Health + Fitness Friday: Working out With a Growing Bump

It's Friday AND it's a beautiful one at that. The skies are finally clear and the sun is shining after four days of dreary clouds and rain. It's as though my mood has been instantly lifted and Mr. Wrigley seemed to wake up on the right side of the kennel as well. I started my Friday with a great workout which is always the best way to kick off the weekend, in my opinion. That and an early happy hour but since my happy hours these days consist of seltzer water, cucumber water, citrus infused water and water...you get what I'm saying.

I'm linking up with my sweet friend Jen for Health + Fitness Friday so that I can quickly discuss what I've been doing to stay active all while I have a baby growing inside of me! Some people look at me like I have five heads when I say that I have continued to workout but honestly, I think it has made a huge difference in how I feel- which most of the time, is great! From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted to continue my regular workout schedule throughout my pregnancy and I am so happy that I have. I do feel very fortunate to have not had to deal with morning sickness or a major slump in energy level, which made maintaining my normal routine fairly easy. Had I been super sick, nauseous and tired in the beginning, it may not be the same story for me.

FUEL: Typically, I'm a morning workout person and used to just grab a few almonds or a spoonful of almond butter before working out. Right now though, I try to eat a small breakfast about an hour before I workout so that I can fuel my body a little extra. Hard boiled eggs and plain greek yogurt with fresh berries are my go-tos and always give me the extra energy I need for my workouts. Water is key for me, too. I have always been a big water drinker but I swear, being pregnant has turned me into some sort of a camel-like creature. I just can't get enough!

WORKOUTS: Prior to becoming pregnant, I was doing a lot of high intensity interval workouts that included a lot of crossfit and muscle confusion. I still do some crossfit type workouts but not near the intensity that I was once doing. I'm actually running more often than I was before and also doing strength training. I operate on an every other day schedule so for example on Monday, I will run or do some kind of cardio for 45 minutes. Then, on Tuesday, I'll only do 20-25 minutes of cardio and strength training. There are a few classes I like going to as well just so that I can mix things up. Right now, I aim for workouts 5-6 days a week!

My friend Kelly, who is a fitness instructor, reminded me that if you were doing it before you were pregnant, you can do it while you are pregnant! She gave me some great advice and said to just watch my heart rate, make sure my body temperature doesn't get overly high and to listen to my body. She also said that if you can carry on a conversation while working out, you're at a good pace. 

Also of note? Thanks to my workout playlist, this baby of mine is bound to come out dancing and fist pumping. Just like his/her mom :)

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!