Shaping up

I will admit that in the few weeks I was pregnant, I became a bit of a fatty very quickly.  It seemed like I as constantly starving and gained 10lbs pretty quickly.  For somebody who never goes to McDonalds, I found myself there 3 times in less than a month.  That should have been a sign!  I actually started to worry that I was going to pull a Kate Hudson and gain 70lbs over the course of the pregnancy, then have to go on a strict diet of broccoli and yogurt to get rid of the weight (seeing as I can't afford a fancy trainer to whip me back into shape). In my case, losing the baby put a stop to the weight gain, but I was still too heavy and wanted to be back to my original weight before trying again and getting pregnant a second time but already 10lbs ahead.

I'm definitely not a gym rat, but there are two activities that I really enjoy - Pilates and swimming.  When it comes to those, I don't get sick of them, which is about the best you can ask for when it comes to an exercise regimen.  Swimming is to me what running is to others.  It's my calm happy place where all I'm listening to is my own breathing, and bubbles.  In fact, I had a really "off" swim workout a couple days before I took the first home pregnancy test, which I didn't know at the time was my body trying to tell me something! 

Between the hormones dropping, pilates once a week, and swimming 3 times a week; I'm happy to say that 8 weeks in and I've lost the extra poundage that I gained.  They actually removed the scale at the gym, so I bust out a tape measure and I'm back to my most toned measurements from a year ago.  I'm thrilled at what I've achieved as I feel like I've reset and I'm ready to start over.  Interestingly, I've noticed a very subtle difference in my body shape - I have gained a bit of a booty.  Now, that may sound like a bad thing but I always had a super flat ass, and my pelvis seems to have shifted slightly so there is now a small bump where there was nothing before.  No amount of working out was ever going to give me the posterior that I wanted, so I'll consider this a small gift that came from a sad time.

Pilates, the return

As far as I'm concerned, Pilates is like magic.  Many years ago, I sustained a shoulder injury in a car accident and years of physical therapy, sports medicine and chiropractic visits weren't as affective as a couple of mat pilates classes at my gym.  I ended up finding a chiropractor who is all about alternative healing - pilates, massage, reflexology, acupressure etc.  He is the only doctor who's ever told me that I have strong buttocks, and for that I thank him. 

I had been doing reformer pilates once a week until about 2 years ago when they changed health insurance plans at my job, and he ended up out of network, which meant no more pilates classes for me.  Then a phone call came last week that they're now in network and I'm psyched for my first class tonight.  I suspect it's going to seriously kick my ass seeing as I've not done it in so long.

The question of course is whether pilates will be a good option for me to continue should I become pregnant any time soon. Pilates is designed to really strengthen and work the core muscles of the body - abdominal, pelvis, and back - which is key both during and after pregnancy.  The types of movement and exercise work muscle tone and endurance, which can help with posture, balance, and general comfort as the pregnancy progresses.  Also, the breathing techniques used in the exercises can be helpful during the final trimester and labor.  There are several things to keep in mind though.  Many pilates moves are performed lying on the back, but this isn't suggested past the first trimester as it can cut off oxygen to the baby.  It's also a good idea to be careful with not over-stretching movements because pregnant muscles and tendons are more prone to injury!

One thing to keep in mind are the modifications necessary for preggos and, if you're seeking out a pilates class to try, it's worth checking if the instructor is aware of the positions and exercises to avoid.  I'm going to be back with my original instructor from when I started.  There have been various pregnant ladies in the class previously and I know she's very aware of the dos and don'ts.  Of course, best thing to do is talk to your doctor before starting something like this.  I was able to talk to my doc about both pilates and swimming for exercise when I went in for my check-up and got the green light for both!