Have you ever had an exercise or nutrition question and not been sure who to ask? Have you ever typed a fitness question into a Google search and gotten conflicting or one-size-fits-all generic answers?

Purchase my DVD or schedule a fitness and nutrition consultation and have a direct line to ask me any fitness or nutrition questions!

Wouldn’t it be great to have the direct line to a fitness professional who could answer your exercise and nutrition questions? If your answer is YES, then keep reading!

For a limited time, I am offering to be the “Personal Trainer in Your Back Pocket” if you purchase my Fitness DVD ($14.99) or schedule a one-time Fitness and Nutrition Consultation (I conduct most consults via FaceTime, Skype, or Phone). Also for a limited time, a portion of the proceeds will go to a charity benefiting the victims of the Boston Marathon tragedy this past week.

Check out a sneak peek of my Fitness DVD.

One of the best parts about my job is getting the opportunity to meet new clients! I enclosed my business cards in the DVD pre-orders, and I have gotten several great questions via email from ladies that I have never met. So far, they have some great questions about both exercise and nutrition, and they have really appreciated hearing answers back from me almost immediately.

I have also been enjoying some fun one-time fitness and nutrition consults. Most women come to me after doing a good bit of research on their own, and often, they have been frustrated or confused by misinformation or generic answers that they find on the web. The important thing to remember is this: every woman is different. There is no one-size-fits-all nutrition or fitness plan. I am able to tailor a fitness and/or nutrition plan per individual after an hour-long consult and food intake analysis. In most cases, I keep in touch with these women and are able to answer questions down the line as well as they transition into different life stages. SO GREAT!

I would absolutely LOVE to meet you and help you reach your fitness goals! Let me know if you have any questions at all!

Pregnancy weight gain continues to be a hot topic that I receive questions about regularly from pregnant clients and/or visitors to my site. First, an update on my own pregnancy weight gain, and then some answers to my most commonly asked questions.

27 weeks pregnant with Emma (left) and Baby Boy (right). Can you tell a difference?

I am nearly 27 weeks pregnant with Baby Boy, and I have gained roughly 16.5 lbs. I am right on track to gain a healthy 25 lbs this pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Emma, my pregnancy weight gain capped off at 28 lbs, however, I was slightly under-weight prior to conceiving Emma, so I had a little ground to make up in the first trimester.

Here are some frequently asked questions regarding pregnancy weight gain:

Q: If I lose weight in the first trimester because of nausea and sickness, should I track my pregnancy weight gain from the lowest weight I was during pregnancy, or the weight  I started at pre-pregnancy?

• A: I would track pregnancy weight gain from your starting weight prior to pregnancy.

Q: What if I am not gaining 1 lb per week like my doctor recommends? (more or less)

• A: The 1 lb per week pregnancy weight gain rule of thumb is too generic, and misunderstood. Technically, 1 lb per week would put you at a 40 lb weight gain, which in most cases, is too much. Some weeks you will gain more than 1 lb (especially in the second trimester), and some weeks you will gain less. I tend to gain 3-5 lbs in the first trimester, around one pound per week in the second trimester (give or take 1 lb), and then level off in the third only gaining a few lbs.

Q: How to I prevent excess pregnancy weight gain?

• A: Eat healthy and exercise regularly. If you are maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, and a fit pregnancy, your body will take care of the rest. Don’t stress over pregnancy weight gain if you are sure that you are living healthy and doing what is best for your body and your baby.

Q: Can I safely lose weight during pregnancy?

• A: I get this question from women who got pregnant prior to committing to a healthy lifestyle. I always wish that I was able to train these women before they started trying to get pregnant, because the absolute best time to get fit and commit to a healthy diet is pre-pregnancy. NO, do not try to lose weight during pregnancy. However, if you are overweight or obese prior to pregnancy, you will likely gain less weight during pregnancy versus an average or underweight woman if you are eating healthy and exercising (closer to 18-25 versus 25-40).

Do you have any questions of your own about pregnancy weight gain? If so, fill out the form below.

A 5k run in my first trimester fueled by pickles.

Before I even had a positive HPT (home pregnancy test), I was dreaming about New York bagels smothered in butter. The bagel craving has only happened to me once before, and it was when I was pregnant with Emma. My symptoms and cravings hit much earlier this pregnancy. Did your cravings happen earlier in your second pregnancy?

The worst part of this pregnancy so far, besides getting my blood drawn every 48 hours to check my hormone levels, is that I have no appetite for my “usual” foods. I have always suffered from a pretty strong sweet tooth. When I was pregnant with Emma, all I wanted was ice cream, candy, and sweets. Luckily, I found a lot of healthy options that would satisfy my craving.

However, this pregnancy is already MUCH different! I have felt more nauseous, and I only have an appetite for salty foods. Eggs are my new “go-to” breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I ate 5 dill pickles so far today, and they were delightful. I also had some tortilla chips with salsa. Usually, I could care less about chips and I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a whole dill pickle!

I am almost 100% positive that this baby is a boy! I feel soooooo much different than I did with Emma, and I just “know.” Were you that way with your pregnancies? I didn’t even brainstorm boy names with Emma because I knew she was a girl. I had even started picking out her nursery decorations before we went in for the anatomy ultrasound.

So, my big challenge right now is finding salty foods that are healthy! All of my usual foods are sweet, and I can hardly stand the thought of them right now. Bummer! Any good ideas for me?