7 Weeks PP

I lost three lovely pounds this week. I have decided to take a front and side view picture and wear the same thing each week. This is the embarrassing "yuck" phase still, but I look forward to having exciting, non-nauseating results in the weeks to come. One of the reasons I am doing this as a blog is because I tortured my Facebook friends with my relentless progress pictures and workout plans after Ashton was born, and I figure that if you don't want to see it, you just won't click on this blog and I won't feel too bad. :)

I have been experimenting with my workouts, so I can keep myself from getting bored or injured. For a good week or more, it was very painful to run, so I wasn't doing much of that. The weather has also been challenging lately, making it hard to pack up the little ones and go to the stroller class in the mornings. I have learned about myself that I need to do something right when I wake up in the morning because that is when I am most motivated. I bought an ab wheel (you know, just the simple wheel with handles) because I used one religiously in my teens and early 20s and had pretty awesome abs. So I do that every morning when I wake up and again before I go to bed. It's hard on the knees, so I need a pillow, and hard on the back, so I have to watch my form and go slowly. Another workout I did to its completion after Ashton was born was Jillian Michaels' 30-Day Shred. It's only 20 minutes long and you do it every day for 30 days. There are three levels of difficulty (I do 10 days per level) and each workout consists of three circuits combining strength, cardio, and abs. It makes me sweat and sore the next day, so I like it. I finished Day 3 today. I plan to do an additional workout each evening for variety from dailyburn.com, and get back with the Stroller Strong Moms when it's a little warmer in the mornings.

As far as diet goes, my only vice is chocolate. I will probably eat chocolate every day until I die, but right now I think maybe I will try to eat a little less of it...haha. Otherwise, I don't really do much with soda or other junk food, and don't feel the need to diet. I have been extremely thirsty for water every day though, which I think can only be a good thing.

The pictures make me want to puke, but I know I will appreciate them later.

Total weight gained: 46 lbs
Weight lost: 27 lbs
Weight left to lose: 19 lbs

6 Weeks PP

Lost 2 lbs this week. Okay, I'll take it. I had been exercising pretty vigorously until my hips started giving me trouble. I attribute that to the joints still being a little too flexible from the birth, so I have backed off a bit. I added some yoga into the mix, which makes me feel like a million bucks! Amazing. I also found a good ab workout on Pinterest and am continuing to run and attend the workout class when I can. I think it's important to have a goal in mind here, and other than losing the baby weight, I am aiming to be back to a size 2-4. Below are pictures of me at a 0 (too skinny, I think), a 2 (right before I got pregnant with Ashton) and a 4 (about 10 months after Ashton was born). I'm trying to be patient and it is HARD! :)

My app for adding text to my photos isn't working well today, so the Size 2 pic isn't labeled. :P

Total weight gained: 46 lbs
Weight lost: 24 lbs
Weight left to lose: 22 lbs

5 Weeks PP

Another week has passed and I still weigh exactly the same. It's frustrating, especially since I have 24 lbs left to lose. I have been working out every day though, for the last 12 days, and I look a Hell of a lot better naked now (sorry, that's the best way I can word it) which is more important than the pounds themselves, of course. I'm hoping it's muscle. I have actually been eating less too, so this is annoying. Like I said before, I was never one of those people who drop the weight immediately. I think that in my case, no matter what I do, it will probably take 9 months to actually be back to normal. But might as well get an awesome toned body in the process, right? Ok, but seriously, if I could lose ONE pound this week I think I'll be happy...okay, enough kvetching. Until next week...

Total weight gained: 46 lbs
Weight lost: 22 lbs
Weight left to lose: 24 lbs

4 Weeks PP

This week was interesting...I have exercised for the past 5 days in a row and am already seeing muscle definition. However, I ate about a million cookies (bad, I know) and actually GAINED FOUR FREAKING POUNDS this week! What gives? I'm sure that's not all muscle. Argh. So I will be watching my diet. My goal is to exercise every single day. I don't think that will be a problem though because without exercise, I am a dysfunctional human being. It is my medication for a sound mind. Plus, I know that the way I look right now is completely expected since I just had a baby, but it still nauseates me to look in the mirror and I have no problem sweating and pushing myself to fix that. I am not one of those people who will look amazing no matter what. I have to work HARD for these last 20-something pounds. I had to do it after baby #1 and now I have to do it again. I'm not patient, but I'm motivated, and it will be done. If it doesn't hurt, then it isn't working.

Total weight gained: 46 lbs
Weight lost: 22 lbs
Left to lose: 24 lbs

3 Weeks PP

Progress is slow, but still happening. Ashton broke my scale, so I had to buy a new one. I haven't been exercising because I feel like walking is so incredibly boring. But after some research and talking to other "fit" moms, I decided to get started again with the Stroller Strong Moms this month! I will go as many days a week as I am available and am VERY excited! I feel a little depressed and have a hard time with the day-to-day in general when I'm not working out regularly, so this will be such a huge, much-needed breath of fresh air! And hopefully it will make me lose weight more quickly and feel better about my body. :P I also joined a weight loss challenge group on Facebook. That should help too.

(I know my mirror needs to be cleaned in this pic. Don't judge. I don't have the energy to clean it and retake the pic)

Total weight gained: 46 lbs
Lost so far: 26 lbs
Left to lose: 20 lbs