Bounce Back Fast (Or Slowly)!

I bought the Be Fit Mom: Bounce Back Fast workout dvd after Ian was born. I did it a few times, but not enough to make a judgement on it. I thought about using it after Eva was born, but a crazy summer full of moving and traveling tanked those plans. Well, now that Eva is a year old, I really want to workout regularly to close the abdominal separation from pregnancy and increase my energy.

I just finished my doing the Bounce Back Fast Abdominal Separation workout for the 4th time since March 31st. I was attempting to do it everyday, but I haven't made it so far. I am going to try using a mantra to workout regularly,"I am making a choice. I choose to workout." That dvd workout is only 34 minutes long. I should be able to manage it. I also need to be practicing asanas and meditation every day, but truthfully, that hasn't been happening.

Now, I am not going to lie, this workout is boring. It is boring because it has to be, because the movements are subtle. It is easy to do the exercises incorrectly, but for them to be effective you have to pay attention. Helene Byrne sets you up for every exercise, every time to help you do it correctly. I will report back when I have done the workout 30 times. Only 26 more to go!

Fall Down 7 Times, Get up 8

Tomorrow, I am going to make my third attempt at regular post-partum exercise. Haven't been successful so far, but I am trying again.

My Exercise Plan

I am one of the lucky women who can get rid of all pregnancy weight by nursing alone. I don't even have to watch what I eat. I generally don't snack a lot, but I do eat big portions. but your abs never really get back to the way they were and I want to be healthier so I am going to exercise this time.

My feet are killing me because they are readjusting to being barefoot on marble and wood floors. Also, I think I was injured during a vigorous massage after a manicure and pedicure that I got with friend, M, right before she left Seoul to get treatment for breast cancer. If those aren't the causes, I may have sever sudden onset arthritis. Anyway, due to that, I am going to wait on the treadmill and instead, start with Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning with Helene Byrne. I did this dvd after Ian, but not many times. It is slow and exact, not my style, but necessary. I am going to try to do this dvd for 30 days and re-evaluate. I do have abdominal separation so it is important to correct that in the proper way to avoid bulging belly.

Then, I will add in post-natal exercise dvds and treadmill and finally the regular workout dvds that I have. It is easier to get into Hourly Care at the CDC in the summer because people are transitioning, but I can't put Eva in there because they don't have an Infant Hourly Care room right now. I don't want to leave her with anyone other than family (over here that means Curt) until she is older. With Curt's schedule, it is hard to coordinate going to classes, so if I want to exercise, that means dvds and the treadmill in our house.

I will give progress updates. I am more confident in my ability to exercise consistently now because I was able to do it for a good portion of my pregnancy.

Before and After: Part III

Right after Eva was born, the only "after" I focused on was the baby. But, the baby haze is lifting and reality is setting in:

Before, Beautiful Belly:




After, Beautiful Baby &:



Saggy Belly:


Time to start exercising. Maybe tomorrow...

Maternity photos by Colleen Rhodes Photography in Erie, PA.

Doing the Work

When I start something new, I want the end result immediately. It is hard to believe that anything will make a difference and my fear of failure often leads me to lose interest and not "do the work" necessary to achieve the development of a new skill or goal. However, when I really set my mind to something and do the work, it is amazing how well it actually works.

I am applying this commitment to two pregnancy projects: exercise and Hypnobabies. I have been exercising almost everyday since my earlier exercise goals post. I am naturally thin without working out, so the motivation to do it is not that strong. It is hard to believe that it will make a difference. I do need to workout for stress reduction and strengthening, though. It is also good for better fetal positioning and I do not want another positioning problem that prevents a vaginal delivery. I need to build my endurance and after this delivery, I need to keep exercising so I can get into good shape instead of thin, yet, flabby. I have decided that there are enough benefits to exercise that I just need to do it. I am a little afraid that it won;t make a difference, that I will have another breech baby or transverse or posterior or something anyway because it happened last time, but I am exercising anyway because it has definite benefits and will give me the best chance for good positioning. The mental stuff will be dealt with by Hypnobabies.

Due to my husband's crazy travel schedule, we were not able to do the Hypnobirthing class here in Seoul. Fortunately, I found the Hypnobabies homestudy course which has two advantages over Hypnobirthing: we can do it on our own time in our own home and it is designed so that it can be used without the birth partner. Since I am going back to the States for the last few months of my pregnancy, I need something I can do by myself, especially in the event that I go early and Curt doesn't get back in time.

Reading testimonials, it seems that these programs work better for some than others. The difference: doing the work and choosing to use it during the birthing. Those who followed the program as instructed and practiced daily as instructed, had a lot more success than those who didn't. Though, it seems that even those who didn't follow it exactly or practice as much as they should have, did benefit from it. Also, the people who used the scripts during birthing had a lot more success than those who didn't. Seems simple enough, but not everyone chooses to use it or use it the whole time. Sometimes something unexpected happens which throws the mom off and she doesn't let the program get her back on track (or doesn't have it with her).

So, I will choose to commit to this program, to do the work, to use it and expect the best.

Review: The Perfect Pregnancy Workout vol. 1 with Karyne Steben

The Perfect Pregnancy Workout, Vol. 1 with Karyne Steben is a very challenging toning workout. There is a 40 minute workout with modifications for beginners and advanced exercisers. I alternated between beginner and advanced moves depending on my comfort level. I found that even the beginner level was challenging and gave me a good workout. There is a separate instructional section that breaks down how to properly do the exercises safely. I like this, because even though this information is important, it is nice to have the workout move quickly after you know that. She does give tips throughout as well. I will definitely add this into my workout rotation.

Review: Denise Austin's Fit & Firm Pregnancy

Denise Austin's Fit & Firm Pregnancy includes: Breathing and Core Awareness (5 minutes); Cardio Workout (20 minutes); 1st & 2nd Trimester Toning (20 minutes); 3rd Trimester Toning (20 minutes); Bounce Back Fast Post Natal Workout (10 minutes).

I did the first three sections since I am in the second trimester (yay!). The breathing and Core Awareness segment covers kegels and your abdominals. It is a good reminder of things to do throughout the day.

The Cardio Workout section did get my heart rate elevated, but it is a lower impact workout that Fit Mama or Erin O'Brien's Prenatal Fitness Fix. If you aren't used to working out or having a lower energy day, this is a good cardio workout. Otherwise, you might want to pep it up, add some hops to raise the impact (if your doctor feels you can do it and you follow the exertion guidelines).

The 1st & 2nd Trimester Toning section was great. I really liked it. You can just consider the Cardio section to be a long warm up for it. I like to have variety in my dvd workouts and I will definitely add this dvd to my rotation.

Next up, The Perfect Pregnancy Workout with Karyne Steben.

Review: Prenatal Yoga with Shiva Rea

Today, I did Prenatal Yoga with Shiva Rea. Even though, I prefer to do yoga classes in person, this is a good stretching/strengthening prenatal yoga dvd. There is a 50 minute workout which includes, seated poses, standing poses, floor work, Kegels and guided relaxation. There is also a Pregnancy Massage section. Some prenatal yoga dvds and classes are too easy and relaxation focused, but this one gives you a workout as well. It is still gentle, but still good. I had this dvd when I was pregnant with Ian.

Pilates for Pregnancy with Lynne Robinson

The other prenatal workout video that I borrowed from the library is Pilates for Pregnancy with Lynne Robinson. There is a 40 minute workout targeted for those 16 weeks along and further and a 10 minute postnatal section.

Classical Pilates is a series of very targeted, precise exercises that flow into each other. I took Pilates from a great studio in DC called Excel Movement Studios. They trained in the classical way. If Pilates seems easy, you are probably doing it incorrectly. That said, I found this DVD a little too slow. Lynne Robinson is very good about reminding you to "zip up" your muscles which intensifies the workout, but I wish there were more repetitions and the exercises flowed into each other. I think the reason they don't is so that proper position can be achieved. I would rather do aerobics and toning at home with a dvd and take yoga and pilates in a class.

Reading the reviews of prenatal Pilates dvds on Amazon, it seems that some are really hard and fast and some are very gentle. Assess your own fitness level and Pilates experience to choose the right one for you. If you have the opportunity to borrow from a friend or library before purchasing, do it.

I didn't get my exercise in yesterday. I over did it with running around. I waited too long to eat so I was hungry, but nauseated and I couldn't eat much. I was exhausted, but I couldn't settle down to sleep. As for my other daily goals, the house was picked up when we got home. For eating, I had two kinds of leftovers in the fridge and bought some ready to eat things. Curt left the bag with the ready to eat things in the car and made pasta and some sort of chili. It was only when he was complaining and I listed the other options that we realized the bag was still in the car with meat and frozen things. Luckily, we got it in time.

Erin O'Brien's Prenatal Fitness Fix

I went to the PX today to buy some pre-natal fitness dvds in my quest to incorporate daily exercise into my life on a consistent basis. I looked and looked but couldn't find them. I asked the guy who was working in the area, but he didn't even know what a fitness/exercise/workout dvd was (most of the employees are Korean). He tried to show me blank dvds. It was annoying. Another employee saw me looking annoyed and asked what I wanted. He showed me the section, but there were only two dvds on the top shelf and neither were pre-natal. They have every tv show ever made on dvd, but almost no workout dvds. Annoyed. I will order from Amazon, but I wanted instant gratification. My friend, Mona, suggested going to the library. Why don't I ever think of going to the library? I supposed after living in Pittsburgh with such great libraries, everything else seems lame. Still, I stopped by and found two prenatal workout dvds.

I had to drive Curt into work this morning and Ian work up on the way home so I couldn't workout in the morning. We went to the PX, playgroup and the library. We came home, had lunch and then after I got Ian down for his nap and took a short nap myself, I did Erin O'Brien's Prenatal Fitness Fix. There is a 40 minute workout and a 20 minute partner workout. Curt isn't home so I did the 40 minute workout. There is a warm up, some aerobic movement, floor work and a cool down. She does it in her living room and uses simple props like the couch arm, a chair and the wall that everyone has in their own living room. I think she has a few other titles on Amazon as well. I would definitely order this one.

Yes, Jazzercise Still Exits

I just attended my second Jazzercise class today. This is just in time to join the Breastfeeding Babes Team in the US Department of Health's Woman Challenge.

My mother did Jazzercise in the early 80's, but I didn't know it was still around. On the way home from dinner last week I spotted the studio. The sign,"Jazzercise, On-site Childcare" caught my eye. Turns out they have childcare for $1 per child per class for the Monday-Friday classes at 9:30am. This is Ian's last week of Water Babies (M-W-F at 9:00am) and there is a Capitol Hill Nurse-In on Thursday, so I am only going Tuesday this week, but next week I plan to do M-F.

Jazzercise uses basic dance moves set to current music in a routine. The routines and music change frequently so it keeps things interesting. There's not much difference from any other aerobics class I've taken except that they pose at the end of each song. The dance moves aren't complicated if you have a dance or aerobics background, but it is enjoyable. My instructor has been doing it for 21 years and she looks great.

Working Out Indoors

I gained almost 45 lbs during my pregnancy, though I have to thank Ian, genetics and luck for most of it taking the form of a big, beautiful and high belly. Once I crossed into the second trimester and the nausea stopped, I ate bigger portions than pre-pregnancy. I also snacked a little more than before, but didn't go crazy. Also in the second trimester, I resumed my yoga practice that had been put on hold due to the nausea and the placental hematoma. In fact, the last two months of my pregnancy, I did yoga at least 4 times a week at a great yoga studio in Erie called, The Barefoot Buddha. After Ian's cesarean birth in September, I was told to wait 8 weeks before resuming exercise. I returned to the Buddha in November, though not as frequently. I haven't been exercising since we came back to Egypt and I've definitely been overeating. Still, I've lost about 30 lbs since the birth. I'm not aiming for my pre-pregnancy weight while I am breastfeeding but I do need to tone up and prevent post-pregnancy weight gain.

I'd like to walk outside, but the sidewalks are in such poor condition and the people drive so insanely, that I can't navigate the streets fast enough for exercise. When you add in the pollution, I think running outside is detrimental to your health unless you are in a club, park or somewhere away from traffic. Cairo American College, the private American K-12 school, has a track where a lot of people go to walk. If you don't have a student there, you have to join. When they open back up after Winter Break, I think we will.

We have a treadmill and a Bowflex in the house. I also have yoga, pilates and aerobics dvds. For the past two days, I've done 25 minutes of fast walking on the treadmill and Helene Byrne's dvd, Bounce Back Fast! Post Natal Core Conditioning. I will follow the Bounce Back program for a month and report my progress. It seems a bit slow, but the movements are precise and I can feel the work.