Working Out While Pregnant (W.O.W.P.)

I highly recommend working out throughout your entire pregnancy (provided your doctor

gives you the green light of course). I’m now 5 weeks away from delivering, and have

maintained a healthy a steady workout routine this whole time, while slowly tweaking

and modifying as I get bigger and bigger.

When you think of pregnancy-friendly workouts, you think prenatal yoga right? I

definitely did, except the only problem with these classes is that they’re impossible to

find! I did locate a few place that offer pre-natal yoga, but the times are like mid-morning

on weekdays. Not sure what demo can actually make those classes besides stay-at-home

moms with kids who are already in school.

My advice? Don’t stress too much about the class being pre-natal—most workout classes

these day require their instructors to become proficient in prenatal training—or at least

be knowledgable about the modifications. Trust me—I am one! Most of the big no-

no’s when pregnant (especially once you’ve hit the second trimester and are starting to

show) are: traditional pushups (these can be modified against a bar or wall), abs (if you’re

comfy enough to get down on your back, use back support propping!!!), which are kind

of pointless besides working on your deep breaths, and twisting (this could affect the

sacroiliac joint, which tends to move during pregnancy).

Here are my favorite workouts during pregnancy:

1. Bar Method: I’m an instructor, so of course I love it! But even if I wasn’t, I’d be

singing Bar’s praises. It’s the only thing I’ve consistently been able to do this

whole time. Note: After your 16th week, it’s smart to leave class halfway through

(you’ll have already hit arms, quads, calves, and butt), and they’ll let you pay half

price for doing so! It’s super low-impact, and keeps your arms, legs and booty

sculpted. Might as well focus on those body parts since you have no control over

your tummy! Barmethod.com

2. Yoga: There’s nothing like yoga to open up your hips (something we women deal

with whether pregnant or not), and train your body to breathe. Just my opinion,

but I’d steer clear of hot yoga classes while pregnant, and focus more on flow

classes, and in the third tri doing more stretch-based sessions like a yin relaxation

class.

3. Walking: Such a simple activity, but there’s nothing like getting your legs moving

that helps with blood flow, loosening of joints, and sleep! Believe it or not a

30 minute walk could make you sleep better. Staying sedentary isn’t good for

anyone—even a pregnant woman (unless you’ve been instructed to be on bed rest

by your doctor). Warning—it does get harder and harder as you get bigger, so

don’t worry about proving yourself. Hills are now out for me, as is walking more

than 20 minutes at a time. And I used to run marathons…

For me, I’ve just focused more on listening to my body than anything else. My first

trimester was a puke-fest, so my workouts suffered. But ever since week 18, I’ve stayed

consistent, and I’m hoping it’ll not only help me bounce back to my old self, but give my

little one a jump start on being healthy and active.

Babymoon: Necessary or Ridiculous?

If you ask your mother what she thinks about having a "babymoon," she'd probably either A. ask what the hell that even is, or B. launch into a long-winded explanation of how her generation never had any of that fun stuff. If you're my mom, the latter also leads into the conversation about how "tight" maternity wear is these days, and that women in her day had to suffer under tent-like muumuus with oversized buttons and sailor collars. My mother loves comparing my pregnancy to hers, and finds any possible way to point out how lucky I am in "this day and age."

Back to the question of the day--to babymoon or not to babymoon? My husband and I definitely wanted to do something special together before the baby comes, and I have to admit that early on in my pregnancy a lush hotel stay out of town sounded like a dream. But we waited until the 3rd trimester to get our acts together, and now the only thing I want to do is bathe in icy hot all day and eat whipped cream from the bottle. Even a drive up to an LA hotel (less than an hour) sounded miserable, so we decided on an ultimate stay-cation in our hometown of Manhattan Beach.

Rather than waste money on an expensive hotel, we booked couple's massages at a local spa called Trilogy that's walkable from our house. We happen to have 3 friends who work there too, and they totally hooked us up with VIP treatment, reserving us a cabana post-massages, and bought us champagne, sparkling cider and a little celebratory cake! We spent the whole day there, and then showered and walked two blocks down to a restaurant we'd been wanting to try out forever, Manhattan Beach Post. The next day we ventured out to Beverly Hills to Helen Ficalora to get a charm with the baby's initial on it to add to my favorite necklace from Kevin (the first gift he ever got me). We followed that up with a total touristy lunch at Villa Blanca owned by Real Housewife Lisa Vanderpump.

It was one of the best weekends we'd had in awhile! We'd been so focused on McBaby for the last few months that it was nice to actually pamper ourselves guilt-free (for probably the last time in awhile). Sure the topic of convo that whole weekend was predominantly baby, but who can help that?! We're excited! So in conclusion, I'm a total proponent of the babymoon. You and your husband can decide what's right for you guys--whether it means booking a full-on last vacay to Hawaii, or just going out for a nice dinner. It's about taking a step back and appreciating one another one last time before your twosome becomes a threesome.

Happy babymoonin!

Where To Find Good Maternity Clothes!

If there's something I could change about the 10 months of being pregnant, it would be maternity fashion. Holy crap it's awful. I was under the false impression that every department store, designer and even low-end retailer had finally gotten with the program and created a simple yet fashionable line for us pregos, but that my friends is false.

I have been able to find some maternity wear that's acceptable, but it hasn't been without struggle--and I live in Los Angeles. I feel for these poor women living in places where they're forced to only wear Liz Lange for Target, and even worse...Old Navy. Before I totally bash the two aforementioned chains, I must admit I've gotten some pretty clutch staples from each of them. But that's about it--staples. There are only so many days in a row you can wear the same black maternity leggings and striped tunic. Sometimes even we pregos want to look "cute."

So to avoid turning this into a total bitch-fest about how slim the pickins really are for us, I'm breaking down where you can actually find some decent maternity clothes that won't make you look like you're the size of a house.

Forever 21

This was an obvious for me, seeing as though it's my favorite store when I'm not pregnant. Plus(again, a pro for living in a big city), mine has a decent maternity section filled with not only basics but on-trend pieces too.

What to buy: SKINNY JEANS! I wish I'd gotten more here. Unlike other maternity jeans with the massive attached belly band that slowly fall down throughout the day giving you saggy crotch syndrome, Forever's jeans have a cotton band that goes under your stomach, and the fit is better than the J Brands I spent 4 times as much on.

What to skip: Blousy tops. Flirty and feminine may be in right now, but these shirts tend to make me look bigger than I am--not really the look I'm going for these days.

Destination Maternity

This has been my ultimate go-to for tunic shirts. I love the ones by Pea In The Pod because they have ruching on the sides--an absolute must for a snug fit that shows off your actual shape while pregnant. Don't get me wrong, "Dest Mat" (as my bestie calls it) is chock full of horrendous other printed catastropies, but stick with their solid and striped tunics and pairing with leggings for a super cute day-t0-day look.

What to buy: Tops and maternity tights.

What to skip: The J Brand skinny jeans and the Pea In The Pod leggings they'll try and sell you on the minute you walk in. They're loose by the second wear, and more importantly, see-through!

Asos.com

I'd never actually ordered anything from this UK-based site until becoming pregnant. They have a more than decent maternity section, and they ship for free! I've wanted to order more from here, and the only reason I haven't is because they do have a lot of things I feel I could get here at a Target for way cheaper. So I've utilized this site for all my semi-formal to formal wear. You can order everything in US sizes, and the trick is to order the size you would in normal life!

What to buy: "Occasion dresses" for weddings, dates, and your baby shower! Here's one I just got!

What to skip: The striped tunic tops that you can get for the same price or cheaper at Target/Dest Mat and actually try on in person.

Target

I avoided Target's maternity section like the plague for months for obvious reasons, but finally succumbed one day after feeling the "Be Maternity" wear they carry. I'm borderline obsessed with the camis and leggings. But word to the wise, they're see-through, so don't make the mistake of pairing with anything but a long top that covers the bootie.

What to buy: Anything "Be Maternity" and the occasional striped top by Liz Lange.

What to skip: The completely unacceptable jeans and slacks in that department.

Old Navy

Here's another store that should be truly ashamed of their maternity section. I always pop in with high hopes they're might be something cute in there because hey--sometimes that store can surprise you. But no, it's been a huge NO every time.

What to buy: The long ribbed tank tops in their non-maternity section for working out. Go up at least one size. They fit great and are form-fitting so you don't look massive at pre-natal yoga.

What to skip: The entire maternity department.

lululemon

Like most workout addicts, I'm also addicted to lululemon. It's been the only workout clothes brand I buy for the past 4 years. Granted, I am a workout instructor, and they offer us a 15% discount. I have to say, with how progressive the company is, I'm pretty shocked they haven't cashed in on the pre-natal workout wear yet. As someone who lives in my lulus any time I'm not in real people clothes, I'd have happily invested in a couple maternity workout pants. BUT! The positive news is that you can get by with their normal pant styles by just folding them under your belly.

What to buy: The Astro pant. Unlike the slightly bulkier Wunder Under, the Astro hem is thin and smooth and you don't have to go up a size when you're pregnant. They fit amazing even with your growing belly. For tops, steer clear of styles like the Practice Freely Tank that'll make you look bigger, and opt for more form fitting styles like the Cool Racerback that you can pop right back into once you....well...pop!

What to skip: The fitted jackets. They don't look as cute with a belly especially because you can see the lining show through.

Hope you guys like my picks for looking your best while pregnant! It can get super frustrating at times, I know--especially when you're in your eighth month like I am. The key is try everything on and don't be afraid to show your body even as it gets bigger and bigger. You don't want to be one of those women people look at and say..."Is she pregnant...or just fat...."

Happy shopping, fellow preggers!

Ommmmmmm

Greetings. I'm feeling pretty yen this morning as a result of my yin relaxation yoga class I attended (and forced my husband to come with) last night. Let me first kick this blog post off with something I've become great at-complaining. Prenatal yoga classes--has anyone ever been to one of these? I'd sure like to if they weren't all held at the most inopportune times. Seriously, who can make a class at 10:45am on a Wednesday?! And they're all at those annoying stay-at-home mom times. Maybe it's because the places I'm looking are in Manhattan Beach, and we all know none of those women work--that's why they're all so hot--they spend their days working out!

Back to the om. My hubs and I decided to take a smooth ride on the crunchy granola ride and take this yoga class everyone raves about at The Green Yogi in Manhattan Beach. Upon arriving, I pretty much wanted to move in. They have this amazing open air lounge with faux grass and couches where you chill before class. The decor is modern, minimalistic, and very soothing--sure I know that's not the point of signing up for a yoga class but who doesn't appreciate a nice interior, come on.

Matt the instructor is probably the real reason 40 people were crammed into that room. Not only is he completely adorbs, he's able to talk you through all the stretches with calming stories, life lessons and personal jokes so you're not focusing as much on the excruciating pain radiating from all your joints. What I loved the most is the fact that he wasn't too preachy and yoga mastery--he really made it such a pleasant experience. One of my biggest pet peeves about yoga is people who take it super seriously. It's like if someone forbids you from laughing in church, all of a sudden all you can think about is every hysterical scene from Bridesmaids, and you're dead meat.

The music was also perfection. Instead of playing bizarro chants, he played Mumford & Sons and Jack Johnson! The baby kicked his way through the entire hour and a half, and my husband is even talking about when we can go back. This is yoga done right, peeps. Even though I am a little butt hurt about not being able to take any prenatal classes, it's seriously not a big deal as I was able to do 90 percent of the poses with the rest of the class. Highly recommend if you're in the area, so check it out!