Partnerships that help get it DONE

The success of a business is sometimes as good as the partnership of the people behind it.  If the people don't "partner" well, the business is likely to suffer.  The same goes with my fitness regimen and partnerships needed for it to work.

As difficult as it is to be motivated to start an exercise program and have the energy to stick with it, it is more difficult to (and even tricky) to actually get it done when you have a big family abundant with activities for everyone.  Sure, the plan could be to "ride my bike" today...but with soccer, a newborn, toddler and other logistical issues, those simple three words are tough to get crossed off that to-do list.  That is unless, you are married to my husband.  He tells me all the time "just do it, I'll figure it out".

He is THE reason why I have been able to do Aerial classes or join the Masters Swim class at the gym in the evenings. He is the ONLY reason I can get bike rides in.  I mean, how else do you go on a bike ride with an infant?  No nannies, no housekeepers or maids here...just an awesome husband who will coach, help with homework, make dinner, change diapers, give baths, put babies to sleep, help with the endless loads of laundry and pick up any slack that I may leave to run to get a workout in.  It's his ability to do it without so much a complaint that makes it easy for me to follow through and keep on some sort of program (as erratic as it may seem).

He is the reason why I was able to get a 16 mile bike ride in yesterday.  I didn't want to miss soccer but the timing was such that if I really wanted to get that ride in, the morning was the only time.  He did not hesitate to tell me that he had it covered.  "Just go and do it, you'll feel better and we'll be fine" he said.
I felt guilty but I knew that I needed to get on my bike and get miles in before this du.  I had just picked it up from getting a tune up and because it was my first post baby ride, I was nervous!  I had those pre-race jitters which made me all the more grateful that my friend Rox asked to join me late Friday night.  She just got a bike and is the one who is always sending me races to sign up for (including the Du that we are doing together next month).  Although she has just jumped in and already done a couple of small tris, she too was nervous.

It was a cool and overcast morning which normally makes it incredibly difficult to get out of bed but that nervous energy popped me right out.  I got the bike loaded up and was ready to go and even pumped breakfast for my little guy.  It was nice to not feel rushed about getting back and knowing that I can enjoy the ride and even extend it if I wanted to.  I could not ask for a better ride. My bike felt like new, complete with a new chain and I was stocked up with tubes and CO2 cartridges, just in case.  I pushed hard and got to show my friend parts of the trail she had never seen.  A great workout!  I dropped her off at home afterwards and called my husband, thinking they were well on their way to soccer.  I was envisioning a shower, smoothie and running errands while they were gone when he said they were down the street fueling up.  What?!  I'm back that early?  He offered to come get me and I swear I've never showered and changed so fast!

As much as I could have used a nap or some quiet time all to myself, there is no other place I'd rather be than with my clan.  He picked me up and off we went.  The sky cleared up and it turned out to be a gorgeous Fall day at the soccer field (both literally and figuratively.)  As it turned out, later he and the big boy went on a boy's mountain trail bike ride at Memorial Park with friends and I was happy to return the favor!

I recognize that without this buddy system, staying in shape is way more difficult to near impossible.  Props to you babe.  Thank you.

~V

6 weeks - it's official!

I'm pregnant! Ha! Just kidding.

It is, however, officially time to get started on a program! Six weeks marks a big milestone in the post baby world (if you didn't have a c-section).  It marks getting the all clear from the doctor to resume "regular", pre-pregnancy type activities.

That means I'm ready to get back in the saddle! Now, the hardest part of getting on a regular exercise schedule/routine is getting motivated and STARTED. I discussed this at length when I first started this blog. It's pretty much my achiles heel. The longer I go without starting, the more difficult it is, the more miserable I feel and more doomed the whole getting healthy thing becomes. This is especially difficult with a newborn now in tow.  Time seems more strained and the needs of every member of the family from me has grown by one more.

Getting fit and more importantly, staying fit, is particularly difficult during this "fourth trimester".  It's this time where we are juggling breast feeding, hormonal changes (night sweats, losing hair, vision changes) and functioning at 100% with sleep deprivation that adding a workout seems a bit crazy.

As soon as I left the doctor's office, I felt motivated.  I had my stats and could now benchmark where I was and where I am now (weight-wise anyway).  I signed up for a race in early December for starters (more on that later) and then, I made sure that I went out for a real run before the weekend was out.  I figured that was enough to get me excited and to start the week ahead with a bang.

Monday and Tuesday came and went, however, and that motivation was long gone.  The thought of working out was SO hard.  Ugh.  I thought about going to the gym.  But didn't.  I thought about going for a run.  But didn't.  Wednesday was looking the same and then I realized that the week was moving along and if I didn't do something, anything at all, I was going to fall into complacency and just give up on this first week.   So, knowing I had little time in my day left before the evening craziness began (kids home from school, homework, projects, soccer playoffs, etc) I decided to pop in a P90X DVD and see how much I can finish.  I got Shoulders & Arms done. Yay!

By Thursday morning, I decided on whim that I was just going to do the P90X workout in its entirety daily with modifications on days that I run or ride.  So, I did Ab Ripper (which I ran out of time for the day before) and moved along to YogaX.  I'm hoping that I can keep it going for the rest of the week. My weeks turn on Fridays since that's when baby was born so on that technicality:

Week 1 PP:
5k
P90X Shoulders & Arms
P90X Ab Ripper X
P90X YogaX

Stats:
- Pregnancy weight gain: 34lbs
- Weight difference from beginning of pregnancy & 6 week checkup: 16lbs
- Immediate goal:  To finish a Duathlon in early December.