Travel Fit!

I just wanted to share a post on how I stay on top of my fitness regime while I travel. Some of you know that I join my husband on his business trips once in a while and we stay in hotels. If you have young kids, you can easily use them as weights, as I'm pretty sure you don't carry your dumbbells in your carry-on, and if you do... wow! 

Most hotels have gyms in them, but if you happen to be in a hotel without a gym, like we usually do, I at least hope they provide a DVD player.

I'm a big fan of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. Her workouts are 20minutes each! You can use water bottles as your weights, or your kids (depending on their size of course)! I'm sure they'll get a kick out of it while mama does squats with while piggy back riding!

If you don't have access to a DVD player, then just by doing your muscle toning without weights and breaks in between, it acts well like a cardio session!

here are two workout options, in your hotel room!

With DVD player:

• 30 Day Shred level 1/2/3

• squats with weights, 10reps x 4

• lunges with weights, 8reps x 4, each leg

Without DVD player:

• imaginary skipping rope

• jumping jacks

• burnout squats

• burnout lunges

• jumping jacks

• bicep curls (both arms) with a toddler/water bottles as weights 12 reps x4

• triceps on the edge of your bed 12reps x 4

Hope this helps!!!

26 and 27 Weeks 3rd Trimester

Hello 3rd Trimester!

Not long now, not long at all!

How am I feeling?

I'm feeling fine, good in fact. Sometimes I've felt nauseous, but I'm done with Diclectin and I think it might have something to do with not getting enough water during these hot days. Coffee doesn't help either, does it?

So and so. I'm off a "set rhythm" but I'm eating enough. It's so hot, I'm not that excited about cooking so, making rice wraps is great. I always seem to be feeling hungry, I don't know whether I lack of a certain vitamin?

I know it's hot, but I've made soup from cauliflower and home made chicken stock. It's pretty light and is nutritious! To make it a rawfood soup, omit the chicken, bacon and heating up your soup just below the 45 Celsius is ideal.

At the moment, I am taking a B vitamin Complex, Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D, probiotics, Milk Thistle and Greens+

I'm drinking home made bubble tea, which is really healthy!!! Basically it's any home made vitamin water, but tea infused (today it was red raspberry leaf tea) with crushed ice and Goji berries, which soak up the flavours and become a subsitute to pearls and jelly. Yummy and healthy!

How have I been working out?

I've cut down a lot. I'm doing plenty of cardio; crosstrainer, stairmaster, tredmill etc. I'm aiming to do 30minutes to a hour a day.  Once I get into the groove again, I'll be picking up light weights, but for now I'm just getting myself going again. The stairmaster is still my master at the gym. My pregnancy weight gain has affected the level I've been working on. I was at level 6 and 7, now I am on level (intensity) 1 and 2.

Rice Wrap Filling 1:

thinly sliced:
carrots
broccoli

sprouts
alfalfa sprouts

cooked chicken, beef, shrimp or fish

Rice Wrap Filling 2:
baked salmon, seasoned
sprouts
iceberg lettuce
carrots
soy, garlic and ginger dressing

Taco Rice Wraps:

Filling:

Fried taco mince meat
salsa
iceberg lettuce
sour cream
sliced avocado

 

Anyway, here is what I made the other day. Guess which one is the healthy one? 

 My daughter pitted the cherries with me... she worked hard, pitted 7. I pitted the thousand after that.

 I don't bake, but I did make this pastry. It wasn't anything like my mom's... but whatever.

 Yes, I am in bed. yes those are my feet, and yes the plate is resting on my tummy.

I'm so Finnish, I went to IKEA and bought vanilla sauce... The pie was so tart from the lemon juice and lack of sugar, it balanced the taste perfectly.

 I roasted the cauliflowers at the same time I made my pie crust.

 Home made chicken stock. That's pretty much the recipe. Chicken stock and roasted cauliflowers.

 Put them all in a blender with a tbsp of bacon bits.

 Pureed yummyness!

Blend in a few carrots from the chicken stock "left overs" and voila!

27+3

22 and 23 Weeks

How I feel about pregnancy now?

Well, I am very thankful that I feel good. Usually, in the mornings I feel like I am out of breath, but it passes just before noon. I have experienced this with all of my pregnancies, maybe it has something to do with the baby pushing against my lungs, who knows? 

I still have breakfast in bed before I get up. This past week my breakfast choices have not been very admirable, however, I will pick up from where I dropped the ball.

 

 (22weeks)

I have not worked out for two weeks :( I admit it, I've been lazy. No worries, I'm still keen to, I just need a good kick in the butt to get moving! My diet has been -in all honesty- not so raw, lately. I know for a fact that one juice a day, keeps the crap away. At least for me! Now that my garden is blooming, I have no excuses not to juice or enjoy yummy salads.

I'm very excited to meet this little angel inside of me. I feel her/him move and even though this is my 4th pregnancy, it never gets old, the mystery never dies... it's hard to believe that there is someone inside of me, being knit together in my womb, with a purpose, personality, and above all, given to us to care for and to love on. I cannot wait to meet you! I love you so much already! At times (daily) I am so overwhelmed by the blessings we have, our children.

What have I been doing?

Gardening, homeschooling, camping, being lazy, writing, studying, being lazy again...

I've been to see a physio, who specializes in women's pelvic floor (pre and postnatal). I have homework I need to do daily to strengthen/maintain my pelvic floor during the rapid growth of the baby, help in birth and fast healing post birth. But mostly, I am doing them so I stop peeing myself every time a sneeze or have a coughing fit! I know, too much info, but I know -you know what I mean!

Daily kegels workout:

30 x 5+sec squeezes with 10sec break in between. This takes about 8 minutes to do. 

30 x quick squeezes with 10sec break in between.

I've been trying to remember to do this everyday for two weeks, and so far I have already seen felt an improvement. I have got two more weeks to do these exercises until my next appointment.

Moving on...

My vice: iced coffee... and flavoured too! Ugh, I will stop...soon.

 (23 weeks)

Strike a Pose!!!

Here is my garden so far! Looks a lot different to the dirt pile I posted not so long ago, hey?!

Loving Salads: Crisp, fresh, nourishing and energizing salads! YUMMM!!!

• lettuce
• grated carrots
• diced cucumber
• olives
• walnuts
• tomatoes
• seeds
• blueberries

 Excited about this book again, again and again!

This book changed my approach and feelings towards the birth experience in all ways! I read this book with my hubby at bed time for my 2nd, 3rd and now 4th pregnancy and birth. I've lent this book out many times and unfortunately I never got it back the last time, so i had to reorder it through bookdepository. Nevertheless, I am excited to read it again!

 

This is an eye opening book for me, again and again. It's motivating, reassuring, provides  knowledge and all in all, a great base.

I highly recommend it to every pregnant woman on this planet! Bookdepository has free shipping around the world!!! So worth it!

Raspberries from my garden, gone is seconds, devoured by my 2 year old!

More on my pregnancy HERE!

More on Life, Motherhood, Homeschooling, Nutrition etc. HERE!

The Busy Mom's Gym Guide! Make It Happen!

The Busy Mom's Gym Guide

I know as a homeschooling mother of three, soon four, that going to the gym, or doing any kind of exercise can seem impossible or not even a priority. However, I also know that it is extremely important to exercise, for your well being now and for the future.

At times, booking in a session may feel so over whelming, I get it, I've been there. It's also important to take a step back and evaluate the reasons you need to exercise and manage your home schedule so, that it is possible. When working out takes away your energy instead of giving you more, you may need to take it a notch down or adjust what you are doing entirely.

Here are a few steps to make it happen,

• Figure out what your home schedule is. I suggest the Managers of Their Homes scheduling method. In this way, no chores will be forgotten and everyone will have plenty of time to rest, play, and enjoy hobbies and each other. It's a MUST READ!

• Menu Plan. Especially on those days you intend to workout. If you're like me and workout in the evenings, with a gym daycare, you will have to plan and prep their dinner and perhaps an evening snack for the time they are in. If you're kids are old enough, 3+, recruit them with prepping their dinner. This is a great way to train and bond with them. 

 

I give clear "instructions" to when I want the kids to eat, so that we can get the evening snacks out of the way, and get ready for evening preps, teeth brushing, story and bed. Usually my husband will put the kids to sleep so that I can shower after my workout. Not only is it important that your offspring eat, it's also important that you do as well! Making sure that you eat 1-1/2h prior to your workout will give you the sufficient energy for your workout and also giving your body the energy it needs afterwards is important. Pay attention to what you feed yourself. Lots of vegetables, good sources of protein and fiber are good.

• Have a workout plan. Make sure you get energized from working out and not the opposite. As a stay at home mom & homeschooler, it is vital to plug in to an energy source. One, being our Almighty God and two, physical activity. God created our bodies to move, and we benefit highly from physical activity, emotionally and physically.

• Rest. Make sure you get enough sleep each night. Everyone needs different amounts of sleep per night. There is no point in cutting back on the rest your body needs to recuperate, for the sake of owning a "super Mom" title. Going to bed in time is key.

• Workout at home. I workout twice a week at the gym and 2-4 times at home. The workouts I do at home are different from what I do at the gym. At the gym I utilize my time in the machines I don't normally have access to, such as the stair master, leg extensions, curls, squat machine, free weight machines etc.

• Take supplements. Unfortunately our food is so distorted these days, stripped from their goodness that we need to give our bodies a helping hand when it comes to vitamins, minerals and omegas. We just aren't getting the needed amounts. By supplementing with good quality vitamins you will notice a difference in your well being and health. It's important to have homeostasis in you!

19 and 20 Weeks

Fruit of my garden. I can't keep up with the berries... they ripen up so fast. I have to go in daily to pick out the ripe ones, if I miss a day, literally, they're over ripe. 

I enjoy them in my oats, yogurt, fruit salads....mmm....

I am finally starting to feel the baby move! What joy to know-know that there is someone in there and it's not just trapped gas! Ha ha! The movements are so soft, and it reminded me when the soft movements turn into invasive switching of the positions, kicking in the ribs kind of kicks and the endless hiccups. You know?! 

2 more days until the detailed ultra sound, I'm looking forward to it!

I've been dating my husband. Now seems to be a good time to get in as many date nights as possible. It dawned on me, 4 more months until #4 is here! Super exciting, but it sure will be a busy time and it'll be some time again, until we get to go out the just two of us.

 

This picture was taken at 20 weeks, sharp!  Time has definitely passed by fast this time around. May have something to do with having 3 kids, homeschooling and gyming it. It may. I'm looking forward to this little bundle, but at the same time, I am really enjoying the time I have being a family of 5, this too is a season, this too shall pass.

 (puffed tofu and broccoli stirfry)

My diet has contained mostly fruits, eggs, vegetables, greens+ , smoothies, juices, soups, salads, hot pots, steak (once in a while), protein powder, protein bars ( for when I forget to eat and I'm on the go), honey chrysanthemum and aloe vera teas, ice cubes, crushed ice and ice water! Ha ha! I tend to eat ice when I'm pregnant, keeps me cool!

My workout:

Day One

1. stairmaster 20-30minutes
2. single leg extensions 4 sets of 8 reps
3. leg curls 4 sets of 8 reps
4. planks 45sec x 2-3
5. stretching 

Day Two

upper body workout at home, 10lb dumbbells, shoulders, chest, triceps, biceps...

Day Three

repeat day one, add back exercises

Day Four

upper body workout at home, 10lb dumbbells, shoulders, chest, triceps, biceps... 

I'll be seeing a physio tomorrow for some pelvic issues. I have been "clicking" while I walk or even just stand at times. I also can't laugh, jump on a trampoline with my kids, or have a coughing fit (ha ha!) without leaking, I know too much information! But that is a fact, and I am being brutally and at times, embarrassingly honest here. Ladies, sometimes having more babies or even just one can leave your core weak, get yourself an appointment to see a physio who has the experience with pre- and post natal issues and get yourself strengthened. Trust me, it needs to be addressed, before you're 40 weeks along.

More posts on pregnancy workouts HERE

Posts on recipes HERE

Posts on homeschooling HERE

My 2nd Trimester's Workout Plan 1

Here it is! I hope you find the motivation to do these exercises and feel good! This is my workout plan 1, and I'll adjust it as I go if need be.

I do majority of my weights on my exercise ball to recruit my core.

Day 1

Lunges 0-20lb 4 sets of 12 reps

Squats 30lb 4 sets of 12 reps

Stott Pilates Warm Up and Leg Workout Series 1 to 5

Day 2

Shoulder presses 10lb (20lb) 4 sets of 12 reps

Lateral raises 10lb (20lb) 4 sets of 12 reps

Rear deltoids 10lb (20lb) 4 sets of 12 reps

Front raises 10lb (20lb) 4 sets of 12 reps

Bent over row 15lb (30lb) 4 sets of 12 reps

Day 3

Lunge with bicep curls (alternate leg-long distance) 10lb (20lb) 4 sets of 12 reps each leg

Bicep Curls 10lb (20lb) 4 sets of 12 reps each arm

Overhead triceps extension 15lb 4 sets of 12 reps
 
Triceps kick backs 10lb 4 sets of 12 reps each arm

Hammer curls  10lb 4 sets of 12 reps each arm

Day 4

Push up burnouts (assisted if necessary)


For Cardio:

Either do all above without weights, use skipping rope or jog around your yard (if you've been given the permission form your Dr)

ENJOY!

Pregnancy Week 13

I'm feeling a lot better now that my diet has been altered. I had an appointment with the midwife yesterday and she also happens to be a Naturopath. We went through my 5 day food log, to see if there was a reason for my drastic "up and downs". It seems that my body behaves like a diabetic (even though I am not) while pregnant, so we're trying out a new regime. So far so good. Low Glysemic is the new word this week.

This weeks key word: JUICING

I have been juicing most of my vegetables this week, since I haven't had the appetite to chew them. The juices have been so yummy!

This week I have taken away: SUGAR in almost every form. 

I'm eating less dried fruit and high fructose fruits just to see how my body reacts to it.

I'm feeling: BETTER. I am cutting out the Diclectin nausea meds slowly. Let's hope the nausea stays away.

I'm adding: EXERCISE and HEMP PROTEIN.

Since I'm not feeling that nauseous, dumbells are on the horizon. Soon. Because of my meat aversions, I will add the hemp protein to my smoothies.

Recipe of the week: 

PICK-ME-UPPER POWER JUICE

In a juicer, juice:

• 1/3 large fennel
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 small sour green apple
• 1" ginger
• handful of spinach/kale, washed and rolled up tightly
• slice of lemon
• 1 carrot 

serve with ice!