Losing the baby weight can be and often is a rather difficult challenge. With my first pregnancy, I did not have the long established habit of regular exercise; I was well within the normal and healthy body mass index but I had very little muscle tone; I was not in shape. I began exercising with my first pregnancy (talk about a real motivating reason to exercise). Even though I exercised regularly throughout my first pregnancy, my workouts were really tame. The biggest challenge came after my son was born. I had gained about twenty pounds more than I had wanted (and is typically recommended), and I was not eating as healthy (I took on the ignorant attitude that I could eat what ever I wanted now that I was no longer pregnant). I had a good bit of weight to loose with no idea where to start. It took me five long months (I was still wearing maternity jeans) to finally commit to a workout routine thanks to a “Biggest Loser” competition at the school where I taught. I was held accountable by a weekly weight in which really helped me stay on track. I was working out every day some times twice a day and keeping track of my diet by eating healthy whole foods, very little sugar, and no desserts (aside from planned desserts for special occasions i.e. Valentine’s Day which also involved and extra workout as well). The workout itself consisted of a twenty minute cardio dvd followed by a forty minute strength training dvd. When I wanted an extra boost, usually on the weekends, I would do the would workout early in the day and another thirty minute cardio workout in the evening. In nine weeks I had lost twenty seven pounds which ended up being 17.77% of my starting weight.
(To be continued …)