See Missy's top 3 exercises you can do at home to keep you strong and pain-free during pregnancy.
As a trainer and Holistic Lifestyle Coach, what were your top exercise and nutritional priorities when you found out you were pregnant?
When I first found out I was pregnant, I was experiencing lots of fatigue, insomnia, and light-headed/dizziness. Realizing the source was a huge relief as I had been trying to charge through my regular workouts, but needing breathers between each exercise. I shifted my focus to some sort of movement most days, but relaxed my insistence on a "tough" workout. My exercise priorities became fresh air and blood flow. My nutrition focus became just eating regularly even though I didn't feel like it. I tried to get protein, carbs, and fat in each meal and a constant supply of ginger tea to settle my stomach.
What obstacles have you have faced, exercise and food wise, during your pregnancy?
Contrary to many tales of food cravings, I have found myself less interested in food. My normal vegetable intake is between 5-10 servings a day - lots of veggies! I have been less than excited about greens and my usual go-to veggie pleasers. I am now getting practice hiding vegetables in everything possible to get a consistent intake. They say that insomnia prepares you for through the night feedings. I am also learning how to get creative with vitamin filled foods when they aren't so attractive. For the first several months, lack of energy led to less exercise, leading to more lack of energy, leading to a little pain based on former dysfunctional movement patterns in my body that resurfaced.
Do you look at food and exercise differently now that you are pregnant? How so?
Because my interest in food has waned, it has become more of a means to an end. I feel like building this human is super important, so my focus is on feeding him a little more than feeding me. I look at food as building blocks and just try to create combinations that work well in a soup or stew so that I can get it all in. Carbohydrates have been a big change for me as I have typically not done as well with high carb dense foods. I now need them much more, which has been a mental shift in figuring out what fuels me best. In the past I looked almost exclusively at meals as a source for how I am feeling. Now it is much more confusing. Am I sluggish because I ate too much of something, or simply because the baby is growing? Figuring it out takes a little longer as there are more variables.
Exercise has become much more clear and has saved me. When I started to gain energy around the 4th to 5th month, I started to work out harder. As I got stronger again, I felt my energy soar, my posture improve, my sleep improve. Everything felt better. Now, no matter what, I get some sort of movement in everyday. At least once a week, that ends up only being a stretching session, which is just fine. I find my movement as a direct ticket to better sleep, which sets me up for the next day and ultimately feeling good overall.
What are some of the goals you have set for yourself during your pregnancy?
Oddly, staying open-minded has been the strongest goal. As a person who generally leads and controls things, I have felt completely humbled by having something else control me. The changes in my body, my moods, my fears, my empathy have been incredible. I find myself looking inward as if I am reading a riveting novel and can't wait to see the next twist. The things that I thought would be emotionally hard for me, like watching the number on the scale climb, have seemed fairly insignificant. I have felt much more generous to myself than I ever have in the past. My greatest goal has been to create a safe place for this creature to grow. I feel like he can read my mind and feel my emotions, so I have tried to create peace, but also honesty. Many of the changes aren't easy, so I have tried to look at my fears head on to see what is truly happening.
What would you suggest to other soon-to-be moms to stay healthy and active?
Find a supportive community. Luckily for me, I didn't have to go far. The Koa Fit community is so encouraging, loving, and inspiring. It has meant the world to me as I sometimes question myself and then find a hug, a kind word or simply someone loving my belly right around the corner. It has helped to kept me consistent in my exercise as well as even emotionally.
What do you feel is the most important thing to focus on in your exercise routine?
Keeping the back strong to counter the forward pull of the baby, keeping rotation alive as the upper body tends to lock down to stabilize increased laxity in the joints, and keeping the glutes strong to stabilize the sacroiliac joint.
Check out Missy's at-home exercise program.
What do you feel is the most important thing to focus on nutritionally?
Eat regularly. I don't always feel like I am getting exactly the perfect nutrition, but not eating anything because I am busy, queasy, or tired ends up in disaster. I have go-to meals that just taste good to me - granola, Greek yogurt, and berries; meals that have tons of nutrients - smoothie with a banana, protein powder, ginger, and a large handful of greens; and meals that sustain me - dense soups that hide all of the nutrients in some delicious broth or sauce.
