Pregnancy Blog – Update 3

The meal plan:  Currently this past two weeks I have been eating:  Rotisserie chicken, potato wedges or any potatoes for that matter, orange juice – my new obsession, (and probably a strong cause of my heartburn), egg salad sandwiches, cucumber, tomato, cheese, mayo sandwiches, apples, protein shakes (a staple), soups (homemade), and protein pancakes (another staple), cucumbers, peppers, with dill dip, pickles (staple), and oatmeal with milk before bed.

I try to not eat as many chips as I did in the first semester, as I:

1. Get too full, and find it ruins my meals for the rest of the day
2. Get heartburn.
3. Does not make feel good.

I still have a strong aversion to meats/fish, and most vegetables I would consume normally throughout the competition season. I am giving my body what is asks for. If it asks for chocolate I give it that, but it really has not asked for anything in particular. I make sure to eat the good stuff first, and leave the treats for later. I still apply the same mental structure to food while being pregnant, as I do when I am not prepping for shows – I ask myself, “do I really want to eat this, or am I just bored?”

I am rarely hungry.  I am not a ‘machine’ burning fuel like crazy as I am not training as frequently or as intensely like I would normally.  Since I am training less, therefore, I eat less.

Makes sense right?

The Training:  My energies have come back more consistently. I have been managing about 3-4 days per week of training. I focus on full body training, or if I am particularly inspired, I will work 1-2 body parts in one session. Training sessions last 30-45 minutes, and I top that off with 10-15 minutes of cardio. I keep the cardio so that I am able to move around in my life without getting winded. Although weight training at times makes me winded.

Certain moves such as squats or any single leg work, creates pain in the groin/pelvic area the next day. Due to what happened last pregnancy with the pelvic pain, I am very careful with my movements, and make sure I am squeezing the glutes/legs, controlling at movements and maintaining good quality positioning.   My load on the bar is about ½ of what I would normally push. I am going for 12-15 reps on most movements, and making sure to get in the good squeeze. Most times my bodyweight is used as my ‘load’.

The goal is to stay strong, and try to keep weights as heavy as I can manage that day. When things loosen up too much I will adjust accordingly with the lower body training. Upper body has stayed around the same with the load but I do less sets- probably around 3 sets per exercise.

Training Logs:   Here are a couple of logs – from my training book. I have always keep a training log.  I have books going back to when I started training in 1999.  One thing I will be working on is being more consistent in my programming.

Random training can work depending on your goals, but if you are looking to gain some mass, adding weight to the bar, and get stronger having a plan/structure is your best plan of action.   Changing up the exercises too frequently will not bring about progress, as your muscles will not become neurologically efficient at that movement. There are times when I just like to come in and train without a plan, but I also like to see that I am making progress. It is hard to track progress on the bar when you change the exercises every workout.

Photos Log:  Here are these weeks’ pictures.

I added some extra as I took pictures from two weeks ago for this blog, did not post, so added the photos for end of last week.

My weight is right were it should be at this point. I am in the ballpark of 142-145lbs.  Since I am pregnant, seeing the weight go up does not stress me out that much, as I know I am:

1. Not doing the food
2. Not training regularly

Currently I am trying to listen to what my body says.  It is all about rest/recovery right now and having enough energy to get through the day.

The clothing:  With the weight that I have gained, a clothing adjustment needed to be made. I had invested in some other clothing as I felt like I was a pinched sausage, especially by the end of the day.  I have recently bought some items from the maternity section of various stores. Last pregnancy, I just bought larger sizes, and things seemed to work out ok.  I lived in the same 2 pairs of pants during the pregnancy, and then after for about 4-5 months.

My biggest issue is finding the right support for the girls. You see, I had an ‘adjustment’ back in June of 2014. Sure it was on my radar to have another child, but I also did not want to put my life on hold. For any woman who wants a child, every month it was a like a little depression, so in the end I just went for the upgrade. I have been competing for over 16 years, and did great without any enhancements, so this had nothing to do with competing; it was a choice I made for myself.   However, after you gain back your regular weight after coming off a show, and now add another 10-15 lbs on top of that,  I am looking for the best support out there for those who very large chests. It puts me outside the Victoria’s Secret or La Sensa shopping experience.   So I can understand the plight of the girls who are genetically gifted in this area, and am looking for advice on supporting these puppies.

Although I have a few choices, I am sure in the next few months, I am going to be looking to expand my wardrobe, pants, top and undergarments. So if you have any recommendations I am open to suggestions.

The Fears:  At my first nurse’s visit I was given this book:

Just recently decided to flip through it. I have oodles of baby books from the first time, and read them all, but each experience is uniquely different and although they give you advice (just like competing) until you actually do it, some things just are not mentioned, and you think “why did not tell me that?”.

Like for instance, how tired you actually are after you have a baby. No matter how drunk or hung over you have been in your life, nothing ever prepares you for how tired you could actually be, and still have to function.

So when I had a few minutes to sit down and check out the book, with all its advice, and pictures of infants, I was having major flashbacks to that first year. I must admit I was having a bit of a panic attack. Asking myself, “what have I gotten myself into”?   I mean I am on the edge of being 40 my son is almost 10, and life is so gloriously fun, and easy, and joyful, that I would want to go and adjust it again. I always wanted to have more children, and right now I feel so good about it, but in that one moment when I questioned my decision and wonder if I made the right choice?

I think this is just my fear of the unknown, or perhaps the fear of what I have forgotten. I have a strong faith that things always work out the way they should, and for the best, but there are small moments of ‘uh oh’.

I have to admit that first year with my son was very difficult. He was not difficult, but being at home all the time was difficult.   I was off work, very little adult interaction, alone most of the time, and was lonely. I did do the whole ‘mommy and baby’ classes, but with most classes offered in solely French, and my French at that time being very limited, I went to the class but interacted very little with others.  I am much more capable in French now, yet at that time, due to the language barrier, I felt cut off from the world.

I will be taking a break from work, from my in gym clients, for perhaps a few weeks, but not much more than that. Luckily my online clients won’t be affected.

I appreciate that there are moms that can be home with their children 24-7 but I have tried it that way last time, and I felt terrible.   When the highlight of your day is walking to the mailbox, over the period of months, I know this time, I need to keep some of my regular social/work life active.

I will be taking the time I need with my child; yet, I will try to balance it more with the activities/work that I love. This is what I need to feel like a productive mom, be more present in the moments I do have with my child, rather than feel so isolated and cut off from the world.

I am thrilled to be pregnant, and be in this moment. I know there are other things that I want to accomplish and have to put on hold for now, but if I did not have another child, it would be one thing I would regret. Competing if I gave it up tomorrow, I would miss it but not regret if I never stepped onstage again.

That is how I know I am on the right track.

Your thoughts, suggestions, stories or feedback is welcomed.

A.