Check out my guest post on weight training tips over at Side of Sneakers!

Busy. Hectic. Crazy. That would sum up this week so far for me. It would also likely sum up myself, especially the crazy part…but we won’t go there. The sad thing? I don’t even really know why it has felt like such a mad rush all week. We haven’t had too many more things on our plate than normal.

We have had play dates with friends at story time.

We have visited the pediatrician for a 4 month check-up.

Although don’t even get me started on the times they schedule well visit appointments. Losing nap time does not make a very happy Tina. Or Braedon. Or Makenzie. Sounds fun, huh?

I felt like a high school student cramming for an exam. Well, kind of. I had to cram a bunch of planning and prep work for the final exam review tutoring I have coming up in the next few weeks. Over 500 Spanish vocab words turned into online flashcards and practice questions. Me hace loca!!!!

I have also made sure to stay on top of my fitness routine. Tuesday I went to the gym for a run on the treadmill and weights. I completed 4 miles at a steady 9:30 pace and then hit up the weights to make my hamstrings, back, and biceps want to cry.

Then, yesterday I mixed up some cardio DVDs for a little fun variety cardio workout. I did about 30 minutes of a Turbo Kick workout and then the intervals of the 30/30 HIIT Cathe Friedrich DVD. It added up to 50 or so minutes of cardio madness fun.

Amidst all of that, I have had a toddler going through some teething. Her back molar is coming in on one side and its made for a little added crankiness. Thank goodness the kid loves green smoothies.

Smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, and macaroni and cheese are about all I can get her to eat because her mouth hurts her so bad. Poor kiddo!

And then, there’s baby B deciding to switch up his normal routine suddenly. Kids are little tricksters. They get you comfortable with how things are running so smoothly and then switch it on you. Bring it, Baby B. Momma can handle you! 😉

So, nothing too over the top – but enough to diminish my desire to cook up fancy meals from scratch. Okay. I can’t fool you. I never whip up fancy meals from scratch. But I do try to make the most of easy meals. Like with my trusty standby of sandwiches. Which inevitably makes me crave soup. Who cares if we hit the 90s? I can always eat soup.

My craving led me to scrounging up a can of vegetable soup, which I spruced up by adding a large handful of spinach to wilt into it. I also added some sliced up Trader Joe’s Jalapeno chicken sausage for an extra little fill factor.

It worked…but not as well as my sandwich. I spread Chavrie herbed goat cheese on some whole wheat bread with sautéed mushrooms and tomato slices. Then, I cooked it panini style of course.

Goat cheese makes me happy. It helps me breathe for a moment. Just a moment though. That’s all I get in the life of a mom. Now, time to get going again! Have a great Thursday my friends! And stay tuned for a heart pumping giveaway later today! 😉

• Can you eat things like soup or ice cream year round, despite the temps?
• Did/do you cram for exams? I always did! I worked better under pressure. It must have worked sine I only got one B all through college. <—Nerd alert!

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. 🙂