workout Wednesday: exercising for two

You've all seen my favorite For Two Fitness tanks - first as a fun way to announce the pregnancy, and then as a comparison of 17 and 27-week belly sizes (and below I've added it at 37 weeks as well!). I like this company and their gear so much I'm working with them as a fit mom ambassador - and today am featured on their blog with a post about essentials for exercising for two.

I wrote this post around 32 weeks, so things have changed a bit now that I'm less than a week from my due date - though I still have been at spinning class this week. I might be a teeny bit crazy at this point, but I'm proud of the workout routine I've been able to (safely) keep up this late into pregnancy. Here are some workout essentials I've found and some thoughts about exercising for two:

1. long, stretchy tops | 2. bottoms with wide waistbands | 3. wrist ID band | 4. BPA-free water bottle | 5. belly support band

As a lady with a vigorous exercise routine, I was definitely going to be a pregnant lady with one too. I think this is really important, but as I get further along, I'm starting to be of two minds. I love keeping up my routine because it's a part of being me, and because I think it's really helped me avoid some of the unpleasant pregnancy tiredness, hormones, backaches, etc.

Third trimester, though, is forcing an attitude change as this bump has become more cumbersome, the weather got much more hot and humid, and I'm just a bit more worn out than expected. It hasn't been easy to accept that I have limitations, but finally I'm forced to really listen to my body and take it easy when I'm just not feeling it - and to be okay with that. I'm starting to think lounging on the couch is more and more acceptable...

Head over to For Two Fitness's blog to read more about my essential pregnancy workout gear, as well as that attitude shift I had to figure out - changing my goals from exercising in order to be the fittest me, to keeping myself feeling energetic throughout pregnancy and being strong for bringing this baby into the world and taking care of him after!

Here are my For Two Fitness tanks at 17, 27, and 37 weeks - these photos are kind of amusing because I know in all of them I'm looking down and commenting to Peter about the size of my belly... not quite realizing that was hardly a belly at the time...