'Mom' doesn't have to mean Moo-Moo
Weight gain in pregnancy is inevitable. If you are used to being fit, the walk by a window and seeing your reflection with a bump can be quite a shock. Reminding yourself that you have a human growing inside of you becomes a daily reminder as clothes that used to slide on get to your hips and won't budge. I had just started marathon training in April and was so excited it was nice out and I could start my long runs off the dreaded treadmill. I was confused when my weight shot up 5 pounds, than another 5 pounds. I felt bloated, lethargic and constantly hungry. I attributed it to adding in all the extra miles and told myself gaining 10 pounds in two months is not normal, especially for me. My thyroid must have gone crazy....I was always borderline hypo. I had no idea where all this weight was coming from! Once I had figured out what was going on I had gained 15 pounds. I was offically fluffy. On my 5'6 frame an extra 15 pounds was a lot and I could feel it with every step. 'You are pregnant its ok' my friends and family assured me to which I responded 'It is the size of a golf ball it does not weigh 15lbs' or 'my ass and thighs aren't pregnant so why are THEY getting bigger'. I could hear every woman's voice who walked in the studio door the first time 'I was so fit until I became pregnant.' I thought I was going to gain 5 pounds every month for 9 months. I did not yet have a bump, I just looked like I had eaten a big brunch buffet and getting dressed was pretty miserable. I was used to having my flat stomach and worked really hard for it. Than the morning sickness started and all I could keep down was saltines and peanut butter. from week 9-16 I was not be able to even look at protein. I told my Doctor I wanted a bread sandwich. Carbs? If they were around they were in my mouth and they were the only thing staying down. I was sick every day, by the time I woke up to the nights I woke up at 2am to throw up only to go back to bed still feeling sick. I was jumping off my spin bike to run to the bathroom, brush my teeth and jump back on to finish teaching class. It was like being hungover to the extreme and being on the worst rollercoaster ride at the same time. Carbs were my best friend. By 12 weeks I had gained the 15 and the doctor told me she was going to write down in my chart that I started off heavier than I did so that I would not be red flagged for too much weight gain. That was a crappy moment. I wore as loose clothing as I could and was miserable.
Than, around week 15/16 just like all the books said it would be, it was gone. I wanted grilled chicken and a salad. Steak and green beans. My healthy taste buds were back and I haven't gained a pound since the first trimester. Still up 15 but now a lot of it actually is baby and I am happiest wearing fitted cotton dresses and showing off my bump. Most people eat better when they find out they are pregnant. My body wasn't used to the carbs and high fat so it put that weight right on in the beginning but now I am stable instead of gaining 1-2lbs a week like most women do in their second trimester. My appetite has really kicked in so I am sure I will be gaining again soon but I am ok with it. It takes a while to appreciate what is going on inside your body and if you are not eating crap and are putting on weight, well than I guess your body needs it. If you are in the beginning stages and are as miserable as I was, dealing with thoughts like I had and wondering how you could possibly be gaining so much weight when you aren't eating cupcakes every day, hang in there. The moo-moos will be trashed and you will feel confident again when you are visibly pregnant and not just PMSing (thats what my clients said they thought my weight gain was haha). I rocked my bikini at almost 21 weeks yesterday and feel so good eating healthy, keeping up with my daily workouts and ok that the scale is up. It is not about having to wear a two piece it is about feeling confident in your own skin, as it stretches.
