Overcoming the Weekend

Hello all!

In case no one told you, while absolutely wonderful, pregnancy can also be a B**ch!  It really isn't bad in most regards.  I mean, I can handle the fact that my running endurance isn't the same, and I'm coping with seeing the numbers on the scale climb higher (when I'm gaining weight that is), but what I'm really having trouble with are stomach issues.  I never know what is going to leave me feeling great or what will leave me feeling a bit, ummm, stopped up.  Then there's cramping and a general feeling of ickiness.

From what I've been able to surmise so far, there are a few constants.  When I eat lots of whole grains, fruits, and veggies, I'm OK (go figure), but the second I have anything a little over-processed I feel like crap (pun intended).  Of course, I'm also finding that when I eat healthy foods I don't gain weight like I should.  Plus, I sometimes enjoy not-so-healthy foods. 

Anyway, I'm digressing from the original point in this post, which was not to complain or pout.  I wanted to tell you about this weekend.

Well, earlier last week I signed up for the Shamrock Half Marathon in VA Beach, and Hans and I both signed up for the Monument Avenue 10k (I'm super-proud of Hans).  Obviously, I'm not shooting for a PR here, but I do want to make sure I can still do some of the longer distances, so I've decided to do weekend long runs again.  Anyway, on Friday I went out for an 8 mile "run" (there was a lot of walking too).  It was wonderful!  The weather was perfect I felt great, and the endorphin rush afterward was phenomenal.  I was in such a good mood, and had burned so many calories, that I decided to join Hans for lunch at Qdoba.  It was delicious, but after such a long run I was surprisingly still hungry.  I tried to just let things digest and deal, but I knew I had a group dinner planned so I figured I'd be fine.  BIG MISTAKE.

By the time dinner rolled around, I was hungry.  And, of course, dinner consisted of pizza, brownies, and soda.  And, of course, I had a little too much.  And, of course, this left me feeling not so great.  Fast forward to Saturday.

Saturday morning I felt OK.  A little sluggish, but not horrible.  I easily could have slept a lot more, but I was fine.  I did notice, however, that I was hungrier than usual.  By lunch time, I was ravenous, and I definitely ate more than I should have.  And that's when I started to feel miserable.  I was tired, my stomach hurt, and I just wanted to curl up under the covers.  I figured a good night's rest would make things better, but on Sunday I still felt awful.

We went out to lunch like we usually do on Sunday, but the only thing that seemed at all appetizing (and that I could have) was a burger.  After that I really felt awful.  I felt so awful that I didn't have much for dinner (nothing sounded good), and I felt so awful that when I woke this morning I felt like I'd been hit by a truck.  It was not good.  I knew I needed to do two things.  1) I needed to start a mild detox.  Cut all the crap, and get back to eating a little better.  2) I needed a good workout.  While running is usually my preferred method of exercise, I needed something a little easier on the joints today.  I felt like I'd been hit by a truck, so the thought of "pounding the pavement" just did not sound appealing.  Lucky for me, Hans had recently gotten me a new swimsuit...one that will expand with my expanding belly.  :)  So, off to the gym I went.

It's amazing how much better I felt both during and after my workout.  I was in a better mood, my stomach wasn't as upset, my bones and joints and muscles didn't ache as much.  That swim was just what the doctor ordered.  I would have liked to have gone longer, but I was forced out as the pool was closing for a class that was about to start.  I even wished I had brought some other gym clothes so I could hop on a bike and continue the workout.  Oh well!  Maybe next time!

After my work out I went to the grocery store.  Silly me hadn't really prepared properly for the hunger that follows a good swim workout when I'm pregnant!  Other than the chocolate milk I bought (which was beyond amazing), I stuck to things I new would make me feel good: fruits, veggies, and some granola.

Then, later today, I was walking through a nearby neighborhood with a client.  I was telling her all about this delicious cupcake shop that we were passing by, and I seriously thought about going in to get a few for myself and the staff.  Heck, my client even offered to buy me one!  I was quite close to saying yes, but then I realized one thing.  It had been just a little over 12 hours since I'd had any real sugar in my system (I'm not counting the delicious chocolate milk as that was post-workout refueling).  Did I really want / need a cupcake, or was my body just craving some more sugar?  Yeah, I just wanted the sugar rush, and when I realized that, it was easy to walk away.  It would have given me about 2 seconds of joy, and then I would have felt awful again. 

So, today was about combating the hell I put my system through this weekend.  Today was successful.  And that, my friends, is what makes me happy.

More Weighty Issues

Well, I was right.  The doctor scolded me for not gaining enough weight.  So, I made a good day of it.  After the doctor's, I called my mom and we went out to Starbucks for some hot chocolate, and I treated myself to a cheese danish.  I would have preferred yogurt and fruit, but all they had was Greek yogurt, and I'm really not a fan.  Then, we went window shopping a bit, and by the time we were done it was time for lunch.  It didn't take long for us to decide on Chipotle.  I mean, really, what's better for weight gain? 

The problem is, I'm just really not that hungry.  So, if I want more calories, I often need to make them empty calories.  Then, I feel sick (don't even get me started on how I felt after eating two donuts in a day).  Honestly, I never thought I'd ever have an issue with gaining weight.

Like I said in my last post, though, my other fear is gaining way too much weight.  Ideally, I'll only gain 25-30 pounds throughout the pregnancy, but I've heard (and seen) way too many horror stories of people gaining 60+ pounds, and then having an extraordinary time trying to lose the weight.  I have a hard enough time losing weight without dealing with a baby, I really don't want to have to fight off extra weight gain.

So, I'm stuck with a conundrum.  How do I gain weight without eating foods that make me sick?  Apparently just eating extra fruits and veggies hasn't been cutting it, and I really don't want to force myself into the habit of eating tons of sugar or super-large meals.

Lots of people have told me not to worry about it.  They tell me I'll be fine, and that I'll gain plenty of weight in the last trimester, but I'm a worrier.  It's what I do, so I'm going to continue to worry a little bit.

I guess this post doesn't really have a resolution.  I just wanted to air out some of my feelings.  What are your thoughts?

Way Overdue

Wow!  I am WAY overdue for a post.  I also feel awful that my last post was a long rant.  Oh well!  Life has been beyond crazy lately, and if I'm not working or running I'm generally sleeping.  Things are starting to wind down a little now that the Christmas season has passed, and life is starting to return back to normal.  So, for this first post back after a month-long hiatus, I suppose I have some filling in to do.

Well, honestly, life hasn't been super exciting.  Thanksgiving kicked off the busy season at the kennel, and Hans and I have been so pleased with how well things are going.  The only issue is that, until we hire some more people, we're also working a lot more.  Hans has done a wonderful job of taking up my slack (I can't believe how much faster I wear out now), but he's starting to wear down too.  So, we are looking at hiring some new people.  I'd really love to get to the point where I only have to work part time and Hans can come in only as absolutely needed.  As it is, I made a point this month of making sure we always have at least 1 day off a week.  We need that time together.

Things in Baby-land are progressing nicely.  The biggest issue I've had is putting on weight.  I was starting to do well, but then I caught the flu and dropped 5 pounds in 2 days.  I'm now 1.5 pounds UNDER my starting weight, and I'm worried the doctor will scold me for not taking it easy enough.  Of course, the alternative would be putting on TOO MUCH weight, and I certainly wouldn't want that to happen.  I'm really just trying to make healthy decisions while occasionally throwing in a high calorie option every now and then (like the cheese steak I ate tonight).  I am still running, although my time has slowed considerably.  I just get winded so easily now!

Hans and I are starting to really focus on preparing the nursery.  I have big ideas for it, and I really just need to get in there and play with the space.  I have the feeling we'll be making a trip or two to Ikea here soon.

In other big purchases news, we did do something yesterday to really focus on preparing for a family.  We bought a new car!!  Hans and I both LOVE our Prius, and it's been a wonderful car for the past 7 years, but on our last trip to MN it became startlingly obvious that we would never be able to fit 2 dogs, 2 adults, and a baby in it.  And that's without even considering the times we've also transported the cats, other dogs, or even other people.  We needed something larger...preferably something with three rows of seats.  So, started looking around.

We'd been looking at the Toyota Highlander or the Toyota Sienna, but after asking other families and reading consumer reports, we finally opted for the Honda Odyssey.  I completely love it.  It's large enough for everyone and everything, and it's completely luxurious.  I'm starting to feel a bit like a soccer mom!

Ours is Celestial Blue.  On my screen, though, this photo is showing up as more of a grey / silver.

 In Dog-land, Cody and Lollie are doing quite well.  I think they both thoroughly enjoyed a little break after Christmas, followed by three days of lying in bed with me while I recovered from my flu bug.  They were wonderful care takers, and I could not have asked for more.  Cody, who had been nursing a pulled groin, seems to be doing much better, and I'm starting to take him out on longer walks and even some slow runs with me.  He hates getting up early enough to go out, but he's always so happy afterward, so I know I'm doing the right thing.  Lollie continues to slowly warm up to Hans, but had a bit of a set back after snuggling with me for three days.  It's all about Mom now, and I'm kind of OK with that.  At least she's starting to get comfortable enough to play with him now.  She did have a bit of an allergic outbreak this month, and its hesitancy to completely calm down has caused me to schedule another vet appointment.  Ah, my poor special-needs child!

Well, that's about it for now.  I hope all is well out in blog land!