Easing into Exercise

I admit I'm not very good at "easing" into anything.  I tend to be an "all or nothing" type person.

This pregnancy I once again managed to balloon right back up to my 200lb pregnancy body that I had at the end of my last pregnancy.  Even after being in the best shape of my life for my bodybuilding competition June 9th of last year.  Sigh.

But on the plus side for all you blog readers, I'm basically starting from scratch once again, so I'll make sure to post everything I'm doing right from day one.

On Thursday I had a rather depressing shopping trip.  I went out and bought the largest pair of jeans I've ever owned in my life, and also ran into someone I knew who, upon noticing my still-prominent belly, said, "Still in there, hey?".... before noticing the newborn in the shopping cart next to me.

So... me and my "all or nothing" mentality decided I was ready to hit the gym on Friday, just 6 days postpartum.  I had a great workout (back and rear delts) and it felt amazing to really push my muscles to exhaustion once again.  Unfortunately, my body didn't respond all that well afterwards and my postpartum bleeding started up again (it had already stopped).

One of these days I should really learn what the word "moderation" means.

I'm planning on taking the rest of the weekend off, and maybe I'll try hitting the gym again on Monday or Tuesday (though hopefully I can restrain myself from lifting the heaviest weights possible this time).

Welcome to the New Addition

Victoria Alyssa Grimsrud was born at 12:14am last Saturday, March 30th.  Welcome to our world, little one!  Here is the story of her birth:

Several times that last week I had false labour keeping me up past my bedtime, so I didn't get too excited when I was in bed last Friday night and they started once again.  This time they seemed a bit more regular, though not painful yet, so I started timing them.  Between 9-11pm I had consistent contractions 7 minutes apart for 30-40 seconds.  Around 11pm I decided that we were likely going to be heading to the hospital that night at some point as they seemed to be getting a bit stronger and headed back to the bedroom to wake up my hubby.  As soon as I got up and started moving around, the contractions jumped to 3 minutes apart and began intensifying.  By the time we left home I was certain this was the real thing.

Once at the hospital, I had a contraction in the car, on the way to the door, at the door, two in the entryway waiting for a nurse to buzz us in, two in the hallway on the way to the assessment room, and my next one once laying down in the assessment room broke my water.  The nurse left some hospital gowns and blankets for me and headed off.  When she got back, she gave me an exam and called it 7-8cm dilated.  She then left the room again to find a wheelchair to get me to the delivery room.  As soon as she left I had another contraction and began feeling the urge to push.  By the time she returned with several other nurses to try and move me, I really needed to push.  There didn't seem any other way to communicate this to them, so I just whipped open my legs and yelled, "I'M PUSHING!".  Someone glanced down and saw the head!  Then they all jumped into action, "Page a doctor from emergency, STAT!"... "Get warm towels!"... within 5 minutes my little 7lb 5oz baby entered this world.  It was less than 30 minutes from the time we arrived at the hospital!

What a night!

Waiting

It's that time in my pregnancy.  I'll be 37 weeks on Monday (due March 25th), and am definitely looking forward to having this over with.

I'll let you in on a secret.  I'm going to be almost starting from scratch again on my weight loss journey. I guess it's not a big secret if you've seen me around lately.  I've gained far too much weight once again, and have a long way to go.

On a more positive note, the motivation is definitely there to get my body back as soon as I get this baby out of me!  I'm truly looking forward to that sweet burn when I've pushed myself to the max, and the extra energy that comes from exercising and eating properly.  My goal is to be back to my "off season" weight by July 1st.  That's around 130lbs.  And 60lbs less than I currently weight.  I'm not entirely sure it's possible, but it would be nice if I could at least get close.

I have a plan.  I'm going to start with my original diet and training program that was made up for me after my last pregnancy and check in with my trainer every month or so to show my food journal and get measurements done.  This is pretty much exactly what I did the last time after my pregnancy except the program isn't new this time.  I'm hoping with all the muscle I built last winter that the weight will come off a bit easier this time and I won't have lost too much of what I worked so hard for.

Another part of my plan is to incorporate a bit more cardio this time, at least until I'm getting close to my off season weight.  I have roller derby twice per week, and I also picked up a double jogging stroller.  Now that I live in town, it will be really nice to take both babies out for a run whenever the weather is decent.

Pregnancy Workout DOs and DON'Ts

*Always make sure to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program!

Exercising while pregnant can be frustrating, but there are plenty of ways to keep moving.  As a general rule, most of the activities you were doing before can still be done well into your pregnancy, though you may need to modify them a bit.  With that in mind, here are some of the basic guidelines for pregnancy exercise:

DO - drink plenty of water

DO - take frequent breaks

DO - nourish yourself with whole foods

DO - exercise as often as you feel able

DO - keep yourself from overheating, especially in the first trimester

DO - avoid bouncing or jarring movements

DO - listen to your body!

DON'T - hold your breath while lifting weights

DON'T - do any exercises laying flat on your back past the first trimester

DON'T - push yourself to the point of being light-headed or past the point at which you can talk

DON'T - partake in activities that may put you at risk of injury

In the first trimester, I found that whenever I tried to lift weights I would almost puke.  Now that has gone away, only to be replaced with the feeling of having to pee within minutes of doing any kind of cardio!  It's frustrating at times, but if you listen to your body you will find something that works for you.

Good luck and stay fit!

3 Ways I Sabotage My Goals

I'd love to be able to say that I never get off track, never cheat outside my one day per week, and never miss a workout... but that would be far from the truth.

Everyone hits stumbling blocks along the way, although we always have the choice to pick ourselves up and start fresh.

These are the top ways in which I tend to sabotage my goals:

1.  Not eating often enough

Seems silly, right?  But if I go more than 3 hours without eating or get too hungry, I usually wind up eating far to much of the wrong things.  It's really easy to just get busy or distracted, and next thing I know I'm ravenous and ready to eat absolutely anything I can get my hands on (and usually the more calorie-dense, the better).  The solution?  Eat smaller meals more often.  Even set an alarm if you need to.

2.  Writing off entire days

I ate a donut at work, so I'll just eat whatever I want for the rest of the day and start fresh tomorrow.  I don't know if anyone else does this, but I definitely do!  I'll even write off the rest of the week with the intention of starting fresh on Monday!  How can this possibly make sense in my mind?  Each moment has the potential to be a fresh start.  Each meal you eat is an opportunity.  Use it!

3.  Catching myself unprepared

As long as I'm up-to-date on my grocery shopping, cooking and prepping, things tend to be good.  But guaranteed the one day I'm rushing around first thing in the morning and forget to pack a decent lunch will be the day there are donuts at work or I get stuck there for longer than anticipated and wind up running to the airport cafe for a burger.  If I pack enough healthy meals to get me through the entire day, things run a lot smoother.

That's about it!  I'm sure there are many other ways I've sabotaged myself, but I feel as though these are the three most critical to me.

5 Things I've Learned About Buying a House

A little off topic, I know.  But we're in the process of buying a house, and it's hard to get my mind off it at the moment!

But first, here is a picture of our new house:

And here are the things I've learned:

1.  Always Pay Credit Card Bills on Time!

I had about a 3 month period of time that my husband was in school and I couldn't pay off my entire credit card on my own income.  What I did terribly wrong, though, was to not even make the minimum payment ($10 or so) on time.  Instead I figured I'd just pay it all off once he was back to work.  Which I did.

Well, long story short, I kinda wrecked my credit rating just by this short period of not paying my minimum payments.  Credit card companies don't seem to care if you carry a balance, AS LONG AS YOU MAKE YOUR MINIMUM PAYMENTS!  So for just a couple $10 payments my credit rating would've still been intact!  What a joke.

2.  Start Saving Early

As much as we managed to scrape together what we needed in a very short time, things would have been much easier if we had started earlier.  Most employers are able to take a portion of your paycheque BEFORE you pay taxes on it and put it into an RRSP account for you, which can later be used for a downpayment.  Some employers even have an RRSP matching program to help you save!

Automatic savings are the most helpful, and if it's a small enough amount you usually don't ever really notice it leaving your account.  Just have it automatically taken out as soon as you get your paycheque.  If it's not there, you can't very well spend it, right?  With most banks you can also set up automatic savings plans (I like ING Direct for savings as I can set it all up and change it around whenever I like online).

3.  Keep Papers Organized!

Everything I've been through in the last month or so would have been infinitely harder if I wasn't able to easily find all the papers I needed.  Rental agreements, notices of assessment, paystubs, RRSP statements... anything you get in the mail that looks like it could be important probably will be at some point.

I keep all my important papers in an Ikea box with file folders, but I saw a neat idea on Pinterest recently as well.  Make up a small binder for each category and fill it with clear page protectors for any receipts, papers, etc.  I will most likely switch to the binder system within the next 6 months or so, as I think it'll make things a lot easier to find.

4.  Get Help!

I found a mortgage broker in Port Moody named Caroline Krilic.  She is amazing!  When I first contacted her, I thought it would be at least 6 more months of saving before we'd even be able to think about buying a place.  Well, here I am buying a place less than 2 months later!  Also, she has gone above and beyond to ensure that everything is approved and that we're not getting overloaded with things to do.

So if you're looking into buying a house, I'd highly recommend getting in touch with her.  This is her website:

http://www.vericozanders.com/index.php/mortgage-broker-port-moody-caroline-krilic

If you're the do-it-yourself type, you can buy a place on your own and find a mortgage on your own... but having a realtor and/or mortgage broker on your side sure does make things go a lot smoother.  And buying is stressful!

5.  Buying is Stressful!

I know I just mentioned that, but it's worth repeating.  The stress is nothing compared with the joys of owning a home, though :)

That's about it for today!

The 2 Rules of Fat

Fat seems to have acquired a bad reputation, but with these two simple rules eating fat can actually help with your weight loss goals!

1.  Moderation!  

I try to include good fats in 2-3 of my 6 meals per day.  Usually my first, possibly second and last meals.  In moderation, the right fats will actually help with your weight-loss goals.  I was eating the same amount of healthy fats right up until the day of my competition, although other parts of my diet changed.

The thing most people seem to confuse about fats is the appropriate serving size.  Sitting around and finishing off an entire bowl full of unseasoned nuts isn't going to help you out.  A serving size is approximately 10 almonds.

2.  Good fats only!

So what is a "good fat"?  Here is a list of some of my favourite healthy fats:

-unsalted nuts
-natural nut butters
-coconut oil
-ground flax seeds
-flaxseed oil
-fish oil

Avacadoes and salmon have lots of healthy fats in them as well, but I tend to count them as a veggie or protein and eat them in moderation.

One of my favourite fats to add to an evening meal is homemade spicy peanut sauce.  All you need is natural peanut butter, water, cayenne and salt (although it can be improved if you also have soy sauce and coconut milk).  Just add a couple heaping tablespoons of the peanut butter and a bit of liquid (water or coconut milk) to a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until peanut butter is mixed into the liquid.  Then continue adding liquid (including a bit of soy sauce, if applicable) to the mixture until it's at a consistency you like (careful not to add too much liquid or it will thin out too much).  Add salt and spices (make it as spicy as you can stand it so you don't need to use too much of it) and you're done!  I eat it on veggies and quinoa, mostly.