Getting rid of the "CW"

I have been horrible at updating this blog! I planned to update once a week and have been averaging once a month!

Speaking of commitments I never stick to, I got good news and bad news this week from my doctor. The good news, I’m cleared to exercise! The bad news…I’m cleared to exercise! All this means now is I have no excuse anymore. No excuse to complain about those extra lbs and no excuse NOT to go to they gym, those days are gone and that ship has sailed. And for that matter...I’m sick of carrying this extra Coop-weight, or “CW” as its called in my house. During my pregnancy I was fortunate to gain weight only in my middle, but now that means I still have a lingering pooch smack-dab in the middle instead of distributed all over. It’s unfortunate really, and I’m 90% sure people who don’t know me would think I’m newly pregnant. So I decided it is time for a plan, and I hit up google to find one. Operation: Eliminate CW! Here are some ground-rules I set for myself.

1. I get it; I just had a baby eight weeks ago. Don’t be too hard on myself and forgive myself IF I have an off day or week.


2. Don’t bite off more than I can chew. I always quit when I do that. Find a plan that is so do-able that it doesn’t feel overwhelming.


3. Work in the baby because he goes where I go. Find a plan that I can do with Cooper in tow.


4. No intense dieting. I find eating hard enough throughout the day so some fancy “eat this, not that” plan would be impossible to stick to.


5. Find a weekly plan. As I’m sure you’ve gathered…I need a plan! If I don’t have one I’m stressed and all over the place. Tell me what to do people.

There is tons of information out there and it was fun to read through all the different strategies and ideas. I found a plan that I think is perfect for me! Though it’s targeted for post-partum moms I also think it’s just a great get-back-out-there workout plan in general. It is a 12-week program gloriously coined “Lose the Baby Weight Challenge,” and each week has a plan for 1) exercise, 2) diet, and 3) attitude. I love the part on attitude because I think it is so important to be balanced both physically and emotionally, especially now that life has changed (for the better, but still, drastically changed) since Cooper has arrived. The plan also has “extra credit” each week, which I love. I’m always keeping score! I’m on Week 2, here’s the plan this week:

Week 2
Exercise: Get Moving – 1 hour of exercise (walking, class, video etc), 3 days a week.
Diet: 500-Calorie Dinners
Attitude: Count Your Blessings – Get Focused!

***Extra Credit: Add in one more hour of exercise this week.

[caption id="attachment_144" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Wash Park, Denver"][/caption]

So, wish me luck. I spent my first day on the job on a long walk up to Washington Park, around it, and back. I took a picture on my walk of the view, pretty remarkable. Total walk time 1 hour 15 minutes. I couldn’t think of a prettier time of year here in Denver to start my plan - blue skies and mid-60s. As I count my blessings this week, I am grateful for just that.

Here’s the link to the Challenge:

http://www.babyzone.com/mom/lose-the-baby-weight/lbw-overview_69837

Also, here’s a great link to 500 calorie dinners that I’ve been using:

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/weight_loss_diet_plans/diet_meal_plans/eatingwell_s_500_calorie_dinners

Have a great weekend!