Project Stroller Strides : Day/Week 1

First, Thank you Uncle Sam! Thank you for holding onto and playing with a large chunk of our earnings last year and returning it to us just in time for me to start getting in shape! Oh yeah... and in time for swim lessons for the kids too!

I made it to Stroller Strides this morning and it was awesome! The ladies were all very nice and totally supportive. I was a little nervous about how Grace & Lily would do. The first time I went Grace made it most of the way through the class but got antsy 3/4 of the way in and wanted O-U-T! Lily is usually pretty go-with-the-flow, but she has her moments. The girls were so well behaved today! The last five minutes were rough, but it was a loud unhappy five minutes for most of the kiddos so I felt really good about how Grace and Lily.

I certainly felt every second of the hour. I was shaking - No not belly fat and saggy arms shaking but muscle fatigue shaking and it was such a good feeling! Every now and again I would have to take it down a notch and catch my breath but Grace was right there with me saying "Good Job Mommy!" and "Go Mommy Go!!" Who can quit when their almost 3 year old is cheering them on?!

There was never a moment when I thought "This is too hard." or even worried about my ability and/or stamina compared to anyone else in the class. I certainly thought the class was challenging every single minute. However, there was no shame or embarrassment in stopping for a sip of water or taking it down a notch for a few seconds... It is just a bunch of women out in the fresh air working out with and enjoying their kids and cheering each other on. Strong-Beautiful-Mommies!

I have to admit that lifting the stroller into the back of the car was a little harder after class than it normally is. Then driving home I had to will my quads to hold out just a little longer as I pressed the accelerator and brake pedals. But we made it! I pulled into the garage to find Lily Kat asleep in her car seat... What?! It was only a few minutes before 11am and not even close to nap time! I should be the exhausted one not Lily! I was sure when we walked into the house she'd wake up. Because we all know, when we're out and about close to nap time and our kids fall asleep in the car we curse under our breath. When you want to transfer a sleeping child from car to bed it NEVER works! I was sure that this would be no different, she'd wake up when we got inside, we'd watch Charlotte Mae for a few hours then lunch and then Grace & Lily would go down for their nap. Yeah, no such luck. It's a good thing I'm a reed, I can bend in the wind and go with the flow. So Lily will nap now and Grace will nap later - the silver lining is one on one time with each kid today as the other sleeps.

Well that silver lining was a little tarnished as I carried a sleeping 23 pound 17 month old up a flight of stairs. *Step*Breathe*Step*Breathe* "You can do this Shelbi! It's only 16 steps and you can do this!" I made it up the stairs and got Lily down without incident and without crying but the return trip.... Let's just say that carrying a 23 pound child up the stairs was nothing compared to lugging my heavy butt back down the stairs. My quads and gluteus maximums are going to be feeling today tomorrow that's for sure!

So I'm going to be honest... I am 5'2 (and a half!! that 1/2 inch is hugely important to me!) and I weigh in at 136 pounds as of my last doctor appointment you (February). I don't own a scale because I am so grossly overweight I cannot fathom having to step on something that will remind me of that fact. As it is I have to stand on that scale at the Endocrinologist every 2-3 months and that's been plenty! I love food and have very little desire to change my eating habits; which are fair but not abhorrent and even less willingness to change than desire. So I will have to measure my progress in the fit of my clothes. That and I simply will not torture myself with a scale, especially since muscle weighs more than fat. If I could drop a pants size by the end of the summer I would be thrilled!

I posted this here today because I was proud of Grace and Lily's behavior today and because I had to lug a sleeping child upstairs after my killer workout but if you would like to follow my progress Check in from time to time ans see how I'm doing, if I'm sticking with it and if it's life changing enough to get me to step away from the chicken nuggest and sit down to a chicken breast instead! Here I go....