5 weeks later...

After I was given the all-clear to workout after having Carter, I thought getting back into shape would be relatively easy. I know what to do, I just have to do it. Well, that's where the problem started - doing it. Since Carter is too young to go to the gym childcare (he has to be 6 months old), I had to leave him home with Bill. I would try to workout after Bill got home from work and before the kids went to bed. That was not a good time. Carter would scream the entire time I was gone and a few times Bill had to call me to come back home since I'm the only one who can get him in this weird side laying snuggle position that gets him to calm down. If I wanted to workout, I had to do it after the kids were in bed - after 8:00pm.

So, I started to workout from about 8:30 to 10:00pm. Sometimes I would be so tired that I didn't want to go, but Bill insisted that I did. This often pissed me off because it felt like he was shoving me out the door so he could play online-poker. Sometimes I would be so irritated with how the day went that I couldn't wait to go and blow off some steam. But either way, I ended up going twice a week for the first week and worked up to almost every night the last couple of weeks.

The workouts sucked at first because I didn't have any music to workout to. Our iPod broke and good music is a key component to an effective cardio workout for me (lifting without music is easier). Then, my choice of cardio changed. I'm usually an elliptical kind of person, but after dealing with the in-laws and the aftermath that happened, I started running. The night they left I called photographer friend to see if she wanted to join me for some late night cardio. We walked on the treadmill for a little bit and I just felt like I needed to run. This is funny because I hate running. Not only do I hate running, but I've trained countless clients for marathons and running goals, yet I hate to run, never do it and have never run a race. I used to run when we lived in Portland because it was too beautiful not to. I would run along the water front and up to the Rose Garden, but that was the last time I ever did (4 years ago?). This time though, it felt incredible. It didn't even feel like I was running and I instantly got the runners high. I left the gym feeling like a million bucks.

After that night I would go back to the gym and jump on the elliptical. Soon I realized it was screwing up my hip (child birth does that to you, I suppose). After a bad day at home where Logan peed all over the floor because he wouldn't listen to us requesting that he use the potty because we could tell he needed to go, I started running. And I stuck to it. I got a new pair of running shoes and we got a nano as an early Christmas present. I loaded it up with some intense music (Foo Fighters and Rage Against The Machine are the best). I started running every night.

Running became more than just a different form of cardio for me. Running turned into an outlet for my anger and frustration. Dealing with Logan's defiant preschooler attitude, Carter's constant crying, Bill's family; it was all adding fuel to the fire within me. I would run hard and use the music to push me farther than I felt like I could go. I would pretty much run the rage right out of my body. After a few times I decided that I was crazy and that I was going to train for a race. A 5K because I'm not crazy enough for a marathon yet. I came home from the gym and told Bill. "I hate running, but I think I'm going to train for a race. For some reason I just have to run now". He laughed, "You hate running but you're going to run a race? Go for it", he smiled, "but you know you can't run away from us".

So, the next 5k in town is in March. If it's not too cold, I'll run it.

On that note, I had Bill take my measurements last night. His pushing me out the door has paid off and I'm not so pissed about it anymore. I've lost 3 pounds, dropped a pant size, lost 3.5% body fat - which means I lost 6 pounds of fat and gained 3 pounds of muscle. Not necessarily accelerated results, but results nonetheless. I'm shocked that I changed at all.

*stats*
Weight = 140 pounds (from 143 lbs)
Body fat percentage = 27.5% (from 31%)

Neck = 12.25 (from 13'')
Bicep = 10.5
Chest = 34.5 (from 35.5'')
Waist = 32.5
Hips = 41
Leg = 20.5
Calf = 13.5

*pictures to follow later*