Category Archives: giveaway

The Perfect Weekend + Bar Method DVD winner

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We have a winner!  To choose the lucky person, I used random.org and came up with lucky #2! 

 

 

 

The winner of the Bar Method DVD giveaway was KM, another fellow prego, who also uses Bar Method as a way to mentally prepare for labor contractions :-) KM, e-mail me at healthytidbitsblog@gmail.com with your shipping info so that I can get you that DVD as soon as possible.

Yesterday, I started my day off in the most relaxing way possible: A day at the spa with my mama.  Back in May, I came across a Groupon for a spa package right in time for Mother’s Day.  It included a 3o minute facial, 30 minute massage, and a pedicure.  I bought one for my mom since the spa is right down the street from her house and then hubs turned around and bought one for me, so I got to enjoy the spa day along side my mom.  When I went on their website to look up what types of massages they offered, there was nothing about prenatal massages, so I was going to trade in my massage for either an hour long facial or manicure.  But when I called and asked if they offered prenatal massages I was happy to hear that they did.  It was the most amazing thing my pregnant body has experienced so far.  For starters, I got to LAY ON MY STOMACH!!! They had the bed with the belly cut out and it was awesome.  I wanted to take it home with me.  Since the massage was only a 1/2 hour, I had her focus more on my lower back.  I walked out of there feeling like I had a brand new body.  I will say that I’m a little disappointed that I discovered them so late in the game.  I have my 37 week appointment tomorrow and I’m going to see what my doctor has to say, but hopefully I can sneak one more in before delivery day.

After our morning at the spa, we headed next door and enjoyed a yummy breakfast.  I had a feta and spinach omelet with potatoes.

After breakfast, I came home and cleaned (not so relaxing) and worked on a little DIY project I have going on right now for the baby’s room.  Cleaning on Saturday evenings is not the norm around here, but we have plans to go to Chicago today and Wisconsin State Fair tomorrow, so Saturday cleaning it was.

Even though I was pretty tired from my cleaning session, I managed to still cook us up something for dinner.  I didn’t want to go out because I feel like we’ve been eating like total crap this week, so I baked some salmon (seasoned with olive oil, agave, rosemary and basil) with a side of steamed beets, kale and goat cheese.  It was the quickest, easiest and healthiest meal I’ve made in a while. Not to mention, tasty :-)

 

We’re off to play tourist in the Windy City :-) I’m so excited to be going back for the day! We don’t really have a set agenda, just walking around and seeing where the day takes us.

Where’s your favorite place to day trip?

 

36 Weeks:Getting Ready for D-Day

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This pregnancy is coming to an end, I can physically feel it. Walking and getting around is becoming more challenging. I also feel like the baby may have dropped a little bit. I feel movement near my ribs as well as in my pelvic (hip) area. I have about a week until the baby’s considered full-term and 4 more weeks until my due date.

When I started reading all the baby books, they told me to make a list of things I wanted to get done before the baby came. The only thing at the top of my list was to finish start our wedding album. I knew that if it didn’t get done before Baby C arrived, that it would probably never happen. We would be much too busy being those crazy paparazzi parents, taking pictures of our child’s every living moment. In true procrastination fashion, I finished it this weekend :-) Nothing like waiting until the last minute. I used MyPublisher to put the album together and I can’t wait to see the finished product.

Another big thing that we’ve done recently was installing the carseat and bases. We returned one of our 3 pack n plays and exchanged it for an extra base for LC’s car. If everything goes as planned, we will be taking my car to the hospital so the carseat’s in there now, ready go.

Something I’ve been putting together slowly but surely is my hospital bag. I really have no idea on what to bring with me. I know that at some point I will want to wear my own clothes. Right now I have the basics:

  • 2 night gowns
  • 2 nursing tanks & bras
  • a pair of undies (I plan on wearing the hospital ones while I’m there)
  • Camcorder w/extra batteries/Camera laptop
  • Bringing baby home outfit for the babes as well as some onsies and a swaddler
  • Lanolin and nursing pads
  • snacks
  • shower shoes
  • basic toiletries/makeup
  • comfy shorts
  • a light zip up sweater. I go & forth on whether or not I really need this b/c I get to control the temperature in my room

Moms out there…Anything else you can suggest that I might be missing?

This week Baby’s 36 weeks and is as big as a crenshaw melon. Baby weighs about 6 pounds (I feel like it’s more) and is about 18.5 inches long. Baby’s busy putting on weight (about an ounce a day!) Baby C will officially be full-term this Thursday, the day my doctor returns from vacation!

For the past two weeks, I’ve had some pretty uncomfortable contractions. Nothing regular or too serious, so my doctor wasn’t concerned at all. At my last appointment this past Friday, she was pretty confident that I’d still be pregnant by the time she got back from vacation. Fingers crossed. She also suggested that I have a birth plan. Not so much on how I want my birth to go, but more so preferences that I have while in L&D. Some things to note: asking me to rate my pain on a scale from 1-10 (she suggested I do without this; contractions hurt. period.), when we want the cord to be cut, if it’s a boy whether or not he will be circumcised, whether or not we want to wait for the eye ointment until after we’ve had time to bond with the baby etc.

Other than the uncomfortable Braxton Hicks contractions and the interrupted sleep at night, I’m feeling pretty good. We got our glider this weekend, so baby’s nursery is almost done! I’m just finishing up some last minute DIY projects :-) Onto week 37!! We’re ready for you Baby :-)

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win a free Bar Method DVD! Giveaway ends Thursday August 2nd at 11:59pm CST. Good luck!

Take me to the Bar {A Giveaway!}

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I was first introduced to Bar Method by a co-worker of mine in Chicago.  I was looking for ways to change up my workout routine and get toned up for my wedding.  As tough as the first class was (even with 2 & 3 lb weights), I soon became addicted to this workout.  I quickly dropped my monthly gym membership and traded it in for a monthly Bar Method membership.  When I wanted a little bit of cardio, I either ran outside or hopped on the elliptical in our apartment gym.

After a few short weeks of going to class about 4 times a week, I began to notice changes in my body that no other workout has ever been able to give me.  My jeans fit better and my arms were quickly toning up.  In four months of going to class consistently, I dropped 10 pounds and lost a little over 6 inches from my body.  The biggest change came in my legs where I lost 2.25 inches from thighs.

Besides losing weight and inches, going to Bar Method also helped with the patella femoral syndrome that I had suffered from in my left knee.  All the core work and thigh work helped strengthen the muscles in my legs and hips and soon I was able to run pain free.

When I found out I was pregnant in December, I was determined to keep up with it as much as I could.  But after my first class of fighting through morning sickness, I decided to take a break from classes until I was feeling better and stick to the prenatal DVD at home.

The DVD did a great job of modifying the class.  Everything’s pretty much the same except they take out pushups {which I’ve continued to do up until the third trimester}, the abs portion involves propping yourself up with pillows, and the last bit of seat workout is done either standing or kneeling instead of lying down on your back.  Doing the pregnancy DVD on a regular basis has definitely helped with the lower back pain that I started to feel later on in pregnancy.  After a week of doing the workout just 3 times, my lower back & hip pain was completely gone and I started sleeping better (until the bathroom thing became an issue).  It’s also helped keep my arms and legs toned as my middle section continues to grow :-) And I’m hoping that all the core work will help with a quickly and easy delivery.  Not only has this workout helped me stay in shape through my pregnancy, but holding static movements and “staying in it” has helped me mentally prepare for dealing with contractions.  When you’re doing the thigh portion of the DVD, your legs shake uncontrollably and it takes everything in my willpower to not just stop and stretch them out.  I feel like if I can get through that, it will help make dealing with contractions a little easier (mentally at least).

Unfortunately, there are no Bar Method studios in the Milwaukee area.  There’s not even a barre style workout anywhere close, so I’ve become reliant on the DVDs.  They are all really challenging and comparable to taking an actual studio class.  But I do miss the personal style training that the teachers give you and the motivation that you get from going to the studio.  The teachers give you a lot of one on one attention to make sure that you’re doing the movements correctly and that you get the most out of your workout.  I miss the studio so much that a few weeks ago, I had debated on driving to Highland Park, IL to take a class.  Instead I stuck to the DVD.

What is The Bar Method? 

It integrates the fat burning format of interval training, the muscle shaping technique of isometrics, the elongating principles of dance conditioning, and the science of physical therapy to create a revolutionary new workout that quickly and safely reshapes your entire body. (source)

Want a chance to try this workout?  Visit the Bar Method website DVD section *Here* and find a DVD that interests you.  Then, leave a comment below telling me your favorite way to tone up and what DVD you’d like to try out.

Giveaway closes on Thursday, August 2nd at 11:59pm CST.  The winner will be announced Saturday morning.

Good luck!!!!

*Please note that The Bar Method in no way sponsored this post.  All thoughts and opinions in this post are my own :-)

34 Weeks-Staying Active while Pregnant

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tank from fortwofitness.com

When I first found out I was pregnant, I was determined to keep up my fitness routine for as long as I could. I’ve done a pretty good job of remaining active throughout my pregnancy, but at 34 weeks pregnant, things have definitely slowed way down over here.

In the first trimester, things pretty much stayed the same. Yes, I was nauseous and extremely exhausted, but exercise was the only thing that gave me energy. I continued to run, ride at Flywheel, shake it at Zumba, and participate in Bar Method classes as often as I could. I did tons of planks and worked my core every chance that I got when I learned that it is your core muscles that help with the pushing part of labor.

In the second trimester there was a lot more walking and a little less running, more Bar Method in studio classes in Chicago, and more Zumba. To keep from getting bored, I did a lot of interval/incline walking on the treadmill and downloaded lots of podcasts to listen to. My energy was back to normal, so much so that I even added in a EZ 30 minute Turbo fire DVD from time to time.

And then there’s the third trimester. The final stretch. Running has become a distant memory. Walks with intervals/inclines have been replaced with a more leisurely pace. Weight training, Zumba (1/2 classes) and Bar Method pre-natal DVD still remain in rotation.

Last Thursday, I Stormed the Bastille with my mom and a group of women here in Milwaukee. It’s a 5k run/2 mile walk that’s held in downtown Milwaukee on Thursday night before the Bastille Days festival kicks off for the weekend. I was really excited to do it because participating in a race is on my summer 2012 bucket list AND because it was my first ever night time race.

While we were walking around waiting for the race to start, I got lots of looks from strangers. Some were friendly and encouraging while other glances were the exact opposite. I had one guy say to me, “I know you’re not running this race, are you?” To which I responded, “No, I’m walking.” But what I wanted to say was “YES! And my goal is to win 1st place!” As I walked past an older woman standing around with her friends I overheard, “That’s the fourth pregnant women I’ve seen here. What’s with all these pregnant women thinking they can run?”

If you were active before you were pregnant, there’s no reason (unless your doctor tells you) to stop exercising. Pregnancy is not a time to be lazy and become out of shape. You’re carrying around a lot of extra weight and growing another human being, so this is the time when you should really try to be your healthiest. Not only do I mentally feel better after a good workout, but my body feels less sore, I sleep better at night and I feel somewhat normal in this new body shape. Even in pregnancy, I still have those days where I feel fat or “skinny” and working out helps with those “fat” days.

Besides feeling and looking good for yourself, exercise benefits baby too! Studies have shown that women who participated in a walking program vs. women who led a very sedentary lifestyle had lower blood pressure and lower cases of pre-eclampsia during pregnancy.

Other benefits to baby?

  • Lower your risk of gestational diabetes by 27%
  • You may boost your child’s athletic potential
  • Smarter children
  • Can improve your baby’s ability to handle the stress of labor and delivery
  • Fewer complications during labor and delivery

    • I plan on working out as long as baby let’s me. With 6 weeks left until my due date, I’m feeling really good for the most part.

    How’s baby doing? baby’s grown to the size of an average cantaloupe. Baby weighs on average about 4 3/4 pounds and is about 18 inches long. Fat layers are filling out and the central nervous system is maturing. I feel like we are finally in a safe zone. Babies born between 34-37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. Or course we’d like baby to stay in a little bit longer, but it gives me some piece of mind knowing in the event of preterm labor, we’d hopefully be okay.

    How am I doing? getting very anxious to meet our little one and to find out if it’s a boy or girl! By next month, our lives will forever be changed for the better and I’m so grateful that I’ve had such a good pregnancy so far. As much as I’ve enjoyed feeling this little one squirm around, the hot summer days are getting to me and I’m ready for the baby. I’ve also been a lot more tired than usual. I can’t remember the last time I had 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. I’ve been napping a lot more and taking it easy, listening to my body. I commend pregnant women who have other little ones to take care of!

    I’ll be back later this week with a little giveaway!

    Only 3 more weeks until baby is full term :-) CRAZY!!