Monthly Archives: April 2012

Anti-Aging: 3 Blueberries

Blueberries 

Hold Beautiful Anti-Aging Properties!

All berries are good, but I mention blueberries specifically because they are referred to as a MEMORY FOOD.


 Blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants that help repair the damage caused by free radicals.


                   They also fight against

  • high blood pressure

  • cardiovascular disease

  • diabetes

  • cancer

  • muscular degeneration

  • Alzheimer’s

  • Parkinson’s

Blueberries have been shown to protect the brain from

This SUPER FOOD is high in Vitamin C and E, and may reverse decline in cognitive and motor function!

Slow down the aging process by controlling inflammation and

eliminating  free radicals from your body through your diet!

Recipes!

  Make is a Spread

 Blueberry Sauce Allrecipes.com

                   Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

    1/4 cup water

  • 1 cup orange juice

  • 3/4 cup white sugar

  • 1/4 cup cold water

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

           Directions

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup of water, orange juice, and sugar. Stir gently, and bring to a boil.

  2. In a cup or small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water. Gently stir the cornstarch mixture into the blueberries so as not to mash the berries. Simmer gently until thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the almond extract and cinnamon. Thin sauce with water if it is too thick for your liking.

     Make A Refreshing Summer Treat

    Blueberry Granita allrecipes.com

                  Ingredients

    2 1/2 cups blueberries

    1/2 cup white sugar

    3/4 cup water

    1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

               Directions

    1. Blend the blueberries and sugar in a food processor until smooth; strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing with a wooden spoon to separate the blueberry puree from any chunks of skin or seeds.

    2. Stir the strained blueberry puree, water, and lemon juice together in a shallow glass baking dish or tray. Place the dish in the freezer; scrape and stir the blueberry mixture with a fork once an hour until evenly frozen and icy, about 4 hours. Scrape to fluff and lighten the ice crystals; spoon into chilled glasses to serve.

     Add them to Salsa!

    Maine Wild Blueberry Salsa allrecipes.com

                          Ingredients

    • 2 medium heirloom tomatoes

    • 1 cup fresh or frozen wild blueberries

    • 3/4 cup chopped sweet onion

    • 2 cloves garlic, minced

    • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil

    • 1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

    • 1/2 Hungarian hot pepper, finely chopped

    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

    • 2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

    • salt and pepper to taste

              Directions

    1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Score the skin of the tomatoes by slicing an X into the skin on the bottom. Immerse the tomatoes in boiling water for about 15 seconds. Remove and place into a bowl of cold water. The skins should slip off easily. Peel the tomatoes, cut in half and remove the seeds. Chop the tomatoes and discard the seeds.
    2. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, blueberries, onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, Hungarian pepper, cilantro and parsley. Pour in the rice vinegar and olive oil and stir gently to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight to allow the flavors to blend. You may wish to drain the salsa slightly before serving, depending on how juicy your tomatoes are.

  Blend up a smoothie

Red, White, and Blue Fruit Smoothie allrecipes.com

                          Ingredients

  • 1/2 large banana, cut into pieces and frozen
  • 2 large fresh strawberries, rinsed and sliced
  • 1/4 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla yogurt
  • 2 ice cubes                                  
                          Directions

  1. Place the banana pieces, strawberries, blueberries, milk, vanilla extract, yogurt, and ice cubes in a blender. Blend until smooth.

And of course, add them to 

cereal, pancakes, smoothies, and yogurt!

Let us know how you like to eat BLUEBERRIES!

Anti-Aging: 2 Green Leafy Vegetables

GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES

  • full of antioxidants from plant compounds from polyphenols, flavonoids, lutein, zeaxanthin, and carotenoids to fight against free radicals
  • Vitamin K, C, E, and many B vitamins
  • rich source of minerals –  iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium
  •  rich in fiber and low in fat and carbohydrates

Kale Collards Turnip Greens Swiss  Char Spinach – Mustard Greens  Broccoli Romaine Lettuce  Cabbage – Ice Burg Lettuce Parsley

Slow down the aging process by controlling inflammation and eliminating  free radicals from your body through your diet!
Definitions
Antioxidant:   protects the body from damaging molecules called free radicals.


How to Eat Leafy Veggies :: 

be CREATIVE!

 Make a Smoothie

Green Smoothie allrecipes.com

  • 1 banana, thickly sliced, frozen
  • 2 cups chopped kale
  • 1 tablespoon flax seed meal (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil (optional)
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup orange juice
 Directions
  1. Place the banana, kale, flax seed meal, and coconut oil into a blender, pour in the milk and orange juice. Cover, and puree until smooth; serve.


Make a Soup

 Vegetarian Kale Soup allrecipes.com

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 8 cups water
  • 6 cubes vegetable bouillon (such as Knorr)
  • 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 6 white potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans (drained if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot; cook the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in the kale and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in the water, vegetable bouillon, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, Italian seasoning, and parsley. Simmer soup on medium heat for 25 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


Turn them into chips!

Just tear up kale or collard greens, tossing them in salt, oil and lemon juice and cook300 degrees for 25 minutes


Add them to Sandwiches

And of course a Salad

If you have great ideas on how to eat Leafy Greens, please share!

Anti-Aging: 1 Wild Salmon

Slow down the aging process by controlling inflammation and eliminating  free radicals from your body through your diet!

WILD SALMON





Definitions

Antioxidant:   protects the body from damaging molecules called free radicals.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:  the most anti-inflammatory substance that exists; A class of fatty acids found in fish oils, especially from salmon and other cold-water fish; has many health benefits including:

  • lower blood pressure
  • lower triglyceride levels
  • brain & heart health
  • radiant & youthful skin
  • encourages a better mood

PCBs:  Short for polychlorinated biphenyl.  Compounds used as lubricants, heat-transfer fluids, and plasticizers. The manufacture and use of PCBs has been  restricted since the 1970s because they are very harmful to the environment, being especially deadly to fish and invertebrates,and stay in the food chain for many years.

Salmon with Lemon and Dill allrecipes.com

Ingredients

  • 1 pound salmon fillets
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 5 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon dried dill weed
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • sea salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
  2. Place salmon in the baking dish. Mix the butter and lemon juice in a small bowl, and drizzle over the salmon. Season with dill, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper.
  3. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until salmon is easily flaked with a fork.
Please share good Salmon recipes you love!

No More Stains on White – Baseball Season

My 6 year son is playing BASEBALL this spring, and he has a great looking uniform.

A Blue jersey and WHITE pants.

Again…

WHITE pants!

 My first question to another mom was,

“How will I EVER keep those pants white?”

Iver spends his time on the ground- rolling, falling, diving, sliding and any other way you can think of to end up on the ground!

These are the pants after the first game.

I was told to scrub with FELS-NAPTHA.

So I did.  Then washed them in my normal DIY detergent and added extra Borax for an extra boost.

I am surprised and proud to say they ended up

WHITE again!

 

WINNER!!!!!!!

Anti-Aging Foods – Intro

As you know, we can’t prevent the aging process from happening but we can slow it down and improve our vitality, energy, and quality of life through what we eat!

Inflammation & Oxidative Damage

These are two processes that happen within our bodies that contribute to almost every degenerative disease.

They are involved in…

  • cancer
  • diabetes
  • obesity
  • heart disease
  • Alzheimer’s
  • cognitive decline
  • other, less serious diseases that affect quality of life

They can…

  • damage cells
  • damage the delivery system for oxygen and blood

Inflammation:

the body’s response to injury or irritation.

Acute inflammation occurs so that the body can recover from injuries, colds, or infections.  This is all good… the body’s healing agent!

Chronic inflammation is not so great.  Over time, it does damage that goes unnoticed because of the lack of symptoms.  For this blog post, I am referring to inflammation as a result of a poor diet, stress, smoking and the lack of exercise.

Oxidative Damage:

 I’m talking about free radicals.  These rogue cells attack your good cells and actually damage your DNA.  Simply put, they affect the way your cells repair and rebuild…

which leads to aging.

THE GOOD NEWS!

Unfortunately we can’t completely eliminate inflammation and free radicals from our body, BUT we can significantly reduce them!
  • We can add foods filled with anti-inflammitory properties to our daily food routine
  • Reduce the amount of chemicals that come in contact with your body.
For the next 2 weeks I will be talking about a new SUPER FOOD each day that will help fight against inflammation and free radicals!

Take this journey with me and invite your friends!

Confession Session

One thing I love about personal training is the food confessions that take place on weigh-in and measuring days!

I get to hear all about the splurges from the week!

My family takes a 90/10 approach to eating.  

90% of our eating is for the purpose of growth, health and recovery. 

 10% is to enjoy food because it’s YUMMY!

MY FAVORITE 10% FOODS

PIZZA       

Lucy’s MAC & CHEESE 🙂

BREADS   CHIPS

my  STARBUCKS “coffee” drink

CHOCOLATE

and ICING!



I’ll share a little secrete with you:  When I was in college, I often kept a tube of icing stashed in my purse, so whenever I needed an icing fix, I would just pull it out and enjoy!

I’ve since wised up and DO NOT recommend you do this!  LOL

CONFESSION TIME

Ok, it’s your turn.  

What’s your favorite cheat foods?


Pregnancy: Exercise Guidelines

EXERCISE GUIDELINES 

Exercising During PREGNANCY

If you exercised before your pregnancy, you should be able to continue your activity in moderation. Don’t push yourself like you did before you were pregnant.

Low impact aerobics are encouraged over high impact.

Keep your heart rate under 140 beats per minute.

Do not lie on your back to exercise after the 1st trimester.

Listen to your body!


If you have not exercised prior, you can safely begin an exercise program during pregnancy after consulting with your health care provider, but do not try a new, strenuous activity. 
Walking is considered safe to initiate when pregnant.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise per day on most if not all days of the week, unless you have a medical or pregnancy complication.

Also, wear comfortable clothes, drink plenty of water, warm-up and cool-down properly and don’t stand up quickly!





Who Should Not Exercise During Pregnancy?
If you have a medical problem, such as asthmaheart disease, or diabetes, exercise may not be advisable. Exercise may also be harmful if you have a pregnancy-related condition such as:

  • Bleeding or spotting
  • Low placenta
  • Threatened or recurrent miscarriage
  • Previous premature births or history of early labor
  • Weak cervix
according to WebMD

Talk with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program. Your health care provider can also give you personal exercise guidelines, based on your medical history.

Advantages of working out during Pregnancy

  1.  Boost your energy
  2. Sleep better
  3. Reduce pregnancy discomfort
  4. Prepare for childbirth
  5.  Reduce stress and lift your spirits
  6.  Improve your self-image
  7.  Get your body back faster after childbirth

according to babycenter.com

Pregnancy Weight Gain:

So 25-35 pounds is considered a healthy weight gain during pregnancy.

So if you are like I was, you are thinking,

“Ok, so the baby weighs under 10 lbs – hopefully 🙂 – so why am I so heavy???”

 This extra weight can sure mess with our heads!

 So let’s break it down:

  • 7.5 pounds: average baby’s weight
  • 7 pounds: extra stored protein, fat, and other nutrients
  • 4 pounds: extra blood
  • 4 pounds: other extra body fluids
  • 2 pounds: breast enlargement
  • 2 pounds: enlargement of your uterus
  • 2 pounds: amniotic fluid surrounding your baby
  • 1.5 pounds: the placenta
                                                                                          according to KidsHealth.org

It’s all good and necessary, so DON’T FREAK OUT and enjoy this special time  🙂

Vitamins and Supplements

It’s very very important to supplement your diet with a GOOD multivitamin during pregnancy.  This will fill in the gaps of nutritional requirements you and your baby have that will get missed in your food.

I used a WHOLE FOOD PRENATAL VITAMIN I got from Swanson Health Products.

  • Does not contain artificial colors or preservatives
  • Vegetarian and hypoallergenic
  • Made from whole food extracts in an all-natural, enzyme-activated, vegetarian formula for optimal health and energy.
I still like this one, but that was 7 years ago and there are many new options that are awesome.  Swansons offers the variety in RAW Whole Foods and Organic!
Check it out and find what’s best for you and your baby.

It’s also important to take a Folic Acid supplement.

 Folic acid really should be taken during our child-bearing time.  It plays a huge role in cell growth and development, as well as tissue formation.

And of course you can also take the prenatal vitamin your doctor prescribes.  If you choose to use a different one, be sure to take it to your appointment and let your doctor check it out, along with any other supplements you are taking.

For itchy, stretching skin, try

Perfect Prenatal Trimester & Shea ButterPerfect Butter

or

WholeMega Prenatal & Hand & Foot Cream



Herbs

That May Help Support a Healthy,

Comfortable Pregnancy

  • Red Raspberry Leaf – Rich in iron, this herb has helped tone the uterus, increase milk production, decrease nausea, and ease labor pains. Some studies have even reported that using red raspberry leaf during pregnancy can reduce complications and the use of interventions during birth.  You may see pregnancy teas that are made from red raspberry leaf to help promote uterine health during pregnancy.
      There is some controversy about whether this should be used throughout pregnancy or just in the second and third trimester, so many health care providers remain cautious and only recommend using it after the first trimester.
  • Peppermint Leaf – Helpful in relieving nausea/morning sickness and flatulence
  • Ginger Root – Helps relieve nausea and vomiting
  • Slippery Elm Bark – (when the inner bark is used orally in amounts used in foods) Used to help relieve nausea, heartburn, and vaginal irritations
  • Oats & Oat Straw – Rich in calcium and magnesium; helps relieve anxiety, restlessness, and irritated skin

Herbs To Avoid During Pregnancy!

  • Saw Palmetto – when used orally, has hormonal activity
  • Goldenseal – when used orally, may cross the placenta
  • Dong Quai – when used orally, due to uterine stimulant and relaxant effects
  • Ephedra – when used orally
  • Yohimbe – when used orally
  • Pay D’ Arco – when used orally in large doses; contraindicated
  • Passion Flower – when used orally
  • Black Cohosh – when used orally in pregnant women who are not at term
  • Blue Cohosh – when used orally; uterine stimulant and can induce labor
  • Roman Chamomile – when used orally in medicinal amounts
  • Pennyroyal – when used orally or topically

To All My Prego Friends Part 2

This is my personal experience with exercise during pregnancy.

Round 1

Prior to my first pregnancy, I was working at the Memorial Hermann Wellness Center in Houston, Tx.  I worked as a fitness specialist and also taught various group exercise classes like step aerobics, ball & band classes, and abs and stretching.  I was in good shape.  When I became pregnant, I kept the same exercise schedule for a while.

A friend of ours was a massage therapist, certified to work with pregnancy, and worked on me a few times during that 9 month period.  Early on I had a little sciatic pain that he was able to help relieve.  I continued teaching – following the pregnancy guidelines.  I do remember that it was much harder for me to teach while pregnant.

 At the end of my 5th month I went back to my massage friend with quite a bit of sciatic pain.

He said I was too strong to be having this pain and asked what all I was doing.  When I told him I was still teaching step aerobics, his eyes grew large and he said, “STOP THAT!”  All of the knee lifts were doing a number on my back.

 Gradually I weaned my way off of my classes and in my 7th month got promoted to a

“Sit and Be Fit” class!  LOL  The sad part for me was that this class even became hard!  It was hard to bend and twist… even sitting down!

The last month I found my way to the water.

I started attending some water classes and LOVED it!  It was just what I needed.  I felt better on the days I swam and I slept better on those nights.

Labor and Birth

I went into labor in the spring of 2001.  I chose to have a natural birth and had prepared for it mentally as best as I could.  My doctor was not supportive of my choices, but I stuck with her anyway not realizing I had a choice.

I labored for 8 painful hours and pushed for 7 minutes.  That was a LONG 7 minutes.  It was hard and it hurt!  After it was all said and done, I found out that I had been given regular doses of pitocin… a medication given to induce labor.  Instead of my body contracting at its own pace,  the medication was controlling the contractions.  Pitocin is supposed to be given with an epidural…  I WAS NOT GIVEN AN EPIDURAL!
Well, it hurt worse than it had to, but I did it!
My baby girl was born 🙂

The 6 Week “Go Ahead”

I recovered quickly after having Taylor.  I was up and moving in no time.  It felt like it took forever, but finally I had my 6 week checkup and the doctor said I could start exercising again!  Yay!

So THAT night I attended a kickboxing class……..

BAD IDEA!

My brain thought I was right back where I was before pregnancy.  My body was not!

What I thought I looked like.

What I thought I looked like.     
FotoSearch

What I ACTUALLY looked like.

Parents Square

I remember hardly being able to jump off the ground.  I remember my heart rate being high and my feet not moving quickly.  I also remember having to leave class a few times for the bathroom 🙂

It made me mad that I couldn’t do it like the other women, so I pushed harder…..

ANOTHER BAD IDEA.
 I hardly made it home.  The rest of the day I laid on the couch and couldn’t get up.
 I felt BAD.
I learned to start back slowly and not to expect to be like I was right away before pregnancy!

A Year Later

I stayed home with my baby for the first year and began teaching classes again after her 1st birthday.

 At this point I was weaning her off of nursing and ready to get out of the house,
so I started back teaching my exercise classes.
Soon after, my boss began training me in Pilates.

After a few months of studying and teaching this type of exercise, I decided to stop teaching the high impact exercise for good and focus only on pilates.

5 Years Later — Round 2 

During the time I was blessed with our second child,

I was teaching only pilates classes throughout the week.

I continued instructing until the end of my 1st trimester.  At this point it was not smart to lie on my back anymore.  The first half of my class was performed lying on our back, while a good portion required us to lie on our stomach… not great either!

In the 2nd trimester, the uterus gets bigger and when you lie on your back, it puts pressure on the vein that returns blood from your lower body to your heart. This could interfere with the flow of blood & nutrients to the placenta & your baby.

The 2nd Trimester

When I stopped teaching pilates, I began weight lifting.  This was not new, I had consistently lifted weights long before my pregnancy.  I began having braxton hicks contractions during weight lifting in my 5th month.  I kinda ignored them and continued lifting.

We also moved during this time.  Me being me couldn’t wait for my husband to come home and decided to unpack and rearrange all the furniture… by my self.  Again, NOT SMART!

In the beginning of my 6th month, my contractions were VERY regular and I was told to avoid ANYTHING that caused contractions!  WOW, what didn’t????  I wised up and took it easy from this point on.  I even had to walk slower to avoid contractions.

Labor & Delivery

My baby and I made it to full term!  This time around I knew that I had a choice in doctors and found one who supported my natural birth plans.  He was a great doctor and I had a great day.  I labored easy from 6 am to 4 pm.  Then I labored hard from 4-5:15, and then I met my son!
It was such an easy experience.  First of all, not being shot up with pitocin made all the difference.  Second, my body was a rock star in pushing my baby out.  3 pushes and ta-da!!!!   When the baby popped out, my nurse turned to my mother and asked, “What does she do?”  As I was delivering my afterbirth
(I hope this is not TMI for you… it’s just reality!),
I explained what pilates is and how it has changed my body.

The Future

I don’t know what the future holds for us.  I am so happy with the way my family is right now, but if we were to grow in number, it would thrill me!
What I DO know is that I will learn from my mistakes!
I hope my mistakes can help you have a healthy, blessed pregnancy.

Enjoy this unique season!



POST WORKOUT RECOVERY SHAKE

It is super important to feed your body after a workout!  You must give it the fuel it needs to repair.  To keep your metabolism kicking after you exercise, you need to eat a proper post-workout “meal” within 45 min of that workout.  That can be hard to do, and that’s why I love a good supplement shake.  This is one of my favorites!
Chocolate Almond Protein Shake
Blend:
1/2 of a banana
High quality chocolate protein powder- BUY NOW
1 cup Almond milk
1 TBS Almond Butter
Perfect for the body and yummy to your tummy!

To All My Prego Friends

 Time I have spent with my pregnant friends lately has reminded me of the miracle of life and the beauty of our beginning.  Being a part of something so monumental will always be one of my favorite experiences in this life.

From the question of  “Could I be pregnant?” to hearing the heartbeat and feeling that first flutter to meeting this “mini me” is such a thrill!  Like the diversity in every human being, so is the pregnancy experience.  I love hearing stories and telling my own.  What a fascinating, whimsical  time.  It’s a season filled with NAUSEA, funny food CRAVINGS, curious DREAMS,  NO ENERGY at times, night sweats, CRAZY emotions, WEIGHT gain, and STRANGE changes within your body –  all within a short period of time.  And can we talk about feeling overwhelmed?  It’s so hard to grasp the fact that your family as you know it, whether it’s just you and your hubby or the 4 kids you’ve already had, is about to change.
I remember when we just had our first-born, Taylor.
It was the 3 of us.
We were a perfect family.  Life was sweet.
Then we prayed for a second baby and before we knew it, I was waddling around all big, emotional, and swollen.
We were all so excited about the new addition!
We all began to prepare in our own way.  Jeremy stayed calm and cool and just enjoyed Prego Ashley.  He understood and loved witnessing the miracle that was happening in me.  I also think he was amused by the
“new wife” he all of a sudden had!  🙂
It’s important for the husband to understand the changes happening within the woman.  If he can appreciate the wonder that is taking place, he can be more supportive and enjoy this time.
I went into my super mom mode of nesting and nurturing.
Taylor took on her new roll as big sister and began practicing.
I LOVED watching Taylor turn into a big sister.  She prayed for a brother or sister and knew this baby was a gift to our family!
I do have to admit, however, that there was a small unspoken part of me that was sad that the 3 of us would never be this way again.  I could not wrap my head around this “new” family… but I couldn’t wait for it to begin!
Well, on a September morning we found ourselves at the hospital
and that afternoon we got to meet our son for the first time.
It was one of my favorite days of my life.  In a moment, my family was now different… better…more complete.  Now it was the 4 of us.
It was perfect.  I love the four of us- Team Benson!  Now I cannot imagine “us” without every person.
So here are a few tips that might make your pregnancy a little more Comfortable and Enjoyable!
  • Eat small, nutritious  meals often
  • Stay updated with the growth and development of your baby.  It’s so cool to realize that when you eat spinach, for example, you are actually giving your baby what it needs for healthy skin, eyes, bones, and more!  This can change the way you look at food!
  • Pack your underwire bras away until you are finished supporting your baby!
  • Be cute, but be comfortable!
  • If you start swelling, watch your salt intake and drink lots of water.
  • When your ankles start swelling, put your feet up!
  • Read So That’s What They’re For  by Janet Tamaro for breastfeeding… GREAT BOOK! 
  • Exercise during pregnancy can help with energy, stamina, posture, and decrease back pain and fatigue.   It can also help you sleep better and can make all the difference in having an enjoyable, comfortable pregnancy.  Being active  may prevent  gestational diabetes (diabetes that develops during pregnancy), relieve stress, and prepare your body for labor and delivery.
  • Swim as much as possible… especially in the last trimester.  Take a break from the gravitational pull on your body in the water!
  • Other types of exercise safe for pregnancy:  walking, indoor stationary cycling, step or elliptical machines,  low-impact aerobics, stretching and strength training.
  • Pilates is good as long as you don’t do any exercises lying on your back after the 1st trimester.  I do have to add that Pilates is the BEST thing you can do to prepare your body for  pregnancy, and the BEST thing you can do postpartum!  After having a natural birth to my son, the nurse that was with me during the hard labor and delivery asked, “What DO you do?”  She was amazed with my strength and how quickly I was able to push out my baby!  I totally sold her on Pilates that day!  She saw the benefits!  I will also add – while I’m at it – that I recovered very quickly from my pregnancy.
I will write a new post  on my own personal experience with exercise and pregnancy soon!  I will also talk about exercise guidelines and prenatal supplements,
including what herbs are good, and which ones to avoid while pregnant!