Author: Rachel Tinius

Cross Country Skier

Exercise Classification: Intermediate

The following exercise effectively build cardiovascular and muscles strength, and you can build a routine of a circuit by doing one set of each exercise for 10-12 reps, building slowly to five or more sets.

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.
Do not do this exercise if you have pain in the front of your pelvic bone.

Instructions:

Start in a standing position with your arms at your side.
Lunge forward on your right leg with your left leg extending behind you and bring your left arm in front of you as you extend your right arm back.
Press back with your right leg and switch sides with your left leg forward in a lunge with right leg behind and left arm in front.
Try to maintain a fluid “sliding” motion as you switch legs from front to back.
Avoid dipping too deep—just slightly bend your knees, and if you have walking poles you can use them to help with balance and add more arm work.

Tags Aerobics, Intermediate, Pregnancy

Aerobics Exercises

Side Steps

Exercise Classification: Beginner

The following exercise helps strengthen muscles and the cardiovascular system. Start with one set for 10 reps(that is, do the exercise 10 times in a row). You can build up slowly to 4 or more sets. You can also combine this exercise with other exercises in the app to create a workout that will challenge the entire body!

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

This exercise works your thighs and also improves balance.

Start with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly bent.
Lean forward a few inches and clasp your hands in front of you.
Sidestep by pushing off and crab stepping to the side for five to ten steps.
Switch direction for five to ten steps.

Tags Aerobics, beginner, Pregnancy

Aerobics Exercises

Bottom Kicks

Exercise Classification: Beginner

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instructions:

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and arms extended in front of your body.
Lift one foot behind you towards your gluts (bottom) and quickly switch to your other foot.
Try to maintain a rapid pace as you switch legs.
You can increase the intensity by pumping your arms as you lift each foot or by using hand weights.

Tags Aerobics, beginner, Pregnancy

Aerobics

Knee to Elbow Reach

Exercise Classification: Beginner

Safety tips:

Always warm up by walking in place for several minutes.
Perform you exercises on supportive flooring with plenty of room to move.
Wear athletic shoes and avoid working out on thick carpet that can make movement difficult.
Don’t push to the point of exhaustion–take a rest if you start to feel out of breath or overheated.
As your pregnancy progresses, modify the exercises as suggested for comfort and safety, and avoid any exercise that makes your feel unsteady or causes discomfort.

Instruction:

Begin in a standing position with your legs slightly apart and hands resting behind your head with elbows out to the side.
Raise your left knee as twist your right elbow to your raised knee.
If the twisting motion becomes difficult later in pregnancy, just raise your knee in front of you as you raise your arms to the side with each knee raise.

Tags Aerobics, beginner, Pregnancy

Weekly Tips

Postpartum Meal Planning

Nutrition is an important part of postpartum recovery, but no one has time to plan elaborate meals. Below are some easy meals that can be made ahead, frozen, and reheated as needed, making them perfect for the fourth trimester.

Soups

Soups and stews, especially those made with bone broth, can be both a comforting and nutritious part of postpartum recovery. Try various forms of vegetable soup, chicken noodle, or a beef stew.

High iron foods

Iron is an important nutrient for postpartum recovery. Increase your iron intake with lean red meat in dishes such as slow cooked pot roast, meatloaf, or pork carnitas. Pair with fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables and roasted potatoes or rice for a complete meal.

Fast foods

When you need quick and don’t have time to defrost prepared meals, think fast foods. Things like:

– eggs, whole grain toast, and berries

– snack plate with whole grain crackers, snap peas, baby carrots, sliced apples, turkey lunch meat, and string cheese

Note: For food storage safety guidelines, click here.

Casey Thomas-Hardesty, MS, NTP

Two Peas Wellness

Bone broth- https://www.twopeaswellness.com/post/bonebroth

Iron – [link nutrition and postpartum recovery]

Pork carnitas- https://www.twopeaswellness.com/post/carnitas

Click here- https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts

Tags Postpartum 7

Weekly Tips

Important Nutrition Tips for Pregnancy

Post author By Rachel Tinius
Post date August 5, 2020
No Comments on Important Nutrition Tips for Pregnancy

Are you really eating for two? While you are definitely providing nutrition for two, you do not need that many more calories during pregnancy than your normal intake. The first trimester does not require additional kilocalories – 340 kilocalories are required in the second trimester and 450 kilocalories are required in third trimester for those at a healthy pre-pregnancy weight/BMI (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2023).

When assessing nutritional needs during pregnancy, it is important to maintain a balanced plate in terms of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) but vary the macronutrients regularly to help ensure intake of various vitamins and minerals.

Macronutrients for pregnancy

You could get into percentage breakdowns, but the easiest way to plan your meals is by using the plate method. This assumes:

½ your plate is non-starchy vegetables
¼ of your plate is protein
¼ of your plate is carbohydrates

Where is the fat? Many foods play double (or triple) duty and fall under more than one category of macronutrients. Such is the case with fat. Your fat intake will generally be included with your protein source, cooking fat like butter or olive oil that is used in vegetable preparation, and dairy that may make up a portion of your carbohydrates.

While the plate method is the preferred and easiest way to track macronutrients in pregnancy, it is important to note that many women drastically underestimate their protein needs. If you’re counting or weighing, 71g of protein per day is a good guide for the first half of pregnancy while increased need does not occur until second and third trimesters. Protein needs depend on weight — 1.1 g/kg of body weight, so some women may need more than 71 grams. If you’re struggling with protein due to meat aversions, see the below list of good sources of protein for alternatives (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2023).

Food Serving Size Protein Content

Lean beef: 3 ounces, 22 grams.

Chicken breast: 3 ounces, 26 grams

Salmon: 3 ounces, 22 grams.

Eggs: 2 eggs, 12 grams.

Milk: 1 cup, 8 grams.

Greek yogurt: 6 ounces, container 16 grams.

Northern beans: ½ cup, 6 grams

Peanut butter: 2 tablespoons, 7 grams

Meeting protein needs in pregnancy is relatively easy. Good sources include lean beef, chicken, seafood, dairy foods, beans and nuts. Keep in mind that a 3 ounce portion of meat is only about the size of a deck of cards, or the palm of a woman’s hand (FoodData Central, 2023)

Good sources of macronutrients

Protein

– Eggs

– Lean meat

– Greek yogurt

– Beans, peas, and lentils

– Chickpeas

– Nuts and nut butters

– Fish

– Protein powders

Fat

– Avocado

– Nuts and nut butters

– Pasteurized cheese

– Full fat yogurt

Carbohydrates

– Fruits and vegetables

– Sweet potatoes

– Rice

– Quinoa

– Dairy

– Whole grains

Casey Thomas-Hardesty, MS, NTP

Two Peas Wellness

Reviewed and edited by Heather Emerson-Payne, RD, PhD, 2023

References

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Nutrition Care Manual. Comparative Standards, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. https://www-nutritioncaremanual-org.wku.idm.oclc.org/topic.cfm?ncm_category_id=1&lv1=5517&lv2=18188&lv3=273833&ncm_toc_id=273833&ncm_heading=Nutrition%20Care. Accessed July 12, 2023.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Nutrition Care Manual. Comparative Standards, Normal Pregnancy. https://www-nutritioncaremanual-org.wku.idm.oclc.org/topic.cfm?ncm_category_id=1&lv1=272980&lv2=26918&lv3=268758&ncm_toc_id=268758&ncm_heading=Nutrition%20Care. Accessed July 12, 2023.

FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov. Accessed August 14, 2023.

Institute of Medicine. 2005. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/10490.

Tags 16, Pregnancy 16

Weekly Tips

Nutrition for Postpartum Recovery

Post author By Rachel Tinius
Post date August 5, 2020
No Comments on Nutrition for Postpartum Recovery

Nutrition can play an integral role in your postpartum recovery. Below are some important nutrients for the fourth trimester.

Iron

Iron is ultimately responsible for transporting oxygen throughout your blood. This is an especially important nutrient to consume after blood loss. Managing your iron levels can also help battle fatigue.

Foods that are high in iron: red meat, liver, spinach, and lentils

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Omega 3 fatty acids (especially DHA) are important for both mom and baby’s brain function. So even if you aren’t breastfeeding, it’s important for you to nourish your body with this nutrient.

Foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids: salmon, eggs, grass-fed beef, walnuts

Fiber

Fiber is essential for maintaining normal bowel movements

Foods that are high in fiber: raspberries, apple, green peas, quinoa

Zinc

Zinc is important for immune health as well as the production of proteins in your body. Zinc has also been shown to be beneficial for wound healing.

Foods that are high in zinc: oysters, pumpkin seeds, lamb, cashews

Choline

Choline is essential to brain development and is especially important for breastfeeding moms.

Foods that are high in choline: eggs, fish, chicken, kidney beans

A note on breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is said to burn an additional 500 calories per day. At least in the beginning, I recommend listening to your hunger cues to make sure that you are properly fueling your body for breast milk production. If the reduction of calories for weight loss is desired, this would be something better adjusted after you have recovered from delivery and have a firm handle on breastfeeding.

Casey Thomas-Hardesty, MS, NTP

Two Peas Wellness

Tags Postpartum 8

Weekly Tips

Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

Post author By Rachel Tinius
Post date August 5, 2020
No Comments on Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

It is important to adjust your nutrition as needed in order to support a healthy pregnancy. Below is a list of foods that are generally considered unsafe for pregnancy and are best to limit or avoid.

Avoid

Alcohol – Alcohol can cross the placenta and can impact your growing baby’s development.
Raw shellfish
High mercury fish – The bigger the fish, the more mercury it will contain. Shark, swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, big eye tuna, marlin, orange roughy should be avoided.
Pre-cut fruits and vegetables – While there is no reason to limit or avoid fruits and vegetables as a whole, pre-cut fruits and vegetables have a higher risk of contamination with food borne illness. This does not apply to canned or frozen items. When purchasing fresh produce, it is important to follow food safety guidelines and wash and store them properly before consuming.
Pre-made salads such as ham salad and chicken salad should not be consumed by pregnant women unless they are prepared at home.
Toxoplamsa gondii is a parasite that is present in cat feces. Pregnant women should not change litter boxes for this reason.

Limit

Caffeine – It is recommended to limit to 200mg of caffeine per day
Sugar – Sugar does not directly cause gestational diabetes, but there are several things that increase risk, one of which is overweight/obesity prior to pregnancy. Eating too much added sugar can lead to eating too many kcal, which could lead to overweigh/obesity, which can in turn predispose someone to gestational diabetes (“Centers for Disease Control,” 2022).
Artificial sweeteners – Research is suggesting that artificial sweeteners can interfere with our gut microbiome as well as increasing the likelihood of your child preferring sweet foods as they grow up (Ruiz-Ojeda et al., 2019).
Deli meat – Deli meat and hot dogs should be heated until steaming hot. If you’re worried, heating deli meats to 165F greatly reduces the risk of listeria contamination.(“U.S. Food and Drug Administration,” 2022).
Good choices rich in omega3 fatty acids, but lower in mercury include salmon, shrimp, tilapia, flounder, canned light tuna (includes skipjack tuna) but albacore tuna and yellowfin tuna should be limited to 4 ounces per week (“United States Environmental Protection Agency,” 2022).

Casey Thomas-Hardesty, MS, NTP

Two Peas Wellness

Reviewed and edited by Heather Emerson-Payne, RD, PhD, 2023

References

Centers for Disease Control. (2022). Diabetes Risk Factors. Updated, April 5, 2022. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/risk-factors.html

Ruiz-Ojeda, F. J., Plaza-Díaz, J., Sáez-Lara, M. J., & Gil, A. (2019). Effects of Sweeteners on the Gut Microbiota: A Review of Experimental Studies and Clinical Trials. Adv Nutr, 10(suppl_1), S31-S48. doi: 10.1093/advances/nmy037. Erratum in: Adv Nutr. 2020 Mar 1;11(2):468. PMID: 30721958; PMCID: PMC6363527.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2022). Food Safety for Pregnant Women, Their Unborn Babies and Children Under Five. Pages 1-3. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://www.fda.gov/media/83740/download?attachment

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2022). EPA-FDA Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish. Updated November 3, 2022. Accessed July 12, 2023. EPA-FDA Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish | US EPA