20 weeks...

Change is the only constant. Sounds like an oxymoron or something doesn’t it? Literally nothing is consistent for me except for knowing that things will change every day and maybe, every minute. This week has been challenging because I never could figure out or predict what was going to come next with my body! One day I felt amazing, energy was up, and I almost felt…normal. The next day, I was groggy, tired and didn’t want to move. Later that evening, I pushed myself to go to Zumba class with my absolute favorite instructor, Melissa Zugell. While I was so glad that I went and completely enjoyed the class, I didn’t enjoy the new pain in my ankles that I felt as I moved and grooved across the floor. Usually after cardio I am hungry, but a good serving of chicken, veggies and a salad normally does the trick. That night I was famished! I felt like some crazy hungry hippo had taken over my body and only wanted wheat toast with peanut butter and bananas. Weird right?

Apparently, it’s not so weird. During my “what the heck is going on with this body?” moments, I remember the words of a dear friend laughing and then telling me,”Oh friend, when your pregnant, you body is so not your own.” I love the stories my post-pregnant friends have shared with me about their crazy, inexplicable, or just flat out frustrating moments. Hearing their stories always make me laugh and reminds me that someday my body, hormones, emotions, etc. will be back to normal. But for now, I have to choose to enjoy every moment, even the weird ones, that developing a new life brings my way. I am a “baby hotel” as my husband lovingly refers to me. While Champ is checked in, he is in total control!

Seriously speaking, there are a ton of things that I have no control over like having to pee all the time, being tired randomly, and my growing belly. Amidst the uncontrollable there are many things that I can control and if I do a few things well, these things will not only help me to feel like myself during a time of constant change, but they should also refresh and rejuvenate me. Whether you are pregnant or just in some kind of transition, you always have control of your attitude and your actions. Focus on these things and learn to go with the flow on the rest.

I can control my ATTITUDE- Have you ever heard the saying “attitude is everything?” That statement has proven itself over and over in my life. It doesn’t even matter what actually happens during the day! If I decide to handle every moment and experience with a positive outlook, it is never a bad day. This attitude check starts when I wake up and I actually say out loud that my day is going to be amazing! When I am brushing my hair or putting on my makeup, I will say things like “today will be the best day EVER” or “I will make a positive impact on everyone I come in contact with today.” I love to take it a step further and give my day to God asking Him to give me tons of opportunities to bless other people that day and that they would see Him through me. These days are always full of joy and purpose. I don’t sweat the small stuff and even the bigger stuff doesn’t weigh on me. You should try it…tomorrow.

I can control my ACTIONS- Sometimes, you have to act before you feel. For example, I may not feel like going to the gym, but I must decide to act on my commitment to going, not on my feeling of laziness. When I act on my commitment to going to workout, the feeling of enjoyment usually kicks in about 5 minutes into my workout. Placing a priority on having your actions line up with your commitments will keep you on track and keep the guilty feeling associated with not keeping commitments far away! So many times we act on our superficial feelings and stray away from the actions that will benefit us in the long run. We think that the temporary gratification (like staying on the couch) will make us feel better, but in reality most feeling based decisions take us one step further from our goals. Make the decision today to act on your commitments, not how you feel that moment.

Wishing you all the best this week,

Jada

19 weeks...

This week, my workouts have been fantastic! They are always good, but something about this week was special. I have had a few people ask me specifically about leg days and if I am changing anything since I am pregnant. Honestly, not much about the workouts have changed. I have to listen to my body a bit more and maybe take the weight down as needed, but you definitely won’t find me shying away from an intense, sweat-filled, gym session!!

I usually lift legs twice a week, with one day focusing more on quads and the other focusing more on hamstrings. I recommend that you wait at least 1-2 days between these workouts so you do not overwork your legs. These workouts were almost magical…I hope you like them as much as I did!

Leg Day (Quad Focus)
Smith Machine Squats- 6 sets of 10 reps
Leg Press superset with Single leg presses- 6 sets of 10 leg presses/10 single leg presses
Leg Extensions superset with Standing Calf Raises- 5 sets of 10 leg extensions/20 calf raises
Walking lunges superset with Jump Squats- 4 sets of 20 lunges/15 jump squats

Leg Day (Hamstring Focus)
Leg Curls- 6 sets of 10 reps
Straight leg Deadlift superset with Barbell Hack Squat- 6 sets of 10 deadlifts/15 barbell hack squats
Giant set Plate Swings, Wide Jump Squats and Reverse Hack Squat- 3 sets of 15 plate swings/15 wide jump squats/10 reverse hack squats

18 weeks...

You know when you feel like you are fighting to get through each day? Maybe you are fatigued, stressed out from work, just overbooked yourself or have too many things that demand your attention. It’s hard enough when that feeling lasts for a day, but it’s crazy when you feel that way for a week!

That was my week in a nutshell. I seemed to have booked every meeting, class, church responsibility, etc. into this week and I am just tired. I was getting up at 4:30am and didn’t get home until after 9pm for 5 days straight. Weeks like this can throw off even the best planners and the most positive people LOL I pride myself in the ability to handle and juggle many responsibilities at once but honestly, I hit a wall.

The important thing was what I did BEFORE I hit the wall! Instead of being completely consumed with everything on my “to-do” list, I made the decision that I was going to find time in there for me! I looked at my crazy week before it started and set appointments for my lifts and cardio. I knew what days I had to bring my gym bag with me to work so I could go straight there and knew what days I had to pack extra food in my lunch bag so I wouldn’t be tempted to go grab junk. I knew what days I would be home really late and I arranged my strength training workouts so I would get everything in, without having to be at the gym at 5am if I fell asleep after 11pm. Honestly, I didn’t get every single one in this week but 5 out of 6 days isn’t bad at all.

Now that it’s Saturday and the madness is over, I realized a few things
1. I am never too busy to fit in time for my health- Guess what? You are not too busy either. We always make time for our top priorities. If your schedule is filled with everything but things that would benefit your health and fitness, I challenge you to be honest about and then re-evaluate your priorities. I am not saying that you need to exercise for 2 hours a day or that you must spend 1 hour a day in the kitchen preparing perfect meals. What I am saying is that if you are not taking time to take care of you, you will never be at your best. If you are not at your best, you will never reach your full potential.
2. Treating my workouts like appointments help me stay on track- I wouldn’t miss a work meeting and I can bet that you wouldn’t either! So why are so many quick to drop their personal training session or cardio time at the gym? Place a high value on your gym time! When you start to see it as necessary for your success, you will be surprised how you begin to find pockets of time to get effective workouts in. Be creative and determined to make it happen.
3. I feel AMAZING about myself when I handle my business schedule and get my workouts in- There is such a sense of pride and a feeling of confidence when I know I’m getting things done! It doesn’t even matter if I am seeing huge changes in the mirror or not. When I know I gave it my all at work and in the gym and with my eating, I just feel GREAT. I challenge you to try it! I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Remember, we are all on this journey together. It never really gets easy, YOU just get committed! Stick with it and remember each day is a brand new chance to get it right.

17 weeks...

It is completely hilarious how as soon as you start to show a little bit, EVERYONE becomes an expert on babies and all things pregnancy related. It doesn’t matter if they are young , old, have children of their own, male or female…for some reason EVERYONE feels the need to tell you what you should be doing with your baby LOL Fortunately for me, I take a lot of this so called advice with a grain of salt. I have my trusted circle of friends and a great doctor who know me, know my beliefs, know my lifestyle and can accurately give me sound advice. Everyone else’s words go through my filter and honestly, a lot of those words go in one ear and out the other.

Interestingly enough, I have felt this kind of “advice flood” before. The first time was when I started training for my first bodybuilding competition and began to lose weight. Those around me noticed a change and openly shared their opinions on my workouts and weight loss, even when it wasn’t asked for or needed. I started to laugh to myself as I realized the similarities in the way people handle someone who is losing weight and someone who is pregnant. Both situations call attention to the individual, both situations make others feel like they can comment and give advice freely, and both situations can create very awkward moments if words are not handled correctly. Here are a few suggestions on how to handle a little unwanted advice, whether it’s regarding your weight or your pregnancy.

#1 Do What Your Expert Says- You hired your trainer and I picked my doctor for a reason!!! They know the most about your lifestyle, habits, weaknesses, goals and have worked hard to give you a program that suites your needs. While the advice from your friend, co-worker, mom or uncle might be valid and possibly great, it’s best to stick with one plan at a time. You chose to trust your trainer so follow the plan that they prepared for you. Once you give 100% to that plan for at least 30 days, you can re-evaluate and decide if you need a change.

#2 Don’t let Weird Comments get to You- Whether you are losing weight or in my case, getting bigger, you hear the occasional “off-color” comment. These comments like “Stop losing weight!!”, “you are looking nice and round” or “Are you only eating lettuce?” usually are blurted out expressions that even the source doesn’t understand. A smile and a laugh is usually the best response! Sometimes, the source just wants a reaction from you, but don’t waste your time giving it to them. Stay focused on your goals and being the healthiest you possible, instead of what random people happen to say.

#3- Don’t Just Stand There- Stuck between a wall and that person just won’t stop talking? You don’t have to listen, especially if they are being negative! Some advice-givers don’t even stop for air and it’s hard to find a break to make your exit. Realize that you are never trapped! You can always politely say “excuse me”, even if it’s not at the end of their sentence, and be on your way. Politely is the key word here LOL

Using these tips, along with hard work and dedication will get you to your goal whether it’s to lose a few pounds or deliver a healthy baby!!!