wallstcutie’s BodyBlog

I have been reading some of the forum posts on pregnancy on bb.com, and after sifting through a lot of garbage, I have found some really interesting things.  

I’d have to say there is an overwhelming # of women on bb.com who are training now because they did not exactly take care of themselves during pregnancy and let themselves gain too much weight.

How much is a healthy weight gain for a pregnant mom?  Well, if she is a normal weight pre-pregnancy, 25-35 lbs.  Underweight, she should gain 35-45 lbs, and overweight moms should gain no more than 15-25 lbs to maintain a safe, healthy weight for pregnancy and beyond.  

Although I have not really gained that much weight, I feel my body changing and expanding like crazy.  At 3 months along, I am now 20% body fat, which I also read on the bb.com forum is a very healthy pregnancy BF%.  Do you know what happens if you get pregnant with too low of a BF% (or try to maintain a BF% that is too low throughout the pregnancy)?  You are more likely to have a fat, wimpy baby!!!  See, what happens is, the body thinks you are enduring your pregnancy through a famine, and that affects gene expression.  The genes that get turned on are the ones that make it easy to gain fat (good for famine) and lower bone density (am not sure why this happens).  On the flipside, if you are too fat during pregnancy, you put your and the baby’s life in danger (gestational diabetes is one biggie).

So, after reading the forums, it has really motivated me to have a healthy pregnancy with lots of healthy, leafy greens, regular training, and lots of sleep!  I hear coming soon I’ll have a lot more energy, but right now I’ve been going to bed at 8 or 9 p.m. with lots of naps on weekends.  

Training is a bit on the lighter side now that I’m prego.  2-3 times per week (I plan on going more often in the 2nd trimester when the fatigue goes away), with weights and cardio.  I keep my HR under 140 and lift a lot lighter now.  I now it is stupid, but I get a little embarrassed when I pick up 10 lbs to do my walking lunges, or only do 40 to 55 lbs on the lat pull downs.  I just want to tell my buff gym buddies "Hey, I’m pregnant, ok?"   LOL.  

I learned on the many forums that some women snap right back from pregnancy, and some take a couple of years to get into their best shape.  2 years seems like an awfully long time, and I am hoping/thinking it will not take me that long to lose the baby weight, but even if it does, 2 years of a lifetime really is not that much.  I will probably obsess maniacly and lose it in 6 months.  LOL!  Wait, I take that back, don’t want to jinx myself!

I am also encouraged, because in my opinion, some of the best midsections I’ve ever seen are on women who have given birth.  I mean, freaking awesome abs.  Look at Gina Ostarly’s abs - she has 3 kids, I think!!

So, I am encouraged and excited for this very exciting time and thank everyone for their well-wishes and congrats they’ve sent!!  

I have been reading some of the forum posts on pregnancy on bb.com, and after sifting through a lot of garbage, I have found some really interesting things.  

I’d have to say there is an overwhelming # of women on bb.com who are training now because they did not exactly take care of themselves during pregnancy and let themselves gain too much weight.

How much is a healthy weight gain for a pregnant mom?  Well, if she is a normal weight pre-pregnancy, 25-35 lbs.  Underweight, she should gain 35-45 lbs, and overweight moms should gain no more than 15-25 lbs to maintain a safe, healthy weight for pregnancy and beyond.  

Although I have not really gained that much weight, I feel my body changing and expanding like crazy.  At 3 months along, I am now 20% body fat, which I also read on the bb.com forum is a very healthy pregnancy BF%.  Do you know what happens if you get pregnant with too low of a BF% (or try to maintain a BF% that is too low throughout the pregnancy)?  You are more likely to have a fat, wimpy baby!!!  See, what happens is, the body thinks you are enduring your pregnancy through a famine, and that affects gene expression.  The genes that get turned on are the ones that make it easy to gain fat (good for famine) and lower bone density (am not sure why this happens).  On the flipside, if you are too fat during pregnancy, you put your and the baby’s life in danger (gestational diabetes is one biggie).

So, after reading the forums, it has really motivated me to have a healthy pregnancy with lots of healthy, leafy greens, regular training, and lots of sleep!  I hear coming soon I’ll have a lot more energy, but right now I’ve been going to bed at 8 or 9 p.m. with lots of naps on weekends.  

Training is a bit on the lighter side now that I’m prego.  2-3 times per week (I plan on going more often in the 2nd trimester when the fatigue goes away), with weights and cardio.  I keep my HR under 140 and lift a lot lighter now.  I now it is stupid, but I get a little embarrassed when I pick up 10 lbs to do my walking lunges, or only do 40 to 55 lbs on the lat pull downs.  I just want to tell my buff gym buddies "Hey, I’m pregnant, ok?"   LOL.  

I learned on the many forums that some women snap right back from pregnancy, and some take a couple of years to get into their best shape.  2 years seems like an awfully long time, and I am hoping/thinking it will not take me that long to lose the baby weight, but even if it does, 2 years of a lifetime really is not that much.  I will probably obsess maniacly and lose it in 6 months.  LOL!  Wait, I take that back, don’t want to jinx myself!

I am also encouraged, because in my opinion, some of the best midsections I’ve ever seen are on women who have given birth.  I mean, freaking awesome abs.  Look at Gina Ostarly’s abs - she has 3 kids, I think!!

So, I am encouraged and excited for this very exciting time and thank everyone for their well-wishes and congrats they’ve sent!!  

Well, a blog post here is long overdue, so here goes!

My husband and I (after nearly 7 years of marriage) are finally expecting our first baby!

A little known fact…the whole reason I wanted to get really fit in the first place was because I wanted to be in good shape for a healthy pregnancy!  Then things didn’t exactly go as planned - when my periods stopped and I started having health problems - all due to overtraining!!

So, I had to go AWOL for awhile.  I cut back on my workouts (in frequency and intensity), trying to get my BF% levels up so I could be "fertile" again.  But at the same time, trying to do it in a safe manner so I would be a fit mommy.

Well, it worked, and now we are 11 weeks along!  I still hit the gym, still lift (lighter weights), and still remain active, though only 2-3 times a week, since I have been drained of energy (sleeping a TON).  But that will go away in the 2nd trimester.

I have had zero morning sickness, and I read a very interesting article about a Harvard Study.  The study revealed that women who have a diet high in saturated fats (mainly fats from dairy and meat) are 3x more likely to have morning sickness. 

I swear morning sickness must be the body saying "There are toxins in the body that need to go before the baby really starts to grow." 

This is just another reason to lay off the saturated fats!!

But it doesn’t explain why once per week I crave a cheeseburger!  I never crave cheeseburgers!!  I rationalize and say it is my body needing calcium and iron…  lol!