"Namaste"

Now that I'm in my second trimester, I feel GREAT!! My energy level is finally back to normal, if not better. I'm not getting up to pee every 30 minutes, my heartburn finally went away, and best of all, my boobs don't hurt anymore!!! I can't say the same about those first 12 weeks.

Those first 12 weeks were REALLY hard. The fatigue about killed me! I'm a morning person. I usually get up at 5:15, get to the gym by 6, and get to work by 8. Well, this little baby in me had a different plan. It was all I could to roll out of bed in time to take a shower and run out the door for work. I was taking naps in my car during my lunch break, and fell asleep at my desk more than once! Needless to say, I had to change my workout routine a little bit for those first few months.


Instead of forcing myself to get up in the morning and sleep walk through a workout I decided to let myself sleep and workout in the afternoons. Sleep wasn't the only thing that made me change my workout routine. My boobs also played a large part, HAHAHA. Those puppies were so sore that I had to wear two sports bras! Let's be real ladies; the statement, "you will experience breast tenderness" is totally an understatement. What they should really tell you is that you're going to feel like you are walking around with two giant watermelons that feel as though they have been run over with a semi truck! Even a light jog would have me close to tears from the pain. I decided it was time to listen to my body. If there is one thing you learn during your pregnancy, it’s LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!!! There are plenty of ways to stay in shape using low intensity exercise. My jogs turned into walks, my mornings turned into evenings, and there we a couple of weeks where a day at the gym was replaced with an extra day of yoga. Yoga has been my saving grace!



Chance likes to join in on yoga. However, he and I have differing opinions about the proper props used in yoga.

When I moved from Atlanta to Flowery Branch, I lost my amazing yoga instructor. Yoga studios can get very pricey when you are going 2-3 days/week, in addition to paying a regular gym membership. About 6 months ago I found this AWESOME website: Myyogaonline.com
It's a yoga website that you pay for monthly and it gives you access to unlimited yoga classes!! They have hundreds of classes that vary in style, length, and level! It's great because I am free to do a class whenever it's convenient for me. I'm even able to take my mat to work and do classes during my lunch hour, if I want.


If you've never done yoga before, I suggest you go to a few live classes first so that an instructor can teach you proper technique before you start on your own. Improper positioning can be very dangerous, especially during pregnancy. Yoga isn't just a form of exercise; it's a way of thinking, living, and relaxing. It's a great way to de-stress. There have been several days when those evil hormones of mine have taken over and made me want to scream at and punch everyone and everything within reach (Josh is very glad I am over that stage). When one of those little tantrums would rear its ugly head, I would take 30 minutes to an hour to go into my yoga room, breath, stretch, and come back to my center.


Yoga is also a great way to get your body in shape while you’re pregnant! It really helps to open your hips and teaches you steady breathing, a great tool for labor! There may be parts of your back and hips that are misaligned that you may not even realize. These misalignments can cause problems with digestion, constipation, blood flow, etc. Doing yoga regularly can keep your body aligned and help prevent many of these problems! Myyogaonline.com has a ton of great prenatal and postpartum classes. I actually did my first prenatal class yesterday and loved it! The instructor was modeling poses for first and second trimester women and she had a participant with her that was demonstrating modifications for women in their third trimester. I have been avoiding the prenatal classes in fear that they will be too easy, but it was just as good of a workout as a normal yoga class!


There will be plenty of days when dragging yourself to the gym just doesn't seem possible. That's OK! Take a break, do some yoga, or take your dog on an extra long walk that day. Even 30 minutes a day of extra movement will get your heart pumping and your metabolism moving. Don't dwell on today, there's always tomorrow!