unfortunate change

A few weeks ago I was finally able to comfortably wear a pair of jeans I could wear before I was pregnant. I've been going to zumba classes a few times a week and trying to cut down on the amount of sugar I eat.

I'm not really a diet person. I don't like having to measure out my food, count calories, or put certain foods off limits. If I tell myself I can't eat something, then that's all I want to eat. I figure if I stay active and eat healthy foods then I'll be ok.

What I haven't really thought about is how my body has changed since having a baby. I kept blaming it on just being overweight before I was pregnant, being pregnant, and then not losing the weight after I had Blake.

But now that I've lost a few pounds, I've realized my body has changed. Unfortunately. So now I get to play "This fits me here, but not here. Oh and let's not bring attention there. Or there."

I already hate shopping so this "new" body I've discovered is not really helping. At all.

I'm totally in favor of this (7:57-8:30...or the whole thing if you need a good laugh):

I think I could rock a one piece silver suit with the V stripe and boots...

You know it's a bad day to workout when...

1 minute into your workout you get your hair pulled out by a workout band. Stupid workout band.

At least someone can use it without getting hurt.
 (I know. His outfit doesn't match. It's just going to be one of those days.)

Adventures in Yoga Land

Soooooooo I'm on a quest. This is a quest many a mom has undertaken. I'm on a quest to lose the baby weight...and some extra poundage I was lugging around before I found out I was pregnant. I actually like to workout...when I'm in shape. I enjoy lifting weights and feeling sore the next day. But when I'm not in shape, I dread working out and hate anything that makes my heart rate increase or that makes me feel out of breath. Here's the problem: the only way for me to enjoy working out is to get in shape, which requires a lot of being out of breath. So any way I slice it, I have to go through some not-so-enjoyable times to get to the enjoyable (and smoking hot body) times.

So I decided when we got back from our vacation, I would start working out. I really want to do P90X because I, like many other people, am a sucker for late night infomercials and truly believe this can help me get in shape. My family has the P90X workout program so I wanted to borrow it. Then certain members of my family decided to get into shape, so that plan is out the window for at least 90 days. My sister was telling me about the workouts and said that you have to jog in place during certain intervals. I'm not sure if that is the ideal workout program for me since I live in an apartment with tenants below us and I'm certain they would fear their ceiling was about to cave in if I start jumping around up here.

Typically in my work out past, I've enjoyed high energy workouts. I like doing step aerobics, kick boxing, and even the dreaded boot camp. It seems like the sweatier I am, the better I feel about myself. So generally I've stayed away from yoga because it doesn't seem very high energy, and it seems like only vegetarians and granolas do it. I need some bumping club beats or instructors yelling at you to step it up in order to feel all "worked out". (Although the only time I've ever done yoga I thought I was going to die, so I know it will get you in shape.) The only work out dvd I have is Yoga for Mom and Baby. Since I don't even know where a gym is and wouldn't go to the gym if I had a membership because I'd have to go by myself, I'm going to have to get in shape at home. So what better way than to do yoga with Blake!

Today was my first time using the dvd. It started out really well. I was sitting on my mat with Blake, holding him in my lap and breathing deeply. Now it was time for the first stretch which required me to lay Blake in my lap. So what happens when your baby doesn't want to lay in your lap, Ms. Calm Yoga Instructor Lady? Well this is what happens: I paused the dvd, looked at the clock, realized it was nap time for Mr. Yoga Baby, and promptly laid him in his crib. He eventually went to sleep and I continued Yoga for Mommy and Baby...minus Baby.

I liked doing yoga today because now I feel like I've done something to help me on my weight loss quest, but I don't think this dvd alone is going to help me get in shape. Some of the poses were relaxing, others were slightly more difficult. Like this one:
I've started eating healthier, and with Blake eating fruits now I'm trying to eat more fruit as well. Also, living in a city without a car means we walk everywhere, which is good for my thighs. So even though yoga didn't go as I had planned today, I'll try again tomorrow, probably not so close to nap time...and not so close to when Blake finishes eating. Because there's nothing worse than being all relaxed and yoga-y and having a baby barf on you.

On a cuter, less weight related note, here's my baby in the tub, so nice and clean:

Dear body,

I was just writing you to ask where you're hiding. Every time I look in the mirror it seems you are missing. In your place there is someone I don't recognize. She's usually wearing baggy shorts and a t-shirt. And flip-flops. There's certainly nothing wrong with shorts and t-shirts. I was just wondering if you were ever going to come back? I'd love to see you whenever you are in town!

Longingly,
Whitney

Billy and the treadmill Part Deux

I have come to realize that there is a small percentage of the population who insist on using treadmills improperly. After telling my mother about Billy and his treadmill adventures (see Billy and the treadmill post below) she scolded me for not helping the young man learn how to use the treadmill properly. She told me that most people don't go to the gym because they don't know what they are doing and don't want people staring at them while they try to figure it out. I tried to assure her that I didn't stare at Billy. I just really really wanted him to figure it out for himself. It's like teaching a child how to walk. You can help them but ultimately they have to do it on their own.

So yesterday during my visit to the gym there was a gentleman who decided that he wanted to get some cardio in on the treadmill. He had a choice of three working treadmills and one not-so-working treadmill. Of course he chose the one that was not working. In his defense there was no sign on the machine saying it was broken. So how did I know that it wasn't working? I think the most obvious part of it's non-functionality was that the treadmill was basically sticking straight up in the air. Whoever used it last had set the incline very high. Apparently the treadmill stopped working while it was still set on an incline. When the guy stepped on the treadmill the belt started to turn because the emergency magnet was missing (another sign that the treadmill is broken). So the guy stood on the sides of the treadmill and worked his way to the top only to find he couldn't actually get the treadmill to run. So what does any sane person do at this point? Step on the belt and ride your way off the treadmill! Luckily this guy chose a different treadmill and was able to figure out how to use that one.

I'm sure there will come a point in time when I am standing on a treadmill trying to figure out how to make it work. It seems inevitable.

Here is handy checklist to use when determining if a treadmill is broken:

If you answer yes to any of these questions, the treadmill is broken so move on to the next one:

1) Is the emergency magnet/card missing?
2) Is the treadmill still on an incline even though no one is using it?
3) Is there a sign on the treadmill that says it's broken?
4) Are chunks of the belt missing?
5) Is the treadmill on fire?

Billy and the treadmill

In a previous post I talked about the effectiveness of treadmills and ellipticals. I've been using an elliptical during my workouts and I feel like it's actually working. I guess I just needed to push myself a little harder. On an elliptical if you slow down then the machine slows down. On a treadmill that's not the case unless you push the button to decrease the speed. If you don't push that button and decide to slow down then you'll be in trouble.

Speaking of treadmills, recently I had a rather hilarious adventure at the gym. I took my position atop one of the ellipticals and started my workout. I selected the weight loss button because I trust the manufacturers of this machine to know how to make me lose weight. I began my workout and was well on my way to burning a few hundred calories when I noticed 2 guys walking into the gym. They didn't really look like gym buffs and because of the events that soon transpired I think it was one of the guys' first time.

One guy, we'll call him Jimathin, decided to use an elliptical. I don't see many guys using the elliptical. I think it's been stereotyped as more of a machine for the ladies although I'm not sure why (maybe it's the idiotic arm movement that is associated with working out on this machine and the thought that "real men run".) Anyway so while Jimathin is working out, his friend Billy decides he will try out the treadmill. Billy gets on the treadmill and is looking over the equipment trying to figure out how to make it work. Instead of simply pushing the "on" button he decides the best thing to do is remove the emergency magnet thus rendering the treadmill useless. Once the magnet is removed the treadmill will turn on but the belt won't turn. Billy tries everything (except putting the magnet back) to make the treadmill work. He even goes so far as to place is hands on the bar that sits in front of the display and force the treadmill belt to move by pushing with his feet. He actually got going at a pretty good speed but could only keep it up for a minute or two.

I kept waiting for someone to go over and show him how to use it. After about ten minutes (seriously) of powering the treadmill with his own force Billy decided he'd had enough and moved to a different part of the gym. I was still on the elliptical when I saw Billy return. This time he decided to use a different treadmill. I'm sure he was thinking, "Maybe this one will work. They should really fix that broken one." When I saw him get on the treadmill I literally thought, "Oh good he'll figure it out this time." Sadly he did not. As soon as he could he removed the magnet. When I saw him do this I actually got angry! Although it was none of my business how this man worked out, I wanted him to figure out how to work the treadmill because it was so simple! So he does his little push the belt with his feet thing and then gets off. I decided that I would help him by getting on a treadmill and showing him how it's done. By the time I got on the treadmill Billy had moved to the stationary bike ( a pretty self-explanatory machine...and no magnets). I got on the treadmill anyway hoping he would see that they do in fact work when the emergency magnet is in place. I'm not sure if he saw me. And I guess it doesn't really matter.

to run or not to run...

In case you are like me and spend more time researching exercise tips rather than actually exercising you may find this article enlightening. As I trudged up the stairs to the weight room I tried to psych myself up for my routine mile run on the treadmill. (Yes only a mile. I'm trying to build up my stamina. I think I might actually have exercise-induced asthma. (http://health.msn.com/health-topics/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100096604&GT1=31036) Anyway so I walk up to the treadmill and noticed that the little emergency magnet thing was gone meaning the treadmill would not work. To my slight dismay I noticed that only 1 of the 6 treadmills had the magnet thingy attached and was actually working bu was currently occupied. So I decided I'd have to use the elliptical machine. I always feel like I'm wasting my time on that machine because A) I feel like it only works my legs and doesn't get my heart rate up and B) I look like an idiot when I'm on it. To me it doesn't really simulate running. It simulates me looking like an idiot. Alas I climbed aboard the elliptical and started idioting (I can't call it running. Maybe it's more like ellipticalling.) I worked up a pretty good sweat but didn't really feel out of breath.

I decided once and for all that I would find out if the treadmill was better than the elliptical motion machine. Check out this article for the down-low on treadmills and ellipticals. http://ezinearticles.com/?Treadmills-vs-Elliptical-Trainers---Which-Gives-a-Better-Workout!&id=116198 (Personally I think the author is pro-elliptical making the article slightly biased. My research continues.)