I love that I get my workouts in first thing in the morning. Dragging myself out of bed at 5:30am can be tough but I love the time to myself. I've been doing a popular home workout program and its only 30 minutes a day. I feel refereshed and energized for the day and when I come home after work I get to spend time with my little girl. I can even run errands after work without feeling guilty that I will either need to skip a workout or my hubby will need to be on baby duty even longer. Works out well for everyone.
This was week 6 of my morning workout routine until Wedsnesday...Tuesday I came down with a stomach flu or food poisoning - either way I needed the rest of the week to get over it. So next week I will start over for week 6.
Eating is the tougher part for me, always has been. I usually eat more whole foods than most people but my sweet tooth is out of control lately. I have decided its time to reign that in and focus on cutting out the sugar - not just candy and baked goods but in every day items as well.
I know a lot of trainers and coaches tell their clients to workout first thing in the morning so they fit it into their day and I can say from experience it is the best option for working parents. Make the commitment and just do it! 30 minutes a day is really all you need!
So 2 weeks ago I went back to work full time. My husband is home during the day with the baby and as soon as I get home he hands her off to me. Usually she is tired and needs a nap but will only fall asleep on one of us. We can put her down after a while and she will stay asleep. My goal was to cone home each day and fit in a 1/2 hour workout but my hubby and baby have other plans. So I made yhe decision to work out before I leave for work. Right now I am following a home workout series which is no more than 1/2 hour so I can do this right?
Monday I get up and workout then jump in the shower - off to a great start. Then Tuesday rolls around and I forgot to set my alarm. I was on time for work but no time for my DVD. However that night I did get my 30 minutes in after work. The next 2 days went like Monday. Fridays are usually a recovery day and Saturday is a double and I sit here wondering when I will fit this in. We have swimclass just after noon for the baby and will be heading out at 4 to drop the baby off so we can have a date night. I wake up starving so first thing this moning was out. Hopefully mid morning the baby will sleep or my hubby will give me that time. I also say to myself that if I only get in one DVD instead of the 2 on the schedule that would be a victory as well. It will get easier as she gets older but for today I need to make it work. I just need to finish this cup of tea.
I had my 6 weeks post pregnancy check up - all is good. I can start working out again but I will take it slow and build up to where I was pre-pregnancy. I have gone for several walks, making sure to take a few hills along the way. I can still feel a bit sore from the incision every once in a while so no high impact activities yet.
I am still figuring out the whole schedule thing. Every day with the newborn is different and I don't know what to expect so my schedule is different and it's hard to plan to exercise. Today I cut my afternoon nap short and took my walk. I now need to figure out when to do cardio and weigh lifting.
I still find it hard to believe that the precious baby in the sleeper is mine. Wow. Things are changing and time is going really quickly. But so far, I have enjoyed the last 6 weeks!
I'm about 12 days post c-section and still pretty sore. Walking is still hard at this point. On Monday I have my 2 week post c-section follow up with my doctor. She had initially said 6 weeks post surgery I'll be able to get back into working out. That's about 4 more weeks away and feeling this sore still...not sure how that will be possible. But I'm staying positive! I'm hoping next week I'll be able to start taking the baby out for walks around the block and get back into some physical activity. (I live in Phoenix so the weather here is still nice enough for walking).
I'm contemplating my goals for 2014. I'm working on my Health Coach certification and will be testing for that this month. Other than that, I'm still trying to figure out what this year will bring for me. Being a new mom has definitely changed the game a bit. Trying to find time to do things now will be even tougher than before. Time management will be important and learning to walk away from the internet (I can get lost on Twitter or in the news very easily) will be a priority. And of course keeping my marriage going strong. I love starting a new year - so much to look forward to!
Saw my doctor yesterday for my 37 week check up - baby is good but she is concerned about a vaginal delivery so we are looking to schedule a c-section in 11-12 days - wow baby girl will be here soon! So much to do until then.
We did ask about working out again - she said within the first 2 weeks they suggest walking and not lifting anything more than 20 pounds. After that, she said 6 weeks in I'll be cleared to work out again. Like I used to - weights, running, kickboxing, all of it. Granted, I haven't done much in the last few months so I'll have to gradually work my way back into it again. But I am so excited to be able to bring that part of my life back into full swing. I have missed it for sure.
So the next few weeks will be about creating goals for 2014 - can you believe we are almost there? I want to run some 5Ks next year. And what else? The possibilities are endless!
3 more weeks - I am almost there. I am ready for this baby to be born. I miss my workouts - kickboxing, cycling, weights...I miss it all. Even walking! Some times when I sit for a while then I try to get up my legs just hurt. Everywhere. I have a hard time walking after that. Its been a long almost 36 weeks and I'm ready for the nausea to be over.
I'm still working on my Health Coach cert which I'm hoping to test for while on maternity leave. I am now on leave from my regular teaching class. It was getting too much with working full time and teaching and trying to make it to the doctor 2X a week.
For the last 8 years fitness has been a huge part of my life - first my own workouts and hiring a trainer a few times to work with me. Then running - I loved running for a long time. I was talking to my husband the other day about how much I enjoyed running 5Ks. I did run a 10K and that was good too. I miss those runs. I am ready to be able to workout again and I'm hoping to start running again - it will take a some to be able to get there again to where I enjoy running and I will look to run a few 5Ks. I am trying to stay positive while this baby takes over my body :)
I'm currently studying the ACE Health Coach materials to hopefully become certified. Currently I'm reading about different things people have tried to lose weight - pharmacological products, surgery, fasting, etc. I was shocked to find out that 45-65% of people who have had weight loss surgery of some sort (the material discusses 4 different surgeries) regain the weight after their 2nd year of having the surgery. It really proves the point that nothing can replace healthy eating and exercise to lose and MAINTAIN weight. We need to show clients that you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight (like with a 1200 calorie diet or less) or that excessive exercise is required. Moderate calore deficit is needed.
My sister had the lap band put in 2 years ago. She lost weight and looks great. I think its so drastic. I hope she is one that is able to keep the weight off several years later. Being in her mid 30's she has a long way to go.
I work full time for a large corporation. We have an internal wellness coach and a lot of initiatives to help individuals to become healthier. I've been feeling a bit out of sorts lately because of my lack of exercise. We just received pedometers in the mail to help push us to walk more (and earn an incentive for our HSA). I have been feeling like I need to walk more and its hard to walk outside here in Phoenix when its 110 degrees after dinner. So I'm going to use this to motivate me to add more walking in my everyday life - walk longer distances for bathroom breaks, take a 5 minute walking break here and there, park farther from the building, etc. I needed this to help me find a reason to walk more. Plus, it will be cooling off here soon so I'll be able to add more walking after dinner. Although I'm 6 months pregnant, I can still find ways to be active.
Well I found out maybe I don't listen as much as I should. Or maybe it was my first ob/gyn appointment after I found I am pregnant with my first child and was overwhelmed with all the info from my doctor. Or maybe it is selective hearing.
I have cut back drastically on my exercise routine per my doctor's instruction. I am considered high risk so no high intensity exercise for me. I've been walking and some weight lifting. I was doing walking lunges last night and felt this sharp pain run up my leg and it was also in my groin area. I stopped lunges immediately but did a couple of more upper body exercises before I gave up for the evening. I thought it was my sciatica. In the middle of the night last night I was woken up by sharp pain running up my leg and a pounding feeling in my calf. I still was thinking it was my sciatica, and it could be.
I tell a girlfriend what happened and she asked me why are you doing walking lunges? You aren't supposed to be doing that. I didn't remember my doctor telling me NOT to do them. I was confused so I started doing some research and sure enough, found a web site that said no walking lunges. What?
I come home from work and tell my husband the story and he said yes, your doctor told you the first visit not to do them - where was I? When I told him last night what had happened he didn't say anything about me doing walking lunges as he wasn't sure but when my friend confirmed today well...I was surprised. I didn't remember that at all.
I guess I need to pay more attention and do more research as to what is safe. Or maybe I should just walk and leave it at that.
19 weeks in. And I'm still exhausted. I have a hard time making it through the weekends without needing a nap. My doctor increased my thyroid medication dosage almost 3 weeks ago so I'm hoping it helps. My energy levels are all over the place. I am still teaching 2 circuit training classes a week and working full time. My workouts are now only happening the 2 days I teach since I'm already at a gym. I have been wanting to incorporate more yoga into my workouts - at least 2x a week. But the days I don't teach I run errands or only want to take a nap. And weekends...well I get one thing done and then I'm ready for a nap. I'm not sure how to counteract this exhaustion. I take my multis, drink lots of water and eat relatively healthy. Everyone says its normal, you are pregnant. But to be honest, I feel like my life is passing by because if I'm not sleeping, I'm wishing I was.
