Always Learning, Always Growing

There's something about me that you may or may not know. I love learning! My parents have referred to me as the "chronic student" and I can't disagree. I always want to know more. 

Beyond this, I've never been happier doing what I'm doing right now. You know how life never quite happens the way you expect? That's how I feel about my current life as a fitness instructor. If I hadn't met Nate, I wouldn't have been as into enjoying a healthier life (SO lucky to have such a supportive man in my life). If we hadn't got married, I wouldn't have had my children. Had I not had children, I wouldn't have joined Stroller Strides. No stroller strides, no career in fitness. See what I mean? But I love what I'm doing right now, so much so I want to know more- NEED to know more!

What's next? This weekend I signed up to take the test to be a NASM - CPT. In short, for the next 6 months or so, I will be studying my buns off so that I can pass the test to become a nationally certified personal trainer. Exciting? Yes! Nerve-Racking? Yup! These things can get pretty darn expensive, and I've opted to go the least expensive, self-study route. That means success is all in my hands :)

As I study, I can't wait to share some of the things I am learning. Already, some of the percentages reflecting the health of this country is shocking... and makes me feel like I'm right where I should be.

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Slight Change

Some of you may have noticed (although, more probably, none of you noticed) that I made a slight change in this blog's description. What used to read, "one girl's choice to be fit for life," now reads, "one mama's choice.." When I started this blog some 4 years ago, calling myself a girl was fitting. I was newly married and really only had to think of my own health. But I am not that "girl" anymore. Sure, I could have changed it to "woman," but no, I am more than that. I am a mom. I very much take pride in that title and I work hard at it every day. There are two little ones eating what I feed them and looking at my examples to help them navigate this world.

So that's why I made the change. A slight change with big implications.

The Dreaded "Maintenance"

Well, I did it. I had two kids, and both times lost all of the weight I gained, plus a little more. My motivation was there, my goal in sight, and I did it. Yeah, great. What now?

Maintenance. Ugh. The no end in sight, but still need to keep momentum: maintenance. It's not that I hate working out and eating healthy. That's definitely not it. But it is hard to be strict, but not too strict. Be consistent, but allow enough leniency to not burn out. And the truth of the matter is, I'm still learning. I'm right in the middle of trying to find my "happy place" in health and fitness.  Let's look back to a few months ago.

Late June I completed a program associated with Fit4Mom (previously named Stroller Strides). The program, Body Back, included goal setting, food journaling, intense workouts, as well as accountability. In short, the program rocked. Through the program, I got down to my lowest weight in years (possibly ever) and really felt like I could do or achieve anything. Here is my "before and after" photo:

Flash-forward to now and I am looking more like my before picture and less like my after. So what happened? Life. After the program it wasn't an immediate jump back, but a much more gradual "undoing." A little more bread here. A couple more sweets there. And, now, here I am.  I'm not mad at myself, but clearly, my maintenance has not been as successful as I hoped.

As monotonous as the word "maintenance" sounds, for me, it looks more like a constant up and down. I will figure it out. I will live life happy and healthy, but I want that to include being in my best shape (aka my after picture). I know to get closer to my "after" I need to cut my refined sugars, I need to eat as close to nature as possible, and I need to bring intensity to my workouts. I'm not saying that every day everyone should be killing themselves with sprints, weights. and plyo-craziness. But should you have a high intensity work out at least twice a week? Probably.

I am excited to announce that in two weeks I will be getting Body Back certified. I figure becoming an instructor can only help me understand why the program I loved was so successful in changing my and other people's health and bodies for the better. With a certification, I can better help coach and inspire others to achieve their own heath goals.  And I can't wait.

In the meantime, off I go into battle, armed and ready for this war I've raged against the dreaded "maintenance." If you're in your own battle today, I wish you luck, as well.

Resolution Run - 15k

Sunday I completed my first 15k here in San Diego. I used this run as a training tool for my upcoming Surf City Half Marathon and to test the waters in the pace department. Now, even though I run a lot, I still don't necessarily think of myself as a runner. Instead, I'd say I'm a soccer player who likes to run. That said, I don't have the background in running races like some might. Basically, I've had to teach myself how to hold a pace and sustain it. More recently, however, I've realized that I can run a lot faster than I give myself credit for. Speed, I'm learning, is about 75% mental.

This epiphany came before last Sunday so I went into the race with the goal of keeping under an 8:30 pace. Well, the Garmin doesn't lie:

I ran all 9.3 miles at an average pace of 8:18- goal achieved! I am proud of myself and feel like I'm even more excited for my upcoming half. Training for the half has been going well and I'm finding that I'm more motivated than ever for Surf City. It's a perfect blend of motivation - my 30th birthday in my hometown. I can't wait for February 3rd!

Moving and Grooving

Five months after Parker I can say I'm feeling like myself again. I don't really feel postpartum anymore and I'm riding the awesome motivation train that comes from 46 weeks of restricted activity. As I've noticed in the past, the more I work out the more I want to workout more. It's been great getting out to Stroller Strides with the boys or giving myself a mommy break by going on a run or going to yoga.

As technologically savvy as I am (or think I am, anyways), there is still something about writing down my workouts by hand on my workout log. It's like giving myself a little pat on the back. As you can see below, I don't go into depth. But by writing my general workout it's like I'm checking off that day - done and done. Here is how December is shaping up so far (coloring done by the striving, young artist, Landon):

One thing that I've noticed is that I am working out more days a week than I ever have. Before I was content with working out MOST days of the week... And I do still follow that theory. But now it seems that I get antsy when a day has passed without a workout. One day of rest seems to be working for this girl. But believe me, if I need more, I'll take it.

One way that I think I'm having such success with getting in my workouts (I am a mother of two) is scheduling. I can tell you right now that Thursdays I have indoor soccer, Saturday I do a Yoga 2 class, and Sunday I get my long run in for my half marathon training (other parts of the year, I have outdoor soccer on Sundays). By having these things "scheduled" my husband knows he has the kids for an hour or so and I already have three workout days checked off my week. My other days are a little less scheduled but generally Mondays and Wednesdays are allotted for Stroller Strides and Tuesdays I get another day of running in.

As I said, I'm feeling good. Running and yoga have been a great "mental break" from the demands of being home with the kids all day and I really could never give up my love of soccer.

I hope everyone has a great, safe and healthy holiday. We all know it's hard to not partake in the many treats.. so try and focus on getting moving :)

I Do It For OUR Health

Wow, it's been a LONG time since I've been on here and so much has happened in that time. For example, I now have two children. That means that, once again, I was prego and, once again, I gave birth and, once again, here I am with the "aftermath."  Here's the good news: I really truly believe I did well in pregnancy. I ate well, I exercised more and managed to stay within the "healthy weight gain" spectrum.  At three months postpartum, I still have some weight to lose, but I'm trying not to focus on the weight as much as I am focusing on my altogether health. This brings me to my next point.

I've gotten really into health (fitting, since I have this blog). Maybe it's been a slow climb to becoming the healthiest person I can be, but I feel like I've taken one more step in the the right direction. And I'm happy about it. More than ever, I want to know what I am eating, where it comes from, and how it can affect me. I'm taking steps to eating (mostly) organic and/or locally grown foods. I don't want to consume pesticides or genetically modified foods. And I don't want my family eating them either.

This brings me back to this post's title - I Do It For OUR Health. I want to learn more about what we eat and how it affects our bodies. I want to cook more and prepare meals that my family can sit down and eat together. I want to give my children the gift of a healthy and adventurous palate. And I do it all because in the long-run it will be what's best for all of us. 

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I'm excited to share on here what I am learning as I do continue this never-ending path to a healthy me. As always, what's right for me does not mean it's right for you. But, to be honest, I think that my worry that someone may find what I write to be "preachy" is the reason I never consistently posted on this blog. But after two friends asked me why I wasn't ever posting on here, I realized that maybe people were interested. So here I go again on my own! Just kidding. But keep checking back for updates, interesting info, recipes, and all "other stuff."  I'm excited to share this path with you.

Still Stridin'!

Can you believe that this is where I get to work out? Pretty gorgeous.

And can you believe this is who I get to work out with? Pretty cute (if i do say so myself).


I'm still loving my work-out group, Stroller Strides. I was so drawn to it, I'm now a certified trainer and get to sub all over the city. This company doesn't use motherhood as an excuse to let your health go, instead it uses motherhood as motivation to be as healthy as you can be. The choice of living a healthy lifestyle doesn't just end with you; those babies in the strollers are witness to the healthy eating and exercise we choose for ourselves. And it's likely to influence their sparkling futures.

You may not have a local Stroller Strides or you may not even have children yet. Just know that your choices affect more than you. They affect you, those around you, and those in your future you may not even be imagining yet. The choice to be healthy is exactly that; a choice. It's up to you to choose it.

Feelin' Good

I thought it was time to update on not just what I'm doing, but also my state of health. The answer: great! I'm feeling better than ever in terms of my working out and eating. With the help of soccer, Stroller Strides, and running with my Husbo, I'm working out about 5 times a week. BUT believe me, I'm making sure not to overdo it. If I feel like I'm exhausted and need a day off, I take it. Part of being healthy is knowing when to rest, and so I do.

In case you are wondering, I have been pre-prego weight for a few weeks now... but here's the thing. I kind of realized (through the help of SS training) that I was a little too focused on losing the pregnancy weight. It's all about "patience and perseverance." It's easy to be get focused on weight, I needed a reminder that health is a state of being and not a number.

I took this pic on my way to SS last Friday. Working out just makes me FEEL better.. and I think it shows.

It's Official...

I'm attending the training this weekend to become a certified Stroller Strides trainer. I can't say that it does not scare me a little bit. I've always been interested in becoming a trainer, but now that it's really happening, I kind of feel like "Yikes! Am I ready?" Well, ready or not here I go. I'm really looking forward to learning more about what's best for our bodies and I know that nothing but good can come out of this.

As soon as I finish training this weekend, I immediately begin team-teaching the following 4 weeks. I'm gonna be one busy mama! Wish me luck, and keep your fingers crossed I don't absolutely suck at this ;)

Taking the Next Step

I've talked a little bit about my Mommy workout group, Stroller Strides, but I thought I would add this link to a quick blurp CNN did on a nearby group. The one featured is not the exact group I attend, but it will give you a little idea of what I'm up to 3-4 mornings a week. Click here to see.

I've just returned from my work out and I have to say, I feel great. It gives me a sense of pride and, as mentioned in the video, it gives me a little community that acts as a support group as I go through the trials of motherhood. I know not everyone is a mommy out there, but as I've said before, it's always easier to get out and exercise when you have a partner or group to get you motivated. So get out there and find one!

I may be jumping the gun by mentioning this, but I'm actually taking the first steps to becoming a Stroller Strides instructor. I'm looking forward to going through the training and learning even more about how our bodies work. I will definitely keep you posted!

Sloooooow Progress

Unfortunately, reality has set in. This last amount of weight is not going to come off easily. I never thought losing pregnancy weight was going to be a breeze, but I figured if I made the right choices I would shed off the weight in a few months. Now, I tell myself not to worry, I will lose the weight. Things just might take a little longer than expected.

More bad news: the weight is in my stomach, aka my "problem area." Ugh. My tummy has always been my biggest battle in weight loss. And now the war just got bigger. BUT, I'm trying to stay optimistic. In moving forward, I have to look at the good and the bad things I've been doing. In an effort to stay positive I better start with the bad and end with the good. Here it goes...

The bad:
1) I am having a difficult time breaking out of the prego mentality. I would say as a whole I ate healthy during the pregnancy. BUT, when you're pregnant it's okay to steal a chocolate here and have an ice cream there. Even my doc said to enjoy these indulgences once in awhile. Well, now I'm not pregnant, but I'm still enjoying these small indulgences. The thing about sugar (and artificial sweetener, for those of you thinking you're safe), the more you eat it, the more you crave it.
2) I haven't been drinking nearly as much water as I did when I was pregnant. I remember noticing all these small benefits to drinking a lot of water: I felt good (or in other words, rarely felt ill), I had energy, my eyes were clearer than I'd ever seen. The last one sounds funny, but it's totally true! I've always dealt with dry, red eyes. As soon as I bumped up my water intake, my eyes were white. Recently, I've noticed that with the reemergence of diet soda in my life, my eyes are back to being reddish.
3) I wasn't moving around enough during the day. Partly because I had a new baby at home, my day to day movement slowed way down. I'm not talking exercising or even taking walks, I mean I was posting up on the couch and staying for most of the day. The sad thing is that sitting around just isn't me, but I thought that's what you do when you have babies (and maybe it is slightly true for having young infants).
4) The month of October was a record-breaking month for eating out for me and my husband. We went out more than we ever have which is not good for our pocket-books or waistlines. I wasn't cooking nearly as much as I usually do, so therefore, didn't have complete control over what was being put in my mouth.

These four things are definitely affecting my goals/health. Luckily, none of them are difficult to change. I've approached November as my renewed starting point. I am and will continue to keep these things in mind as I continue to move forward in this weight loss journey. Not only have they affected my weight loss, but also my overall being. I feel better when I am doing the opposite of those things.

The Good:
1) I got the green light to exercise from my doctor two and a half weeks ago and I haven't looked back! I've been out there doing my thing at least 5 days a week which has been great. I'm feeling stronger and stronger each day and I know I will be back to my old self soon.
2) All things given, I've stayed positive. Yeah, things are going slower than expected, but never once have I thought that I'm not going to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight. I heard someone today say that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% attitude. It's with this mentality that I continue believing that I can lose this weight.
3) Not doing it alone. I've said it before if you can get yourself on a team or in a group, working out becomes easier. For me, I'm back to playing soccer and I just joined a mommy exercise group called Stroller Strides. Did I ever think I'd be the mommy group type? No. Am eating my words? Yes! Doing something like Stroller Strides (or any exercise group) makes exercise easier. First, because it gives you an appointment. Stroller Strides meets Mon-Sat 9:30-10:30. My goal is to make it at least 4 times a week. I'll try for Mon-Thurs, but if something comes up (aka baby), then I have Fri or Sat to make it up. Second, because it turns into a social event, as well. I look forward to seeing the other ladies, making getting up and going that much easier.
4) I'm back to cooking. I can honestly say that I haven't paid for a single meal this week, breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Cooking gives me control of what I'm eating AND definitely helps me when it comes to portion control. I love eating out, but eating out should be an occasional thing. I want to continue to cook healthy at home because it is delicious and will help me with this weight-loss task at hand.

So there you have it. This has been the good and the bad. I have 11 pounds to go and I know that means cutting out the bad and continuing the good. Wish me luck!

Walk On!

I realize I haven't been updating.. It's a little hard to write about my fitness when I'm continuously getting larger and it's a good thing. My main exercise throughout the pregnancy has been walking. I walk just about every day and do weights 2 or 3 times a week (just 5 pounders). I am by no means over-exerting myself; I do enough to stay healthy and keep the baby healthy. All the books say that you should exercise so that you feel invigorated when you are done, not exhausted, and I happily comply.

Recently, a celebrity Mama talked about how she watched her weight while she was pregnant. She has received a lot of flack for this, and many say what she was doing was unhealthy. My doctor and the books I have would completely disagree with such put-downs. My doctor monitors all of her pregnant patients' weight closely. The idea is that if you gain too much too fast, you are putting your baby at risk for things such as diabetes and other complications in their lifetime. The famous "Pregnancy Bible", What to Expect When you are Expecting, claims that exercising while pregnant helps you in numerous ways, such as benefiting your health, mood, sleep, back, labor and postpartum recovery. How does it help baby? Many ways, by benefiting baby's fitness, sleep, and even intelligence (yep, there is research that shows that working out during pregnancy even helps baby's brain power). So while I don't over-do exercise, I do keep it a regular part of my schedule. The way I see it, only good can come from it!

All in all, I love pregnancy. It's such a happy and exciting time. I continue to try and keep my body in it's best health (not an easy task when your craving cheesy goodness and ice cream). And while I do slip-up here and there, I always just try and continue to make healthy choices.

Here I am at 27 weeks in my walking gear (this is for you, JuJu):

Back At It

When things get crazy in my life I have a hard time keeping a consistent work-out routine. Luckily, I finally seem to be getting some control over my schedule and I've been working out like a good girl :) This week, I should get 5 days in, which ain't too shabby, if I do say so myself.

Although I've been working out more, I still haven't been doing a good job of keeping up this blog (as you may have noticed). This is partly because I feel like, "What do I know?" and "Who am I to offer advice/suggestions?" But again, that's just not the point of this blog. I'm doing this to keep myself healthy and if I say something of interest to you along the way, great.

So what I'm saying is.. I'm gonna try and be better about updating (Do I hear crickets chirping?). Talk to you soon!