Six Month Check In Part 2 - How Do I Look?

I remember having these grandiose ideas about how my body would rebound after childbirth. I thought that come the holidays (less than two months after Phinn was born) I would "wow" everyone with my fabulous post pregnancy body. I thought that less than four months after Phinn was born I'd be able to run a half marathon. I remember less than six weeks after Phinn was born I pulled out my loosest pair of pre-pregnancy jeans, only to find that when I pulled them up, they wouldn't go over my thighs. I think that's when I realized the road to getting my body back was going to be longer than I thought.

I was itching to exercise, so I tried to start off small by just going for walks but over did it a couple times and ended up laying on the couch with a bag of frozen peas under my rear. (I think that bag of peas were affectionately named mama's bag of butt peas from there on out!!)

After conquering a few short walks with little pain, I moved on to Tracy Anderson's Post-Pregnancy DVD. The first time I did it, I certainly felt it the next day. It hurt to sit up, lift my arms, and carry my baby! I guess that's what happens when you use muscles that were not only rusty but had also been stretched beyond belief. Now, I cannot get enough of her workout. It still kicks my butt (which I secretly love!) and I think I owe it a lot of credit for my physical rebound. I am looking into her Metamorphosis program which is 90 days of workouts semi-tailored to your body type.

I started really running at the beginning of the year in hopes of completing a half-marathon in March and then begin training for a full in November. Well as you can imagine - and as fellow moms know - having time to get in a decent run can be pretty impossible. Some days you feel like you have a better shot of winning the Powerball! I will say that I have gotten much better about making the time because you eventually learn that is the only way it is going to happen. I have added a treadmill to my wish list to help me squeeze in more runs, especially longer ones.

Whether or not I run a marathon in November is still up in the air. I want to run because it will help me meet a lot of my personal goals, BUT I do not want my family time to suffer because of my crazy training schedule. I have given some thought to just doing the half and putting the full off for another time. I may be able to convince my mom (and current running buddy!) to do the half with me which would be lots of fun. I just want to keep running as enjoyable and stress free as I can.

As the weather has improved, I have also gotten much better at running outdoors. Phinn and I take BOB out daily- three or four days for runs and the other days for long walks. I try to get my exercise in first thing in the morning. It seems to get those happy endorphins going and makes for more productive days.

Well between my workout DVDs and running, my body is looking more fit again! I think it started around month five that I actually began to feel like my exercising was paying off. I dared to try on my more fit pre-prego clothes and they fit - nicely! I didn't have to lay on the bed to button my jeans or do lunges to give myself some breathing room ;)

Post Pregnancy Transformation Weeks 2, 3, 7, 8, and 11

There are some things that I still haven't quite adjusted to such as having boobs. For whatever reason, they make me feel like I look bigger. I also have some pretty terrible stretch marks on my stomach. I have used creams and what not but I figure there isn't a whole lot I can do for those until I'm done having kids. I'm adjusting to the loss of bikinis (not that I was ever a huge bikini beach/pool goer with my fair complexion!) and wished that I would have had the confidence to rock my baby bump in a bikini last summer. Oh well! At least super sleek, sexy retro one pieces have made a comeback!! One piece options have come along way from the one-piece with an attached skirt days of our moms - thank goodness!!

Five months post-pregnancy

So it has been six months and it has been a hard and at times frustrating journey to get my body back and I'm by no means done yet BUT I am feeling healthy, feeling fit, and fitting into those skinny jeans which is an added bonus!

Stay tuned for some up-to-date pictures! ( I have been slacking on taking pictures of myself, but I'll get someone to snap a couple before I run tomorrow.)