Work Out!

I realize I made a very public promise to myself that I wouldn't start working out until late summer, but recently I decided to modify the promise a little.  Looking back I realize that after I had Chloe I was in no condition physically or emotionally to be working out.  It was just so hard for me to go back to work.  It's not like it isn't hard for me this time around.  It is just that this time around I'm used to it.  It is what I have been doing for two years, and, if I'm being honest with myself, it is a heck of a lot easier for me than staying home. 

I think the real problem is that after I had Chloe I thought that working out for a few weeks was going to transform my body right back to its old self.  I whipped out my old wardrobe and tried on every pair of pants on a daily basis.  It was just so damn depressing.  What I didn't realize is that it is difficult to lose weight when you are breastfeeding since your body needs to hold onto extra fat.  I know they say you lose weight when you breastfeed, but that isn't entirely true; you just burn more calories.  The downside is that you also eat more calories, because you are ravenously hungry.  Always.

I realize, though, that I need to start working out if I'm going to have the energy to keep up with my kids.  This time I'm not working out to lose weight.  That would be a great side effect, sure, but my main goal here is to just get to a healthy place both physically and emotionally.  I don't want to feel as though I don't have any energy in the evenings even though I have been sitting in a chair all day.  Also, I don't want to mope around complaining about how fat I am while I sit and eat my third piece of pizza.  Cookies anyone?

So a few weeks ago I decided I would train to run the 5/3 River Bank Run 5K.  After running a few days I decided to ask my great friend and fellow mopey mother, Mo, if she'd like to do the same.  To keep things fun we decided to meet once per week for a TRX class at Allegro Coaching.  The class is great for strength-training, and we leave feeling so sore that it is the perfect motivation to keep working out all week.  I can't wait to see the muscles lying under those layers of fat.  I can feel them after every work out!  It is really fun, and I can already feel a change in my attitude.  I'm still wearing my trusty maternity pants, and I don't even care.  I'll get there, and I'm not worried about when.