On the mend a bit

So, I think I just needed a 'blah' week.  I had an encouraging midwife appt this last week.  Encouraging in that she said, "Yes, that is normal!"  Basically, this pregnancy has felt like the 3rd trimester in many ways for a while.  The feeling of carrying a bowling ball resting between your legs and fairly intense and regular Braxton Hicks have been a regular part of my life.  I just feel so much more uncomfortable with this one than the others and it is just my multiple pregnancies finally taking effect.

I did a light weight, pilates workout on Monday and ran 2 miles on Tuesday.  The rest of the week was shot because of preparing to travel and then traveling down to So. Cal for a wedding.  However, I feel encouraged and motivated again, and that is what matters.

Katie, like you, I have to take a break the day after (even if I walk or go to church).  Any activities that involve me being on my feet for a considerable amount of time greatly intensify the above symptoms for me.  But a day of rest helps minimize things again.

Working and Resting

For the past few weeks, I have had to slow down a little. I am struggling with feeling faint at times (not while exercising, just at times throughout the day). I can do a good workout one day, and then nothing at all the next. When I was pregnant with Luke, I experienced something similar. I apparently have low blood pressure that gets lower when I am pregnant and often causes me to feel weak and faint. So, when I feel like that, I usually nix any great exercise feats for the day.

The other reason that I have been tired is because of all the yard work that has had to be done- pulling weeds, planting, raking (bags and bags!). It is Spring here in Houston!

So here is what the past two weeks looked like as best as I can remember:

M: Prevention DVD + yard work for 1 hour
T: Nothing
W: 1 hour yard work
Th: Nothing
F: Prevention DVD
S: Bike riding 30 mins
S: 2 mile walk alone

M: 2 mile walk pushing Luke
T: Nothing
W: Walked around the Houston Rodeo with Luke for nearly 4 hours (too much)
Th: Nothing!
F: Bike for 30 minutes
S: Plan to bike
S: Plan to bike

Week 37 Summary for Jessica

2/20 Sunday - Dancing with the Stars: Cardio Dance DVD
2/21 - Dance with Julianne: Cardio Ballroom DVD - Cha-Cha & Jive sections
2/22
2/23 - No More Trouble Zones DVD
2/24
2/25

2/26 - 35 minute walk

-Jess

ZERO motivation right now

So, the burnout continues and I just don't feel like exercising.  Period.  I did run a mile on Mon and Tues because Jesse encouraged me too, but left on my own, I will not move a limb.  I didn't exercise yesterday, and today I am housebound due to weather and husband being gone till after the kids are in bed, and the thought of turning on a Pilates DVD now sounds akin to getting a tooth pulled right.

Anyhow, I am not certain how to deal with this: Do I take a week off and just hope that my attitude will change?  Or do I push through it?

Part of me is just struggling a lot with the limitations my body is having with this pregnancy.  Running a mile 3 times a week seemed very significant when I was pregnant with Edmund because I wasn't really in shape at the time.  Now, that seems like nothing to me and I get annoyed with myself for not being able to push myself further.

I'm also just sick of my boring, bland diet and how easily I get nauseous if I cheat even the littlest bit.  My appetite has been a lot lower the last couple weeks because I am honestly just sick of the same food all the time (which, obviously, is probably contributing to the low energy).  I suppose in general, I'm just struggling with pregnancy blahs and needed to rant a little bit.

However, the good news is I am nearly in my third trimester (just two weeks!)

Week 36 Summary for Jessica

2/13 Sunday - nothing

2/14 - 30 Day Shred DVD, Level 2

2/15 - 30 Day Shred DVD, Level 3
2/16 - Dancing with the Stars: Dance Off the Pounds DVD, Swing and Jive sections
2/17 - Jackie Warner Xtreme Timesaver Training DVD
2/18 - nothing

2/19 - Personal Training with Jackie DVD

It was great to start working out again this week, after two weeks of flu. I still have a head cold, but it's nothing compared to how things were going in our house.

I'm experimenting with working out in the early morning again, instead of the afternoon. It's almost impossible to get up before the kids, even if I'm up at 5:30, but I realized that I'd rather work out while the kids are up and write while they're down (i.e., in the afternoon, during quiet time/naptime) than try to do it the other way around. So far, so good.

It means I have to do shorter workouts rather than longer ones though, but that's okay.

-Jess

recovery week

I've been feeling burnt-out post an in-law visit and this week has turned into somewhat of a recovery week (partly forced by the rain and a pinched nerve for the day).  Anyhow, no running, but 20 minutes pilates Mon and Wed and, hopefully, today too.  I think it has been good to take it easy as a bit of my energy seems to be recovering.

Two Weeks

I can't remember last week too well, but this week was a lot like last week- a combo of my Prevention DVD, walking, biking, and yard work. The yardwork is going to get more intense over the next few weeks as I try to combat the leaves, attempt to help our grass regrow in some areas, and get my garden plan in order. I may just do a patio garden because of baby #2. Are you all planting anything this year? I was thinking tomatoes, herbs and some peppers.

M: Prevention DVD + yard work for 1 hour
T: Prevention DVD
W: Walk with Luke 1 mile
Th: Bike for 30 minutes and walk around the zoo for 2 hours (I took a nap after)
F: Bike for 45 minutes
S: Plan to bike
S: Plan to walk at Luke's nap time

Jessica- I hope that you feel better soon!

daily yoga?

Well, that's the theory. :) I have a dvd called Yoga Prayer, by Father Tom Ryan. He's a Catholic priest and a yoga practitioner/teacher, and thus far I really, really like it. You can play it in instructional mode (very helpful for a beginner!) and when you're more comfortable with the poses, switch to the music mode.* Each "yoga prayer" is set to an arrangement of a hymn, and Fr. Ryan has created it such that the poses flow smoothly and they also match the text and spirit of the music. I love that.

The whole dvd is 50 minutes long, which is too much for me to manage before the kids get up (I'm trying to do some bible reading before starting it, too). But I'm finding that if I leave out the section in the middle that hurts my knees, and sometimes cut off the end, it works out pretty well. Yesterday Jonathan got up before I was done and we worked on dancer pose together. :)

If you enjoy yoga, this might be a good dvd to get. As a martial artist (another practice that is often frowned upon by Christians) I appreciate the way Fr. Ryan is working to claim a beautiful and healthful physical practice for the worship of Jesus.

*I do have to note that as much as I enjoy the dvd, there are some serious bugs in the title menu programming.

just fyi

per request, I blocked our follower.

-Jess

Jillian Getz Results

I've long since moved on to Level 2 of The 30-day Shred, and am definitely seeing results. My core is much stronger, as are my arms, and even my legs. My back hurts much less. I have been trying to work out every day, but have missed a few days here and there. Honestly, though, I feel that if I work out 5 times a week I still reap all the benefits cardiovascular and muscle-building benefits of The Shred. Psychologically I need the freedom to skip working out some days.

But, by and large, my greater commitment to exercising has been good for me--physically and emotionally. So I'm trying to keep it up.

Weeks 34 & 35 Summary for Jess

Basically, I was sick for two weeks. On Feb. 2, I did Level 1 of the Shred, and then I didn't work out for almost two weeks, till this morning, when I did Level 2. :)

But the end is in sight, I think. I'm not quite well, but I'm well enough that I don't start feeling sick till the evening (i.e., when I'm worn out). We did have six straight days of at-least-one-kid-per-night vomiting, then a break, and then it started again last night, but at least 2 out of the four are well now.

I'm glad to be working out again (I missed it), but man, I did not enjoy it this morning. The first one back is never fun.

-Jess

exercise this week

I'm assuming I won't exercise tomorrow.

M and W-20 minutes pilates plus about 5 minutes upper arm light weight workout.
T and Th-2 mile run

Feeling good, though I will say that there comes a point in pregnancy that you lose all sense of judgment concerning your body.  In other words, even though I know I am probably still pretty fit, my body just looks strange and swollen to me and I exercise based on hope and not results!!!

followers?

next question is, can we block followers?  'cause that same guy is following this blog.

do we care about keeping this private?

Freezing in the South

With the exception of Monday, this week was all about working out indoors. We had 4 nights of hard freezes (unusual for Southeast Texas!) and a couple of days that it didn't get above freezing. But, with my trusty bike and a good DVD, I managed 6/7 days.

M: Walk with Luke (2 miles
T: Prevention DVD
W: Bike for 40 minutes
Th: Bike for 1 hour- about 17 miles!
F: Bike for 30 minutes
S: Prevention DVD, Bike for 35 minutes
S: I will probably walk 2 miles tomorrow

Monday is my next Dr's appt. and sonogram. I honestly think it is a girl, but acknowledge that it is only a guess. Maybe it is because I can only think of girl's names this time around.

comment deletion

I think only jessica can do this because she's the blog moderator.  Go to that post, click on the comments for that post.  a trash can should be next to the guy's comment.  click on that and voila!  deleted.

on another note, just got 3 days of official exercise in this week.  but yesterday, walked around the zoo and will be walking for my grocery shopping today.

Katie, during my first two pregnancies, I practiced karate. During my second and third, I walked. That was about it for me. I didn't really get into exercising at home until after my third pregnancy.

And I'm not sure how to delete that comment now that it's there. The only way I know of on blogger to get rid of unwanted comments is to prevent them by enabling comment moderation.

And I, ugh, am still sick. Thought I was done with it, but I'm not. One workout so far this week, just because I've got the dizzy-nauseous-tired-achy flue blues. Ick, ick, ick.

-Jess

yoga

I went to a yoga class last night and remembered why I like it so much. I think I'll go again. This is beginner, beginner yoga. Everyone but me (and the instructor) is middle aged or elderly. Although the class has been ongoing for four years, I don't think they're advancing much, in terms of skill.

That's ok.

It was peaceful. It was restful.

I won't lose an ounce doing this kind of yoga...but I think I'll feel wonderful.



I do really enjoy some of the more challenging poses, as well, and if anyone hears of a reasonably priced teacher I'd love the recommendation. But I sure did enjoy the class last night!

Blog Management

Can we delete a comment? I don't know who Steve Finell is (see comment on my last post). Thanks!

Week 33 Summary for Jessica

1/23 - Sunday - Dancing with the Stars: Dance Off the Pounds DVD
1/24
1/25
1/26
1/27 - Personal Training with Jackie DVD
1/28

1/29

That's it! Just twice. In my defense, I got sick over the weekend, and working out was just not on the cards (laying in bed was). But it looks like the rest of you are doing wonderfully!

-Jess

Phew

All right, yesterday I did 20 minutes of Pilates plus upper arm workout with weights.  Just ran 2 miles this morning.

But, what I am really blogging about is my relief over my last weight gain.  I was so afraid it would be another ridiculously scary number but it wasn't!  Only 2 lbs this last month.  And while I wouldn't have cared if it was 4, I am very thankful it wasn't 14.

It is so nice exercising again.  I will be quite frank and say that it is a mental battle each time because pregnancy fatigue does not go away when you have more than one child, but I am very glad after I exercise.  Those short bursts of endorphins can go a long way to over all productiveness over time.  Man, hey, maybe the bathroom will finally get cleaned today!

The thing I am most liking about exercising while pregnant is feeling (and I know this isn't really a feeling but I don't know how else to express it), so feeling as though I have SOME control over my body.  Yes, I cannot push myself very hard, but there is something about the act of routine exercise that makes me remember:

"Yes, this is my body.  Yes, I can make it do things I want it to do still (even if those things are not sleep when I want to sleep, pee at acceptable intervals or be energetic when I need it to be)."

But I can still make you hurt and sweat all by myself.