A Chill in the Air

It was a beautiful morning. Early, but beautiful. My little Sweet Pea decided to get up at 6 am, which means that breakfast was early, nap time is early and walk time is early. We headed out before 8. I bundled her up in a touque, warm jacket, gloves, socks and we headed out for our morning adventure. What I forgot was a coat for me. So, after a mile we headed back to get me a touque and jacket.

After I was all bundled up, we headed back out. Today I decided to carry Sweet Pea because I thought that she would be warmer. (not to mention I would be warmer) She loves to be carried in her Baby Bjorn. She gets so excited when I put it on. She tries to climb up my legs before I can pick her up. I'm so glad she likes to go for walks. When I carry her, she talks the whole time. It's like she feels like I'm there to listen to her. Completely cute.

And as a bonus, I get an extra workout because I'm carrying her. Ya! But now I'm really tired. Maybe I should take a nap too. 6am is just WAY too early.

Dear Body,

Can we come to a truce? I have been trying to take care of you, and get you back into tip top shape and THIS is how you thank me? This is the second time. You got sick AGAIN. Really?! I know this time it doesn't feel quite as bad as last, but still. Can you just tell me you need a day to lounge around without getting sick? It would be nice. I promise to not overwork you and give you a day off if you promise not to get sick again for a while. What do you think? Yes?

Yours Truly,
Phannie

Exercising After Baby

I think it's a struggle for every woman who has just had a baby to get out and exercise. It was for me. We get pregnant, eat the carbs our body is craving, stop exercising because if we get up we're going to throw up, and then we have the baby. And then we masterfully go back to our healthy eating habits and exercise regime.

Raaight! Magically we all shave off the nasty habits we have formed. No. We are now still craving the carbs, mostly because we love them and they taste good, NOT because our body needs the little extra. And we are not exercising because we are: A) lazy, 4) tired because we aren't getting enough sleep, F) don't want to show our fat ass in public (who wants to see that, no-one), and 10) because we just don't want to.

So, getting out to exercise can be like making a kid eat their veggies or go to bed. Not pretty. But it can be done.

I'm on month 8. I still have 30 pounds to lose of my 60. (Don't congratulate me yet for losing 30. I lost them in the first 10 minutes after delivery) There are still days I get up and don't want to leave the house. I can't seem to find a buddy to exercise with. (Maybe someday) But I get out anyway.

I go walking every day. If I'm feeling ambitious, I walk around the neighborhood. If I'm not, then I walk to the track and walk around the track. That way I know exactly how far I have gone and I feel like I've accomplished something. This helps me get out the next day.

Then there are the days I DO NOT want to go out. But I want to exercise. I need a skinnier me back. So, I pull out all of my Sweet Peas toys, scatter them about the room, put in one of my trusty workout videos and off I go. Sweet Pea plays most of the time I am exercising. She tries to tackle me when I'm doing Yoga or Abs. It's pretty cute. When I get to the push-ups, she crawls under me and waits for me to come down and kiss her. Giggling and giggling. Adorable.

There are terrible breakdown moments. Where my Sweet Pea just can't handle letting me exercise. At that point, I'm done. It doesn't matter that I haven't reached my target heart rate or burned off enough Calories. She needs me and I'll make it up tomorrow or the next day. It's just fine.

It took me a while, but I finally found a way to feel like I got in a work out. And it feels great. How did you do it?

Smooth Running

As you know, I have been unable to up my exercise regimen to the level that I want it to be because I'm still pumping and don't want to deplete my milk supply. However, this week I have discovered that walking at the intense speed at which I've been walking (maybe it's my mechanics) hurts my knees. It pains like it did when I was a catcher. (Not quite as intense, but in the same area)

So, I started to run. Just to see if the pain subsided or continued. It left! I was surprised. My body wants to run just as bad as I do. I'm going to need to invest in a jogging stroller now. It's time.

But don't worry. Everyone who is doing the Wasatch Woman Love Your Body Race with me, I am still just walking. No going back on my word here. We will be boogying, but still walking.

The Thrill and Cheers Without the Price

Saturdays are always great days. I get to have help with my Sweet Pea, usually we get more things done around the house, and I get a buddy on my speedy walks. (although he complains about the speed-I just don't want to mosey)

Anyway. Yesterday, we walked over to the walkway near the High School and started to cruise around. There were plenty of people there, but it didn't look abnormal because it's a Saturday. People come to the park. However, people started to cheer us on while we passed them on the trail. Congratulating us on how well we were doing. It was great. I couldn't figure out what was going on. I saw some Cross Country runners and just thought that they were doing a workout and that the people on the sidelines had just finished and were cheering for them, not us.

But I was wrong. They thought that we were in a race. We had walked into the 5k race that was running in the neighborhood. They figured out that we weren't in the race when we came around the track a second time, but the first time cheers were wonderful. I really enjoyed it.

You should try it sometime. Bombard a race. It's worth the cheering sections.

Cardio X CAN be done. Woot! Woot!

It's so wonderful. I was able to complete the whole Cardio X without stopping. This was very exciting. Especially since my Sweet Pea was crawling around the living room the whole time. While doing the Yoga and Stretching portions she would climb up on me. I really like it when she climbs up on me, but while exercising it is most inconvenient; however, it is very cute.

I am going to attempt to do it again today. My attempt to add more points into my days. I don't know about you, but while doing p90x I find myself wishing it was worth more points than it is. Oh well, it's better to know that I can accomplish it than to get many points for it. Right?

Low Calorie Pasta Salad

I completely LOVE The Volumetrics Eating Plan, by Barbara Rolls, Ph. D. I use these recipes all the time. And I get to eat a whole bunch of food. I don't have to cut my portions. With most of the recipes I find myself not being able to eat as much as I'm allowed to.

Anyway, here is the Pasta Salad recipe on page 146:


4 C. ditalini, cooked and drained
2 C. peeled, shredded carrots
2 C. cored, diced tomatoes
2 C. frozen baby peas, cooked and drained
8 Tbsp. 1/4-inch thick diced ham (about 4 oz)
1 C. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Dressing: 1/2 Cup of this dressing for the Pasta Salad

3 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper

(I used red-wine vinegar because I didn't have white-wine vinegar. It still tasted great)

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well, evenly distributing the dressing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Makes: 4 servings of 3 Cups each

Calories: 400
Energy Density: .80
Carbohydrates: 52 g.
Fat: 11 g.
Protein: 23 g.
Fiber: 9 g.

Sorry, no picture. I forgot to take one.

Favorite Sin

One of the ways to earn points for the 500 is to give up my favorite sin for 7 days. A whole week. It's pretty hard. The one that I LOVE is:

CHEESE

It's yellow,

Sweet AND Salty,

runny,

hard,

delectable goodness.

I have had to give it up for the last 6 weeks and it doesn't get any easier over time. I thought it would, but it seems to be getting worse. All I want is Mac 'n Cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich, Nachos,

chili cheese fries; well, you get the idea.

It's a tough one. But I guess it will be worth the 5 points. Hopefully. Some days I just want to hide in the corner behind the couch and eat a whole bowl of cheese curds. YUM!!


(picture from www.thedailygreen.com and www.kats9lives.com)

My First Morning of the 500

I'm just going to call it the 500 and you are just going to know what I'm talking about. Deal? good.

This morning I got up fed my Sweet Pea and myself (I'm quite proud of this one, I don't usually make time to eat) and set off on our little walk this morning. This is my real first day of keeping track of points. Too bad it's in the middle of the tracking week.

I'm getting in my water.

I exercised.

I did my push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and calf raises.

Does jumping with Sweet Pea on my lap count as weight lifting? I think it should.

How are you doing on your points/goals?

It Begins

The 500 challenge. Technically it began this last Wednesday, but when I have a 102 degree fever, I just don't feel like exercising or making healthy choices. (or any choices at all) Anyway, it's here. And I'm ready.

64 oz of water every day= a breeze (I mean, I already love to drink water AND I have to because of feeding baby)

walking miles=Sweet Pea loves taking walks; we go every day AND we're training for our 6K in October

Eating healthier= a little more difficult because I crave the grease and salt of so many wonderful foods.

Stretching= this one I NEED, but I really struggle with remembering when my little one is crying (screaming) for me

There are a TON of ways to get points this challenge and I'm excited. I hope that I can do it.

Here I go!!!