Week 2 and 3 Fitness Update

I am fast approaching 3 weeks since I decided that I needed to change things in my life so that I could get in shape, lose my baby weight and feel healthier. So far I am succeeding in getting daily exercise, some of my eating habits are improving (no chocolate cake... but I can't say so much for pie, I did have some yesterday because it was Pi Day). The exercise is feeling great (a few sore spots, but nothing I can't handle). I think I am sleeping better and needing less coffee.

Here is what I have done for the last 2 weeks:

Week 2
March2: Recovery after my first crossfit class was a 45 minute walk with GeoDaddy, kids and dog at the off leash area.
March3:Recovery again. Too many squats, and jerks at CrossFit. Hamstrings and quads still grumpy. Walk in the park with Brother & Fiancé, kids and dogs.
March4:Finally not sore from CrossFit. 40 minute online pilates class (myyogaonline).
March5:CrossFit WOD - AMRAP(As many reps as possible) in 10 minutes: Row 50 Calories, 5 dumbbell thrusters and 3 burpees - 7 rounds completed.
March6:20minute walk with kids to CrossFit for my babysitting shift. 10 minute abs workout with Monkey as resistance on my legs
March7:CrossFit WOD - Box squats (35lbs) 5x3 -30 Wall balls and 90 skips (time 4:37) - my skipping skills need work, I am not very good at box squats either
March8: 30minute online Restorative yoga class - not very focused. I wanted to give up exercising because my armpits and shins were sore from CrossFit.
March9:45minute online fusion yoga class

Week 3
March10:Walk with kiddos, GeoDad and dog at off leash area. Super slow walk because Monkey wanted to walk the whole way pointing at all the dogs we saw and saying 'Dog'.
March11:CrossFit WOD - 4 rounds of 1000m rowing - I rowed 4000m in 23:40! Pretty excited that I could do it.
March12:Hour walk with LB and dog at off leash area. 45 minute walk with Monkey in the park by the house. Monkey and I practiced running, but my running was very very short fast steps so I wouldn't get too far ahead.
March13: 45 minute online yoga fusion class
March14: CrossFit 85% Bench press 5 rounds of 3. 75lbs. WOD: Rounds of 60 skips, %30 sit ups (10), 15 kettlebell swings (8lbs) - Completed 4 rounds in 13:06
March15:Bought myself a skipping rope, turns out the ones I had been trying to skip with at crossfit were too short (I am 5'10), maybe now my skipping skills will improve. Walk with dogs and my mom in the park while GeoDad put Monkey to bed for night. I thought a evening walk would work for us, but LB woke up just after I left the house and then neither kid would go to sleep for GeoDad for half an hour. I have to rethink the evening walk, plus it was cold and dark in the park.

Thanks for reading. It is been good motivation to know that people are reading and encouraging me in these goals.

GeoMama

Week 1 Fitness Update

If has been a great first week of my new fitness/health plan. Part way through the week I was offered a chance to trade some babysitting time at a local CrossFit Gym for an unlimited pass. I will be babysitting during the Mom & Babies class time 2 days a week, and will be able to attend 3 other days when child care is offered (or at other times during the day, but then I need to leave kiddos with GeoDaddy or Grandma). Today I went for the first time to see if I wanted to add CrossFit (http://www.crossfit.com/) to my workout routine. And the answer is totally YES! After just my first class I can sense that the environment is great for achieving goals. Everyone was very positive, encouraging, and honest that it may take time to learn the exercises. There are a couple more Moms in the class with babies about the same age as LB. I have never done squatting, deadlifts, or pressing - so most exercises here will be a whole new thing for me (and I like learning new things). Yoga and walking with the kids will be great on the days I am not doing the CrossFit workout.

I have decided that I will keep a record of my chest, waist and hip measurements, as well as keeping tabs on my weight. Here are my starting measurements:
Chest (below the breasts): 37.25 inches
Waist (1/2 inch above belly button): 42 inches
Hips (widest part): 51 inches

And here is my summary of the week:

Feb24: Wrote my big long list of excuses and realized I was my own worst enemy for getting anywhere on my goals.
Feb25: Gym - 25 minutes on the elliptical & 2 rounds through Set A (see end of this post)  from my personal trainer.
Feb26: Online Yoga - 45 Minute Fusion class
Feb27: Dancing with Monkey 15 minutes, 30 minute walk with both kids
Feb28: Online Yoga - 45 Minute Fusion class
March1: CrossFit WOD (Workout of the Day) (I did this Jerk and worked up to 65 lbs - I am proud of myself)

More updates later on in March.
Thanks for everyone who has sent encouraging words and tips.

GeoMama

Excuses, Excuses: Part 2: What I am going to do to actually achieve my goals

In part 1 I gave you a pretty good list of why I am not getting out exercising/walking the dog/etc and why I am doing crappy at achieving my New Years Resolution of losing my baby weight and getting back in shape. So now it is time to get a plan together that will keep me focused on getting where I want to be.

Let me start off by setting goals and explaining my reasons.
I have 3 weight goals:

1. Get back to my pre-pregnancy weight for LB (~30 lbs). 
2. Get back to my pre-pregnancy weight for Monkey (~45 lbs from where I am now). 
3.  I would like to be closer to weight I was when I quit competitive swimming in high school, but this goal is more long term and less defined at the moment. 

I have a couple fitness goals:

1. Be able to do a chin up by the end of 2013 (kind of silly, but I used to be able to do them and it would be nice to do them again).
2. Be able to swim 3km in less than an hour (I used to be a competitive swimmer, so it should be doable)
3. Be in good enough shape to snowboard next winter.

It is about 150 days or 21 weeks until my brother gets married. This is my major motivation right now, I want to look more toned and thinner in the photos. Also, it would be healthy to lose the weight. I would like my children to be active, which is a lifestyle I should be demonstrating to them because Monkey See, Monkey Do (and soon LB See, LB Do Too!).

Awkward High School Photo.  Long term target shape/weight

First trimester pregnant with Monkey (weight goal #2)

Here is the plan:

1. Do something active for a minimum of 30 minutes everyday. Hitting the gym, taking kiddos swimming, walking the dog, yoga, skating, xc skiing... lots of options out there. Since deciding to blog about my fitness goals I found MyOnlineYoga which for about the same price as Netflix gives you unlimited access to hundreds of yoga and pilates class videos. They range in length from a few minutes to a couple hours so I can do a short class while kids nap! I could also dance along with the kids videos we have for Monkey.
2. Just before getting pregnant with LB I saw a personal trainer and she gave me 2 sets of exercises I could do at home with almost no equipment. I will call these Set A* and Set B*. She designed the 2 sets to be done alternate days, a hard day (Set A) and an easier day (Set B). If I go through do 3 rep of the whole set it takes about 40 minutes, I work up a good sweat and it feels pretty good.
3. Part of losing weight will be to eat better. Smaller portions, more veggies, less chocolate cake. I am going to be tracking calories using Livestrong's MyPlate. MyPlate allows you to track almost any food you can buy, and allows you to build meals that you regularly eat to make tracking easier. I'm not sure I will have time to track everyday, but it should help me get a better idea of how much is the right amount to be eating for my target weight.
4. I currently drink my coffee with 2 milk and 2 sugar. I am not going to give that up on the first cup of the day just yet, but I will try to drink the rest of my coffee for the day black. Or drink more water instead. Also, if I was really hardcore I would give up chocolate, but that is not feasible because if I try to tell myself "No chocolate" it is all I want to eat.

So I think this is a good start. I will do a check in update in a couple weeks. 

Here is photo from today. I think it is good to have a before photo just to reference any progress being made:

Feb 27th, weight (not a number I am happy with)

I'm off too start changing my bad habits!!

GeoMama

*Note: Some of the exercises below with odd names can be found here
Set A

• 10-15 squats
• 10 walkouts 
• 20 toe taps/leg
• 10 lunge pulses/leg
• 30-45 sec plank
• 20 birddogs
• 10 push ups (start with knee ones and advance to full ones)
• 10 mountain climbers/leg
• 30 jumping jacks

Set B

• 20 Wide leg squat pulses
• 15-20 curls with tubing (or resistance bands)
• 12-15 Bench dips
• 30 toe taps/leg
• rotating plank (10sec/side to start)
• 20 supermans
• 15 lateral raises
• 20-30 heel raises

Update (Feb 28, 2013): After posting this initially, I was sent this photo and I think it fits well in here.

Excuses, Excuses: Part 1: Why I have not got anywhere on my New Year's Resolutions

Like most people when the clock struck 12:00am on January 1st, I kissed a loved one (GeoDaddy) and pondered the coming year. What would change through the year, what would stay the same, goals, ambitions, and resolutions.

As a couple our goal is to not get pregnant this year. (Laugh if you want, but I had my kids 15 months apart and they are both still under 2).

Personally my resolutions were to get in better shape again and lose all the weight I gained during my pregnancies. 

So how I am doing on these goals? Crappy. 

Now for my list of excuses:

1. I don't get enough sleep, and am too tired to get out walking/exercising.

2. To go to the gym for 45 minutes takes me nearly 2 hours if I take the kids to the childminding center there. 

3. Kiddos inconvenient nap schedule. LB needs a 1-2 hour(s) morning nap starting between 8 and 10 depending what time he wakes up. Monkey needs a 2 hour nap at noon-ish. LB's second nap happens around 2-3 hours after the first one, which is often right near the end of Monkey's nap. LB needs a third nap between 4 and 5. So to sum up, the good times of day for me to go places with kiddos is anytime before 8 am or after 3 pm. 

4. Limited options for what to do with kiddos before 8 am. After 3pm most places have too many 'big' kids and my toddler gets overwhelmed.

5. Nursing LB. He nurses about every 2 hours. Makes the time windows for going places short. Very difficult to keep up with Monkey while LB is nursing. 

6. Hard to get outside for walking because my double stroller that is good on snow is at home, and I am staying at my Mom's. I also can't handle walking my dog, Tycho, and pushing the stroller because Tycho thinks she is sled dog and is terrible on a leash.

7. I am a stress eater. I know this. I want chocolate when Monkey is acting her age. Almost the 'terrible twos'. 

8. I would rather sit and drink coffee than go through the fight of getting kiddos dressed to go anywhere. (And listen to the tantrum if we come back too soon)

9. I don't like exercising in the evening/ the neighborhood I'm in isn't great for walking in at night.

10. I feel guilty taking 'me' time when the kids are awake.

and once in a while...

11. I don't want to go exercise because my gym clothes are dirty from last time.

Ok enough excuses for one post. I am going to go exercise and then write out my plan of how to achieve my goals.

GeoMama