It's Go Time!

As much as I'd love to lay on the couch and snuggle my sweet newborn every minute of downtime I get, I realize that now I need to start using my time wisely so I can kiss that sweet baby weight goodbye.

After I had my first baby almost two and a half years ago, I realized I had a lot of work to do in order to lose the 50 pounds I gained while I was pregnant. I started taking Stroller Fitness classes and ended up loving the workouts so much, that I became a Stroller Fitness instructor and started teaching the classes.  Stroller Fitness was a perfect job for me, because I was doing something I loved, during the workday, WITH my daughter, AND I got paid for it!  It consisted of a 60 minute workout of intervals - high intensity cardio, alternated with strengthening moves.  We pushed our kiddos in the strollers and stopped at different stations along the way and used resistance bands too.  Unfortunately the Stroller Fitness program shut down last year, so I was without my part-time job, but I still do stroller fitness as a part of my workout regimen.  I've learned that once I hit a plateau with my normal workouts of running, Zumba, Pilates and lifting, that I really needed that interval training to lose those last 5-10 pounds.

I was featured in American Baby magazine after I lost the 50 pounds of pregnancy weight and pulling out this article the other day, really motivated me to lose the baby weight again the second time around.

My youngest daughter just turned 8 weeks old and two weeks ago I was cleared by my doctor to start working out again.  I figured if I blogged a little about my weight loss journey as a full time Mommy, then it would help keep me on track and focused. I know that last year when I ran my first half marathon, I posted all of my runs on Facebook and Twitter via the Nike running app, and I only did that so I wouldn't give up.  I knew if all of my friends and family and also all of the world could see my runs and times then I wouldn't want to quit or be posting really slow, pathetic times.  It  made me more competitive and it worked -  I hit my time goal of almost all my long runs and I also hit my time goal in the half marathon.  If you let people know (especially your closest friends and family ) that you have important diet or fitness goals in your life then you will have just that much more support.

With my sister after we finished our half marathon last November

I gained 43 pounds with my second pregnancy and at 8 weeks postpartum I am down 30 
pounds.  I have 13 pounds to go.  I've already started filling out my food and workout diary every day that I have been doing for many years with my best friend.  Ever since we were NFL Cheerleaders together, we have kept a shared Google document on and off over the 
years of our food and workouts.  


I went to my first group exercise class at the gym last week.  It was cardio cross-train that was set up like a boot camp.  I hesitated going to a group class so early on because I knew I would only be able to go at about 70%.  I usually love the group classes and challenge myself against others and try to race the guys!  However, I left this class feeling extremely out of shape and sore.  5 days later the soreness is wearing off....