Neil
We’ve all seen it in on the news and it social media. A woman lifts a heavy weight while visibly pregnant and everyone feels the need to weigh in. Well, in our very own community, we have our very own Rayne DuPaul who continues to lift heavy weights while pregnant. Let’s check in with her on her thoughts about doing CrossFit during her pregnancy.
How has your body responded during workouts to your pregnancy?
I think my body has responded really well to pregnancy overall. I never really got the typical pregnancy symptoms such as nausea or fatigue. Between weeks 7-12 I was more tired in workouts than usual but that has gone away.I keep saying “I’m going to probably need to slow down at (insert week),” and thankfully that hasn’t really happened yet.
How have you changed your workouts since you became pregnant?
I stopped doing bar muscle ups when Moonshine gave me a “Should you really be doing that” look.
Editor’s Note: Further threats evolved to, “I will throw a dumbbell at you if you attempt a bar muscle up.”
As far as particular changes in movements go….HSPUs, double unders and box jumps have gotten harder, but I haven’t stopped them yet. I have gained about 20lbs in 6 months, so butterfly pull-ups have been the most crushing movement for me to accomplish these days. I stopped doing heavy kettle bell swings and heavy dead lifts because I know that I don’t need to be doing them. On the up side, I am lifting a lot more weight than I used to. Cleans feel easier, overhead squats and jerks are feeling better. I still walk in the gym with the intention of giving 100% every day, but some days have been easier than others.
Have you changed your diet much from pre-CrossFit pregnancy?
Oh man…I need to plead the 5th on this one. My diet isn’t exactly amazing. Coach Dan gives me crap about it a lot. I enjoy eating a well balanced meal, but I believe that everything is fine in moderation. Since I became pregnant, Neil and I have definitely been eating our share of indulgences after dinner whether it’s cookies, ice cream, or chocolate. Neil likes to tell me that he’s eating for two as well. 🙂
Did you ever consider stopping CrossFit for something less intense?
Oh god no! Never. I know what my body is capable of and I still feel great in workouts. I know when to tone it back if I feel like I am pushing it too hard. I’ve always been pretty active, but after college I gained a lot of weight and was really unhappy with my body. When Neil suggested CrossFit, I think I had every excuse in the world on why I didn’t want to try it because I was scared out of my mind at the thought of lifting weights and doing intense cardio. I’m happier now, at 6 months pregnant with the tone and definition of my body than I was before starting CrossFit.
Words of advice?
I always looked up to the moms who were pregnant and CrossFitting before I got pregnant. Every single person is different and their bodies react differently to working out. I do think that the reason I’ve felt so great during the pregnancy is because of CrossFit. My advice would be to take everything day by day. I don’t wake up every morning feeling amazing and the days that I don’t feel great, I rest. If you had asked me three years ago if I thought I would be working out throughout the entire pregnancy, I probably would have laughed.
Pregnancy Goals.
In 2016, I got 8515 in the world for females in the Open for 2016 and my goal for the Open 2017 is to finish above 85,150. I know I will be scaling the scaled division at that point, but the Open is so much more than a number on a leaderboard. And plus, I love to have goals.
Update:
Month 8.25 I take back everything I said about still going strong in every workout. About 50% of movements are out of the cards for me right now. Thankfully the coaches are all cool with me making my up own movements these days.