(Cue Willie Nelson . . . )
This might be what you'd call an obvious statement, but trying to get pregnant is always in my mind. It's a consideration in everything I do--activities, plans, for I eat, what I drink. I'd love for it to not be there, but when so many things can effect the outcome, it seems omnipresent.
This is not to say that I don't drink in the 2ww or have coffee or don't plan an event, vacation (wait, what's that? it's been awhile), etc. around possibly being pregnant. Did I maybe in the beginning. Little bit. But, that gets real old real fast when you've been trying more than a few months.
The one thing that usually gets me going, though, is working out.
There are so many schools of thought. And I think that if I had been working out at the level I was a few years back for all this time, it wouldn't really cross my mind so much to worry.
On CD1, I have no problem having a serious workout. I get out my frustrations. And all during that two weeks while I'm waiting to O, I turn up the volume. But, then O comes. And after O, I start wondering.
This time around, it's a lot different because The Hubby and I have really been pushing it at the gym this entire cycle. We switched from afternoon/evening workouts to morning and that's not only helped us go every day, it's also upped my intensity because I'm going every day. I do the elliptical for an hour (plus 5 minute cool down) and am burning off 700+ calories a day. The "issue" is that my heart rate also spikes anywhere from 165 to 175 (pretty sure there was a 180 in there one day). It's not that high the entire time because I do 5-minute rotations of sprinting and a slower pace. During the workout, though, the lowest my heart rate drops is 145.
All of this was on my mind at I approached O this time around, knowing how hard I've been working. I didn't know for sure I was past O until after yesterday's workout, so this morning, I felt like I had a decision to make. I am now 5DPO (took four temps for FF to give me CHs). I decided to err on the side of caution.
I bumped it down a notch. Normally, during my sprints, I average 170 strides per minute (a little less later in the workout when I've got the resistance and crossbar at a higher level) and then 138 during my "down" times. I dropped down to 158/160 (then less as the I bumped up the resistance and crossbar) for sprints but kept the 138 for down times.
My heart rate was averaging 148. A little higher than I might have liked, but I know my body and there is no way I could have gotten any kind of a decent workout at anything less than that. I did peak at 154 during one sprint because I pushed a bit too hard. But, I didn't worry about it.
The great thing was that I still felt like it was a great workout and I still burned 675 calories.
I probably put too much thought into it this time around, but I feel like this one is the "final countdown." This is our last shot at being pregnant without being under the watchful eye of an RE. I don't know what's going to happen after the 29th. I know all next cycle will be testing, but beyond that, I have no idea.
I'm happy to working out like this again. Even if the scale is being stubborn (although I did finally see some downward movement this week; weigh in is Saturday, so we'll see), we're on the right track and that makes me happy. I WANT to lose the weight and be healthier.
It's just that pesky balancing act with TTC.
This might be what you'd call an obvious statement, but trying to get pregnant is always in my mind. It's a consideration in everything I do--activities, plans, for I eat, what I drink. I'd love for it to not be there, but when so many things can effect the outcome, it seems omnipresent.
This is not to say that I don't drink in the 2ww or have coffee or don't plan an event, vacation (wait, what's that? it's been awhile), etc. around possibly being pregnant. Did I maybe in the beginning. Little bit. But, that gets real old real fast when you've been trying more than a few months.
The one thing that usually gets me going, though, is working out.
There are so many schools of thought. And I think that if I had been working out at the level I was a few years back for all this time, it wouldn't really cross my mind so much to worry.
On CD1, I have no problem having a serious workout. I get out my frustrations. And all during that two weeks while I'm waiting to O, I turn up the volume. But, then O comes. And after O, I start wondering.
This time around, it's a lot different because The Hubby and I have really been pushing it at the gym this entire cycle. We switched from afternoon/evening workouts to morning and that's not only helped us go every day, it's also upped my intensity because I'm going every day. I do the elliptical for an hour (plus 5 minute cool down) and am burning off 700+ calories a day. The "issue" is that my heart rate also spikes anywhere from 165 to 175 (pretty sure there was a 180 in there one day). It's not that high the entire time because I do 5-minute rotations of sprinting and a slower pace. During the workout, though, the lowest my heart rate drops is 145.
All of this was on my mind at I approached O this time around, knowing how hard I've been working. I didn't know for sure I was past O until after yesterday's workout, so this morning, I felt like I had a decision to make. I am now 5DPO (took four temps for FF to give me CHs). I decided to err on the side of caution.
I bumped it down a notch. Normally, during my sprints, I average 170 strides per minute (a little less later in the workout when I've got the resistance and crossbar at a higher level) and then 138 during my "down" times. I dropped down to 158/160 (then less as the I bumped up the resistance and crossbar) for sprints but kept the 138 for down times.
My heart rate was averaging 148. A little higher than I might have liked, but I know my body and there is no way I could have gotten any kind of a decent workout at anything less than that. I did peak at 154 during one sprint because I pushed a bit too hard. But, I didn't worry about it.
The great thing was that I still felt like it was a great workout and I still burned 675 calories.
I probably put too much thought into it this time around, but I feel like this one is the "final countdown." This is our last shot at being pregnant without being under the watchful eye of an RE. I don't know what's going to happen after the 29th. I know all next cycle will be testing, but beyond that, I have no idea.
I'm happy to working out like this again. Even if the scale is being stubborn (although I did finally see some downward movement this week; weigh in is Saturday, so we'll see), we're on the right track and that makes me happy. I WANT to lose the weight and be healthier.
It's just that pesky balancing act with TTC.
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