Find Love in Fitness

11 days until the Mini Marathon. My first 13 mile run since a year ago when I was 6 months pregnant with Scarlett. Scarlett is now almost 8 months and I feel confident saying I am physically prepared to run one of my fastest half marathons. I am also confident saying I feel stronger than I ever have been. Being a new, full time working mom, wife, and fitness instructor, I've managed to make my workouts an important enough part of my day to get them done, and get them done well. Training and moming isn't easy but if I've learned anything these last 8 months of motherhood it is that taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do.  How have I gotten to this point where I feel stronger and faster than ever 7 months post partum?  I push myself in the weight room: I make it a priority to lift at least 3 days a week. 1 of those is always a heavy lifting day.   I say no: I say no to lunch meetings, early bedtime, sleeping in- whatever I have to say no to s...

Hello 2016. I have declared you the fittest and fastest year yet for me. I have never been more motivated than I am now since having Scarlett 4 months ago. 2015 was a unique year for me with fitness: -I spent January- September pregnant. I ran a few races: Carmel 10k and Mini Marathon but they were both slothy and my slowest times.   -I spent September and October figuring out how to be a mom and went crazy without working out. We took LOTS of walks these months and got NOT A LOT of sleep. - November and December I got back into my fitness game. Running, lifting and other cardio.  Still feeling the pregnant body deep down but slowly rebuilding my muscles. Spent a lot of time in our home gym squeezing in workouts whenever I could. Some with Jake, some with JJ, some solo. The past 2 weeks I started Crossfit. Man- why have I never done it until now? By far the best and hardest workouts I've ever done and I love it. I love learning all...

It can be done. After hearing countless new moms tell me how impossible it would be to find time and energy to workout after having a baby I have conquered it. No it is not easy but it is worth it and every woman is capable of it if they truly want to keep fitness in their lives post baby.  Sweet Scarlett is almost 14 weeks old now. That means for the first time in almost a year I have been able to push myself hard when working out and man it feels good. As you all know I worked out up until I pretty much went to the hospital to have her. Those 9 months I worked out but couldn't push it. Couldn't lift so heavy it hurt, couldn't run so hard I felt like puking and couldn't build my core- but that's ok because look what came out of it ^ 💗. September 2 we had Scarlett. Then I couldn't workout for 6 more weeks. Torture, yes. Then I got cleared which was my last post. For about 3 weeks I had to slowly rebuild my muscles and cardiovascular system. Now, 14 weeks postpa...

Last Thursday I went to my doctor for the first time since having Scarlett and last Thursday she cleared me to workout! No boundaries- I am just free. I left that appointment on Cloud 9- feeling like I could do anything! I was not 100% sure I would be cleared since I had so many stitches but sure enough everything was healed.  That evening Jake got home around 6pm, I fed Scarlett and hit the road running. I went alone...no stroller, no dog. I just wanted to go with no worries or restrictions. I went out a little too hard and I knew this after I heard "8:53" for my first mile. I knew I needed to slow down but I was SO happy to be out there. My lungs burned...oh so badly but I didn't care. I finished that run and it was a little under 3 miles. I felt like I could have cried I was so happy from the endorphins.  I missed Scarlett, Jake and JJ on my run but it was so refreshing getting some "me" time after 6 weeks. I already felt like a better mom when I walked in th...