2nd Trimester – what did it look like exercise wise?

2nd trimester – oh how I love you. No sickness, not much tiredness, still not in the “whale” stage which will apparently come and I’m generally feeling 100% better than I did for the 1st trimester.

So, what have I done from week 13 ish to week 26 ish? I ran, I walked, I did yoga, I climbed, I hiked, I did HIIT, I meditated (mindfulness) and I feel good.

What has happened to my body? I have put on 1 stone exactly from week 13 to week 26 which equals around 1lb a week (apparently normal), my blood pressure has not changed (100/60 as per usual) and my body only appears to have gained “baby” weight – boobs and bump for those needing an explanation. Although, to be fair, I feel that the top of my thighs are a little plumper and my “love handles” are (to me) slightly larger although my husband thinks i’m making it up.

I have kind of got into a rhythm with exercise and have a sort of plan. Each day I walk a minimum of 1 mile, but I try to walk 3 – 5 miles on alternate days. I walk slower than normal, I do get some round ligament pain when I walk which I try to combat by tying a jumper under the bump (50% success rate there) and I won’t be breaking any fitness records, but it makes me feel good and the days I do my longer walk I notice that my mental health is better. Round ligament pain is weird, it does hurt, but now I know what it is it’s making me worry less. Plus, I get it when I walk as I am using those ligaments and that makes me feel good. I feel like I am exercising. I have found a way to deal with round ligament pain is to stay hydrated and, if they become a bit too much, to squat as this seems to relieve the pain.

I try to do yoga three times a week. I tried to do it every day, but in all honesty I got bored of it and ended up missing more sessions than I was doing. Three times a week is manageable, achievable and totally worthwhile. Yoga is helping with my overall balance, flexibility (putting socks on is getting progressively harder) and it helps me centre myself. Plus it’s apparently helping my pelvic floor which will help with the birth.

HIIT has been good. I was doing it every day, but again got a bit bored of it so have changed that to three times a week as well. It gets my heartrate up and makes me feel better in general.

Meditation – new thing in the mix. I have been doing the free 10 day HeadSpace app program and it’s really good. You do it for 10 minutes every day and I genuinely feel so much more relaxed after doing it, but as with most things I am not doing it every day. I started meditating (or mindfulness really) as I want to wonder down the hypnobirthing path and this seemed like a good way to introduce myself to it. I highly recommend HeadSpace or the equivalent! Once I have got the hang of the meditation/mindfulness i’ll then embark on the hypnobirthing.

Climbed a few times – nothing epic – and have hiked round various local spots with the husband.

All in all I feel proud of what I have achieved. The key has been adapting to my changing body, working out what works and what does not work and trying to fit in exercise each day. I firmly believe that keeping things varied means there is more chance of them taking place and it also gives the body different kinds of workouts which is good.

Food – i’m not eating for two. There is no need. I am not carrying around a full grown human inside me after all. I try to eat healthily. I have been logging my calorie intake and am aiming to keep it to 2000 total max (with exercise). I am aiming to drink 3 litres of water a day as well as I have found this helps my body maintain its natural rhythms. I am not eating much red meat for no other reason than the baby cannot stomach it. I am eating fish and chicken – in fact given half the chance I am pretty sure the baby would live off prawns. I am eating fruit and vegetables with most meals and as snacks, I also eat chocolate, but try to keep it to two squares a day or two small chocolate eggs (which are about 1/3 the size of a crème egg – not easter egg size!). Occasionally I will eat ice cream or cake, but I try to limit that the two times a week max (not always achieved mind, but the aim is there). Overall my diet seems good. I eat what I fancy and generally what I fancy are things like wholegrain cereal with bananas and sultanas, stir-fry with chicken and vegetables, eggs with wholemeal bread and peanut butter, pasta with vegetables and cheese sauce. I cannot overeat as it makes me feel sick so I aim for 4 small meals a day or three meals with lots of snacks.

So, what’s in the pipeline for the next few months?

Same as above really, but keeping in mind that things will change again. I have been experiencing hip pain which has cut down on the running, but I have found that lying in bed on my side with a pillow between my legs really helps.

Pregnancy is hard on the body, it does require adaptations to be made and it has impacted on my life to a massive degree, but it’ll be over soon and then my body will be a little bit more mine again. Here’s hoping anyway.