I know this is going to sound like I'm complaining again, but here I go. I've been working out at the gym. I've been doing about 30-45 of cardio on most days, mainly the treadmill. About 2 work outs ago I started getting a sharp pain down my butt and into my left leg. I recognized it as the sciatica pain I had the last time I was pregnant.

Sciatica is a very painful, sharp pain that is caused basically by the weight in the front of your body curving your spine forward. I have noticed my belly sticking out more because the baby is growing. The cure? Well, actually nothing. Maybe seeing a chiropractor could help. Maybe not. I am going to ask my OB about it next week, but here's my question. What kind of cardio can I do that won't affect my sciatic nerve?

The treadmill is what seems to make it flare up. I am fine until I go to the gym and I'm in pain the rest of the day. I have eliminated any incline when I walk to see if that helps as well as play around with the speed. One thing an article I read said to try is water exercises. I was thinking about water walking. Has anyone ever done that? My gym has a pool that about 4 ft deep and I do see people walking back and forth in it. I just wonder if that will be a good form of cardio. I guess the only way to really find out is just to do it.

I'm a litte nervous going to the pool. It's kind of like going to the weight area for the first time. Intimidating and scary. Like people might laugh at me because I am walking while everyone else is swimming. You may be asking yourself "Why doesn't she just swim?" Well, for the simple fact that I am basically blind without my glasses. After running into a wall a few times because I couldn't see it, I gave up on swimming. Another reason I feel funny about going into the pool- I have to wear my glasses.

I'm just feeling a little sorry for myself today. I finally get over the nausea and get all hyped up to start working out again and now this. So many people are telling me not to worry, I'm pregnant, take it easy etc. I know I'm pregnant. I feel like I need to control myself. I don't want to be able to run 5 miles or limit my calories severely. I just want to gain a reasonable amount of weight while being pregnant.

It would be so easy to give it all up for the next six months. Just sit on the couch and eat. But, where will that leave me when the baby comes? Probably 50 pounds heavier and miserable. I "gave up" on myself for so many years. That is how I got to 250 lbs. I don't want to give up. I want to find what works for me and do it. But, doing that will requires some failures and finding what doesn't work.