Alright ladies, this is not the place for diet and exercise talk, as a rule. Believe me when I tell you that we want you to enjoy your maternity leave by taking leisurely walks, hanging out with friends, and eating as many cream puffs as you crave.
But.
When my littlest baby was 23 months old and a stranger asked me, “when are you due?” I had had enough!!! It was time to get serious.
Once the “9 months on, 9 months off” timeframe comes and goes and you’re still toting around a few extra pounds in the middle, it might be time to think about exercising just a little.
For my first post-partum adventure with fat, it came off pretty easily. I had started my pregnancy a few pounds under my “normal” weight, so I didn’t care when I wound up a little bit over. Then my second pregnancy came and went and all I can say is … WTF?! I also ended up a few pounds over, but this time it was over the over.
I patiently waited for the weight to drop again. No go. I had several weeks of concerted effort with my Wii Fit: fun but not effective.
To actually squeeze in a workout if you’re not a workout type of gal, it helps to have some friends. Enter the Shredheads, a gang of twitter and blog buddies who are busting their own butts as they encourage you to bust yours. Led by the ubiquitous Kristen Chase — who’s battling her own fight with 180 pounds — the ladies are going through all 30 days of Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred workout plan. I think the shredheads are officially doing it for 30 days solid with no rest; I’m hoping I can be an honorary member and still take my rest days.
My code name: Body By Milo
You can buy the dvd on amazon or if you have OnDemandTV, you might already have access to the workouts. This is the chick who brings you Biggest Loser and she’s not kidding around.
It’s almost as good as finding a friend with your exact same schedule and abilities to exercise with you. Almost.
So, when do I shred? 6am baby. I wake up, fuzzily set the dvd to on while I get dressed, and then go for it. I’m up to level 3 and I can almost do the whole thing.
It’s easier to schedule than going to the gym and much cheaper. Good luck and tell me how it goes for you!
Related links:
#233 Run Mommy Run
#284 Run Errands or Walk Errands
#123 Be fat and happy (kidding!)
Good for you! 6 a.m. is bright and early, that’s for sure. I’m impressed that you’re diligently carving time out of your day to get heathy and fit. Very inspiring…
Well dang, you’re doing great! I’m looking forward to advancing levels, but Level 1 is still hard…I’ll bump up in a couple days (I’m only on Day 7 now). The Shredheads inspired me to start and definitely inspire me to keep going.
Unfortunately I can’t do it in the mornings or I’ll wake the kids up. So I do it during their naps. Not the ideal time, but at least I get it done.