Check out this review on the new 131 Method Book that is scheduled for release on April 18, 2019. Find out this book can help you!
5 Tips to Ease Your Family Into Eating Healthy
Why We Can Relax on Calorie Counting
Working Out With What You've Got - Rice Bag Workout
How to Be Happy About Being Healthy
Progress on the 131 Method Halfway Through
15 Ways to Make Time to Exercise
The Method Behind My Healthiest Pregnancy
Dance Workouts for Non-Dancers
28 Day Fitness Challenge
The Ultimate Grey's Anatomy Workout
Quick and Fun Playground Stroller Workout
The weather is warming up here in the Northeast and it's the perfect weather to get outside. Warm, but not too hot, park weather. Being at the park is the perfect time to get your workout in. This may not be for the super self-conscious, but its a great way to workout, spend some time outside, and let the kids run around. If you feel too awkward, maybe go to a less populated park or at a less active time. Either way, here's how to get your fitness and vitamin D all at the same time!
Exercising with Baby, No Carrier Necessary
I love exercising. It makes me feel strong and fit. It gives me energy for my day and clears my mind. I usually like to exercise in the morning before the kids get up, but that doesn't always work out. When the baby wakes up early though, that doesn't stop me. I put together this little routine for exercising with baby that both Hailey and I love. We use it whenever she wakes up during my usual exercise time or when we just want to play together!
Energy Boosting Baby Wearing Workout
Staying Fit During the Holidays
It is that time of year when foods are rich and desserts seem to be available in abundance. Even those who have a steady fitness routine throughout the year can succumb to the temptation of holiday treats. It really is hard this time of year with less opportunities to workout outdoors and more sugary treats appearing everywhere we turn. I've put together a list of tips to help us all stay fit during the holidays.
Postpartum 20 Week Update
Postpartum 14 Week Update
So here we are at 14 weeks postpartum. If you haven't been following along, you can find my last few updates here and here and here. Since my last update, I have been consistently working out 6-7 days a week. Each workout is around 30-40 minutes and it's something that Hailey and I do together! We'll sort of.
Each morning I wake up around 5:30 when Hailey wakes up to eat. I feed her, change her, dress her, and we play a little. Then it's time to work out. I like workout DVDs with fun music. I put Hailey in her bouncy chair facing me and we dance with the workout DVD. Hailey seems to enjoy it very much and moves her arms and legs right along with me. She smiles all the time. It's actually some of my favorite times with her.
I like to mix up my workout DVDs. In general though my top 3 trainers are Jillian Michaels, Gillian and Teigh of Yoga Booty Ballet, and Kelly Coffey-Meyer. I like to switch up intensities as well as switch between cardio and weights. I am slowly building back my strength and endurance.
Every once in a while, T wakes up while I'm working out and joins us. He likes to join the cool down during the Yoga Booty Ballet DVDs. So here are our progress pics:
Hailey at 14 weeks
As for Hails, she is doing well at 14 weeks. At her check up last week her Dr said her hormone levels were perfect. She's weighing in at 10.5 lbs and is 23 inches. She's getting very high when she pushes up, and she's even rolling over. She loves to kick and smile. She is starting to reach for and grab her toys. She also holds her head up really well. She loves to babble and T tries to interpret what she is saying.
Now on to me...
And this is why people wear clothes. I am currently about 10 lbs away from my goal weight. The belly skin is still loose but other than exfoliating and moisturizing, there's not much to do there. It just takes time. I am not quite comfortable in my skin yet, but I'm getting there.
While I'm not buying myself a new wardrobe I have found a few nursing shirts that I love. They are comfortable, provide access, cover the belly and are actually cute. These are shirts that I would wear even if I weren't breastfeeding. I will be talking about those next week!
As far as eating, I try to make healthy choices. Sometimes sleep deprivation gets in the way of that and I crave sugar to keep me up, but for the most part I'm doing well. When I do crave sweets I try to satisfy it with fruits instead of cakes/cookies/candy. It doesn't always work, but I try.
In the next 4-6 weeks I'm looking to get down a few more lbs. November is my sister in law's wedding and December will be Hailey's baptism, so I want to try to be as close to my goal weight as possible.
Tune in for the next update at 20 weeks postpartum. In the mean time, have a great weekend and I'll see you Tuesday!!
Cheers,
Emily
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Postpartum 10 Week Update
So it has now been just about 10 weeks since Hailey girl was born. She is doing really well. Her hypothyroidism appears to be in control and as of her last appointment last week we are down to monthly endocrinologist appointments instead of every other week. She is also back on track with growth and weight gain. She's still teeny, but her rate of growth is now on track.
Now that she is on track with weight gain, it's time for me to get on track with weight loss. Pre-pregnancy, I was working out almost daily. About 1-1.5 weeks ago I started really missing my workout routine. I started to workout a few days a week. Nothing crazy, mostly cardio. I started Yoga Booty Ballet routines. These are fun easy workouts that combine cardio and strength. I'm not so into the meditation part of it, but the the routines are fun and light.
I hope to be able to keep this up and build on it in the coming weeks. Next week I go back to work, so I will again be adapting to a new routine. I hope to stick with working out while I make this transition.
As far as weight, I am now at 134 lbs. Pre-pregnancy I was around 120 lbs so I have a little ways to go. So far there has been little progress since the last update at 2.5 weeks, but also little effort so there's really no surprise. Plus, with breastfeeding you can't really decrease your calories too much. Now that I'm back to working out progress should be much faster.
As far as belly size, I'll let the pictures do the talking. This is the picture from last time at 2.5 weeks post partum.
This picture is from today at almost 10 weeks postpartum.
Definitely going in the right direction. Now to make it go a little faster. To get the skin tighter, I have been exfoliating and using a cream from It Works for stretch marks. However, there is only so much you can do. These things take time. I still regularly forget to use the belly bandit... Oh well.
I plan to do the next update in 4 weeks at just under 14 weeks postpartum. I hope to be down another 2-4 lbs by then.
What did you do to lose the baby weight? Do you still have weight to lose?
Cheers,
Emily
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Post Baby Body: 1.5 Weeks
So you delivered a baby. While this means you have a beautiful little person to love and care for, it also means your body went through an ordeal. Whether you delivered vaginal or c section, with or without drugs, it takes time for your body to recover. Your post baby body may not be what you expected.
While I am a big proponent of working out throughout pregnancy, I am also a proponent of giving your body time to recover following delivery. Your body completed no small task, so it needs time to restore itself.
In the days following delivery, your mind many swing back and forth between two opposing thoughts. I know mine did. On the one hand, you can't believe that a few days ago your belly was big enough to carry this baby on the inside. On the other hand, you feel like it's taking forever for your stomach to go down. Between lack of sleep, adapting to caring for a new baby, and unhappiness about your body, your time post delivery can be rough. So what are you to do?
First, give yourself a break. While you should definitely be caring for your post baby body, this doesn't mean jumping back into workouts and dieting. It does mean taking it easy, getting sleep when you can, and allowing your body to heal. The only real exercise I would advocate during the first few weeks post delivery are kegels and walking, once you feel up to it.
Even those of us who worked out daily during pregnancy need time for our muscles to recover. In the days following delivery, I was shocked at how heavy my 3 year old seemed when I picked him up. My ab and back muscles were worn out. Even my arm muscles had strained as I pulled my legs back for delivery. Just now at 1.5 weeks post delivery is picking him up starting to feel easier again.
Here are my stats regarding my pregnant and post pregnant body. By then end of my pregnancy I weighed in at 155 lbs. My pre-pregnancy weight was 120 lbs, giving me a 35 lbs weight gain. This is me on Sunday, May 15, 2016, three days after I delivered.
Yup, still looks like there's a baby in there. In fact, Tyler informed me that now we have 2 Hailey's, one on the outside and one still in my belly.... Way to boost my self esteem Tyler, lol. Straightening this out may take some time...
Since delivery, I haven't done much as far as exercise goes. I've walked around a bit and done kegels, when I remember. As far as abs go, I bought a belly bandit, but I've only used it twice so far. I don't know if it has helped my abs, but I do appreciate the back support it provides. As far as stretch marks go, yes, I collected some of those. Here's a close up of the belly.
I have been testing out the It Works Stretch Mark Cream. I don't know if it actually works yet, but it does feel great going on.
So here is the belly progress about a week after the first picture and 10 days total postpartum.
Wanna see that in a side by side? Here you go:
I am currently at 136 lbs which is about 19 lbs less than my pregnancy weight and 16 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight. So progress is being made even without exercise. Of course, a lot of that was baby, placenta, fluids, etc..
At this point the only thing is I'm really doing is eating relatively healthy. You know whole grains, fruits and veggies. But I have allowed myself treats as well. My body did a lot of work and my taste buds are reaping the rewards. Soon it will be back to a slightly more strict regimen.
One thing I will note, is I am also exclusively breastfeeding. This does help the uterus contract faster and this in turn reduces belly size. I definitely support it as a way to speed up your body's return to its pre-baby shape. Plus it's a super cost effective way to feed your baby. It's also a lot of work, so there are pluses and minuses. For us, the convenience and health benefits for both mom and baby make this the right choice for our family. I breastfed T for a full year, and I intend to do the same with Hailey.
So that's where I am at right now. Once I start working out again, I will report what I am doing as well as my progress.
In the meantime, tune in Friday for a Memorial Day craft project and next Tuesday when we discuss diastasis recti.
Cheers,
Emily
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