I know this has been said so many times before but I am really struggling with my body changing. I know I'm going to get bigger, I know I'm going to put on weight - and I know its not forever and at the end of it all I get a beautiful son or daughter.

I have suffered with disordered eating, binging and comfort eating since I was about 12. In the last few years, I tended to binge and then purge on laxatives or do excessive exercise to keep slim and lose weight. I haven't done this for a long time and I've been a healthy weight for at least 24 months now.

I'm a healthy weight, I'm 5ft 6 and 9st 12 (138lbs) at the moment and started my pregnancy at about 9st 4 (130lbs) and I know this gain isn't excessive, but I just feel massive! I'm finding it so hard and I'm finding I'm turning to food to make myself feel better, which in turn makes me feel gross for eating so much. I am trying to keep myself motivated to exercise regularly and eat healthily but its just not happening and I end up comfort eating again.

I think I just need a good old virtual slap from you ladies to snap me out of it!

I've ordered the tracy anderson mat workout dvd, which I've done before but gave away to a friend. I'm going to do her arm workout which is amazing and also parts of her leg workouts. I'm not going anywhere near her abs as they are bizarre! I think most of the US ladies will have heard of Tracy Anderson. I have my davina dvd too but I'm worried her boot camp may bulk me up which I don't want - although it will keep me strong.

Sorry for rambling, sometimes you just need to put things down in writing to feel better!

I can relate

Tbh I really wasn't looking forward to the weight gain part of pregnancy. I had problems with restricting severly in my teens and was also a long distance runner so the leaner the better at that time but when my periods stopped and I weighed just 6.5st (I'm 5ft 2) something made me realise I had to stop it. I worked hard to deal with it all and the last time I weighed myself before I fell pregnant was over 5 years ago and I was 8st4. After that I always gaged it on how my clothes felt. When I got my BFP I was excited and didn't really get any ms in fact if I got nausea I felt better when I ate so when I went for first MW appointment at 13+3 I was 8st6 and shocked that was all I was! I felt massive! Boobs had sprouted and my hips were wider as my clothes felt neat! Reason I'm telling you all this is pregnancy bodies are odd things! You can't tell whats fluids or what's baby or fat! I have days where my old issues creep in and I am like omg I can't believe I ate all that but I'm actually gaining more perspective as my bump grows. I try to eat healthy foods to nourish my baby and tell myself that if I don't then my baby is missing out. I can't run anymore nor do I ride my horse do I started to walk but if I feel tired or rubbish I don't go - usually this means a few lazy days but then I get back into it and enjoy it.

All about finding a way or not fixating on it too much - your body will change if you eat 2000 kcals or if you eat 1000 kcals we are designed to store fat to BF when baby comes. So better to eat or body will think famine mode. I am just starting to accept my body now and I'm just over halfway through but instead of being embarrassed at looked a bit broad around the middle at the gym I just tell myself wait til they all see how big it will get! Lol. Hope your ok and that was some help and one last thing!! BIN your SCALES! If your doctor is worried they will give you advice

I've always struggled with my weight since an injury stopped me
From doing the exercise I used to love for such a long time and my lifestyle hanged because of it. I got married last year and decided enough was enough went on slimmig world
And lost 3.5 stone in about 4 months. I put a stone in gradually since I've been married then got BFP just as I'd gone back on the sw wagon and lost some again! I told myself I'm not going to use pregnancy as an excuse to eat bad things and find the easiest thing to do is stick to sw, after all it's a low fat healthy balanced diet and I can eat lots and lots if I want to! It's healthy, lots of pregnant women still go to sw with the blessing of their mw's, maybe you could incorporate some of the free foods into your diet so ensure u eat lots but don't put lots of excess weight on if u r worried. My husband is back on it with me now as his belly is bigger than mine after giving up smoking.. Well done him!!! I knew I'd lose weight then et pregnant and put it all back on... I'm determined
Not to... In a healthy way! Xx

I totally understand, I was a huge gym bunny before I got pregnant and have always been very concious of my weight. I have put on a whopping 2 stone since I got pregnant and I hate it the midwife has told me I have to let it go but it's horrible. I find it very upsetting and im not even eating that much x

thanks ladies, its comforting to know I'm not the only one. I feel like a bad person because people say I should just 'embrace it' and don't worry about exercise and 'eat what you like' but these are the same people who will be judging me in 12 months time when I can't shift the weight!

I don't mind putting weight on for the pregnancy, but in the right way. I think Slimming World might be a good idea, but I'm a Weight Watchers girl, so maybe I'll look at doing that while I'm pregnant to keep my diet balanced and healthy - no more junk (well a little bit now and then)

I have always struggled with my weight, but it was mostly being over weight and trying to loose weight. So I'm not in the same boat, but I can tell you that I hate the weight gain too. I'm super anxious weighing myself and worried I'm putting too much on for my health and the babys health. I exercise daily and try to eat healthy. Its hard, and to be honest it gets harder. Just becareful the types of exercising you do (no abs) because you don't want to hurt the baby. As you get further along you will loose more and more stamina and it becames even harder to work out. It literally exhausts you. :/

I completely understand how you feel. Ive struggled with an eating disorder off and on since i was 15. I was doing great until i got pregnant. Everytime I gain a pound i get upset. Even though logically I know I will gain weight and I will get bigger it still bothers me.
I really watch what I eat. I go for a balanced diet. When I want junk food I eat a small amount and eat a healthier option until I get full.
When my baby is kicking regularly I feel it will be easier emotionally to gain weight because I'll have the constant reminder of why I'm gaining.

Definitely, I think once my bump is more rounded and bigger I'll improve in my mood. It didn't help when my brother in law told me a couple of weeks ago I was bigger all over, not just on my bump. Thanks! :-/

I really relate to all that u've said. It's much worse for me 2nd pregnancy as my issues kicked in again after the 1st. I don't feel able to discuss this with the mid-wife & my hubby thinks i'm being rediculous, but it really is on my mind alot.
Try & remember the health of the baba & that includes worrying- I know I should listen to my own advice.

In regards to Tracy Anderson, I am.a massive UK fan. Have all her workout dvds & subscribe to the personalised metamorphis & continuity programmes.
However,due to over exercising with my 1st, I developed SPD in pelvis, so have been warned about this pregnancy.
I started back doing some Tracy stuff once my morning sickness had gone & tried to modify the legs/butt work to suit my pelvis (i'm a sports therapist) but found my pelvis hurt so much the next day, that it just wasn't right for me.

However, as Tracy is pregnant herself she is releasing a pregnancy workout dvd & she has done 3 mini workouts on Molly Sim's blog. They have arm,leg & butt exercises for each tri-mester. To be honest I do all the sets. The web address is www.mollysims.com/blog/cat/wellness

I do these exercises on top of another pregnancy workout dvd-Erin O Brian's preg dvd,which I got from amazon uk. It really is the toughest preg workout dvd i've done. She is a bit annoying,but I can live with that. Some of her leg & butt work is the same exercises the physio recommended the 1st time I had spd,so I know it's safe but tough.
The arms are no-where near as good as Tracy's,but there's lots of safe lower body exercises.

Hope all goes well with you.xx

Thank you so much for the link :-) x