Thank you all for the wonderful comments and support on my Month 3 Progress post! I always feel a bit awkward publishing these posts, but I believe in the importance of sharing the real deal in accomplishing body goals in a healthy manner. Don’t forget to let me know in the comments of any questions you may have about how I do things for an upcoming Q + A post. I’m an open book, so ask anything. 🙂

Yesterday afternoon, I realized something that needed a quick remedy.

I also craved a burger. Thus, this beauty was born.

I marinated two portabella mushroom caps in a mixture of olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and sodium-free steak seasoning. Then, Peter plopped them on the grill to cook for about 5 minutes per side with some additional basting action for optimal flavor.

I topped my ‘bella burger with a thick smear of goat cheese, spinach, tomato, pickles, and red onion. Only one vegetable could stand up to this fabulous dinner. None other than my all-time favorite roasted Brussels sprouts.

After that meal, sister night ensued. We can entertain each other all too easily with our random senses of humor. For example, we have a tradition that we must eat ice cream while watching The Biggest Loser. Why? Simply because the irony of it amuses us so. Plus, its tasty.

I now need to back up a bit. Before the fun of my evening began, I went out for a run. I headed to an area I could easily get around for a little over 3 miles. I wanted to do a quick run to push my pace and see what I could accomplish. 

I managed to keep my pace where I wanted (average 8:27), but I really struggled. It felt like everything was against me. I ate too close to my run. I dressed too warmly. The wind was blowing. The evil hill wanted to kill me.

For the record…it keeps going after that curve. A lot.  

It kind of stunk. But was awesome at the same time to know I pushed through. Perhaps this will make my 5K seem easier since it’s supposed to be a flat course and I learned a few things to help prepare myself better.

Did you know? My 5K is THIS Saturday! I can hardly believe my race is on Saturday! I have so much anticipation and I feel so excited for it. I also have all these thoughts swarming my mind on whether or not I will be prepared for the race. Not so much prepared physically, since I do feel ready in that aspect, but prepared with all the little race-day things I know nothing about. Here is what I have in mind for this weekend:

1. Pick up my race packet at early pick-up Friday afternoon.
2. Charge my music, Garmin, etc the day before.
3. Lay out all of my clothing, race bib, technology, etc the night before.
4. Wake up early to eat one of my tried and true pre-run meal combos.
5. Leave early to have time to get there on time and find my way around.

I have no clue from there. I hope I don’t walk around looking like a deer in headlights at the venue because I don’t know what to do. I am thankful that it now looks like Peter will manage accompanying me, which before he wasn’t sure about. That will help knowing I have someone to watch my stuff, get some pictures, and cheer me on! I also feel SO thankful that Lee will be there with me. I know she will help me feel at ease and show me what to do. Until then, I will gladly take any advice you have!

• What pre-race and race day tips can you share?
• Do you like Brussels sprouts?

I faced a sad sight this morning.

One sad, lonely, small bar left. The last of the batch of Tropical Flax bars I made this past Friday. I shall miss you, dense bars of chewy, yummy goodness. Until I make more.

Speaking of which, I need to share this recipe with you all. It’s a good one!

Tropical Flax Bars

• 1/4 c honey
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c rolled oats
• 1/2 c unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 c ground flaxseeds
• 1/2 c dried mango slices, chopped
• 1/2 c dried pineapple, chopped
• 1/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 8x8 baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Beat the eggs, honey, and salt until blended. In a food processor, combine the remaining ingredients.

Pulse until finely chopped and blended. Place mixture into a mixing bowl. Add the egg/honey mixture and stir to combine. Make sure the mixture is evenly moistened. Press into the baking dish in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes, until the edges are browned. After cooling, remove bars in foil from pan and cut into 12 even pieces.

Now, it’s time to discuss this month’s progress check-in. As many of you know, I update my Body After Baby progress once a month so I can fully share this journey of getting back in shape and achieving my “happy place”. So far, slow and steady has certainly made this venture a successful one. On with the results!

[Month 2 photos on the left – Month 3 (recent) photos on the right]

FRONT:

SIDE:

For the real kicker – check out the changes since 1 week post-partum!

I don’t think I look too shabby. Three months post-baby or not. 😉

And here are the progress stat totals for my accountability and tracking purposes.

Each month reminds me of many important things to keep in mind while striving to reach these goals. This month did no different. On my 3rd week of this month, I didn’t have much progress according to the scale. Despite my lower weight loss, I knew I was making appropriate choices to reach my goals in a healthy manner. I refused to immediately freak out, think my efforts lacked, and try going overboard with restricting calories or adding more workouts. Those things all sounded tempting to keep progress going, but I knew that one week did not show the whole story. I needed to wait it out and trust my body.

Well, wouldn’t you know, trusting my body after that week meant resting for a few unplanned days thanks to getting sick. I decided to keep on keeping on how I could. I ate balanced meals, took it easy, and focused on getting healthy. When I weighed in for week 4, I had lost the most I have ever lost in a single week in this process. My body proved to me then and there that it knows what it’s doing. All I have to do is care for it with proper nutrition, challenging workouts, adequate rest, and self-love. Consistently doing those things will bring me results. Sure, it may not come as quickly as it could with more restriction, but I know the results will come. And they will last. And I will be happy going through the whole process.

I hope you continue to join me for the rest of the year! 🙂

• What lessons have you learned while working towards a physical goal?
• What is your favorite dried fruit? Pineapple! Hence, the tropical bars.

ETA: Please let me know if you have any specific questions about my “Body After Baby Progress”. I would love to do a Q & A post if there’s enough interest. 🙂