Recap: The Shred

It's finally over. Hallelujah.

The very last day of the Shred, on the last cardio circuit, Benjamin started crying... less than an hour after putting him in his crib for the night. Never a good sign. He woke up congested and ever since, we've all been dealing with the wrath of a sick baby and then getting sick ourselves. Quite the celebration party. Gah.

Before you ask how much weight I lost, I'll tell you this: We don't own a scale. Nor was my intention to use the Shred as my weight-loss tool. Unfortunately, there are no before & after photos of what my abs look like or anything. I didn't have much weight to lose, to be honest... so even if I lost some, I wouldn't have lost much. Though, considering the difficulty of the Shred, I can see the impact it could have on someone who is hoping to lose weight. Instead, I use working out as an excuse to eat. It's like food is my reward. There were no calories being counted here. I still maintained my pizza-eating skills throughout. However, we don't recommend an entire Chipotle burrito before workouts. I'll spare you the details on that one.

We chose to take this on because winter in Chicago is brutal and neverending. And hey! Thirty days later and it's still as cold as ever outside. But at least we're done with January.

Personal Shred Results & Commentary:

• Abs - Not that I'll ever obtain a 6-pack again, but I definitely have more definition than I have in a very, very long time.
• Endurance - We're both able to do more pushups and situps than we have since college. The workouts definitely get easier with time. Good thing, because I was ready to quit after day 1. 
• Reality check - Our bodies, while still young, are definitely not college bodies anymore. At different points during the 30 days, we both complained of some kind of pulled muscle or knee pain. I blame it on the jumping lunges.
• Time - We actually found the 20-minutes (well, 18 minutes + warm up/cool down) to be a perfect length of time to keep us engaged and actually stick to the program. We'd put B down for the night and head straight to the basement where we'd immediately knock it out before showering and relaxing on the couch for another hour before bed. It was just long enough to feel like we got in a decent workout, but not too long where we felt like our nights were robbed of any relaxation time.
• Accountability - Having my husband do it with me was huge. I would have never stuck with it if I knew he was upstairs watching our favorite TV shows while eating chocolate. 

Just a Few Favorite Quotes by Jillian, the Beast:

• If we're going to make big promises to you, we've got to deliver.
• Your neck was not invited to this party; this is all abs.
• See these abs? These kind of abs don't come for free, people.
• Don't phone it in, don't stand up.
• You think you can handle it? We'll see. {fake intro nonsense}
• I could always use a good chest fly in my life.

Other Shred Nonsense:

• Anita is way more rockstar than Natalie. I mean, did you see her body?
• In Level 1, please pay attention to Natalie phoning it in on those lunges. Chick is a cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater.
• I curse the fact that you have to sit through Jillian talk about the 3-2-1 routine for 30 straight days. There needs to be a fast-track to getting straight to the workout.
• On that note, why do you have to scroll down past "recommendations" to get to the workouts? I will read the recommendations once and need to press the workout selection thrity times. Please make this more convenient.
• While torturous, working out every single day was really smart. We didn't have a choice to make concessions or excuses about why we couldn't work out that day. We just did, no matter what. On days we didn't get started until 10 p.m., we still did it. They may not have been our most fruitful days, but we kept with it. That has to be part of the success. Don't skip days!

Final Piece:

• We really did love the 30-day requirement. As much as we loathed putting Benjamin to bed at night because we knew the inevitable was ahead, we did like feeling like we weren't such lards sitting on the couch each night.
• We've discussed doing this each January! We'll see if that comes to fruition. It did take us four years to even buy the DVD
• It's been a solid week of being sick and caring for a sick Benjamin, and we haven't worked out again. However, I do plan to see what else our library has in stock and make a trip every week or two and continue short basement workouts for 5-10 days straight after B goes down for the night.

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I'm being syndicated over at BlogHer today {in the babies & toddlers 0-2 section! Hooray to exposure of loss!} about my recent Grief Lit. topic and how that shapes or alters the grief journey. My first syndication! 

Two-Thousand Thirteen

So here we are. A new year with new possibilities. Let's hope 2013 rocks as much as 2012 did. Or at the very least, doesn't suck as much as 2010 did. There's my eternal optimism kicking in again. Perhaps I should resolve to work on that first? Ha.

We kicked off the new year by playing a little Super Mario Bros. on the couch while B napped, followed by a full on gutting of our upstairs catch-all closet that housed memories of days past. In numbers... a little fun to begin the new year:

100 - approximate feet of TV cable found in our closet
4 - keyboards and computer mice found
8 - random, empty notebooks filled with empty lined paper
7 - beach towels
7 - sets of earphones
25 - approximate number of USB cords found
2 - Ethernet cords
1 - printer we planned to recycle until we found 3 unused printer ink cartridges for said printer
15 - rough number of electronics boxes of various cameras, GPS devices and the like
5 - approximate pounds of papers shredded after cleaning out our files
5 - approximate pounds of papers from the NICU and both boys' births
6 - books recycled
4 - more books placed in the pile for consignment donating
5 - flash drives probably full of random data
4 - number of hours spent de-cluttering yesterday
25 - approximate weight of the bag of electronics we're recycling this month

Our goal is to go through our basement storage in the coming month as well. I imagine my teaching supplies need to be sifted through and purged a bit. I do plan to teach again eventually, but I don't imagine I'll need the 10-15 boxes of random stuff I schlepped all the way from my classroom in So. Cal.

I'm not a regular resolution setter, but because it's all about a new year and I'm hoping for new results, I guess I have to make some changes. Without futher adieu:

• Complete Jillian's 30-Day Shred at least once. I just bought it this morning on Amazon. No joke. I'm obviously behind the times. Anyone successfully completed it?
• Run a 5k as a family. It's not a huge feat to run that distance for us, but we don't usually run them because they cost a ton! However, I really want Benjamin to be brought up in an active family and see others enjoying an active lifestyle. We want to do the Arboretum run this fall, but whether we do that or not, it will have to be non-traditional.
• Cook one new recipe from my Pinterest account a week. That's not really all that big of a deal... as you all know I love to cook. But man! Somehow I've ended up with about 100 recipes I have yet to try and only 50 on my list of complete (and liked. Some were deleted after unimpressive results).
• Cut out sugar for another 2-3 months. I really feel good when I do this. I can't cut it out forever and I'm obviously horrible at pacing myself throughout the day, so it's all or nothing. Maybe this should be in conjunction with the Shred?
• Once the weather is 50 degrees and higher, I want to get out and run/walk at least 3x/week with Benjamin in the jogger. My husband needs to hold me accountable for this.
• Meet friends. We've lived here 3 years in March and met all of the friends we have now within the first 3 months of moving here. It's time we add to that number. I'm hoping this can be accomplished through Benjamin's swim lessons (start next week!) & our weekly trips to the pool/water park this summer. Hopefully they won't have a 2-3 year old. Might be an automatic deal breaker if it's a boy. If blond? #forgetaboutit
• Plan a ski trip for winter 2013-2014. Aside from our honeymoon in New Zealand and a really lame attempt at a ski hill just down the road, we haven't been skiing in 5 years. Our wedding was 4.5 years ago, so that's really the last official time of skiing at a place with an actual chair lift and not a tow rope. Did I mention my amazing husband loves to ski? 

That's it. That's all I'm committing to accomplishing. Anyone have any of my above items on their list? Maybe we can be accountability partners. Any recommendations on how to deal with the Shred and not die in the process? 

Chi-Town Coca-Cola Blogger Event

I'm not paid to write this. I just want to because I have so many photos from our adventures. My what I learned post will be tomorrow, but currently, I'll just overshare a bunch of photos because I am convinced everyone wants to see them.

And if you don't want to see pictures of me, at least you'll be able to stare at photos of Harley Pasternak and swoon. You're welcome. I may not be Jessica Simpson or Megan Fox, but I did work out with him and it was awesome.

We had a jam packed schedule, as you can see below. I tried to put everything in the order in which we did things-- presentations by dietitians, socializing, one-on-one with dieticians & personal trainers, vision board creations, workout with Harley Pasternak, dinner, Jewel-Osco visit & cooking at The Chopping Block. More info to come tomorrow... but until then...

I'll throw in a few facts along the way... starting with:

Fact 1: This was my first blogger conference of any kind.
Fact 2: I probably drank 20 bottles of Smart Water during the 1.5 days.

Fact 3: I'm not a fan of microphones. Also, why does it look like I have a lazy eye in the below photo?

Fact 4: My mom was the one who initially got me drinking Diet Coke.

Fact 5: I didn't have fish (see sandwich below) until I was well into adulthood. Real fish, not fishsticks, people.

Fact 6: Garrett's Popcorn is legit. When in Chicago, you must eat Garrett's.

Fact 7: This was our first time staying in a hotel in downtown Chicago. The husband & B-man came along for the hotel room & downtown exploring. Also, breastfeeding is challenging if I'm not near B... so they had to come.

Fact 8: This hotel had the best bathroom ever. Large enough to fit 3 Pack 'n' Plays! 

Fact 9: Hotels with large bathrooms or separate rooms are crucial for B to have a separate area to sleep & nap. Otherwise you resort to ultra dark rooms with no ability to watch TV, use the phone, or speak. Sometimes naps can go 2+ hours! That's a long time to sit still in silence.

Fact 10: Harley Pasternak might be attractive. He's also the best-selling author of the 5-Factor Diet.
Fact 11: My husband is also very attractive. #husbandreadstheblog

Fact 12: Boka in Lincoln Park is delicious.
Fact 13: Mom-bloggers can be pretty fun to hang out with.
Fact 14: I had no idea all these bloggers would have business cards. I did not have business cards.
Fact 15: I love prosecco.

Fact 16: That peanut butter ice cream with flourless chocolate cake was crazy-good.
Fact 17: Peanut butter ice cream? Always delicious.

Fact 17: This was the nicest Jewel-Osco I'd ever been to. For those in California, that's Albertson's.
Fact 18: I love grocery shopping. Way more than shopping for clothes.

photo credit bottom left: Kari @ A Grace-Full Life

Fact 19: This was my first cooking school lesson.

Fact 20: While loads of fun, I already knew how to prepare all of what we made... stuffed chicken, haricot vert, fingerling potatoes, cheesecake bites, hummus. But, it was still loads of fun because I love to cook!

Fact 21: That cheese tray? Off the hook.

Fact 22: I hate side-profile shots. But who doesn't?
Fact 23: My friend Solange calls food that should taste amazing but doesn't, bad cheesecake. Like, dessert that isn't worth the calories because it just doesn't taste good enough? Bad cheesecake. We use her terminology now. :)

Fact 24: I was happily the first in line to get food. I learned long ago that as a vegetarian, you eat about half of what others do... so you have to get on the ball quick and load that plate up before it's gone.
Fact 25: We didn't run out of food. In fact, there was far too much of it all. Even with me going back for seconds.

Fact 26: I loved just about every minute of this amazing conference. I might go to the BlogHer blogging conference this year. Any other Chicagoans interested in meeting up there? I'll probably get the expo-only pass, as I would miss B and the husband way too much if I stayed nights as well.

Photo credit for almost all photos above: Coca-Cola & Bruce Powell Photography

Amazing, right? I still can't believe I was invited. It was an absolute blast. Thanks, Coca-Cola!

It's Time to Cut the Crap.

I'm talking about my consumption habits of course.

There are a few goals I'm making as of March 1.

Why not today? Well... because we're going on a cruise before then, so I surely couldn't eliminate the possibility of eating a whole lotta crap on that trip... so March 1 it is.

The reasons for my purge:

• I had a baby. I'm sad he isn't here. It's a distraction and control thing. Change is needed.
• My body looks like I had a baby. 
• I eat too much crap without thinking about what goes into my body.
• We want to try for baby #2 soon and don't want my poor eating habits to affect that process.
• I don't feel good about myself when I eat/drink crap. 
• I feel my best when eating foods that are good for me.
• I am not pleased with how my pants are fitting post pregnancy.

Here's what I'm committing to for at least three solid months {March 1 - June 1}:

1. No soda. I hate drinking my calories. I used to be a Diet Coke addict, but gave up before Andrew was conceived and haven't looked back since. I imagine I've consumed enough aspartame and phenylalanine at this point in my life. I sure do miss a good fountain DC with those little crunchy ice balls, though.
2. No elective sugar/sweets. Naturally occurring in foods/fruits = fine. No cookies, cakes, brownies, dessert. That means no chocolate. I should really be committing to cutting fried things and crackers/chips also, but baby steps people. Maybe that will be the following 3 months.
3. No alcohol. I don't really want it anyway like I thought I did when I was pregnant with Andrew. It's a bunch of unnecessary calories and a depressive. As if I need another reason to be sad.
4. Exercise. I make no major commitments on the frequency of this, but I did just sign up for a Zumba class with my girlfriends! Once it is a consistent 40 degrees outside, I may step it up to walking everyday + adding wii Zumba and real Zumba classes to the regiment. While I'd love to take up running again, I'm nervous how that will affect future pregnancies should I become pregnant in the next 3 months. I ran up until week 27 with Andrew and he's not here now. Of course I doubt that my running habits had anything to do with his demise, but I see my next chance being different in many ways. The things I control (like running... or not running) are included in these changes.

This is not a forever change because I don't believe in stripping myself from ice cream and chocolate for eternity. I've learned all too well that life is too short to cut out all the indulgences. I just want to spend a few months somewhat cleansing my body from processed junk and excess sugar. And... I'll be just in time for ice cream and fair weather in June.

But first, cruise to the Bahamas! Twelve days from today... can't wait!