From Fat to Fabulous!: Bun's in the Oven!

No, I am not talking about the delicious hot-cross kind which provide that delightful aroma in houses and shopping centres across the country during Easter time. Nope, I am referring to the lovely colloquial term meaning one is "up the duff", "with child", "in a delicate way" (in the 1950's perhaps), or the REAL meaning - PREGNANT.

Now, just to set the record straight here and now - I am NOT pregnant :) No way Jose! Despite the fact I am admittedly clucky, adore babies and get quite nostalgic whenever I see a lovely rounded tummy on an adoring Mum, token hand rested lovingly on her belly. No, despite nostalgia and a deep yearning to have a daughter one day, that is as far as pregnancy, or talk of it, extends for me now.

So, why this blog entry you may ask. Well, naturally being the Mum of two lovely boys I was once pregnant. Despite the outset that perhaps a blog entry on weight loss and pregnancy have nothing to do with one another, they are entwined for me. They represent the FAT and FAB days to a tee!

Nearly 4 years ago when Muscle Man and I found out we were expecting our first bundle of joy, I was an unhealthy, inactive, full-time worker, part-time coffee drinker, full time slob. Finding out I was pregnant was the most glorious excuse under the sun to put my feet up, rest that bowl of Doritos on my belly (despite only being about 8 weeks pregnant at this stage) and indulge my love of chocolate and salty chips and blame it on a craving!

Despite having small bouts of morning sickness in the beginning I was generally more than happy to 'eat for two' and exercise for none.

Whilst I did not gain an enormous stack of weight (after all I was heavily padded to start with) I certainly did not go through Jim's pregnancy feeling energetic, radiant, active or remotely attractive. I had pregnancy complications with Jim and over all felt like an Elephant, bar the 2 year gestation period (Poor elephants!).

After Jim was born I clung to my "I've just had a baby" rationale when maintaining the baby bulge (mine, not his). Then when I began to gain yet more weight (in addition to my leftover pregnancy weight), I again returned to my "I'm eating for two" excuse - Hey, I was breastfeeding!

I was constantly full of excuses; "How can I exercise with a baby?", "I don't have time", "I have to clean the house and attend Mother's group", "Dr Phil and Oprah are on, don't you know", "I have Internet connection - I might get an email!". Essentially, I was simply choosing not to make time.

I recall one time when I attempted a walk with Jim in his pram. I had walked no more than 200 metres when I was swooped by a pack (is it called a pack I wonder?) of Magpies. Those things are vicious. They fly past you snapping their beaks and swooshing their wings, all the while I have visions of them poking me in the eye. I was scared whitless (Mum reads my blog) and had I been able to fit, I'd have been inside Jim's pram with him trying to roll us home with the safety of the hood. As it were I was practically hiding under his pram waiting for the assault to end.

After a few minutes of realising pelvic floor exercises are indeed worthwhile, I had a sudden urge to pelt those 'pies with a rock and remind them I too was with my BABY!! Thankfully, yet more embarrassingly for me (as if hiding under a pram beside a busy road can get any worse), a man on a bike was headed toward me. The magpies gave up their attack on me and swooped after the cyclist. In that instant I raced (waddled) home and decided exercise was just not my forte!

18 months after Jim was born, I was again pregnant. By this point I had lost just shy of 18 kgs and was now so fast I could outrun, outwit and outplay a swarm of Maggies any day! Muscle Man barracks for Collingwood in the AFL (speaking of Magpies). No, we are NOT bogans, and yes he has all is teeth - although it is worth mentioning one is a crown!.

Focus Alfie, focus......

After our first ultrasound and that glorious sight of a heartbeat, I asked my obstetrician if I could continue jogging whilst pregnant. He assured me it was absolutely fine so long as I kept an eye on my temperature and heart rate. Brilliant! I came home that day and jogged around my suburb. All the while with a ridiculous grin on my face amazed at the difference between Jim's pregnancy and this one.

I continued to jog until I was 26 weeks pregnant with Bob and even then I only ceased the jogging due to a shoddy loose pelvis and an irritable uterus (hmmm, sounds lovely)! Despite the uterus and pelvic dramas I did continue to walk almost daily, weight trained 3 times a week and continued walking up the Punisher with Sexy Twin whenever we could.

All in all I felt incredible during Bob's pregnancy. I was rarely tired as I was fuelled by those addictive endorphins, I felt sexy, I did glow and I was as active as I'd ever been. the experience and difference between the two were phenomenal and in itself a reflection of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, before, during and after pregnancy.