Weight Loss Update and Progress Pictures

I finally started back at the gym two weeks ago and I'm loving it. I definitely should have gone back a little sooner, but Finn will grow fast and I can't get those moments back. I've even started to run/jog on the treadmill which I was scared to do at first knowing I hadn't run since 36 weeks pregnant. But it actually wasn't that bad and I ran about an 11min mile which is pretty decent since I ran it consecutively and didn't have to stop constantly. I will admit that my hips felt a little off, which the midwives told me they would and my recovery period is a little longer than it use to be haha. Before I could take a day off after a hard workout and I would be fine, but now I'm still pretty sore after skipping a day to recover. My goal is to work out 3 days a week which I have reached these last two weeks. This coming week I probably won't get to the gym at all since we are leaving at 5am Wednesday to go back home for Thanksgiving and won't be back home to Vermont until Sunday. This unfortunately leaves me little to no time to go to the gym since I work Monday and Tuesday 7-5 (deadline at the paper is killer) and Monday may even be longer than that. I may try to leave at 4 on Tuesday so I can get in at least 45mins at the gym, but we'll see how my deadlines are. Anyways, here are my updates!

16 Weeks Postpartum (oh and not stretch marks, they're scratch marks thanks to my sensitive skin!)

13 Weeks Postpartum

41 weeks pregnant = 185

8/21 weight = 160

9/6 weight = 156.6

9/20 = 154.2

11/1 = 147 

11/21 - 143.8

Weight Loss in three weeks = 3.2lbs

Total Weight loss since 8/21 = 16.2lbs

Weight Loss to go = 8.8lbs

Goals:

9/30 = 155 MET

10/12 = 150 MET

11/21 = 145 MET

1/31 = 140

3/31 = 135

Goal Measurements by 4/24 = These are all my pre-pregnancy measurements except for my bust
Bust = 36in (still nursing)
Waist = 25in
Hips = 36in
Thighs = 21in

Starting measurements 9/22=

Bust = 38in [2in to go]

Waist = 30in [5in to go]

Hips = 41in [5into go]

L Thigh = 23in [2in to go]

R Thigh = 23in [2in to go]

Measurements 10/30 =

Bust = 36in GOAL MET [although this measurement changes depending on the last time Finn nursed!]

Waist = 29in [4in to go]

Hips = 39 [3in to go]

L Thigh = 22in [1in to go]

R Thigh = 22in [1in to go]

Measurements 11/23:

Bust = 36in GOAL MET

Waist = 28in [3in to go]

Hips = 38 [2in to go]

L Thigh = 21.75in [.75in to go]

R Thigh = 21.75in [.75in to go]

Working Out While Pregnant Take 2!

I'm 34W5D pregnant and boy has my fitness routine changed since the last time I posted on it!

First, my shin splints are now pretty terrible no matter what. I still manage to run intervals of 2mins on, 2mins off but I am definitely more winded now compared to a couple weeks ago. I can only do about 20mins of intervals and then I walk for about 10mins. I tried just doing inclined walking, upping the incline by 1 every minute until I hit 10 and then went back down to 1. But even then I was getting pretty bad shin splints around 12 minutes. So back to intervals it was since its the only way I don't get shin splints.

Oops! Waaaay blurrier than I thought, but here ya go - me at the gym this morning!

I still lift, and I've even increased my weight from 6lb dumbbells to 8lb dumbbells.  But again I take more time in between sets to catch my breath and wipe the sweat dripping down my face! It's certainly a challenge because all I want to do is go for a relaxing run on these beautiful days and I can't because there is no such thing as a relaxing run anymore, ugh!

Me after the gym at 30 weeks before doing 5min on, 2min off intervals for 35mins. What a difference 4ish weeks makes!

I'm just hoping that all the women who tell me that working out while pregnant makes for an easier and faster labor and delivery and a quicker recovery weren't lying to me!

Running While Pregnant

Yep, that's me in the orange tank there finishing up the Boilermaker 15k a few years back!

I haven't always been a runner. In high school I was on the track team beginning in 7th grade and ran the 400 hurdles and since I was a dancer the hurdles were really easy for me but I hated running more than 400 meters. That was until my senior year of high school when Tom was in college so I decided to start to go to the gym. I began running a little and actually started to skip out on track practice early so I could go to the gym to workout and run (I was a treadmill runner and was too embarrassed to run outside just yet). I had always been a size 6 but once I started running I really noticed a change in my body and dropped to a size 0/2 even though this was never my intention. I ran throughout the summer (still on the treadmill of course) and when I went to college that fall joined the crew team where we had to run to practice everyday and so began my obsession with running. I actually quit the crew team after my freshman year since I would run 7 or 8 miles before practice because thats what I really wanted to be doing. I loved to run and loved to run in Ithaca along the lake and on the trails. I ran a marathon 2 years ago and loved training for it (the run itself was the worst run of my life but I still did pretty well). And I am by no means a fast distance runner - pre-pregnancy I ran between an 8:30 to 9 minute mile depending on the distance.

Me and Tom with his sister Jess (on the right in case you can't see the resemblance!) and a friend after the Boilermaker and before the many beers we consumed courtesy of Saranac Brewery.

So naturally I wanted to continue running through my pregnancy. In the first trimester I was so tired but managed to get myself to the gym to run at least a few miles and at least two days a week. I could barely run five minutes though because I was soooo congested. Once I was in my second trimester and I wasn't as congested I could run much longer and usually run about 3 times a week and total around 10-12 miles in a week. However, it was like the second I was pregnant I couldn't run nearly as fast, like my body just wouldn't let me no matter how badly I wanted to go faster. The body just knows you can't go as fast and shouldn't go as fast so it doesn't.

Tom and I after the many beers post race under the finish line!

My runs have been great this trimester up until about two weeks ago. I went for my first run outside (I live in VT and hate running in the cold so I am stuck inside for at least 4 or 5 months) and within the first half mile I was getting pretty terrible shin splints. The only time in my life I have ever had them before was once when I was training for my marathon and was running outside on rough snow. I stopped four times throughout my short three mile run to stretch them but no matter what they came back. I thought maybe it was from running outside and my shins weren't used to it. I ran inside the next two days and was fine but then last week I had shin splints when running inside all three days - some days worse than others but I had them nontheless. I ran this morning on the treadmill and again had shin splints. It is making my runs MISERABLE and runs are usually stress relievers for me but this is more stressful.

Tom and I after the Disney Marathon except he was crazy and ran the Goofy marathon which means he ran the 1/2 marathon on Saturday and marathon on Sunday!

Is it time for me to hang up my sneakers already? I thought I could at least make it to 30 weeks running and then run/walk the rest of the weeks, I never imagined giving it up so early on. Has anyone dealt with this too or know what I can do? I'll be so sad if I can't run for at least a few more weeks. Oh, and I already stretch my calves and shins daily to help but it hasn't so far. Any advice is helpful!!!