I gotta tell ya, being pregnant sure has challenged me to walk my talk like never before. Watching my body change and grow over these past months has been a lot harder than I ever imagined it would be.
Yeah, you would think the fact that I have a baby growing inside me would make it easier. Maybe it has a little, but not much.
For someone like me, who has had a horrific relationship with their body, watching it change, day by day and week by week has kicked up some old behaviors.
It’d be one thing if it was just my belly and boobs growing, but my entire body feels completely different, and it hasn’t been an easy adjustment.
That whole “pregnancy glow” that everyone talks about — not me.
My skin is super dry. Nothing seems to help – not gobs of fancy skin oil or pushing the humidifier up to high. I have fine lines
To top it off, I can’t drive at night and I feel like I’ve lost my edge. I forget everything and have the attention span of a 3-year-old.
Though I know most of this is temporary, it hasn’t stopped “Helga” (my self-sabotaging voice) from rearing her ugly head. I’ve had to whip out every tool and tactic to remind myself to practice self-love and compassion through this experience.
I regularly find myself telling clients in my group coaching program…
This isn’t about getting your “pre-baby body” back, the body you had in your 30’s or any form it has taken in the past. It’s about learning to love your body just as it is right now (or at the very least, find self-acceptance).
Click image to pin on Pinterest.
It’s about learning how to listen to your body, so you’re not seeking some plan designed for the masses for the rest of your life. It’s about taking loving action every day because you believe you deserve it. And it’s about becoming the healthiest version of yourself in *this* phase of your life.
It’s taken lots of nurturing and attention but I can now say that I am so proud of my body, extra cellulite and all. I am telling her every day how amazing she (my body) is, and how grateful I am that she gives me the ability to do so much.
Thank you arms for giving me the ability to wrap them around Zac and tell him how much I love him.
Thank you eyes for giving me the ability to see so I’m not running into things all day.
Thank you, heart, for being so strong and keeping me alive every second of every minute.
Thank you legs for getting me around; in and out of my car, up and down the stairs, even though it’s much harder than I’d like, you still are working for me.
I’m doing my best to stay the course. Yeah, I have my moments, but I always push through and persevere. Pregnancy is changing my body. For now, my belly continues to grow. In a few short months when I give birth, she’ll change yet again. In the future with more pregnancies, or even further down the road with peri-menopause, menopause, and beyond — there will still be more changes.
We are always evolving, always changing. That’s why it’s important for all of us to focus on what’s right about our bodies, what we love about them because when you think about it, they are pretty freaking amazing. 🙂
This IS my group coaching program, and this is ME, your coach who will be with you every step of the way. I’m right here doing this *with* you.
The doors are closing in a few short days and it would be my honor to help you lose weight like you never have before – through lots of compassion, love, enjoyment and yes, fun (not manipulation and stress).
This is about putting to rest all those diets, “detoxes” and extreme exercise programs that are merely a way to “hate, restrict, and stress yourself thin.” This is a program that will help you find pride in your body and gratitude for your amazing life.
Your body is your biggest asset and your best friend. She holds the key to all the success you’re seeking, and I’d love to show you how to access that.
And if this program isn’t for you, I hope you stop at nothing to find that.
Because that’s what you deserve.
xo,
Nichole
P.S. I didn’t write this post so people could tell me how great I look — you’re missing the point. Though I appreciate those comments, I want you to see that I am a woman, just like you, who falls to the “dark side” from time to time… Doing my best to practice compassion and self-love.
My hope is you find compassion and strength to do the same. 🙂