Working this little belly!

It's been years since I did the typical bodybuilder workout. To be honest, Once i started wearing a heart rate monitor going back to like 2008, I realized that I could gain lean muscle AND burn LOTS of calories, but keeping my heart rate up- Circuit training. 

Even now that I am pregnant, I refuse to workout like a bodybuilder. 3 sets of one exercise, before you move on to the next- THAT is BORING. I'm way too hyper to workout like that. I also have gotten the BEST results training my body the way I like, and NOT how "everyone else" does it. 

I have been creating some very efficient workouts for myself for this first trimester. I may not be able to do my box jumps and my sprints, jumping rope like Rocky and burps, but I don't need to right now. 

This pregnancy is so special to me, I don't want to risk or worry about this little "olive" (the size of the baby now). I am smart about listening to my body. RIght now this baby is making me so tired, that I am lucky if I can push through 45 minutes of working out, so in that 45 minutes, I need to get as much in as possible. I try to workout at least 3-4 days a week. Some days I don't want to do a thing except for sleep. If I take one day off, I make sure the next day I do SOMETHING.

Yesterday I worked out for 35 minutes and today I lasted 37 minutes. Sounds kinda pathetic for a normal NON-pregnant woman, but for a woman in her first trimester who went through IVF, I could care less what ANYONE says. Each woman is different. I consider myself an athlete. I train for 1/2 marathons and am used to being in the gym 6-7 days a week. I have to say it's honestly nice right now to be able to rest, take it easy and also give my hard worked body a break.

The foods I eat are amazing for me. I try to eat 5-7 small meals, because if I eat large meals, I get super nauseous. I really don't want to yak, so I (again) listen to what my body wants and needs.

We went for an ultrasound with my OBGYN yesterday, and it went GREAT. I will be seeing Dr. Reiss in Rye, NY. He is super cool, very professional and guess what! His practice is just him! So I will always see him and no one else. NOT a fan of big practices. I want one-on-one attention for this baby. We are 9 weeks and 1 day pregnant. the baby was moving like crazy on the ultrasound. It's sooo cool that this olive sized baby is already going nuts in my belly! The heart beat was nice and strong and loud! It was beating 188 BPM when we were there. 

I will go back in 2 weeks for the 21 Chromosome testing... It's a little nerve racking, but staying postive will get us through it. 

Off to make a hot chocolate protein almond milk... Snack time! :O)

PS.  I will be posting my first trimester workouts very soon! :O)

A day of FATIGUE at it's highest

Well, so far in the last 9 weeks, today marks the most INTENSE fatigue I have felt. I got almost 10 hours sleep last night. I didn't even get up for water or to pee. SERIOUSLY, no joke, deep REM sleep!! I came home from work at 11:30 this morning and wanted to sleep since then. I laid down for about 20 minutes until Mario brought me a turkey, avocado, tomato, lettuce on a whole gran wrap, which um, was TO DIE FOR.  After I ate it, I laid down again and really tried to sleep. It lasted for about 20 minutes until I got the sudden URGE to nest and clean and organize. WTH!!!

I didn't go to the gym today although I wanted to, my body and this little baby wants no part of any physical activity right now. HOPEFULLY that will change soon. I am starting to feel like a lazy slob. 

I was at Target this morning before I came home, and bought my first official maternity Maxi dress. UGH! I also bought the belly band, which I am kinda excited to try. I figured why pay a lot of money since this is the last time I will be pregnant. I will splurge on a good pair of jeans soon, just not sure when to make that purchase. I plan on wearing little dresses and shorts all summer along with flowing tank tops. 

I am going to my OBGYN tomorrow- GOSH I am going to miss Dr. Miller so much. I cried my eyes out the other day when she told me I was discharged. I LOVE her and the girls who work there. They are sooooo incredible, caring and supportive. She has a GREAT team. My OBGYN has some BIG shoes to fill!

My meals today:

Meal One: Breakfast: 6:45am
6 egg whites
1 Nature's Path Chia waffle
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 sliced banana

Meal two: 11:45
coconut yogurt
1/2 scoop Vitol -Egg white protein
handful honey nut cheerios (DON'T ask!)

Meal three: Lunch- 1:30
slices fresh turkey off the bird
sliced avocado
lettuce
tomato
on a whole grain wrap

Meal four: 4:30
Smooze- It's a sugar free, gluten free, dairy free ice pop- it's so delicious! this one was coconut & papaya

Meal five: dinner- 6:45
1 turkey burger
very big salad

Phew!!! 9 weeks...in 2 more days!

Seeing Dr. Miller puts my mind at ease. Seeing my baby on the ultrasound makes my heart sing with joy! I actually have a FETUS now or as I can call her / him this week a green OLIVE! This Thursday we get to hear the baby's heartbeat. When I saw Dr. Miller on Monday, it's heart was beating 166 beats per minute! I saw the little buds that will form arms and legs. Dr. Miller is so happy with how the baby looks..... I am ecstatic! 
My appetite has increased like crazy in the past few days! I can't eat fast enough, yet I am nauseous as well ALL DAY. Thankfully haven't gotten morning sickness. 

I have been eating mindlessly at times and today I recognized it and today I put a stop to it. I eat about 6-7 times a day, but seriously, I don't need a giant bowl of Nature's Path Bran cereal! I should be eating more egg whites and protein. 

Here is my new eating plan as of tomorrow:

Meal one: 1/2 cup steel cut oats made with almond milk, 1/2 banana and protein powder with water poured on top.

Meal two: Kind Bar or Lara Bar at work

Meal three: 6 egg whites & whatever veggies I have along with a yam

Meal four: piece of fruit with nuts or almond butter

Meal five: dinner is usually, ground turkey, ground buffalo, tons of veggies or a big salad and sometimes I have black rice, quinoa brown rice pasta or no carbs- depending on how I feel.

I started to workout regularly now... NOT like the FIT GREEN GODDESS, but the PREGNANT FIT GREEN GODDESS! :O)
I plan on going to the gym for cardio and total body workouts on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday. I usually last about 45 minutes to an hour, and then the fatigue sets in. It's fine. I make sure I go heavy, because I definitely don't want to gain a lot of FAT, and I would like to maintain the muscle I do have. I keep my heart rate around 130 and below. Anytime it gets higher, I stop, drink lots of water and watch my heart rate drop to about 85-90 BPM. I used to burn anywhere from 500-800 calories in a single workout, now I burn about 160-180 calories. All good. I'm really not concerned with my PHYSIQUE as I just want this baby to be healthy, strong and happy when it comes into this world!

XO

Nausea OH! Nausea!

It's set in BIG TIME! I wake up starving but nauseous at the same time- It stinks! Usually I need to have big meals around 5-5 times a day. Since I am pregnant, I have been eating super small meals, and more on the bland side. I notice some things I LOVE, I can't eat right now. I usually LOVE the smell of fresh Basil. and now I want to vomit when I smell it. The sight of lentils makes me get quezzy in my belly too. I try to stick to Ezekiel toast, plain oatmeal, quinoa (although the smell is starting to bother me) and brown rice pasta.

I love drinking ginger, lemon water made at home or from a place called Meli-Melo. I boil water with about an inch of fresh diced ginger. Once it's boiled, I shut the heat, cover it and and let the ginger steep. Once I am ready to drink it, I squeeze 1/2 a lemon in a mug, pour in the hot ginger water, and add a teaspoon of honey. YUM. The ginger SORT of helps with the nausea, but I'm getting to the point where I may need a prescription from my Dr. . 

Haven't gained anything and in the first trimester, I think they say you should gain up to 4 pounds. I think I am still holding on to the IVF water retention. I weighed in at 117lbs. I do feel softer compared to where I was before all of this. I was super defined and now, I still have shape but not as hard. I haven't worked out since the day before my egg transfer back in the begining of February.  I mess around here and there with the weights when I am at work or at home, but nothing to really brag about.  I think because I eat so clean, I am able to maintain what I have.

This morning I made a shake:

• 1 cup frozen banana
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 1 scoop Vitol (egg white) Protein powder
• 1 tbsp bee pollen
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter (craving it)
• 8 oz. almond milk

It's DELISH!

8 weeks and 2 days!

We have been in Miami from Monday until yesterday- Friday March 22nd. What a difference in me from last spring vacation till now. I was walking around with my teeny bikini more confident than ANYONE, and so proud of how great I looked, after all, I work my ass off, so I earned it! This vacation, I still wore a bikini, but the obvious things were busting out, such as my boobs which are now bigger and heavier than most grapefruits! my abs are a distant memory, because my uterus is now the size of a grapefruit but shaped like a papaya.

The baby now has webbed fingers and toes, and is already moving, although I would be lying if I said I can feel it. it's also the size of a jelly bean!  I feel as though I gained 20 pounds already, just so bloated, but the truth is, I only gained 1 pound in 8 weeks.

The entire time we were in Miami, I felt as if I had no pregnancy symptoms other than being tired. The sun was so amazing and really helped with the nausea. My boobs were sore too, but I truly think being in the sun and walking so much really helped with all the side effects.

I did get a little fussy about the fact that none of my clothes are fitting as they once did, only because I have some really beautiful things that I can't wear- right now. I am kind of exited about getting some maternity jeans and cute summer dresses, I can't deny it! I am happy about about sporting a baby bump- which is there, and noticeable to those who knew me before this little bean.

As soon as we got back to NY, ALL my symptoms returned! SORE boobs, NAUSEA like crazy, loss of appetite, back aches and headaches. WE (me and my bean) don't like the WINTER! We need sun, sand and summer.

Going to nap now, It's about that time. :O)

 

Another little Scare!

I am getting a little tired of getting these little scares and wish the first trimester was done and I was in the clear already! This past weekend, again on a Sunday, I came home from a brunch with my girlfriend when I went to use the bathroom and noticed brown when I wiped. I was so used to seeing thick white stuff from the progesterone inserts, that when I saw the brown, I instantly thought something was wrong! I immediately wrote Dr. Miller an email and waited for her to get back to me all afternoon. 

When Mario came home, I showed him. He tried to keep me distracted all afternoon and night, but it just didn't work. I was nervous.

Yesterday (Monday, March 10th), I went to see Dr. Miller for an ultrasound and blood work. Mario and I were in the room together. Dr. Miller told us we probably wouldn't see the heart of the baby flickering becasue it was too soon....BUT!!!!!!!!!! There it was!! We saw the baby's heart flickering, the baby has grown, the sac looks great! We were both soooo emotional! Crying our eyes out in happiness and relief. Dr. Miller sais everything looks GREAT! 
She called later to tell me my HCG (Beta) levels were over 160,000!!! My progesterone was 65, nice and high! 

AHHHH!!! Wow! It's starting to feel so real now! On Thursday March 14th, I will be 7 weeks. We leave for Miami this Monday and I can't tell you how excited I am to decompress, get some sun and just catch up on some (WE) time... for me and Mario....

Nausea has REALLY set in and only small meals will do, I mean SUPER small! Smells are starting to effect me as well. I am loving every second of this!

Growing like crazy now!

I am now going into my 7th week (Thursday). My abs are completely non-existent at this point, and I can totally see a baby bump. It's actually pretty cool, how quickly the body responds and preps for the life about to begin inside of me. My embryo resembles a tadpole, but at the end of this week, it starts to ALMOST look like a human. Also, at the end of this week, we will see the heart beat on the ultrasound. I can't even imagine that the baby will already form a digestive system, liver kidneys spleen.

I'm really tired, and not sure- again- if it's because of my lack of movement in the gym, ore because this little Blueberry (the size of my baby). I notice if I take a 20 minute DEEP power nap, I am good. My meals right now are small and frequent because I get FULL really fast, and nauseous. I have not had morning sickness yet, and quite frankly don't want it, but I am open to EVERY part of pregnancy that come my way, and hope all is AMAZING for the next 7 months.

A typical diet for me right now is:
Breakfast: 1 packet Gluten Free Oats, egg white protein, blueberries
or: coconut yogurt with Kashi cereal on top and egg white protein mixed in.

Meal two: 2 egg whites & one whole egg fried with coconut oil spray & 2 slices Ezekiel toast with coconut oil on top.
OR: same as above with 1/2 avocado smeared on top with tomato.

Meal three: this is where I am usually nauseous  so I either have a little fruit, some tea. Just something light to hold me over until dinner.

Dinner: I will ALWAYS have a TON of greens like salad, kale, broccoli, etc. I can NEVER eat enough greens. I will add either Turkey or Buffalo in there, and sometimes keep my diner Vegan. Some days I am more hungry than others, and some days I just eat enough to keep calories in my body to feed my baby.


After dinner: usually chamomile tea and OR: 1/2 grapefruit.

I'm starting to get a little FED up being HOME ALL THE TIME... I'm getting the itch to walk and feel the sun on my body, so I am looking forward to going to Miami with Mario for a few days to soak up the sun! I have been really good the past 7 weeks and NOT over doing ANYTHING, and feel it's time to listen to my body and if I want to workout, I will and if I want to sleep, I will. Either way, I need to FEEL good, otherwise mentally I won't be in a good place. I am very cautious about what I eat, drink, breathe in and how I move around....I'll do what's best for the baby first, and then for me.

Thoughts dreams and hopes

Today is March 6th, 2013.

I am around 117 pounds. When I started the IVF process I weighed in at 112lbs... So, I am still holding the retention from then. Since I have been pregnant, I haven't gained anything. I am LOSING my lean muscle, since I can't workout right now, but it's all good.

I'm not having any cravings yet, as I think it may be too soon, however, I amobsessed with eggs on Ezekiel toast everyday with avocado and sliced tomato. It drives my taste buds into overdrive!

I'm feeling super excited, hopeful and ready to begin this beautiful journey towards being a mother all over again. Physically I am tired. I try to take naps everyday, and find even if I nap for 25 minutes, I feel refreshed! I also feel sluggish because I went from 200 MPH each day to basically 0, due to the first trimester being the most scary part. I want to make sure this little baby stays put!

Some of my dreams so far:

1. 2 very sexual dreams with me & Mario- Had my blushing the next morning!

2. The other dream was Mario and I were sleeping and heard the babies drying, so we got up to get them, and looked in the crib and saw 5 little newborns! MY oh MY!

3. The scariest dream was that I got up to go pee and I was gushing blood... This one had me sweating and literally had to get up and shower!

4. My friend Vanessa and I were in Rome, Italy at a flea market outdoors, and all they were selling were baby clothes..... I kept holding up little teeny outfits...

I am already in love. I already feel attached, and I am already protective and my motherly instincts have set in....

The best part about this pregnancy is Mario. He has been so supportive, caring understanding and so loving. He needs to be a teacher to EVERY MAN who has a woman expecting his child. Mario has exceeded my expectations. He's so sweet and thoughtful and just does everything to make sure I am comfortable. He is a little overbearing already too (but it's so cute). He always wants to know what I ate each day, if I napped and now I am feeling.

I kinda feel bad, because since the transfer, I have been afraid of intimacy, and the poor guy is a champ! He wants me to be comfortable, and so right now, I just feel like we should wait. He's fine... He is so tired from work, I'm sure he doesn't even think about it. I sure do miss it and him and that part of us... but soon enough.

 

We DID IT!

Well..... On February 11th, We did the Transfer, as I am sure you read by now, and if not, you can read that experience right here... My Two Embryos.

I went to Dr. Miller for my first HCG test two weeks later, and it was 221! We were expecting it to be between 50-100. DAMN! This is GREAT, right? That was on a Monday, then on Thursday is soared to 1,581, which I didn't think I heard Dr. Miller right when she said such a HIGH number! Twins? Oh man! TWINS would be a DREAM come true...One baby will be a dream come true, but TWINS!?!?! WOW! So I went back for my third Beta test on the following Monday....and it was 8,488! For SURE it's got to be TWINS! How could I have such HIGH Beta numbers? Mario and I were SOOO thrilled, so emotional and SO MORE THAN READY for this new journey we are about to embark on! I think Mario is so fascinated with the whole science part of this whole thing. Fertility is a STRESSFUL thing to go through, but it's also so beautiful and so amazing!

The last Beta test was on Friday. On Saturday morning I woke up with such BAD cramps. So bad that I got up to get ready to go train my client, but then got back into bed thinking if I just lay down for a few more minutes the cramps would go away.  I am fully aware of the cysts on my ovaries and kept thinking that's what it was. I went to train my client, but the cramps kept getting worse. Running to the bathroom, I checked for blood or spotting and there was none. My client told me to go home, so I did. I called my Dr.. Dr. Miller told me to lay down and do not do a thing, take some Tylenol and just rest. I stayed glued to my bed from 9:30 until 4:00, when Mario got home. I decided to get up and go to Whole foods with him. I felt fine from the Tylenol, but it must have worn off when we were almost done. I got the chills, sweats and severe cramping again, so I left Mario to finish and I went to my car to wait for him. When I got home, I put hot water in a compress and got back into bed. WOW! It worked wonders. NO pain. I woke up on Sunday a brand new person! Was is my cysts? I couldn't tell, so I emailed Dr. Miller just following up. she wrote back saying what I did was great but she was concerned about an ectopic pregnancy due to my tubal reversal and age. From that second on until I got to see her on TUESDAY, I was an emotional BASKETCASE thinking the worst and just uncontrollably crying like crazy. Mario was a mess too, because he didn't know what to do for me to calm me down. I wouldn't leave the house, wouldn't smile, wouldn't take my mind off of the whole thing.

I called Dr. Miller on Monday almost begging to get in, but just couldn't. SO I decided to put my hands up and give it to God. If we are meant to be pregnant we will be, and if not, we won't. Monday was the longest day of my life! Monday night I had the scariest dream- I had a dream I woke up to use the bathroom and I was gushing blood! SERIOUSLY!?!?! I woke up with the sweats and had to shower! I was just a mess.

Tuesday, March 5th, Mario & I went to Dr. Miller for our first ultrasound. LOOKS AMAZING!!!!!! We saw one sac with the fetus in it! Not sure if there was ever another one or if it's hiding or if it dissolved. Right now, as badly as I wanted twins, I am FINE with one baby! I couldn't stop thanking God for all of my answered prayers! Mario & I were so emotional during the ultrasound and so "WOW-ed" by what is growing inside of me. Dr. Miller is THRILLED with how it looks!

It's amazing how I went from scared out of my mind to instantly put at ease when we got such a GREAT ultrasound outcome. Dr. Miller also checked my tubes for an ectopic, but NOTHING. She did find MANY cysts, but right now we need them for transporting progesterone to my uterus... I just have to LAY LOW, which we all know is SUPER hard for me, but I am desperate to ROCK this pregnancy and have a HEALTHY baby!

5 weeks 5 days!

I am 5 weeks and 6 days pregnant. It's too soon to tell the world, SO I am keeping this in my drafts as my journal until I reach at least 7 weeks weeks. Once at 7 weeks, I may explode if I can't share my happiness with the world!

And you can see the difference.... My abs were shredded in the hot pink sports bra, and here I am more bloated between the IVF meds and the pregnancy, already. Since I have had two kids, my body will respond quicker than a woman who hasn't. Also because I was EXTREMELY lean with little body fat, by body will naturally gain weight quick. All great! I can't wait to have a belly and not have to focus on my definition, abs, and body! I am ALL over this pregnancy!