Let me just give a little background here. Prior to moving to our little island I was religiously devoted to my local YMCA. I would drop The Crew off at childwatch and hop onto the nearest treadmill to bang out my standard 5k run in front of Matt Lauer and Company before ambling over to the dreaded weight training area (aka: Muscle Beach or Man Zone) to lift some 5 lb weights spastically in front of the mirror for a few minutes. By the time I was back home and showered I had used up at least two hours of my day and my kids had invariably brought home another case of 'snot nose' (or worse).
A few things started to happen at around this point in time. First, I had hit a major fitness plateau. I hadn't lost weight in months, and I although I could bang out a 5k routinely, I did not have that 'runners body' that I so coveted. Second, my children were becoming increasingly too old to hang in childwatch and have any level of fun. I could tell I was pushing the limits one day when I looked around while dropping them off and realized the only other children there were all in highchairs arranged in a tight semi-circle around a small t.v. that had Barney playing on a never ending loop. The Crew had this weary/resigned look on their faces and had started to ask on a regular basis how long my workouts were going to take. And finally, we had received orders and were going to be moving again soon. I didn't know what fitness options would be available to me here, but I did know that any childwatch scenario would pretty much play out in the same way... with the small possibility of a Baby Einstein video playing rather than Barney.
So I took a chance, swallowed my pride, and actually phoned the number flashing on the screen one late night. Best. Decision. Ever.
Now lest you think I am trying to sell you something, let me assure you I am NOT in any way getting paid for this post. Fast forward a full year with nearly five rounds of P90x under my belt, I find myself increasingly being fielded questions like "What's your routine?" or "How do you stay motivated?" or "What is Clean Eating?" by other mom's who have become frustrated with their routines and/or are ready for a lifestyle change. I have not become a 'Beachbody Coach' (despite the multiple offers of other 'Coaches' trying to sign me up.) I'm really not interested in that. The last thing I need right now is another venture to take on. No, this has nothing to do with me making money and everything to do with me wanting to answer the questions that I find myself being asked by these Moms who are just as busy, just as tired, and just as in search of answers as I was. So I've decided to add a category here on my blog to answer any questions you might have and also to explain some of the choices I've made for myself in the last few years.
For full disclosure I'm putting up my 'Before & After' pics. I wish I had some earlier shots of myself before starting on my fitness journey post-pregnancy, but like any self-respecting mother with baby weight to lose I managed to destroy all photographic evidence of my situation rather than put the damn donut down and start moving! Be kind... I am still a work in progress :)
Some quick stats, as it may be hard to tell from the photos... I have lost 12 lbs. and gained quite a bit of muscle. First tip? Take measurements on Day 1, I wish I had!
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