BIG News on the blog today…..

I think you can already tell by the featured picture but just in case you are not as “quick” as the average guy or gal, I will just spit it out. Our family is growing by two more feet! Ben, myself, Jackson and Julian are proud to announce we are expecting another bundle of joy this upcoming October (October 22^nd to be exact). We are very excited and freaking out at the same time. If our lives could not get any busier?!?! But then again, we love our chaos, who are we kidding? My husband and I kid and say we would have 10 babies if we had the money (and time and energy of course). Honestly, as much as your kids can drive you up the wall, there is that one time where they do something cute and it is that redeemable  moment that makes you so happy you have them in your lives. I love being a parent for so many reasons. It is the most thankless and difficult job ever, but certainly the most rewarding and I would not change it for the world.

We were waiting to tell the world after we told my parents. For Ben’s parents we told them over skype and it was great to see their reaction. For my parents who are technically challenged and rightfully so since they are 78 and 75 years old, I wanted to wait to tell them in person this past week when we were on vacation visiting them. The reason I wanted to do that was because this was the first time we could do that. With both Jackson and Julian, we were forced to tell my parents over the phone since the Army has sent us to so many different states since we both graduated college.  We had a lot of fun telling them in person and seeing their reactions.  I am so relived that the cat is out of the bag. I have been walking around with this secret for last three months and now I feel like fifty pounds have been lifted off my shoulders.

Now a lot of people have been asking me if I will continue to do CrossFit while Preggo. I also get a lot of questions and receive the Spanish Inquisition if I will also continue to eat Paleo during this pregnancy. And my answers to both questions are why would I not? I am going to keep doing what I did for the last year and take day by day. Now of course I may “cheat” a little more and justify it because the “baby wanted the ice cream,” but I don’t see an issue with that. Right?!?! Life after turning Paleo has been a Godsend. I have more energy, I feel more satisfied with my food choices and I love the food I am eating. I do not miss the rice, cereals and breads one bit so why would I go back to eating processed foods and whole grains?

As for working out, the only thing I am finding a little troublesome adapting to post- preggo is CrossFit. For my first two pregnancies, I ran. I ran basically until the very last month with both boys. When I ran, though, I never was competing with anyone but myself. I always kid when I said this, but it was true. When I ran no matter if I was training for a marathon or my 2 mile test in the Army, I only have one speed.  I just kept running and the bigger I got the slower I got and I was ok with that. I used to say I was “wogging,” jogging so slow I could walk. But either way I was never frustrated with my pace because all that mattered was the fact that I was out there and moving and that what was important to me. Now with CrossFit, it is so hard to “slow down.” For those of you who have done CrossFit, how many of you have ever done a workout that you can talk in the middle of it? None, right?!?!? How am I supposed to keep my heart rate low enough to talk during any CrossFit WOD? That just goes against its manifesto. But don’t worry, all jokes aside, I am listening to my body and taking it day by day. Having that said, it is still frustrating because I was in the best shape of my life before I got pregnant and I can tell my strength is already deteriorating, but I have to remember I have a bigger plan, I am growing a beautiful baby and that is what I have to focus on for the next 9 months. After October, the gym is mine. That Muscle up is mine!

This is a woman back squatting at 30 weeks pregnant. I know you all think she is crazy, but I think she is inspiring

Soooooo having all that said, I am very excited about the future of OurFullPlate because I will be posting more about CrossFit modifications that you can do when you are preggo and certainly when the time comes I will be posting more homemade baby food recipes. I loved making my boys their own baby food. I know a lot of people think I am crazy, but I am here to tell you making your own baby food is cheaper and healthier and it really does not take a lot more time if you plan ahead. I am so looking forward to the future of this blog and I hope you all will stick around too to see it.

With that, my wonderful friend, blogger and NEW Mama Camille used to post her CrossFit updates on her blog and I hope to do the same as I progress during my pregnancy. She has a cute blog and has lots of crafty DIY ideas that she has found on Pinterest in addition to some yummy recipes. Be sure to check her blog out.

First Trimester:

• I felt very weak and tired (no morning sickness thank goodness) just pure exhaustion so I lowered the weight/intensity a bit but honestly the days that I went to CrossFit and completed a WOD, I felt more energy than the days I skipped so I stuck through it.
• I continued to do all movements and exercises as prescribed.
• I took some breaks to keep heart rate from getting too high but other than that I was able to stick to my normal routine.

Second Trimester (so far) at 16 weeks:

• burpees – still do them, just much more controlled
• box jumps – still doing them, may step down if I get tired but I am still trying to do a controlled slow jump if that makes sense
• broad jumps – still doing them, just more controlled
• deadlifts – still doing them, scaled back on weight. I did 145 lbs the other day
• double unders – still do them, just doing them slower
• farmer carry – still doing them RX for now
• front squat – had an unintentional PR the other day 135 lbs but don’t worry I am not pushing myself
• goblet squats – still do them RX for now
• handstand pushups – I did them assisted the other day with 2 abmat situps, but I am thinking I should not do anything upside down from here on in so next time I will do seated dumbell push press
• kettle bell Swings – still doing the kettle bell swings RX, 35 to 45lbs.
• lunges – still feel good and doing them
• overhead squats – still do them RX depending on the workout weight will vary 65 to 75 lbs
• power clean – still doing them although at 14 weeks we did a crazy hang clean workout and I could tell my little belly was “starting to get in the way”
• pullups – I used to be able to do about 5-10 kipping pullups at one time. Now I can tell my strength is getting weaker but I can still do a few at a time. I will still continue to do pull up WODs as prescribed it just might take me longer. No need for bands yet. The other day I did 75 in one workout.
• push press/shoulder press – still do
• pushups – I still do hand release or regular military push ups, I just try to be more controlled on the way down
• ring dips – I was doing a few on my own, scaled to bar dips. No band needed YET but it is coming
• row – still do
• run – still do
• situps – was doing situps until recently. I stopped using the GHD machine and now I do knees to elbows. Another scale can be russian twists
• snatches – still doing them for now, about 65-75lbs
• sumo deadlift high pull – still doing them, scale eventually will be to use a kettlebell
• supermans – still do them
• toes to bar – still doing them although I loathe them, they ruin my hands more than pull ups
• wall balls – still do them as prescribed, anywhere from 14-18lbs as prescribed

Dictionary: RX in the CrossFit world means you do an exercise as “prescribed” meaning the weight that the coach picks for that day. WOD is “workout of the day.”

Goals for CrossFitting preggo is to relax of course and not push myself. As I type that I know it will be easier said than done. I still want to work up a sweat.  I  know many of you will think I am crazy and will post 100 negative comments about how I don’t care about my baby, but I will say I still hope to do at least ONE pull up without bands at 9 months preggo AND still do weighted exercises (just not that much weight).

Right before I got pregnant, showing off my ripped open bleeding calluses as I did 90 Pull Ups for a WOD

Doing overhead squats at 3 months preggo

Mini Murph at 4 months preggo (75 pull ups, 150 push ups, 225 squats and 1 mile run)

Ok no more CrossFit talking. We should find out the sex of the baby in June. All we want is a healthy Cross baby, but of course we would not be bummed if we got that girl! What do you think? Am I destined to be a mom of 3 boys?