Things I look forward to doing...

Been thinking about a few things that I'm looking forward to be able to do again...

Tying up my shoe laces with ease
Feeling a normal temperature like everyone else not 10 degrees hotter
Lifting something really really heavy!!
Feeling light
Not moaning and complaining every time I roll over in bed
Having control over my own appetite
Running really fast
Not needing a nap daily
Getting really out of breath and collapsing in an exhausted heap after workout
Feeling real DOMS again
Enjoying a glass of wine just because I can :)
Being able to contract my abs again
Having an innie for a belly button again

Of course I know all of these things I miss will come again and are a small price to pay for having a gorgeous, healthy baby :)

In the meantime here's a video I took of some snatches at the gym tonight. Not too shabby for almost 38 weeks. Enjoy!

Week 36

Monday 23rd Jan HF Class
10 sets x 10 reps
Push ups on paralettes (first 5 on toes than knees)
Pull ups using orange and free bands
Double unders did half of the rep range so 50, 45, 40, 35, 30 and so on

Wednesday 25th Jan HF Class
10 down to 1 reps
Front squat with kettle bell 16kg (did double reps)
Then max reps of strict press @ 20kg
Score for workout was total press= 154 reps
Happy enough with that

Satutrday 28th HF Class
20:40 Speed and powers 5 sets
Lateral plate step overs
Ground to overhead with 10kg plate
10m interval sprints (did bike instead)
Med ball slams used 2kg
Push press @ 15kg

Did 491 reps all up. Was a fun workout. Theses workouts work ok for me as i get a measured rest...twice the rest as the work.

Still can't believe I can still do double unders. I do 10 then have a rest. I can't believe I can still do lot of things really. With only 3 weeks to go you've got to be happy with that :)

Overall had a lazy week only getting in three sessions. No particular reason really for it. I just didn't make the sessions my priority. Next week will be better.


Here's a belly pic of me at 36 weeks

Week 35

Firstly here's a recent pic of me at the gym. An awesome photographer Trudy Ely took some shots. She does a top job. Check out her blog for more of her work...http://imaginebytrudes.blogspot.com/

Monday 16th Jan HF class
Endurance session
21-15-9
Kb swings 16kg (all unbroken)
20inch box step ups (reps each leg)
Medicine ball slams
Bike 600m
Time: 17:39

Also did max ring dips in 3 mins. Did 28 with yellow band

Tuesday 17th Jan HF class
40:20 x 8 sets
walking lunges (did 10kg dumbbells squat and press instead)
Pull up using orange and green band
Push up on paralettes (did first 5 on toes then onto knees)

Wednesday 18th Jan Crossfit mom workout
20min AMRAP
4 x pull ups with orange band some kipping
4 x ring dips with yellow band
8 x push ups on paralettes on toes
12 x 1 arm kb swing 12kg bell

Did 4 rounds and that felt like enough

Thursday 19th Jan HF class
40:20 x 8 sets
1 leg box squat
Strict barbell press @ 20kg
KB front squats @ 16kg

Friday 20th Jan Pt session
10 to 1
Bench press @ 25kg
Med ball slams @ 4kg (rep range x 3)
Strict pull ups using green and orange bands

I feel happy to still be managing 5 days a week of training. I'm consistent if nothing else which has to serve me well at some point.

Daniel and I attended antenatal classes this week. They were interesting. It was good to hear more about what to expect in labour with the different stages of labour discussed in more detail. Knowledge is power and its reassuring to at least have an idea of how much longer will be left! On the other hand sometimes not knowing too much is better. Hmmm not sure which I'd prefer. I plan to just go with the flow. It seems to be an event in your life in which you have not much control over so I see no point in stressing out over what your birth plan might be. People seem to get disappointed when things don't go to plan. The only thing I'd like to avoid would be a caesarian birth but from what the midwife was saying they are becoming more the norm which is an interesting fact.

Nutrition

I know I can't avoid it for much longer but I've been dreading doing a write up on nutrition. I suppose because I've been less than perfect with mine of late and feel pretty disappointed in myself. At the beginning of this pregnancy I had high hopes of remaining on my primal diet and thought I'd be able to resist the cravings that people associate with pregnancy. Truth be told I let my emotions rule what I put in my mouth. Instead of healthy snacking options I reached for the chocolate and ice cream. I've had so many conflicting emotions throughout his pregnancy and even though I know better than to medicate emotions with food it still happened.

I don't buy into the whole 'eating for two' scenario either. I mean seriously, no one in the world pregnant or not 'needs' to eat gherkins or pickles at 2 in the morning or 'just has to' consume 2 litters of ice cream because of cravings. It's also been amazing to me the amount of people that condone this sort of behavior too. So many people say 'but your pregnant you should just have it!' What the? So because I'm pregnant I should just eat crap because I've got an open pass to eat anything now? So crazy!

This is a time that you should be extra careful of what your eating as your literally building a person. Everything I eat goes directly to the baby. Within 2 hours she's eating exactly what I ate. Amazing huh. So I thought I'd do a write up of how I should of been eating instead of how I have been. This is based on my own research only. Always do your own in order to come to a conclusion. So here goes...




Firstly a bit of info on the type of nutrition that I follow...the paleo or caveman diet;

In a nutshell, the Paleolithic diet, sometimes called the Caveman diet, is a style of eating that most closely mimics the ancient diet of our hunter-gatherer ancestors.  It consists solely of whole, unprocessed foods, such as meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Grains, legumes, dairy, salt, refined sugars and refined oils are generally eschewed, though some Paleo adherents will still consume small amounts of dairy (such as butter, cream or yoghurt) from grass-fed mammals.

The Paleo diet is based on the premise that human genetics have changed very little over the past 10,000 years; thus, we are much better adapted to eat the diet that our human ancestors ate for 2.5 million years than we are to the predominantly grain-based diet that has developed since the Agricultural Revolution.

But is the Paleo diet safe during pregnancy?

From my research not only is it safe, it may even help to prevent such pregnancy-related conditions as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and excessive weight gain.  Paleo-compliant foods, such as meat, seafood and produce, are considerably more nutritionally dense than the grain and sugar-laden mainstays of the standard diet, meaning that calorie for calorie, a pregnant woman following the Paleo diet is much more likely to meet all of her nutritional needs without the requirement for supplementation.

Are there any modifications that should be made for pregnant women?

Possibly.  It all depends on how you were eating pre-pregnancy.

Protein.  Depending on how much protein you normally consume, you may need to reduce your protein intake.  Many Paleo adherents, especially those following a demanding athletic training regimen, consume between 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.  Professor Loren Cordain, one of the foremost experts on the Paleo diet, explains, “Because of metabolic changes that occur in the liver during pregnancy, women cannot tolerate as high protein levels as they normally could. This issue has been documented in both the anthropological and clinical literature. Hence fattier meats, higher fat vegetable foods and more carbs are required.”

I actually found that I instinctively reduced my high protein intake as I couldn't tolerate the taste of meats or even the smell of meats cooking in my house. I simply was not as hungry for large servings of meat as I had previously been.  Pre-pregnancy, meats were my staple and maybe this is where in found it difficult to consume good calories in lieu of protein. I just ate more carbs which left me feeling less than satisfied, cause as we know eating a diet high in carbs creates a need for more carbs. A vicious cycle develops. Not good.

Carbohydrate.  My research has suggested that a pregnant woman should increase her carbohydrate consumption to 150 grams per day on average. This is more than double my pre pregnancy carb intake. Research also shows that the average woman consumes close to 300 grams of carbs daily so they should, in essence be reducing their carb intake during pregnancy. Go figure :)

So, ideally try to steer clear of starchy carbohydrates and instead consume more vegetables and a little more fruit although fruits too high in sugar will cause blood sugar fluctuations which are less than ideal. I personally have developed a taste for oranges, where as previously I ate an orange very rarely. I tried to limit my consumption to 1 a day and that worked ok for me. Also loving cherries right now which are a better option so opted for these. Yum!

 Calcium.  The Paleo diet has received some criticism for its lack of calcium-containing dairy products, but because of the absence of gut-irritating grains, and the increased levels of dietary magnesium (from fish, vegetables and nuts), calcium absorption is greatly improved; thus, intake requirements are reduced.  During pregnancy, however, a woman’s calcium requirements are considerably higher, and as such, it might be prudent to add a calcium supplement and/or a small amount of organic, grass-fed dairy in order to meet these increased needs.

I personally have never gone totally dairy free. I consume small amounts of dairy including Cleo's milk (raw milk), kefir (a probiotic yoghurt), cream, and if I do have cheese I try to ensure its at least organic. By consuming yoghurts I hope to avoid one of pregnancies most common ailments of yeast infections.

 Timing.  Many followers of the Paleo diet eat only two large meals per day, as the higher levels of dietary protein and fat lead to increased satiety, while the low glycemic load of vegetable and fruit-based carbohydrates mediates the hormonal fluctuations that cause hunger.  I've never been able to do this and have always preferred 5 small meals evenly spaced throughout the day. Conventional pregnancy nutrition recommendations suggest that women should eat immediately upon waking, then every two to three hours thereafter, in order to prevent nausea/crankiness/fatigue/etc. and in order to ensure a steady supply of nutrients to the placenta. 

One thing I have read though is that within normal parameters (i.e. not being in a famine situation), there is no correlation whatsoever between frequency of meals and the amount of nutrients being supplied to the growing fetus.  The human body is amazingly well-adapted to prioritize the baby’s needs, so as long as you are eating when you’re hungry, and eating nutritionally-dense Paleo foods, it is perfectly safe to go without food for as many hours as it takes before you become hungry again. So really do what works best for you.

Week 34

Tuesday 10.1.12 hf workout
40:20 x 10 rounds
Sumo deadlift high pull barbell @ 20kg
Push up (did at least 5 on toes then knees and used paralettes) felt way hard

Love these couplet sessions. Chest felt smashed the day after. I miss feeling DOMS.

Wednesday 11.1.12 hf workout
Endurance session 15 reps to 1
Thruster barbell @ 15kg
Hanging leg raises
Row 100m

Time: 31 mins


I would of preferred to run but played it safe instead and rowed. I haven't really tried running since last time I did it and felt an uncomfortable pressure in the pelvic area. Funny though as double unders still feel ok and that's a ballistic movement also.

Overall I'm feeling pretty good. I have noticed that my feet hurt a lot though. All the extra weight through them I suppose. It does feel good to rub peppermint foot lotion in at the end of the day and well...feet like new in the morning. Couldn't imagine being on my feet working a retail job at this point. Horrible!

Thursday 12th Jan-Hf class
10 reps x 10 sets
Barbell deadlifts @50kg (did sumo stance deads)
Hanging straight leg raises
Barbell clean and press @ 20kg
Time: 15mins something...

Friday 13th Pt session
40:20 x 5 sets
Lunge with med ball partner throw with rotation
Pull under rings with rotation
Push up with rotation (used the paralettes on knees)
Kettlebell 12kg bent over row

Heres a link to a video of this workout :) enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qy3P-g6pmBQ&feature=share

www.youtube.com

Here's me comparing myself to a medicine ball! haha

Week 33

Monday 2.1.12
Crossfit Filthy fifty workout (modified to make it a dirty thirty!)
30 x 20 inch box step ups
30 x jumping pull ups
30 x kb swings @ 12kg (modified height to head height not full extension because of rib pain)
30 x walking lunges
30 x hanging straight leg raises
30 x push press @ 25kg
30 x alternate supermans
30 x wall balls @ 4kg
30 x push up on rings (no burpees due to ribs)
30 x double unders (can't believe I can still do these)
Time: 26:30
Videoed this workout and will put it up soon.

Tuesday 3.1.12 HF class
10 rounds x 10 reps of
Front squats @ 30kg barbell
Pull ups (did first 5 with green band strict then last 5 kipping with a band so that I remember how to kip)
Those pull ups are getting way hard now.
Time: 38:00 only managed 9 rounds but happy enough with that.
Wednesday 4.1.12 hf class
30:30 x 6 sets
Push ups (did on paralettes on knees)
Sdhp barbell @ 20kg
Horizontal medicine ball throw
Horizontal row under rings.

Friday 6.1.12 Pt session
30:30 x 5 sets
hang power cleans @ 25kg
strict press @ 20kg
power snatch @ 25kg
Horizontal row under rings

Here's a video link to a video of this workout...Enjoy!!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2Fne1Np3p5kk4&h=eAQFGnT_UAQHyuCUdwApiFzG0b-3biHc2qKkQbOFHH8phuA

Saturday 7.1.12 Hf class
30:30 no rest x 8 sets
1 leg deadlifts with kettlebell @ 20kg
1 arm snatch with dumbbell @ 10kg
1 arm row with rotation

Week 32- Merry Xmas!!

Its Xmas time!!! I have a feeling that no other Xmas I have the will ever be the same...it might of been my last ever sleep in on a xmas morning...


26.12.11 HF Xmas workout
Did a Xmas workout called 12 days of Xmas. You start on day 1 and work your way through the 12 days of xmas and as you work up the ladder you do each day working backwards then jump up to the next level.  It was a a fun workout.
1 x 100m sprint (power walked instead)
2 x strict press @ 25kg
3 x squat cleans @ 25kg
4 x pull ups with green band
5 x box jumps (did step ups)
6 x push ups(used paralettes to get full range)
7 x kb swings @ 12kg
8 x bur pees (skipped these as they really hurt my rib)
9 x Sit ups (did on swiss ball)
10 x wall balls
11 x knees to elbows (straight hanging leg raises)
12 x power snatch @ 25kg
Time: 48:23

Just trying to work around the pain in my rib and find movements that don't aggravate it too much. I'm trying to limit any sort of rotation.
Went to do a warm up on Wednesday and was in a plank position, rolled a medicine ball to my partner opposite and felt a sharp stabbing pain in my right side near my rib. It hurt, a lot. Felt like I was going to pass out and was in pain for about an hour so I iced it took some pain killers then went to bed.

Barely got through the days of Thursday and Friday, felt most comfortable lying down on my left side with my arm up over my head. Sooo depressing. Went to see my obstetrician on Thursday hoping for an explanation but she told me it was very common and advised me to take up swimming. I felt like telling her to go jump! I hate to swim. Saw a foot on the ultrasound right up under my rib...this baby will get a smack when I finally meet her for doing this to me lol

Sat 31.12.11 HF class
Told myself to just suck it up and do something. So what I have a foot in my rib. What am I going to do? Nothing? All this doing nothing is driving me crazy! So I slowly warmed up to the movements to see how they all felt and ended up doing the speed and power workout. My range of motion was greatly reduced but I got through it. Still managed to work up a sweat so it's better than nothing. Everything felt a bit painful but not in a sharp stabbing kind of way like on Wednesday. A bearable pain.

Speed and power 20:40 x 5 sets
Push press 20kg
Kettlebell swings ( did 12kg and reduced range to head height as these hurt)
Touch jumps (did air squats)
Rope shakes
Medicine ball slams (went really slow on these with 4kg ball)

                                                                 Here's me at 32 weeks