Holding out, staying positive

What else can you do?  On my last update here, I mentioned my ridiculous ankle/foot injury and how it's sidelined my running and the goals that are attached to that (i.e Woodlands Half Marathon that I had JUST registered for! $$ :/ ).  I also mentioned how I was going to keep on moving and hope that it will heal enough for me to at the very least, complete it.

I haven't waivered on that.  I have been upbeat and positive and made a heck of a lot of lemonade this last couple of weeks.  I have modified P90X video workouts and I have become reacquainted with my road bike, Blu, after many months of separation.  So much so, that I will probably be ready for the MS 150 in April if I keep it up!  I have found that much like my injury a little over a year ago (fibular stress fracture, same leg), the best and really only workout that can keep me in check cardiovascularly and still build leg muscle is by riding my bike.  No pain to the leg then, or the ankle and foot now.  The trickiest part is clipping out which concerns me (a little) about riding outdoors versus off the safety of my indoor trainer.

I will continue doing that until I can walk normally without flinching.  It seems there is still pain to apply weight on the foot which is bitterly frustrating but I know I have to patient. Sigh.

I said I would see a doctor. Ummm...yea, I don't wanna.  :P  BUT, I did take a pause from typing this to visit the doctor's website. I found this and it confirms that I can't do much about it but rest it.  Yes, it's self-diagnosis.  No, I don't recommend it.  

So carry on I say...find something to make today better than yesterday.  Be grateful for every second.

Hasta la proxima,

V.

Set a date & get a move on.

Daily challenge. Race Date. Coach Schedule. Workout meetup. Without these things, I am sure I'd be a total bum. I KNOW this and because of it, I try to always have at least one on the list going.

Over the last few months, I've gone on several runs, one good bike ride, a couple of swims, done some P90X workouts and have gone on plenty of walks but I have done nothing with consistency or on a schedule.  I have had no end goal in sight (other than fitting into my pants & pencil skirts again). I was doing just enough to keep me moving but I knew that once I went back to work, some level of discipline would be required so that I can stay fit with my crazy schedule.

So, right before the new year, I started looking for challenges, planned on meeting up friends on their long training runs and looked into following a "Coach" schedule from the new update on my Nike app. Aren't I resourceful?! I figured these were all things that would get me "there".   But then again...what was "there"?

I started to think about races to sign up for that will give me more of a definitive finish line (pun intended). I have a few goals swirling in my head but nothing I am willing to commit to just yet (especially on an public forum like the interwebs). Will it be my first tri that comes first or a half marathon? Maybe just PR a 10k?

But then, something BIGGER hit me in the back of the head while I was looking at dates. Um. My birthday! I have a whopper of a milestone coming up and I have always said I wanted to be in the "best shape of my life" by then. Well, crap! I totally forgot about that and now I am what...a month away?! Aaaaahhhh!!! Where has the time gone?!

All this to say that my ho hum approach will have to be stepped up for the next few weeks if I want to meet that goal. I guess first things first though.  What does the "best shape of my life" really mean? Well, I guess this is where I can cheat some, huh? I define this based on me and my life? Because, technically, I am already pretty close to being in the best shape of my life. I have been the fittest I have ever been in the last 5-6 years and more importantly the HAPPIEST. So, I'm done right? Oh yea, I still have to get into those pants.

But seriously, I need to define this so that I can have something to put a tack on or write it on that post it on my monitor. To me, being in the BEST shape is feeling strong, being tone, living a healthy lifestyle and...being confident enough to wear shorts.

Yes, that's right. Confident to wear shorts.  I said it.  That may seem silly (and my husband thinks I'm crazy) but every one has that "area" on their body that just makes them cringe, right?  Okay, maybe not everyone...most people. Fine, I'll speak for myself.  Yes, I have that area.  For me, it's the lass. You know, the area between the back of your thigh and your ass? There. And upper thigh area altogether could use some toning up.

Sitting down in shorts with confidence is a pretty solid goal.  In my mind.  Sitting down is the key piece of the goal though.  I am totally okay with standing, walking and running around in shorts (if they are not too short) but sitting? That's a different animal.  Tightening up the ab area where baby left squishy I'm throwing on to the goal too because...what the heck, I could use a fall back of success if this lass thing doesn't work out. (I hope you all have picked up on my sarcasm and sense of humor by now)

Anywaaaay....I have a few things going for me that will make this endeavor a little less painful and perhaps even achievable. For starters, these are the things that I am already doing (yay, me!):

~ 30 Day Yoga Challenge - keeps me practicing and engages my core daily (Abs!)
~ 10K Coach Challenge on Nike Ap - keeps me running MORE often (fat burning & some leg definition)
~ Green smoothie daily - I admit, I am addicted.  I've been doing it since pre baby and when I go without it, I crave it.  This keeps my nutrition in check by getting all my daily fruits and veggies (and then some).
~ Meet ups - I've been also meeting up with friends on Sunday mornings for long runs. The Nike coach would disapprove as I would be considered as "over training" but...it's motivated me to push the pace and distance.
~ Weekly Aerial Fabric class.  Good overall body workout but lots of core work. (more abs!)

My abs seem to be heading in the right direction but my lass was not mentioned in any of those things.  This is where the rubber meets the road. I'll be looking for some glute workouts on pinterest so pardon all the butt pics coming through on the board below, this mama needs to get squatting!

Now I have a fast approaching date to work towards.  I also will have measurable results which will be before and after pictures (that will never see the light of day).  My first goal for 2014 is set and I know it's going to be tough but my motivation is not only to wear those shorts but to wear them (and a bikini) on that birthday beach trip my hubby will be taking me on. (wink, wink - hi, honey!)

Stay tuned for progress reports.  I gotta go...I have some lunges to do.

~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.

32 weeks - 8 months!

I'm 8 months pregnant.  That just blows my mind.  I can't believe it's gone by so fast and I can't believe it doesn't feel like it.  I miss my non-pregnant body and fitting into all my clothes but for the most part, I feel pretty darn good.

The schedule was a bit out of whack again but I managed to stay active all week.  The 30 day challenges admittedly are what keep me on track the most.  I don't want to fall behind so they motivate me to squat, plank and pose even in the last hour of the day.  And in many cases, they are my only exercise when I can't get a full blown workout in.

This is how the week went down:

M - 75 squats
T - 80 Squats and Yogratitude Yoga challenge pose for Day 6 & Day 5 Challenge pose for the #30dayyogachallenge - Had a late burst of energy and did P90X KenpoX DVD - great workout!
W - 85 squats w weights for arm exercises, 1:15 plank, Days 6 & 7 of 30Day Challange poses and Days 7 & 8 of Yogratitude challenge poses.
Th - Son's birthday dinner - still managed 90 squats and 1:15 plank before bed (and after ice cream!)
F - 95 squats, 1:15 plank, Days 8&9 of 30 day challenge poses and Days 9 & 10 of Yogratitude poses
S - 1600M Masters Swim (had to get at least one swim in!), 100 squats, day 10 30day challenge pose
S - 2mi walk, 105 squats, 1:30 plank and Day 11 Yogratitude and 30Day Challenge yoga pose

I realize that these updates are getting monotonous but they really motivate me to keep moving and stay active.  By keeping a running tally of what I do (or don't do), I can easily track my activity levels and compare them to how I feel.  The whole reason why I started this blog was to serve as a reminder to myself and to those who always ask, "how did you stay fit while pregnant" or "how did you get back into shape after baby?" It has become more and more apparent to me that people find it very easy to give someone grief for being in shape, however.

Just this Saturday, a fellow female swimmer actually splashed me when she learned I was 33 weeks along.   This very same person that I was sharing a lane with the entire time had no idea I was pregnant until I got out of the pool and the coach told her how far along I was.  She made a snarky comment about how it must be my first...and when learning that it was actually my fourth, proceeded to splash me and tell me that it wasn't fair.  Um.  Ok.  Granted, I have a longer torso and I'm taller than average so genetically, speaking, pregnancy "fits" me differently than most women.  HOWEVER, if you've read this blog for any number of posts, you would also know that I don't sit on my laurels either.  I put in the work so that I can reap the rewards.  Those rewards to me are feeling strong, building muscle, having energy, being healthy, feeling great about myself and giving me the confidence to know that post pregnancy, I will have the stamina to bounce back and manage both my job and growing family...not to mention that I am also setting a positive, healthy example for my family in making these choices a priority.

It's taken three days to for me to actually publish this post.  So many words I've wanted to say but have decided that less is more.  Do the right thing and everything rights itself.

Namaste and happy hump day (and birthday to my amazing husband and best friend!)

~V

Another beginning

Seeing as this will be my last pregnancy, I thought this a good a time as ever to start this.  I hesitated one too many times with my last pregnancy and before I  knew it, I was working on post-baby fitness and getting my body "back". Perhaps it will be something I will continue post baby this go round too just to keep me on track and accountable with staying fit while trying to run a household of 6.

I was on a pretty regular program (though not regimented) of running, cycling and occasional P90x videos peppered in for abs, arms and leg toning.  That is until I started feeling bleh.  That is the best way to describe it really. It wasn't morning sickness per se it was more of just feeling yuck all day.  And that feeling, is just not conducive to wanting to exercise.  It completely zapped my energy.  

What I have learned in the last few years (usually the hard way) is that when I stop exercising because I have no energy, I feel WORSE.  I become sluggish, moody and my body just starts to feel achy all over.  This realization (every time I have it) is when the difficult transition BACK into some sort of routine takes place.  The eye opening experience of "wow, I lost so much strength and endurance in just 6 weeks!" and "ugh, I have to start all over again!" takes place and then you get your butt in gear to make the change.

So that's where I am at.  I'm 16 weeks pregnant and into my 2nd week of getting my butt in gear.  I started easy with a family bike ride.  My husband was so concerned that I was still in the "bleh" zone and kept asking "are you ok?, how are you feeling? do you want to head back or keep going?" After just a half mile I was responding "GO, GO, GO!!!" The immediate satisfaction of feeling the slightest of burn in the quads while pushing down on the pedals was not something I was not willing to give up so soon.

We did the P90X arm/shoulder workout a couple of nights later and the soreness that followed for the next couple of days was all I needed to get me back IN the mode. 

My company sponsors a weekly lunchtime Yoga class that I seem to always forget about or forget to pack my clothes and mat for.  I was geared up last week, went and felt renewed. I also tried an Aerial Fabric class that a local dance studio/fitness center offers "Vault/Gyrotonic Houston".  I've had my eye on this for well over a year when they had their "sampler" week between 6 wk class sessions.  I had it in my calendar last Spring but with my son's crazy baseball schedule and having a few month old, I couldn't get away to try any of the classes and missed out.

That wasn't about to happen to me again this year!  I've been checking on them periodically and when sampler week came around, I jumped on it...lucky for me it wasn't during the "bleh" period.  Haha.  I was also lucky enough that a coworker (who coordinates the office Yoga class) was also looking at the classes and we happen to find a night that worked to go together.  Buddy system!  Bonus!

It was fun, different and definitely something I'd like to commit to later on but my interest was caught and  focused on an "Aerial Tone" class they offer on class by class basis. It combines Pilates, Yoga and Gyrotonic moves for a full body conditioning and strengthening workout using an aerial hammock. 

I spoke with the studio owner to discuss my pregnancy and possible workout modifications (if necessary) and was happy to hear that she was not in the common camp of "alarmists".  People who quickly think that because you are pregnant, you should halt and avoid all things active and become sedentary.  As with all exercise, you should listen to your body FIRST.  If it doesn't feel right, stop.  I haven't always listened to my body but that was usually during runs when my IT Band flared up or my knee felt "off".  When there's a baby on board, listening comes first.

Her response quickly led me to take her class on both days this week. My schedule wouldn't permit a workout any other time this week so getting it in while I could was optimal.  ...and quite frankly, it was worth it!  I highly recommend looking for these type classes as a way to "shake things up" with your workouts.  

I also managed to drag the kids to the club on Sunday evening so that I can get a swim in.  It has been almost a YEAR since I've been in the pool and honestly, I was nervous.  It is not like riding a bike.  Breathing is well...essential and not my forte in swimming.  I struggled at first but managed to get 40 laps in with the kids cheering me on while sitting on the ledge. Yay!

I am well on my way to getting ultra baby fit with baby #4 if I keep this up!

Here's a progress picture of the barely bump at week 16...sorry for the graininess...it was dark and everyone was sleeping... :)