OMG - Has anyone noticed how I started blogging as FittCoach & I’ve been using totally rad hashtags like #PregnantWithFittCoach and #FittPregnancy… but then when I started blogging I had ABSOLUTELY NO content wrapped around health up to this point? What a poser!!!
BAG MY FACE - how embarrassing!
I guess at SOME POINT, I should talk about having a healthy pregnancy. Totally right?! Ok let’s rock. #TBT Style...
So let’s start at the beginning. Because to understand that I know what I know now, you have to know that I knew NOTHING 14 years ago when I got pregnant with my first daughter. I was straight up trippin’ back then! (But then again - pregnancy #1 - I think a lot of us are straight up trippin.)
I remember the day I found out I had made a Jamaican baby (chill - the baby wasn’t Jamaican but we made her in Jamaica…I’m so sure guys…you read my last blog right....
Story within a story… b/c it’s too bodacious not to tell…Ok so it’s October 2003. I’m 23 years old just starting to figure out how to be a grown up and as some of you read, was told I couldn’t get pregnant bc of my wack gymnast body. It’s Saturday afternoon and I’m watching John play some soccer game (BOOOORING... good thing he's hot with that tight bod) and I suddenly feel SO SICK - Barf me out - that I HAVE to leave and run to the gas station for water and a snack. I DON'T DIE. PHEW! After the game we meet a couple of our "seasoned friends" out for lunch. (By seasoned I mean OLD... at least that's what I thought then... but my guess now is that they were 35 or so... like for reals? old??) When we order I tell her I can't do the nachos b/c my heartburn has been soo gnarley lately. She simply and quickly states as a SEASONED person - you're probably pregnant. I reply NOPE. But my wheels are spinning when we leave; we're headed to yet another weekend raging party, where juice will be flowing freely (thats booze guys)... so I'm totally like: John let's stop and get a prego test even tho she's obvi mental.
AND - just like my more recent blog, I show up at the party (not the same), walk down to the bsmt bathroom (not the same) and pee on a stick (same) SURE it would be negative (same). If you guys think I was shocked 3 weeks ago - you should have seen my baby face 14 years ago as I ran out and jumped in John Carroll's arms crying!! It was TIGHT!!
And back to the nutrition talk! Because I am FOCUSED!! (I sang that word while I wrote it so re-read the sentence with a sing please.
I was like, SCHWEEEET, I am eatin for two! Tubular right!
So here is what NOT TO DO.
On Monday morning I went back to my cush job in #LarimerSquare and waited for my coworkers to arrive so we could grab bfast (our normal routine)... BUT THIS TIME, I KNEW I was eating for two... so I picked it up a notch.
I told my peeps the news and celebrated and then we all agreed we needed to get me a "healthy Jamba Juice" instead of just going to the ushe, The Market. Heeeeere's where it gets wicked! I ordered something with fresh fruit "full of vitamins and nutrients" in the standard size (which was like freakin GINOURMOUS). And, of course, that was the food for the baby but I still needed to "chew" to really be healthy... RIGHT? Popped on into The Market for an everything bagel (do carbs give you energy)...with cream cheese (protein?)... and jelly (yeah that sounds goooooood)... but don't forget they butter all bagels they toast.
So NOW I have a choice breakfast perfect for baby and me!!
Did I mention I was only 6 weeks pregnant at this point?
Time for the SPOILER ALERT
Your body actually does NOT need extra calories the first trimester. "Myth: Now that you are pregnant, you should be eating for two. Fact: It is true that your nutrient needs increase, but energy requirements only increase by about 300 calories per day for the SECOND and THIRD trimester of pregnancy." (American Pregnancy Association)
Well that's not what I understood.... ok I didn't understand anything. I seriously THOUGHT I was doing what I needed for my body. I thought it was a win. But here's what I really was doing:
I was drinking a 493 calories "healthy drink" with 76 GRAMS OF SUGAR!!! WTF!!
I was eating over 600 calories in my "bagel snack" with another 77 CARBS!
So my first attempt at a healthy pregnancy included having a 1,172 calories breakfast with 170 carbs, 108 grams of sugar, 38 grams of fat and 42 grams of protein.
And this was just to kick off my day of normal style of eating back in 2003 which was lunch at the office (chipotle or a sandwich shop or something) and dinner with the family (your "typical American dinner" of protein, veggie and carb) Now that I know what I know, I am estimating I was eating about 2400 calories per day.
I burn 1600 calories at rest with my muscle mass currently so I guarantee you back then I was closer to 1500 with lower muscle mass and more fat. Even with my activity level setting a burn of 2000 calories a day, I was getting in 400 extra calories per day. That's 2800 extra calories per week. 3500 calories = 1 lb.... so if you think about it
I was eating what I needed to to gain 1 unnecessary pound of fat (NOT FOR THE BABY) every 9 days.
I'm good at math so just trust the numbers - This means that during my first trimester, having changed this habit at week 6, I should have gained 4.8 lbs - NOT NEEDED. But you guys - I am an over achiever - go big or go home! So I did even better and gained almost 10 lbs my first trimester! And you know what I won for all of that wisdom and those efforts folks!??
I earned stretch marks ALLLLLL over my entire ass! Cheers to me!!
This was jus the start of my not-so-fitt pregnancy. Gag me with a spoon. All because I didn't educate myself on how to have a #FittPregnancy - If only I could have avoided those stretch marks, I would have... I literally didn't know to know any better. Those fruit smoothies are advertised and I believed them. MyFitnessPal wasn't a thing and no calories were posted anywhere. Not to mention - I had no idea what my RMR was or how many calories were in a pound - give me a fighting chance here guys!!
So now you know what NOT to do...I wish someone would have told me sooner. Because I felt shitty about myself. My skin hurt; I felt uncomfortable; Nothing fit... and I was just getting started. Hell, I did't wear shorts for a year after that because the fat on my bottom half is the hardest to lose. IF ONLY I had then what I have now.
But that's not my reality... that was then and this is now and I'm thankful for where I am... I just hope to help a few others along their journey. Hope you're down with my happen'en info share and hope it helps ya... If and when - you - or your other person - ever get knocked up.
Finally, a clutch blog. Rad. Ok - gotta motor.
And in case you're not hip to the lingo... I took it back today - waaaaay back. Let's celebrate all of the 80's slang I threw in for fun!
