I can do jumping jacks?!

Today I decided to keep it inside and do something OnDemand. I did Elle's Bikini Revolution Workout 1. I did the whole thing! I only had to modify two moves. The one where you hop down into plank, hop up and jump. I did it at half time. And then "mountain climbers" where again in plank position you're supposed to bring your knees to your chest rapidly. I just brought my knees in as far as I comfortably could, at about half time.
But jumping rope and jumping jacks? Fine! This is surprising to me because back in my first trimester, I was doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and I felt "off" doing any jumping moves and after one workout, I actually spotted, I'm guessing from the moves irritating my cervix. I don't know how having a 5+ pound baby in there is better, lol, but I did the moves with no discomfort!
Oh, and I got out yesterday morning early enough to run comfortably. My new plug for the high waist shaper is to say it makes running in month 8 feel like running in month 5 :D
Last, here I am, 34wks in my Brazilian cut bikini that I wouldn't even put on last year! Exercise does the body good ;)

Why is it so easy?

I've been thinking about why it's so much easier for me to make healthful choices while I'm pregnant than when I'm not. I don't think it's just because my choices affect the baby, though that's the most obvious. I've concluded it's the lack of restriction. I feel like I can eat however much I want. So if after eating all the stuff that's nutritionally required, I still feel like some candy or ice cream, cool. Where as non-pregnant, I focus more on weight loss/maintenance and the idea that a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. So do I want an egg sandwich for breakfast or an caloric-ly equal portion of brownies? For non-pregnant me, brownies would frequently win. But pregnant me is realizing that when I eat healthfully, the cravings for the nutritionally void are not only fewer, but less intense.
And because it's fun, here's a side by side comparison of yesterday, 31w3d, and five weeks ago, 26w3d. It was actually kind of comforting to be able to see a difference because although it certainly feels like Baby B is bigger and stronger, sometimes it seems like my belly isn't getting any bigger. It is! And could I possibly carry any lower? :)


ETA: A friend wanted to see a pic from my last pregnancy. Here I am at 31w4d with my daughter. It's cleverly cropped because I didn't like seeing my big ol' butt, but I can still see in my face the fact that I'm about 20lbs heavier than I am now!

Bikini Season

It was nice and warm this weekend, and not windy! So out came the bikini.
I've learned recently that pregnant women in bikinis make some people uncomfortable. Probably the same people who think that women who nurse should stay home or go to a bathroom. Luckily, I have yet to meet any of the people with these odd hang-ups, or if I have, they were smart enough not to say anything to me about it. :)
Anyway, I've worked pretty hard to stay in good enough shape that I feel fine baring my belly to the sun! I already loved my belly, but it had the same winter pallor as the rest of me and a little tan does wonders! Do slather on sunscreen though because while most skin tans, stretchmarks do not. No thank you zebra skin LOL.
To any pregnant woman that has not used a pool, find one ASAP. It was just getting warm when I was due with my daughter, and I was so big and out of shape that no one could convince me to put on a swim suit, let alone get in a pool. But today I got in the pool and it was... awesome. Awesome is the only fitting word. I don't feel like my belly is particularly heavy, but the sensation of weightlessness felt great. I did variations of the leg slimmer Pilates moves with absolutely NO pubic bone or round ligament pain. And while I didn't want to get my hair wet, I spent some time just kicking and got my heart rate up a little without getting hot.
Ideally, I like running when it's in the upper 50's or in the 60's, then I just start to feel too hot. Now I know to just get in the pool if I couldn't get a run in in the morning! I'm going to look up other workouts to do in the water.




Side note, I notice that since I've quit the long runs, my quads are losing definition. My "generous" thighs need all the muscle definition they can get, but I apparently put too much emphasis on the hamstrings and butt and need to pay more attention to my quads. Hopefully I'll find some exercises I can do in the pool LOL

New Goals!

Now that I've completed the half, I've reevaluated my goals. I want to continue to focus on proper nutrition so that I can make the most of the inevitable weight gain and hopefully keep it to 1lb/wk. I took measurements of hips and thighs and I will endeavor to keep them where they are for the duration of this pregnancy. I'm secretly hoping that my thighs might even shrink from more frequent strength training, since I hardly did any the last several weeks (long runs kind of sucked when my glutes and legs were sore from lunges and squats). But, I'll settle for just firmer so that I can strut in my bikini, belly all out!
So to that end, I found a workout OnDemand, Bootylicious Buns 2. There was the jumps that obviously had to be modified (i just popped up on my tip toes rather than actually jumping). But then I was surprised that an inverted kick hurt! You start in side plank position and kick the top leg out. If my ligaments could shout expletives, they surely would've. So I just stayed on the floor rather than getting in the plank position. I felt the burn, so whatever!
Also yesterday I took Emberly to Sees (read: she picked out a piece of candy and I picked out 5 or 6 LOL), and this lady said she needed to get out of there. Because I'm pregnant and I look better than her. I took it as a compliment, as she probably meant it, but then I was thinking, well, what the hell, am I supposed to look fat and frumpy!? I'm glad to be kicking the stereotypes of what pregnancy has to be in the butt!

The chiropractor worked wonderfully. He adjusted my back and did some weird thing to the ligament that stretches from my sacrum to my hip because it was over-firing. That's the area that was bothering me most.
So, that Saturday I was visiting my mom and had an opportunity to run outdoors. I ran 10mi and it felt great. My main motivation being the breakfast pizza from Sacramento's Buffalo Pizza that I would indulge in later than morning! My hip was stiff that day, but by Sunday, I was all good.
This last Saturday I ran 9mi on the treadmill and had no hip pain at all. Though my abs/round ligaments were sore the rest of the day. To be expected.
I had my anatomy scan and everything looked wonderful. I even got a 3d pic of baby's face and s/he looks like my daughter. Can't wait to meet Baby B!
My race is in a week and a half. Unfortunately, my dear husband misunderstood the return/exchange policy for NikeID shoes so I will not be getting my Christmas present shoes before the event. So I headed over to Finish Line and got new inserts for my good ole New Balances.
H&M being next door, of course I had to go in. And of course they had cute bikini's, cheaper than what they have at Target. I got one. I had no interest in putting on a bathing suit last pregnancy. I'm excited to keep exercising, growing a mean, lean baby and feeling sexy all the while!