Monique Edith Lamoureux-Morando & Jocelyne Nicole Lamoureux-Davidson are the first set of twins to ever play in the United States Women’s National Hockey team. They went on to participate in Olympics thrice: in 2010, 2014, and 2018. Team USA won silver medals in 2010 and 2014 and a gold medal in 2018, all three tournaments skating against Canada. In the gold medal game of the 2018 Winter Olympics, Jocelyne scored the game-winning goal in the first extra round of the shootout after the preliminary five rounds, and 20 minutes of overtime, were not decisive. Jocelyne’s twin sister Monique had tied the game near the end of regulation.
Monique & Jocelyne share their journey in an interview with Namita Nayyar, president Women Fitness.
Namita Nayyar
Having performed exceptionally well on your professional front, you are now going to embrace an all-new phase of your life, Motherhood. How do you feel about this one?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
As an Olympic athlete, you pretty much plan your life in four-year increments. Planning a family is included in this. For my husband and I, we pretty much waited 1-2 years to start a family, knowing we “had” to wait until after the 2018 Olympics before we started trying to get pregnant. I have always wanted to have kids, and I feel like I’m in a point in my life where I have accomplished a lot in my professional life and realized dreams that I have been working towards since I was a child, so I feel like the only thing missing in our lives is a child. We couldn’t be more excited to become parents and I couldn’t be more excited to embark on this journey with my husband, as well as my twin sister, who is due 7 weeks after me.
Namita Nayyar
Many women try to keep away from experiencing motherhood with the fear of added burden of managing their professional & personal life. What would be your advice for those who are hesitant in entering this beautiful world?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
I think it’s unfortunate that so many women feel like they have to choose between their professional career and having a family. You shouldn’t have to choose, and you should be able to do both, and you can do both. In sports, is obviously a little different. Maternity leave doesn’t start when you give birth, it starts months before, and you must be able to physically perform within a timely manner in order to continue your career. I have not met a mother yet that regrets starting their family, and I feel like the stories I’ve read and the female athletes I have talked to, having child gives them a whole new motivation to continue in their career. They want to show their children that they can do anything, they want to be an example for their kids.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
I think there is never a perfect time to start a family, but hopefully the environment that you train or work in allows for the opportunity to support you to do both. USA Hockey now provides players with maternity benefits and really gives players the option to continue to pursue their hockey career and have family if that’s what they want to do. I know that not every environment that women work in this is the case, but that’s where I think you have to look at what your goals are, what you want in life, and if you need a change that will ultimately support that.
Full Interview Continued On Next Page
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Namita Nayyar
From your busy schedule, how are you able to find out time to workout? Share five favourite exercises for pregnancy fitness?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
Right now, Jocelyne and I still try and get 5-6 workouts in a week. Our workouts are drastically different now that we are pregnant but continuing to train and stay fit through our pregnancies is a priority. If we are traveling or we know we have a busy week, we will rearrange our training in schedule and get our workouts in on the weekend if we need to, or we get in a hotel workout in. We must be flexible and adjust and adapt to our schedule, but that’s just part of the “job.”
1. Push Up Holds: Core work is important to continue during pregnancy.
2. Rope Battles: a good conditioning alternative and it burns the arms
3. Versa Climber: A great machine for conditioning but has no impact (I hate running or jogging while pregnant because I find it very uncomfortable.)
4. Any exercise on a Kaiser Machine: it allows you to use fairly heavy weight in a safe manner.
5. Squats
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
My twin sister, Monique, and I are expecting 7 weeks apart so that has definitely made it easier to have someone to train with that is in the same situation going through similar changes. But with our busy schedule we rearrange our training week to make sure we are getting the volume in that we are shooting for. If we are traveling in the middle of the week, we will get our training days in on Saturday and Sunday and shift our days off to travel days with the goal of still getting in five to six training days in each week.
Right now, my favorite exercises and machines are the ones that are most comfortable which can change depending on the day. The ones that have been most consistent for me have been:
1. Assault Bike- low impact and great for intervals and steady state work
2. Versa Climber- low impact and great for intervals
3. Squats- Using dumbbells or kettlebells.
4. Upper Body Kesier work- allows for adjustments in stances depending on what is comfortable for that day.
5. Total body circuit workouts- these have been great for cardio and still moving some weight around.
Namita Nayyar
Are there any foods that you eliminated or added to your diet which would help you stay strong during pregnancy? What about those midnight cravings?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
I normally eat vegan/vegetarian, but I have not been able to follow that during my pregnancy due to daily sickness. For whatever reason, foods with a lot of protein or fiber does not sit well with me, so I have been vomiting multiple times a day basically my whole pregnancy. I try and snack throughout the day instead of eating big meals, but I just try and eat whatever I “think” will be okay on my stomach or sounds good at the time. I love chocolate, so if I have a craving for chocolate, I will have some.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
I haven’t had any crazy cravings. I have eaten an entire jar of pickles on a couple different occasions but other than that it’s more of the timing of my appetite that has changed the most. I must remind myself to eat more frequently and also eat less in one sitting. If I eat too much in one sitting, which is an amount where I feel satisfied not full, I find I’m not hungry for hours. So, trying to figure out the timing has been the hardest part. I have had to wake up in the middle of the night and grab a midnight snack and basically whatever looks good to me in the middle of the night is what I eat. I try to keep my homemade peanut butter protein balls always on hand so that I’m snacking on something healthy.
Namita Nayyar
New mothers often have a misconception that during pregnancy they must eat for two. What are your opinions in that?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
I think this misconception is sort of comical. I had someone tell me that I was eating for two when I was 13 weeks pregnant and I needed to eat more. First, at that time, the baby is the size of a clementine. In your first trimester, it’s not recommended to take in extra calories, and by the third trimester, you are supposed to take in 450 extra calories a day, which really isn’t that much extra food to be taking in. Every woman has their own unique pregnancy, so I understand that cravings, hunger, and hormones differ for every woman, but I think it’s important that to understand guidelines and recommendations for pregnancies.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
At this point I can’t eat that much at once anyways but eating for two I think would be impossible for me, but I have also been lucky with not having crazy cravings or extreme hunger pains. Everyone is different and everyone’s body is different, but the recommendations for increasing caloric intake is not that much more even in your third trimester. The most important thing is that you are healthy, and the baby is healthy.
What that can look like from an appetite standpoint and weight gain standpoint is varies from mother to mother but understanding the healthy guidelines can help steer women in a healthier direction.
Namita Nayyar
Stretch marks are a challenge in every woman’s pregnancy. What recommendations would you like to make to help reduce them, during and post-pregnancy?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
I don’t think any woman looks forward to potentially getting stretch marks or gaining weight during pregnancy. It’s part of the process, and as an athlete, it has been an adjustment for me. I don’t love stepping on the scale and seeing the number go up each week, but I understand what my body needs to go through in order to have a healthy pregnancy, and that is what is important. As far as skin care, I am very diligent about using hydrating lotion and oils at least twice a day. I use Burt’s Bees Mama Bee belly butter and Burt’s Bees lemon and Vit. E bath and body oil. I also use Clary Collection Renew and Repair Oil. If I’m running low or run out, I will also use coconut oil. I have sensitive skin, so I stay away from fragranced lotions.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
The products I’m using right now are Clary Collection Renew and Repair and the Body Shop Cocoa Butter. I have sensitive skin, so I try to use natural oils and lotions which seem to be most effecting for me.
I think the biggest reminder we can give ourselves during pregnancy when your body is changing, your gaining weight, and maybe you start to see stretch marks is that this is all about the baby. I’m used to being so consumed about how my body is going to be able to perform and where I need to be from a weight and body composition standpoint that that mindset shift isn’t always easy. My body is no longer for me right now and that is what I tell myself. And how lucky are we to be able to feel the kicks and the baby growing. It is one of the most special gifts life has to offer and that is the only reminder I need when another set of pants don’t fit or I’m worried about stretchmarks.
Namita Nayyar
Are there any pregnancy issues like morning sickness, etc., that you would have faced and would like to share about? How were you able to get rid of them or curb them?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
I have been vomiting daily since week 7 of my pregnancy (I am at 32 weeks right now). On any given day, I’ll throw up 1-5 times. I have had maybe 7-10 days where I have not vomited throughout my pregnancy. Obviously, this isn’t ideal, but it could be worse. I have found that snacking throughout the day typically helps, but some days it doesn’t. I’m sure there are many women who can relate to this, but I’ve become skilled at vomiting in public bathrooms. I have found that I typically throw up less on the days that I train in the mornings which is helpful that I prefer and do workout most mornings.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
I have not had any morning sickness so I’m very lucky!!
Namita Nayyar
Being athletic and fit, does that help in pregnancy?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
I would say that continuing to train is obviously keeping me physically fit which will help me bounce back faster after having my baby, but I think it’s equally keeping me mentally healthy with all the changes your body experiences while being pregnant. You can continue to train safely at a high-level while being pregnant, but there are many modifications you must make. Listening to my body in whole new way has been an adjustment because it’s not about me anymore. Every day in the gym is different. Some days I feel great, and others I am uncomfortable, tired, or crampy. I make daily adjustments to my workouts based on that day. My husband has been training my sister and I for the last four years and he is training us through our pregnancies. It has been immensely helpful to have his experience and knowledge.
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
I think it does. It’s important for me to be healthy and to give my child the best chance to be healthy is taking care of myself. Most importantly though I just feel better physically and mentally if I am doing what I can to stay active, fit. Doing that will give myself the best change to bounce back quickly after pregnancy.
Namita Nayyar
Women Fitness works relentlessly to motivate women all over the world with best in health, fitness, nutrition, beauty & fashion. What do you wish to say about the website (Womenfitness.net) and a message for our readers?
Monique Lamoureux-Morando
The mental and physical benefits of staying fit during pregnancy are equally important whether you are an elite athlete, or you are just trying to be healthy. Not only do you benefit, but your baby benefits as well!
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
I think the best thing we can do for ourselves and our confidence is to make sure we designate enough time during the week to take care of ourselves. We can’t be everything we want to be for others if we don’t take care of ourselves first. It can be working out, yoga, just taking a long walk a couple times a week, but those times to refresh our minds and our bodies helps us give our best to whatever it is we desire.
Namita Nayyar
You were among the standout stars at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, winning your third Olympic medal. If given a chance to define your spectacular journey in the field of Ice Hockey, how would you define it?
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
My goal would be that no matter the success I have found in my athletic career that others would not define me by my athletic accolades. My hope is that what others see is that with this success I have used the platform as an Olympian and Olympic Champion to make the world a better place, a more equal place, and create more opportunities for young girls and women in sport and in life.
Namita Nayyar
Having performed exceptionally well on your professional front, you are now going to embrace an all-new phase of your life, Motherhood. How do you feel about this one?
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson
I’m just excited. My husband and I got married after the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the next conversation was when would we start a family. If I wasn’t aiming for another Olympics, we most likely would have only waited a year or two. My husband has sacrificed a lot for me to pursue my dreams and we have waited to start a family based on my athletic schedule. So now to be expecting in a couple months I’m just ready for the unexpected, the lack of sleep, and ever changing routine that a new child will bring. It will get me out of my type A comfort zone, but I couldn’t be more excited!
Women Fitness team Congratulates both Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson & Monique Lamoureux-Morando on giving birth to their baby. We wish them Good health & quick recovery.
All content on this site is copyright of Women Fitness and no part of any article found on this site may be reproduced without an express permission and highlighted, do follow link crediting http:// www.womenfitness.net/ or preferably the original page as the source. This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar President womenfitness.net and should not be reproduced, copied or hosted in part or full anywhere without an express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2019 Women Fitness