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It’s been a minute since I’ve done a 3-2-1 post, so here goes!

Today we’ve got 3 pregnancy updates, 2 posts to check out, and 1 metaphor to think about!

3 Pregnancy Updates

Update 1: Things are starting to get a littleeee uncomfortable!

I’m just about 35 weeks now, baby is getting bigger by the day, and there’s just not that much room in there for her to move anymore! She’s kicking, punching, rolling, pushing her head into my bladder, and all those fun things! On the one hand, it’s still cool to feel her move all over the place, and reassure me that she’s okay in there, and on the other hand, WOAH those moves can feel intense sometimes!

34 weeks and 5 days! Yesterday it was nice enough to workout outside and let the bump get some sun…. today, it’s snowing… that’s New England for ya.

I’m also pretty tired, and get tired way more quickly these days. Luckily, I really enjoy resting and not doing much, so having to do a little more of that is not really a problem for me. However, feeling very tired, and also having some pregnancy-related insomnia/it becoming more challenging to find comfortable positions (see below) isn’t an awesome combination. (Yes, I know sleep will also be tricky when she gets here…)

Anyway, these days I’m trying to keep myself moving and preparing for her arrival by getting some extra foods/meals in the freezer. I’m still getting 4-5 workouts in per week, and walking at least 5 days per week, too. Feeling okay with all of that, and playing things by ear based on how I feel!

5 more weeks still feels like a long time and short time all at once…

Note: I feel like there are some complaints here, and I don’t mean to sound ungrateful or as if I’m not enjoying this process, but this whole pregnancy thing can also be a lot at times.

Update 2: Her room is finished!

Originally we weren’t going to turn the second bedroom into a nursery just yet… and then we did. And then we weren’t going to make it too girly… and then we kinda did that too. That may have been my influence, but I’m super happy with how it turned out, and love that the babe will have her own space, even if she won’t actually sleep in there right away.

I don’t know how easy it is to see things in these photos, but take a look if you want:

There are still a few odds and ends we need, but for the most part, we’re ready for her… but she can also stay in there for a while longer ; )

Update 3: I might be over-researching?

Last night, I was laying in bed wide awake at 11pm with an achy pain on my side, unable to get comfortable enough to actually fall asleep. Instead of breathing and trying to relax, I started to get a little panicky and felt the need to do some googling and make sure this wasn’t some sign that something was really wrong.

I’m pretty good about not picking up my phone again after I lay down to go to sleep… you know, blue light keeps you awake and all… but I couldn’t help myself last night.

Is this pain a sign of labor? Preeclampsia? Some other thing I don’t even know about?

Was my blood pressure too high? Can my heart rate data from my data tracker watch thingy indicate anything about blood pressure? (Turns out, No.)

After a good few minutes of searching and reading, I decided that it didn’t seem like an emergency of any kind, and that if I was still experiencing pain in the morning I’d call my doctor.

It took a while to calm down and find a comfortable enough spot to try to sleep, but after some time, we did it. And I woke up without any pain, and just feeling a little silly for having panicked.

Like so much else in life, there’s a balance between learning and researching, and driving yourself crazy about it. I absolutely want to be safe with all of this, but also stay as level-headed as possible. Generally speaking, I’ve done okay throughout this pregnancy, but last night was a different experience. Anyway, I’ll keep an eye on it, and will manage my research appropriately!

2 Posts To Check Out

I know I’ve posted about at least one of these accounts before, but I really liked the perspectives shared around these two posts, so here we are.

Post 1: Andy Does Healthy breaks down a claim that our bodies don’t know how to digest cookies

In sharing this, I want to acknowledge that I totally understand why some people make super polarizing and controversial posts like this on social media (along the same lines as Carnivore MD, or the Liver King, etc.)… it drives up their viewership and helps promote whatever they’re selling.

However, some of the “information” that people put out there is just bogus and not rooted in fact, which is why I enjoy posts like this one from @andydoeshealthy.

Also, get outta here talking shit about Crumbl Cookies… we recently discovered one of their stores about 15 minutes away and have since been a few times… those cookies are GOOD!

Post 2: EC Synkowski from Optimize Me Nutrition offering a perspective on food volume compared to calories

The point of this post is not about calories, per se. But it is about understanding the difference in food volume you can get from different food choices.

Sometimes we think we’re making constructive choices for our goals, when, in reality, we still might be eating more/fewer calories than we need. Equally, when we are trying to lose weight, understanding food volume is important. You can literally eat more less-processed food than you can eat of highly-processed foods for the same amount of calories. This post SHOWS the difference.

With this being said, if you’ve been following me for any time, you know that I believe all foods fit, which includes those that are more highly-processed sometimes. To this point, and as I believe this post shows, it’s all about UNDERSTANDING our food choices and HOW they fit for us and our goals.

1 Metaphor to Consider

Sometimes when we commit to a food plan we do so in an all-or-nothing fashion and this can be tough for fitting it into REAL LIFE. So, I wanted to think about how to connect a healthy level of commitment to a food plan… and came up with this comparison to growing a garden.

A healthy commitment to a food plan is like tending to a garden.
Just as a gardener needs to carefully plant, water, and nurture their garden to help it thrive, a person committed to a food plan must invest time, effort, and patience to see results.
At first, it may seem like a daunting task, with potential for obstacles and challenges along the way. We may also need to be flexible with the process and make adjustments to our layout, plans, and timelines as we go. But with consistent attention and care, the seeds of healthy habits grow and flourish, and over time, the garden begins to grow. In the same way, a healthy commitment to a food plan requires diligence and persistence, but the rewards can be plentiful: improved health, increased energy, and a renewed sense of well-being.
Like a well-tended garden, a healthy food plan can provide a bountiful harvest of benefits that nourish both body and soul.

Does this connection work?! What do you think of it? Agree? Disagree? Too simplistic? Let me know your thoughts in the comments, or send me an email at sara@nutritionforlifeproject.com!

As always, thank you for reading!
xoxo,
Sara

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The Nutrition For Life Project Blog

3-2-1: 3 Pregnancy Updates, 2 Posts to Check…