TVA Engagement - The Bloom Method

This post is all about a little savior named Brook Cates who I found on Instagram at around 34 weeks pregnant.  She is a personal trainer who specializes in working with women in all stages of pregnancy.  Her coaching for prenatal and postnatal focus on something she calls "The Bloom Method" where she teaches various breathing techniques that keep the TVA (transverse abdominis) in tact and ones core strong during and after pregnancy.

I obviously did a lot of work to stay fit on my own, but adding this to my routine toward the end, and really embracing it right after I gave birth, definitely helped in my healing process.  Even with having a c-section, this methodology is safe enough to start within a week of giving birth (for a c-section, and same day with a natural birth).  There is also a focus on engaging and strengthening the pelvic floor, another necessity during and after pregnancy.  Engaging in these types of exercises make natural birth delivery easier, minimize the risk of rectus abdominis (where the abs separate during pregnancy) and minimize incontinence.

I can say from my own experience that even when I was super pregnant...I could still see my abs, especially where they were really strong.  And in surgery, my OB noted how strong my abs were, as she was ripping through them.  BUT - post c-section, my stomach was soft and flabby looking, I don't think I've had a stomach like that since I was in grade school.  I immediately emailed Brooke to see when I could start my postnatal program and within weeks, was working on reengaging my core.  Yes, there were times afterwards in which I was uncomfortable, but each time I found my abs a little more and felt stronger.  I fully plan on working with Brooke my entire pregnancy the next time to really get those abs strong and engaged, especially knowing that I will have to have a c-section again.

Some takeaways about The Bloom Method :

• Helps keep core engaged as one moves through all the changes of pregnancy
• Helps minimize pelvic and back pain
• Effective in post - birth re-engagement 
• Easy to do anywhere! I would even do it when I was driving or cooking if I didn't have time to work out. 

Here I am: Several weeks pregnant (I actually weighed 3-4lbs less than my normal weight there), a few weeks postpartum after one of my first "belly pumping" sessions and 8 weeks postpartum using The Bloom Method techniques

The Anticipated Arrival - Now the Journey Really Begins!

I think it's so important to really have realistic expectations of one's delivery.  I hear so many moms say that they want to do it au natural - and that they want to have this big, heroic song playing as the baby makes their entrance into the world.  I hate to say it, but while that is all good and grand, and to each it's own - it's so important to realize that things might be unexpected.

I did no research on a c-section. It scared the crap out of me and I knew, in my heart of hearts (because first time pregnant women know EVERYTHING that I would not have a c-section.  Over 24 hours, 3 miles of walking/squatting/lunging, hula hooping, yoga poses and archaic maneuvers later...I was being prepped for surgery.  My little one was entering the world in the same, stubborn manner that her momma entered the world nearly 30 years ago,..with a long labor and a mom's pelvis which was too small even for a tiny baby.  All those hours and tears later (I was horrified with the idea of a c-section: how would I start running again right away? Would I be able to nurse without a problem? What about the skin to skin?!) - we welcomed Kennedy James Zuniga, 6lbs, 2 oz and 19.5 inches long into the world.  She was perfect. A full head of black hair, the tiniest pug nose and lips that could rival Kylie Jenner...without all the botox.

So now what? We had an unusually warm fall and I was looking so forward to getting out and walking my new babe and my puppy as soon as I got home.  I would start my journey back to abs ASAP. But hold on - when you have a C - Section, all that changes.  There is no lifting for at least 3 weeks, no driving for as long and no stairs for that time either.  Eventually, at 3 weeks, you'll probably be cleared to do light walking - still nothing too intense and at 6, you'll be cleared to do workouts, but to stick to your pregnancy rules of light lifting and no core work until 12 weeks.  You see, a C-section is a major, major surgery.  More than I even understood...until I experienced the pain when I wasn't on pain meds. I've included a link below - I'd advise you not to watch it if you're easily queasy or if you're terrified of a c-section, it won't put you at ease to see what is done to you. BUT, i do think it's important to know so you can prepare your body.

http://www.layyous.com/en/pregnancy/pregnancy-video-clips/video-cesarean-section-operation-the-complete-operation-(cesarean-delivery)/3-5145

Literally, 6 layers are cut through, and then they pull open your abs (or cut right through them) before they can get to the baby.  Sounds comfy, right? Needless to say, your body goes through a LOT.  Yes, a natural birth is rough, but you are usually cleared within a week or two, some moms even sooner to carry on with your regular routine.  For those wanting to start their fitness journey back, this is great because there is not as high of a risk as major surgery.  Going too hard, too soon with a c-section can cause major damage that could be rendered irreparable. Check out my next post to learn about a safe and EFFECTIVE way to start that journey back without damaging what the surgery repaired.

 

Instagram Love

It took me a while to really get on board with Instagram - I just didn't get it. What was the point when there Facebook? Yet once I got it, I tooootally got it and realized that even though it's a more public place than Facebook, it was somehow more private. I found myself identifying with people from all over the world that I know merely nothing outside of what their pictures portray. I found so many women who, like me, were fitness fanatics and pregnant and documenting as they moved through pre- and postpartum. I found myself in awe of so many of these women, but also found it hard to completely from the sheer fact that some of these women lived in warm climates where there is more access to quick fitness, and another large group of them stayed at home or had jobs as trainers or nutritionists - which is AWESOME but for the full time, working mom who has a job on the go, or a lifestyle on the go, this wasn't real life.  I knew that I wanted to be an inspiration to "my people" and be able to set realistic goals and offer advice, tips and yummy recipes along the way.

First thing's first - there is such thing as a healthy, fit pregnancy and a postpartum "bounce back". I also want to shed some light on c-sections and recovery.

It's a positive! Only took 7 tests before it finally came up with the line :) 

My goal before I got pregnant was to lose 5-7lbs (which sounds so silly, but that's a good amount on my frame). The premise behind this was to be in the best shape I could be in and good and lean. I planned on working out, hard, until i physically couldn't anymore. That all sounds fine and dandy, but the reality was this - I didn't lose the weight but ended up so sick the first trimester (and often thereafter) that I ended up losing about 5 -7 lbs in that first trimester.  When I say I was sick, I'm talking some days all I could stomach was bread and butter, or noodles.  Anyone who knows me knows that those things are not normally on my meal plan - which leads me to my first thought:

Last pic I got of the bump - Kennedy arrived at 38.5 weeks

If you're sick during your pregnancy, the most important thing is fueling your body so that it an fuel your growing baby. Don't worry about dieting or super clean eating if you can't keep anything down.  If you're feeling good - try and still eat clean if you were already doing so.

Eating clean during pregnancy:  pregnancy is not the time to START dieting.  I recommend trying to get acclimated to a healthy, clean, lifestyle BEFORE you get pregnant. This will make it a habit and make it easier to stick to versus trying to quit pizza cold turkey.  The very thought of veggies and salads brought me juicing at the jaw, wanting to vomit - and I LOVE that stuff.  Imagine hating it. Not good.

Clean eats,,,most of the time: greek yogurt with honey, salad with sunflower seeds, fresh mozz (pasteurized), almond milk, blackberries, eggs, oatmeal

Be prepared for bumps in the road that require you to change up your plan.  I was put on "pelvic rest" at 13 weeks.  This meant, among other things, no intense workouts (I was allowed to walk and, through begging, do prenatal yoga and lift upper body).  Up until then I had still be running sprints, spinning, dancing and continuing my normal workout routine.  I didn't get that lifted until 28 weeks and midway through - i was put on more strict rest due to a low lying placenta.  If my heart rate got up too high, i risked rupture and could literally hemorrhage to death. In other words - I had to learn how to stay fit and be fit...but also follows the rules and be safe.

Indulge when you have cravings, but don't do it the second you get the craving or all the time. You supposedly will crave different foods based on what your body is lacking - I have heard of vegetarians who all the sudden want a big, juicy, burger - they were lacking iron.  Give in to the cravings. I did - but I had a rule.  I would wait a day or two and see if I was still craving that. I made it a treat and made sure that I really wanted it (I didn't crave anything out of the norm,  but my cheeseburger desire was heightened a bit).  Don't deprive yourself - giving in every now and again isn't going to take you from gaining 20lbs to gaining 40 lbs.

Burger indulgence at Lockdown

Walking is a great thing for your body and your joints - especially in the long run.  If  you're a runner and you can continue to run - do it, Run as long as you can. BUT - know that if you can only walk,walking is proven to be better on your body over time than running.  The goal is to keep active, not keep at a marathon pace.

Find ways to stay true to who and what you are - make time for your significant other to to embrace your last months together!

Find a way to make time for yourself after the baby - it's so necessary for mental wellness.  Share with your partner what you need.  Having time to even just walk some evenings was a God send and really helped me stay sane when I felt like I had no control!

Where have I been?

It's been a while since I've posted, but I haven't stopped my fitness or my cooking, life just got busy and to be honest, I am now and always have been the worst at measuring out recipes. That said, since I last wrote I've traveled more and had a baby! Having a baby and being pregnant really recharged me and my desire to write to help people. There are so many blogs and resources out there with so much great information, yet I find it at times hard to relate.  I want to start being a voice again and talking about fitness and fitness goals, adding recipes and talking about how to stay healthy during pregnancy and the things that I've learned along the way. Stay tuned!!

Starting Week 3....or Week 2 Again

I have a few thoughts that I figured, since I'm here, updating my blog after being missing for...months, I might as well say what I want to say.  I feel off the wagon.  Not hard, but enough to have a little bump, and I think it's completely ok.  Here's the deal, being dedicated 100% of the time is ideal, but the average person (who I have classified as someone who doesn't work as a trainer, or own a gym, or has a part time job, or a stay at home job, or a significant other, or who doesn't have a passion for good food or drinking with friends) will find it very difficult, almost impossible to be 100% perfect with their eating habits. This is a totally fine concept, and realistically, being mentally strong is part of this dedication.  I also think its a poor excuse to say everything that I've said above - but finally, I think that there is an absolutely sound and reasonable happy medium.  I live, currently in that medium.  I understand the need to have indulgences, but I also understand the need to pick and choose, to not over-indulge and to listen to what you're body is telling you (for the most part; if your body is screaming that you need cheese fries every day, tell it to STFU). I also know my triggers and I think that this is a HUGE piece of understanding food and fitness and how to have a "healthy" relationship with food.  I know that a lot of wheat gives me migraines, I know that dairy makes my stomach sad.  I know that while I love fruit, too much of it keeps me from the fitness goals I want and that I should reach for veggies instead.

So here it is, I feel off the wagon a bit...and it was worth it. The weather in Chicago finally hit that temperature and feeling that keeps people living in Chicago.  And while during my Whole 30, alcohol is a no no, who can turn down a drink in a beer garden and some appetizers? Mmmm, not I said the fly.  So there I sat, with a beer, and then half a tequila drink - and some deliciously fresh chips, salsa and tacos at Big Star.  Here's the part where I tell you how I chose - I chose the chips, so I sacrificed the tortillas of the taco.  Small cheat - totally ok.  That's the point of this post - to let people know that as important as it is to be dedicated, it is just as important to be realistic and be true to your expectations. More so, it's important to know what your triggers are, and that if you are challenged with being able to say no to something, or restrict yourself to smaller portions - stay away from it until you have gained that relationship. As a result, I'm counting this as my second week and have added another week to my 30 days.  I think I owe it to myself to actually challenge myself instead of making excuses where I see it fit.

Finally - a few tips on eating paleo, primal, following a whole 30esq program - be realistic with recipes also. I've done this before.  I did it once where I didn't really call it paleo - I looked at more so as low-carb, low alcohol and low fat.  Doing it this way didn't even make me really deviate from my normal cooking much, just changed what my expectations were of meals.  I would make Steve, rice, and I would load up on veggies.  The difference then? I had a wedding dress and very expensive alterations to fit into - so I was really cautious.  The one time I went "paleo" and was "strict" about it, and I spent all this money on arrowroot powder and different "flours", sauces - things that were gluten free.  This is challenging. The portions of a lot of these items are small and they're expensive, and most recipes have so many of these ingredients as an attempt to make the recipes taste like they were made with non-paleo approved ingredients.  This time around, I'm realizing that its all about KISS - keep it simple, sucker.  Here's my tip and my last thought - just keep it simple.  Eat real meat and real veggies, and let that be your paleo way. Determine the few things that you really cant live without, and find some paleo recipes for that - but have them as a treat versus a daily thing.

Enjoy, eat well, live well - be well!

Nearly Paleo "Golumbki" - AKA Stuffed Cabbage

I have great childhood memories of my mom's stuffed cabbage.  She'd cook it in this old dutch oven, sprinkled with white specks where it was once black and worn down.  It might be so old that it might have been my great grandma's but I'm not so sure.  My mom made plenty of dishes in that pot - roasted chicken and gravy, roasts with veggies browned from the meat drippings, meatloaf (not a fan of ever, sorry ma) and my favorite, stuffed cabbage.  My mom would always make plain meatballs, not wrapped in the cabbage in case one of us four kids didn't like the cabbage, and then extra pieces of cabbage for those of us (me, me!) who loved the cabbage.  The sauce always was thick and delicious, and I loved to top my rice with the sauce and the extra cabbage.  It's one of those things that my mom didn't make often because it was always best for a cold, winter day and not everyone in the family liked the cabbage (my dad was more interested in stuffed peppers, which I think the rest of us could have done without). 


As I mentioned before, I have this organic share and like Forest Gump's box of chocolate, "ya never know whatcha gonna get".  This week, I got cabbage.  Cabbage is one of those veggies that I enjoy, but that I have to truly craft to get Steve to enjoy it as much as I do.  The idea popped into my head - stuffed cabbage! But oh, shit, I'm grain free - ohhh the disappointment! Then the idea came to me. I've used cauliflower as a rice substitute before, why not do it this time too? So I went to work and I will say, I think it was pretttty successful.  I did make ONE mistake though, and I've corrected it in the recipe but will tell you here what that mistake was - I reached out to my mom to determine what she used as sauce, and she mentioned she either used tomato soup or tomato puree.  Wanting to keep this as organic and natural and paleo as possible, I opted for Trader Joe's Organic Creamy Tomato Soup - while this soup is fantastic, and tasty and was great with the stuffed cabbage, it wasn't the right kind of soup.  When my mom uses soup, she means condensed soup, not something with all of the extra liquid added! In the end, my base ended up too soupy and less saucy like I remembered as a kid.  While I did not make it this way, I put this substitute into my recipe below.  

Almost Paleo Stuffed Cabbage

1 lb ground beef (80/100)

1 head green cabbage

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 1/2 c riced cauliflower 

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

1 tbsp fresh sage, chopped

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 tbsp tomato paste (save the rest in case you need it for thickening later)

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp salt 

2 c tomato sauce or condensed tomato soup (this is your non-paleo part unless you puree yourself)

Chop off stem of cauliflower and add to large stockpot of water.  Allow to boil slightly, with the goal being to allow the cabbage leave to me moldable, gently release them from the head of cabbage with a spoon as it continues to boil. Remove from water and allow to cool.  

Meanwhile, in medium mixing bowl, combine ground beef, onion, riced cauliflower, basil, sage, oregano, tomato paste, salt and egg.  

Form oblong shaped meatballs and roll in cabbage leaves. 

 Leave some unwrapped if you do not have cabbage lovers.  Add to crockpot and pour tomato puree or soup over. Add extra, large pieces of cabbage. Allow to cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.  Serve over cauliflower rice or brown rice. 

I will say, Steve had told me before he ate this that he did not like cabbage. And like so many meals before this, I proved him wrong. He enjoyed the meatballs, liked them with the cabbage and even took a fully wrapped one for his second helping! There were barely leftovers as I was planning for - score! 

Chicken Sausage and Veggie Quiche - Without the fillers

This summer, Steve and I are involved in an organic "share" where we pick up a box of veggies from local farmers every other week.  You basically get whatever their highest growing crop is for the particular week, so it's a little unpredictable.  I try and use everything we get, even though some things are unique or not to our normal taste. We've had some unique veggies that I don't think I would have ever tried on my own - and we've enjoyed them quite a bit, all while supporting local farmers.  One can only do so much with swiss chard, and I usually get a LOT of it, so what better to do than add it into a grain free quiche? Ya'll know how much I love quiche.  It's easy, easy to make paleo and great for leftovers. 


I recently got a Costco membership.  That's a story for another day...I could easily spend hours in that place, combing through all the unique options and sampling all the free food.  They literally have everything and anything one could want, it's semi-insane but also amazingly, awesome.  All that aside, my primary objective of going there was to get some non-gmo, all natural chicken sausage and some turkey burgers.  I try to be superwife, but it gets challenging to balance that and the house, and the dog and cooking, and my fitness goals - so I wanted an option of things I could cook up for Steve instead of making chicken meatballs every week.  I left satisfied, full and wanting more.  I decided to combine my Swiss chard with the chicken sausage to make a delicious, grain free, dairy free (if you want to eliminate it) quiche. 

Filler Free Fancy Quiche

2 c swiss chard

3 sweet italian chicken sausages, chopped

1 small sweet onion, diced

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 - 1/2 c grape tomatoes, diced

1/4 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

4 eggs

4 egg whites

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic, more to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  To a medium fry pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil, onion and Italian sausage. Cook until onions have softened and begun to caramelize and the chicken sausage is browned. Add in Swiss chard and allow to cook down (chard will cook similarly to spinach). In separate bowl, combine eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese, beat lightly. Add diced grape tomatoes and sausage mixture.  Grease 9 inch pie dish (I used glass). Pour mixture into the dish, cook for 35 minutes or until the middle is set.