healthy pregnancy – Cape Coral-Fort Myers Personal Training & Nutrition Coaching

July 26, 2018July 26, 2018

My Second Fit Pregnancy: The Workouts, The Milestones, The Aftermath

The News

I was so excited to find out we were expecting baby number two. Our first born, Liv, is such a special part of our lives that doubling our love only made sense. Like any expecting mom, I juggled work, house work, caring for my daughter, preparing for baby #2 to come, and keeping my body healthy for 39 weeks. I experienced challenges with this baby that I didn’t have with my daughter — I was nauseous and sick more, I had insomnia yet extreme fatigue, and my lower back ached most of the third trimester. On the plus side, I had more excitement and anticipation because I was able to share the joy with my two year old who couldn’t wait to have a baby at home. So the good with the bad, my second pregnancy was as much of a blessing as my first, it was fun yet difficult at times and it was also filled with as much love as I could imagine. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat to have the end result, a beautiful and healthy baby boy, Mack Joseph Check.

Sharing My Journey – The Workouts & Milestones

I enjoy telling my friends, family and clients about my FIT pregnancy and resulting easy delivery. The two are definitely related, that I’m sure! I’ve done it twice now, two pregnancies filled with mostly healthy eating and working out & two deliveries that were uneventful and some may even say “easy” (especially the second one which I’ll tell you all about next). For those of you who followed my first journey, My Fit Pregnancy, Delivery and Recovery, you’ll recall an overarching theme, I ate healthy meals consisting of proper carb, protein and fat ratios and I worked out throughout the entire pregnancy – listening to my body and its limitations. For a breakdown of a typical day of eating, visit my first fit pregnancy article to help you plan your meals.

My second fit pregnancy was much of the same as my first with a few changes. I did more planking and more stationary biking, two largely safe exercises for pregnant women. On average, I’d say I planked about 10-15 minutes each week and because I am a group cycle instructor, I was able to bike 3-5 5o minute classes each week. Planking can be modified as necessary but in general most variations of regular planks, side planking and reverse planking are acceptable. Next to swimming, stationary biking/group cycling is one of the best cardio exercises you can do while pregnant as it is low impact and the risks to injury are minimal. In addition to healthy eating and biking, I maintained a regular strength and resistance training regimen and stretched daily. Again, modifying exercises becomes applicable in the second trimester so knowing how to make safer adjustments is important.

In my first fit pregnancy blog, I posted progress pictures and detailed the three trimesters. As much of this pregnancy was a repeat of the first, I’ll just post some new pictures of the trimester milestones and discuss weight gain. Different from my first pregnancy, I barely gained any weight the first trimester. I was sick several times and just didn’t seem to put weight on. I started my pregnancy at 119 lbs and was around 123 at the end of the first trimester. The second trimester is where the big gains took place; I weighed in at 137 lbs at week 27; this leveled out with my first pregnancy as I was a similar size at this point. Then the last lag I gained about 8 more lbs and delivered our baby weighing 145 lbs. I ended up gaining about 26 lbs during this pregnancy. I started out smaller than I did with our first born but I ended up about 5 lbs heavier in the end. With Mack I had an appetite all the way to the day I delivered, whereas with Liv, I ran out of room and just couldn’t eat anymore so I actually lost weight the last few weeks of pregnancy.

The Delivery

I spent nine months convincing myself that the delivery part isn’t that bad, but no matter how easy it was the first time it was still hard. Delivering Liv was the hardest thing I ever did but it was also my greatest accomplishment so no matter what, I was excited to do it all over again. Delivering baby # 2, Mack Attack, really was a surprisingly easy endeavor (as far as labor is concerned). Ladies, don’t throw tomatoes at me, I don’t mean to say I didn’t work hard and it didn’t hurt, it’s just that it was not that bad and again I attribute this to the fact that I was STRONG, FIT and ready to push!

With Mack, I started having Braxton Hicks contractions around week 17, that’s 12 weeks earlier than I had them with Liv. Right around the end of my 38th week they were noticeably more intense and because I was 4 cm dilated, I went to the hospital to see if I was in labor. While the contractions certainly didn’t take my breath away or stop me in my tracks, they were different than my first pregnancy and I wasn’t sure if they were just more Braxton Hicks or real contractions. When the hospital released me with false labor I went home and got back to normal living – walking outside for about an hour a day and doing light strength training and stretching.

The evening of June 16, 2018, my husband, Justin Check, our daughter and I sat down to a nice dinner. We also binge watched several episodes of Shameless then turned in for an early night around 9:30pm. Around this time I decided to start timing my contractions as they did seem a bit more painful than what I had become accustomed to. They were around 3 minutes apart when I felt a weird snap in my stomach. Then with each contraction I “peed a little”; later realizing that “snap” was my water breaking. When my legs started shaking we decided this must be real labor so we headed to the hospital.

By the time we were driving the pain and intensity had skyrocketed and the contractions were definitely the real deal. We arrived at Cape Coral Hospital at 10:26 pm. For those of you following along, at this point I had been in labor for less than an hour. The nurses were quick to get me checked out – I was already 10 cm, water broken, and holding back the urge push. The nurses were hoping I could hold baby Mack in long enough for a doctor to arrive but only three big pushes later out came little Mack! The nurses did a great job delivering our sweet baby boy and we felt so lucky to be in their capable hands. The doctor showed up to assess and deliver the placenta. There was no noticeable tearing and no stitches needed. Weighing 7 lbs and 6 oz & 20 inches tall, Mack came into this world at 10:48 pm – just over an hour after I first started having painful contractions. His fast and furious entrance was a blessing and we were so excited to meet him, be done with the hard part, and start the love fest!

The Aftermath

With time on my hands in the hospital, I mostly kissed all over my sweet boy, shared the joy with family and thought about the whirlwind of a delivery I had just experienced. The whole event kept circling in my mind and I kept thinking how easy it was and how awesome that I was only in pain for an hour. I had used my strong core (thanks planks!), strong legs, and my muscle awareness to push baby number two out in a hurry. It is no coincidence that Mack made his entrance in record time and with minimal damage to my body thanks to fitness!

Within a week of delivering I largely felt back to normal. I started some light cardio, stretching and upper body band work. Then 3 weeks after delivering, I added some body weight exercises to my routine – squats, lunges, planks. I couldn’t believe how quickly I felt back to myself. I’m not suggesting everyone should be able to workout shortly after having a baby, or risk your body healing properly, but for me, I could tell my body was ready to move. I listened to how I felt and took it easy until I was 100% sure I could handle lifting weights and stepping up the cardio! Again, my theory is the stronger you go into delivery, the easier it will be, the faster you will heal, and the quicker you can get back to being you!

Fast forward to me writing this article and I am nearly in all of my pre-pregnancy clothes. At almost 6 weeks postpartum, I’ve lost about 20 lbs of the weight I gained. I have about 5 more pounds to lose but I have more work to do on my composition. During pregnancy I was not able to keep the muscle mass that I normally have so now that I’ve taken most of the weight off, it’s time to work on changing my composition to increase muscle and decrease fat. Ladies, it’s a work in progress! But, I feel so much more like me and I’m so proud of the baby I gave birth to, my journey to get there, and the aftermath!

Should you have any questions on what I did before, during or after my pregnancy to stay healthy and fit, I’d be happy to answer them. Seeking professional help to ensure proper nutrition and safe fitness during and after pregnancy is smart. Email me if you’d like help you with your journey!

October 5, 2015October 5, 2015

My Fit Pregnancy, Delivery and Recovery in Southwest Florida

How I spent 39 weeks growing a healthy baby

I live and work in Cape Coral, FL 33909. My husband and I operate a mobile personal training and nutrition coaching business here in Southwest Florida. We spend our work and free time striving for our own personal health and that of our clients. In January of 2015 I found out I was pregnant with our first child and on September 21, 2015 I delivered a healthy and happy baby girl, Liv Emry Check. She was 6 pounds 11 ounces and 19.5 inches. She has a ferocious appetite, loves tummy time, and snuggling with mom and dad! This blog is an account of my pregnancy and how I believe that a healthy diet and exercise made my pregnancy, delivery and recovery a breeze.

The truth is everyone is different and what worked for me may not work for you, but I feel compelled to share it with all those thinking of having a baby or who are pregnant now. Nothing I did was over the top or all that difficult. I just listened to my body and did what I thought was right. That said, if you’ve never worked out before, make sure to talk to your doctor before jumping into a fitness regimen while pregnant.

If you’ve just found out your pregnant you may be wondering what to do next. A lot of women find themselves in this very predicament. We’ve been told we should eat for two, have lots of weird cravings, and take it easy on working out. It’s true that throughout my pregnancy my diet fluctuated, mainly in the first trimester, and I did take it much easier at the gym, but all in all, not that much changed with my nutrition or fitness. So here goes a brief but detailed account of my pregnancy and some sample ideas for how to eat healthy.

The First Trimester

I was so excited to be pregnant. My husband and I had tried to conceive for about 8 months before it happened. It felt too good to be true that we were actually pregnant and I was nervous to do too much or be too active and have it all be taken away from me. I took it relatively easy through the first trimester. I went from being an active runner to brisk walking instead. I went from lifting very heavy weights and doing high intensity circuit workouts to lifting light weights and taking breaks in between each set.

While I was determined to eat healthy, I had a very real aversion to vegetables and protein during this time. I never actually had morning sickness (with vomiting) but I would feel nauseous just thinking about chicken and broccoli (staples of a healthy diet!). I craved carbohydrates and was hungry all the time. While I did have some junk food (couldn’t resist Cheetos and Cinnamon Toast Crunch), I mainly at eggs and rice throughout the day. I would do ¾ cup of egg whites, a little more than ½ cup of jasmine or brown rice, and one whole egg. Sometimes I’d add some cheese to it too – just depended on my cravings. The eggs were about the most protein I could stomach and as I mentioned, vegetables and me were not friends during the first trimester. I did eat a lot of fruit as well, mainly watermelon and raspberries. So the grand total for the first trimester was 8 pounds. This is more than a lot of women gain in the first trimester and I attribute it to the change in my workouts and carbohydrate intake.

The Second Trimester

Almost immediately as week 14 started I noticed I no longer had nausea or an aversion to protein and vegetables. In hindsight, perhaps my body was avoiding these foods on purpose. I also had more energy and felt comfortable jogging and working out at a more intermediate pace. I started a walk/jog regimen where I would jog for about 2 minutes and walk for 30 seconds to 1 minute. I call this mailbox running as I would pick a mailbox to run to and then another one to walk to! The main issue with continued jogging was pressure on my bladder so that is why I adopted interval jogging. I would only make it one lap around the neighborhood (1.5 miles) and would have to stop home for a potty break. Food was a non-issue at this point. I was able to eat very healthy again. Here is a sample of my typical day of eating:

Meal 1: ¾ c egg whites and 1 whole egg, 1 slice of Ezekiel bread, 1 TBSP low-sugar jam, and ½ cup of raspberries

Meal 2: Post Workout Meal – one banana (frozen chunks), 1 scoop of whey isolate protein powder, 1 cup unsweetened cashew milk – blended into a protein smoothie

Meal 3: 4 oz of lean meat, 4 oz of sweet potato, ½-1 cup of vegetables

Meal 4: ½ cup of Greek Yogurt (sweetened with Truvia), mixed berries, and a scoop of Super Seed Beyond Fiber – it’s good to stay regular while pregnant!

Meal 5: 4 oz of lean meat, ½ cup of whole wheat pasta, ½-1 cup of vegetables

Meal 6: 4 oz of lean meat, 4 oz of a low glycemic carb, ½-1 cup of vegetables, 1 TBSP of almond butter – dessert!

Meal 7: I didn’t always need another meal but if I was hungry I would eat again before bed. For this meal, I would typically have one of our homemade protein treats such as the Pumpkin Pie Paradise Cookie.

So the grand total for the second trimester was 7 pounds (total from week 1 – week 27 was 15 pounds).

Third Trimester

The third trimester was much of the same as the second. I was in a groove of healthy eating and a healthy fitness regimen. All was going well until week 33. At this point I started having signs of early labor and was put on bedrest until week 35. Working out ceased and so did a lot of basic daily activities like cleaning and grocery shopping. I took the doctor’s advice seriously as I did not want to have a premature baby. I wanted to give our daughter the best chance to be healthy. So I listened and kept my feet up!

After week 36 passed the doctor told me I could start to workout lightly again. Jogging was out of the question at this point, mainly because of the baby’s position on my bladder, so brisk walking was back in! Light weights at the gym. I would mainly just do all upper body one day and all lower body the next day, only lifting weights 2-3 times a week (as opposed to 5-6 days a week prior to pregnancy). I stayed active but reasonably so for the size of my growing belly.

My food stayed the same but I noticed I couldn’t eat as much as I could in the beginning. I was running out of room quickly in my stomach! I did not gain any more weight during the third trimester but also did not lose any (which some gals do at the end).

Summary of Pregnancy

I slept great throughout the entire pregnancy with the exception of needing to go to the bathroom more frequently. I ate well and worked out moderately and within reason. I only had brief nausea during the first trimester but spent the rest of the pregnancy feeling very normal and eating normal. I rarely had cravings but always had a few meals each week that were fun meals (cheat meals). We love to go out and treat ourselves to a juicy burger, Mexican food, or garlic knots at our favorite Italian restaurant. Eating healthy all week long is so much easier when you know you will get some tasty treats on the weekend. So that’s how I ate and worked out for 39 weeks, now on to the delivery!

The Delivery

I started having contractions around week 29 so I was very familiar with the feeling of my stomach tightening. These changed to painful contractions at 39 weeks and 2 days (it was a Sunday night around 11pm). I had lost my mucus plug the night before and was wondering when the fun would start! So I stayed at home until 3 in the morning which is when the contractions had gotten to 3 minutes apart. My husband and I arrived at the hospital at 3:15 am and I was 7 centimeters dilated. It took another 2 hours or so to get to 9 cm and then the doctor broke my water to get to 10. I was determined to avoid an epidural during this process and managed to do so, however, I did accept the laughing gas they offered me. This helped tremendously to breathe through the contractions and keep my body relaxed. I then pushed for about 45 minutes or so. It was a true workout, my knees and chin were to my chest, my husband and the nurse held my feet, and I pushed and pushed. I was cut at the end as Liv’s heart rate started to drop and I was struggling to get her out the last bit. So start to finish I was in labor for seven hours. Liv entered this world at 6:09 am and it was the most amazing experience of my life.

The Recovery

So the theme of this article is healthy eating and fitness throughout my pregnancy made it a very easy pregnancy, a pretty easy and smooth delivery, and a speedy recovery. We left the hospital after staying just one night. The doctors and nurses were pleased with my recovery and Liv’s progress. The next day I was out and about at Target to get the right sized diapers (I didn’t know there was a NB size before size 1) and cooking dinner. I pretty much jumped right back into daily life. Four days after coming home, Liv and I took our first walk outside. We made it 1.5 miles (one lap around the neighborhood) and the next day we doubled it! I only took Ibuprofen for a few days after delivery and have been fine ever since. Everything healed so quickly. I’ve started to lift light weights (two weeks post-delivery) again and hopefully around 4 weeks post-delivery I’ll be able to run again. After one week of getting back to normal from having the baby I had lost all 15 pounds that I gained while being pregnant. Now it’s time to work on my composition and put muscle back on. I look forward to squatting with baby Liv wrapped around me!

If you’ve made it this far in the article, thank you! And I appreciate your curiosity in my healthy pregnancy. The end of my pregnancy coincided with the hottest months in Southwest Florida and I managed to not have any swelling or real discomfort. My pregnancy was healthy, happy and blessed and I attribute the majority of this to good nutrition, moderate fitness, and low stress. Baby Liv is a delight to our life, she eats and sleeps on a regular schedule and has done so since we brought her home. Thrilled to be her mom and blessed to have her. I hope this account of my pregnancy helps you with yours. Feel free to post your questions about my food or workouts during pregnancy!

May 29, 2015October 6, 2015

Pregnant and Fit!

If you think being pregnant means the end of working out and feeling good…think again! Meet Stephanie Check, mommy to be at almost 6 months pregnant and still getting her sweat and pump on! It’s a big misconception to think that being pregnant means you can’t or shouldn’t exercise. It’s quite the opposite as a matter of fact. Exercising while pregnant helps increase energy levels, combat gestational diabetes, and keep your muscles strong for an easier labor/delivery. Everyone should exercise!!!

Before you decide to start or continue exercising, there are some things you should know and consider in order to do so properly and safely throughout your pregnancy. Once you’ve discussed with your doctor if it’s appropriate for you to exercise, Stephanie is going to show you her favorite total lower body exercise that you can do right at home. After all…time is of the essence when babies are in the picture!

*always consult with your PCP/OBGYN before starting an exercise program

Exercise Guidelines

These guidelines apply to all; however, safety is priority so make sure to listen to your body and discontinue exercising immediately if you feel unusual pains/cramps, extreme fatigue, shakiness, light headed, dizzy, nauseous, etc. Exercise is controlled stress on the body…controlled being the key word.

If you were previously exercising regularly before conception you may continue to do so as usual throughout your entire first trimester (abiding by the guidelines below)
If you’ve been diagnosed or suspect any medical issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and/or COPD you are not recommended to start an exercise program while pregnant
When exercising while pregnant (especially during the 2nd and 3rd trimester) use caution and do not perform: high impact exercises/plyometrics, exercises that put you in a position where you may fall or have something fall on you, exercises that place stress on the belly/midsection, and exercises where you’re lying on your back for extended periods of time
Do not let your heart rate exceed 140 bpm
Exercise in a temperature controlled climate to prevent your internal body temperature from elevating to high
Avoid holding your breath
Most importantly…listen to your body and use common sense!

Now that you know how to exercise safely throughout your pregnancy, try Stephanie’s very efficient total lower body exercise that you can do right at home.

Total Lower Body Exercise (glutes, quads, hamstrings, abductors)

This exercise is a series of movements that should be done in a sequence where you flow right into the next exercise keeping your knees fluid.

1. Start off in a wide sumo squat stance keeping your weight on your heals, chest up, and shoulder blades back with your weights hanging loosely in front of you (optional).

2. As you come up from your sumo squat, squeeze your glutes in and go immediately into an abductor kick with a 2-3 second squeeze hold at the top of your kick.

3. As you return down back down, go immediately into a narrow squat stance bringing the weights back down in front of your legs.

4. Still staying fluid in your movements, go down into the narrow squat with your chest up, shoulder blades back, weight on your heals. As you come up from your narrow squat, go immediately into a standing superman focusing primarily on kicking your same leg straight back and up squeezing the glute/hamstring and holding for 2-3 seconds at the highest point while simultaneously raising your arms straight out in front of you.

5. As you return your leg back down go immediately back into a sumo squat stance and repeat on both sides/legs until exhaustion!

You don’t have to feel sluggish and weak while you’re pregnant! Don’t be afraid to work those muscles and sweat…your mind and body will thank you. It will also help you get through your labor/delivery with more ease. Just be sure to use caution by following the above guidelines and most importantly listen to your body. If you weren’t physically active and exercising regularly before pregnancy make sure to start off slow by sticking with light to moderate cardiovascular exercise and utilizing strength machines at a fitness center after you’ve consulted with your physician.

Have questions or need help with your exercise/nutrition program? Feel free to contact me directly:

Justin Check, NSCA-CPT, NESTA-FNC
Check Total Health
239.209.7878
justin@check-yourself.com