Happy Monday, y’all!

Has the year been good to you so far? No? Me either. It’s been a bit rough. And I realized this morning that I really need to make some MAJOR changes. I know that it’s been awhile since I’ve updated here, and for that, I’m sorry. In my puny defense, I did create a mommy blog…but I’ve realized over the past months that I am so much more than a mommy. And I’m bummed. I missed it here. So I’m back.

Skulking back, renewed, reenergized, and seriously ready for change. Let’s get one thing straight, shall we? I HATE resolutions. They suck. BIG TIME.

I hate the feeling guilty, the dwindling motivation, the guilt. So I decided this year to just make some positive life changes. I need to get FIT. (sad, since that’s what this blog is all about, right?!)

How am I getting fit? For starters, I’m taking more ‘me’ time. Sure, I love being a mommy to the most awesome son a girl could ask for, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not a better mommy when I have some time to myself.

Skip this next sentence if you want to avoid a seriously embarrassing mommy-moment. ↓

He’s great, isn’t he?!

Time to myself. I am a much happier, more balanced, centered…okay, okay. I’m less of a bitch. There, I said it. I totally suck when I don’t get some time just for me. BUT, when I do, I am amazeballs. Seriously.

In order to actually get that time, I’ve been getting up at the asscrack of dawn to workout. What workout? I’ve been working on some barre-fusion centering on Tracy Anderson’s Metamorphosis. I’m really enjoying the length and OMIGODBURNINGPAIN that comes with the muscular structure workouts. I also am loving doing the dance cardio on my rebounder.

BOING!

↑ that’s the sound of my rebounder. It’s FUN. LOTS of fun. Seriously. You should try it.

AND…I’m transitioning to a raw diet. I am SO excited. Last week, I ate entirely raw for two days, and I felt…well, amazeballs. I felt clear, uncluttered…AWESOME. More on that to come.

I’ve been torn about what to do about my weight loss. I’ve been doing my barre workouts, but I don’t always have time for a video. When I improvise, it’s usually late at night (okay 8:00…but I’m SO tired by the end of the day! Being a mommy is hard work!) and I’m too tired to count reps, let alone get creative with movement. I lost about 10 pounds, then it just STOPPED. Yesterday, Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method arrived in the mail. I’ve heard just about every type of review for this book (and I’m not normally one to enjoy or even follow a fitness program out of a book. I prefer a ‘live’ (read: DVD) demonstration so that I can be sure to get the movement correct. That being said, The book seems to have addressed all of my worries. It comes with a DVD that not only demonstrates ALL of the exercises that she has included in the book, but also outlines the two dance cardio segments (which I have not tried yet…I’m waiting until Tater takes his morning nap). Some reviewers felt that the inclusion of a DVD meant that Tracy would be running each 10-day workout sequence through completion. She doesn’t do that. I don’t really mind, though. For a mom who has limited time on her hands, it was nice to have the DVD as a reference point, and the book for my actual workout (which I split into 3 segments today because of Tater’s nap schedule).

Because my day is never predictable, Tracy’s suggestion to schedule in her workouts for 45 to 90 minutes was just plain unrealistic for me. I realize that by splitting them up I’m not going to sweat as much, but WOW am I sore from just the musculostructure work! I do like that the book provides a new challenge every 10 days-that will keep me entertained and hopefully speed up my progress toward a svelte new me! I haven’t tried the meal plan yet-partially because I need more calories that it provides so that Tater can eat, too, and also because I’m not in a position to run to the grocery right now…. The meal plan does have a vegetarian option, but is NOT vegan. Bummer. I’ll just do what I normally do and modify. The recipes look simple, fresh (YAY!) and mostly raw (DOUBLE YAY!). I do plan on trying a few of them that I happen to have ingredients for, though.

Overall, I’m impressed with the thought that Tracy put into explaining her Method, the composition of the book (it’s a super-easy 2 hour read at the most), and her engaging style. Where this book loses points is the unrealistic (at least for me) expectation that I can just schedule 90 minutes a day uninterrupted. I have a 5 month old. Interruptions are the story of my life (and I love every minute of them). The fact that Tracy was thoughtful enough to include a vegetarian option on her menu was great, too-although I am worried about the EXTREMELY low caloric intake. Her workouts are taxing, and my body needs to recover. I will definitely be modifying them.

Overall, my first impression is a good one. If you have the time (and an extra $25), this book is a nice compliment to other Tracy Anderson DVD workouts (I have all but the dance cardio…this will be my first attempt since I’m not able to run right now). The strength work had me grimacing, which I expected, and I enjoyed the fact that there were only 16 individual movements for this first 10 days. Looking ahead, the movements definitely get FAR more complicated, and I’m sure that my 20 minute per side workout will definitely become longer as the month goes on. I’m excited to see the changes, though!

I forgot what a great workout the P57 Classic is! Apparently, so did my legs! I think that is why I’ve stuck to the express workout for the last few months. Don’t get me wrong-I feel fantastic!! I just wish that my jell-o legs would solidify again. For those of you fellow P-57 fans out there, did you hear that they just released their second set of workouts?! They’re hot off the presses, and will give you a ‘leg up’ on the first set. From everything that I’ve read, the workouts build on the current set, allowing you to advance and tackle a new set of challenges (more thigh dancing, anyone?). I’m super excited about these workouts, but they’re going to have to wait until I master my current set. I’ll be honest…I’m hoping to get them in my stocking!

One of the things that I worked on today was meal-planning for next week. I think that I’m going to make e. & stell’s creamy cashew pasta, tempeh ruebens (although I may make those tomorrow…I’ve been craving them), scrambled tofu, veggie pot pie stew (AND some sweet potato biscuits), mushroom and sundried tomato risotto, and possibly blackened tofu…. Although everything is up for debate until I go to the grocery store. As for what we ate today…we had cereal (again), sammies (again), salads, pumpkin shakes, an apple with peanut butter, and TVP burritos with black beans, bell peppers, onions, squash, and Daiya. Yum-o! I would definitely call day 2 a success!!

I am proud to report that day 1 of Ish’s veg journey has been a success!! I’m working on dinner right now, and can’t decide between marinated seitan with cold udon noodles and peanut sauce or marinated seitan with cold udon noodles and teriyaki sauce…quite the problem! I know that I’ll be serving dinner up with grated carrots, thinly sliced bell pepper and broccoli…it’s just deciding which sauce. Right now I’m leaning toward teriyaki because I’ve already had a few spoonfuls of Peanut Butter & Co.’s White Chocolate Wonderful today (I was craving sweet, and the pumpkin shake I made just wasn’t quite what I was looking for-thank heavens for PB & Co!). I also have yet to do my workout, so that’s next on my list. I’m thinking that I’ll have about 30 minutes, so I’ll probably do either an Essentrics DVD or one of my WinsorSlim workouts (I LOVE the gadget that they use). Either way, I will get in a workout before sitting down to watch Top Chef tonight (and yes, I know that the meals they cook are not vegan, but I get some good ideas for flavor combinations…and for that matter, why hasn’t someone come out with a vegan cooking show for cable tv?!). Alright…enough chit chat. I have some seitan to marinate!

I’m going to list what we’ve eaten today for those of you who are interested (and so that I can keep a record):

Ish: homemade granola with almond milk, curried mango-tempeh salad in a pita, ‘refried’ black bean & Daiya burrito, and teriyaki seitan with veggies and udon noodles.

Brea: Kashi Go LEAN Crunch! with chocolate almond milk, ‘tuna’ sammie on homemade wheat bread with a green salad, white chocolate pb, celery & pb, and teriyaki seitan with veggies and udon noodles.

I have a confession. I’ve been focused so much on getting my diet out of a rut, that my workouts have slid all the way into the background. Sure, I do my isometrics while I watch football, but I cannot remember the last time I actually finished an entire barre workout (or any workout! Not even Insanity’s short 20-minute ones!). I am always starting them, and then baby cries, or something boils over, or the laundry beeps. So, starting this week, I’m issuing myself a 30-day barre challenge. I know that it will be a big commitment…that’s why I’m waiting until Wednesday to start my challenge. I need a few days to prepare. I was thinking of sticking with one workout, but I realized that I love ALL of my barre workouts, and want to be able to pick a 20, 30, 40, or 60 minute workout depending on how much time I have available. I also like the idea of being able to do an ‘easier’ workout on the days when my muscles feel like they’re going to shrivel up because they’ve just given their all for the 5th or 6th time. Don’t get me wrong-I love the afterburn that you get from a great barre workout, but I’m also a realist. I have a 4 month old who takes up a ton of time. I need to be sure that I can still pick him up when I’m done with my workout! You’re probably wondering why I picked December-Christmas season-for this challenge. After all, New Year’s is just a month (less!) away…. I know myself, and I’m the first to admit that I’m a terrible procrastinator. So it’s now or never (I’m even putting off starting until Wednesday because Ish will be home to watch Tater for me). Wednesday also marks Ish’s journey into full-blown veganism. So…why not meet his 30-day challenge with one of my own?

Ummm…yeah. I remember looking forward to that burn that you get from a really intense barre workout…and getting excited when I could maintain for just a ‘few’ more seconds. I think that mommyhood has softened me a bit (and made me crave an insane amount of protein!!), because when I popped in Exhale: Core Fusion Body Sculpt, I was…how should I put this? In EXCRUCIATING pain. I think that I completely forgot how hard some of the workouts really are. Normally, I would tell myself to start with a basic The Bar Method workout, but that’s 45 minutes. And let’s be honest, here: I’m lucky if I have 5 minutes to shower, let alone 45 minutes to workout while Tater is either contented with his playgym or sleeping. So, I chose Core Fusion because of the 10-minute option. While 10-minute workouts are a WONDERFUL invention for those of us who are too busy to fit in an entire 30-45 minutes, those 10 can be painful, and productive. I do want to clarify that when I say ‘painful’ I mean you will get that awesome burn without spending a ton of time. While the Exhale workouts aren’t my favorite, they do serve their purpose, and will come in handy until Tater gets into a semi-regular nap schedule. Normally, by the time I realize that I had time to workout, he’s awake and it’s time to focus on him again (which is blissfully wonderful, and SO worth the extra 30 pounds…okay, I REALLY need to get back into shape!! Want to join me??). In sum, last week I found that 10 minute workouts are a must for me. I can find 10 minutes in my day, right? This coming week, my goal is to try and get 2 (I know!!) workouts (just 10 minutes at a time) in each day. I figure that if I keep slowly increasing the time, by the time Tater naps for more than a few minutes, I’ll have my groove back….

I am SO very glad to be back! I am pleased to say that Tater was born on July 29th at 2:00 am! After an excruciating 8 hours of labor (thanks to him being extremely HUGE!), he was born via c-section. I’ve been recuperating for the last month, and am SO ready to lose this baby weight!! Tater is doing well. He just needs to learn how to sleep at night!! I’ve decided that if I’m going to be up at all hours, I need to have a few quick and fun workouts to help jump-start my journey (since I’m not allowed to run just yet) back into looking FAB. A good friend gave me the Zumba Fitness Total Body Transformation System DVD Set and I couldn’t wait to try it. Y’all know that I’m a die-hard barre workout/kettlebell/PINK Fitness girl when it comes to strength and flexibility…but without running, my cardio is hurting! SO, I was pleasantly surprised when I found that I actually ENJOYED a ‘dance’ workout DVD. Huh. I’ve always abhorred other dance workouts that I’ve tried (short of Cardio Barre), but this was actually FUN! I can honestly say that I won’t do it in front of Ish…but by myself at 2 in the morning, I had a blast! The music made me want to move, the instruction was good (if you try this set, be careful of the cueing and editing…there are a few moments where they do not match!), and I couldn’t believe that my 20 minute workout was OVER so quickly. I will admit that I was VERY winded when I was finished, but I really felt that I’d accomplished something…now I’m off to do some Bar Method!!

I had some extra energy (yay for getting 5 straight hours of blissful sleep!) and was jonesing for a barre workout when I got home from work today. SO…I have been wanting to do the beginner version of Cardio Barre: Four Workouts on One DVD, and as I was dragging out my barre (if you’ve never tried to maneuver a Fluidity barre at 6 months pregnant, you should be VERY proud of me!! That thing is AWKWARD and heavy!!) thought that I might share my thoughts (and a giveaway) with you, my loyal readers (you’re still out there, right??) I know that I have been VERY baby-obsessed the last six months, but I can’t really help that. I promise that after Tater gets here, you’ll hear all about me getting back into shape. Scout’s honor. Okay, moving on. So I finally got the barre set up (YAY!) and the DVD put in (note to self: move the DVD player to a higher location!!), and the Intro workout started. I have done the third and forth workouts before, and KNEW that I could not keep up…ummmm…yeah. I did okay. The workout is 144 bpm, which definitely got my heart pumping, and the moves were clearly explained. Some of the twisting I was unable to do for obvious reasons (and nothing on the floor…that heavens for my exercise ball!!), but I thought that it was a nice, short and to-the-point workout.

Now for the giveaway….I have a BRAND-SPANKIN-NEW Cardio Barre: Four Workouts on One DVD to giveaway! How do you enter, you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you. Leave a comment here telling me WHY you want this workout. It doesn’t have to be long, just tell me why you want it. The contest will run until Midnight EST on Sunday, April 11, 2010 (contest now ended).

I haven’t done this before, but I thought that I’d give it a try: EXTRA ENTRIES!!

-Follow me on Twitter, then post here (separate post, please) to tell me you are a follower.

-Fan me on Facebook, then post here (separate post, please) to tell me that you are now a fan.

-TWEET about this contest (one tweet per person, please), and post your tweet.

Good luck all!!

**Thank you for all the entries and follows!! We (Ish and I) drew the winner tonight…and…it’s DANIELLE! Congratulations!! Please email me your mailing address and I’ll get the DVD right out to you!**

Hello to all of you who are still reading my blog! I am sorry that I have not been more diligent in my posts, but life has been absolutely CRAZY! To catch you up, we set up our crib, picked out paint colors, and have been stocking up on good baby deals. (I LOVE Ross and Marshalls for onesies!) I also found a great deal on nursing covers, thanks to a wonderful friend. Have you ever heard of Udder Covers? They’re pretty neat, and although Tater won’t be here until July, this is a deal that I could NOT pass up. If you go the udder covers website and enter the promo code “onefree”, you can get your udder cover for just the price of shipping! I have 2, in the Carson and Jones patterns, and they are really neat! I have to admit that I tried on the Carson, and the covers have this neat neckline that is moldable so that you look at your baby while you are covering up your nursing activities. Beyond that nifty find, I really haven’t had much time beyond trying to workout and eat healthy. I do really enjoy Suzanne Bowen’s Long and Lean Prenatal Workout, which is produced by Ruah, and will be great even after the pregnancy. The workout is very fluid, and I am really enjoying the barre quality (even though it’s probably more pilates-based to be completely fair). I will post a full review soon.

Have you ever heard of iTRAIN? It’s a training program for your iPod. NO, not for the iPod to get in shape…for YOU to get in shape. The workouts are based in anything from cycling to weights…to running…and…(drumroll, please!) BARRE WORKOUTS! You cannot BELIEVE how excited I was to find these! I can take my barre workouts ANYWHERE!! AND the workouts are innovative, well executed and…dare I say this: fun?! Yup. FUN. I like that the workouts vary in length from 20 to 60 minutes, and are rated by difficulty. While most of the iBallet workouts are rated “beginner”, don’t let that fool you. I was BURNING. I know that I’m doing my P57/The Tracy Anderson Method Presents Mat Workout DVD rotation this month, accented by Essentrics (LOVING IT!), but I like to plan ahead. Interestingly, I’m thinking that iBallet will be good on my off days. I currently have the Barre None (no barre), Nip Tuck (accessory muscles), and Workout 1. They’re each broken down into 15-20 minute sections (except for the warm-up and cool-down, which are approximately 3-5 minutes each), which makes it easy to work toward the results that I want. Even better? iTRAIN has different purchase options for their workouts: ala carte, monthy motivator (my personal choice!) and yearly. So you can try a workout, and if you like it, then you can get more! With my plan, I get to download 3 workouts a month (about $10.00/month), and I can choose from any of their programs. Download, workout at iTRAIN.com! Save 10% off select workout packages! Use code TRAIN10. I am thinking about trying ARTM DVD next, which is a fusion of yoga/pilates and dance…but we’ll see. I’m so excited about iBallet that I think I may spend my next 20 downloads getting the complete collection! AND I’m thinking of making these workouts and Cardio Barre my October rotation…loooong ways off, I know…but it’s almost the middle of September! Time to start thinking ahead.

Get that lean dancer’s body! Save 10% on All The Right Moves workout videos from iTRAIN.com! Use code TRAIN10.