Hai!

Just lurking, eating, resting, eating, spring cleaning, gardening, eating.

My weight has been anywhere from 158-164 depending on how many carbs I've had; probably my 'real' weight is about 156-157-ish. We'll see when I'm a few days in to my next diet phase. Which I'm starting Sunday--gonna be 7 weeks of Lyle's Ultimate Diet 2.0 (aka UD2). It involves 4 diet (PSMF level cals) days, 2 refeed days, one day at moderate cals, 2 depletion (high rep) workouts, a medium rep workout, and a low rep workout. Not a beginner's program! I'm looking forward to the challenge.

Hey! Yeah, I've seen you in Lisa's journal. I don't go to the gym, either--all my lifting is done in my extra bedroom. I started with just some adjustable dumbbells, added a bench, then a barbell and plates, and eventually broke down and bought a squat rack with safety bars--best fitness investment ever.

However, you can get great results with just dumbbells (and a bench really helps). I always recommend people start with a full body routine 2 or 3 times a week, every other day, like the full body sample routine in my signature. We have been told by the fitness industry to do endless reps with high weights, all these different exercises, daily, and it's such a crock. All you need is to do the basic lifts (variations of squat, bench, row, chin), with whatever modifications you need for your own fitness level. Always strive to improve, either with weights added, reps, or sets.

Once you put together a full body routine with exercises you like, stick with it for at least 6-8 weeks. After a week, you should start feeling strong and powerful, and after 2 weeks, you should be noticing that your muscles are starting to feel firmer. Having a good diet plan is key--melt the fat off of those muscles so you can see them.

Patience, consistency, and time = results!

Oh, thank you! That's so cool to read. I'm not done yet--7.5 weeks to deadline!

Ahhh! Let me know if you still have trouble--we had to set registration to "mod approval only" since we were getting hit so hard by porn spammers. Sometimes, if the username looks strange, the mods might mistake a real person for spam. If you (or anyone else) is still having trouble registering, PM me and I'll get you right in.

I'm glad you're finding it helpful already!

Ack on the job front--that insecurity sucks. If you can get to that gym, though, that'd be so great--nice to have time to yourself.
<blush> Thanks!
Yeah, it is interesting....sucks big-time, but I suppose it's worth it. Depends on if the spawn are behaving or not.

Jacki!! GREAT to see you! I know it's frustrating....and you can look back in my journal and see that when I got back into lifting 6 or 7 weeks postpartum, I could barely do body weight squats--and only could do them holding onto the bars of my squat rack, It gets better pretty fast. Really, you're still in the early stages of healing--by the 6 week check-up you should be feeling better/stronger, and by the third month you should be feeling pretty good, almost normal (ASSuming baby is sleeping through the night by this time, as most are). Don't put pressure on yourself right now, just do the easy stuff to allow your body to use it's resources to heal. Your uterus is still going back to normal size, your ab muscles need to firm up and shrink back, all the extra blood/fluid/blood vessels and Support Stuff need to be resorbed. It takes time and in the meanwhile, you'll feel weaker.

How is the rest of the family taking to having a baby in the house? How are YOU taking to it?

Yeah buddy! I hope to be one of those feisty old ladies.

Sounds awesome! I can't wait to see how you do on this. Be sure to post up a few sample workouts. I'm curious to see what they look like. BTW, Have you been enjoying your maintenance week?

Yeah I guess I'm just pushing myself too hard. My stomach is almost completely back to where it was (well kind of.... ) prior to baby. There is some extra skin but mostly on my lower tummy, still have that dark line down my stomach, (does that go away??) but other than that I'm feeling pretty dang good.

One thing I'm really struggling with is figure out what is giving baby gas?? I've finally eliminated all SF candies and chocolates and stuff since that might be the culprite, I heard that bread can (I'm only eating ezekial bread so it's not like there is flour in there, just sprouted grain) and caffene and soda's. Wow I fell almost completely deprived. HA! But I just can't take seeing baby so uncomfortable for hours at a time....

Other than that we are adjusting fine. DH was home for almost a week prior to going back to work and I've been alone with her since then. So it's a struggle getting everything done and getting enough sleep if you know what I mean.

Of course almost all the snow is gone and we went for a walk yesterday and now the ground is completely covered again, it looks like freakin October out there.....SIGH.

Anyways...I hear little one crying again better get.

Ok, Ms. Dane, I just had to share...you know the batwings that most of us have at a certain age? Well mine are dissappearing. Yes maam! And my ab muscles...I can feel them! I lost a 1/2 inch on thighs and arms! OMG, so excited had to share! Thanks for being so supportive I really appreciate your motivation and excellent advise!!!!!!!!!

Oh when I hug you...no wings!

Hope you dont mind my 2 cents but just had to comment as a two-time mommy!

Yes, the dark line does dissappear! And have you tried "Little Tummys, Gas Relief Drops"? You can get them over-the-counter and my doc recommended it for my 15 month-old when she was an infant and it really helps! In fact, I still give it to her when her tummy is upset.

Good luck, take good care of yourself (we moms have a way of neglecting ourselves) & congrats on getting your tummy almost back to pre-pregnancy!

Morning!

Jacki, I totally agree with Lisa (2BFlawless)--the anti-gas drops really help. I gave my babies liquid Mylanta for kids--basically any preparation that has simethicone in it. Ask your pharmacist or pediatrician. The stuff I used said give it several times a day for the first few days and then just once or twice a day as a maintenance dose. It really helps, but keep in mind that young babies' digestive tracts are still maturing, and the first 3 months tend to be the hardest. Then it's like boom, the fourth months starts and all is well.

I didn't get the dark line down the belly, so it's good Lisa chimed in here. Great to know it disappears! Hope the loose skin eventually does, too.


That's so cool!! Keep doing what you're doing and we'll be bikini wearing women together this summer.

I have been--lots of good food, not much lifting. I've been lazy....so it's good to have the strict plan coming up. I'll definitely post all the details, similar to how I posted for the PSMF. At the end of each week is a power workout, basically full body 3-6 sets each part for 3-6 reps, and this is where you try for PR's (personal records). So it'll be neat to see what I can do with it.

Official start date is Sunday, wheeeee!

You're going to Rock it like you did everything else!! Good Luck

Cant wait to see your new plan Dane! Kristine's right, you will rock it hard!