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!