2nd Trimester Wrap Up

Warning - it's time for another baby update week! Not into babies? Check out my FUEL or WORKOUTS pages for some fun stuff to keep you occupied this week! 

Wowza! Today marks the first day of my 3rd trimester! I can't believe how fast this is all flying by! It seems like just yesterday that I was posting my 1st Trimester Update! Well it's time for a little run down of my 2nd trimester. It's been a crazy 3 months with lots of big body changes! 

the eating

Unfortuntately I got hit with the stomach flu TWICE in the past few months, so I had several weeks of chicken noodle soup, jello and toast. Thankfully I'm back to eating like a normal human again! I think I've been doing a pretty good job of eating throughout the day and getting lots of pregnancy super foods (think super greens, berries, eggs, whole grains, lean meats). But I haven't been so good at limiting sweets! I've always had a sweet tooth and my willpower against treats has waned to almost nothing during pregnancy. So much to the point that I'm considering doing a little sugar challenge in the next few weeks (more on that later). My vegetable intake has improved a lot since my first trimester, and I've been really loving green smoothies and grilled chicken salads. I have been taking Lara Bars (both purchased and homemade) and apples to work every day, and they have been great at keeping me steady throughout the work day.  One of my favorite breakfasts is a Choco-Banana Smoothie. It's a great source of protein and potassium and satisfies my sweet tooth too! We have it at least once a week, and it just so happens to be Oakley's favorite meal too! She gets some licks of peanut butter, a chunk of banana and an ice cube! 

the workouts

This trimester has been a ride on the fitness roller coaster. Having been sick with the flu a few times early on, I really didn't do much in the first half of the trimester besides walking. In the past 4 weeks, I have really gotten consistent again in my workouts and I'm feeling really good (both physically and mentally) about it. I'm just not myself when I'm not exercising regularly, so I'm really happy to have gotten in a consistent schedule again. I aim for 20-40 minutes a day and because I've been dealing with some tough lower back pain, I've been loving my spin bike and the elliptical. I've also been focusing on strengthening my glutes and upper body. Feeling strong is so empowering in a time where you don't feel totally in control of your body. I'll be posting my favorite strength move soon! {AND HERE IT IS!} I'm still using the motivation of sun dresses and tank tops this summer to keep my arms toned - as well as the need for some guns to haul around this baby! As spring is rolling into town, I've also been enjoying getting out for some (much slower) walks. Unfortunately, my eager puppy has been hard for me to handle with my back, so I have to have a designated dog walker (aka husband or friend) if she's going to join me! 

the body stuff

I've gained the most weight in the past few weeks, and my belly is definitely getting bigger by the day! I've been saying that you know you're really showing when complete strangers feel confident enough to ask you when you're due. I'm happy to report no stretch marks at this point...and I think Palmer's Tummy Butter is responsible! I am a huge fan of this stuff, it smells delicious and has even erased a few stretch marks I had from before pregnancy! My entire torso, hips and legs get a heathy dose at least every other day! My lower back has had a few flare ups, but with some added body awareness, stretches and a fab chiropractor I have it under control! I haven't had much swelling (shoes and rings still fit!), but after a long day on my feet they get a little puffy! More about crazy body stuff and working on in a post later this week! {update: here is the post!}

the other random stuff

On a more personal note - since the last pregnancy update I have started and ended a "new" job. It was a tough situation and environment, and ultimately we decided it would be better for our family for me to leave and spend more time at home, as well as spend more time working in fitness. I'm excited to start working at our local recreation center as a personal trainer, as well as have more time to train online clients. It has been a challenging few months but I am so happy with the decisions that we have made and am excited to really head into this next chapter head on! 

On to the fun stuff...we have accumulated much of what we need for this little girl to arrive - and I love working on projects for her room! Grandma's have been having fun shopping for cute clothes and I've gotten some amazing hand-me-downs from my cousins and friends. It has been great to be able to stick to a really tight budget and still have some adorable things ready! We did go NEW on our stroller and carseat and I'm excited to use the Britax B-Agile! It's super light and easy to maneuver and break down. It will be great for walks along the river! I even got some adorable "baby leggings" for free from www.babyleggings.com! I'm partial to to the football ones but I think they are all super cute! I have some fabric on order so I can start sewing some things for the nursery...I'm sure that will be quite the adventure considering my minimal sewing skills! Here a few of my nursery favorites so far. 

All in all - my second trimester has been great! I love being pregnant and it is so amazing to know how she is growing inside of me, and to feel her punch, jab and kick at all hours of the day! We've less than 100 days to go...here's to a healthy 3rd trimester! 

how about you?

Any 3rd trimester tips I need to know? 
Where do you find discount baby deals? 

Note: I wasn't compensated for promoting any products in this post. Just sharing stuff I love!