Body After Baby Challenge Week 1

So I'm participating in something called the Body After Baby Challenge from one of my favorite blogs Mama Notes. It is an 8 week challenge to get our bodies back. Back in the slimmest pants we own, back into run up and down the stairs w/o problems kind of shape, back to having the energy we had in our second trimester of pregnancy.

Today is the start and I am committing to participate and blog about it. This post is about goals, my plan, etc. I am not sure what all will be involved in the process, but I'm up for it. I think.

I took a before picture this morning, but I am positive that no one here wants to see it. I want to lose 10lbs total (over the next 2 months) but more than the pounds, I want to loose inches. I am not unhappy with my body, but I know that the older I get the more difficult it will be to stay trim, so I don't want to start the difficult years already 10lbs heavier than ideal. Also, I want to try to go down one pants size. The size I wear now is fine, but it is a little too big...just so that if I don't wear a belt, they are falling down by the end of the day. But the next size down is just too small.

My plan: I am going to try to work out 3 days a week. (treadmill or video) I can't afford the gym and going for walks is off limits for safety issues. I want to do the Wii fit 2 days a week (in addition to the cardio) and find someway to get some strength training. The Wii fit has some of that stuff. I am going to try to reduce my portion sizes during meals and I want to drink 2L of water (or refresco) a day. I want to cut my caffeine down to one cup of coffee a day and I want to be in bed by 9:30 every night.

My challenges: I am nursing...I need to be eating enough good stuff to get all my calories for my milk production. I am super busy with 3 kids. Finding time to work out w/o getting up at 5:30 every morning is going to be a challenge. I'll let you know how I work that one out. I live in Guatemala: I can't just go walking around the block with the kiddos in tow to get some cardio. I have to exercise a lot of caution when walking around. Maybe I could walk the mall or something. I love to bake: That is what I do and I do it well. I like to make apple pie and pecan pie and cake balls and homemade yeast rolls and cake cookies, and chocolate chip cookies and homemade chicken pot pie. I have skinny kids that need calorie dense food.

Ok...so feel free to join me in my adventure. Feel free to leave me encouraging comments. Feel free to pray for me that I can balance all of the priorities in my life (hubby, kids, home school, service, personal time with the Lord, exercise, taking care of the house, church responsibilities etc)