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| Our Little Bean | PIP Camera App Photo Effect |
We got to see our little bean for the first time last week, and it was wonderful to hear the heartbeat and discover that all is well so far. We even got see this little one wiggle around!! I don't recall that happening with my first, and it really made me smile. :)
This pregnancy marks the fourth time I've been pregnant. My last two pregnancies were miscarriages, so I debated holding off on announcing this pregnancy until I'm farther along...but the reality is that there is always a risk of miscarriage, and I just want to make the most of the time I'm pregnant and connect with other pregnant mamas.
You know?
Already, this pregnancy feels more promising than my last two pregnancies, and I'm hopeful everything will go well. Third times a charm, right?!
In the end, I recognize that whatever will be will be...so I'm just going to hope for the best and focus on the aspects of this pregnancy I CAN control, including the choices I make to take care of myself and what I can do to prepare for being a mama of two.
Goals, Goals, Goals
I have a lot of goals for this pregnancy!!
First and foremost, I want to have a healthy and active pregnancy. My diet wasn't as great as it could have been when I was pregnant with my first, and I was very inactive. I didn't do much of anything to exercise or move my body...including even doing something as simple as going on walks. I ended up paying the price for that...with lots of lower back pain near the end of my pregnancy and years beyond. Getting in better shape over the past 9.5 months has really helped me strengthen my core and lower back and overcome my previous situation. It was not easy, but it was so worth it, and I want to keep it up!! I want to be a physically and mentally strong mama...so I can decrease pregnancy pain, keep up with my toddler, have a better experience with labor and delivery, and hopefully avoid lower back issues post-pregnancy. It feels AMAZING to be in the best shape of my life before getting pregnant again, and I like to think that living a healthier lifestyle has increased my chances of having a successful pregnancy this go round.
Of course, nutrition is important, too, and I want to eat well, even when it's really hard, so that I can have a healthier pregnancy and a healthier baby.
Up to this point...I haven't been doing so great with these particular goals. Ha! Vacation has thrown me off with my workout routine and the first trimester has been more about survival thus far. All my favorite pre-pregnancy foods have been no-gos to date, so I've had to work on finding totally different foods to eat, and we've eaten out a lot more than desired. Feeling super tired hasn't helped. ;) But having this goal and being more aware of my choices has really helped me, and it's a fun challenge to try and figure out how to make this work and discover healthy foods I can eat and enjoy.
With my current situation, I can't do scrambled eggs, most veggies, and most proteins (by Portion Fix categories), but I've discovered that I like things like pancakes/french toast for breakfast, I like steel cut oats plain or with fruit, I can do hard boiled eggs, and I love veggies in soups. I want to try adding more beans into my diet. As far as cravings go, I can't get enough of orange juice and fruit, and I could eat carbs all day! And I love soup! Overall, my focus has been on trying to make sure I get enough calories (preferably nutritious calories) as opposed to focusing on getting the right balance of food groups...and that will probably be the case until I discover more protein and veggies I can eat (or more creative ways I can eat them) without triggering nausea. Even that has been a struggle as I need A LOT of calories in a day (~2,200!!). My biggest challenge is not giving into the mindset of "Well, I'm pregnant, so I can eat and do whatever I want!" For me, that is a mindset that leads to eating way more junk food that I really want to eat...and to skipping workouts...and it all just goes downhill from there.
My next big goal involves my toddler. I want to make the most of the one-on-one time I have left with him, and I really hope I can make the time and energy to plan all sorts of fun things for us to do together. I want him to know how much he is loved and I want him to be prepared (as much as possible) to be a big brother. I want to do more one-on-one learning activities with him, maybe more themed weeks/months and less winging it. I want this to be a really memorable year, full of laughter and smiles.
Last but not least, I want to pour a lot of time and energy into MYSELF...to becoming the best wife and mom I can be...and I want to do it on my own time...preferably early in the morning before anyone wakes up. This will require more self-discipline than I've currently developed, but hopefully I get there quickly. ;) To create the type of family life I want to have, this is critical...and I know it will only get harder to make time for me with another child.
Of course, setting goals is wonderful...but taking actions toward reaching goals is what really counts! So, I'm taking action to become more of a morning person, and I'm striving to be better at planning out my weeks and days. I find that I am more successful in reaching my goals when I make them about more than just me, so I'll continue to host and participate in health and fitness challenge groups in addition to sharing my journey on social media. Being a health and fitness coach has given me a greater sense of responsibility for my own health and for helping others succeed in reaching their goals. Because I am a coach, my goals become more of a must than just a desire; I feel more of a sense of urgency to improve myself so I can better serve and help others. It's empowering and keeps me going. But it isn't just being a coach that keeps me going...truthfully, I need the support and accountability just as much as everyone else in my groups does!
The reality is that I can't do this on my own...and I love having outside support and accountability. The amazing group of women I get to associate with every day really help me keep my mind focused on what is important. They help me remember what it is that I really want and push me to strive for progress each day. I don't always have good days and I make plenty of poor choices...and I have days where I feel overwhelmed and things seem too hard and too hopeless...but the support and accountability helps me bounce back and keeps me pushing forward...one step at a time. It makes such a difference for me to have this kind of support and accountability in my life, and it will make a difference in helping me reach my goals.
I love seeing all the pregnancy announcements on social media lately, and I'm excited to join the crowd!! Here's to a healthy and fit pregnancy for us all...we can do this!!
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