Workout Recap of the Past Couple Weeks

Well, I obviously took a little fall off the blogging wagon for a couple weeks but I am thrilled to report that I did not fall off the workout wagon! Last week we had Ben's family in from Texas for an extra long weekend and even amidst the prep for that and during their visit I managed to still get the workouts in.

I am still following the Revolt Now Fitness workout program and am still loving it. It is quick, intense and I am beginning to see and feel the results. With every workout, now, it seems as though I can tell I am just a bit stronger and have just a bit more stamina.

The other thing I am enjoying is the Facebook feed. Nichole posted the other day that she had listened to some feedback and would be now recording three different levels of workouts for different fitness levels. I think it is so amazing how much time and effort she is putting in to make these results attainable.

I was thinking about the concept of "getting in shape" the other day. I used to want to be toned and skinny and "look good in a bathing suit," -- I mean, yes I still would like all those things -- but I have realized they aren't at the top of my priority list anymore. I have a much different schedule than I used to have and have very limited time to workout. It is nice to be able to carve out just 40 minutes a day for a workout, feel good afterwards and supplement that with healthy eating. There are so many fads out there that promise certain results in a certain amount of time but when I look back at all the workouts I have enjoyed it really just comes down to this: workout, eat healthy and you will get the results. I realize we all have different body types and some obviously see results sooner than later but to me all I care about right now is feeling good. After these workouts I am left feeling energized and like I have actually accomplished something.

At the end of the day I am trying to be healthy for my family and for myself. I guess if some toned triceps come along the way that would be fine too. ;)

Week 1: Revolt Now Fitness

This past week I have alluded to a new workout regime that I am on and today is the day for our first link-up and the day I am reviewing and talking everything Revolt. When the idea was first put out there to participate in this blogger opportunity I was a little weary. Let's face it, I'm not always the best blogger and more often than not I tend to fall off the wagon. But I inquired and I thought about it and I figured that I am so in the mood and in the right mind frame of getting in shape right now that maybe this was just what I needed to keep me near my blog, hold me accountable and allow me to participate in an awesome program for 6 weeks!

This past week was a little slow going at first and, I'll be honest, I started a day late. I allowed myself to skip the rest day to catch up and here I am, Friday afternoon, and I am feeling great. The workouts are seriously exactly what I look for in a workout. Quick and intense. Let's face it, with my unpredictable sleeper that I have on my hands, I am not always guaranteed some full hour to exercise so I have to hurry to fit them in and usually that means I am looking for a workout in 30-40 minutes or less.

I had also mentioned a couple of weeks ago that my brother was writing me workouts and while I was enjoying them, it has been really nice to workout with a video. As silly as it sounds, I like having Nicole Huntsman in my living room with me. The other amazing thing about Nicole is that she is a mom too! That is the other reason I was so eager to participate in this amazing opportunity in that it is created by a mom for moms. Or whoever else wants to participate.

The nice thing about the website is that, as they workout all the kinks, it has become really user friendly where it is so easy to log on, find our workout of the day and get it done. Also, meals are laid out a week ahead of time for easy grocery shopping, planning and prepping over the weekend. The meals are actually all really realistic and easy. I have to say we eat fairly clean and healthy as it is around here so the "diet" hasn't been much of a shock. I mean, not reaching for the Cadbury eggs has been a little difficult but those can be saved for the cheat day.

So far I am really enjoying this and it really is about a whole body transformation, not just a fad for a few weeks and then I fall off. It is very community oriented too in that there is a Facebook page that allows all the fellow participants a chance to chat and stay connected. I have enjoyed this first five days and hope to continue for the next 5 weeks!

Also wearing my first Brady Band that I love!

I was offered a blogger free trial to the Revolt Now Fitness program however all opinions are honest and my own.

Turned it Around

I am feeling much more upbeat that what I let on yesterday. We all have those days that we get a little down and out and I am just trying to make those fewer and farther between. Pick it back up and keep on keepin' on.

The upswing actually started Monday night when Ben suggested that we paint our dining room chairs and put another coat of finish on the dining room table after putting Eleanor down rather than assuming our normal TV viewing positions on the couch. Usually after Eleanor is down, all I want to do is collapse and veg out. I hate that. I want to complete projects and feel productive but usually my tired side wins out. I was happy he suggested this and it also gives us that extra hour to visit rather than zone out to our current show: The West Wing. It felt good to accomplish something. I want to find time for more small projects like this!

So then I had my hum drum morning yesterday but then I got E down for a nap and I did my first workout in the Revolt Now Fitness Challenge. I got to take Eleanor to a family friend's little hobby farm and let her meet their new baby goats. They were so adorable and Eleanor just loved them.

We got home, ate lunch and proceeded to read 835 a lot of books. She was being very stubborn and not going down for another nap which was strange because she had gotten up so early, only slept for an hour in the morning and played outside so I thought she was really tired. My mom stopped by, got her down for about an hour and then Ben got home.

The evening was good, E fought going down for bedtime which was frustrating and then we relaxed for a bit.

All in all, I am realizing that my attitude and days are what I make of them. When I am feeling down I am learning to put more effort into picking myself up. E doesn't deserve to have a mother who is frustrated and down about silly things. She woke up early again this morning, we snuggled watching cartoons for a bit, ate breakfast and headed out to do a little shopping even though it is so gray and rainy today. I just finished another workout while she is napping and even though it is so yucky outside, I feel good.

Happy Hump Day!

Where is It?

Ugh. I have tucked myself into such a rut since my back spasm! I told myself I wasn't going to let this happen and that given a good week to rest up and let it work itself out that I would be back at the workout routine.

It hasn't happened.

I had such a good thing going, I was staying regular, going slowly but steadily and was feeling stronger and as if I was getting into shape. However, now I find myself making excuses, seeing people doing cleanses, posting workouts and being so proud and I find myself feeling one thing: jealous.

Seriously?! I know. How silly. I need to stop being jealous and kick myself in the butt and get back after it.

I just need to start from the beginning of what I was doing before and build back up. My one motivator right now is the 5k in May. I know it still sounds pretty far away but I know it will be here before I know it and I am going to run the whole thing.

I somehow talked myself out of going to yoga this morning. Silly. If anything it seems that is a good place to start with my back. I am committed to doing some sort of workout this afternoon. No questions, I just have to.

I was feeling so good and had such a great momentum. I also find that when I am working out regularly it motivates me to eat better. When I am not working out, I tend to eat worse. Vicious cycle.

On a positive note, I tried a new product that a friend started selling. It Works wraps are detox wraps that they have for many different body parts but I tried the midsection. I applied it for 45 minutes and am in the process of seeing the results. On the first application they claim you can lose 1-3 inches around so I took my measurements the night I did it and am anxiously awaiting taking them again at the 48 hour mark. I am not usually into stuff like this but they are all natural, fairly inexpensive if the results come out and they have many other products. Maybe losing some inches around is just what I need to kick start me back on the fitness train!

I was given a wrap by my friend but was not asked to blog about it. Opinions are all my own. 

Friday is Here Again

This week has been really great. Ben is actually off work because he starts a new job on Monday! This is a really exciting change for him and our family and we are very excited to see what this next chapter brings. We have been enjoying having him home, getting to do some activities as a family and getting some chores done around the house.

Last week I had a pretty frustrating week as my back problem flared up again. It seems like the pattern has been when I start back running, it flares. I am hoping to just ease back into my workouts because it seems like in the past I just stop working out for months after a flare up and then jump back in and the cycle continues. I haven't really done much for the past week and a half so this week I have slowly done a couple core workouts and am hoping to get back to yoga next week.

A few weeks ago I was invited to be part of a workout program that I was actually really excited about. A lot of it seems like some of the stuff I am already doing but it also includes a meal plan. It is the Revolt Fitness Program and I am excited to get into some of the workouts. I am not promising that I will be following exactly day by day due to my back issues but I will try my best! There isn't anything wrong with some clean eating, which we do a lot of anyway, and some new workout moves invented by a mom right?! I also love that it promotes getting fit in your own home as opposed to spending hours and hours in a gym if we don't have the time. Not that I have anything against gyms. I just, personally, don't have a membership and am always a fan of quick, intense workouts. I think that's why so many of us are fans of the 30 Day Shred. Am I right?!

I feel a little bad about my back last week and then of course on top of that dealing with the ol' lady business this week. I can't say I have been the biggest treat for my husband to hang out with but hey, he's a good sport and hopefully I can buck up for these last couple days of vacation. Speaking of vacation, my in-laws will be coming into town in a couple of weeks and for the weekend we will be venturing back up to our college town to explore, shop around, eat around maybe even venture to the snow.

Speaking of again of college towns, we headed into the city the other night right near where my brother went to college and went to a few bars in celebration of Ben's going away happy hour with his old team. It was fun to feel a little trendy for the night and have a couple drinks with his former co-workers.

This weekend we are hopefully finishing up a few DIY projects we decided to tackle, one of which includes chalkboard paint which I am trying not to use on everything, so hopefully I will be back next week with some pictures of those projects and some more fitness chit chat! Have a great weekend!

The First One is Always the Hardest, Right?

Okay, yes I am probably beating a dead horse but I do feel that accountability from others helps immensely when working out and trying to get fit. Or eating right. Or even trying to quit a bad habit.

So I'm going to talk about it.

I am hoping to do the Color Run in May with a group of girls and, I know, if I had all the time in the world and could run whenever I wanted I would have no problem achieving that goal. However, I have a little shadow in the form of a 30" tall 14 month old that can sometimes put a damper on the workout front. I want to stop letting that be an excuse. I told my brother I wanted to do this and he asked what my goal is. I want to run the whole time. I know run can be a loose term but I just don't want to, at any point, feel like I am walking. So, then they told me about this run at the end of April that you get a doughnut at the finish. Well, I looove me some doughnuts! I may look into that one as well.

Anyhow. He sent me my workout today and I strapped E into the Bob, told her to be a good little running partner and she was. Me, however, I was a kind of embarrassing running partner. I was huffing and puffing and barely lifting my legs because they felt like they weighed about ten pounds each! Mind you, I am down pretty far in weight but I am out. of. shape. The bro sent me a walk/run 20 minute workout which I picture to be similar to what the C25k is. So it was good, I completed it. I just felt like I was going to die.

Mind you all. I don't know if a 45 degree, damp day, pushing my 22 lb. babe was probably the best idea. Oh well, I figure it can't get much more challenging from there, right?!

I am happy to have started the road. It could be a long road. But that's okay. I'll get there. I think for awhile I was using every excuse in the book to not work out. I'm tired. I have no time. I'm always nursing. I have no time. I'll probably get pregnant again this year so what's the use in getting in shape if I'm going to gain weight again?

Well. While all of those excuses comforted me for about a year I finally realized, OH WELL! So what if I'm tired, working out or a little exercise gives me a little more energy and helps me sleep better at night. Time? Give me 20 minutes and I can accomplish some sort of body movement. I am still nursing but only at bedtime so that has helped in that area. And pregnancy?! Pshhh, if I do, I do and then I'll be one step ahead in a healthy pregnancy!

So there we have it. Day 1 of the road to a 5K for this mama.

Do You Yoga?

I mentioned in my last post how Ben got me some yoga classes for Christmas. I have always wanted to like yoga but have never really gotten into it. I did a few Bikram classes when I was in college which I really liked but then fell away from because I couldn't justify the cost. Over the years I have done a video here or there, or some On Demand stuff but never really stuck with it. 

Well.

Going to classes has been so great. I have yet to go to a hot yoga class at this gym, but the regular classes I have been going to have been great, mind-clearing and really just what I need to each week. I have really allowed myself to, I know this sounds so yoga-ish, but to clear my mind and just be in the moment with my body. It is an hour to myself where I can just focus on my body and what is going on. I have never been at a point in my life like I am now where I feel like I have a lot of noise. Do you know what I mean? Just like, always having to get something done, take care of something/someone, catch up on this or that. I am so glad my husband did this for me and so glad I am actually taking the time to enjoy it. 

I have only been three times but I am hoping to up it to twice a week since I have only been managing to make it to one. It sounds so silly, even to me, but I can tell such a difference throughout the rest of the day that I had gone to class. 

I think it also helps I am doing a few other things here or there, just 20-30 minutes a day in my living room to strengthen my body. I definitely lost all the baby weight but with that and nursing, I also have managed to lose a lot of muscle with basically no working out over the past year. There have been a few weeks here or there where I get into kicks but I hope this yoga is longer than a kick. I hope that these ten classes really give me that jump start that I need and that whether I keep going to class, which I definitely hope to do because there is just something to be said for getting out of the house and spending time for myself, or just get a good video that I like, I really hope to keep going because--it just feels good to feel good.

Thoughts Lately

Well, I basically can't believe that it is already a week into August. Summer felt like it was already flying and now we have plans the next few weekends so basically there goes August. It is kind of bittersweet. It is so fun experiencing summer with an 8 month old. She is so observant and curious and loves being outside but at the same time, when time is flying, all that means is that she is getting older!

Having a baby is full of double edged sword type situations, I think. On one hand, this is awful to say, but some days I can't wait for her to grow, get older, sleep longer, be walking and talking and telling me what's wrong and what she needs and on the other hand, I just want her to stay this sweet age forever with soft baby skin, sweet toes, lovely baby talk, and sweet cuddles when she is tired. When she is happy, I am so happy and when she is mad or sad...well, you can guess, I am so mad or sad. We are all just learning everyday...how to balance, how to deal, what to try, what to throw out and although it is one of the hardest, most challenging job I have ever had--I wouldn't change it. I am becoming better. I am becoming more patient, more nurturing, more selfless everyday and I would say those are all traits I welcome with open arms.

Ben and I had our three year anniversary last week and then actually celebrated this past weekend. It is funny how dates make you reflect. I guess that's why we have them. It was interesting to look back at our wedding day, our first anniversary, our second and where we are today. So much has changed yet a lot is the same. Our relationship has continued to grow, flourish and strengthen each year. That's really all we can ask for. For our celebration we went to a little town called La Connor about an hour northwest of where we live. It was a beautiful day, we had lunch, wandered around and relaxed. We left Eleanor at my parents' house and the goal was not necessarily to miss a feeding for the first time but to know that we could if we wanted. We left my parents equipped with breastmilk and cups and we were gone for about five and a half hours. I know it doesn't sound like that long but for a mom who is with her baby basically 24/7 it felt like so long. But in a good way. I felt refreshed when we got back and that's just what we were looking for.

I want so badly to blog more and take down our memories but every day all of a sudden the day is over and all I feel like doing is vegging out on the couch in the evenings. It has finally gotten to where I don't feel like going straight to bed when I put the baby down every night so it is nice to have a little husband time at the end of the days and not have my face glued to the computer.

I was running a little bit with the jogging stroller because I was aiming to possibly do a 10k when we go on vacation in September but seeing as now that is about 4 weeks away and I stopped jogging due to my back flaring up again, I don't think that is going to happen. I am hoping to pick up some yoga to work on my back muscles and stretching. I don't know if I am aiming to do some at home or find a class I may be able to get to a couple times a week. I don't want to jinx anything now but it seems Eleanor's sleep habits may be getting a little more predictable. Like everything else, it seems we take two steps forward and five one step back!

Eleanor is actually taking her first mom-induced crib nap right now and everyday I think of a million things to jot down if only I could actually open up the computer and not look at blogs on my phone and now I am drawing a blank!

I guess that's all I have to offer for today but hopefully I will be having a little more in the coming weeks. I will also be sure to post and 8 month post here pretty soon. There is much to report on with our little girl and I surely don't want to forget any of that!

So, About Working Out...

I am totally not trying to make excuses. Things just happen.

I was doing so well for about 4 weeks with walking and doing P90X. Then my chronic back issue flared up. Without getting into too much detail about that, let's just say it put me out of "working out" commission and I haven't really gotten back into it. That was about two weeks ago. I am still having some back irritation so I am a little nervous to do any P90X. I have gone on a few walks here and there.

However, I am realizing that although there are the moms that get right out there the minute they walk out of their 6 week postpardum visit, there are way more that don't. There are way more that start working out when they feel right, or when they can get their workouts in and don't really fret about it.

I see so many moms, my real life friends and blog friends, that find themselves 6 or 8 months postpardum just starting to feel a little more normal. I also think that being a first time mom, my whole world has been turned upside down. Just finding time to grab something to eat is sometimes hard for me.

I also think that breastfeeding and working out is proving to be a little difficult. Breastfeeding is...time consuming. Yes, I knew that going in but the actual execution of it is a bit of a wake up call. So, after I have nursed my baby to sleep for a nap, it is hard to want to put her down and get up and at it. Also with breastfeeding comes the whole crazy, huge appetite issue. It's hard to find the perfect time to workout when, oh the baby is napping but I feel the need to stuff my face right now because I am feeding another human. 


Anyway.

As I said, I am not making excuses I am just realizing that it's hard. And I know the time will come when it's nicer weather and I can put E in the stroller and make her part of my workouts and yes, I am looking forward to that, however, I am not stressing about it.

WILW: Spring!

I am linking up with this lady today to declare that I am loving all things spring! Spring is such a fun time of year with winter slowly coming to an end, little peeks of bright sun here and there, a fresh new season and fun, bright colors.

First of all, I am loving that we got some seeds started inside and are already seeing sprouts.

I love these fun jars-turned-vases. I am definitely trying to do some in some springy colors.

Source: thecsiproject.com via Allyce on Pinterest

Love this fun top with a cute cardigan over.

Source: when-im-older.tumblr.com via Allyce on Pinterest

Definitely a good spring nail polish color.

Source: nailstah.com via Allyce on Pinterest

Layers work well here for spring.

Source: wendyslookbook.com via Allyce on Pinterest

I think I have posted this before but I still love it: cute ol' rain boots.

Source: tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com via Allyce on Pinterest

Yum, asparagus.

Source: simplyrecipes.com via Allyce on Pinterest

I am also loving:

::having more motivation to work out.

::borrowing library books on my Kindle.

::feeling more like myself.

Go link up, it's fun!

Fit Friday

I must say, having your husband around everyday when you have an almost four month old is heaven.

I have also forgotten how nice it is to have a workout buddy to motivate and make me want to workout. I have been convincing myself that I can't workout because I would tell myself that right when I got started Eleanor would need my attention or that by the time she had fallen asleep for a nap, I would be hungry and need to eat and then I just couldn't workout right after I ate.

While all of that may be true, Ben has helped me to understand that all of that doesn't matter. I just have to do what I can. And I am learning that some is better than none.

I am happy to report that within the last week I have done two and a half P90X workouts and gone on an hour walk.

Ben borrowed P90 from a friend a while back, actually right at the beginning of my pregnancy so when I was beginning to transform into a whale, he decided he was getting in shape. Nice, huh?

Anyway, I am happy we have the DVDs now because it is perfect for this stay at home lady and I feel so great after the workouts and I know I will continue to if I keep it up. The half workout was because Eleanor woke up and was hungry. I could have gone back and finished but I didn't and that's okay. Besides that it was the core workout of P90X so it was a pretty difficult one. And obviously my core is the most tired and worn of all my muscles.

So my goal for this week is on Monday, after I feed Eleanor in the morning and she is likely to go back to sleep for an hour or hour and a half, I am going to get up and do a workout instead of going back to sleep. I tried to tell Hub that I am going to do that Monday, Wednesday and Friday and his suggestion is to just start with Monday and see how it goes. He is smart like that. I have been wanting to start getting up before the baby and this may be a good way to motivate myself to do it. Or a bad way, depends how we are looking at it.

A Bit of Catching Up

Holy Moly. Where have I been?! No idea. Nothing new. Tending to my home and the baby. Obviously not blogging. I was so proud of myself in the month of February pertaining to the blog but then I kind of fell out of my routine in the month of March.

The month of March has been spent (pretty much unsuccessfully) trying to get Eleanor on a napping schedule. That could be why I haven't gotten a post written. Her reaction to getting laid down in her crib for a nap pretty much alerts the neighborhood that we are very certainly torturing her. She falls asleep in our arms, we walk around, we lay her down and she won't have it. At night, we still swaddle, nurse, rock and lay her down and she is perfectly fine. Anyway, long story short, she is napping in her swing. Not ideal, but at least she is sleeping for some lengths of time during the day.

Husband has been off work for the rest of his paternity leave. One word: awesome. It is so nice that he got two weeks of leave and only had to use one week of it in December. When he used that week coupled with the holidays and such, we were in such a daze, trying to keep our heads above water with our newborn that it just flew by. Now, with our almost four month old, we are basically enjoying a stay-cation. It is seriously amazing to me how much faster I get things done around this place with the Hub home. I can bust out chores like the old days, pre-Eleanor. It is also really fun to have Hub around to see all the fun developments that we are seeing with the babe.

We planted some vegetable seeds the other day to start indoors so we will see how that goes. We did it a couple of years ago and it worked ok. Hopefully it will work better this year. Of course our future farmgirl had to be in on the action.

We most certainly enjoyed the first rounds of March Madness last weekend. We both filled out brackets and neither are doing well but that's ok. We just love watching.

We are looking forward to some nicer weather. Who knows when that is coming but I am hopeful. It has basically been just cold, rainy and sometimes windy which is not great for any type of getting out of the house. 

I am getting a little excited because I have been getting the crafting itch again. I have a few simple projects in mind that will mostly consist of using some things around the house which is always exciting.

We have been going to a few of Ben's basketball games on Sunday nights which is fun because he plays with  the guys in our vacation  group so the other babies are there, we all visit, and Eleanor has been doing really well at them. Evenings are usually our "challenging" time with her but the games keep her entertained, distracted and it actually seems like she is watching!

I am also, slowly, trying to get back in shape. It is really hard to convince myself to workout when Eleanor finally goes down for a nap, I am hungry and just want to sit down. But I am going to try. She also inherited a jumper from her cousin (2nd cousin?) which she enjoys so that could start buying me a little bit more time to do things.

Anyway, nothing too exciting around here, just the usual.

But.

Our usual is pretty enjoyable these days.

Firm Fridays: Oops

So, I fell off the wagon this week.

I did take my workout week into the weekend last weekend so I felt like that justified taking a couple of days off this week, right? Probably not but that's okay.

I actually walked on a treadmill last weekend and to my excitement horror, walking at a 3.5 pace for 30 minutes worked up a sweat. Yikes.

So, I have done nada in the workout department this week. I have made an effort to eat a little bit better. I have been having a hard time figuring out what sounds good or what to eat during the day so I usually grab whatever is easy which isn't always the most healthy. 

I am fitting into two pairs of pre-pregnancy jeans and I don't think I am bulging out of them. They feel pretty good aside from the fact that my hips feel quite a bit different.

I would think that carrying my little 13-pounder around all day everyday would be taking a positive toll on my arms but I have yet to see that. It must be that I am getting stronger but carrying the princess around isn't really producing any sort of tone. I will have to focus on that as well.

Goal for next week: Walk more and incorporate a few hand weights here and there. 

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Firm Fridays: It's a Start

Ok, let's talk about it.

The post-baby bod.

Like, whoa.

I would classify myself as having been "in shape" most of my teen-adult life. I played sports and then continued to stay fairly active into and after college. Active meaning running, some weights here and there, hiking, kayaking, a short stint in swimming {which I would love to start again}, you know the miscellaneous activities that can keep a person healthy.

The activity I could usually stick to the most was running. I mean, I was no marathoner but I enjoyed a run with my dog. The thing with running though is I mostly enjoy it outside. Well, outside usually means I like fairly decent weather. Around these parts for a good part of the year our weather is 45 degrees and rainy. I don't enjoy running in that.

Rewind to last March when we found out we were going to be having a baby. The months leading up to March are the prime months of unfavorable running weather around here. So what had I been doing up until March? Not running would be the correct answer.

I had always thought when I got pregnant that I would work out the whole time and feel so great since I was in pretty okay shape before I got pregnant and as long as I started out working out while carrying the little human inside of me, I would be good to continue right up until close to birthing said human. Right?

Wrong!

First of all, I was in no place of continuing a workout routine since I didn't have one going in the first place. Second of all, the first few months I had nausea with vomiting that did continue mostly throughout the whole pregnancy. I had heartburn like the fire of a thousand suns and I just didn't feel overall that great.

Except for the occasional walk or two and yes I would try some light weights here and there and even some "pregnancy exercises" sometimes but for the most part the exercise I enjoyed most when I could was the exercise for my eyelids. If we do the math here, I was pregnant through summer so I missed working out and running during my favorite season to do so. Continuing the equation, I haven't had a good stint of running in over a year. Yikes. {Sidenote: there was a decent time right before I found out I was pregnant and I did my longest run I had done in awhile and was so proud and happy and motivated and then a week later I peed on the stick. Kind of funny.}

Like I have hinted, I have never been any kind of obsessed with working out or obsessed with my body in any way. I figured my post-baby bod would be just that and I would deal with it and it would work itself out. Obviously for the first few weeks post-baby I didn't give it a second thought. I had other things on my mind. I would say about 5 or 6 weeks post-babe I started feeling a little restless. I mean, I had been doing a lot of rocking, holding, feeding, soothing, sitting around. I started to notice the bod. Yes, at my 6 week appointment I weighed in and had lost twenty pounds which was great but like the midwife said, it would take the next nine-ish months for the next 10-ish to come off. But she said with exercise, I could speed it up.

The thing is with an infant that isn't quite on any kind of predictable schedule yet, it is hard to know when is a good time to exercise!

This week, I set a couple of goals for myself:

1. Get dressed everyday. It is really too easy to just sit around in my pajamas all day when I know I won't see anyone or go anywhere. Heck, let's face it there are some people that I don't mind them seeing me in my pajamas so sometimes even someone coming over isn't motivation to get dressed.

2. Do some sort of exercise everyday. I wanted to try to utilize the times Baby E is sleeping and even if they are just some quick ab workouts or a few lunges here and there, it needs to be done. The mush won't tighten itself. There, I said it.

I know, it's a slow start but I feel I have to start somewhere and I have always been kind of a slow-starter when it comes to working out so starting with ease will be good. I have also gone on some walks which feels great and come time for nice weather, hopefully I will really be ready to break in that jogger and see what she's made of.

I have been reading Kristen's Firm Friday posts and thought it was time to become accountable for myself so if you feel it's time for you to share your goals with others head on over!

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New Beverage

A while back I was at the grocery store with my dad and I spotted coconut water. Well, I had never tried it before so I thought it was time I did. Yuck. I did not like it at all. I don't know if it was because I was expecting a distinct coconut flavor and it didn't have it or that it tasted more like rotten fruit than anything I would want to drink.

So, at my last appointment with the midwife, she noticed my low blood pressure. It has always been low but I think this time it was really low. She said it's nothing to worry about and that I may just feel dizzy {which I do sometimes when I stand up to fast} so she said I need more electrolytes. She said coconut water is a good natural form. Oh great, I thought to myself, that tasty stuff. I looked at a couple of stores and they actually have flavored coconut water now. It is delicious! I have tried a lot of the flavors and my favorite so far is pineapple.

It has more potassium than a banana, is high in sodium and calcium. Just what this girl needs.

Source

This is the brand that I have been favoring and loving because of the flavor choices. I actually drank one after my walk today and it really did this trick of boosting me up. Go ahead and give it a try!

What is your favorite re-hydrating drink? Have you tried coconut water and what do you think?

These are all my own opinions and I was in no way compensated for this post. Came across the product all on my own and thought I'd share my experience!

Is Your Brother an Ironman? Mine is!

My brother, Wes, has been training for the past 10 months for an Ironman Triathlon. Well, yesterday, he completed his goal with a 2 1/2 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run. My parents, husband and I left Saturday morning to head to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho to watch the event. It was a really neat event with such an upbeat, positive atmosphere.

Wes did not have such and easy road to get to the Ironman. Nothing serious or health issues but definitely some hiccups along the way. Back in September he competed in his first triathlon and had a little panic in the water and then had a flat tire. A few weeks ago, he did another triathlon where his wet suit choked him and another flat tire in really cold weather. He had a good race a couple of weeks ago so I think that was a confidence booster for him. He left for Coeur d'Alene last Tuesday and on Thursday his bike was stolen. He was checking in for the event, parked among all the other competitors and someone cut the lock and took his bike. Needless to say he was pretty devastated. The police got on the trail and they, thankfully, found the bike at a pawn shop on Friday afternoon. It was a little banged up but luckily the bike shop there was able to help him out with the repairs and he was able to ride his own bike in the race.

We met up with him Saturday afternoon when we got into town and walked around the park where the event was centered and then took him out for some spaghetti. He was definitely more solemn than usual and we could tell he was nervous and excited all at the same time. I don't think it had quite sunk in that the next day was the big day.

We arrived at the event Sunday morning and it was a beautiful but chilly morning at Lake Coeur d'Alene. Here is what we came to see:

Athletes making their way onto the beach

2,500 athletes!

The professional start was at 6:25 am and Wes' start was at 7:00 am. Off they went in the water.

When we talked to him after the race he said it took him about 20 minutes to gain composure and actually start breathing because it was so crazy jumping in with that many people.

We meandered around and headed over to see him at the bike transition. When we saw him, he told us he had lost his heart rate monitor/watch in the water so his girlfriend gave him hers. Luckily he had a time but never ended up registering his heart rate so after a year of training to his heart rate, he had no idea what he was at the whole race.

We got to see him a couple of times on his bike and it was so fun cheering for him and seeing him and you could really tell he loved seeing us too. That is the amazing thing about these races is that the athletes don't care who it is cheering for them so we just cheer for everyone. They love the encouragement, obviously.

While he was off on the bike in places we didn't see him, we headed out to lunch which was delicious. It was a place that had been featured on {shocking, I know} Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. It was called Capone's and is sort of a pub/bar with delicious food and about 41 beers on tap. Crazy.

This was by far the best pizza I have had in a really long time. Flavorful yet light crust. Yummy but not overpowering sauce and really fresh meat.

After we had replenished our stomachs, we headed back to the race and waited for him at the bike to run transition. He did not look quite has happy when he came in on his bike as he had when we saw him before on his bike. But off on the run he went.

We relaxed a little at this point and even took naps. Hub and I set off to find some ice cream and then saw a street where we thought it might be possible to see him on the run so we walked up there. The volunteer told us it was about mile 14 or 15 so we posted up to wait for him because we could see online that he hadn't checked in at mile 12 yet. We saw him and here is the point it got a little interesting. I ran out onto the street to give him a high five and he said, "It might be awhile, I think my left foot is broken." Well. Awesome. You still have a little less than half a marathon to run and your foot might be broken. We just cheered him on and he kept going.

We watched a lot of people finish and that was such and amazing part. I can't even imagine the feeling you have as an athlete when you cross that finish line. 

We finally got to see our guy and he looked like he could laugh or cry. 

He was definitely a little dazed. Said he didn't know what he was feeling. He had a couple pieces of pizza and stumbled around until we got him in the car. He still doesn't know about his foot. He told us the bike was hard and killed his legs for the run. But he did it and he finished. That's all that matters.

Wesley, I am so proud of you and it was an honor to watch you accomplish your goal yesterday. You are such a dedicated athlete and I can't wait to watch you for many more years. You have such a drive when it comes to athleticism that has always shined through in your personality as well as on the field, pavement, or in the water. I love you!

Keeping UP the Working OUT

I talked about being fit and wanting to work out and I just wanted to chat a little about what I have been doing and how it's been working out for me.

Since I got my heart-rate monitor, I have been trying to work-out to my heart rate and make sure I am working in a "fat-burning" zone as opposed to just burning meaningless carbohydrates. This can be challenging because my running is significantly slower than I was running before. It's more of just above a speed walk. So obviously to me it feels like I am not "working" hard enough but in actuality, I am just doing the right kind of work.

I am also learning that changing up my workouts keeps me interested. For the past couple of years I would mostly just do the same type of weight-lifting, ab workouts and running {and threw some swimming in for awhile} but I have noticed the past couple of weeks if I change up the workouts, I really look forward to it and don't get bored.

Last week, I went for a run jog on a nice, sunny day which felt great. The next day was not so nice outside so I flipped on the On-Demand Exercise and found Day-1 of Jillian Micheals' 30-Day Shred.

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I didn't really know what to expect but I will just say that I am not a huge fan of Jillian on The Biggest Loser. On the workout, she was not annoying or obnoxious {which is what I usually think of her}. She was really motivating, the workout was great and I am planning on doing another one today!

My next workout was with my brother, who I mentioned in this post, and he had me do some really great core exercises which are also great for my back as well as mixing in the cardio. I have been figuring out that I like mixing-up the workout in the sense of alternating strength, core and cardio during the workout. Let me say, running on a treadmill for thirty minutes straight can definitely be less than thrilling.

I feel like I am still on track {to what I haven't quite figured out} but I am still motivated and am enjoying trying different workouts and changing things up a bit.

What are your favorite workouts right now? How do you keep from getting bored with your workouts? Do you have any favorite exercise DVDs?

Being Fit

All through my life I would say that I have been "active." Maybe not every single day or the same type of exercise all the time but for the most part--active. I like to run and love to run with my dog. There really is nothing like a beautiful, sunny Washington day whether it be in the spring when the birds are chirping and I can feel summer warmth just around the corner or in the fall when the air is crisp and the leaves are crunching beneath my shoes.

Last year I outlined some goals I had set and of course, leave it to me to not complete the goal. I thought I would be able to complete a sprint triathlon and I never did. I started swimming in the mornings and really liked it. Why did I quit? I don't know. Hub turned my mountain bike into a road bike for my birthday and I rode it...once. Why? I don't know. The one thing I can always manage to stick with is running. However, when my back pain flared up again a few months ago, I let that go a bit too. I am getting back into the groove of things and although it may sound a little weird to some, I enjoy working out at my parents' right now while the weather is crappy. They have a Bowflex, an elliptical, a treadmill, free weights and exercise balls. I know, right?! Oh, yeah, my brother also has a bike trainer because he is training for the Ironman in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Yeah, he's kind of crazy like that. So basically, what I'm saying is that I really enjoy the privacy of the parents' house and the lack of membership fee. I mean, it might cost me a dinner for them here and there...which I think I can handle.

It's nice when I go over there and my brother is there to help with some workouts and make sure I am being efficient at my workouts. It was his idea for my heart rate monitor for a Christmas gift and now that I am getting to know it, I am liking it more each time.

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The reason he knows about these things is, well, he was an Exercise Science Major, but now he works at an exercise performance testing facility called:

Click on the image to head on over to their website

He really enjoys this job and it's really nice to have someone so knowledgeable about exercise and nutrition around all the time for me to just call up and bother. I ask some really dumb questions, I'm sure, but he doesn't ever seem to mind. It's also really nice when I'm getting bored of certain workouts to just be able to ask him and he rattles them off the top of his head.

Back to my point, I am getting really motivated right now and I want to keep it that way so that maybe, just maybe, there will be some races in my future. Maybe a 10k, maybe a half-marathon or even a triathlon. Maybe I'm just the type of person that just needs to sign up so I stick to it.

What tricks do you have for staying motivated for working out? Are you signed up for any races in 2011? What is your favorite type of race?


**Thank you for all the entries in the giveaway. The winner will be announced tomorrow morning!**

The Start of a New Year

There really isn't anything like ringing in a new year and the sense of promise of change and improvement that it brings. Everyone makes resolutions, sets goals or makes promises. It's funny because sometimes I feel like fall is the start of a new year (I guess from so many years of school) but maybe it is good to have two times in a year to feel as though we can start fresh.

Anyway, I am feeling very motivated to get back on track with exercising, eating right, organizing, purging and giving away items we don't use, and tackling some crafting and home improvement projects! A lot of these things come with a price so I am also going to be more mindful of spending and seeking out some screamin' deals.

I have been pouring over some blogs and have a couple of projects I am interested in:

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I came across this on Made it on Monday and it seems like another good beginning sewing project. I learned how to do the ruffle on my pillows, I am sure I can come up with an old pair of pants and what a creative way to not have to go buy fabric. I am learning when I go to the fabric store to actually head straight to the "remnants" pile and start digging because I apparently head straight to the expensive stuff only to cause my eyeballs to bulge straight out of my skull when I get to the register! Oopsie, beginner's mistake.

I am absolutely in love with this beautiful wreath and can't wait to tackle it. I think I have some sort of secret obsession with wreaths that I can't really explain or didn't even really know I had until I see ones I love:

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This cheery gem comes from Tatertots and Jello and appears to be quick and simple as well. I am waiting to see what my mom pulls out of her fabric collection to see what I can pilfer. Since I am taking down the Christmas season wreath today it will be nice to replace it with something to brighten the front door during the rest of the wintery months.

Onto the next hobby: Cooking! I received four cookbooks for Christmas and can't wait to get started. Hub commented last night that I have all these cookbooks and what do I cook out of them? Well, I have my standby:

However, I do have quite a few books on the shelf that don't always get opened too often. The excitement of a new cookbook chalk full of new recipes is always so much more exciting than the dusty ones on the shelf. I want to get out of that mentality. I want to use the books I have: 400 Soups, Better Home and Gardens: Our Best Recipes, and now to include the newbies: The Pioneer Woman Cooks, and Texas Treasury of Dutch Oven Cooking . 

I am also excited that my back is feeling better and it is time to get back into the workout routine with my new heart rate monitor:

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As well as some sleek, new Nike running pants.

Sounds like I have a busy year ahead and a lot of goals to accomplish! I guess the first place to start will be to take down the Christmas decorations....

What are some of your goals/resolutions/promises? Any Christmas gifts proving to be highly motivating for you?