31 Weeks - this is happening a little fast, no?

It was a roller coaster week in pregnantville. My usual happy go lucky self felt at times like Violet in the movie Charlie's Chocolate Factory...ready to POP!  I have been pretty nonchalant about what I've been eating because I have never over done it and I felt my portions were a good size.  I quickly ruled out food because of that and also because the incredible amount of discomfort and even PAIN I was in.  I was absolutely miserable.  I couldn't touch my belly and quite frankly, neither could the waistband of my skirts, shorts or pants!  My initial thought was that it was just that "late" in the game where I would be big and miserable.  But oh my gosh...it was awful!  I could barely sit at my desk it was so bad.  This is my fourth baby and I don't recall this happening to me before.  I don't remember being this miserable at 7.5 months at all.  And all this discomfort and pain is after I was already home sick on Monday from what I would self-diagnose as dehydration and exhaustion!  Bleh!

I managed to consult Dr. Google after my husband noted that it was probably something that I ate to see if that REALLY can make you hurt the way this was making me.  ...and he was right.  I learned a lot about how Progesterone sloooooooows down your digestive track and gases can trapped in your body causing incredible pain.  Ahh!! What???  NOOOOOOO!!!  That was my first reaction.  My second reaction was...let's fix this NOW.  It took me a few days but I stocked up on all the "right" fuel and things that were not going to slow me down or blow me up for that matter.  

My husband, again, skeptical of what all I was throwing in the blender thought I'd be causing myself more harm than good.  He always wants me to call the doctor and run and see her (but I'm seeing her on Monday!) Anyway, my research paid off and now I can sit here and type without feeling like I'm going to explode.  Or cry.  I'm hoping that week is behind me because "ain't got time for that"! Haha!

Here's the wrap up on this yucky week.  

M sick :( - I'm guessing the road trip, water slides and being in the sun all weekend far outweighed the amount of water I took in and rest I needed.  I was less than stellar come Monday morning.  I was out of my comfort zone but got my rest in and my bed time, I had enough in me to get my 45 squats in for the squat challenge!

T Felt fine but had a social night off with friends and our big kids at a concert. :)

W THIS is the day.  It started great.  I went to Aerial Tone at lunch and went home to catch up on and practice on days 29, 30 & 31 of the Yogangsters yoga challenge to finalize the month of July.  While I was there and warmed up, I got my 50 squats in too. When I got back to work after lunch....that's when all hell broke loose.  So glad I got those workouts in BEFORE! By late evening, I decided that since yoga is mentioned so often as being something that helps alleviate my symptoms, I decided to go ahead and stand on my head.  Yea, I know. Call me crazy but you know what?  It worked so don't knock it til...I managed a few challenge poses and hoped that shaking my body up was what I needed.

Th A better day but was very paranoid about everything I consumed.  Swimming and yoga helped.  Honest.

1700M swim, 55 squats,1:15 plank, Day 2 Yoga Challenge - #Yogratitude

Had a great break through at swim that I had to share here!

F 60 squats

S 65 squats 1:07 plank swim 1600M

800wu (1st 50 w/o snorkel) HARD! :/

10 x 25 @ 3,5,6 

150 25 alt kick/pull

200 free

200 snorkel free!! (baby steps)

S 70 squats 1:30 plank

Yoga Days 1-4 Growsoulbeautiful Challenge

Day 4 Yogratitude and Day 4 30dayyogachallenge

Saw the Day 5 challenge in the evening and it scared me off but I thought I'd try regardless.  This is never good because I just don't let up until I at least get close.  I did and it's done. Next! :)

All in all, not a bad week all things considered.  32 weeks is here and a check up to see how little muffin is doing is just a few hours away.  I just read that I should be gaining a pound a week right about now going straight to the baby and just how much room that guy is going to start taking up causing things like shortness of breath and heartburn.  Lovely! No worries, here though.  I'll just be sure to pack up my bottle of Tums along with my smoothie and fiber cereal snacks!

Til next week!

~V

I can breathe! - Diary update of a swim newbie Part 3

I just couldn't wait until post baby.  I couldn't.  I have conquered the fear of standing on my hands and on my head and I could tell you a horrific story of conquering one of my greatest fears (roaches), but I'll spare you the Creep Show-esqueness of that story. I probably just really dated myself by even mentioning that movie, didn't I?  Anyway, my most recent (and my husband would say, ridiculous) fear has been traversing the pool sans snorkel.  I guess I've built it up SO much and used the darn thing as a crutch during the pregnancy that the idea of not having it started becoming...well, scary.

Last night, I went to the pool and did a swim workout that I modified from one I found on the web.  I wanted to focus on my legs so I figured a kick workout would cover it.  It looked like this:

Swim Workout #15

Category: Intermediate

Workout Goal:Improve kicks and timing

Total Distance:1800 yards

·         400 yards freestyle warmup 

(choice of strokes)

·         200 yards crawl alternating lengths of pull and kick

(on the first 25 pull only, on the second 25 kick only, repeat -- do not use a kick board)

·         4 x 100 yards flutter kick arounds

(one length each of kicking on stomach, left side, right side and back -- ok to use kick board)

·         4 x 50 yards crawl, resting :15 between

(count 3 kicks per arm stroke)

·         2 x 100 yards IM kick only

(with or without kickboard)

·         400 yards freestyle warmdown

(swim choice of strokes slowly)

Notes:

 On the 200 yards alternating pull and kicks, do not usse a kickboard. Instead hook your thumbs together and hold them out in front of you wilth face in the water. Lift face out of the water to breath as needed.

This workout is a total of 1800 yards and 700 of those yards are kicking. With the exception of the IM kick drill, it is ok to use swim fins if you like. Swim fins can help to strengthen your leg muscles by adding resistance and making your muscles work harder. You do not have to use swim fins though and the swim drills are sequenced so that you alternate some swimming with kicking.

I modified it by changing the warm up to 600M at 200/200/200 EZ/Kick/Pull. I also swam the first 200 kick drills with my head down in the water working on bilateral breathing (because one day I'll need that!). The unexpected and completely unplanned thing I did was that at cool down...I ditched the snorkel!! I should be using all CAPS for that! (Considering how I mentioned it here and here) I figured I would just swim an EZ 200 but I hung there by the side of the pool, I thought...what the heck. Let's tear this thing off and see how it feels. I have been working on breathing intervals the last couple of weeks and I just did the whole bilateral thing so I just figured I'd work off of that. Aaaand it also helps that there weren't many people at the pool.

The first 25 were horrific. I barely made it to end of the pool without gasping or swallowing water. The second 25 were a little better but my breathing was hurried and my timing was off. By the time I got to the end of the pool, I was just pissed off at myself. I was way over thinking this thing.

So I went again. This time I used the same pattern as with the snorkel...one big breath in, hold, 3 arm strokes, blow all the air out and THEN go out for a big breath. Shaky at first but I got the hang of it. The next 25 I started alternating sides to which I would take a breath. It required a lot of mechanical thought which I am guessing was nerve induced and because that first 50 was a mess, I was worn out.

I decided to call it a day...a successful day at that!

So the lesson here I guess is: Don't wait until tomorrow, er, I mean, until after you're cleared to exercise POST-baby to do what you can do today, at 31 1/2 weeks pregnant. Anxiety levels about this have started to diminish which means that I will keep working on that every week until the baby comes so that when I do come back...I can put it in total beast mode. Lol!

Happy Friday all and get out there and stay active!

~V