We're past the 20 week mark - half way through (see picture for reference and proof). I'm at the stage now where people are staring at me, unsure if I'm pregnant or gaining an insane amount of focused weight in my belly. I wish I could wear a sign that says "It's not my fault!".
The stares particularly intensified during my trip to Italy last week. My husband and I had acquired free airline tickets over the summer during our last trip there, and found ourselves in a "use them or lose them" situation. So we went!
It was a short trip - only 4 days with travel. But well worth it to reconnect with friends, the land, and most importantly, FOOD. With the exception of things I'm not allowed to eat, I did not hold back. It was a carb fest. And I'm not ashamed.
One thing to note is how different my body felt after eating much more carbs than I usually do - it felt crappy. It was delicious, don't get me wrong. But there's no denying the effect that extra sugar and carbs have on our digestion, energy, and overall health. It helps reinforce my theories about moderation and removing as much excess from our diets when possible (with the exception of vacations of course - I'm not a sadist).
The stares from Italians was so bad that I started to unbutton my jacket and purposely put my hand on my belly (a habit I have anyway....some strange instinct). Just so they would know I was pregnant.
The truth is, obesity is not viewed lightly in Italy (especially in the North). Not that anyone is necessarily fat praising in the USA, but Italians are so in tune with what they put into their bodies - that in general as a people, they cannot accept obesity (in the same way that Americans do).
I also noticed a ton more Italian runners in the street, as well as signs advertising marathons, halfs, 5-10k, etc. When I lived in Italy, exercising in the street seemed less acceptable. It belonged in a gym. When I would walk or jog home from the gym in my athletic gear, I would often get stared at. This seems to be changing.
When I lived in Italy, I always wondered how I did not gain weight (e.g. see carb fest). My FitBit gave me a little insight into why. On a normal day in the USA, outside of my workouts, I have a hard time hitting my suggested 10,000 steps per day. I'm usually around 8k by bedtime. During this Italy trip, I was averaging 30,000 steps a day without trying. And that's without the normal errands I would have had living there like going to and from work/school, grocery shopping, etc. AMAZING.
Since my last post, my activity level has improved by about 30%. I'm feeling much better with all the pregnancy symptoms. I'll still have bad days of exhaustion, nausea, headaches.....but they are no longer constant. This means I'm able to hit my one hour per day of exercise more consistently, but not perfectly. Activities have mostly been walking for exercise at a moderate pace (a few miles), CrossFit 2-3x times a week, and Dance 1-2x a week.
I'm assuming the walking will increase dramatically as the weather gets nicer and the other activities become more difficult with my growing belly.
Currently waiting for the baby to start exercising inside me so that I can feel movements!
