What I use...and don't use.

The truth is...

I have lost about 10-12 pounds since March 1st and I have not stepped foot in a gym. I don't have time for a gym. You see, I have three small children who are now 4, 2.5 and 9 months. I am a busy momma. Since making the commitment on March 1st I had to find a way to exercise. Take time for me. It's been tough, but I have done it. I knew there would be no way I could commit to driving to and from a gym every time I wanted to exercise, so I vowed to do it on my own. I have succeeded, and I continue to succeed. There are days where I wonder when I am going to exercise and some days I just can't. Some days (actually most) I don't exercise without some sort of interruption from the girls, and that is okay, any exercise is better than none. I've learned that you do not have to join a gym to be successful in losing weight and bettering yourself. With a small investment, you can do it at home, on your own. You just need a few things...

A commitment: You have to be ready. You can't exercise for anyone else but yourself. You have to want it. Bad. If you aren't serious, you won't succeed because it is just too easy to make excuses as to why you can't or don't want to work out. Commit yourself to a period of time, I did 90 days. Set a goal that you know you can reach (like a 5K). Starting a blog was the best thing for me because it made me accountable. If I knew people may be reading, then I had to do it.

Hand weights: When I realized I'd be using DVD's here at home, I went to Dick's Sporting Goods and bought a case filled with sets of 3, 5 and 8 pound weights. Very handy and cost about $50. Honestly, I didn't start using weights until a few weeks into my challenge. I was so out of shape that even using NO weights made me sore!

Cushy Mat: Floor work on a wood floor is NO fun. I went to Target and spent $10 on a cheapo Yoga mat. It sucks. I recommend buying a nice mat - don't be cheap!

Polar HRM FT7: Kevin bought me this for Mother's Day. I have to say it's pretty cool. It's a heart rate monitor and calorie counter. I like to see how good (or bad) my workouts are. It gives me a good idea of what is going on and how hard I am working. Definitely a cool tool, just not a necessary one!

Asics Gel-Nimbus 12: My running shoes. I had been running on old Nikes - but they got uncomfortable so I went off to get my feet assessed at a local running store. I had a neutral gait, so they fitted me with some shoes. I chose Saucony. I ran in them a few times and my God, they hurt. Bad. So, I took them back and have been in my Asics ever since. They're pretty good. I definitely recommend heading to a running store to get your feet measured and assessed if you plan to run! Worth the money.

The videos I use:

Everyone has different opinions on what is good or bad for exercise. Some like kick-boxing, some like Yoga, some like circuit training, so my opinions may not mean too much :). At first, I started off with OnDemand Exercise TV - it's free and it gives you a great glimpse into videos you may want to purchase. Some of them are full length, and most are only a portion of the real video.
$9

The 30 Day Shred: Jillian Michaels - Target, $9 - completely worth it. Three levels, all 20 minutes each. Anyone has 20 minutes. This is my go-to video if I am short on time. It's challenging and burns a decent amount of calories for only 20 minutes! Level one is easy, two is difficult and three is....well twice as difficult! It uses the 3-2-1 technique - 3 minutes of strength training, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs.

No More Trouble Zones: Jillian Michaels - $9, Target - Absolutely my favorite. It is a true ass kicker. Seriously, an intense work out. 40 minutes in length of circuit training. The AB circuits are amazing! I love the challenge of this workout. I wish I had time to do this more often. It is my go-to video for when I have a bit more time.

CardioMax: Biggest Loser - $9, Target - A pretty good cardio workout that allows you to pick and choose the intensity as the workout goes on. Very versatile. I like this one for the days I can't get out running, but feel like I need a good cardio workout. I also like the fact you can do short or long workouts. Some times, I will do a 20 minute work out after Trouble Zones. This one is really worth it!

Boost Metabolism/Banish Fat: Jillian Michaels - $9, Target. Not my favorite. If you like kickboxing type exercise, then you will enjoy. It's definitely a good workout. It is 40 minutes in length, so like Trouble Zones, if you are limited on time, you may have a tougher time doing this. I like this workout for when I feel like I need to "mix it up".

Yoga: Meltdown: Jilian Michaels - $15, Target. If you think of yoga as a quiet, serene workout, think again. This is another one of Jillian Michaels ass whoopin. She's got you holdin' poses for 15 seconds in poses you never thought possible! It's a great workout, I really, really like it. Definitely great for the beginner all the way up through the ladder. If you like yoga, try it out. Very cool.

So, for a minimal investment, you can set yourself up pretty nicely at home! You don't need a lot. The biggest thing you need is a commitment to be serious about bettering yourself. What are you waiting for? Set yourself a goal and strive to achieve it. You can do it.

Never give up.

Day 79: I'm there!

For the last few days, I've stepped on the scale to see if what I have been seeing was real. This morning, I stepped on the scale, and saw..........119.5 pounds. Seriously!?! I guess the 120-121 numbers I had been seeing previously were actually real. I think I am attributing my "accelerated" weight loss of 2-3 pounds in under 3 weeks is from the increased running I have been doing. I surely have been eating like a horse, and really making sure I eat enough. Yes. enough. Since I am still nursing around the clock, with the exception of one solid meal per day, I have to make sure I eat enough calories to maintain my milk supply for my sweet Clara! About a month back, I had noticed a dip in supply, and once I upped my intake and paid attention to eating without restriction, it bounced back up again.

It is such an amazing feeling to be able to fit into my clothes again. I am now almost too small for my size 6 pants, which I barely fit into when I started this challenge. I am wearing a pair of size 4 petite pants from Ann Taylor Loft Kevin had bought me for Christmas. It feels great. Even though I am at my goal weight, I still have a lot of "toning" I would like to do.....and of course, maintenance. I don't care if I lose any more weight - if I do....bonus....if I don't, I'm okay with that too as long as my body changes - for the better.

Today, I tried Boost Metabolism from Jillian Michaels. It is another 40+ minute cardio workout. It is also on OnDemand, but like Trouble Zones, it is only a portion of the entire work out. Kevin had bought me the full version for Mother's Day, and today was the first day I tried it. It's a very good workout. I burned 410 calories with it today - not too shabby! It's all cardio - kick boxing, plank work - you know, her typical kick ass work out. It's definitely not my favorite, I felt a bit bored by the end, but it is a great work out when you feel like you need to mix it up a bit. I think I'd rather do two shreds than one of these, but that's my opinion. I don't really feel the "kick box" vibe like some do, and that's okay.

Overall, it was a good workout that had me sweating. Now, that I am feeling better after my cold, I am ready to get back into it again........just a few weeks until beach season is here! I will be sporting a bikini this summer, so I must continue! :) ha ha

Day 45 - Time

Day 45: Full version - No More Trouble Zones & Quick, Boost: Metabolism

It isn't every day where I have time to do the full No More Trouble Zones (40 min in length), so when I do, I jump on it. Let's be real...40 minutes is a LONG workout when you are juggling a household and three small babes under 4. Most days, my girls will nap/rest about 2 hours. If I am not running, this is my time to exercise. Some days, I will forego doing laundry, or cleaning up after lunch to exercise. Some days, nap times are spent fighting with one of the girls to actually take a nap, and by the time I am successful, it is too late to exercise because one of the other girls is up from rest/nap. Days like today are what I call "picture perfect" days. All three girls went down easily and quickly. I came downstairs to silence. I had a snack outside in the sun while reading Oprah. Yeah. there was laundry that needed folding, but I needed some time, too. Today, I come before laundry. After spending 20 minutes in silence listening to the sea gulls, I got down to business.

No More Trouble Zones isn't a joke. It is a really great, challenging work out...and Katie! Stop beating yourself up - you are more than able to do this workout! It isn't that hard! It's an awesome challenge that feels like a great accomplishment in the end.

The "I Surrenders" really get me. Holding 3 or 5lb weights above my head while getting onto my knees and getting back up again without letting those weights down. It's definitely a challenge, but honestly, I feel strong after I do them. The ab workout is just amazing. If these don't rid me of my muffin top, I don't know what will. Two circuits of crazy ab work that leaves your abs "screaming" as Jillian describes.

Once I finished that DVD. All was still quiet in my house. I feel so good after I work out....so, I put on the quick version of Boost: Metabolism and got a little bit of cardio in. I think I am going to buy this. I like it - it's different, and certainly a challenge!

I feel like I accomplished a lot today....personally. Not around the house, but that's okay. I took the time yesterday to clean the downstairs. I matter, too....and if laundry has to wait, then so be it....we will all survive.

You say "I don't have time.........." - just remember - you always have time for yourself...

Day 24: Things have changed.

Day 24: Jillian Michaels, Boost: Metabolism

This morning, I stepped on the scale. I was a bit surprised. The scale read: 125.5lbs - if you have been reading my blog, you may have read I started this journey off at 128.5lbs. I hope the scale isn't wrong! Three pounds lost in just under 4 weeks!

This really got me thinking about how much has changed for me in the last few weeks. Before March 1st, I used to cherish my 1-2 hours to myself in the afternoon. It was quiet time for me, too. I would make my lunch, sit on the couch, read some email, surf the net, call friends and just relax. I didn't have the motivation to exercise at this time. I just wanted some quiet time, too. Honestly, I didn't even think about it (exercising). Now, on the days I don't run, I actually use this "quiet" time for bettering myself. I don't just make lunch and hang on the couch. I now try to eat lunch with my girls, so I have time to exercise during naps. It's amazing that if all goes according to plan, I can exercise and have quiet time!

Some people have commented on they don't know how I do all of this. How do I make time? Yes. I am busy. Yes. I have three small children who demand A LOT of my attention. but...I am important, too. The latter one has definitely hit me in the face the last few weeks. This 90 day challenge is more about losing weight. It's about bettering myself...feeling better about myself as a whole.

I have learned over the last few weeks to make time to exercise.

I have learned you don't need a whole lot of time to excercise.

I have learned you can exercise a little bit everyday for it to be effective.

I have learned that it actually feels good to exercise. I am happier. More energetic. 

Anyone can make an effort to exercise for 20-30 minutes each day. Of course, I never actually realized I could do it until I made the commitment to exercise/run for 90 days.

If Kevin isn't around to watch our girls, I will get the girls to exercise alongside of me. They think it's fun! Our girls are learning that exercising is good for our bodies.

I have never been so motivated to exercise and get myself in shape. I am ass deep in my challenge, and I am actually enjoying it.