Wednesday, November 12, 2014

I can admit when I was wrong


I just felt the need to start with this picture because BABY LEGGINGS.

I've scoffed at a lot of "Body After Baby - I just want to exercise again for me it's not about the weight" type posts. Although I still maintain a lot of them are written by people who do just want to burn calories to be skinny again. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I've officially reached the point where I'm tired of being fat (but not, like, tired enough to give up buttercream). I never, ever thought I would say this, but I'm even tired of elastic waist pants. Or at least tired of them being my only clothing option.

But since I joined the YMCA my senior (?) year of high school, I've never had to take a significant amount of time off from exercise. My 6 weeks postpartum was by far the longest I've ever gone without it. It seems I just got used to it and underestimated exercise's effect on my life. Since I was cleared for it a week ago, I've worked out every day and my mood is a horse of a different color.

Since last Wednesday, I've only really cried once and that was over something actually sad/touching (the NFL helping that little girl with cancer - if you don't at least get choked up you clearly have no soul). That might not sound like much, but I cried twice in the doctor's office, and my appointment was only like 30 minutes. Actual crying, like if I remembered where my mascara was or how to put it on, it would have been in ugly streaks down my face. Hormones. They are not a joke. (Also I had to text three people to remember the team to figure out a link for that story. Mom brain is not a joke either.)

My point is that exercise is saving my sanity so maybe there is something to the "it just makes me feel good" thing. It definitely hasn't made me skinny but I'm still enjoying it. Nobody cares, but I'm proud of myself, so I'm listing it.

Love her so much.

Wednesday: 3 treadmill miles (2 running, one walking)
Thursday: 30 Day Shred, level 1
Friday: spin class
Saturday: 3 miles OUTSIDE (2 running, one walking)
Sunday: 1 treadmill mile, No More Trouble Zones
Monday: spin
Tuesday: spin (I'm a little obsessed)
Wednesday: yoga

Plus a bunch of stroller/babywearing walks.

Seeing this face when I get back is the best.

 I'm under no illusions that this exercise intensity/frequency will continue, but a couple factors were at play.

1. I forgot to cancel my YMCA membership in time, so I have only a week and a half to get my full months money's worth (it ends Friday).
2. Next week Eric starts coaching basketball so he'll be home later.

Pretty sure they don't even notice when I leave.
Maybe just the one who depends on me for all sustenance.
3. I'm still riding high on the wave of exercise excitement. It will fade.

Don't worry, I carb loaded.
Obviously the runs are all super slow and whatever. My friend asked me if I hadn't posted them on Daily Mile because I was embarrassed and I was like um no I CREATED A HUMAN.

A pretty awesome one at that.
I mean, all that "I am woman hear me roar" stuff before I kind of eyerolled but now that I've done it, seriously, it's crazy. I MADE him.

Well I don't really remember how I planned to tie this together with the title but the other thing I wanted to talk about was my lack of sleep.

Obviously most of us go into this newborn thing with eyes wide open and everyone knows some sleepless nights are involved and that's fine. Everyone tells you to sleep when the baby sleeps. That's good advice. Some of us can sleep anywhere, anytime, and are great at that.



 
I accepted long ago naps were out for me. I haven't napped successfully since '86. I just fail at sleeping during the day. I thought I could use the time change to my advantage though. Dalton was sleeping Sunday night, and I was tired, so I went to bed at 7pm (was the time change last weekend? Maybe the weekend before? It felt later.).

I was up until he needed to eat and didn't fall asleep until 10:30 or 11pm, so that was nearly 4 hours of laying in bed awake. Monday night, I gave up and went to sleep at a normal time. Dalton was up to eat and I put him back to sleep at 2:30am. He was fast asleep.

Not here. This is from his first crib nap. It was only 30 minutes but I was insanely proud.

 
I laid in bed wide awake until 4am. Who ever heard of new mom insomnia? That curse was supposed to be limited to pregnancy. I thought I would be so tired I would always instantly fall asleep, which would be great. Nope. Now I have all the tiredness and I can't even passive aggressively blame my baby and secretly resent him. I have only myself to blame. My body is like "sleep can only occur between the hours of 11pm and 7am and maybe not even then".

I have high hopes tonight's yoga will help. I probably just jinxed myself saying that.
 

 
I had other stuff to say too but this has already taken two days and I don't really remember what I was going to say. So we'll end here.

What's something you can now admit you were wrong about?
 

 

7 comments:

  1. Your blog is seriously enhanced by adorable baby pictures. I don't even care about the words anymore.

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  2. That photo of Dalton curled up on Eric's chest is killing me! His knees practically touch his elbow...to have baby flexibility :)

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  3. You'll be training for a marathon in no time :)

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  4. I am definitely in the camp of working out to feel good (mentally and physically). Although now that I'm back to work, I have to admit I'd like to slim down just a bit more so I can fit into my work clothes. I have a few skirts that fit and a pair of wide-banded pregnancy dress slacks that fit. I just went out this week and bought a new pair of dress slacks in a larger size so I could have another option. So, yes, a few pairs of my jeans fit but none of my dress pants do. Womp womp.
    That photo of Dalton asleep on Eric's chest is the BEST!
    I'm starting to think about moving Jude to his crib at night but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I'll probably just keep him in our room until he outgrows the bassinet (and by then the crib mattress will probably need to be lowered... since my husband just raised it this week. ha!).

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  5. The ladies above are right. Sometimes I forget to actually read your writing, as its importance has been (sorry) usurped by adorable photos.

    But I managed to get through this one, and I would say - I was totally, 100% wrong about Pilates. I thought it was an hour of working out for people who didn't actually want to MOVE. Thankfully, a few hours learning from an awesome instructor-instructor made me see that fundamental mat Pilates should be practiced by everyone, period. Pilates isn't really a hard core workout, but it teaches how to properly engage deep abdominal muscles - thus keeping people safer and more effective in ALL of their workouts (and their life).

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  6. What was it you were wrong about? All I saw was adorable baby pictures - that's not wrong.

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