The Revival of The Gym Bunny

I figure it's time I revived this blog. I sort of fell away from it mid-pregnancy. I'll be honest, I wasn't feeling particularly Gym Bunny-like during pregnancy, so blogging about fitness just didn't feel right. I'm weird, I know. But I gained more with this past pregnancy than I did with my first two. I gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl we named Farrah Madison, so every lb was worth it, but it is very hard to accept post-pregnancy. I am now about 10 weeks postpartum and still looking at 25-30 lbs to go until I am back to my pre-pregnancy weight. No, don't check your eyes, that's right, I said 25-30 lbs. Yeah, what you are supposed to gain in pregnancy. I went beyond that number by 20-25 lbs. So the good news is I've lost 25 lbs or so in about 10 weeks, but I still have a daunting task ahead of me. I know myself well enough to know that I WILL lose it all, but this summer has definitely been a downer...all I want to do is cover up!

That being said, I'm trying to keep my spirits {and motivation} high...because if I depress myself, I'll only end up procrastinating on working to lose this weight. In the past 10 weeks, I've done many 2-3 mile walks with my son, Breckin and baby Farrah...as well as trekked over the Cooper River Bridge a couple times a week {quite the incline, especially when pushing a stroller!}

 I've been doing a hybrid of T25 and Insanity. I've been going to the gym {albeit not as much as I'd like since I have to wait until Farrah is 12 weeks to take advantage of the childcare}. It's been challenging to fit it all in while being at home with my 8-year-old son, Tanner, my almost 4-year-old son, Breckin and a newborn...but it's important to me, so I have to make it happen.

I have a few goals that I've made for myself over the next few months...and a plan to achieve them.

#1...First and foremost, drop the last of the baby weight and get back in my pre-prego clothes. Once I reach this milestone, I can fully dedicate myself to my other goals, but working toward my other goals is what is going to help me lose that weight, if that makes sense.

#2...Train for and run my first half marathon {aiming for the Charleston Half Marathon in January 2015}. I will begin a better running schedule once my oldest goes back to school mid-August {leaving me more opportunity to fit it in} just to work on getting my feet wet in running again. I will do a few 5Ks. I plan on starting a half marathon training program about 16 weeks out from the race {around October}.

And now, this next one is a big one. But I wholeheartedly believe I can achieve it if I really put my mind to it and have my support system {family and friends} to help me through...

#3...Compete in an NPC Bikini Competition. The schedule of shows for 2015 has yet to be posted, but I'm thinking somewhere around June/July is when I would like to do a show. In January, I will decide what show I am going to work toward. I will choose one close to Charleston. This will take a lot of hard work in the gym {we're talking 5-6 days a week at around an hour and a half each time} and a very strict eating plan. But I really want this. I chose bikini because it is the most feminine of the categories to compete in. I will have to be 8-12% body fat. I know if I put my mind to it {and my glass of wine down for a while} I can do it. I plan on charting my progress on this blog, so I hope y'all will follow along and support me in my journey. I just let my husband know that I was going to strive for this goal and he is behind me 100%. So hopefully by this time next year, I will look more like this:

 

It seems unbelievable, but so many women have done it.

Anyway, that's all for now...stay tuned as I keep you up to date on my postpartum weightloss progress.

Feeling Comfortable In My Own Skin

I'll be the first to say that my body is nowhere near perfect, not quite where it could or should be, and that despite my workout efforts and {for the most part} good eating habits, I still struggle internally about where my body is physically, all things considered. And before anyone says anything - this is not a fish-for-compliments post. I know there are people out there who think I look awesome {which I totally appreciate}, just as much as there are people out there that don't {which I can totally understand}. This is truly about how I feel about myself.

I have battled with my bad body image tendencies for years. I am somewhat thankful for that in a messed up way, because I think that if I hadn't hated so hard on my body in the past, I wouldn't work as hard as I do now...and I will admit, I feel a lot better about my body nowadays than I ever did as a teenager, even after two kids.

I guess I've always felt I had something to prove. Never the prom queen type, not the thinnest, not even near the prettiest...I was just sort of somewhere lost in the middle of it all. I didn't find myself to be highly noticeable, despite my love for attention {middle child syndrome, anyone?} I could go on an on about the stupid fad diets I've tried, the eating disorder tendencies, the pills...I've done it all. {Not in a LONG time, but if you've heard of it, I've probably attempted it.} But that's not what this post is about, thankfully I'm past all of that, however, it does give you an idea of the lengths I've been willing to go.

So where does that bring me now? Well, I still come down hard on myself a lot. Although, I have come a long way in terms of my body confidence - I mean, that picture in the right-hand column took a lot of guts to put up. I even look at it sometimes and cringe, wondering "does anyone think I'm sorta fat in that pic, or that I think I'm ridiculously hot, but not?" See, that's the ugly side of my mind. Immediately negative about myself {note: I do NOT think I'm ridiculously hot...at all}. But nonetheless, I'm glad I posted it because I'm a visual person and that picture reminds me where I am {which ain't that bad I suppose} but also that I've got some improvements that could be made.

So what point am I trying to get to? Well, I'd say for the most part, I generally feel pretty good about my post-two-babies body. I know I've worked hard and continue to work...and that makes me proud. I also have a husband that compliments me daily, even if I have trouble accepting the compliments some days. He makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world. I'm lucky for that, because I never have to worry about working hard for him. He's happy with me as-is. He'd even take me 20 lbs heavier. The person I worry about working hard for is me. I think I weigh so much of my happiness on how I look in outfits, bikinis, au naturel...what the weight scale says...or whether I'm having a "fat" day.

These last few weeks, I don't know what it is...maybe 30 is actually hitting me physically or something, but all of a sudden, I'm extremely aware of my not-quite-as-tone-as-it-was tummy. It's like one day, it decided to stop being flat and pop a little bit. WTF...I first thought it had to do with something menstrual, or post-vacation shit...but I keep waiting, and waiting, for it to go back to "normal". And, it hasn't. I sit and feel like I have a beer belly {maybe more of a wine belly, to be accurate}. I hate that extra baby fat layer...it's like you can grab it and tell the doctor, "This is what needs to go, here, I'll hold it while you cut."

To make matters worse in my self-loathing pity party that just won't quit, one of my Facebook friends, whom I drank with every now and then at the bars downtown back in the day {she was a party-er!} now has abs that look like this {she's my age and also has two little boys, one that is under 2}:

Yeah, she posted this just the other day and my jaw dropped! I mean, I knew she had become a personal trainer in the last couple years, but seriously, mad props to her for getting to this...she must have been so motivated and determined, because that shit takes REAL work. My first thought was, "she must not drink anymore!" Then I thought, maybe I shouldn't drink anymore either. At least a lot more sparingly than I do.

Point is, I could have spiraled further down my "body image funk" phase that I've been going through, but seeing this, well, it sparked the opposite. I want this. I want my hard work to SHOW. I am going to do whatever it takes to eat clean, cut the drinking {so long to my beloved vino} and shred down to the body I know I can have.

But first, carving out the time, and dedicating that time, to fitness.

I put in my two weeks' notice with my gym job last week. Three days a week waking up at 3am and working til 8am, then heading straight to my 9-to-5, was already hurting me physically due to lack of sleep, but more importantly, it was cutting into what would be my gym time. I would always say on those days, I'd just come back after 5pm to get my workout in, but more often than not, I'd get sidetracked with something else, things would come up, errands needed ran, and quality time with my family trumped it too. I'm a morning workout person primarily. Get up and get it out of the way type of girl.

Time to get my confidence back and be the fitness freak I know I can be. Feeling comfortable in my own skin is #1.

The Pinterest Fitness Board Challenge

OK, let's be honest...you know the deal...just about everyone who has a Pinterest account also has one of their pin boards dedicated to fitness. And you know the running jokes out there about it:

Yep, you get it. You pin the workouts, but do you ever really DO them?

I have 196 fitness pins on my I ♥ Fitness board on Pinterest - some are just motivational quotes and such, you know, but some are some really great workout ideas. While I've done a few, I definitely haven't tried nearly enough, or nearly close to all.

What is the point of pinning the workouts if I never end up doing them?????!!!!

Well, that stops here, people. I'm going to challenge myself...and I'm also presenting this challenge to you.

Do ONE Pinterest workout from your board per day until you have done them all. {You never know, you may discover one you really like and want to use a lot!}

I will keep you updated on my challenge progress - and which "pins" I'm doing each day. You are highly encouraged to present this challenge to your followers on your blog. All I ask is the following:

1. You use the "Pinterest Fitness Board Challenge" Logo in your post and/or your blog's sidebar and link back to The Gym Bunny. Link your post to the linky tool below. You may also link your Twitter and Facebook so we can all follow each other through this challenge.

2. You follow my blog via one or more of the following {all links in column to the right}:

• Facebook
• Twitter - use #pinterestfitnessboardchallenge on any post pertaining to the challenge
• BlogLovin 

3. You recommend your followers to follow me as they join in on the challenge as well.

As you complete each pin on your board, add the hashtag #pinterestfitnessboardchallenge to your pin's description. 

4. Make update posts on your blog to let us know how you're doing, what you're doing - and even post the pins themselves in your post for us to see - maybe we'll find a new workout pin to add to our boards for the challenge! 

5. Have fun and stay motivated!

So that's it! It's really not a lot - it's up to you! If you don't yet have a fitness board on your Pinterest page, I recommend that you create one! 

So here is the first pin on my pinboard that I plan on taking on today {and it's a doozie}:

 

Feel free to pin this one to your board and take it on as well! Good luck!

The First Run Is Always The Hardest

This weekend, I decided I should just go for it and hit the pavement. As I mentioned in Thursday's post, I wanted to start this week getting prepared for my half marathon training, though my official training start date is July 1st - 16 weeks out.

Even though I'm in the gym regularly on the elliptical or treadmill, this was just so different. Here's how I did:

Yeah, crappy.

I had only planned on running about two miles anyway, but still, I just did not feel in good running shape at all...plus I was not in A/C like at the gym...it was very hot and humid {thank you, SC}. I am so far from where I was just six or so months ago when I was training for the half marathon I didn't end up doing. I know I'll get back, but man, what a hit to the ego this was. I'm not going to let it discourage me though...I know I will improve with time and that is what training is for. I've never been much of a "runner" - it's a totally different kind of fitness for me. Put me in a dance studio and I could go for hours, but when I run, sometimes I feel like I might die. I'd like to be someone who runs regularly - if I could run a consistent 20 miles a week, I'd be satisfied.

I also think a those running results had a lot to do with the fact that a) I went out the night before and had a few drinks with friends, b) I didn't drink as much water  that day as I should have and c) my body was not properly fueled with the right foods.

Anyway, I know I've got a long road ahead of me {pun totally intended - hehe}. It's more of a mental challenge than anything. I know the endurance will come, but it's the mental battle that I have the hardest time breaking through. I have to find ways to not get bored - gorgeous scenery, great music, etc.

My plans this week and going forward are to:

a. Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day and cut back on alcoholic beverages during training.
b. Be a bit more strict on my diet - only consume what will fuel my body and cut out unnecessary calories.
c. Plan out my run times so I can know what to expect and thus keep up with my running schedule easier.
d. Stay motivated and not get discouraged!

I'm using Map My Run to plan my routes and RunKeeper to track my stats for each of my runs. If you're new to running, training for anything, or just looking for some good fitness apps, I highly recommend these.

You Snooze, You {Don't} Lose

Weight, that is.

For many people, fitness is hard to squeeze in to the often busy and hectic lives we live these days. A lot of us start the day rushing to get the kids and ourselves ready for the day, then rushing to get everyone to their respective destinations and at times may not return home until there's just barely time left to get a meal on the table. Where does a workout fit into this kind of life?

Well, what I just described above is pretty much what my life seems like most days. Especially now that it's summer time, my kids are in their daycare and day camp and then the hubs and I each work all day. After work, there's usually an activity, or beach time, or pool time for the boys...and then of course managing to get dinner on the table and get them through their bedtime routines. So when am I working out amidst all of this?

That's AM, people.

That's right, I have to start before the hectic day even begins - while everyone else is still enjoying themselves in dreamland.

On M, W & F, I actually HAVE to be out of bed by 3:30am because I am my gym's opener those days and have to be there by 4:30am {an extra side job I picked up that gave me the perk of a free membership}. So what I've been doing is waking up a half hour earlier to get there at 4am and do some cardio before I start. It's not a full workout, but it gets that out of the way and I normally find time to get some strength training in later in the day.

On Tues and Thurs, I get to "sleep in" until 5:00am. I get ready, get to the gym around 5:30-5:45am and workout until 6:45am. I get home around 7am to relieve hubby and let him get to work while I freshen up and finish getting the boys ready to head out the door at 8am.

It's not easy. On Tues and Thurs, I definitely want to hit the snooze and just tell myself I'll workout "later". But I know that I might really not if the day gets away from me or exhausts me completely. So what do I do to make it easier for myself to just get up and go those days?

1. MOVE THE ALARM CLOCK AWAY FROM THE BED
This is key for me. I read this advice somewhere once and thought, "now
 that's genius". If I actually have to get myself up and out of bed to turn off the buzzer, I'll be likely to just stay up and go. After all, it's the getting up that is the real battle in the first place.
  
2. SET OUT WORKOUT CLOTHES THE NIGHT BEFORE
If I can make it so I have to do the least possible in the morning, I am more likely to go. I don't have to rummage through drawers in the dark or try to find the right gear.

{source}

3. SHOWER THE NIGHT BEFORE
This might not be for everyone, but if I'm already clean and ready to go, that is that much less time I need in the morning to get out the door and to the gym. Otherwise, I'd need to get up 15 min earlier than I already do. I jump in and rinse off really quick when I get back from the gym.

Good news is, your body tends to get on a new schedule in two weeks time, so hopefully it will only get easier and easier for you to roll out of bed. I hope some of these tips work for you if you decide to be an early riser for your workouts.