Primal in Hawaii - Eating and Working Out

We just got back from a much-needed 10 day vacation in Hawaii. I was truly amazed at how easy it is to eat the right things out there! They are very lucky to have the resources so many of us struggle to find.
Since our return, I have become very interested in poached eggs. There was many a time we were at a restaurant and I was looking at the breakfast choices and desperately wished I could have eggs benedict, but I know that butter is a main ingredient of hollandaise. We did cook breakfast for ourselves once or twice in the house that our friend rented and I did have the opportunity to poach my own eggs. I realized I am quite good at it! Since we have been home, it is the only way I cook my eggs now. I even made a version of hollandaise using lard and bacon grease instead of butter.

So, now my breakfast has become 2 poached eggs, 1 piece of bacon and wilted spinach. It seems like such a little change, but as I said before... I love my eggs! Vitamins are always a must and we definitely stocked up for the road.

Working Out
We definitely kept active while out of town. Of course all of our local friends know about off-the-beaten-path hikes and sights. We also managed to log some days at local CrossFit gyms. While in Maui, we visited Lahaina CrossFit where I did a 20 minute workout involving push-presses, toes-to-bar and double-unders (probably the last time I can comfortably get my toes up to the bar). I got to try stand-up paddle boarding, which at first I was afraid to do... but all the more reason to force myself. Snorkeling proved to be quite a workout and provided us with some up-close experiences with huge fish and sea turtles. We also had a great hike that involved scaling down a cliff on a rope to some hidden pools. Tons of fun!

My 16 wks picture

Eating
 As I mentioned before, we ate really well. Maui Cattle Company is a locally raised brand of grass-fed beef and despite the fact that we were surrounded by some of the freshest fish in the world, my baby was craving burgers all the time. Below is one of those burgers we had for lunch with some coleslaw and next to that is an amazing brunch we had with an oyster and bacon omelette, side of fruit and side of lamb sausage which we could not resist!

Another amazing place where we had lunch was the Paia Fish Market. Definitely the best fish on the island as far as simplicity and freshness! Not your typical fancy sit-down restaurant, you order at the counter from a choice of fresh fish that day and sit at big communal style tables. I was truly jealous of the fish sandwiches I saw around me. I really do enjoy a good piece of battered fish on a squishy bun with tartar sauce and slaw. I was still pleased with my meal foregoing the bun and batter. We had blackened Opah on a huge bed of coleslaw since the other two side options were rice and fries (we may have overdone the amount of coleslaw consumed on this trip).
Not my pic below, but check out that piece of fish and fish tacos in the background (I wouldn't torture you with an image of their famous fish sandwich). I would have eaten there every day if it wasn't 30 minutes away.

http://www.funtouristattractions.com/a/paia-fish-market-maui-usa/1919

 Once we got back we needed to restock the fridge. On a trip to Trader Joe's I discovered something wonderful! I don't know if it is a seasonal product, a new product or just something that has been there all along and I didn't notice until now. I'm talking about Ruby Red Chai. It is made with organic, caffeine-free, red rooibos tea leaves and all the other important chai spice flavors.
Just when I was wanting a hot beverage to warm me on a rainy day (usually would've been coffee or hot cocoa) I found the absolute perfect pregnancy, caffeine-free coffee alternative! I am now drinking chai lattés.

Yes, I'm a Libra... Oct. 7th

To make this chai latte I use So Delicious sugar-free coconut milk. I boil the water and steep the teabag then add an equal amount of pre-warmed coconut milk, a drop of vanilla extract, a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon and sweeten with stevia to taste. It sounds like a lot of work, but it's worth it until I can get back to coffee. I also may use 2 teabags if I plan on filling my huge mug to the brim. I am definitely gonna stock up on this stuff for iced versions in the future.

Tonight I am making hot and sour soup with Kelp noodles. I was feeling a little like I caught a cold on my way home and like to make this soup because I feel like the vinegar and spice kicks up my immune system and clears my head. I am actually feeling much better than I expected today, but am going ahead with these dinner plans just in case my husband starts to get a little something.

Primal and Pregnant Travel Part 1

Back to my usual Cholula doused breakfast. Ahhhhh.... so perfect and easy! Two of the highest quality eggs, some avocado slices and a piece of pastured bacon are the best way to start my day. Honestly, it was a little tough today. I'm not sure what to attribute it to. I woke up at around 5 am and felt like I could start my day, but tried to fall back to sleep. It took a little while but I managed and woke up again with my alarm at 8:30. I was in and out of sleep for about another half-hour and had to sit myself up and drink some water at around 9. That usually does the trick, but not this time. Instead of heading down to cook breakfast I thought a shower might help me wake up. I was very sluggish and didn't get out of the house until 10:30 when I had planned on being at the gym before 10. It could be a result of the progression of my pregnancy, the time fluctuations between NYC and Las Vegas or, most probably, caused by my lack of specific nutrients and somewhat poor eating during the past week's vacation.

Travel Eating
   For two mornings I ate at the Canyon Ranch Grill in the Palazzo or the Venetian (it seems they are part of the same resort?). This was the closest walking-distance restaurant that offered organic eggs and other organic ingredients. The first morning I had a 3 egg omelette with all of the veggies offered, organic chicken sausage and no cheese. Instead of the potatoes on the side, I had sliced tomatoes and it also came with a nice side of fruit. The second time I went I felt guilty about assuming the sausage was grain-free, so I asked the waiter and told him to include all of the veggies that were organic in the omelette. It turns out that the sausage was gluten-(and hopefully all other grain)-free, however the only veggie that was organic was the spinach (out of a list of about 6 different ingredients). When in doubt, ask. Sometimes you just don't want to be a pain in the butt, but it's your health, your food and your money.
   Please also note I brought all my vitamins as well as extra fish oil and probiotics to supplement the lesser quality meals I consumed.
   The first day for lunch we had Carnegie Deli corned beef and pastrami and I ate the leftovers the next day for lunch. Again, this is not the best quality meat but better than eating a loaf of bread. *Sidenote- while just typing the words "loaf of bread" I remembered that my sister and I used to take a piece of bread, butter it and sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar as our grandmother had made for us one time. Just thinking about it spiked a huge craving for butter, bread and sugar.......end sidenote.*
   We had a late night meal from Chipotle which contains meat that is antibiotic and hormone free. This is a decent "go to" option if you are left with little else. I had the bowl with veggies, steak, pico, tomatoes, onions, lettuce and guacamole. You have to tell them right away that you want no rice and beans because otherwise they will just start slapping that shit in there.
   The second night we went to Margaritaville, the restaurant located in the "Jimmy Buffett" portion of the Flamingo. Disgustingly disappointing. I asked the waiter which of their 3 fish options was wild and after checking with the chef he told me all 3 were farmed. Luckily I had texted my husband to find out which of my options was the best and he got back to me after I had already ordered blackened mahi-mahi. He said that it was impossible to farm mahi-mahi. Excellent instinct on my part and clearly the employees of this place were retarded. That's not even the best part. My waiter brought me my blackened fish with my substitute side-salad and the rice I had substituted it for, leaving my steamed veggies nowhere to be found. When I pointed this out to the waiter he said he would bring me a side of steamed veggies and then proceeded to hand me a small dish of green beans! Ummmm..... beans are legumes, not veggies and I don't eat those. Thanks for making me waste rice and beans, your time, my time and my money. The moral of this meal is: Don't eat at a place where the service staff AND the chef may possibly know nothing about food.
   The third morning I went to Hash House a Go-Go. This place is ridiculous and I wanted everything on their menu. Cinnamon rolls sliced and fried up like french toast..... WHAT???!
I opted for a scramble with a side of their griddled mashed potatoes (instead of the fried in canola home-fries). I was aware that this was a meal of low quality ingredients but a step or two above the aforementioned cinnadream. After tasting both the eggs and potatoes I realized that they, despite their deliciousness, they both most likely contained dairy- milk in the eggs and buttered potatoes. Whoops.
This was not a very well executed choice in hindsight. Next time I would probably order eggs over-medium so that I know there is nothing mixed in, and some other substitute for potatoes. It is unfortunate that this place is "twisted farm-food" that does not really have any farm fresh options.
   The last night I had the most amazing scallops drizzled with basil oil and placed on a scoop of ratatouille. I was thrilled. The veggies were most likely not organic, but the scallops were the best meal I had eaten while on vacation. Excellent meal at Mon Amie Gambi in the Paris Paris casino.
   If I had a car and friends that were willing to drive to more options, this would have been an easier trip. I did the best I could without trying to seem a "high-maintenance" eater, which apparently I failed at. Oh well. I'm trying to grow the healthiest baby I know how and that should trump all.

To make up for all the greens I missed out on during the week, I had a big salad with organic lettuce, pea-shoots, arugula, tuna, onions and tomatoes. It was very refreshing.
For dinner we had italian sausage from our CSA and peppers with a side of caesar salad.

Working Out and More Questions

Breakfast this morning was made by my husband. It consisted of 2 eggs, the last piece of breakfast sausage, some butternut squash "homefries" and sauteed kale. I had the usual vitamins (fish oil, prenatal, vitamin D) and a ginger tea and lemonade "arnold palmer" to drink.

Working Out
Today's WOD:

Today was a scheduled rest day. In preparation for my crossfit level 1 certification next weekend, I wanted to do Fran.

21 - 15 - 9

Thrusters
Pull-ups

Rx 65 lbs.

I did 45 lbs. and used a band for the pull-ups.
My time was 8:27

More Questions
Q: What is the transition, or transitioning? This is a term I continually saw in the homebirthing forum I've been reading.
A: Amazing! I really like the definition on this site. It is basically the "rock bottom" of labor. When a woman feels like giving up or the loss of control, she has transitioned. It sounds like it is the hardest part of labor. I like this reminder: "At this point, it is the job of her coach or labor partner to assist her into various positions in an attempt to find the one that will keep her most comfortable." This is the point of no return. It's more inspiring to me than scary.


Q: What is the deal with hypnobirth?
A: I read this post on hypnobirthing last night. It is a means of using the subconscious mind to get through labor instead of the conscious in order to lessen the pain. It teaches proper relaxation which is key in letting the body do what it is supposed to more effectively. It sounds like it is quite an involved process of classes and homework but quite possibly worth it. I think I may look into it. My first thought though is- does this make the mother more "out of it" during the process? If so, doesn't that negate the purpose of a homebirth or one of them?
I will have to learn more about it to assess it properly but I feel like I could just practice deep relaxation and not have to bother with paying anyone.


Q: How long do I have until I shouldn't fly anymore?
A: I've always heard that the last trimester is off limits for a pregnant woman to fly. This website says a carrying mother can fly up until week 36. Then I did the math on that one and thought... Whaaaat? Isn't that 9 months? Yes it is. Apparently the due date is calculated at 40 weeks or 10 months. Am I the only one who feels stupid for not knowing these things? This is why I ask questions, especially because my math skills are sub par. So, if you are having a NORMAL pregnancy, you can run the risk of travel as late as 1 month before you are due. If there are other things going on, why risk it? I was a late baby. I was 3 whole weeks late (and 1 oz shy of 11 lbs. might I add...). So, I'm banking on that timing for myself. I still would not travel that close to my due date. Especially when that's got to be major nest prep time.

That's all the questions for today.

Lunch was leftover salmon from last night and salad.
For dinner we ate caesar salad and those steak burgers we got from La Cense beef. They were delicious. I really like the flavor in that blend of meat.

The CrossFit Games are on all weekend and I may not get anywhere near the computer. See you next time.