I’m 29 weeks pregnant and sh*t is getting real over here!! I’m in my third trimester and really feeling like it’s crunch time to get all the things done before baby girl is here in June. I’m starting to feel real pregnant these days. I’ve definitely slowed down overall, and I’m needing to let myself relax and rest more (which is hard for me). My workouts have also been toned down a lot, but I’m trying my best to stay active even on days I’m tired and not feeling it. Today I’m sharing some personal wellness goals I’ve set for myself for my third trimester to help me end my pregnancy as strong and healthy as possible.
STEPS: I’ve always considered getting my daily steps goal a priority, but it hasn’t always happened (especially during the winter months when the weather was crap). Enter Daisy! I forgot how much I miss having a dog to take on walks. She loves to walk and it helps her burn energy and stay out of trouble (she still gets into plenty). We’ve been going on 2-3 short walks a day and it just feels good to move and have something to motivated me to not be sedentary right now. My goal is between 10,000-12,000 steps a day. Even if I’ve done another workout like the bike, I still believe it’s SO important to get those steps in. I wrote a blog post about the benefits of walking and here about NEAT. (Hint: if you don’t know what NEAT means you should probably read that post ;).
DAILY GREEN SMOOTHIE: I’m back to loving my smoothies and find it’s sometimes the only time of the day I’m getting in greens. Therefore, I’ve made it a goal to have a daily nutrient dense smoothie with a ton of greens in it. I typically make this for breakfast, but if I’m craving something else for breakfast I will make sure I have my smoothie for lunch. I wrote a post here and here about how to build the perfect smoothie, but I always make sure to have at least 20 grams protein (using this or this protein right now), a good source of fat (nut butter, MCT oil, or avocado), fiber (ground flax seeds or acacia fiber, greens (frozen spinach or kale), and I’ll also throw in some frozen berries or banana.
WORKOUTS: My goal is to workout 5-6 days a week. While I’ve been toning things down activity wise, I’m still trying to do Peloton rides 2-3 x week + 2-3 x week of strength training or barre. I’m also walking as much as possible (see goal #1). I’ve stopped doing the bike bootcamps (I have to modify the floor work too much) and I’ve also stopped HIIT/intense rides. I typically choose a 20-30 minute low impact, groove ride, Cody pop ride, or one of Robin’s prenatal rides. These rides tend to be more chill and fun. I was also getting frustrated having to modify the strength workouts on Peloton, so I will typically stick to Robin’s prenatal strength classes, online barre classes, or Melissa Wood’s arms/booty classes.
VITAMINS: I’m taking Ritual prenatal and plan to switch to their postnatal vitamin after delivery. I also take Omega 3, Iron, Vitamin D, probiotic, and collagen supplements. I also take this magnesium supplement to help me relax in the evening (I miss my CBD and wine!)
PRENATAL CHIROPRACTOR: I just started working with a chiropractor that specializes in prenatal care using a technique called the Webster Technique. I plan to go 1-2 x week until baby girl is here and then a few visits after delivery to help with alignment and recovery postpartum. I’m hopeful this will help with my low back/ SI pain and help with spine and pelvis alignment for a smooth delivery.
MASSAGE: I have been getting 90 minute monthly massages for a while now (it was part of my fertility treatment plan) and have continued to do so throughout pregnancy. Since my body is feeling extra achy these days I’m starting to go every 2 weeks until delivery. While this might sound indulgent, it’s really to make sure my body is ready for delivery and will also help with postpartum recovery.
BIRTHING BALL EXERCISES: I’ve started getting on my “birthing ball” every night before bed and doing several exercises and stretches on it while watching TV. I started following Healthy Alibi and she has some great videos and exercises to help relieve low back pain, as well as, pregnant friendly exercises with the yoga ball on her Instagram page. Definitely encourage pregnant mamas to check them out on her feed!
xx, Alix
Home stretch! You got this girl!