When I got pregnant with The Bean (six months after delivering Baby Bug) I was 15lbs overweight. I gained 13lbs during my pregnancy, delivered, and at my six week check up I had lost 20lbs, making me only 8lbs overweight. Awesome, right? Then my newly acquired practice of eating one meal a day at 9pm after the kids go to bed, due to time constraints, caused my metabolism to commit harakiri rather than face it's obvious uselessness....and I GAINED 25lbs. That's right-I'm heavier now than I was when I delivered our third child.GAG.
I tried returning to vegetarianism, but sadly it turns out that we can't afford to buy all of the food necessary to maintain a balanced vegetarian lifestyle in addition to all the animal meat required to sustain Hubby and the kidlets. I'm still eating pretty healthy, even if meat is included at this point, but let's face it-that's not getting me any closer to the rockin' pre-baby bod that I fantasize about regaining. It's time to pull out the big guns.
Exercise.
I'll tell you now-I hate exercise! I have SVT and while exercise is a good way to strengthen your heart and lower blood pressure and it is thus commonly recommended that people with SVT exercise (at a comfortable level) daily, it can also trigger an attack. Those suck. A lot-so I have generally avoided anything more than low impact exercise and have certainly not done anything daily since before Monkey was born.
I've got to face the facts though-that has to change. It might suck to have an attack, and exercise in general might suck (it totally does), but being The Blob sucks more (and, funny enough, is also bad for my heart)....so exercise it is.
I told you a little while ago about my "fun" with hip hop cardio. I decided to try belly dancing. Yeahnotsomuch. I thought I looked bad doing the hip hop thing-belly dancing was just ludicrous. I didn't even have to look at my reflection in the fire place to now that I looked like a fool. So, back I went to my drunken bear marionette antics of hip hop cardio. Now I do that for an hour, plus I added in a half hour of Pilates/Power Yoga and put in 30 crunches on each side (to the front, to the left, and to the right) for good measure [all doc approved].
I look like a total idiot. My body feels like it has been hit with a Mac truck. Still, I must have burned like a bizillion calories by now.
In the end I know it will be worth it. I want to be healthy, and I want to teach my kids to be active. [Monkey already "did" the Pilates/Power Yoga with me...he calls it Karate, and he has his mother's grace.]
Plus, I really really want my 17 year old body back.
24 comments:
OH LIke you I hate exercise lol.. I truthfully think we burn more calories blogging. I mean think of how fast our brain works and our fingers fly. Think of all the good belly laughs attained reading other mommies adventures for the day.. How many calories can ya burn in an hour of laughing and enjoy it WAYYY more then hip hop aerobics lol..
That is too bad about the Supra-Ventricular Tachycardia. Have had to be cardioverted before?
Also, what does your cardiologist recommend? Just be careful, okay? I'd hate to lose one of my newest blogging buddies!
wow...belly dancing...really? how very brave of you.
i, too, am at a higher weight than i was when i delivered my children. all 4 of them. probably added together...not sure, tho, math is not my high point. i keep saying i'll do something about it...someday. today is not that day. tomorrow might not be either.
You are probably not alone in the hating of exercise category. I go in such stages myself. I did so good for about 4 months and was running 3 days a week, which I have never done. But now since it's getting colder, I have been so lazy. I'm thinking of getting into Wii Fit. I've heard great things.
lol i love belly dancing even if i look a fool and yoga is wonderful :) dont worry about how you look just enjoy doing it otherwise its a chore!
I feel ya honey, but Pilates is awesome. I'm an addict. I finally got my weight down to my pre pregnancy weight, but now I have all of this loose, flabby belly skin that, in my opinion, isn't very attractive. How do I get rid of that? I'm toning, and I can see my abs if I suck in and pull that loose skin back...but I gotta fix this problem!
As far as eating healthy goes, what helped me lose most of my weight, was cutting my proportions in HALF. You really don't realize how you are over eating until you do that. You'll see that eating half of what you would normally eat, actually does fill you up and satisfy you.
As far as exercise goes, may I suggest to you Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home videos? They're the best. It's cardio, and it sculpts and tones every part of your body. I use it with my Pilates....and it's just awesome. The exercises are classified as miles. I have the 3 mile work out DVD. Supposedly you walk as fast as 5 miles per hour if you stay on the right pace, and that's how they count how many miles you are doing. I do a mile a day since I do it with my Pilates too.
I want my 17 year old bod back too.. whhhaaa
I hate exercise too. I have good intentions but then I never follow through.
And I suppose eating leftover Halloween candy while watching Biggest Loser is just one of my issues, right?
I hate to exercise, too. Actually, I hate to get started and I hate the first 1/2 of the workout. Somewhere in there the endorphins kick in and I like it.
Sounds like you've picked some good ways to get moving!!
By the way I LOVE your title!!
Have you ever read Self? (www.self.com) they have great tips, ticks and routines each month. They also do this AWESOME thing in March.. called the Self challenge. It's a challenge to be a better, healthier you. It teaches you how to eat better, exercise, rest , etc. I lost so much weight on it with my first child.
Don't forget the weight training either. It's low impact and it will make such a difference! You can do it!
If you really can get the 17 year old body back then I will totally get on that train.
I hate exercise too! I haven't done any in months!
Mmmm.. I sympathize. The only thing that has ever worked for me diet-wise was gestational diabetes, and they don't really recommend that as a weight-loss/maintenance program.
Kudos to you for all that you are doing, tho, its way more than I've been able to get my ass to do, tho I try to go to yoga once a week now. I just wish I could get my pre-pregnancy boobs back!!
I think most people look silly while exercising, but who cares?
I hope you're having fun with it and good luck!
I'll be jumping on the band wagon after my daughter is born (and I've gained a heck a lot more than 13 pounds).
I could only dream of getting my 27 year old body back at this point....
I've got 2 awards for you over at my place.....
"Downward Dog, Drunken Bear"..ha! Love it! My signature moves are Aloof Panda (that's where I curl up and refuse to mate) and Selfish Slug (that's where I lay around and feel sorry for myself). Good job on the exercise!
...sounds like you need a visit by my pal Jeri Love and her DVD's called 'Get Ripped!'. oh my wow. it'll get you back into shape in no time!! she's very motivating.
you'll find your self again real soon. keep determined! keep focused! you can totally do this. :)
I only hate cardio exercise, but I love lifting weights! It makes me slender and strong at the same time. I don't know anything about your medical condition, but if you are allowed to add weights to your exercise routine, I would highly recommend it. It really raises your metabolism which allows to burn more when you do your cardio.
Hey! You have a new follower! Got you off of Amber Page writes blog. Cool. I look forward to hearing more of your posts.
And I did not appreciate that 17 year old body when I had it! Pity.
I only love excercise because I'm so happy when I'm done! Both physically and mentally (you know, endorphin's & all?)
I think about how good I feel when I'm done, when I'm trying to put it off! And it works.
I love my hot yoga ...great excerise, sweat out toxins (supposedly ...but it makes sense, right?), and great mentally peaceful feeling afterwards. Just realized that sounds like s-e-x! hee hee
Hang in there .....Bean's only six months old. It takes time.
http://youmusttakeyourchance.blogspot.com
Hey Lady :) I tagged you over at my blog...head on over to check it out!
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