"Thirded". I wasn't successful at the 5 workouts this week, but I did get in 2 good ones (1 swim, 1 TRX) and I'm sore in all sorts of new places. DS and I did make it to the running store to get our new shoes (good Lord, he's now a 12) and next week I'll be able to start going in to work early and getting out earlier. Can't say I LIKE being sore, but it is kind of amusing. As long as I'm sitting still.
Today is day 1 of being 100% on the wagon. I can have my one treat meal per week and that's all -- the rest of the time will be delicious healthy foods in reasonable portions. I'm starting a 12-week program called MuTu that is supposed to help fix my diastasis recti. It bills itself as "total mama body confidence." I'm really hopeful that this will help my belly that still looks pregnant return to something more like normal. This program seems extremely reasonable to me, unlike many of the other ones, even though I did have to pay for it. The gist of it is that you do a short (8-minute) set of core exercises 1-2x every day, walk 20-30 minutes outside every day, do an intensive HIIT workout 4x/week, and eat whole foods. Mostly what you are paying for is the workouts. I like that this program is all about not overdoing anything, taking time to slowly heal your core muscles, and taking a systemic approach to strengthening rather than focusing on a single area. The instructor also makes it clear that if you miss a day or mess up somehow, you shouldn't beat yourself up about it because sometimes things just happen. I may not buy into their "sugar is evil" philosophy but I am on board with eating fresh whole foods and focusing on lots of fruits, veggies, good fats, and lean proteins. It takes a phased approach to the eating plan too -- week 1 is "start making changes," then week 2 has "make 2 changes," etc., rather than trying to do everything at once.
Anyway one of the other ladies in my local twins club is doing it with me too. I did the first core exercises this morning and they seem fine (bridges, squats, fire hydrant, that kind of stuff). There are no crunches or planks as those are more damaging to diastasis recti. The HIIT workouts don't start until a couple weeks later, so I might do some more interval running in the interim since the program also makes it clear you can continue any other cardio you like.
A belated "Fourth!" on the wishes that we all reach our health and weight goals by our own means this summer.
Dagmar, congrat on reaching your mini goal by stepping on the scale, lol! Glad you took your own red flags as a signal to weigh-in and get on track.
Jessica, that does sound like a good program and you have a healthy attitude towards it. Good luck with it!
My internet is *sooo* slow today. Unfortunately, my IT staff (DH) is away for the week, so I hope it resolves itself spontaneously. Reminds me of the days of acoustic couplers and using lynx (text-based browser) to get pages to load fast enough.
Having a slow net makes walking on the treadmill more monotonous, which is quite a shame since I have more time than usual this week (both DH and DD are away at a fencing tourney). Luckily, the weather is still beautiful, so I plan to head out into the woods again today. Having DH and DD away also makes it so much easier to keep my food intake at the low end for my WOE. There's already been a little progress on the scale (they left Friday).
Now that DS is home from college for the summer I'm faced with more challenges. I always have ice cream in the house and rarely do I indulge so it isn't much of a problem. Last night he says to me "what, besides ice cream, do we have for dessert?" Um, yeah, NOTHING. I get more enjoyment out of savory treats rather than sweet so I don't buy cakes, cookies, etc. Guess I'll have to get some and hope DH stays out of them (he won't, I know).
Michele~but you have to understand my son. He's 6 feet tall and maybe weighs 140. Skinny as a stick. If he wakes up "late" like 9 AM he won't eat breakfast because it's too close to lunch. But that doesn't mean he eats more lunch. Sometimes lunch is just a sandwich. I really worried about him at school. I'd ask him what he'd eat and it never amounted to much. While cookies may not be the best answer I've got to give in a little. I suppose I could have offered him an apple (a favorite of his). He could even dip in peanut butter. I'll suggest that tonight.
Happy to report that day 1 went pretty well. I tracked my calories and came in around 1800. Not where it needs to be to really lose, but progress in the right direction. I resisted the cookies and soda at my twins club meeting in the evening, did my core exercise 2x, and did my walk. I'm already sore so they must be right about the muscle weaknesses!
On to day 2. I think if I can keep it to 1800 calories again today that will be pretty good. Eventually I will have to drop down to 1400 but my stomach needs time to adjust to less food.
Hi all, just checking in. I've been keeping up with reading this thread:
Alinnell: That is my situation all of the time, my fiance is 6' and 145 lbs at most. Left to his own devices, he prefers to eat small amounts of ultra calorie-dense food. If I cook meals that are more my style (large because they're mostly vegetables) he will gladly eat them, but we have to keep the kitchen stocked with "his" foods because they sustain him.
Paperclippy: Good luck with your new program. My best friend had a baby 18 months ago, and her doctor recently told her that she has the worst case of diastasis recti that she's ever seen. She is researching exercises and even surgical options, since it is so severe. She had just assumed it was completely normal after childbirth, and hadn't asked a doctor about it.
Our wedding is this Saturday. I've been trying so hard to stay OP. According to my Livestrong tracker, I've created a calorie deficit over the last four weeks that should have created a 4.8 lb weight loss. Instead I am exactly the same weight as when I started. And I've tracked every bite I put in my mouth, and (I think) under-estimated calories burned during exercise. Oh well. Back to our prior conversation about the effects of chronic stress on weight loss and weight distribution: I suspect that once this anxiety ends and I can relax again, my body will return to more predictable weight-loss patterns. Of course, that will be AFTER the wedding. Ah, the irony of life.
Jayzeejay.... Good luck with everything! Can't wait to hear how it goes! I'm sure you'll be glad when the anxiety is done! Are you honeymooning?
Allison...forgot how skinny your ds is. That's never an issue at my house. Maybe buy some stuff for him that won't tempt you or you don't like.
Zoo was fun but we got caught in an awful thunderstorm! We were beyond soaked and just ready to go home. We took a nice walk before we went and took dd's service dog with us, so at least I got my steps in. Most of the animals ignored the dog but a couple of the monkeys were pretty interested in him.
Allison, your son is presumably over 18 and independent. It is no longer your job to ensure that he eats enough (or that his diet is nutritionally sound). It IS your job to ensure that YOU stay healthy and at your goal weight. I'd say that if he wants cookies, he should go buy himself some, and keep them away from you out of respect for your needs. And, for the record, not even skinny people "need" sweets. Apple with peanut butter is a great option.
Oh JayZee, my heart goes out to you, both about wedding stress and about the frustration of being OP and not losing. It's the WORST feeling. But, you will look gorgeously radiant in your wedding dress anyway, and the relief afterward of no longer having to plan and organize will be a bonus gift on top of the many lovely things you will receive. If I don't post again before your big day CONGRATULATIONS.
JayZee You will be a beautiful bride on Saturday, just as you are a beautiful person the rest of the time. I hope you can find moments on the day to enjoy yourself.