Just do it.

   Well, since I got a little feedback asking about my workout routine, I thought I would divulge all of my secrets.  O.k. so there are no secrets.  It's all fairly elementary, really.

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   I do a variety of things...sometimes it's P90X workouts, or a dance routine from Rockin' Body, which are both DVD series that can be purchased on beachbody.com.   I probably wouldn't have had the motivation nor inclination to purchase or try either of these, but my husband did the P90X workouts and I gave them a try, kicking and screaming at first. They are HARD, but such a good, all-over workout.  The best part may be the fact that it's all done without ever stepping foot out of your house, or applying for an expensive gym membership.  Which, let's be honest, even if I didn't mind paying, with 2 children under 2 would I ever actually go?  Didn't think so.  So basically, this is what works the best for me: DVDs that I can watch and do at home, at my own pace and difficulty level, and when it fits best into my schedule. 

   So around 7:30-8:00 pm we put the girls to bed and I can finally "clock out" of Mommy mode and focus on a little me-time.  Honestly?  That means I want a bowl of ice cream and blogging.  But I push myself to workout first, then shower, then relax.  By then it feels so deserved, that there is no guilt-factor.  Also, after working out, you are proud of yourself and don't want to ruin everything, so it usually results in a few bites of ice cream rather than a bowl.  It's a win-win, people.

   I certainly don't workout every day.  At this point, my ideal would be every other day, but if it doesn't happen that often, I don't give up, or kick myself silly.  Every day is a fresh start, so I just keep trying.  Don't get discouraged if you've failed attempts at exercise in the past.  Even if your goal was 3x a week and you only did it once in 3 weeks...that is STILL better than never working out/exercising at all!  So just keep. On. Trying.

   I guess I also try to eat healthy, but nothing super-strict.  Lots of veggies and fruits, but I let myself have burgers and fries and pizza and ice cream, and o.k. so basically anything I feel like eating.  There I said it.  Not proud of the fact that I have never been very strict nutritionally.  I am hoping to get there eventually, but I am just not there yet.  I try though!  

   And for those of you that are maybe struggling with weight loss/motivation to work out, I just want to ask you one thing:  Why do you want it?  Do you want it for a hot body?  Do you want it so you can finally reach your wedding weight?  Do you want it so you can be more fit than so-and-so?  While all of those reasons are not necessarily wrong, I'm not sure if that's what you should be motivating yourself with.  It seems to me that those reasons could really start to get discouraging after a while if you weren't
A. Feeling hot.
B. Your wedding weight.
C. Skinnier than so-and-so. 

So change your reasons.

   Do it for you, so that you can run along the beach, and feel the sand in your toes, and not get winded after 2 minutes. Do it for your kids, so that you can play hide-and-seek and capture-the-flag, and not wimp out after 5 minutes.  Do it for your teenagers, so that you can actually play sand volleyball, and hike that mountain, and throw that basketball around and go kayaking on vacation, instead of sitting by and watching everyone else enjoy themselves.  Do it for your husband, who obviously will love you no matter what, but desires to see you healthy and happy and loving yourself too.  The list could go on and on. 

   Speaking of husbands, that brings me to my next point...why is it so uncouth for men to want their wives to lost weight?  I think it should be o.k.  If we're perfectly honest with ourselves, don't we enjoy it if THEY work out and dress nice?  And so why is it so wrong if they want us to?  Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful for a husband that never stopped telling me I was beautiful, from wedding weight to 9 months pregnant and everything in between.  But that's not the point.  Because the weight loss, or the exercise isn't so that I'll be "beautiful" to my husband, because he assures me I am, no matter what that scale says.  But it's because I want to (and he wants me to) have quality of life, health, and vitality.  And that's why I think it should be perfectly acceptable, and even a good thing, for husbands to encourage their wives to exercise.  Because they want those good things for them too.

    Here I am, 3 days after Charlotte was born.  I remember not wanting to take this picture, but now I'm glad I did, because it definitely helps to see the change, even when it feels like the change is pretty slow in coming at times.

   And here I am now, 3 months later.  Please excuse the straight-out-of-the-shower look. :p  Change doesn't happen overnight, unfortunately.  It is putting one foot in front of the other, and taking it little by little.  I'm still not quite there, and I've got a little ways to go, but it's fun to see progress!  Don't get discouraged.  Just do what you can, when you can, and you WILL SEE RESULTS.  Trust me.

   I want to keep up with my kids.  I want to be the mom that DOES THINGS with them.  I want to take life by the horns and squeeze every drop out of it, and not merely observe it passing by.  I want to participate.  

That is why I work out.