Fitness During Pregnancy

I have always been a mildly active person.  During my adult years, I have gone through many spurts where I have really pushed myself and exercised regularly.  But even when I haven't been working out regularly, I've still considered myself a fairly "in shape" person. 

In fact, the best shape I have ever been in was (like many women) right before I got married and then also right before I got pregnant.  Before pregnancy, I was "shredding" with Jillian, and while she was regularly kicking my butt, I could tell I was getting better and better everyday...

...and then I got pregnant!  Which was amazing and wonderful and I couldn't be more excited!  BUT, for my first trimester I had about zero energy and walking the dog a couple days a week was the extent of my exercise routine. 

Once Todd finished baseball season (in late May) and I stopped feeling completely exhausted ALL THE TIME, we started walking the dog two times a day at least 5 days/week.  And I'm not going to lie, it was hard for me at first.  I had been away from exercise for almost 3 months, and was carrying around more weight than ever!  I had days when just walking about a quarter mile could get me breathing heavier than I care to admit. 

But after about 2 months of this, I was getting pretty used to walking and am now at a much faster pace (on most days, not all).  So this week I decided to start incorporating some more working out into my routine.  Because of my severe back pain, I thought yoga would be a good idea.  So I found a Yoga Mama DVD on netflix and tried it out.  It was nice and did help with stretching and eleviating pain.  Then, on Thursday, I found a pregnancy fitness DVD.  It has a workout for each trimester and then a postnatal boot camp.  As I huffed and puffed my way through it for the first time I felt very frustrated.  Something that I SO EASILY could have done before pregnancy now has me huffing, puffing, and needing water breaks quite regularly! 

I am trying to not get annoyed because I know that this is normal.  I am carrying around extra weight (as the instructor likes to remind me REGULARLY) and so exercise should be a little more complicated.  Yet, it's hard  not to get down on myself.  Only a few short months ago I was working out with Jillian...

...and don't even get me started on what it will be like to try to get this weight off after Baby Boy Narcross arrives...

... so that's my rant for the day.   On a much sweeter and funnier note, while doing yoga I was in a stretch laying in on my side and then bending and stretching my arm in the opposite direction I was facing.  Frosty was laying under a table right where my hand was resting, and she kept putting her paw into my open hand.  It was as if she was giving me "high fives" to keep me going! :)

So in honor of her motivational spirit, here's a cute Frosty picture!  Happy Weekend!

I personally like this one because it looks like she's smoking a cigar!  And with her ears pinned back, she just looks kinda funny!