Carissa Moore

Hi mamas and friends!

Just wanted to check in and give you a little update. I'm into the second trimester and feeling like a brand new woman. Hallelujah! The nausea has pretty much disappeared (hopefully, knock knock on wood), the overwhelming sense of fatigue has for the most part subsided (I still love my naps) and my belly isn't big enough to be in the way yet. I've been feeling good enough and strong enough to get back to exercising in all the ways I love with a few modifications of course.

Movement and being active has always been my happy place. Whenever I'm feeling down or out of sorts, getting in the water, going for a walk or doing a short workout always helps to change my mood and shift my perspective. First trimester was hard on my mental state because I had to really scale back my activities. There were some days I was feeling so sick or was just so exhausted that I could only manage a 30 min walk. No matter how awful I felt, I always found even just a little movement and fresh air made the biggest difference. Now that I've got my second trimester second wind, I have a newfound appreciation for feeling good and am really trying to take advantage and make the most of every day. I know before I know it, it won't be as easy to move around with a bigger belly.

I was super inspired this week by mama and fitness instructor Mona Hanneman. I follow her on instagram as @rocamoons and she shared an awesome 30 min full body workout on YouTube. I decided to give it a go and absolutely loved it! 45 seconds of work with 15 seconds of rest between exercises, no repeats - it kept me engaged the whole time. With this workout, you can go at whatever pace you want and modify when needed. The coolest part is that Mona is doing the workout 8.5 month pregnant!! I was so motivated thinking, "if she can do it, so can I!" I really appreciate all the mamas who are trailblazing and leading the way, showing me, yes you can! Since this is my first rodeo, I have definitely aired on the side of caution and have been questioning every move. Can I do this? Will this hurt the baby? How much can I push myself? How long can I do this for? It's so reassuring to see others who have done it before and been successful. I still love the challenge of a good workout. If you do too, I highly suggest checking out Mona's YouTube page here.

For anyone who is curious, I wanted to share some of the ways I've been staying active over the last few weeks. In return, I'd love to hear what you've been up to or how you stayed healthy and happy through your pregnancy in the comments section below.  

This past week I climbed Koko Head. It's about 1,100 steps to the top of the mountain with a beautiful view of the backside of Diamond Head, Kuliouou, Niu valley, HK and Sandys as a reward. This hike is always hard but probably a little more so with my cucumber sized baby girl inside me. My time to the top was a little slower than usual but it felt glorious to get my heart rate up and feel the butt burn. 

For me there is nothing better than paddling into a few waves and feeling the power of the ocean beneath me. Right now, paddling on my belly is still very possible but I have to put a little more weight on my chest to take the pressure off of the baby. It feels like there is a small balloon in my lower abdomen and I don't want to squish it . I am riding a single fin most days with a little more volume, thanks to my shaper Matt Biolos for accommodating the extra weight gain. He is also making me a twin fin with dimensions for room to grow. I am so excited! I did a surf shoot for FCS this week at Kewalos for my new signature fin and deck pad and was nervous on how I would perform on my normal shortboard thruster. To my surprise, I kind of killed it! Felt super satisfying to lay into some carves and push a few top turns in critical sections. 

My favorite yoga studio Yoga Room Hawaii offers a zoom option to most of their classes. It is recommended by most health professionals to stay away from heated classes, saunas, and jacuzzis while pregnant to avoid "baking the baby". In all seriousness, some studies have shown that the heat can affect the growth and development of the fetus so I'm gonna pass for now. I consider it a small sacrifice to make a mini. Streaming at home still allows me to ride the energy of the class and feel like I'm a part of the fun even though I can't physically be there. I took a fabulous Power Vinyasa 2 Flow with Paula Colletti the other day. For any mamas looking for more than a restorative class or a stretch, this is a great class to build strength, find your flow and get a good sweat on.

I started doing Pilates O Kala back in 2020 during Covid. At 28 years old, I felt like it was time to pay attention to my foundational movements for longevity and injury prevention. I figure if I want to keep performing my best I have to stay ahead of things, not wait for things to go bad and then do something. I was also preparing for the Tokyo Olympics and this addition to my routine gave me some extra confidence in my preparation. As someone who prefers the fast pace, slowing down and focusing on the tiny movements can be sometimes excruciating but once I feel the "shake" and sore the next day, I know it's worth it. I've kept consistent over the years while I'm home between travels but now have the time to commit to a solid regular routine of once to twice a week. Keeping the core strong and engaged through this pregnancy is one of my fitness goals to prepare for birth and postpartum. 

It's been fun to mix it up between online classes, hikes with friends, surfing, swimming with sis, yoga, pilates and at home workouts created by my incredible long time friend and trainer, Erin Kamano. I'm thinking it might be fun to share one of our personal workouts so if you're interested please comment in the section below. I've also been loving cardio on the stationary bike. It's low impact on the joints and easy on the melons (the giant boobs I have right now). Any chance I get, I love ending the day with a walk and rinse in the ocean with my husband and pups. It's a great way for us to unwind and connect.

Speaking of, time for me to rally the troops and meet my man after work.

Much love and happy growing,

Carissa