Posts Tagged ‘Healthy Lifestyle’

Getting Fit for Fertility

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

During the course of the past two years my health has become more important to me than ever. Making sure my body is in tip-top shape to carry this baby, that’s just going to turn around and wreck all my hard work (wink), is a major motivator. Call me what you will, but one of my biggest concerns with having this baby (or these babies, time will tell) is that I’m simply not ready to lose my figure. I’m not Heidi Klum by any stretch of the imagination, but I also like to think that I’m fairly fit and have retained my assets, if ya know whatti mean. I don’t want a big butt, wide hips, saggy boobs. I know it comes with the territory. I also know that if I’m maintaining a healthy lifestyle now, that it will be commonplace while I’m pregnant, and make bouncing back easier after delivery.

When I became the editor for DietsInReview.com, I couldn’t help but to shift my healthy lifestyle into overdrive. I’m more conscious than ever before of what I eat. My grocery bill each week is at least half dedicated to fresh fruits and vegetables. The “protein source” on our plate is not really the main entree anymore, as it is a side to our salads, fruit, roasted veggies and the like.

Don’t get me wrong, I could destroy some McNuggets, throw myself face-first into a bag of Doritos, or easily polish off a cheeseburger or chips and queso. I’m a grease lover, Shelton is a sugar lover. So when his sweet tooth is acting up, my suggestion to have some strawberries or a sugar-free Jello pudding sounds like a terrible idea, while it suits me just fine if I’m in the mood. Me on the other hand, I fear that pregnancy cravings will send me right back into the fat loving arms of Arts & Mary’s salt and vinegar kettle chips or an ooey-gooey pepperoni and mushroom pizza from Papa J. Those “indulgences,” if you want to call them that, are fewer and farther between these days, and I like to think it’s going to stay that way. In fact, I much prefer a grilled fish or chicken breast with roasted veggies to any combo meal.

Food I’ve got. Food I’m great at. I’m label conscious, I watch portions, I get my three squares a day plus two healthy snacks in the middle (in other words, I eat smaller meals throughout the day). Working out, on the other hand, still has my number. Once I get into a regular pattern I’m golden, I enjoy it to some degree. But when I’ve gone a period of time without it, I think I’d rather saw off my toenails (I have this weird thing about breaking nails so that is pretty awful in my mind). I loathe running, but love the elliptical. I love any kind of core-strength training, but don’t particularly care for things like jumping rope or playing basketball. I love doing work on a fitness ball. I guess if you practice what I’m preaching, it’s that you just need to get moving. Start by dedicating 30 minutes a day. Surely we can all squeeze that in. Hell, grab a fit ball and do crunches while you watch TV at night, or get that much-needed family or spouse time by taking a walk. Opportunity presents itself and we just need to take it.

In the long-run we have nothing to gain but our health. I encourage you to also take stock of your pantry, read the food labels and comparison shop, add more fruits and veggies to your diet, and get moving!! It’s better for you, it’s better for these babies we’re trying to grow, and it can’t hurt in the post partum world either.

If you’re ready to get started, this handy calculator will show you your BMI (body mass index) to define how healthy your weight is, your BMR (basal metabolic rate) to determine your daily caloric need, and your IBW (ideal body weight) to help you make a healthy and attainable goal weight.

I hope to share more of my personal tips and insights on living healthier with you soon.

British Man Too Fat to Adopt

Friday, January 16th, 2009

This is ridiculous! As I was chatting with a fellow infertility friend that this is such an injustice. This man is overweight so London won’t approve his ability to adopt. Are you kidding me? He’s probably far more qualified to be a father than the skinny people I see driving with their kids out of a car seat or seat belt, smoking with their kids in the room, who beat and abandon their children. UGH! Down right infuriating.

You can read the whole story about the man Britain says is too fat to adopt here. I hope for his own health he’s able to lose the weight, and even more so, I hope he and his wife are able to become parents.

No Room for Seconds

Sunday, July 30th, 2006

They say God doesn’t give us any more than we can handle, and I truly believe that. But I’m sending this as a message to God- my plate is seriously full. I’ve got no room for anything else, even gravy will crack the plate. And I hate gravy anyway so save it for someone else.

There is the constant stress and anxiety of this whole baby situation- constantly stressing, questioning, wondering, hoping. Work has been a little topsy-turvy lately, but I’m bending with that and rather enjoying the changes taking place. I’m the kind of person who breaks out in hives when change occurs. But I’m past that now. I’m ok.

This week some rather serious stuff has happened with my family and I’m just trying to roll with it. It’s a pretty bumpy roll- imagine rolling a square down the side of a mountain. More of a tumble than a roll, wouldn’t you say? There are a number of other things going on right now that are just so out of my hands. I’m really trying to be strong and take it and continue moving forward. But it’s so hard.

My whole life I’ve been like the glue in situations. At least that’s what everyone around me says. So I believe them. But I told Shelton the other night that I’m ready to just be one of the chunky parts that gets to fall off. I didn’t ask to be the tough one, but I guess that’s my job and I have to take it. One more thing God has placed on my plate.

Ok, so what does this have to do w/ my IVF story? Stress, pretty much. I was thinking this weekend how I could just feel through my entire body the stress- the stress of so many different things. I remember reading in “A Few Good Eggs” how so many women let the stress get the better of them and it wrecked their IVF attempts. I refuse to let that happen.

I know all of these events are a test. Testing my spirit, my strength, my heart, my will. And I know I’m going to pass, because I always pass, and I don’t accept any less than that from myself. But why now?

So, while I continue to deal and move through the many things I have going on, including the IVF and infertility, I’m going to work so hard to keep a clear and open mind. I’ve taken quite a hiatus from the gym and can definitely feel, and see, the effects of that. I start going back on Tuesday and I really hope that time will help. I’ve also decided to nix fast food from my diet. And having already cut out pop about 2 years ago, I’m going to up my already heavy intake of water. All of this can only do my body some good. And hopefully flush some of the preventable toxins from my body- and with it take the environmental toxins with it.

A good friend told me a few weeks ago that life keeps throwing me all these lemons, and somehow I keep making the sweetest lemonade. I’m so glad that’s how other people see me handling all these situations. I’m so blessed that my family is pulling together and we’re working through this time as a family. I have incredible friends, and as always, my husband is just a constant rock.

Thanks again to all of you for your support of BabyOrBust and our story. Your many emails and letters of encouragement and support mean the world.