABLE.
1. Bruising near the top of my ribcage. Goodness gracious, i feel like i got punched in the belly! Im not sure if this is baby M's favorite place to hang out, or if she delivered a swift kick to the area at some point and now im feeling the after effects.
2. NO abdominal strength. I had noticed my ability to get out of bed, or sit up after a quick nap in my chair at work, was waning. Now it is a full on production to perform these once simple tasks. Bless my husband for seeing me struggle and helping to push me up, even in the middle of the night when im racing to the potty. I will never again look at my abs and not appreciate them for all they do for me!
3. Decreasing desire to work out. For most of my pregnancy i have maintained a solid 3-4 times per week workout regimen, usually with a 30-45 minute strength video followed by 30-45 minutes of vinyasa yoga. This week i have really been struggling with yoga, movements are much harder, i feel fatigued, and overall discouraged. I love the way i feel after im all stretched out, so i have been sticking to the short 15 minute version instead of the longer sessions. I am also struggling to get through the normal workout videos i had previously been breezing through. I am proud of my self for staying active this long, but i think the workout videos and vinyasa yoga will soon be replaced with walks through the neighborhood and gentle yoga sessions.
4. Its HOT. I know its summer, and i know its supposed to be hot, but there is something about carrying around and extra 20 or so pounds that makes it that much more miserable. My maternity wardrobe is limited, so my one pair of maternity shorts and couple of maternity dresses are getting me through most weeks.
Those are the bad things i have been feeling, but i assure you there are many MANY more good things that i am feeling now that we are getting close to finally meeting Baby M!
1. Bruising near the top of my ribcage. Goodness gracious, i feel like i got punched in the belly! Im not sure if this is baby M's favorite place to hang out, or if she delivered a swift kick to the area at some point and now im feeling the after effects.
2. NO abdominal strength. I had noticed my ability to get out of bed, or sit up after a quick nap in my chair at work, was waning. Now it is a full on production to perform these once simple tasks. Bless my husband for seeing me struggle and helping to push me up, even in the middle of the night when im racing to the potty. I will never again look at my abs and not appreciate them for all they do for me!
3. Decreasing desire to work out. For most of my pregnancy i have maintained a solid 3-4 times per week workout regimen, usually with a 30-45 minute strength video followed by 30-45 minutes of vinyasa yoga. This week i have really been struggling with yoga, movements are much harder, i feel fatigued, and overall discouraged. I love the way i feel after im all stretched out, so i have been sticking to the short 15 minute version instead of the longer sessions. I am also struggling to get through the normal workout videos i had previously been breezing through. I am proud of my self for staying active this long, but i think the workout videos and vinyasa yoga will soon be replaced with walks through the neighborhood and gentle yoga sessions.
4. Its HOT. I know its summer, and i know its supposed to be hot, but there is something about carrying around and extra 20 or so pounds that makes it that much more miserable. My maternity wardrobe is limited, so my one pair of maternity shorts and couple of maternity dresses are getting me through most weeks.
Those are the bad things i have been feeling, but i assure you there are many MANY more good things that i am feeling now that we are getting close to finally meeting Baby M!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Easy Pizza Dough
Ever since my mom started making homemade pizza, i have never been able to appreciate any other pizza variety quite as much. It took me a while to gain the confidence to attempt to make my own dough, but once i did, i realized how easy it was and how DELICIOUS the end result was!
Easy Pizza Dough
Top with your favorite ingredients. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
Enjoy!
Easy Pizza Dough
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (i usually use 1 cup white flour, 1 cup wheat)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 packet Fleischmans instant yeast
- 1 tbsp Oregano flakes
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2/3 cup warm- hot water
Top with your favorite ingredients. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
Enjoy!
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