weigh down wednesday :: thursday addition

Here I am, closing in on my first MAJOR goal.

I have now lost 35lbs and am right at 10lbs away from my wedding weight!!

My goal is to ultimately be at that weight in time for my 9th anniversary at the end of October.

Oh yes! I *can* do it!

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One thing I've realized as the numbers on the scale recede, is that my body has unfortunately reshaped itself.

And NOT in a good way.

Having two kiddos (by c-section) in the last 6 years seems to have ruined my tummy.

And things have just shifted.

I've got pouches and pooches and saggies where I've never had them before, even when I was heavier.

But, alas! It was well worth the body change to have those two stinkers!

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So, I'll just need to work that much harder to get things tighter as the weight falls off. 

I'm planning on beginning to exercise sometime in the not too distant future.

I haven't started working out at this point because the weight has been coming off pretty steadily with just a diet change.

BUT, I'm not stupid and I know that eventually when I get to the point where I'm happy with my weight I will need to add in some form of exercise to help maintain as I add in a bit more to my daily calorie needs.

Plus, I don't just want to be thin(ner). I want to be fit.

And that isn't going to happen without the dreaded exercise.

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So now I just have to decide what I'm going to do.

I've thought about a Couch 2 5 K program, although the thought honestly scares me, as the last time I tried that (4 years ago?) I sprained both of my knees in week 3. OUCH!

There's also the 30 Day Shred, which I did pretty regularly at the end of last year. 

And IT WORKS!!

Then there's normal gym stuff, like the elliptical or stationary bike.

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Whatever it is, as a busy mama (who is just going to get busier this fall), it needs to be something that gives me bang for my buck.

Hmmm....lots to think about.

Until next week!

xoxo

jen.

shred it

In an effort to regain my pre(pre)-baby body and make myself healthier, I have started a new exercise regimen.

Let me tell you, I have tried (and failed) to get an exercise program going since I was cleared for it, 6 weeks after Baby LL was born.

Having a new baby, a part-time job, a 5 year old to take to and pick up from school, plus all of the home stuff that comes with having a family, has made sticking with something hard.

I don't always feel like going to the gym at 9pm or 4am.

Taking a long walk with Baby LL in a stroller after dropping Kid A off doesn't always work, as job schedules and weather conditions can interfere.

Enter Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred.

 

 

For a very affordable $5 I bought the digital copy of this "video" and in less than 25 minutes a day, I get a workout in that not only raises my heart rate, but also works my muscles to the point of burning and shaking.

30 Day Shred has 3 different levels or workouts.

Level 1 being the easiest, and Level 3 being the most challenging.

And let me tell you, Level 1 is by no means "easy".

For the first week or so of doing this workout I would be physically shaking and weak for up to an hour after finishing.

So far I've been doing this for a little more than a month, approximately 10-14 days on each level,  and I'm seeing some great results.

In that short amount of time I've lost a total of 12 1/4 inches.

4 1/2 off my mid-section.

3 1/2 off my hips and butt.

4 1/4 off my thighs.

All of this without ANY change in my diet.

I've also noticed muscles peeking out in my arms and legs.

Being able to do this in my home in such a short period of time has been AWESOME, and I've kept it up an average of 6-7 days each week.

Now that I've made it more than 30 days, I'm going to start bumping up the exercise a bit and do a little fine tuning to my diet.

Hopefully this will help me sail through the holidays with a loss of inches, rather than a gain.

I'll be back in another month or so with an update of my progress.

What are some ways you've been able to fit exercise into a busy schedule?