This is a once-a-month post to check in on how my fitness and nutrition has been in the past month. Thanks for joining me on my fitness journey as I train for a half Ironman, find my new “normal” postpartum, and gain back my confidence! For more day-to-day progress, follow along on my Instagram account. I’d love to hear how you’re hitting your fitness goals this month- drop me a comment below!
February
February wasn’t a great month for workouts or nutrition. I would have a string of 3-4 great days of working out and fueling well and then I’d kind of fall off the wagon and eat horribly and then not have the energy to work out. Or I would put off working out until it was 9pm and I’d be exhausted from the day and head to bed.
It didn’t help that Don started a new semester at the beginning of February and it includes longer hours and a heavier workload for him which means I have a bigger load at home and am alone with the kids a lot more. The boys don’t love the baby area at the YMCA, so that make things more challenging as well. Once they are walking, they can be in the bigger area and I know they’ll be just fine being able to move around more.
I started a new cycle of Whole30, but after six days I called it quits. I was doing it for the wrong reason (weight loss), and I wasn’t getting enough calories/carbs to fuel my workouts which had me feeling lethargic and sick after working out. I decided that this in not the time to do a Whole30, but then I let that excuse just let me eat all the things which isn’t healthy either. I need to find a happy balance and good, nourishing food.
However, the month wasn’t a total bust, I had several good runs including a 4 miler that had quite a few hills, and a 2-miler in the wind, cold, and snow. I’m trying to build up my mental toughness and these two runs made me feel really confident and accomplished! I also increased my swim yardage each week and am getting close to approaching the 2112 yards that make up a 1.2 mile swim.
In other happy news, I am down to my pre-pregnancy weight with the boys (I mentioned this in my last post) and I’m so happy to have hit that! I gained 74 pounds with them which is a lot, and to have lost it all makes me feel like I’m getting back to being the athlete I was before having kids. I still have a few pounds to go to get to my pre-pregnancy weight from Elizabeth, but that will come too!
The other positive is that there were a lot of walks and spending time outdoors. So even though I didn’t follow the plan exactly, I did get my body moving and we all got outside together which is a huge win as well. Don and I took all the kids snowshoeing in Maine, and we also went bouldering for date night so a lot of activity to get my heart pumping!
February Goal Review and Stats
Swim: 5 workouts, 5,900 yards
swim 1,000+ yards at once YES! Every swim was over 1,000 yards
average sub 40 second laps CLOSE – I’m still hovering at 40/41 seconds/lap but I’m thankful for consistency
Bike: 5 rides, 204 minutes
cycle 2-3x a week NO, but close
1 spin “class” per week NO – I only had one class the entire month
60+ minute ride per week NO – again, I only completed one 60 minute ride the whole week
Run: 8 runs, 20.5 miles (average pace – 11:30/mile)
run 3 miles without stopping NO, but so close!
run 1-mile at sub 11 minute mile YES! I actually ran two miles at exactly 11 min/miles
Strength:
complete Glowbody PT’s Post-Pregnancy Plan Phase 3 AGAIN (and increase weights) NO, but I did do workouts from the Glowbody PT “21-day 8 minute challenge”
Other:
stretch before AND after each run/cycle AND foam roll 3-4 days a week NO, I did it a few times, but not consistently.
3/9 goals completed which is not great at all, but I’m choosing to look at the positive and know that some workouts are better than no workouts.
March Goals
Swim: complete a 2,000 yd swim in under an hour; complete 600 yd swim with sub 40″/lap
Bike: cycle 2-3x a week, 1 spin “class” per week, increase long ride by 10 minutes each week
Run: run 3 miles without stopping; run 10+ miles each week; increase mileage to a 7 mile long run
Strength: complete Glowbody PT’s 21-day challenge
Other: get nutrition back on track
What do you do to bring you out of a workout funk?
I am just so proud of you!!!! Your dedication is inspiring and you are going to be so ready when the time comes!
Thank you friend, you are one of my biggest cheerleaders and I am so thankful for you!
Well, I think you’re doing AMAZING! I know we can be our own worst enemy when trying to make progress, but I think it’s great you’re posting these! I used to do this with running, and I’ll be doing it again post-baby when I start weight watchers again, too. I need the accountability! You’re AMAZING!