In conclusion...

Six weeks postpartum today. 8lbs from pre-pregnancy. My son is up 3.5lbs from birth.
I fit into all my clothes (which isn't saying much since I wore my regular clothes my entire pregnancy...), the weight is mostly muffin top and boobs, and just a little extra junk in the trunk. I somehow found that place where I'm able to resist being a glutton for sweets and am eating properly again, so I've stopped playing with the same 2lbs and am a pound under what I was 2wks postpartum. I hope to have lost the remaining 8 in the next 6wks, and then another 4-9lbs by the end of the year (to reach my goal of being 135-140). But really, I want to fit into some of my favorite items again, so if I can do that before reaching goal weight, then whatever!
I've done some interval training and that was fun to mix it up and got me a little sore. As much as I like running in the cool morning air, I actually miss the gym and the equipment. Or maybe it's more of missing the "me" time and not worrying about getting back. I worry about Bauer waking up and being hungry while I'm out now.
Despite not hitting my postpartum goals as quickly as I aspired, I'm really glad I maintained my fitness throughout my pregnancy. I felt fantastic in all facets; physically, emotionally, self-esteem. My birth experience was awesome. And I am way ahead of where I was 6wks postpartum after my daughter.

Victories!

I've been hanging on to several large pairs of jeans in anticipation of needing them again while pregnant (just as I've been saving several pairs of 26s in anticipation of needing them when I get a tapeworm LOL). I went through them earlier this week and they're not just ill fitting, they won't even stay on. But it makes sense. I haven't even reached the weight I was at my first appt at 9wks in my pregnancy with Emberly. So I added them to my Goodwill donation pile, because with less than 14wks left, if I keep exercising and eating well, I'll be hard pressed to gain the 30lbs it would take for those pants to fit!
It felt really good for those pants to not even being close to fitting! Victories. Small victories.
And tracking my food is going well! I'm trying to pay closer attention to the amount of sugar that's added to foods that I wouldn't normally suspect. Some days I'm surprised at how much food I can eat and still come in under 2400 calories. It's all about making healthier choices. Which, for me, is really all about not having the bad choices in the house!

New Goals!

Now that I've completed the half, I've reevaluated my goals. I want to continue to focus on proper nutrition so that I can make the most of the inevitable weight gain and hopefully keep it to 1lb/wk. I took measurements of hips and thighs and I will endeavor to keep them where they are for the duration of this pregnancy. I'm secretly hoping that my thighs might even shrink from more frequent strength training, since I hardly did any the last several weeks (long runs kind of sucked when my glutes and legs were sore from lunges and squats). But, I'll settle for just firmer so that I can strut in my bikini, belly all out!
So to that end, I found a workout OnDemand, Bootylicious Buns 2. There was the jumps that obviously had to be modified (i just popped up on my tip toes rather than actually jumping). But then I was surprised that an inverted kick hurt! You start in side plank position and kick the top leg out. If my ligaments could shout expletives, they surely would've. So I just stayed on the floor rather than getting in the plank position. I felt the burn, so whatever!
Also yesterday I took Emberly to Sees (read: she picked out a piece of candy and I picked out 5 or 6 LOL), and this lady said she needed to get out of there. Because I'm pregnant and I look better than her. I took it as a compliment, as she probably meant it, but then I was thinking, well, what the hell, am I supposed to look fat and frumpy!? I'm glad to be kicking the stereotypes of what pregnancy has to be in the butt!

Half Marathon

Working out can get boring without a goal. And pregnancy in itself has so many built-in excuses to just not make the effort. I decided early on my goal would be a half marathon. I didn't have an event in mind and at first thought that I wouldn't really do one, I just wanted to know I could run that kind of distance. 5k or 10k didn't seem challenging enough since I was regularly doing rigorous cardio for 1hr+.
So I run Tuesday through Thursday at 10min intervals 3x throughout the day. It really helped with my nausea in the beginning. And the fatigue that was exacerbated by my 10hr work days. Fridays and Saturdays I cross train on the elliptical and bike for 40min and do a chest, arms and back routine with weights. Then Sunday is my long run, increasing in distance from 5mi every week. Monday is rest, with a focus on stretching. And I try to do a leg/butt routine on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, but no later in the week because I learned early that long runs kind of suck when your muscles are sore!
I hit a wall early, at 7mi. Eating before and immediately after the long run wasn't cutting it, especially with how long the runs take since I have to keep my level of exertion at a pace that I could maintain a conversation (12+min mi after the first 4mi). I was getting hungry during the run. I really thought about maxing out there, since I wasn't preparing for an actual event. But a mom-athlete friend of mine, Jessica, suggested energy gels. Success! With the energy gels (honey stinger gold and strawberry banana gu being my faves so far), I feel energized and accomplished at the end of a long run, rather than like I just want to eat and pass out.
So, a few weeks ago, I learned about a half near me: Six Tunnels to the Dam. I can take as long as I need to finish because there's no traffic. It's not hilly. And it's March 13th, and I'll be 21wks, perfect timing for me to peak in my distance!

This time will be different!

In my pregnancy with my daughter, I was very focused on getting the birth experience I wanted. I was dedicated and the result was a great home birth. So this pregnancy, I feel very "been there, done that," so on what should I focus? Being fit! I had quickly gained 20lbs before even conceiving Emberly because I was in love, ate out all the time and quit my daily gym regimen. Then I moved to another state, knew nobody and essentially sat on my butt all.day.long. I made sad attempts to walk and do floor work occasionally, but I was soon a water-retaining swollen version of my former self. I gained 41lbs, which actually isn't terrible, if not for the 20lbs I'd gained before.
This time I'm starting out about 5lbs lighter and with a plan!