I am my SMALLEST EVER!!

I actually wrote this a couple weeks ago and just saw that I forgot to publish it! I think I was waiting for a photo. Since then my scale battery died so I'm not sure if I'm bigger, smaller, or the same. I do mean to exercise more. I was going to start an exercise program on Sept 1st with my husband, but he backed out. I should do it alone, but I haven't yet. I have gone walking though. Anyway, here is the post:

body selfies are hard, but here's my face you
can see how much slimmer it is!

I weighed myself this morning and am now the smallest weight I have EVER BEEN at my adult
height!!

Yay!

This has really put a fire under me to do more. I had tried to exercise more at 6 to 7 weeks after giving birth, but had found myself still very weak and sore. I met a new friend a few weeks ago who likes to go walking, so I've gone walking with her a few times a week since then. Also my baby (nicknamed "Dreamer") really likes to be bounced and walked so I've been active in my home in a way I wasn't before actively soothing her.

However, I haven't really been formally exercising much. I want to change that, especially as since I am breastfeeding I can't really diet (though I can make sure I'm not over eating.)

Six Weeks Post Partum

Yay! Baby girl is six weeks and I thought I should update you on my progress now that I can exercise again.

First the stats. I had gained 17 pounds during pregnancy. I lost it all in the first two weeks and lost an additional 11 as well! I was rapidly losing weight until five weeks. This brings my weight loss since moving to India to 56 pounds.

I am logging again on myfitnesspal. I've logged for the past four days straight. I can't really do a lot of calorie restricting since I'm breast feeding so I've decided to do it this way: I set my goal as lose one pound a week but then add breast feeding as an "exercise" that gives me an extra 500 calories a day.

I'm also doing actual exercises, but easing myself into it. I have been doing dumbbell stuff with my arms, leg lifts, some an exercises. Did some jumping jacks the other day, took a short walk with baby girl in the ergo on Monday. I was on bed rest for three months (one full, two modified) so my muscles are shot. It's especially bad with my back, hips, and abs. So I am easing into it, listening to my body for its limits and stopping... but then going a tiny bit further the next day.

Yesterday before sleeping I tried to do some lying down ab work and my lower back protested. I stretched and realized my hip was crazy tight. So when I woke up today I got a dance workout that I knew really got the hips and was able to do 20 minutes of it before my daughter's crying stopped me. I call that a success.

Lastly, a few hours ago I took measurements of myself for the first time since pre-pregnancy. Since I am not at all toned I thought it'd be bad honestly. But I lost on all of them except my bust! And since they're now milk makers that gain makes sense.

My daughter and I dressed for Independence Day.

My Baby is Here!

I had my baby a little over three weeks ago! She's a beautiful little girl!

Now to get back to talking about my health/fitness journey.

I gained 17 pounds durnig my pregnancy. I am successfully breastfeeding and she's growing... sigh! My baby is already not as little! But I am getting littler.

I have already lost all the weight! Crazy, right?? And in addition I've lost 6 pounds! That makes me down 51 pounds from when I started to lose weight!!

I have decided breastfeeding is magic.

Still don't have the go ahead to exercise, think that comes at about 6 weeks, but am looking forward to that! I'll be posting more then.

Long Overdue Update

Okay so I'm a total flop with keeping up with this blog since I got pregnant. Actively trying to lose weight really had me thinking of this blog more often.

However, I am definitely still frequently thinking of my health and obviously the health of my unborn baby!

I am cheerfully 34 weeks now and getting excited!

I had an infection at 25 weeks that caused bleeding and had to go to the hospital. I was admitted for two days and released on strict bed rest. So strict that I couldn't sit in a chair and as we don't have a laptop and our desk wasn't set up I couldn't really get online to blog on either blog, even if I had concerned myself with that.

After two weeks I was approved to sit up reclining and I started blogging again on my main blog, but I hadn't really given this one any thought. After a month of strict bed rest I was put on modified, which I am still on. However, if I have a good ultrasound next week I should be taken off bed rest completely!! I am getting happy at that prospect.

Aside from the infection and subsequent bleeding (I had two episodes, the big one and then a week later I started spotting because I had completed the meds they'd put me on, so I had to go back on the anti-bleeding medication for another two weeks) I have had a good pregnancy. The baby him/herself has never shown any indication of distress or ill health, it's just been my body. The infection had gotten into my cervix and uterus and irritated the placenta. As of my last appointment though my placenta had fully healed. My cervix had been a bit open (from my body trying to expel the infection) but it has since closed.

I am not totally infection free, however. While the antibiotics they had me on seemed to kill that specific infection, it gave me a yeast infection. Then when I was trying to cure that, I got what appeared to be another bacterial infection. Then another yeast. All these were comparably mild and I was trying to treat them with topical medications (that my doctor prescribed.)

Then my last routine blood and urine samples came back and while I do not have the big bads (gestational diabetes or preeclampsia) I do I have a urinary tract infection. I was put on an antibiotic and because I was mentioning my down there was still not happy, I got one anti-fungal dose as well...

I got really excited because by the end of the 5 day treatment my vaginal discharge seemed normal!! For really the first time the entire pregnancy!!

I wasn't sure about my urinary tract infection though. I had a feeling it wasn't quite gone... I was right. When I went for a urinalysis to check it, I still had an infection... there were also "epiphelial cells' and crystals so when I called my OB with the results instead of giving me an antibiotic she wants me to get another urine test done. I admit I was really upset about that and cried. I just want the antibiotic to get the stupid infection gone. I can tell by the way I feel that my bladder isn't feeling normal and the UTI is still there. Perhaps the sample was a bit contaminated, I'm not sure, but if it was it's just from my vaginal discharge.. which has gone back to being abnormal.

I am so sick of infections!!! An infection crept up inside my body, into my womb and tried to kill my baby!! Just give me the darn antibiotics! Agh!

I couldn't get to the lab on Sunday and then on Monday I crashed. I haven't slept well in a while with the pregnancy keeping me up in many ways: having to pee, baby kicking, indigestion, etc. So yesterday my body just shut me down and I slept 14 hours straight and right through the time I'd be able to get to the lab to give a urine sample.

So I am supposed to be going this morning for the urine test. I am waiting for my in-laws to pick me up. I thought they'd be here at least 20 minutes ago and since I want to get in, grab a urine cup, pee and leave I'd had a bunch of water... now I'm ready to burst and they still aren't here and it'll be at least 15 minutes when they get here before I can get to a rest room. Sigh.

So that's what's going on with my health. Oh, weight wise I"ve gained some. Not that much. Between 6-10 pounds I think. I haven't weighed myself in over a week. I'm just fine on track.

My next appointment is next week and it's my last ultrasound. They'll give me a size estimate and see if the baby has moved into the correct position yet. I'll try to remember to come and give you an update when they do!

Friday Fit Club

Okay I said I was joining then haven't posted an update.

20 week bump

Basically this was because I didn't actually work out though I did look up work outs. And then didn't do them. Part of this was laziness, but then part was fear.

Fear, you might ask? Well, to be honest I started losing weight for no good reason! I was up two pounds from when I found out I was pregnant at the beginning of week 20, steady for a few weeks... then at the end of week 20 I was back at the same weight as when I found out at week 7! This despite the fact that the beginning of week 20 brought an increase in appetite and I began to eat more. This was worrying me and making me hesitant to work out because when I should be gaining but am losing, burning more calories doesn't sound like the best idea. So even though I'd written that I'd work out more to you, I was hesitant to do so...

Then on Wednesday I weighed myself again. I always weigh myself with as few variables as possible, so I'm pretty sure it was accurate: I had lost half a pound! What the heck?! Here I am at 21 weeks 2 days and I weigh less than when I found out I was pregnant?

I freaked out a bit, but ended up looking up articles about losing weight in pregnancy. And they calmed me down. Basically retrospective studies (looking at medical records after the fact, versus giving on going care during pregnancy) of obese women who lost weight during pregnancy showed that they had a far less chance of having complications during pregnancy like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. Doctors aren't ready to recommend women TRY to lose weight, since they fear it'd have a negative impact on birth weight (and aside from GD, bigger generally means healthier with newborns.) However if you're obese and weight loss is just happening, like it is for me, it's probably not a bad thing. So that relaxed me. Also, every single article I found mentioned that regardless of weight or whatever that unless they're on bedrest the doctor's recommended exercise for all pregnant women, but especially the obese ones. So, the fear went away and I figure even if it does lead to another pound loss it's better to just exercise.

Around this happening a pregnancy group I'm on facebook with recommended squats as being great for pregnant ladies cause it strengthens the muscles we need for labor, so I did some. I think I did 15 squats before bed. Not a large amount, but something to start me rolling. Then on Thursday I went for a 20 minute walk and did 50 leg lifts on each side in bed. And today I've done 20 squats... but my knees hurt a little. Darn relaxin. So maybe I shouldn't do squats or only do them in increments of ten or something.

So my new goal for this week actually is to look up mini exercises like that and here's my thought: I'll make a list of small bursts of pregnancy safe exercises divided up in small doses. I'll try to do at least one "dose" a day but also try not to do more than 3, considering my weight loss. That way I'm being more active but not overdoing it. I know with working out I tend to be all or nothing, so moderation is good. If later on I start gaining weight, I'll increase my activity with no guilt. Oh, and if I find myself with access to a pool you'll have to drag me out, I'm not coming out until someone forces me. Gosh, I miss swimming.

So that's the goal for the week, to ease myself into deliberate exercising again without over doing it. I'll update y'all on how that goes next week. Also I have a doctor's appointment before then, so I'll be talking about my concerns with her and we'll see if that changes anything.

Hope you all have a fabulous week!

Bloggiversary!

I can't believe it's been over a year since I started Meaningful Activity!

When I posted the last post I glanced back to see how much I'd blogged last year and realized I'd reached a year! How crazy!

It really does seem like not long ago at all.

However whether it was Meaningful Activity or other things, this year has seen meaningful improvement in my health:

-I lost 45 pounds

-I started a health initiative (which I admit I've not kept up as much as I should have.)

-I found out I had an under active thyroid and found a name for my sleeping disorder.

-I conceived my first child

That's pretty awesome stuff!

Thanks to God for this year and yay for Meaningful Activity!

Updated the banner!

Joining Friday Fit Club

I think this is the week it's starting to look
more bump and less "is she just fat?" but
I'm still not obviously pregnant.

Well on Friday I was looking at the blog reel and saw a blogger I follow, Duckie, introducing a Friday Fit Club to kick off the New Year.

I thought, "That's perfect for Meaningful Activity." Since I announced this pregnancy I've been neglecting this blog... but I also have been neglecting working out. First trimester I was just so exhausted and sick feeling, and then the holidays were a whir. But now I have no excuse and exercise during pregnancy is a good thing.

The rules? We set goals for each week and keep each other accountable with an update and photo each Friday. Easy peasy, right?

For newcomers to my blog I'm 18 going on 19 weeks pregnant with my first. :) I'm due in June and then my focus will shift to losing the baby weight. For now I want to go for having a healthy pregnancy.

So my goals for this week is to find pregnancy safe workouts, and do 3 30 minute sessions. Now that I'm past the first trimester fatigue and nausea I really should concentrate on keeping fit for the delivery and to help prevent gestational diabetes. I also want to try to get back to tracking calories, only now for steady healthy weight gain. Since I found out I was pregnant, I am only 1 pound heavier, even though I look much more so... I went down 5 pound actually by week 12 I think, from nausea, but then around week 13 or 14 started to gain that back. I think I have officially gained one pound more than I was when I found out I was pregnant (at 7 weeks). I am still down from the weight I was I would have conceived, as this baby was a surprise and I was actively dieting and exercising for weight loss then. I am about 8 pounds less than I would have been at conception.

Since I am obese/overweight, the doctors want my weight gain at the end to be 10-15 pounds. I have 21 weeks to go, so if we use my starting weight as when I found out I was pregnant, I should gain about a half pound a week. However, if we use my conception weight then it can be more than that. As long as the baby is growing though, less is okay, but I should be striving for healthy weight gain now, not weight loss or maintenance.