Inspired

I am inspired.  An online friend of mine has been working very hard the last year to get in shape and prepare for her 40th birthday in style.  To reward her hard work and celebrate they’ve traveled off with their small son to a tropical paradise for two weeks.

I realized my very own 40th isn’t terribly far away, 3 years, and perhaps it’s time for me to plan too.  3 years seems like a long time but in reality it’s not.   My last major vacation (as in: over a week) was a trip to Japan and we saved and planned for about three years.  (it was great!)

Three years from now we’ll have an almost 3 year old and I would hope that would be enough time for me to return to my old level of fitness. Or at least somewhere close.

I’ve been struggling lately a bit with pregnancy body acceptance. I feel like my body is this wonderful baby making machine. I DO love my body, but the changes are pretty dramatic, and fast.  I would not have it any other way.  However, despite how it looks to anyone else, I see myself as an athlete and I’m used to feeling strong and muscular and now I have to see myself as strong in a whole new way.  Since I haven’t been on quite the workout schedule (not even close!) that I was prior to getting pregnant things are beginning to soften a little.  My arms and shoulders don’t look like swimmers arms anymore, that’s for sure.

My first goal is to continue to have a healthy pregnancy and to deliver a healthy baby boy.  I’ve been keeping up with my Waddle Challenge 100% and it has been a very worthwhile investment. Although there are times when I don’t feel AT ALL like going for a my walks or swimming, I feel better when I do.  I suspect I will be grateful when the big day comes.

Long term, I want to start thinking about how I’m going to get back to the shape I was in before I got pregnant. I don’t mean I want my pre-baby body back, I know some changes are permanent. I just want to be able to get in the water and swim the way I used to. Hike five miles and feel great.  Get on my bike and ride 20 miles.  I think I’d like to spend my 16 week maternity leave simply being with my baby and learning how to live life as a trio.

As 2014 approaches I hope to be back with my swim team again and thinking about adding in hiking and biking or whatever I fancy as spring and summer comes along.  I have no idea how this will go but I’m visualizing it it in my head.  All in eventual preparation for sailing into my 40s in style.  Perhaps in Kauai.

For now I’m going to keep admiring my beautiful basketball and my slightly increased metabolism. 🙂

I think it’s time to investigate maternity exercise wear!