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My Fitness Journey Through 5 Pregnancies

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My Fitness Journey Through 5 Pregnancies

Yes, you heard right…5 pregnancies! Although I only had 4 full-term pregnancies, I’ve learned a lot about nutrition and fitness in the past 9 years.

I wanted to share some pregnancy photos with y’all, so that you have a better idea of where I started from, and hopefully encourage you to be healthy in your pregnancy.

My second pregnancy was actually my first full term pregnancy (be sure to watch out for my post about My Miscarriage).

Enter pregnancy #2…

1st pregnancy

This is me only at 6 months along! I gained so much weight right off the bat! I had no idea that I needed to be active and eat nutritious food for the health of my baby and me. People told me, “you need to eat for two!”. I believed them.

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Jesse at 2 months old. My heaviest weight.

I had gained so much weight with his pregnancy, that after I had him, I wasn’t able to lose weight. At that point, I was about 25 pounds over my healthy weight, and I didn’t know any better! While I was nursing, I was always hungry, and because everyone told me that I needed eat a bunch of carbs to be able to make milk for him…I ate a bunch of carbs! Not healthy carbs either!

6 months after I gave birth to my first, I got pregnant!!! I know right?!?!?

I had no idea that you could get pregnant while you were nursing!

But, alas…I was pregnant!!!

Pregnancy #3…

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About 6 months along with #2 full-term pregnancy.

I had no idea what I was doing, and I sure as heck did not understand nutrition during pregnancy. This was my heaviest of all pregnancies. I had gained almost 50 pounds (for my 5′ 4″ self, that’s a lot!)!

Then there was pregnancy #4…

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The most embarrassing swimsuit choice ever!

About 6 months along with #3 baby

Although this picture doesn’t do me (or that hideous swimsuit), any justice….I actually was smaller during this pregnancy. This is where I began to understand that I needed to be active and eat nutritious food for health. I started to read articles about how staying fit during pregnancy was very important, and began implementing some of things I learned.

Let me just tell you…I barely made it to the hospital with this guy! This was not only the easiest pregnancy, by far, but the easiest labor too! I barely made it to the hospital in time to deliver! I arrived at the hospital, and then 7 minutes later…he was born!

I attribute the ease of this pregnancy to the implementation of nutrition and health (although not perfect at the time).

Pregnancy #4…

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By this pregnancy….I began to understand the importance of nutrition and exercise. I was exercising regularly and eating fairly nutritious at that point, and feeling a lot better.

Enter THM (Trim Healthy Mama). This lifestyle of eating really changed my husbands and my health in so many ways! We both felt better, had more energy and were over-all, looking thinner and more trim.

For the first time ever, we were able to eat decadently and not feel guilty or “nasty” afterwards. We began seeing so many benefits that we couldn’t deny.

We love THM, and will be lifetime “THM’rs”.

Fortunately, this pregnancy and labor went pretty easy as well.

Pregnancy #5…

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4 months along with pregnancy #5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now pu-lease tell me you see the difference! I was like 16 weeks along here, and was ripped! After 4 pregnancies…I finally got the point of how important physical fitness was to a pregnancy! I was actually still lifting weights and doing quite a bit of cardio for all of the pregnancy. This was by far, my most healthy pregnancy.

Here is me about 6 months along with #5, and with pregnancy #2. Same amount of months-completly different figures!

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6 months along with pregnancy #5.
1st pregnancy
6 months along with pregnancy # 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See the difference?!?!

So…I definitely am a big advocate for fitness during pregnancy. It is beneficial, not only in the way you feel and look, but in the ease of labor! My labors were so easy after I began exercise during pregnancy!

Note: I didn’t use any pain meds or epidural’s in any of my labors! Maybe it is because of my phobia of needles, or just the fact that my pregnancies were healthy, and I really didn’t need them. Regardless, I didn’t use any, and I believe that most women are stronger than they think. If you’re thinking about going “all natural”….DO IT! You’ll be happy you did!

Now that I am done with babies (God-willing haha), I am still on my journey to be healthy, and to be the example of what health looks like to my kids.

I am not perfect…FAR FROM IT. I still have stretch marks, skin that is not as “elastic” as I would wish, wrinkles, grey hairs, and many other imperfections,  but I strive to be as healthy and active as I can be.

So, here is encouragement to all you mamas out there…Don’t give up!

Keep up being active, and especially eating nutritious foods! If you haven’t hear of THM…I highly suggest you toking into it! It’s an amazing lifestyle!

You can do it! I believe in you!

God Bless!

-Z

 

4 thoughts on “My Fitness Journey Through 5 Pregnancies

  1. You look terrific!! I had that same awful bathing suit for my last pregnancy (but mine was worse - polka dots!!!:). I've had 4 babies as well. I had always thought that I lost weight when nursing (but thank the Lord, He's saved me from severe eating disorders that plagued me for my first 3 pregnancies/postpartum). This time through I'm not sure if I'm overtraining or my age (38) is factoring into the fact that I have 15-20 lbs that I just cannot seem to turn lose of:( I'm not in a hurry to wean my 15 mo and neither is she. My husband feels like she is our last and my heart is broken at the thought of never getting to nurse again. So, until she self-weans, I have no way of knowing if its BF that is causing me to hang on to the weight this time around other factors. Sorry for the ridiculously long comment - I'm just on a hamster wheel in my mind trying to figure out the why of my weight retention. I love the THM diet and embrace it wholeheartedly, I weight train and do HIIT 4-5 x a wk, and am very active with my kids and life in general. Yet I just can't seem to get it right. I feel like (please forgive my impertinence!:) but I feel like there is a gorgeous gal like you somewhere inside of me but I just can't find her in spite of all my efforts:( Thank you for your post - I hope someday to have just such a success story!!!
    1. Hey Kelly! Let me just start with...You're hilarious! I love your comment!! Thank you so much for some of your story! I just want to encourage you! Let me just say....38 ad being as active as you are!!!! OMG! You're an inspiration! Im only 33 and I'm already feeling my "oats". Keep it up girl! Consistency, consistency, consistency! That wins the game everytime! Have you had your hormone levels checked? You see, I have about 5-10 lbs "hanging out" too. I train like crazy and never seem to get my "winter coat" off. I fully believe that it is my hormone levels (I had a tubal after my last baby...check out my post on tubal ligations). I believe that hormones and age are a huge factor. But...dont be discouraged!!! You can do it! You're GIANT steps ahead of most women! Trust me. Anyways...keep it up girl! You're doing great! If you ever need some motivation or encouragement, feel free to hit me up! Thanks so much for your kind words too :). God bless! -Z

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