Body After Baby {Getting Back into Shape & Cutting out Meat!}

I've been writing this post in my head for quite some time.  It was important to me to get down onto paper what it is like to get back into shape and feel good about myself after having my 3rd baby.  Whether you just had your 1st baby, 3rd baby or even if you don't have any babies, you CAN get back into shape and love your body. No, it won't be easy, but it CAN be done if you want it bad enough.  As Moms, our biggest complaint is that there is not enough time.  There's never enough time to get it all done.  Our to-do lists are never ending whether you are a working Mom or a Stay at Home Mom.  With that being said, no one else is going to motivate you to make your health and fitness a priority.  Sure, others can *inspire* you, but *MOTIVATION* comes from within.  

After I gave birth to my 1st baby, I had gained 50 pounds.  I was able to bounce back pretty quickly, but I made working out a huge priority.  I taught Stroller Fitness classes, which I loved, and I even trained for a half marathon with my jogging stroller.  I strongly believe that my oldest daughter's love for fitness and being active comes from the fact that she was constantly around it!

Sonoma and Me

I was featured in American Baby Magazine with my weight loss after baby #1

After I had my 2nd baby, I had gained 43 pounds the second time around, and it was hard to lose the weight, but I did it.  I even started a fitness blog to help me stay on track.  Running with a double stroller became my absolute favorite thing to do, and 4.5 years later, it is still the BEST workout and my favorite, can't live without baby item.  I have had my Double Bob for 4.5 years and run with it at least a few times a week.  Even the days I just have Blakesley with me at the gym, I always take my Double Bob.  It's amazing.

Sonoma, Me and Cora

 Flash forward to now....I just had my 3rd baby.  I gained 55 pounds this time around, had a horribly rough pregnancy and was not allowed to exercise during it.  

9 months pregnant the third time around!

It has been a struggle to get back into shape this time around.  Once I got cleared at the 6 week mark to start workouts again, I knew I had to start slow.  I wasn't doing a whole lot, really just running and walking with the double stroller.  I was beyond out of shape and felt gross.  My pregnancy recovery was ROUGH.   It was right around the 5 month mark post -partum when I still had about 15 pounds to go and I couldn't take it anymore.  My half-ass workouts of running and doing my own workouts were NOT cutting it.  I wasn't pushing myself, and I wasn't making workouts a priority. I love group exercise classes, but the times didn't work for me to go at night with Marcus' schedule.   I was busting my butt as a Mom to figure out life with 3 kids while running my own business, and dealing with the unexpected death of my Dad.  I was ( and also still am ) exclusively breastfeeding.  I do not pump....I always have my baby with me and she doesn't take bottles.  I was barely getting by on a day to day basis so how in the world would I make consistent, hardcore workouts a priority??  

The answer was simple....I would make them a priority because to me, my health and fitness ARE going to be a priority.  I took myself into my gym, had a complete fitness and health assessment and met with a trainer.  I saw the numbers....the weight, the body fat percentage, my fitness stats, and was truly excited to change all of that ASAP!  Starting on Monday, February 6th, I started working out with a personal trainer at my gym late at night, after all the kids are in bed.  Throughout my life, I have worked out with a lot of different trainers.  Trainers from my college days, trainers from my Colts days, NFL players, you name it....a LOT of them.  I told my new trainer that I was not new to fitness, I didn't need to be treated like a baby, and that I really just needed someone to kick my butt, yell at me and come up with a HUGE VARIETY of FRESH workouts that will help me shed this baby fat!   After 6 weeks, I was seeing such incredible results - I had lost 10 pounds, 4% body fat, and developed muscles and strength that I hadn't seen in years. He is the best trainer I have ever had.  So, I  decided to start working out with him two times a week instead of once. 

Has it been easy?  No.  I have to plan my workouts around breastfeeding my baby, and a husband who works and commutes in the city.  And 2 others kids who have activities and schools, and my business, my house, etc.  The list goes on and on.  I've had to arrange for a babysitter on the nights when my husband has meetings, but I can tell you this:  It has been WORTH it.  I needed someone to develop an intense workout plan that focuses on strength and variety and weight lifting.  Lifting is where it's at if you are trying to shed the pounds and build lean muscles.  Cardio alone will NOT do the trick.  I am blown away by my results and the strength and confidence my amazing trainer has instilled in me.  Aside from my 2 crazy intense weekly workouts with my trainer, I have been running on the other days and doing my stroller workouts on the inside track of my gym ( it is still pretty cold and windy up here ).  I also go to Zumba every Sunday, and I have the Beach Body On Demand app for my iPad so I can do my own workouts whenever I want from home! One of my best friends, Stephanie Ertel, is a Beach Body coach and has been incredible, offering support through her online challenge groups.  She hooked me up with my Beach Body on Demand app with the access to all my home workouts.   I also did a 3 day Refresh Cleanse just two weeks ago, in which I lost 4 pounds and 2 inches off my waist! I LOVED the cleanse and felt so great about myself from the inside out when it was all said and done.  Contact her if you are interested in any Beach Body products or support groups! 

This baby carrier is SO heavy, but I know that these days are so short lived.  I will some day miss lugging this around.  It's a part of me and my daily life.  

Me and Cora before I went on a 3.2 mile run in the neighborhood

My oldest, Sonoma, ( far right ) is a HUGE source of my inspiration.  She is a Level 4 competitive gymnast and her strength, motivation and dedication is truly like none other that I have ever seen in a little girl her age.  

Fierce and fast.  #goals

B & Me

Sonoma always wants to compare muscles.  She's got me beat though.....she can do 7 unassisted pull-ups.....

On my way to the gym but first giving baby a quick bath and putting her to bed

 In an attempt to start the new year off with a different approach to our diets, Marcus and I started following a pescatarian diet.  After 3.5 months of having NO meat, and only fish, we are so happy with our decision.  I don't see myself eating meat again anytime in the near future.  We are also leaning more towards a vegan diet.  We actually don't eat as much fish anymore, and we have stopped consuming so much dairy.  We are still eating cheese and some eggs.  At first I wanted to do something different for myself, to be healthier and lose weight, but now the concept and idea of eating a PLANT BASED diet, is SO MUCH BIGGER than just myself.  What you eat affects everyone.  This article was so eye opening:

I also found this article interesting:

Adults Should Not Be Drinking Milk

 From an emotional standpoint, Marcus and I both feel a lot better about not eating meat.  I feel better about not being a part of supporting the horrible things that animals go through.  From a physical standpoint, I feel incredible.  I am not tired and I am not sluggish. ( and I am STILL up with a baby and other kiddos in the middle of the night!  I do NOT get enough sleep, maybe 5 or 6 hours max).

 If you start doing research on all the professional weight lifters and athletes who eat primarily a plant-based diet, along with results and stats on how it has made them a better athlete or stronger or faster, it truly is incredible!  (Hello, Tom Brady, the oldest non-kicker in the NFL, but definitely doesn't look like it or feel like it)   Not to mention, the biggest and strongest animals on the planet are herbivores: elephants, gorillas and rhinos.  

Marcus and I get 3 Hello Fresh vegeterian meals delivered a week, which help us tremendously with saving money on grocery shopping, saving time with meal planning and we don't ever waste food from Hello Fresh.  If you want to try it out for free, I sometimes get free meals to give away to friends.  Let me know and I will add you!

In conclusion, I feel better about myself as a Mom, a Wife, and a Human Being when I put my health and fitness first.  Eating a primarily plant based diet along with working out on a daily consistent basis makes me feel good.  Making my children's health and diets at home a priority, has also been something that I am proud of.  I realize when they are out and about, the older they get, the less I can control, but at home, they eat healthy.  And, they have been raised to make healthy choices when they are out and about. My middle daughter always says she wants to be healthy and eat more fruits and vegetables.  You, go girl!

 Love your life. Love your Body.  Feel good about what you put into your body.