Progress!

I have been feeling a little discouraged by the scale lately. I know people say not to worry about the scale and it's better to measure inches etc, but I worry about the scale. It makes me feel really good when the numbers go down. The first week I focused on my diet and exercise routine, I lost 8 pounds but since then I have only lost one. I can feel a difference in my body and in my running so I am encouraged by that but I definitely wish I could see a bigger drop on the scale! 

I have been jogging everyday this week and have done pretty good on my diet too (apart from things like a cake pop or breaded chicken). I even went on a 7 mile hike up Overlook (a huge uphill street) with a stroller and a couple of chubby kids! Still no weight loss. 

I asked God for a little encouragement. This morning I ran my fastest mile time yet! 9 minutes and 22 seconds. I know it's still pretty slow by some people's standards but considering I started running 3 weeks ago at a 12.5 minute mile, I'd say it's pretty good! That's an entire 3 minutes shaved off my time! I am encouraged by that progress! 

Rain or Shine!

I love rainy weather but when I heard that heavy rain was coming at the end of the week, I was a little worried it would throw off my work out groove! This morning I texted my mom to see if she wanted to jog despite the rain and she was totally down! What a great accountability partner! We decided to run a different route to avoid muddy shoes (can't ruin the new shoes now, can we? we are such girly girls!). It turned out to be a super tough workout! We were forced to run up hills that we avoid on our usual route.

Let me just say, that our run this morning was so beautiful. I was thinking a lot about the farmers in California. The rain must be such an amazing answer to their prayers! We often take our weather for granted but there are some people that count on it! It made me happy thinking about rain as an answer to prayers. As I was jogging, I kept taking deep breaths (not just because I'm out of shape and was gasping). All of the trees had such a fresh and potent smell. It was like all the freshness of nature was amplified. God's creation was amplified. I was loving it!

The sunrise was particularly beautiful too! The sun shining through the rain clouds is really a site to see! I paused at the end of my run to snap some photos. Sometimes it is just nice to stop and appreciate the morning sky!

I am SO happy that we decided to run this morning. I know that sleep is a gift that God gives us, a gift that feels so precious, especially to us new mommies. BUT this morning felt like a gift and I'm glad I didn't miss it! So, from now on, I am going to wake up, rain or shine, and enjoy the day that the Lord has made!

7 Ways to Stop Hitting Snooze for Your Morning Workout

I am not a morning person by any means. It is often very difficult for me to get out of bed to go running. After a night of interrupted sleep from nursing a newborn, 5 am seems pretty brutal sometimes. Here are some of the things that I do to help me wake up in the morning.

#1 Pick Your Clothes Out the Night Before.

If you are already prepared to exercise when you go to bed, you’ll be more likely to do it! If you are frantically looking for socks or your favorite running pants, you are more likely to forget it and go back to bed!

#2 Make Short Term Goals

It is easy to skip your morning workout if you know you have to lose x amount of weight in a year but if you set yourself a goal for the week, you’ll know that every work out counts to reach the goal in a small time frame.

#3 Accountability

This one has helped me the most! It is much easier to tell yourself “nope, not gonna happen this morning” than it is to bail on someone else. Get someone to exercise with you! Knowing you are meeting up with someone will get you out of bed!

#4 Pray to be Woken Up at a Certain Time

God is faithful to wake you up if you ask Him! Say a little prayer before you go to bed and see what happens!

#5 Buy Some New Gear

Money has been tight for us but my fat post-partum feet didn’t feel right in my old running shoes so I purchased some new ones. It is a real motivator to want to try out your new shoes! You can also buy a new workout top or pants. It’s nice to wake up with something new to wear on your morning run!

#6 Eat Right!

If you eat a fatty meal for dinner, chances are you’ll be more lethargic in the morning. Diet affects your exercise. Eat foods that will give you energy!

#7 Do Whatever it Takes Until A Habit is Formed

A difficult workout schedule will become easier the longer you do it. Hang in there! You will begin to feel encouraged by results and will look forward to your early morning workouts!

5 Reasons to Exercise in the Early Morning

#1 No Distractions, No Diversions

 As a mother of two kids under two (yeah, I know, what was I thinking?), I understand what it is like to have your schedule go awry! All it takes is a skipped naptime, a teething toddler or a cranky baby to throw off your day and your workout time. And (even if you don’t have kids) husbands, work, or boyfriends have a way of throwing things off too! “Can you stay late today?” or “Hey babe, let’s go out to eat.” That’s all it takes skip a workout.  When I wake up at 5 in the morning to go jogging, I know there aren’t very many people or events that will steal that time away from me. It is quiet and wonderful.

#2 Energy

A morning jog has become my morning coffee. I used to always use the excuse that I would be too tired to wake up that early. I am not a morning person and do not typically enjoy being awake before 8am so the thought of waking up 3 hours outside of my comfort zone sounded horrible! BUT, I found that exercising at the beginning of the day gives me energy! Instead of making breakfast like a zombie, I feel ready to start my day with the kids! I have already gone through my “waking up” phase and can happily take care of my family by the time I get home from my run.

#3 Feeling Accomplished

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like you weren’t able to mark anything off of your to-do list? You may have woken up with good intentions to finish tons of things and run lots of errands, but for one reason or another nothing got done. I have had days like these. But when I wake up in the morning to jog, I feel accomplished at the start of my day. So, if nothing else gets done, at least I can feel good that I exercised and am taking care of my body. Having that accomplished feeling in the morning, relieves stress and motivates you to tackle more things on your to-do list. It sets the tone for the day.

#4 Supporting Your Hubby

I know this one does not apply to everyone but it’s one of my favorite reasons. I love being awake before my husband gets up. I can make him breakfast, pack him lunch, pray for him and enjoy some conversation before he leaves. It is good for our marriage and a good way to show support. Before I started running in the morning, I would be cranky and irritated to be woken up, as he got ready for work. Now I can be the one who wakes him with a kiss and sends him to work with a hug.

#5 The Sunrise

There is something refreshing about seeing the sunrise. It is so beautiful and we so often take it for granted. If you are awake and exercising before the sun comes up, you have the privilege of seeing it rise in the sky. It is a much better way to wake than to have the sun glaring into your eyes through the window. So, WAKE UP and enjoy!

Celebrations!

Eight pounds down! Now THAT is reason for celebration! I tried not to weigh myself too many times this week, hoping for a pleasant surprise on the scale come Friday and I achieved what I had hoped for! I am very proud of losing this amount a weight in such a short period of time. I know that my chubby little girl had a bit to do with my weight loss because nursing can do wonders in getting back to your pre-pregnancy body BUT I am so excited to see results! I feel encouraged that I was able to lose this amount of weight without having to cut out all carbs from my diet or survive on juice and water. I simply ate healthy foods (aside from a few scoops of Rocky Road ice cream woops!) and I consistently exercised in the mornings. That's all there is to it!

I also am excited to celebrate my best mile time today. I am amazed at the progress in my running. What was once a shuffling pace not much faster than a walk, has become a legitimate jog! I am still quite slow but I won't let that stop me from celebrating my progress. At the beginning of the week I was running 12 minute miles and today I ran a 10min 58sec mile! If you are trying to get on the road and jog, get an app on your phone to help document your pace. I use the Nike Plus app and LOVE it. My sister likes to use Map My Run. Find one that works for you!

Aside from my fitness goals, I have to acknowledge some emotional milestones in my week as well. I have felt more joy, motivation, peace and happiness this week. I do believe that exercise and healthy eating play a part in my lifted spirits but I think that the extra time I spend walking at the end of my run to pray and give my day to the Lord has blessed me so much. I had so much anxiety going into this week because it was the start of a really difficult schedule for Ernie and I, but now that the week has ended, I can happily say that progress was made despite the obstacles against us! I have been able to enjoy some very special moments with family and began a routine that works for the season my family is in. Praise the Lord for His strength and direction because it has helped me so much!

Breakfast Smoothies

I love working out and getting exercise but I often fall short when it comes to "dieting". I have a hard time eating veggies and could probably live off of bread and pastries. One of the ways that I up my vegetable intake is by disguising the taste of leafy greens in smoothies! They are super filling and give me a great opportunity to load up with nutrients first thing in the morning. I have been experimenting with smoothie concoctions all week but here is my favorite one (plus a formula as a smoothie making rule if thumb)! 

Raspberry Banana Smoothie 

One banana (or half if you are worried about high calories)

A small handful of spinach

3 to 4 scoops of low fat organic vanilla yogurt (I get mine from Trader Joe's)

1 cup of all natural frozen raspberries 

Add Vanilla or Chocolate Almond Milk (the less you add, the thicker the smoothie- so add to your liking)

Enjoy! 

Here is the general formula I use when I make my smoothies: 

A banana (the mushiness of a bananas always adds great texture so I put at least half of one in all my smoothies)

+

A dark leafy green ( such as spinach or kale) 

+ 

Yogurt (there are so many different kinds! Find your favorite!)

+

Frozen fruit (berries, peaches etc)

+

Milk (chocolate almond, coconut, low fat etc) 

= 

A delicious and nutritious smoothie! 

MCM

So this Monday morning is filled with a little more anxiety than most. My husband is going back to school tonight and resuming a very difficult work/school schedule. I say goodbye to him by 7 in the morning, see him for about an hour in the late afternoon before he heads off to school and then see him when he sleepily crawls into bed at 1:30am. This will get repeated until the weekend, and let me tell you, it is a real sacrifice for everyone involved. I am left without the relief of his helping hands at the end of the day, the kids miss their dad, and Ernie just about kills himself with minimal sleep. 

So this morning, I woke up for my morning run and prayed for my family with my mom. When I got back, Ernie was laying next to Mila, feeding her some milk that I pumped last night. It put a huge smile on my face. He did not complain about losing even more sleep. He was just supporting me in my weight loss goals. It was so cute. It is the kind of thing that brightens your day, even at 6 in the morning! 

So here's to my man crush Monday! I hope I can be supportive of your goals just as you are supportive of mine! 

Running Music?

So I pulled my headphones out this morning and tried listening to some music during today's run. I had a few albums on my phone that seemed to work and get me pumped but I would LOVE to hear you reccommendations for awesome work-out tunes! I need to make some cardio playlists! I tried using spotify on my phone but, because I run through the hills, the Internet connection kept disconnecting me and it got super distracting. 

Today's work out was a total of about 5 miles and my legs are now KILLING ME! Here are some pictures from this morning! I'd encourage everyone to get outside and exercise! It is so much more enjoyable than running on a treadmill!

On the Road Again

I'm not going to lie, I think I got a little overconfident after my weight loss success post-pregnancy #1. I underestimated the power of pregnancy hormones and cravings and ended up gaining quite a few pounds during the time I was carrying little Mila. The last 6 weeks have been spent adjusting to the challenges of being a mommy of two. And let me tell you...it is CHALLENGING! I have not been too motivated to start a diet since delivering Mila. Ideally I should have dieted for 6 weeks before I was cleared to exercise yesterday, but it just didn't happen.

Yesterday, I went to visit my OB for my six week follow up. I was happy to hear that my body was back to normal (well, plus a few pounds and some stretch marks) and I was given the "OK" to start exercising. Although the doctor seemed pleased with my physical recovery, he was concerned with how I was coping mentally and emotionally. The last six weeks have been filled with anxiety, tears, exhaustion and a bit of depression. So I decided to dive into a new exercise and diet routine! It always makes me feel good to reach weight loss goals and I think I'm in need of endorphins!

I was not about to wait for Monday morning to start a new routine. I woke up for a morning run at 5 am. I started out with 2.5 miles about an 11min pace. I figure it was a good place to start and it felt so great to wake up and exercise with my sister and my mom. I plan to make it a habit. At the end of our run, my mom prayed for our day. My favorite part of her prayer was when she said with a smile, "Help us to make our temples just a little nicer for you". It was a great reminder that exercising can be God-honoring instead of shallow or vain. He gave us our bodies and we need to do out best to take care of them!

(Sorry the picture quality is so terrible)

On the diet side of things...I have decided to try a new approach to eating. I recently started to follow @eating_whole on instagram and have felt so inspired by all of her cooking (especially since she prepares the same food for her toddler). I really want to set a healthy example for my kids! You guys should check out her Instagram! Here is a picture of my lunch: steamed brown rice with an egg, half a banana and zucchini (with lemon juice and pepper). It was so yummy, made me super full and gave me a ton of energy! My goal is to stay completely away from processed food and concentrate on eating whole foods. We'll see how it goes!

I did take some "before" pictures today but I am wayyy too embarrassed to post them until I have some beautiful "after" pictures beside them! Soon enough, they will make their debut!

Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day! Here are a few pictures of my beautiful children who are my inspiration for bettering myself!