pregnant lady routine

In the last week, I've received a bunch of compliments about how good I look. I guess at 28 weeks pregnant, I'm not looking tootoo huge. A couple of women at the gym said it's all in my tummy (which it's not, but I'm happy it looks that way). I've gained about 20lbs and hoping to keep it in check for the next 12 weeks. (12 weeks doesn't seem like a long time until I put it into "months" and then it seems like forever.)

My workout routine has evolved into:
Monday: AM weights (fairly light, 2 sets, 15-20 reps, superset opposing muscle groups)
PM prenatal water exercise (:55)
Tuesday: Elliptical (:30, HR around 130-135)
Wednesday: same as Monday
Thursday: rest - sleep in if possible
Friday: Same as Monday except no water exercise
Saturday: Prenatal Yoga (1:30)

I keep thinking I should be doing more cardio, but I'm just loathing the cardio machines at the gym right now (even with such entertaining audio books as Augusten Burroughs' latest to distract me, I watch the clock). When it's not too beastly hot, I try to get out and walk at lunch, but it's not the heart-pounding that I really think I should be getting.

Speaking of beastly hot, what's with the weather? We've had three weekends of 90+ degree heat followed by pleasant-to-downright-cold weather mid-week. For the first time in my life, I'm dreading the heat. I've always been a lizard, soaking up the rays (bad for a fair-skinned, freckly person, I know). Now, I can't stand being out in the sun (My skin feels like it's getting crispy in minutes). The heat makes me feel sluggish and slow. So, why can't we have the 90+ weather during the week when I can escape to airconditioned comfort? (We have air at home, but the Mr is reluctant to turn it on, since he's not affected by the heat. Or something.)

My checkup yesterday was good. Fundus measurement on target (I consistently measure 4cm big, which the doc attributes to the fibroids rather than a monstrously large baby). Blood pressure: 108/70, so no immediate concerns there.

more mutts luv

power snack

I've been trying to get in my three serves of dairy a day and, since I'm not feeling much like a meat-eater lately, using them to pump up my protein intake as well. And, you know what that means, don't you? Cottage cheese (well, that and the fabulous Fage 0% yogurt).

I never used to like cottage cheese because it tasted so dang salty, so when I started eating the BFL way (and BP extoles the glories of cottage cheese), I searched high and low for a brand that I could stomach. I found it at Tr@der Joe's (natch) in the regular fat-free TJ's brand, but I've heard that Spaceway sells a lower salt cottage cheese.

Since it's peach season here, I've been enjoying my super-snack: cottage cheese and a sliced peach. Did you know that peaches are actually quite low in carbs (10g), have a wee bit of fiber (probably more if you eat the skin), and even include protein? 40 calories of goodness.

small world

At the pool on Monday, a familiar-looking woman asked me if this was where the pregnancy water exercise class met. Surprised (thinking she was familiar-looking from the class), I told her yep and then said that she looked familiar. She said she hadn't been before, so I asked if she was in the Saturday prenatal Yoga class in SE. Turns out, she was. Small world.

the summer dish

A few weeks ago, the Mr came up with a new dinner concoction. I lovedlovedloved it so much, I had the leftovers for lunch and still I raved. He finally made it again last night (and I had it for lunch again today). It takes about 20 minutes to prepare (basically, cooking the pasta is the critical path). Here it is, for your enjoyment:

• 1lb chicken sausage (we get the house-made sausage from our neighborhood grocery, New Seasons)
• fresh Farmer's Market tomatoes (as many as you want)
• fresh Mozzarella (Trader Joe's had these "pearlini" - tiny pearls of moz, but you can use any chopped into little pea-sized bits)
• fresh basil (preferably harvested from your backyard garden), chopped (as much as you want)
• garlic, chopped and sauteed in olive oil (optional)
• whole wheat (or gluten-free rice or quinoa) spaghetti
  
• Parmesan (not really necessary)
  

Start the water boiling and add spaghetti when ready.
Saute the garlic in olive oil and transfer to a little dish.
Saute the sausage until cooked.
While sausage is cooking:

• Chop the tomatoes into little chunks.
• Chop the mozzarella (if necessary).
• Chop the basil.

In an individual pasta bowl, plop the spaghetti, followed by a scoop of sausage and garlic, then sprinkle mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Top with parmesan and enjoy.

1lb of sausage is enough for about 4 servings.

Yum!

stretchy and bendy

... and sore.

I went to my first prenatal Yoga class yesterday. Ow! It was hard. I realized that I haven't practiced Yoga for about four years - and no Pilates since January. No flexibility work (aside from the regular leg-stretching I do after the elliptical and post-water-ex stretches) for seven months. Hmmm.

The class was packed - maybe 20 women in various stages of pregnancy, from not showing at all to 39.5 weeks pregnant. It was pretty intense to be in that room with all that life. At one point, I thought "there are actually 40 people in this class". Wacky.

I thought I'd feel old, but some of the mothers were definitely older - in any case, the class wasn't filled with 24-year-olds. I got the sense that the majority of the women were having normal, low-risk pregnancies. It'd be nice to find a community of women who've had and overcome issues, but I'm guessing those women don't end up in prenatal Yoga (or water exercise) classes.

One big problem I had was with the breathing. My Pilates breathing (in through the nose, out through pursed lips) is so ingrained that I do it all the time (on the elliptical, when I lift weights, in the water exercise class, even on brisk walks). It was hard to switch gears and do Yoga breathing (nose only). Not to mention that one of the pregnancy side effects I'm experiencing is increased mucous production - when I put my head down, my nose fills with snot - making it difficult to breathe, eh?

So today, I am sore. My hammies, my shoulders, my pecs. Owie!

Observation of the week: pregnant women/partners measure their pregnancy in terms of weeks, non-pregnant people measure in terms of months. 26 weeks on Tuesday.

i heart mutts

bed rest

So, right after I wrote that last post, I had my regular prenatal checkup with my doctor. All was going well, but then I mentioned this discharge (TMI) I'd experienced on Tues and again on Thurs. She assured me that it was probably nothing, but decided to do a test just to put our minds at ease. She said, if it comes back negative (and of course, it will), it's extremely unlikely that you'll go into labor in the next two weeks. But if it comes back positive, your plans for the weekend will change radically (there's a 13% chance of preterm labor).

As it so happens, we had a big weekend planned. First, the Mr's new company was having its summer "retreat" at Skamania, starting Friday night. Then, we planned to skip out early to see Pink Martini at the Zoo on Saturday night. So, from the doctor appointment, we head out the gorge and mingle a bit at the retreat until the Mr's cell phone rings. It's another doctor in my doctor's practice. The test? Positive. She tells me to go to bed for the weekend and to call the office on Monday to schedule an ultrasound.

I freaked. I had very little data on what this meant. Did it mean bed rest until the baby is likely to thrive (32 weeks)? Did it mean preterm delivery was imminent? Yes, babies delivered at 25 weeks have a chance at survival, but not a very big one.

So, I spent the weekend in bed and on the couch, first in the hotel room, then home, getting progressively more freaked. Thinking about how much muscle mass I'll lose if I have to be bedridden for 7+ weeks. Thinking about how much we've already been through to get to this point. Thinking about all the people we've told about this pregnancy. Thinking about how I'll definitely lose my battle with depression if I can't exercise regularly.

Well, we just got back from the ultrasound. My cervix is long (very - the doc said it's the longest he's seen) and closed (no funnelling). The baby's fluid looks good and there's no indication of any kind of impending preterm labor.

I'm cleared for resuming regular activities and EXERCISE. Can I just say "whew!"?

water ex

When we first moved to Portland, I was addicted to water exercise. I was working from home, had gained a lot of weight, and needed to get out into the world. I don't know how I settled on water exercise - maybe the group class setting with body underwater.

Anyway, I did it two or three times a week, seeking out the harder teachers and the deep water class (with leg floaty things rather than the floatation belts). I don't think it helped much with weight management, but it did seem to keep my cardio fitness at an acceptable level. I think I stopped when I quit that work-at-home job (1999) and started bike-commuting downtown.

My recently no-longer-pregnant hairdresser strongly recommended that I take a prenatal yoga class - both for the relaxation and stretchy-bendyness, but also for the connection with other pregnant women. (And I have been feeling a little alone in this pregnancy business.) I've got a yoga class lined up (Saturday mornings, starting next week), but she also got me thinking about water exercise.

So, I decided to start it up again. I looked up the schedule at my old community pool and found two classes (M, W at 5:30pm). It means I have to drive to work on those days (oh, the shame!), because I'm not supposed to be cycling and it takes several bus transfers (translate: hours) to get there from here. But it's only for another couple of months.

I went to the first class on Wednesday and had a great time. I've been so BORED with the Elliptical, the stationary bike, even The Wave. (I've been skipping around, 15 minutes here, 10 minutes there for a total of 30 minutes/workout.) Those machines are just no fun unless you're going all-out, drenched with sweat and breathing hard. I can't really do all that and keep my HR under 140.

But the water exercise class was fun, even if the teacher wasn't all that inspired. I was able to get my HR up (not sure how far, I didn't wear my HRM and we never stopped to take our pulse), but I was breathing hard. Just being in the water, using the resistance to work my muscles, felt great. I imagine, as I get bigger and bigger, the support of the water will be a welcome relief from gravity.

new low

I've reached a new low in complicated drink ordering. My *bucks order this morning:
Grande
Nonfat
Extra hot
2 pump chocolate
No vanilla
No whip
Hot Chocolate

(The vanilla and additional 2 shots of chocolate make it just too sickly sweet for my palette right now.)