The Fitness Plateau

Congratulations on losing those pesky pounds! Now you are ready to focus on your ideal shape.  This is not the time to get complacent.  Shedding the extra weight was really the easiest part.  Cut back on calories and do some cardio a few times a week and the pounds will melt away.  But now what?  Don't go backwards!
Now it's time to look toward new goals.  Don't get hung up on the numbers on the scale at this point.  Once you have hit a healthy weight, it's time to focus on how you feel, how you look, not your weight.
After shedding my baby fat, I decided that I really wanted to spend some quality time in the gym and tone up.  I joined an Anytime Fitness and started my routine.  This particular gym has been great because it's literally open, "any time!" I can go when the kids are in bed, early in the morning.  I may have even popped in there on Christmas Eve!  I love it.  After doing a nice routine of strength training and cardio, I started feeling the soft spots firming up.  I was ready for something more.
I have never been much of an athlete.  I think it's because I am not competitive at all.  You want the ball? Please, take it!  So I decided that I needed to find something that I could do to compete against myself.  I began to run.  I have severe hyperpronation (extreme flat feet), so I figured that that disqualified me from being a runner.  But after getting the right shoes and pushing through, I went from running 2 minutes in a row on the treadmill to running my first 5k in March of this year!
So the moral of the story?  As you move past the initial weight loss phase of your healthy life, begin to make new goals for yourself so that you do not plateau.  Never be comfortable.  Always try something more.  This will increase your confidence, your mood and your outlook on life.
Before I close, let me remind you to not get caught up in body image to the point that you live in insecurity.  Don't compare yourself to others or set unrealistic goals for yourself.  God simply wants you to care for your temple and respect Him and yourself by keeping it clean and healthy.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made!
Until next time,
Mindy

Weight Loss After Baby

Ok, so the little bundle of joy has arrived.  You have gotten settled in at home and gotten into some kind of routine.  The discomfort has subsided and you are starting to feel like yourself again.  But one thing is for sure - you definitely don't look like yourself again.
Depending on your body type and/or your eating habits while pregnant, you may be dealing with a lot of extra weight that was not there before you got pregnant.
Although I have never struggled with being severely overweight, I have still struggled with body image issues.  (Remember, every woman has something about herself that she wants to change.  So please don't think that just because I have not battled obesity that the principles of what I share are not applicable.)
After I had my first son, I was not nearly as motivated to get the extra few pounds off.  But when I had my second son five years later, my idea of health and fitness had changed.  I had a c-section, so my body needed to fully recover before I began any heavy exercise.  (*Always ask your doctor before beginning a new exercise regimen.)
I had just gotten a new Wii Fit system so I was highly motivated to begin melting the pounds.  But after many late nights eating brownie bites and sodas at 3am, I realized that the first place I had to start was with my diet.  I was developing VERY bad habits that needed to be broken.  I also realized, at 30 years old, that I needed to change some things - not just for weight loss, but for my overall health and my future.
In about 2 months or so, I dropped 13 lbs. of post-baby weight.  My fitness regimen was nowhere near what it is these days.  So how did I lose the weight?  No fancy diet plans, no organic foods and no meal replacement shakes.  I simply counted my calories.  Being aware of what and when you eat will change everything.
The formula is as follows:
A 35 year old, 5'5" woman who weighs 160lbs would need 1730 calories a day to maintain her current weight.  You may be thinking, "That's me!  And I eat like, 2000 calories a day!"  Wellllll, that's why you keep gaining weight, sista!
So, if you want to lose about a pound a week, you need to drop 500 calories a day from your diet.  So you need about 1230 calories a day to begin to lose weight.  However, if you exercise, you will need to add more calories in order to replenish energy and calories burned during workouts.  Rather than breaking all that down any further, allow me to recommend one of my favorite websites for counting calories, www.livestrong.com.  This site has an extensive data base of foods from both the grocery store and your favorite restaurants.  Once you enter in your profile information (gender, height, weight, exercise level and desired weight loss goals), it will tell you how many calories you need and track everything you eat.  You will be amazed at how much food we mindlessly pop into our mouths.  You can use this site on your computer or on your iPhone!
Counting calories may seem annoying at first, but like anything else, you will get use to it.  And then, eventually, you will become more educated about the food you eat and prepare.  At that point, you won't need to count anymore.  You will just know.

Come back again for some more practical tips on fitness and weight loss.  Keep in mind, I am a certified personal trainer with AFPA, so I my advice is sound.  I am here to answer any questions you may have. However, I am not a doctor.  Always check with your physician in regards to your fitness regimen and your diet.

You can do it!
Mindy