Be Well With Lex

Pregnancy doesn’t have to mean a pause to your fitness journey.

As a personal trainer in her first pregnancy, these are the pregnancy workout changes we’re making so far 💪🏼

👉🏼 Rep scheme/intensity - no more low rep sets (sticking to at least 8) and keeping my RPE away from 9-10 (especially on larger compound lifts)

👉🏼 Changing positions vs. completely removing an exercise I love (ie hip thrusts because we’re not trying to get a mom butt over here 😉)

👉🏼 Adding more pelvic floor & deep core exercises. AND being more intentional about how I’m engaging these during movement

👉🏼 Breathing through exercises - no more holding our breath and bracing

👉🏼 adding exercises to not only help with body changes, but also to prep the body for carrying 👶🏼 !

Save if you’re pregnant or send to your active pregnant friend ✨

I see so many hyper fixate on the scale, which ends up becoming a mental block to progress and taking steps towards a bigger picture - healthier metabolic health, better *body composition*, better mental health, and a better relationship with food, movement, and your body.

There’s a time and place where weight matters depending on the client, but the scale doesn’t tell you the whole picture. What really matters?

👉🏼 fat mass vs. muscle mass
👉🏼 the story your lab values are telling us
👉🏼 your mental health
👉🏼 your energy levels throughout the day
👉🏼 how you’re able to manage stress
👉🏼 your digestion
👉🏼 sleep quality/quantity

I like to remind my clients that muscle weights more than fat, SO when aiming for body recompositjon (fat loss with muscle gain), the scale might not move much. That doesn’t mean changes aren’t happening. This is why paying attention to other cues - strength improvements, how clothes are fitting, energy levels, digestion, sleep, etc are such great ways to measure progress.

You are so much more than the number on the scale, and so is your health.

The wellness industry is notorious for making consumers think what they need is a fancy new diet or new supplement. Why? Because the boring basics don’t grab your attention. Although these foundations aren’t “sexy” they need to be established before any of the ‘extras’ are tried. You can’t out-supplement bad lifestyle habits, just like you can’t out-exercise a bad diet.

So meet the boring basics:

1. Nutrition - eat a variety of lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Limit your alcohol, sugar, and red meat. Eat mostly whole foods.

2. Move your body - resistance train at least 2 days a week, get some cardio in, find what you enjoy.

3. Get 7-9 hours of sleep.

4. Drink more water. Women need ~9-11 cups a day. This varies based on factors like size, activity, and weather.

5. Reduce stress. Slow down. Reconnect with things that light you up.

I remember when I tried the whole wait until the afternoon to eat 🫠 I was tired but wired (hello anxiety), felt out of control around food come noon and on, and was always thinking about food especially sugar.

Bringing in more consistency with food - eating soon after waking, and not going longer than 5 hours with a meal or snack - stabilized my blood sugar and removed the constant food thoughts, removed hanger, and gave me more stable energy.

When we’re thinking about blood sugar…

A more stable blood sugar response should look like a kids roller coaster - predictable with rhythmic rises and falls, not the scary roller coaster the has random peaks and significant drops. We achieve the kiddie roller coaster by eating every 3-5 hours. Boring and predictable = stable energy, stable hormones, less food noise, more control.

Think about breakfast being the meal that grounds you into your day.

You can hit your macros and still have a diet that’s lacking in key nutrients.

Macros are the foundation, but they don’t account for things like fiber, micronutrients, polyphenols, and gut-supportive foods.

If you want to support your hormones, digestion, and overall health…

what you eat matters just as much as how much.

If you’re dealing with constant exhaustion, it’s not in your head, your system just needs support.

Save or send to a friend who’s been dealing with constant fatigue and hasn’t gotten any answers 😴

There are so many benefits to cardio — but I still see an overemphasis on it, especially HIIT-style classes, in women who feel frustrated that their bodies aren’t responding the way they want.

And yet… they’re hesitant to change things out of fear.

Remember ladies - muscle is what gives you definition AKA “tone”

More muscle also boosts your metabolism by increasing your resting metabolic rate — meaning you burn more calories at rest. How cool is that?

Cardio can support fat loss, but strength training is what builds muscle AND supports fat loss in a sustainable way.

And this isn’t just about appearance, it’s about health and longevity. More muscle helps stabilize blood sugar, prevents age related sarcopenia (muscle wasting), and strengthens bone.

There are so many reasons women love classes — the community, showing up and not having to think, the feeling of efficiency. I get it. Community matters. And if you love it, that’s amazing.

BUT if you’re feeling stuck or like your routine isn’t working anymore… it might be time to shift. This isn’t “do more” but a shift with more intention.

Send to a friend who might need to hear this, and leave a comment if this resonates 💪🏼🤍