March 2015 Pregnancy/TTC Check-in

Hi Lisa,
Hope you have a great Sunday/rest day/family day!
Wow -- is it really March! Good thing you start the new threads monthly... otherwise I might think it was still December! ;)
Speaking of months, you're due in May, right?

Nice job on Kickbox + Barre! I don't remember the specifics, but I do remember enjoying that one.

Loss of princess outfits seems like a reasonable consequence for potty non-compliance. Also a practical one -- I'm guessing some of them have taken a spin through the washer! :rolleyes:
Sounds like the story of the Princess and the Pee! ;)
That said, the silver lining is that she has a sense of ownership of her own body, and won't let others tell her what to do with it.

Since I quoted you, I'm guessing you see my post about today's workout in the thread on that rotation, so I'll keep this short (DD just woke up!). Plus all this talk about pizza and snacks is making me hungry!
Enjoy the day with your wonderful family,
Roz
 
Hi Lisa,
Happy Monday! Hope you had a fantastic rest day.

Hope your daughter's potty and sleep situations are getting less stressful. (Though I remember my own third trimester potty-sleep issues were stressful in their own right -- hope you're not up every couple hours for potty breaks! :rolleyes:)
How's the reflux? Did you find that certain foods were triggering?
Ah, the joys of pregnancy...

This morning I did the back workout of my rotation -- I really enjoyed it (I gave specifics in that other thread)! I did one pullup and one chinup as part of the warm-up... some days I cannot get pullup #2, and today was one of them.
I have a feeling shoulders are going to be killer tomorrow... all of S&H shoulders followed by all of GS shoulders! I think we both agree though shoulder work is tough tough tough...
I was thinking I might get a quick cardio in later in the day, but now I feel like the day's filling up (and I don't feel the urge), so likely not. And I'm generally not in the mood for cardio once DD goes to sleep. I just don't have the energy. Weights, I can handle.

Sleep is getting a little better... she's still up wayyyy too early, but isn't waking every couple hours, thank goodness. There were a few days in there where I was really in a sleep-deprivation-induced stupor. I'm VERY glad that phase seems to be passing. Fingers crossed.

OK, mama, talk tomorrow!
Hugs,
Roz
 
Howdy, Roz!

Whaddya say, you bring the spinach and artichoke and I'll bring the hummus to our Cathe triceps dips party?! :D So funny! But hey, the more I think of it, the more I think that having a snack break during a toughie workout isn't a bad thing after all! ;)

I'll have to check out today's update on the other thread, but two thumbs up to you for today's workout. How can you even mentally manage to eek out 1 pull-up "warm-up" when you know you've got that killer back workout ahead of you? Good on you! I'm feeling empathetic dread for you on your shoulder workout tomorrow. Make sure you have your 3lb dumbbells handy--NOT because you are weak but because your shoulders are going to be so fried. But, as Cathe says, it's a "friendly" kind of fried. ;)

So glad your cutie's sleep patterns are evening out. Getting up too early is no fun for sure, but those incessant middle of the night interruptions are just worse. Hope the positive momentum continues. In our house, on the other hand, we've had two rough nights in a row. My DD was sniffling a bit on Saturday and over Saturday night into early Sunday morning it became clear it was going to be a full-fledged nasty cold. So the past two nights have been filled with screaming and tears. Poor thing. Breaks my heart to see her in such pain, as you can well relate to. :( Those screams plus my hourly potty breaks at night are killing me. Baby girl is really squishing all of my innards at this point! I will say that I do also have a role to play in the blame game for my nighttime potty issues. For some reason, I am just so thirsty at night so I will wake up, take a bathroom break, and then drink some water from the huge glass of water I keep by my bedside. It's definitely counterproductive, but I'm not going to deny my body or baby belly water when I'm feeling genuine thirst. So, that's where we're at over here...

Yet, despite all that, I managed to do a legs workout today! Long & Strong Live from 1/22/15. I love having Cathe as my private personal trainer in that one. I have a feeling I am just going to continue to repeat these Live leg workouts. I am starting to lose more and more reps as I am increasingly unable to keep up with Cathe's speed, but I feel good about what I'm able to still do at almost 30 weeks pregnant. :cool: Tomorrow will be either UB or cardio if I'm able to workout. Hoping tonight's sleep will be better for us all--in your neck of the woods and in ours!

Hugs to you and your sweet little crew!

Lisa
 
Hi Lisa,
Oh no, that's awful about your DD's miserable sickness (and its effects on your already spotty sleep)! I know, I hate seeing my DD ill or hurt. I always wish I could take her place. :( Hugs to you and to her!

Lisa, your username is most apt -- you are a machine! :D Great work on Long & Strong Live at almost 30 weeks -- yeah! Funny, I was thinking about adding part of that one on yesterday if I had time (I didn't, sigh). I definitely want to revisitit soon.

Have my 3 lbs handy?! Ha! I always think of Jari Love saying 'you can even grab soup cans' during rotator cuff work. For the S&H rotator cuff exercises, I wore my 2 lb microload gloves (loaded to 2 lbs) and grabbed my 3 lb weights. Towards the end of each set, when 5 lbs became too much, I dropped the weight and just used my 2 lb gloves!
I think S&H shoulders is one of Cathe's most thorough shoulder segments, probably because it's not coupled with any other UB muscle groups -- and I feel like shoulders assist in everything. But, mercifully, the GS shoulder segment (though fast and action-packed), is only ~10 mins. That said, I had a solid 40 minutes of serious shoulder work this morning -- I am already feeling it and have no doubt I'll continue to feel it more and more as the day progresses!

Oh, and last night ~6pm I thought the day would never end, so I put on plyo HiiT #1 (no equipment! yay!) and hopped around the living room with DD. It was so fun! I wasn't able to work quite as hard as I would have if I were alone and didn't have a dance partner (so cute, though!), but I definitely got my cardio on and it felt great.

Yeah, sleep is getting slowly better, but there's definitely some (limited) nocturnal howling going on. It's so much worse when they're calling for 'mommy'... :(
Hugs and virtual chicken soup to you and your princess #1! Hope she's on the road to recovery already...
Roz
 
Hey there, Roz! How's your Tuesday coming along? Have you been walking around with ice packs on your shoulders all day long? :) I can only imagine how your shoulders are going to be fierce looking in your sleeveless tops this summer! You go, strong momma! It's been a bit since I've done S&H (yet another reason for me to do this rotation ASAP) but my recollection is that it is so thorough and so different and, thus, so effective. I am pretty sure I'm screaming for mercy with 3lb dumbbells on the rotator cuff exercises. I'd never even attempt starting with 5lbs like you did! ;) But I see that your still staying flexible, adding in cardio (like Plyo HiiT 1) when you want and skipping it when you don't. Love it!

Oh, before I forget, I think your point in the other thread about the cardio in RWH postpartum is a good one. I think it might be a bit uncomfortable to have the RWH HiiTs be my initial "welcome back to tough cardio" exercises. Not sure my insides will be up for it yet. Thanks for the tip! You are a wise woman. :)

Speaking of loving no equipment workouts like Plyo HiiT 1, today I had no desire to pull out any equipment (lazy alert!) so I did Hi-Lo Cardio + Core Live from 8/14/14. Lots of throwback moves from MIC, a couple from CK, and also Circuit Max. There is a 10 minute HiiT/blast section in the middle but it was so straightforward to modify (thanks for that, Cathe!) and I skipped the core. Thanks for your compliments on my workouts. I may sound like a machine, but if that's the case I lumber along at the speed of a computer during the dial-up Internet age. ;) I do my best and am just grateful to be able to still move around.

It's been another interesting 24 hours. DD got so bad yesterday evening that I rushed her to urgent care around 5:30pm. I'm not one to go to the doc over a simple sniffle but she was having really deep, wet belly coughs. When she was just over a year old she had a bad case of stridor (very similar to croup) and yesterday evening was like history repeating itself in terms of her symptoms. Turns out she had developed bronchitis and she got some much needed medicine. I'm definitely not a granola mom but I do try to use medication (even OTC Tylenol or Advil) very very sparingly. In this case it was all warranted and the proof is in the pudding...she slept all night long and has been on a total upswing today. What a relief. Thank you for asking!

Sheesh, lots of talk about me today. Sorry! I hope all is well for you. Give your baby doll a big kiss and squeeze for me (if your shoulders will allow it).

Lisa
 
Hi Lisa,
Oh no -- I'm so sorry to hear about your DD's (and your) awful experience! But glad she got the medicine she needed. I'm with you -- I avoid medication whenever I can, but if it's needed, I don't hesitate for a second. Your day before yesterday -- as well as your stridor experience from a couple years ago -- sounds just terrible, but I'm SO glad she was so markedly improved yesterday. Sometimes allopathic medicine saves she day! :D

Great job on your Hi/Lo Cardio + (er, -) Core! I don't remember too many specifics, but I do remember that that one had some tough-yet-modifiable segments. You may be a dial-up modem, but you're sure not phoning in your workouts! ;)

I was sooooo tired around 5:30pm yesterday, so I did another workout with DD -- X10 Cardio Blast and LL&A bonus barre. It was just enough to get me moving and give me an energy boost -- so fun!
I actually started to do S&G cardio only, but there are a few warm-up moves where Cathe lifts her arms above her head but my shoulders were like, nope, not happening, lady! ;) I was barely able to unhook my bra while getting into PJs!

Today's workout was 'Snow & Heavy' -- a winner and a toughie! I did S&H Bis and GS Bis. Wow, what a combination! I hadn't thought of this, but they're two of Cathe's only segments with serious forearm/wrist work, intentionally/intelligently placed at the end of the biceps work. The GS biceps curls were rough after the S&H barbell wrist curls and forearm work. My arms below the elbow were on FIYAH!
Then I did plates-only Weights & Plates abs (only ~7 mins) and the first ~7 mins of an Udaya hip opening segment.
Later, DD and I went out to do some shoveling (she loves the snow!) -- well, I was shoveling obviously. She just cheers me on! :D I actually love shoveling. As long as I'm going to exercise, it may as well be functional, eh?

With respect to RWH postpartum, let me just say -- if I'd done plyo HiiT a few months after giving birth, you would have had to confiscate my princess costume. ;) And I'm not particularly prone to that problem. The low impact HiiTs might be more manageable, both in terms of impact and intensity. I guess you'll know when the time comes! You're great at that.

Random side note: I don't really worry about sugar/carbs in terms of weight gain, but I feel like I've been relying on sugar to get me through some of these rough sleep-deprived days. I've got to keep an eye on that for my own feelings of well-being. I'm not bingeing on whole pints of Ben & Jerry's, but it feels like I'm having a bit more sugar than makes me feel at my best.

Big, big hugs to you and your trooper DD! Hope your sleep is...well...as good as might be hoped for in your situation! :rolleyes:
Roz
 
Hi Roz,

All I can say is thanks again. DD1 is doing better and last night's sleep was sound for all of us (except for my bathroom breaks, of course...the GERD seems to have gone away). It has been a while since any of us have been sick so we were due something...just too bad that it had to be a whopper! Just glad to be moving on.

The one question I must have an answer to: how on earth did you manage to shovel after shoulders yesterday and biceps today? Are you sure you are not the Bionic Woman? :) Sorry that you have to shovel--even if you do enjoy it, you crazy lady!--but so impressed at your totally legit functional fitness. And I had totally forgotten about how both GS and S&H biceps involve targeted forearm work. That requires a rest day from typing, using a cell phone, chopping veggies, and putting on socks. HOLY smokes! Good work on that, and I'm also enjoying reading about your surprise/impromptu evening cardio sessions with your little workout buddy. That sounds fun! Did you like the LL&A barre segment? IIRC you haven't done that workout in its entirety yet?

Getting back into workouts after DD1's birth is kind of a blur, but I do seem to remember having worse bladder problems during pregnancy than after. Who knows, though. Each pregnancy is different and I'm assuming that the impact on the bladder gets progressively more intense after having more than one! I guess I could always borrow one of my DD's pull-ups? :rolleyes: But don't worry--I will never ever confiscate YOUR princess dresses. ;)

Today I logged onto AOL...er, went into my workout room...and opted for PUB! ;) Come on, it's been like 6 weeks since I last pulled it out. It's not like I'm addicted or anything. (Yeah, right!) I also squeezed in some Lindsay Brin pregnancy cardio for about 20 mins. It felt good at the time but I think I'll be spending the rest of the day sitting on my egg. Phew!

Your side note is actually not so random. I was literally just thinking yesterday about how I've been eating too much sugar lately as well. Like you, I'm not bingeing or anything. I'm also definitely not avoiding weight gain! It is just a general feeling of sluggishness after crashing from the sugar high. I also have a general feeling of stomach upset and brain fog when I eat too much. For me, I think I just need to recondition myself to grab for a protein like string cheese or a hardboiled egg or some nuts instead of a spoonful of Speculoos! :eek: By the way, it might sound like I have gestational diabetes but I totally passed my test. In fact, my numbers were slightly low so if anything I need to be more conscious of keeping my blood sugars stable throughout the day.

Stay warm with your little Shovel Max crew member! (Would she be Jai, Cedie, Brenda, Lorraine, Rhonda, Amanda...? I think I'd be a Cedie character, obsessing over the rep counts!)

HUGS!

Lisa
 
Hi Lisa,
Sooooo glad to hear that your DD is feeling better and that everyone's sleep has improved. Whew!

It's funny -- from all the crazy lifting and shoveling I've been doing recently, you know what I've really been feeling? Yesterday, I was thinking, 'I can't believe my inner thighs are sore from shoveling -- that doesn't make sense!'. Uh, honestly, I didn't make the connection until I read your post yesterday -- it was the 13-minute barre segment! I guess it's really all about muscle confusion, huh?
That said, I'm definitely feeling my biceps and forearms today! :D

Who would my DD be? Well, I think she'd be Cathe. She calls the shots... when she tells me to drop and give her 20 (er, drop and pick up the 20 peas she just tossed off her high chair), I do it! ;) How about yours?

Nice job on PUB! Hey, nothing wrong with picking favorites. I've got a week of daily PUB ahead of me, so we'll have much to discuss! ;)
Today I'm taking a (well deserved!) total rest day. Maybe I'll do a bit of stretching/yoga before bed.
Tomorrow is supposed to be PS Chest + PUB Chest then Saturday Step blast, but I think I'll either do the chest workout tomorrow and Saturday legs (likely the latest Cathe Live, pending confirmation that there are NO SQUAT PRESSES! No thank you -- not this week!) or give my UB another day off and do legs tomorrow and chest Saturday. I do love Step Blast, but I want to finish week #2 of this rotation before we go away, and I do like a get at least one leg day in weekly. I guess I can always toss some barre in there if I can't fit a full weighted leg workout in! ;)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.experiences with sugar recently. Like you, I get more sustained energy from protein snacks (and meals with lots of protein + fats). I don't want to go low carb or anything, but those quick carbs can really be pernicious...
Sigh! Time to bake some brownies (kidding!)...
Big hugs, mama!
Roz
 
Howdy Roz!

I was going to say...inner thigh soreness from shoveling? Yes, let's blame the barre work instead. Isn't it amazing how many different ways we can exercise to benefit our bodies? It never ceases to amaze me.

Hmmmm, my DD would probably be Amanda. She has amazing energy and endurance for anything she puts her mind to (whether it be long streaks of whining or walking around our neighborhood for 3 hours, no stroller needed thank you very much!). She also just loves to keep up with Cathe, and I kind of look at Amanda like Cathe Jr. (not that Cathe is old enough to be Amanda's mom, just that they are both crazy strong and fit).

Your rest day sounds divine. Hope you get to squeeze in a bit of relaxing yoga as you desire. Based on my workout today, I was going to recommend that you swap Steptastic (Cathe Live 2/5/15) for Step Blast. BUT, if you want some leg work I can see why you'd be drawn to today's Live.

Anyway, Live Steptastic is on my mind because I did that one today. It was my second time on this workout and it is just simply fun fun fun. Today happens to be my birthday so I decided to treat myself. :) Cathe takes familiar step moves so there is no learning curve but combines them in an innovative way so that it is not dull and boring. Throw in a few (modified, for me) blasts and you are good to go! I'm guessing tomorrow will be total body of some sort...

Definitely not suggesting low carb. I would die. Just the right kind of carbs, combined with fats and proteins. I know I've said this before, but nothing has changed my body the way upping my fat and protein intake has. We are totally on the same page, lady! NO surprises there.

Have a wonderful day! Hugs to you and Cathe, er, your precious DD! ;)

Lisa
 
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Hi Lisa!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! :D Hooray! What did/do you have planned?
I wish I could bake you a cake! Hmmm... what flavor would it be...? ;)

Nice work on Steptastic yesterday! So glad you 'treated' yourself on your birthday! ;)

Oh, and I know what you mean about Amanda being Next Gen Cathe. They're both uber-fit dynamos! Sounds like you've got a little dynamo on your hands, too!

Today I began the second week of my rotation: PUB Chest + PS Chest. It was a great, very challenging workout, but much much shorter than any of last week's workouts. I did the PUB warm-up then the two chest segments, and it was only 20 mins! But they were no-messin'-around minutes. Both PUB and PS have combined sets or exercises of flys + presses. And then the two sets of decline pushups after PUB chest were just cruel! In the best way, of course.
I had some time before DD woke and and wanted to work out a little longer, so I added Steptastic in honor of your birthday! Plus I'd been itching to do it and didn't feel like any super duper intense cardio. (I mean, it was challenging as I expect of any Cathe workout, but somehow the suffix -tastic doesn't quite inspire a frisson of terror... ;) ).
You're right -- fun fun fun! Loved the music, loved the bloopers. So glad I did it -- just what I wanted this morning. Thanks for reminding me!
My one other thought, though, is that I don't think it has -- for me -- the staying power of other Cathe step workouts. When it comes to steady state cardio, I like a little more variety in the choreography if I'm going to do it over and over. There were a few times in the workout where I was like... wait, are we doing that V-step sequence again?! I guess I want my cardio to have a) enough intensity that I'm not thinking about choreography, b) simple choreography/moves that are constantly changing, or c) complex choreography that I have to engage my brain to memorize.
Though as a former dancer and former kid-who-memorized-long-strings-of-numbers-for-fun, I guess I'm kind of anomalous in my desire to have impossible choreography launched at me while I struggle to stay afloat! ;)
All that said, I had a blast (har har) on Steptastic today!

Not sure about tomorrow -- legs? Or maybe I'll plow ahead to tris? (Or both? the UB workouts are quite short.) I just want to be sure I hit all the UB workouts before we head south to visit family next week...

Oh! Also! I'd been waffling about the GGS program. I love their articles, love what they stand for, and really wanted to give their kind of strength training a whirl, but the $100 price tag kept me waffling. I checked out Nia Shanks's Beautiful Badass program at another user's (desertambrosia's) recommendation, and it seems to me to be pretty analogous to the GGS program -- only it's just $27. And she has 19 programs to choose from instead of the GGS which I think is only 3 I think? And video tutorials and all the same stuff. So I bought it last night! Woo!
Nia is a founding member of GGS, anyways, so she seems to have shared sensibilities. I also just liked what I saw and read of her.
Of course, at checkout, there was the 'add on the BBA Bodyweight training program plus combined weights-and-bodyweight programs for $15' -- and being a sucker (and also enjoying no-equipment workouts that I can do with my mini-Cathe in our living room), I went for it.
I won't start the program for probably 3 weeks, but I want to take some time to read through all the BBA materials (there's a lot to go through) before I get going.

OK enjoy your total body (or whatever you go for) today! Have a great birthday weekend, Lisa! :D
BIG BIRTHDAY HUGS!
Roz
 
TGIF! TGIF! TGIF! I cannot tell you how happy I am in it is the weekend, Roz! This has been a rough week and it will be good to put it behind us. Most especially looking forward to some daddy/daughter time for my DH and DD so that I can go out for some belated birthday activities with friends. Thanks for the birthday wishes! Weekday birthdays are always a bit less thrilling (at least it seems to me) and a toddler having a tough time into the mix...phew! I will definitely make up for lost time this weekend with a pedicure and some shopping and some lunch out, and then next week with an 80 minute massage. I will also pretend that you made me this cake. I've been dreaming about it ever since seeing the recipe. :)

The shorter workouts of week #2 in your rotation must be a nice change from the super long doozies in week #1. Not that these are necessarily easy, of course! ;) I totally get what you are saying about Steptastic being more monotonous than other Cathe step videos and I'm usually one for variety, but something about these combos and then the blasts just resonated with me. Is it because it's shorter in length? Probably. Is it because of the fun bloopers? Probably (except for the alleged blooper during combo 2 where I swear Cathe did not make a mistake...her class threw her under the bus! :p). Is it because it's more steady state and the blasts aren't as challenge? Probably. To each her own! :)

I have a sinking suspicion that you'll be throwing in some leg work with your triceps work tomorrow. Look forward to your report!

I've been on a Cathe Live love-fest this week. Today I did my 4th Cathe Live of the week: High Reps Total Body Live (11/13/14). I think this one is also on your to-do list. I enjoyed it and the weights were mostly right for me as a pregnant lady, but knowing you I would suggest that you go a little heavier than Cathe to get the burn you desire...except in the shoulder section. Cathe kills it on the shoulders in this workout.

Glad you decided on the Nia Shanks program! I've been a follower of her blog for a long time and knew of her well before I knew about GGS. Like you, I find her style refreshing and you can't beat that price. I think it would have been criminal not to add on that additional program for $15. I mean, she was practically giving it to you for free! (Says the lady who fully intends on buying some Tracie Long DVDs...that she does NOT need...from totalfitnessdvds weekly sale this weekend.) :D

Off to countdown to my DH's arrival home from work! Talk tomorrow. Hope your weekend gets off to a terrific start!

HUGS,

Lisa
 
Hi Lisa,
Yay for birthday activities! Have so much fun out with your friends and enjoy your pedicure and massage! You deserve it! :D

Ooh, yes, let's definitely pretend I made you that cake! It looks divine.
And speaking of pretend... great work on legs today!
I did this week's Live (the legs with weights and stability ball) and at one point Cathe was doing the rounds and walked up to one woman and said, 'you look great, Lisa!' And I thought, gee, Lisa didn't tell me she was going to Glassboro this week! But in any case, I was glad we were working out together. ;)
Ah, the magical land of Cathe Live, where anything can happen, and pregnant women in their third trimester are temporarily relieved of their bellies just for the duration of their workouts!
It was a great, straightforward lower body workout with trisets and some toning on the stability ball on the end. I went significantly heavier in weight than Cathe and subbed barbell whenever possible (I find holding heavy dumbbells for lower body to be annoying and find I have better form when using a barbell). It was killer and I definitely added in/lengthened some breaks. Even though I was all macho about squats and deadlifts, I was totally humbled by the stability ball work (though perhaps I should see a causal relationship here?) -- I had to pause a few times to give my ol' legs a break!
Based on how you've been rocking leg workouts, I think this one will be doable for you, for sure, using the weights that make sense for you (including just belly weight ;) ). There are some deadlifts and disc exercises, but I think you're still doing those?
I hope you don't mind that I had a good chuckle imagining you doing the final stability ball exercise: ball tosses! ;)
Oh, and I'm seriously feeling yesterday's chest workout! In fact, in today's stretch segment, Cathe is arching backwards over the stability ball and says, 'let your chest wall open'. Of course, I heard 'let your chest wallow', and I thought, how does Cathe know my chest is in pain?! ;)

Great job on High Reps Live -- yes, it's on my to-do list! And thanks for the tip on weight selection!

Oh, and ITA that some combos/moves just resonate. In (I think?) the Road Trip All Step Live workout, Cathe does a walk-around-the-step several times, and it just got me giddy! (I forget, have you tried that one yet?) Actually, she did a couple walk-arounds in Steptastic, and I loved those, too.

Uh oh, I hear DD -- must run now...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND! :D
Big birthday hugs,
Roz
 
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I did this week's Live (the legs with weights and stability ball) and at one point Cathe was doing the rounds and walked up to one woman and said, 'you look great, Lisa!' And I thought, gee, Lisa didn't tell me she was going to Glassboro this week! But in any case, I was glad we were working out together. ;)
Ah, the magical land of Cathe Live, where anything can happen, and pregnant women in their third trimester are temporarily relieved of their bellies just for the duration of their workouts!

Hehe! I wish I could go to Glassboro at the drop of a hat for an in-person sweat session with Cathe, minus (for 1 hour) the belly! I think the Lisa you are referring to is a regular class member. I did another older Cathe Live recently (can't remember which one) where Cathe gives Lisa a shout out and I TOTALLY pretended she was talking to me! :) We Cathletes are a strange bunch, aren't we? ;)

I'm so glad my prediction on you tackling legs today was right because I really wanted your feedback on the workout. It's on my tentative agenda for Monday and I think I'll be able to go for it, barring anything crazy like a bad night's sleep or not feeling well. I'll definitely be sticking with dumbbells and lighter weights. Deadlifts can still be doable, depending on how I'm feeling, and sliding disc work is still doable. Can't wait for it! Also should add the 2014 RT step to my agenda since I have not done that one yet.

I started my bday weekend celebrations with a KCM workout, this one called Shape Up. It's a tabata style workout that alternates 8 rounds of a cardio move (20 secs on/10 secs off) with 8 rounds of a light weight endurance UB move (20 secs on/10 secs off). Now, before you think I'm crazy, keep in mind that I did not go anaerobic and totally subbed in low impact moves for the cardio. I just wanted to generally follow along with Kelly and the tabata format. The perfect way to end my workout week!

I'm off tomorrow so I'll be back on Monday. Better get running to continue my weekend of pampering. :D Wish we could meet up for a cuppa tea. That would be a fun gift to get to meet you in person! Maybe we'll both make it to the 2016 RT? My DD2 will be old enough for me to make the trip and hopefully you will have little bundle #2 that you can take a brief vacation from as well by that time. (How are you feeling/doing in that regard?)

Hugs right back at ya! Give your darling girl a high five from me!

Lisa
 
Hi Lisa,
Hope you're resting and enjoying your weekend of fun and pampering! A pedicure sounds great -- though I'm pretty sure I couldn't see my own toenails by that point! ;)
I know, I wish we could meet for tea (and cake) too! A road trip sounds so fun -- did you go to your before your DD was born?

And speaking of road trips... after my ~17 min triceps workout this morning (PUB tris + PS tris), I did the RT Live Step workout. I wanted something fun, and all that talking about walking around my step got me excited! :D
A few thoughts for you if you do it this coming week:
1) I suggest doing it on a day when you're not more tired than usual. I definitely needed to be 'checked in' mentally to follow the first half or so. There aren't long and complex combos, but she's consistently throwing moves at your without much warning. That said, the cueing is spot on, so you could probably do a lot of it just listening to Cathe's voice.
2) They are on one riser only the whole time (it's a huge class so I think it's due to not having a zillion risers on hand). The first part of the workout is warm-up + more dancey step moves, most of which you won't have to modify a ton, I don't think. However, the moves are very fast-paced and Cathe throws them at your quickly. So you might consider doing at least the first ~25 mins on the platform only (no risers). However, I half expect you to come back and remind me that, while other women's placentas release progesterone, yours releases kryptonite. ;)
3) Around ~25 mins, Cathe goes into a more blast-y segment with more plyo/high impact moves. However, they are mostly straightforward and I think you have moves that you sub for these types of moves regularly, anyways. There is a ~2 min burpee sequence at the start of this segment, which means a built in potty break! ;)

I was feeling energetic after triceps (small muscle groups tire me out less than larger), so I started on two risers then increased to three for the blasts segment. But it was seriously challenging. I wasn't anaerobic, I don't think, but I was really huffing and puffing.
Super fun, love it.

Rest up, be pampered, eat cake, sit on your egg, hug your DD, and smile! (Geez, that's a lot of imperatives, huh?)
Happy Extended Birthday,
Roz
 
Hi Lisa,
Hope the remainder of your birthday weekend was fantastic, and that you're carrying on the celebration into this week!

This morning was the back workout for week 2 of my rotation: PUB back + PS back + GS low back exercises. It was a fun one! PS wouldn't play, so I just looked up the exercises on the Cathe Compendium and did them myself, replicating the pacing (i.e., only brief breaks between sets) of PS as best I could. It was fun!
OK, so it's my third day in a row of PUB, and I love it and see how it's a great pregnancy UB workout. One question for you, though: Do you feel that Cathe's weight selections are a bit lighter in this workout than her other UB workouts? I don't mean the absolute weight: I'm adjusting for sets, reps, break times, etc. PUB goes along at a good clip and piles on superset after superset of the same moves, so I would expect the absolute weight to be lower; however, I find I need to increase Cathe's weights by a greater % than I usually do. It could be that I'm just starting my workout mid-way through the DVD, so I don't yet have the level of fatigue expected. Anyways, I'm asking you this as the authority on PUB! ;)

Well, it's obviously the week of Cathe Live step for me! I did Step Express with Blasts (aka Step Choreography with Blasts) -- loved it! And so funny, yesterday I was going to say to you (but forgot) -- whatever happened to power jigs? I want power jigs back! And hey -- I got what I asked for this morning. ;) I stuck to a 6" step because working back takes more out of me than smaller muscle groups -- plus I've still got some leg DOMS from my Live leg workout two days ago (they got worse during the day yesterday). Glutes especially -- maybe from the stability ball work?
Have you done this one? If not, I recommend -- super fun!

Oh, you also asked me how I was feeling with respect to #2. I've adopted a more patient stance. I'm trying to limit BFing sessions, but still not ready to wean -- I feel this is probably the most relevant thing I can do. With respect to exercise... I don't know. My OB actually just tested my hormone levels (great idea, BTW!) and I'm waiting for those results. In the meantime... as long as I'm stuck indoors, I'm gonna do some cardio, dang it! I think BFing is the culprit, not cardio. I don't have a bunch of excess body fat, but I don't feel I'm at a body-shut-down level of leanness. I shouldn't lose, but I don't think I need to axe my exercise. It keeps me sane.

So much for a quick check-in! ;)
Big third trimester hugs and happy wishes for a great week ahead,
Roz
 
Hi Roz!

Excellent workouts yesterday and today. Nothing to complain about when you get to sample from PUB each day, huh? ;) Yep, the weight loads in PUB are unusually light for a Cathe UB workout but, as you noted, it really is more of a fast moving endurance workout so it's hard to go too heavy. For pregnancy, Cathe's weights have been just right. Also, don't think I'll ever be able to top her weights in the biceps section. She even says during the biceps work that it's the hardest part of the workout. Overall, though, I get the sense that Cathe is being a bit gentler with us on PUB because I have no doubt that she herself could probably go significantly heavier during those exercises. That's what's great about working out with Cathe, right? You can make it your own by choosing whatever weight feels good for you. As a side note, I also appreciate how much Cathe encourages us to work within our own abilities--especially during the Live classes. She herself can lift like 10 million pounds but she never shames anybody for being a beginner or just needing to use lighter weights for whatever reason like some instructors do. She's the best!

I just need you to keep doing what you're doing--previewing all of the Cathe Lives on my to-do list for me. ;) It helps tremendously to read your tips and insights before I tackle them. And it's like you're reading my mind. Step Express with Blasts is high up on my list of what to do next. :) Power jigs? Yes, please!!!!! I still also want to tackle last Thursday's leg workout ASAP, but it was not happening this morning. None of us slept well last night. My DD was screaming/crying/coughing/singing/playing...repeat ad infinitum...all night long. My poor DH was a zombie when he scooted off to work. :( As a result I needed to play it safe today and so I opted for a KCM workout, the NYC: New You Coming circuit workout. I'm amazed I was able to do anything today. Hopefully my sweetie will be so tired after last night's shenanigans that she will zonk out tonight. Fingers crossed! At least I got some pampering over the weekend, and there is still more pampering to come. Did I mention that I believe in celebrating birth months, not just birth days. All of March is all about me! :cool:

I have attended 2 RTs, one in Glassboro and then another one in Houston. (My DH traveled with me to both RTs, but was an actual RT'er with me at the Houston event.) I'm really glad I attended the Glassboro RT because it was fun to see Cathe's gym, to see her studio, and I hadn't ever been to NJ before. However, I have to say I enjoyed the Houston RT much more. It was simply more convenient to be able to pop into our hotel room in between classes/workouts than having to cram into a gym locker room (that's fine too, but I guess I'm high maintenance and like my own space). Even more so, though, the destination RT felt more relaxed, for lack of a better word. The attendees at both were fabulous, don't get me wrong. The overall vibe in Houston was just different. I hope to have my next RT be a destination one, but she doesn't seem to be doing much of those these days so at this point I'm aiming for Glassboro 2016.

(((HUGS))) to you and your work towards baby #2. I'm glad you were able to get your hormone levels tested. Not that I'm hoping anything will be wrong, but maybe that will give you some insight? And I 100% understand how you feel about needing to keep your cardio in. That's exactly how I was. At one point my regular OB/GYN told me to take a break and I just couldn't. I can ratchet it back for sure but I cannot just stop cold turkey. Movement makes me happy and brings me sanity. It's how my body connects with my soul. I can't give that up. No judgment here on that front AT ALL. Thank you for sharing. I always love to hear how you are progressing but I also know it is a personal thing and never want you to feel obligated to share.

Well, my check-in was way longer than yours. :rolleyes::p As I am sitting here on my egg, I'm hoping you'll get to do the same soon. In the meantime, have a good one and give your little champ a high five from me!

Lisa

ETA: Sure enough, as soon as I open my big mouth about no destination RTs in the future, Cathe announces an Oct 2016 RT in Daytona! Doh!
 
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Good morning Lisa,
Oh no! So sorry to hear about your daughter nocturnal antics. Yikes. :rolleyes: Hope you all got a good night's sleep last night (er, are still getting a good night's sleep)! But great job on getting in your workout despite a major case of the tireds. Blah, sleep deprivation is the worst. Maybe your DD just thinks of herself as training you for newborn sleep round 2? Mommy's little helper! ;)

Thanks for sharing your RT adventures! Yeah, I can totally see how a destination RT would be preferable in terms of popping into your own room whenever you like for some time away (and showers!). I hadn't thought of that.

This morning I continued my streak of PUB + PS + Live step -- loving it! Today was shoulders and it was tough. Then High Intensity Cardio Step Live -- also tough! Wow, mama, I can't believe you did this one about a month ago! I mean, I know you modify, but this one was a toughie. It felt almost like Plyo HiiT #2, except longer and not quite as non-stop. I was feeling flushed and warm for a while after! Definitely only grabbed 3 lb weights for the weighted segment -- I wanted to be a good sport and play along, but I did NOT want to do another shoulder exercise! The 40-something minute Live workouts are perfect to make a 1-hr workout with the PUB + PS segments.
Thanks for your thoughts on PUB weight selections! You confirmed my suspicions.
Movement makes me happy and brings me sanity. It's how my body connects with my soul. I can't give that up.
Amen. I couldn't have said it better myself. This has always been true for me, and I imagine it always will be. The forms have changed over time, but the principle remains the same.

OK, Lisa, I've got a big day ahead and I've got to start getting our lunches and diapers and so on together, so must run.
Big hugs and wishes for big zzzzzz's for you. And keep celebrating! :D
Roz
 
Maybe your DD just thinks of herself as training you for newborn sleep round 2? Mommy's little helper! ;)

Hi Roz! Oh, yes, so true! My DH and I joke about how we can't imagine being more sleep deprived than we are now...even when little DD#2 makes her grand entrance! I'm sure we're jinxing ourselves, but really it is true. It's so bad that it's a running joke amongst my DH's colleagues, where they ask him almost daily "how sleep deprived are you today?" (Not because he's doing bad work, but because nobody ever seems to sleep at our house!) :confused:

I know, I love the average 45-50 min length of the Cathe Lives, especially the cardios. Obviously there are some that are longer than others (the TB workouts seem to be an hour) but it makes them perfect for the type of rotation you are doing now! Way to go, pushing yourself to do the shoulders on High Intensity Cardio Step Live, even when you had a perfectly good excuse not to! Also good to know how that one compares to Plyo HiiT 2. Since they are so similar, maybe I can pretend that I've already done one of the RWH workouts? :rolleyes:

I so so so wanted to do the Cathe Live legs from last Thursday but I just could not do it this morning. Sleep was better last night, but still rough. I wanted legs but I needed something familiar, so I opted for LL&A. As usual during pregnancy, I chose the premix that adds the bonus barre but omits the core work. I guess I ate my Wheaties in a sleepwalking stupor because it felt very doable today, even the squat presses. So, being the crazy lady that I am, I did the standing compound legs section 2x. It's only 15 mins and not super hard but I was just feeling so good. I had to go with it. I will probably add a stretch session into my evening, just to loosen things up.

Sounds like you have/had a fun day today! Hope you're enjoying a break from awful weather. Not to brag, but it's 70* here today! Whoot Whoot! Here's hoping you get some warmth your way and that your sore shoulders don't collapse under the weight of your picnic basket and diaper bag...and the other millions of things a busy momma needs on hand to be prepared! ;)

Lisa
 
Hi Lisa,
Look at your and your 70 degree weather! ;) We skimmed 50* here yesterday, and I'll gladly take that after the winter we've just seen. The mountains of snow appear to be somewhat receding, and daylight savings ending (starting? I never remember which...) always puts a smile on my face and boosts my mood (even though I'm a morning person).

Great job on LL&A 'Extreme'! Look at you! Great work. You never fail to impress me! :D

Today was PUB bis + PS bis. All I can say is, YOWZA! In the best way, of course.
And after all our talk of Plyo HiiT #2, I had to do it this morning. It's still a fun one!
With respect to comparing to High Intensity Cardio Step Live, I stand by my assessment -- PH2 is faster paced and doesn't let up -- my heartrate was definitely higher on PH2 (I was really sucking in air on breaks). Having said that, the Live Step is ~15 mins longer and still very intense with some of the same and many similar moves. I'm guessing (though I haven't done it) that the PH2 + abs interspersed premix would end up at a similar length and intensity to the Live Step. So yeah -- you've totally done PH2, as far as I'm concerned! ;)
Speaking of RHW abs, I finished up with a truncated (no pun intended!) version of RHW bonus abs #2. I hadn't done this one in what seemed like forever so I wanted to give it a go, but I skipped the moves that bother my tailbone (ankle grabber situps) and my neck (banana holds).
I finished it out with some of my own stretching and called it a day!
Another fun and tough Lisa-worthy mashup workout!

How are sleep and pregnancy 'bonus burns' (e.g., GERD)? Hope you're celebrating your birthday month and enjoying the weather!
Is today 31 weeks?
Hugs to your and your sweet princess (hopefully without the pee these days)!
Roz
 

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