100 Day Journey

So I've been reading this book about being a mother, being successful and getting your life on track. One of the things the book promotes is developing a 100 Day Plan. I am a sucker for life strategies and the secret and Tony Robbins and all that bullcrap. And so of course I LOVE the 100 Day Plan.

So rather than making a list of 32 Things I Want to Accomplish Before 32, the book recommends I take 3 goals to accomplish in the next 100 days. I then work backwards until I can identify three things to do on a daily basis to accomplish my 3 goals.

Tomorrow is my Day 1.

One of my goals was to lose 50 pounds. That's right 50! That is baby weight and then some. In order to start tomorrow out right, I cleaned out my fridge and bought food that I'd have time to eat (the baby still doesn't afford me a lot of time to make meals). I had one last unhealthy meal. And now I am announcing to the world that recess is over - it's time for me to GET BACK ON TRACK!

I'll keep you posted.

Find My Way

When I lived in LA, I stumbled upon a hip hop dance class at my gym (Bally's Hollywood). It was AWESOME. I LOVED it! Every Friday night at 7:30pm I ventured into the class, which was filled with some professional dancers (I mean, it was the Hollywood Bally's) and some regular folks like me (and one old woman who wore a leg brace and seemed content to just move around in a circle while we did our routine). We worked on a piece of the routine every Friday night and eventually put something together. We danced to B2K's "Can You Handle It" and Mr. Cheeks' "Lights, Camera, Action (Remix)". I wasn't the best dancer (and thanks to the old lady I wasn't the worst), but I had the BEST time every Friday night in the class. I still remember some parts of the routine, 7 years later . . . and I was SOOOO disappointed when Dartanion (the instructor) stopped teaching the class and it switched to salsa.

Now, it's 2009 and I stumbled upon another hip hop dance class at my gym! I went for the first time tonight and it was AWESOME. Now, it's a new routine every night and we dance to different songs but it is a GREAT way to burn calories, work up a sweat and just have a good time! I am so excited. Vernon (the instructor) is a lot of fun and again, I'm not the best (I might be the worst but I'm not sure) but I am excited to be doing something fun for physical activity again. When exercise is fun, I'm all about it!

I just hope I do not go in one day and find that Vernon has left and that Friday nights are now for Iyengar Yoga or something else trendy at my gym . . .

Sunday I'm trying bellydancing!

GOAL!

When you're embarking on a weight-loss journey and you speak with one of these "experts" (who range from a nutritionist to a personal trainer to someone who has just lost 50 lbs) they will almost always tell you to have a goal.

Historically, I have tried to set goals. Lose 20 lbs by my 30th birthday. Fit into that black dress by Kelley's party. Get some definition in my arms for my sister's wedding. Needless to say, this has not been a successful method for me.

However, I am going to try again. I just decided I would fly down to LA in about 8 weeks. In addition to seeing my family, I decided I would see some friends I hadn't seen in a while . . . last time I saw them, pregnancy was not even a thought in my mind. And now post-baby, I am suddenly motivated to make this my goal.

While I am not quite physically ready to jump on the treadmill or lift some weights (besides the whole childbirth recovery process and exhaustion, I'm on medication that requires I be careful physically for fear of internal bleeding), I am suddenly excited that I have a new goal. And I figure it might be better to have something that is smaller and more meaningful than just "lose the baby weight."

It's pretty simple - I just want to fit, comfortably, back into my pre-pregnancy jeans. All of them. I put some on last night and they were NOT comfortable. They hurt. I'm back to the "I Can't Fit My Pants" status that I was when I first started this blog.

So, while I wait for the baby to sleep more at night (he becomes quite the party animal around 3am), my stitches to heal, my blood to clot normally so I can touch things without bruising, and the weather to warm up a little (seriously, snow in the Bay Area?), I am getting ready to get accomplish my goal!

Pray for me . . . for real . . .

Bjornin' Around

Today I tried out the Baby Bjorn. Yesterday, I spent some time, in between naps, adjusting it to myself and then I tried my baby in it for about 15 minutes. He seemed to enjoy it. So we ventured out today to the bank to get some quarters for the laundry.

He loved the Bjorn! Fell asleep immediately. I was excited. For me, it was a little bit of a struggle. I don't think I had it positioned quite well on my back and so it was kind of painful (even now, several hours later). I also was paranoid that I would somehow get the one defective Bjorn in North America and it would collapse and he would fall out. I was so paranoid that I kept my arms around it while we walked - which might've defeated the purpose of the Bjorn, but made me feel better. Perhaps eventually I will get over it . . .

Anyways, I was quite proud of myself. I got some good physical activity (we walked about 2 miles), he got some sunlight (as well as a good nap). I also noticed that we got a lot of smiles from strangers as well as little kids who craned their necks to get a look at the baby.

Killed 3 birds with one Bjorn today . . .

Heidi Klum is the Devil

The supermodel Heidi Klum had a baby 6 weeks ago. And last night she was featured at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show looking like she had never given birth and strutting around in lingerie. Headlines from magazines scream at me, reveling in her 6 week weight loss. Heidi says that all she did was use the resistance ball and eat right. Or some bullshit like that.

Heidi Klum is a b*tch. Heidi Klum is ruining EVERYTHING.

All the pregnancy books say, "Relax - it took 9 months to put it on, it'll take 9 months to take it off." But now we have Heidi Klum running around, bragging about how it took her a month and half. How can I live up to that standard?

Damn you, Heidi.

Today's Adventure

This morning I discovered I absolutely had to run to the drugstore and I couldn't wait for my daily relief person to come relieve me so I can run personal errands (or take a nap). I decided I'd just have to take the baby with me.

So I go to get his carseat together and I discover that I cannot release the carseat from the stroller (I have one of those travel system things). Then I cannot find the instruction manual for the carseat to direct me on how to separate it. Meanwhile I have a baby who cannot stand to not be held and I'm trying to figure out the model number of the damn carseat while it's stuck in the stroller, hold my baby so he doesn't scream, and search the Graco website for some online instructions. Of course the Graco website tells me the model number is underneath the damn carseat. Of course. This helps me little as the damn thing is stuck in the stroller . . .

I wanted to cry. I might have a little.

Finally, the baby gave me 5 minutes and chilled in his Boppy and I managed to get the carseat out, figure out how to appropriately strap him in and get us both ready for our first non-Kaiser trip.

And since I am in the middle of OBW (Operation Baby Weight), I decided to walk to the drugstore instead of driving. I fed, diapered and burped the baby, and put him in his now cooperative carseat. He cried for a few minutes then relaxed and off we went.

Not only did I get some cardio, but I got some resistance training in (I live at the top of a hill and pushing a stroller/carseat and baby up a hill is not the easiest thing)! The baby woke up briefly when we made it home, but otherwise he was well-behaved.

I like him already . . . such a team player . . .