JUST HAD A BABY? NOW WHAT?

A few of my readers asked me to write about post pregnancy and exercise.  It can be VERY overwhelming for new moms AND new dads to get into a workout routine after baby comes.  I can write from personal experience.  I had two c-sections and gained 40-45 pounds with each of my boys.  After my first, I was a little more laid back and ate all of the comfort meals delivered to us and didn't "rush" to get back into a workout routine. I also had a bad case of post-partum depression and I didn't feel like doing ANYTHING.  It took all my energy just to take a shower every day.  It was a rough road...  It took me over a year to lose my baby weight.  With my second, I remember looking in the mirror 3 days post delivery.  I cried....my tight, flat tummy looked like a big, plump prune. It was all loose and hanging over my c-section incision.  That was enough to get me moving.  I am a true believer in listening to the doctor so I did no activity for 8 weeks.  NONE.  However, during that time, I cut all junk food out and ate really healthy, determined to get a head start on losing the weight.  I immediately established healthy eating habits and when 8 weeks hit, I was back at the gym!  I overdid it and my incision opened up.  My doc then told me NO AB exercises for 3 months.  Awesome....what the heck was I supposed to do with the prune that attached to my old, flat tummy?  Well, ladies....cardio, core and OVERALL resistance training help to flatten that tummy.  Don't worry about sit ups and crunches.  You'll get there...but be careful post partum and listen to the doctor.  I religiously workout out 5 days per week, taking step and boxing classes, weight training and doing lots of cardio.  I workout out one hour each day/ 5 days per week and ate very healthy, but balanced.  I allowed for moderate indulgence.  Within 9 months post partum I was in the best shape of my life and began training for a body building competition.  I learned very fast that training for a competition like that wasn't going to work with a 9-month old baby and toddler, so I had to put it on hold.  It's still on hold...  However, I continued my awesome workouts, healthy eating and here I am 8 years later, healthy as can be.  So...my advice to you?  It took you 9 months to gain the weight, give yourself 9 months to lose it.  However, as soon as that baby is born, begin to establish healthy, balanced eating habits.  Once you get clearance to exercise, start slowly and gradually work up to 5 days per week.  What?  Did you say that you don't have the time? Neither do I.  It's called PRIORITIES.  If it's important to you, you will NOT make excuses and you will figure it out, just like I have for the past 10 years since I started a family while working a full-time job. Here's a quote for you:
“Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the SAME NUMBER OF HOURS per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Theresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein.”   ~Life’s Little Instruction Book

Personal Blog....Proud Mama

I am being selfish today.  I'm not writing about fitness.  My son, Anthony was interviewed by our local paper, The Communiy News and I'm so proud of him.  Check out my kid...Asperger's Syndrome does NOT define him, but I couldn't imagine him anyother way! There certainly isn't any "poor me" syndrome in this family!  I'll take it!  Plus he may make millions some day and he has to give SOME to his mama....

http://www.cnweekly.com/articles/2012/01/05/news/doc4f05c99882f7a778362521.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Keep Your Feet MOVING!

I asked my facebook friends last week what they wanted me to blog about in 2012.  I want to give my readers what they want.  The response was amazing!  This one is for you Anita G.....

I am always harping on my bootcampers to keep their feet moving between intervals and while they take a sip of water or recover.  I want to explain this, but I want to keep it in lay terms, so here we go....Through my training as a Certified Personal Trainer and Certified Group Fitness Instructor, we are taught over and over again to make sure to keep the clients moving.  If you are working at about 85% of your maximum heart rate you will feel out of breath, sweaty and your heart will be beating fast. Your blood will also be pumping oxygen to your major muscles. Without getting too scientific here..... If you just STOP after working so hard, your heart rate comes down too fast and your blood may pool and the blood may not return efficiently back to your heart.  Blood pooling may make you  feel dizzy, lightheaded, naseous and could even faint. It could also cause swelling or pain and lead to heart problems. So...keep those feet moving after a tough cardio interval.  Jog or march in place while sipping your water.  Don't forget to warm-up for at least 8-12 minutes and to cool down for 8-12 minutes.   Here's to a safe, effective workout!

It's a New Year....Time to Reflect on 2011 and to Set Goals for 2012...

I have taken lots of time off this week to hang out with my kids and to read.  Dang, I love to read.  It is my absolute favorite past time.  I plowed through Dragon Tattoo in four days and tomorrow I will go see the movie.  The movies....my second favorite pasttime.  I LOVE going to the movies.  However, I love going alone.  I don't know why, but I enjoy a movie much more when I am by myself.  It's very relaxing and calming for me.  As I reflect on 2011 I realize I did not read enough and I did not go to the movies enough.  Why do we deprive ourselves of the simple things that make us feel good and relaxed?  I wish I had the answer....too busy is the first thing that comes to mind.  How DARE we take time for ourselves when the laundry is overflowing and the dishes are piled up in the sink? sigh......I will work on that for 2012.  Twenty Eleven brought so many unexpected events... some good and some challenging.  Things that if you told me a year ago would happen, I would have NEVER believed it.  I need to list a few so I can reflect.

1.   My sister's wedding....what a GREAT event and memories that will last forever
2.   My friend Janet having a baby.  This was one of the most blessed miracles of 2011 for sure
3.   Selling my house on a whim and buying my parents house...the house I grew up in
4.   My mother getting sick with a rare autoimmune disease that they STILL can't figure out.  However, they are treating it as Lupus and she is responding GREAT!
5.   My husband getting a new job and leaving his state job after 19 years.  talk about a RISK! 
6.   Going to NYC for the first time with my family.  So much fun...
7.    Watching my boys grow more and develop their own very strong personalities and celebrating their differences
8.    Anthony wincing and shrugging me off when I try to hug or kiss him in public :(
9.    Austin still acting as my favorite little snuggle monster and cherishing every minute of it
10.  Learning about several unexpected tragic deaths of people from our community and thinking that their families will be ending 2011 never thinking that they would have lost a child, spouse, friend this year.
12.  Having another GREAT year in business and working hard, hard, hard (sometimes too hard)
13.  Celebrating another great year of good health and good fortune.

I have asked my Trainers to reflect on their personal and professional goals for 2012 which has inspired me to do the same.  I'm going to keep it simple....

1.   personally:  have more fun,  read more, go to the movies more and play board games with my kids, even though i would rather shoot myself in the foot then play board games.  I loathe board games....
2.   professionally:  Get my Cycling Cert and teach a Hair Bands Cycling class.  Woo hooooo!  To continue to nurture and grow my company and maybe make a video.  Did i really say that out loud?

Best wishes to you all for a healthy and prosperous 2012!!!!!!

Boot Camp Challenge Transformation of 2011

Wow...it sure has been a while since I've blogged!  I have some great blog topics suggested by my FB friends, so I promise to start blogging again in 2012.  Below is a testimonial from Dayelin, a bootcamper that started with me in May of 2011.  From the moment I met her, I KNEW she would be committed to reach her goals.  I can tell from the second I meet a bootcamper and she had "that fire" in her eyes.  Just read....and check out her photos.  Honestly...ANYONE can do this program!  I mean it!!!!!!!  Congratulations Dayelin.  You are an inspiration to all of us!

For a long time, I didn’t care about my body, my eating habits or my weight. I threw extra bacon on my cheeseburgers & scoffed at veggies. I knew the day would come when I had to shape up, but that day was an ominous, far-off fantasy and there were never any plans in place to make it reality, because I had no idea how to make it real. That was until I got an email explaining what boot camp was. I signed up, thinking it could give me the guidance I needed. On day 1, I did one push-up, maybe 10 sit ups. I struggled to run, I struggled to do squats, but I knew I had to do this. Boot camp taught me what nutrition is, what calories are, and made weight loss an achievable, realistic goal that I could work toward on my own. Afterward, I continued on the path Boot camp set me on and I lost 47 pounds in 34 weeks, going from a size 14 to a size 2!

Before

After boot camp challenge may-november 2011

AWESOME Thanksgiving Side Dish

So, last night my mom and I prepared the most amazing vegetable EVER!  BRUSSEL SPROUTS!!!  Before you get the hot spits, please give these cute little mini cabbages a chance.  Brussels are low in cals, and are anti-oxidants helping to fight many cancers.  Make them as a side dish for TG dinner.  So easy, fills you up, and tastes delish!  So EAT YOUR BRUSSEL SPROUTS!!!!

1.   Buy FRESH brussel sprouts right on the vine
2.   Cut the ends of and take off any loose leaves
3.   Wash thoroughly
4.   Cut each sprout in half

Put about 2 tbsp of olive oil in a skillet and heat up.  throw in your sprouts.  sprinkle sea salt, ground pepper and garlic on your sprouts.  Sautee for about 10-15 minutes.  Enjoy! Here's a pic of the finished produt:

Running a Race...a Healthy Mindset

Yesterday, I ran my favorite race of the year...the Stockadeathon in Schenectaday County. The race is a hilly 15k (9.3 miles) and the first time I ran it was in 1998.  I have run the race for many years taking a year off here and there to get married and have a couple of babies. The older I get, the more I enjoy it.  I know what you are thinking...."i wonder what the psychotic workout queen's time was".  Well, let me tell you....I'm uncertain of my time because I haven't looked at the time when I cross the finish line in YEARS!  I understand being competitive and motivating yourself.  Trust me....I get that.  I used to compete with myself and others too, having to WIN and being very angry, frustrated and feeling like a failure if i wasn't THE BEST.  Since I have stopped competing and started running this race for 100% pure fun, I have enjoyed it so much more! 

So there, I was yesterday....drove to the race alone, ran the race alone and crossed the finish line alone.  I loved it!  I listened to my ipod, singing the entire time, not caring who heard me.  The race gave me plenty of time to reflect and think about things.  I was taking in the sun, scenery and I thought about how lucky I was to be able to just wake up, and run 9.3 miles.  I haven't run in over a month so I was pretty excited that I could just roll out of bed and run, run, run!  Sometimes, as athletes, we are so wrapped up in winning, and trying to "beat our time" that we take for granted the simple fact that we have two legs that are strong enough to run distances. 

So, my advice...the next race you run, do it for pure fun and while you are running be proud and thankful of your strong, healthy body.  Oh, you want to know what my time was yesterday?  Look it up in today's paper :)