exercise - how's it going? - Page 5

[Poodge]

Originally Posted by lifeguard 

Today during our drive ds needed to poop so we pulled over on the side of the road. I held him scooped under his knees with his back against my chest & then squatted down myself so he could poop & we sat like that for about 5 minutes. I felt pretty darn good about that, I was squatting nice & deep & was comfortable doing so, even with his extra 40lbs!

I was going to talk about how I squatted for 30 minutes in the pool this weekend while DS played (and was amazed at how easy it was being weightless and all), but now I will just keep it to myself.

[lifeguard]

Amy May - I can understand the feelings of frustration with it not getting easier. With ds I used to try to walk the dogs every day but we lived on a mountain, literally. Walking back up to the house just NEVER got any easier 'cause I just kept getting bigger. I finally had to start driving to a better area to walk the dogs. I'm glad there has some been some positives that go along with that.

dragonfly - wow, that is ridiculous! Can a gym even do that?

poodge - that's great! I love how the pool allows us to do stuff we can't normally!

afm - more squat news! Tonight I made it home from our trip in time to make it to my powerlifting group. My last set (which is usually as many reps as you can) I squatted 175lbs for 5 reps which made me happy. The best part is a few months ago I squatted 195lbs for 1 rep & my trainer had dh spot my close 'cause we were all a little unsure of how I would do with it. I think after the baby arrives I should easily be able to break 200!!!! It's been such slow progress with this lift that I'm pretty stocked about that.

I almost threw up during the later part of my workout though - hmmmm... maybe I need to take a little more time between sets....

[~pi]

I swam a full kilometre tonight. I am so freaking happy and proud. This is nothing compared to the time in my former life when 1 km was just a long warmup, but given that I only started back up swimming laps during this pregnancy, I am completely thrilled to have hit this milestone.

Of course, pushing myself to finish the last few laps before they closed the pool brought on some alarming strong and regular contractions. Walking home, I was actually starting to get a little concerned. But I am now sitting down and they have stopped, so whew.

[lifeguard]

Good for you pi! I would love to swim more often but as our community doesn't have a pool it's not an option. The closest pool is about 35 minutes away & it's such a terribly run pool I just hate to go there.

Today at the gym I was chatting with a woman I know but rarely see who is just 3 months pregnant with her 3rd. She started weight training for the first time with her first pregnancy & is in amazing shape. Anyway, she said to me I'm her inspiration! Wow!

[tutucrazy]

Pretty awesome ladies!

I'm going for a workout tomorrow if my son's fever is better. I had to miss my cardio portion on Tuesday. Instead I went on a boat to watch my friend wakeskate. He ended up falling and dislocating his shoulder so I spent the rest of Tuesday in the hospital. He also happens to be my workout partner so now I have to go solo. He needs to keep his arm immobilized for 3 weeks. Anyway, going to try to get a good one in tomorrow. My pubic bone is really painful today. I taught Pilates this morning and did some things that I should not have done. Now I feel like someone axed me in the crotch.

[Amy May]

Pi- way to go on the swim- that sounds intense.  Do you think the contractions could have been dehydration?  You could have sweat much more than you realized... either way, glad you feel better, and way to go.

And Lifeguard- you ARE an inspiration! 

Our community pool is a 5 minute walk from our house, and membership is something ridiculous like $25 a year.  BUT, the pool has been closed since last August for renovations, and is expected to open again in October.  It is possible I'll have a great last few weeks of pregnancy...

Tutucrazy- hope you have a great workout and feel better.   

I've officially hung up my running shoes (for running, that is), and I feel OK with it!  I also realized that kickboxing isn't fun anymore either- the side kick/combos just weren't fun, and I don't really like the teacher anyway.  I'm about to go to Zumba, and I really hope it goes well today.  Zumba is my favorite, and I just need to go easy/slow enough to not exacerbate any pubic/hip pain... Ugh....  Mentally, it is hard to "tone it down", even as a pregnant lady.  I'm sure you can all relate- we all think of ourselves as capable and strong, and I don't want to feel like I need "special treatment" just because I'm crazy.  But, I think it is time to start taking the easier option on a lot of exercises and modifying them. 

[Leiahs]

Pi, I can't believe you did that swim!  The couple times I've tried swimming laps it was utterly exhausting.  I felt like I needed to grab a kick board just to stay afloat through it all, but I was too embarrassed to grab one, lol.  Way to go!  Glad the contractions settled down, I'm sure that was a little nerve wracking!

Tutucrazy, my pubic bone has been more achey, too.  I used to do awesome on the treadmill, and now I have to keep it down at or below a 2.8 speed with no incline, or it hurts to much.  At least the elliptical is friendly to my pubic bone, but I'm starting to feel like I'm running out of good options.  I showed up to the YMCA just in time to participate in a step aerobics class this week (which has been a really fun challenge in the past!)  but decided it might hurt more than not, so I skipped it.

Amy May, I know what you mean - if I get into any sort of class, I tend to give it 100%, whether or not I'm hugely pregnant.  ;)  It really is hard to get your brain to give you permission to slow down and take it easy.

I've got a cold this week, and am feeling extra exhausted because of it.  I'm trying to get to the gym 3x/week, and I've only gone once this week, and my plan was to go again on Friday and Saturday.  Now I'm not sure if I should go ahead and follow through with that plan, or stay home and take it easy until I get better.  WWYD?

[tutucrazy]

Leiahs, Unless you are somewhat recovered I would not go. Every time I have gotten sick during this pregnancy (4 times thanks to my toddler) when I go to the gym I end up prolonging the sickness. If you feel somewhat better maybe you can go and just do lifting or something non-cardio. I'm there with you about the treadmill. Eliptical is much easier on my pubic bones. Today I feel much better than yesterday with regards to the pubic bone. I think it was one of the movements from my Pilates class that really hurt. I knew I should not have been doing it but I have to dictate about half the class as it is so I was trying to do everything I could with my students.

DS is still ill so it looks like no workout for me today. Saturday will be the next day I can go, I think. I'm so proud of us for keeping it up. I can't believe how far we have come!

[~pi]

Originally Posted by Amy May 

And Lifeguard- you ARE an inspiration! 

Actually, you all are. I feel that much more motivated to exercise when I know that others are walking the same road, many for the same reasons as me.

Amy May, I think it was just the exertion that brought on the contrax. I don't think I was dehydrated, though of course it's tough to tell how much I'm sweating in the pool!

Re: scaling back, it's definitely hard. I only very recently started doing the modified third trimester moves in the yoga DVD I use, and it was tough to accept that yes, I should do the modified moves rather than insisting that I could follow the non-pregnant woman just fine thankyouverymuch. (And it's incredibly embarrassing that I felt so competitive about it with yoga, of all things.)

Leiahs, I would personally scale back, but still do something. A long walk, for example. But that's how I best recover from colds -- a little fresh air and movement seem to help me feel better faster. Everyone is different. I would NOT walk if it felt really strenuous or if I felt at all raspy. I've had pneumonia multiple times and there is a specific raspy breathing feeling that goes along with it coming on. If I felt that at all, I would basically put myself on bedrest until I felt better.

[lifeguard]

amy may & pi - thanks!

[Leiahs]

Thanks for the viewpoints of illness vs. exercise.  I emailed my midwife, too, to see what she thought.  She voted for rest.  It's not an awful cold, but it's definitely in my throat and affecting my breathing at this point (straining makes me cough), so I'm going to be on the safe side and take it easy.  Not like lay-in-bed all day easy, but normal-day-with-no-exercise easy.  It's going to *finally* be nice (read: cooler) weather this weekend, so maybe I'll squeeze in a leisurely walk outside in the sun.  That would feel nice, I'm sure.