6 Pounds

It doesn't sound like much.  6 lb.  That is what I want to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight, although that doesn't tell the whole story.  I haven't done a body fat test yet; I thought I'd give myself at least 3 months before doing that.  But I am positive that my BF% is up from before (duh).  Not to mention that breastfeeding has my proportions and hormones all mixed up.  I read that breastfeeding women store more body fat around their midsection due to decreased estrogen and the fact their bodies want those fat stores while producing milk.  I don't know if it's true or not, but I'm going to use that as the reason for my muffin top.

As I say every year, I don't do New Year Resolutions.  When I want to make a change, I do it.  So while my goal is to lose weight and get back into racing shape, it had nothing to do with January 1, and everything to do with November 8.

One major downside to the additional weight and decreased activity is that my right knee is acting up again.  I'm going to keep my runs short until it feels better, and I also started lifting weights again.  While at the gym, I use the elliptical.  I'll eventually get back on my bike, I just haven't yet.  I think the half marathon I'm signed up for in March is a good goal.  I'm going to help a friend go sub-2 hours and I think that is a healthy goal for me.  Maybe in the fall I'll find a half marathon to try to PR but it's way too soon to think about that.

My goal is to do complete body measurements on January 1 and start keeping track from there.  I'm not real worried about it.  The way I see it, it took me 9 months to put that weight on, so I have at least 9 months to take it off.  Slow and steady wins the race and no new mom needs the additional pressure of losing weight while learning how to take care of a family.  It certainly helps to have a supportive husband and group of friends to get back into shape!

Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas!

 

May you find everything you wish for under the tree!

 

I wish you many happy miles in 2013,

A Girl Named Sam

One Month

 

 

I can't believe it's been one month already!  It will be two more weeks before I'm cleared for physical activity but the little man is keeping me busy.  He's pretty consistent with his morning schedule so I am going to start getting up after his morning feeding to walk and eventually run.

 

Yoga is a little hard when it's just the two of us at home.  If I get one full vinyasa done before he needs something, it's pretty good. But interrupted yoga is better than nothing.  I tried doing push ups the other day and I could only do 5.  I tried holding plank pose and couldn't do much more than 10 seconds.  So that's where I'm starting.  But it's a start nonetheless.

Updates from Babyland

I can't believe it's almost been 4 weeks since Winston was born.  I keep meaning to post updates but I find myself one-handed most of the time I'm sitting down which makes blogging a little difficult.

 

The short version is we're doing well.  We went in to Children's Mercy to follow up on the fluid-on-the-kidneys issue they saw when I was at 38 weeks.  Unfortunately, it has not resolved itself yet.  We were told that in 70% of the cases, it resolves itself within the first 2 years.  There are a few different options and we will discuss it more with his pediatrician at his 1 month check-up next week.  But for now we were basically told not to worry.  Based on his diapers, the plumbing is working just fine, he just needs to clear out the excess fluid. 

 

My little helper

I am feeling much more human and have gotten up to 3 miles walking.  I have also started doing some easy yoga.  Some time between 1 and 2 weeks after he was born, I got up the courage to step on the scale.  I was pleasantly surprised I have less than 10lb to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight and that includes the excess weight due to breastfeeding.

My pre-pregnancy pants are a little tight and I can't quite fit into my skinny jeans, but I can wear some of my normal pants.  Unless you've been pregnant, you have no idea how great it is to put on pants without an elastic waist.  Once I can start running and really working out again, I figure the pants will take care of themselves.

I was also worried about abdominal diastasis, which is a separating of the abdominal muscles due to pregnancy.  Less than a two-finger gap is what is considered normal after pregnancy.  Until the ab muscles go back together, you shouldn't do ab exercises like crunches because they can make it worse.  Last week, the gap between my abs was one finger, this week the gap has completely closed.  I started to some easy ab exercises to start getting them back into shape.  Still no crunches, but plank pose and other easy yoga-based ab exercises.  Not to mention all of the picking up the baby, who is close to 9 lb now.

My biggest concern right now is due to breastfeeding.  I have to wear a sports bra just to walk.  I think I'm going to have to get a few new sports bras once I start running again.  I'm also a little worried about the 70.3 in June.  I'll still be breastfeeding then and I think I might have to pump at T2 before running.  It probably doesn't matter since I'm not really trying to PR, but there's some logistics most people don't have to deal with.  I guess I'll worry about it more when June is getting closer.  Good thing the pump I have comes with a battery pack.

I'm working up to 5 miles walking before trying to run.  I'll probably give it the full 6 weeks my doctor recommended.  Besides, I can put Winston in our kid carrier and he sleeps, which is a nice time for us.  Once I start running, he'll have to stay home with Dad.