Week 4, Getting my Body Back

3.7.10
I cannot believe my lil' man is 4 weeks old tomorrow! We got his newborn photos and I cannot believe how much he has grown.

So my body is at a standstill (or so it seems). The scale fluctuates between a few pounds, unfortunately those few pounds are above my last weigh-in at 3 weeks! But my measurements are slowly going down. I am sure I will feel much better when I am released to workout in 2 weeks! And breastfeeding keeps added lbs. and fluid.

Still doing my pelvic floor movements, even added the pelvic tilt on the ball this week! But then Taylor took my exercise ball as her own new toy....

I've posted my 60 day progress tracker on my wall as motivation(I plan on having this available on www.momsintofitness.com as soon as I get around to it so my mamas can keep track of their progress-postpregnancy or not). Love looking back at my goal 1 year after Taylor , which also happens to be the month before I got pregnant and started IVF fertility injections. Hopefully I'll be back at 5 months!

About 10 Months Ago
Weight=102
Arm=9.5
Shoulders=35
Bust=30
Waist=24
Below Waist=29.5
Hips=33.5
Thigh=18.5

Home from the Hospital with Rylan 5 days old, Baby #2
Weight=127
Arm=10.25
Shoulders=38
Bust=35.5 Woop-Woop!
Waist=35
Below Waist=37.5
Hips=39
Thigh=21.5
Neck=12.5

4 Weeks Later
Weight=between 119 & 122
Arm=10.5
Shoulders=37
Bust=34.5 This week my husband told me how fabulous my boobs look. FYI, this is not a compliment when they are only for milk purposes...I'd rather him have told me my belly is looking less hairy.
Waist=29
Below Waist=34.75
Hips=37
Thigh=21.25
Neck=12

Breastfeeding Food Journal, week 3

With Rylan I decided to pump instead of feeding through the boob. Just my personal choice. I know last time I rapidly lost weight the first 2 weeks postpartum and then again when I stopped breastfeeding Taylor at 9 weeks. Some professionals say your body holds onto extra fluids (the fluids is obvious) and fat. Your body needs to retain more fat than usual to breastfeed. So once I stopped (again a personal decision because I wanted my time and my body to myself again) the weight started to come off again. And my exercise was slowly building up. Women's bodies are machines postpartum - breastfeeding or not breastfeeding - and I like to take advantage of that! It's the only time weight loss is easier and your metabolism is a little higher--without having to do anything! We all know breastfeeding depletes our fat storage, and we can eat more. So for a lot of women breastfeeding just amps up the wieght loss!

There is no "one plan fits all" for breastfeeding and weight loss. And I have a bunch of info on my website--what's safe, how much to lose each week, how many calories to eat etc. Generally you can take your BMR (also known as how many calories you can consume-you can calculate it on www.momsintofitness.com) and add 300-600 calories. Even more if you have more than 1 baby! But the best way to track a healthy weight loss while breastfeeding is measuring yourself and weighing yourself weekly. And I have to admit it is fun to see that scale drop after seeing it increase for 9 months--or 10 months for me since I gain while on fertility meds.

It's hard. First you have to turn off the pregnancy eating. Second you have to turn off the breastfeeding eating. And all the sudden you miss those calories (although your body is ok without excess calories!)

Oh and by the way I truly admire moms that breastfeed for a long time. It's very un-selfish of you! Whatever your choice, breastfeed or formula feed, we all have to turn off the pregnancy eating! And if you adopted it's time to adjust your eating as well...excess pounds creep up on us all, pregnant or not!

So moms ask me all the time what I eat while breastfeeding. To be honest I do not change much from when I was pregnant. And although I try to incorprate lots of fruits and veggies, I also end up going through drive-thurs and eating lots o' crap. But I do eat within my perimeter which is 3 meals + 1 snack, 3 meals and 2 snacks when pregnant/breastfeeding. So here it is!

*I drink a lot of water, anywhere from 60-80 ounces of water especially on the days I exercise. I also like to have my pop for the day at least 3-4 days a week. Usually a 32 oz. Mr. Pibb filled to the top with crushed ice. My husband, a dentist, gets so angry but I love to chomp on the ice throughout the day too. Not any good nutrients coming from the Pibb but I do have to include those 150-200 calories to my daily intake. Anyhoo I didn't include my fluids in my food journal below:

Day 1
Breakfast-2 Fiber One Muffins
Snack-oops forgot
Lunch-Panera Bread Co Broccoli Cheese Soup, 1 roll and 1/2 Chicken Frontega sandwich
Snack-the other 1/2 Chicken Frontega sandwich
Dinner-Salad (2 cups romaine, sprinkled shredded cheese, sprinkled sunflower seeds, cucumbers, peppers), crock Pot Beef stew (1 kids bowl), 12 saltines

Day 2
Breakfast-1 Pop Tart with Fiber
Snack-Apple
Lunch-Cheesecake Factory 1/2 Chicken salad Sandwich, split garden salad with ranch dressing with mom
Snack-Baked Potato with melted shredded cheese
Dinner-Leftover Beef Stew (2 kids bowls)

Day 3
Breakfast-Smoothie (from my website) with 2 cups berries and whole milk
Snack-Pear
Lunch-Salad (2 cups romaine, sprinkled shredded cheese, sprinkled sunflower seeds, cucumbers, peppers), Lean Cuisine Pita Sandwich
Snack-handful peanuts, apple
Dinner-2 cups Beef n' Broccoli Frozen Skillet Meal (made with extra rice and extra broccoli)
I try to only let it happen once a week, eating after diiner, I had 2 small peanut butter cookies (my mom's is in town and baking!)

Day 4
Breakfast-Yogurt Whips sprinkled with grape nuts
Snack-Pear
Lunch-2 homemade grilled cheese with full fat cheese, 1 drinkable tomato soup
Snack-Cranberry Salad (2 cups romaine, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, 2-3 T poppyseed dressing, 1/4 cup sliced almonds)
Dinner-3 homemade Tacos with seasoned ground beef, 6" flour tortilla, shredded cheese, lettuce, 2T sour cream and a side of refried beans
6 Twizzlers

Day 5
Breakfast-English Muffin with 2T peanut butter
Snack-1/2 Target popcorn...so we got the popcorn on our way in (and a Mr. Pibb) and when we're done I throw the other half away and fill my pop cup with water/ice
Lunch-16 shrimp cocktail, Baked Potato with 1/3 cup full fat sour cream and chives
Snack-handful peanuts, apple
Dinner-1 Shrimp Kabob with pineapple, peppers and onions, 2 cups caesar salad with cheese

Day 6
Breakfast-1/2 plain bagel with 1T peanut butter
Snack-other 1/2 plain bagel with 1T peanut butter
Lunch-McDonalds small vanilla shake & 6 piece chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce (it's either fries or the milkshake, not both)
Snack-1/2 baked potato with full fat sour cream and chives, 2 cups caesar salad with cheese
Dinner-Homemade Jalapeno potato soup (2 kids bowls)

Day 7
Breakfast-English Muffin with 1T peanut butter
Snack-Apple
Lunch-Burger King grilled chicken salad with ranch dressing and croutons
Snack-1 cup vegetable pasta salad with oil dressing
Dinner-Pizza Hut 2 slices Large Cheese Pizza, regular crust

A few immediate problems I have with my journal: too much red meat and not enough fruit! And a little more calcium wouldn't hurt.

Test your progress

So I was just reading a few comments here on my blog and Courtney mentioned she couldn't believe she was doing roundhouses and push-ups! Go Courtney! I realized I always talk about measuring your progress with a measuring tape and/or scale. But you can also measure yourself with exercise. You will be impressed with the outcome.

push-ups: do push-ups for 1 minute. Do them so your nose would hit the stair as you come down and count how many times your nose hits the stair. Then do it again in 6 weeks--you will amaze yourself again!

wall squat: do a squat with your back against a wall and your arms straight out in front of you. And I mean a 90 degree squat--get your legs parallel to the ground! But make sure your knees stay behind your toes. Time yourself, and do it again in 6 weeks.

sit-ups: do old school sit-ups for 2 minutes with your arms crossed over your chest. It only counts when your elbows touch your thighs!

*If you have diastasis recti you should not perform the sit-ups or push-ups.
**This progress test is for non-pregnant women.

On www.momsintofitness.com you save 15% when you buy 3 DVDs and 20% when you buy 4+ DVDs. And always FREE SHIPPING on orders over $49. No coupon code needed, it will automatically happen in your cart!

Lose the Baby Weight, Round 2, Week 2

2.23.10

So I think I could have "overdone" it a bit. Took a 2 hour nap today cause I was in a little pain...and nothing could have waken me form my nap! Thank goodness Grammy is here. I'm just so ready to get back to normal. But I also need to enjoy being pampered a bit, right?

So the maternity clothes are on their way back to the basement. My MIF yoga pants have faded a tad due to wearing them for the last 5 months. I am so ready to put them away for now! I am fitting back into my regular clothes...but I will be waiting until 4-5 months out before attemtping my jeans or any tight-fitting clothing. Tried on my swimsuit for my girls trip this summer (just had to see what it looked like since I bought it while prego)--not a good idea--will put that away for now too.

5" inches down in my waistline since I came home from the hopsital. And down to 118 lbs. from 136 lbs. So 10-14 lbs. to get to my goal. But, like most moms, it's not getting back to pre-prego weight that's the hardest part...it's the pre-prego/non-flabby/tight-feeling/no thigh rubbing/toned body that is the toughest part!

10 Days after the c-section

So here I am 10 days after Mr. Rylan's arrival. You will see my bathing suit shot first--then I follow with some pelvic floor movements moms can do within several days of giving birth. And I feel pretty good today, so I started the movements myself

Lose the Baby Weight, Round 2

So Rylan has been home for 3 days now, he's 1 week old! He's amazing.

I feel better everyday. I weighed myself the day I got home from the hospital...what...only lost 6 pounds! That's Rylan plus a lil' fluid! But today I did all my measurements and my weight and I am down to 122 from 136. We all know the easier part of getting our bodies back after baby is getting to pre-pregnancy weight. Now getting to pre-pregnancy body, well that's a whole different story!

Each week I will post my measurements, weight and a little video/picture that shows all! For now (my measurements are written on paper across the room and this is the first time I have sat down all day!) chest=big, waist=big, goal=108 lbs, current weight=122 lbs

With this pregnancy I started off at 108 lbs. before the IVF, was 112 lbs. when I got pregnant and 136 lbs. the day I went into the hospital. With Taylor (babes #1) I was 111 lbs. before IVF, was 121 lbs. when I got pregnant and 140 lbs. the day I went into the hospital. So a lil' less work this time around!

Rylan's Birthday!

Our lil' man arrived on Monday! He weighed 5 pounds 9 ounces and is just perfect!

Top 3 Fitness Mistakes

1. No scheduled Exercise. We all know moms need routine, so schedule your exercise like you do anything else! Every Sunday I plan 2 classes I want to attend and 2 mornings my husband can watch my daughter to do my own thing. Plus I need to integrate my Stroller Class.

2. Doing Just Cardio. Ok so cardio burns calories, but if you want to boost your metabolism, tone muscles and see a difference quickly you MUST do toning too. Be smart with the short time you have and do interval training.

3. Not eating Within your Perimeter. This means you should eat 1-2 snacks and 3 meals a day and nothing else in between. Nutrition has to be part of your fitness routine...its 50% of the battle!!!!

Check out the new Weight Loss Plan for more guidance. You can:

Calculate your Metabolism

Find out how many calories you burn during exercise

Get the 2 Phase Meal Plan for weight loss

Download the Moms Into Fitness Progress Tracker

Click on Moms Into Fitness

Labor at 35 weeks

Well we spent early Sunday morning in labor with contractions at 2 minutes apart. Luckily they were able to stop the labor with meds since they want me to get to term. So now we are past 36 weeks and shooting for 37 weeks!

Just feeling blah and tired. Tired from the lovely potty breaks every hour during the night. But its also a good thing as I have to keep up my kick counts since they think I could be leaking fluids.

Shed 5 Fast Contest

As the New Years brings resolutions, I wanted to motivate all my mamas with a fitness resolution! Willpower works for very few people so I encourage using motivation (check out the top 10 fitness tips at the top).

From January to March 15th you can win $250 and a chance to be in my next video! How? By submitting your Shed 5 Fast story. And the best story wins--not necessarily the most weight loss, but the most motivating story!

Details for the Shed 5 Fast Contest





And the best part is Shed 5 Fast is 20% off through the end of January!!!!

We are launching a new website next week! We will have a Progress Tracker, ideal weight calculator, free meal plans (for weight loss and weight maintenance) and metabolism calculator!

33 weeks with Babes #2

It's hard to believe we made it here! At first the doctor thought we'd be lucky to get to 30 weeks. I'm still at risk for preterm delivery due to the 3 separation tears that happened at implantation, but feel so blessed to have made it this far!

My New Years Motivation

So I ordered a bikini for this summer when I meet my girls from college for our annual girls trip. Ok so this is only the 2nd year we've done the trip, but I more than excited. And what better motivation to get my body back after Rylan is born?

My current motivation for bikini season hangs on my refrigerator. And it stares me in the face everyday! So it's from 5 years ago when I was an NFL Cheerleader. It's one of those pictures that reminds me of how healthy and fit I was at that time. I worked so hard to look good for our Swimsuit Calendar. And I can do it again!

Consistency = Success = Easier said than done

So the cellulite will go away once I resume toning exercises 6 weeks after birth. And I will do my core exercises, as I always do. I will start with my inner core a few days after the c-section so my stomach can be flat again. Working the inner core is so important in a quest for a flat tummy! The inner core is the pelvic floor and transverse abdominis, you can even work it while sitting in a chair. I will begin the first week after birth:

Movement 1: Pelvic tilt-Lie on your back with your feet close to your butt. Pull your hip bones down and in and flatten your stomach. If you felt your legs or your buttocks tense you were not using your pelvic floor, but your lower body muscles. Try it again. This time with your feet up on a chair. If you don’t engage your butt or your leg muscles and you’re able to pull your hip bones down and flatten your belly, you’ve done it! You’ve hit bottom and used the muscles of your pelvic floor.

Movement 2: Kegel-a simple exercise you can do while sitting, standing or getting ready for bed. And nobody will even notice you’re “exercising” the pelvic floor. Act as though you are stopping the flow of urine, hold for 10 seconds and release. Repeat as often as you like-reach for at least 10 times a day. Some of you may notice that you feel the Kegel’s more in the front than the back. That’s okay! Either way is fine. Again, your tummy shouldn’t move when doing Kegels.

I will replace my motivational picture this spring with my new book cover. It's a 6 week program using my methods and how NFL Cheerleaders stay in shape. You don't have to be a cheerleader, but your tummy can look like one if you want! This book cover was my motivation after my first baby was born...the photo shoot took place 14 weeks postpartum!

Fertility & Pregnancy Yoga

In August 2007 I went through my 3rd IVF. I knew I had the best doctor and it looked like the odds were on my side. But still I could not get over the emotional & physical turmoil of infertility. Why did we increase my Gonal? Why did I fill my bladder too much before ET? How does my husband put up with me right now? Why? Why? Why?

Then I realized I was only in control of one thing, my body. I couldn’t control the situation I was put in but it was time to take control of my attitude, emotional well-being, stress and physical body.

Having been a pre/post-natal fitness expert for several years I knew the incredible benefits of exercise and yoga. So why didn’t I apply them through my 1st IVF? Well, I’m not really sure. All I know is I was an emotional wreck, 10 pounds heavier and cranky!

But if you’re like me, by the 2nd IVF I was willing to do anything and everything to improve my chances! I added acupuncture, read Dr. Greene’s book and got back to my daily exercise regime which included yoga. And we did better this time around…but miscarried at 6.5 weeks.

This brings us back to August 2007 when I got the best news ever! Betas 32 @ 11dpo and 130 @ 13 dpo! I believe that was always the plan but again I could only control 1 aspect of the situation: my body.

Yoga is known for stress relief of infertility and increased blood flow to the uterus. So of course it’s beneficial! But if increasing your chances isn’t enough motivation please listen to me when I say feeling better about yourself is the reason you should try it!

Yoga is a series of postures and exercises that promote control of your body, spiritual wellbeing and a connection with your body. You can use safe yoga postures to build strength and flexibility along with relaxation to develop or enhance calmness and confidence

Here are some known fertility yoga poses.
1. Start in butterfly, sitting with bottoms of feet touching and knees bent
2. Twisting butterfly, first place your right hand on the outside of your left knee and look over you left shoulder as you twist, switch sides
3. Goddess pose, lie on the ground with bottom of feet still touching
4. Butterfly rest, from goddess pose pull your feet towards your center, knees still bent in butterfly, look to the right for 5 breathes, look to the left for 5 breathes
5. Bridge pose-place feet on the ground about 12-18 inches form buttocks, place hands on the ground at your sides, lift your hips and do a series of pelvic circles
6. Savasana-dead corpse pose, lie with feet falling open and hands to your sides, breathe so deeply the back of your rib cage expands into the floor, relax until the point your feel your limbs getting heavy

Now I am blessed to be pregnant with baby #2 after IVF #4. And the only thing that keeps the swelling away and the energy high is exercise and yoga! I do my prenatal DVDs which have both exercise and yoga on them (although I have to mute myself). So once you do get pregnant continue your yoga program to benefit your body and your baby!

Please visit Dr. Greene's Blog for more information on infertility. He tells you all the personal stuff some docs forget!

Top 10 Food Tips

1. Eat High Volume foods like soups, salads, vegetables, fruits, lean protein. These are foods that contain fiber, protein and/or water. You will be satisfied with fewer calories!
2. Plate Method. Make your main dish vegetables, instead of meat. Fill your plate with vegetables which you will eat first, then of your plate with lean protein and of your plate with whatever you wish. And add an 8 oz glass of skim milk if you need some extra calcium!
3. Get rid of empty calories-a calorie is a calorie but I call it empty cause it has no nutrients/vitamins and doesn’t fill you up.
4. Sit while eating. How many extra calories do you grab on the go?
5. No eating after dinner. Get into a fat burning zone while sleeping. Spend your sleep burning through stored fat, not fat you just ate. It does not matter when you eat the calories (a calorie is a calorie no matter what time of day). I say this because after dinner is when most moms give into temptation and eat a majority of calories!
6. No BLT’s—That means NO bites, licks and tastes. Savor one snack you really like. And no eating the leftovers off your child’s plate, not even a bite!
7. When eating out take half of your plate home. Have half boxed up before you even get your meal.
8. Drink 1 glass of water before every meal or snack. It will help you feel full and flush fat! Hate water? Try vitamin water or lemonade mixture with less than 10 calories per serving.
9. 5 minute rule. Wait 5 minutes before giving into temptation. Do a few minutes of squats or sprint up your stairs several times. You may not even want that tempting treat after that!
10. Once a Week--Unfortunately you cannot give into every temptation and lose weight. But you should give into your cravings one time a week.

AND THE BIGGEST RULE for mom- Do not let one mistake sabotage your goal! Make up for your splurge at your next meal by eating all veggies, which is virtually a calorie-free meal.

Burn Fat Efficiently

As the Holidays approach and your schedule gets busier, you can continue to burn fat efficiently. Even if you don't have 20 minutes to commit to exercise!
Make your body a more efficient fat burner with these 4 easy steps.

1. Stay well hydrated. Water is considered a weight loss aid; and can also help improve your performance in daily tasks and exercise.

2. Eat more fiber. Women should get at least 25 grams of fiber. Pregnant women should get 25-35 grams of fiber. Fiber keeps you full and flushes fat.


3. Sleep. The more rested you are, the less stressed you are. And as everyone knows sleep helps boost your energy to burn calories!

4. Do toning exercises. Have you ever wondered why men can eat more than women? One major reason is because they have more lean body mass (muscle). By doing toning exercises you will increase your lean body mass (muscle) which in turn boosts your metabolism!

Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas!

Brrrrrr...

The workouts have officially moved inside! With -5 degree wind chill we didn't even venture out to Taylor's gymnastics class today.

So through Thanksgiving I gotta be honest, my workout program lacked. I did watch what I ate! But the difference was the swelling-30 weeks pregnant and not a bit of swelling until I didn't workout for 5 days. So that was enough motivation to get me back on track!

I hit up my boxing bag in my workout room today. Love that thing. What a great way to get the heart pumping and de-stress! About 20 minutes did it for me and then I did some prenatal yoga. Although I have to admit I am getting antsy and ready to have my body to myself again. Not necessarily uncomfortable (yet!) but a good night's sleep and a Hot Yoga class is calling my name. I also cannot wait to do some intense interval training. I already feel bad for my Stroller Mamas, they are going to get it this Spring when I am back at it!

Top 10 Fitness Tips

1. Do a variety of exercises. Not only do they keep your body challenged, but the workout stays fresh for your mind.
2. Bump up your cardio, especially if you want to see those abs! These are exercises that make you huff n’ puff! All moms have fat overlying the abdominal muscles. The ONLY way to get rid of this fat and see the muscles is through exercise and caloric reduction.
3. You must watch your nutrition, it's half the battle. Calculate your Metabolism to see how many calories you should consume to lose weight. Check out my Top 10 Food Tips!
4. Give it time! We all want the Quick Fix (myself included) but there is no such thing. Do something pro-active everyday to get to your goal.
5. Train your Inner Core! Toning the abdominal muscles from the inside-out helps pull the waistline in like a corset. You should start with training the pelvic floor and transverse abdominis.
*Also, you need to make sure you do not have Diastasis Recti (a separation in the abdominal wall) before continuing with abdominal training.
6. Workout at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes. But if you do more you will get to your goal quicker! Interval training burns the most amount of calories in the least amount of time! You can interval an all cardio workout or a cardio/toning workout...to find out how click on FAQ at www.momsintofitness.com/faq.
7. Learn to enjoy exercise. So I may be one of the few people that enjoy exercise, but the main reason I love exercise is that it makes me feel better and gives me more energy!
8. Use motivation, not willpower. Willpower works for very few people. Pull out an old pair of jeans, a swimsuit for the summer, a fat picture or a motivational picture of yourself in good shape. Or like I said in #7 all the motivation I need is energy and mood-boosters! Is $250 motivation? Or a chance to be in my next video? Check out my Shed 5 Fast Contest!
9. Breastfeeding Weight Loss help can be found on the Moms Into Fitness FAQ.
10. Do toning for your entire body because A) there is no such thing as spot reduction and B) it boosts your metabolism!

Learn more about your metabolism and how exercise, nutrition and body weight plays a role at with the MIF Weight Loss calculator.

Set a Goal and find your Ideal Body Weight at Moms Into Fitness.

Can Wii Fit replace your workouts?

The short answer is no. But they are a great addition to a workout plan! And I have to say I love 'em, but the American Council on Exercise (ACE) did a study showing they burn about 1/3 the calories of regular workout. Sure they are fun and keep you motivated, but the American College of Sports Medicine reports neither Island Run and Free Run (2 of the tougher Wii workouts) are sufficient enough to maintain or improve cardio endurance. Which I think if we're spending the time working out we want to see the benefit!

"Free Step, Advanced Step, Super Hula Hoop and Rythym Boxing, all showed statistically similar energy expenditures, yet all fell below ACSM's recommended fitness guidelines." (2009 ACE)

So is it enough to lose weight? See for yourself:
30 minutes Wii Free Step vs. 30 minutes Step Aerobics
99 calories vs. 300 calories burned
30 minutes Wii Rythym Boxing vs. 30 minutes Kickboxing DVD or class
114 calories vs. 300-400 calories
30 minutes Free Run/Island Run vs. 30 minutes Interval Run
165 calories vs. 300-400 calories

"Wii Fit is a very, very mild workout." Try Wii Sports instead. This article also mentions that no research was done on the strength-training or yoga benefits.

So overall to burn calories and lose fat it's best to use Wii Fit as a Bonus, not as your exercise routine. For me if I am spending 30 minutes on my workout I want to burn the most amount of calories I can! Maybe I'll ahve to come out with a Wii Workout for moms with no time!

Carroll, A. M.S., Porcari, J. Ph. D., Foster, C. Ph. D. (2009, Nov/Dec). Wii Fit-Or Just a Wee Bit? American Council on Exercise, volume 15, 6-8.

Baby #2 - 26 weeks later...

I walked out of the bedroom in the same getup I wore when shooting my videos. My husband laughed hysterically and proceeded to tell me he'd rather not see me in that again until 12 weeks after Rylan is born. I have to agree! The protruding mess around my back-waistline (also known as back fat), armpit overhang and dimples on my thighs was enough to send me into overload!

So far 10 lbs. But I count 14 lbs. since I go from my Pre-IVF weight. Either way we're scooting right along.

A 17-month-old told me I was eating bad...

Ok so she didn't really tell me that, but I came to the awful conclusion myself when I realized it was her 3rd time eating french fries in 7 days!!! Usually the cold weather sparks my interest for soup and 1/2 sandwich from our favorite deli. But as my to-do list grew longer rather than shorter, the drive-thrus were the answer. Now, off to the store!

Fat vs. Muscle

So why do our pants get baggy, yet the scale stays the same? It's not the 5x worn "half-dirty" pair of jeans...it's fat vs. muscle!
First, fat does not turn into muscle. Fat is simply lost. Second, as you tone your muscles they get more compact, not bigger. So if you simply eliminate fat by eating below your BMR (*see BMR below) and tone your muscle by exercising it's time to by some new jeans!
Our handy picture here shows what 1 pound of lean tissue (muscle) looks like compared to 1 pound of fatty tissue. Notice the fatty tissue is bumpy and bigger!

*Go to my website to calculate your BMR

Workout Schedules

So a lot of moms have been asking me how to incorporate the new videos into their schedule. Days 1, 3, 5 are for toning & cardio. Days 2, 4, 6 are for cardio. You want to keep in mind doing ab exercises everyday is just the same as doing toning exercises everyday--don't do it! It will make your waistline bigger! And anytime you do toning and feel a little soreness your muscle fibers have little microscopic tears...don't worry it's healthy...they need time to heal, which happens in about 48 hours.

If you're doing Shed 5 Fast make sure to check out www.momsintofitness.com. You can calculate your metabolism to see how many calories you should be consuming (make sure to read about your BMR while you're there!)
Schedule 1 with New Releases
Monday: CFS Method and CMJumpstart
Tuesday: Dance Jam OR 20-40 minutes interval cardio (interval cardio=2 min. easy, 1 min. hard)
Wednesday: Shed 5 Fast
Thursday: Same as Tuesday OR Rest
Friday: CFS Method and CMJumpstart
Saturday: Family exercise or Dance Jam
Sunday: Rest or use as a make-up day for a missed day
*I use Monday as Day 1.
**Shed 5 Fast and CMJumpstart are interchangable in this schedule.

Schedule 2 with all DVDs
Monday: CFS Method & Shed 5 Fast
Tuesday: Dance Jam OR Boot Camp cardio intervals + warmup and cool-down OR 20-40 minutes cardio interval (interval cardio=2 min. easy, 1 min. hard) Wednesday: CFS Method & CMJumpstart
Thursday: Same as Tuesday or Rest
Friday: Shed 5 Fast
Saturday: Family exercise and cardio intervals Sunday: Rest
*I use Monday as Day 1.
**Shed 5 Fast and CMJumpstart are interchangable in this schedule.

On days that I just don't feel like working out I head outside for some cardio intervals. I make myself take the long route--if I get there I have to get back, right! I jog for a few minutes and sprint for 30 seconds. After the initial 5 minutes of huffing and puffing my mood has improved and the workout continues. Right now I am not jogging and sprinting, due to coming off bed rest, but I interval my walks with hills. Moms with 2+ children in the stroller--you can do it too, you just have to work harder!

Normal Pregnancy???

Woop-Woop! Went to the doc today (17 weeks) and I am finally considered a "normal" pregnancy with risk of pre-term delivery. That means I can teach Stroller Pump again and take Taylor and Epic jogging (although it might not end up as jogging, just walking until I feel comfortable) and do more than my prenatal yoga workout.

My belly grew and my weight stayed the same. Now it's time to concentrate on eating well instead of eating whatever I can stomach. The morning sickness is mostly gone!

I had planned on learning how knit while on bed rest. I really wanted to knit some Halloween stockings...guess it'll have to wait. i just don't have the patience now.

My new videos are released this week! And I couldn't be happier or more stress-free about that. Between battling the flu, finding a new web designer and watching myself over and over and over and over again didn't leave a whole lot of time for Miss Taylor. Who, seems to want to be like her daddy (already looks 95% like him), and get into dentistry.

Much Better

So we've been out walking every morning since my last post. And it has made a world of difference! Both in feeling "blah" and my moodiness. My neighborhood is full of hills so it feels good to huff n' puff a little. Plus fall is my favorite season and the weather in St. Louis has been very fall-like recently.

We hit up the pre-season St. Louis Rams game last week. I love football season! And being a past Rams cheerleader I love checking out the new dances and costumes. But I had to spend 45 minutes in my closet finding something that covered my belly since I just look "thick", so I strapped a rubberband onto my jeans (which are much tighter in the thighs thanks to bed rest) and enjoyed some good ole stadium nachos.

P.S. I've received so many wonderful and uplifting messages. Thank you to everyone on Facebook and my blog for the prayers and thoughts...looks like this baby (boy) is gonna pull through!

Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Look what weeks of not exercising can do!

So we're 13 weeks pregnant and I have been on modified bed rest for WAY too long (props to moms who do it even longer than me). I've gained 5 pounds and finally got rid of the hyperstimulation fluids that put on even more lbs.

So we all know looking in the mirror in the 1st Trimester just isn't very fun. I look thick, pasty white, nothing fits and then I turn around to see this cellulite! AHHHHHHH!

So the 2-4 pounds a woman is supposed to gain in their 1st trimester is accomplished. But that should just be baby and extra blood volume...not added cellulite! I learned in school that muscles atrophy in 4 weeks and I can definitely tell my muscles started to atrophy a little from bed rest. And I've come to the conclusion that exercise makes me feel good in every way. My mood mostly! But my morning sickness is awful--and exercising with Taylor was the only thing that made it better!

I got the ok from my dcotor to start walking yesterday. And of course I thought that would have been the first thing I did today...but my excuse of a bad headache got in the way. So I just need to get back at it, I know how great a walk will make me feel.

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$4.99-$9.99 Only for the month of AUGUST

IVF #4, Betas and a Baby

Our 4th IVF was successful! We're almost 12 weeks pregnant, although we are not in the clear, we'll keep our spirits high. 3 Separation Tears very early in the pregnancy have me on modified bed rest...and after just 5 weeks my body is yuck! But of course it's all for good reason although it gives me too much time to wonder why it happened to me. And the docs don't know why either-just that it could've happened at implantation.

But let me back up a bit to May and June. Our 4th IVF process was the most successful thus far. We made it to a 5 day transer. We had always been a 3 day transfer due to a low number of good looking embryos. My RE has never figured out why, at the age of 30, we don't have high scoring embryos. But this time we had 16 embryos going strong on day 3 and transferred 3 of them on day 5 (5 days after the egg retrieval and fertilization). Then we had to wait 6 more days for my first beta blood test.

My betas were taken 11 days post ovulation (11 days after the egg retrieval which would put me at 3 weeks 4 days pregnant gestation age) and 14 days post ovulation. The betas, which measure HCG in the blood, were 58 and 266! My betas with Taylor (who started as a twin) were 30 and 132 on the same days. So needless to say my husband and I were a bit scared we might have 3 babies in there!

The first ultrasound couldn't come fast enough! After 2 miscarriages the anxiety and fear has never left me. We were so fortunate to see 1 healthy little embryo growing strong at 5 weeks. Then I just had to wait until our 6 week ultrasound to see the heartbeat...and it was there!

But bleeding during early pregnancy is never good, right? I was lounging in bed on a Sunday afternoon and ended up calling both my RE and regular OB wondering why I was bleeding. They had me do an extra progesterone shot since I was still on my injections. Hopefully it would give a little boost and make the baby want to stay! To make a long story short, I now see the doctor every 1-2 weeks for an ultrasound to make sure we're doing well. And as I progress I will be at risk for preterm delivery because of the separations from the uterus. But, hey, we'll get to see the sex of the baby soon with all these ultrasounds!

It does make me sad. And Taylor looks to her grandmothers to pick her up instead of me which just breaks my heart. But if positive thinking will help this pregnancy I better turn my attitude around and be thankful for my supportive family.

Meal Planning

So I always have women asking me what we eat for dinner or what I make for lunch. The simplest answer is whatever is in the fridge and it isn't always the best choice. I am a huge fan of making the better choice, which isn't always the best choice. BUT we always have a vegetable and it usually fills half of our plate...it's called the plate method. Veggies are not only nutritous but very filling and fill you up with less calories.

Now do my husband and my daughter always want veggies? Nope. So I secretly put it in wherever I can, like spinach pureed in pasta sauce or vegetables thrown in a pasta dish. Oh, and soup is our super-food! It always fills you up with less calories and tons of nutrients. We probably have soup at least 2 times a week. And homemade grilled cheese/tomato soup is a fave for lunch.

Our new website will have a new weight loss category: figure your metabolism, get a free 1 week meal plan, recipes and set your target weight. And you will see a lot of my faves within that 1 week meal plan and within the recipes!

New Releases...Video Clips

Shed 5 Fast Workout 1

Shed 5 Fast Workout 2

Dance Jam Halftime...just like we used to do on the NFL field

Dance Jam

Core Metabolic Jumpstart

CFS Method

How thin people stay thin

So I was reading my American Council on Exercise magazine ( Ace Fitness Matters, May/June 2009 and came across this article. I thought it was pretty interesting and proves that "thin" people do watch what they eat and exercise. But no Diets, they don't work!!!!!!!!!

Cellulite Return!

So I haven't been able to exercise for almost 4 weeks now, and as I put on my swimsuit yesterday to take Taylor to the pool I screamed in horror! Sure your muscles can atrophy in 4 weeks--but come on! I thought I just felt jiggly from not working out....but sure enough I am jiggly! I counted a few dimples on each cheek. It's depressing since I go from the best shape of my life and working hard to "light duty" exercise (which basically means walking only-but not in the 100 degree weather).

To make things worse I jumped on the scale. I had late onset hyperstimultaion from the IVF, which basically means you look 5 months pregnant from extra fluids and is also the reason for "light duty". So I'm going to use that excuse for the scale jumping up 5 lbs!!!!!!!!!!! Yikes.

New Videos

So my new videos will be released in early September! And I have received a lot of emails asking what the new videos are all about. Next week I will receive the raw footage with time codes so that I can watch and re-watch it looking for any mistakes. In the meantime we are getting the covers designed and getting ready for our pre-sell.

The Dance Jam is an intense cardio workout with 5 NFL Cheerleader moms. No dance experience required-just get ready for a heart-pumping workout. You can choose how long you want the workout to be too! From 6 minutes to 42 minutes and there is a Bonus halftime workout to get your metabolism revved!

Shed 5 Fast has to be my new favorite (in a close second to Dance Jam and Boot Camp)! There are 2-30 minute interval workouts. You will use the 3-3 interval method: 3 minutes of kickboxing and 3 minutes of compound toning. Compound toning uses multiples muscles groups (always the core) to burn even more calories. You will shed 5 pounds with the 1st workout, then use the 2nd workout to prevent an exercise plateau or lose even more weight!

Core Metabolic Jumpstart Everyone knows I am all about a fabulous workout in the least amount of time. This is an Express Workout at 23 minutes. Each minute you will do a different exercise to jumpstart your metabolism. And the best part is the core is part of every minute of exercise!

The CFS Method is the newest core method, that I focus on in my new book. Every mom needs to learn how to use the deep abdominal wall and pelvic floor. You will start with the innermost core muscles and work your way to the oustide muscles. Simple exercises that can be done in 6-7 minutes a day. It's like a tummy tuck without the surgery!

Our pre-sell will offer all DVDs at 50% off! So if you haven't signed up for my newsletter or haven't become my friend on Facebook...join me now for this awesome deal!

Taylor graduated from gymnastics! It really is the cutest thing ever seeing her interact with and follow all the lil' boys in her class...she's already boy crazy!


Taylor also starred in her second video...Fertility Lifelines

We ended up with 16 possible babies and transferred 3 blastocysts last week. The wait is torture! Although the wait is shorter this time doing a 5-day transfer instead of a 3-day transfer. And I ahve to admit I am a little more confident in the 5-day transfer and getting pregnant this time around. Easier??? I don't know...

Some R & R

After a few stressful weeks of preparing for the video shoot and the IVF, we went down to Lake of the Ozarks for Memorial Weekend. We got to sepnd time with both sets of grandparents-which is just the best thing ever. I read 2 books, layed by the pool and Taylor took her first boat ride.

As for the IVF we're looking at 12-14 potential babies. We'll know more after the weekend and our egg retrieval. But it's bed rest and more R & R next week (which I am getting pretty good at this R & R thing!)

Our new Videos!!!!!!

So we filmed 4 new videso this weekend! My producer, Bill Strohmeier, was absolutely fabulous and really made it all look good. He's produced all of Denise Austin's workouts on Lifetime and she has been one of my role models since I was in 8th grade! He's worked closely on productions for the Biggest Loser and Dancing with the Stars so I felt very priveleged to work with him!

I'll have to upload some behind-the-scenes video when I find some time. But we did 2 12 hour days and I am a little sore. Although I was sore from practicing too. These are some great workouts. We've got 4 new titles:

The Dance Jam (all 5 moms take off the white NFL boots and trade them in for mommyhood)

Shed 5 Fast

Core Metabolic Jumpstart

The Core Firing Sequence

Measuring up 1 year later...

Measurements 1 Year Later

Time flies! It’s already been a year and my lil’ girl is walking and talking up a storm. I’ve stayed pretty steady with my workout schedule over the last 6 months, about 3-4x/week. I’ve been able to eat more than I ever did before getting pregnant. Of course I believe in the study that if you workout during pregnancy your body reaps many postpartum benefits, and maybe that’s one of them. Your body works double time during pregnancy and if you workout it works a little harder…needless to say all that hard work shows!

So I decided to pull out the measuring tape! I stayed on track through 3 low scale fertility treatments, a cruise to the Mexican Riviera and a trip to Naples by weighing myself once a week. But I haven’t whipped out the measuring tape since I was 4 months postpartum! Here goes…
Weight=102
Arm=9.5
Shoulders=35
Bust=30
Waist=24
Below Waist=29.5
Hips=33.5
Thigh=18.5

The time has come...

It's back to the ole injections and steroids! Of course nobody likes getting poked, but it's the steroids that make me not sleep and want to eat. But I am so excited (and nervous) for this IVF cycle.

Our video shoot in Miami was postponed, but now we're doing it here in STL this weekend May 16/17. We've got some great choreography, if I do say so myself, which has made me sore over the last few weeks.

I'll have to post pictures of Taylor's Dedication and Birthday Party. Hopefully I'll get to it next week! I spent about 60 hours on a video and still picture slideshow for her birthday party...and it skipped the whole time. So I'm kinda burned out on pictures right now!

Ice Cream

So the last time we went through IVF I read a study on eating ice cream and better egg production. And trust me, I am not one that gives into gimmicks. But I was willing to give anything a try after 2 failed IVF's and a miscarriage!

So I ate 1/2 cup of full fat ice cream or full fat dairy every day for the 6 weeks leading up to our 3rd IVF. Whether or not it had anything to do with the creation of Taylor, my eggs looked the best they had under a microscope! (You could say I have a different outlook on procreation after being examined in every way during fertility treatments, but have always belived it's up to the man upstairs).

Our 4th IVF begins in May. And it just so happens I am getting ready to film 4 new videos at the same time I am trying to integrate ice cream into my everyday nutrition. So needless to say, I replace my healthy breakfast with some ice cream. It may not have the same vitamins and minerals-but the calories kind of even out-as long as I keep it to a 1/2 cup (which maybe happens 5 out of 7 days).

So here we go again on the wild roller coaster ride of IVF. And I've got Taylor to remind me everyday how precious life is.

Taylor is turning 1!

Taylor's first birthday is approaching much faster than I'd like! But she is so stinkin' cute in her lil' tutu birthday outfit.

Work has been really, really busy lately. Between putting the final touches on my first book, creating a new magazine, a new website and doing choreography for my new videos (which I am a perfectionist) I find that some days I put my own daughter on the back burner. Which is so not what I want!

So I am going to stop working and start spending more time with the fam...that is after I go to Miami in a week to film my new videos!

First Response and Fertility Lifelines

I've been asked to team up with Fertility Lifelines and First Response to help spread the word about fertility. First Response is even coming out with an at-home test for fertility!

We were lucky enough to use a Serono product called Gonal-f. Which not only helped bring Taylor into the world, but we received significant savings throughout the IVF process.

Taylor, my mom and I traveled to L.A. for 3 days. It was a full day of filming, but we got to go to the beach!

I love Facebook!

I just finished kickboxing and ran to my computer to see the new friend requests on Facebook. And my husband thinks its entertaining to take pictures of me when I least expect it--as you can see my basement stores all the Boot Camp set props. perhaps he's getting back at me for the 805 photos I have yet to download from my camera.

Anyway back to the point:

I finally joined Facebook! After years of people telling me to try it, I just didn't think I had the time. But now I make the time, it is fun to catch up with people!

Here's a little bit about me that you'll find on Facebook. I am 5’11/2”, 108 lbs., look like a teenager, just turned 30, live in St. Louis, grew up near Chicago, love Jayhawks basketball, got married to my wonderful husband in 2004, go to yearly get-togethers with my college girlfriends, love to shop with my mom, use pictures as art in my home, love green bean casserole, love contemporary furnishings, enjoy organizing and re-organizing, grew up dancing and still love to cut a rug on a night out, love shopping, prefer salt over sweet, own one too many Juicy outfits, feel 100 times better when I put on some mascara and brush my teeth, gained 20 lbs. freshman year of college , wear super-flare jeans instead of skinny...become my friend on facebook. Or become a fan of Moms Into Fitness on Facebook

Free Stroller Workout

Please email Moms Into Fitness for the pdf file at themoms@momsintofitness.com. I cannot figure out how to upload a larger image without making it blurry...sorry!

Christmas with Taylor

We had wonderful Christmas with Taylor! Her daddy limited Santa to 3 gifts, in hopes that she learns to appreciate everything she has and know the true meaning of Christmas. We had Christmas Eve waffles at Aunt Ruth's and went to a Christmas Eve church service followed by great-grandma's dinner. I baked Christmas morning breakfast (monkey bread is yummy!) then grandma, grandpa, grammy, gramps and Uncle B came over for presents.

Now I am looking forward to Spring and going to Naples. Taylor loves the water so we're going to take her to the beach!

And of course I'm taking my core video so I can workout!


On another note...we've been trying TI/IUI unsuccessfully so it looks like IVF here we come (again)!

My 12 week Challenge...getting my body back after baby

This is my story and how I got my body back. But if you are embarking on any new exercise or nutrition program please consult your physician first.

First my story in getting pregnant…my husband and I both have fertility issues. And unfortunately we lost 2 babies during our In-Vitro treatments. It took 3 In-vitros, a lot of acupuncture, and a ton of emotional and physical stress to get our beautiful blessing.

I began my In-Vitro journey at my usual 111-113 pounds. And after 6 weeks of meds and emotional turmoil I weighed in at 121 pounds. But I lost the weight in between each cycle because I knew my mental health was also important-and I just wasn’t excited about my clothes not fitting! I also knew it would be a long journey if I didn’t get the weight off in between cycles—I would’ve had 30 extra pounds even before getting pregnant! In my case that would have been 50 pounds to lose after having my baby, which is a lot for my 5'1" frame.