45 Min Easy

I really wanted to do my walk outside yesterday but alas it was snowing again!  Darn weather.  I got on my trusty treadmill and walked while watching TLC.  One thing that struck me was how easy 45 minutes seems now.  I remember when it was so hard to finish and it seemed like such a long time.  Now it goes so quickly.

Counting my calories is going well and eating veggies too.  I am settling into this dieting again too.  I did freak out a bit in regards to my supply.  I just made some alfalfa tea to boost my supply and tried to calm down.  I realized that one day of crankiness doesn't neccesarily mean that my supply has dropped.  It did make me realize that even with my brave talk and everything going so well with Zoe that I am still petrified of not having enough milk.

It is such a fine line between being taking care of me and taking care of my girls.  Both are important and depending on the day one can be more important than the other.

back to counting points

I have been counting my calories for 3 days now and it has gone well.  I am feeling really good  and determined to get this weight off.  I am enjoying the work.  I worry that I won't lose anything when I weigh myself on Friday but I guess that is a chance I have to take.  I am really focusing on eating well and that will help my overall health even if for some weird reason (breastfeeding) it still doesn't come off.

So I promised a challenge for this week.  The challenge is to eat a fruit or vegetable at every meal. I started this morning by eating half a banana, which is awesome because I *hate* bananas! 

6 Miles

Today was a very busy day with a play date, a birthday party and a house to clean.  It was a challenge to get the walk and I was worried that if I didn't squeeze it in somehow that I would post pone it like last week.  So I walked just over 6 miles to where the playdate was.  I carried Zoe and Mike and Ally drove there.  I left about an hour and half before.

It is really weird walking to a place that you normally drive too.  It felt like a really long walk and the first 2 miles were really hard because I had bad shin splints again but I did it!  I was a bit slower than I wanted to be but I powered through the shin splints and I think the lights added some time too.  All in all, I am proud that I did it.  

Now there are 4 weeks left!  Eeek!  Crazy how fast this training has gone.  And I think I can now say that I am really enjoying the exercise, which is big for me because I have never like exercise.  I still dread getting out and it I have to really push myself to put my shoes on but I know I will have a great time once I get going.  I love the chance to think and enjoy my music without someone demanding attention.  Even though I am still carrying a kid it is the closest I come to me time and I love it.

Sick and Tired

I am sick and tired of squeezing into my fat jeans.  I am exercising a ton and not losing weight!  It ticks me off because I wanted to be one of those people who just started exercising and the weight fell off.  Well, unfortunately that isn't me either.  I guess I should realize that weight doesn't fall off unless I work really hard.  Up until now I have been exercising and eating what I want.  That has been fun and I have enjoyed it all.  But it is time for a change and to get serious.

Of course my supply is still a big concern but I think it will be okay.  I worry of course but I am only going to cut down and eat healthier and that can't hurt.  It does stress me out a ton but.....I need to be healthy and I guess at this point I need to try it first and deal when it happens.

My plan is to follow Weight Watchers and count my points and I am going to really focus on the vegetables.  I have done Weight Watchers before while I was preparing for my wedding and I lost over 40lbs.  I want that to happen again!  So here it goes.  I can't go to meetings and I am sorry but I don't have the money to do it online.  I think it is a great program and I love that it has a program for nursing mothers.  If you have the money it is completely worth every penny.

I am going to set challenges for myself and feel free to follow along and join me.  I would love if you readers would join me and we can motivate each other.  So stayed tuned I will annouce our challenge on Monday.

Flow

Earlier this week I was talking to my sister in law who has just gone back to work part time, which she is ecstatic about.  She was telling me about a this article she read about every person needing 4-6 hrs of 'flow ' a day.  'Flow' being whatever a person does that they get completely engrossed in and can lose track of time.  She said that most moms don't get enough 'flow' and that is so true.  When she said that I had to really think about when was the last time I had 'flow' and what gave me that.  I think it is important for a mom's mental health to find what gives her that and to try and do it once a day but being a mom even once a week would be nice.

My walks are starting to be that where it doesn't feel like a chore but I really enjoy and time just flies.  But I want to find other stuff that gives me that 'flow', I want to get back into knitting and maybe learn to sew.  Maybe when Zoe starts sleeping at a consistent time.

Super Mom!

On top  of doing my 8 miles I was also productive around the house.  I took both girls grocery shopping this morning for the first time!  I never liked taking just Ally to the store because she is such a handful and I have been petrified of taking both girls by  myself.  I discovered that Safeway has carts that have a car in front that you can belt a toddler into.  Ally loves it so I can wheel around the store and not have to worry about her too  much.  I had Zoe in a sling and I pushed the car and did the shopping, it was great.  Also thankfully Safeway has carry out too.  

When we got home I put Zoe down for her nap and Ally played on her slide while I brought the groceries in.  Then she painted while I threw together a casserole from a bunch of leftovers and then we had lunch.  

Then both girls napped.  I am getting better at getting both of them down around the same time so that I a bit of a break, which is so wonderful.  It has only been a week of them going down at the same time but I am loving it.

While the girls napped I cleaned the kitchen and started washing the floor when Ally woke up to help.  It is so tough getting a floor washed with a toddler.  She is much better now, I have tile floor and she would walk on the wet area then fall and get hurt.  Now she stays out of the way but she is fascinated with the bucket.

After a that we made some muffins and then  put supper in over and got ready for  my walk.  I am just so impressed with myself!  It is not every day or week that I am this productive.  I love the feeling after such a great day.  It is so rewarding.

Finally 8 miles!!

I did it!  I have now officially walked the farthest I have ever done in my life!  And what a feat.  Today I knew I had to get the walk in or I wouldn't do it.  I also had to plan really well.  I decided to have some time with the hubby I had to take the girls with me for the walk.  I knew that Ally for sure would not be able to sit in the stroller the entire time.  I packed the girls up in our new fabulous chariot and filled it with special snacks, drinks and toys.  I left the house around 4 pm and hoping to be about half way when Mike would be home from work so he could take the girls.

The walk went amazingly.  Ally did really well despite some poking at Zoe, she sang and played and talked to me.  Zoe did okay.  She would cry here and there and then at the turn around point she wouldn't stop and by the time Mike came about 15 minutes later she was DONE and everyone in a miles radius knew that she was not a happy baby.  Mike came and started unbuckling the girls and putting them into their carseats while I emptied and packed up the stroller.

Then I put my mp3 player on and went.  I did 8 miles in 2hrs and 20 minutes.  I kind of think that I could knock off like 10 minutes for stopping at lights, getting snacks and when Mike picked the girls up.  I am so impressed with the time. It is close to 4 miles an hour which is the speed I want for the marathon and better than  my last walk of 7 miles in 2 hrs 5 min.   Yeah!

I am also not hurting to bad.  I did dip into the tub with some wine for about 5 minutes before Zoe woke and wouldn't soothe for Mike.  Those 5 minutes were heaven though.  My heels hurt and I think after the next long walk I will treat myself to a pedicure.