go with the flow

Posted: October 20, 2010 at 6:30 pm

FFF Featured Blogger (chosen from your comments): Keeping Slim and Getting StylishI think the title says it all! Laura blogs about excellent healthy dining ideas and has fun fashion favorites mixed in here and there. She had a great post earlier today about food choices too.

Today I have really just gone with the flow. It all started after Power class. I had a sudden urge to come up with workout split ideas for after the baby comes. I know I still have around 12 weeks left, but I couldn’t help it! I sat down at my computer and typed up the splits I found myself brainstorming during Power class.

workoutplan

I cannot wait to get back to my favorite workouts and plans! And please note that this is just a random list of rotations and plans I have used before of varying difficulty and set-up. I have no order whatsoever to the above. I simply felt inspired to jot down possibilities of things I’ve done before that I enjoyed for me to pull from when I get back in the gym after this pregnancy. You will just have to wait with me to see how these play out in my future workouts. 😉

Moving on. I maintained that go with the flow attitude for my food today as well. At lunch I felt a tad bit of nausea again, which leads me to think its just a part of this pregnancy. I craved a simple lunch and a few things leftover from the birthday party this weekend. I had a throwback to school days with a PBJ sandwich, sliced apple, handful of chips, and a soda.

IMGP7982

IMGP7983

Then, a few hours later I craved something sweet. Dang you artificial sweeteners! Luckily, I still had my small square of pumpkin bread from the pumpkin patch on Saturday. Who am I to have saved such a delectable treat for 4 days?!

IMGP7987

And who am I to have only eaten half because I realized I wasn’t really hungry and wanted to save some for later?

IMGP7988

Lastly, I felt inspired to go with the flow on a topic tonight as well. Quite…literally. Meghann posted about not having her cycle for the past year on her blog today. It really touches close to home for me because I didn’t have my cycle for awhile as well, thanks to nursing and then jumping right into the intense training for my fitness competition. It bothered me greatly that my body did not function properly, especially knowing we wanted to conceive another child.

As soon as my competition ended, I took steps to try to bring my cycle back. For me, that meant not working out at all for a month and then limited workouts for awhile after that. I had to gain weight, which I would have done regardless coming off of show weight. It went further than that, though. Due to wanting to conceive right away, I had to gain weight to get back to the size I was when I got pregnant with Makenzie. A huge mental battle ensued, but I now feel so blessed that I took care of the problem sooner rather than later. Only a few months of competition training affecting my cycle caused a lot more trouble conceiving the little man than we likely would have faced otherwise.

I leaped for joy when my cycle returned. In my opinion,a functioning menstrual cycle is an immense blessing and something we should not ignore or gloss over. Also, we should not wait to consider it an issue until trying to conceive. I can tell you right now that waiting that long is waiting too long. I have many friends who have been through so much to figure out their fertility and the thought that some women out there simply don’t care about it breaks my heart. Also, fertility is not the only reason to be aware of our cycles. They can signal a hormonal imbalance or other issues that affect so much more.

I do not intend to share the steps I took to regain my cycle as advice, because different people face different issues with different remedies. Nor do I post this as a way to say Meghann isn’t doing enough. I commend and admire her for sharing her struggles and can tell she whole heartedly wants to resolve them. I desired to post my experience and thoughts on this topic simply because I want to declare the importance of this aspect of our health as women. If you face this, please work hard and act proactively for an important part of your health. You don’t ever want to wish you had done something sooner.

  • Do you consider your visits from Auntie Flo a blessing? Have you ever seriously thought about your cycle or considered reading books like Taking Charge of Your Fertility?
  • Do you like creating workouts or does it stress you out? It’s one of my biggest hobbies. I love it!
  • Don’t forget to ASK ME ANYTHING for the Q + A series I’m doing in Nov!

Tags: , ,

 
73 Comments to “go with the flow”
  1. Lindsey says:

    I agree with you 100%! Not having a period is definitely a sign something is wrong and should not be ignored.

    I also enjoy making workouts…it’s fun!

  2. this totally hits home with me…several years ago i was on birth control and hadn’t had my period for over a year because of it. i decided to stop taking the pill simply because i never wanted to potentially harm a child (since BC isn’t 100% effective) because i didn’t know what was going on with my body. luckily my body jumped right back on track, and i don’t LOVE my little monthly friend, but i feel like it’s better than the alternative for me 🙂

  3. when I taught step class in college, I LOVED planning each class and planning the music! 🙂

    I feel lucky to have always had a regular cycle, with no complications, mood swings or pain associated with it… INCREDIBLY lucky! *knock knock*

  4. i do consider the aunt flow a blessing! since I am not trying to get pregnant, I am thankful each month to have my period! Yes I am on the pill, but a gal can still have her worries, right??

    I love that throwback lunch of a good ole pb and J sammieeee mmmm sounds SO good righ tnow!!!

    I do LOVE creating my workouts and also DUH creating for others since I am a trainer but these days I just get my cathy savage workouts, and I do what im told 🙂 haha i do like making my own though and getting creative!

  5. Brooke says:

    honestly – fertility isn’t something i think about. i don’t like most kids. i really don’t have a desire for them. i know that makes me the odd woman out her in the bloggy community. i’m the only woman who’s either not already a mom or wants to be one with all her heart. that just isn’t in me. i like my life. i like its order. i like being (mostly) in control.

    i’ve also been on BC since 7th grade for menstral cramps. then of course for the normal reason.

    • Tina says:

      Completely understandable. Kids aren’t for everyone and each woman has to do what works for her. There’s still so much to be appreciative of in a regular cycle though. And that part of our health matters whether we want kids or not. That’s what I really hope to express. 🙂

  6. Jess says:

    I didn’t get my period for seven months when I was sick in high school (basically not eating enough). Now, I can appreciate it and know that hopefully someday it will bring me a beautiful child: that someday is far away, though!

  7. emily says:

    i am on meds to get my cycle started again. i haven’t had one for 18 months. but now that im at a healthy weight…im expecting Aunt Flo to come back anytime now.

    • Tina says:

      I hope it finds its way back soon. Something about getting it back more regular after that long just feels so good.

  8. My friends and I have joked that losing my period was “the only good thing about the eating disorder” (that I had a couple years ago), but I was seriously glad to get my periods back. Healthy, regular periods required a seriously high-fat diet, which is fine by me, but something that I can see being a struggle for many women.

    Now I am on birth control, which I’d really like to stop using. I’ve heard can screw with and mask fertility issues. I hope that as long as I continue to eat fatty foods and exercise only moderately, I will be alright once I go off BC.

    And I love creating swimming workouts! But I’m pretty much at a loss when it comes to anything else!

  9. ashleigh says:

    I don’t really create workouts… I like going to classes so I can do whatever they tell me 🙂 Sometimes I take workouts from other bloggers and try them out so I do always love reading about them!

    I’m happy you took control of your body and that you were able to get pregnant 🙂

  10. Natalie says:

    I love planning workouts! It sounds silly but if I’m feeling really anxious it often settles me down. Even if I don’t end up following the plan it’s a “healthy” (albeit kind of odd) coping mechanism for times when I’m feeling a little off 🙂

  11. sometimes I really get excited about coming up with new rotations. But sometimes it stresses me out just a tiny bit not being sure if I am putting it together correctly. As for that time, I don’t consider it a blessing, well, I should say I didn’t until thinking about it from a different perspective.

  12. Eliza says:

    My period has never really bothered me/been a positive. I’m planning on trying to conceive in a little less than two years (I’m in countdown mode like a baby-crazy lunatic!), and so lately I have been reading about it/thinking about it a little more.
    I read Meghann’s post and all the comments too. One thing I’ve been reflecting on is this conflictual relationship we women sometimes have with our bodies. Like you said, a menstrual cycle is a normal, healthy function of a normal, healthy body. And yet you, very understandably, seemed to feel conflicted in some ways about taking the steps to get yours back because of the weight gain involved. I totally can picture myself feeling similar struggles with that. How do our brains get like this? Isn’t it amazing that smart, educated women can behave in ways that put their lives in danger for the sake of a number on a scale? (Obviously this issue is way more complicated, and there are lots of ways that people put their lives in danger for stupid reasons like temporary pleasure of cigarettes or whatever, but its just something I’m thinking about tonight)

    • Tina says:

      Such a good point. The fact that I knew it was for health and a bigger purpose is truly what helped push me through those emotional moments. Seeing my body change was tough. I think the hardest part for me though was feeling like I had failed myself. Not because I had to gain weight, but more because if I hadn’t had done the show I probably would have gained my period back after I stopped nursing just fine. That is what really bothered me…feeling like I let my body down. Don’t know if that makes sense though.

      • Eliza says:

        It does make sense. Sometimes I try to remind myself that I couldn’t have known then what I know now. It doesn’t help to beat myself up when I see that a decision I made might have had some negative consequences, because at the time I thought I was making the right choice for myself. Not sure if that is helpful, or totally incongruous with what you’re saying…

        • Tina says:

          You’re right on with that comment. I always had to tell myself that if I hadn’t done the show I would still be wondering “what if” and likely would have regretted not going for it. I certainly learned a LOT in the process so I can never call it a waste. 🙂

  13. Camille says:

    When I was dealing with an eating disorder I didn’t have my cycle, so now I do appreciate it as it is a sign of my health. However, it is still a giant pain in my ass!

  14. Annie Crow says:

    LOVE planning workouts, I can easily spend a lot of time on them.

    While I don’t like getting my period, I do like knowing that my body is functioning as it should. And I like my period a whole lot more when I’m off of birth control (which is probably now a permanent state) because then I’m in touch with the whole cycle and my period feels more real, I feel more real. I did spend a couple of years with no cycle (lost a lot of weight very quickly) – acupuncture seemed to be the main thing that helped get it back.

  15. My cycle got all screwed up on bc and it made me a total witch! :/ I’m just one of those women who CANNOT take hormonal bc. I read “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” and would highly recommend it to any woman to wants to really know what’s going on with her body. Great information to have! I took “Vitex/Chasteberry” which helped my cycles regulate again…I hate that time of the month (love the break during pregnancy!) and am not looking forward to welcoming it back. But you’re right…it’s a sign of health!

  16. I never ever get my period unless I’m on birth control. Similar to Meghann, I’ve had tests done to make sure everything is okay. My doctor hasn’t ever hinted that this could make this difficult down the road with conceiving. Since I haven’t yet found a husband, I’ve never been too worried about all that stuff. But maybe I should be! Oh, life. Why can’t everything just be sunny skies and pumpkin muffins all the time? 😉

    • Tina says:

      Ohh yes, that would be grand. Can’t forget the chocolate fountains too though. 😉

      And, like with her situation, I still certainly believe overall we can be healthy without our cycles and it may not necessarily lead to conception issues all the time. I just truly believe that a regular cycle is something we should all strive to have. And if we don’t, we should hopefully want to ascertain what could be affecting it otherwise. Hope that makes sense.

  17. J says:

    Posting anonymously because I am not as open about these issues as you brave ladies are (but you’ll see by my e-mail that I’m a regular commenter).

    My cycle used to be really regular, once every 28-32 days like clockwork. Then sometime in my second year of college, I started restricting, recording my food and trying to stay under 1200, sometimes 1000 calories a day. I lost about five pounds and looked great IMO, but then my period didn’t come. Now, there could have been other reasons for this — I was stressed in school big time, and I wasn’t exactly happy with my social life.

    Months passed, and I was getting freaked out. I finally confided in my BFF who told me to tell my mother, and I refused due to embarrassment and that she’d tell my dad. But after 7-ish missed cycles, I finally told her because I thought something was seriously wrong. And yes, she told my dad. A few doc appts (ob/gyn and primary) later, nothing unusual appeared in the hormone tests. (My primary ran a preg test on me, even though I was 19 and told him there was no way. He asked me, right in front of my DAD, if I had a boyfriend, which I did not.

    I was put on some kind of 7-day synthetic progesterone to start my period, but that did not work and I got moodier. Finally, I just lied and told my parents my period came back, and it finally did maybe 2 months after I stopped taking it and was pretty regular until I went on bc maybe 2 years later, even when I started running marathons.

    I second the TCOYF book — I just got it and started reading it. Although I am not married, I am finding the info interesting and would love to let my body tell me (without pills) when it’s healthy or not.

  18. Heather says:

    I dont think i ever have to worry about being so skinny I lose my period lol! But I def. don’t take if for granted b/c I know too many ppl ahving issues concieving, etc. b/c their cycles aren’t norma/lthere.

  19. Nicole says:

    I’m 31 years old and had been on the pill for 10+ years before finally wanting to see what my body was like naturally. I got a normal period 6 weeks after going off, and was normal for a few months. Then, it just stopped. I didn’t get a period for 3 months, and then again for 4 months. After freaking out and not understanding what was going on and why I felt so miserable, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Although I’m still not ready to be a mom (and I’m not sure I ever will be) I wanted to figure out what was wrong with me and I did NOT want to get back on the pill. However, my body was not reacting well without the hormones and I gave in and went back on the pill.
    I also need to find a new DR bc the one I have now was so adamant about putting me back on the pill; she didn’t listen to me and made me feel like I was being a pain…but for now it’s working. I feel 100% better, but I do worry about conception in the future.

    • Tina says:

      But the best thing about this is you learned about your body in that process and now have the knowledge to work towards figuring it out. I hate you have to deal with PCOS though. I really hope you find a doctor that can help you and your body feel better, in a way that you feel 100% comfortable with.

  20. I’ve never had cycle problems before but am a little worried that I will once I’m done nursing. Mostly because I was on birth control for years because of a condition called Endometriosis. During the time before getting on the pill I had painful and intense monthly periods and while on the pill I had the usual. Once I got off the pill to get pregnant we got pregnant so fast I didn’t have a chance to see how my body has changed since getting healthy (which I did while on the pill).

    I’m curious to see how my Endometriosis will act with my current healthy lifestyle and off the pill.

  21. Cynthia says:

    I really appreciate your post! I don’t really like my period, but I know that it’s necessary. I actually got mine pretty regularly until several months ago. Now it comes and goes and sometimes I go a couple months without having one. Since my husband and I plan on having kids sometime soon, I know that it is necessary to figure out why this is happening. That’s part of the reason I had a physical for the first time this week. I want to find out if there is a hormonal imbalance. I do know that I don’t want to wait until I’m trying to conceive to figure out why I’m not getting my period.

  22. I ALWAYS consider aunt flo a blessing. and I wont lie–each time I get it every month, I breathe a sigh of relief–Im not pregnant! haha :). but yes, I am proud and happy to be a healthy woman!

    • Tina says:

      And once I get mine back after this pregnancy I will be breathing huge sighs of relief each month mine comes too. LOL Two will be enough!

  23. My cycle is so regular you can set your watch to it. Seriously, its insane. I like that I can count on it though, Im big on schedules, and even though I dont have any real control over it, I kind of feel like I do. 🙂

  24. Hard question for me to answer, because I HATE my cycle. It’s so painful, that sometimes, I’m tempted to call in sick and just lay in a ball on the floor and cry. I’m also not a huge pain medication person, so I hate having to take Advil to control the pain. I just feel miserable for 5 days out of the month. Yet, I see your point, it’s a blessing that my body does have it. I’d definitely feel like something is off if I didn’t get it and of course, I want to be able to conceive more than anything.

  25. Meg says:

    Since I’m getting “older”, I’ve realized how lucky I am to always have a regular cycle. It still freaks me out whether I’ll be able to easily get pregnant when I do get to that point in life. I do get pretty emotional/headachy a week before but thankfully no cramps.

    p.s. I gave you a blog award on my blog!

  26. When I stopped my birth control pill, I stopped my period for several months. My doctor told me it sometimes takes a while to get your cycle back to normal after going off the pill, but it was a bit freaky. I’m glad I have it back to normal now. It’s a pain in the ass but it’s definitely a sign of health!

  27. I think its a blessing. For me it is a sign that 1) I’m not pregnant (big sign of relief right now) and 2) that my body is functioning and healthy.

    Thanks for this post! I think its an important topic that impacts woman’s health.

  28. I don’t find my visit from aunt flo a blessing – it’s a curse and one I absolutely loathe. I suffer with mild endometriosis but suffer with horrendous periods every month. I bleed for 2 weeks, with a week of nasty spotting before the floodgates open. The first 2 “proper” days of my period are spent in bed with a wheat pack or hot water bottle because the pain is so severe – I can’t even stand up properly.

    I also suffer with horrible flooding and have ruined so much clothing and underwear because of it – I really hate it.

    I’m due to go into hospital next month for endometrial ablation and I pray that it helps because my consultant said the only other option after that would by a hysterectomy which I really wouldn’t want to be having as I’m only 32.

    It’s so good to read about other women’s experiences and nice to know I’m not alone.

  29. Thanks for having me as your featured blogger! I found this post (and Meghans) really interesting as I’m considering coming off birth control pills, not in order to conceive (yet!) but just because I don’t like the idea of putting additional hormones into my body. I’ve been having problems where I miss taking a pill by a couple of hours in the middle of the month and I get a period. I just hope that when I do come off I have a regular cycle!

    • Tina says:

      I loved not being on the pill and will never go back on because of the adding hormones to my body and it hiding my natural body’s functioning. It’s not something for everyone because people have different needs and goals, but I will say that its completely possible to avoid pregnancy without a pill or other hormone related product.

  30. Kim says:

    I never even realized that not getting a period was a thing until I read Meghann’s post. I have always had very bad cramps and headaches around my TOM and always curse it, but when I was reading her post yesterday I realized that while it does suck, it is a sign that my body is working as it should AND that I’m not pregnant so I can continue to drink alcohol, eat brie & goat cheese and push myself physically as normal. I’m not sure if I ever want to have children but I do take comfort in the fact that should I decide to tomorrow, (knock on wood) I should be good to go. I also have a few friends who are having so many problems conceiving and it breaks my heart because they just want to so badly and it’s been years of trying 🙁

  31. Hehe – like the play on words title:) I can tell you’re so excited to get a strength training plan back!!
    I def consider it a blessing. I’d been on birth control for more than 8 years, and have just recently gone off of it. It took a few months, but I was amazed when my cycle returned. I hadn’t seen a “man-made” one in so long, it was nice to see my own!!!

  32. I’m also currently trying to find my cycle back… I thought a lot of it had to do with half marathon training- but so many people train through marathons with no issues in that. Plus, my workouts have since been downsized and the closest I get is a little spotting here and there. The doctor is getting called on soon… 🙂

  33. I didn’t have my period for two years in high school, and when I got it back I remember it was kind of bittersweet for me almost- as happy as I was that it was back, I also remember thinking that I was going to get fat and it was all downhill from there. NOT TRUE!! I’ve had mine regularly for three years now, and while I sometimes wish it didn’t exist (don’t we all, when we’re feeling crampy and crappy?), I’m SO GLAD that I can still have the family I want someday!!

  34. I get really painful periods, so I do understand there’s a blessing in there, but it sure doesn’t feel like it while I’m going through it!

    I love that you’re so open about this – I’ve been wondering who was going to break through the curtain of the unspoken AUNT FLO! I never know how to broach the subject on my blog, but you came through with serious class and charisma;) Thanks for being so great!

  35. Sarah says:

    I get concerned about my cycle because I want to have a family someday (seriously my biological clock is ticking and I’m only 24…eeeek). My doctor told me that when fat deposits get too low you can permanently effect your reproductive organs depending on each individual. It’s amazing that you think you’re doing something so amazing for your health like working out to discover it can actually really harm you.

  36. I am always so impressed by your workouts, even when pregnant!

    As I am nursing right now I have not had a period in over a year now. The 9 months that I was pregnant and now the first 4 months of Sophie’s life. It’s quite strange not to have to worry about it but I am sure I will get it back once I am finished nursing her. I was quite regular before I got pregnant, and not even on the pill… so i’m assuming that it will go back to that but will keep an eye on it as we will try for baby #2 in the future. So, in that sense I will consider my period a blessing!

  37. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tina Reale, Tina Reale. Tina Reale said: go with the flow: FFF Featured Blogger (chosen from your comments): Keeping Slim and Getting Stylish – I think the… http://bit.ly/drxOKE […]

  38. Tina thanks for sharing your thoughts here — right now I’m on BC so my cycle is like clockwork. To be honest I am nervous to go off of BC because I don’t know how my body will respond. Before BC my cycle was kind of all over the place. I like knowing exactly when it will start and end.

    I’ve thought about picking up Taking Charge of your Fertility, but I have yet to. Maybe this weekend will be a good time.

    I do want my body to work the way it was designed to work — and I don’t think our bodies were meant to be on medication that controls our cycles. But for right now, we don’t want to start having kids and this seemed like the best option for us.

    • Tina says:

      We each certainly have to do what works for us. I don’t think the pill is evil and it can certainly be very helpful to many. Especially as long as those taking it still understand how it works and that the cycles aren’t “real” cycles. It surprises me how many don’t really understand that and expect to go off the pill and things to continue on the same way.

  39. Dana says:

    Working out definitely affects my period and undereating! When I took up running i guess to years ago I lost my period for a year and a half. I also was at a REALLY low body fat % and completely obsessive about not gaining weight! I think one should ALWAYS be at a weight were they get their period. If you dont get it your body isnt producing estrogen and estrogen protects your bones! This leads to A LOT of problems + your hormones just arent right!!

    Now I exercise MUCH MUCH LESS and eat MUCH MUCH more. I’m probaly 10-15 llbs heavier but nobody really notices but me. Yeah, I had to buy different jeans but oh well. My health is more important to me then my body size at this point in my life…

    Dana xo
    http://happinessiswithinblog.com/

  40. Love posts that address this… I went off the pill and it took me ONE FULL YEAR to get my cycle back… seriously… just last month it finally returned on it’s own and I can’t tell you how happy I was. I can’t imagine how frustrating it would be to go through that if I was wanting to conceive during that time.

  41. As personal or taboo a topic as women’s cycle seems to be in everyday life I am really glad that it’s being discussed on blogs. I think everyone has a different experience for different reasons but one thing it reiterates is that women need to take care of their own bodies.

    I have so many friends who just don’t go to the gynocologist. They figure because nothing is wrong (or nothing is obviously wrong) they don’t want to go. I have one friend who has horrendous periods but they are also completely sporadic. When I mentioned the option of birth control she immediately said, “I want to save my fertility” and yet she hasn’t been to the gyno in over 3 years!

    So anyway, I do like that the topic is coming up. I think everyone has to realize their body is different but it gets us all to think about our bodies and be more aware and preventitive of any issues. I haven’t read Taking Charge of your Fertility but I think I’m going to after all the talk of it!

    On a different note, I love writing up workouts. Only I find that I just write up cardio workouts because I don’t know much about stregnth training. What are Push/Pull Full Circuits?

    • Tina says:

      When I get into my workouts I will do full explanations of everything because I love talking about it and sharing strength ideas with others. Although people will of course have to keep in mind I’m not a trainer. 😉 Just been at the weights for a decade.

      Push/Pull is a workout setup that splits up your body into parts that use the most effort on the push part of a weight lifting motion (Chest, Triceps, Quadriceps) and then those bodyparts that focus on the pull motion (Hamstrings, Back, Biceps). It’s a different way of training that allows you to fit working each body part in 2x per week without doing a full body set up so you can focus more on a few bodyparts each workout.

      Full Body circuits are just workouts that have one exercise per body part done back to back to back. Sometimes I will switch it up and do one push, one pull, and one full body workout a week too. As you can tell, I love to switch it up!

  42. Courtney F says:

    I had to do this to get pregnant as well. My BF was so low, that my hormones were barely existant. I had to gain weight and slack of the gym for about 6 months to get to conceiving weight for my body. Although, it was mentally taxing and uncomfortable, I wouldn’t trade Ava for the world and I know you feel the same about your daughter and soon to be here baby. I now know where I need to be to get pregnant again, but until then it is hardcore in the gym. I couldn’t wait to workout again either! It makes you appreciate it so much more.

  43. Nichole says:

    I just laughed so hard. My Aunt is definitely in town this week and she’s killing me!!

    LOL – this is too ironic!

  44. This is probably ridiculous to admit, but the picture of that PB&J made me almost cry. Maybe because I’m at college and it’s been a stressful week? It brought back such great memories of home and my mom and lunch time, etc. Thank you, Tina!

  45. i definitely consider visits from “Aunt Flo” a blessing. As someone struggling with an ED, I often worry about not being able to have children

  46. Allie Finch says:

    Now I want a PBJ for breakfast!! 😀
    I LOVE creating workouts too! I am excited to see your specific training. Do you think you will compete again?
    I haven’t thought much about the period question; but if it ever stopped, I would panic. That is definitely a sign something is not right & needs to be addressed immediately.

    • Tina says:

      I know I will never compete again. The preparation (and COST!) of it didn’t fit in with my lifestyle too well. I will certainly train hard though and have other fitness related goals I’ll be working towards. I can’t wait for it!

  47. I guess I am a lucky one because I tend to take my cycle for granted. I’ve been on BC since I was 19 and have gone off it 2 or 3 times, always got my period right back. It wasn’t until I read other bloggers’ struggles with their cycle/fertility that I started worrying that I was messing with my body. I’m far from thinking about babies, but in the meantime, even though I’m currently single, I feel like I should just stay on BC so as not to mess with my body and confuse it too much. When I go off it, I want it to be for ever.

    • Tina says:

      That certainly makes sense to me. And I was on the pill for years, so understand its use for many out there. I didn’t go off until marriage.

  48. Caitlin says:

    I guess I tend to take for granted my cycle, although I only wish I exercised and ran as intensely as some of you guys do out in blog land! I am currently on birth control, but only for 2 more cycles, then I’m going off. My husband and I would like to try to conceive in a few months, but I’d definitely like to take a couple months after going off BC to get my body back to normal.

    Thanks for sharing on what could be an awkward topic. I’m grateful for all the comments and posts that have come about recently because it is something that I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about lately.

    • Tina says:

      And your body will probably need a couple months to get readjusted so smart to think ahead. I hope all goes well with TTC when the time comes. 🙂 If you ever have any questions or anything about any of it, feel free to ask.

      I highly recommend either the Take Charge of Your Fertility book…or for a quick, easy tutorial of much of the same info – http://www.fertilityfriend.com is an excellent site to learn how to track cycles and such.

  49. lizzie says:

    This is so timely for me. I haven’t started cycling again since I had may baby a year ago (today! — Happy Birthday, Squish!) and although I’m still breastfeeding, I was cycling by this point with my first baby. It’s good to be reminded that this is such an important part of our lives and it may be necessary for me to take some extra steps to get my body functioning again after I wean little Squish.

    • Tina says:

      Our kiddos have the same bday. 🙂 Just a year apart.

      And isn’t it crazy how things can be so different with each kid? It will be interesting to see if it comes back relatively soon after weaning or not. I wonder what my body will do with nursing when I get to do so again in a few months.

  50. homecookedem says:

    As much as I have complained about Aunt Flo before, never did I realize just how much a blessing it was to get her monthly scheduled visit as I did when we were trying to conceive. I totally agree – women should not wait to get help until they’re ready to conceive.

Leave a Reply to Holly @ couchpotatoathlete

(required)

(required)


 

 
Catch Up With Recent Posts

Announcement Time

Posted: November 23, 2011 at 7:47 am

Well, I have had a whirlwind of a few weeks over here. I missed all of you so much! I can’t express enough gratitude for your patience while I got some important things sorted out. Some scary things. Are you ready for the announcement? Here goes! I will no longer be blogging at Faith Fitness […]

88 CommentsRead more →

Self-Love Reflection: The Road Not Taken

Posted: November 20, 2011 at 11:47 am

Hello FFF readers! Nice to meet ya! My name is Carissa and my husband and I blog at Fit2Flex.  Well, I blog…he consults! We are both certified personal trainers with a passion for healthy, active living and clean eating.  I am also studying to become a registered dietitian, a race announcer, and a runner.  Stop […]

24 CommentsRead more →

Healthier Eating For Kids

Posted: November 19, 2011 at 10:56 am

Thanks to Plum Organics for sponsoring my post about tips for baby feeding magic. What if you let baby choose what’s for dinner? Check out their cute "Quest for Yum!" video and see what happens! As parents, we want the best for our children. We help them to feel loved. We strive to teach them […]

14 CommentsRead more →
 

Announcement

Posted: November 17, 2011 at 3:36 pm

Hey, everyone! I wanted to pop in and say I am working on some new and exciting changes.  As a result,I may not be posting as much during the coming week.  Please stay tuned for the big announcement! Love you all! And still feel free to find me on Twitter and Facebook for the time […]

21 CommentsRead more →

Where The Change Happens

Posted: November 16, 2011 at 7:54 am

It’s kind of funny. I become a certified personal trainer and the first workouts I turn to this week come from someone else. The book came in for me at the library last week and, after flipping through it, I couldn’t wait to give the circuits a go. Making The Cut includes a lot of […]

79 CommentsRead more →

From Beginning To End

Posted: November 15, 2011 at 11:53 am

Good morning! First off, thanks for the many congrats yesterday. Love you all bunches for the tons of support you have given me in so many things this year. I hope I can return a little bit of that love through this here blog as well. So yesterday I had my first parent-teacher “conference” for […]

55 CommentsRead more →