Pregnancy Fitness Series | Then vs. Now; My Pregnancy Goals

This series focuses on staying fit throughout pregnancy.  Each individual should consult with her doctor before starting a fitness regimen while pregnant as each case is different.  

*Please remember that although I am a certified group fitness instructor and health/fitness coach, I am not a personal trainer or a nutritionist.  This blog reflects my personal nutrition and fitness regimen; it is important to consult with your doctor before beginning a routine.*

I've learned so much about my personal health and fitness in the last year and a half of being a virtual health and fitness coach and I'm excited to see where that takes me in regards to my journey with this pregnancy.

In my first pregnancy I was relatively active, but I wouldn't necessarily say I was as healthy as I thought I was.  I consumed pretty much whatever I wanted, avoided strength training, gained more than the suggested 30 pounds, and struggled with water retention.  So I've got some goals for this pregnancy to make it a healthier time for both me and baby.

1. Watch what I eat
   And I don't mean watch it as it goes into my mouth!  I did a lot of that in my first pregnancy.  I remember being at a wedding and filling my plate at the buffet only to have my cousin say, "Wow!  Are you hungry?!"  Of course I responded saying - "I'm starving and I'm pregnant!  I didn't eat lunch today."
   
   But, honestly, I was embarrassed.  I realized almost immediately that I was eating way. too. much.  And I was using my pregnancy as an excuse to fill my plate.  It wasn't necessarily filled with bad food, but it was filled.
   
   This time around...
   I've tried to be conscious of the amount of water I'm consuming because if you aren't getting enough then you can sometimes confuse thirst with hunger.  I'm also replacing Oreos with healthier snacks (and fortunately sugar is not appealing) like oranges, cheese and crackers, natural almonds, etc.
   
2. Continue my normally scheduled routine
   In my last pregnancy I continued running and was so proud of myself (and I still am - I should be!) up until 32 weeks.  I had my son at 35 weeks so that was pretty impressive.  However, I slept whenever I wanted, I ran much slower and far less distance, and I completely stopped doing any sort of cross training.
   
   This time around...
   I am still doing cardio although not as much running as I was doing a few years ago - mostly because I don't run as often now as I did before I got pregnant with my son; I've started incorporating various forms of cardio and strength training.  I'm still doing the strength training and cross training I was doing in addition to the cardio before I got pregnant this time.
   
   I've obviously scaled back the intensity of my workouts to ensure I'm not lacking oxygen, but I'm still pushing myself particularly in my upper and lower body.  I'm trying to wake up each morning at 5am to get my workout in like I was before baby - I'm hoping after the first trimester this will become easier again.
   
   
3. Bust my butt in my business
   I wasn't just teaching when I was pregnant with CT; I was also doing my National Boards and working on my Master's in Reading so I was super busy.  I ended up not achieving my boards, but I did get my Master's in time to avoid taking any classes after he arrived - literally to the day - if you remember, he arrived 5 weeks early on my graduation day.
   
   This time around...
   I'm not in class or working on my boards, but I am a virtual health/fitness coach and I have BIG goals for my business between now and this little bundle's arrival.  It's no secret that my dream is to work from home and make this a career and this baby has me wanting that now more than ever.
   
   If you are interested in hearing more about what I do as a coach, please, let me know!  It's been one of the biggest blessings to me and my family for many reasons and I so badly want to help other women do the same.  I didn't plan to put a shameless plug in this post, but if I could bottle up and sell the feeling and blessings this business has brought me I'd be an overnight sensation - truly, it's the best.
   
   I'm also man-handling a toddler and doing the whole wife/adulting thing so there's that.

Already, I'm pretty excited about seeing how things go with this pregnancy compared to with CT.  I know each pregnancy is different and that is already the case with this one.  But, it's fun to see how far I've come!

What are your current goals, pregnant or not?