Giveaway! [FORE miler race via M3S Sports]

For the love of running, golf and of course Dublin, we are excited to announce that we have Screen Shot 2016-03-11 at 11.20.07 AM
two race entries to give away! The second annual FORE! Miler is right around the corner, happening right here in Dublin on Thursday, May 28th. Several of our runners participated in it last year and decided to make it one of our annual races… check out our post-race recap HERE.

We’ve participated in several M3S races over the years, Cap City being another favorite. We’ve also previously interviewed race director David Babner, and discovered his love for the four mile distance he is known for.

There will be two separate drawings…

Drawing for entry #1 – Group Run

Attend a group run! Runners that attended last Saturday’s group run or tomorrow morning’s run will be eligible for one free race entry. Tomorrow we are meeting at an alternate location due to the St Patty’s Day parade. Meet us at Llewellyn Farms Park off Tuttle Crossing (across from Thomas Elementary) at 8:30AM. We will do a 2.5-3 mile loop as we ease into spring training season. Walkers, runners, strollers and even furry friends are welcome! **Wear green for a group photo!**

Drawing for entry #2 – Social Media challenge

Participants that complete the following steps will be eligible for one free race entry.

LIKE Living Fit Columbus and M3S Sports on Facebook
Follow @LivingFitColumbus & @M3S Sports on Instagram
Follow instructions on the giveaway post on Instagram (updated 3/11 at 11:45AM)

Deadline to enter is March 14th at midnight. Winners will be randomly selected and announced on March 15.

Disclaimer: contest is only open to readers within the United States. Living Fit [Columbus] has not earned commission on this giveaway item.

SUNDAY SHOUTOUT & FIT SPOTLIGHT [Amanda Spring]

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I met Amanda through my ‘day job’ at Olentangy Local Schools. She is a certified health coach for our district and works with our staff to promote wellness and work fitness into our daily routines. She was kind enough to let us interview her for our a March spotlight…

Expertise [Bio]:

Amanda Spring has been involved in the fitness/healthcare industry for over 14 years. She is certified as a Clinical Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine as well as a Certified Health Coach through the National Society of Health Coaches. She is currently employed through Mount Carmel as the Olentangy Local Sch Aspring Cooking Pic ool District Health Coach for the facility. She has worked in clinical settings such as Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Phases I-IV and Cardiovascular Stress Testing and has held several roles including Personal Trainer and Group Exercise Instructor/Manager. Her experience encompasses a variety of demographics ranging from adolescents, athletes, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly.

Amanda’s alma mater is Indiana University, where she studied Kinesiology with a major in Exercise Science and a minor in Nutrition. In her spare time she enjoys trying different types of exercises and being outdoors.

Aspring Color run Pic

What is your motivation for LIVING FIT?

To take care of my body… it’s the only one I am going to get! I like to have a balanced approach to fitness, wellness and healthy living. I enjoy making people feel good about themselves and seeing people have personal successes. That keeps me motivated.

How did you get into the health and fitness profession?

From a young age I always had a passion for exercise and health. Once I got into college I realized that I should make a career of it. I started out working in the college fitness facility, personal training and teaching group exercise classes. My first job out of school was a Personal Trainer/Group Exercise Manager. I enjoyed health so much that I wanted to do the clinical aspect as well. From there I went on to work in a hospital in Cardiovascular Stress Testing and Cardiac Rehab. As an Exercise Physiologist, I was able to run the stress test along with starting IVs and administering medication for the pharmacological stress test as well. I was also able to be a part of the Code Team in which I served for 4 years and instructed my own 12-lead ECG class. It was a very rewarding to be a part of saving lives. I truly believe that this job made me appreciate people and life so much more.

I also had the privilege of running a Wellness Program in Michigan where I worked in a fitness and clinical setting. From there my husband’s job moved me to Ohio where I accepted a Wellness job at Mount Carmel Hospital performing health screenings and wellness checks for employers. Before I knew it, I was assigned to work specifically for the Olentangy School District Staff. This job is amazing because I am able to utilize all my work knowledge that I have gained over the years. I’m able to perform ongoing health screenings for staff, teach a variety of fitness classes, act as a health coach and coordinate health events. It’s a very unique job because it’s the first school district to have a full time onsite Health Coach. I enjoy it from all aspects of health and fitness.

Aspring Pic

What is one of your Favorite FITness memories or accomplishments?

My favorite fitness accomplishment was helping a patient through all phases of their diagnosis of coronary artery disease. This was rewarding to me because I assisted and educated this patient through their pre-op, phase I-IV of cardiac rehab, yearly stress test and I was able to personal train them. The patient was not only able to improve their unsteady gait post-surgery, they also learned to love exercise and make it a regular habit. This was a great memory because what once was fear in someone became an accomplishment for two people!

Tell us about some of your favorite FIT things!

Favorite FIT place around Columbus: My favorite facility is the MC Fitness Center in Lewis Center. It’s brand new and has many options to get a good workout and mix it up!
Typical weekly workout routine: 30 minute HIIT routines at home aside from teaching fitness classes 4 day per week. I love doing bodyweight exercises because it makes me feel strong and more coordinated to be able to lift my own body because I carry it with me all day long 🙂
Favorite healthy food or meal: Mexican Pizza! It’s a whole wheat tortilla shell with fat free refried beans, a little bit of low fat cheese, onions, peppers, tomatoes, shredded romaine lettuce, lots of spices all baked in the oven for 30 minutes. A small dollop of plain Greek yogurt goes on the top along with some fresh cilantro.

We often meet up for coffee after group runs and events. What is your go-to order?

I like to order regular coffee with a little skim milk, splenda and a dollop of coolwhip. Yum!

What is one thing people may not know about you?

I have an identical twin sister. We still share clothes to this day.

Thanks Amanda, for both your time and your inspiration to others in and around Columbus! Hope you can make it to a group run someday!

Tour of Columbus // CorePower Yoga

Sunday Shoutout & Tour of Columbus – CorePower Yoga

[by t gellenbeck and c loncaric]

We were excited to get an invite to the friends & family grand opening of CorePower Yoga in the new Easton Gateway location last Thursday night. Some of our favorite yogis and studio owners around Columbus have practiced with and even been certified by CorePower and we welcomed the opportunity to check it out.

The Media Tour:

Upon arrival, we saw lots of smiling faces and were greeted promptly by Elizabeth, the studio manager of the Short North location (also recently opened). She showed us where to drop our gear, gave us a tour of the facility & introduced us to DeDee, the Easton location studio manager, who would lead the practice that night. We met several other yoga instructors, sipped on the delicious Teavana winterberry green tea and of course, hit up the Shutterbooth. We were SUPER thankful to get a goodie bag and felt a little like royalty…

Class/yoga practice:

Teresa didn’t stay for the heated class (blame her giant 38 week belly!), but Christine gave it a great review…

Energy – The energy of the studio was high and the class was PACKED! There were so many yogis eager to practice that they opened up their second studio to hold another class.
Instructors – Practice was lead by the studio manager, DeDee, and assisted by instructor Ashley. They were both full of pep and good vibes – all smiles and encouragement as they led us through a challenging class. There were also a good amount of other CPY staff in the room who were great examples for those new to the studio and their style of yoga.
Flow – Yoga Sculpt was AWESOME. It combined traditional power vinyasa with cardio and weight circuits – countless chataurangas and tons of squats and bicep curls. It was like yoga boot camp! They had heated the room prior to class & I was dripping with sweat by the end. I will definitely be incorporating it into my fitness routine. Although you can rent or buy both, make sure you have water and a good non-slip mat, the essentials of any hot yoga class!

For more details on CPY’s Yoga Sculpt class, check out their blog post, Yoga Sculpt: What is it and am I ready?

CorePower Yoga-20

Overall:

This was a first class experience! The event was amazing, the class was hot & sweaty, the people were friendly and the facilities were top notch. Although a bit pricier than some of the local studios we are accustomed to visiting, sometimes you get what you pay for. The spa-like amenities including upscale locker room & option to shower (now you can practice HOT before or during work!), and the boutique-like retail section set it apart. Also many packages include access to their 140+ nationwide locations, so you can visit a studio while you’re traveling.

Here are some up close pics of the event & facilities…

The retail section carries a variety of yoga brands & apparel

The check in area allows you to sign up, sign in and meet all the amazing staff!

The event was filled with great people & free samples from a variety of vendors…

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And the tour included showing off the pristine facilities, including two [heated] studios, and men & women’s locker rooms with full showers…

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More info from CorePower:

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CorePower Yoga roots an intensely physical workout in the mindfulness of yoga, helping students to change their bodies as well as their lives. Tess Roering, Chief Marketing Officer of CPY states, “We know the active Columbus community shares in our commitment to living stronger, both mentally and physically, and we can’t wait for them to experience the magic of CorePower Yoga.”

Class information can be found on their site CorePowerYoga.com.

SUNDAY SHOUTOUT! [Balanced Yoga]

Sunday Shoutout & Tour of Columbus – Balanced Yoga Pre-natal class

[by t gellenbeck and c loncaric]

We’ve checked out Balanced Yoga in Clintonville previously, but since then they’ve done a major overhaul…. and this time we tested a pre-natal class! Here is a quick recap of our visit…

Thoughts by Teresa:

Having only been to Balanced one other time about a year ago, I was surprised by their renovations. The entry way was open and stylish, with a small retail section (one of our favorite Bend Active shirts was on display!) and lots of storage for shoes and personal items. As we headed upstairs, the renovations continued and the studio room we entered had a great vibe to it. Here is a quick tour, thanks to our handy iPhones…

I wasn’t sure what to expect, as this was my first ever pre-natal class. Frankie, the instructor, greeted us with a smile and I felt like I sort of already knew her since I’d stalked her bio on the Balanced web site. She was friendly and very knowledgeable about yoga, pregnancy and momma-hood. Although I did expect it to be slower than the cardio-like power vinyasa classes we are used to, I was pleasantly surprised that we still did several power poses that challenged me. Frankie gave many modifications for the various stages of pregnancy and at almost 37 weeks, I had no shame in dropping to child’s pose when needed. I enjoyed the class very much and if the studio were closer, I would probably go regularly these last few weeks!

Thoughts by Christine:

I love the vibe of a room when you gather with a group of like-minded women. It felt like a special treat to myself to be surrounded by others going through the pregnancy experience with me. It was wonderful to see some celebrating the start of their pregnancy journey and motivating to see the ladies nearing the end of their pregnancy still take the time to nourish their body and spirit. I felt no judgement in the room and was completely comfortable doing what felt good for my body.

Some things I enjoyed [and observed] about the pre-natal class at Balanced…

The vibe of this class, although slower than our typical class, still had some spunk to it! Music was playing in the background, and the instructor spent time moving around the room and offering assistance or adjustments.
The class was a balance of active poses, stretching and relaxation. At my stage in pregnancy (17 weeks) I am still very active and able to attend Power Vinyasa and Flow classes two-three times a week. It can be hard for me to slow down and take it easy! I thought this class was great because we still worked on strength building in our legs, and went into traditional poses like down dog and chaturanga (with options to modify) that I love, but we also took it slow and were instructed to pay attention to our breath and our bodies throughout the practice. In all yoga classes we are reminded that if something doesn’t feel good, we shouldn’t do it, and this is especially important during the various stages and changes in our pregnant bodies. Shavasana while propped up on blocks and a bolster was so great.
The studio has been recently renovated and is beautiful and inviting. There are three rooms for classes and plenty of bathrooms and spaces for personal storage. The only downside to the location is that parking off High St. can be tough during a busy time of day.

I can see myself enjoying this class throughout the rest of pregnancy, now when I am more active, and then deep into my third trimester when I still want to move, but need to tailor my activity to my pregnant body.

Christine, demo-ing the modified plank… one of many modifications Frankie offered.

Christine [left, 17 weeks] and Teresa [right, 36.5 weeks]

Overall we both enjoyed the class very much and give it two (or rather four) thumbs up! More details…

Suggestions: bring your own mat (rental = $3), get there early due to street parking
Drop in class was $15, liked that you could do one pre-natal class (many studios that offer it require a series)

Fears, thoughts and fitness goals of a 50 something year old…

Guest Blogger – Peggy Bohn

Right after I decided to go to Orangetheory Fitness Hilliard and join the 6 week Columbus Weight Loss Challenge I thought: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?! At almost 59 years old I’ve been in and out of shape [mostly out] for the last several months with a myriad of very lame excuses. But with week three of the challenge in the books, I have recommitted to working out at 5 a.m., am seeing results and beginning to uncover that habit-forming love of physical activity I’ve been neglecting for a while.

A few weeks back, two of us from the Living Fit Columbus run crew, Jen Bondurant and myself, decided to take Kelly Rauch from OTF up on the challenge. Jen goes to OTF Dublin (and so does Kelly) so the challenge has also included the friendly competition between the two fitness centers.

Kelly introduced me to Stephanie Young, owner of the Hilliard Orangetheory, and the games began! I was really nervous at first, but Stephanie put me at ease from the beginning. Explaining that I was competing with myself, not the others in the group, relieved much of my anxiety right from the start. My fear turned to excitement as she explained the program and set me up with one of the new OT Link Wrist Options. She then took my weight and pictures (ugh!).

My fears of people looking at me and judging me or comparing themselves to me dissolved quickly during my first session. NO ONE was looking at me, everyone is busy working their own program, paying attention to their heart rate, calories burned and points (one for each minute of training at 84% or higher of your maximum heart rate) on the overhead monitor. We’re all busy listening to the coach, pushing ourselves and moving from one station to the next – not bothering to look at others. It’s becoming more like a family experience. I’m seeing some of the same people and getting to know the coaches. I’ve been mixing it up by going before work, after work, on weekdays and weekends – whatever fits my schedule best. Although I’m enjoying the variety, the 5 a.m. sessions leave me feeling rejuvenated and ready to conquer the day!

We’re half way through the Ultimate Weight Loss Challenge and I’m feeling lighter, more energetic and just plain happy! My key goals are to increase my fitness level by increasing my strength and endurance and also to lose weight and feel better in my clothes. After only three weeks, going at least three times per week, I am thrilled with the progress. I’m also making better choices in my diet and squeezing in walks and yoga when possible. I’m not likely to win the weight loss challenge, but that wasn’t my goal in the first place. One person in one of my sessions has already lost more than 30 lbs – hurray for him!!

I will definitely be continuing to attend OTF Hilliard at the conclusion of this program. They’re a part of my fitness family and I look forward to getting to know them all better, as well as venturing down this path of a renewed love for exercise.

Peggy is one of our Living Fit run crew members and has been featured previously on our blog…

Five ways to conquer that early morning workout

Fitting it all in: How I work out at 5 a.m.

Guest Blogger – Jen Bondurant [read about Jen’s six week weight loss challenge HERE!]

With week two of Orangetheory Fitness Columbus’ 6-week Weight Loss Challenge in the books, I have recommitted to working out at 5 a.m.

First, I am not a morning person. Not. At. All. I literally fantasize about staying in bed until noon and then lounging on the couch and sipping coffee for another hour or two. Likewise, I grew up in a family of self-proclaimed night owls, and I have always seemed to naturally gravitate toward staying up late at night. Screen Shot 2016-01-27 at 11.04.17 PM

But…I also know that in order to make healthy, active choices for myself and my family, my routine cannot afford many lazy days or late nights. One of those healthy, active choices is working out at least five days per week. Since my husband also regularly works out and our children are too young to be left unaccompanied, let alone join us; the only way to hit my workout goal is for at least two of my days to be before work.

Do I like waking up at 4:30 a.m.? Absolutely not. Do I love how I feel at 6 a.m. when my workout is finished? Unequivocally yes! So, before every morning workout, there is an epic battle between my motivated self and my lazy self. I honestly believe, however, that anyone can stick to a morning workout routine. How do I conquer the battle? Here are my 5 best tips.

1. Schedule and prioritize.

My husband and I set aside time every weekend to talk through our upcoming week and schedule our workouts. It is often difficult to make time to work out and there are many sacrifices. Most weeks it feels like a challenging chess game as we juggle work, daycare drop-off and pick-up, kid activities and life generally. But by Sunday evening, we sign-up for our classes and put all our work outs into a shared electronic calendar. Committing to my workouts for a week at a time has definitely made me much more likely to maintain my 5-day target.

2. Eliminate excuses.

Prepare the night before and go to bed early. I head up to bed at least 30 minutes before I actually want to be falling asleep. I lay out my workout clothes and everything I need (water bottle, towel, etc.) at night. Not only do I make less noise when I am getting ready (which my hubby appreciates); but also, I am out the door much quicker (which means more sleep). Additionally, I hate the thought of looking at my clean workout clothes because I opted to skip out on my workout.

3. Set a “fancy” alarm.

While I don’t use multiple alarms (mostly because my husband would despise the multiple interruptions), I do give my alarm a motivational title. Currently, my alarm for my 5 a.m. OTF workouts is labeled “You can do this! [orange emoticon] #keepburning.” It may seem silly, but it really does help motivate me. Try it!

alarm

4. Think about why you do it and how you feel when you’re finished.

No matter the reason for my alarm, my natural thought when it goes off is an excuse for NOT getting out of bed. So, I have conditioned myself to think about two things instead: (1) the healthy role model I want to be for my kids, and (2) the feeling I have at 6 a.m. when my metabolism is rushing and I have the whole day ahead of me. Over the years, my inspiration for early morning workouts has changed, but the effect remains the same. By focusing on the results, I am more motivated to do anything to get there.

5. Water, water, water.

When you wake up, drink a cup of water first thing and splash some on your face while you at it. Not only does immediately drinking water help remedy the sleep dehydration, but the splash on my face accelerates feeling awake.

Bonus: Find a group of people who inspire you. At OTF Dublin, the 5 a.m. workouts are my favorite session. The trainer is fresh and the other members are some of the most focused people I’ve met. The energy is so inexplicably high, it’s truly palpable. I actually look forward to being a part of this group.

The bottom line for me is working about at 5 a.m. is all about commitment. The more you go all-in, the more likely you are to make early morning workouts part of your routine. Find what works for you and make it a habit!

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Thanks Jen! Hoping this convinces more of us to get up early and start our day off right, at least a few days per week. Often, our morning mantra is…

Drink coaster from Zazzle.com

One last tip. Get to bed early! That 4:30 alarm will be going off before you know it and you NEED your sleep! For previous blog posts relating to this topic, visit…

Photo credits: OrangeTheory Fitness, ShutterStock.com, Zazzle.com, LivingFitColumbus

Kick that cold in the a#s!!!

Recovering quickly from the seasonal cold [and other icky stuff]

We are not doctors. Not even close. But we like to think we are all healthy, active people so our advice is worth something, isn’t it? Even if you eat right, sleep right, exercise, wash your hands… you’re probably still going to get sick at some point. And being that it’s cold & flu season, several of our running gals have been ‘down for the count’ lately.

Taking care of yourself during those first few days can have a major impact on how quickly your body recovers from an illness. Here is what WE do when the nasty [insert germ title here] takes over.

R&R. Its hard for some fitness lovers to pump the breaks, but SLLLLOOOOOWW down for a bit. Get more rest. Go to bed early. Take a break from your training routine. A few days of missed runs is not going to hurt you in the long run, but pushing through it (meanwhile choking up a storm during your workout) will likely just prolong the illness. Use your cold as an excuse to rest & relax!

Fluids. Duh. We all know you’re supposed to increase your water content when you’re ill, but what about juicing!? “For a cold, I try to avoid OTC medication & treat myself with rest & fluids… I love cold pressed juices, especially the ‘Zinger’ from Native which is apple, ginger & lemon,” raves one of our runners. “Other than that, I treat myself to a big bottle of water (like Smart Water) that feels fancy and keeps me a little more inspired to keep drinking fluids. I’ll also drink a ton of hot water with lemon slices.” We stopped to check out the new Zest Juice Co. in Dublin this week and one of the owners chatted with us for a few minutes. Even though some cold-pressed juice labels warn ‘persons with weakened immune systems’ we verified that didn’t apply to the common cold. If you’ve just got some sniffles and a cough, then chug up!! We also confirmed from various sources (Zest owner and even a few OBs) that even though the labels mention pasteurization, these juices are safe during pregnancy as well. Yippee!

Homeopathic Remedies. Oils are big these days, so no surprise that many fitness lovers choose this natural route. One runner stated, “I’m really into oils for helping our colds. I’ve been using Doterra oils for about a year and we’ve been relatively healthy! Currently, I am diffusing OnGuard and Lavender for immune function and calming (in the Petal Diffuser); as well as rubbing on blends of lemon, lime & melaleuca oils on our glands and behind our ears if we are feeling a bit under the weather.”

Petal Diffuser - Large.jpg

Extra Vitamins. Several of us stock up on extra nutrients including OJ (pulp-free, of course) & Vitamin C. And if you’re not already taking a multi-vitamin, now would be a good time to start! Some of our favs are below.

Those were our runners’ common cold-fighting tips and should be enough to get you over your next one quickly. So skip the Sudafed, hit the hay and feel better soon!

Image credits to the company websites referenced above.

What can YOU do in 6 weeks?

That is the question for two of our Living Fit Run Club regulars, who are participating in Orangetheory Fitness Columbus’ 6-week Weight Loss Challenge, starting today. For both Peggy and Jennifer, motivation has been lacking lately (more on that to come), so this challenge seemed like the perfect way to jump start the new year toward their personal FIT goals.

The challenge itself is pretty simple: you must attend at least 3 sessions per week at your Orangetheory home studio and weigh-in at the studio both at the beginning and at the end of the challenge. You cannot attend more than one OTF session per day, but you are free to engage in other exercise. The Grand Prize is $1,000, and a male and female prize of $250 for each Columbus studio (Dublin, Hilliard and New Albany).

Let’s meet our runners & recap their goals…

Get to know Jennifer:

Jennifer and her husband Andre live in Dublin with their two children, Cole (5) and Claire (3). She is a Columbus native and works at the Ohio Supreme Court as an attorney with Disciplinary Counsel. When Jennifer is not working or trying to keep up with her kids’ activities, she loves all things outdoors. Jennifer has been an OTF Dublin regular since her first visit in August 2014; however, for the last six months she has not been attending sessions as much as she would like. Jennifer’s 2016 FIT goals include 3 duathlons this summer and the Detroit International Half Marathon in October.

Jennifer’s FIT goals:

Partipate in OTF Dublin’s 6-week Weight Loss Challenge
Lose 25 pounds
Get back into a regular FIT routine that includes healthy food choices, OTF, hot yoga and running

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Jennifer (on right) enjoys running, yoga, biking and various other fit activities

Get to know Peggy:

Peggy is an almost 59 yr old mother and grandmother. Her daughter, Teresa Gellenbeck, encouraged her to become a member of the Living Fit Run Club and also introduced her to Orangetheory. She has attended OTF Dublin twice previously and enjoyed the crazy, challenging workouts. After becoming too sedentary over the past several months, Peggy has joined the OTF challenge and will be attending sessions at least 3 times per week, eating clean, giving up alcohol and preparing for whatever run/walks in which Living Fit may be participating.

We’ve featured Peggy previously in a post, Featured Success Stories – Fitness After 50.

Peggy’s FIT goals:

Participate in OTF Hilliard’s 6-week Weight Loss Challenge
Lose 12 pounds
Firm and tone (especially my saddlebags!) to feel & look better
Regain and maintain the Living Fit lifestyle

Peggy enjoys run/walking, light weight lifting & exercising for a cause! Pictured here, she completed the Cap City Half wearing this Pack H20 backpack.

Peggy and Jennifer will check in with us on their OTF Challenge journey, so stay tuned. We will be blogging, posting updates on social media & sharing their before and after photos [at the conclusion of the challenge].

Good luck ladies!

Want to learn more about OTF? Check out this article from The New York Times about what makes the Orangetheory workout so unique: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/03/nyregion/orangetheory-workout-new-years-resolution-fitness.html?_r=1

OTF challege

Fit Momma Monday: First Trimester Side Effects

Several of our Living Fit gals either are or have been pregnant while running & staying fit so we wanted to start a forum for giving some fit mom advice! Keep in mind we are just enthusiasts and not experts, please consult your doctor before developing a plan that works for you. We hope to feature these postings on various Mondays through out the month, send us ideas if you have any!

My Pregnancy: Five First Trimester Side Effects & How I Stayed Healthy Through Them!

Guest Blogger – Christine Loncaric [read more about her HERE!] Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 4.12.12 PM

I’m Christine – a runner, yogi, and all around active momma! I have a 2.5 year-old daughter, and am pregnant with baby #2, due in June!

The first trimester of a pregnancy is exciting, but filled with a lot of changes – you are carrying around the most wonderful secret, but also dealing with some rapid shifts in your body & hormones. Now that I have entered the second trimester most of these side effects have diminished, and it feels like a good time to look back on the first few months of my pregnancy.

1. FATIGUE

I started feeling the regular first trimester fatigue sinking in around week 7 of my pregnancy. I felt normal through most of my work day, but by the time 4-5pm hit, I was ready to sit, or even sleep. With a normally busy life, and a toddler at home, this was definitely an unwelcome change! There were days that driving home from work and fixing dinner for my family felt like climbing a mountain. A couple things kept me going during the week: early morning workouts and access to a gym at my workplace. With shortening winter days (it’s dark before I get home from work) and the tiredness I felt in the evenings, I had to consistently move my workouts to the morning or lunch time. I try to follow a “do the opposite” rule for myself during pregnancy: If I’m struggling with energy level during the day, despite sitting and not exerting much at work, I commit to a lunch time workout, or a 30 minute walk during a chunk of free time in my schedule. If I feel completely exhausted and have been on my feet chasing a toddler all day, I let my body rest without guilt. This serves me well during all stages of pregnancy.

2. CRAZY HORMONES & MOOD SWINGS

This is an ugly truth for me during the early months of pregnancy. I would be happy one minute, and anxious or frustrated (for seemingly no reason!) the next. Since becoming a mom a couple years ago, running and yoga have been my favorite way to clear my head and relish in some “me time.” I knew that in the midst of my unpredictable pregnancy hormones it was more important than ever to carve out time for myself. I found a pre-dawn yoga class I love and joined a running group in my neighborhood, which gave me a couple days of workouts I could do early morning. It has been amazing to stay active and not have to jeopardize time with my family. The biggest adjustment was moving most workouts to the morning, before the evening fatigue set in!

3. BLOAT

I love my body and everything it can do, but it can be frustrating to go from a fairly flat belly to a lumpy one. It’s not just vanity, but comfort too – skinny jeans with a button just aren’t comfortable all day when it looks like you ate too many burritos for lunch. Luckily, I work in a casual environment where boyfriend jeans or loose fitting tops are the norm, but my changing midsection was very obvious to me in my tight workout gear. A yoga class should be a place of zero judgement, but it is important to me that I feel good in the clothes I wear to a studio so I can have a mindful, focused practice. My husband surprised me with a pair of Align yoga pants [pictured below] from lululemon athletica which have been my favorite thing to put on lately. They have a higher rise and feel wonderful on my growing belly – perfect for the transition from bloat to bump. I was also given a pair of Maternity Chaturanga Tights yoga leggings from Athleta for Christmas that I can’t wait to put to use! Align Pant

Align Pant from lulu pictured above

4. NAUSEA & CHANGES IN APPETITE

Morning sickness and food aversions are the norm for a lot of pregnant women. I am fortunate that I never actually got sick, and my nausea was usually a sign that I needed to eat something. Again around lucky week 7 I stopped wanting any kind of raw vegetable, which threw a wrench in a diet usually filled with big salads for lunch and dinner. It would have been easy to fall into the carb trap (bread & crackers always sound good!), but instead I moved from raw to roasted veggies. I roasted everything – broccoli, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cauliflower, green beans, etc. – and loved it all. I always keep a jar of my favorite pesto sauce in the fridge, so veggies, a lean protein, and pesto become a staple for me. It served double duty – foods that appeased my food aversions, and healthy foods that are good for both baby and me.

5. CHANGES TO WORKOUTS

Staying fit throughout my pregnancy is a priority of mine, but being mindful of my body and growing a healthy baby comes first. My first doctor’s appointment was around my 9 week mark, and even though I’ve been pregnant and had a healthy baby before, I still wanted to check in with my OB/GYN to make sure I was making safe decisions. My doctor knows how the importance of my active lifestyle and encouraged me to keep up my normal workouts with one big change: Hot yoga had to go. My favorite classes are at Harbor Yoga where the heat and intensity are high–temps can rise near 100 degrees with a high level of humidity. I am now sticking to heated classes that don’t go over my body temperature and have always felt appropriately challenged and safe. I’ve been to heated classes at Balanced Yoga and Go Yoga that I love, and plan to check out a pre-natal yoga class at those studios soon. As for running? My OB encouraged me to run to 7 mile race I had already registered for (it’s in one week!). Her comments are always reasonable and rational to me – if my belly feels heavy, try a maternity belt. If running gets too hard on my ligaments, slow down and speed walk. Other than that, I listen closely to my body. I stay hydrated and am not afraid to step back on intensity level or weights during weekly boot camp classes, but am still moving a lot and even trying new workouts (I tried my first Orange Theory Fitness class during my first trimester!). It can be hard for me to admit when it’s time to scale back, so I feel so thankful that I have a doctor who has helped me brainstorm ways to stay active and fit.

Christine pictured on the right; pregnant & fit @ OTF!

Thanks C! Looking forward to more Fit Momma Monday posts from several of our runners and readers!

Photo credits: lululemon.com, freestockphotos.biz & Living Fit Columbus!

As 2015 becomes 2016…

[by T Gellenbeck]

Happy almost new year! Hope you survived the holiday cookies and meals and are still on track with your fitness regime!

I am safely into my third trimester and anticipating 2016 very much, due to both a new addition to our family (late Feb!) and getting back to the fitness scene this spring/summer. I have had some previous pregnancy complications and medically am considered ‘high risk’ so I’ve been taking it easy the last few months. I try to take walk dates with my FitBit or do some slow flow yoga or light weights here and there, but for the most part my main source of exercise has been chasing around our almost-three-year-old. He will keep you active, you can borrow him anytime to see ~ toddlers NEVER seem to run out of energy! Although I’ve been enjoying some rest from running & hot yoga, I definitely miss the fitness scene and all my cbus pals. I see fitness posts all over my social media feeds… friends checking into yoga classes, raising money and participating in road races for a cause and volunteering at local fitness events. I feel like I’m living vicariously through them and inspired by them daily, in awe of their motivation and commitment to living a fit lifestyle.

I’m not a huge resolution maker, but I do like to set fitness goals each year, so its time to start thinking about it! Last year our runners set MILES & MATS goals… check them out to get some inspiration.

–> 2015 Miles & Mats <–

Although I won’t be making any personal goals until after we settle in with the new little one, I certainly plan to be more active in 2016 and tackle some of my 2015 Miles & Mats goals.

So what are your plans for 2016?

Here are some ideas to get your brain and body moving…

Kick off the year with a juice cleanse from Native or your favorite juice bar (been wanting to check out Vitality right here in Dublin)
Participate in the Ohio Health First on the First 5K or sign up for a future race to train for
Check out a different yoga studio or return to your favorite one… some of our regular spots are Harbor, Thank & VPower
Try a new fitness routine, something to get that body moving! Orange Theory Fitness has locations all over Columbus and will be starting a Columbus Weight Loss Challenge on Jan 11. I personally can’t wait to try System of Strength once I’m back on the wagon!
Buy some snazzy gear – we love lululemon, Bend Active and Columbus Running Company
Try a new healthy recipe – some of our go-to sources are Cbus local WholeLivingLauren.com and also HeAndSheEatClean.com
Get inspired by following other fit lovers’ blogs (see our fav list HERE) or Instagram feeds

Whatever your goals & resolutions are, be sure to make time to “fill your bucket” with things that give you a positive outlook, balance and renewed energy. Hope to see you on the mat or trails in the new year!