Pregnancy Week 37: Swingin'

I really wasn't feeling it this morning with the whole "exercise" thing (LOL) and was in the middle of planning a strength session when I decided to just start swinging the KB. I was thinking on Tuesday that I hadn't swung the KB in a while, and how good it would be for me to do some swings. Well, as it is with most things that are worth doing, it took me a few seconds to get into the flow, and then realized that it felt so good that I wanted to continue! This is what I did:

Activity:
High volume KB swings with 10 kg: 2 x 500 using various two- and one-handed swing variations
Side planks advanced position 8 x 20 each side

I had a midwife appointment today. Looks like the Cheat Desserts I've been having entirely too frequently this week have helped me move the scale! I weighed in a 122.6 pounds (gained about 1 pound since last week! ha!) and my fundus measured 35 cm (I can't believe how much my uterus/the baby has grown in the last week!). The baby is still low in my pelvis, and I am 2 cm dilated.

Lunch:
Medium spinach salad with green and red bell peppers, cucumber, olive oil & balsamic vinegar
1 scrambled egg
1 orange
1 GF paleo chocolate chip raisin scone (with organic ground flaxseed and chia seed substituted for 1/2 C almond flour)

Snack:
2 See's candies Milk Chocolate Cal Brittle

Cheat Dinner with parents, Adam and Asher at Gustav's Pub and Grille
Appetizer sampler: I had 2 crab cakes, some rye bread w cheese fondue, and 1/4 potato pancake
NY Grilled Salmon with sweet potato and beets: I had one of the two salmon pieces, all of the beets, most of the potato and some of Adam's fries. I also ate his dill pickle half.

Fluid:
7 cups water

Pregnancy Week 36: Kettlebell Swings

In celebration of the first day of my ninth month of pregnancy, I did a high volume KB swing workout. The movement felt so great that if I had had more time, I would have kept going!

Activity:
High volume KB swings (10kg), total 1000 swings
4 x 100, then 3 x 200 (various combinations of two- and one-handed swings)
45 min brisk walk with Asher in double stroller
Long slow 60 min run/walk with Asher (on foot), 21 months old

Breakfast:
2 sunnyside up Omega 3 eggs with 1/2 avocado
1 banana with almond butter
1 GF paleo Chocolate chip raisin scone

Lunch:
Small bowl leftover curry beef steak soup
1 Fuji apple

Dinner:
Paleo Coconut milk with chicken soup (from The Primal Blueprint Cookbook by Mark Sisson), carrots, spinach.
Handful Organic Thompsons Raisins
10 dark chocolate chips

Fluid:
7 cups water

Pregnancy Week 35: Rest Day

I took today as a rest day in anticipation of the busy morning we'd have. In retrospect, it was a good thing to have a day off.

Activity: Rest day

Breakfast:
2 GF paleo Chocolate chip Raisin scone
1 banana

Lunch:
Spinach salad with cucumber, tomato, green bell pepper, balsamic vinegar & olive oil
1 Fuji apple
1 GF paleo Chocolate chip Raisin scone

Dinner:
Paleo Coconut curry beef stew with onions, garlic, carrots, celery
Cheat dessert: 1 slice of Almond Roca chocolate cake, shared with Asher (this boy loves chocolate, just like his mama!)

Fluid:
7 cups water

Pregnancy Week 27: Sugar High

I've never been a soda person. Some people love the sweetness, the fizz....but I always got so full and bloated from drinking soda that it was never something I really enjoyed. I remember how I would think how I could have "spent" my calories on more "worthwhile" foods instead of drink. Now my husband? He used to love soda. I applaud him for giving it up now that we are eating Paleo. My MIL is as attached to her diet soda as my son is to his 1 cup measuring cup (yes, his security item is a 1 C measure. It functions as a spoon, a cup, a drum stick, and can be used on land and in water!); you won't see one without the other...

Today, I had my glucose screening test at my 27/28 week prenatal appointment. I got the lemon-lime flavor. Within a few minutes of drinking it, I felt lightheaded. I continued to feel lightheaded for several hours afterwards. In my first pregnancy (I got the orange flavor with that one!), the drink didn't phase me at all...but I hadn't cut out pasta, breads, or dairy either. Needless to say, my plans to exercise after the appointment were scrapped; I ended up sitting on the couch, drinking water and eating cashews followed by tuna fish, trying to get rid of the lightheaded sensation. Later, I had some freshly squeezed carrot-apple juice (which helped), and then some eggs. In terms of exercise, today ended up being a wash. Between drinking The Drink, and having multiple vials of blood drawn, I just didn't feel up to doing much. You'll see how my diet today is all wacked out too since I was trying to find something to eat/drink that would help me feel better...

Activity: Rest day

Breakfast:
2 sunnyside up Omega 3 eggs w/ 1/4 avocado
several slices of cantelope

mid-morning: Glucola drink for Pregnancy Glucose Screening Test

Lunch:
1 cup freshly squeezed carrot and apple juice w/ ginger
2 egg omelet w/ zucchini and mushrooms
1 handful roasted cashews
1/2 can tuna fish

Dinner:
1 C sauteed vegetables (broccoli, tomatoes, zucchini, w/mushrooms)
4 slices ribeye steak
1/2 Red Snapper filet w/ salt and pepper
cantelope
1 small Fuyu persimmon

Fluid:
8 cups water

Pregnancy Week 27: Wonky Run

Activity: 20 min run with Asher in stroller
The run started out great, but about 15 minutes into it, my pubic symphysis (the joint where the two halves of the pelvis meet in the front) felt all wonky. I stopped twice to do some self-mobilizations, which helped some, but not for long. Since this is the first time in this pregnancy that I have had any discomfort during running, I wasn't prepared and thus didn't have my pelvic support belt....so, our run became a walk! When we got home, I put on my sacroiliac belt (this supports the joints between the base of the spine aka sacrum, and the two halves of the pelvis), which is simply a maternity abdominal support belt that I wear low, around my pelvis. I wore this for the rest of the day and felt more supported.

Breakfast:
2 sunnyside up Omega 3 eggs
Small bowl of leftover Vitamix drink from yesterday
1 slice gluten free paleo Cranberry walnut chocolate chip bread
1 gluten free paleo cranberry walnut chocolate chip cookie

Lunch:
Very large (overestimated the amount!) spinach salad w/ 1/2 cucumber, 1/2 tomato, 1/4 avocado, 1/2 can tuna, balsamic vinegar & olive oil
1 Fuyu persimmon
8 ounces Monavie w/ glucosamine

Dinner:
Roasted brussels sprouts (quartered w/ olive oil, dried dill, dried parsley, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder; 375 degrees/30 min, then 400 deg/20 min)
Leftover sauteed cabbage w/ 4 slices red pepper & spinach sausage
4 squares of Ghirardelli Intense Dark chocolate 72% and 86%

Pregnancy Week 27: Tuesday snatches!

For the past couple of days, I've felt like my tummy has become larger (baby is growing, yay!) and have wondered if today would be the day I stopped snatching the 12 kg and started using the 10 kg...I practiced a couple times and found that if I did two things: emphasized the hip hinge by really sitting back, and moved my arm laterally towards my thigh on the downswing, I could avoid compressing the belly and yet load my hips to give more explosive power for the overhead portion of the movement. What a fun workout!

In the afternoon, I went to a Myofascial Release session for bodywork to prepare my fascial system for labor, delivery and beyond. Prevention is always the best choice, and preparing my body and mind through physical exercise, manual techniques, visualization/awareness will help with not just pregnancy and birth, but overall function and quality of life. Obviously, there are occasions when preparation and/or prevention is not an option; however, with the mindset of striving for healthy choices and actions during daily activities, the likelihood increases that we will be as prepared as possible to meet any challenge!

Activity:
Snatches 15/15/15/15 L/R x 10 = 600

Breakfast:
2 sunnyside up Omega 3 eggs w/ 1/2 avocado

Lunch:
1 large bowl Vitamix (1.5 C coconut milk, 5 stalks kale, 2 bananas, 1 honeycrisp apple, 1 kiwi, 4 slices fresh pineapple, 6 Tbsp golden ground flaxseed, 2 Tbsp chia seed)
1 Lindor milk chocolate ball
1/2 C sauteed string beans w/ bacon
1/4 C sauteed broccoli

Snack:
2 gluten free paleo cranberry walnut chocolate chip cookies

Dinner:
1 Turkey drumstick
1 Fuyu persimmon
8 ounces Monavie w/ glucosamine

Fluid:
9 ounces water

Pregnancy Week 25: Solo Hilly Run

I'm pretty excited about being able to run without dog or baby for the first time in a few weeks!

Activity:
3 mile run on 0.5 mile hilly loop, approx 26 minutes

Breakfast:
Large bowl Vitamix shake (1 carrot, 2 handfuls baby spinach, 1 honeycrisp apple, 2 bananas, 1 C coconut milk, 6 Tbsp organic golden ground flaxseed, 2 Tbsp chia seed)

Lunch:
At New Seasons health food store: Paleo hamburger with 1 hamburger patty, 1 salmon filet, lettuce, tomato, avocado, mustard, 1/4 pickle slice...YUM

Dinner (still full from lunch!):
Spinach salad (2 handfuls organic baby spinach, 1 roma tomato, 1/2 cucumber; balsamic vinegar and olive oil)
Several pieces of dark chocolate

Fluid: 8 cups water

Pregnancy Week 24: Wednesday unilateral KB strength

With my schedule changing in the last 2 weeks, I've missed out on some of my most effective KB strengthening for core and pelvis. Today's workout addresses those areas:

Activity:
Clean-press-overhead squat (14 kg) x 5
Single leg deadlift (14 kg) x 10
Unilateral suitcase squats (24 kg) x 8

Repeat 10x

Breakfast:
1 square pumpkin walnut bread
1 bowl vitamix drink (split from yesterday's batch)

Lunch:
Large spinach salad with tomatoes, cucumber, avocado; balsamic vinegar and olive oil
1/4 Fuyu persimmon

Dinner:
2.5 bowls Paleo Hot Pot (garlic, green onions, napa cabbage, tilapia, spinach, carrots, dried mushroom assortment, organic free range chicken broth)
4 roasted cashews
1 small square tart and tangy cranberry bar

Fluid:
8 cups water

Pregnancy Week 24: Tuesday Snatches

After a slow start to the morning, complete with recovering from Asher waking up at 4 a.m. (he got some Ibuprofen, a banana, and learned about shadows), I got to do my favorite workout of each week: snatches!!

Activity:
Snatches (12 kg) 15/15/15/15 R/L x 10 = 600 total snatches; 50 minutes

Breakfast:
1 sunnyside up Omega 3 egg
1 bowl of Vitamix drink (coconut milk, 2 bananas, 1 carrot, 2 handfuls spinach, 3 stalks kale, 1 orange, 1 honeycrisp apple, 2 Tbsp chia seed, 6 Tbsp ground flaxseed; split into 2 bowls)

Lunch: just couldn't do a salad! Craving salty chips, but we didn't have any in the house!
2 sunnyside up Omega 3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger
handful roasted cashews
1 "winter banana" apple
1 Fuyu persimmon

Snack:
1 square "Tart and Tangy Cranberry Bar" (elanaspantry.com)

Dinner:
2 patties Paleo hamburger (organic ground beef, celery, green and yellow onion, garlic) with baby spinach, avocado and tomato
1 cup steamed brussels sprouts w/ grapeseed oil, sea salt, pepper, parsley and basil
1 square Cranberry bar
4 ounces Mona-vie w/ glucosamine

Fluid:
9 cups water

Pregnancy Week 24: Monday Stroller Run

After a rest day, I am ready to go! However, the sleep thing is still not going great and the time change yesterday is still throwing me off. Asher sleeps more soundly than I do! He not only makes it through the night, but he actually slept until 8:30 this morning, the day after changing our clocks back!!

Before the run, I made 2 loaves of Cranberry Walnut Bread from elanaspantry.com, while waiting for Asher to wake up.

Activity:
40 min run with Asher (24 lbs) in jogging stroller....looking for hills....

Breakfast:
3 slices of Cranberry Walnut Bread
Bowl of Vitamix drink ("cashew milk", chia seed, 3 Tbs flaxseed, 1 honeycrisp apple, 2 bananas, 1 carrot, 4 stalks kale, 1 orange)

Lunch:
Paleo Salmon chowder (from The Primal Cookbook by Mark Sisson)
10 roasted cashews

Snack:
1 Fuyu persimmon
1 square of Cranberry Tart (gluten free, from elanaspantry.com)
4 ounces Monavie w/ glucosamine

Dinner:
Spinach salad (spinach, tomato, avocado, balsamic vinegar & olive oil)
2 sunnyside up omega 3 eggs

Fluid:
8 cups water

My Pregnancy Journal

I am 6 months (23 weeks) pregnant with our second child. Nighttime sleep is fragmented into 2-3 hour blocks followed by 1-2 hours of wakefulness. During my first pregnancy with our son Asher, now 18 months, I ate vegetarian; alternated days of running with kettlebell training (using Mike Mahler's 5 pillars of strength format--1 upper body pull, 1 upper body push, 1 lower body pull, 1 lower body push, core), reducing the length/weight by half at 20 weeks; and worked full-time.

This time around, we are eating Paleo-style (meat, veggies/fruits, seeds and nuts; no grains/gluten, no dairy, no processed foods); i alternate days of running with kettlebell training, except I am continuing at my current levels as long as I continue to feel good during/after; I am at home with Asher. My mom was diagnosed with "non-vasculitic autoimmune inflammatory meningoencephalitis" in March. I resigned my position at work in June to help her recover from a brain biopsy. Thankfully, she is getting better. I still spend most of each weekday with her. Because of her illness, we moved to Vancouver, WA to be closer to my parents. We are in the process of opening a Crossfit/Kettlebell facility nearby!

This is my typical exercise schedule. My goal during pregnancy is to maintain my fitness and improve strength to limit the effects of pregnancy hormones on my joints, and to help me with labor and post-partum recovery.

Monday: 3 mile run
Tuesday: KB snatches
Wednesday: 3 mile run
Thursday: KB strength
Friday: 3 mile run
Saturday: KB strength

Today I tried out the 14 kg KB we picked up this weekend:

Clean-press x 6 each side (14 kg)
Multi-directional lunges x 5 each side (12 kg)
Ab roller x 10

Unlimited rest breaks between cycles (typically 1-1.5 minutes) x 10 cycles

Breakfast:
3 ounces Mona-vie (acai berry anti-oxidant drink) w/glucosamine
Vita-mix drink (split 70:30 with Asher): 1 C cashew milk (raw cashews pureed in water) w/chia seed; 4 stalks kale; 2 bananas; 1 carrot; 1 honeycrisp apple; 1 orange; 6 Tbsp flaxseed

Lunch:
2 sunnyside up omega 3 eggs
spinach salad (3 handfuls baby spinach, 1 tomato, 1/2 avocado, olive oil-balsamic vinegar dressing)
2 bites "pumpkin nut bar" from The Primal Blueprint Cookbook" by Mark Sisson

Dinner:
4 ounces Mona-vie
Bison meatballs (ground buffalo, green onions, ginger, garlic)
Sauteed cabbage
Half a handful cashews
Half a handful dark chocolate covered raisins
Half of a "Winter Banana" variety apple

Water:
6 cups