I feel like it was just yesterday that I was pregnant with Billy and now I am pregnant with his little brother. These two little guys will be just 22 months apart. Full on #boymom with 2 under 2...please send help! 

I really have been eager to pick back up my blog so I could share some pregnancy thoughts and tips this time around so here I am! I figured today would be a good day to do a 1st trimester recap as well because I am 17 weeks already! 

How/when I found out: December 5th! I found out super early at 4 weeks. My period was late and I just decided to take a test and sure enough there was a YES + sign! We have been blessed to get pregnant very quickly with both boys and will never take that for granted. Will was on an airplane flying to Santa Clara for work and I had to wait until he landed to call him and it seemed like the longest hour of my life. He was just as surprised and excited as I was! 

Cravings/Aversions: Give me all the carbs. Crackers, cereal, bread, chips...and a side of guac would be nice too. I haven't had any real aversions this time around. However, I went through TERRIBLE morning sickness from around 7 weeks until 13/14 weeks. I ended up getting a prescription anti-nausea medication (diclegis) which helped some, but the sickness would still come in waves throughout the day. I never threw up thankfully and was able to keep food down and was eating wheat thins and saltines on the hour. I got so lucky with Billy to not experience this. Oh my gosh, it's the worst! Now I know what everyone complains about. UGH. I thought it could be a girl because I felt so different...but I guess every pregnancy is just very different and the way your body handles the hormones. 

Workouts: I have been able to keep up my normal workouts so far! When I was feeling super sick (and TIRED - hello first trimester exhaustion is no joke especially with a toddler) I would skip out and rest. However, now that I am feeling much better and back to myself in the 2nd trimester I have been doing my home workouts (let me know if you want to join my next 3 week long challenge group that starts Monday March 12th!) and try to get to an Orange Theory workout once or twice a week to get out of the house! I definitely take it easy and watch my heart rate and don't push myself into the red zone. I try to listen to my body (despite being an incredibly competitive person!) I really want to incorporate more yoga and maybe start some prenatal yoga classes soon. I know it will help with the aches and pains that are coming...

How big is baby (aka Mom's weight gain): Around 10 lbs so far. This is one of the hardest parts of pregnancy for me! I feel like I worked so hard to lose all the baby weight and get back into shape and then it's like....here we go again! I gained about 45 lbs with Billy and would like to keep my weight gain at 35 lbs or under this time around. I think I took the "eating for two" a little bit too seriously and indulged a little bit too often while pregnant with Billy. Not that I won't treat myself from time to time this time around (especially when we go to Italy in a couple weeks!! UM hello gelato!) but I do want to keep my weight gain in check and keep it in the healthy range to avoid any complications and make my job easier postpartum! Oh, and the little babe is the size of a pomegranate this week! :) 

Symptoms: First trimester -- nausea and exhaustion like I mentioned. Now I am feeling pretty darn good! Second trimester is certainly the sweet spot! I am already peeing 10000x a day so there's that. Up at least twice a night to use the bathroom. And just last week I started getting pelvic pain which I didn't have until 3rd trimester with Billy so hopefully that subsides and doesn't continue through the pregnancy. Accupuncture seemed to helped last time around so maybe I will try that again. OH and prenatal massages are my best friend! I've only had 1 so far but plan to definitely treat myself to a few of those again. Worth every penny. 

Next Appointment: 20 week anatomy scan on Friday March 23rd! Cannot wait! We haven't seen the baby since the 13 week scan when we found out it was another boy so hopefully they confirm that for us and we get to see his little face again! I started feeling flutters around the same time as with Billy (15/16 weeks) but they are not consistent yet. I'm looking forward to feeling stronger kicks soon! ​
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I am thrilled to introduce you to Tessa Middour on this fine Friday! I met Tessa at FlyWheel in Dupont when I took her barre class. I didn't realize FlyWheel had anything but spin classes at first, but their barre class is insane (in a good way)! I've taken a TON of barre classes at different studios, but this particular class is on another level. (See my awkward post-class selfie here).  FlyBarre is a more athletic version of traditional barre and Tessa will kick your booty. I came to find out she is also a personal trainer and has her own health coaching business called Monarq. She basically embodies all things health, fitness, and…um hello flexibility!!! 

​ELLEBEING:  First off Tessa…you are one fit chick! Excited to have you on ElleBeing. Tell us a little about yourself.

​TESSA:  I'm a local DC gal and grew up in Alexandria, VA. I graduated from Virginia Tech with a business degree, and I worked in media for several years before deciding I just didn't have it in me to sit at a desk for 8+ hours a day anymore. I'd make coworkers get down on the floor with me to stretch and do pushups. So while it was definitely a little scary to walk away from the comfort of being employed by a big company, I think everyone was in agreement that it was the right move!  I grew up dancing competitively, so being active was always a big part of my life. I stopped dancing when I went to college and began practicing yoga which felt like a very natural extension. I completed a 200-hour Vinyasa yoga teacher training at Down Dog Yoga in Georgetown, and everything basically took off from there. Shortly thereafter I trained to teach Pilates and barre. I taught yoga for a few years, and now teach FlyBarre at Flywheel Sports in Dupont (which is how we met!).

ELLEBEING: Your class seriously left me sore for days!  Tell us about your company Monarq. 

​TESSA: Nutrition and fitness are absolutely my passions, and so I launched Monarq at the beginning of 2015 after completing health coaching and personal training certifications.  I actually feel like I was made to do this, which while cheesy, is actually pretty damn cool. Monarq offers programs and services rooted in nutrition, fitness and stress management that ultimately influence a healthy, more balanced lifestyle. Health is so individualized, so it's important to me that everyone I work with is receiving a customized program with goals that are specific yet attainable and relevant. That being said, I've held seminars at companies and schools and taught barre on Good Morning Washington--so I also love being able to share general principles of wellness with large groups of people.

ELLEBEING: What does a typical day of eating look like for you? 

​TESSA:  Day to day it varies depending on my schedule. I'm usually up around 5 a.m., so without fail, my morning always starts with a cup or two of black coffee. Breakfast is usually a piece of fruit and eggs with spinach and avocado. For lunch, I make soup a lot this time of year. I basically just throw what I have on hand in a pot and call it a day. Some sort of whole grain like quinoa or barley, beans, lean protein, chicken broth and wilted greens is usually a standby combination and packed with nutrients. The best part is you can prepare a big batch and eat it throughout the week. Dinner is almost always vegetables and some sort of lean protein like fish or baked chicken. I try to eat produce that is in season, so I'm making a lot of squash right now and really enjoying fall spices like nutmeg, sage and cloves. I love to cook, so I do typically prepare most meals at home. But, if I'm out and about I'll grab a salad from Sweetgreen or Glen's Garden Market. Really no food is "off limits" to me, but I do try more often than not to make good decisions about eating foods that are nutrient-dense.

ELLEBEING:  I love soups this time of year too! I just posted recipes for a black bean pumpkin chili and cauliflower soup. Try them out and let me know what you think :) How many days a week do you work out? ​

Pamela Lessard is a personal trainer, obstacle race athlete, group exercise instructor and one fit mama to her daughter, Haley. I mean, look at those shoulders! She's a trainer at Washington Sports Club in Arlington, Virginia and teaches kettlebells, obstacle race conditioning, bootcamp and UXF Circuit training. Staying fit in both mind and body is her philosophy and I'm SO excited to share with you how she does it in my first ElleBeing interview! You can find out more about Pamela's personal training here. 

ELLEBEING: Pamela, you are in such awesome shape! Tell us a little about yourself. How did you get into fitness and personal training? 

PAMELA:  I left my job as a director of communications after realizing how unhappy I was in that job. I didn't want another stressful desk job so I decided to follow my passion...fitness.  I've always been an athlete and wanted to share my knowledge and passion.  Also, it's very hard to have a full time job and be a mom if you truly want to have a solid connection with your child.  But studying to be a personal trainer and passing the exam is no joke. This has been my most rewarding job ever. ​

ELLEBEING: How often do you recommend to your clients to work out? 

PAMELA: I think people should move their bodies every day. That doesn't mean do a hard core workout every day, though. Some days are just meant for walking or taking the stairs. But a solid workout that incorporates weights and gets your heart rate up is necessary at least three days a week. 

ELLEBEING: Good to know -- three days is manageable! What are the best exercises to burn fat and tone up? 

PAMELA: People make the mistake of only running or getting on an elliptical. Weights burn more calories and build lean muscle mass. 

ELLEBEING: I am guilty of this mistake. I am always trying to remember to incorporate more weights! How heavy should the weights be without bulking up? 

PAMELA: It's hard for a woman to bulk up unless she's taking a lot of supplements AND lifting very heavy.  I encourage my female clients to try to use heavier weights than they are used to. You're not going to get a lot of definition with 5 pound weights. If women use 10, 12, 15 and even 20 pound weights, they'll notice some subtle definition and nice curves. 

ELLEBEING: What sort of diet do you follow or recommend? 

PAMELA: I've never dieted in my life, but I've always eaten clean and healthy. I'm a big proponent of the Mediterranean diet. Think lots of whole foods, fruits and vegetables, complex carbs, and lean protein like fish, chicken and turkey. 

ELLEBEING:  What's your favorite pre and post workout snack? 

PAMELA: It depends on what time of the day I workout. Before a race I need something gentle like oatmeal and fruit. After working out, a good mix of carbs and protein is key. I like plant based protein powders. 

ELLEBEING: Me too! I love PlantFusion and usually buy it on Amazon to get it cheaper than Whole Foods. I am going to share a smoothie bowl with this stuff ASAP.  Okay, what's your favorite splurge?! 

PAMELA: Wine :) 

ELLEBEING: Me too. With dark chocolate of course. Cheers! Thanks for the interview, Pamela!