I'm still running! And a challenge

On Saturday I headed out for a run. I had intended to do some interval training to help get my pace improved, but when I went to start running, I ran into my neighbor. I used to run with her a lot last summer, but since I was pregnant, I couldn't run. She's an avid runner, so I was intimidated to run with her, but I knew she'd help get my pace improved.

My MapMyRun app (which I highly suggest!) farted out, so I am not sure how accurate it is with the mileage, time and pace, but here it is:

Distance: 1.75 miles
There was not a time, so, I am not sure on that one, and I am pretty sure I ran longer than that......so......
My initial pace was 10:30 min/mile and then 11:35 min/mile, so much improved from my last run.

How is everyone else doing?

Anyone interested in doing a "run 30 miles in 30 days challenge" with me? Tomorrow is June 1st....so what are you waiting for? If you don't like to run, maybe you could do an "exercise for 30 hours in 30 days?"

I challenge you to do one or both together! what are you waiting for? Get out there and start!

My goal for the week.......exercise three days this week.

I did it!

The sun is finally out here in Maine after an eight day hiatus. My motivation was nowhere to be found. I even dressed "the part" on Monday planning to work out, but, guess what? It never happened.
Hey, getting dressed to exercise is one step closer to actually doing, it right?

On Wednesday, it was a beautiful afternoon. Kevin came home and I promised myself I would run. And run, I did....

Distance: 2.34 miles (getting closer to that 3 mile mark)
Time: 29.20 - definitely not proud of a 12 minute pace, but, I will take it....

A good friend of mine suggested running "telephone poles" - so for the first part of my run, I alternated running and walking with each telephone pole. By half of my run, I was starting to feel good, so I decided to run as far as I could. I was able to run the last part without walking. It felt pretty good, but a bit disappointing considering I was running 9-10 minute miles before I had a baby.

Then today, I promised myself I would run again. And I did.

I had told myself to run a little further than I did on Wednesday. When I got out there, it felt good, so I kept going until I reached the 1.5 mile mark and then I turned around.

Today, I ran:

3.0 miles in 36:20 ----- my first 5K since last summer! While I am not proud of my time, I am proud of being able to run 3 miles just shy of 7 weeks of giving birth.

I think I am finally starting to feel that motivation to keep going.....summer is just about here and this mamma needs to get herself back in shape again!

How is everyone else doing?

Staying Motivated

It's been a rainy mess here in Maine and it looks like it will be a while before the sun comes out. I don't know about you, but for me, cloudy days gives me absolutely NO motivation to do much of anything, especially exercise.

Check out my "blog frog" community to the right.....(click on the link "how do you stay motivated" to join a discussion)

Let's talk about staying motivated and how you do it.....I'd love some ideas and I am sure others would, too!

"A" for Effort

I am still alive. Just barely.

Last week I had these grandiose ideas of running or exercising at least three days.

It didn't happen.

On Thursday, I scheduled a babysitter in hopes of hitting the roads for a "run" - but, best laid plans....Kevin's parents were coming into town and I had to hit the store. I had asked Kevin to vacuum and mop the kitchen and living room the night before, and well, you know what happens after that (let's just say the wine won)....yeah, didn't happen and my work out consisted of washing and vacuuming floors. I wasn't a happy camper!

Wednesday, I cleaned the entire house. Have you ever put on a heart rate monitor while cleaning? I didn't do it this time, but, I have done it in the past, and you'll be amazed at how many calories you burn during a good house cleaning. It isn't exactly my favorite way to exercise, but at least you know it is doing something. 


Kevin's parents have been in town from Florida since Thursday, so I didn't exercise at all. I really need to get myself into a good groove and starting it is the hardest thing! So, that is my goal for the week, too bad it is going to rain all week so I will be relying on Jillian to get me started!

Then today, Kevin and I planned on "shredding" this evening.

What did I say before? Best laid plans.....

Of course Callum was awake. Clara was getting into trouble and then Lilah dropped a weight (3lbs) on Maireads toe. Then the phone rang. Twice. Then Clara wanted to "help" swing Callum. Callum wanted to be held. When it was time to do abs, I had to share my mat with two girls and a third who wanted to lay on top of me while doing them. Then it was dinner time. I got Callum back to sleep and attempted to work out again. BUST. Callum woke up and wanted to be held. I guess it wasn't in the cards to get a work out in tonight.

So, I poured a glass of wine and called it a night. Sometimes it just doesn't "work out"

My first run

Well, I did it. I ran for the first time since last summer.

Believe me, I use the term "ran" very loosely.

When I woke up this morning it was a beautiful spring morning and I felt pretty good, so I thought I'd try running a bit. My body was still a little sore from the Shred on Wednesday, but I felt good enough to run.

I dug out all my little do-dads for running - my iPhone (for my IPod and MapMyRun App), my ear buds, running sneaks, heart rate monitor, hair tie and was on my merry way.

I ran a bit and walked a lot in the beginning. I'd say probably 50/50 in the beginning, but once I hit the 13 minute mark, I started to get that energy surge I used to get last year. I ran the last half and it felt surprisingly good. I got no side stitches at all.

So, since I did the same run I did for my very first run EVER here is the comparison:
I ran/walked for 24:08 minutes
Distance: 1.74 miles
Pace: 13.47 min/mile


Today: 
Duration: 23:00
Distance: 1.8 miles
Pace: 12:48 mins/mile


PART of me wants to scream FUCKKKKKKKK...........I did the same as I did when I was heavier, and completely out of shape, but part of me is proud of myself - this run actually felt good where as my first few runs sucked and was just horrible. I didn't feel as though I was dying when I ran this morning. OK, I won't be so hard on myself.....it's a start, and not a bad one.


Can't wait to get back out there again and again....and start feeling this good everyday! 


How did you all do today? Did you get out there? 

Inspiring Others

Last year I used this blog as an outlet to create accountability for myself.

I knew that it would be too easy to make excuses for myself as to why I couldn't exercise "that" day - you know things like - too tired, too busy, too many things to do around the house, the kids were driving me crazy, etc etc etc. I could go on and on with all the excuses I could create.

I didn't start a blog for any other reason. If I knew people, even strangers, were reading my blog, then I knew I would have to follow through with what I said I would do. And do you know what? It worked.

My 90 day challenge last year did more for me than I ever thought possible. I inspired myself. I inspired others. I realized just how great it was to feel good about myself and what a crappy self image I had before that I never realized I had.

So....as I begin to exercise after being pregnant and on activity restrictions for 9 months, I want to do something to help others.

I want this blog to be an outlet for others who are just like me and wanting to change their life.

I want this blog to inspire others, complete strangers, to work out, to continue working out and to achieve the goal they set for themselves.

This is my challenge.

In the meantime, I want everyone who visits/reads my blog to comment below and give me ideas on what they'd like to see on this blog.

(If you look on the top of the right hand bar, you will see a "community" - click on that and chat/discuss there)

We can learn so much from each other from diet ideas to exercise ideas to questions to helping each other continue with our goals.

Should we have a weekly post about our goals?

What about some sort of chat application on here?

What else? Let's help motivate!

It actually happened...

I no longer have an excuse about not exercising.

Our sweet little prince, Callum John was born on Friday, April 8th at 4:05pm. After a fast (like 15minute fast) labor, he was born weighing in at 6lbs4oz. He was born perfectly healthy, but soon after birth he developed respiratory distress that only continued to get worse. He ended up being transferred to a NICU where he was intubated and diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. If you're interested in his story, you can read it here. Thankfully after 12 days in the NICU, he was discharged home and has been doing very well. 

Of course his NICU stay delayed my intentions of getting back into shape, but, there were more important things! Now that Callum has been growing and doing everything he should, I finally got the energy to start working out....wait, have I mentioned that I foolishly signed myself (and Kevin) up for the Mother's Day 5K? Yeah. Crazy...and thinking that I would actually have time to try and prepare for it was even more foolish, especially after having a critically ill newborn in an intensive care unit! 

Today, I finally broke down and worked out. I know I had every intention of starting to exercise during the last month or two of my pregnancy, but it just didn't work out. I ended up having a fairly rough last few weeks of pregnancy. I had strep throat, shingles and a stomach bug - not to mention a few family stresses thrown in there, too! Oh yeah, and just being pregnant with three small girls at home made it tough, too....so, while I am not trying to make excuses, I had every intention of exercising lightly.....but, I didn't! 

I did level 1 of the Shred. I did a light to moderate work out, and definitely didn't break that much of a sweat. My heart rate never went above 155 the entire work out and I still burned about 170 calories. Because I am nursing a newborn and just 3.5 weeks post partum, I have to make sure I am consuming plenty of calories, drinking a ton and not pushing myself...I just want to start.....slowly. It isn't about losing weight right now.... it's about taking time for me and feeling good about myself. 

The workout felt amazingly good and definitely gave me that urge to keep doing it and want to get moving...so I will! 

I have to say I am amazed at how fast my body has jumped back after having a baby. When I started my 90 day challenge I believe I weighed about 130lbs......and when I got pregnant with Callum, I weighed 112lbs. Today, I weighed in at 122lbs at just 3.5 weeks post partum. My max weight during pregnancy was close to 140lbs. 

Here I am the day before Callum's birth:

Here I am this morning at 122lbs:

So, here I go.......I will start to relearn how to run and hopefully I will enjoy it as much as I did last year at this time! I can't wait to feel amazing again! 

If anyone else is interested in joining my exercise challenge, comment below.........it's great to have support of others! 

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?

Before & After (well kinda...)

Two years ago, before I got pregnant with Clara, I weighed about 128lbs (the same weight I was when I started my 90 day challenge).

Last week, we went to a "Martini Madness" and silent auction fundraiser at a local camp. Being pregnant, I didn't want to buy a new dress, so I ransacked my closet for something that would fit.

I came across this dress that I wore two years ago at a Coast Guard Christmas party. I chose to wear that dress........about 15lbs lighter.

Here I am two years ago:









































Here I am last week and about 16 weeks pregnant with baby #4 and 15lbs lighter:

Unfortunately, I haven't exercised since I found out I was pregnant, and now that I have spoken with my OB, I have been cleared to do very light activity, like yoga. No weights and walking if I don't have any cramping or contractions.

I hope everyone is doing great exercising and keeping healthy!

I'm back..........well, kind of!

Wow! I can't believe it has been almost two months since I have blogged here! Lots of things have happened in this time that has kept me from keeping up with blogging and exercising...sometimes life just gets in the way!

In mid-August our family took a little staycation to the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and when we returned, we learned my husband was being sent to Mobile, Alabama to work with the oil spill for 30 days. Needless to say, it put a HUGE damper on my running and exercising. Being home alone with three small kids, being the keeper of the house and all that jazz just didn't give me the motivation to exercise, even though I know it would have helped. Tremendously.

Halfway into Kevin's travels, I learned I was pregnant with baby #4 - whoa! Even though we had talked about trying for another baby once he returned, I never thought I'd get pregnant before! Especially after my first cycle since having Clara and still breastfeeding. Surprise! A welcomed one at that. So...all of these things have affected my ability and desire to exercise!

If you didn't know already - my pregnancies are high risk. I have what is called an incompetent cervix, so this will greatly affect my ability to exercise at all during my pregnancy. With my 2nd daughter, I was on bed rest for about 15 weeks, and luckily, with my 3rd, I avoided bed rest all together, since we caught my issue early enough this time. I am planning on getting my cerclage probably by the end of the month of first week of November. Once this happens...bye bye exercise. I am praying this time I will be able to walk, do light exercises and do yoga about three days a week.

I am going to shift this blog to exercising while pregnant and high risk pregnancy...it should be interesting. I am happy to say I am starting this pregnancy off 15 pounds lighter than I was with my third daughter and about 5lbs lighter than I was with my first baby! I am weighing less than I was when I got married, so I am feeling a lot better and healthier going into this pregnancy.

I hope to start running again after the baby is born, sometime in mid-late April!

How is everyone else doing with their exercising and healthy living?

Sometimes it just SUCKS.

After having two amazing runs last week of 4+ miles each, I was ready to run today. The weather was beautiful. A slight breeze. Cooler temperatures. I was ready to rock. Super energized and ready to go. My goal was to run 5 miles down to the beach and back today.

I started running and I felt pretty good. My first mile was right on target. I was feeling pretty good! Then around mile 1.75 I started having some cramping in my left hip. My quads started feeling really tired around 2 miles. I tried to let my mind wander and think of other things. I decided to turn around and keep  going, and then the cramping got worse. I felt like my legs were going to fall off. They were heavy and just hurting. I stopped to walk for a minute and then I tried again. It was worse.

I was pissed. Here I am, 2 miles away from home, and I am f-ing walking. I tried, and tried, but I just couldn't get there. By then, it was late, and I had to get home. I called Kevin to come get me. Something I have never done since starting my challenge back in March. UGH. I was so disappointed in myself. I know, some days just don't go as planned, but today, I thought would be the day that I would run 5 miles by myself, without a partner.

I am not sure what my problem was today. My guess is I probably did not drink enough water - something I fight with each and every day. I am not good at drinking enough. I need to work on that.

So, I will try again and just chalk today up to "well, at least I got some exercise..." - I could have just sat on my ass and ate bon bons instead!

Everyday can't be perfect. I guess. Until next time...

Six Months...

It is hard to believe it has been six months since I started my challenge (Mar01). I am amazed to look at myself and see where I have gotten myself. I never thought in a million years I would have succeeded with my 90 day challenge, let alone, continue running willingly.

When I started my challenge, I weighed in about 129lbs (give or take a pound), and today, I weighed in at 117lbs. I couldn't be happier. Honestly. I never thought I would have gotten to the day where I look forward to getting dressed. Putting on clothes. And fitting in them. Comfortably. I am at the weight I was when I married Kevin and found out I was pregnant with Mairead (remember, she was a honeymoon baby!).

This whole challenge has been more about weight loss. I didn't care so much about the amount of weight lost, but more about how I felt about myself. I had been tired of feeling crappy. Not fitting into clothes and not feeling comfortable in them. It sucked. I wanted to get my body healthy again for myself. I remember how energized I felt when I used to exercise and I wanted to feel that good again.

Now, six months later, I have passed my goal of 90 days and gone on to succeed for 6 months. I have been disappointed in how often I have exercised over the summer, but, I am continuing to do it and that is all that matters, right? I still have a long way to go. I want to tone my body and I don't care if any weight comes off. I just want to tone up a bit more - especially in that muffin top region. It's still there, much smaller, but still there.

When I started, I could barely run for 60 seconds without wanting to die, and today, I am running 3-4 miles regularly and not dying. I can finish a run and feel amazing. I would never have thought I'd ever feel so good after running. I never thought I would ever look forward to running in a 6 mile race! It has done wonders for my self esteem! Seriously, if you haven't tried the couch to 5K, I really, really think you should try it!

I have to get myself back on track with running! I am signed up for a 6.2 mile segment in a marathon relay in early October. I look forward to that getting me back on track. I look forward to training for that alongside my husband and food friends.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me in my challenge to get fit....we're not done yet!

Happy 6 months to me and to anyone else who joined in the exercise challenge with me.

Rejuvinated.

This humidity has killed my exercise 'mo-jo'. The heat doesn't bother me, but the humidity does. Big time. It just affects every part of me. It's so hard to breathe. For the past few weeks, I've been struggling to run more than 1-2 times per week, and the run I did on Friday just plain sucked. I hadn't ran all week and it was nasty outside. I even had to stop and walk for a bit, something I hadn't done in a really, really long time.

Then today came.

It was in the low 80s and windy with DRY air. No humidity. It was truly perfect. I wasn't in the mood to run, but I knew I had to. I started running and it just felt good. I ran across the marsh against the wind. I had planned on doing my usual 3 miles, but I felt so good, I kept going. and going. I turned around at mile 2.2 and had more energy than I've had running in a long, long, long time. I can't even begin to tell you when the last time I ran 4 miles was....and felt good doing it! I had been planning on running over 4 miles today, but I ran into Kevin and the girls on their walk, and of course, I couldn't just pass them by....so, I stopped.

Here was my run:
Duration: 43:14
Distance: 4.07 miles
Pace: 10:37 mins/mile

Honestly, I hadn't felt that good after a run in sooooooo long. I could have kept going! I wasn't even tired when I saw everyone. It put me in such a great mood for the rest of the even. Completely and utterly rejuvenated!

Who woulda thunk a run would make me feel so good!?!

Falling off the wagon is easy to do...

Now I know why I haven't taken more than a day off at a time since I started my 90 day challenge back in March!

It's been hotter than hell here in Maine, and to be honest, exercising without air conditioning isn't all that fun. I had been working out about 5-6 days a week (more like 6) since the start of my challenge, but recently, I've slipped down to 3-4. I find the more days I take off, the harder it is to get back on the wagon! I knew this would happen...getting lost in the hustle and bustle of summer. Beach days...long days and can't forget the hot & humid days. Speaking of humid, it's been so freakin' humid here lately, and honestly, that kills me more than the heat itself. So not fun. I come home from my run pouring in sweat - and that's saying a lot because I am not a sweaty person.

I have been trying to maintain my 3 days/week running, and that has been really tough to do. I haven't done more than 4 miles in a long time, but shit....I never even thought I'd be able to run 4 miles.....ever...or equate to 4 miles in a week total! So, I really shouldn't complain. I guess I could get up early and run, but that just wouldn't work since I co-sleep with our youngest.

I have also been limited in exercising at home. During the really hot days it has been in the mid 80s in our house. Did I mention we don't have A/C??? May I also add that fans don't help very much when it is that hot inside the house. I'd prefer to sit down and suck on a popsicle!

Thankfully, this week has cooled down a bit. I did level 2 of the shred on Monday. I kicked my ass and worked really hard. The next day, I was feeling it. It was a good pain though. On Tuesday, I did the OnDemand shortened version of No More Trouble Zones along with the Last Chance Workout. I am definitely feeling the two workouts today!!! I love that feeling though...it feels like something was accomplished.

I have reached my goal weight of 118lbs (I fluctuate between 117-119). I couldn't be happier. This is the weight I was when I got married (and pregnant with our honeymoon token)! All I want now is to tone up...and with that, I still have a ways to go. I need to step back up on my running and get back into a workout routine again. I feel like when I take days off, it just kills me, and it's so hard to start back up again.

It's easy to make excuses for not working out.....not enough time, too hot....etc etc etc etc etc. The list could go on and on some days. So, I need to suck it up and do it. Every little bit counts. So, I am going to get back on the wagon because it's a pain in the ass to fall off and try getting back on.

I'm going to try and blog on here more often! How is everyone else doing? Any goals set? Races to be run? Complaints???