Caring for Freddie has many, many perks. One is that I get to “lift weights” daily! A few days ago, I got curious about how many times a day I pick up Freddie. So, I started writing this post and decided I should share it with all of you so you.
Freddie is about 22 pounds, which is decently heavy for me when I consider that his 22 pounds are sometimes wiggly and quite delicate.
I’ve lifted weights for years but have scaled back tremendously in the past two years. While I still work out, I limit my weightlifting because I need to stay fresh for Freddie. I realized this when I struggled to hold Freddie after a day when I lifted heavier weights than usual. When taking Freddie outside to do his business, I have to hold him in his upright standing position for several minutes at a time. I struggled to hold Freddie while he peed and felt terrible about it. So now I focus on full-body cardio-based exercise that supplements and compliments my Freddie weightlifting.
So, if you’d like to see what it’s like caring for Freddie for a day, I’ve laid it out below. For your workout, you’ll need a weighted sandbag like this one. This bag has handles unlike Freddie, so for the full Freddie Fitness experience, be sure not to cheat by using the handles!
Exercises
1 Fredlift – aka Deadlift
Squat and bend over to Freddie’s level (your Freddie should be on a bed, couch, floor, chair, etc.) and carefully slide your hands under Freddie without pinching or sliding too much skin. Lift Freddie and bring him close to your chest as you straighten yourself up to prepare for walking.
2 Bentover squat walk (full body)
We do this when helping Freddie into his “walking” position. With your feet wide apart, bend and squat while lowering Freddie to get his feet as close to the ground as possible. Freddie has always only peed while walking, so our goal is to help him feel like he’s walking to facilitate the peeing action. Continue holding Fred’s feet as close to the ground as possible while taking slow and smooth steps forward. Do this action until Freddie pees. This can range between 30 seconds and several minutes and may need repeating several times if Freddie doesn’t immediately pee. Finish this exercise by picking Freddie up and returning to your standing position.
3 Squat & lower
We do this when placing Freddie on the bed, a couch, in his stroller, or onto another elevated surface. Keeping Freddie close to your chest, bend and squat until you’re close to the surface, then slowly lower Freddie onto the surface, being sure to simultaneously lower his upper and lower body.
4 Lower & place to floor
It is exactly like movement three but adds a challenge by lowering Freddie all of the way to the floor.
5 Post-bathroom clean-up
After walking with Freddie, sit half of your bum on the edge of your bathroom counter while shifting Freddie mostly into your right arm and against your body. You’ll use wet wipes to gently clean Freddie’s lower half and feet with your left arm and hand. This exercise is an isometric contraction for your right bicep as well as some stabilizing muscles in your torso.
6 Carry & walk
Hold Freddie tight against your body and walk.
Full Workout
Each exercise includes a description of how Freddie and I complete the movements.
morning wake up & pee: 1, 6, 2, 1, 6, 5, 6, 3
Freddie sleeps on a bed made of blankets on top of our bed. He usually sleeps in until 7 or 8 am then he’s ready to go outside! First, I pull his blanket bed to the edge of our bed. Then, I scoop Freddie into my arms and carry him down our hall to our door to the backyard. I carry him with his head upright to our grass and shift my hands so I can lower him into Exercise 2. We then take anywhere between 15 and 25 steps–until Freddie completes his morning pee. Once done, lift him back up and walk back inside for exercise 5. Lastly, I walk Freddie out to our living room couch and carefully lower him down onto his diaper, wrap him up, cover him with his blanket, place his pillow under his head, and that’s it.
stroller walk: 1, 6, 3, 1, 6, 5, 6, 3
Scoop and lift Freddie off the couch and walk him outside to his stroller, aka his Limo. Gently set him inside in a full sploot (on his belly with his back legs out behind him) and make him comfy. This means covering him with blankets in the winter and aiming his clip-on fan at him during our hot summers. Then I push Freddie in his Limo with Abhi leashed to my waist for 1.5 to 3 miles. Once home, scoop up Freddie and take him inside to repeat our morning wipedown practice. Then carry him to the couch and gently set him down.
breakfast: 1, 6, 4
Fredlift Freddie off the couch, walk to his already set up Bailey Chair, lower him into his chair, feed and then let Fred digest for 23 minutes.
move to wagon: 1, 3
Fredlift Freddie out of his Bailey Chair and lower him into his wagon so I can wheel him to another room. This wagon has a bed in it, so he’s super comfy!
move to couch: 1, 3
Back to the living room we go, so I wheel Freddie’s wagon back to the couch, Fredlift, and lower him onto the couch.
lunch: 1, 4
Fredlift Freddie off the couch, walk to his already set up Bailey Chair, lower him into his chair, feed and then let Fred digest for 23 minutes.
outside: 1, 6, 2, 4, 1, 5, 3
Fredlift Freddie and carry him down our hall to our door to the backyard. I have him on his back in a baby position to our grass and shift my hands to lower him into Exercise 2. We then take between 15 and 25 steps–until Freddie completes his pee. Once done, if it’s dry, I let him hang on the grass to get some sniffs. Then, I lift him back up and walk back inside for exercise 5. Lastly, I walk Freddie out to our living room couch and carefully lower him onto his diaper, wrap him up, cover him with his blanket, and place his pillow under his head.
move to another location: 1, 6, 4
Fredlift, carry, lower to floor.
move to another location: 1, 6, 3
Fredlift, carry, lower to couch.
stroller walk: 1, 3, 6, 5, 1, 3
Scoop and lift Freddie off the couch and walk him outside to his stroller, aka his Limo. Gently set him inside in a full sploot (on his belly with his back legs out behind him) and make him comfy. This means covering him with blankets in the winter and aiming his clip-on fan at him during our hot summers. Then I push Freddie in his Limo with Abhi leashed to my waist for 1.5 to 3 miles. Once home, scoop up Freddie and take him inside to repeat our morning wipedown practice. Then, carry him to the couch and gently set him down.
dinner: 1, 4
Fredlift Freddie off the couch, walk to his already set up Bailey Chair, lower him into his chair, feed and then let Fred digest for 23 minutes.
outside: 1, 6, 2, 5, 1, 6, 3
Fredlift Freddie and carry him down our hall to our door to the backyard. I have him on his back in a baby position to our grass and shift my hands to lower him into Exercise 2. We then take between 15 and 25 steps–until Freddie completes his pee. Once done, lift him back up and walk back inside for exercise 5. Lastly, I walk Freddie out to our living room couch and carefully lower him down onto his diaper, wrap him up, cover him with his blanket, and place his pillow under his head.
move to playroom: 1, 6, 4
Fredlift, carry, lower to floor.
outside: 1, 6, 2, 5
Fredlift Freddie and carry him down our hall to our door to the backyard. I have him on his back in a baby position to our grass and shift my hands to lower him into Exercise 2. We then take between 15 and 25 steps–until Freddie completes his pee. Once done, lift him back up and walk back inside for exercise 5.
bed: 6, 3
I carefully carry Freddie back to our bedroom. By this time of the day, he’s usually exhausted. This means he’s even less in control of his torso than usual, so Freddie must be held securely against my body. His bed of blankets is already set up, so I kneel on our bed and very carefully set him in his side-lying sleeping position.
So, according to this schedule, I figure I lift Freddie at least 19 times a day!
While I don’t anticipate anyone giving this a shot, I’d love to hear from you if you do! And don’t forget to pick up a Freddie’s Fan Club shirt for your sandbag or to wear yourself!
Leave a Reply