Two kids = Time suck

I'm slowly realizing that the addition of one more person in the house has an exponential affect on my time.  I find myself doing ten things at one time, never having the focus to finish any one item.  Lil Boo needs me, Piglet's crying, BoxerGirl needs outside, the laundry's buzzing, my stomach is growling.  All at the same time.

So the greater question is, then, what can I do about.  Well, nothing, right?  I mean, this is what I signed up for when I became a mom.  And it's intensified by my choice to stay home, as this is my life 24/7.  It's presumed that if you stay home, you have all the time in the world to clean, organize, grocery shop.  Instead, it feels like there's less time, because I'm constantly just behind the tornado, and I never get a solid break.  And I mean *break*!  A few hours block of time!  15 minutes here, 45 minutes there is not enough to truly accomplish some of the larger tasks.

So it goes without saying that I am still struggling to find dedicated blocks of time to work out.  I started back with STroller Aerobics, then the time change hit, and my kids are all over the place in the morning!  If Lil Boo doesn't wake up at 6am, it's 9am instead!  One day last week, it was 10:30!  Tough to make that 9am class when your little ones are still asleep - and it is not an option to wake them!  

And my blog is getting neglected, but I think that's because of my perfectionism.  I feel like if my posts aren't meaningful and thought out, they have no use being here.  That's something I need to get over.  

So here I am.  Monday.  Mid-March.  Still struggling to figure out our new routine with baby #2.  At least I am standing while typing this - doing squats along the way!  

25 Tips for a Better Life - 2009

I got this in my email from my good friend, Jane, today.  Love It!  May you find some inspiration for today!

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, salmon, broccoli and almonds.

6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9 Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

12. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your business.

19. GOD heals everything.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

 23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

25. Forward this to the ones you care about the most. I did.

Responsibility & Accountability

So who else is a fan of The Biggest Loser?  I know it's not just me, the show is pretty amazing.  For all the reality crap out there, here is a show to actually find inspiration!  Not to mention useful tips and helpful information.  And last night, I found profound insight in a contestant named Joelle.

If you've been watching, you already know where I'm going.  Joelle was/is a terrible contestant.  She always had an excuse, didn't give it her all, and definitely hung her partner out to dry.  But she also demonstrates key factors in being fit and healthy - Responsibility and Accountability.  

It goes without saying that the people who are going to succeed in achieving their goals are the ones who are going to give it 110%.   But I also think it's important to note that the people who will have the greatest overall success - short term and long term - are those who take responsibility for their actions, and hold themselves accountable for their results.  

If you aren't reaching the small goals you're setting for yourself, look inward first.  Be honest with yourself.  

Where are you faltering?  

Are you claiming to be working out two hours a day, but aren't really giving it your all?

Are you advocating a strict diet plan, but find yourself sneaking a handful of chips or sips of soda on the side?

Then be up front with yourself.  And others.  Take accountability.  Fall off the wagon, admit what happened and then get back on again.  When you face the truth and face reality, you will get exactly where you want to be.  When you lie to yourself or fudge the results, you'll feel shame and disappointment (consciously or subconsciously) - and that can never turn out good in the end.  

In the meantime, who else is dying to see the finale now?  Should we start taking bets as to who - Joelle or Carla - will kick ass and take names?

How to Become a Yoga Momma

Over the course of this blog, you'll all find out that I truly believe Yoga to be the single best thing anyone can do for their bodies.  You can burn calories, increase flexibility, strengthen muscles and find restorative relaxation - all in one exercise routine!

Really, there are so many benefits of yoga, it's tough to know where to start.  I found this nursing blog in which Alisa Miller gives us 77 Surprising Health Benefits of Yoga. I'll discuss my personal reasons for loving yoga in subsequent posts, but for right now, if you've ever wonder what the hullaballoo was around yoga, Ms. Miller's list is a good place to start. (Sorry, I have had to remove the link to this story. Feel free to Google it for yourself. Thanks!)

And this weekend, I was turned on to this website from my awesome FitMomma friend, Tracy.  It's Yoga Journal's Poses section - where you an browse various yoga poses.  Selecting one pose, it will give you step-by-step instructions on how to do the pose; what body parts are being worked; the overall benefits; beginner's tips and advanced steps; as well as related poses, so you can put a series together.  I also love that they include the "real" name of the poses, so those Yogi wanna-bes like myself can learn the language of yoga!

So find a pose or two that inspires you, and start a yoga practice today.  You can't go wrong with a Mountain Post into a Downward-Facing Dog into a Child's Pose, if you're looking for a place to start.  And your kids will enjoy it, too!

Keep On Rockin' Me, Baby

No, this is not an homage to my favorite Space Cowboy.  Or Gangster of Love.  Or Maurice.  (If you don't know what I'm talking about, you are obviously much younger than I am!)  This post is about yet another way you can incorporate moving your body while taking care of your kids.  As the Momma of a 7 week old baby, I frequently find myself rocking or swaying in some manner to soothe him.  And in the process, I have found a killer ab workout!  

Long story short, Piglet is sleeping in our room, in the bassinet, where we have a chaise lounge - as opposed to the nursery, with the crib, and rocking chair.  And it is not easy to rock in a straight-backed chaise lounge!  So I have taken to sitting on the edge of my bed, with feet up resting on the lounge, and rocking my body back and forth while holding Piglet.  Keeping my back straight and abs firm, I can knock out a pretty decent ab workout, while soothing my little one!  And this works on any flat surface, really.  I sat on the edge of the coffee table and accomplished the same thing.  

Also, there's the swaying (if you are familiar with Happiest Baby on the Block, you know what I'm talking about!).  With baby swaddled and nestled in my arms, I can sway back and forth, easing his fussiness.  If I tighten my legs and buns, along with firm abs, I turn this Momma and Baby time into another mini workout.  

And while I can't be sure, I swear that the more I hold my growing bundle of joy, the firmer my arms will be!  Is it me, or do your biceps and forearms start to burn after awhile?  Let's go with the positive thinking on this, and say "Yes!"

Anyone else have any other Rockin' Baby moves? 

The Inauguration...and Your Health?

What the heck does today's inauguration have to do with your personal health?  Well, stop and listen for a second.  Do you hear that?  The buzz?  It's the buzz of hope and inspiration, the buzz of what is possible in the new world today.  Whether you voted for the guy or not, the election of the first black man in our nation's history is a monumental moment (and really, he's only considered black because he's not 100% white!).  We are still a segregated people, though now it's by choice and not law - how many times do I have to hear from my fellow suburban moms that they don't like going a certain place because it's so "dark?"  

What today shows us is that anything is, in fact, possible.  People who have never cared about the political process are feeling the call to action, reaching out in their communities, to their friends, their families and asking - how can I help you?  We are in this together.  No one man can do much to change - it's the inspiration he gives others to make their own changes.  

And inspiration and hope and feelings of the general good are without a doubt essential to your overall health.  You can be fit as a fiddle, eat perfectly 100% of the time, but if you are filled with hatred or despair, you have a long way to go before you can consider yourself fit and healthy.  Your health is the sum of your body and your mind - so feed your mind today and feel the hope and inspiration buzzing around this country.  

Figure out what inspires you - what can You do to make yourself, your family, your community a better place.  It can be as simple as putting on a smile and being respectful and kind to your neighbors at the grocery store.  Write a letter to one of our troops serving overseas.  Clean out a bedroom or a closet and donate those items to your local church or Goodwill.  Find your favorite charity, give them a call, and find out how you can volunteer - in time or money or both!  There are any number of things that you can do, and all of them will feed your mental health.

This is a new day, indeed.  Get out and make your mark Today!

Working Out However You Can

The past week has shown me that working out as a new mom is next to impossible.  So I've been redefining what a workout is!

Let's see....

I took extra time to walk up and down the steps to the laundry room, squeezing buns and abs one trip, running up the next time.

I did jumping jacks in the kitchen as I was making dinner.

I got the soccer ball out with my 2 year old and kicked it around the yard for about 30 minutes while it was semi-warm over the weekend.  

I lifted my newborn up and down over my head.

No actual workouts - between sleepless nights, feedings every 3 hours, running after (and trying to control) a two year old, those don't really seem to fit in right now!  But every little bit helps, right?!