And so it begins....

I got the ok from the OBGYN to start exercising around the 8th week after Ethan was born. I'll be honest...I'm never been very good at it. But I did check out library videos and did them. When I found out I was expecting, I decided to be proactive, and did the tracy anderson pregnancy project dvd set all 8 months. I didn't gain as much as I did with Dominic (about 30lbs less) but I had a bigger baby...what gives????
I still do the Tracy Anderson stuff, because, the method is what I did all 9 months of pregnancy..I already know it.  I'm lucky if I get an hour to do the workout at home. By the end of January, I had lost about 20 lbs...not bad for a month out, considering I had done nothing but sit around and take care of two babies. I am not sure if the extra 20 lbs will fall off this time...but I gotta try at least. My shirts fit fine, it's my legs and butt...that's the problem..haha.

By my fourth month post par tum, I was only 15 lbs away from my pre pregnancy goal. Again, not bad for not actually working out. I eventually found a groupon after July 4th weekend for unlimited classes at a local place, which, oddly enough, was literally right across our house. I decided to try it, it was so cheap...I figured if I went everyday, it would cost me $1 a day....and that's exactly what I did. For the next 30 days I did nothing but barre and hot yoga. Hot yoga is basically just yoga in a 95 degree room, so you sweat from the get go until you're done. I actually thought I was going to  hate it, but it turned out to be the opposite. After sweating so much, you start to feel so refreshed (after a shower)....I feel like my body is cleaner or something....and I also feel like it helps my muscles be more flexible faster. I warm up so much faster. So, now I don't mind it. I actually enjoy it.
Barre- is a different story. For those of you who do Tracy Anderson workouts, it was similar to this. They would have a barre and you would do core, legs, and arms with 4 lbs weights. It was rough, the instructors were tough, but I got through them. When I came home, my legs were putty and all I wanted to do was sit down. But, I know if I sat down, I would fall asleep...so I found things to keep me busy. I think this is my favorite workout, because you literally shake from the get go...and it NEVER gets easier....so I know it's working, and it makes you want to push yourself  ("how long am i gonna last this time? 30 seconds? a minute ?"). Its only happened twice, but I actually felt my quads on fire...not like stinging from holding a pose...like I actually felt it get warmer and warmer....i touched it and it was hot...I gave up. It happened twice on the same day, has never happened again....not sure what caused it.

I was sore every day for everyone of those 30 days. It was awful, no amount of essential oils help me soothe the pain, so I resorted to ibuprofen. But I slept better and longer....so I think it helped.  I have been juicing with spinach and kale ever since we moved to Nashville, first to alleviate some ailments, and I came to find out that it was actually for the better...so I've just kept doing it...just not as often as I would like. I also decided to always be active. I know people like to work out at home....but I have come to find out that there is just TOO MUCH going on at home for me to concentrate even for half an hour....babies, cleaning, laundry...there's always something. And I say to myself.."after this, I'll go put the dvd on"...and next thing I know Ethan wakes up from a nap...and two hours have gone by. UGH. So, in my experience, if I keep finding cheap fitness groupons like these- I'll keep going. Not being home is also good for me. I don't work...so I don't really see a whole lot of people....makes me a little more sociable.

 I thought  the weight would just melt off....but I'm so wrong. I think I lost them ost weight the first 5 months post partum and not doing anything (except breastfeeding...maybe that was it). While I have lost a bit of weight, its not nearly what I thought I was going to lose. What a bummer- now I know why people stop going to the gym in about 6 weeks time. I sweat a lot too, which I thought was the key here. My hubs says that I'm building muscle and that's why the scale doesn't really move. I want to believe him....but I really don't...I don't think I do enough to actually build that kind of muscle. I gotta admit, even though I feel stronger ( I recently lifted a huge 30 gal tote above my arms full of xmas stuff to put at the very top of the closet) and my clothes are finally big on me, I still feel like a failure because the scale doesn't reflect where I think I should be. But I actually enjoy going.

 Everytime I crave sweets (like brownies) I will eat grapes....or bananas...I know, cause they're the same thing right?  I figured if I eat sugar...might as well be as natural as possible. we do eat junk food, every now and then...but I try to watch it. But the holidays betrayed me haha...I ate way too many chocolates....but I think i'm back on track.

After my groupon ended after 30 days, I found another one for Gold's gym for a 3 month trial- what a steal. So, I did that for 3 months. I went to class right after I dropped Dominic off school. It was literally right across from his school, and I could come in a few minutes late, AND I could take a shower there (no need to come back home). That's exactly what I did for 90 days- I went to whatever class they were doing at 9am and usually stayed there for an hour and a half....sometimes kickboxing, zumba, weight lifting, yoga, or just cardio on steroids class, I call it. Geez...that class was intense, from the get go you were running for a whole hour. who does that???? But I felt so accomplished at the end of class.

This groupon ended just before Christmas time, so I didn't really work out during the holidays, but I didn't gain any weight...I guess I didn't really pig out either. And on January 1st, I got an email from the place I started at, saying that I could do another month for $30....so, this is where I am at right now. I hardly sleep these days, the kids aren't either I guess, so there has been a couple of times that I go to class at 6am and I feel like I can take on the rest of the day....sometimes I wake up at 4 am and do some stuff around the house and then go to class early. I really don't know what wrong with me...I guess I'm getting old.

Starting the new year, I'm glad to say that I am only 5 lbs to where I was right when I found out Ethan was joining us (which was 114 lbs). I still feel totally bummed I haven't been able to get rid of them, but at the same time, I lost 50lbs in less than a year ( I actually reached that goal in October)! that's kinda cool...I guess. I need to take in the small victories...I keep telling myself that, but every time I look at the scale..it sucks. So right now, my new year's goal is to stop taking the scale so seriously and focus on strength. I want to be strong and have good arms and be able to lift things. Like recently, we moved some furniture around and I helped Spencer- like...I actually lifted it!...that was kinda cool, even he was surprised. He actually hurt his back. I keep telling him to take yoga classes, but he says it's for girls. It's really not....there's guys in there too. The instructor is a guy.
It has been an amazing journey for me...almost an awakening of sorts...I hope to keep doing it, because I'm actually feeling the best I have ever felt....here's to the new year!!!