The Pregnant Life

Has it been almost a year since I've blogged? My bad, guys. BUT! To my credit, I have tried to log in a few different times over the past few months, and my computer-illiterate self could not log in. It just kept sending me to Google+. Did that happen to anyone else? No? Just me? Thought so. 

Soooo....incase you missed my title, I am pregnant!! 29 weeks to be exact, so...pretty far along. For a quick game of catch up....

• I was SO SICK my first trimester! I was nauseous every morning, but the action ::rolls eyes:: was mostly in the evenings. I HATED food (me? hate food? something's VERY. WRONG.) and as a result, felt extremely weak. My saving grace was having high quality prenatal vitamins. You can find these at many places, but I found a low price at Vitacost. 

The key to a good prenatal vitamin in the first trimester is one that you can take on an empty stomach. Some lower quality prenatal vitamins can make you sick if you're already feeling low and can't eat. These are gluten free, organic, and have high quality foods and amounts of each vitamin. 

The only thing they lack is fish oil- which is fine for me. The recommended amount of fish oil for pregnant women is 200-300mg per day, but my chiropractor told me early on that, in his opinion, we need 3000! HUGE difference, right? But let me tell you...once I stepped up my intake, it made a huge difference- especially with "pregnant brain." I didn't feel like such an incompetent idiot anymore. Now that I'm further along, I think it is part of the reason I AM SO HUNGRY. ALL THE TIME. Fish oil shoots up your metabolism, and with the amounts I'm taking...well I think it has been my saving grace with all the pizza I eat. (Enter monkey emoji covering his face)

Fitness during first and second trimester was....spotty at best. No I mean, at least once a week, sometimes more on a good week. Definitely more towards the end of second trimester. I was still working as general manager of a local restaurant in town, and with coordinating all catering events too, my life felt completely upside down- even before I got pregnant. At the first of the year, we started opening only for dinner, so my work day did not end until 10:00 or later....and I didn't get to sleep in. I wasn't sleeping nearly enough, and by the time we actually opened every day, I was exhausted and ready to be finished. After a long debate, I turned in my notice. I ended up being taken out less than a week later due to a lot of anxiety from job stress. Not the best way to end my career, but taking care of my baby is number one priority, hands down. Luckily, I worked for great people (and with 5 kids, they get it) who totally understood and wished me well.

Now for the last month, I've been home playing stay at home mom- minus the baby, of course. I've been painting the outside of the house (it still looks like a shack, so....), getting the nursery ready, and actually, I've taken over my Mother's candle company. We completely rebranded the company, check it out! www.cleancandlecompany.com It lets me bring out my semi-creative side, and this fall once Grayson (oh yeah, that's his name by the way hehe) gets here and is a couple months old, I can start going to trade shows and trot my candles around for people to grab. 

Another plan, because I love having a different day every day, is start doing online coaching. This is something I've wanted to do for years, and started studying to get my certification, but with work and renovating my house, it was hard to study and didn't feel like the right time. I knew this is what I wanted to do when men and other trainers started coming up to me in the gym (not creepers, just actually nice guys) and telling me they had noticed my routines, and I really knew what I was doing and they were impressed. I understand how to write workouts based on the different muscle groups and then of course different goals each individual could have, and I want to bring that to help others understand it and achieve their goals too. 

All in good time though! For now, I'm enjoying growing my bambino. He is due July 14th. :) 

Hopefully from now, since I know how to log in (pshhh), I will start blogging more again!

-Erin

The Bread of Life

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believe in Me shall never thirst."  -John 6:35

One thing I have learned from running is that your conditions are rarely never ideal. It's either too windy, too hot, too cold, or raining. If the weather is perfect- you probably didn't get a good sleep last night. Or maybe you had to skip lunch and won't be able to eat enough before your run. Maybe your knee is still bothering you from your long run a couple days ago. A big part of learning to run for me is how to condition my body to prepare for my next run. 

What I take from the verse tonight as I read my devotion is that we cannot concentrate on our problems. As runners, or just athletes in general, how many times have we heard that it's all a mental game? It's all in your head. So why not focus on the Father? Let Jesus be our strength. Let Him fuel your run. Sure, you need your water and your carbs and your sleep. But the next time you feel tired on your run, remember that Jesus is your fuel, and you'll never run out. 

Today's run was 3 easy miles in the park with a friend. Nothing amazing, just good social time. 😄 

Pictured above 👆 my Brooks Mach 14 Spikelss shoes- if you've ever thought about trying minimalist shoes- I highly recommend it! They are great for anyone who has feet/knee injuries, shin splints, blah blah. But listen to me when I say to break them in slow! They advise to build up slowly to your normal running mileage- walk a lot! I didn't listen and the only way I can describe the pain in my feet would be in a car wreck/blender. Seriously. 

Oceans

I'm a few days late on this, but I had the most incredible run the other morning. And the crazy thing is, it was on the treadmill. I'm sure I'm in the top percentile of all runners when I say I hate the treadmill. It hurts my knees, and when I run at home, its even worse than the gym...instead of watching my treadmill TV, I stare at the tractor because its in the workshop. Borrrrrinnnnnnggggg.

For this run though, I tested out running to a new song. Its been a favorite for a while, and I thought it would give me strength to press on. I'm a little less than a month from my race now, and I'm hungry. Starving, really. I WANT this win. I've wanted it for a year now. A lot has changed since last year. I'm not moved in my house yet like I thought I would be- which is actually why I thought I could sign up for this race- because I would have plenty of time to train. ....Surprise! I thought I would have extra time to run since I was finished giving my free time to painting and pulling up floor and....whatever else has taken my time to renovate my house. (COMPLETELY restore it, I may add!)

So this run, though. I'm trying to figure out how my negative splits can time out for my race. The more I run, the better I get at racing. I don't mean that as in, 'I'm getting in better shape.' Well, duh. No, I mean I need to stop going out too fast and wearing out too soon in my race.

So for this run, the song is "Oceans" by Hillsong. Part of the lyrics are- 

• "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

  Let me walk upon the waters

  Wherever You would call me

  Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

  And my faith will be made stronger

  In the presence of my Savior"

This really pushes me when I'm feeling weak. Yes, I run and work out as much as I can, and I would say I'm in pretty good shape. Yay for me. That's me pushing myself to succeed. But none of this could be done without my Savior. I am nothing. I am a lazy couch potato who loves pizza. I pray for strength and perseverance. 

I'm pretty stubborn by nature, but I'm also weak. If I haven't had enough sleep, I'm hungry, its hot, its windy.....those all also pretty good excuses for a walk break. If you catch me in the right mood, I can push on. If not....oh well. Its too hot to really run this much, even if it is a race. 

Everyone finds inspiration from different things. I'm happy I've found that this song pushes me more to be stronger and better, and remember to rely on the Lord for strength and stamina. 

I ran 3.1 this day, and my splits were 9 minutes, 8:30, and for the last mile, I ran at an 8 min pace for the first half mile, and then each .1 mile, I increased the speed by 1. For the last .2 mile of my "race" I ran at 7:30 pace until I was done. I love finishing my runs pushing myself every now and then, to know I can do it, and to prepare myself for when its actually a race. 

With all the knee pain I've suffered in the past and having to taking breaks from running to rest my IT band, I'm so thankful I can run without hesitation now. I could say my clean diet with paleo and drinking plenty of water is giving me that, but I know its also a gift from God. Thank you, more than I could ever express.

Half Marathon- Carb Loading

Finally leaving for the beach today after work with the girls. We are heading to Myrtle Beach, SC for our first half marathon, the Diva Run. Even though its only 3 hours away and a frequent vacation spot for us North Carolinians, it will still be a fun destination race to add to our growing list. 

One major thing to remember when running marathons or half marathons is your diet- CARB LOAD! Carb load like crazy. Eat a ton of carbs, and when you think you're full, eat some more. 

The reason for this is to stock your glycogen stores. That's probably one of the most lengthy topics I could write about, but for now, we'll keep it short and sweet. Your glycogen is stored in your muscle as fuel. All food you eat is either turned to glucose-which goes right into your bloodstream, or glycogen, which is stored for later. 

Here's some quick tips for carb loading before a race:

• You'll need 3.5-4 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day. Since I'm a smaller female, I leaned towards 3.5- giving me a grand total of 437.5 grams a day.
• Start carb-loading 72 hours out (my race is Sunday morning at 7:10am, so I started today- Thursday at breakfast)
• Carbs should make up 70-80% of your diet during this 72 hour period
• Limit fiber intake- high-fiber fruits and whole grains, for example
• On race day: pre-race meal should be eaten 3-4 hours to completely digest
• Pre-race meal: 15-20grams of both proteins and fats is ideal 

Some of the foods I included are quinoa, spaghetti, asparagus, and brussels sprouts. Lots of snacks too. All simple, but do the job! 

But more importantly......BEACHHHHH. Sun. and tanning. and listening to the ocean. Ahhhh. As soon as my race is over, I'm drinking a big Coors Light (or well, a normal size one, whatever) and all the seafood I can choke down. I haven't had a proper cheat meal in almost 45 days. It. Is. TIME. 

Fasted Cardio...Why even go there?

Hi, I'm Erin, and I have a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with cardio. But, this half marathon I'm training for? Yeah, gotta fit in the extra cardio. Do I like it? Heck no. Would I rather be lifting something heavy, you betcha. But, gotta suck it up and do it. 

Got up this morning and got in fasted cardio. Here's the thing. If I've gotten enough sleep, I am your most obnoxious, cheerful morning person. But if I don't get my 8-9 hours of sleep, I am probablyyyyyyy comparable to the devil before I have my coffee. So with that said, I'm trying to get back in my morning routine of waking up at 5 and getting started. Anywhoooo. Yes. Fasted cardio.

For those of you who have never tried it, it actually is better than it sounds. Yes, you are up before your brain is, and you're working out before breakfast. But there's the key- do it before your brain realizes what you're doing! 

Here are  some of the benefits to fasted cardio:

• Burn extra calories throughout the day 
• Forces your body to use fat as an energy source (taps into those stubborn areas, like hips and thighs for women/lower abs for men)
• Burn more fat on empty stomach than with pre-workout meal hours beforehand
• While fasting and while exercising, your body releases HGH (human growth hormones), which prevents muscle being burned as an energy source 

This is from both researching the subject, and my own experience. This is totally just my opinion that fasted cardio is beneficial. Many academic types would argue it has adverse effects, and this has been a controversial topic for some time. While both sides have merit, I choose to believe it does have benefits from seeing results in myself. My advice to you? If you're really on the fence, check your own results. Just measure your body fat and calculate your lean mass. This goes for all aspects of fitness- the case studies are still fairly new, and all of the experts all have their own opinions based on their research. How do you know what to believe? Stick with what is working for you personally.

Whether fasting or not, to make your cardio count, you've got to add intensity. The joke about the girls who go into the gym and come out looking just as good as they went in- its true. You've got to work up a sweat and really work for those results, or they won't come. Its all up to you! I like to throw HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts in my weekly routine at least 2-3 times a week. No one likes cardio, but it IS vital to every person's fitness journey, no matter the goals. 

Easy Breakfast Ideas- Egg Whites on English Muffin

As much as I love to meal prep, I do love a good hot breakfast. But who has time in the morning? I just got this egg cooker from Pampered Chef. It. Is. AWESOME!!!! 

1. Pour your egg whites (or a whole egg, whichever you like) in one side of the bowl. Yes, I know it looks like a dog bowl! Cracks me up! Anyways. In the other side, put another egg or water- but definitely don't leave it empty or it will crack. 

2. I put salt and pepper, but you could get creative...whatever you normally put with your eggs! Peppers, mushrooms...and microwave usually about a minute- more time for more eggs. Makes sense.

3. And voila! Toast your english muffin and you have a sandwich! Who needs McDonalds? I can make this quicker at home than sitting in line, and way cheaper too! And who knows how much more healthy.

Enjoy!

Why I love English muffins- 

• No cholesterol
• Low in saturated fat
• Good source of folate, thiamine, manganese, and selenium
• Provide a small amount of protein

Why I love egg whites-

• Lower calorie, fat, and cholesterol content than whole eggs
• Great source of protein- and same amount as in a whole egg

*The whole egg is where you find your vitamins B2, B12, D, and iron! I do still eat whole eggs as well!

Cheesy Kale Chips

One of my all time favorite snack recipes! Anytime we have a movie night..or I'm just in a snacking mood, I turn to this simple snack! It's healthy, and has that salty satisfying taste like potato chips give you. You can play with different variations (roasted red pepper flakes, garlic...) but here's my favorite- garlic and parmesan cheese!

• Set the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread the kale out on a sheet pan (I like to put aluminum foil down so there is less mess!) and use BIG pieces! 
• Spray/drizzle with olive oil evenly over kale
• Use a little bit of salt/pepper
• Cover with fresh parmesan (you can use the other kind too but it doesn't bake quite as well!)
• Sprinkle with a bit of garlic salt
• It depends on your oven, but I usually bake mine about 12 minutes, check often! I also rotate mine half way through.

YUM!

Vegan Protein

Recently, I have switched off of my whey protein to vegan. Am I totally vegan? Heck no! I love meat. This protein source is the bomb though! (are people still saying the bomb? ...hmm)

I switched to Arbonne Essentials Chocolate Protein Mix. 

At first I was a little skeptical how it was going to taste, and I'm not going to lie...it has a different taste to it. Its pretty dang good though! And way better than whatever beefhead crap my brother drinks after his workouts. 

So here's why I like it-

When it says vegan, it is actually a pea protein- made of pea, rice, and cranberry proteins. Sounds strange, I know, but it is highly absorbable and easily digestible. When the pea protein is combined with the cranberry and rice proteins, it provides a full amino acid score- very important! Pea protein provides essential amino acids and is a good source of the amino acids arginine and glutamine (those words sound familiar, my fitness enthusiasts?). It is also a good source of glutamic acid and branched chain amino acids (leucine + valine + isoleucine). Arginine participates in the supply of nitric acid and branched chain amino acids, which are essential amino acids that need to be supplied by the diet. 

In this protein, there are 20 grams of protein (which has been proven is the amount your body needs after a good workout!) and 21 essential vitamins and minerals and plenty of other beneficial nutrients. Also included in the ingredients are coenzyme 20 and ginseng. 

It contains no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors; as well as no cholesterol. It is also forumulated with no gluten or fructose. That is awesome! I hate when all these big name whey proteins boast about all the good stuff in their product, but fail to mention all the chemicals they add. NO THANKS!

Here are some other sources you can find vegan protein-

• legumes
• nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, filberts, hemp seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts-black)
• spirulina (nutrient-rich, blue-green algae)

Neon, Neon

For my debut blog post....let's do a fun one! 

I love neon! For anyone who hates working out, my suggestion is simple- go buy something NEON! I totally forgot I had this top, I bought it on a trip to the Outer Banks last October (I crashed the men's fishing trip...it smelled horrible but I survived! That's a whole different story there...) 

No, really though. It always pumps me up in the gym and I could swear it is a form of pre-workout! Plus, it just gives this "hey, i'm friendly!" vibe. If you're going for that sort of thing. 

Life isn't meant to be taken so seriously- find things, even silly small things like this brighten your own day!