Workouts

So, here's a secret about me: I like exercise.  It helps keep me sane.

When I gave birth to my older son, the delivery doctor said "no exercise except walking for 6 weeks".  I listened.  I walked 45 min to an hour every day with the baby in the sling or bjorn up and down a lot of hills, but I technically listed.  This did wonders for helping my uterus/ abs recover.  Not so much for other areas.

This time around, the delivery doctor (different one), said nothing.  Admittedly, I didn't see him for long.  We only talked in the delivery room for about 30 mins and about 5 mins the next morning.  My plan this time around was to do the same: walk 45 min to an hour.  However, I neglected to consider a few things:

1.  I'm 6 years older. 42.  It's harder.  I'm heavier.
2.  It's not March.  It's freaking July and August.  It's HOT.  Carrying around a 10-lb baby on your chest is HOT.  I've walked my son the 0.45 miles to camp this week (hubby is traveling, no way I'm doing 24 hrs a day solo with 2 kids) with the baby in the sling.  So, 0.9 miles total each way.  And I'm SWEATING when I get home.
3.  For the most part, I have a 6 year old with me.  Not this week, but on other days getting an hour walk out of him is going to be hard, without some incentive.  My MIL and I did get a 45 min walk out of him, but there was a treat at the grocery store.

So my workout records have had a lot of  "1 mile" days.

I've decided to try and work in other exercise, even though I'm not cleared by the doc yet.  I pulled out my trusty Bikini Bootcamp book and decided to do some circuits.  These can be done in about 20 mins in your home.  Each exercise is to be done for 1 min, then you repeat the circuit.  The numbers listed next to the exercise are either the number I can do in one minute, or the number I can do total, if I can't make it a minute. 

Here's an example of circuit A.
Plie squats (30)
Bent elbow raises - 5 lb (20)
Slow bicycle crunches (50)
Lateral lunges (30)
Tricep dips (25)
Crunches (50) (these are supposed to be bent knee rollups, but my abs aren't strong enough yet)
Standing leg raises (25 each side)
Shoulder bicep curls - 5 lb (30)
Dead bug (20 each side)
Knee pushups (10) - this was my addition, pathetic.

Now, the actual workout also includes cardio for 2 min between each mini 3-exercise group.  You'll see a lower body/upper body/abs trend there.  The cardio is jumping rope, but you could do jumping jacks or jog in place.  I do none of the above, not while I'm nursing.  Maybe at some point I'll try layering 2 sports bras and give it a shot.  But probably not.

I feel incredibly out of shape, but you know, I have to start slow.  Any kind of exercise makes me feel better.  Soon I should be cleared for exercise and swimming, and I can work in 2-3 days per week at the gym.  The advantage to home workouts and walking is you avoid the commute time. And the gas.  Score!

Time to run and whip up a sandwich for lunch before the baby wakes up again...