13 Weeks Post - Weight Loss Update

Ptttttttttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

(That would be me, blowing a raspberry at my metabolism.)

So I've had a lot of inquiries regarding my post-baby weight loss journey and I have to officially say that...

...it stinks.

I suppose if I'm going to be honest, I have to give you the bad with the good and people, it's not pretty.

This is about as current a picture as it gets.  With my crew at the beach!

Let's back up for a moment so I can paint you a picture.  Three kids, in under four years.  I have stretch marks, wobbly under-arm skin, and spider veins.  My stomach, once flat and hard, continues to pooch out and resemble the home I swore my son was going to set up permanent residence in.  I realize that this is not entirely unusual and are "battle scars" many moms proudly display in the name of having children...but I'm more than a little over it and ready to get back to my pre-baby body ASAP.   

Yesterday, Scott and I had our physicals for our insurance policies...you know, the standard height, weight, blood, urine, blah blah blah.  I had fasted for the blood work so I was curious to see how my weight compared to my last doctor's visit, seven weeks ago.

And it was the same.

And I was a wreck.  

Now, I have a wonderful support system in my husband and friends, who are continuously complementary and encouraging.  Just last week, after hearing my belly aching about not losing weight fast enough, my friend Susie lovingly told me to "stay off the stinking scales for a while."  

I also realize that it took me nine months to put on this weight (close to 40 lbs) and that I should be patient in getting it off.  But that being said, I am ready for the scales to move.  Downward.  Under 150.  Puh-lease.

Therefore, it's back to the drawing board.  I began keeping a food journal again, although we don't think that my weight is a calorie issue because I'm honestly eating cleaner than I ever have.  Scott believes it's an exercise thing, so that's where we're going to focus more.  

He calculated that, within the three pregnancies and few months after delivery, I have probably had a combined 12 months of little to no physical activity within the last four years.  Prior to Elizabeth, I was very active - getting in about an hour of cardio and an hour of weights most days, plus the physical demands of coaching.  My metabolism was going full force in order to match my activity.  Today, it is far less.  While I am constantly on the go, it just isn't the same and I don't have the means to do the same amount of activity I did before kids.  Therefore, the rate that my body burns calories for fuel has gone way down.  If my metabolism was a blazing fire before, it's embers now.

So, we set a game plan.  Maybe you're in the same boat and need a jump start.  Me?  I need straight gasoline.  And that would be high-intensity exercise.  

As I've said before, I have an hour at the gym.  I've been lifting for the past couple months, but it's been mainly to get my muscles back to being acquainted with the activity.  Now, I need to pick it up a notch and keep my heart rate up as much as I can.

So this was my workout today (legs focused).

5 minutes warm-up on the rowing machine

4 x 10 Squats (bar)

4 x MAX Reverse hamstring raises (no weight)

4 x 7, 6, 5, 5 Leg press (90 lbs)

Then I performed a very poor rendition of this workout from Zuzana Light.  I did it only for 10 minutes because I thought I was going to keel over, not to mention rip every muscle of my core with the crab touches.  (If you haven't checked out her new YouTube channel out, you really should.  She does a lot of body weight exercises and updates new workouts frequently.)

Finally, I ran for as hard as I could on the treadmill for 10 minutes - getting up to 7.5 mph.

And that was an hour.  I was tired, sweaty and fatigued...which is actually encouraging because I know that those are the factors that will help my body change the way I want. 

Are you on the same journey?  How are you doing and have you found any secrets that work?  

Have a great day!

Back to our roots

We went to the gym as a family this morning, which is one of the things I love most about Saturday mornings.  Also topping the list was the fact that I was able to sleep until 7:30 a.m. - thanks to my loving husband and cooperative little children.

But really, the gym was a close second.  

I normally do a full body workout on Saturday and it hasn't worked out since Caleb was born that Scott and I were on the same schedule to do one together.  So I was thrilled when he suggested we give it a go as a duo today.

After dropping the kids off, we sat in the sauna for 5 minutes and then warmed up with a mile on the treadmill.  HGTV and I did it in 10 minutes flat... booo...

Then, we headed upstairs to the indoor track and I proceeded to do my first, full scale Crossfit workout.

Let me tell you, I never thought I could do it.

It was 4 reps of:

500 meter run

20 Kettlebell swings

15 handstand pushups (I did regular pushups, Scott did the wall)

10 situps

I think we finished in about 9:30.

Then we did 3 rounds of 100 jump rope jumps followed by 10 wall ball's (which I had never done before).   With these, you pick a spot on the wall about 3 feet over your head and squat down with the medicine ball, exploding up while throwing the ball up to hit the spot.  As the ball comes down, you time your squat to catch it as you bend your knees.

I'm sure I looked graceful as all get out. 

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I know I've said it before, but it's worth repeating that I truly advocate working out with your partner.  There is just something about putting in that physical time together that is powerful.  I've always thought it would be interesting to stage one of these dating reality shows in a gym...Biggest Loser meets The Bachelor.  For Scott and me, working out goes back to the roots of our relationship. 

He could have very easily left me in the dust during this workout, but he didn't.  During the first lap around the track, he took to my pace (which I didn't think was horrible, 9 weeks post-partum) and pushed me the whole time. 

Years ago, this was how our relationship started.  Being too poor to do much else, instead of dates, we went to the gym and enjoyed working out together, turning up the radio on the way home with the windows down and later crashing on the couch.

I had lifted in college and spent my fair time in the weight room, but Scott taught me so much more about technique and form and different machines and lifts.  And there was never a trace of impatience or irritation on his part in my lack of knowledge or questions.  

Looking back now, I learned a lot about the man I was choosing to spend the rest of my life with by how he interacted as a workout partner.  He was always encouraging and supportive, knowing when to say something or when to be quiet. When things got hard, he was never hateful or snapped.  And he demonstrated his trust in me by asking me to spot him or support him on heavy lifts.

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As we walked a lap after the last wall ball Saturday, my mind drifted back there - to the beginning of us.  And how fulfilling to know that almost five years of marriage and three little kids later, he's still right beside me, supporting and building me up.

We "cooled down" by sitting in the sauna for ten excruciating minutes, daydreaming about future plans and talking about swim lessons for the girls, and then picked up our three little darlings to come back home and go through the rest of the weekend.  

I would tell you that the best part was the calories I know I burned or the fact that I plowed through a hard workout that day...and don't get me wrong, that was pretty high up there.  But being able to workout with my husband again was my greatest joy.

Life gets so busy sometimes and it's easy to get caught up in the dirty diapers and tantrums and frustration over not looking like I want fast enough...but I remain so grateful that God sends me reminders at just the right time to be thankful for this partner in life He's assigned to me.

Hug your love tonight and have a great one.

Back on the Wagon Again Workout

Well, my friends, today was the day…

My in-laws are in town and volunteered to watch Caleb.  I was able to squeeze myself into one of the two non-maternity shirts and pair of pants that fit.  I dug out my ipod.  I laced up my tennis shoes.

And...

(oh, you guessed it…) 

I began my quest for my PRE-BABY BODY BACK!! 

It's a trip I've been on before and I have to tell you that this journey is entirely personal.  The one piece of universal advice I've gathered from mothers everywhere on getting back in shape is to listen to your body.  So I've listened.

And today was the day.  

Now, I won't tell you I feel 100% because my insides still feel...well, mushy.  Like I just had a baby about a month ago.  So I didn't break any records today - just a sweat, which was all I was after.  

Diet wise, Scott and I have jumped on the Paleo wagon, although I have to admit that I keep one foot dragging in the dirt while he is fully on board.  If you're not familiar with it, it's basically all meat, vegetables and fruit - no grains, dairy or legumes.  This has been a pretty easy task in the Spring, and I've lost 20 easy pounds so far.  (I gained 40 total with this pregnancy.)  My swelling is significantly better than after Rachel and I feel great - besides that normal recovering from just having a baby sort of stuff.  

So with my diet finally under control (I went just a teensy bit crazy in the third trimester), I'm ready to begin the work part of getting my body back.  Scott wrote up the following workout for me - it's been about two months since I've lifted so I wanted to start back slow and keep my intensity at a minimum.  I also don't feel quite ready to do any leg work yet, so you'll notice the only lower body work is with the calves.  It took me right about an hour to complete.

Back on the Wagon Again Workout  (for me: 1 month postpartum)

15 minute - incline treadmill walk (I stayed around a 6 incline with a 3.5 speed)

30 second plank

 

Super-set I (perform 3 times)

DB Bench press  x 10

Low Pulley row  x 10

30 second plank 

Super-set II (perform 3 times)

Bicep curls  x 10

Tricep rope pushdown  x 10

Standing calf raises  x 10

30 second plank

15 minute - incline treadmill walk (I stayed around a 6.5 incline with a 3.7 speed)

Tonight, I feel tired, but good in the sense that I was able to reconnect with a part of my pre-new mommy self.  We were kind of guessing on the planks - not being sure if it was a good idea or not.  I'll let you know!