Ahh, to exercise again!

I gained 45 pounds during my pregnancy with the twins and although I'm only 3 pounds short of being at my pre-pregnancy weight, I've gotten there through no real exercise of my own. It was nursing two very hungry babies and doing all the running around that having two little ones entails that has gotten me to this point. But, am I REALLY in shape? Probably not! Yes, I can walk a few laps around the neighborhood easily, but I'm nowhere near the endurance I had when I was 25. I swore to myself and my husband after having my dear daughter that I would NEVER "let myself go." And thus far, I've held up to that. So, after slacking off for the last year, I decided to purchase a workout video. I decided upon Cindy Crawford's "newer" video (even though seeing her after the birth of her child makes me want to go throw myself off a bridge. I didn't look THAT good before giving birth-lol). I did her first video after Taylor was born and it did wonders. In the current video, the fitness instructor is a woman who herself gained 80 pounds in her pregnancy with her twin boys, so right away I felt a connection. She gives wonderful advice on sit-ups when you have a split abdominal muscle from your pregnancy. Yeah, that big muscle going your belly vertically-mine split a good two finger-widths apart during my twin pregnancy. That leads to some very funny looking abs. They give you 3 workout options depending on your time needs. The hardest workout is 45 minutes and I love it, but sometimes I just don't have that time during the boys' nap. But, I have a hard time admitting I just don't have 20 minutes for the workout that's the next level down. I still stretch, do some cardio, weights, sit-ups, and push-ups, all in less than twenty minutes.

I have to say I feel MUCH better about myself when I workout. I have more energy, my body doesn't feel "achy." When I first put on my workout clothes, my 12 y.o asked when I got that outfit because she's "never seen it before." Ugh, the humiliation! The reality was I had bought it before I got PG with the twins, she's just never SEEN it because I've not worked out! I got over that mortification and I've endured a full month of working out. I haven't lost any weight, but I am starting to see more of a definition in my arms and legs. Muscles that were once lost are becoming found again. And, I feel GOOD! I'm sure I'll never be a perfect size 6 again, but a size 8 and feeling good will be worth it! I've got a lot more living left to do, God willing, and I want to be able to enjoy it. I want to be vibrant, engergetic, and healthy and I'm well on my way!