T25 Post baby

I get a lot of questions about this, so I’m going to get out my feelings about why T25 is great as a postpartum workout.  I think that a lot of this is also true for anyone, and that I’ve said some of it before.  But here it will be, all in one place!

• First and foremost, TIME!  What do you have little of when you’ve just had a child?  Would you rather be using the little time to sleep than to go to the gym, workout for an hour, drive home?  I don’t have time to get to/from the gym and workout, so working out at home has worked really well.  Plus this is just about 28 min with the cool down.  Yay!
• Second, and extremely important as well, effectiveness!  You’ll feel like you’ve had a longer workout with these.  There are no stops/breaks built in to these workouts.
• It’s very much adaptable for different levels.  Tania shows modifications and you can easily switch between following her and following others.  This is so important post baby since you will be getting back into things with a new body.  I didn’t start out with T25 (I did Turbo Fire first) but with both, the things I could handle doing, especially with jumping and abs, changed pretty fast.  I think it was a testament to the workouts as well how much I improved in ability!
• The food plan that comes with it (and the recipes) are super simple.  And a lot of them were foods my daughter would eat as well (I did T25 starting when she was about 8 months), so that was helpful!
• Not much equipment needed!  You just really NEED the resistance band that comes with it.  You can use weights also.  But none of the workouts have you dragging out a load of stuff to get started.  And then putting it all away if a baby wakes up 😉
• I did T25 right after Insanity.  I had a terrible time keeping my milk supply up during that but not during T25.

If there is something you are looking for answers about, comment!  I’m happy to answer any questions.

9 months on, 9 months off

At least that was the plan for weight loss. Reality, not so simple!

I even put in my goals for the year to fit into some pre-pregnancy clothes by now. There are a few things that fit but not much. Mostly workout clothes! I suppose that’s helpful. But for the most part, nope. I have almost 20lbs left to lose and have been within a 5lb range for about 3 months.

Have I tried? Of course. I exercise most days, track my food and try to eat reasonably. I do have lapses in my food choices, but that’s normal and I track them. I have my daily Shakeology which makes such a difference for me. If I go low on my calories a few days, my milk supply drops. And that’s basically the thing here. I’m choosing supply over weight loss. I struggle with this daily (hourly?) but I know I’m making the right choice.

So I’m deciding to give myself another 6 months. Which is really 3 months from the year mark, when I plan to stop pumping during the day. I’ll ride out my freezer stash for daytime and then it will just be nights/morning. I won’t be clinging to supply anymore, so hopefully my body won’t cling to the weight.

I’m enjoying my workouts. I would exercise for stress relief even without the calorie burn. And I have seen some results (see my results posts from TurboFire, Pump and Insanity!).

I know I’m doing my best all around. If you’re in a similar position, I’d love to hear from you!

Insanity Results

It took me an extra week, but I finished up Insanity yesterday!  I gained about 4 lbs doing it, and lost just over 2 inches.  Not huge differences, but I see a change in pictures.  I feel a change in how I feel.  And my fit test results make me proud.

The before pictures are from 5/25, when I finished Les Mills Pump.

 

I am happy with the results.  I finished, and almost stopped because of milk supply.  But I have kept just ahead of what I needed and added slightly to my stash.  I think that if I was not breastfeeding, I would have seen more results, but I’m not giving that up!

 

My final fit test results impressed me!  I could not have been happier with my progress.  All in all, a good experience though i am happy to be moving on.  I started Focus T25 today and am excited to check it out…plus the shorter workouts wont hurt!

 

Insanity Week 5!

So. I haven’t seen scale results from Insanity. Insane, right (nope, doesn’t get old!)? But not really. I’m eating a TON to maintain breastfeeding. And I’m having trouble even with all of the calories. But, I am seeing other results, far more impressive than a silly number on a scale.

First, I am seeing definition in my upper abs. It’s a slight change, but a welcome one. They’re my abs. I just housed a human right about there. Lower abs will take more time, but progress is progress!

Second, I did TurboKick workouts last week and the jumps that used to be so annoying and tough were a lot easier! Look at me…hopping with ease! Want to do a tuck jump? Let’s do it!

And third, the results of my week 5 fit test. I did this one after dinner, not fresh in the morning. I really pushed myself and was impressed with my numbers! See for yourself…

So is it hard? Sure. Does it work? Oh yes. (Does it work if you don’t actually do the videos? No) I’m excited for the next few weeks!

Mind Over Madness

On Friday, I got to experience yoga in a crazy place for the second time. I had gone to the Times Square Alliance’s solstice yoga event in 2011, rushing over from work with my yoga mat and pretending my yoga clothes were work appropriate for the day. It was an amazing experience to be on the mat in the middle of a busy place, with cars still beeping and the tourists and New Yorkers looking on.

This year, I took a day off from work and did the Bikram class in the middle of a nice hot day. This year, I also didn’t go alone (well, as alone as you could be in Times Square). I had a great time and hope that I can do it again many times.

I had a few days of terrible sleep leading up to Friday. Some days here are better than others, and we had a few rough nights in a row (tonight is looking to be fun as well, though the last two were pretty good ones). I literally fell asleep during the class…for just about a minute. It was a time where I typically would have my eyes open, but since the sun was right overhead, they were closed. And I woke up a bit confused but tried to continue with my practice without dwelling on it.

Also, to bring it fully into the mom + fitness world, I had to bring my breast pump as I was gone for about 6 hours. I pumped in Times Square, under a nursing cover (I rarely use it, but it came in handy for this and for changing into my yoga clothes when done).
So in review…I did yoga, fell asleep, pumped and changed in Times Square on Friday. Now we get pictures!

Breastfeeding and Exercise

So here will be MY experience.  I’m not a doctor, a lactation consultant, or any other medical professional.  I’m just a regular woman with a baby and boobs (pardon me).

Everyone asks about losing weight, breastfeeding and exercise.  No one really wants to know if it can be done.  The true question is “will it hurt my supply”, and the answer is maybe.  This “everyone” doesn’t include those who lose tons of weight by breastfeeding (many do) but the others who can not shed weight until after they wean.

You need extra calories to breastfeed so you shouldn’t diet to lose weight.  It’s good for you and your baby to eat good food and not be starving.  I count calories, but give myself 500 extra a day to accommodate breastfeeding, and don’t really worry if I go over.  I also eat any calories burned from exercise.  And that’s what this post is about.

At this point, I am doing Insanity.  I have also done TurboFire and LesMills Pump, along with some running and yoga.  These can be intense, and I started slowly and built up to the Insanity program.  I don’t think I could have handled that first for many reasons.  I find that I’m okay as long as I drink water and eat extra.  And by water, I mean a LOT of water.  I have dips in supply, but nothing that would be noticeable if I wasn’t working and pumping.  My baby always gets enough!  I’m losing weight slowly but surely.  Baby is gaining weight.  Everybody wins!

So, what exercise did you do before pregnancy (or during!)?  You can probably do it now, starting slowly and working your way up.  The important things for me have been to listen to my body, drink a lot of water, eat when hungry, and eat healthy foods.  If you feel it is too much or that your supply is taking a hit, adjust.  I’m serious on the water!  Cookies help too!

What has your experience been?  I’d love to hear your stories!

Les Mills Pump results

I posted my review of Les Mills Pump here but see the results for yourself!

I lost over 7lbs and almost 15 inches! Plus I really see the difference in the side view. I also fit into a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans and can now fit in my belt…on the third hole! I feel stronger and more like myself.

I still have about 15lbs to my pre pregnancy weight, but I’m getting there! I have said it before, but food is still my biggest obstacle. I’m so hungry between exercise and breastfeeding and have little time to cook. I made eggs the other day and was hugely proud of myself. I would love to see my results with a better diet but am proud of my progress anyway.

Pump Review

Okay, this might be less in depth than I planned but I want to get it down. I’m loving Les Mills Pump. I’m almost finished with the calendar (though I messed up in the first month and somehow skipped a week). I get a really good workout and I have added a little more weight to my bar since starting…I’m getting to a point of experimenting with more on some tracks. It really has been perfect for me…when I feel like I’m spent, it’s just about time to switch tracks (and body parts). They use the music really well…I notice it most on the clean and presses and biceps. And I love how the workouts are a few different lengths. I am currently trying to do the program as written, but as I move on from that schedule and start working it in with other things, I think that will be helpful. I can choose how long I can do on a day.

I also love that you can do your own cardio. I like the flexibility that it gives. I started with mostly running and TurboFire/TurboKick, but it has been walking instead of running now with my leg bothering me. When I do other programs, I have a tough time because there are other workouts I enjoy so much. This lets me do it all!

The workouts use high repetitions and lighter weights for what they call “The Rep Effect”. Basically, you are doing 70-100 reps per body part. I definitely feel it! I’m sore the day after most workouts, even though I used to lift heavy at the gym. It is different…light weight/high reps vs heavy weight/low reps. I think they are both good for you and can give results. But with the light weight, you still need to challenge yourself! I decided early on to buy extra weights than what comes in the box. The weights it came with (10 and 5 lb plates) were perfect to start, but I didn’t want to not up my weights just because I didn’t have the extra plates. So I purchased an extra set of 5s and a set of 2.5s.

Pump uses body part tracks…squats, chest, legs/back, biceps, triceps, lunges, shoulders, abs. Some of the shorter workouts do not contain all tracks, but I still think they are great workouts. Just like if you had to do a short workout, you’d hit the big muscles with some moves that also engage smaller ones. The two long workouts (Pump Revolution and Pump Extreme, both almost an hour) include them all. There are also 20, 30 and 45 minute weight workouts. In the pack as well is Hardcore Abs, which lives up to its name! Also is Flow, a stretching workout that is about 20 minutes. If you order from a coach (like me!) you also get Les Mills Core, another ab workout.

Now, one of my favorite things…the instructors! I love the accents and their interactions are amusing. They are very personable and motivating. I definitely recommend the program to anyone looking for a weight workout to do at home.

Big Gym, Little Gym

We have had some fun over here.  Some sarcastic, most not but all still good.  There have been hikes and walks and visits and naps.  Smiles aplenty.

We went to an Arbor Day festival where we saw Zoe’s first band (since being born, she “saw” a few in the womb), Peat Moss and the Fertilizers.  They were our wedding band and are a lot of fun.  Zoe was more into pulling up the grass.

There was also the night spent on the floor in the baby’s room.   And the back pain to show for it.   Luckily, that was so far just the one night.  And the smiles make it all okay.

Today, we checked out a class at The Little Gym.  It was free and on a weekend, so sign us up!  It is tough to find mommy and me type classes on the weekends, so that was even better.  Zoe was the youngest there, but held her own through some songs, parachute time and “climbing” around…really just touching some things while being held.  They don’t have a weekend class during the summer, but it is something I may revisit in fall.  Right now, our Sundays are pretty booked so I don’t think the rest of this session would work well.  But fun.  If they offer a free introductory class by you, take it.  They didn’t even try to sell me before I left.  And worked with me when I needed to reschedule.

The big gym is for our hike.  Using the world to workout.  We didn’t really plan where to go and ended up on a park trail that was much more hiking than walking.  Lots of hills, made even more fun holding a 13+ lb baby.  One of the downhills was a little too steep for my comfort but we made it still standing.  And I got a better workout than planned.  Nothing wrong with that.

I wish every day was the weekend!

Sleeeep

Blah blah blah…new moms don’t have time to sleep. You’ve heard it, maybe lived it, so I don’t need to talk about that. What I didn’t expect was how the quality of my actual sleep times would change. Luckily for the better!

I have not been a good sleeper since I was about 7, though I hear that I slept most of the time until then. I’m a light sleeper, waking up easily, but not falling asleep very quickly. I need a lot of wind down time. The time it takes me to fall asleep now hasn’t been consistently better, but I am sleeping more soundly. We used to joke that my husband would never be awoken by the baby crying, only by me waking him. But some nights he hears her first. And where I would normally wake up at any time of the night with little problem, some of these middle of the night wake ups have me scrambling for what’s going on for a bit.

I’m not complaining. I usually have the baby monitor next to my head so even if my husband is waking first, I wouldn’t be long after. It is nice to be waking only because of the baby – not 50 other times for no good reason like I used to (even before pregnancy).

Next week, I start setting the alarm again. I go back to work on Friday and Zoe is starting day care on Monday so that I’m less worried come Friday. I know day care is a good thing for her. She’ll socialize, pick up some germs and get ready for school later on. But not being with her all the time after 4 months together is going to be so odd. She is getting better at the gym child care center though I still try to not take the full two hours she is usually scheduled. But that is a little while with me in the same building! My husband will be doing the dropping off and picking up most days so I’m hoping to be able to workout once they go and not need to do it so late.

Other things going on…I made chocolate chia pudding last night. It was good, but I may tweak it a little. I used dark cocoa powder and stevia in the raw, so I’ll need to find a good ratio. I’m also thinking it would be good to put some protein powder in. I’ll play and share what I did.

Another great picture!

Also, I’m really enjoying Les Mills Pump so far! This week is a bit of a learning week, with Pump Challenge – a short workout that mostly prepares you for future workouts. I like that it has a choose your own cardio component because I also want to run and do Turbo workouts. It gives me the freedom to do those without feeling that I’m taking away from the program as written.

It’s snowing here so we’ll see what happens with today’s planned run. I will not be running outside, that’s for sure. Have a great Friday!

Workout Wednesday – Pump Challenge, Couch to 5K, plank
Workout Thursday – Pump Flow, TurboKick practice and plank