Preparation - Are you ready?

I am moving right along in this pregnancy, and each day, I become closer and closer to putting in a Jillian Michaels DVD to get started. At 29 weeks and my history of preterm labor and oligohydramnios (low fluid) I have to be cautious with my levels of exercise, and pay particularly close to how my body reacts.

I need to do something though. It's hard to believe we are just 9 days away from March 1st - my original start day of my 90 day challenge. To say I am pumped up to start up again is an understatement. I am determined to look good and feel comfortable in a two piece bathing suit this summer. My due date is May 9th (though all three of my babies have been 3-4 weeks early), and for me, getting ready for summer and getting my body back on track is a huge undertaking, especially with four children - all of whom will be exactly 5 years and under (My oldest will be five in May). It will definitely be a challenge, but I am ready for a challenge. A bigger one. 


The way I felt last year after completing my challenge was unreal, and I cannot wait to start feeling that amazing again! Getting that taste of health, fitness and feeling good about myself is just making me want to exercise! It is the best addiction I have ever had.


So, on March 1st, I will start my challenge, while it will not be as intense or may not be as regular as it was when I began all of this one year ago, it will be a start, it will help lay the foundation for the real stuff to start post baby #4. I haven't come up with a "plan" yet, but my goals will be:

To excercise (walk - as weather permits, yoga, shred - very easy, and probably only level 1, cardio max, etc) at least 30 minutes, three times per week.

I am going to do some research on exercising while pregnant and see what I can find. I am not looking to lose weight or anything serious, I am just looking to lay a foundation for restarting a real exercise regime once the baby is born.

So, who's with me? Who wants to join my challenge with me again this year? You have two weeks to prepare!

Anyone have any resources on exercising while pregnant?

I will be looking into information regarding alternatives to any type of squats, abdominal exercises, and any particular yoga exercises that require you to lay on your belly.

If you're new here, click here to learn about how I got started!
A blog about what I use and don't use. (during my challenge, surely not now! ha!)

Maybe not the best choice? But...it works!

Sorry everyone for the lack of blogging here on my 'melting the muffin top', but this pregnancy thing really has put a damper on my exercising! I am not complaining though, I feel very lucky to be able to get pregnant, carry a child......and avoid bed rest thus far in my pregnancy!

I am 27 weeks tomorrow...less than 10 weeks until I get my cerclage out, and let the flood gates open. It's hard to believe, but, it's going to come quicker than I think! I have to say, I'm not so sure how ready I am for baby #4, but, I can tell you how ready I am to really start getting down and dirty with exercising again, particularly running. I am surely getting that itch, especially after getting a registration for the annual Mothers Day 5K - which was my very first 5K EVER last year...it's May 9th this year, one day after my due date. With our three girls, they were born 3-4 weeks early, so I am banking on this little prince doing the same.......so, that gives me some time to train a little - even if I have to walk, I figure it will be a great kick start to losing the baby weight! Who's game with me?

So, like I said above, I am really starting to get the itch. While I haven't been running, lifting weights or hanging with Jillian Michaels, I have been.....ummmmm..skiing. Yes, downhill skiing. Yes, pregnant. Yes, I may be crazy. Hey. We've had a lot of snow, and being home with three small children makes me go a little insane, so skiing has really, really made this winter go by fast. Don't worry though, I haven't been skiing any bumps, or crazy hills, just good times with our young girls, who are 4.5 and 3 (our 17mos old is with a sitter usually). I call it granny skiing - it's just nice, easy skiing....teaching our girls, spending quality family time while getting some vitamin D and exercise. Having gone skiing 6 times in the last 5 weeks or so has really gotten me back on the bandwagon so to speak...

I need a little more motivation to turn my quiet time into yoga or exercise time, but at this stage of my pregnancy, I just need time to sit. I think once I hit the golden time of 30 weeks, I will start to shred with Jillian a few times a week, and then once I get a bit further along, 34+ weeks or so, I will start to do some walking - hoping the snow is gone, or close to gone by then! Better be.

So, that's where I've been. Hanging out. Skiing. Avoiding insanity.

How is everyone else spending this crazy, snowy winter?