Most of you probably do not know this, but in the past 4 years I have lost a BUNCH of weight. It was so gradual because it really was an entire lifestyle change. I feel that whole journey is a story that I would
love to share with you all in another post, but for today....I'd like to focus on what it is like getting motivated with a bun in the oven.
Needless to say, I've gained a lot of the weight back I've lost over the years since I am now pregnant. This is obviously to be expected. (No really...it's in the "What To Expect" book...it's a thing I swear!)
I really struggled with this, and it wasn't because I gave up OR that I was dead set on not "getting fat". It was tough finding a new balance of nutrition, and exercise while things were changing so rapidly! How do you change and adjust to an entirely new lifestyle when your body is literally changing by the second? Trust me, that is how it feels!
After adapting to a new lifestyle, where I FINALLY figured out what worked for me...it was time to adapt to a brand new one. Where do I even begin? With all of the queasiness and exhaustion during that first (and a good part of the second) trimester, I could barely get myself going.
I'm not making excuses, I will flat out admit I made a ton of mistakes - especially in the beginning. Never in a million years did I think I would fall prey to the "I'm eating for two" mentality. I had my moments, believe me. There was an entire week of eating fast food, specifically McDonalds cheeseburgers! Let's also not forget about all of those spoonfuls of Nutella (it's what heaven is like, I'm convinced). When people would ask me what I was craving, I wouldn't really have an answer because the truth was that deep inside I knew I was just using pregnancy as an excuse. Trust me, I wanted those cheeseburgers...I just didn't HAVE to have them.
As far as exercise goes, I went from working out and running at least 4-5 times per week to barely doing anything. I would lift light weights every so often, and try out some prenatal yoga here and there. I ran a 5K in March, somehow that was supposed to sustain me the rest of the pregnancy? "It's ok...I ran a 5k months ago!" There was just no structure, or routine...it all finally started to drive me crazy.
The real rude awakening came after a visit to the doctor where *according to his scale* I had gained 8 lbs. since the last visit. Now, my scale didn't reflect anything that extreme...and I still say the nurse is a little quick when she is charting my info...BUT regardless of all of my excuses, he seemed a little concerned that I was going off track. That combined with the possibility for gestational diabetes (turns out I'm fine), was just the fire under my butt that I needed!
Bit by bit, I started changing my mindset. I can't just throw in the towel, I need to get back into things and be healthy for me AND of course Baby Girl! I plan on being a fit mom, so why would I stop now? As the school year started coming to an end, my brain started to clear. It was time to finally find my new balance and get back into a healthier lifestyle! I've been reading up a lot on prenatal fitness, as well as nutrition. My trips to the gym are MUCH more frequent. I've been walking a lot with the incline up, jogging just a little bit, using the elliptical, and doing intervals at home that I've modified to be less intense. Just like anything else, getting started is the hardest part.
Now in the nutrition department I still have my slip ups every so often, but I'm trying to be more mindful and make better choices. The problem is that I'm hungry ALL the time, that sure requires a lot of willpower! Every morning I start off with a good breakfast, those bowls of frosted flakes are MUCH fewer and far between, trust me! I've also been working on portion control, and snacking healthy throughout the day. For dinner, I've been working healthier meals back into the menu...baby steps!
Obviously, I am feeling SO much better! Don't get me wrong, I was by no means depressed or miserable at any point. I'm sure if you know me, or have been following my blog it is apparent that I've been enjoying this time, and soaking up every second! In terms of total weight gain, I've remained fairly "textbook" as my doctor likes to tell me (besides the 8 lb. incident). The point is that deep down inside, I knew that I wasn't making the best choices for me! It is still a work in progress, but it feels good to be on the right track! Wish me luck, I'll be keeping you all posted! If you have any tips on how you managed balancing a new healthy lifestyle while pregnant, please let me know!
XO!
