Regaining my Prenatal Shape!

I have just given birth and as expected, gained “pregnancy weight”. I usually weigh around 115-118 lbs, more on holidays (teehee!). I fall under the “normal weight women” in my prenatal book and I should gain 25-35 pounds this pregnancy. So, let’s see, I started at around 117 pounds on August 2010, the first time I had my prenatal checkup (I was in my 4th already). By January 2011, a week before my due date, I was weighing in at 148.5 pounds. That’s a total of 31.5 pounds gained!

To start off, I wasn’t really the skinny girl who always fit perfectly into any type of clothing. I tend to gain weight easily, which I can also shed off just as easily if I engage in any physical activity. At my thinnest, that was after I had Leptospirosis, I weighed 108 pounds. As much as I would love to maintain that weight, I looked very frail and sickly. That was also the only time that my thunder thighs weren’t thundering anymore! Yes, no matter how skinny my upper body looked, even if my collarbones were jutting out, my thighs are bigger than they should be, which makes it harder for me to look for jeans that fit and look great on me.

Another thing that bothers me is upper arms. They’re not really big BIG but they do tend to wave back when I wave my arms. They’re soft and flabby. I didn’t really realize how much weight I’ve gained for this pregnancy until I saw the picture my hubby took. My face was so full and my arms were so big! I didn’t look this big in my previous pregnancy.

Look at those arms! On the way to the operating room for my repeat CS.

But as I’ve said, I do tend to gain weight easily. I give in to my cravings totally and don’t regret it ever.

I have not enrolled in any gym or any other fitness class to keep my weight down. I simply cannot spare the money for membership fees. But I do see the need for me to exercise and continue being active. Being fat and carrying all that excess baggage makes me feel sluggish. I don’t care much for my size, but I do hate feeling so heavy. I have two left feet and grace is not my middle name, so any added bulk makes me move even more slowly. It’s a good thing though that I’ve got quick reflexes, accidents are minimized this way.

Anyhoo, I can only remember two times that I’ve been active in burning some fats. The first time was in 2007, when my sister-in-law brought home Shaun T’s Hip Hop Abs. And the second time was last 2009 until the first half of 2010, before I got pregnant.

Hip Hops Abs was a fun way of keeping in shape. An hour of dancing seems like a split second. Yes, I only exercise for an hour everyday, but boy, do the juices flow! I sweat like a horse! My love affair my Hip Hop Abs only lasted a few months, two i think. It was shortlived but worth all the sweat.

This last time however, I had no particular fitness guru to lead me. I just made up a routine that I thought targets my worst enemy, my thighs, plus some cardio exercises. I set aside an hour each morning for my exercise. Okay, I cheat sometimes and wrap things up after only forty-five minutes. I alternately jog in place and do lunges. That’s for the first 30 minutes. After that, I attempt to do some push-ups (I can do until 20!), some thigh and butt tightening exercises that I still remember from Shaun T’s video.

Both times were effective in controlling my weight gain. I eat a lot, mind you. Even as I exercise, I don’t cut down on my carbo intake. I actually eat even more when I exercise. My husband even commented once, “anong klaseng tiyan meron ka?” because I usually eat every hour. My reason for this is that I eat in small amounts only. I quickly feel full after a small meal, but I do get hungry easily too. That’s why I always have en emergency snack pack in my bag. It’s usually a biscuit or some candies that can stave off my hunger pangs until I can get a decent meal.

Occasionally, I do engage in trekking trips with my friends. I prefer this kind of workout than those that keep you cooped up in a room for an hour or so with other sweaty creatures. Trekking relaxes my mind and soul and strengthens my muscles. But I guess this activity will have to wait until such time that I can wean myself away from my nursling. J

This year, I plan to getting back into my prenatal shape. The pounds don’t really matter much to me. Muscles weigh more than fat, and I plan to build some muscles. Not the pandesal-type ones, I just need to tone my problem areas. My thighs too need a lot of help. I did a lot of sitting in the past nine months, and my thighs are telling the story. I think I’ll get back to doing lunges to trim down my thighs. Actually, I need a lot of work to be able to fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans.

And because I am breastfeeding, I have to stick to my healthy diet. Less carbonated drinks, more water. More fruits and veggies. Less salt and fat. And I thought I could go back to eating just anything I want after I give birth!

I know it’ll take some time before I can get this plan rolling. I’m still operating on less than 6 hours of sleep each night. I feel tired most days. And catching up on sleep is all I can think of. I do need to start on my healthness plan as soon as possible to regain, not only prenatal weight, but also to give me more energy for the demands of motherhood.

Here’s to living healthy not just for yourself, but for others too!