Here we go again!

I titled this post the way I did not because I've attempted a blog before (although I have), but because I feel like I'm "ramping up" to undertake a monumental task. And I am (well, actually, my husband and I are) -  I'm five weeks pregnant with our second baby! Anyone who already has a child will understand what I mean by the above.  Yes, we're excited. Yes, we're overjoyed.  But...we know what we're getting into now.  The almost two years since our first, A, was born haven't dulled the memory of all those sleepless nights and endless feedings.  And the changes, oh the changes -- to your body, your relationship with your husband, your friendships.  So yeah, I feel elation and a bit of trepidation, which leads me to the intro of this blog -- my personal journey of fitness, wellness, pregnancy, post-partum and beyond (hopefully - I won't get too esoteric here).  This intro is long, but I wanted to tell you a bit about why I'm staring this blog.

I still remember what it was like doing my first post-partum ab workout after my daughter was born in July of 2011.  I was on a yoga mat on my living room floor, attempting Physique 57's "Abs and Arms Booster" while my baby slept.  I looked down, past my enormous boobs to the soft, decidedly wobbly region that used to host some pretty impressive abs, and I felt completely overwhelmed.  There are many reasons newly post-partum moms feel a little "like a virgin" (wink wink), and this was one of mine. Not only did those abs look as soft and pillowy as a croissant, they were about as sturdy as one, too.  That first routine exhausted me, humbled me, but even more, it made me determined to get my body back.

I started by walking, then easing back into running about a month post-partum.  In November, I began training with my two friends (go JFDI!) for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon in February 2012.  During that time, I was working full-time, breast-feeding and pumping, and just generally trying to keep my sanity (I had a billable hour requirement. Enough said.).  There were many days I had to find a pocket of time to squeeze in a workout, and if it was at 4:30 am, well...there it was.  I became good friends with Jillian Michaels DVDs around then.  (I'll need to do a whole separate post about my love for JM.)   By the fall, I was back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, but as all you ladies with children know, same weight does not equal same body!

Things remained status quo for a while, and then in early 2013, I began taking more "functional" fitness classes at my gym.  (Also, my employment status changed, which freed up some time.)  I've been loving these boot camp/athletic conditioning classes and Cross Fit- style challenges ever since.  They force me to tap into my competitive side, which, frankly, I didn't even know I had until my 20's -- I used to think "competitive" was a bad word.  I put down the 5 lb. dumbbells and Tracy Anderson DVDs and began lifting heavier.  BOOM - I saw a pretty big difference in my body, in a relatively short amount of time.  For the first time, I could do pull-ups! I've seen a tremendous benefit to my running, too.  Tons of sprints mean that I've shaved more than a minute off of my average pace time.  I literally feel my endurance improving each week.

Which brings me full circle to...getting pregnant again! I'm no longer a first-timer, and I know what worked and didn't work for me last time.  So I'll be making a couple of changes to my fitness routine this time (diet too, but we'll get to that later).  Even more importantly, I know where I am now and where I want to be after this next little munchkin makes his or her appearance. This is going to document my journey.  If you're a fellow fitness lover, mom or mama-to-be, or if you're neither but this just sounds like your cup of tea, settle in, 'cause I'm glad you're here.