The exercise part

In order to lose weight, you have to eat less, and move more. Calories in, calories out. It's that simple. Wish it felt that simple! I do have an exercise plan. It's not easy to get exercise in as a stay-at-home-mom (SAHM). Especially when you want to use his nap time to surf the internet and write a blog!

As I mentioned before, I have struggled with my weight all my life. Before I got pregnant, while I wasn't at my skinniest, I was exercising regularly. I worked out with a personal trainer, went to the gym, and walked. I worked out 6 days a week. I know how to do it. I know what you're supposed to do. It's the getting it done part that's hard. When I got pregnant, my doctor limited my physical activity because of my previous miscarriage and my "advanced maternal age" (I was 40 when Oliver was born). I was only allowed to walk, swim, and do very light hand weights, no straining. After he was born, it would have been the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the weight loss I had with the pregnancy to work out and keep going. But I developed de Quervain's Syndrome during pregnancy, which worsened after he was born, so I couldn't do much of anything with my hands. We did walk when the weather was still nice, but then it was winter in Iowa. And the excuses pile up (yes, I know they are excuses, but also reality) ... I started working full time teaching a class I wasn't prepared for so it took a lot of my "free" time, in addition to still doing some weddings and, oh yeah, raising Oliver when he wasn't in daycare (which was a lot considering how sick he got over the winter with one ear infection after another). So, before we moved to Connecticut, life was crazy, and exercise was the last thing on my list. But that's the past, and now is now and I have the opportunity to change that.

Walking. This will be my main form of exercise. It's free, and easy, and best of all, I can take Oliver along. We found a very pretty park not too far from where we live that has nice walking trails. Best of all, there are several ponds and the river, so there are "ducks" everywhere (mostly geese, but some actual ducks too). So Oliver is in heaven. Actually, we've seen lots of animals at the park, which is great since he's very much into naming things right now, especially animals. In addition to the ducks (geese) we've seen lots of dogs, birds, a few frogs, a baby bunny rabbit, and a deer. I've also met one of our neighbors who has a sweet 5 month old little girl, and we've walked there together a few times. My plan is to walk at least an hour every day, though recently, the weather has been so nice, we've been going closer to 1.5 hours! When the weather is bad, we can also walk at one of the malls, there are some big ones that are convenient.

Weight training. Our apartment complex has a small fitness center, with treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, hand weights, and about a half dozen machines. I'd like to start doing the weight training again like I did before I was pregnant. I actually enjoy it, it's kind of peaceful, and I know that building muscle is helpful so the cardio is more effective. However, it's impossible to do with Oliver--he'd be dropping weights on my toes in minutes, or worse, some stranger's! But we're going to try to work something out where I can go work out after Marty gets home. It's just hard to plan with also trying to get dinner on the table, and with Marty's own running/work out schedule. Oliver doesn't do well with later dinners, he gets hungry early. But it is important for my health and my sanity, because it might also be one of my only times "alone" during the day. So we'll see how that goes.

Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. This is all the rage on the baby message boards that I go to regularly. Word is that it's hard but you get results. And it's only 20 minutes a session, so not too hard to fit into your day. So I bought it. I tried to do it today with Oliver, thinking he'd enjoy "dancing" with me. Nope. He likes me to hold him when we dance, so no go. I should do it when I wake up in the morning, but I'm not a morning person, at all. And after he goes to bed, I'm wiped out. So this one is something I'm going to try to work into the schedule when I can. I'll let you know!

I hate exercise. I've never been athletic, or much into sports (except when I beat Marty at Fantasy Football!). But I will admit, when I was working out regularly, I felt a lot healthier. I don't feel so healthy right now, so I need to do this, and I know that getting back into it will remind me of how it makes me feel better. I can already tell a difference in the few weeks we've been here from all the walking I've done. Most importantly, I need to be healthier to keep up with Oliver...he is one big ball of energy!