Girls Just Want To Have Fun!

It has been a nice weekend. Relaxing. Yet I am still tired. Someday I will quit complaining, or at least complain about something else. I went shopping with best bud yesterday and we swam with the girls. Trying to teach them that they can float on noodles. So cute!! Want to know what is not cute? When someone poops in a swim diaper. This is our 3rd summer of swimming and the 1st poop. Yuck! That is when it is nice to hand them over to mom.

Today hubby and I went to the store I hate most - Babies R Us (I tend to be there when lots of unhappy, screaming children are present). We are in the process of working on baby girl's room so we went to buy 1 piece of the bedroom set to see what color of paint to go with. I am still undecided. We bought the window valance and hung it. It has been SO WEIRD all day passing that room and seeing that in there. That is actually going to be a little person's room. My little person. I am still amazed. I am not a super girly person so here is what we are going with.

We both like it. It has awesome textures for the baby touch. Man she is moving around so much right now. It is like she knows I am typing about her. This is way easier to pick than a name. Man, I want to make a huge list to consider but I am at 3 names. Lots of names just turn me off. Maybe I have too many years of teaching already. Some names, you never want to hear again.

Got to workout, swim, read and nap today. But I have also seen quite a few episodes of Man vs. Food on the Travel network. If you want to feel like you have an uber healthy diet (even if somethings are questionable) just watch what this dude has been eating. I do love this show! What a great weekend! Hope you are enjoying yours.

Weekly Recap

Just to review, here were my goals for the week (from what I remember):

1. Drink lots of water and take my vitamins everyday - ACCOMPLISHED
2. Eat 2000 healthy calories each day - SOMEWHAT ACCOMPLISHED (I am pretty sure I ate over this, but not by too much and it was pretty darn healthy)
3. 40 push-ups everyday - ACCOMPLISHED
4. Walk the dogs 1.2 miles everyday - ACCOMPLISHED
5. 5 days of 1 hour cardio sessions - ACCOMPLISHED (all water aerobics)
6. 3 days with weight training - FAILED (I did bodypump once)

I also managed lots of sleep/rest and a few days at the water parks (hello stair workout).

Where is the extra energy I am supposed to get in the 2nd trimester? I slept like 12 hours (minus the 4 restroom breaks) last night (I would not let myself take a nap yesterday). When I woke up this morning I was still a little tired but I did my push-ups and walked the dogs. Then I made a decision. I wanted to try a cardio workout on land. My foot has felt better this week (from the water aerobics I bet). So I decided to try turbo kickboxing. I was disappointed when I showed up and my favorite instructor was on vacation but I made a decision and stuck to it. I was early so I did 10 minutes on a bike (not as bad as I remember) and then completed the entire hour of turbo. My foot did not hurt but I came home and iced it anyway. I was proud of finishing but man as this baby gets bigger, exercising is more difficult. After that I was ready to come home and sleep again. I think I could nap for hours. Again I ask, where is my energy? Exercise, rest and healthy eats should equal energy. I guess someone needs to explain that to my body.

I think for next week I will keep the same goals but with weight training twice a week. For two reasons. #1 - double workout days are SUPER exhausting anymore and #2 - water aerobics does lots with water weights and toning.

Any suggestions for more energy? They have to be safe ones for the baby too (i.e. no Monster Energy drinks).

My New Workout

So I have been working hard trying to minimize my weight gain this week. I am keeping true to my plan. I have been faithfully taking my water aerobics classes. These are are a pretty good workout for where I am right now. I cannot feel my extra 22 pounds, I cannot feel any pain in my foot. I can however feel my daughter. She is not light and buoyant like my fat and muscle tissue. She feels like a brick in my belly. I am okay with it until I got in the pool the other day and I was told it was "Tummy Toning Tuesday". After so much ab work (but with cardio) I start to cramp and get strained.

I tend to stick out like a sore thumb in these classes. I am about 30 to 40 years younger than the rest of the class. I look to be in decent shape. I am the only one whose skin has seen the sun this decade. I do not have super short hair or wear a swim cap. When the instructor tells us to jump, half of my body comes out of the water (most others do not hardly at all). No one can figure out why I am there. It is kind of fun.


There are at least 6 lifeguards on duty (there is our class, swim lessons, lap swimming, etc all going on at the same time). They are young. Men and women. I see them watching me. They want to know. The instructors are older too. They tilt their heads to the side while introducing themselves. The other people in class say things like "how long have you been coming to classes?" Everyone wants to ask but no one does. I feel like I am invading their territory. But I am okay with that. Oh, I do not tell them why I am there. I just say I started when school got out. I am wearing old one-piece bathing suits (maternity ones do not stay in place well with vigorous movement) so I just look fat, not pregnant. I am wondering if anyone will ever have the nerve to ask if I am pregnant. Older folks tend to be more tactful than that (most, not the rude ones who are related to you and feel free to say anything they want). It is like a game for me. I want to see how long until they figure it out.

I did alot of working out today. I am so tired that I think I will go to bed. Dirty dishes in the sink. Laundry still in the washer AND dryer. Makes me feel lazy. Yet I feel I deserve it. I did my push-ups, walked the dogs, took the power water aerobics class and (after a nap) took a body pump class. Exhausting. Growing this baby takes a lot of energy!

I also ate healthy - all day! For dinner I made fettuccine alfredo. I could not find the noodles I wanted to try but I made the sauce with fresh noodles. THIS WAS AWESOME!!! It is a low-fat mock sauce. I got the idea from Hungry Girl. It has light laughing cow cheese and light sour cream and reduced-fat parmesan cheese. KILLER AWESOME!!! In fact my hubby is in there eating it now telling me it is great! I did not have any cooked chicken but I did have broccoli. I must have veggies. I cannot believe that he is eating something without meat (and he can see something green in it).

Hope you all are having a super, duper week!

Summer is Here!!!

What do teachers do when summer begins?

Take children to water parks, of course!

Do I have any children of my own? Nope. Working on one but none currently available. I spent yesterday with best bud, her kids and her nephews (and their folks) at Great Wolf Lodge. A long yet awesomely fun day.

Today I picked up my favorite student ever. And yes, teachers do have a favorite of all time. If they say they do not, 85% of the time they are lying. I had not seen her in a long time because her mom has moved her around so much. I had her in kindergarten and 1st grade. She has been through more in her short life than I ever will. We went through some hard times (when her parents divorced, she was very angry and she took it out on me at school - understandable as I am pretty safe).

I took her to Hawaiian Falls - an all outdoor waterpark. So fun! She is lovely and brilliant and just really learning to swim so she swims like a spaz (hilarious!). Here we are (before getting all drenched and sunburned). Isn't she super cute?!? Ignore my super not cute maternity suit.

This is the only slide I could not really go down because I can no longer lay on my tummy.
But Catherin sure loved it!

My eating yesterday was crappy (but it tasted good). Today was much better but not perfect. I did do my water aerobics, walking the dogs and push-ups. The result? After 5+ hours at the waterpark (and climbing all those stairs over 25 times), my legs were like jell-o. Sore and tired. Ready for bed. Tomorrow, lunch with fellow teacher friends (and probably more swimming).

Oh, and I can feel the baby like everyday now. Nothing big but when I sit really still I can feel her like twist around (at least that is what it seems like she is doing).

Oh summer is sooooo sweet!!!

Pregnancy - Half Way - Camp Day 1

Pregnancy Camp - Day 1

Some of you have requested baby bump pictures. You are right, I should post some. I complain enough about it. You should see it. People can tell. Strangers ask when I am due. Yesterday at work (maybe because it was the last day) people were touching it like they would never see it again.

The true baby bump view.

Last night I did not go to bed until 11. That is a record for me lately. I slept until 7 (minus a few bathroom breaks). Once I was up, I did my push-ups and walked the dogs. I grabbed a bite to eat while I iced my foot and then, I was off. Off to my new aerobic class. Aqua Fitness. Oh yes, elderly men with hairy backs (I still find them super cute), I was about 20 years younger than everybody else. But man that was a great full-body workout. I went balls-to-the-wall. I did it as hard and well as I could. Those older folks are bad-ass.

I could not feel my extra 22 pounds (bonus) but I jumped around for a solid 30 minutes (the full hour class, I never stopped moving, not even for a minute) and I could feel my hard uterus and baby. Weird feeling. Nothing hurt, just odd. My foot did well. If I can stick with this I will have super toned arms and legs (maybe with less dimples? fingers crossed).

Half way through class, a young middle-eastern girl who look familiar got in the pool. She talked to me about the ab work, we laughed. We were both new. Turns out she is the belly dancing instructor from my other gyms. She is going to start teaching one of these water aerobic classes. She is so nice, I may have to take her class too. I hope her class is hard core.

Man this cardio felt awesome!!! It was like high-impact but without the pain. I missed that feeling. The only thing is my maternity suits are a little big. They do not stay in place too well. I will have to work on that. I just love working out.

After that I came home, had a healthy lunch followed by a 3 hour nap (this was a long time coming!!). Woke up and put on another suit and got in my pool. Floated around for a while and then best bud and the twins came over. They are so fun!!! They are getting good at learning to kick their legs. Pretty impressive for 2 year-olds. They are also getting better at getting dunked under the water (one likes it, one does not but they are still getting better).

Then we ate pizza for dinner. Super delicious veggie pizza but still pizza. So I am sure I went way over calories today but up until dinner I did awesome. I also got in lots of water, the vitamins, skim milk, fresh fruit and veggies. Maybe I can be more strict starting Monday when hubby is not around saying "we could order pizza" or "do you want ice cream?" This is so not like him. We NEVER order pizza and he hates to leave the house. I think he just wants to drive around in his jeep. So we will probably get ice cream. Especially since he fell getting out of the pool today. How embarrassing. Better him than me. But then again I was not the one drinking all day.

Hope you have a great weekend! My life is now one big weekend!!! HOORAY!!!

Pregnancy Camp...time to begin

Today was the day. I turned in my keys (woohoo for no more school!!). I drove to the YMCA and joined yet another gym. I picked up the water aerobics schedule. I then went home to lounge in my pool with my husband (I had to celebrate). After that, I went out and bought another prego swimsuit. I will need a few. God bless Target for a maternity swimsuit section (and decent prices).

The alarm is set. I begin in the morning. I have not done water aerobics in 4 years. Summer of 2006 best bud and I used to go to classes. I wonder if it will be the same. It does not matter. I am in need of cardio....bad.

I am working on the pregnancy camp plan. Remember this is in place of fat camp. I think I will go with the following goals:

1. consume 2000 healthy calories daily (lately this has not happened consistently).
2. continue to walk the dogs at least 1.2 miles daily (foot issue, not heat or laziness related).
3. continue daily vitamin and water consumption (this is one thing I have always been excellent at).
4. continue daily push-ups (40 but they are now modified and done on the wall as my center of gravity has really changed).
5. Five, hour long cardio sessions per week (right now I am hoping for them to be water aerobics since I have the foot issue and I hate cycling but time will tell).
6. Three weight training sessions per week (maybe more). Bodypump classes or pregnancy video. I do not care which, at this point I am not all hard-core like I was the first trimester.
7. Nap whenever I feel like it and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep per night.

Any other suggestions? Am I missing anything? Will it be enough to slow down the weight gain and stay healthy? I guess time will tell.

I just pray my foot goes back to normal after this baby comes and I can get back to some high-impact, heavy-duty, calorie burning cardio. I am sure it will be worth it but it is hard to imagine in a few months I will have an actual little baby. If I really think about what is going on inside my body, I kind of freak myself out. I think pregnancy for everyone goes fast, except for the person who is actually pregnant. Mentally it is harder than I thought it would be. Mostly because I lost all that weight prior to pregnancy. It is a daily struggle to lose the control I had. Kudos to all of you moms. You have made it through and you look pretty damn good now so I know it is possible for me too. And some of you who have had multiples (best bud) and many more babies and look fabulous. I know you worked hard, I am willing. Now, if my body would just cooperate.

Exhaustion

Exhaustion has taken over my body. Probably due to the baby. Man, about 6:30 or 7 I just want to crash (and have). It was a long, fun weekend but I survived.

Update on old friend - well she does not seem psycho. In fact, she seemed a lot like she did in the old days. We talked tons, no awkward silences. Our husbands got along well. Her baby is pretty perfect. Makes me jealous. I just keep thinking about the law of averages. The more people I meet with awesome kids (i.e. old friend and best bud) the more likely (it seems) my chances are of having a spaz for a child. Anywho, I met old friend at her hotel Saturday thinking we would spend a couple of hours together. We did - like 8. She came over on Sunday and it was about the same. We also had fun posting really old, bad pics of friends on facebook. She was very sweet and got my baby a gift - her kids favorite toys. Very thoughtful. I must say that there was no alcohol involved this weekend so that is probably why things went so well.

Then Monday best bud and family came over so I got to spend the day chillin' with those I love most. So fun. The girls (2 now) loved the pool. Yay because that is where I plan on spending my summer.

It is also the last week of school which is super crazy busy. We had splash day which meant water slides. Huge, inflatable water slides. Like 30 foot tall, inflatable water slides. There were also dry ones which were not as fun because it was so hot. But my large student (the one who love hot pockets) could not climb the ladder so I did it to show her how. Man, I shimmied right up that thing and it was a complete vertical climb.

I have gained about 22 pounds with this pregnancy so far. Way too much, I know. I have been depressed about this. I have for sure eaten too much and my foot is out of whack so I have not been doing my high-impact aerobics. In fact, the past week I have been so busy and tired I have not done much of anything. Once school is out (this weekend) I am joining another gym. I am going back to the YMCA (along with my other memberships) so I can do water aerobics. I need something BAD. I need daily cardio and a class with others that push me. I am competitive like that so the old folk in class better watch out!

Despite my recent, heavy gain and being 5 months prego, I shimmied up those water slides and went flying to the bottom. SO MUCH FUN!! I had to do it more than once (sorry kids). I was so proud and happy because when I was heavy I know I could not have done it. I know this because I tried to help a student a few years ago and could not get up the 8 foot, 45 degree angle ladder. It felt so good that I could still reap some benefits of my weight loss.

Remember last summer how I put myself through a self-imposed fat camp? Well this year it will be pregnancy camp. It will involve a lot of water aerobics, some weight training and lots of naps. I would just like to stop gaining for a little while and get some energy back.

Hope you all share your summer workout plans. I need your inspiration! Enjoy your week. The weekend is right around the corner.