We’ve got something to tell you…

If it wasn’t obvious from my baby green smoothie picture, I’m happy to let our wonderful Conscious Cleanse community know that I’m pregnant!

My husband, Adam, and I are so thrilled to be expecting our first baby in September later this year.

Not only is being pregnant, an exciting milestone in my life, but it’s another opportunity for me to learn about my body on a different level. I’ve definitely tested a few boundaries and played with my limits, through the nausea and all.

After being a green smoothie guzzler and green juice lover for years, I was shocked to realize that during my first trimester, raw veggies, green smoothies and my beloved juices made me wanna barf!

I’ve found that being pregnant has required me to tweak my expectations a bit and to learn to listen to my body on a whole different level.

After going through the ringer with my health for so many years, I had found a way of eating and living that has made me feel vibrant beyond my expectations. So as you can imagine, it has been a bit unnerving to play within a new set of guidelines. In the beginning, I floundered a bit, with judgmental thoughts like, “You’re not drinking a green smoothie, but that’s what you tell everyone on your program to do!”

But like the coaching I give our cleansers on their journey to vibrant health, I went back to the question that has guided me through all of my healing journeys, “What Can I Do”. And just like that, my perspective changed. Suddenly the world opened up to what as possible for me.

“What can I do” has been my mantra during this pregnancy.

It took me a little trial and error, but ultimately I found ways to be healthy and feel vibrant with this little one growing inside my belly.

Instead having a smoothie for breakfast, I opted for Chia Seed Pudding or the occasional gluten-free oats. Instead of my usually salad for lunch, I steamed or stir fried veggies. After being a meat eater my entire life, meat has suddenly become less appealing, so I’ve come up with new and delicious plant-based recipes, like the Spicy Black Bean Burger. To get my vitamins and minerals, I’ve also started to play with bone and veggie broths, which are power-packed with nutrients.

I’ve found a new rhythm of what works for body right now and the good news is that my smoothies have recently become more appealing!

As with anything in life, the only thing that is constant is change, so I know I can expect another new adventure when the baby arrives, both with my food choices and my blueprint for vibrant health.

For now, I’ll continue to ask myself daily, “what can I do?”, as it keeps me focusing on what’s working rather than the places I could start to judge myself and fall short.

If you’ve been struggling with any self-imposed rules or limits about your health, I’d love to ask you the same question. How can you focus on what you can do rather than what you can’t do?

I’ll keep everyone posted as we get closer to the due date and you might even see a few healthy pregnancy summer treats on the blog. Probably ones that involve staying cool. Frozen fruit popsicles perhaps? Yum!

If you’ve got any suggestions of tasty cooling treats I can make this summer, please let me know in the comments sections below.

Feeling full of love and gratitude,