Ok, so this exercise class thing….
The first day was torturously brutal. But I’ve been doing it for about 3 weeks now, and while it’s still making me sweat plenty, I don’t feel shaky and on the edge of collapse anymore when I get home. This is a HUGE praise! That and the fact that Evan sleeps and Seth graciously consents to eat a pile of Goldfish while I take a shower both help as well…
And… I actually look forward to sweating with the gals on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I don’t know why exactly. I can’t completely explain it. But maybe exercise does make you feel somewhat better. Now, it’s still isn’t enough motivation on its own without vanity, but I can now understand why people claim that it helps them feel better overall.
In other news, looks like I will not be the skinny, flat tummied woman of my dreams in 9 weeks. And if anything, my arms are bigger, not tinier, though they jiggle a smidge less….
Though my abs are definitely tighter, that lovely ball of fat stuck on top of them doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. And I’m starting to get worried that the sticking out tummy thing is permanent. It doesn’t feel like I have that much fat on there, but it’s like my muscles refuse to go in or something. Maybe the result of two c-sections? All the cutting through my stomach muscles? We’ll see. If I wean Evan, and I don’t drop the last 10 pounds, then it will be over, and I’ll concede.
And interesting enough, though I eat better most days, I feel like I’m eating more on others. I guess Time magazine was right when they said that studies have shown that exercise doesn’t help you lose weight because you eat more when you exercise… Gah!
And now the baby who got a GOOD afternoon nap today is waking up. Gotta run….
5 comments:
Okay, I hate to tell you this, but my tummy has NEVER been the same since my second C-section. After the first, I got back into decent shape, but the second and it was sort of downhill from there. I always assumed it was because I was on bedrest during the pregnancy, though, and that combined with the prescription hormones I was on for keeping the pregnancy (I lost A.'s twin, and so she was tricky to keep), caused me to gain a huge amount of weight, and my metabolism has never been the same.
Which was more than you wanted to know!
But all of that to say: I feel the same way about my stomach, like the muscles didn't go back together right or something...
Angie and I both feel the same way. Of course, I have a little more fat piled on there but it doesn't lay right....one of the beautiful costs of new life for this momma. But that doesn't mean you should give up....excersice can help you feel overall better about yourself and like you said, there is some value in that!
But you will lose that last 10 after weaning Evan...I would ALMOST bet on it!
I wouldn't despair, Ellen. Most people seem "bigger" when they first start working out because they are developing muscles underneath the layer of fat, so it appears bulkier.
But as you continue to exercise, the extra muscles will help burn more calories and thus reduce the fat as well.
Also, I've read that stomach fat accumulates due to lack of sleep (common in new moms) since your body produces extra cortisol to combat the sleep deprivation.
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