Superfruit Motherhood with Anna Marie @fitnreformed

Today we’re featuring Anna Marie @fitnreformed; she’s an expecting Virginia based triathlete, fitness lover, and mother! We’re so excited to share a bit into her Superfruit Motherhood, about how she maintains an active lifestyle and eats well while chasing a toddler and being 18 weeks pregnant! There’s a lot of great bits about Annas story and we hope it encourages any moms or expecting mothers out there! There’s also a yummy Pregnancy Superfruit Acai Bowl recipe she whipped up for you to enjoy too! Read on, below.

I’m a reformed wild child addicted to cardio, health, wellness and happiness. On top of all that, I’m also pregnant with my second child (18 weeks and feeling great!) but still continuing to lead a fit and fulfilled life. How do I do it? Some say I’m hard headed, others say I’m dedicated. I’ll take either really, as long as it’s keeping that drive alive inside me to stay on a positive path of all around health.

With this being my second pregnancy, I know from my first one what I don’t want to end up doing. The first time around I barely worked out. Barely ever worked up a sweat. I was afraid to, maybe something might happen to the baby. I also allowed myself to eat what ever I wanted (to a point but a very far away point). If I was craving ice cream, I would indulge. Brownies, muffins, chocolates, milk shakes, you name it, I wanted and had it all. I literally ate worse while pregnant then while not pregnant. There are so many misconceptions about needing to eat for two and not over heating or over exerting. So many no, no. no’s!

But not this time. Now I know what I can put my body through and how to properly nourish it after hard goes and easy plays. I didn’t, however, just get off the couch and start working out when I found out I was pregnant this time. It starts way before you ever get that positive test result. I was/am an avid runner averaging 25–30 miles a week. I swim on average once or twice a week and I picked up road cycling about 5 months ago. All the makings for a triathlon, which I was now inevitably training for. I ended up signing up for my first triathlon (it was mid May) before I even found out I was pregnant.

Then the news hit me, I was pregnant! I was excited of course but I had this big race. I wanted to go out hard for my first tri. I wanted to hang with the top girls, be at the lead of the pack (hopefully). But now, it was about maintaining and being safe during all aspects of all my workouts. No more speed training, at all! Time to take it easy on those hills. Get that breathing mellowed out and under control. No more foot races or personal bests. That’s a pretty touch cookie to swallow for anyone who consider themselves an athlete.

So my first triathlon, which I ran with my mom on mothers day, was indeed a success. But not in the way I had seen it being a success just 4 months earlier. I finished, I maintained, and I wasn’t even last. I didn’t drown, didn’t fall off my bike and the transitions were less of an obstacle as I had anticipated. With my first triathlon under my belt I am now moving into my second trimester, I’m still maintaining my aerobic ability though. I’ll run until I can’t anymore, bike inside for safety and of course I’ll still be swimming as it’s getting warmer out and the water just feels so good during all stages of pregnancy.

To stay this active, you need to fuel your body. The right nutritional foods are what can keep you going all day, and with a toddler, I have no luxury of just working out and napping. So I eat lots of little snacks throughout the day. So. Much. Fruit. It’s pretty much the best option because there are so many options. Each fruit offers something unique that any one fruit just never gets old to me. Which is why I love acai bowls so much. It’s blended fruit topped with more fruit! How could you possibly go wrong with that? Exactly, you can’t!

Lately I’m topping my bowls with what I like to call, pregnancy superfruits. Yes it’s true, some fruits are better then others during pregnancy because they fill your body with the important nutrients that a woman needs to maintain a healthy body for growing a baby. Below I’ll share a recipe topped with some hard hitters that give moms to be all the vitamins, iron, energy, protein, calcium, potassium, etc. I mean the list could go on for days!

For other moms out there who are struggling to reach for healthy foods and make good choices about your diet I say this, find something you love. If you love fruit, then stock up on it. When you have it readily available, you’re more apt to indulge in the sweet (healthy) treat instead of say, potato chips. And with acai bowls, the combinations of blended base and toppings are truly endless. So let it reflect your taste and background. Make it your own and dare to enjoy one every day. You’re only pregnant for 9 months, such a short time, so why not indulge in something that is both healing and nourishing!

Anna Marie
Alexandria, Va
@fitnreformed

Pregnancy Superfruit Acai Bowl

BLENDED BASE
I packet Tambor Acai
Handful frozen blueberries
Half frozen Banana
Water (Because I’m a purist) can be substituted out for any liquid you prefer, milks, fresh juices…

TOPPINGS
Granola [ your favorite ]
Pomegranate Seeds
Blueberries
Banana
Kiwi
Strawberries
Hemp Hearts
Honey Drizzled all over