Warrior Fitness World

Be Careful of Your Attitude Towards Your Health

Fri, 29 May 2009 17:20:31 -0500

A few years ago a co-worker of mine (I'll call him Ed) would come to work almost every day with hamburgers, large fries and a large soda. Ed was overweight and would sweat profusely all the time. He always looked tired and worn out. Ed worked second shift so when he got to work, he'd eat before the shift started. If Ed wasn't eating hamburgers and fries, it was some other sort of junk food. Ed didn't eat a normal portion; it was always a large portion.

One day I told Ed, "If you keep eating like that you are asking for trouble!” Ed made the statement, "You have to go sooner or later so I'm not worried about it!”

Manage Your Health with the Free Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 23:12:25 -0500

Mayo Clinic and Microsoft Corp. today announced the launch of Mayo Clinic Health Manager, a privacy- and security-enhanced online application that provides people with a place to store medical information and receive individualized health guidance and recommendations based on the clinical expertise of Mayo Clinic.

He's Here!

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:01:00 -0500

As I’m sure everyone has figured out by now, I’ve had my baby boy. His due date was March 6th, but he didn’t arrive until March 11th, 2009.

I had a doctor appointment on Tuesday, March 10th to get an ultrasound and see how he was doing, since he was officially “overdue” at that point. I had lost 2 pounds and was dilated 4-5 cm. I was happy to know that I got so far without pain. The ultrasound showed that Baby was doing fine, and that he was “just about” 8 pounds.

Since he was constantly getting bigger, his amniotic fluid was getting lower.

40 Weeks Pregnant

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 19:12:58 -0500

As of today, I am 40 weeks pregnant – today is Baby’s due date! My Braxton-Hicks contractions have been coming more frequently. At one point, they were coming every 10 minutes for just over an hour, but they eventually stopped after I went to bed. For the last couple of days, they have been just as irregular as before.

I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday, and there were slight changes from last week. I now weigh 148 pounds, I’m between 3 and 4 cm dilated, 75-80% effaced, and Baby’s head is at station -1 to 0. The midwives seem to think he may arrive this weekend.

39 Weeks Pregnant

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:01:22 -0500

As of yesterday, I am 39 weeks pregnant, and Baby Boy is officially uncomfortable to carry. I feel like all I do is eat, pee, sleep, and roll around. I have finally crossed the line where I am excited to meet my son and looking forward to no longer being pregnant.

One evening I was having more Braxton-Hicks contractions than usual. They weren’t in any pattern, but there sure were a lot of them. I remembered that 3 things I can do to see if they are the real deal or not is to empty the bladder, drink lots of water, and lie down. They didn’t stop until I went to bed, so I guess lying down helped in this case.

38 Weeks Pregnant

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 13:46:00 -0500

As of today, I am 38 weeks pregnant. Not much has changed, except that Baby Boy got bigger, as did my belly. I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday. My weight is now 145 pounds, and when the midwife did my fundal height measurement, she found that the baby dropped. She can tell because my measurements were going up each week, and this time it was smaller.

I usually measure right on with the number of weeks I am. This means that yesterday I would have ordinarily measured 38 centimeters, but instead I was only 36.5.

Popular Diets Compared Part 2: The Zone, Ornish Diet, Master Cleanse

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 21:47:11 -0500

The Zone Diet

Nutritional profile: 30% fat, 30% protein, 40% carbohydrates. This profile has more fat than I would generally recommend. Also, this is a low calorie diet. The website states that women are to eat 1000 to 1200 calories per day, while men are to consume between 1400 and 1600 per day. It doesn’t take into account variations in individual calorie needs. An interesting note is that the website states that they say “no” to processed foods, yet many of the suggested meals on the site include processed foods.

37 Weeks Pregnant

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:52:01 -0500

As of today, I am 37 weeks pregnant, which means Baby is full term. 3 more weeks to go (supposedly)! My belly feels constantly uncomfortable – like an over-inflated balloon. I’m sure whenever he gets here, my belly will feel great relief!

My husband and I went to childbirth class on Saturday. We found it fun, interesting, and informative. The instructor went over breathing and relaxation techniques, pros and cons to drugs, and indications for interventions like c-sections, forceps and vacuums. She also got the support people involved so they’d know how to help the mothers. Surprisingly, my husband liked it, as did I.

Creatine and Strength Improvement

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 12:30:00 -0500

Creatine’s most notable trait is its role in the energy production process. It is an organic compound found in muscle fibers that is made from three amino acids: glycine, argininie, and methionine. ATP and CP (creatine phosphate) are stored in muscles and serve as a source of immediate energy.

The more ATP and CP that is in the muscles, the more the muscle can lift. Additional creatine can be obtained through consuming meat and fish. Many athletes choose to supplement with creatine, though, because cooking meat converts the creatine into creatinine, which is easily flushed out of the body through the kidneys.

Alcohol and Exercise

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:21:45 -0500

Most of us are pretty familiar with the general effects of alcohol. It dehydrates the body, puts strain on the liver and kidneys, and it decreases the reaction time of the nervous system. Many college athletes use alcohol because it reduces tension and relaxes the body. In fact, statistics show that alcohol is the number one drug used by college athletes. If it’s fine to drink in moderation, why are so many athletes advised not to drink during the training season? Athletes are always trying to maximize their performance. They seek out the best supplements and are meticulous about their diets. So it would make sense that they avoid anything that can hinder their progress in any way. Alcohol is such a monster.

Carbohydrate Loading and Endurance Athletes

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:15:52 -0500

Athletes are always looking for ways to improve their performance. It seems easy to find products that are marketed toward anaerobic athletes like bodybuilders or sprinters. But what can a long distance runner do? Carbohydrate loading is the answer. Endurance athletes rely greatly on muscle glycogen (carbohydrates that are stored in the muscles) for energy. If there was a way to improve the muscle’s capacity to hold glycogen, the athlete would benefit greatly. How can we do this? With a method called carbohydrate loading.

36 Weeks Pregnant

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:51:00 -0500

As of today I am 36 weeks pregnant. 9/10ths of the way there!

It hurts to roll over, and rolling over is the way I get in and out of bed. Everything seems to hurt on the bottom on the inside (at the risk of giving out “too much information”, I’ll just leave it at that).

Fortunately, if I’m already sitting or already standing, I seem to be okay for the most part. It’s the getting up or sitting down that hurts. My skin also seems to be extra dry these days.

35 Weeks Pregnant

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 22:04:51 -0500

Just another week as the baby boy gets bigger and heavier and makes it harder to move around. I did get a fever in the beginning of the week, but with Tylenol and lots of fluids, it has gone down. Hopefully, it’s gone for good. The cold still lingers, though. I hate not being able to breathe through my nose. What’s really fun is trying to eat with both nostrils stopped up. And since my lungs also have less space to exist normally, it’s just harder to breathe in general.

In other news, I absolutely HATE Braxton-Hicks contractions, and I officially look like Big Bird.

34 Weeks Pregnant

Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:58:57 -0500

As of today, I am 34 weeks pregnant. It seems like my uterus and baby went through another growth spurt, as I am getting more kicks in the ribs these days. Little by little, I am letting go of household duties as they become more difficult, and I am asking for help as needed. I’m glad I have most of my organizing done already.

I had my OB appointment today. I now weigh 142.6 pounds, blood pressure is normal. The baby is doing fine; his heart rate is good, and today he is head down.

33 Weeks Pregnant

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:40:57 -0500

As of today, I am 33 weeks pregnant. This past week, I’ve been getting tired faster, and it has been harder to wake up in the mornings. I’ve been experiencing more random aches and pains as he continues to grow.

Baby has had the hiccups more frequently this week. I know there’s nothing wrong with hiccups, but I don’t like it when he gets them. I think it’s because I don’t like when I get them. Yesterday I attended a breastfeeding class, which was nice, and very informative. As I sat there, I slowly but surely became overwhelmed at just how much work this is going to be (not just breastfeeding, taking care of a baby in general).