I realized the other day that this blog is called “Running
Funny” and rarely do I actually discuss running. The blog isn’t meant to be
solely based on exercise, rather my intent is to 1) document our lives, 2)
write because I love it, and 3) show that even though some of us do things
differently – we’re all doing our best.
Today, though, I thought I would provide a little bit of
insight into what I’ve done to stay fit during and after pregnancy. We are going
back to the roots of the blog, if you will.
Pregnancy Fitness
During pregnancy exercise was a bit simpler. In general, I
woke up at 6:15 a.m. four days a week for some form of exercise. I have access
to a bike and elliptical at the clubhouse in my condo complex, so I generally
chose one of those. When the pool opened, I swam. This was my favorite! As I
swam, my aches would leave, weight was not a problem, and I felt fantastic. I
swam for the last time on a Thursday, and by Tuesday Nixon was here. I made it
to my goal of exercising the entire pregnancy!
As far as nutrition goes, a pregnant woman needs only 100
extra calories the first trimester and 300 extra in the second and third.
Basically, I ate an extra snack a day. I tried to make sure I got enough
protein with snacks like cheese and crackers, peanut butter on toast, etc. I
ate a lot of salads – for some reason they tasted so good to me while I was
pregnant! I also made sure to take a folic acid supplement.
Following Birth
Routine
The sun has therapeutic properties and I knew that both
Nixon and I could benefit from these in the weeks following his birth. We took
a daily walk each morning beginning after his two week doctor’s appointment. I
walked gingerly, slowly, but I went. At six weeks old, I began starting each
morning with a 2-3 mile jog. In general Nixon would fall asleep by the end of
these. When the weather turned cold and my pelvic did not improve, I had to
modify. Two days a week I bundle Nixon up and we go out for a quick jog. On
other days I hit the gym at 6:15 a.m. before Tyler leaves for work or I
do P90X. For weights, I lift my son. He weighs 20 lbs. That’ll do. I feel fit
and enjoy starting each day right.
A nursing woman should eat 500 extra calories a day! I am
pretty much always starving, so that 500 extra isn’t a problem. However, eating
the right foods can be difficult. I knew when I quit working I’d need to have
more self control with a pantry attached to my office. I generally don’t buy
sweets to help with the temptation. I’ve stocked up on nuts, fruit, etc. and
eat as much of those as I fancy. When I need a treat, I eat a handful of
marshmallows (don’t judge) or I’ll airpop popcorn and add just a bit of butter
and salt. Nixon hasn’t been able to handle me consuming chocolate, which has
really helped a lot.
Since giving birth to Nixon I have lost approximately 70
lbs. I was worried. I didn’t understand why I was gaining so much weight! No
matter how healthy or how much a person exercises, I’ve learned that some
people just gain a whole lot during pregnancy or they have underlying issues,
like my preeclampsia. If I'd known that, I probably would've eaten more ice cream!
I still have a few areas I wish I could target better,
but for the most part I feel really great now. That’s the important part,
right? Exercise and not going along with the “eating for two” mentality helped
me tremendously both mentally and physically during and after pregnancy. Next
time around my goal will remain the same – stay fit the whole way through. I'm a believer!
