Introducing Jodi

Wii fit?

9 June 2010

Avid readers of babybites probably already know a fair bit about me and my children, but I’ll take the time to introduce myself a bit for all of our newer fans and to confess my sins to all…

I have two kiddies – Alexis is 2 and Lucas is 8 months. Pre bubbas I was a bit of a Les Mills fanatic (oh, how I loved their group fitness classes), ate reasonably well (not taking into account the chocolate and wine addiction), and was in pretty good shape (weighing in at a mere 54kg, hard to believe now). As soon as I got pregnant I stopped exercising due to issues with my pregnancy, and between that and absurd cravings for cheese on toast at midnight (almost every night), I packed on the pounds pretty quickly. Alexis was born 2 months early, and yet I still managed to put on well over 20kg in those 7 short months. Once she was born, I didn’t find it too bad losing the weight, by the time I got pregnant with Lucas 8 months later, I was back down under the 60kg mark. Of course, with the fear of a second premmie, I was very sedate during my second pregnancy. By the time I was half way through the second trimester, I wasn’t even going out for walks anymore, having already been experiencing contractions and with PSD well and truly setting in. The day before Lucas was born I weighed in at 81kg. Ouch.

I’ve really struggled to lose the weight this time around. I can use every excuse in the book, and I have them all, trust me, with two kids, two businesses, washing piling up all around me… but I know they are just that – excuses. The reality is, everyone needs to make time for themselves. Sometimes it just gets a little hard to see the forest for the trees.

And excuses are exactly what I have been making, even since the big measure up last week. My partners been away, and both kids have been sick, and the 5 hours of sleep I got last night seems like a luxury in comparison to what I have been getting. I haven’t been eating as well as I should have been (sugar keeps me awake!) and until yesterday I hadn’t exercised, despite my resolutions to really start kicking my own butt.

Thankfully, Susan’s daily check ins made me do a reality check yesterday, and after chatting to her at lunch time, I decided no more excuses. Time isn’t something that I have a lot of, so I have to work around that. So, while I have been eating a little better, I know I really have to think about what I’m eating. I’m not a believer in fad diets – healthy eating, and making sure that the calories go in (a) count and (b) are lower than what’s coming out is my great ‘diet’ plan. I know I’m not going to be able to cut chocolate out completely, so it’s about managing that and keeping the amount I am eating down – a hot chocolate one day, a freddo frog the next so I’m still getting my little fix without going overboard. And if I’m good during the week with both food and exercise, I can have ‘night off’, so that I don’t feel like I’m completely missing out and can’t have a glass of wine, or my favorite thai.

I already know that exercise will have a bigger impact than eating for me. Being a WAHM (work at home mum), I really need something that can be done in nap / sleep times or with the kids in tow… unfortunately at this stage, the gym is not really an option, though it’s somewhere I’d like to get myself back into in the near future. For now, it’s the Wii. Yep, sensible eating and the Wii are my grand plan.

Yesterday I managed to do the Wii Fit age test, and 30 minutes of boxing. Surprisingly, I woke up this morning a little sore in the arms and shoulders, so I guess it must work something out. (I will admit at this point that there is no talent to my Wii boxing – I just punch as hard and as fast as I can!). Today, I got in another 30 minutes of boxing (albeit in two 15 minute bouts, dealing with a sick and miserable baby in the middle of it), and I also threw both of the kids in the double buggy and walked down to the beach and back. While I know I still need to up the anti, that’s better than nothing I say!

I’ve decided to keep a food and exercise diary to keep me honest – that way I can see if and when I go off track. I’ll work out a way to publish it for all to see.

By the way, my Wii Fit age is 34… only 3 years older than I am, but really, who wants to even be a year older than they are?!

- Jodi