Connect the Dots Ginger | Becky Allen

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Bump Update: 27 Weeks

 YAY! For the last week in the 2nd trimester. That just means that I am just 3 months closer to meeting our little miss sassypants. But it also means that I am leaving the goldilocks trimester and entering the "I'M SO HUGE AND UNCOMFORTABLE" trimester. So maybe not as much yay but still it is exciting to see these weeks fly by.

New for this week, HEARTBURN! It started 6 nights ago. And the last 2 days in particular it has been after every single meal! I think this is the earliest I have had this bad of heartburn. With both Mason and Collin I don't remember it being this bad until about 4 weeks before I had them. All I'm gonna say, this girl better come out with a full head of RED hair if she is going to make me BURN this bad!

Sassypants. Did you pick up on that little nickname I have been giving her? Yep. She is a sassafras. Ask her to move for daddy, and she goes super still. Collin leans against my belly to just sit and relax, she starts kicking the crap out of him to get him to move. Oh and she likes to bounce her big old noggin on my bladder during most of the day since she is head down. I can feel her hands up by her face so that means I am getting some kicks up by my ribs now. I woke from my nap with her foot literally jetting under my rib area. As the uterus gets bigger and up under my rib cage (it isn't quite there yet) I am pretty sure she is going to try and play my ribs like a xylophone! All things aside. I am so thankful for this pregnancy and for her joining our family. I am just trying to write all these feelings down so that I can let her know what she put me through! ;)

Total Weight Gain: 15 pounds total weighing in at 252.4 pounds. It seems when I have a really good week and barely gain, the next week seems to make up for it and I jump up to what I should have been.

Symptoms: HEARTBURN! Lack of sleeping well. Still have to take 1 nap to make it through the day And round ligament pain from my pulled ligament I injured during my last pregnancy. Oh and FEELING HUGE! 
Baby’s Size: Cucumber (~15 inches inches, 2.2 pounds) WOW! Baby grew a lot! No wonder I feel so huge this week! 
Maternity Clothes: Yes, bottoms need to wear maternity or stretchy pants. Tops I wear maternity now and my bigger t-shirts. I am really on the hunt for good pregnancy exercise pants to wear, as I don't have any and I just stretch into my old ones. Oh and a good nursing sports bra. Yeah, I'm on the hunt! Wearing my new Fabletics sports bra in these pictures and LOVE THEM and the fun colors! A ton more coverage and super comfy!
Stretch Marks: I already have a ton that I got when I gained weight years ago. So nothing new. I am using Honest Company belly balm right now though to help my belly stretch so I do not get any new ones.
Gender: GIRL!!! 
Sleep: HORRIBLE! I have heartburn like crazy at night, so I am sleeping propped up. That is no fun and not very comfy for me. I have been tossing and turning trying to get comfy too, and I have restless leg syndrome. I am just kicking like crazy while I sleep. Plus she is starting to move at night more and it wakes me up, or when I flip over it wakes her and she kicks me to tell me to go back to sleep. She is a feisty one! I have been falling asleep to my hypnobirthing. And I am sleeping like a rock when I do that.
Miss Anything: Sleeping comfortably flat on my belly or back! Sleeping through the night. 
Cravings: Nothing at this point. Just trying to eat healthy and smaller meals to help combat the heartburn.
Aversions: nothing yet
Excited About: 3rd Trimester! NEXT WEEK! We are getting so close to the final stretch! 
Workouts: Got in almost all my workouts 6 days a this past week, which is awesome! Workouts included: 21 Day Fix yoga & pilates Beachbody On Demand Active Maternity and Diary Of A Fit Mommy's Fit For Two 2nd Trimester workouts in daily. Plus my weekly walk with the local woman's 4 miler training program! 
Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Yoga Pregnancy Modifications

How many of you have a yoga routine that you love, but you are pregnant and can't do it exactly? Honestly there are days that I can not do one more sun salutation because I am so sore just from doing that but it got me thinking. How do I modify this routine so that I can do it while pregnant? I tell you every week in my weekly bump updates that I do the 21 Day Fix yoga and Pilates workouts might as well share with you the modifications I do so that I can still do the workout that I love! 

HERE ARE MY PREGNANCY MODIFICATIONS AND RULES TO FOLLOW: 

NO BELLY MOVES AT ALL! 
Any time there is a flat on the belly move: Chaturanga, superman, cobra, bow pose, or anything similar, I just don't do them. Instead I do cat cow. The first 10 minutes of my yoga is actually a very fast vinyasa sequence, at least for this pregnant momma. And often I am slower than they are in the workout. But I am still following along doing my modified yoga sequence using cat cow in place of dropping into the chaturanga-upward-dog-downward dog. Instead when they start going into chaturanga, I just drop to all 4's and do cat cow a couple of times until it is time to do my flat back-rounded back-flat back-swan dive movement. I getting in a lot of cat cow moves in just the first 10 minutes alone.  I think this is why little miss is already head down.
NO TWISTING MOVES!
I do maybe a 1-2 degree twist because it actually helps unclog the plumbing as it were for a pregnant momma (learned that in my prenatal yoga class) but you have to be very careful. Over twisting is actually bad. Just avoid it. 
NO FLAT BACK EXERCISES BEYOND 12 WEEKS! 
It used to be past 20 weeks but the rules have changed and we are now being encouraged not to do flat back exercises. Shavasana is normally done as a corpse pose. Laying flat on your back with your arms and legs extended out, and totally relaxed. This can be modified by laying on your left side with your right leg bent over a straight left leg. Similar to how you should be sleeping.
DO NOT OVER STRETCH YOUR MUSCLES! 
Because of a prior pulled round ligament during my 2nd pregnancy I am very aware at how far I can and can not perform each move. The thing is, I feel great and want to go deep and low in my warrior pose and triangle pose but I CAN'T. My round ligament starts screaming like a banshee at me. Thanks to the hormone relaxin you are actually more flexible while pregnant. But, you are also more prone to getting injured. You have to work into your flexibility other wise you will have what I have a major pain in my BELLY! Most moves I do are literally half of what I know I can do. Funny thing, I am still getting the stretch because I can feel it. And your body is working so much harder because it is having to accommodate the extra weight in the front. So you are actually more because of the added stability control you have to do! SCORE! So make sure you are careful when doing balance moves too. Because your center of balance is totally off and you might have to do a modification lower than you are used to just to hold the pose without falling out of it! 

GO SLOW AND LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!  
Do not go the same speed as they do on the workout, unless you are following a prenatal routine. You should slow down and really listen to your body. This is not about keeping up, but about lengthening and strengthening your muscles. Using your breathing to help you learn to breath deeper. And to also build strong muscles to get you through labor. If your workout is just too fast, then slow down or find another yoga routine. For this reason, yoga can actaully be a really powerful tool in your birthing belt because you learn to breath deeply through the discomfort of some of the moves. Literally practicing for the big Delivery Day when you will HAVE TO breath deeply to get through each contraction! 
Hope you found this helpful! Just remember these rules. And if you are looking for a specific yoga routine to do, there are tons of free ones on Youtube, or if you are interested in getting hooked up with 21 Day Fix and learning how to eat for your body and only have to exercise 30 minutes a day. CLICK HERE to order your own copy of 21 Day Fix

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!

Monday, June 20, 2016

Love Yourself First

Being confident is a LEARNED TRAIT! It is not given. It is not just had. It is something that must be learned, trained, believed and continually worked up. When I was growing up I always looked at the cool kids, and wished I had their air of confidence that they had. I was just a girl in the band. Someone who was considered "low on the totem poll" per popular movies. And that is how I felt about myself. Someone lacking. Less than. Not as important and always striving to be like someone else.

It wasn't until I was older that I realized that all of the girls I admired that have confidence exuding out of them, have all had their own insecurities. We all struggle with something in our life. And it is so easy to forget that at times. Watching the Bachelorette last night really struck on that. You look at Jojo and how beautiful she is. She seems so confident and strong and then she actually talks about all the crap she dealt with, with her last boyfriend and how many insecurities even she had, and she is GORGEOUS! We all have something. 
Check out this picture above. No one besides the ladies who attended this amazing trip to Miami last April, has seen this full picture of me. There is a back story to this. I actually packed spanx to wear under my dress. To make me look better. Suck in parts that needed to be sucked in and such and bringing out a better hour glass shape. Because I knew going into this trip I was going to be the "biggest" girl there. And honestly there was a part of me, a very small part for a short amount of time, that didn't want to ruin the picture for the other 17 ladies. How sad is that? I even put the spanx on and almost wore them that day, but they were so uncomfortable and I would have hated it. Would it have sucked me in and given me more of a defined shape? Sure. But at what expense? Altering myself because I felt bad about how I looked even though I was 16 weeks pregnant. Nope. Not cool. Even I, who has worked so hard to love myself and gain the confidence in myself that I have never had, even has times in my life that I struggle with my own image. But after hating how I felt in the spanx. And talking with a couple of the gals I took it off and I have not looked back yet. I see me. Beautiful, strong, empowered, healthy, carrying a life inside of me, and proud of who I am. And yes very white legs but hey, I am a redhead! 

You can start today, learning to love your body! As it is right now. You can spend the 30 minutes on your to help enhance your beautiful body so that you feel more comfortable in it. I love who I am and how I look, but I also am working very hard to be healthy every single day. Making smarter choices to eat right and to exercise 30 minutes a day. Reading positive uplifting materials that help you see yourself in a better and different light. The way people around you see you. I highly recommend You Are A Badass as a starting point. I have said it before but seriously it really is that amazing! 


This is why I do what I do. This is why I LOVE COACHING and being a mentor, supporter and motivator. I was that girl a few years ago. I didn't believe that I needed time for myself. Didn't believe that I deserved time for myself. And now I make sure I get my time because if I don't, I am a cranky mom and no one wants a cranky mom! This week, make you a priority! Just do it. 30 minutes a day, sweating, working on your strength, pushing yourself more than you thought you could. KICK BUTT! YOU ARE WORTH IT!
I invite you to join me in my next exclusive group which is beginning JULY 5! I WANT YOU IN THE GROUP If you are ready to begin the next step in your journey to a healthier and fit lifestyle.

You get access to: 
~my exclusive tools that have help me lose weight prior to getting pregnant and actually control my weight gain while I have been pregnant
~have daily support and motivation
~one on one accountability
~Daily dose of superfood nutrition that cuts those pesky cravings for sweets and treats
~Easy to follow nutrition plan to finally eat and feel satisfied and still lose weight!
~30 minute workouts that are perfect for any level

I WANT YOU AND I AM READY TO HELP YOU! EMAIL ME OR FILL OUT THIS APPLICATION TO LET ME KNOW YOU ARE READY! The first step to change is letting me know you are want to!

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Beginning Walking or Running Tips

I was up early before the sun this morning with my Shakeology in hand to help volunteer at our local Woman's 4 Miler Training Program! It is a program that helps women of all levels train for our 4 miler race in just 11 weeks! Have you been looking into getting into a new walking or running routine? Check out these 5 tips to help you get started the right way, to avoid frustration, pain and injury! 

THINGS TO KNOW WHEN STARTING A NEW WALKING OR RUNNING ROUTINE: 

1) START OUT SMALL! 

Do not plan on running 3 miles on your very first day. Not only is it not safe, but you are setting yourself up for injury and frustration. You will be sore the next day and not want to run/walk the next few days while you recovery from your run. If you haven't walked/ran in a long time (months) Start with half a mile or whatever feels comfortable! 

2) START OUT SLOW! 

Start small in speed. It is totally ok to walk too! Do not expect to be running at a 6 minute mile when you are untrained. YOU WILL GET INJURED! Start with a warm up walking, then do your half a mile or mile at a faster speed and don't forget to cool down taking things back to a slower speed. YOU NEED TO WARM UP AND COOL DOWN YOUR BODY! A 6 minute mile and a 15 minute mile is still 1 mile. The fact that you are doing anything is awesome! Just get up and do it! 


3) START OUT EARLY IN THE DAY!

It is the summer time and things get hot fast. As hard as it is to wake up early, WAKE UP EARLY! The earlier the better to avoid the heat. General rule of thumb if the heat index (Feels like Temp) is 100+ best to go earlier in the day. Your body will heat up to 15 degrees while running and you do not want to get over heated. 

4) HYDRATE! 

Don't forget to drink a large glass of water before, during and after you run. You need to stay hydrated while you exercising. Make sure you take water with you so that you don't get dehydrated. 

5) HAVE FUN! 

Find a group of friends to walk/run with and it will be so much more fun! You will want to do it. Come back. And Keep doing it. Bring music, but only use 1 ear bud when walking on the street or sidewalks for safety to you hear cars coming your way. 

BONUS TIP: STRETCH

Even if you only did half a mile, or not as much as you had planned. TAKE TIME TO STRETCH OUT YOUR BODY! So that you don't get extra sore the next day. It just takes a little time after your run to stretch your body! It is so worth it and the best thing you can do to keep your muscles and body healthy after exercising! 


Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!

Friday, June 17, 2016

Love To Workout?


How do you see your workout? As a daily chore that has to get done? As a daily rewards/point system? Meaning do your workout and get a treat later? Or as something that you look forward to and love? 

The goal for the mindset for working out needs to be something to look forward to and that you enjoy doing. If you don't enjoy it, excuses happen and exercise will take a backseat. 

As a pregnant momma, there are times that I don't want to workout. I would rather stay in bed, however, I love the way my body feels after I exercise. I love the feeling I get from it. And I love how it is keeping me and my baby healthy. So...I do my workout. Because I love it and what it does for my body. If you don't love the exercise you do, then let's find you something that you can love. 21 Day Fix is my soul mate program. I look forward to doing it because it is fun and even though it is the same thing every week, I DON'T CARE! I love it! It challenges me every time but I feel amazing after! 
How to start working out when you don't want to: 

1) Just start...Often when you get started you don't want to stop
2) Think of your WHY. Why you started your journey in the first place. Let that drive you.
3) Find a fun workout to do. You have to love it to do it.
4) Join a friend. Invite a friend to workout with you, or go with a friend. It is always better when yo have someone to talk to.

So...what workout are you doing today, and do you really love it and love doing it? Need help finding your perfect workout? Let's chat because I am love matching people with their perfect fit program! You can email me here and get started TODAY

Want more daily motivation and inspiration? Click here get free advice, support and encouragement + a free copy of my Clean Eating guide to help you get started on your health and fitness journey!
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