I keep reinventing this blog to suit my needs. This time my need is to have somewhere I can publicly post what I've eaten and what exercise I have done. I also find a lot of people are curious about Paleo eating so I figured it'd be easier to just post here and refer them to it rather than repeating myself.
Goal
My main goal is to get back to pre-baby size. Mostly so I can fit into all of my old clothes that are staring at me in a plastic tub on my bedroom floor. a constant, daily reminder to get.on.it. This baby is a year and a half old- it's time!
Background
I really struggled this past year with being tired from having a new baby that required NICU care for almost four weeks. We found out at 12 weeks he had gastroschisis which made for a very long and stressful pregnancy. I have an autoimmune disorder called Sjogren's Syndrome so if I get really run down, my immune system goes into over-drive and mistakenly attacks parts of my body that it shouldn't. Of course as all new parents know, a baby doesn't allow for much sleep (as much as hubs tried to take on night duties) and I felt achy, stiff, and flu-like for a good while. No working out for this one- I was just trying to survive another day!
Then I got pregnant and miscarried in the Fall of 2011 which just added to the mess. The early part of 2012 was spent just trying to get/stay well and it's just been since late Spring and Summer that I've actually felt like I'm functioning again! I still have bad achy days but I know if I can power through and get a workout in and eat good-for-me foods, these "bad" days will decrease over time.
The Plan
Paleo style eating- I'll put Paleo info in a post next. In a nut shell, it's cutting out processed foods that our bodies weren't meant to digest anyway. I like how I feel when I eat Paleo. I have Liam (the baby) on Paleo because of his rough start to life concerning his intestines. He's not been diagnosed as having any food allergies, but why not feed him foods I know will make him feel great and keep him healthy? My 8 year old, Riley, seems to be more settled and functions better when he eats mostly Paleo. And poor hubs just has to eat what I cook!
Various workouts- I would love to try Crossfit and I try a few WODs at home when my brother comes across one he likes (he's a part of Rotary SC ), but my oldest loves going to the Y (where I can afford a family membership) and I want to encourage that so we stick with the local YMCA which is great. They also have a nursery so mommy can drop baby off and get her work out on. :) Currently, I like spin, elliptical, pilates, yoga, and I want to get into free weights, power lifting, and kettle bells. Total body workouts make sure I'm not neglecting any muscle groups and also makes sure my body doesn't plateau in it's progress since I'm constantly changing up the program!
Water and Vitamins- Since my Sjogren's dehydrates me I must get tons of water on a regular day, and more so if I'm working out. Water also flushes the fats released from your body, as well as the toxins, so even more of a reason to get in 64oz a day! I also follow Robb Wolfe's suggestion of vitamin intake as outlined in his book The Paleo Solution. My ophthalmologist also has me on 3g of Fish Oil a day to help my corneas stay hydrated and I take some antihistamines to help with pollens that stuff me up. I do like GNC's Be Hot (don't laugh) pack. I seem to see good results when I couple that with working out.
Starting Point
I'm not fat, but I'm not fit either. I'm rounder than I want to be (or need to be! The less weight my joints have to haul around, the less achy I feel.). So I don't mind posting numbers and pictures. Whatevs. I'm working on it and that's what counts.
So this morning I weighed 155.4lbs. I know enough to not base my whole world on what the scale says, but it's one of those indicators to track how you're doing. Muscle weighs more than fat so eventually this number will be harder to move. So as not to get discouraged (and then give up!), I also track other things.
My body measurements are:
Arms: 12"
Waist: 31"
Hips: 38.5"
Butt: 43"
Thigh: 25"
I also just gauge on how my clothes fit. All girls know NO two size 10s are exactly alike (and it's SO aggravating!). So I have my stack of old clothes that I know once I fit into, it means I've trimmed up and slimmed down, even if the scale isn't saying so.
Back in the day these were my measurements and what I'm trying to get back to:
Weight: 144lbs
Arms: NK
Waist: 28"
Hips: 35"
Butt: 40"
Thigh: 23"
After I get here, then I'll see what I want to do next. I take this process in smaller bites because if I looked at these numbers in a big lump, it seems like a daunting task.
First Check Point
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| Jan 2012, one year post-baby |
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