Getting Fit Before Baby

[cupcakestoy]

Hey ladies! Sorry I've been MIA again, we had a calf down, but he's doing much better after a very long night!
I'm down another 2 pounds this week! We have been hiking & walking & I've been really concentrating on my eating plan. Going to now this evening & dh has promised to till up the garden this weekend! In other news, the guy is going to hang the drywall this weekend, so one step closer to getting ds's room done! He's currently residing in his old room/my war room : / Keep at it girls! We can do it!

 

[Fern81]

Great job cupcake!! woohoo! And so glad your little calf is OK.

Tulip - I love the sound of those workouts. "Shred-it" - yeah baby, going to google it right away! Another thread friend of ours (mrsgreen) introduced me to toneitup.com; they have loads of full-body exercises, cardio, HIIT etc and many of them are free printable/pdf downloads with color photos etc. Just a resource I wanted to share too. xx

Bronte - what are you thinking in terms of exercise during stim time? I'm thinking I will still walk, do a few pushups but less than I'm doing now and at a slower rate.... maybe still do lunges and squats but without weights... train on my stepper, IDK. I know it's a super bad idea to stop exercising during IVF but also not good to over-exert or do too much high intensity training. I can't cycle because I don't have one and swimming is out because it's winter!

First day additional training challenge went well. I wanted to take a rest day because I've been going 10 days without a rest day but nope the guilt wouldn't let me!

 

[ireadyermind]

Bronte - Oh, okay. I was a little confused there! Just join us on those progress indicators when you can!


Swimmy - Cardio is the exercise that gets your heart rate up beyond it's resting rate. Power walking, jogging, running, biking, swimming laps, jumping jacks, jump rope, skating/roller blading, etc. all counts as cardio. Yoga is generally geared toward building muscle and increasing flexibility. I don't think it counts as cardio, personally. :\


Cupcake - Good job losing those two pounds! I'm glad to hear that the calf is okay now. It sounds like you have a lot of projects ahead of you this summer!


Fern - lol, darn that guilt! Maybe on a rest day you could just to a quick 5 minute workout? Because 0 exercise plus 5 minutes of exercise = 5 total minutes?


I didn't get any workout done yesterday and didn't really realize it until bedtime. I keep telling DH that I'd like to go walking with him in the evenings (it's safer to walk in pairs, and we can take both dogs instead of one or the other of them), but he's been leaving for work later and later in the day, which means he gets HOME later and later.

Last night he wasn't home until 7pm. By the time we had eaten dinner it was 8 o'clock, which is a little more than an hour before I start getting ready for bed. And if I work out that close to bedtime, I'm up all night and can't sleep.

I've asked him numerous times to stop leaving for work so late. Today he didn't leave until almost 9am, and it takes him 30 minutes to get there, which means he won't be home today until 7pm or later again.... So I guess I'm pretty much alone in the exercise part of our health plan, which is a pretty big let down.

If DH would leave at 8am instead of waking up at 8am, he could leave work at 430pm instead of 630, we'd have dinner done by 530, have time to go walking for 30 - 45 minutes, come home and unwind before bed. I don't think I'm asking too much! Leave for work at a decent hour and come home at a decent hour.

As it stands, when he doesn't get home until 7pm, I essentially have 2.5 hours to spend with him before bedtime.

 

[Ursaula]

Great job, Cupcake! I hope you get out gardening soon, it can be tough work but it's so fun.

IRYM: Maybe you should set an alarm clock for him? That sounds annoying, and to only be able to see him for 2.5 hours?

AFM: I had my first gynaecologist appointment! We went over things like how long we've been trying, if there were any std/sti, what I'm currently taking, etc. She told me I probably have heard it a million times, but my weight is an issue. However, she isn't going to hold me back. She said as long as I make it my #1 priority she'll help me. And so, I have a prescription for Provera progesterone to see if we can force it. I then do bloodwork on day 3 of the bleed and come back on June 2. She also mentioned sending me to a fertility specialist but left it at that.

 

[JellyPickles]

Hi ladies! Mind if I join in? I am WTT until I've lost enough weight and am in desperate need of some serious motivation/support.

Stats:
Height: 4'11"
Starting Weight: 230 lbs (my peak in 2014)
Goal Weight: 150 lbs then maybe 130 lbs
MyFitnessPal Username: I'm a paranoid weirdo who doesn't like to post it on public forums, but I do have MFP and I always like new friends, just PM me!

Goals:
Lose at least 5 lbs every month.
Lose 40 lbs by the end of 2016.
Run a 10k by the end of 2016.
Get knocked up in 2017! Or maybe even earlier...

My Plan:
Low carb, very low calorie (<1,000 per day, my doctor has approved this plan). Absolutely no coffee or sugar as I have a terrible sugar addiction that I need to kick. Once I'm past the addiction I plan on slowly reintroducing coffee and sugar in limited portions, because coffee and sugar are delicious. For exercise, I'm starting with 30m/day of quick walking and I will be starting the Couch to 5K training program next week. I want to work my way up to 60m/day which I know I can do!!

Weigh-ins:
4/19/16: 194 lbs

Things I struggled with this month:
I keep falling off the band wagon I am still losing weight slowly, but I know I could be doing a LOT better.

Things I did well this month:
Um... nothing. But April ain't over yet, there's still time to save this sinking ship!

 

[BronteForever]

Welcome JellyPickles - looks like you are already well on you way to losing weight. Great job! It's easy to get in a rut so hopefully posting here will help kickstart you.

Fern - good question about exercises to do during stims. I actually don't know what to expect so I'll probably keep it safe and do mostly lots of walking. I'm imaging any weight stuff will be a challenge but we'll see. I might try some light yoga to help with relaxation as well.

IRYM - so sorry you haven't gotten your husband to participate in exercises much yet. It's definetly easier sometimes with a partner. Although I can relate to your husband a bit since I'm not a morning person at all and often slip into work much later then I should and then stay later.

Ursuala - sounds like it was pretty productive appointment. At least you are getting some tests. Those will help a lot to see if you have any other issues going on besides weight. You'll have a much clearer picture of your chances to conceive naturally.

Cupcake - great job on the weight loss.

 

[tulip110]

Not sure I did this right but here it is...

Stats:
Height: 5ft 2in
Starting Weight: 205
Goal Weight: 150

Goals:
To lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
To add more veggies and fruits to my diet.

My Plan:
I plan to workout at least 30 minutes at least 5 days a week.
I plan to eat more veggies and fruits and less carbs and sweets and try to control my portions.

APRIL 2016
04-15-16: 205 lbs
04-25-16: 200.1 lbs
Total: 4.9 lbs


Things I struggled with this month: This month I wasn't very motivated to lose weight. I didn't pay attention to the foods I ate and didn't worry about working out at all.

Things I did well this month: Not that it has to do with weight loss or getting fit but I charted my BBT the entire month for the first time (minus a few days) and I am in such amazement to see my temps do what all the articles say they should during my cycle.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~​

MAY 2016
05-02-16: 198.4 lbs
05-09-16: 196.5 lbs
05-16-16: 195 lbs

 

[tulip110]

Swimmy - Thank you for that info. We already purchased the kit so I guess DH can do it for practice. hehe We watched a YouTube video that walks you thru it so hopefully we can get it done right.

Fern - I will definitely have to check out toneitup. com. I got most of my work out dvds at Hastings and Half Price Books... and a few from Walmart.

Ursaula - I'm glad your appointment went well. Do you know what the Provera progesterone is supposed to do? I've seen a lot of people talk about Clomid. I just have no idea what all these meds do to help.


AFM - Today I had just enough energy left after work to do 2 miles while DH cooked dinner. He made us a ground turkey taco salad with black beans. It was layered with shredded lettuce, the ground turkey and black bean mixture, a little low fat shredded cheese, tomatoes, and some avocado. I enjoyed it.

 

[Fern81]

Hi Jellypickle! Nice that so many ladies have joined (just in time for your summer!)

Tulip - that salad sounds amazing. I wish my husband would cook sometimes.

AFM - about 10 more sleeps! I'm expecting AF next week Friday or Saturday and stims start straight away on CD2! I'm starting to get anxious again, thank heavens exercise helps with the anxiety & I have enough anti-anxiety meds left to last me into the first week of May (very low dose meds approved by my specialist).

Diet-wise: I'm going to take a rest day from exercise tomorrow, I think my body really needs it (might do 5-10 min total then lol). I've lost another half kilo despite eating so much of my specific foods yesterday that I couldn't finish my dinner. So I'm increasing my nutrient uptake again today. What bothers me a bit is that my face & neck is starting to look very bony and sinewy and it's not attractive in someone my age. WISH we could decide on WHERE/HOW our fat should be distributed!

 

[miracleworker]

Hi queens! Mind if I join in? I am NTNP and in the mean time i want to loose weight so bad and start living a health life. looking forward to join force lol

Stats:
Height: 5'7"
Starting Weight: 212 lbs (4th April 2016)
Goal Weight: 175 lbs
MyFitnessPal Username: had an account but i don't remember the name i will check
Goals:
Lose minimum of 2 lbs in a week .
Lose 37 lbs by the end of June 2016 (so help me lord).
Tone and see some muscle gain
Shaped arms and one pack abs
Getting pregnant when i see abs lol

My Plan:
i eat health and i exercise at least one hour for five days in a week ( cardio plus weight training), low carbs, cut sugar except from fruits, much protein,detoxifying, drinking lots of water and get enough sleep.

Weigh-ins:
4/4/16 : 212 lbs
4/12/16: 205 lbs

Things I struggled with this month:
Got drunk when i went to visit my family which i think it slowed my process, also i don't get enough sleep due to too much things on my plate. But am working on my sleeping habit.

Things I did well this month:
i ate clean for the past two weeks even after temptations, did my best in working out and i kept pushing even after not seeing my scale not moving.

thank you

 

[Fern81]

Hi miracleworker! Ooohhh all these new ladies, loving it and looking forward to all the new advice & perspectives from everyone!

GL with your weight loss & fitness journeys everyone. xx

Bronte - I was doing some research on exercise during IVF and it seems like once stims start, only low-impact exercise is advised such as walking for 30min, slow swimming, yoga, tai chi, light arm weights and stretching. No high-impact or anything involving abdominal twisting is advised to minimize the risk of ovarian torsion (aaarrghhh!). Then also no moderate to high intensity cardio because it's not advised to increase body temp too high or even break a sweat during exercising. (You should be able to carry on a normal conversation during light intensity/light impact exercise apparently). Also, no exercise is allowed where a fall is possible e.g. no biking or horseback riding (as if ) or running. Interesting to learn; it seems like very little is allowed!

At the same time, physical activity is definitely recommended for healthy blood circulation and normal physiological functioning.

It's going to be a huge change for me because over the past few months, I've gotten used to working out so hard that I can barely walk afterward (lol some fitter people might look at me working out and think "that's not so hard!" but for me it's hard, high intensity exercise!). And I've also read that even before stims start, exercise intensity should be slightly lowered so that no undue stress is placed on the body. :/

OK so tomorrow I will take a rest day, train hard Friday & Saturday, and then start taking it down a notch from Sunday onward. Then during IVF I will basically only be walking, also going to google tai chi workouts (I don't do yoga). I know I'm going to feel guilty and fat but with so much money spent and so much preparation done diet & supplement wise I guess I can chill out with my exercise regime for a few weeks right.

 

[ireadyermind]

Welcome to Jelly and Miracle! So nice to see new faces around here! You gals (including Tulip) are now added to our members list on the first page of the thread. Make sure you only edit the posts you made today when you weigh in. Don't keep posting new update threads, we want to be able to see all your progress and comments in one place.


Urs - DH does have an alarm set for 6am, and one for 7, and one for 8. He just hits snooze so many times that he eventually wakes up at like 730 or 8. I have asked him just to try getting up 30 minutes earlier for a stretch of time, and once he's used to that to try another 30 minutes, but that lasted all of one day. Part of the reason he leaves so late in the morning is that he sits and watches TV or YouTube clips before he gets ready to leave. He wastes 30+ minutes on that in the morning.

The other day, I asked him if he'd rather I slept in mornings so that we could stay up late together. If I don't set an alarm, I naturally wake up at 10am regardless of how early or late I went to bed. lol. So me getting up at 10am wouldn't be a hardship. Still. I'm so accustomed to my 10pm bedtime that I automatically start getting sleepy around then, even on days I sleep in. But something has to change!


Bronte - I'm definitely not a morning person either, but when it comes to work, you just buckle down and do it, eh? DH has a different work ethic than I do. He's really laid back about what he wears and when he shows up. It's strange. He'll pull a wrinkled up old shirt from the laundry and wear that to work, completely bypassing the half-dozen shirts I ironed for him which are hung up and ready to go. I would never show up in a wadded up old shirt that looks like I slept in it! He just doesn't think his attire is important.



AFM - I have been dealing with a pretty nasty flare-up of tendinitis in my right arm. The swelling runs from wrist to elbow and makes holding onto anything really difficult. I had trouble with a pen, my computer mouse, chopping veggies for dinner, holding the sponge to wash dishes... I've only been awake an hour-ish by now and already I'm feeling weakness in my hand again.

I get this from time to time and it always takes a few days before it goes. Then I'm good for several months before something else irritates it. Guess that means no weight lifting or push-ups for my arms for several days! Bummer.

 

[JellyPickles]

IRYM: That sucks, injuries when you're trying to get fit are such a downer. I can totally relate to your frustrations with hubby, healthy lifestyles are definitely easier when your partner can be there with you through it. My husband works nights and I don't even see him at all on weekdays, so I'm also doing the exercise mostly solo. TTC is going to be a logistical nightmare once we get there. I guess I'll be waking up at 3am for BD several times during O week, oh joy!

Fern: If I'm reading your posts right you're starting IVF at the beginning of May? Wow not to long to go! Congrats and best of luck with that!!

Well, this thread has already helped me out! Right after I finished making my first post last night I felt guilty enough that I got off my butt and took a walk for the first time in a month. Walked briskly for 45 minutes which was well over my 30 minute goal and I'll be doing it again tonight!

 

[Fern81]

Yeah Jelly! You go girl

Yep I was fortunate enough to get a substantial financial donation for IVF, completely out of the blue! Otherwise we won't be doing it right now. I'm scared and nervous and a bit excited and just wish May would fly by.

 

[Ursaula]

Hello gals

I decided to weigh again today...(I'm terrible at only weighing once a week). I'm down a lot! I won't tell you all how much until Monday though, hehe! I've been drinking only smoothies the last few days plus only have a bit of protein. In the smoothies are lots of fruit and veggies, almond milk, a couple of spices, and oatmeal. Super amazing and fills me up for a LONG time! My body isn't in starving at all.

I started Provera progesterone (progesterone forces af to come), so I'm excited to see how well it goes.

I also started walking again today, only 10 minutes, but I went as fast as I could.

Hope all is well with everyone else!

 

[Fern81]

Ooohhh wow Urs I'm looking forward to your weigh-in then! And good job with starting walking again! 10 min is better than zero minutes Hope provera does the trick for you. I've also taken it before (I personally didn't need it, dr was wrong, but it still forced a period lol). Make sure you take it every day at the same time to maximize its efficiency

 

[ireadyermind]

Jelly - I remember when DH and I worked opposite shifts. I used to be a manager at a retail store and my schedule would be all over the place. I'd come home around 10pm at night and still need dinner, shower, etc. before bed, and meanwhile DH has been up and running since early morning and is ready for bed! It's rough. And it's part of why I wish I had more time with him now! Certainly when we have children, we are going to miss the peace, quiet and alone time! lol


Urs - Good job on walking and smoothies! I might have to get in on that, especially now that temperatures have jumped up to highs in the 80s (about 27C). I don't like to run the air conditioner too much when it's just me at home, so cold drinks are my go-to when I'm feeling a little too hot! Adding oatmeal into those smoothies is a great idea to keep you full, too.


AFM -- Added the full 10mins to my workout yesterday and will try to do so again today, if my legs aren't dead. Haha.

Since I couldn't do push-ups or weight lifting with this dead arm yesterday, I focused on ab exercises. I have some that are safe for people with back problems (like meee) which help strengthen the muscles that support the spine while also working abdominal muscles. I should start counting how many I can do in a row and see how that improves over time, hey?

I couldn't do my plank yesterday because of this arm, though, so I don't feel like I got the total workout that I needed. Bummer.

Finally started AF today, with cramping so bad that it kept me awake from 5am onward. This is going to be a loooong day. And one interesting note: even though AF arrived 3 days late, it was exactly 15 days AFTER I had that big old mess of EWCM that I was so excited about before! My LP is always 15 days, so that means on the day I got that EWCM, I ovulated. Woo!

This makes me really hopeful for a BFP this coming cycle. C'mon, EWCM! Show up again this month! lol


QUESTION!

Do any of you gals think about increasing your core muscle strength to help with pregnancy and delivery? Since I'm starting with weaker back muscles, I'm really trying to strengthen them all I can before I get pregnant, since the added weight of a baby on my frame is going to strain my back quite a bit.

At the same time, I considered this: if you have stronger abdominal muscles, doesn't it also follow that you will have stronger contractions and be able to push harder/longer during delivery if your abs are strong?

With those things in mind, I'm really trying to get my back and abs in shape as soon as possible, since you can't do ab workouts while pregnant! I want to get ahead of the game, so to speak.

What are your gals' thoughts on that?

 

[BronteForever]

Fern- thanks so much for all the exercise info. A lot of what you said makes sense, which is why I was going to tone it down and try to do mostly walking.

IRYM - hmm...interesting question. I haven't put much thought into building muscles specifically for carrying a child and delivery, but it makes alot of sense that it would help with it. I kind of feel that no matter what I do, I'm likely to be a high risk pregnancy due to issues in the past, so I kind of feel like I'm destined for a C-section no matter what. But your theory makes sense, and it's a good idea to build your core for helping to carry the baby. I have back issues all the time, so that's an area I try to work on lots, but sometimes don't succeed as much as I want due to pain. Good luck building up those muscles!

Also, hope your pain goes away soon.

MiracleWorker - welcome to the group and good luck on your weight loss journey!

Ursaula - great job on the weight loss. Excited to see your numbers.

 

[cupcakestoy]

Wow....you all have been busy! Welcome to the new comers! I'm having a sh**ty day! So frustrated on so many different levels! Will update tomorrow..

 

[swimmyj1]

cupcake - im sorry hope things are going better, hang in there.

IRYM - i would think it would make things go easier for delivery/carrying. They don't encourage abdominal work outs once your pregnant but that's why I'm doing yoga to really strengthen my core muscles.

Jelly - welcome! i totally understand when it comes to working opposite shifts of our spouse. I'm the night shifter and use to drive home on my breaks during ovulation week haha, because we would go all week without seeing each other sometimes. ugh nothing says romance than a "wake up I have 10 minutes" lol

Welcome all other new comers so excited to have you!