Tag Archives: Yoga

May 10, 2016 · 6:00 am

One Run At A Time, Or How To Avoid Toxic Thoughts

Good morning loves,

I am happy to report that I’ve learned yet another invaluable lesson during my 7 km run yesterday. But before I jump to that, here is my Week 6 training schedule of half-marathon training:

Monday – 4 miles
Tuesday – 30-40 minutes of cross training: HIIT
Wednesday – 4 miles + kettlebell toning
Thursday – 40-50 minutes of cross training: booty + cardio
Friday – rest day
Saturday – 8 miles
Sunday – rest day

*Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5*

The more I run Source

So a very interesting thing happened to me yesterday. You may or may not have read my previous post on how running makes us happy, but happiness makes us better runners. I tried my very best to be positive about the run, but it was such a struggle. Nothing hurt, but I had a full blown mental battle with myself, despite trying to keep my chin up and think happy thoughts. So what happened, you say?

I think the best way to put it is: I got caught in a web of self-doubt.

A little progress each day adds up to be results Source

You see, it’s been a very long time since I ran a distance of 10 km and more (apart from Week 3 and 4 of my training). My runs got much shorter since I got pregnant in fall 2014. Something happened to my bladder throughout my pregnancy and I could barely stay on a treadmill for 15-20 minutes before dashing to a ladies room. *Pregger problems! Haha!*

For some strange reason, something snapped when I saw that this week’s long run is a grand total of 8 miles. Toxic thoughts invaded my mind. I mean, I’m training for a half, so this distance is definitely not a surprise. I ran much longer distances in the past. But all of a sudden I got intimidated and mental games began. As I was running, all I kept thinking about was how am I gonna do that long run. And as many of you know, it is not a good place for any runner or any fitness enthusiast for that matter to question their own abilities.

Good news, it is reversible! *Haha!*

one day at a time, enjoy the journey Source

It is so sooooo important to focus on one workout at a time and not to get too much ahead of ourselves. Just like in our daily lives, in order to be efficient and not to get overwhelmed, we must prioritize our to-do list. First things first. The same goes for running. Not only our ‘present’ workout will be more effective, but also there is absolutely no reason why we should psych ourselves out of the challenge that lies ahead. Tackle it one day, one workout at a time.

Has ever self-doubt affected your workouts? How do you avoid psyching yourself out before a long run?

Keep moving forward Source

Missed some of my most recent posts that created great discussions among my fellow bloggers? Here is your chance to catch up:

How Running Makes Us Happy, But Happiness Makes Us Better Runners
Running Wisdom: be kind, be YOU, your health journey is what YOU make of it.
Should You Run With Or Without Music? Chime in the ongoing conversation!
5 Running Must Haves: What are your running necessities?
5 Pieces of Advice You Need for Your First Half Marathon from Coach Suz: Do you have any advice to share with new runners?
How Yoga Has Helped My Running Game: Any other runner-yogis out there?
Running With a Dog: From bare basics to a training plan for your four-legged friend to spring into action.

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

xoxo
Olena

23 Comments

Filed under Half-Marathon Training, Motivation

Tagged as cardio, fitness, Fitspiration, Half-Marathon Training, health, motivation, One day at a time, running, Spartan Race, weight loss, Yoga

April 14, 2016 · 8:00 am

How Yoga Has Helped My Running Game

Hi friends!

Before I get into today’s topic, here is how Week 2 of my half-marathon training looks like:

Monday – rest day
Tuesday – 3 miles
Wednesday – cross train for 30-40 minutes
Thursday – 3 miles
Friday – cross train for 30-40 minutes
Saturday – 5 miles
Sunday – rest day

*You can see Week 1 plan here.*

A few days ago I got a question on Instagram: How has yoga helped my running game?

To be honest with you, I never really thought about it. I love yoga and enjoy running very much, so I simply have been doing the two things that bring a smile to my face and make me feel good. However, the question prompted me to think. There is definitely an undeniable complimentary relationship between the two.

Yoga 1

Injury prevention

There is a reason why we need to do warm-up and cool down stretches before going for a run. Yoga stretches ultimately lengthen the muscles that get tight during running. It is especially useful for those with very tight hips and hamstrings. Yoga can also help with soreness after the run.

yoga 2

Proper Breathing

It is detrimental to breathe properly when you do yoga in order to reap all of the benefits of any given pose. Better breathing during running allows a larger delivery of oxygen to the muscles, consequently increasing performance.

I find that I learned various breathing techniques while practicing yoga. A lot of people underestimate savasana, or a corpse pose, because you’re ‘simply’ lying on the floor. However, it is one of the best way to learn how to breathe properly:

Lie down comfortably on your back on a yoga mat,
Become aware of your natural breath and its rhythm,
Focus on raising your belly as you inhale through your nose,
Lower your belly as you exhale though your mouth.

yoga 3

I paid closer attention to my breathing over my last few runs. And you know what? I definitely noticed a big difference compared to how I was breathing only a couple of years ago. My breath control has improved drastically and I don’t find myself panting all the time, unless I’m giving it my all as I sprint.

Core Strength

The poses held in yoga strengthen the core, hip flexors, quads and hamstrings. Strong core translates into a good running posture which helps with your speed and endurance. It is easier to run.

yoga 5

Mindfulness

Yoga teaches us of how to stay inthe present moment, how to be mindful. In my opinion, mindfulness is extremely important when you run. It is so much easier to run when you focus on your breathing and stop thinking about how much more you’ve got to go!

On a separate note, I feel like a lot of runners don’t do yoga because they are intimidated by elaborate poses they see on the Internet…

But you should definitely give it a go. Try this awesome yoga for runners routine!

Or if you don’t have 30 minutes, give a try to this sequence.

Source

Recently, I came across the following quote and fell in love with it.

admire someone else's beauty

In my opinion, it refers to much more than outward beauty.

It’s in our nature to compare ourselves to others. Unfortunately, instead of being inspired by their success, we, often times, get discouraged by thinking that we aren’t good enough.
The reality is, there will always be someone who is stronger, faster, more flexible, more successful, you name it, than us, but you can’t let this hinder your personal progress and growth.

To avoid this, accept your status as novice, if that’s the case. Accept where you are today, be proud of your accomplishments so far. Celebrate success of others and let it motivate you to reach for new heights. Never underestimate yourself and what you are capable of. Self-doubt is your biggest enemy. Always aim to be the best version of yourself. You are unique and you deserve to love yourself.

handstand with Sofia - large.jpg

Do you practice yoga? How has it helped you?

Want to read more on yoga?

PS. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

xoxo
Olena

17 Comments

Filed under Cardio, Cross-training, Half-Marathon Training, Running

Tagged as cardio, Cross training, fitness, Half-Marathon Training, health, motivation, running, self-esteem, Spartan Race, weight loss, Yoga

March 27, 2016 · 1:00 pm

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from our family to yours!

May your day be filled with happiness and laughter!

Happy Easter

xoxo
Olena

6 Comments

Filed under Family

Tagged as cardio, Easter, Family, fitness, Happy Easter, health, running, Yoga

March 9, 2016 · 8:00 am

Baby & Mommy Yoga

Good morning, beautiful people!

As promised, today I will tell you about Sofia’s baby yoga classes.

Those of you who have followed or have known me for a while are well aware of my love for yoga. What you may now know is how it all started.

My first encounter with yoga happened when I was still in elementary school. I remember my dad pulling out this book with pictures of strange looking people. *Not to discount this guy’s talent, it’s actually quite impressive what he’s doing here… but, c’mon, you we all know what I’m talking about! Haha!*

old fashioned yoga

Source

Anyhow, let’s move on. I remember being very intrigued, but at the same time being super confused. Breathing through the pain? Moving slowly? Breathing on counts? To add to my confusion, it went pretty much against my rhythmic gymnastics training and I didn’t see the point of standing in a pose where nothing was pulling. *I was flexible, remember?*

I never read that book *No colorful beautiful pictures, remember?*; nonetheless, I my fascination never faded away and I kept on leafing through the pages every now and then. Fast forward to my early twenties, curiosity was still there. What was different is that now I wanted to learn. I’m turning 30 later this year *gasp* and I’m addicted to yoga. I love how practicing yoga makes me feel and don’t plan on quitting. Those stretches feel way too good! *It’s crazy how our bodies change, don’t you think?*

yoga

I actually wanted to attend prenatal yoga in addition to my prenatal aqua class. Unfortunately, both class were held at the same time, so I improvised.

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Sofia’s first yoga class happened when she was almost 2 months old. I was thrilled to have that experience with her, yet I had no idea as to what to expect.

Well… It was interesting! Definitely not what I expected, but there is nothing wrong with it! I guess going into it I was thinking yoga flows… deep stretches… What I forgot to account for is BABIES! *Duh?!* Also, generally baby classes are great for socializing; thus, majority of moms were beginners and we had to go at their speed. *Once again, there is nothing wrong with it. Just regular overambitious self! Haha!*

Babies LOVE Savasana

All jokes aside, there is a big deal I learnt at baby yoga classes!

Probably, the coolest part was learning various stretches for babies. Sofia still enjoys them!

First, we would warm up babies’ various muscle groups, just like we do for ourselves, starting with upper body.

Exercise #1

Lay baby on her back on the floor. Hold on to her wrist. Lift baby’s arms up and then bring them down. Repeat 5 times.

Exercise #2

Begin in the same position as before, but alternate sides: Right arm – up, left arm – down, switch sides. Repeat 5 times.

Exercise #3

Still on the floor, spread baby’s arm out to the sides, bring them on across her chest, and spread them out again. Repeat 5 times.

The next stage is a lower body warm up.

Exercise #1

With baby lying on her back, hold her feet or lower legs. Gently push one leg up toward her chest while extending the other. Switch sides. Repeat 3 times on each side.

Exercise #2

Now do the same, but with both legs simultaneously. First push both knees to the stomach, then extend to the floor. Repeat 3 times.

Exercise #3

It’s time to do a bicycle! Guide your baby’s legs in a circular motion as if pedaling a bike. Do the movement 10 times, then reverse the direction.

Exercise #4

With the baby on her back, lift her legs perpendicular to the floor. Gently stretch them to the sides, like a mini split, then bring legs back in the Buddha pose while crossing legs one over another. Repeat 3 times while alternating the leg on top.

Exercise #5

While on the back, bring baby’s knees to the stomach. Move the legs in a clockwise circle, then reverse in a counterclockwise motion. Repeat 3 times in each direction.

At this point, the baby is warmed up for full body stretches.

*In this video Sofia is 4 months old. I was simply playing around with her while doing some of these stretches.*

Exercise #1

Lay baby on her back. Hold baby’s right wrist with your right hand and baby’s left foot with your left hand. Gently pull baby’s left foot to her right shoulder while bringing her right hand across to her left hip (baby’s leg should be above her arm). Repeat 3 times, then switch sides.

Exercise #2

With baby’s feet in your hands, gently bring them to your baby’s nose. Don’t force it. Repeat 3 times.

Exercise #3

Beginning with your baby on the floor on her back, grasp her forearms (if your baby still doesn’t hold her neck properly, you can hold your baby under her arms while still supporting your baby’s neck with your fingers). Gently bring your baby to a sitting position, then to standing. Then in reverse: back to a seated position and, finally, on the back. Repeat 3 times.

IMG_7654 edit

I may have forgotten a move or two, but you get the gist of it. Sofia absolutely loves these exercises. Believe me, you will be rewarded with multiple smiles while bonding with your baby at the same time!!!

You may also be curious as to how YOU can practice yoga with a baby by your side. No worries, mama! You can still do it!

First of all, the baby can be cooing right NEXT TO you.

Your baby can be ON you.

You can also hold your baby in your ARMS. Most importantly, make sure that you are stable in any given pose. If needed, stand by the wall or hold on to a chair for extra stability; but if you’re still in doubt, just put your baby down. It’s better to be safer than sorry.

Don’t forget to make it a fun activity for both of you. Babies love interaction!

Have you done yoga with your baby? How do you engage your baby?

xoxo
Olena

13 Comments

Filed under Family, Fitness, Health

Tagged as baby yoga, cardio, fitness, health, running, weight loss, workout at home, Yoga, yoga with a baby

March 4, 2016 · 8:00 am

My Postpartum Fitness Journey

Salut, mes amis!

How have you been?!

Spring is almost here! Even though it is still very cold here in Montreal, I am full of excitement. Spring is my favourite season. I love it because everything around starts to bud and blossom, coming back to life. I can’t wait to go for long walks again and finally start training for my first half marathon. I bet Sofia will have a blast in her stroller accompanying me!

Throwback to fall

Many of you have asked about my fitness journey since giving birth in July. The truth is I had to, as they say, proceed with caution. Surprisingly, I was given very little guidelines at the hospital in regards to how to recover from having a cesarean. Naturally, I did have a few hiccups here and there when I would ‘push’myself too much without even knowing it and I would end up in a lot of pain that would prevent me from moving completely. I had to be cautious and patient, which, as you can only imagine, is not very easy for an active person like myself.

I started by taking short stroller walks around the block, then slowly increased the distance to 3 and eventually 5 km.

At about 8 weeks postpartum, I began a baby yoga class *read more here* with Sofia, 4 weeks later – a mama dance class. *More on that here.*

Heading to our first baby yoga class

In October, the incision sight didn’t bother me as much. I thought it would be a perfect time to jump back into it by incorporating 30-day challenges into my daily routine *read more here*: I started with a squat challenge in October, then embarked on an ab challenge in November, and finally ended up with an upper body challenge, which I found on Pinterest, in December.*Please, let me know if you have a good link for proper credit*.

30 day upper body challenge

In the beginning of January I knew I was ready for more, so I signed myself up not for one but for two challenges, both were totally free and could be done from the comfort of home.

One of them was a 30-day Yoga Camp by Adriene.

I’ve been following Adriene for close to 2 years now. I’m honestly in love with her videos! I totally think we could be best friends if I ever got to meet her. I love Adriene’s approach to yoga: Find What Feels Good. What was different about this yoga camp is that Adriene focused on mental well-being as well. I thoroughly enjoyed daily mantras and emails to go with it.

yoga challenge

If you wish, you can start Yoga Camp at any time by signing up here. *You will thank me later!*

Another challenge that I embarked on was an 8-week challenge by Tone It Up.

I admire Karena and Katerina so much. They are best friends in real life, great fitness role models and entrepreneurs. They were able to build a great online community, which I’ve been a part of for over a year now.You can opt in to get their nutritional plan and buy extra video workouts (which I did), but it is not necessary as there is always a free option available. I love their energy and continuous support through social media and emails.

resistance band

It never occurred to me that there is a big Tone It up community in Canada, including Montreal! To my surprise, I was recently ‘found’ through one of my hashtags I used on Instagram by one of the girls from Montreal community, so I am really looking forward to meeting them at the next meet up!

The next 8-week challenge starts within a few days. To hold myself accountable, I’d like to show you my progress from the previous challenge. There are no drastic changes as I haven’t made any changes to my diet. It is more important for me to be able to nurse my baby for as long as I can rather to lose an extra pound or two. That being said, I love how much stronger I have become in such a short period of time. It’s awesome to be in control of my body again!

progress

What was your fitness journey after having a baby?

*Haven’t read my birth story? Head over here!*

xoxo
Olena

7 Comments

Filed under 30-Day Workout Challenges, Family, Fitness, Health, Weight Loss

Tagged as cardio, fitness, health, postpartum fitness, postpartum recovery, running, tone it up, workout at home, Yoga, yoga with adriene

February 22, 2016 · 1:00 pm

Let’s Play Catch Up: Sofia’s 7-month ‘Time Lapse’

Well, well, well… Hello there, lovelies!

How have you all been?

The life has been nothing short of AMAZING in this part of the woods. I’m pretty sure I’ve already said it at least a thousand times, but I love, love, LOVE being a mom! It’s such a rewarding feeling. Plus, Sofia has been such a great baby. I am sooooo lucky!

Can you believe she is 7 months old?! I know, I can’t. Time flies waaaaay too fast! I mean, I love see her grow, but I also want to freeze this moment forever. I’m torn…

Here is a quick ‘time lapse’ for you.

The day Sofia was born…

Favorite things: Skin-to-skin contact and eating non-stop 🙂

1 month

Loves sleeping in a stroller and in a swing, daily walks, daddy’s lullabies and a colorful painting in the living room. ‘Oh, and give me that booby back!’

2 months

Sleeps through the night, gives smiles every now and then, started going to a yoga class. ‘Aroo, aroo, aroo!’

3 months

Very talkative, rolls over from back to stomach, enjoys dancing classes in a carrier and playing with toys on her play mat, sleeps in her own room. ‘Mmmmm! My hand is yummy!’

4 months

Holds her head very well, treats mommy and daddy to occasional giggles, loves doing airplane and stretching, experiments with funny sounds and smacking her lips. ‘That mobile thing on my bed is fascinating, I’ll definitely try to catch one of those rotating starts sometime soon!’

5 months

Loves to talk, sleep on her tummy, explores surroundings by rotating on her belly and likes to lean forward in a booster seat. ‘Who’s that dog licking me all the time? Also, I have feet? Let me taste them!’

6 months

Fascination by Bella prompted crawling because there is an absolute need to touch that doggy and take away her ball. Loves taking out mommy’s National Geographic magazines from a TV stand one by one. Can sit but has to hold herself up with her hands, flips from stomach to her back. Started on solid foods (first cereal is barley cereal, vegetable – carrot puree, fruit – banana) and water, but breast milk is still the very favourite. Goes to a swimming class. ‘Oh, no, I just dropped that toy… Thank you for picking it up for me! Actually… it’s kind of fun! Go pick it up again!’

7 months

Loves laughing at daddy’s jokes and when he picks her up by hands and feet. Can sit on her own. Reading lift the flop book Toes, Ears & Nose only one time is NOT sufficient. Bella’s tail, door stoppers and wires are the best toys. Also it is always a great idea to crawl to check on what’s happening in the bathroom and kitchen. Tried out many foods so far, but the absolute favourite are sweet potato, butternut squash and zucchini puree. ‘Is eating chicken necessary? And, mommy, that applesauce thing is just blaaaah…’ Drinking water is fun (has to run down the face and make a bib wet or, otherwise, what’s the purpose?)! Nursing is most entertaining when mommy’s face is being pulled in all directions.

This week there will be a couple of more posts, so be on the lookout!

xoxo
Olena

10 Comments

Filed under Family

Tagged as Baby, baby dance class, baby swimming class, baby yoga, Family, fitness, health, Mommy in training, running, Yoga

December 31, 2015 · 10:00 am

Happy New Year!

Can you believe it’s the last day of 2015?!

I can’t help but to reflect on what a wonderful year it has been.

IMG_7908 edit 2

I have so much to be grateful for! Our baby Sofia and 4-legged baby Bella, our family and friends, old and new.

And last but not least, my beloved husband.

I’ve definitely had some tough situations to deal with this year and he’s always been there for me. As they say, through thick and thin till death do us part. He is my best friend, and I still can’t fully grasp how lucky I am to have this man in my life and that two of us created our beautiful precious baby.

IMG_8278 edit.jpg

I know it will probably sound absolutely crazy, but when I was pregnant, it seemed like a miracle that there was someone growing in my belly. And now, I am a mom. I LOVE being a mom! It is such a rewarding feeling.

being parents

I haven’t been much in the blog world this year. I guess, it’s mostly because I wanted to live my experiences and not to spend a lot of time writing about them. That being said, I am so grateful for my blog friends and readers. You are like an extended family to me and I value more than you can ever imagine!

I am so excited for 2016! It will be a year full of firsts for Sofia. It’s so inspiring to watch her push her boundaries each day. My aspiration for 2016 is to grow too. I want my little girl to be proud of her mommy.

Happy-New-Year-2016-Download-3D-Wallpapers-2

I am wishing you all a beautiful year ahead. Make it memorable. Make it count. Tell your family and friends how much you love them and appreciate them, don’t wait for special occasions to do so. Love. Create new memories. Share smiles. Don’t forget about people in need. Don’t be greedy. Get stronger day by day. Be healthy.Be happy. Explore new horizons. And be the best possible version of you not for everyone else but for YOU!

Happy 2016!

xoxo
Olena

3 Comments

Filed under Family, Holidays, Uncategorized

Tagged as Baby, body image, Family, fitness, Happy New Year, health, motivation, running, Yoga

December 26, 2015 · 10:14 am

Merry Christmas!

Hi friends!

A little late, but Merry Christmas to you all!

IMG_8840 edit

I hope your day was filled with love and happiness in the company of friends and family just like it was for us! *Sofia had a blast tearing off the wrapping paper!*

So many great things have happened this month! I will shortly write to you about my impromptu baby yoga challenge, but if you’d like you can have a sneak peak on my Instagram account.

Until then, enjoy your time with your loved ones and don’t forget to tell them how much you love and appreciate them!

xoxo
Olena

2 Comments

Filed under 30-Day Workout Challenges, Uncategorized

Tagged as baby yoga, fitness, health, Merry Christmas, running, Yoga, yoga with a baby

October 11, 2015 · 1:36 pm

The Beauty of Motherhood & Maternity Photoshoot

Today is a very very special day in my family. It is my mommy’s 50th Birthday!

Words can’t describe how much I love her! It will probably sound strange or maybe not at all, but I love her so much more after I became a mom myself. There is something truly magical about watching your parents interact with your own child. I mean, I’ve always known that they loved me very much, but seeing them in action with Sofia is heartwarming and nothing short of remarkable. As they say, eyes don’t lie. And all I can see is an endless ocean of love.

Today I reflect on my own childhood and my parents’ love for me and my brother… We are so blessed with so many great memories! And I am so happy that my parents are so young and full of energy and that we have so many more wonderful memories ahead of us!

On this note, I would like to wish my mommy, my hero, strong health, never ending happiness and laughter! I love you!

And since I’m feeling super generous today, here are a few pictures from my maternity photoshoot when I was about 7.5 months pregnant.

Happy Thanksgiving to all fellow Canadians! Enjoy this long weekend with your families and loved ones! There is so much to be thankful for.

xoxo
Olena

3 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as Family, maternity, maternity photoshoot, matherhood, running, Yoga

October 9, 2015 · 3:16 pm

Fun Facts About My Pregnancy

Hi there!

First of all, thank you so much for all kind words and wishes! I am very glad to have you in my life!

After my last post it seems like you’d like to know it all about my pregnancy, birth of Sofia and so on. So I figured I’d write it in chunks not to completely overwhelm you. *Pregnancy and motherhood tend to be overwhelming at times, duh?! Haha!*

It’s kind of crazy but the time flew by so fast that it feels like I was never even pregnant. However, I will share with you some fun facts about my roller coaster ride.

The month I actually got pregnant, I could have sworn I wasn’t, even though we were trying to conceive a baby. I had no symptoms whatsoever. The night we found out I was pregnant, I took the test only because Justin was insisting on it to make me feel better about the beer I had earlier that evening. The month before that I was avoiding the alcohol completely because I thought I was pregnant. I even took 2 tests. Seeing them turn negative was the most disheartening thing ever. *I guess nature is weird like that!*
Justin’s reaction was too funny because he kept on asking, ‘Are you sure?’ Well, yeah! There are 2 lines, don’t you see?! *Haha!*
The following day we were visiting my parents. It was sooo hard not to tell them the good news! What was even harder is not to make them suspicious when I refused a glass of wine. I made up a lame excuse that my throat hurt and I took some pills. *I love, love, loooove wine and a sore throat would never be an issue. Haha!* Later my dad admitted that this was definitely out of character. *Great! Now I make myself sound like an alcoholic!*
We kept the secret from our families for a total of 1 week and 1 day. I did take another test the morning of just in case because Justin still couldn’t believe it. *Poor guy!*
The hardest part of keeping my pregnancy secret from my friends and colleagues was attending all Christmas and New Year’s parties. There was a lot of winking going on between me and bartenders and a whole lot more of Virgin Bloody Maries and gin tonics while mouthing ‘without gin’ and followed by a wink. Yes, essentially it was tonic with some ice and a slice of lime. I’ll never forget this bartender who was at first very confused, but then did the entire performance with the bottle of gin and ‘pouring it’ into my glass once I pointed at my still flat stomach. *Great stuff!*
The only side effect that I had was getting dizzy on public transportation. Fainting is definitely unpleasant and, frankly, embarrassing. So I made it a point to always wait for a bus with an empty seat and have a snack on me at all times.
Having to hear the heartbeat and see tiny little Sofia in my stomach for the first time was the most exciting and scary experience of my lifetime.
Even though I thought I was expecting a boy, I secretly hoped it was a girl. Why? Because some people were very insistent on telling me how FOR SUUUURE it was a boy. *As a side note, I’d be happy with either one as long as my baby was healthy.*
I had no cravings at all apart from Ginger Ale in the last 2 months. My appetite remained pretty much the same as well. That being said, I was super inspired to cook and bake Ukrainian dishes for my husband. *Lucky him!*
Food aversions: Meat and eggs *unless they were hard boiled*.
The biggest craving: sushi! *You bet that was one of the first things I had after I gave birth!*
The biggest inconvenience: BENDING! Especially putting my shoes on. And…. um…. having a necessity to know a location of the nearest washroom at all times. *LOL!*
The best investment: Snoogle. I can’t emphasize enough what difference it made in my ability to sleep comfortably!
The most annoying pet peeve: When complete strangers commented on how small my stomach looked like and then touched it. *Please.. don’t ever comment on a size of a belly whether it’s small or big… and don’t touch the belly unless you are super close to the person and they don’t mind it…*
The best decision I made was to take the last three weeks of pregnancy as vacation to relax and get ready for motherhood. Surprisingly, fatigue hit me like a brick wall right after I stopped working. Generally, I am not someone who likes to nap, but it definitely changed in those last few weeks.
What made me the happiest was feeling Sofia kick! She was used to get hiccups a lot, it never seized to make me laugh. Interestingly enough, I never really got used to her moving around, so every unexpected kick would make me jump. Justin got really annoyed though because she would always stop kicking whenever he tried to feel her. It never failed!
My favorite workouts throughout pregnancy were prenatal aqua class, yoga and walking. I kept on running for about the first 18-19 weeks, but then switched to biking on a stationary bike and then to fast walking instead. Bouncing around too much would inevitably lead to me running to the restroom. *I bet people had a good laugh!* I also opted for lighted weights to tone my upper body.
Total length of pregnancy: 39 weeks. I was induced at 38 weeks and 6 days, but Sofia was born the following day.
Total weight gain: 22 pounds. First trimester – 0, second – 10.2 pounds, third – 10.8 pounds.