The first six weeks were a blur, a never ending overnight relay race full of exhaustion (Hood to Coast or Ragnar for Mommies). After week 6 things really got better and by week 8 we had this awesome smiling, babbling baby. He remains a highly demanding and incredibly loud kid, but we seem to understand him a bit better and no longer want to give him to the gypsies (they refused to take him anyway). He’s now 12 weeks old and I wonder where the time went, my little munchkin is becoming a bigger munchkin and has such a personality. What’s next? Stay tuned…

Stephanie

I hope I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew. New York wouldn’t be my first marathon, but it would be my first post baby marathon. If I’m not selected my husband has told me that my other option would be to do Silverman, the ½ Ironman format in Nevada. Sheesh, I wonder if my husband has taken and insurance policy out on me?

Okay, the rest of you listen up. I have had BH contractions that I can feel since week 18 of this pregnancy. Modern science says that BH contractions generally start around week 6, but because your uterus/womb is so small at that point you can’t really feel them. Many pregnant women don’t feel them at all during their entire pregnancies. Not me, I felt them starting at 18 weeks whenever I ran. BH contractions are not painful per se, just very, very uncomfortable. These along with my magically shrinking bladder and growing son, made running a thing of the past around 22 weeks. Now, however, basically any activity can spur BH contractions, from walking down the hallway to my 5 to 6 mile walks (my replacement for running). I think I even felt one swimming, but I refuse acknowledge that swimming now brings them on.

My OB’s are well informed of my situation and encourage me to continue with my exercise routine (thank God). There was no way that I could manage 10 weeks without being able to do some type of exercise. I’d go mad and let’s just say that mad is very unattractive on me. I’ve been told that all of these “practice” contractions are preparing my body for the real thing. If this is true, I’m going to pop this kid out in record time. I’m thinking 2 maybe 3 pushes at most LOL. Who am I kidding we all know that I’m going to be in labor for 23.5 hours on December 31st, trying with all of my might to make the 2010 tax cut-off. I miss running. Anybody else feeling my pain?

Well, let’s see.  I’m currently preggers with the most active little boy on the face of the earth, so the only challenging event I have on the horizon is labor and delivery.  I hear it’s a b*tch, but what do I know.  I’ve run many long distance races and a handful of triathlons, so I’m hoping the mental strength needed to complete those will pull me through.  Strength or not this little boy is shooting out of my loins before the end of the year or else.  I have 12 more weeks and I can’t imagine having to be pregnant for much longer.  I wonder how elephants manage?

Once I pop Xander (short for Alexander) out, I plan to resume running and biking as soon as I’m physically capable.  I’ve heard that the ligaments get quite loose through the whole process so I need to really pace myself and gradually get back into the swing of things or end up with some crazy secondary injury that will sideline me even longer than the whole pregnancy, labor, and delivery thing.  I’ve actually signed up for a race 8 weeks after Xander is due, but because I plan to breastfeed (tmi) it may be a logistical nightmare and a pipe dream.  I hope not.  Have any of you been capable of racing (I use this term loosely) 8 weeks post delivery?  Is my 8-week post delivery race a pipe dream?  Does anyone have any guidance or suggestions for getting fit post baby?

As work was catching up to me today and my stomach just as aggressively was trying to get my attention, I stopped for a second and considered my choices. It was obvious, my meal needed to be something fast to make or microwavable, “ready in 90 sec” type of deal.  With my options now completely clear, as I was standing with the refrigerator door widely open, glaring inside and hoping to find the miracle item, I realized it was my attitude that was making this process unpleasant and stressful. So, I closed the door, retuned myself and believed this was one of few opportunities a day to have control over my body rather than only experiencing the consequences of the everyday inevitable stress at work.

So I took a moment and decided it was time to reward myself for the hard work and take my deserving lunch break, which so often got ignored. Suddenly, I had options-options that I couldn’t see before and I was not allowing myself to be spontaneous and creative. I found ingredients that grabbed my eye and since the issue in the beginning of all this was that I didn’t want to spend time or tend to my meal, I came up with the solution. I grabbed a skillet and threw everything I had selected into it.

It turned out very tasty and didn’t take much of my time or attention. I garnished with some yogurt and made sure to include half of a brown rice tortilla to properly prepare for my long run the following day.

The moral of my story:  have fun, experimenting with your meals and plan accordingly to avoid bad choices. If you let your blood sugar drop significantly, preoccupied with work, you will find yourself walking the road that I was- hungry, tired and irritated that I “had to feed myself”. The sad part-a big part of the food industry, nowadays, relies on exactly this particular state of mind. It’s amazing how fast a pie of pizza becomes an excellent option at that particular moment!

In conclusion, I realize some of us don’t have the luxury of working at home, so spend a few hours on Sunday preparing for the upcoming week. Store in Tupperware and take to work to make for a healthy and accessible lunch! Good luck and remember to have fun!

My Experiment

2 cups frozen pepper strips, or 2 fresh peppers (the more colorful, the better)

1 cup chopped onions ( I didn’t want to spend time chopping, so I sliced in half and then to thin slices to create longer strips)

¼ cup (uncooked) quinoa

2 cups water

Cover up and let simmer for 10 min. After the quinoa has been cooked, add 4 oz. of ground turkey as you break to small pieces. Stir everything together and spice with garlic salt, black pepper and savory.

Let the meat cook for another 5-6 minutes. Garnish with 2 spoons of yogurt (optional)

1.  Water Flushes Out Your System

      Water does a great job of removing waste and toxins from our bodies.

2.  Speeds Up Weigh Loss

     Did you know that drinking water is one of the best ways to lose weight?   Next time you think you are hungry, enjoy a large  glass  of water first and then reach for a snack 20 minutes later if you still are hungry.   

3.  You’ll Glow

      Research indicates that after only a week of increasing your water intake you will notice a that your skin looks more clear!

4.  Your Heart Will Thank You

      You can reduce your risk of a hear attack by drinking water regularly. 

5.  Bye, Bye, Headaches

      One of the most common reasons of a headache is dehydration.  Don’t wait until you are thirsty to grab a drink!

6.  Tired?

     Do you often feel tired during the day?  Make sure that you are getting enough to drink because if you are dehydrated your   energy level sinks.

7.  Exercise Better

      Exercise requires extra water so be sure and drink plenty before, during and after.  Your body will thank you!

So now you know a few of the benefits of drinking water.  Now it’s time to get a plan together that will work for you to ensure that you stay hydrated.  Always carry water with you and drink frequently throughout the day.  If you get bored with plain water try something different.  You can add lemons, limes,oranges, basil or mint to mix it up.  Sparkling water is a fun alternative too.  Challenge yourself to increase your water intake for a week and you will see how much better you look and feel!

Oh ye of little faith!

I did complete the race–finished it in a commanding 6 hours and 57 minutes. Well, I wouldn’t really call it “commanding” it may come close to “respectable” but that may even be a stretch. I finished. And I could not have been happier.

What did I learn?

1. 7,000 feet in elevation is much more challenging than 800 feet in elevation.
2. Just because something sounds impossible doesn’t mean it is.

Trying to calm the pre-race jitters. Rockin' the slippers.

Back from 56 miles of what felt like endless hills on the bike.

On the home stretch after 13.1 miles. Faced with some last minute competition from a spectator.

I’m looking forward to a new learning experience this weekend. The last endeavor on my list above, training for an Ironman, was something I avoided for as long as I could. Finally, with the help of a friend, I took the plunge and registered for the race. Then a few months later I started training—and none too soon. The Ironman itself is on September 12 in Madison, Wisconsin and I’m plenty nervous about it.

 In the meantime, there’s a half Ironman distance race in Flagstaff this weekend and I don’t want to do it. Why? Altitude. And because it’s scary. I’ve known about this race and the fact that it was recommended to do it prior to the big event for months and months now. I registered two days ago. Since registering, I have been much more at peace with the idea because I feel like it’s a done deal. I paid the money, I’m gonna race! Yes I’m still scared but am counting on my fortitude, if not conditioning, to get me through.

Check back with me on Monday

 ~Mercedes

- Mercedes & Stephanie