pregnancy

Baby Ramsey is Born!

This past Friday, April 3rd, I finally gave birth to my son Ramsey Peterson at 8:48 PM.  It was a long and very exciting day which I can easily call the best day of my life.  Having a baby for a week now has made me think about the stages of my life that I have been through so far.  Granted that the stage I am entering is motherhood, I still feel very young (only being 25) and not too much different than I did when I was in middle school and high school writing down my running goals.

When I was writing my goals down back then, I never would have thought as far out as having a baby, however it may not have been a bad idea.  If I had not been healthy through my teens as a serious athlete, I may not be in this wonderful phase of my life of motherhood.  Eating to fuel our sports helps us keep a regular menstrual cycle which then lets us absorb all of the calcium which makes out bones strong.  If our eating doesn’t match your energy output, then our menstrual cycles may stop and our bones will weaken and having babies in the future may become more difficult.

Eating healthily and plentiful is the key to young athletes success for competition and also for our lives.  Having baby Ramsey was a far better victory than any of the races I have won in the past.  If it weren’t for good health and my eyes on the future when I was younger, I may not have been blessed with such a beautiful chapter that life offers us.  Always keep life goals in mind when making athletic ones and be sure they go hand and hand to optimize your health and happiness to last your life.

Nutrition tip of the day:  Replace those coffees and lattes with steamed milk.  I find myself wanting a nice hot cup of coffee in the afternoon to go along with some sort of snack.  Lastly however I have switched my cup of coffee for a nice cup of steamed milk.  Drinking too much coffee and caffeine can strip our bones of calcium if we drink too much.  By switching to steamed milk, you can still stop at your favorite coffee shop and enjoy a nice hot beverage, but this one will be full of wonderful nutrition for your body and bones!

Fuel Your Sport!

Since I have been pregnant, running really hasn’t been too hard until the past few weeks.  As I near my due date and my belly gets bigger my runs have been shorter and slower (if they happen at all).  As I take more time away from the sport, I miss it more and more everyday.  Obviously the exciting preparation for a little baby boy has been my distraction, but I am anxious to transition out of pregnancy mode and hit the trails full speed again.

This made me realize how much pleasure my sport brings to me.  Without training I feel like I am missing an important part of my day, and without competing I am itching to get back out there and rub elbows with my competitors.

My excuse for taking some downtime is both healthy and exciting which is why is isn’t that hard as an athlete and very manageable.  Other reasons that to take athletes away from their sports may not be as healthy and exciting however.  Stress fractures, strains from overuse, feeling burnt out and helpless by the time a season winds down– these are reasons that some athletes face when they are forced to take a break from their sport.

All of these situations can be avoided by giving your body the proper nutrition.   Making sure you are fueled before you compete and getting those calories back in within a half hour the competition or workout is crucial for recovery.  As athletes we ask so much from our bodies and keeping them fueled is all they want in return.  My advice is to back down when you feel the training is going overboard and always go for second helpings at the dinner table.

Sometimes you don’t realize how much you love your sport until you take a break from it.  Do all you can to stay healthy so you don’t let overuse and poor nutrition hold you back.  Your energy and nutrition are what will keep you in your game and your body and bones strong and ready to go!

Nutrition tip of the week:  Eat your green veggies!  When I was in high school I didn’t realize how important dark leafy greens were.  Foods like spinach, kale, swish chard and all other veggies with dark green colors are full of calcium!  I used to think that if I had some iceberg lettuce with some dressing on it I got my veggies for the day.  Not at all! There is hardly any nutrition on that at all!  Sauteed spinach or a salad rich with dark green colors with added nuts and cheese are much better options than iceberg.  Dark leafy greens will keep you performing at your best and help your bones stay strong!

 Scroll to top