Monday, June 28, 2010

New Project

I’m the type of person that is a bit obsessive. OK, let’s face it, a LOT obsessive. For the last year plus, I’ve been obsessing about TTC. And before that was my wedding. I always have some kind of major project going on in my life, and in particular, my head. It used to be my job. This made me go a bit (lot) insane, and so I realized this wasn’t healthy. Now I do a pretty good job at work, but not fabulous. I could be better. But I really don’t care, I’m sorry, I just don’t. Anyway, I’ve come up with a new project to obsess about while I’m on a TTC break. I’m losing weight!!!

I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m not a skinny girl – I’ve never been a skinny girl! Right now I’m about 40+ pounds overweight. It’s amazing at how slowly all this weight has collected on my body. Every year, I weigh more. I had some stability for a few years there – I was around 165 for about 3 years. I got down to around 160 at my wedding last year. And then I gained 25 pounds in the last year. Last week, I topped the scale at 185. Granted, I think a few of those pounds related to excess fluid in my body, as I was very swollen last week, but still.

So in the last week, I’ve taken back control of my body and my life. I’ve downloaded a free app on my iPhone called Lose it! I love it – I can track all the food and exercise in my day. It calculated my ideal net calorie intake based on my current weight and goals, and it has calculated around 1,200 calories. I realize this is way low, so I usually come in a little high each day, which is perfectly fine. And it’s net calories, so any exercise I do allows you to eat more! This is one of the biggest motivators for me – every 30 minutes of walking, for example, gives me 100 additional calories to eat!

This is so hard for me – exercise. I have never had a good exercise routine, well at least since dropping out of cross country and track my sophomore year in high school. I started walking last week, just around the neighborhood, with one of my dogs. Last Sunday, it was so hard to complete a 20 minute walk. It’s amazing how bad I felt. Every step hurt. This weekend, I downloaded another app for my iPhone – it’s the Couch to 5K program. Apparently, this program will take me from not running at all to being able to complete a 5K in 9 weeks! And I only have to do it 3 times per week! So I started yesterday, I did a 5 minute walking warmup, then for 20 minutes, I alternated between 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking, then a cool down for 5 minutes. Or maybe about 12 – I was at the park when it was time for the cool down, and I walked very slowly home… And I made it – I ran every time it told me to, and I didn’t stop until I was instructed to walk! This is amazing for me, so I’m very proud of myself. I will give a day between doing these runs, so this morning I woke up early and walked one of the dogs for 30 minutes – this was Jackson, the good walker, so it was a pretty decent walk. I really want to keep doing this – I would love to say I can run a 5K! Plus I think it will only help my weight loss.

And speaking of weight loss? Guess how many pounds I’ve lost in the last week… Again, I know some of this is fluid loss, but I lost 6 pounds already! I’m down to 179! So the first step is complete – I’m on my way to a healthy and skinnier me!

On the TTC front, I think our break may be a little quicker than I had planned. The more I thought about it, I don’t want to keep waiting to start trying again – every month that goes by is another month lost. I’m 35 now! Can’t believe how loud that clock is yelling at me… And so, I think we’ll be medically cleared to start TTC again at the end of July. We go to Europe in September. So the hubs and I talked about it, and we’re going to try naturally in August and September, and then get back on the treatment wagon, and go for another IUI in October. Ugh – just the thought of another IUI makes me a little ill. But it seems to work for me I guess. I officially have a 100% record in getting pregnant with an IUI (2 for 2 – one ectopic and one miscarriage) and a 0% record in getting pregnant naturally, but I’d love to try again naturally for a couple months at least. You know, we haven’t had sex with the goal of getting pregnant since 2009! Weird to think about it like that…

I have a question for you ladies – what has your doctor said, or what have you read from a reputable source, about exercise while TTC? I know there shouldn’t be extreme exercise, but I’m not exactly going for a marathon here. The most I’ll ever do is 30 minutes of cardio at a time. And probably no more than 30-60 minutes per day. I know I’ll need to cut out the running while doing treatments, as my ovaries get too big, but what about while trying naturally? No matter what, I’m excited about doing this Couch to 5K program, and I’ll work on that this summer, but what about after that?

29 comments:

  1. good for you! taking control of your body is key! I am so happy that you are on a road to health..I too struggle with weight so I know the road you walk. Keep it up!

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  2. If you're gonna obsess, loosing weight is a good thing to obsess about :)
    While doing IVF, you're supposed to stay away from cardio, but I think it's because you're over stimulating your follies. Natural TTC you're probably good to do moderate to high cardio... maybe a little easier in your 2WW.

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  3. Wow! Good for you! I've heard of the couch to 5k thing, but I didn't know it was an app, too. What isn't an app these days? Lol! I would check it out but I hate to run. Like, I mean, loathe it. Yeah. Not happening. But, good luck to you. :)

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  4. Woo-hoo! I will be your cheerleader! I love running, it is necessary fot me to keep sane. I have heard of the couch to 5k program, it is a good one.
    I don't know about the exercise & TTC. It doesn't sound like what you plan on doing will be too much. My RE has never discouraged me from running. I will be curious to read others comments.
    Good luck on meeting your new goal!

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  5. My doc. says lose as much weight as you can prior to the pregnancy - no restrictions on the amount of exercise while trying naturally (which I can only speak towards because I have never done IVF). I have been struggling with weight all my adult life. I am not at my top weight (that was last year), but fearing I am headed back that way if I don't do something soon. I would love to lose at least 20 pounds and the exercise is the key for me...I do pretty good with the eating less calories. I just can't seem to get motivated since my miscarriage in March and I know I should for my health, so reading your post might just inspire me. Good luck with your new obsession!

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  6. i'm actually an exercise freak, but know that most ppl aren't. if you're not really used to it, do you think a class would make you stick to it better? like yoga or aerobics, or the like?

    soo proud of you for taking charge of this and congrats on the 6 pounds! i'm sure there are more to come and i'm thinking of ya :o)

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  7. Best wishes on the weight loss! Nothing makes me feel better than seeing the scale go down.

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  8. Good for you Alex! So proud of you! I know all about weight gain. I have heard great things about that app too! Can't wait for more updates!

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  9. YaY! I'm jumping on the same ban wagon! Good luck to you my friend!

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  10. I love how you prefaced this post with your obsessive behavior patterns :)

    I wish you much luck with the exercising. Up unitl recently, my dog was my running partner. Jogging makes my dog very very happy, and that is my motivation.

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  11. Alex - I think your goals are great! I'm here supporting you 150% I once weighed just slightly more than you. I lost ~ 30 pounds over ~ 7-8 months initially. I did a calorie tracking app too (I used DailyPlate, and still do when I need to watch what I'm eating); I weighed myself every day (I still do) and I ran two marathons during that 7 months. That worked for me (of course, I don't think you need to run quite that much.) I later lost another 15 pounds in the run-up to and after my wedding. I've managed to keep most of that off (well, I had to take off about 10 pounds since April of IVF weight.)

    Re: exercise before/during pregnancy. I've read a lot about it. My sense is that unless you're exercising so much that you're not getting your period, really, there's no problem with exercise. There are definitely some books that say "don't exercise at all" but for me, that just wasn't practical. I'd have gained 100 pounds. I've run the entire time I've been doing treatments (except for 2ww after IVF transfer), including through my last IUI BFP. I'm still running, although I've cut back to max 3-4 mile runs.

    My personal philosophy is: I'm better off getting pregnant being in shape than not (plus, I'd even more crazy than IF already makes me without running).

    Wishing you lots of luck and perseverance in this! I know you can do it!!!

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  12. It's kind of eerie how similar our years have been isn't it? We've both had one ectopic, one miscarriage in 2010. Crazy and crappy all rolled into one.

    Good luck on the weight loss! I'm looking to drop a few pounds myself too and I've started by just doing a three mile loop M-W-F and trying to run more, walk less each day. And eating well too.

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  13. I pretty much just avoid really jarring exercise about a week after ovulation. Otherwise I do whatever. I'm not naturally thin, quite frankly if I didn't do anything I would lean towards heavy. I actually really enjoy exercising but not in the same way as when I was in my 20's. Now it pretty much has to be quick (if boring) or fun. I realy like mountain biking and that is what I do most often. I have two girl friends who also love it so we go every sunday. I can't seem to get additional days in with work and such. So I just go to the gym and do BORING cardio, or a FUN classes. Good luck.

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  14. If you like Lose It!, you might also like www.myfitnesspal.com. (And no I'm not affiliated, I just use the site and love it!) Very similar system but it syncs between their website, which is great, and the app. All free!

    As far as exercise during TTC, I was never told not to do it or even to mellow out on it except during the 2ww, and even then I could still do cardio. Just nothing crazy. (I never did IVF though, just for the record.)

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  15. It's so funny that you just posted this -- I signed up for Weight Watchers the other day with the same goal in mind -- to lose that IVF / early pregnancy weight. I'm well over my "healthy" weight goal of approx. 135 -- which is where I want to get before we start treatments again. I think we're going to wait a little longer than you are, but I understand the want to get going again quickly. After my first m/s, I was adamant that we go back for our FET as soon as they would let us.

    In other words, I'm totally rooting you on! I think it might help us to continue to support each other, too, both with the weight loss and TTC. What do you think? :-D Congrats on the walking -- that is my weak link and I'm actually waiting for doctor clearance to resume any physical activity. My follow up for the d&c is on the 7th and I will resume walking/swimming then, if he says ok. In the meantime, I'm going to focus on making better food choices.

    I'm rambling now, but I'm excited to have a fellow weight loss buddy! :-D

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  16. Good on you for starting on your exercise routine, you do sound determined and I have a feeling you will make it to your goal weight!About exercising whilst TTC, I have never been told not to but they also told me not to go too crazy and make sure I took it easy especially during the actual IVF cycle. As th date gets closer ask your doctor to see what he suggests! xx

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  17. Good for you for taking such positive steps! My RE says no restrictions as long as I'm not training for a marathon or anything. I think he's on the least conservative end of the spectrum in this regard, but I think most REs will say that moderate exercise is ok.

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  18. Great plan! I was thinking just yesterday that I need to head that direction as well. Between stress weight, treatment weight and pregnancy weight I'm about 10-15 pounds over where I want to be and, more importantly, have simply stopped moving lately. I'm giving myself a week of laziness and eating everything I feel like it and then I'm going to do something about it.

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  19. Congrats on the new plan, sounds like it's working well for you! I think the amount of exercise you're doing is just fine for TTC. Very happy for you that you're focusing on getting healthy!

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  20. That's my girl. I knew you just needed to get back to yourself to show your deep strength. I never doubted you had it in you. People going through losses just need time to process the pain. But the future is ahead of us and it brings hope. Love, Fran

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  21. Good for you for deciding to take care of yourself! But I hear you on the lack of motivation for exercise. Find something you like to do, I really like running because I can see myself gradually getting farther. And that feels like an accomplishment. I heard they have a 5K running program on the iphone too- I also have the one you mentioned.

    Thinking of you. The weeks after a loss are full of so very many emotions, aren't they?

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  22. I just started using myfitnesspal.com yesterday. Who knows if it will lead to anything.

    I'm thinking of you. I haven't stopped thinking of you. *hugs*

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  23. I think your project is a great one. It can only mean good things to your overall health AND to ttc. 5k is a very nice distance - it's far enough that in order to be able to run it you have to build up (it's an accomplishment) but it's not so much that you are compromising things. And, based on everything I've read, it means improved blood flow. Which means good things for baby making!

    I'm like you 100% on the IUIs (2 miscarriages, though). Ironic, no? But it means something is working. Period. My doc had me stop exercise during treatments...not in the first few days, but definitely in the 2 ww.

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  24. It's so good that you have something healthy to focus on and take your mind off other things. I know exercise is the ultimate therapy for me. If i can't work out, i get very grouchy. Good luck!

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  25. Hey Alex!! Wow this plan of yours sounds extremely positive. I have just slowly been getting back into excercise and it is keeping me sane!! Or returning me to sanity...not sure which! The couch to 5k program sounds awesome. Yes, 1200 calories does sound on the low side, so if you're a bit over I'm sure that's fine. Looking forward to hearing more awesome results!! xxx

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  26. You go girl! I'm trying to lose some weight as well, but with the increasing heat around here, I'm afraid exercising will be tough...

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  27. after I have this lil one I will be hitting the trails again. I cant wait to cheer you on!

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