Monday's Baby Weight Check-In
I like laying out my progress on this blog. It keeps me motivated, especially since my sister reads my blog! Last week, I only did actual work-outs for three days (1/2 an hour in the morning and walks later in the day). The last 4 days I had to really tone it down. My body was letting me know I did enough. It's important to listen to your body, but not let it be an excuse for not doing what you should be doing. In my case, I had to remember two things: I'm barely 8 weeks post-partum and I'm still nursing. I tried to exercise, but my body said, "NO!" I needed sleep.
Today, I did 30 minutes of The Firm and hope to follow it up with an evening walk, but it's stormy today.
I have noticed one thing, though. I don't mind hubby seeing me undressed even though I have extra pooch and poundage because I know I'm working on it and so does he. He doesn't find me unattractive, anyway. Even this morning, I took my measurements in his presence and we could both celebrate in the results. He's proud of me for taking control of my health and making sure I'm in top physical condition before we get pregnant again. Pregnancy is HARD WORK! We owe it to ourselves to be in great physical shape (I'm not saying skinny, I'm saying healthy and strong), before we undertake such a joyous task.
The question I see written and hear asked most often is, "How do I get myself motivated?" There is no "magic word" or special tonic or prayer. There's only you making up your mind to get off your tush and move it. Believe me, I know! I don't like exercising. I'm not athletic. But, we're doing a great disservice to the body the Lord created and gave us by not getting ourselves to our own healthy (we all have different needs and abilities when it comes to our health. You might be disabled or have an illness, but that's no reason to not make sure you keep yourself healthy. My father has a broken back and a slipped disks in his neck that cause him constant pain, and stents in his heart, yet he bicycles 16-20 miles a day.)
So, you hate exercising. It does get easier as you get used to doing it. So, just move. Play with your children. Take up dancing. Go for walks and enjoy the scenery.
So, you don't have the time. Surely there's something you can give up. When watching TV, for instance, rather than running to the kitchen for a snack during commercials, get up and march, jog, run, jump-rope or jumping jack in place. Or, get up a 1/2 an hour earlier and do some sort of work-out.
So, you get discouraged. If you're a beginner, don't be doing work-out videos designed for intermediate or advanced people. If you have coordination issues, avoid dance-style workouts and stick with walking work-out videos. If you hate the boot-camp style work-outs, look for more fun ones like dancing work-outs. If you get aches and pains, look for low-impact work-outs. (Remember, you'll feel a "good" ache and pain after a decent work-out, but it should feel like your muscles have accomplished something and not that you've injured yourself.) If you're doing a work-out and the moves get too difficult (you're not strong enough for them yet, or not coordinated enough) just march strongly in place and pick it up when you can. Do what you can and build up as you go.
Remember, you need to combine strength training with aerobics. Muscles burn fat and increase your metabolism, but in order to see those muscles, you have to burn the fat you have.
Also, remember to not soley go by weight lost. Muscles weight more than fat. Results should be over all, that's why I've included my measurements.
Also, Also, remember that I'm a petite girl. Tall or stockier ladies should not look at what I'm working towards and be discouraged. 140 lbs may very well be the healthy weight for you, whereas for me, it's actually overweight. We're not one-size fits all here.
I'll post my current weight later on today. I don't own a scale, so I have to use my parents' scale.
Today, I did 30 minutes of The Firm and hope to follow it up with an evening walk, but it's stormy today.
I have noticed one thing, though. I don't mind hubby seeing me undressed even though I have extra pooch and poundage because I know I'm working on it and so does he. He doesn't find me unattractive, anyway. Even this morning, I took my measurements in his presence and we could both celebrate in the results. He's proud of me for taking control of my health and making sure I'm in top physical condition before we get pregnant again. Pregnancy is HARD WORK! We owe it to ourselves to be in great physical shape (I'm not saying skinny, I'm saying healthy and strong), before we undertake such a joyous task.
The question I see written and hear asked most often is, "How do I get myself motivated?" There is no "magic word" or special tonic or prayer. There's only you making up your mind to get off your tush and move it. Believe me, I know! I don't like exercising. I'm not athletic. But, we're doing a great disservice to the body the Lord created and gave us by not getting ourselves to our own healthy (we all have different needs and abilities when it comes to our health. You might be disabled or have an illness, but that's no reason to not make sure you keep yourself healthy. My father has a broken back and a slipped disks in his neck that cause him constant pain, and stents in his heart, yet he bicycles 16-20 miles a day.)
So, you hate exercising. It does get easier as you get used to doing it. So, just move. Play with your children. Take up dancing. Go for walks and enjoy the scenery.
So, you don't have the time. Surely there's something you can give up. When watching TV, for instance, rather than running to the kitchen for a snack during commercials, get up and march, jog, run, jump-rope or jumping jack in place. Or, get up a 1/2 an hour earlier and do some sort of work-out.
So, you get discouraged. If you're a beginner, don't be doing work-out videos designed for intermediate or advanced people. If you have coordination issues, avoid dance-style workouts and stick with walking work-out videos. If you hate the boot-camp style work-outs, look for more fun ones like dancing work-outs. If you get aches and pains, look for low-impact work-outs. (Remember, you'll feel a "good" ache and pain after a decent work-out, but it should feel like your muscles have accomplished something and not that you've injured yourself.) If you're doing a work-out and the moves get too difficult (you're not strong enough for them yet, or not coordinated enough) just march strongly in place and pick it up when you can. Do what you can and build up as you go.
Remember, you need to combine strength training with aerobics. Muscles burn fat and increase your metabolism, but in order to see those muscles, you have to burn the fat you have.
Also, remember to not soley go by weight lost. Muscles weight more than fat. Results should be over all, that's why I've included my measurements.
Also, Also, remember that I'm a petite girl. Tall or stockier ladies should not look at what I'm working towards and be discouraged. 140 lbs may very well be the healthy weight for you, whereas for me, it's actually overweight. We're not one-size fits all here.
I'll post my current weight later on today. I don't own a scale, so I have to use my parents' scale.
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