Shortly after moving to London to establish herself as a successful personal trainer, Nisha found out she was pregnant. It had taken something to pack up, venture out to London on her own, take on the additional cost of living. She had gone for it and she was going to “make it” professionally. She wasn’t going to allow a pregnancy to get in the way of that. Really, why should it?
Well, soon she found herself working 15 hours a day, not eating properly, poor, and under a heck of a lot of stress. In week 5 of her pregnancy she experienced breakthrough bleeding, with more coming in week 6. In week 8 she felt extreme pain in her lower back and she started hemorrhaging. This lasted for 5 days. She was surprised and ever so thankful she didn’t lose her baby.
As you might guess, it was a loud and clear wake-up call for Nisha. The next day she wrote her pregnancy fitness program for herself. She was committed to being physically fit and well. Her fitness regime felt great. Her nutrition improved (it takes something to eat nutritionally on a minimal budget). Her home environment was less than desirable. She was living with a person Nisha would generously call “rude and moody” in London. Her housemate wouldn’t talk to her at all at times, would come in the house and immediately start slamming doors – inexplicable behavior. The tension in the house was palpable and Nisha felt at a complete loss as to how to alter it.
After one morning of bathroom hogging, yelling, and door slamming; Nisha decided she’d had enough. She decided to move back home. She then felt the flood of relief pour into her. She had been trying to make this situation in London – that she had created – work. She was pushing and pushing herself to do so. When she chose her well-being, she could feel her molecules line up with that choice.
She moved home and everything was great. When she made this move that significantly altered her emotional well-being, it freed her up further in the areas of physical fitness and nutrition.
She had to wait until her tenants moved out of her place, so she stayed with her Dad for a time. There, she felt well cared for in many ways. Shopping was done for her. She had the time and space to work out 5 days a week. She loved how she felt. She loved how she looked.
Nisha would get comments at the gym like, “Be careful!” and “I can’t believe you’re lifting that.” I asked her if it annoyed her. She said mostly, No. She was able to simply respond that she was a pregnancy fitness expert and they needn’t worry.
The comments about her physical fitness that she loved and treasured were those from women who would tell her that she looked amazing. She basked in those loving comments. I love that too. I love the idea of women celebrating another woman’s beautiful pregnant body. That’s lovely.
Nisha can so clear contrast the initial weeks of her pregnancy with the later months of her pregnancy and see what a difference a focus on her physical, nutritional, and emotional well-being can be. Her perspective is that not only is pregnancy a time when you should focus on taking great, great care of yourself, it is the time to be in your BEST physical shape EVER! Nisha explains. You don’t have the alcohol. You have a reason to get strong – so that you can more easily deliver your baby. You want to maximize your fitness levels so when your baby is born you have loads of energy to deal with sleep deprivation. Being in shape during your pregnancy helps you get your body back – and, let’s be truthful, we can get stressed about that!
I love this idea that pregnancy is the prime time to get into your best shape ever! Now, mind you, this challenges me certainly. And, I’m inspired by the idea. What a paradigm shift. I think many of us can use it as a time to “let go,” “loosen the reigns” on fitness a bit. I certainly thought about being in good “pregnancy” shape – like, “I’m in good shape for a pregnant lady.” I’m keeping this together enough that I’ll be able to get back in primo shape afterwards. I never – until my conversation with Nisha – thought of it as a time to be in my best shape ever.
Please join the conversation: What’s your reaction to the idea that pregnancy could be the prime time to get in the BEST shape of your life? Does it inspire you? Tick you off? Motivate you or make you tired?
I couldn’t agree more! I’m in a similar business to Nisha & she is a fabulous example of how to look amazing during pregnancy. She really knows her stuff & is passionate about helping women feel great for pregnancy.
With my first pregnancy I only stopped running with clients at 34 weeks because they refused to come with me! They were worried I’d go into labour whilst on session with them, & ganged up on me, refusing to run! I felt fantastic & had a great pregnancy.
Ah yes, Wendy, yours is an inspiring story too! I just love that there are many of you at work supporting pregnant women to experience pregnancy as a time to be healthy and fit…instead of a time to be sluggish and run-down. Thanks!
Thanks for this story! I just reached 13 weeks today and am struggling with this exact topic. My husband and I went through IVF, so my fertility doctor recommended I take it very easy athletically because my ovaries were so swollen from the meds (walking and swimming only). Then, just last week I switched to a new OBGYN who’s ultrasound machine couldn’t see my ovaries to confirm that they’d gone back to normal size. So, I’m dying to ride my bike on my wind trainer indoors (like I did tons before IVF), but I’m worried that it will be too much…. I think I’ll take your story and try it out gently this weekend. Thanks for the inspiration!