Exercise

I have been active my entire life.  I have played soccer since I was 8 and therefore was active for at least 2 hours 5 days a week up through high school.  Since then, I would say I average working out 2 times a week.  I play in two soccer leagues and in the summer I usually run 1 additional day.  Even though my working out is not super frequent, I can play soccer at a pretty intense level for 60 minutes so I feel like I'm in pretty good shape.  My weight has also been extremely constant...really since college, so that's good.

When I started reading baby boards, the topic of exercise came up occasionally.  I remember wondering if you can play soccer while pregnant and after searching the internet found a variety of responses.  Some girls play through the first trimester, some stop immediately.  I remember thinking "I'm definitely going to keep playing!"  Oh, how infertility changes things!

I've recently contemplating quitting soccer, a sport I LOVE to play.

I'm so glad I didn't when first TTC because it would have sucked to have not played for no good reason for the past year and a half.  But I'm also starting to become slightly crazy and I can't help but think, "well...I haven't tried NOT playing soccer."  Maybe that's why nothing is sticking.  So when my season ended before Christmas, I made the tough decision not to sign up for the next one.  And I've pretty much agonized about it ever since.

I think part of it is that I really do feel like we are on the right track and that IUI will work (now if not soon) so I don't want to commit to another 3 months season.  But it's really hard.  I had a game last night (4 dpiui) and I wasn't going to play but I read a post on Dr. Licciardi's Infertility Blog yesterday that said in a nutshell: please exercise.  The number one reason is that it increases bloodflow.  So I played.  And it felt good.  And I hopefully I helped the little embryo's home get a little nicer...

I'm not sure why some corners of the baby world advocate sitting.  I think it's just a normal part of fear, but it's definitely misplaced.

I still want to make the shift from soccer to yoga.  One reason is that I really plan on being pregnant soon.  (Trust me, that's weird to say for someone who's been trying for 18 months.)  And I'm also dealing with some neck issues that soccer is not helping.

But I at least resolve one thing.  I will keep exercising.  And I hope you do too!