Kat's Playbook

Posted in: Body after baby, Running, The Drive, The Shed on Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 3 comments    

Ready.....Cue the music:

Posted in: Body after baby, Deep Breath, Flex it up, The Shed, Yay for Yoga on Sunday, October 31, 2010 at 0 comments    

Posted in: Belly, Body after baby on Friday, September 24, 2010 at 2 comments    

Posted in: Body after baby, Flex it up, The Gym, The Shed on Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 4 comments    

Posted in: Body after baby, Inspire, Running on Wednesday, May 19, 2010 at 7 comments    

I am READY.  READY to Rock and roll. 

Posted in: Body after baby, Running, The Jams, The Shed on Friday, May 7, 2010 at 4 comments    

Alright everyone...in SIX days I am running a marathon.  (My second marathon....first post-baby marathon), and I am in need of some new JAMS to listen to and get me through those 26.2 miles.

So give me your ideas.  What songs keep you moving?  What songs get you all pumped up and ready to go??  I seriously like everything from ACDC to Run DMC to Britney.  Here's a few from my playlist just to give you an idea of my randomness:

Posted in: Body after baby, The Jams on Monday, May 3, 2010 at 6 comments    

Posted in: Body after baby, Goooals on Sunday, February 28, 2010 at 1 comments    

For example - Oil and Vinegar at Subway.  Cut out that oil.  Has way too many calories, and realistically all I really want is the flavor of the vinegar.  

Posted in: Body after baby, Motherhood, The Shed on Friday, February 19, 2010 at 2 comments    

How did I do it:
So yes, it was definitely a slow start.  I had expected to be out running in a couple of weeks, forgetting the fact that most doctors tell you to wait for exercising until 6 weeks.  So feeling how different my body was post baby, I was in total Shock!  I did desperately asked my Dr for the clear to start working out before the six week mark.  He said, "Just stick with what you know, don't push yourself, and listen to your body."  DONE.  

1.  Get Moving:  I have always been amazed at how much weight contestants lose during the first week on the Biggest Loser.  Not that I was a 400 pound mother, but I took the same reasoning.  Normally, 10 minutes of stretching or walking a few blocks was not a "work out" to me.  But during the first few weeks...oh it counted!!  Every damn step!!


2. Write it Down:  I keep track of all work outs in a Google Calendar.   Super easy, I can check it when I check my email, and I can "share" it with Gator Guy to keep me on task and hold me accountable.  As I just now looked back to my work out calendar, I saw that my first "work out" was during week Three.  This week consisted of: 

• Monday - 10 min work out video
• Wednesday - 1 mile walk
• Thursday - 20 min Jillian work out video
• Friday - 20 min on Arc Train (similar to an elliptical)
  

So as you can see...BABY STEPS.  But the fact that I wrote it down helped me see the progress I was making.
    

3.  Pick it Up:  Just shortly after my "take-it-easy-work-outs", I began...TurboJam!!!  This truly was a challenge (and a lot of fun too).  I was shocked at how my core muscles turned to MUSH...absolute Mush. You would think that carrying around my Octo-momish-belly would have strengthen something.  That's a Negative Ghost Rider.  And so, Chalene Johnson, her perky encouragement, and crazy dance moves really got me moving and the pounds dropped quickly!

4.  Make the Time:  I was always so worried if I would have the time to work out, get everything done, and be a mom.  But the truth is, you just Make the Time.  Some of you are probably thinking that I must not be as busy as you are.  And that may be true, but it was important to make working out a priority for both myself and Gator Guy.  Between going to the gym, working out at home, going for runs, and adding the flexibility to do this at any time of the day (including after Mr. T goes to bed)...is just how we Made the Time.

5.  Know your Numbers:  I didn't want to be obsessive about it (like how Gator Guy weighs himself before and after going to the bathroom just to laugh at how much he just "dropped off"....I know...Gross).  But I did weigh myself on Tuesdays.  Biggest Loser Tuesdays.  I figured there is nothing like sitting in front of the TV for TWO WHOLE HOURS to remind myself that I need to get my butt off the couch and weigh in.  I would also record measurements of my arms, legs, boo-tay, and waist.  And yes the waist included a standing-up-straight-Posture-Measurement" (a.k.a. suck it in as if I was out in public), and the relaxed-no-one-is-looking measurement. 



Finally, By month 3 my workouts (4-5 times per week) consisted of:

• Turbo Jam
• Boot camp class at our local rec center (1 hour of kicking my ass!)
• Back to running (1-3 miles).  Did this with and without my IronMan Jogger.  I would even throw in curls with the jogger, lunges and all kinds of extras to do on the road with Mr. T
  
• Yoga (Someday I will get to be a yoga champ like my good friend E, but for now, its here and there and helps me relax)
• Stairclimber (walking up straight, turning to each side, and then backwards will get all different sides of your legs.)
• Stationary Bike
• Weight lifting (however, during month 3, most of my weights were during my boot camp class
  

Posted in: Body after baby, The Shed on Friday, January 15, 2010 at 3 comments    

So everyone told me NINE months to put the weight on... NINE months to take the weight off.  During the first two trimesters of my pregnancy, I thought: Yeah freaking right...it won't take ME nine whole months.  I had planned to train for a marathon in October 2009 and  I laughed when The Dad said, "You just wait until you surpass Gator Guy's weight".  Again: Yeah freaking right...not ME!  I remember looking back at The-Greatest-Mum-in-the-World saying, "the Doctor said 25-30 pounds, so that is what I am going to stick with."  HA.

A BIG FAT HA, I  now say to my 20-weeks-pregnant-self and to my close to octo-mom-ish-self.  (And then I cry a little bit).

The truth is...I gained more than the recommended 25-30 pounds....DUH.  Put a girl on bedrest for 7 weeks and not only does that belly continue to grow, but so does that Boo-Tay.

Total weight gain: 50 big ones.

So here I am NINE months after Mr. T joined our little family, with all 50 big ones outta here...gone....history!!  And yes, those of you keeping track, it is a little more than NINE months, but I wanted to make sure I could get through the holidays successfully....which I did.  Yay for me!

So yes, I will take my AW (Attention Whore) moment, and give myself a huge pat on the back.  I have never been big on compliments and quickly change the subject when given one.  But when people would say I looked great post Mr. T, I proudly said, "Thank you, I have been working really hard!"

So long 50 big ones...

Stay tuned, because I will fill you in on How I Did It.

Posted in: Body after baby on Sunday, January 10, 2010 at 8 comments    

When you look up the definition of Poise, it states:

1.        a state of balance or equilibrium, as from equality or equal distribution of weight; equipoise.
2.        a dignified, self-confident manner or bearing; composure; self-possession
3.        steadiness; stability

But what does Poise mean to me?  PAIN. Absolute PAIN.

So leading up to the Big Birth Day, my sister-in-law reminded me that I should pick up some pads.  Very. Large. Pads. Now, I have to admit that it has been since I was 12 since I last purchased or used pads, so I didn't really know what I was looking for.  But I figured the bigger the better.

Here I was in Target, looking at all the different pads out there, when I very quickly decided on a box of Poise.  Quick...because I didn't want anyone to think I needed Depends, nor did I want anyone to ask me when I was having my twins.

Fast forward to our new family of three back at home:

Gator Guy and my Super Mom both heard me yell out from the bathroom, "Get. The. Vicodin."

You see, there is a difference between sanitary pads and Poise pads.  The difference is what caused me PAIN.  The difference, is that sanitary pads just soak.  Poise pads....PULL moisture.  Yes....Think about it.  Especially those mom's out there, think about it.  And especially those that had freaking stitches like I did...think about it...and cringe.  PAIN.

Posted in: Body after baby, Postpartum, pregnancy on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 3 comments    

That's right.  The moment is here.  The moment I am going to regret....The moment I am going to  post my belly 7 days after giving birth.

Let's just remind ourselves the before shot at 38 weeks...defying gravity, looking very octo-momish:

And now the 7 days after...

That's right, you can be officially grossed out with me.  And what does it feel like you ask.... Bread dough.  Mushy gross disgusting bread dough. And again, I ask you to please remind yourself of my rule #1.  Because you have to be honest, if you saw the bread belly in public, you would think...aww, how cute!! I wonder when she is due??And then I would proceed to kick you in the shin.  So again, please remember rule #1.  

But you wanna know what I was the most excited about:

Posted in: Belly, Body after baby, Motherhood, Postpartum, pregnancy on Monday, November 30, 2009 at 5 comments    

So I have a rule.  A rule that all men, women, and children should learn and follow religiously.

Rule #1:  DO NOT ask a women when she is due, how far along she is, if she is having a boy or girl, or anything else to do with pregnancy UNTIL YOU HAVE CONFIRMED THAT HER BUMP IS A BABY BUMP!!

And trust me, this is very easy to confirm.  If you give just a little smile...a little smirk, a glowing pregnant woman will smile back because she knows you have noticed that she is growing an exceptionally smart baby!   BUT if she looks down at the ground, turns her body, or ignores you in away....WALK AWAY.  Do not speak.  Do not even gesture.  This means that she is either not pregnant, or so ginormous and close to the end that she wants no conversation at all.

I was very close to violating my rule at Baby Gap, when I was about to ask the sales attendant when she was due.  And THANK GOD, she quickly made a comment about her 2 month old baby.  (Whew, that was a close one).  However, this just reconfirmed my importance of the rule.

Rule #2, DO NOT ASK WHEN SHE IS DELIVERY HER OTHER TWIN

So here we were...on cloud nine...after 48 hours at home with our newest addition, and leaving our house for  Mr. T's doctor appointment.  Gator Guy and I stood proudly in the lobby waiting for the elevator.  Soon, an Idiot-of-a-woman walks up and asks:

"Oh, how old is he?"
We both say, "4 days old.",  (Damn we are good, already responding in unison)

Idiot-of-a-woman looks at me kind of funny and then asks, "So then did you have one twin and still need to deliver the other?"

WOW...surely she is just being sarcastic (and rude), and yet she didn't stop there...
We both just laughed not knowing what to say or how to answer.

Idiot-of-a-woman then asks, "No really, so do I take that as a yes?"
OMG - Holy crap... she was f-ing serious. Who says that?!?
I said, "Nope just one baby", biting my tongue trying not to laugh and thanking my hormones that I'm not bursting into tears.
And yet she was still not done...

Idiot-of-a-woman looks at Mr. T again and then asks me, "So....then is he yours?"
"Yep, he's mine, and I still have the baby bump."
She says, "Oh well, I guess it does take time for that to go down. Well congratulations."

Yes congratulations....congratulations to the Idiot-of-a-woman who did not get a kick in the shins, punch in the face, tripped in the hallway, or a bucket of tears as the hormones could have taken over.  Congratulations to me for handling myself like an adult and just walking away...hysterical, and glad that Gator Guy was there to whiteness  such an act of idiotness.


And please stay tuned...because I will soon become brave (or stupid) and show you just what a belly 2 days after birth looks like.

Posted in: baby, Body after baby, Hormones, Motherhood, Postpartum on Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at 2 comments