As most of you know, prior to being preggers, I was a bit of a gym rat. For almost 15 years, I was the crazy girl who actually enjoyed getting up at 4:30am, 3-4 days a week, to lift weights and sweat it out on the elliptical machine. I was even a certified personal trainer for a while.
Not so since this bun started to bake in my oven.
My first trimester really threw me for a loop because I just couldn't work out without feeling like I was about to bile-burp in my mouth with every movement. So traumatized was I that it actually took me until week 16 to start working out at all and even then that was at home to an exercise video. I actually didn't go back to the gym until the beginning of this year, when 3rd trimester depression threatened. You could say my return had more to do with my mental than physical health.
In the last month, however, going to the gym has been an interesting experiment in human nature and cultural/generational attitudes toward pregnancy. Now that I look "ready to pop", the reaction of other gym-goers to seeing me on a weight machine or an elliptical trainer really has been varied and often amusing.
Here's a run-down of what I've been able to discern in terms of patterns:
Gen X and Y Guys: UNABASHED ASTONISHMENT. See my face, then my bump and can't seem to stop staring thereafter as they walk past. I haven't had this much male attention since I was in my mid twenties and weighed 50lbs less. (Of course, the reason is significantly different now.)
Gen X and Y Gals: SHY ASTONISHMENT. Brief stare, look of shock, and then look away when I smile back.
40-to-50-something women: CHEERLEADERS. This is the group most likely to stop you and congratulate you for looking after yourself during pregnancy. "Good for you!!!!! You go girl!!!!"
50+ somethings: DISDAIN. Much mouth twisting and frowning going on here. Men in this group are most likely to come up to you and say something like: "Looks like you're trying to get that baby out sooner rather than later!" or "Careful, you don't want to have it right here!"
Gym employees: UNCECESSARILY CONCERNED. They seem to think (personal trainer credentials or not) that I am either stupid or painfully mistaken in my being there and feel the need to provide "helpful" advice about not overdoing it or how I should/should not be using the machines. What's funny is that, since I have been a personal trainer, I realize that a lot of their "advice" is wrong and clearly demonstrates that they don't know what they're talking about.
I should point out here that I lift only light weights only w/ high reps and only do low impact cardio, being careful to never get out of breath. I focus on good form (and, unlike 9 out of 10 people at the gym, I do actually know what that means) because I know how how easy it is to get hurt when you're preggers. If anything hurts I slow down and/or stop. Hence, their reaction is not to any behavior I am displaying.
Anyway, it's fun to see people's reactions. Usually I like to bop around the gym, remaining invisible, but I kind of enjoy the infamy of being the 9 month pregnant woman who still works out. The one thing that WILL suck will be going back to the gym after birth. Then I'll just be another fat person trying to lose weight. Ugggh.
2 comments:
Ha..ha...I can TOTALLY see the look on peoples faces. :)
...haha...obviously, I got my own 'then bun' problems these days! But how fun that you might be having baby same day as your sister-in-law (per FB note)! My sister-in-law and I had our babies 6 weeks apart. It has definitely helped both of us to have someone close around to share the experience with and who knows physically what you're going through. Keep up the good gym work!
Post a Comment