Filed under: Fitness, Fit Pregnancy

Filed under: Fitness, Healthy Habits, Work/Home Balance, Fit Pregnancy

You can now add non-stick chemicals to that ever-expanding list. Researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and UCLA found that babies exposed to these sorts of chemicals while in the womb were born at dramatically lower birth weights than normal.

And by the sounds of it, this may only be the tip of the iceberg. While animal testing has revealed an array of potential health risks associated with these non-stick chemicals -- including an increased risk of cancer and developmental problems -- little is known about their long-term effects on humans.

The studies aren't definitive, but if you're a person who's "better safe than sorry," it sounds like you might want to avoid non-stick products until there's more information available -- especially if you're pregnant.

Filed under: Women's Health, Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

Well, as you can see I am technically due to have my baby today. While I don't expect to actually bring him into the world this Saturday I decided to go ahead and get my post taken care of earlier in the week in case he decides the be unlike the rest of my family (God love 'em) and show up on time. So, let's just assume for the sake of argument that as of this writing I have no baby, but by the time you read it I may well be somebody's mommy.

I've officially had a few weeks to myself to prepare for the baby and his homecoming as well as take care of some personal business, which I have to admit has been really difficult for me. I am a doer, a completer of tasks. It's how I was raised and it's how I am. Without a list of things to do and the ability to check them off I feel pretty useless. The house is clean, the crib is ready, the baby clothes are washed, the whole nine yards. I think our bank account is reconciled for the month. I even managed to get tickets to the Police concert in August for what I assume will be my husband's and my official re-entry in to the social world after months of baby bliss.

So what else was left to do? How about take care of ME. That's been the hard part, and the part your gal pals try to explain to you but that you can't relate to until it happens to you too. And when I say take care of me I don't necessarily mean getting a massage or anything like that. I've had my share of indulgences during this nine months (remember the cupcake incidents?) but those have been mere detours on the road toward motherhood.

Continue reading Fit Pregnancy: The long, strange trip

Filed under: Emotional Health, Fitness, General Health, Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

With what my OBGYNs claim is two weeks to go until I give birth, I think I may be, like my unborn offspring, DONE. Done in the sense that I don't think I can do anything else until this baby is born. In addition to feeling like a beached whale at this point the weather has been terrible and I've been sick. It goes without saying the time change also completely threw me for a loop, as it does every year.

The week started out promisingly. The weather was nearing 70 degrees, even though it was March, and I took full advantage of it by walking every morning. Three days in a row I got up in the darkness and headed out with my husband for a shortened route. The most I can walk at once is about two miles at this point, which is still fairly respectable considering I am in my 38th week of pregnancy. Then I proceeded to commute in to work and get through the workday of my last week before disability kicked in. I was tired, sure, but I figured it was all part of the final stretch of pregnancy.

Then I got sick. My glands were a little swollen. My head was killing me. I was a human faucet. I could barely think about getting out of bed and getting through work, much less working out. Just the thought of stretching out exhausted me. I managed to make it to and through work but that was it. I just didn't have it in me to do anything more. "Wow," my inner voice said, "you're giving up?" Well, not necessarily.

Continue reading Fit Pregnancy: Giving up or giving in?

Filed under: Fitness, Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

I have a sneaking suspicion that cupcakes are not part of the fit pregnancy regimen I've been following up to this point. Some of the nicest people I know threw me a baby shower this past weekend and provided me with a seemingly never-ending supply of cupcakes from none other than the famous (or should I say infamous) Magnolia Bakery in the West Village. Seriously, these cupcakes are so sought after that there's a sign in the window stating that each customer is limited to a dozen cupcakes.

Thinking about this sign, I felt less than guilty when I ate two cupcakes at the shower, one chocolate and one with white cake, and then brought several home to share with my husband. I can't recall if I've eaten one or two since those cupcakes hit my fridge, but that's really beside the point.

Up to this point I haven't had any real pregnancy cravings, nor have I been consistently famished like some gals I know and eating everything I could get my hands on. There was a week in my first trimester where I was really craving salty foods like sushi (just vegetarian hand roles for me of course) and take out Chinese food. Then there was a point during my second trimester when I gave in to my love of french fries. Of course, only one place in the city makes fries worth eating so that interest pretty much flew out the window once I realized my schedule would never allow me to visit.

Continue reading Fit Pregnancy: Giving in to (cupcake) cravings!

Filed under: Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

Lately, my lower back is killing me. I'm starting to feel like I'm 80 years old: I sit down on the couch and simply can't get up again. Of course this would offend my grandmother, who is nearly 77 and engages in jazzercise and aerobics. She'd tell me to just get over it. And I'd love to, but I can't figure out how. Being nearly 35 weeks pregnant, I can certainly figure out why I'm experiencing lower back pain, and it has little to do with old injuries, my previous rabid running schedule or not sitting up straight at my computer. No, it's the baby.

Apparently the little guy now weighs somewhere around 4.5 pounds and all of him plus everything else swirling around in there, including but not limited to placenta and amniotic fluid, which is all centralized rather adorably right in my tummy, is putting a strain on my lower back. Never one to focus on or even at times notice pain, I am surprised by at times just how uncomfortable I feel.

Baby aside, there is one thing that tends to cause folks--even the non-pregnant ones--lower back pain, and it's something I've had a lot of in my life these past few weeks: stress. Although I hate to admit it, the countdown to baby has begun, and I don't feel fully prepared. Never mind that no one feels prepared enough for their first child, but the stress associated with getting the house in order and figuring out what I'm going to do about work is enough to make both me and my lower back scream.

Sitting is fine, and walking is fine. In fact, walking actually makes me feel better. But standing, whether it's in a line at the grocery or just changing the contents of my purse to another, is really taking a toll on me. Luckily I spend most of my time these days sitting or walking, but there are times when I find myself standing and feel the dull ache set in to my lower back. Even standing for five minutes at the fridge deciding what to make for dinner can bring the pain.

So, what to do? Well, the stretches I would normally incorporate to release the throbbing are out since I have something the size of a beach ball in my stomach, which keeps me from doing a lot of bending. Additionally, my balance, which was never great to begin with, has taken a turn for the worse. The more round I get the less graceful I am. That said, back pain during pregnancy is normal and there are recommended stretches for pregnant women to help relieve such symptoms.

Also, pain meds are out for me. Even if I weren't pregnant I am not the type to mask pain. I feel pain is there for a reason, my body telling me something is wrong or out of whack that needs addressing. More often than not, the addressing entails resting and relaxing, something we should all do more of, not just those of us in the family way.

Rest and relaxation may seem like goals simple enough to accomplish, but that's not always the case. Getting enough sleep during the last trimester of pregnancy can be difficult. As I near the end of my third trimester the pain in my lower back can take a substantial amount of time to subside, if it does entirely, which can keep me awake despite how tired I feel.

Getting a friend to massage the area can be a big help. In fact, it seems the method that works best. Massage, in combination with walking, not standing for long periods of time, and resting whenever possible, seems to alleviate most of the aching.

Signing up for a prenatal massage can help too. Although I freely admit they're expensive (at least $100 for 60 minutes in the New York area and usually more) and haven't been able to figure out a way to get my insurance to cover them, there is nothing--and I mean nothing--like a professional touch to do the trick. In addition to working out all the pregnancy kinks, prenatal massage therapists, in my experience anyway, are some of the nicest people on earth. Just being in a place full of nice people genuinely concerned about you and your baby, who know how to give killer massages to boot, can bring immediate relief.

Are there any tricks or tips you know of to alleviate lower back pain during pregnancy? If so, I'd love to hear them. So would my husband, who is probably tired of hearing me moan about how much my back hurts!

Filed under: Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

Remember how a few weeks ago my "get up and go" got up and went? I recall lamenting feeling so lethargic given the unusually warm winter weather, realizing even then that I should take advantage of being outside while it was warm enough to do so. instead I made excuses and stayed indoors. Sure enough, the colder weather is now upon us here in NYC, with AM temperatures of well below freezing, making it too cold for a waddler like me to keep warm. As a result, I've had to take my workout indoors.

Working out inside has re-shed some interesting light on my pregnancy. As I am in my third trimester I've been feeling more and more of the aches and pains associated with the last few months of pregnancy. Even when I feel like I just can't get up in the morning, if I can just get myself out of bed and into the living room for a little stretching, I feel infinitely better...for the whole day. It's amazing but true. Remembering this is incentive to haul it out of bed when this very tired mommy-soon-to-be would otherwise turn over for a little more shut eye.

Of course, I've had to modify my workouts. The larger I become the harder it is to do certain things. When I was walking, my indoor workout consisted mostly of some stretching, some modified sit ups and some push ups. I was out the door in less than thirty minutes. Now I have nearly an hour to focus on things, which gives me the time to really concentrate on what I'm doing rather than hurrying through the steps so I can get outdoors to what I formerly considered the "real" part of my workout.

So what exactly am I doing? Well, I still stretch out from head to toe (in that order). I hold each stretch on each side for at least 30 seconds and focus on breathing, breathing, breathing. Now that the baby is truly sizable enough to mush my diaphragm, just breathing is exercise in itself.

I've continued with my modified sit-ups, although at this point I feel I'm doing them more to keep with the routine than for any other purpose. I don't really feel any sensation in my abs. In fact, I'm not even sure where they are anymore. They seem to have been replaced by the giant superdome holding my baby. I miss them, yes, but they are otherwise occupied. The modified sit up consists of sitting on the floor so my back and legs form a "V." With knees bent and toes angled down I lower my feet to the ground in unison, then raise them to a 90 degree angle. This move works my quads more than anything which is also beneficial.

I've also spent an inordinate amount of time stretching my calves. This move perhaps more than any other has been beneficial in warding off the aches and pains of the last trimester. Although it may have nothing to do with the extra attention I've paid my calves, I've avoided leg cramps all together. From what I understand they are extremely painful and hard to get rid of, often striking in the middle of the night. That doesn't sound like fun. The move I like best is the runner's stretch: Hands on the ground, body stretched in a straight line behind you and feet together, raise on foot off the ground and dig the heel of the other foot into the floor. You should feel the stretch in the calf of the foot on the floor. Make sure to hold for at least 30 seconds.

I've managed to this point to not only keep up with my push ups--the modified version on my knees--but I've actually seen gains in my strength as I've added to the total number I can accomplish. I do a set of 30, break, do a set of 20, break and then do a nice, slow set of 10. Having frequently held a friend's newborn for extended periods of time I've realized one thing: babies don't seem heavy, but they are. So build up that upper body strength while you can!

In addition to the push ups I've been using my free weights, doing bicep curls and tricep dips in sets of 20. I also do a move I call "picking up the groceries" which is a modified bicep curl that has been particularly effective. Instead of keeping your elbows at your sides as you life the weights to your chest, turn your elbows out with the weights facing your hips. Curl the weights toward your inner elbow as if you were raising bags of groceries.

Regardless of what moves you incorporate, and what works best for you, the best thing to do is to keep doing it. Stick with your program, even if you need to modify it along the way. Getting up in the mornings--albeit not every day as I used to--and doing something (anything) has helped me maintain a rhythm, and, at the very least, has alleviated my cabin fever.

Filed under: Fitness, Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

Recently I read an article on americanbaby.com offering four different exercises designed to help women have an easier delivery on their big day. While this seems like it would be helpful, and at the very least give me something on which to concentrate other than driving my husband insane looking at birth announcements, it seems too good to be true, even if these exercises are being recommended by the Mayo Clinic.

Upon closer inspection, I noted that one of the exercises, the Kegel, has been recommended to me throughout my pregnancy for everything from being able to hold in my tinkle when I laugh (and don't YOU laugh, because this phenomenon does occur during and after pregnancy) to rekindling my sex life post-pardum. The others seemed to be a mix of some yoga moves I used to know.

Doesn't it seem like if these exercises really worked every woman would incorporate them into her pregnancy? Wouldn't we have heard more about these miracle exercises from our doctors and other professionals? Had I not signed up for a weekly newsletter I doubt I would've heard about them at all. None of my friends who've had babies--and that would be the majority of them--have made mention of these miracle exercises. Nope, most of them just said take the drugs (meaning the epidural). Hmm. Can you sense my suspicion?

Continue reading Fit Pregnancy: Exercise tips for a better delivery?

Filed under: Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

There's a line in a song I heard somewhere where the singer notes his "get up and go must've got up and went." Like the tweener that found deep-rooted personal meaning in every sad song she heard, this line pretty much sums up life for me these days, as I wallow in the glory of my third trimester.

I say wallow because I have done very, very little in the way of extra exercise since the holidays hit. And, in an unusual twist of fate, I don't really care. Normally, at the start of the new year, like everyone else, I am champing at the bit for another shot at rounding the park in an effort to get my body "bikini ready" by bikini season. This January, however, as I enter the last three months of pregnancy, I am finding that I have little interest in hoofing it anywhere. It's not that I'm overly tired yet (although have heard energy can decrease in T3) or that I'm bored with my routine. It's not even that I can't breathe from my giant uterus smushing my diaphragm--I managed to adapt to this pretty quickly.

It's just that, well, I'm so DISTRACTED. There are simply so many things to do in this last trimester that I can't seem to find the time or interest in working out. Between getting a nursery set up, picking a stroller, figuring out the wonderful world of maternity leave and getting the rest of my life in order before baby makes his debut, I'm just too caught up in life to work out! This is coming from a woman who LIVED to see if she could outpace her husband during a 9 mile race and who considered hills catalysts for speed. Ah well.

Now I'm lucky if I can get myself changed into workout wear and stretched out for ten minutes before hitting the pavement. What's worse is that I know it's wrong for me to become sedentary at this crucial time. Well, I wouldn't say "wrong" exactly, but I understand the importance of exercise during pregnancy and the many benefits resulting from it. I also know that I'm more mentally sound when I work out and more grounded. Grounded is the last thing I feel right now. Giddy? Sure? Gassy? Definitely! Overwhelmed? Perhaps a tad. But grounded--not so much.

My husband likes to tell me the story of how this one colleague of his walked almost every day until she gave birth and had an easy delivery two weeks early. I can't verify if this is true but according to him (according to her) the exercise is what made everything so smooth. And she got her bikini body back. Truth is, I don't care about my bikini body. That may change post-pardum, but I feel like the thing to do is concentrate on what seems right NOW.

If my body--and perhaps my baby--is telling me to take it easy, enjoy myself, focus on things that need to be done so I can relax and enjoy my new son, then so be it. I know I'll never give up exercising completely, even during the last few weeks of my pregnancy. And I know that after he's born, I'll weave my son in to the wonderful world of exercise that I share with my husband. Perhaps that's why I'm not so worried about it right now--I know exercise is a part of life for me and always will be.

Filed under: Fit Pregnancy

My first thought, which I am sure comes from some commercial I've endured each winter season since I was six, was "is it a cold or is it the flu?" Nearly a month ago I'd had the flu shot against my better judgment but to the appreciation of my OBGYNs and walked away seemingly unscathed, so I hoped it wasn't the flu. After all, I'd never had the flu before the shot, and wasn't the point of getting the shot to avoid getting it now that I was pregnant?

My achiness didn't feel like the flu. My throat was scratchy at first, and I felt dehydrated. No fever, though, and no nausea. No chills or sudden changes in temperature either, thankfully. My head was killing me though, and I couldn't stop sneezing. Countless tissues later and the sneezing stopped, but the dripping began. My nose was like a leaky faucet. Thankfully I stayed home to avoid embarrassing myself in front of my colleagues, my drippy, chapped nose as red as Rudolph's.

And my back ached. Oh, how it ached. At first I thought it was a pregnancy symptom. Lower back pain can result from being pregnant as more weight is added to the abdominal area and in turn strains the back. Then I realized, as my sinuses burned and the area in the center of my eyebrows throbbed that it was just a plain old simple common cold.

Normally I would just take a long nap, drink as many clear fluids as possible and stay home time permitting in order to get over the cold, but with a pregnancy in the picture, things have become more complicated. For one, I'm at the point in my pregnancy, the end of the second trimester (T2) wherein I have more than enough energy and don't feel tired. On top of that, finding a decent position in my growing state has proved challenging, especially when I can't prop myself against my husband who had to go to work even if I didn't.

Then there's the matter of cold medicine. Before I was pregnant I wasn't interested in taking anything for any reason, hence my refusal to take the flu shot all those years. Normally I would suffer through a few days of symptoms and emerge tired but victorious over my illness. Unless I felt truly ill enough to make the multi-borough pilgrimage to my doctor's doorstep (which is about as rare as sighting old Rudolph) at which time he'd recommend antibiotics (even rare given his understanding of my apprehension) I would just wait it out.

That's possibility is no longer such a strong one these days. I am already out of breath from the pregnancy, so not being able to breathe through my nose is highly uncomfortable. Headaches that would normally subside with a hot shower and a nap now linger throughout the day. And the aching--oh, the aching. It's really not that bad, but it makes the gray skies and murky December weather all the less bearable. Not to mention how I am beating myself up for allowing myself to catch a cold. Figures, though, living in a city of 8 million people who all seem to be breathing over my on my daily subway rides.

The question now is do I take something or wait it out? Goodness knows I am terrified to ingest any medicine that might prove harmful to my little one, to the point of which even if advised by my OBGYNs I would probably decline due to suspicion--which, by the way, no one seems to tell you is a possible side effect of pregnancy. Many gals I know immediately became suspicious of anything they hadn't tried before in the way of food and declined to even consider anything that might not be 100% suitable for their unborn children. But, that's another article.

A now mythological list of accepted medications approved by my OBGYNs has yet to make its way to my chapped hands, but several options can be found here.

As for me, I'm going to have to think long and hard about whether or not to take something. After all, no one is going to give me a medal for declining help for something as simple as a cold. On the other hand, I've been given to the perspective that by declining drugs for my cold now, I am saving up for an epidural later!

Filed under: Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

Now that I'm well into the second trimester of pregnancy, I'm starting to notice something that makes it more difficult for me to keep up with my walking: shortness of breath. No, it's not asthma or the cold weather, it's a normal symptom of pregnancy. Whether hoofing it around the park or just making my way to the subway, I've noticed that breathing doesn't come as easily to me as it did last trimester. Just getting up the stairs seems like climbing a mountain these days.

Is this normal? Yes, certainly. According to americanbaby.com shortness of breath is very common during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters. As long as it is not connected to dizziness or feeling faint, it should not be considered problematic.

In fact, it makes sense. As my uterus continues to expand--it's anywhere from the size of a basketball to a soccer ball depending on whom you ask--it pushes up against my diaphragm, an essential player in proper breathing. As a result, I find it harder to breathe deeply enough to reach my diaphragm.

So, what do I do about it? Since it's a naturally occurring side-effect of pregnancy (I hate the word "symptom") is there anything I can do about it? I'd hate to give up my morning walks, as they serve as my primary form of daily exercise.

There are several methods of handling such a situation, the primary being my new favorite answer for everything these days: go more slowly. Although my husband, who walks with me to the subway every day, probably thinks snails are passing us, I continue to have to ask him to slow down even more. Eventually we'll probably come to a complete stop, but for now just taking it easy seems to be the right thing to do. I still get to the subway, it just takes more time.

Time, as I am constantly being reminded by my friends who have young children, is something I have now that I should enjoy; later there will simply be less of it.

Other methods include breathing exercises prescribed specifically for pregnant women. These can be found here along with more severe symptoms for which you should consult your doctor. Luckily most of these "exercises" are really basic common sense and can be applied anywhere, any time.

The most important lesson to be learned is to pay attention to your breathing. As someone who spent years monitoring the patterns of her breathing as a runner, I know when to say when, whether I am experiencing breathlessness or something more. By monitoring my breathing, I've found a new, albeit slower, rhythm that is still challenging but also enjoyable and comfortable.

Monitoring my breathing seems like it will be helpful during labor, when breathing becomes a major player in the efficient and possibly less painful birthing process. Although I have no hard evidence to support this theory (yet), I did read an article stating that women who are able to manage or change their breathing patterns through lamaze or other techniques may also have less fear of delivery. This is probably due to the sense of control they feel over at least some aspect of the delivery.

At the very least by focusing on my breathing I'll have something to worry about other than how I'm going to fit something the size of a watermelon through a hole not much larger than a grapefruit!

Did you experience shortness of breath during your pregnancy? If so, during which trimester? Do you have any helpful tips to ease this discomfort?

Filed under: Fitness, Fit Pregnancy

One thing I miss about running is the competitive edge it gives me. I've run in numerous races from 5Ks to half-marathons and enjoyed each one immensely. I never thought I'd actually win any of these races--I'm not the fastest nor can I run the farthest--but I was always in competition with myself. Nothing beats my beating me, you know? Just looking at a new record I'd set for myself, then enjoying a nice french toast bagel (if you haven't had one and you are in the NYC area sign up for practically any race to be rewarded with one of these joyous inventions) was unbelievably satisfying.

Preparing for one of these races, the goal being to best my last time, was almost as much fun. The spouse and I would set mileage and pick routes, put our best efforts forward to increase our pace. We'd keep time and count our splits, then record everything daily to compare over time. It was basically an all-consuming process, and one I miss terribly now that I'm preggers.

My husband, who wants to run the 2007 NYC marathon with me, has been competing in many races this year, most of them without me. If one runs 9 qualifying races in one calendar year, he/she automatically gains entrance to the NYC marathon the following year. I took the easier approach and signed up for the lottery, got in, then took the really easy approach by getting pregnant, getting out of training, and rolling my entry over to next year. Problem is, my husband, who is still training and doing all the running, also seems to be having all the fun.

When we work out in the mornings we part ways, him hoofing it off with the stopwatch in a gallop, and me waddling as quickly as I can in the opposite direction, hoping if I'm lucky to cover a third of the ground he does during our half-hour AM workout. I don't time myself or record my time. It's an accomplishment for me to just get out of bed at this point, you know?

That said, the spouse has one more race to complete in order to get his entrance into the NYC marathon, a 4-miler in Central Park. He asked if I'd like to walk the race while he runs it, and most likely mentioned something about french toast bagels and possibly hot chocolate being served. This was all I needed to hear--if there's one thing better than french toast bagels it's those served with hot cocoa. Seriously.

My husband pointed out that I walk 5 miles at a time on Saturdays so this 4-miler should be no problem. He also reminded me that when we do time me, I can do 5 miles (hills and all) in an hour twenty, including stops for water and a trip to the bathroom. Guess I haven't really lost that competitive edge after all.

So, I signed up for the race. And I'm totally psyched about it. I may have even recruited a pal to walk it with me. In an effort to "best" my time, I've also been, uh, training. This consists of mainly trying to waddle even more quickly, drinking extra water, and sampling my husbands energy pellets also known as Goo Beans. They're delicious. In other words, I am treating prep for this race like I would any other--and why not?

Truth be told, if I don't get around Central Park fast enough there won't be any french toast bagels left. If that's not incentive enough I don't know what is!

Moral of the story: Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you can't by competitive. It also doesn't mean you can't have fun with your workout, set goals, or achieve them.

PS--if you're not in the NYC area and are now desperate for a french toast bagel, some Starbuck's carry them. I've also just received word that Au Bon Pain is carrying them as well. Haven't sampled these yet so I can't comment on their fabulousness.

Filed under: Fitness, Fit Pregnancy

So I got up this morning, stretched and headed out for my usual walk. As I entered my house I suddenly had the sensation that my nose was running. It was, only it wasn't mucus coming out of there--it was blood. This will be the second time since I hit my second trimester (T2) that I've gotten a nosebleed.

The first time it happened I got two in one day. I had just entered T2 and was still a little shaky on conditions of pregnancy other than morning sickness, which I didn't get. And here I thought I'd be able to coast through my pregnancy symptom-free. Hah! So, yes, I got a nosebleed, and having never had one before in my life, managed to bleed all over myself, the floor and a nice handbag of mine before I was able to get it to stop. Once I got to work I sneezed and set off another one.

Naturally I freaked and called the nurse hotline at my OBGYN's. I'm beginning to realize they have such a hotline specifically due to all the phonecalls made to them by pregnant women in a state of panic over something that did or didn't happen. And thank goodness for that! The nurse informed me that nosebleeds are common during pregnancy, especially during T2. Well, lucky me! I felt comforted in the fact that this most likely meant my pregnancy was going along just as it should (in some odd way, but that's how my mind works, folks) and was therefore a part of life but it was...gross.

I decided to do a little research on the web to determine just how frequent they are in pregnant women, especially those who've escaped them their entire lives. I wanted to know specifically how often to expect them, how to stop them, and most importantly how to prevent them, if possible. The most useful advise I turned up was to keep hydrated, which it seems is the cardinal rule in pregnancy besides eating healthfully, and to lubricate the inside of the nose. The nurse with whom I spoke also suggested this--she said to try vaseline, which I did and which miraculously "cured" me of the nosebleeds until this morning.

Other suggestions include to not keep your mouth closed when sneezing and, my favorite, to avoid dry air. Since I'm a New Yorker who commutes mainly by subway and foot, even in the coldest of weather, I don't think it will be possible for me to completely avoid dry air. That said, I suppose I could always invest in a humidifier. For now, though, I'll stick with the vaseline. Not only has it assisted in stopping my nosebleeds, but it's kept my nose from getting flaky with the change of season!

Have you experienced a nosebleed during your pregnancy? If so, what did you do to stop it? Did you have nosebleeds throughout your entire pregnancy or were they limited to your T2? I'd love to know!

Know what else I turned up on the web? There are a LOT of pictures of people's nosebleeds on flickr.com.

Filed under: General Health, Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

Working out while pregnant is difficult enough, but now that I've essentially outgrown all my workout clothes, I need to locate some maternity workout wear stat. I don't want to stretch out what I have--those pieces were expensive, not to mention it took me forever to find the right fit and comfort level for each one. Workout clothes in general are stretchy, but not THAT stretchy.

Turns out it's more difficult than I thought to locate pregnancy workout gear, at least in actual stores. Online one can find pretty much anything one wants, as we all know, and there is no dearth of options on the web for purchasing workout clothes to fit my new curves. One issue with this method of buying clothes is that if I order something and it doesn't fit, by the time I send it back and get a replacement item my girth may have increased exponentially. Yes, it's true--pregnant woman can expand and completely change size in even as little time as a week. It happened to me. Last week, week 19, I was still wearing most of my normal clothes. As tradition would have it (among my friends and female relatives, anyway) the moment I hit day one of week 20 I popped. Now that I'm at 21 weeks I've REALLY popped. Luckily, it's all in the one bump spot, so my low-rider stretch capris still fit.

Don't get me wrong--I love the bump, am totally in to the bump. I actually want to show off the bump. This cannot be done in my husband's oversize race T-shirts (I outgrew mine last week). So where is a gal to go when she needs hot maternity workout wear fast? Old Navy does not seem to offer such items. Neither does Target. Neither, of course, is a store designed with the pregnant woman specifically in mind. Motherhood, a store that does cater only to the pregnant woman, however, does not seem to carry maternity workout wear either (although everything else they offer is GREAT and not expensive) at the store I've been to, but do have a small offering online. H&M has a maternity section, but I have my doubts that anything the offer made with spandex is designed for situps. I guess I'll have to do some on-site recon work to confirm these doubts, which sounds about as tiring as walking a loop of the park these days.

Back to the online thing, there are probably literally hundreds of sites designed specifically to sell maternity workout wear to pregnant women. This is a boon to all of us, except for the aforementioned possible sizing issue, and for one more thing: the stuff they sell is NOT cheap. In fact, much of it seems more expensive than regular workout wear. Why, you ask? Well, mainly because women are willing to buy it, regardless of the fact that no one item will continue to serve them throughout their entire pregnancy nor afterwards. Regardless, I'm going to need SOMETHING to wear, even if it only fits for a few weeks as I simply can't go prancing around the park in my husband's sweatpants (which thankfully are still too big).

Should you decide to go the internet route, here is a link to an article about the lack of maternity workout wear that provides several online sites where such items may finally be found.

During my web-scouting adventure I also uncovered a great article on the web containing tips on how to dress for workouts while pregnant which is just as important if not more so than the clothes themselves.

Do you have any favorite maternity wear stores that offer workout clothes? If so, I'd love to hear about them!

Filed under: Fitness, Fit Pregnancy

So, my OBGYNs are telling me (all of them) that pregnant women must get a flu shot. My wellness administrator at the office, who is setting up on-site flu shots for employees and has a son of her own, is also strongly recommending that I get one. Even friends of mine, formerly terrified of both doctors and anything needle-related have changed their tunes now that they are mothers.

I don't want to get the flu shot. I don't want to get ANY sort of shot. It's not that I am afraid of needles--how could I be given the amount of blood I've had taken from me over the course of my pregnancy? I am starting to think the nurses at my OBGYNs' are vampires. It's that I'm one of those people who refuses to take ANYTHING. You know, my body is a temple and all that? As an exercise enthusiast (OK, I'm basically obsessed), non-smoking vegetarian, it has been my motto/mantra/etc. to not take any sort of medication unless it has been deemed unlawful not to. Back when everyone in NYC was getting vaccinated against whichever hepatitis it was several years ago--B, I think--my doctor had to plead with me to get me to take the shots, all three of them. I only acquiesced after he agreed to give me the shots himself. He's a good looking, young doctor and since I am never, ever ill, I realized the only time I would see him otherwise was for my annual physical.

But that was then, and it was solely about ME. Now I have someone else to think about, the one inside me who can't make decisions on his own but who certainly does NOT want me to come down with the flu. My rationalization for not getting the flu shot--this year and every year--is that I've never had the flu. I just don't get sick. My doctor put things in perspective for me very clearly: as a pregnant woman my immune system is compromised, making me more susceptible to things I wouldn't normally get. If I get the flu while pregnant, the consequences could be dire--I could end up feeling like I've gotten the flu fifty times over. Anything that harms me, in turn, harms my baby. Not to mention that if I get the flu I can't exactly work out. Maintaining a fit pregnancy means more than just exercising--for me, it's a holistic approach.

The other thing that always bothered me about the flu shot is the myth, which I firmly believed, that getting the flu shot can give you the flu. My wellness administrator at work, who worked her way through college as a pharmacy technician, and of course my OBGYNs, all confirmed for me what I secretly knew was true: getting the flu shot CANNOT give you the flu. According to my wellness administrator, the flu shot is "a-cellular." I don't know what that means per say but she sounded like she knew what she was talking about. She explained that the flu virus takes about three weeks to show up once you've caught it, so often people take the flu shot too late, after they've already been exposed, and subsequently get the flu anyway, blaming it on the shot.

She is the kind of woman who would do ANYTHING for her son, regardless of whether or not she'd agreed with the philosophy behind it pre-motherhood. I am the same kind of woman. So, next week, I'll be back at the OBGYN for my flu shot. This does not mean I will be popping a pill every time I sniff, but it does hopefully mean I won't get sick.

Filed under: Healthy Habits, Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

Thank goodness for the second trimester! Whereas there was many a morning in the first trimester I was so tired I could barely make it out of bed, let alone around the park, I have found both regained and additional energy in the middle part of my pregnancy. Seriously, I've read that energy rebounds after the first trimester (T1), but I never thought it would do so with such a bang. I've always been an energetic person--hyper, if you will, but I prefer energetic--so during T1 I was on both a physical and emotional downer.

With the advent of the second trimester (T2), I find myself practically sprinting around the park when I set out for my morning walk. Even my boss wonders what's wrong with me. When I arrive in the morning--and this is post-walk, post commute, which is enough to deflate anyone--I might as well just prance right in to my office. Being in T2, with all this new-found energy just feels good, and it's impossible not to share it.

Many women suffer morning sickness in T1 which keeps them from eating as much as they should, which, in turn, keeps them from feeling as energized as they should. It's a vicious cycle. I was lucky, VERY LUCKY, look ling back, to have not had a drop of morning sickness. Although I was tired I wasn't vomiting, so I hauled myself out of bed and on to the course. I would've felt guilty not to, considering so many friends spent their mornings with their heads in the toilet. I kept saying to myself, based on what I was reading and hearing from new moms, that if I could just get through T1 everything would be OK. And it was.

Many women also experience loss of sleep from being up at night urinating frequently, or, unfortunately for some, vomiting, which can drain energy faster than anything. I noted with relief (physical and mental) that during T2 the need to urinate all night long seems to abate. Now I'm up once a night if at all, and am rarely cognizant of anything other than trying not to walk into a wall in the dark.

According to reliable sources, energy is regained in T2 due to hormones, which made everything yucky in T1. Given my firm belief in the power of science, and, frankly, hormones given how unreasonable I was at the end of T1 for no good reason other than that I was pregnant, I'd have to trust the experts on this one. That said, it's also possible that by keeping in the habit of waking and walking in the AM during T1, I may have been setting myself up for even better results during T2. It's like running a marathon--sure, running a half marathon is tough when you've never done it before, but it makes training for the 26.2-miler a whole heck of a lot easier. In other words, all that hard effort in T1 has finally paid off in T2.

It's paid off for my son, too. Although he weighs only about seven ounces, he's a very active lad. During two of my sonograms he was noted as being very active in the womb. He also likes to karate kick whenever my OB listens for a heartbeat. I don't know if he gets it from my being naturally hyper--eh, energetic--or if it's from my workout sessions, which are perhaps exposing him to the joys of fitness, but, either way, he seems to be having a VERY good time in there.

Of course I've also read that energy can dip again in the third trimester (T3) given that's when a woman is at her biggest and as a result trouble sleeping. A uterus full of baby pressing against the stomach can also cause indigestion, which in turn can lead a woman to not eat as much which can also sap her energy.

All I can say is, based on personal experience alone, just try to stick with it. I'm pretty sure there will be a point at which, like my friends who've had children before me, I will be too big to breathe, too big to move, and too big (and tired) to care. That's fine with me. In fact, I'm looking forward to what my one gal pal refers to as the chocolate phase--for the last two weeks of her pregnancy she basically did nothing but sit around and eat the chocolate she was craving. For the first 38 weeks of her pregnancy she'd done her darndest to keep in shape by walking too and from work each morning, so felt no remorse whatsoever when she became too big to do anything else besides choose between Godiva and Hershey's.

For now, however, I'm going to take advantage of this extra energy. I'm going to walk as much as possible, be outside as much as possible and try to DO as much as I can. Perhaps this commitment to fitness during T2 will aid me in keeping my energy from plummeting when I hit T3. Did you have a similar boost of energy in your second trimester? If so, how did you handle it and how did it affect the outcome of your T3?

Filed under: Fitness, General Health, Fit Pregnancy

I miss lying on my back. It is advised on such websites as babycenter.com that pregnant women not lie on their backs for extended periods of time after their third month (and in some places of course I've read after the fourth month because it's IMPOSSIBLE to find two bona fide trustworthy sources providing the same information) because doing so can reduce the amount of oxygen reaching the baby.

Although I'm currently about 4 1/2 months into my pregnancy, I've been rather uncomfortable in the flat-on-back position for months already. The grapefruit sized uterus in me down there has made it difficult to do crunches (that way I prefer my situps) and bicycles. Lately, I've also been having a tiny bit of difficulty breathing. Nothing serious to be sure, but it's a little harder to get the breath down there with something in the way. This is not uncommon in pregnant women, especially as their uteruses vie for space with their diaphragms. What concerns me is that a healthy woman like me, who's been doing situps since the day she hit pre-teendom, suddenly is being advised to give them up cold turkey. In fact, she has no choice but to. I'm willing to give up a hard-earned flat stomach but not necessarily the strength of the muscles defining it.

So what is a pregnant gal who wishes to retain her abs of steel to do? Some would say the answer is Kegels. I try to do those on the subway every morning. It's hard to tell if I am doing them right since I'm not actually trying to hold any urine in. Kegels also use a different muscle group (different muscles) than good old-fashioned sit ups, so that suggestion seems to be skirting the issue.

One move I've been known to incorporate on a rather random basis seems to be the answer, at least for now. This move does not require lying on one's back and it seems to target the lower abs more than anything else, while also giving one's quads a good work out.

Start out sitting with your back straight up and your legs straight out in front of you, feet on the ground about a foot apart. Bend your legs and slowly bring your knees toward your chest with your feet pointing out until your knees are at a 45 degree angle from your chest (feet still on the ground). Lower your back until it is also a 45 degree angle from the ground, lightly holding your arms out in front of you to provide balance. Lift one foot off the floor until it is parallel with the floor and hold for one count. I do ten of these with the right foot, ten with the left, then ten with both, which is more difficult. After that, if I'm feeling game, I hold both feet in the air together for a count of ten. Then I repeat the whole process.

I feel the work in my lower abs probably more because they are not as strong as some of my other stomach muscles. I am aware of the belief it's not really possible to isolate one group of abdominals from another. This move probably works all my abs but feels like more work for my lower abs since they aren't as strong. It also gives my quads a nice workout.

If this move proves to be too much for anyone reading this as I'm sure it will be for me as the months progress, there is one old standby I know we can all count on to assist us in our quest for stronger abs: good posture. Simply sit up straight. By doing so this should not only assist with keeping your stomach tucked in by engaging the abs, but it will do wonders for your aching back and makes you look slimmer to boot!

Filed under: Fitness, Fit Pregnancy

I have an issue. I 'm a vegetarian, a strict one who has been so since I was about fourteen years old. I always determined that once pregnant I would maintain my vegetarian ways. On prior visits to the OBGYN when I'd mentioned I was vegetarian and was considering getting pregnant I was informed by my doctors and midwife that being vegetarian would have no effect on my pregnancy. In fact, the vegetarian lifestyle I lead is considered pretty darn healthy given my cholesterol is 156, for starters.

Anyway, once I found myself in the family way I went to see one of my OBGYNs for an initial exam. We discussed how very vegetarian I am--I eat eggs and dairy so I am a "lacto-ovo vegetarian", not a vegan. We then discussed how I would get my all important omega-3 fatty acids given I am not a fan of fish. I asked about soy and flax seeds but was informed that while those were good, they were a different kind of omega (5's?) which meant that they were fine for me but not for my baby who would need the 3's for spinal and brain development. Fine, I thought, what can we do about this? While I have my reasons for being a vegetarian, I would never, ever, EVER deprive my child of something critical to his/her development. Lucky for me, I didn't have to. My OBGYN recommended OptiNate for vegetarians. The OptiNate box touts it as "The only prenatal omega-3 (DHA) derived from an all-natural vegetarian source."

Continue reading Fit Pregnancy: prenatal vitamins for vegetarians

Filed under: Food and Nutrition, Vegetarian, Vitamins and Supplements, Fit Pregnancy

In our Fit Pregnancy feature, blogger Jennifer Jordan speaks her mind about maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Every two weeks through March 31, 2007 she'll weigh in on exercise, diet, wellness and other health-related issues as she manages her own journey from pregnancy to motherhood.

One of the most difficult things for me to accept about my pregnancy is that it is simply not possible to maintain my pre-pregnancy level of fitness. Even though I power walk almost every day and have continued my morning stretch and workout routines, I know at the end of these nine months I'll be lucky if I can run a mile, let alone 13.

Not only has my calorie burning nosedived in the last trimester, but my calorie intake feels like it's doubled. I don't own a scale, and with good reason due to our hate/hate relationship, so I can't be sure how much weight I've gained in the last three months. It seems like a lot. My pants don't fit. My stomach doesn't look pregnant yet, it just looks mushy. Given the form-fitting outfits I prefer the future does not bode well.

Luckily for me, for every race I ran in the last two years I received an over-sized T-shirt. Now that I'm a little thicker in the middle I'm finally getting some use out of them. Not only do my T's convey to people I see running around the park every morning when I go out for my walk that I at least USED to be in shape ("Hey, look, another Bronx Half-Marathon tank!") but no one can really tell what's going on underneath. I'm not ashamed of being pregnant, but I am ashamed of looking pudgy--and of not running.

To be quite frank, I've been avoiding a co-worker who I also see trotting around the park in preparing herself for the NYC Marathon I was going to run as well. I suppose I could just tell her and she would understand, but it's more complicated than that. I've given up a dream. Running the marathon was a short-lived dream, to be sure, especially considering I had no interest in it until everyone else was signing up for it. It became a bigger deal when no one else got into the lottery and I did. I was the only one. I was chosen.

The upshot of all this is that I get to have a baby. I say "get to" because I realize not everyone does. And not everyone wants to. Right now I cower in the transverse that cuts through the center of the park afraid someone I know will look at me disapprovingly because I'm merely walking not running. In reality no one else is disapproving of me but me. I've worked all my life to be able to run 13 miles at a time, and now I've moved on to another project it seems I've been waiting my whole life to begin. In a way, it's like I've lost a best friend. Running was there for me during all the highs and lows of my life. I disapprove of myself for letting all the work I've put in slide, fearing I'll never be able to again achieve that level of fitness.

I've seen it happen so often, and it's understandable. I have so little free time now that I can't imagine when I'll find the time to exercise once I have a child. People do it, though--I see them running around the park with their baby joggers.

Oddly enough, everyone else seems to have faith in my ability to jump back into fitness except for me. My parents have already determined that the best shower gift for me would be a baby jogger. My husband claims he will work out a schedule with me so we can both train for the marathon in 2007 and run it together. I guess he hasn't thought who will watch our child while we hoof it around the 5 boroughs, but I'm sure we'll manage.

The one thing that makes it all worth it is seeing my baby on a sonogram. Apparently he/she is quite active, which gives me nothing but satisfaction. I feel as if my activeness is feeding the baby's. This sentiment has motivated me to get up every day and keep at it, even if I'm not running. To him/her it doesn't seem to make any difference, so why should it to me?

Filed under: Fitness, Women's Health, Fit Pregnancy