33 Weeks - And Counting!

It's been a while since I've updated you on our pregnancy progress.  These last couple weeks, to me, is the hardest part because there is so much waiting.  And so much to do.  And you're so tired.  And large as a barge...

Using her little brother as a snack tray...

But the good thing is that the end is in sight and soon, we'll get to meet this little guy and that's all that really matters.

I feel good but am noticeably more tired and moving slower sooner than with the other two.  My doctor says that this isn't all that unusual with three pregnancies this close together, although it's not ideal with the two rugrats at my heels.

So if you have wondered where I am and why my posts have decreased, it's because I can't keep my eyes open.  Most afternoons, I make Elizabeth lay down with me to watch a movie during Rachel's nap so I can get 30 minutes in.  And that was the previous 30 minutes that I would spend writing to you, my dear friends. 

Working out has changed considerably in the past 3 weeks or so.  My hips hurt more to work at any kind of an incline, so the stairstepper is officially out.  Most of the time, I'll walk (about a 3.5-3.7 pace) or do the elliptical at a 1 intensity and incline.  I'm still trying to lift about three days a week, although my workouts are very basic - mainly trying to hit each muscle group once. 

I keep my reps high (3x20 on most exercises) because my weights are so light.  And I always feel better after I lift, although I have to make myself get started.  Today, this was my routine:

30 minutes walk on treadmill-zero incline.  3.7 pace

3x20 squats with large ball on the wall

3x20 lateral raises (5 lbs)

3x15 cable flies (10 lbs)

3x15 lat pull downs (35 lbs)

3x20 kettlebell swings (10 lbs)

3x 20 bodyweight tricep dips

Every other day, I do cardio for an hour and then mix it up with light routines like this.  

As I was walking out today, a guy commented that I was his hero and I laughed and said that it was all about survival for me at this point and that I certainly didn't feel inspirational.  I think it would be easy to put my workouts on the backburner at this point, and probably no one would blame me, but I really think it would make things so much harder.  

When I was pregnant with Elizabeth, I stopped working out about now and my recovery was a lot worse.  Now granted, it was my first baby and I'm sure there are not many first-time moms who are in top shape coming out of the hospital, but I really had a hard time for about a week.  With Rachel, I never stopped going to the Y and never stopped walking or lifting (mostly because I had a wild Elizabeth who needed the play time in the nursery!) and I felt noticeably better through my delivery and recovery.

My weight gain has been pretty steady - I am officially at the 30 lbs mark, which exceeds my goal, but is about 10 lbs less than my pace of gain with the other two.  About the middle of my pregnancy, it really got to me - simply because I had hoped to only gain 15-20 lbs. and when it was clear that wasn't going to happen, I got pretty down.  Luckily, my husband hasn't reminded me of that goal (another sign of a happy marriage maybe?!) and I'm almost over the fact that I didn't reach it.  Plus, I know that he'll be in my corner to get back in shape.  

Cravings-wise, I've stayed pretty consistent with my diet.  Early on, I wanted sandwiches and chips and now have ventured back into my steady need for chocolate.  Consistent in all three pregnancies though is my craving for ice.

I need it.  

I know, weirdo.

And normally, I will fix the biggest cup I can find of ice water and crunch on it so I'm sure it annoys the heck out of everyone around me.  Just thank goodness, it's calorie free!  

Other than that, I am simply trying to keep a handle on this house while nesting and getting ready for him to get here.  I've done a lot of cooking and stocking the freezer - in fact, last night we had a power outage and I tried to go to bed early, but just laid there thinking about all the food in my freezer and praying the lights would come back on.  And they did.  And everything was fine.  But seriously, this is where my mind goes!

That is my 33 week update...thank you for coming along for the ride and I appreciate you being patient through my lapses in writing!

Scott's "I don't care how pregnant you are" 3rd Trimester Circuit Workout

Lately, I've been feeling overly...well...PREGNANT.

At 29 weeks, my belly is already huge (although it always gets huge - I'm a little person) and I have begun to get knowing looks from formerly pregnant women everywhere.

I'm met with, "How much longer?" comments almost everywhere I go and then enjoy watching their expressions change from shock to realization and finally to pity when they hear three more months.  Oh, especially if I have my two little helpers with me. 

Over the holidays, I took a week and a half off from the gym.  It wasn't voluntary, as we had days on end of sickness combined with company and topped off with days it was just plain closed.  The week before Christmas, I only did cardio, as I needed the mindless escape of the treadmill and HGTV for an hour.  So I thought today, Monday January 2, would be the perfect day to begin a new lifting routine.

I googled researched third trimester lifting ideas and, while there isn't a ton of information to find, I did come across evidence that I could still strengthen my core, in the form of planks and cable work, although most of the lifting seemed a little too elementary for what I was looking for.  

My husband to the rescue, Scott whipped up this circuit for me and, I have to tell you, I am disappointed that I didn't start something like this sooner.  My heart rate stayed elevated for the entire time and I broke a great sweat, but not in a "I think I might die or have this baby right here" sort of way.  I haven't been doing the stairmaster, as it's not the most comfortable piece of machinery for me right now, but he encouraged me that the picking up and down of my legs would help my hip flexors - and even at the lowest setting, he was right. 

Sometimes you need someone outside your self-pity bubble to put a challenge to you regardless of your situation...well, at least I do.  And I have to say that Scott  is not only my top supporter but my top challenger as well.  

I think even if you're not 29 weeks pregnant, this might be something worth looking into, if you want a full body workout.  This took me about an hour to complete and I didn't take any breaks once I started.  Feel free to increase the intensity from my mediocre weights!

Scott's "I don't care how pregnant you are" 3rd Trimester Circuit Workout

Stairmaster - 10 minutes (Ours is the large kind that the stairs actually move and you have to pick your feet up)

Kettlebell Swing - 2 x 50 reps (I used the lightest Kettlebell I could find - close to 8 lbs.  You stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart and, holding the weight in both hands, bend your knees slightly to swing it between your legs and then, keeping arms straight, straight up in front of you while straightening out your legs.)

First Round (go through 3 times)

DB Deadlift - 20 (I used 10 lbs)

Alt DB Shoulder Press - 20 (I did these standing with 5 lbs)

Bird dog Complex - 10 per limb  

Second Round (go through 3 times)   

DB Incline Bench - 20 (I used 10 lbs)

Seated Row - 20 (This machine was actually taken so I modified this to reverse pulldowns at 37.5 lbs.)

Split Squat - 20 (I did these without weight but placed my back foot on the bench.)
Plank - 30 seconds (First round to the front, second to the side and third to the other side)


Stairmaster - 10 minutes

Towards the end of my second round of kettlebell swings, a woman walked past me with a medicine ball and asked if I was using the reverse incline bench (since I was standing near it).  I told her no and continued to the end of my 50, as she set up to do some sit-ups with the weighted ball.  When I got done, I turned to her and said, "It was very sweet of you to ask if I was going to do crunches," pointing to my belly.  She took one look at me and busted out laughing.  She said, "I was in such a zone and you were working so hard that I didn't even notice!  I guess you won't be using this for a while, huh?"

For a second there, it was same joy as being carded at the grocery store after the age of 30...or am I the only one that considers that a complement??

Enjoy the workout!! 

Obsess much??

There is something wrong with me.  I have turned absolutely obsessive.

Rachel, obsessing over her ice cream.  Seriously, why don't they sell Shout wipes right at the counter??

And it doesn't even matter what it's about.  The other day, I got a book from the library.  I never get books for myself, mainly because my girls are little tornadoes in the library, but this was on the end of the new section and the cover was pretty so I thought I'd give it a whirl...

Why yes, that is the reality of my life...I pick out books because the cover is pretty...so, so sad...

And it was wonderful - I couldn't put it down.  Literally.  My poor husband sat beside me on the couch as I read page after page.  I finished it in two days, like a starved person.

It was Sarah Addison Allen's The Peach Keeper - I'll try to add it to my little Amazon link at the top.

So then I moved onto the living room and started talking about moving furniture around a buying a new chair and where should the Christmas tree go and should we get a clock and slowly but surely, I watched my husband tune me out.  Not that I blamed him, but I couldn't get it out of my head.

I decided to wait on the living room until after Christmas is over and turned my little brain to the kitchen.  I swear, Scott was two steps ahead of me (which is why I love him) and took care of a honey-do project in the "office" part of the kitchen for me.  I am currently still obsessing over it and will post pictures when I'm done.

We also went to a store and ordered an island on Sunday.  I know...just went and ordered it.  He didn't even question...just took care of our little children as his obsessive, big bellied wife marched into the store and picked out what she wanted.  

I'm really trying to fight the urge to paint...that could be a disaster with crazy Elizabeth and Rachel the helper. 

Yesterday, I had some monster energy surge - which may happen when your children wake you up at 5:30 a.m. (ERS doesn't DO time changes, FYI).  So I steam-cleaned two rooms before we left for gymnastics.  Oh yes...that was another thing we got this weekend.  Because I was obsessing over our carpets.  

And then I organized two closets.  And then I shredded a box full of documents with the assistance from my little helpers.  

Sunday, I cleaned all the bathrooms before church...and we go to the early service...

Seriously...help me!

Any body else?  Is it the pregnancy?  Is it the time change?  Is it the season change?  And does anyone feel like painting??

I'm not going to be able to walk tomorrow

This is what I get for trying a new workout 18 weeks pregnant...SORE LEGS!  

I found Peanut Butter Fingers through a search for cooking spaghetti squash in the Crockpot, of all things, and really fell in love with the creator and her ideas and workouts.  Sometimes it's nice to wander out of the mommy zone and remember what it was like to be 26...with a waist-line... *sigh*

Anyway, today, I tried her Sure to Make you Sore Leg Workout and it did not disappoint.  I liked the idea of starting with 100 squats to burn the legs out, although I am all-out impressed that she was able to do them with 80 lbs.  Me?  I did them with a 9 lb Body Bar...woo-to-the-hoo...

Workout from Peanut Butter Fingers - these were Julie's stats when she recorded the workout.

I warmed up running for 15 minutes on the treadmill, and let me tell you, this baby is not crazy about running.  I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to be able to go, but today I was able to at least run straight without stopping, even if it was at a 4.8 pace. (And I didn't have to stop to run to the bathroom...yay bladder!)

Like I said, I did all 100 squats, breaking them into groups of 25 with the 9 lb Body Bar.  I wasn't sure about being able to manage the leg press with my belly, so I opted to do step-ups on the bench instead.  My first set of deadlifts, I tried with the bar, which was awkward, so I switched to 15 lb dumbbells for the final two sets and that worked out better and gave me a better range of motion.

Now, I was tempted to use the excuse that I had to get my little children from the nursery so I didn't have TIME to do the exercise ball squats or curls, but truth is people, I couldn't move anymore.  Doing those 100 squats at the beginning really maxed me out. 

I used very little weight (I just did body weight lunges) and felt an immediate reaction - something I haven't had in a while since I've really simpled down my lifts due to the pregnancy - so this workout could easily be something that you could try at home, even if you don't have equipment. 

Good luck!  And check out Peanut Butter Fingers and show her some love!