Expectation vs. Reality

Once upon a time, there was a fitness professional princess who was ready to have a baby with her knight in shining armour Nate. She pictured the day when she found out that she was pregnant: she and her husband would hug and kiss and cry and then go to the gym and afterwards get huge salads and discuss the color of the baby's room, baby names, how to tell their friends, etc. The princess would work out every day for two hours or more like she did before, eat even healthier than imaginable to make sure that the baby got the best, most nutrient dense food possible and feel great for the next 9 months while gaining a total of 23 pounds of pure baby and extra baby-stuff.

REALITY CHECK

That was really what I thought was going to happen. I just knew that I was going to feel great, look great, eat great, and exercise great throughout my great pregnancy. Funny how things don't quite work out like we imagine, right?!

On February 22nd I took a pregnancy test...and then three more...and found out that I was indeed expecting a baby! It was very exciting. I woke up Nate with the news and there was not so much hugging and kissing and crying as there was a blank, sleepy eyed stare for a few moments followed by a "Neat!" A few hours later, when my husband had become fully awake, he was jumping for joy and hugging and kissing. I had been feeling really tired, bloated and just plain crappy for the couple weeks before that day, so we did not go to the gym and instead of going out to celebrate with a salad, we opted for First Watch, where I got pancakes, sausage and eggs, with a huge muffin on the side. It was delicious.

A few days after that, the morning sickness hit. Sidebar here...MORNING sickness? Yeah right...only if that means that it starts in the morning before continuing into an all day/night want-to-puke-fest. Nothing sounded good and exercise just seemed to make it worse. So I cut out exercise (except for 3 spinning classes and 4 yoga classes a week) and just ate whatever sounded okay to me.

Let me preface my new pregnancy "diet" by letting you in on what I normally ate each day. I was eating an equal amount of fat, carb, and protein calories a day. So tons of chicken, fish, protein shakes, nuts, and for carbs, I had a bowl of oatmeal, 1 sandwich thin and a crap-load of veggies. I stayed away from all sugar...including fruit which I would have on occasion and NEVER ate dairy.

Now, vegetables, chicken and fish make me run to the bathroom, or at the very least gag. The only foods that really make it down are macaroni and cheese, string cheese, cottage cheese, watermelon (pounds of watermelon), fruit loops, fruit leather and saltines.

I feel like I'm having an identity crisis...from super health nut, to health-what?! And I'm sure that I'm not the only woman who has ever felt like this. That's why I'm getting my Prenatal and Postpartum Exercise Design certification. I want to help women be as healthy as they can be during their pregnancies and afterwards as well. Plus, what better way to try out a program than to experience it yourself, right?!

Moving foward at 9.5 weeks...

As I have good hours or days where I feel like I can get off the couch, I have been trying to eat a more balanced diet. And really, ladies, I think that is A-okay for now. This is what I figure...pregnancy is about survival...for you and your baby. You eat what you can when you're feeling sick and vow to eat better when you are feeling great. You exercise when you are able, but if your head is in the toilet, there is no use beating yourself up for not going to your normally scheduled kickboxing class.

So here begins my journey to divulge my struggle and hopefully success of a healthy pregnancy for both my tiny baby and I. I will be providing tips and tricks that have worked for me, recipes, exercise programs and more for the prenatal and postpartum woman.

Cheers to the next 7 months (Due Date: October 28th)!