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

So where are we with this thing?

This thing we call a baby fitness blog, you mean? Oh yea. That. I admit, I have been a total slacker (in more ways than one). This blog has fallen so far back on the burner that it's not even in the kitchen. Wha? I have been exercising, which if you follow me on Instagram or Twitter --->, you know of my progress. I just have failed miserably to sit a write about it. Baby #4 is now 15 weeks old and a pure joy in our lives. He is so happy all of the time and flashes a smile so easily that I spend most of my time around him in an utter state of goo and gah. Not even kidding about that. Along with all my other "plans" for 2014, I do intend to keep this space updated with routines, workouts and may incorporate reviews on exercise gear, local "boutique" gym classes and share some of my smoothie recipes that have been a hit (not the beet one...ha!). Stay tuned and hope you'll come visit and join me in my journey on remaining "Baby Fit". ~V P.S. - I'll also start researching on how best to revamp this site. I am not thrilled with it's appearance but unfortunately, writing code is not something I am proficient at. Suggestions and tips welcomed! :)

New year, new you happy you.

It's that time again where we tear out the last page of the calendar and start anew. The gym gets crowded, the 20% off Elfa sale at the Container Store goes over like Black Friday, social media is all abuzz with motivational fresh start mantras regarding your mental, physical and emotional state and the ads to a "new, better you" pop up everywhere whether for weight loss, botox, tanning or laser hair removal.

It seems that everywhere you turn, someone it trying to help improve you and your life or lifestyle. How to organize your life, quit smoking, get a new job, get your finances in order...all the answers seem to be thrown at you at the beginning of the year. Do we really go into such disarray throughout the year that we need that much fixing?

And why do we feel the need to get it ALL fixed at once? It seems awfully overwhelming.

I am not one to ever set Resolutions because I know all too well what their success rates are. Rather, I set goals for myself for things (or just one thing) that I'd like to work on for ME. There is no magical thing that happens at 12:01 on 1/1 so I loosely start thinking about it in the first couple of weeks of the year. This year, I have suggested to my family that we should create a goal board with all of our goals, mainly family goals.

It initially sounded like a chore. And admittedly, when I have to come up with work goals, I moan and groan too. There never seems to be any fun in setting goals other than the fact that meeting them gets you paid a bigger bonus. Am I right?

So what's the incentive to doing this at home? Well, having your opinion on family decisions count for starters. Getting to look forward to doing things together and working together to do it is a pretty good reason too. The sense of accomplishment you get from achieving a goal is pretty sweet and doing so as a team should make it that much sweeter.

We haven't quite "set" our goals yet but things we've tossed around is deciding when and where we would travel to as well as the planning of said voyage. DIY house projects are also on the table for discussion. Laying tile, painting, landscaping or simply moving furniture around and refreshing a room with new plants, art and window coverings could be an option too. As "head" of the healthy committee in our house, I vote for picking a goal to keep us all active and eating better (and at home). Minimizing our restaurant visits by pre-planning meals is HUGE on my personal list but by incorporating everyone else in the "active" part, I think the whole family will become more aware of how important nutrition comes into play with staying fit. 

We have already dabbled in fitness challenges together so keeping with this and getting outdoors weekly *should* be totally doable. Right?! I have many more ideas (entertaining more, volunteering in service projects, races, etc) but I don't want to over commit the family and set them (us) up for failure. Ahem. So, family, let's keep our goals ATTAINABLE. Let's just plan on having something to show for 2014 as an accomplishment that made us ALL happy.

Looking back at 2013, those accomplishments were not in the form of house projects, weight and honestly, I couldn't remember what our nutritional intake was (other than it was not in our kitchen)-- although a little of all of that did occur too. I can, however, say that the memories of spending time together whether in a rented Suburban driving across the Southwest or more simply when attempting a yoga challenge and having the family join in like circus clowns, are priceless. Those make me smile and warm my heart. I look forward to a lot more of those in 2014. :)

 Happy New Year!

 ~V