How I found a healthy balance during pregnancy
Today’s post is about my personal journey to food freedom and intuitive eating. Surprisingly enough, I didn’t discover this true balance until my first pregnancy! This may not be the norm as many mothers lose their sense of balance once they become pregnant and start raising children. They become extremely overwhelmed and lost because in today’s society, women are pressured to have a “fit” pregnancy. I’m not saying that both of my pregnancies were perfect because they certainly were not! As a health coach, my best advice to all women out there (preggo or not) is to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY’S NEEDS and follow the guidance of your health provider!
Before becoming a mom at age 33, food restriction was my daily addiction (and no, I did not mean to rhyme). I have always loved the health and fitness world. I had been an athlete since grade school but took interest in nutrition by the time I reached college. Around sophomore year of college and my second year in nursing school, I was starting to feel out of control. The workload of my nursing degree was overwhelming and I would use emotional eating to feel better (my favorite study snack was bottomless cheese and crackers with coffee). One day, I decided to take control of something outside of school just to prove that I could. I began eating under 900 calories a day, running 4 miles five days a week and weight-lifting on top of that. I lost 15 pounds within a dangerously short period of time. I started to look muscularly gaunt. Not to mention low energy levels, vitamin deficiencies and brain fog. But I had a 6 pack…so that means healthy right??
This endured on and off for about 5 years. It was a continuous yo-yo diet lifestyle where I would count calories, avoid anything with sugar and carbs and check my Fitbit anxiously throughout the day to make sure I was burning more calories than I was consuming. I would keep up this strict schedule for about 2 weeks before my body would completely crash and my cravings took over. Then, I would eat a whole bag of chocolate chips followed by a whole bag of microwave popcorn. I had to alternate the sweet and salty to satisfy my insatiable hunger. Instant guilt followed so the next day, I would get back on the restriction train to work off all the calories I had just consumed.
This was a frustrating lifestyle. I had a lot of anxiety over food and it wasn’t a healthy relationship. I would rev up my workouts to make up for the increased calories, leaving my body feeling drained. I then took a break from counting calories and started counting macros instead. This was a better approach because I educated myself on how many grams of protein/carbs/fats I actually needed and what helped fuel my body. Even though tracking was helpful in achieving fitness goals, it still put my mind in a downward-spiral of anxiety whenever I opened up the MyFitnessPal app. Looking back, I have no regrets going through this phase of macro-counting as it educated me on food portions and understanding how many grams of protein helped with muscle building and how many grams of healthy fats were enough to keep me full. At the end of the day, weight loss is simple math and science (I said simple, not always easy!). But I didn’t want numbers consuming me. I wanted to enjoy ALL foods in moderation and exercise for function and mental health, rather than aesthetics.
I’m not sure exactly when this shift happened, but my mindset started to change after I became pregnant with my first child. Suddenly, I started eating what my body NEEDED…not what I believed would make me look aesthetically pleasing. I started exercising to improve function and to promote core stability…not to have just a “fit” pregnancy. This shift was monumental in how I now live a balanced lifestyle. It suddenly clicked that eating and moving your body for function and not for aesthetics made my anxiety truly melt away. Don’t get me wrong, I have my days where I look at my body and wish for I had a juicy booty fit for apple-bottom jeans (I’m on Team Pancake if you catch my drift)! But instead, I look at my body and love what it has provided me…two beautiful children and the ability to run and play with them, cherishing every moment. I wake up each morning and I GET to move my body. I am so grateful that I live in a place where I have access to a huge variety of foods to nourish my soul. I have the CHOICE to take care of myself.
There is no formula for this balance…it just “happened.” But I’m telling you, once you reach that mindset where you realize that eating and exercising that is optimal for function rather than aesthetics, everything else just falls into place :) You know what they say, “Practice makes perfect"!” You have to challenge yourself every day to speak positive thoughts to yourself and to give yourself a little stinkin’ credit!! Find your “why” momma! You. Got. This.
“Love the process and you’ll love what the process produces.”
- Jon Gordon