Hello Hello!
If you don’t follow me on social media or haven’t read the last few posts that I wrote, I want to let you know – I am a new mom to a sweet boy named Parker. He’s 5 and a half months old and just so precious! I’ve been a bit busy, to say the least but lately have been itching to start blogging again. I have so much to share that my head wants to explode. Gone are the foggy creative days of pregnancy lol
A few weeks back I posted a pic of me on my Instagram that talked a bit about my relationship with fitness.
I love working out and sweating. Actually I love being active all day. If I sit too much or don’t move around I feel off. I need that movement to get my system going. When I was pregnant I went to the gym most days of the week. The gym became a place I could go to move, feel energized and to relax. I know it sounds contradictory, but all I felt like doing in early pregnancy was curling up in a ball on the couch (which I also did)!
I have this little trick I use when I feel like not going to the gym.
I go for 15 minutes and if after 15 minutes I want to lay on the gym’s rubber mat I go home. I can tell you that in all the years I’ve had this out, I’ve used it maybe 2 times!
Back to my pregnancy workouts…
My workouts at the time were one day weights, one day some type of cardio. I worked out as hard as my body would allow but I didn’t push beyond my limits. I listened to my body (key). I basically kept up with my pre pregnancy workouts because I felt great doing them. All the resources I consulted said to keep doing what you are doing until you needed a change. I didn’t change much until the last 3 weeks of my pregnancy where I lowered my weight on dead lifts. Working out in my first trimester actually helped me with nausea, feeling energized, clearing some of my brain fog and getting me out in a social environment. A lot of women cheered me on while pregnant with not much fear mongering. I loved it!
Anxiety and working out while pregnant
I have to be honest, I was a bit anxious being pregnant (as i’m sure all first time moms are!). I didn’t want to have to stop working out at 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 months because I pulled something or just wasn’t physically able to move. Well, I worked out until the day before I gave birth at 40 weeks! I listened to my body and I was dead lifting, squatting, and lifting all kinds of weights until the end. For some reason I could move so well in the gym (less clothing helped!). Walking in snow at 40 weeks preggo in February is another story though 😉
My modus operandi for working out:
I have always admired fit moms and pregnant women who work out. I see them as beautiful, strong, empowered, determined and unfazed by the general perception that pregnancy is an illness. I love how they take care of their bodies and I knew that was the pregnancy and motherhood I wanted. I worked on it everyday because it was important to me to be healthy for my unborn child. To give him the best start I could by being the healthiest mom I could! This was my mantra along with build a strong home for your baby, be strong and energized to give birth naturally and be strong to carry your baby without aches or pains. Pregnancy and now motherhood has asked me to be strong (physically, mentally, emotionally) but also vulnerable. I believe one cannot happen without the other. In order to expose our most intimate self we require courage and strength.
I saw the pregnancy I wanted and focused on it.
Like any great athlete, I focussed on succeeding at the feat at hand. They say for birth you create a preference not a plan. I did just that but all the preferences I wanted happened. I gave birth at home without medication – it was intense and relatively quick. I recovered using natural remedies without any pain killers. My body truly was magical and has bounced back. Sometimes I wonder if I even gave birth. I have no real reminders (no stretch marks, extra skin) except for my larger breasts (I’m breastfeeding). Our bodies are amazing and I have seen that if we treat it right (nutrition, sleep, love) it will give us great returns.
Of course eating well and nourishing my body were key to sustaining my workouts. I ate nutrient rich foods, supplemented with extra fats and vitamins and drank water like a mo fo.
In my next post I’ll elaborate a bit more on how working out has saved me in the postpartum period!
Please share this article with any pregnant ladies out there that are in need of motivation and inspiration to work out while pregnant. Honestly it has been one of the greatest things I’ve done to help me feel healthy and empowered and I want the same for other moms-to-be!
Are you a new mom or mom to be? Did you stay fit during your pregnancy? Please share your experience in the comments and let me know if you have any questions!
To healthy mamas,
Michelle
holistic nutritionist.
