Part 2: A will & A way

Where there is the slightest will, there is always a way!  How many times have you heard this eye rolling trite remark? Sure it’s a cheesy stale familiar cliché but I believe it deserves a healthy come back!  I have used this as a go to theme during the rapid changing phase of my 30’s!

Hopefully you were inspired by last weeks post.  A glimpse into my life in the fat fast lane.  My journey to remain FIT despite living in the corporate fat rat race!

A little background information is that I skipped the freshman fifteen and went for the sophomore seventy.  Not really, but I did  put on about 20  pounds.  I could see it and feel it and worst of all, my clothes had disowned me.  Nothing FIT.  I had to put and end to it and so I did.  I had a will and I made a way.

I located a gym off campus and made friends with the treadmill.  I was way to intimidated to enter the weight room, so I parked it in the cardio area for almost 8 months.  Changing my eating was detrimental so I broke up with pizza for a long while.  In hot pursuit, I gave up chips, cheese, red meat, salad dressing and found new ways to eat.  I began feeding myself protein rich foods such as tuna, chicken, turkey and vegetables.  What do you know folks…it worked.  My clothes were falling off as a result I was dropping sizes. I felt stronger and more confident.  I eventually graduated to the weight room and hit up a few bicep curls and lunges.

All of this back story insight is important because it outlines my endurance and hard work.  I wasn’t  about to let some corporate job wreck or rob me of my new physique. In circa 1996 I met my Mr. Chicken Fry .  We were young, madly in love and as a consequence were engaged and married in Sept of 1998.  I stayed faithful and FIT as a fiddle.  Just after we celebrated our 3 year anniversary I found out we were going to have a baby! due to arrive in September.  

Whoa Nelly…pregnancy? This was going to be a whole nutha story.  Although I had maintained over 6 years of weight loss and a FIT lifestyle I was scared to death.  I had the baby blues and I was barely preggers.  Was I going to blow up like a big balloon?

I was determined to be the most FIT pregnant person I knew.  I kept my mind focused on all the FIT fabulous women and celebrities who had come and gone before me.  For starters, my mother and the majority of all my close friends.  I took a close look at Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Brooke Burke, just to name a few.  All of these FIT females had uber healthy pregnancies, birthed healthy babies and managed to lose the weight.

FIT Pregnancy

I was excited and a bit nervous but there was no going back.  Mr. Chicken Fry done knocked me up.  My OBGYN doc told me I could easily put on 30 pounds and to her that sounded reasonable¿  HUH? Did she just say with a straight face? THIRTY flipping pounds?” Was she even serious?  I was internally freaking the freak out.  “Keep it together Angi, you’re having a baby, the weight will come off, it’s not about you, it’s about the baby.”  “My gosh I’m going to be a fat monster, what have I done?, whose idea was this?, why me?”  It’s all good, breath, I’m having a real baby…a baby that’s going to make me a big fat mess!”

Talk about an array of emotions and that was just on day one.  Despite my ginormous boobs and my growing belly, I only had one major melt down during the long 9 months.

• With doctors approval, I vowed to lift LIGHT weights with a lot of reps and do power walking cardio to keep myself physically fit and strong.
• I would try to maintain a healthy eating regime and stay the course.

For almost 8 months I did it.  I can honestly say I feel like I gave it my best shot.  However month 9 was rough.  Suddenly out of no where I craved Doritos’ and chocolate ice cream.  At that point what was a few extra pounds…after all, I’m having a baby!!!

I never ceased some form of physical activity.  My doc was dead on, I gained approximately 28 pounds total but by the time I came home from the hospital I was 35 pounds up from my start weight.  This 35 pound reality, subconsciously had me in a mental deep corner and somewhat lead me further into torrid addiction that I had with the scale.  

Baby Blues

I have also experienced the post pregnancy baby blues and the terrible twos.  I was in labor for about 15 hours. All was fine and dandy and I delivered a 5 pound 7 ounce baby girl.  HUH?  What?  How did I gain 30 plus pounds and only birth a 5 pound baby?  How could this even be possible?  Another mental blow and what’s more, due to unforeseen urgent complications after delivery, I had severe total body swelling and massive water retention.  To top it off, I was exceptionally weak and iron deficient from hemorrhaging for 3 hours. Partner all of that with a new born premie, the onset of post partum depression and severe sleep deprivation!  It was an ugly ugly time. Baby girl was born at the end of August therefore I set my sites for Christmas.    I had mini milestones such as getting back in my jeans,  but the ultimate goal was total weight loss, lean muscle and feeling good in my clothes. Where there is a will there is a way. 

• I listened to my doctor and more importantly my BODY!
• I had to get healthy and take care of me so I could perform and be a functioning mother. I had to rest, sleep, and eat iron rich nutritional foods. I took the full 6 weeks before I attempted any form of exercise.
• Stamina was a must. I had to push myself to stroll the mall, the side walks and not over analyze my poor endurance level.
• I purchased three sets of dumbbells 5,8,10. From the comfort of my living room, on Week 8 I took up weights!  5 pounds was a blow to my ego but it was all I could muster. I kept it simple. Curls, triceps, squats, lunges, flys, push ups, planks and crunches.
• When baby girl was age appropriate, I joined the local YMCA and hit the gym. Day care baby,  I had an hour and a half all to myself. I could read a book chit-chat or get to moving.  With arms wide open, the elliptical and treadmill welcomed me back like an old friend!

Four months later I was good as new ! The pics below show my steady progress.

October

November

December and New YEAR – I did it!  I got back into my jeans and clothes…the gift that keeps on giving!  And look at my baby girl…!

 

T&T: Toddler & Turning Thirty!

This was the year I would be 30 years old.  I would be thirty with a new toddler.  I had a new goal, I wanted to sculpted lean arms and legs.  No more baby fat.  Terrible toddlers are busy. The second she started walking it was game on. I was so thankful to be healthy and strong and able to keep up with my bouncing bundle of joy.   What I had not anticipated was the chase and grab and go lifestyle. I vividly recall the days of cramming down a few handfuls of Cheerios, swig of milk and call that breakfast.  I have been in the car with a screaming toddler.  Stop the madness by soothing with a trip throughout the drive through for salty French fries to appease the baby monster in the back seat.  One for mommy one for baby.   Some days are all about survival.  I’m in a hurry rushing to who knows what and the toddler is melting down.  Newk some mac and cheese and keep on trucking…oh I’ll have a bite. It was a slippery slope. I got off the path and took the moguls. If baby girl turned her nose up to boiled eggs and oatmeal so be it. Mommy would  make three meals.  Where there is a will there is away! 

• Tuna for me, PB&J for baby doll and often times I left Mr. Chicken Fry hanging and on his own.
• I battled the cheetos temptations by packing pretzels and nuts for all of the play dates,  park visits and mall outings.  All the places new mom’s clock into their circuit of fun!
• I kept my coveted training appointment. 3 days a week like clockwork. No wind rain or snow could keep me away!
• I did yard work.  Pulling weeds, planing flowers and or pruning the bushes is not for the weary.  It’s active and it works!

Curveballs

Well unless baby girl was sick.  I remember and know too well what it feels like to spend weeks (WEEKS) at a time at home on gray cold dismal days with a very sick child. My sweet baby at two years  had a febril seizure which lead us in the door of some incredible pulmonary doctors who diagnosed our daughter with RAD reactive airway disease. When baby girl got sick it wasn’t a simple day or three, it was a two to four-week ordeal. I would go stir crazy tending and feeding an anxious medicated toddler.

• I purchased workout DVD,s and tore it up in my when she as resting.
• I found a way to be active and I played with her and used her body weight. Squatting and lunging with her on my shoulders, lifting  her off the ground.
• Hide and go seek in the house.
• Sucking on low sugar pop cycles and edamame.  Popping vitamin C like candy to keep my immune system strong.
• VEGTABLES and peppers!
• CHORES – I went to town on my house. I swept,  mopped,  ran the sweeper, dusting, cleaning windows and shelves, wiping counters and mirrors down with all of my might!

Today I’m 43 years old and I haven’t changed much.  Sure I have slipped and indulged a time or three.  I slack and let more slide than I use to.   Sure I have battled the menstrual period water bloat and vacation bad eating habits.  But all in all, I pick back up and start again.  I fixate on a goal and find ways to FIT FITness into my life.

So…have you found your will?  Let me help you find a way!

Love, make a way and start today!  

Angi

xo