Hard Habits

Our habits are so deeply ingrained, right down to the fiber of our being.  Make sure yours are good ones, supermoms!

Reflections

Remember...I remember...let this give you some perspective.

First Steps

That first step, supermoms, is the hardest!  Face it and then take it.  It's so much easier after that!

Fruitless Fight

Don't waste your time trying to make an unhappy person feel happy.  It's not a fight you can win, supermoms.  Focus on bringing joy and happiness into your own life and reap the rewards of that!

No Apology Needed

Sometimes, supermoms, it seems I'm surrrounded by regretful decisions from the tiniest infraction with my kids to a mistake at work.  But, one thing I NEVER have to apologize for is getting in a good workout!

Bike To Eat Days

With the smattering of nice days here, I've added in bike rides to burn more calories or to allow for the eating of more calories.  I know the idea is just to avoid the excess calories or the indulgent ones, but 'tis the season, supermoms, and I'd rather build in some room for error!

Escaping the Lure

I've been completely submerged in a new project at work.  My day's are so intense and loaded with pressure.  I can feel the pull of my snack drawer, calling me to dig into that spare box of crackers.  It is hard to resist the lure of the comfort of food to ease some of the stress of the day.  But, one thing I've learned over my journey to be healthy is that medicating with food only feels good for a few minutes but leaves me feeling guilty for much longer.

So, I focus on drinking my water and turning on some good background music to get me through those tougher moments.  I fuel my system with healthy meals and snacks and spoil myself with as much sleep as I can get.  These are ways to help yourself through stressful times not shoving salty or sugary carb-bombs down your throat.  Before reaching for your snack drawer, take a moment to think about whether that choice will really make it all better.  I think not, supermoms!

Today I...

...am so in this place! Even this supermom gets tangled up in her cape!

 

Happy Mother's Day, Supermoms!

Today I...

...just needed to start Friday off with some fun that I thought you might like to share in!  Cheers!

Today I...

...am starting off with my tank on Full thanks to plenty of quality time with friends over the last week!  Other than a good dose of retail therapy, nothing really comes close to raising your spirits quite like girlfriend therapy.  Go get you some soon, supermoms!

Today I...

...am working on my "great", supermoms!  What are you up to?

Supermom Confidential

Do you ever dream about what you would do, in this life, if you could make a wish and have all the skill and talent to make it happen?  If you could be anything in the world...play pretend and have some fun with me here, supermoms, because I'm not looking for the standard answer of "being a mom to my kids, because they're all I need in the whole world"...what would you be?  For as long as I could remember, I wish I could be a rock star!  I wish I could be onstage, rocking out to a full house, belting out hits in a voice as big as the ocean like Ann Wilson's from Heart.  Now, it's an impossible dream given my age, lack of musical prowess, and, as family and friends put it, my inability "to carry a tune in a wicker basket".  Still, when a great song pops up in my playlist, I get a little extra bounce in my step imagining myself center stage!

What do you dream about that is within your grasp?  I will tell you mine...it's writing a book.  As I've moved through all the various phases of my life thus far and as I've been able to check things of my life's long goals list, the thought gets more pressing.  I think I finally recognize that I've probably had this dream in my mind and in my heart for a long time, going back to playing pretend as a kid to enjoying Creative Writing in high school, excelling in business writing in college, and then moving into blogging.  At least, this is what I tell myself to keep my dream alive, since I am finding that the actual act of writing out a story is a lot harder than it sounds and is quite time-consuming.  I have to get in the "zone" to connect back to the plot and characters.  The "zone" requires quite a bit of concentration and quiet, a nearly impossible state to reach with small kids!

Pssst....I have a story to tell, and I think it's kinda cool and very me.  I'm tinkering as often as I can to get the story outta my head and onto paper.  I've connected with writers to learn more about the craft.  Wanna know a secret of mine?  Shhhhh!  I think I could actually DO this!...make my little dream come true!  Now, I've told you mine...won't you share yours?

Today I...

...had my newly downloaded copy of the Rock of Ages soundtrack on constant rotation!  I was having one of "those" mornings, and with it being Monday on top of that, my mood was less than stellar.  I was having trouble getting to the happy place in my soul and needed a little push...just the right thing to bring me back from the dark side, because I didn't want my bad mood to carry through the whole day.  I mean, life is good, right?  For this supermom, a huge lover of all things 80s-hairband, this soundtrack flooded my head with memories of favorite videos and scenes from the movie...my heart swelled and my cape...er, I mean, spirit!...soared, saving me from a day of being bitter, impatient, and unmotivated.  I know that sometimes it's as simple as making the choice to be happy, but I swear, there are just those certain times where it REALLY helps to have some outside help!  What helps you get through your rough patches?

Well, I'm Back, Na-Na-Na-Na-Na-Na!

Ah, it feels good to be flexing my blogging muscles! Actually, it feels even better given that me blogging means baby is sleeping...strapped to me in her Bjorn, but we can't have everything!

Well, how have you been supermoms? I have been all over the board, these past few months. Amidst the usual last trimester woes of just feeling completely miserable, we had a few scares with the baby that turned out to be nothing, thankfully, and I experienced the added daily pain of carrying her breach...for you moms that have had breached babies, my heart goes out to you in an entirely different and much more sympathetic way! Needless to say, by the last month I gave up the "fight" and quit all my workouts and walking, except for 20-minutes of prenatal Pilates every now and then. Try as I might, I could not avoid comforting myself with plenty of white-bread products and bowls of frozen yogurt from the new shop conveniently located right down the street...at least there, I skipped the candy toppings and generally went for sugar-free and dairy-free...the white bread I have no excuses to justify that!

I gained my standard 35-pounds or so...the "or so", because I quit counting at 35 since I really have no desire to know, after that point. Besides, some of it is water weight, given the botttle I would pound to make sure my fussy bladder would perform to leave a sample. Anyway, our daughter was born right on time and is healthy as a horse, which is all that really matters...except the blessed fact that my desire for breadsticks and pretzels and tortillas has completely disappeared, leaving room for my salad and fruit and healthy fare cravings to take hold...don't ask about the frozen yogurt...I still want it...regularly! *giggle* I lost almost 20 of the 35-ish pounds I gained within the first two weeks, leading me to feel super confident in my body's ability to drop all the weight I didn't want and to whisk me quickly to my weightloss goals, while I stuffed my face with said yogurt and way too much celebratory birthday cake (mine and my husband's) and cookies and other treats.

Well, here I am...144.4 pounds with a goal weight of 120 that I'm targeting to hit by February 2012, just in time for a two week trip encompassing Miami's Southbeach and a 10-day Caribbean cruise. And, yes, you can call me vain or whatever, but I intend to look SMOKIN' for it! I already have three cute bikinis in, ahem, pre-baby sizes ready to act as a motivating factor for me to get in gear. To insure I have immediate lift-off, my Hubby threw out another bogey...run a 1/2-marathon with him...my very first one...this fall...October to be exact! Clearing my 6-weeks of postpartum recovery this past weekend, I have a 10-week training program to dive into, starting today! Yikes, no time like the present, and as I gasped my way through today's run (which includes pushing a stroller loaded with a baby and a carseat) and try not to get overwhelmed with making all this happen, I had a glimpse of "me"..."me", the supermom.

So, I'm back. Back to the business of getting after it and going for it...of taking care of myself, so that I can care for my family and do the things I dream. With my goals laid out very clearly ahead of me, I dig deep to ignite my superpowers, and I ask you...are you ready, too? Care to join me? Then, let's go!

A Balancing Act

Hello, fellow supermoms and friends! It is not without some anguish that I post today to bid you all a adieu for awhile. I know I have been MIA a bit anyway, but I cannot just leave Project Supermom hanging!

As I close in on my due date and put the finishing touches on a VERY big office restructure project, my body is feeling the wear and tear. I need to slow down and set things on the back burner...not something I'm very good at doing! I need to let this body rest, so that I can get this baby to the end and be ready to handle life, when she is born. I've talked about finding balance and being your best and caring for yourself...well, here is the perfect chance for me to heed my own advise.

So, I leave y0u for a nice long break to relax and to rest my mind and to give this baby and my family as much of my energy as I can muster. I will miss you all...I will be back, when I can better balance Project Supermom with this point in my journey. Until then, you deserve the very best for yourself, so go for it!

Baby Weight

All of a sudden, I very much feel pregnant...and, judging by this picture, I very much look it, too! We are having a little girl this time. I have heard that this is such a blessing, because we get to experience each...a boy and a girl...because they are so different.

I can feel the difference settling in already. As the physical weight of carrying her pulls on my body more and more each day, it in no way compares to the mental tug of what it will mean to have a daughter. This time, I will be the stronger influence...the same-sex role model she will look to. It's that the weighs on my mind, more so than the boy talk, ear piercings, periods, and first bra fittings that are sure to come.

You see, I know my own demons very well. I am all too familiar with my underlying insecurities, just barely held at bay sometimes. I can still feel the stings of rejections and criticisms and hurtful words hurtled at me long ago. They all manifested in me turning to food for comfort and playing it safe, in my life...judging others before they could judge me. Through the years of practise, work, and even some counceling, I've risen above a lot of the negativity, fear, and doubt that I carried. I have worked at knowing myself and not being so afraid of being that person and letting that person shine. But, like I said, I know those demons can still rear their ugly heads in self-deprecating comments and hateful glances at the image I see in the mirror. It has dawned on me that I don't want to pass this to my daughter.

I want her to look up and see a woman that is comfortable with who she is, even when wearing a bathing suit. I want her to see a woman strong enough to go after her interests and to pursue new and challenging things. I want her to see a woman who will at least try, not only for others, but also for herself. I want her to see a woman that shines with love that comes from outside and, most importantly, inside. The weight of carrying her...I feel it in so many ways. What she will mean to me and my life...how I must carry myself...

Today I...

...spent my "lunch break" surfing the websites of a few of my favorite stores: Old Navy, Express, Victoria's Secret. Since I am 6-months pregnant, I realistically am not in a position to do any serious shopping for anything right now. So, why bother, you may ask? Well, I have an agreement with the Hubby that I get a whole new wardrobe, after this baby comes and after I get back to my goal weight...that magic 125. For someone that really only replaced a few choice pieces in her closet, as needed, after the birth of my son nearly 3 years ago, I am LONG overdue for some SERIOUS clothes shopping!

Since I can't stand most of my old maternity wear, which is also proofing to now be too big, and since I have not a whole lot of fun stuff to look forward to wearing, after our daughter is born (think too big, faded, dotted with holes, outdated, or super plain to be as versatile as possible), it is motivating to me to fill up my e-shopping bags with stylish and fun fashion in dream sizes! With my goals in place and a clear reward at the ready, I just have to put in the work to get there. Then, hopefully with some luck in hitting sales and clearances, my virtual wish list will find its way to my eagerly awaiting closet!

Promises, Promises

So, New Year's is a little different for me this year. I am 4-months pregnant, so while I excitedly see "everyone" sharing their New Year's resolutions, I feel a little outside of it all. There won't be any intense workout programs to kick-off...no nutritional cleanses...no programs aimed to get me back into my skinny jeans by the end of the month. Frankly, it's a little bit of a bummer to be on the sidelines of that world right now.

But, I don't just have to benched for the season, right? After a rough first trimester of queasiness, total physical exhaustion, and some other issues that, for the sake of my image, I will not get into, the skies are clearing, and I finally feel a little more like myself. After so much time away from good healthy habits, I will admit to pausing and really thinking about how to proceed from there. Do I just take it easy and enjoy the break from working out? Should I can my calorie counting and just eat what I want with abandon for awhile? I mean, I'm pregnant (for the last time to boot)...it's like a free pass, right? And so the internal dialogue went, as I spent my afternoons lounging on the couch, eating crackers or toast, and enjoying not having to worry about it...not having to care about myself for the first time in a long time.

Then, I thought of what it would be like, if I continued down this road. Coming back from a pregnancy is a long, hard road, as I'm sure so many of you know. Did I want to make it even harder? Truth be told, I'd been missing be able to run after my son and still hate the fact that I can't crawl around on playground equipment with him or take him down slides. If I let go of myself...the self that fought so hard to lose the baby weight the first time, who learned how to fuel herself with good foods and passed the lesson on to her family, and who accomplished goals she never thought possible...who would I be then? Would I then become the mom that Project Supermom was designed to help?

No, not me. I can't take the risk of staying on the sidelines of my life for any longer than necessary. Instead of focusing on what I can't do, I've looked to friends and other supermoms and have chosen to focus on what I CAN do like revising my workouts to be shorter and less intense but to get the job done. I've adjusted my calories to a maintenance level and monitor them daily, just like before. I allow for breadsticks and rice to be on the menu more often then they were before, while still fluffing meals and snacks with any and all of the fruits and veggies that I can get down without gagging up a storm. And, I went ahead and made a resolutions list:

--finish this pregnancy with the healthiest habits possible
--maintain a healthy diet, postpartum, while cutting down on some of the excess calories I'm currently enjoying
--start stroller walking, as soon as I am able
--start abdominal exercises 3-4 times a week, as soon as I am able
--circle back with Beachbody's Power90 workout program, before moving into P90X
--run...yes, I said run...two of our local late summer/early fall 5k races
--complete the Denver half-marathon in the fall
--complete the Run the Republic stair climb of 56 flights, straight up, in the winter

All of this with recovering from a birth that will include a c-section delivery, nursing the new baby full-time, caring for my spirited toddler, getting back into the groove of late nights and plenty of red wine with my Hubby, balancing work, AND trying to squeeze back into my tiny jeans and shirts and skirts that I feel like I just earned my way into. Can I do this? I have to try. I have to go for my goals, because I have learned I am quite capable of reaching them. After all, I owe this baby the very best mommy I can be, too!

And the Award Goes To...

Project Supermom, The Versatile Blogger! I would like to take this moment to thank all you super followers and readers...your support has always made this supermom soar! To accept this award I must:

*To accept this award, there are 4 rules*
1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
I must thank my new friend Morgan, Tatted Mom, over at Inklings of Life (http://tattedmom.blogspot.com/) for the nod, the thought, and for really making today and this journey a little bit more fun.

2. Share seven things about yourself. Okay, so, I:
--hate white onions and will still patiently pick large pieces out of a meal, but I love green onions
--admit that America's Next Top Model is one of my guiltiest pleasures. I have never missed an episode and have been a devoted fan since Cycle 1...it is one of the only shows I watch live, instead of DVRing for later viewing!
--love to travel
--think I had a fairly heavy dose of post-partum depression, after the birth of my son, and I still feel guilty for being such a mess of a mom in those early days!
--am so proud of the hairband renaissance that has recently emerged, making it safe for us metal girls to come out of the closet
--wish I could get married again...I would pick a different dress, wear a veil, be 25 pounds lighter, and woulda found a better hairstylist!
--can't believe how amazing it is to watch my son grow and change...it is a magnificent experience that is totally surreal and mind-blowing to me!

3. Pass the award on to 12 bloggers you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic. Check these super bloggers out!
http://www.worldsworstmoms.com/
http://www.momswhoneedwine.com/
http://jackfit.blogspot.com/
http://bepositivemom.blogspot.com/
http://motivationmamadrama.blogspot.com/
http://livingachangedlife.blogspot.com/
http://havesippywilltravel.blogspot.com/
http://www.averagemomswearcapes.com/
http://holistichealthmaven.blogspot.com/
http://foodymommy.blogspot.com/
http://myhebrewnameiscinderella.blogspot.com/
http://inthekitchenwithaudrey.blogspot.com/

4. Contact the bloggers you picked and let them know about the award.

Thanks so much for reading!