Fit Pregnancy: Halie

By Kate Horney

Now that you’re pregnant, taking care of yourself has never been more important. From the doctor, to family members, friends, co-workers, and even complete strangers, when it comes to what you should and shouldn’t be doing…

You’re probably going to get advice from everyone. 

But staying healthy during pregnancy depends on you, so it’s important to arm yourself with information about the many ways to keep you and your baby as healthy as possible.

One of my favorite ways to prepare for a healthy pregnancy when I was expecting was to talk to OTHER moms who were fit, healthy and active.

Who better to learn from than fellow fit moms who have “been there, done that?!”

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Today I’m excited to introduce you to one of our BeyondFit Life members and a wonderful fit pregnancy role model, Halie.  I recently talked with Halie about all that goes into being a FIT mom- both before and after delivery, and wanted to share some of Halie’s great tips with you today….

Check out our #fitmom talk below:

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When you found out you were pregnant, how did you feel? 

The moment that I found out we were pregnant with our first child was nothing short of pure joy and overwhelming happiness (with a little anxiety thrown in for good measure). My Husband and I had been trying to conceive, so we were over the moon that we were successful in such a short time span of trying. It’s so true when people say that even when you are trying to get pregnant, the moment you find out that you’ve conceived you are still filled with such a sensation of shock! Having never been pregnant before I was anxious about what was to come. I’m a Registered Nurse, so I know the basic ins and outs of pregnancy and childbirth, but it’s another experience entirely to go through it yourself versus reading the process out of a textbook.

When you first found out you were pregnant what was your primary concerns regarding your health/fitness?

I am 5’4 and have always had to work hard to keep the weight off. I gain weight easily & need to work out consistently to maintain my figure. Since we had been trying to conceive I had already begun revising my nutrition and adding in the necessary vitamins and supplements vital during pregnancy, cut out alcohol, etc. My main concern was maintaining the level of fitness I had attained prior to conceiving & staying on track nutritionally so that I would gain HEALTHY weight, and not excess pounds that would take months to work off once I had our baby, as well as possibly cause complications during my pregnancy and labor.

 

Overall, during your pregnancy, describe what do you do for exercise?

During my first trimester I was plagued by “all day sickness,” as I lovingly like to call it. My energy level was zapped; when I stood up and walked around I would instantly get nauseous or dizzy. I had been working out intensely before finding out I was pregnant (running and doing various intensive cardio videos), yet during my first trimester I felt like all of the progress I had made was slowly going out the door. I did my best to make planks, pushups and squats apart of my daily workout routine. I would take advantage of any lapse in nausea I had and get down on my exercise mat and knock out a few sets of each exercise. The main thing that helped me stay on track during my first trimester was eating clean as much as possible (with a few crazy craving indulgences in between). Now that I am in my second trimester, my morning sickness is out the door (as well as food aversions) and I finally feel like myself again! I have been following Kate & her blog for a while and really wanted to commit to a program that would help keep me on track nutritionally & fitness wise throughout the rest of my pregnancy. I joined Beyondfitlife, and have made her killer 25 minute workouts apart of my daily routine. I plan to continue with her program throughout the rest of my pregnancy and then join Beyondbaby once I deliver.

My Husband and I love being active on the weekends as much as possible. We are currently living in Okinawa, Japan (he is an active duty Marine), and there is an endless amount of outdoor activities to keep us busy on this gorgeous island! I make sure to get my Beyondfit workouts in Monday-Friday, and on the weekends we like to kayak, snorkel, swim or just go for a hike!

How do other people around you react to your fit pregnancy? Is it positive or negative?

Honestly, the people that surround me in my daily life are quality friends and family. I make it a habit to not have people in my life that cause me any type of pain or anguish. While they may make innocent comments like “it’s OKAY, you’re PREGNANT” when I vent about cheating on my nutrition plan or missing a workout, I know that it’s only said with the purest of intentions and meant well. Everyone truly supports what I’m trying to do, and they always give me uplifting advice when I’m down!

 What was the most supportive thing someone has told you about your fit pregnancy? The most unsupportive?

Again, I truly have a very supportive network of friends and family that surround me (near and far) that support my healthy lifestyle & pregnancy journey, so I thankfully haven’t had to endure any unsupportive comments. The absolute most supportive comment that I have gotten so far is one of my longtime friends said that I am in “Inspiration”. That comment meant more to me than she knows, and it just fueled my desire even more to continue a healthy and fat loss packed pregnancy!

How has staying fit helped you through your pregnancy journey?

There was a period where I was having a lot of back pain (mainly during my first trimester), and once I really started working out more dynamically in my second trimester, the pain went away! Along with helping certain aches and pains that come along with pregnancy, it helps me maintain my self-esteem. Let’s be honest, it’s easy to get down on yourself when you see the scale creeping up and this large and in charge belly emerging where your abs used to be. Exercise really helps me not only de-stress and elevate my mood, but just makes me feel good about myself!

What advice would you give other women who want to have a fit pregnancy?

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! Every pregnancy is different, and what might work for one woman might not work at all for you. Educate yourself on the modifications needed during the first trimester and beyond so that you don’t do anything that could potentially harm yourself or your growing baby.

Moving onto those horrible pregnancy cravings – Listen, I totally get it. Some days you just want to lose yourself in a huge greasy cheeseburger and do nothing but sit on the couch watching The Real Housewives. My biggest advice to you is to learn how to make the food that you are craving “fat loss friendly!” That way you don’t feel deprived but at the same time you won’t be adding excess pounds to your waistline. Check out the Beyondfit blog for some AMAZING desserts & dishes that have been made fat loss friendly. Personally, ever since I have discovered their “Protein Chocolate Frosty,” my worlds been a little brighter J.

What is ONE THING these moms can start on today that will not overwhelm them?

Get outside and WALK!! Walking is such an incredible exercise for pregnant women; low impact but it gets your heart pumping and fat burning! Trust me, just taking 20 minutes a day to walk will make a huge improvement in your daily life, especially if you are an exercise beginner.

What are your top 3 daily practices to make health a priority for both you AND your baby?

  • #1 : NUTRITION! You can’t out train a bad diet, and in our case what we put into our body directly impacts our growing baby! Is this the time in your life to try and lose those last 10 pounds – NO! This is the time, however, to eat the best that you can for you and your child & supply them with the vitamins and minerals that they need to develop into a strong, healthy baby! Not to mention all of the potential complications that can come along from gaining excess weight during pregnancy.
  • #2 : Getting up and moving! While I try and workout every day (Beyondfit workouts five times a week with active activities on the weekends) just getting out of the house to go swim or walk will do the trick for me to get my heart rate going and those endorphins flowing!
  • #3 : Taking the time to distress from my day! I myself hold in a lot of stress & for me exercise is my number one stress reliever. I feel like I can just think clearer after a sweat session. For others though, this might be watching a movie, reading a book, etc! Stress is a major NO NO during pregnancy, and can do harm to our little ones. So at the end of the day always make sure to take time for yourself to reset your mind & wind down.

Halie’s Favorite 1 Step Fit Pregnancy Recipes:

spinach protein shake

Killer Spinach protein shake

Ingredients: 

  • 1 scoop of vanilla whey protein powder
  • 1-2 cups of any type of berry
  • 1-2 cups of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • As much fresh spinach as you want!!
  • 1-2 packs of truvia/stevia
  •  Lime juice to taste
  • **Add ice if you want a thick shake!**

Directions:  Blend and ENJOY!

 

Fat friendly taco salad

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 pounds of ground turkey
  • 4 tbs (or to taste) of reduced sodium taco seasoning
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Beefsteak tomatoes
  • Salsa
  • 1-2 Avocado slivers
  • 1-2 tbs of Veggie Cheese (mozzarella or cheddar flavor)

Directions:  Mix and ENJOY!

 

P.S. Need more quick & easy recipes to keep you on track?  Check out our BeyondFit Life Club- it’s the secret fat loss club- for moms of ANY ages- that you’re going to want to be part of!

Are you a fit mom?  If you stayed fit during your pregnancy type “I did!” in the comments below!