Comparing Pregnancies 2 – Workouts

I’ve been thinking a ton about my pregnancies since my first post comparing them, so here goes another!

Last time, I scoured the world for prenatal workouts that were challenging, but not crazy.  I had found a lot of lighter workouts and a lot of people trying to not change a thing from their normal workout routine, and I was in the middle…a big part of why I started this blog (and you can find some pregnancy-specific workouts here).  I liked a lot of them, and could do things like go to a lot of prenatal yoga, go to the pool alone to workout, etc, without another child!

So, take 2…by this time, I had a lot more experience as an exerciser, fitness motivator and group exercise instructor.  And I was teaching 3 (non-prenatal) classes a week.  So I knew that I would be doing my share of “regular” workouts.  When I found out I was pregnant, I was doing a workout program called Hammer and Chisel.  And I loved it.  And I was sharing about it.  And I didn’t want to tell the world I was pregnant yet!  So I kept it up.  I only needed to modify slightly (usually more because I’m clumsy and didn’t want to hurt the well protected baby than anything), and I started a new round after the first one was over, taking my time so I could also practice for my classes and not stress too much about sticking to schedule.

Then, I got tired.  Like super crazy, staring into space, falling asleep mid-sentence tired.  And I needed to streamline my mornings as much as possible.  So I decided to check out 22 Minute Hard Corps for the 22 minute factor, changing out some of the workouts to do Active Maternity workouts (available streaming – free 30 day trial here) on days where I just didn’t want to modify from the videos.

It was moving time next, and I needed no equipment workouts to get me through packing and unpacking.  So I went to the same program I had done while moving a year ago, Cize…dancing it up in my living room/gym/wherever was available.  This is also around when I stopped teaching.  It was getting harder to show moves, breathe, cue, etc, and with the move, I was going to be driving longer than the class to get there and back.

After that, I had about 10 weeks to go!  Closing in!  So I went nutty and decided to do T25 for those 10 weeks.  Again, for short workouts, and remembering that there was a modifier at all times.  The first 5 weeks were great…I modified the workouts, but could mostly stick to the modifications shown.  I replaced the ab days with Active Maternity or another prenatal workout, and it was all going great.  Until Beta, the name of the second 5 weeks.  It was just too much for me to modify, especially at 430 am!  Sometimes, that’s just too early for thinking!  So I moved on…with 30 days to go.

Now, I’m back to dancing, this time to Country music with Country Heat. Sometimes I even share videos of how that goes.  You know you want to watch the pregnant chick dance to music she doesn’t listen to!  I have about 2 weeks to the end of the schedule and the due date of this baby.  I may finish, I may not.

But I’m going to keep doing my best.

Next!

I finished up P90X3 (results later today or tomorrow!) and was having a tough time deciding what to do next.  I have fallen back in love with lifting weights, so I really wanted to continue with it.  A bit of good timing helped me along on my decision…the price was lowered on Body Beast, a lifting program that will add mass for men and definition for women.  I’ve been eyeing this forever, so it seemed to be the right time.

But I don’t have it yet!  Plus, I’m going away in 2 weeks and don’t want to pack dumbbells.  So I’m doing a full round of the 21 Day Fix with the workouts and nutrition.  Plus some extras because Body Beast workouts are longer than 30 min.  So I’m trying to see how extending my workout time goes.  It’s tough after a long time doing 30 minute workouts!  I’ve been so spoiled.

So I’m on day 2 of 21.  I forgot how much I loved these workouts!  They are quick, effective and led by Autumn Calabrese, who I find super motivating.  I always think how if she wants to tell me how to get her body, I’m going to listen…she is fit and healthy!

Now, I also have some time to collect equipment for Body Beast.  I will need a few heavier dumbbells as I have up to 25s, but want to have options up to 50.  I’d love to get these…aren’t they pretty? Other recommended equipment is something for pull ups, a bench or stability ball, and an EZ curl bar.  I hear you can do it without the bar though, so I’m going to skip it.  Everything else I have!

I’m excited for this new venture in weights.  And at home!

Want to hear the August Sales before I go?  T25 and 10 Minute Trainer Challenge Packs are on sale this month!  Both give effective, quick workouts!  Gotta love a time saver!  I did T25 last year and have worked a lot of the videos in since I completed it.  I always can find 25 minutes!

T25 Post baby

I get a lot of questions about this, so I’m going to get out my feelings about why T25 is great as a postpartum workout.  I think that a lot of this is also true for anyone, and that I’ve said some of it before.  But here it will be, all in one place!

• First and foremost, TIME!  What do you have little of when you’ve just had a child?  Would you rather be using the little time to sleep than to go to the gym, workout for an hour, drive home?  I don’t have time to get to/from the gym and workout, so working out at home has worked really well.  Plus this is just about 28 min with the cool down.  Yay!
• Second, and extremely important as well, effectiveness!  You’ll feel like you’ve had a longer workout with these.  There are no stops/breaks built in to these workouts.
• It’s very much adaptable for different levels.  Tania shows modifications and you can easily switch between following her and following others.  This is so important post baby since you will be getting back into things with a new body.  I didn’t start out with T25 (I did Turbo Fire first) but with both, the things I could handle doing, especially with jumping and abs, changed pretty fast.  I think it was a testament to the workouts as well how much I improved in ability!
• The food plan that comes with it (and the recipes) are super simple.  And a lot of them were foods my daughter would eat as well (I did T25 starting when she was about 8 months), so that was helpful!
• Not much equipment needed!  You just really NEED the resistance band that comes with it.  You can use weights also.  But none of the workouts have you dragging out a load of stuff to get started.  And then putting it all away if a baby wakes up 😉
• I did T25 right after Insanity.  I had a terrible time keeping my milk supply up during that but not during T25.

If there is something you are looking for answers about, comment!  I’m happy to answer any questions.

Warrior Mode!

In addition to my December Challenge, I’ve started doing Les Mills Combat.  It is so much fun!  Let me tell you a story…

I started working out at a gym.  I took a lot of classes, including some great kickboxing classes.  They were mostly combination based, not a lot of drills, some used light bags and all were fun.  When I left the gym to work out at home (like now, I had little time to workout and getting to/from the gym was time I could use elsewhere), I found Turbo Jam.  It was also a lot of fun, but different.  The classes had been more fight based and more technical – not that form wasn’t important in both, but the moves were more traditional.  Turbo Jam was dancey and happy.  I looked forward to my workouts and found something I loved.

Now years later, I am working out at home mostly again.  I moved on to Turbo Fire, became a certified Turbo Kick instructor and still adore the workouts.  But!  I tried Combat.  It’s terrific.  So much like the workouts I used to do.  They make me feel strong and like I can take on anything.  I still haven’t made it through all of the workouts (just finished week 2 – I’m doing the Ultimate Warrior schedule) but it’s been fun.  I’m so glad I tried it.  You never know how much you’ll like something until you try!  I didn’t even realize how much I missed my old workouts.

There is still plenty of room for my Turbo workouts.  They are different, not better or worse.  Sometimes, I have too many fun workouts to choose from!  This is one of the reasons I like to use a schedule – without one I wouldn’t be able to choose between all of my favorites!

So…do you want to see a workout by workout review of Combat like I did for T25?  Let me know!

T25 Wrap Up

Finally!  So, my T25 results pictures do not show the whole story, but here they are.

So, like for my other post baby results so far, I worried the whole time about supply.  I’m not sure if I had known better from Insanity what I needed to eat, etc or what, but I struggled less with supply during T25.  I lost 3 lbs and 1 inch.  I don’t see the results very well.

But!  I feel great.  I felt stronger at the end.  I was able to do more in the workouts.  I modified almost nothing.  And the workouts were so quick and surprisingly fun.  I can’t wait to do it again and be able to see the results everyone else has seen!  But breastfeeding comes before weight loss for me.

My post baby weight loss is taking some time.  But I’ll get there!  I knew I’d be one of those who doesn’t lose while breastfeeding 🙂   Just the way it goes.  Some days it’s hard to deal with, but I know I’m doing what’s best for us.  I have plenty of time!

Catching Up

Hi, I’m still here!  I feel like I do this post too often.  I apologize.  I want to do better but I know that isn’t meaningful.

One thing of note is that I try not to post fluff.  I don’t want to come here and say things just to say things!  Sometimes, I just don’t have much going on.  But today I do, so here you go!

We had a 3-day weekend!  Daycare was closed yesterday, my husband had off because that’s his schedule, and I took off.  Three days was lovely!  Even if I have a cranky teether all the time.

Friday was my last day of T25, so I took the weekend off of concentrated exercise.  We walked, did yoga and walked some more, but I didn’t put in a video, change into workout clothes (though my usual clothes are pretty close!) or pull out weights or a map.

I took my T25 after photos, but need to take measurements (yesterday) today, so I’ll post after that.  I will put up its own post, but I am happy with how it went and look forward to doing the program again….possibly with gamma too once I am in losing mode.

We had a little playdate that was fun.  I don’t get to see her play with the babies at daycare much…once I’m there, it’s time to hang with me!  It was a good time and we went home with some great new (to us) stuff!  Thank you again!

We started planning somebody’s birthday party too.  One month to go!   I can’t believe it has gone so fast.  It has been a crazy fun ride these 11 months!

I also got my next few challenge/accountability groups planned out.  I’m excited to be doing a Shakeology challenge next.  I haven’t done one since the beginning of the year.  I love sharing Shakeology with others because it makes me feel great.  If you’d like more info about that, comment or email me!

 

T25 Dynamic Core

The last of the T25 Beta phase workouts!  Dynamic Core is an ab workout with a slight cardio component.  The first half is standing.  I love standing ab work!  I feel like it really helps to teach you how you can work the abs better (and support your body better!) in daily life.

Then we move to the floor.  Most of it is difficult but doable…then you get to bicycles and v holds.  Oof!  It is the only time I remember seeing the people in the video struggling!  It is tough. But then it ends.  And you can modify or take a moment if needed, but if you pause always come back to try again!

The last move is a plank walk to squat pyramid (so plank walk, squat, plank walk, up to squat, to plank, to squat…increasing squats for each plank walk) and is a great end to the workout.  You’ll be counting down the seconds!

This uses a mat.  There is a little part that I have trouble with while down on the mat…there’s a sequence of side planks with other moves in as well.  You do a side plank, switch to something else, then go back to a side plank with toe taps forward and back, then more moves, THEN switch to the other side.  I’m always setting myself up wrong.  Not sure if that will help anyone!

What’s your favorite core workout?

T25 Rip’t Circuit

Our next T25 workout is Rip’t Circuit.  This one seems easier to me than Total Body Circuit from the alpha round, probably because of the weights.  I find that body weight exercises are more difficult for me than using weights.  You can’t adjust body weight!

The workout goes cardio, upper, lower, abs…repeat for 25 minutes.  You get an all over workout nice and quick.  It is quick paced, so be ready to move through the movements and not really take time switching…remember we are go go going in Focus T25.

Some non-cardio moves also raise the heart rate.  So you do get a good calorie burn, though it is lower than the cardio specific workouts.  There are a good amount of push ups, so I guess be warned!

The workout uses weights and a mat.  Not a Rip’t Circuit specific comment, but the T25 workouts don’t use much more space than 2 mats would.  Here’s a picture of the space I use (weights not pictured!)

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I like this workout, but don’t have much to say about it.  If you have questions, ask away!

T25 Speed 2.0

Going on to the next T25 workout, we have Speed 2.0.  This is not your alpha round Speed program!  Speed 1.0 alternated cardio and stretching.  Speed 2.0 is all cardio for the 25 minutes.

So let’s talk about the format.  We start out with round 1, level 1 – cardio drills, all in a row with no rest.  Then, we repeat for level 2 and 3 of round 1 with the time of each drill getting shorter.  Then it’s round 2, same thing.  Then with under 8 minutes left, there’s a jog recovery period.  Yup…you are going going going the whole time until then.  No time to even think about it…the time flies!  Next, we take it from the top…round 1 and round 2 done two times in a row.  Followed by another jog recovery.

Then you think I surely couldn’t do another round with the time we have left.  You’re wrong!  One more time on super speed, with the drills only lasting a few moments.  Ending on a jog recovery.

I’m not going to lie…I like it.  You may think I’m crazy, but it is a great workout and goes by in a flash.  This is one of those workouts that I will do for years to come.  I think it would be great for a holiday where you’re pressed for time but need that calorie burn.

T25 Upper Focus

We move on to T25 Upper Focus in our T25 Beta phase workout.  This requires weights or bands and a mat.  A resistance band is included with the workout program, and works well.  I prefer to use weights because it’s easier set up (just pick them up!) but bands are easier to adjust the resistance.  There is one person using bands in the video, so he will show you how to set it up.

One thing about using weights with this video – they use one set of weights each and there isn’t time built in to switch between exercises.  I end up using 8 lb weights though I could probably go higher on most exercises.  I’m going to put out 10s next time and try to switch for the front raises and any other exercises if needed.

The workout alternates segments of upper body exercises with cardio recovery.  I usually am pretty happy to get to the recovery!  There are all sorts of upper body exercises.  Most people will find that the body weight exercises are the hardest – push ups, tricep dips, hip ups – are the most difficult, especially when they’re at the end of a tough workout!  But it is doable…nothing too crazy.  And no burnout round!

I really like this workout and was excited to be using weights again after Insanity and T25 Alpha phase.  Rip’t Circuit uses them as well, but that will be later this week.