Weekend Fitness: Hitting the Trails

This weekend Neil and I have been super active because it’s been beautiful out and as part of “Project Get This Baby Out.” Friday Neil and I went for our evening walk and then Saturday we did lots of walking downtown and then we went for a nice swim.  Sunday took the cake though with a wonderful afternoon on the trails at the Ethan Allen Homestead.

It’s actually pretty depressing that I have lived in the Burlington area for most of my life and this is the first time I have ever been to the Homestead.  Neil and I took a look at the trail map and picked a few routes to go on, it was absolutely wonderful. We did around 2 miles, which is a good distance for me especially in the heat and since I’m 39 weeks and 3 days pregnant!

We had a great time and are really looking forward to many more walks on the trails when baby arrives.

How did you stay fit this weekend?

You can check out more photos from our walks at The Ethan Allen Homestead over on Naturally Family.

 

{Pregnancy Update} 39 Weeks

How far along are you: 39 Weeks! (Well really 39 weeks 1 day now)

How big is the baby:

Your baby’s waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it’s likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath. (source)

Baby’s Gender: We both are on the fence. At times I lean more towards girl and Neil is leaning more towards boy- we both are pretty clueless at this point.

Baby’s Name: We have a name for a boy and have 2 for a girl.

Weight Gained: Not positive 30 lbs?

Clothes: Pretty much only wearing dresses and the occasional tunic with leggings.

How are you feeling: This week I have been feeling a little up and down.  I started off the week really motivated getting tons of work done and I even went on a mad woman cleaning spree Monday night (Neil thought I had lost it). Tuesday I had an acupuncture appointment that went really well and it felt amazing, I was so relaxed and even took a nap! Wednesday rolled around and Neil and I were both pretty lazy and then yesterday I was just feeling a bit in a funk.  I am hoping that today I can get started off on the right foot and get some work done, a little light cleaning and relax before we head to our midwife appointment this afternoon.

What do you miss: At this point I miss cool weather (this heat is killing me), RUNNING and being able to bend over comfortably.

Symptoms: (source)

Cravings: Frozen blueberry lemonade. Tempeh Sandwiches.

How are you sleeping: Sleeping has been going alright.  We actually moved our room around a little bit to fit in the pack n’ play (where baby will sleep for the first few months) and this meant we had to move our fans around and now they are in the perfect spots for both of us so we are nice and cool at night.

Workouts: This week I went to yoga which was really wonderful, went swimming (this feels amazing) and did a lot of waddling.

Things I’m looking forward to: Meeting our baby!

Spotted: I am now writing for ERGObaby so head over and check out my Staying Fit and Eating Healthy During Pregnancy Post.

If you haven’t stop over to our family blog, Naturally Family, then head over now and Meet The Family.  This week we have been discussing my pregnancy ups and downs, touring our nursery and talking about how we chose our crib. Also don’t forget to enter the baby pool– will BabyRWT be a boy or a girl?

You can also check us out on  Facebook and Twitter.

Get Your Summer Satisfaction

As a former 9-5er I know what a challenge it can be to enjoy all that summer has to offer during the week.  However there are a number of things that you can do to enjoy the longer days and warmer nights (and not just on the weekend).

  • Join a team. Or in my case have my husband join a team so I can go to his games. Often you will find adult recreational league sports teams and even many companies have summer sports teams to play on.  In our area you can find softball, soccer and even kickball leagues for adults to participate in during the week. Neil plays softball once per week and it’s a great way for him to get out, enjoy the weather and socialize during the week (as well as stay active).

  • Run clubs. Join (or start) a summer run club.  One of the greatest things about summer is that it stays lighter out so much later which allows for running outside to be more accessible after work.  Many athletic stores, running associations and even some towns/cities have summer group runs that are after work (and some before).
  • Farmers Markets. What better way to enjoy summer than to also enjoy locally grown food? Often we think of going to weekend farmers markets but did you know that many areas also have afternoon/evening weekday farmers markets? This is the perfect opportunity to get outside, do a little shopping and enjoy summers bounty!
  • Local Studios. Check out what type of summer events are happening at your local yoga studios or Lululemon.  In our area we have one studio that offers AM yoga on a dock at the waterfront and our local Lululemon has a number of outdoor fitness events that go on (and most are free).
  • Local Events Calendar. Check out your town/cities local events calendar to find out what fun summer events are coming up for the week/month.  Often you will find outdoor movie nights, carnivals, live music, brewers festivals and so much more.  Locally we have a movie night in the park once per month in June, July and August and every Thursday night there is Summervale a fun little event down at a local cooperative farm that features local food and lots of activities.
  • Eat Outside. Take advantage of the weather by dining al fresco!  You could plan to pack up a picnic to take to a park or down by a lake after work, head out for dinner at one of your favorite restaurants or make a home cooked meal and enjoy it on your porch (patio, balcony, lawn, etc). This is as great way to really enjoy summer and to create a fun dining experience for your whole family.

 

Q: What are you favorite ways to take advantage of all that summer has to offer?

Recipe: Hoisin Vegetables and Tempeh

Hoisin Vegetables and Tempeh


This recipe is quick and easy for those days when you “just don’t have time” to cook.  In a matter of about 15-20 minutes with prep time you can have a healthy and nutritious dinner on the table that the whole family will enjoy. If you enjoy a little heat add the chilies or chili flakes. This dish is great as leftovers and works really well in a wrap for lunches.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups shredded purple or green cabbage
  • 2-3 Thai chilies or 1/4-2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 oz tempeh, diced
  • 3 T reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 t sesame oil
  • 1.5 T hoisin sauce (found in the International foods section of most grocery stores)
  • 1/2 t black pepper

Directions:
Heat the oil in wok over medium-high heat.
Add the onion, cabbage and bell pepper and immediately toss with the oil to coat.  Cook for 5 minutes then stir in the chilies, garlic and tempeh.
Add  the soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin and black pepper.  Toss to coat. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Serve with quinoa, rice or noodles.