Fit Pregnancy
Babymoon Fitcation in Aruba
Mary Davis Fitness Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Aruba
The hubs and I snuck away to Aruba for a decadent babymoon this March. We LOVE to travel, and because of his profession and his ability to rack up an obscene amount of Marriott and Southwest points, we are able to travel often without breaking the bank.
It was our first time in Aruba, and we stay at the Ritz Carlton, recently built and full of amazing amenities. Our vacations typically go like this:
Wake up at 7am, workout, breakfast, lay on a beach chair all day, fancy dinner, asleep by 9pm. We are early birds and typically hit the early bird specials for dinner. Essentially, we are the oldest thirty-somethings you’ve ever met.
This Rtiz included some great perks that we partook in daily including a great gym and complimentary stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking.
Mary Davis Fitness Resistance Exercises
I decided to take one of my workouts outside.
Lunges, 3 sets of 20 lunges (each leg)
Planks, hold for one minute
High Knees, 30-45 seconds
Donkey Kicks, 3 sets of 25 kicks (each leg)
The hubs did a lot of swimming on our trip! (I just had to post this one because he is such a hunk!)
Until next time Aruba!
Running with The Raven in South Beach
Mary Davis Fitness Vacation to South Beach
Justin and I headed to Miami for a mini vacation this past week. He gets some time off in February and in March, so we usually try to sneak away to somewhere warm during those times to relax and recharge. We are very compatible vacationers! There are three things we like to do most when we travel: hit the beach (or pool), workout and eat great meals.
When we planned our trip to Miami, I got some recommendations from friends on the hottest workouts to try in the area. There are so many to pick from, but the top few were Flywheel, Barry’s Boot Camp and running with the Raven. We only had time for two, so we decided to save Barry’s for another time, since that workout is also available in other large cities. Justin had read a few articles on the Raven and seen a documentary on him recently, so he definitely wanted to run with him.
On the second day of our trip, we met up with Robert Kraft (a.k.a., the Raven) at 5th street at the lifeguard stand and joined him for his daily 8-mile run along South Beach. A few words to describe Robert include: committed, die-hard, inspirational and caring. This isn’t just some ordinary runner. The Raven has been running 8-miles on South Beach every day for the last 40 plus years. Yes, you read that correctly.
8-MILES.
EVERYDAY.
FORTY YEARS.
No rest days, no calling in sick, not even any vacations or runs in other parts of the country. Rumor has it he took a day trip to Daytona once, but of course he was back in time for his run. He has run with people from 82 different countries, and he has not run alone once in the past ten years.
Robert arrived to that lifeguard stand on 5th promptly at 4:15pm like he does each day. He performed the same 15-minute pre-run ritual which includes stretching, applying suntan oil on his arms, and disrobing from his signature pair of black pants and black leather jacket to small black running shorts. By 4:30pm he was ready to run. We introduced ourselves to him along with another new runner named Dave who was in town from Philadelphia. Dave had heard of the Raven too and wanted to join in on the fun.
At 4:30pm, we started to run. Up and down the beach on the packed sand. For two hours. We talked to the Raven about his journey and he gave us all nicknames like he does with all of the newcomers that run with him. Justin was dubbed “Morning Kool-Aid” after he told the Raven he was going to give a motivational talk (often referred to as a kool-aid) about his story to the Navy Football staff during spring ball. I was “Oregano,” since I loved to cook and was particularly good at recreating my Dad’s homemade spaghetti sauce. The Raven also told me that I was runner number 2300. Pretty cool. After you complete the run, he writes down your birthday and your nickname. He never forgets the people he runs with. Many times we passed people on the beach that he has run with in the past and he called them out by their nickname, told us something about them and recited their birthday.
It was a little weird to run in my body that was not really my body. At 18-weeks pregnant and plus ten pounds, everything felt a little off. My hips were a little sore, and my legs were heavy, but I kept pushing through and finished pretty easily. At the end of the run, we got some pictures with Robert and told him we would definitely see him again during our next trip down south. It was an experience we would soon not forget, and it was truly inspirational to meet a man who was so dedicated to his craft.
Bump Photos!
Before I got pregnant, I was nervous about what would happen to my body during and after pregnancy. You can call that vain, I call it vulnerable and honest. It helped me TREMENDOUSLY to see my close friends and people in the fitness industry show their bumps and show what was possible with proper diet and exercise during pregnancy.
I have had an easy pregnancy. I have not been sick at all or tired, so it has been easy for me to keep up my level of exercise which involves 60 minutes of cardio 6x a week + weight lifting 3x a week. I also count my macros (carbs, protein and fats) 80% of the week and leave 20% open for indulging, consuming between 2200-2600 calories each day.
My goal is to help others, like so many have helped me, get over any fears and insecurities about getting pregnant. Here goes!
Mary Davis Fitness Fit Pregnancy 17 Weeks
I have been working hard in the gym to keep up with my weight training program to make sure I don’t lose too much muscle tone.
Mary Davis Fitness 21 Weeks
21 weeks pregnant, and here comes the bump! I really did not know what to expect with my weight gain during pregnancy, and I immediately gained some weight around my arms, butt and thighs. Before I got pregnant, Bod Pod gave me a body fat reading of 11%, so I was not surprised to add a little fat on. My body is getting ready for our baby girl! I try not to obsess over it, and overall I am happy with my progress so far.
Mary Davis Fitness 22 Weeks
This photo was taken in Aruba on our babymoon. It was so nice to visit somewhere warm and enjoy some alone time with my hubby! We don’t plan on slowing down our travel (or our alone time) once our baby girl arrives! We already have our post-baby trip planned for next Spring. I am still feeling great and was able to do a lot of swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, and body weight exercises on our trip!
Mary Davis Fitness 24 Weeks
There is NO DENYING this bump now! Off to spin class! I am still teaching intense spin classes 5 times a week (including doubles on Tuesdays) and lifting heavy weights 3-4 times a week.
Mary Davis Fitness 25 Weeks
Hello 25 weeks! Off to the gym for leg day!
Mary Davis Fitness 29 weeks
Hello baby girl! I am not sure how much bigger my stomach can possibly get. It is definitely getting harder to do the little things like lacing up my sneakers. My exercise routine has not really changed. I just taught 2 spin classes at 50 minutes each. A Saturday double! I have found that my heart rate rises faster than usual, so I always keep an eye on it when I teach, and I use the “talk test” to make sure I am not overdoing it. I have gained about 20-22 pounds so far.
Pregnancy & Supplements
I get a lot of questions about supplements from clients and friends, so I wanted to share with you the supplements that I have taken personally during my pregnancy. Let me remind you that my degree from James Madison University is in Hospitality and Tourism Management NOT in Medicine, so please consult with your physician on any supplements that you plan to take during, pre or post pregnancy.
Kind Organics Prenatal Multi
I follow a mostly organic diet based on whole foods, so I wanted my prenatal vitamin to mirror that trend. The supplements are made from real whole food like organic fruits, veggies and herbs such as lemons, ginger, peppermint, annatto, amla berry, and provide what you need in a natural form. It has all of the essentials that you and your growing baby need, from iron, B vitamins and folate along with the added bonuses of ginger and peppermint which are supposed to help aid nausea. I was not nauseous once during my pregnancy, and while I don’t think it had anything to do with these vitamins, you never know!
Dosage: 3 capsules daily with food
365 Brand Fish Oil (180mg EPA; 120mg DHA) 1000mg
Omega-3s have been found to be essential for both neurological and early visual development of the baby. Pregnant women typically become depleted in omega-3s, when the fetus uses omega-3s for its nervous system development. Omega-3s are also used after birth to make breast milk. With each subsequent pregnancy, mothers are further depleted. Research has confirmed that adding EPA and DHA to the diet of pregnant women has a positive effect on visual and cognitive development of the baby. Studies have also shown that higher consumption of omega-3s may reduce the risk of allergies in infants. Omega-3 fatty acids also have positive effects on the pregnancy itself. Increased intake of EPA and DHA has been shown to prevent pre-term labor and delivery, lower the risk of pre-eclampsia and may increase birth weight. Omega-3 deficiency also increases the mother’s risk for postpartum depression
Dosage: 6 capsules daily (2 in morning/afternoon/evening)
365 Brand Probiotic Complex
I always take a daily probiotic, but it is especially important during pregnancy. It’s one of those little secrets no one talks about until you’re actually pregnant – the system gets a little off track when you start growing a little human inside of you. Whether it’s heartburn, constipation, or cramping pregnancy causes hosts of digestive ailments. Some also believe that exposing the fetus to probiotic bacteria helps to stimulate the growth of the immune systems and potentially prevents allergies.
Dosage: 1 capsule daily
Zinc Lozenges with Vitamin C
I have to admit, I have been nervous about getting stretch marks during pregnancy. I know that much cannot be done to avoid them and that it’s primarily based on genetics, but I’m going to try! I have read that Zinc is one of the few remedies that have actually been proven to prevent the development of stretch marks. Zinc creams can be topically applied and there are also several zinc dietary supplements that are highly effective. Adults should not ingest more than 50 mg of zinc per day.
Dosage: 1-2 capsules daily (they taste great)
Mama Mio The Tummy Rub Oil
While we are on the topic of stretch marks, this is the product that I have been using since 12 weeks post shower and before bed. It really helps as the skin stretches to moisturize it with essential oils and amazing organic ingredients all proven to reduce the likelihood of stretch marks. Here are just some of the ingredients:
- Organic Sacha Inchi Seed Oil From the Amazon, packed with Omega 3, antioxidants and amino acids.
- Organic Argan Kernel Oil nourishes, moisturises and improves elasticity. High in Omega 9 (Oleic Acid) and 6 (Linoleic Acid).
- Organic Coconut Oil Soothing and healing, mega-rich with Lauric Acid, powerful Omega that helps skin’s natural immune system.
- Organic Avocado Oil Omega and Folic Acid rich, hydrates, helps circulation, increases collagen production, ensuring skin stretches safely.
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol) Protects against stretch marks, speeds up cell renewal to help keep skin strong.
Vega Sport Chocolate Protein Powder
I love Vega products! They are full of complete plant-based protein and are organic and non-GMO certified. Usually I have a chocolate shake post workout blended with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and ice. It’s refreshing and is packed with 25g of protein to refuel muscles after a long workout. Vega Sport also has 5,000mg of BCAAs and 5,000mg of glutamine per serving.
NLA for Her – Her Aminos
I am still lifting heavy weights regularly during my pregnancy and hope to maintain as much muscle mass as possible so I can bounce back quickly post baby. BCAAs help to increase endurance, build lean muscle and aid in post workout recovery. This brand also tastes great. It does have an artificial sweetener in it which I did not know about until I tried it – it tastes like Crystal Light Pink Lemonade when mixed with water – but this is the only artificial sweeter in my diet, so I am okay with it in moderation.
Dosage: During Pregnancy 1 scoop mixed with water
Once again, please consult your doctor to make sure that the supplements that you choose to take are safe based upon your heath and medical history. Here’s wishing you a healthy and safe pregnancy!