November 2019 Moms

May Healthy Habits/Fitness

edited May 2019 in November 2019 Moms
Hi all, I took the liberty of making this a monthly post this time so we can hopefully get some more traction going. I hope that's ok! This really helps with keeping me accountable! 

Check in here if you want to discuss working out, eating healthy, or any other healthy habit you're working on!

1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now?

2. How did you do in April?

3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success?

GTKY: What is your favorite trick for staying motivated to meet your goals?

Re: May Healthy Habits/Fitness

  • Check in here if you want to discuss working out, eating healthy, or any other healthy habit you're working on!

    1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now? Now that I'm feeling a little better, I want to cook more healthy meals. Also, since we will be announcing really soon I feel like I can play with going back to gym classes and group runs again. I've stayed to myself so I could do my own thing without anyone trying to push me.

    2. How did you do in April?
    Overall I'm happy with my exercise. I managed to at least walk on days I didn't feel well. I am so excited to be feeling some energy again!

    3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success?
    Putting together meal planning recipes. Setting up a weekly exercise schedule based on weather and gym class/group run times.

    GTKY: What is your favorite trick for staying motivated to meet your goals?
    Honestly, I am an unhappy person if I don't move my body somehow. I quit smoking (mostly socially but still)/started running 10 years ago and it changed me. And it's how I met my husband!

    Healthy eating is much harder for me!
  • Thanks for starting this! Monthly sounds good :)


    1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now?
    Eating healthy and working out 4 days per week.

    2. How did you do in April?
    Overall okay I think. I did not do very well this past week, I hardly worked out at all from being busy at work. I ate a bunch of ice cream and junk also. 

    3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success?
    I really need to get better at meal planning. I want to start putting together some sort of freezer meals/easy meals so that I can do that in October before baby comes and at that point I will already know which ones are good and which ones are not so good. 

    GTKY: What is your favorite trick for staying motivated to meet your goals?
    I feel like when I have a concrete goal, I'm good - like after my son was born, I stuck with weight watchers, came back to running, ran a 5k, then a 10k, then several halfs and it felt great, like I had this progression and a goal coming back after his birth. I do much worse with the sort of vague goals that I find myself trying to achieve in times like this, like "eat healthy, workout sometimes." I guess I just feel down on myself a little because even though obviously its temporary and for a good thing I just feel like why bother sometimes? I was going to run a 5k next weekend but now I'm not sure, just based on how slow I have been and how down that makes me feel. So I don't think I gave anyone any trick to stay motivated, just talked about how hard it is for me! Haha. 

    @runningfortwo81 are you finding recipes on pinterest? Always looking for new ideas for recipes!
  • Loading the player...
  • 1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now? Starting to move more again and eat less.

    2. How did you do in April? Terrible. Absolutely terrible. I gave up liquid caffeine for Lent very spur of the moment (like, Ash Wednesday I woke up and said lets do this after being at least a 2 cup of coffee a day and a soda) and to compensate for the extreme fatigue I was already feeling I started eating every carb in the world. I carried that straight through April. I had been low carb for about 6 months and was successful at losing avout 30lbs and I was also training for a half (That I didn't end up running because of stupid fatigue and SCH). The weight has been coming back on at an alarming rate and I feel like crap because of all of the crap Im eating.

    3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success? Move more! We have a comp at work starting for who can get the most steps in, going to explore more parks and trails with my family on the weekends, and remove the junk from the treadmill. I already set up 2 weekend trips to friends houses with the meet up being about going for a long walk. Im also going to get back to counting my carbs again to get back in the swing of that just in case I have GD again this time.

    GTKY: What is your favorite trick for staying motivated to meet your goals? Competition with friends and tracking on fitbit are my go to ones. I also love being active with my husband and am looking forward to getting him back on track with me!
  • cl4157cl4157 member
    1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now? Entering 2nd tri and feeling better so actively trying to get some cardio in. Have struggled for past 6 ish weeks to do any. Averaging 1/x a week. 

    2. How did you do in April? I did really well staying active- 20 pure barre classes and 4 peloton rides (this is bad considering I was doing 5/week up to about 6 weeks.) I ate what is to be expected in first tri— all the carbs if anything. 

    3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success?
    keeping my protein intake high and limiting the amount of snacks that are available in the house. If a real craving exists, I’ll be happy to make the trip out for it!


    GTKY: What is your favorite trick for staying motivated to meet your goals?
    lol at the word trick- it does seem like magic to handle everything and still make time to care about food and working out!
    i have a very monotonous work life(and I work from home). So, I try my best to make my schedule for exercise as exciting as possible during the week. I know it seems silly, but some days leaving the house is a major win. 

    @purplefan1 I am not that familiar with the diet for gestational diabetes... what is the recommended carb limit?

    @creamcheeseplease do you have an instant pot? LIFE SAVER. Also... literally no need to go as far as freezer meals sometimes. It makes being lazy so much more enjoyable. I will make a couple of shredded chicken breasts and it can serve all week without pre planning any meals or dealing with a full day of meal prep clean up!

    @runningfortwo81 I feel you on the eating struggles. We eat well enough and exercise well enough for a great balance and no issues. This pregnancy is already a problem because my exercise has changed and my food intake is already up and not in a quality way!! 
  • @cl4157 Im not sure if the diet is universal across the board but the MFM office I went to wanted us to aim for 15-30g for breakfast, 15-30g for morning snack, 40-60g for lunch, 15-30g for afternoon snack, 40-60g for dinner and 15-30g for night snack. It really wasnt hard to stay in the limits because that is actually a lot of carbs when you count them all up (140-240 a day). I also got really good at adding in more fiber which helped, getting in more exercise, and drinking lots of water. I was actually didnt gain any weight after my diagnosis and for the rest of pregnancy last time (started the pregnancy overweight and gained a LOT 1st tri and half of 2nd tri). Plus I felt really happy and healthy once I was eating right. Hopeful this time that just going back to that diet style now will help me feel less sluggish, exhausted, and yucky.
  • @cl4157 I really want an instant pot! we don't have one right now. That's definitely a good tip and would probably be more realistic than me actually meal prepping, haha. The freezer meals I have in mind are basically stir fry frozen in a bag though, ha.
  • 1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now?  Finally getting back into running after a rough first trimester with lots of bed rest and scary days.  I just went for my second run / walk this morning, still easing back in but it feels really great to get out again!

    2. How did you do in April?  Hmm.  Pretty sedentary due to aforementioned issues.  It was an FET and I had bleeding on a number of occasions so was on modified bed rest and exercise restrictions.

    3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success?  Keep running, I hope!

    GTKY: What is your favorite trick for staying motivated to meet your goals?  I lay my exercise clothing out on my dresser the night before so that it's the first thing I see when I get up!

    @runningfortwo81 have you had previous pregnancies where you were able to run?  I'm wondering how long you were able to continue — just for second tri or into third?  I'm trying to think of other possible kinds of exercise; historically I've pretty much only ever run (it's been a long time since I've been to a gym or class...)


  • I’m joining in here too!  I haven’t been able to motivate myself lately, so here we go!

    1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now? Moving, I’ve spent way too much of the last 4 weeks sitting and now that the weather is (hopefully) turning in MA I’ll be back to outside walks.  

    2. How did you do in April? I survived 😬.  I’ve done good eating healthy, but I’ve already gained more than I’m comfortable with for only being 10+4, so I know exercise is what is missing.  I’m definitely eating more fruit and (way) less veggies than I normally would, but it is what it is!  

    3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success?
    Regular walks with the stroller and I found a prenatal yoga class I want to try out.  They have a post natal one that you can bring baby to, so I’d love to keep it as part of my routine, at least weekly!  I was doing barre and hot yoga until some life events in January that threw off my routine, but I love barre and hope to incorporate it into home workouts.  I’m not so sure I’d feel comfortable jumping back into class at this point.  

    GTKY: What is your favorite trick for staying motivated to meet your goals? Remembering how uncomfortable I was in the 3rd tri last time around seems to help me motivate myself, but it has been so tough lately with feeling so yucky, I need to get my butt in gear!  Also, warm weather always does it for me, pregnant or not, so I’m feeling thankful that my second tri is right in line with Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer!  
  • Major props to all of you who exercised during the first trimester - I was a lump on my couch 

    1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now? Getting all my water, adding an apple and nuts back into my diet and working out in some way 1x/day

    2. How did you do in April? HAH - survived and took my vitamin everyday which was as much as I could handle.

    3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success? I have brought back my checklist and my Jillian Work Out App.  Every week I try to add something to my self improvement checklist. Right now I have my water, working out and apple.  Next week I am aiming to add a salad 3x a week instead of all the pasta I was eating in April.  I have definitely gained too much for the first trimester, I am hoping this trimester to not gain and just even out the weight so it is more baby and less mom's bad eating

    GTKY: What is your favorite trick for staying motivated to meet your goals? Checklists - former CPA here :)
  • edited May 2019
    @creamcheeseplease You should totally do the 5k! I bet you'll surprise yourself with how you feel during it, just find some others going about your pace and let them pull you along! Yes, mostly Pinterest. I have a few go-to's I found there that make good leftovers (last night I made chicken salad with grapes, apples, celery, pecans, and Greek yogurt) and I try to do a lot of brown rice/quinoa/farro bowls with some combo of ground turkey or chicken and veggies.

    @mimigarden I'm a first timer so we will see what happens! I do have a lot of close running friends that ran or worked out into 3rd trimester but I think it just depends on circumstances. One of my toughest friends had hyperemesis with both kids and was on bed rest for a lot of it but she bounced back both times and is super fit!
  • bmmimsbmmims member
    1. What healthy habit(s) are you working on right now? Closing my 3 rings on my apple watch at least 4x weekly. I have been doing SO good with my eating. If I could just get more than 2-3 workouts a week I would feel better. 

    2. How did you do in April? so-so; my eating has been much cleaner the past 3 weeks. Literally NO cheating or junk food :) 

    3. What are you planning on doing during the month of May to set yourself up for success? Continuing to log my food daily in MFP since it keeps me accountable. Setting aside more time to work out in the evenings. 

    @purplefan1 wow - Did not realize that the ranges for allowed carbs were still so high in a gestational diabetes type of diet! My Dr told me he wanted me to keep my carbs low so I am counting them as well. 
  • @bmmims I actually found it hard at times to be in those ranges because they felt high! Once I get settled in to a lower carb diet I actually feel awesome at under 100 grams of carbs a day. I just need to get in the mindset again and start counting for about 2 weeks and then it will become habit again.
  • Re running while pregnant, I did not run during my last pregnancy but I know many women who kept it up through their entire pregnancy, but I also know many who quit somewhere late second tri. I think that will likely be my fate and I will just do spin and walking. I should do weights more too.

    I am wondering though about a support belt. Any STM+ use one that they liked? I'm nearly 15w and honestly feel pretty big right now, and running is not that comfortable even though I'm going extra slow. 
  • Today starts my walking challenge at work so while the family was grocery shopping I hopped on the treadmill and got in 5000 of my goal 10000 steps for the day. Im also going to start altering my diet more tomorrow (im keeping an eye on carbs today but will actually start trying trying tomorrow). I got tons of movement in this weekend but am still seeing the scale creep quickly up. I dont mind the weight gain but I am alarmed at the rapid pace for 1st trimester. So the next two weeks before my 14 week check up I will try to get stuff more under control!
  • @purplefan1 I agree with the weight gain on my end too. It is happening much quicker than with my son’s pregnancy, and I’m eating waaayy healthier than I did back then.  I’m hoping more movement does it for me too, but I’m still feeling pretty yucky everyday.  
  • We started our challenge at work and Ive been killing it! Mondays I usually only get about 5,000 steps in total but this past Monday I got in 24,000!!! I started the day walking 3 miles on the treadmill at 515am and then throughout the day any chance I got I was outside walking. Still trying for at least 10,000 a day every day between now and Fathers day!
  • Wow that's great @purplefan1! It's been so long since I got over 20k steps, I'm very impressed!

    So I didn't end up doing the 5k I had planned on, mainly because it was 45 and raining on Mother's day, so that sounded very unpleasant. However I think I'm going to look for one soon. I did have a good weekend workout wise, ran on Saturday and then spin and weights on Sunday. This week so far just walking, and I was going to run after work but I forgot my workout stuff at home :(
  • @purplefan1 That is a lot of steps!

    Ran over the weekend and went to spin Monday but I woke up yesterday with a cough so I struggled through the work day and went straight to bed last night. Feeling a little better this morning but probably taking today off exercise, too until I can get this thing under control. 😞
  • bmmimsbmmims member
    @runningfortwo81 that was me yesterday! My son gave me his cold and I was MISERABLE last night. Thankfully its clearing up today and I plan to go to barre just because I need it and I will try to push through it. 
  • I started this pregnancy at 205 lbs and I’m down to 191 as of this morning.  Elliptical workout 3-4x/week, and aiming at 10,000 steps/day.  Come dinner time, I have no appetite.  But, I’m sure that will all change as 2nd tri approaches.  13 wks 2 days today.  Staying active and eating healthy.  So far, so good! 


  • @bmmims Good for you!  I did Pure Barre once back in early Feb and I thought I was going to die. LOL  I couldn't move for two days.
  • @perfectoops way to go with the exercise and eating healthy! You are going to have a great second tri. 

    @bmmims and @runningfortwo81, feel better! Colds suck but especially while pregnant. Take is easy so you recover faster!
  • Taking a look back at the week I am 4/5 for the week for either doing a work out or taking a 30 minute walk. 

    I gained 10lbs over the course of the last 15 weeks since the 1st trimester all I could stomach was garbage and I want to see if I can ease off on weight gain until week 25 so that it is more evenly distributed.  Fingers crossed!
  • @dancer688 yes to leveling out. I just wanted all of the carbs all of the time to give me energy to stay awake. Hoping second tri I can start incorporating a little caffeine again and go more to lower carb and not gain so rapidly.
  • @purplefan1 and @Dancer688 I’m with you on the leveling out.  I’ve been doing good regarding eating crap, but I’ve gained 13 pounds and I’m only at 12 weeks.  I was doing a Mediterranean diet right before getting pregnant and had lost 5 pounds, so possibly that has something to do with it?  I just hope it doesn’t continue at this rate, I’m already at risk for hypertension and my body has been through a lot this ost year with fertility treatments so I feel like I wasn’t at my ideal, feel good and healthy weight to begin with.  I’ve been eating sprouted grain bagels and toast instead of regular (I made the switch in November) and I feel like that has helped a bit, I definitely feel less guilty about it!  
  • @rogro118 I should look to changing my bagels.  That is my current go-to breakfast.  Does sprouted grain taste like whole wheat?  I mean, first maybe I should try at least going wheat from white but I am always slow to make food changes even though they make the biggest difference.
  • @Dancer688, they’re more like a multigrain and you can tell the difference but I’m really in it for the butter or cream cheese haha.  Once I got used to them, I don’t miss regular bread at all.  The best brand I’ve found is Alvarado St. Bakery at Whole Foods.  I like their California style bread and the seasame bagels.  
  • I am finally kicking this cold and I am so ready to MOVE my body again! Rest was needed but I was going stir crazy!
  • Hey ladies, wanted to share a new (to me) recipe I tried last night that was really good and super easy and healthy. I even bought pre-made zoodles at the grocery store! I forgot to add the parmesan and it really didn't need it! Definitely recommend making the bruschetta an hour or so before you eat if possible to let flavors mix. 

    https://whitneybond.com/bruschetta-grilled-chicken-zoodle-bowls/
  • Forgot my fitbit at home today while we traveled to see family. Still in that work challenge so when we got home I got my 10,000 steps in on the treadmill and elliptical. 

    Anyone else get a pressure sensation while they are working out? Both last pregnancy and this pregnancy especially in 1st tri I get this weird sensation like I have pressure on my cervix. I, of course, worry it means I will have an incompetent cervix (felt a lot better last pregnancy when they measured at about 18 weeks and verified I had an extra long cervix) but the pressure is enough to get me to decrease my exercise. It is why I skipped a half marathon that I had trained for when I was 7 weeks pregnant. Just wish there was ways to know that what I am doing in no way will hurt the baby. 
  • @purplefan1 - during some exercises I do.  Usually I'll decrease the difficulty if I am concerned or take a few minutes to breathe to see if it continues.  Sometimes it is just the baby moving around and pressing on different places.   I am also weird and avoid any sort of jumping even though I think it is still okay I can't get over the thought that I am shaking the baby.  
  • I've noticed lately that my normal elliptical workouts are getting tougher to complete.  Drinking more water during the exercise and feeling more out of breath.  Takes me a little longer to complete my calorie burning goal now.  Hello second trimester. LOL  
  • bmmimsbmmims member
    I totally effed up my diet. I carbed out the past three days and I have kept it entirely low carb for 4 weeks. Getting back to it today but I had a dr appt yesterday and just from those 3 days, I gained 4 lbs (water weight) feeling some guilt today but back to logging into My Fitness Pal and forcing myself to get one workout done today. 

    Do you guys have any favorite youtube, prime etc low impact workouts? 
  • @bmmims I find myself most likely to carb out when I am running on empty. Today is an example where I feel absolutely tapped out but I need to get stuff done. So Im reaching for carbs like crazy. People have been asking me if Im pregnant but it isnt being of my growing baby bump but because my stomach is distended from all of the carbs!
  • @bmmims - I had a prenatal dvd that I have loved since I got it 3 years ago. Fit & Sleek Prenatal Physique- Prenatal Workout with Complete Pregnancy Training Plan  Not sure if it is still around but I use that and then Jillian Michaels has a prenatal work out program by trimester that I have used and I like it.  

    I did 5/7 workouts this week (I know it isn't friday but relatives really throw life out of whack sometimes)  Still pretty bad at my diet...McDonald's on the way home from kids activities is just WAYYYY to easy & OMG not upset about it but I went into NYC and there was a Chick-Fil-A so I needed that in my life. 

    Does anyone make salads ahead of time...or know how long they last?  I feel like it is was already prepped I would maybe at least thing about that over ordering bad choices...Still have to figure out some better lunches. 
  • edited May 2019
    @bmmims Yoga with Adriene is great. I'm pretty sure she has some prenatal specific but if not she's really low key and doesn't do much in the way of twisting. 


  • @Dancer688 sometimes I make a big salad and I think it’s fine for a couple days. I usually wait to put stuff like tomatoes in there until right when I’m ready to eat that portion though. But the lettuce and carrots and stuff are okay to prep In advance. 

    Not that im even doing anything much this weekend, but my eating is a little off with the long weekend. I had to have a bagel with veggie cream cheese this morning- it was amazing, lol. Going to eat a healthier dinner I hope. I just did a tone it up weights total body workout so that felt good. 
  • @Dancer688 It's good to see you keep improving on meal choice and ur workout...u post a lot in the thread and I imagine it's encouraging. That's how I believe I'll get motivated...
     
    As for me..i I have not worked out once but I am working on healthier meal choices.  I'm steady, at 167 (62in) lost 3 lbs...it may have jumped up after this long weekend. Either way, I've asked my little  sister the 5'2 120 lbs to make a workout schedule for me and call me to hold me accountable. I'll start 01 June.

    In my office we have started a water challenge (60oz while at work) (40oz at home) , a push up challenge (100 a day) and 10000 step challenge.

    Day 1 starts tomorrow.


Sign In or Register to comment.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"