New Habits
This week, I started a routine… just to see if I’d feel any different.
My “morning sickness” consists of feeling dizzy/light-headed and lethargic around 130 in the afternoon and goes on an off throughout the rest of the day. Which means, I am very unproductive at work. I didn’t know just how to deal with it. And since I’m in the business of being focused and and using my brain to find the right candidates to match to a new role… I felt like I was out of touch when it came to my career. I have been struggling since the few days after I found out I am preggo.
So this week, I decided to try going to a yoga class on my lunch break…
My yoga practice started a few days after my 29th birthday. I got so into it, that I took Teacher Training Classes in 2013. I tried teaching a few donation classes here and there but I just felt like teaching wasn’t for me. I’m not sure why, but I felt like I needed to have a better practice if I was going to teach. And yeah, you might think I wasted all that time and money getting my 200-hr certification, but to tell you the truth… I don’t regret it. It was a great experience and I had learned a lot from it.
So… I had been going to Monica’s HARD Yoga in Huntington Beach before I got preggo for about 6 months and never cancelled my membership. I planned on cancelling the membership as soon as UFC gym by my work opened. I had originally wanted to take up kick-boxing. BUT, UFC gym is still in the works and my condition doesn’t exactly allow me to start something new… based on what I’ve read and what other mothers have told me.
So, I figured, why not get back into yoga. I mean I know how to modify if it’s too intense for me anyways. On Monday, I decided to just go and take a regular class and let the instructor know I’m in my first trimester. I had taken Laura’s Flow classes before and so I already knew her style going into it. She also knows of me so it helps on a comfort level. She told me there really isn’t anything in particular I should avoid because it’s still early in my pregnancy. However, she said to stay away from Bow pose. This pose is a back-bend but you’re literally laying on the ground on your belly. So that much pressure on my stomach muscles would just not be advisable.
So I took the flow class which felt pretty good. I didn’t push myself so much and modified when I wanted to eg. I skipped several vinyasas and went straight to downward facing dog, or during the ab work, I didn’t do so much crunches.
Anyhow, I felt pretty good about the workout and svasana. However, right after the class, as I was putting my socks and my shoes back on, it really hit me how much hungrier I was. So I ended up rushing back to work, stopping by The Loft Hawaiian Restaurant. There was a man inline in front of me who I thought was very annoying because he couldn’t make up what kind of chips he wanted to get. And he had questions about what he can get instead of the rice and whatnot. When it finally came time for me to order, I quickly blurted out “3 spam musubis, a side of macaroni salad, Sweet Hawaiian Iced Tea, and a bag of the Hawaiian Luau BBQ chips.
As soon as I got my order, I walked back into our building, then ate all of my food. I have never felt that kind of hunger before. Shakiness, cold sweat, and irritability. So then I knew next time to eat meals prior to working out.
After surviving my hunger, one thing I did notice throughout that day was that I felt energized. I didn’t feel sleepy at my desk at all.
On Wednesday, I ended up packing myself a peanut butter sandwich and ate it 1.5 hrs before the Flow Yoga Class. And that honestly helped me with the hunger issues.
I am going to try and keep up with my yoga practice and make sure I sustain energy throughout my working days. Also, I know it is going to help me feel sane and eventually help me through labor when that time comes.