Fitness Update !

As Im about to start the last month of pregnancy ( WHAT?!!?) I figured I’d give a little update on how things have been going since my last post.
I had mentioned lower back and hip discomfort, possibly getting Beach Body on Demand for Autumn’s pregnancy workout and getting in more walks. Well, I haven’t done what I thought I would.
Ive begun using my back/belly brace for added support and it REALLY helps. Ive brought down the frequency of workouts to 2 times a week, which consists of my Dirty 30 workout both times. It allows me to use my weights and maintain muscle tone a bit more, yet allows modifications that are pregnancy safe and effective.
Ive been walking, but given the temperature outside and how icy it has been some days, those walks have been mostly in the grocery stores and Walmart 😛 . Ive walked around the mall a couple of times, but in all honesty it kinda sucks looking at all the spring clothes I can’t buy – so I avoid going right now.
As I hit week 36 – Im faced with another minor set-back ; little girl is trying to make an early exit! At our last appointment I was already 1cm dilated and starting to efface. So Ive been politely asked to avoid too much physical activity until I go to my next appointment so we can avoid progressing too much before its safest for her to make her entrance into the world. I , of course, bargained 2 workouts into the deal in exchange for promising to do next to nothing until Im 37 weeks along!
Working out has been such a crucial part of my pregnancy, it helps me release tension and stay active. I truly hope it will help with labor and delivery when the time comes. Im so grateful that I have been able to find ways to stay active. Never thought Id be exercising at 9 months pregnant !

Anyways, thats my update. Wish me luck on keeping this little one in place for the next little bit – all we want is a healthy baby! Stay tuned for future updates on my fitness regime, most likely after her arrival !

xx Melissa

Update : Pregnancy fitness

We have hit the third trimester ! And with that is coming a new set of challenges I had hoped to avoid 😦

During my pregnancy I have had hip and lower back pain from very early on. I powered through and modified my workouts to suit that, taking extra days off and not being too hard on myself. But I am slowly realizing that my body is not happy with me.
I have slowed down more, even further modifying my moves. Not going very deeply into squats or lunges, doing less reps of certain moves. But the discomfort it is causing is getting to the point where I feel like I’m at a loss. I feel like Im loosing my progress.
I can manage about 3 workouts a week right now and sometimes less. The end of the second trimester brought on different obstacles and now I have to re-evaluate my fitness regime yet again.

Autumn Calabrese came out with some pregnancy exercises for each trimester on BOD ( Beachbody On Demand ) and I am probably going to invest in that now. It will give me the benefit of using exercises that target the muscles groups I need for this last stretch of pregnancy and allow me to access it from anywhere with WiFi. Its a monetary investment I wasn’t planning on, given the impending arrival of our little cupcake, but one I have to make in order to keep with my goals of a fit and healthy pregnancy. I will probably be taking more walks too – though I’ll have to find somewhere indoors to do it because the temperatures have dropped and the ice outside is dangerous when you are pregnant and your center of balance is off.

I want to be able to bounce back after our princess is born for many reasons. First of all, I had achieved so much in terms of fitness that I never thought I was capable of and I don’t want to start from zero when I get back to regular workouts.
Second of all, I hated myself when I was out of shape. I lost the weight I had put on during a rough few years and I never wanted to see it again – and being pregnant has meant getting bigger and weight gain, which has been difficult mentally, so I want to feel good about myself again.
Third, I want my daughter to grow up watching a strong, motivated and committed woman – seeing healthy as normal and fitness as part of life.I don’t want to loose my own motivation and drive.

So this is where I’m at. Another turning point where I have to figure out a new approach that will work. But hey, its practice for when I need to find ways of getting it done once baby is here ! Adapting my fitness routine as I go 🙂

xx Melissa

Baby Steps : Pregnancy fitness

So after my last doctors appointment at 18 weeks, I found out I had gained 8½ lbs since the beginning of my pregnancy, and after loosing 75lbs pre-pregnancy it was a difficult thing to come to terms with (if you didn’t know I had gained 65 lbs after taking some meds for a little while and getting into some unhealthy habits). My doctor said I was on track, but I knew that for me personally there were things that I felt I wasnt doing to control the amount of weight I was gaining. I had barely worked out during my first trimester because of nausea and exhaustion, and I was finding it difficult to get back into the swing of things. I was doing some “prenatal” workout videos I found online, but kept feeling like I was failing because I was used to doing so much more in terms of working out.
So at 18 weeks, I got back into my 21 Day Fix workouts. Not everyday, and with modifications, but nonetheless I vowed I wouldn’t let pregnancy be my excuse. It would be my reason to push. ( no pun intended 😛 )
I started by identifying the workouts that wouldn’t work for me anymore, hence ones that were high impact or required a lot of floor exercises on my back – bye bye Pilates and Total Body Cardio ( Plyo stopped well before pregnancy) no more 10 min Abs or Flat Ab Fix either. I also realized that since Yoga is a flow of specific, intentional movements, that I felt uncomfortable modifying moves and poses – so I said bye to that too 😦 I evaluated my situation and decided that the videos Id keep around would be : Dirty 30, Upper Fix, Lower Fix, Cardio Fix and Barre Legs.
Anything in the videos that required me to be on my back has since been substituted with another move. Some moves that could put strain on my back have also been tweaked. Anything that involves putting too much impact on my knees – you guessed it – modified. I also take the pace down a bit for Cardio and I allow myself to press Pause and take an extra 30 second break if I need it.
Im pregnant and the life Im creating is my number one priority, so I need to stay safe, but I also need to stay healthy. Its a tough balance to strike when your healthy lifestyle is still relatively new (I started working out seriously after loosing 60lbs in March 2015 and we found out we were expecting in July). The habit of getting a workout in at least 5 days a week was still something that required a conscious effort and I felt so scared that I would lose what I had achieved when my body wouldnt allow me to do more than walk. But that fear pushed me to not let myself down, to not accept pregnancy as a reason to stop.
Whether you aren’t pregnant, whether you are or whether you are a new mommy – it IS possible to get back on the horse if you have gotten off for whatever the reason. Sometimes life happens, we get busy, we get sick or injured, sometimes we lose our motivation to go for it. But in the end, nothing is lost. Respect you own pace. I dont workout 5-7 days anymore ( 7 was when I was committed to a round of 21 day Fix ). I try and get a workout in every 2 days. Sometimes I do, sometimes I dont. Just this past week, we painted Baby Girls’ nursery and my back hurt so much – I gave myself a few days to breathe and recuperate. Listen to your body. But then today, I pushed myself even though my leg muscles were sore from yesterdays’ workout because I knew it wasn’t my body screaming for rest, it wasn’t an injury, it was just from the work they did the previous day. I worked out 2 days in a row because I knew I wouldnt be working out this weekend as we would be doing more work on the house. For me its about being prepared, scheduling myself and holding myself accountable. Pregnancy fitness has been a hard run. It is a struggle. The guilt of not working out – or not being able to go as hard as I could pre-pregnancy – is still there, and I constantly learn to forgive myself without allowing myself to become complacent.
I can only hope that after baby comes along and I have to wait to be cleared (6-8 weeks) for exercise, that I can keep the motivation in the back of my mind. And that I will remind myself that I am still doing this for myself but also, will be doing it to set an example for my daughter.
Be strong. You can do whatever you set your mind to.

xx Melissa

Second Trimester workout goals

So I have officially entered into my second trimester – 26 weeks to go ! Can’t believe we have 1/3 of the way completed. My hope is that my energy returns and so far, so good. Of course I expect some days where I won’t feel well, but I am trying to be positive and get myself motivated to start working out again !

I thought I’d share some of my goals in terms of staying fit and working out during my second trimester 🙂

1. Working out 4 days a week. Of course I wont oppose to 5 days, and I won’t beat myself up if I only do 3 – but I really want to aim for 4. It means I will be working out more than half of each week, which is important in maintaining my progress & healthy habits.
2. Finding a prenatal Yoga class in my area. I want to have an instructor that will help me correct my posture throughout pregnancy and make sure I don’t injure myself. If I don’t find a studio I like, I will try out a DVD instead. But Im crossing my fingers that I can find somewhere that I feel comfortable at ! The sooner, the better 🙂
3. Taking more walks. I love the fall and winter for taking walks when the weather permits. Its always so peaceful and cool. And closer to the holidays there are tons of pretty lights. I love to bundle up and walk around with my husband and our dog. Now that summer is coming to an end, it isnt going to be as hot in the evenings or during the day, Im excited to get out a little more 🙂
4. Add in some light strength training again ! I miss the definition I had from working my upper and lower body while using weights. Id love to get in at least 1 – 2 days a week where I am using ( light ) weights again – hopefully I will be doing it while using my 21 day fix workouts and modifying !

It has been tough not being able to do anything after I had made such huge strides in terms of self-discipline and self-motivation. I can only hope that my health and this little baby will allow me to stick to these goals 🙂 Having a fit pregnancy is going to be important in terms of health and recovery afterwards. My goal is to be able to get back into my pre-pregnancy clothes as soon as possible so I can feel happy and confident! Stay fit and healthy – take care of your body and it will help take care of you in return 🙂

xx Melissa

Yoga

I have always been a fan of yoga, ever since I first tried it in college. While the definition of Yoga is vast and includes religion, philosophy and practices, Im simply talking about it in terms of physical fitness.
For me it helps improve flexibility, helps with stress & therefore anxiety, and allows my body to stretch & alleviate certain muscle pains. The practice of Yoga as exercise when led by someone with experience and knowledge can be extremely beneficial. A lot of people think of Yoga as a simple slow exercise, but you need to practice it with caution; as any physical exercise may result in injury if done the wrong way. Also, you need to know that Yoga can be done as a dynamic, flowing exercise and help with weight management. I love the 30 minute segment in 21 Day Fix , but my favorite is the 60 minute segment with Rodney Yee in Yoga Burn.
If you are searching for a way to exercise, yet calm your mind at the same time, I would give Yoga a try. So many people judge it as being for ” hippies ” , but the energy you feel after a session is invigorating! You can find Yoga DVDs’ for the morning or evening specifically, or if you are expecting; there are prenatal Yoga classes where teachers can help and modify moves for you depending on your trimester. There is healing Yoga for injuries, fast paced Yoga for weight loss and even Yoga for kids ! As long as you are doing it right, and at your comfort level, it can be an amazing exercise to incorporate into your life.
So if you feel like the programs you’ve tried before weren’t right for you, or you are looking to add something new to your roster of exercises, give it a try !

xx Melissa

( the links throughout this post will help you discover information about yoga and where you can purchase certain dvd programs – hope they help ! )

Whats Next ? Life after 2 rounds of 21 Day Fix

When I started my first round of 21 Day Fix I had no idea whether or not I’d make it through. Then when I finished, I was afraid that without the everyday schedule I would slip up. Then, when I started my 2nd round of the Fix, I still had fears of not making it. None of these things happened.
I made it through both rounds without skipping or giving excuses, and I made it through the in-between weeks without giving up.
So whats next ? Well for starters, my body is still recovering from Round 2 – I upped my weights & pushed for more reps and less modifiers. But I also injured myself and my body never got a break to heal. ( Doctor was made aware of said injury, looked at it and said I could keep going if I wanted to ). My upper back has always been problematic, so an inflamed rhomboid muscle and tight neck and shoulder muscles are uncomfortable, but nothing I haven’t soldiered through before. But for anyone wondering ; No I won’t be jumping into another round anytime soon – my body needs time to heal. But I will still be exercising, using my 21 Day Fix exercise programs & paying attention to what I eat. This isn’t about making it another round anymore, its about making sure I’m on track for life.
I have already established a Day-to-Day menu until the end of July, complete with an exercise schedule.
Its challenging to plan things out so far in advance and to stick to it. But, Im the kind of person who needs a certain amount of structure, or I just won’t do it. So I took into account all the parties, date nights, etc.. and planned around them. Making sure to eat healthier in days leading up to and following certain days when I know I’ll be out and about. It has to be about balance for me.

As for my next step in exercise ; its to be determined. Once I see how my back is doing in a few weeks, I’ll gauge whether or not another round of 21 Day Fix is on my horizon or whether I’ll be moving up to 21 Day Fix Extreme workouts. Until then, Im still working on letting go of certain modifiers and bettering my form and endurance. Also, including more Yoga as my body heals.
Its been such a huge step for me in terms of commitment and exercise. Im beyond proud of my body and mind. Habits can be broken, Ive done it with smoking almost 6 years ago – and with taking my life back when my weight loss journey began  just over a year and a half ago. I am making a better life for myself, and for my husband who has been following me on this journey the whole way.  These changes aren’t easy, some still aren’t a habit yet; but they are worth the effort. We are making better choices for us now !
Hopefully this can inspire YOU if thats what you are trying to do.

xx Melissa.

21 Day Fix Round 2 – Week 3 ; Whats different ?

( June 1rst – 7th )

Here we go, the last push – the final lap ! Round 2 – Week 3 🙂
Last time I only got 2 days of double workouts done – my goal going in this time was simple: 3 days of doubling up ! It wasn’t about pushing myself too hard, but more about doing better than I did last round!
Day 1 of week 3 was supposed to be Total Body Cardio with the option of Pilates as workout #2.  I did them both (just not in that order) ! It motivated me for the rest of my day and week – even though I was exhausted that night !! 😀 Day 2 of week 3 had the option of Upper Fix & Cardio Fix as a double – I did Yoga Fix & Upper Fix , less intense but I got a good stretch and later that day a great workout ! Day 3 Week 3 I did Lower – I was already overwhelmed that day and barely made it through – also cheated and got Pizza that night, Hey I never said I was perfect; sometimes I give into cravings when the day takes everything out of me. Day 4 I was super busy, lots of appointments , so I stuck to Pilates. Day 5 was Cardio Fix & Day 6 was Dirty 30 with a trip to the amusement park where we walked around for a few hours ( bonus leg work 🙂 ) And finally Day 7 – Yoga Fix !
So technically I only got 2 days of double workouts in, but I do consider the amusement park walking to be an added little workout , so Im not too disappointed. Not going to lie, this round of 21 Day Fix has been difficult in different ways. I injured my rhomboid muscle early on and suffered through migraines and dizzy spells on and off – caused by said migraines. Not giving up was hard, but I’m proud of my commitment level to this program ! (And no worries, my doctor gave me the Go-Ahead to finish out the program after injury & dizzy spells). I was able to push harder, and it burned me out just as much as the first round. I was hoping to hop into 21 Day Fix Extreme by July, but Ive decided to wait and see how Ive recuperated by August before making the purchase. I’ll be continuing my workouts 5 days a week – not planning on giving up my lifestyle, just easing up on the workouts 🙂 I lost a few more inches all around, and a couple pounds ( maybe like 2 ) – but my fitness level is getting better, and I’m building muscle, which weighs more than fat, so the numbers on the scale aren’t fazing me. I’ve hit almost every single goal Ive set in terms of inches lost and pounds lost. So I’m going to keep it up, get fitter, and maintain my new found healthier body & mind.

xx Melissa

21 Day Fix Round 2 – Week 2 ; Whats different ?

Week 2 – Round 2 of 21 Day Fix ! Knowing what you went through the first round is both a blessing and a curse. It helps you prepare yourself mentally and physically , but can also be a reminder of not-so-nice times. In my case, knowing what I had gone through on Day 8 of my last round was a curse. I would have preferred to go into week 2 naive & hopeful… ( sigh*)

( May 25th – 31rst )

Day 8 ( or day 1 of week 2 ) was Plyo Fix … * shudders *… part of me shies away from this workout because it isn’t my strong suit or my favorite, but it was on the calendar. I pushed more than the first time I did it , and by the end I almost threw up and nearly passed out (not exaggerating!). After, I was thankful for the other workouts on my week 2 schedule! Upper Fix, Lower Fix, Pilates Fix, Total Body Cardio Fix, Dirty 30 and Yoga Fix followed that insane first day workout  – I liked them all much better than Plyo Fix , even Pilates ! 😛

The evolution in my physical strength is more and more apparent to me – even though some days I feel more tired and in those moments I don’t feel like I can push as hard as I should – but Im probably being a little hard on myself. It just took a lot to get to where I am today and the fear of loosing the progress scares me! But Week 2 of Round 2 was better than the first round – I am better than the first round ; stronger both physically and mentally. And Im officially 1lb away from my goal weight ! That means that once Ive hit it, I’ll have lost 72lbs ! 😀

21 Day Fix Round 2 – Week 1 ; Whats different ?

Ok, so as mentioned in a previous post, May 18th marked the beginning of my 2nd Round of 21 Day Fix. This time around I wont be blogging about every day in detail, but rather every week as a whole. I thought it would be interesting to talk about how I get through each week now in comparison to my 1rst Round.

Week 1 – Round 2 ( Monday May 18th – Sunday May 24th )

The days leading up to Day 1 of Round 2 were filled with different emotions. I was excited and afraid all at the same time. Could I possibly do it a second time around without quitting? Or was Round 1 a fluke ? Day 1 I had my hubby with me at home – it was Victoria Day Weekend here in Canada – and we both pushed each other past the starting line. But day 2 I was on my own and the familiar groove I had the first round found its way back to me. Accountability to yourself can be a strong motivator! Day 2 last round I was in pain, but not this time ! Day 3 was my worst day last round – this round I was feeling the burn without burning out ! Huge difference that I have to accredit to keeping up with the workouts in between rounds ! Day 4 – the dreaded Pilates Fix workout … and though I still would never take up Pilates of my own free will – I hate it less this round 🙂 Day 5 was Cardio Fix – and truthfully, I still don’t do the whole thing without modifiers , but Im  better at it then when I first did it last round ! Day 6 is one of my faves – Dirty 30, since my first round I’ve upped my heavy weights to 8lbs and Im seeing a difference in my arms ! Day 7 is another favorite Yoga Fix ! As of now Im binding one of the moves and feel even more flexible than I did after the first time I did it. It really loosens me up and preps me for week 2 !

All in all, the first week back to the grind wasn’t as taxing as the first week of round 1, but it still managed to kick my butt at times. I guess its to be expected because Im pushing harder. Stay tuned for week 2 of round 2 !

xx Melissa

Mental Preparation

As of Monday the 18th of May, Im starting my second round of 21 Day Fix !
This is the first time Ive ever stuck to a program, kept doing the workouts in between and re-committed myself to a second round !

Going into this round, I know what to expect a bit more. I am able to mentally prepare myself for what lies ahead. I have a better idea of what goals are realistic and what I need to work on still.
The first round showed me how much progress I had to make. And after loosing 6½ inches all around, it showed me that my body was changing. Doing the exercises 5 days a week in between ( except for one week where we were on vacation and driving a lot ) has allowed me to make small strides in moving forward with things that needed work. Since the end of round 1 I have upped my weights – I went from doing 5lbs as my “Heavy weights ” in the very beginning, to doing 5lb weights as both ” Light and Heavy Weights ” to now using them as my “Light Weights” and using 8lb weights as my “Heavy ” set. I can do a few exercises with 10 lbs weights, but in all honesty Im not quite there yet. That is probably my goal for this next round. By the end I want to be using 10lb weights as my heavy and 8lb weights as my light set.

I also have body goals I want to hit in terms of inches lost and toning my stomach, arms & legs. I have big plans in the next year and I feel like a healthy body is the first step in the right direction. I know that it will serve me on so many levels : health, self-confidence, physical and mental strength.

In terms of what I suggest doing to prepare yourself for ANY new exercise program, here’s a short list :

1) Makes sure YOU are ready to commit for yourself. Doing it only for someone else won’t be enough.
2) Make a list of small goals you have, things you want to achieve. For example: loosing 5 lbs or loosing 4 inches all around. Once you have achieved those goals, or surpassed them, it will boost your confidence.
3) Be sure you are healthy enough for the program you choose. Not everyone can start at a 5 on 10 on the exercise scale… sometimes you have to start at a 2 and work your way up to 5… then to 6,7,8 and so on. Dont beat yourself up because you need to make progress, just make it! Start with walking everyday, then pick up the pace of your walks – next thing you know its time for 21 day Fix .. then maybe 21 Day Fix Extreme ! ( my next goal 🙂 )
4) Know this : People don’t like change and not everyone will support you in your new lifestyle. People will try and discourage you or tell you that you are selfish or difficult about food now. They might even insinuate that you arent being healthy, arent eating because they see the pounds dropping and they can’t get passed how you used to be. As long as you, and your doctor, think you’re healthy – and that you are eating right and being safe with your workouts, then ignore them.

Mental prep is essential, its not always just about physical endurance. So as I get ready for this next step ( and the one after that ) I am looking forward to seeing more progress ! I am seriously hoping that my endurance is good enough for 21 Day Fix Extreme after this next round ! Wish me luck 🙂 Now go kick some butt!

xx Melissa