Pregnancy & Fitness: My Reality
As a personal trainer, my body has been my life for the past eight years. It has also been my calling card for my job. Working out has always been my drug of choice, which is why I made a career out of it: it makes me feel good, elevates my mood, encourages me to eat healthier, and pushes me past my limits.
When I got pregnant this all changed: for the first time I didn’t have the energy or motivation to go to the gym; I felt bloated all of the time, clothes didn’t fit me the same way and, although I wasn’t throwing up, the nausea was so bad that the only thing I was able to eat was pizza, Chinese food, anything fried and all sorts of carbs.
I was only in my first trimester and I was already starting to feel lousy about my body. While everyone would tell me how good I looked all of the time, I didn’t feel good. What started off with a 9lbs weight gain (in the first 3 months) led to feeling uncomfortable in my own skin, resulting in emotional eating, causing me to feel sorry for myself, making it that much more difficult to be motivated and get to the gym. This vicious cycle made me question how I was going to make it through the next 6 months. Where would I find motivation? Would I regain my energy so that I could exercise?
I was still teaching full-time, though. Being at the gym made me feel bad, however. Every time I had to teach I didn’t like to be there because:
I wasn’t getting in a good workout like I was used to and
I felt guilty being around fit people
After the nausea subsided and I started to feel better (in my second trimester), I got back into my 5-day a week workout regimen. Even though I was restricted and couldn’t partake in some of my favorite exercises (burpees, box jumps, skipping), the minimal control that I did have over my body started to make me feel alive again.
Despite starting to regain my energy, strength and self-esteem, returning to the gym was not without its challenges. It was difficult for me because:
The motivation to stay on track that was once embedded within me was difficult to find.
Feelings of inadequacy were always at the back of my mind.
I was forced to accept the physical limitations of my pregnancy when I didn’t want to (in terms of weight lifting, vertical jumping, inability to lie on my back).
My mind was telling me to eat healthy but my body was forcing me to indulge in all of my food cravings.
No matter how much I exercised, I couldn’t see any tangible results: my body was constantly changing and the number on the scale was continuously increasing.
Despite these challenges, I can confidently say that I persisted and overcame my obstacles. Even though the amount of effort required was overwhelming, and the feelings of discomfort weren’t fleeting, I am so happy that I didn’t give up on myself. While every day presented a new hurdle to be jumped over (stepped over in my case), working out gave me the confidence to tackle anything that stood in my way.
Now that I am nearing the end of my third trimester, and looking back on all I have accomplished, I can say with great certainty that exercising while pregnant saved me mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
So, for all those pregnant ladies who are new to fitness and who have been avoiding the gym, or can’t find the motivation to stay active, just know that I too did not expect pregnancy to be this difficult. Don’t give up, it gets easier and you will start to feel better: the gym will help you get there.
I originally approached this piece with the wrong intentions and sought to write a couple of pages filled with negative connotations about body image and pregnancy, but upon reflection realized that all the positives outweighed the negatives. The point of this post is not to complain but to show how difficult it is for women to lose control over their bodies, no matter what their bodies looks like.
I’m excited to give birth and to take up the challenge of getting my body back - starting with 100 burpees as soon as this peanut vacates the premises. Stay tuned for my upcoming postnatal fitness challenge, which I'm thrilled to be offering soon!
