A Prenatal Workout [VIDEO]

Here are Sakara HQ, we have babies on the mind.

With Sakara co-founder Danielle DuBoise nearing the end of her pregnancy, it’s been hard not to excitedly anticipate the arrival of her sweet baby girl - our newest, and sure-to-be cutest, Sakaralite.

One of our very favorite mama- and fitness-inspirations, Melissa Wood, also happens to be expecting, so the two wellness-minded women sat down to chat about the good, the challenging, and the hilarious (hello hot dog cravings!) aspects of pregnancy, sharing with us some of the wisdom + insights they’ve picked up along the way.

Melissa also curated a gentle, strengthening pre-natal yoga class, designed specifically for expecting mothers and safe for all trimesters.

What has been your go-to form of movement throughout pregnancy?

Melissa: The workouts that have really nourished me during this pregnancy are my own workouts, and I say that humbly because I did many things before. I keep my workouts really short + simple (limiting to about 20 minutes), and have noticed that slowing down has helped so much.

Danielle: My go-to workout, especially as of late, has been walking. Pregnancy has allowed me to release the pressure of “working out,” and I’m just really mindful that I move every day.

What have you found to be the most challenging aspect of pregnancy?

M: Everyone always says how physically hard pregnancy is, but honestly for me it’s been much more mentally challenging. I’ve had such a mental struggle this pregnancy and I’m working on really leaning into that.

D: Same here! The physical aspect of pregnancy has its struggles, but it’s been emotionally challenging more than anything else. All of the unknowns can sometimes pile up - When will she come? What will she be like? What will the birth be like? Sometimes you have moments where it just feels like way too many unknowns.

Any favorite pregnancy resources?

M: I love Randy Zinn - her blog, Beyond Mom, and book have been incredible resources throughout this second pregnancy. And my sisters.

D: Someone once told me that the women who enter into your life while you’re pregnant are exceptionally special, so I would say community has been my biggest resource during this journey. Places like Hey Mama and Carriage Birth House, where you have the opportunity to connect with other mothers and form that sense of community + support.

Your top tip for staying active throughout pregnancy:

M: My secret to staying fit and just feeling really good in your mind + your body, is to carve out 20 minutes for movement, whenever you can fit it in. Even in such a short amount of time, you can truly feel like a different person afterwards.

Your top tip for maintaining a nutrient-rich diet throughout pregnancy:

D: Be gentle with yourself - if you’re craving a bagel, eat a bagel. My main focus was making sure I still got all my greens. So if I felt like I needed an onion bagel with butter (which is how I felt often…), then I made sure to still include a side salad with spinach. More than anything, you have to soften + surrender and learn not to judge yourself.

What was your weirdest pregnancy craving?

D: I had two cravings - onion bagels with ghee and watermelon. At one point I was blending up watermelon with lime like seven times every day.

M: My weirdest pregnancy craving (that I didn’t want to admit for a while because I’m plant-based) was hot dogs. I ultimately didn’t go for it [laughs], but it definitely was a craving.