Long Post from Katie P

Uh, so I didn't get to reading and responding yesterday as I was needed in Mommy form. Hopefully I'll be able to do that tonight.

Exercise: Ran 2 mi this morning, plus crunches and pushups (I'm back up to 2 sets - 15 and 17, non-girl pushups). Got a short nap.

Eating: Continues to amaze me, this feeling of freedom. It is going so well that I am hesitant to even write about it, out of a faint superstitious belief that it will "all fall apart" if I talk about it out loud. I am almost in disbelief at how often a tall, cold glass of ice water is actually what I needed, when I would have *sworn* 5 minutes before that I was feeling tired because FOOD would be the only thing that would help me! It is also funny to me how quickly that whole big glass of water can be suddenly empty again - I am thirstier than I realized I guess. I find myself feeling surprised that I don't need to eat as much in a day as I thought I did, though I am still figuring out how much I need. I've tried "eating intuitively" before, and this time I am finding that a tad more structure than I used to use helps me - I am eating at mealtimes (rather than completely ignoring the clock and eating whenever hungry), and I'm starting with just a normal meal-sized portion (rather than going bite by bite to see how hungry/full I am).

The latest bend in the road is that today I began to feel a bit unsure about hunger and full. I ate a snack around 4pm (I found at the end of last week that I usually need this in order to get me through to dinner, or else I get too hungry). Then I met up with Daniel at a street market, where we got food. I ordered a tamale that was too small, so went back and ordered 2 more after I ate the first one. After eating the 2nd one, I felt good to go, but I wasn't sure if I should eat the 3rd one. The last two nights, I've felt quite hungry right before bed, so I ate the 3rd one thinking it might help me avoid that. But then I felt full. Then I got home and felt dissatisfied. Was I hungry? Was I just worried? Augh!! Now that I write it out, I think I just got too worried about it all. My stomach can stretch for this reason, and it's ok if sometimes I eat a bit too much, and other times don't eat quite enough. It's not the end of the world, and I shouldn't get so focused on every twinge I feel. I want to build a pattern I can sustain over the long haul, and that has to be flexible. So I'm going to look at tonight as a flex. Those nights I went to bed hungry were fine, and tonight I don't think I'll go to bed hungry and that's probably fine too.


Jess - Thanks for your suggestion about the hammock! I think you'd mentioned that to me before and I'd forgotten it. We actually don't have any string hammocks, only cloth ones, but thankfully the a/c is still working fine (plus it hasn't been quite as hot) so swaddling has been fine.

Thanks also for what you shared about re: beliefs about your writing. Yes it is so freeing to see the trap and then be able to walk around it! It's funny: just yesterday while getting my hair cut, a lady made the off-hand comment, "Don't you just wish you were a baby again - no worries, no responsibilities." (not totally random - Naomi was sitting there :) ) And while on the one hand I totally get this and agree, still more of me feels like, "There is no way in heck I'd like to be a baby again!" Partly because it would mean going through childhood and adolescence all over again, and all that drama, and I'm so glad I don't have to relive high school! :) But partly because maturity is really great and I enjoy it! This being able to see a belief and walk around it is one of those abilities gained through time and experience that I would be very sorry to lose, just for the sake of having less responsibility! No thanks!

I'm so glad your surgery went so well! I think superpower is a great word for it :) It gave me a new and deeper awe of Jesus, going around simply touching eyes and bringing sight, just reading what you wrote - I can't imagine what it must be like for you! It's so funny how connected all our body parts are, that lifting weights can put more strain on the eyes! Makes sense, but interesting. Hearing yet another positive report of Lasik tips my "thinking about it" scale just a bit more... maybe someday I'll do it. I have to admit that one negative thing in my brain is how freaked out I think I would be at having to keep my eyes open during the procedure. Was that a big deal for you? or not?

Amie - Thank you so much for the update on Julie. I'm so sorry she is still in ICU and not getting to cuddle her little one, but so thankful she is still alive! Is her life still at risk, or is it now a matter of salvaging the functioning of as many organs as possible? Your time in MT and your upcoming camping sound crazy to me, but I hope you enjoy it! :) I love Montana - Daniel's brother has lived there for about 6 years, and we've spent a few weeks there before. It's beautiful.

Katie - I smiled when I read your comment about CA homes not having A/C - that IS the nice thing about places like TX or other hot places... because of the incredible heat, they have a/c in every home! Good for you for adapting so that you can still work out, even while you can't get outside. And what a great feeling to see how much stronger you've become (with the Prevention DVD)!

I definitely HATE working out in the evenings. Not only am I more tired physically, but mentally I am winding down for the day and working out isn't exactly relaxing or fun in my mind. I like to work out first thing in the morning because it gets it out of the way, honestly. I think it also boosts me up, and I feel good about the fact that I exercised, which gets me more pumped for the day. Also I love mornings (always smells fresh, cool air, etc) so when I'm exercising outside I enjoy being out in the early morning. But I think your idea about doing workouts during naptime to help yourself with depression feelings and the pull of eating might be a great solution.

Emily - So glad karate is going well, and that you are not pushing yourself to do more. In terms of overall health (including body AND heart/soul/mind), it sounds like you are really nailing it by managing your stress and not trying to do too much.

That's hilarious about "Women at Large"! ha!

Great point about your lack of internet being a blessing because it kept you from "checking out" - I'm glad you mentioned that. I always find that when I give up Internet for a bit, I feel so much better! And yet it always sucks me back in. It's so much like me and sugar, now that I think about it! I feel so much better when I'm not eating sweets (which for me translates into eating them rarely - as opposed to never - but in my head I have to think of it as, "I don't eat sweets," or else I will get sucked into eating them waaaay too often and too much :) ). However, while life without sweets is workable for me, I just don't think life without Internet would work in my home... :) (But I can't put all the blame on my programming husband - I don't want to give it up either!) But it is something for me to think about.

Okay, I just read that your blender broke - WOOHOO!!!!!! :) :) I can't WAIT to come see your Vitamix!! :) :) Ok, now I read the rest of your entry and realized that you aren't sure if you're going to get it. In some ways I don't want to give advice because I don't know your specific financial situation, so maybe it is not a good idea for you guys to get it. But if you're asking for general, fairly uninformed input, I would say get it! I hope this isn't faulty or ungodly reasoning, but I don't think that spending money on pleasurable things is wrong. It can be just as sinful to be fastidious about something as it is to gorge yourself on it - pleasure is meant to be enjoyed but not glorified, and it can be glorified when we attach ourselves too tightly to it and require it, as well as when we focus too much on restricting or forbidding it. My thinking is: this blender will last you for the rest of your life (or a super long time at least), and I am sure you will not only get many many enjoyable "moments" from it, enjoying a smoothie or something else, but also you will be nourishing your family both in body and spirit - those green smoothies are great for them, and I bet they really enjoy them too. So I think it's an investment that is worth it. But again, I don't know your financial situation, and obviously there are plenty of things that should come before pleasure - a family needs food, babies need diapers, you need a car and gas in it, etc. But if there isn't a real, tangible expense or debt that would keep you from buying this, but rather it is just a fear of spending a lot of money on something you will enjoy, I say spit in the face of the temptation to idolize frugality and buy the Vitamix and enjoy it every time you use it!

(...um... hope that was not too strong. I just read a discussion on Facebook about how Christians should not wear shorts to church if they love God and I think it got me a little too fired up when I came to thinking about your Vitamix. So take what I said with a grain of salt. :) )

Yolanda - I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like to go through as much transition as it sounds like you have recently gone through (in your academic and family life). That's a lot to swallow and digest and jump into (sorry for mixing my metaphors there, but they all seem appropriate). Good for you for determining to start again, with taking care of your body. You're right about the fact that you and your family will all be glad you did. I think in terms of my own inspiration, once I get in a routine, sticking with the routine just keeps me rolling, but when I get OUT of a routine and need to start again, I have been motivated in the past by looking at a picture of myself from a healthier time. But what's worked more effectively I think is just knowing it's taking me to a place I'd rather be, regardless of what I feel like now, because for me so much of being successful at staying fit and healthy is just doing it, whether I feel like it or not, and this attitude keys into that. I don't know how helpful that will be, but it's what's true for me. Other ideas for motivation: get some gear you enjoy (clothes or shoes or a headband) - it's actually gotten me out of bed in the morning because I was eager to wear my new swimsuit for swimming laps! Or give yourself some treat for working out - maybe a once a week dessert treat, or a luxurious bath or maybe a smaller daily treat. I know of someone who bought small sizes of a really expensive body wash and hair products that she loved but she put them in her gym bag and only let herself use them after she'd worked out as her treat.

Still Alive, Still Working Out

... just busy! Helping with VBS at church this week has thrown my routine off and it's been hard to find time to get on here. The good news is that I have been working out and napping! At least, I did yesterday. I want to today but just now Naomi was definitely not acting like she needed the nap I was hoping she'd want! I'll try again in an hour. (I have not been getting enough sleep.)

I'm back into Workout 3 of Shred... umph. Not quite sure what that sound is, but it seems appropriate. Workout 3 is the toughest for me (surprise surprise - it's the 3rd one! :) ), and I'm not thrilled about doing it again, but I can also appreciate that I am getting a good workout. Today was my first time doing it in a month and was unpleasantly surprised when suddenly I heard Jillian say, "Get down in a plank position for mountain climbers!" Noooo! My nemesis! I had forgotten about those! But I did them - 12 in a row before a step-touch break. I was also able to do all the traveling pushups in the harder position, and the first set of plank rows / leg lifts in the harder position. I did the 2nd set of rows on my knees, but to be honest that first set was not as hard as it was last month, and I should probably at least see how many I can do next time in the harder position, to challenge my body (not let my mind hold me back, which I always do). The fact that they weren't as hard surprised me since I had to back off the upper body work last week. But also I was using lighter weights throughout (3 lb weights, except for the dumbbell cleans, which I do with 10 lb of weight), so that might have helped. If so, I will continue doing that, because I like being able to do the full workout in the harder position even if I'm using smaller weights.

Yesterday I ran again, 2 miles. No time for crunches and pushups before VBS (nor for a shower! ew!) but oh well. Monday I did Workout 2 of Shred. I ran out of time in the morning, but did it in the afternoon when I got home.

Peeing is still problematic. Or rather, peeing is easy (too easy) - holding it while running or bouncing is the problem. I thought for awhile last month that it was getting better, but now it is definitely not better. The "best" proof of this happened just now. I'd walked Naomi down the street in the jog stroller so I could run some errands and by the end she was very hungry (and also sleepy, so I thought), so I decided to jog the half mile home. Problem was, I had NOT just gone to the bathroom (like I usually do RIGHT before I leave for a run), and I had on regular clothes and only minimal "protection". Yeah, I peed my pants. Nice dark shorts that really show wetness. Oh well. Maybe when Naomi weans... Until then, as long as I'm prepared for it, it isn't too big a deal. I guess though it's another one of those body limitations (like what we were talking about a few weeks ago with aging), and it is honestly sort of hard for me to accept. What if it never gets better? What if spontaneously breaking into a run, or doing jumping jacks or any kind of jumping will forever cause me to pee my pants? It kind of makes me sad to feel that limitation in my body and to know that I used to enjoy NOT being limited like that. Of course, it could get better too - I don't know. And of COURSE having Naomi was worth it, but it still makes me sad.

Alright, now to read and respond to y'all.

Now I'm Going to Shower...

Blech - I do not like it when I don't go shower right after working out. Now it's been 20 minutes that I've spent sitting here reading blogs and I am still not clean. What is it about that little decision? It is so important! Ok, after this it's on.

Running was great today. I always forget that while I'm running it's not as pleasant, but I think that is also because I am going slightly faster than I used to, and I am pushing a stroller. But I feel great when I'm done and doing something unpleasant for only 4 half-mile straightaways is actually over pretty quickly so I don't have to have that much fortitude. Whenever I'm not running (and am feeling good from said running), I think to myself, "I should increase my mileage!" Whenever I am actually running, I think to myself, "I am so glad I am only going 2 miles today!"

Coming home means the workout is still far from over, because I have to get the stroller folded and in the trunk of the car with one hand (baby in the other hand - bonus points today since a wriggly, spitting up baby is more difficult to manage than a sleeping baby) AND push-ups and sit-ups. Focused on keeping my core solid today during sit-ups (neck straight thru abs), and they were harder. Also, I was surprised today that I was able to eke out all 20 push-ups in a row for both sets. I did have more of a break after running than I did over the weekend (because of putting stroller away, walking upstairs and texting someone a few times). Maybe that helped. But I am also convinced that those last few shaky, super-slow reps actually do something to build strength. Huh.

Also walked a mile yesterday with Naomi in back carrier, doing errands. I love having her on my back rather than my front, and she loves it too because she can see more, so it's a win-win. Daniel worked a long day, so I had a 12-hour mommy shift and was feeling pretty wiped by the end of the day. Add in miscommunication between the two of us, and the fact that this upcoming weekend will be his first weekend out of town since Naomi was born (which makes me sad - missing him - and nervous - single parenting scares me), and I nibbled dried fruit and almonds until bedtime when I was not hungry. Bummer. But on the other hand, before that all day yesterday was good for me, eating-wise. Not perfect, but good and healthy overall (meaning how I ate, not what I ate - what I eat is generally pretty healthy). I was hungry for dinner and actually made a yummy one, and that was neat.

I still feel anxiety about this weekend. I guess the good thing is that it does keep me more connected to God, since I feel more needy. But feeling needy sure isn't fun.

Almost done with the 30 days...

... and getting excited at the prospect of possibly running. I say "possibly" because I want to really let myself NOT run if it turns out to be too much and edges me away from doing it regularly. Kelly, I like your idea of alternating: I think I'm going to try it. I've liked having one routine to fall into each day (feed baby, do wkt video, put baby down for nap, shower, eat breakfast), and going outside for the workout means I actually have to wear something decent, which puts a wrench in the current routine. But if I can slip into a new routine, it could work, so we'll see how it goes.

I did Workout 3 again today. Getting sick of it, to be honest. I didn't really think that would happen, but it is. Guess it's a good thing that tomorrow is my last day! I think doing it every other day will be good, because it won't be the only thing I'm doing anymore.

Also, I want to note to myself for later: I HATE HATE HATE doing the plank rows with leg raises in the full-blown position!! Blech! Definitely the worst part of the whole workout for me. The only thing that kept me doing the full-blown position for the first set today (I cannot do it for both sets, nor the push ups), was that I did not want to have to confess on here that I'd gone backwards and done fewer. And the knowledge that if my body is physically able to do it, that means that *I* am able to do it, even if my brain says I can't. Ok. End of tantrum.

Amie (and other La Mirada play-daters) - Thanks for the info! I am hoping I can make it, but not sure if I'll get there in time. Naomi had crummy naps yesterday and Sunday, and this is right at the end of her napping window. If she's awake in time we'll head over and see if anyone is still around. It would be fun to see you and meet your kids.

Yolanda - I am probably not the one to ask about expectations for meeting goals, because after years of being a super goal-oriented person, I am currently in a season of literally setting all outward goals to the wayside because it was putting too much pressure on me. (With postpartum hormones and lack of sleep, I couldn't handle it and the littlest thing could set me over the edge.) Hence the current plan, which is NOT to try to fit into (or try on!) any old clothes that aren't already fitting, nor worry about losing any weight. This was reinspired by Sunday morning's getting-ready-for-church, when I felt like wearing a summery dress and remembered a few in the "don't fit yet" box of pre-pregnancy clothes. Since I'd been feeling so good from working out, I figured they'd probably fit. Um, NO. It was really frustrating - I tried on 3, and even the looser one didn't fit. I think it's mostly that my figure has changed, since my weight isn't that different, but it was really discouraging. The one that did work was a sundress that had doubled as a maternity dress (since it was flow-y), and it cheered me up to wear something cute. But the whole experience sealed the deal that I will not try to fit into old clothes for the foreseeable future, but simply enjoy feeling good and fitting well in the clothes I'm currently wearing. That's partly where the "30 days" thing is coming in for me: I'm planning to try something new each 30 days, which gives me a goal other than weight loss or outward results. I'm not sure what will come after running/shred, but I guess I have another 32 days to figure that out... :)

Christa - I loved/hated hearing about your new "resident(s)." Ew! An Australian accent would get me to try a workout - that is one of my favorite accents. I think Boston accents and UK accents are just below that. I don't have tons of experience with yoga/pilates, but I do know there is a wide variation among the different forms. If it's a really relaxing form of yoga, it would probably even help with falling asleep; but there are also forms of yoga that are more vigorous and that might make it harder? Pilates seems overall more vigorous to me, so that may not work. Don't know. In high school I did a high-impact aerobics video every night before bed and never had trouble sleeping. But I was 17. Maybe try the video midday and see if you feel relaxed afterwards or not before trying it at night? I do think alternating workouts is a great idea - which is why I'm going to try it myself. I think it might help me to mix things up a bit.

Kelly - You could look on Craigslist. And, this is definitely not under $30, but if you want a really good powerful blender the least expensive, good-quality one I've found is the Magic Bullet (technically a food processor but works like a blender with one of the blades). I love mine, although I think all their techniques for chopping are ridiculous and don't work (ie. chopping fruit just produces mush). But if you want something completely blended (like a smoothie), it's great. It's $100 at Costco.

Katie - I love that you poured water on your head before heading out for your walk - smart! Last summer Daniel and I took a hiking trip along the coast of Italy and although you'd think coast = cooler, it was so humid I felt at times like I couldn't breathe! I was concerned about Naomi (I was 6 mos pregnant), but I found that frequently dumping water over my belly kept me from getting heat rash. :)

Habits can be great things

Just did Day 7 of Workout 3. Tough again, though mentally I think it's a hair easier now that I'm in a habit of doing it. I have to say, that is the "result" I find most precious out of this 30-day shred: it is changing the overall rhythm and direction of my daily life. Building the habit of making myself do something unpleasant like that, first thing, (followed by making myself head straight for the shower, which makes it really easy to just get dressed and ready for the day) just makes it easier the rest of the day to keep the house straightened up, pick up the toys when Naomi goes down for a nap (even though she'll just get them all out again in a couple hours), put that onesie to soak rather than just let it sit on the changing table, etc. It has also been helping me to think about doing chores because I want them done and feel better when they are done, rather than because I am afraid I will be an inadequate mother if I don't do them, or because I am afraid of what people would think if they came to my house and found it messy. So not letting fear be my motivator, but giving myself space to find another motivation that is already there. This seems to make chores much less exhausting, I guess because it eliminates the internal kerfuffle the fear causes. Those are some of my demons, and it's neat to see them less and less.

Christa - YAYYY! That is good news indeed! Honestly, I believe that perseverance is the key to seeing change happen, not necessarily blowing it out of the water from day one. I think the fact that you are still working out is huge.

Saturday

I did my workout, but forgot to post it. Daniel was gone all day shooting a wedding, but the day turned out surprisingly great. Naomi had a pretty easygoing day, but I also did well at handling the stress at different points and doing things that really refreshed me (ie. doing things other than snacking!) Yay! Plus we took a 1+ mile walk. Bonus.

Still wondering what I want to do after this 30 days is up (30-day shred). I'd like to run, but I also don't want to lose what I'm gaining from doing the shred... doing both running and the shred each day sounds like it might be too much for me (mentally). I might try it, and then try to let myself reevaluate after a few days, to see if it really is too much or not.

Kelly - I too have often sent Daniel to work with a bag of whatever-is-calling-my-name (to get it out of the house ... he somehow has this uncanny ability to not eat something yummy simply because it is there - go figure!). Sometimes, like after Christmas, it's pretty hilarious how much stuff he is taking with him! :)

Emily - Yay! So glad you're enjoying the blender. And I am the same way about eating "healthy" foods in unhealthy ways.

Amie - It made me smile to hear that you are on vacation in SD. (I love to live through others' vacations/honeymoons/etc vicariously... I love trips and it's half as good to just hear that someone else is enjoying a trip or vacation. :) ) I also glanced at your new profile pic on Facebook, which I think is from your vacation - so cute. :) I really admire you for traveling alone with kids. I find it hard to travel TOGETHER with one child, so it will be awhile before I have the guts and internal calm to do it alone! I too find it actually easier to exercise when on vacation. For me, the new location usually makes it all new and interesting to go running (when I was running). But our last vacation I found out why most people struggle to exercise on vacation ... sleeping in and having lazy mornings is really nice too! :) I might be able to meet up Tuesday - what time?

Katie J - props for not letting the sweat get to you. When I am in the tropics (my husband's folks used to live in SE Asia, so we'd visit for several weeks at a time), I always have to consciously focus on trying to ignore it because I don't enjoy sweating that much! And I would exercise before the sun was up to avoid even more sweat (but that's not really as virtuous as it sounds when you consider that I would just make jet lag work in my favor...)

Day 4 of Workout 3

I guess a boring title is better than no title.

Workout was great today - each day seems to get a bit better. Today I did a little bit more... now I'm doing all the walking planks off of my knees, all the side plank raises in the harder position, and I did 7 mtn climbers in a row before I did 2 step-touches, rather than 5 in a row. Yay! I really felt it (again). Boy do I hate plank position!! Gr. But I know that the discomfort and difficulty is part of why it is giving me noticeable results in strength, energy and appearance.

One thing I have noticed in the last week or two is that my baby tummy is a little flatter. That is something that has really been motivating me lately! I never had a horrible post-partum pooch, but there was always just a rounded look to it that I could never get rid of, and now it is flattening out a bit. I honestly didn't really think that would ever happen. Yolanda - that's interesting that you've seen such great results with your waist trimmer! Neat. I used a belt of sorts for the first few weeks post-partum, which helped quite a bit, but I've never tried running with something like that.

Another positive that I noticed today is that I feel like I am getting into a bit of a routine that I like, unlike my old routine which I didn't like. I feed Naomi when she first wakes up, change her, and then do my workout as soon as I can - sometimes this is while she's still awake, sometimes other things come up and my first chance is once she's down for her 9(ish) a.m. nap. As soon as I'm done with the workout, I make myself get in the shower. That shower decision seems to be important for me - the rest of the morning goes much better if I can do that, rather than sit down to eat breakfast at my computer (which just sucks me in). Funny how sometimes one tiny moment of decision can spin you into an entirely different direction.

I'm also noticing that this has been a very good week for me emotionally. We'll see how the rest of the month unfolds (ie. hormones, etc).

Now if I could work on the whole pee thing... I really miss being able to do jumping jacks or other bouncing things without wetting myself! :( I half-heartedly tried to keep doing some Kegels after birth, but I just hate those things and they didn't really seem to help at all.

Emily - I smiled when I read your "OWW". I hope that doesn't sound heartless - I personally feel somewhat pleased when I'm sore, and I hope you feel gratified too - it shows you are really doing something to get stronger! (assuming it was the right kind of "ow") Congratulations on being able to remodel your kitchen!! That is exciting and I look forward to seeing the finished product. Did you take "before" pictures? We were really glad we had ours later. The "during" process can be super hard though - if you ever need to vent, let me know. We did ours pre-baby, but sheesh... I remember the frustration! And I'd love to lend you the blender. I'm not sure if I'll be able to bring it by today, but might be able to either tomorrow or Sat. If not, I'll bring it Sunday (or you are welcome to come by if you like). And ohmygoodness, if I were you I would SO HOPE MY KITCHENAID WOULD BREAK! :) :)

Naomi is making really cute noises over the monitor, so I know the nap is over - got to go.

First Post

Hello all! So glad to be a part of this group. I could use the accountability and extra encouragement.

Goals:
I'm still carrying about 2/3rds of my pregnancy weight, and my son is 11 months old. I found it very difficult to exercise as a working mommy/student, and I am still trying to find a schedule with some balance in it. Since the beginning of the summer, I have gotten into more of a workable routine.

I need to lose about 20 lbs by fall, for my health and so I can fit into my teaching clothes! Once I tackle that, I still have about 25 lbs to lose to get to my *ideal* weight (the closest I've ever been to that weight was +17 lbs, about 6 years ago). I'm not trying to do it all at once - I think a year is a good time line - and I'd like to get down to that weight before trying to have baby 2 (which I think we'll be ready to do in a year).

Routine:
We bought a treadmill at the beginning of the year so I could do a proper workout. Currently, I am trying to spend 45 minutes a day, 4 days a week on the treadmill. I run for 11 minutes (and am increasing that time incrementally) and walk the rest of the time (uphill, changing the incline each minute in the last 25 minutes of the workout). I've only been doing this for about a week or so, but have already seen some results, so I am eager to continue.

I also need to start adding in abdominal and arm workouts - my two problem areas. My hubby set up a good routine for me that I can share if you're interested. I also own a Wii Fit and like to do the yoga and strength exercises. But it can be hard to do with a little one grabbing at your ankles.

Today's accomplishments:
Treadmill: about 35 minutes, approximately 300 calories burned

hi!

Well, I've been mostly intending to join for a week, so we'll see how regularly I post!

Part of my hesitation is that while exercise has been an important part of my life - not just physically but also emotionally and spiritually - it was also something I did well when my time was my own and I could almost always follow through on my intention to do x that day. All of that has changed now - not just from becoming a mommy (Naomi turned 6 mos last week), but also from being sick pretty much constantly from the end of Feb to the end of May. I had to let go of all my old ways of going about exercise - what I did, how much I did, when I did it, etc. I actually gave up exercise altogether for awhile, so I could get better.

Now that I have eased my way back into exercising, it continues to be really important to me that I not make myself feel pressured to exercise, or else I'll go crazy when something comes up (sick-wise or baby-wise) that keeps me from my intended workout. And when I say go crazy I am only slightly exaggerating - the post-partum blues and overwhelm have been a struggle for me, especially about once a month or so. On those one or two or 3 days a month, I honestly have to be willing to throw out EVERYTHING that causes me stress, or else I will melt down and not be able to care for my baby. It happened twice and it's worth anything to me to not have that happen again!

I don't think I needed to explain that to you all, but I wanted to write it partly because that is part of what I want to hold myself accountable for: listening to my body's needs and my baby's needs, and giving myself a break if I don't do a workout. That's hard for me to do without thereafter giving up on fitness altogether.

So.

I've been feeling pretty much well since the beginning of June, so I have been able to be consistent with the workout I started trying to do in May: doing the 30-day shred daily, taking Sundays off. That means that today was Day 2 of Workout 3.

Yesterday SUCKED - Day 1 of Workout 3. I found it to be so hard, and I didn't feel like I could keep up. I felt discouraged afterwards, and did not want to do Day 2 today. I thought I was going to hate Wkt 3. Turns out that when I can go straight through it, rather than having to stop and start over the course of 45 minutes because of a needy baby, I like it a lot better. :) It also helped that today I let myself do the easier modification of some of the moves (for part of the push-up set, for part of some of the cardio sets), but I am sure that is not the only reason. So I'm proud of myself for following through with it today, even though I didn't want to, and letting myself do the easier version when needed. That never fails to then get me back into it and trying to challenge myself again.

Day 10 and how it's going

I'm 1/3 of the way through my personal 30 day challenge (water, GS, exercise). And I have to admit that I'm really liking the results. Usually I have really miserable periods (enough so that I take pain medication to get through them). And right now I'm still feeling icky, but less miserable than usual. :) I think it is probably all the extra water and produce. But it is wonderful to feel good enough to want to do a yoga workout when usually I'd want to be lying in bed!

Water - 96 ounces
GS - yes
exercise - 30 minutes "weight loss yoga" (biggest loser)

Katie, I have to admit that I am green with envy over your exercise bike. My biggest challenge with exercise is feeling bored while doing it. I would love to be able to read a book and work out at the same time!

Christa, it can be really tough to find a good routine (and I'm sorry to hear about Dan having difficulty - that definitely doesn't help.) Keep experimenting. When I work on my routine, I always start with a list of priorities - things that really need to happen for the day to be a good one. Getting exercise into the mix required changing my focus enough to believe that it was important enough to make it on that list of priorities. ;)

Jess, about function. I think you're right about stewardship. Also, I've started to realize that the choices I make about body care now will seriously affect the choices that I get to make later. If I strength train now, and get into the habit, I'll be much less likely to end up with bone loss and osteoporosis (which would seriously impact quality of life later). I want to be able to be really active when I'm older - maybe a midwife, maybe a grandmother, maybe working at a life center - who knows - and I need to take care of the body I've been given now in order to have those opportunities to love and serve people later.