Pregnancy Update...

Things are going very well for me. My energy is high and cravings seem to be in control. I have seen a HUGE difference in my energy levels, stamina and eating when I drink at least 128 oz of water. On days that I fall short, I am just not the same. I have now increased my water intake to 192 oz or 1.5 gallons a day. I am walking and working out longer and so my body and baby need to be hydrated! It is amazing the difference staying hydrated can make with snacking and eating throughout the day. I find myself very much in control by drinking a large amount of water with a piece of Ezekiel bread with some peanut butter or cottage cheese and fruit.

In terms of my workouts, I am very pleased with how my body is performing on my walks and runs. My runs are SLOW, and I do mean slow but I am in control and feel very balanced, well as of now! I usually run intervals were I watch my HR and stop once it has reached a certain point, then walk again to regain lower my HR and start again. My knee has been bothering me a bit but that is normal. If you followed my progress prior to my pregnancy you know that I have several knee issues so I guess the extra weight gain is taking its toll on my knee. I think it is time to break out the foam roller again! Oh joy!

Now for the numbers! I am almost 19 weeks now, just a few more days! I cannot believe that the BIG 20 week mark is only a week away! 5 months pregnant! It does not seem possible. It is just going by so fast.

Ok, here are my stats...
19 weeks - Weight gain total for pregnancy - 11.8 pounds
Chest - 5.5 inches gained
Stomach - 10 inches gained
Hips - 2.5 inches gained
Thighs - 1 inch LOSS! Yea!!
Arms - measurements the same

As far as the weight gain, I am ok with it. I just need to keep eating well, logging my calories, and exercising. My goal is to gain 25 - 30 pounds during this pregnancy. I am pleased with the areas I am gaining. I was very surprised to see how my thighs have gone down! I have been doing leg work along with all my walking and running so I am hoping that has helped. It could also be a loss of muscle in that i am not biking as I was before. When I was doing my triathlons over the summer my thighs were VERY toned, more than ever so that may be a factor in the loss. Regardless, I am happy with the progress and plan on continuing the leg work as long as I can throughout the pregnancy. Gotta have toned legs....even with a big baby belly! LOL

I am doing well this week with my miles. My goal is to walk/run 20 miles a week and so far I am at 13.76. I hope I can continue doing 20 miles a week throughout the rest of my pregnancy as it has really made a difference.