Dec 22, 2014

The honeymoon is over....

Good morning and hello to the few blog readers I might have after neglecting this poor corner of the internet for far too long! As I’m sure you can imagine, pregnancy has been more consuming than I ever thought…and while I’m so very grateful for being able to carry a child and the blessing of being able to get pregnant at all, I’m now 36 weeks and it’s safe to say the honeymoon is over J
I’ve had a fairly easy pregnancy – no major issues to speak of, especially compared to many of my friends whom I watched have terrible morning sickness, battles with Pre-E, back issues, etc, but I’ve been lucky enough to avoid all that thankfully.  I’m nearing the end now with less than a month to go before my due date (eek!) and as of next week I’ll be considered “full term”, which means she could come at any time after that!  In short, I’m exhausted! My hands and feet are super swollen pretty much all the time, and it’s a chore just to roll over in bed.
I’m feeling huge these days…officially at my highest weight ever, and ready to get back on the fitness bandwagon.  I guess it’s good timing that she’s coming in January since those weight loss resolutions always seem strongest this time of year, right??
So, I’m planning on starting off January with a little kick-start to my own resolution…. As tired as I am right now, I know that even just getting in some walking on the treadmill each day will help me when it comes to my delivery and post-partum recovery, so I’m starting a new accountability group 2 weeks from today, January 5th, to kick off those resolutions….I’m going to be using the 21 day fix again to get myself back into pre-baby shape, and I’m super excited about the new 21 day fix EXTREME that’s being released at the beginning of February (again, perfect timing!) for when I’m really ready to hit it hard.  The other great news is that they’ve broken out the nutrition program by itself now, simply called the “portion fix”, so you can use it with ANY fitness program you choose, including those of you who like to go to the gym as opposed to doing home workouts.  Pretty genius right? Anyways, if you’re interested in joining me, shoot me an email at babebeforebaby@gmail.com, as you’ll have to get your order in soon to get it in time with all the holidays quickly approaching!  2015 is going to bring some pretty amazing things, I can feel it!

Nov 28, 2014

eShakti Review and Coupon Code

Happy Black Friday! I hope everyone is recovering from their Turkey Comas today, and if you're looking to do some online shopping instead of braving the storm, I've got a good post for you today. Note that I was given free merchandise in exchange for my blog review, but the opinions below are entirely my own and in no way affected by the nature of this relationship.
Have you heard of eShakti? They're an online retailer that specializes in custom orders (website here: http://eshakti.com/Products/FALL)  They contacted me last month to see if I'd be interested in doing a review for my blog, and while I was excited to do so, I was nervous because they didn't carry any maternity clothes and here I am 8 months pregnant.  
No maternity clothes? No problem they said! Just send us your custom measurements and we'll customize any dress so that it fits your pregnant belly :) I was really excited about this, since I was having a hard time finding a dress for my baby shower, I figured this was the perfect opportunity.
I chose this dress to customize, because I loved the color and I LOVED the ruffle detail at the top.

Now, this is the important part..send them your REAL measurements! Not the ones you wish you were, or the ones you think you might be when the dress arrives...I was super nervous about how much my chest and belly would grow over the course of a month and a half, so I basically added "a few" inches to all of my measurements just in case...the result was a dress that was pretty big on me all around.  I was in love with the dress otherwise though, so I just pinned and tied it the best I could...I'm actually hoping to be able to have it altered after the baby comes so I can wear it again, I love it that much, and I got TONS of compliments on it at my shower!


Overall, the company was great to work with, they have so many beautiful dresses to choose from, and it's no big deal to get custom measurements, or change the length of the hem, or add sleeves, etc, so I really think I"ll use them again in the future.  
If you join their email list, you get a $30 credit right off the bat, and they've also thrown in a coupon code for all of my readers to use for an additional 10% off!
Just type in the code "babebeforebaby" at checkout :) Talk about a good Black Friday deal!!


Please note:
Code has to be entered in the ‘promotional code’ box.   It is not case-sensitive.  
Code can be used any number of times until the validity period. 
It can be clubbed with any other promotional offer, gift coupon or gift card in the same order unless explicitly specified otherwise in the offer conditions.
This discount code is not applicable on clearance / sale, gift cards & overstock categories.
Not applicable on previous purchases.



And while you're at it, check out the eShakti pages on FBPinterest & Instagram  where they post specials and sales! Happy Holiday shopping!

Nov 26, 2014

Showered with Love

This past Sunday, my sisters threw me a beautiful baby shower!
It was perfect in every way, and I'm so grateful to them and all the hard work they put in.  We got more stuff for our baby girl than we know what to do with...thankfully we have a few more weeks to sort through it all before she makes her debut, but she's already spoiled :)  My sisters (and my nieces) were amazing and made the room beautiful; they even decorated the present table with a whole clothesline of new clothes for our little girl!



My best friend and her mom also helped by putting together some beautiful diaper cake creations for all of the table centerpieces, they were so adorable and too pretty to take apart!! 



One of my favorite parts of the shower was this little activity my sisters came up with, to leave us notes on a diaper for those late night changings...they're seriously hilarious!


Overall it was a wonderful day; I feel so very lucky to have so many people in our lives that were willing to shower us with their love and gifts for our baby girl...now to find a place to put everything!!

Nov 6, 2014

Third trimester!?! You snuck up on me!

Wow! Here I am, neglecting this blog, and before I know it, I’m already 29 weeks and into my 3rd trimester!


Things are moving along quickly…I’m actually feeling a bit panicked lately realizing that I have about 10 and a half weeks to go until my official due date, and with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s thrown in there, there’s not much time to get things done and get all my appointments made!

We’re checking things off the list slowly but surely, I've been touring daycare centers for a few weeks now, and we’re close to making a decision on that (side bar: holy expensive!).  We have an appointment to meet with a possible pediatrician in 2 weeks, we took our maternity tour of the hospital last week, and have a few birthing and breast feeding classes to get to in the next few weeks.

I’m starting to think about things like packing for the hospital, and meanwhile I don’t even have anything in the nursery ready!
We’ve decided which room to make the nursery (we have 2 extra bedrooms right now), so we did start cleaning that room out last weekend, but we’ve got some serious work to do still! I’ll be sure to post pictures when we get it further along, but there’s nothing to look at right now lol.

I’m trying my best to stay active and make healthy choices, but I’d be lying if I said I was perfect.  I’m working out a few days a week, walking as much as I can, and probably eating more poorly than I have in a few years, but I’m trying not to be too hard on myself about it.

The baby is moving around pretty regularly now, so it’s fun to watch my belly jump up and down, especially when I eat something sugary (like all that Halloween candy!).  I’m looking forward to these next few months of excitement; we've got a lot to do still but I know we’ll get there!

Oct 17, 2014

BUMPdate: 26 Weeks!

I know, it’s been far, far too long since you’ve had a decent #bumpdate from me, so here you go!!

How far along are you: 26 weeks – I actually am into the “less than 100 days to go” countdown…eeek!!!

Fruit: This week baby is as big as a head of lettuce (well that’s not very adorable…)

Baby bump: It’s in full effect!! There’s really no question now, although strangers still won’t come out and ask, they just stare at me strangely…

Maternity Clothes: Yes, yes, and yes.  I still have a few dresses I can wear that are stretchy (like the one in this pic) , but who knows how much longer that will last.


Gender: Baby Girl J

Stretch Marks: No new ones (yet)

Sleep: I wake up every night to pee, but so long as I get my workout in each day I’m getting a good amount of sleep each night.  I’m still tired a whole lot though!

Cravings: No new ones really.

What Makes Me Wanna Gag: No specific food, but I’ve been getting heart burn like crazy – at this rate, she’s bound to come out super hairy because it’s non-stop!

Exercise: Walking, running, Piyo, a little Turbo Jam, and the 21 day fix.  I do what I can, when I can, even if it’s not every day its better than nothing!

Mood: I feel pretty good, no real complaints!

Favorite thing this week: Our little girl is moving quite a bit these days, she’s super active and kicking around on a regular basis.

Excited For: Deciding on a name and starting the nursery!

In other news...I think I NEED this shirt, don't you!???

Happy weekend! :)

Oct 2, 2014

No more excuses

I've let my little corner of the internet here slip away, I'm sorry for those of you waiting on regular posts from me, my life has just gotten so crazy lately and to be honest, I'm usually too tired when I do have the time that I don't want to come up with a new post! I hope you cut me a little slack on that, but to tell you the truth, I feel like I've been full of excuses lately. 

I'm pregnant.  So what.  That's not an excuse to throw out my good eating habits or my daily exercise routine, or just feeling good in my own skin.  I posted last week about weight gain woes and feeling more fat than pregnant some days, and that's still very true, but the more I think about it, I'm realizing that I'm feeling so terrible about it because I KNOW I'm not making the best choices.  I've started a new round of the 21 day fix more times than I can count during this pregnancy and fell off after just a few days when I gave into my cravings.  I've been using those excuses, and the "I'm pregnant I'm allowed" mentality to allow myself to slip back into my old habits, and to tell you the truth, I'm miserable because of it.  I've been very lucky in having a fairly easy pregnancy with no major issues or morning sickness (vomiting) issues, so it's about time I take advantage of that.  I'm starting (yes another) new round of the 21 day fix on Monday.  I will eat healthy for me AND my daughter, because we deserve to be healthy, period.  Here we go (again)!

Sep 22, 2014

Weight Gain Woes

I’m going to be honest here…some days I don’t feel pregnant, I just feel FAT.  I’m not telling you this for sympathy or “you look great” comments (I appreciate them, I really do), I’m just letting you know that this whole weight gain thing screws with your head. 

Coming from someone who’s recently lost a lot of weight, it’s really, REALLY hard..painful even…to watch the scale creep up each week.  (It doesn’t help that my boobs have gotten HUGE – I’m talking up 3 cup sizes already and the baby isn’t even here yet!?)


I’m not one of those women who didn’t gain an ounce until she hit 20 weeks (those of you out there are super lucky!), it’s just not the way my body is built or my genetics work.  I’m trying to stay active, but that’s a struggle with all this extra weight in the front of me now (my back feels the added stress for sure!), and as much as I’d love to say I’m being 100% healthy about my diet, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to caving into my cravings for things like pizza and ice cream.  The thing is – is that the worst thing in the world? To indulge in a treat here or there? Probably not, but the old me is fighting the urge to start counting calories and obsessing over every bite I put into my mouth.
My point is that it’s easy to judge…to say that “when I’m pregnant, I’m going to do X, or I’m not going to gain any more than the recommended weight, or I’m going to eat only fruits and veggies…”  It’s easier said than done.  Normally I’d be harder on myself – tell myself that I’m making excuses and I need to suck it up.  But I’m growing another life inside of me, and I don’t want to do ANYTHING that would put her in jeopardy, and that includes over exercising or not giving her enough calories.  That being said, I’m going to make an effort to be better about my food choices.  Now that I’m further along, I’m having less food aversions than I was earlier in my pregnancy, so I’m hopeful I can start incorporating my healthy staples back in on a regular basis, 21 day fix style.  Food has and always will be my biggest struggle, so I’m trying to remember that with my number one priority being growing a healthy baby, that includes feeding her the right foods now too! 

Sep 10, 2014

BUMPdate: 21 weeks!

How far along are you: 21 Weeks – it’s all downhill from here, right???



Fruit: This week baby is the size of a pomegranate – wait, doesn't the fruit size actually seem smaller this week? I don’t understand their logic sometimes!




Baby bump: No denying it’s there, it feels a bit more intentional this week than it has in the past (where I felt like maybe I just looked fat and/or bloated).
  
Maternity Clothes: I’m still stretching a few pre-baby clothing pieces out for a few more weeks, like those Old Navy Rockstar Skinnies I’m wearing today J  I have a few maternity pieces too, but I think I’m going to try to hold off on buying anything new for as long as possible, I just hate wasting money!

Gender: In case you missed it yesterday, IT’S A GIRL!!

Stretch Marks: No new ones (yet)

Sleep: My new routine seems to involve waking up to pee at 3:30am…and then not falling back asleep L

Cravings: Gummy worms, crispy chicken, and Raspberry Iced Tea…so random!

What Makes Me Wanna Gag: I’m trying like hell to eat grilled chicken…it’s been a battle though!

Exercise: Walking, running, Piyo, and the 21 day fix. 

Mood: I feel pretty good, no real complaints!

Favorite thing this week: She kicked! Not just a little flutter, but a real, honest to goodness kick! I’ve felt her move a few times now, it’s such an amazing feeling!

Excited For: The nursery! And for my husband to feel her kick too J

Sep 9, 2014

Gender Reveal!!

You've been waiting so patiently, so let's just get right to it shall we?




It's a girl! We're very excited and now that we know we're on "Team Pink" we can start planning for the nursery and our registry.  Oh and if things weren't crazy enough right now, we just put our house on the market! Fall is time for change, right?? 
Happy Tuesday :)

Sep 3, 2014

BUMPdate - Halfway!

How far along are you: 20 weeks – half way!!

Fruit: This week baby is the size of a banana







Baby bump: It’s in full effect!! Still not at the point where strangers are asking me about it, but those who know are definitely now coming up to me and rubbing my protruding belly!



Maternity Clothes: I’m still in some stretchy pre-pregnancy clothes, including the dress I’m wearing today, but for bottoms I find that the Maternity ones are getting to be a necessity.  We visited with family this past weekend and I got a whole tub of hand-me-down maternity clothes, so I’m excited to have a few more options now J

Gender Guess: Well – WE KNOW THE GENDER!! Any last minute guesses before I announce???

Stretch Marks: No new ones (yet)

Sleep: It’s getting more difficult to sleep through the night – lots of wake-ups for various reasons, whether is rolling over to get more comfortable or getting up to pee.  Falling back asleep is getting troublesome too.

Cravings: Still on those damn gummy worms – although I think I’m making an effort to quit cold turkey this week...we'll see what baby has to say about that!

What Makes Me Wanna Gag: Not too much these days, I’m feeling pretty good in this category!

Exercise: Walking, running, Piyo, and the 21 day fix.  I’m starting to feel like I have the energy again, but my ab muscles are sore, so I have to listen to my body and do what I can when I can.  Walking with my husband every morning has turned into a nice routine for us though, so I’m happy to have that time now.

Mood: I feel pretty good, no real complaints!

Favorite thing this week: We had an ultrasound yesterday, and I got to see my baby – who’s grown so very much since our last peek! Baby is healthy and absolutely perfect from a medical perspective, so that was so relieving to hear, and of course we found out the gender so I’m so excited about that too!

Excited For: Baby registration and buying stuff for the nursery now that we know the gender J

Aug 26, 2014

Psychic reading - with a gender prediction!

I was recently contacted by the folks over at Psychic Source to see if I’d be interested in a psychic reading.
*Disclaimer: I was given this reading for free in exchange for my blog review, but all opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

I was intrigued: I've never had a psychic reading before, but know plenty of people who have and swear by them, so I was excited to see what they had to say....you can learn more about this company here: http://www.psychicsource.com/about/psychic-readings

My reading was with Cheyenne (this was all done over the phone).  I have to say she was very sweet, and always stopped to ask if I understood what she was saying, and if I had any questions about what she had just talked about.

She asked me if I wanted a general reading or had specific questions, so I suggested we start with the general reading first.

She said she felt that I had a high level of spiritual evolvement and that I was a very intuitive and emotional content person (whoa).  She said she saw that I was facing a challenge at work (this is true), and that she suggested I just “go with the flow”, because I’m naturally good at what I do and have a great deal of leadership ability, so it will all work out for the best.  She also noted that I have a very good balance of male/female energy, which is what makes me such a strong leader.

We talked about where I’m from (Connecticut), and she said that while my home is “Ok for now”, my family may travel West in the future, and a bit South (but not deep south).  This one was a bit weird to me, since my entire family is in CT, but I guess only time can tell!

She said she saw silver and gold down the road – possibly someone is putting aside an inheritance for my family that will retain a lot of value, and that my financial future looks promising (hmm…this one is strange, I don’t really have anyone in my life to leave me an inheritance, so I’m not sure where this would come from).

Now the question I really wanted to know the answer to….am I having a boy or a girl? 



Cheyenne said she felt that it was a girl, but that she would have a strong male energy just like her momma.  She will have a lot of will, but not in a challenging way, and I’ll be able to encourage that in her.  Baby will have a great deal of creativity, be drawn to the arts, and want to be the star of the show. (I find out the gender next week, so we’ll see!)

Cheyenne also said my baby has a great deal of intelligence – a knowingness and awareness that is going to surprise me, and that she’ll have an amazing intuition at a very young age.

Cheyenne asked if I was scared about motherhood, this must be my first she noted (true and true!); she said not to worry, that I’m very organized and will settle into motherhood quite will.  Cheyenne can see that I’m super knowledgeable about not eating poor foods, that I’m aware of nutrition and that she can tell I take good care of myself -  baby chose me for that very reason – she suggested I read up on indigo children/crystal children as I’ll find that those characteristics will fit my baby quite well.  Cheyenne  also noted that Labor will not be difficult for me (here’s hoping!).

Cheyenne asked if we had been considering moving lately (we have), and pointed out that my husband wants to hold off because of finances (this is true).  She told me that the baby doesn't care where we live, but that she does see a new house in the springtime, and that it will be worth the wait.

We then talked a bit about the future... She did say that my husband is going to make an amazing father, and that he’s going to surprise me at how protective he’ll be, but that I’ll have to be the disciplinarian because he’s going to give baby girl whatever she wants J
   
So….final thoughts? This was fun! I would honestly recommend the experience to anyone who hasn't had a reading before…some of it was a little more “spiritual” than I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised at how many things she seemed to be on point with, and I’m even more excited to see if she’s right about the baby’s gender! If you’re interested in getting a reading of your own, contact the folks over at http://www.psychicsource.com!
 

Aug 20, 2014

BUMPdate: 18 Weeks!

How far along are you: 18 weeks

Fruit: This week baby is the size of a sweet potato (yum J )





Baby bump: It seems to be getting more pronounced now…I don’t think I’m at the point where strangers will ask me my due date or anything, but it’s sure noticeable now!



Maternity Clothes: I went shopping over the weekend for some real maternity clothes (I have been getting away with dresses and leggings and stretchy pre-baby clothes so far).  I had a big strike-out in store for tall pants – apparently tall women don’t get pregnant too? So I got a dress this weekend, but nothing else.  After some online shopping, I found a few options at Gap and Old Navy that should arrive by the end of the week, so we’ll see!

Gender Guess: Officially confused – I actually had a psychic reading last weekend which gave me a gender prediction, but I’ll talk more about that in another post J

Stretch Marks: No new ones (yet)

Sleep: Have I mentioned I’m tired? Lol – biggest preganancy symptom right here, I could sleep all day!

Cravings: Gummy worms again!

What Makes Me Wanna Gag: Fish..one of my co-workers had fish in the office microwave yesterday and it made me want to puke!

Exercise: Walking and PiYo.  I went for a run for the first time in a while this past Saturday; I was proud of myself for doing it, but realized by mid-day that it was probably too much.  I got REALLY crampy right afterwards, and by the afternoon I had serious muscle pain right under my belly – almost like I pulled a muscle.  I’m told now this is round ligament pain and it’s common during this phase of pregnancy, but man does it hurt! I’ve been taking it easy since then as a result, I’m still a bit sore!

Mood: Peachy keen jelly bean J

Favorite thing this week: I’ve had a few fleeting moments where I thought that MAYBE I might be feeling the baby move – just little flutters, but I love the thought that this could be the baby!

Excited For: More substantial movement, official gender ultrasound.

Aug 13, 2014

BUMPdate - 17 Weeks!

So I skipped week 16 last week since I was on vacation, but honestly you didn’t miss much…so here’s this week!

How far along are you: 17 weeks

Fruit: This week baby is the size of an onion (well that’s not very cute….)




Baby bump: It seems to be growing every day, but I’m pretty convinced that most people who don’t know I’m pregnant just think I’m fat ;)

Maternity Clothes: I’m still in my regular clothes for now…the only pants I can fit into are my rockstar skinnies from Old Navy, which are super stretchy…other than that, I’ve been sticking to dresses and leggings for the most part, and of course workout clothes J
 
(Flowy top with my rockstar skinnies, didn't feel like a dress in the rain today)
Gender Guess: I’m up in the air…I’ve had 2 dreams now with a baby girl, so who knows…only three more weeks until we find out!

Stretch Marks: No new ones (yet)

Sleep: I can’t get enough, I’m tired all the time, but I end up sleeping for only a few hours at a time before getting up to pee! My hips are starting to feel achy, so I’m seriously considering getting one of those pregnancy pillows

Cravings: This week I wanted gummy worms! So random, I haven’t had them in years, but man were they delicious!

What Makes Me Wanna Gag: My sense of smell seems to be in high gear lately ..you know that musty smell your clothes get if you leave them in the washer too long before switching to the dryer? I feel like that’s all I can smell these days, and it totally makes me gag.

Exercise: PiYo and lots, and lots of walking.

Mood: I feel good for the most part, but I do deal with mood swings where I find myself very irritable, and I still cry pretty easily at just about everything.

Favorite thing this week: I had a super active vacation, so that made me feel better about getting back into my old exercise routines.

Excited For: I keep waiting to feel that first movement from the baby; everything says I should feel it any day now, so I’m super excited for that!

Aug 12, 2014

Vacation and Pregnancy Weight gain

Helloooo! Sorry for my long absence, I was on vacation last week!
We didn’t go away, except for a camping trip last weekend, but we did lots of day trips across the state, which included a TON of walking and hiking, so I’m proud to say I didn’t gain a single pound this week (this is pretty much a miracle for me when it comes to vacation!!)!
That being said….pregnancy weight gain is no joke.  I’m trying not to freak out about it, but I’d be lying if I said the scale number isn’t tear inducing these days.  I worked so hard to lose all that weight, and it seems to be coming back WAY to quickly (it doesn’t help that all I wanted to eat was bagels my first trimester!).
So this week I’m back following the 21 day fix, not for weight loss, but to just have a healthy, balanced diet for me and my little growing peanut.  I’m officially starting to show more these days (although I’m pretty sure I just look fat to people who don’t know I’m pregnant), but that seems to be changing as each day passes.
I love that the 21 day fix is a LIFESTYLE.  I eat fruits, veggies, protein, and even though I’m not scarfing down bagels like I want to, I know it’s the best diet I can be eating for our health right now.  I want to keep my overall weight gain in check, so if I can go a few weeks more without gaining I’d be one happy mamma!
Any mammas' out there have advice on pregnancy weight gain? I know everyone is different, so I'm trying not to compare, but I always love to hear other's experiences!

Jul 31, 2014

BUMPdate: 15 Weeks!

Quick side note: in case you don't follow me on my other social media sites like Facebook or Instagram, I'm a daily challenge winner with Beachbody today! Check out my story here:


And now back to our regularly scheduled program, which is (I know), a day late because frankly I was too damn tired yesterday from traveling to even think about a blog post! Anywho, here it is!

How far along are you: 15 weeks

Fruit: This week baby is the size of a navel orange



Baby bump: Same answer as last week…..I mostly just feel bloated and fat right now...I'm looking forward to the day when I look like I have a real bump!

Maternity Clothes: I’m in an awkward stage right now.  Most of my pants are officially not fitting, unless they have an elastic waist band of some sort…another (unexpected) wardrobe issue? My boobs are HUGE..like to the point where some of my tops don’t fit now because of them!



Gender Guess: I’m sticking with boy still.

Stretch Marks: No new ones (yet)

Sleep: I can’t get enough, I’m tired all the time, but I end up sleeping for only a few hours at a time before getting up to pee! 

Cravings: Carbs are still a big one, and now salad with crispy chicken too (super healthy, I know).

What Makes Me Wanna Gag: Honestly plain grilled chicken is giving me a hard time still…

Exercise: PiYo and walking, though tomorrow I’m going to try for a run again!

Mood: I’ve been ok, but traveling this week has taken a lot out of me.  I feel pretty run down and just crappy in general today (and yesterday), and have been dealing with a migraine headache since Tuesday so I’m hoping that goes away soon!

Favorite thing this week: We received our first baby gift! It was a little hand puppet with farm animals and a matching book, so cute!

Excited For: I can’t wait to find out the gender so we can start shopping!!!

Jul 28, 2014

This sh*t is hard

Quickie post today since I'm traveling for work (I'm in Austin, Texas as I type!) I've never been to Texas before but unfortunately they've got my schedule so jam packed I won't really have a chance to see anything but the resort I'm staying at and the airport :(

Anyways, I just wanted to state, for the record, that this stuff is hard.  This health and fitness stuff.  This making the best choices as much as possible stuff.  I really thought that by the time I got pregnant, I'd have this routine DOWN.  And to some extent I do, but throw in extreme fatigue, an aversion to grilled chicken, and cravings for all things bread, and well...my diet has not exactly been stellar.  I know I need to snap myself out of this funk, and fast, or I'll quickly be heading down the exact road I was trying to avoid, which is an unhealthy pregnancy and too much weight gain.  My body is starting to feel better this week, so I'm going to attempt to be more active; I brought PiYo to workout in the hotel with (hello, no equipment or sneakers!), and although I don't have control over my food while I"m at this conference since all the meals are provided, I am going to make a much bigger effort when I get home, not just for my sake, but for the health of my whole family.  

So, as soon as I can get my butt back home and to a grocery story, I'm getting back to the 21 day fix way of eating.  No, I'm not trying to lose weight (I will adjust my calories accordingly), but I know that this program is designed as a lifestyle change and truly shows you the RIGHT way to fuel your body..and I can't think of a better way to get back on track for the rest of this pregnancy.
So, if you want to join me and learn how to eat better, shoot me an email at babebeforebaby@gmail.com...I have to shift gears to becoming a babe DURING baby now :)


Jul 23, 2014

Happy BUMP Day :)

It's BUMP Day (get it, instead of hump day? No? Anyone? I digress...)
I figured I'd start to do weekly bumpdates to keep you all up to date with how things are progressing, and so I could have a record for my own benefit too.  So, without further ado, here it is...


How far along are you: 14 weeks

Fruit: This week baby is the size of a lemon



Baby bump: I mostly just feel bloated and fat right now...I'm looking forward to the day when I look like I have a real bump!

Maternity Clothes: Not yet, although fold-over pants/skirts and dresses have been my best friend.  I can technically still fit into my normal pants, but by the end of the day I’m super uncomfortable so yesterday was the first day I tried out wearing a bella band with my pants unbuttoned.



Gender Guess: Lately, I’m really feeling boy, but I had a dream that said girl, so who knows!

Stretch Marks: No new ones (yet)…remember you’re talking to a tall girl and former fatty, so I’ve already got my fair share J (Aren’t genetics fun??)

Sleep: I’m sleeping like a log…except when I wake up every night to go pee.  Every morning I’m now up at 5:30 without fail since apparently my bladder can only make it 3 hours before emptying again 

Cravings: Carbs, Salt, and Salty Carbs.  ‘Nough said.

What Makes Me Wanna Gag: I’m doing better now, but the thought of protein killed me my first semester.  I was very lucky to not have bad morning sickness (only nausea, no vomiting), but if I snacked constantly I was really ok…except I wanted nothing to do with grilled chicken breast, like AT ALL.  I’m slowly introducing it back but I’d much rather have a grilled cheese right now J

Exercise: This week I’m taking it easy per doctor’s orders (see my post from yesterday), so I’ve just been sticking to walking for now.  Hoping next week to get back to some running and PiYo.

Mood: In general, I feel great! I worry a lot more than I ever did before, but I suppose that’s to be expected.  Oh and I cry at just about everything these days.  Seriously..the Iphone commercial made me cry the other day (what’s wrong with me?)

Best Part Thus Far: Hearing my baby’s heartbeat last week J

Excited For: Our next big milestones, like feeling the baby kick, and finding out the gender.

Jul 22, 2014

The stuff no one tells you

I promise I won’t let this blog become overrun with nothing but baby stuff, but the reality is, pregnancy is part of my new journey here, so I’m going to talk about it a bit.  Today I’m going to talk about the stuff no one ever tells you before your pregnant…like how terrifying life suddenly becomes because of all the little things that could go wrong.

Last week, I had a bit of a scare on Tuesday, right before I shared my news with all of you.
It was about 8 o’clock at night, and I went to pee…and there was blood.
Now, in hindsight, I guess it wasn’t a lot of blood, but ANY blood when you’re pregnant is the scariest thing you can ever see.
I was terrified.  I reached out to both of my sisters (who both have babies) and who reassured me everything was probably ok, but to call my doctor just in case.
I called the doctor, and the on-call physician told me I’m fine, that so long as there is no cramping or pain, and that the blood flow isn’t seriously heavy, there’s nothing to worry about.
Luckily, I had an appointment on Wednesday anyways, so he said they’d check everything out in the morning.

That wasn’t enough to stop my thoughts though.  Every possible scenario jumped into my head.  I went running for the first time in a while on Monday…did I push myself too hard? It was so hot and humid, did I let myself get dehydrated? Did I do this? What if I harmed my baby??

Flash forward to Wednesday morning, and at the doctor’s office, when they put the fetal heart rate monitor on my belly and I heard the heartbeat, I literally burst into tears.  I know everyone said it was “probably nothing to worry about” but “probably” means there’s a chance, even if it’s tiny, that something might be wrong…and that tiny chance kept me awake all night long.

The doctor told me after an exam that it’s just the way my cervix is built, that there are lots of little blood vessels closer to the surface now and that it will probably be a normal occurrence for me throughout my pregnancy, but holy cow were those 12 hours waiting to find out what happened were nerve wracking.  I hadn't had any issues before that, so this was a total shock. 
To be on the safe side, I’m supposed to take it easy for a full week.  No running, no high impact workouts.  I can still walk, and PiYo is probably ok too, but I have been too scared to push it, namely because the bleeding never really “stopped”, so I don’t want to aggravate it.
So, in the meantime, I’m trying to focus on getting my nutrition back on track.  The first trimester was tough with nausea (I was lucky to not have any vomiting, but the only thing I wanted to eat were carbs, carbs, and more carbs!), so now I’m trying to focus on getting enough protein again.
I’m lucky to have my Shakeology still to help fill those voids in my nutrition, but the healthier I can eat, the healthier baby will be, so I’m trying!

What are some things that you learned as a first time momma that no one ever told you or warned you about?

Jul 16, 2014

Struggle, failure, and success

Today I want to talk a bit about struggle…I've seen a lot of buzz in some of the online groups I’m in lately about the fact that there’s a lot of people struggling, but more so that they feel like they’re alone in that struggle.  I’m here to tell you that you are NOT alone in that category.

I've done my best to try to keep this blog as open and honest as possible, and for those of you reading that have been with me for a while, you know that my progress has never been totally linear.


The truth is, we ALL struggle.  In fact, if you show me someone who claims they NEVER struggle, I’ll show you someone who’s not being honest about their journey.

It’s totally normal for you to have moments of weakness, days, even months where you just can’t seem to get your head in the game.  The difference here between success and failure is how you decide to look at this struggle.

Adversity IS your advantage.  Just like with weight lifting, where stress and strain actually make your muscle grow, the same can be said about your personal health and fitness journey.  If you never experience failure, you won’t know the joy of success.

There is no quick fix; success is EARNED one day at a time.  Decide every day, every choice you make, whether you are going to contribute to your goals, or give in and accept that one bad choice will not make or break you.

Like I mentioned yesterday, small changes DO add up.  Success is a result of small (seemingly insignificant) choices you make today that can add up to make a HUGE impact in the end.



Did you know that we could LITERALLY END OBESITY with 125 calories per day!? If everyone in the “obese” category simply eliminated 125 calories per day from their diet, the change over the course of the year would be staggering.  You must have patience in this journey, because although these small changes might be unnoticeable immediately, think where you could be 1, 5, or even 10-15 years down the road.

Going off track doesn't define you.  Staying off track does.  

So what small change will you make today to get you closer to your goals?

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