21 Weeks



Excuse the awkward bathroom selfie ;)



How far along are you? Today I am officially 21 weeks! Past the halfway mark, whoop-whoop!!!

How I’m feeling: Overall, I am feeling great. These last few days I have been extra tired and REAL hungry, but overall I am feeling good. I am still running and working out and I think that is helping me feel better this go-around. I recently purchased a belly sports bra that I am going to test out tonight! With all my running my belly has been starting to bounce around a lot and I need something to support it.

Total weight gain: 7 pounds. Although, with my appetite lately I feel that number is going to go up a little faster than it has been!

How big is baby? According to the ultrasound last Friday, SHE (!!!!!!) is 11 oz or the size of a large carrot. Just a little bean…. I mean, carrot. haha

Maternity clothes: I am starting to wear a few maternity shirts and leggings a bit more often, but I can still wear my jeans comfortably. My belly seems to be a little higher than it was last time so I am hoping I can get away with not having to wear maternity jeans too long.

Sleep: Ahhh sleep. I feel like I can never get enough. I still miss naps and I still am not a morning person. When I do sleep, it’s amazing…. No issues there!

Best moment this week: Finding out our baby is a girl!!! J You can check out the reveal here.

  

Movement: Baby girl was really active during our ultrasound - lots of kicking, rolling and hands all over the place. I feel her kick quite a bit now and mostly at night.

Food cravings: Anything sweet. PB&J’s all day, every day would be amazing… but really, that is nothing new.

Food aversions: So far, nothing! I have been picking up certain smells a bit more though. I was walking through the stairwell at work and the smell shot me back to 2^nd grade at Lincoln Elementary…super weird.

Belly button in or out: It really wants to come out. My belly button ring is pushed out and my belly button is pretty much even with the rest of my belly at this point. I do not want an outie.

What I Miss: Wine still.

What I’m looking forward to: The holidays. It will be the last holiday season we spend as a family of 3. I am excited but also kind of sad in that KB is growing up. Looking at him now and trying to picture a newborn is crazy. My hormones are outta control right now and thinking about him being a big brother has made me cry like a million times. Time sure does fly.

Milestone: Other than finding out the gender, there haven’t really been any other milestones lately. We are trying to get KB to realize he is going to have a baby sister but he still doesn’t quite get it.

Until next time.....PEACE OUT!! 

Why Shakeology?

I got serious about my health when I started coaching last March. As you may have read, I started coaching by purchasing the Les Mills Pump challenge pack (Les Mills Pump program + 30 days’ worth of Shakeology).  At the time, I didn’t really give much thought about Shakeology because I just wanted to be a coach (I signed up to coach by ordering a challenge pack) and have the Les Mills Pump program; so to me, it didn’t really matter either way that this also included the shakes. I wasn’t a shake person. I was not about to drink my meals every day (I REALLY like food) and initially thought they would be a waste of money. I had no idea what these shakes even were made of and I figured if anything, I would give them a shot for a month and never touch the stuff afterwards.

When my program arrived in the mail I was PUMPED (pun intended) to start my work out routine! I took all the contents out of the box (DVDs, nutrition guide, barbell, weights, etc.) and there it was…. the box of Shakeology packets. I decided to try a variety pack of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. I pretty much brushed that box to the side and went about setting up my weights for my first Pump work out. After my first work out I noticed there was a little commercial talking about Shakeology and the benefits, how good it was for you, blah blah blah, and figured I might as well give it a shot. I needed something to eat after my work out anyway, so why not give it a whirl. I had no idea what I was doing when it came to making shakes, so I just mixed my chocolate packet with water and started chugging. My first initial thought was that it didn’t taste that bad and actually tasted kind of good. I drank it pretty fast and afterwards felt pretty good. I felt replenished from my work out and didn’t feel the need to snack on anything more. That was a win for me because I am typically starving after a work-out.

The first few days of drinking Shakeology I didn’t really notice much of a difference in how I felt, other than that I wasn’t as hungry between meals. I was using the shakes as a mid-morning snack or afternoon snack because I was also eating clean and they came in handy when I was craving something sweet. At that point I was just happy they were keeping me from buying peanut M&Ms from the vending machine at work. By day 4 I really started to notice my energy levels increasing and just overall felt good. I can’t really explain it. I just felt healthier. So I continued drinking them daily… mostly as snacks but would also have them as a quick breakfast some days. They are just so easy to put together when you are in a time crunch. By the end of the 30 days I was hooked. My hair looked better, my skin was clearer, and overall I just felt great. Better than I had in a really long time. I knew they were a big reason I felt that way and knew that I didn’t want to stop drinking them. So, I ordered another 30 day supply and have every single month since.

You are probably thinking “that’s great and all, but are these shakes really worth the money?”  I actually get asked that all the time and the answer is “YES!” If someone is eating healthy and looking to make a meal, generally that meal will cost anywhere between $4 and $7. The price for Shakeology breaks down to $4/day. That is the price of a grande-sized drink at Starbucks or a meal at McDonalds but is WAY healthier for you and doesn’t leave you feeling guilty afterwards! Shakeology can replace any meal you would like because it’s nutrient-dense and includes 70 different fruits and veggies (whole foods), fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, prebiotics, probiotics, and protein. It’s basically a super-charged multi-vitamin. Some benefits that come from drinking Shakeology are clearer skin, weight loss, healthier hair and nails, increased energy levels, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugar, reduced junk food cravings, and helps aid in digestion….to name a few. J

**Click here for more info on Shakeology.

I know weight-loss is a big interest for a lot of people, ESPECIALLY with New Year’s right around the corner. I personally know Shakeology helped me shed 15 pounds by reducing my junk food cravings and helping me stay on track with my clean eating. I know these shakes will come in handy as I detox myself from all the pumpkin pie, cookies, cakes, etc. this holiday season!

If you have questions about Shakeology or want to try it out yourself, feel free to comment below or shoot me an email at devonladu@gmail.com. My next health and fitness challenge group starts today with another one starting on December 1^st!

Happy Monday!

Unpacking the pounds for the holidays

As a health and fitness coach, I help people stay active and healthy by running private, online accountability challenge groups through Facebook. In my groups, we focus on clean eating and working out for 30-60 days. By providing accountability, motivation, support and nutritional guidance for the 30-60 days, I have found that my challengers are able to create a habit that will carry on long after the challenge ends; and if not, they jump into a new challenge.  

Starting an exercise routine and healthy diet is hard… especially when you have never done it before. Even those that have done this before, but maybe recently fell off the wagon and need a jump-start; have a hard time getting back to it. Life gets busy….especially as we get older….with jobs, kids, activities, every day errands and duties, holidays, sports, etc. It’s so easy to put ourselves on the back-burner during these times. And where are we supposed to fit in a work out? How are we supposed to pay for a gym membership? It can be HARD to figure this out on your own and to find the support to do so.

The beauty of my challenge groups is that everything is figured out for you. I get that it’s hard to get started on your own so I want to make it as easy as possible for you! Generally the work outs we do are around 30 minutes long and do not require any equipment AND can be done in your home. That makes working out non-negotiable because EVERYONE can spare 30 minutes in their day. Whether they are waking up 30 minutes earlier or getting it in after the kids go to bed, it can be done! As far as meal plans - we provide those too! We have grocery lists, weekly plans and meal ideas. I really believe that once you have a plan, you will not fail. And that is why the group is helpful. We will teach you how to plan out your meals each week so that you are set up for success. This also takes the guess-work out of what meals to make during the week when you are already busy enough!

In my last few challenge groups I have seen my challengers get AMAZING results! That is what keeps me going and makes these groups so fun to run! One of my ladies lost 9 pounds in 3 weeks and 2 other ladies each lost 12 inches off their body! I think one of my favorite messages I have received was that my challenger, who is diabetic, went for her regular check-up with her doctor and was told her blood sugar levels are the lowest they have ever been!  How awesome is that!!??! I have had so many people comment on how they have found confidence again and energy they have never had, just by adding in a work out and eating clean. It can change your life in so many ways!

If you are looking for a place to start your weight loss journey, or a place that will help you get back on track with your health, then maybe one of my challenge groups would be the perfect solution for you. If you want more information or have any questions, please add me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/devon.hardel. I would love to learn more about you and to see if my challenge group would be the right fit for you! My next challenge starts on November 17^th!

The holidays are fast approaching and I know how easy it is to say you will start after the New Year. But that is over a month and a half away! That’s a month and a half that you could be starting your own fitness journey and getting that far ahead of the game! Can you imagine ending the holiday season and rocking that NYE dress? Going into the New Year weighing less than you do now? Don’t put yourself on the back-burner this holiday season and give yourself the best gift of all - HEALTH.

My plan for November

First off, can you believe it’s already November!!?!? As much as I am dreading the cold moving in, I am actually pretty happy that the holidays are coming up. I love Christmas and now that KB is a little older he will understand and hopefully be excited about it too! Also, the holidays always speed up the days so that should make the next couple months of my pregnancy fly! As grateful as I am to be pregnant, I am just not one that REALLY enjoys being pregnant. I just really like the final product. J

I have had some people ask me what my plan is when it comes to working out and eating healthy now that I am knocked up, so I figured I would share that with you here. It really isn’t much different than if I wasn’t pregnant, but I will be modifying a few things the further I get along. I have been doing the Les Mills Pump program since last March, and after I initially completed 1 round of the program (90 days), I decided that I would still incorporate the work-outs 2-3 times a week. I got amazing results from that program and it really opened my eyes to how beneficial strength training is, so I didn’t want to completely stop. The great thing about that program is that you are not using heavy weights but instead doing a lot of reps. Because of the lower weights, I can keep these work-outs going while pregnant. The work-outs are generally 30-45 minutes long (depending on which one you choose) and include lunges, squats, chest presses, bicep/tricep work, and ab work. I just skip the ab work-outs for now because, preggo. 

You may have already seen this if you follow me on Instagram @devonladu

Other than my Pump work-outs, I plan to run throughout my pregnancy. I love running and always feel great after I get in a few miles. It’s a nice stress reliever and I sweat buckets when I do it…so it’s kind of like a cleanse (or at least that is what I tell myself). J I started a “100 miles in 30 Days” challenge on Facebook where I am asking everyone who joins to run or walk 100 miles in the month of November. I kicked off my challenge on the 2^nd and ran 5 miles.  

I was actually pretty impressed with that because I haven’t run more than 4 miles since before I got pregnant. Seriously, all the strength training has done wonders for my endurance and has given me a lot more strength in my legs. Hopefully I can keep up the running gig this month without getting too uncomfortable with my big ole belly. I came across a pregnancy sports bra that helps support the bellies of active moms so I will be looking into that. When I was pregnant with KB I stopped running around 5 months because my belly was bouncing around too much! Here is my typical work-out schedule for the week this month:

                *MONDAY: 30 minutes of PUMP, Run 4 miles

                *TUESDAY: Run 5 miles

                *WEDNESDAY: 30 minutes of PUMP, run 4 miles

                *THURSDAY: Run 5 miles

                *FRIDAY: 30 minutes of PUMP, run 4 miles

                *SATURDAY: 45 minutes of PUMP, run 2 miles

                *SUNDAY: REST

If I can at least keep up the running for this month, I will end the 30 days at 101 miles. That is going to be my main focus so if there are days I don’t get a Pump work-out in, I will be okay with that.

Now onto nutrition….This is something I struggle with and have always struggled with. I was doing pretty good before I got pregnant, but have definitely splurged more lately. I still eat pretty clean 70-80% of the time, which is a far cry from eating mini donuts every morning like I did when I was pregnant with KB! I gained 45 pounds with him and do not plan to do that again! Shooting for 25-30 this time around. I know nutrition is the most important part so I am really trying to do better this time. I am focusing on getting 100 oz of water in per day, eating 5 meals and containing myself when it comes to sweets. I typically eat a lot of yogurt, fruit, chicken, fish, rice, veggies, PEANUT BUTTER, and nuts. Peanut butter has definitely been my weakness lately. Especially since KB could live off of PB&J's and I am constantly making them for him…..

So, that’s my plan! I am feeling really good so far this pregnancy and I really think it’s because I have kept up my work-outs. It helps me sleep better, feel better, and overall I have more energy. Yes, I still have days where I just want to curl up on the couch and not move, but I have a 2 year old and that’s just not going to happen.

Now, I will leave you with some pics from Halloween. KB was the cutest little elephant I have ever seen! :)

All the boys!

 

Happy Motivation Monday!