Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Guest Blogger: A New Mom’s Journey to Getting Back on Track with Fitness


*photo courtesy of http://www.google.com

I had my son almost 3 months ago.  I had a great pregnancy that allowed me to continue working out till a month before I gave birth.  These workouts were less intense than what I could do before my pregnancy, but being able to do something each day made me feel good as I grew bigger and bigger.   
After 2 weeks postpartum, I started walking.  At first I could only do 10 minutes.  Each day, I would increase the time little by little and soon I was up to an hour walk.  At my 6 week appointment, I was given the okay to work out like usual.  Leaving that appointment, I knew I needed a plan to burn the 20 pounds of weight gain.  I got my pen and paper out and I started writing out a plan, which I have outlined below:
1.     Workout 6x a week, NO EXCUSES.  The 20 pounds to lose is to get my body back to when it was at its best and when I felt the best about my body and had amazing energy.  I knew I would need to feel good and be energized for my little guy.  So, 6 days worked for me.  It was enough to get my body moving and burn the fat off of me. 
I workout to DVDs and have always been a morning person, so I asked my husband if he could take care of the baby during my 4:30am workout sessions, which he agreed to.  So, Sunday- Friday at 4:30am I had an appointment with my TV.  Some days, I just did not want to get out of bed, but I made myself get up, get into workout clothes and press play.  Once I started my workout, I felt better and got the workout done!
2.     PREPARE for the week.  Since time is even more precious now, I needed to get organized with the meals for the week.  I decided that along with writing out a grocery list, I would also write out the meal plan for the week.  This way, I knew exactly what to eat to keep me on track. 
Saturdays are for grocery shopping.  Sundays are for preparing meals, so cutting up veggies, cleaning fruit, baking sweet potatoes (I love cutting up sweet potatoes and having them on hand for snacks or to add to salads) and defrosting the next night’s dinner.  Each morning, after my workout, I’d make my breakfast, a shake, the baby’s bottle, and lunch for the day (usually a salad that I’d keep in the fridge and pull out adding chicken and vinegar).  WATER!  To stay hydrated throughout the day, I carry a jug of water wherever I go so I make sure to get my daily amount in.
3.     SNACK TIME is in-between breakfast and lunch and in-between lunch and dinner.  I snack to keep my blood sugar level and to keep my energy going through the day.  But since I’m running around with a little one, I keep the snacks super simple.  Here are some examples: no salt rice cakes w/laughing cow cheese; apple w/natural peanut butter; nuts with fruit; English muffin w/natural peanut butter and sugar free jelly, etc.

4.     ACCOUNTABILITY.   I can say I’m going to do all these things but I need to be accountable, so I have a group on Facebook that I post daily with my workout and foods for the day.  I also comment on how I’m feeling, any weight loss and frustrations, etc.   It’s great because we all support and encourage each other.
Now, I’m 2 months into making workouts a part of my life again and almost back to the intensity I’m use to.  My results for the first month are in and I lost over 7 pounds and 4 inches.  I was surprised at first because I hadn’t felt any difference in my body but after taking pictures from when I started, I could see a huge difference in my stomach and back.  It felt great to see these results and I can’t wait to see how I do in month 2. 
My plan for this month is to continue what I’ve been doing.  I do allow myself a cheat meal once a week, which will be tougher come the holiday season but I’m going to do my best.  I’ve already started thinking of desserts to make for Thanksgiving that are healthier than the real thing but just as yummy. 
Change can be tough, but start out slowly.  If you only have 10 minutes to work out, then do 10 minutes and then build on that.  If you can’t figure out what to change in your diet, think about what you eat on a day to day basis…what’s the worst thing you eat?  Try cutting that.  Losing weight is a process and will take time, but you can do it. 

Stacy Rudman, is an Independent Beachbody Coach. Her passions include fitness, eating clean, and helping others reach their personal fitness goals. Look for her on Facebook under Stacy’s Health & Fitness and check out her blog at www.stacysfitnessfocus.com.

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