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Consistently Striving to Feel My Best Again

Consistency.

This is a word that I’ve thought about a lot recently, spurred by my friend Kristine, who wrote a post about her wedding bod goals as well as a discussion with my therapist. Since giving birth to Katie and returning to work, balancing everything has been harder than I expected. Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t go into November expecting things to be easy. But, I felt like my type A personality and persistence would help me achieve everything I wanted. There were certain things that I had to prioritize – family and career.  Once I did everything possibly daily to be the best mom, wife, daughter, and colleague possible, it left very little time for me to focus on anything physical or aesthetic.

But, seven months after returning back to work, I’m starting to feel like I have space in my life to focus on feeling comfortable in my skin again. When I became pregnant with Katie in September of 2016 I was at my healthiest – emotionally and physically.  While a lot has changed since then, luckily, I am still very healthy mentally thanks to a team of friends, family, and professionals who have helped me manage this life change. But, from a physical aspect, I am not feeling like my best self. I’ve found myself hiding in the back row during pictures, untagging myself in Facebook pictures, feeling weak during workouts and lethargic. There are wonderful events coming up over the next few months including Katie’s first birthday party, a week-long beach trip, two weddings and a goal half marathon for which I want to be feeling my best. But, more important than a half marathon time or the way I look in a bridesmaid dress, I am doing this for me and for Katie.

I want to be a strong, energetic and confident role model for Katie.

These changes won’t come overnight. Instead, I know that consistency is key to feeling strong and healthy not just for an hour, a day or a week but for the future. When I lost 50 pounds during my senior year of college, 12 years ago, it was due to small, consistent changes versus things like cleanses, restrictions, etc.  I know that at the age of 34 losing weight and getting in shape will be a bit different than it’s been in the past but I’m excited. I’ve embraced the new curves that motherhood has provided but now want to focus on living a healthier, more moderate life to help me feel my best.

In order to hold myself accountable and share my journey with you all, here are the things I’m focusing on for June:

  • Consistently moderating my wine consumption – Over the past few years, I’ve typically enjoyed wine a few nights a week. But, over the past few months, I have started having two glasses on a nightly basis. While I have no desire to cut out wine altogether, I am reducing my enjoyment to four or five nights per week.
  • Consistently increasing my steps – I did some research in my iPhone’s HEALTH app and realized that my average steps per day have changed greatly over the past few years ( 2015 – 11,821 – 2016 – 8,630 – 2017 – 5,768 -2018 – 6,191). I was surprised to discover this but since I don’t commute most days and my stroller time with Katie is now limited during the week, I am going to have to make movement a priority. My goal for June is to increase my average steps to 8,000 for the month. I can do this by taking Katie for more frequent walks, running more, walking for exercise and using my two feet for errands instead of subway, taxi or Citibike.
  • Consistently track my food – Bo and I have done a great job planning in advance to ensure we are able to enjoy homemade dinners an average of five nights a week. We do a lot of meal prep on Sunday so that cooking during the week is easier. But, I haven’t been as mindful of my breakfast, lunches, and snacks. Since I work from home, I have my pantry and refrigerator just steps away. This can be a blessing but also a curse, especially if I give into the snack monster.  Starting yesterday, I’m keeping track of my breakfast, lunch, and snacks Monday through Friday.
  • Consistently following a training or workout plan – It has been a long time since I’ve had a workout plan and this lack of structure has resulted in me doing a little bit of everything but not sticking with anything consistently. While I’ve been working out, I’ve found myself at one end of the spectrum or the other.  I will have a few great workouts in a row and then find myself either skipping workouts or dialing it in.  Consistency will not only help me feel better but it will also help ensure that I don’t injure myself by going too hard without a strong base. Now that Theodora is coaching me for my fall half marathon, she is putting a plan together that will enable me to feel my strongest going into the half marathon while also making sure I don’t burn out. You can expect a mix of strength training through Body Pump and pilates in addition to the prescribed running workouts.

Since I just took measurements for my bridesmaid dress, I actually have measurements that I can track my progress against in addition to the scale and physical achievements like seeing improvements in the weight I use during Body Pump, form during Pilates classes and my paces. But, more than anything, I look forward to feeling better in my skin by making a few, consistent changes.

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The Days Are Long But The Years Are Short

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During those first few exhausting but magical weeks after Katie was born, many people reminded that “the days are long, but the years are short.” Becoming a mother is such a gift, but it comes with so many unknowns. Luckily, the joy and tender moments that began in those first weeks have continued and balance out the fear and feeling of being overwhelmed. When Similac asked me to reflect on my time as a parent and share some of the milestone moments that we’ve experienced with Katie as part of this sponsored post, it made me yearn to relive some of these again as they have flown by.

As I’ve mentioned in recent posts, Katie has grown up before our eyes and everything has been a whirl – happening faster than we ever expected. It seems as though one moment we were trying to figure out how to give Katie her first bath and the next we were trying to keep her from standing up in the bath.

In order to ensure that we don’t forget all the special moments, we’ve done our best to document these firsts as much as possible through pictures, blog posts, special calendars and baby books. While many of the memories and words that I’ve written in these books are personal, and something that I look forward to sharing with Katie when she’s older, here are a few “first and only” moments that we’ve experienced over the past ten months.

  • Holding Katie in our arms

I was still in disbelief that after years of talking about have a family of our own and months of planning, our blessing was finally in our arms.

  • Nursing

I remember sitting in the cold hospital bed, so clueless and confused, cradling Katie in my arms, while praying that she would naturally latch to my breast and not cry. Those first few nursing sessions in the hospital were stressful but seemed successful. It wasn’t until a few days later, at our first pediatrician visit, that we realized I didn’t have enough milk supply to keep our growing girl fed. Regardless of how difficult those first few days and weeks were due to insufficient glandular tissue, I do not regret the three months I dedicated to nursing Katie.

  • Milk drunk naps

That sweet smile and look of contentment that was frequently on Katie’s face when she’d fall asleep in our arms during or after a feeding session made me feel such joy and appreciation. I felt such a great appreciation for the support of friends, family and especially our pediatrician who immediately recommended that we use Similac to supplement my breast milk upon realizing that, due to insufficient glandular tissue, all the lactation cookies, supplements and pumping wouldn’t result in enough milk to keep Katie nourished. Similac has been a wonderful fit for our family since that first week as it is easy to find both online and locally and it is the first and only leading infant formula brand with no artificial growth hormones. Similac’s dairy ingredients come from cows that have not been treated with artificial growth hormones.* My mom who is a neonatal nurse also recommends Similac since she knows that they are focused on research and innovation that focuses on bringing the best ingredients possible to the baby. In fact, did you know that Similac is the first brand to include 2′-FL Human Milk Oligosaccharide** in the formula, an ingredient that was previously only found in breast milk? Similac with 2′-FL HMO helps strengthen baby’s immune system to be more like the breastfed infant than ever before. Now moms can feel reassured that their babies will get even more of the important nutrients to strengthen and support their growing immune systems. We’ve been using Similac Pro-Sensitive for the past few months and love that it is gentle and has helped with her gas and spit-up.

Visit the Similac Sisterhood of Motherhood Savings Club, where you can subscribe to monthly delivery at an average savings of 20% and learn more.

 

  • Smiles

For those first few weeks of parenthood, you give so much to this small person but do not get any confirmation or affirmation. That first smile, even though it was barely a full smile, brought tears to my eyes.

  • Finding her voice.

I remember texting Bo a video while he was at work saying that one of Jurassic Park’s dinosaurs was loose in our home. When Katie discovered her voice and the high pitch squeak she was able to make, she wouldn’t stop. As if the sound amazed her, she would do it constantly throughout the day whether I was near her or while she was napping. Luckily, like so many things with babies, it was a phase that passed quickly.

  • Introducing solids

We were so excited to start giving Katie solids that I remember we specifically planned to do it when Bo and I could both be there to experience the fun and mess. Seeing her curiosity and expression after trying a new food perfectly reflects Katie’s personality – curious, thoughtful, and happy.

  • Learning to splash

Even at a young age, Katie loved bath time. We always do bath time right before her last bottle and it is the perfect transition from our evening playtime to the calm of bedtime. Around the time she was five months old, Katie started splashing and enjoying the water so much that she would get upset when we started putting the toys away and drying her after bath time. That first night, when she finally responded to my splashes, was such a treat. Even though I was quickly covered in water, she refused to stop and giggled and smiled for the next few minutes while she kept splashing. Needless to say, these days bath time is a 15-20 minute activity in our household.

  • Standing up

These days Katie is constantly on the move and pushing her body to do new things each day. Lately, standing up assisted by either furniture or people, makes her smile and giggle. I’m not sure if it’s the new perspective or just her satisfaction with this new accomplishment but that smile warms my heart.

  • Interacting with nature

After a long cold weather, it was so special to spend time in the park with Katie last weekend. While we had to watch her every move, seeing her reach for flowers, dig in the dirt and watch the birds was such a joy!

Disclaimer:  Breastfeeding is the gold standard for infant nutrition. For moms who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, formula can be used. Talk to your pediatrician about what type of infant formula is best for your child.

Legal Disclaimer: **No significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rbST-treated and non-rbST- treated cows)  *Not from human milk

Thank you to Similac for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.

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Virtual Coffee Date – April 2018

Happy Thursday! I hope you’ll sit down and refill that cup of coffee or glass of wine, depending on the hour, as it is time for a virtual date. A lot has transpired since our last date together.  In fact, I feel as if the past few months have been a whirlwind and a blur, leaving me a bit exhausted but very happy.  Until recently, I don’t think I fully appreciated just how much has changed in my life over the past year.  I have a lot to share with you all today, so here goes.

If we were sitting together today, I have not been taking charge of my health and am finally changing that. I have a list of six appointments I’ve been meaning to make such as dentist, follow-up blood work and more that just haven’t been prioritized.  I’ve learned from so many people around me the benefit of preventative care versus reactive and therefore finally took ten minutes today to call the different offices and schedule the appointments. I also found myself drinking a few artificially flavored drinks this week during busy, retailer meetings and paid the price with a massive headache later. Regardless of how busy life gets, I need to remember how great I feel when I put my health first.

If we were sitting together today, I would tell you that I am so thrilled spring has finally arrived in New York City. Even though I love snow and cold weather after growing up in the humidity and heat of Savannah, this year’s never-ending winter weather almost did me in.  This week, during a rainy and blustery day, I vowed that it would be the last time I wear a turtleneck and tights this year. I am so hopeful that we’ll have a chance to enjoy true spring weather before the heat and humidity of summer in the city arrives.

If we were sitting together today, I would laugh and tell you how surprised I am that I’ve found myself using a Keurig a few mornings per week. As background, my parents have been using a Keurig machine at home for years but I’ve never cared for the flavor as much as I enjoy the rich coffee that freshly grinding my beans each morning produces. We’ve gone back and forth between using a Chemex and a automatic coffee pot but, this week, when I mornings were especially rushed, I appreciated the convenience of the Keurig. My next order of business is finding a more robust k-cup flavor because the pack my parents bought is mild and that, my friends, just won’t cut it. Any recommendations?

If we were sitting together today, I would tell you how excited I am to head down to Savannah for a week in May. As you all know, we love spending time outside so a week of introducing Katie to the beach, pool and boating adventures sounds like a perfect way to enjoy a few days off work and time with my brother, his fiance and both sets of grandparents. It will be a very different trip since Katie will be 11-months old so I’m excited to experience her joy and reaction to the new sites, sounds and feels in Savannah.

If we were sitting together today, I would gush about the family pictures we took during a mini-photo session with Michelle last weekend. Before Katie, I never fully appreciated the value of a photographer who specializes in children and families. But now, after seeing the magic that she can create for our family of 3, even during teething tantrums, I recommend that every family invest in professional photos. While Bo and I do our best to capture multiple moments each day with Katie, it’s rare that we are in the picture. Her constant movement makes keeping the picture in focus even more challenging. This is our second time shooting with Michelle and we were so much more comfortable this time as we knew her shooting style and she knew our personalities as well as Katie’s. The picture below was captured while she and Bo were using Katie’s two favorite puppets in hopes of sneaking a smile out of Katie. While I don’t have the final edits to share with you all yet, here is a sneak peak at one of our favorites from the shoot.

If we were sitting together today, I would tell you that I am going to experiment with blogging more frequently, but casually, over the next month. I truly miss sharing my life on this platform and cringed when I realized I’ve only posted five times during April. I believe that over the past year I’ve started limiting my blog reading to only a handful of blogs, many of which are written by full-time bloggers. Therefore the level of content they can deliver intimidates me and often keeps me from opening my computer or pushing publish. In fact, I have four half-written draft posts based on requests that readers have sent me that haven’t been finished because I was brainstorming ways to create Pinterest graphics, edit photos or even shoot images. Over the past year I have focused on living a life that is rooted in the principles and lessons shared in the book Present Over Perfect, so why shouldn’t I bring those same practices to my blog?

If we were sitting together today, I would tell you that I finally ordered a swimsuit for the summer and the decision was 100% influenced by influencer marketing. I have seen so many posts and advertisements for Summersalt’s Sidestroke one-piece swimsuit that I figured what the heck – if they love it maybe I will too! Elle Magazine even awarded it #1 most-flattering one shoulder style swimsuit so it can’t be all bad, right? I ordered the suit in three color style combinations (lava, seaweed, and deep sea) and am hoping to keep my favorite and quickly return the others.

Top photo credit: Alexis Damen Photography

 

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