Tamara, Author at The Workout Mama

10 Months After Baby Stats

April 11, 2013 by Tamara 32 Comments

Can I be completely honest with you for a moment? I just finished sharing an amazing peanut butter cupcake with my husband and it was soooooo good!

All right, enough about that and on to my stats :).

10 MONTH POST BABY STATS

WAIST 27″

(pre-pregnancy measurement 27″, no change from last month)

Back to pre-pregnancy measurement!!!

HIPS 35″

(pre-pregnancy measurement 37″, no change from last month)

Below pre-pregnancy measurement!!!

WEIGHT 126 lb.

(pre-pregnancy weight 130 lb., up 3 lb. from last month)

Below pre-pregnancy measurement!!!

Finding balance is so important, which is why I shared with you that I just had a few bites of a cupcake. I gained 3 pounds this month and I am totally fine with that. I feel great and knew that after coming off the 21 day cleanse my body would readjust to eating sugar and a limited amount of dairy products. Month 9 and Month 10 comparison photo is shown below.

As great as looking good feels, feeling good is even greater. Josh and I juice, drink nutrient rich smoothies, and eat lots of veggies to stay healthy in addition to our workouts. We still continue to juice first thing in the morning and typically have a smoothie later in the day. You can see our green juice recipe here. I also take a multivitamin and omega-3 supplement everyday (I like the Garden of Life brand).

The next paragraph is for ladies only because it could possibly be too much info for the fellas. Back in January I started spotting and was surprised that my monthly visitor had returned earlier than I had anticipated. Nothing happened in February so I was starting to think it had been a fluke. I guess I just assumed since I was still nursing I wouldn’t have my period. This past month it appeared again and lasted a little longer but was not anything major. I don’t really know what to expect for the next month. Did anyone experience anything similar?

My workouts this month went something like this: 10k race (ran my fastest race pace ever!), yoga (of course), running, swimming, TRX, running hills at the zoo pushing Caden in the stroller, and teaching my weekly bootcamp. I always love a good sweaty workout and enjoyed the variety this month. I also take lots of walks pushing Caden in the stroller or carrying him in the Ergobaby. The weather is beautiful right now in Arizona and it feels amazing to be able to spend time outdoors!

Let’s talk goals! I am still reading my bible everyday and I am on track to read through the New Testament and Psalms twice and the rest of the Old Testament once by the end of the year. Yay! This is huge for me and I feel such a since of accomplishment each time I finish my daily readings. Want to join in? Check out the M’Cheyne Bible-reading schedule for the outline. Each month my blog continues to grow and I am loving all the amazing bloggers I have connected with. Reading the emails or comments left on my posts inspires me to continue to share my life and my passion for healthy living. Seriously, I get giddy reading comments on the blog or Facebook page.

Only two more months left before Caden turns one! My goodness time is sure going fast! I would love to answer any questions that you have regarding loosing baby weight, after baby workouts, or nutrition so feel free to send them my way. I am planning on doing a huge wrap in the next two months and want it to be informative as possible. Just leave a comment on this post.

xoxo, Tamara

PS…I am SUPER excited to share with you that I am now a contributor over at FitLife.tv! I would love it if you read my first post: 3 Yoga Poses to Relax and Renew Your Body And Mind. Thanks everyone for your support!

Filed Under: After Baby, Personal Tagged With: 10 Months

The Girl Behind The Blog: Part 2

April 9, 2013 by Tamara 7 Comments

The following post is part of The Girl Behind The Blog series that will continue each week detailing my story of illness and recovery starting in March of 2007. I believe that God created me for a reason and each experience I have can draw me closer to HIM and be used to encourage others. This post and those that follow detail a pivotal moment in my life that changed me forever.

Need to catch up in the story? Read Part 1.

Psalm 139:13-16
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I’d even lived one day.

Since I was little I have always been fascinated with the human body and the intricate systems that allow our bodies to function daily. In college I was several courses shy of a Kinesiology minor, the study of human movement, but the fact that I wanted to graduate and that I really didn’t want to take anymore science classes swayed me to not pursue the minor.

During college I started exercising on a daily basis partially because I had enrolled in a few too many Kinesiology courses because they sounded interesting. To my surprise I discovered I enjoyed working out and pushing myself in ways I never had before because I knew my body would adjust to help me perform to my best ability. I began to want to do things that shocked even my parents because I had never been a super active kid. For instance my Dad and I took a road trip to Yosemite National Park in California to hike and climb the cables to the top of Half Dome in 2005. Hiking became a weekly part of my life as did trail running.

At the top of Half Dome! Still one of the best moments in my life.

Fast forward back to Monday, March 12, 2007, I began to have this nagging feeling that something was not right. Sitting in my office staring at the computer I continued to experience odd sensations in my feet that I wouldn’t describe as painful just annoying. I had worn my cute pink ballerina flats to work and kicked them off under my desk thinking maybe that would make a difference. It didn’t. By the time 9pm rolled around I was ready to call it a day and head home.

Earlier that day I made mention in phone conversations to both my parents and Josh about the peculiar feelings I was having in my feet. My parents and Josh had grown used to me being slightly melodramatic when it came to describing how I was feeling. I was trying to not overreact to what, at the time, was just a few odd sensations in my feet and toes. I tried not to sound panicked or overly anxious when describing what I was feeling and felt reassured after getting off both calls that whatever was causing these feelings would correct itself in a few days time.

Tuesday came and went with no noticeable difference. I went about my daily routine of going to the gym after eating breakfast because I didn’t see a reason to skip my workout for the day. I wasn’t sick with a cold or the flu and other than the tingling in my legs I felt fine.

Wednesday morning when I woke I discovered that the tingling sensations had not gone away but in fact seemed to be a little more persistent in my feet. I went about my routine of eating breakfast, going to the gym, and heading into work. I called both my parents and Josh once again to let them know that my feet still felt funny and made plans to see Josh after I left work.

That night as my co-worker and I were locking up all the rooms in the building my legs started to feel very wobbly. I can remember thinking that it wasn’t the best idea to have worn my Steve Madden heeled boots; and I told myself that tomorrow I would need to wear more sensible shoes to work. I walked to the parking garage stumbling a bit over my feet and attributed it to the fact that I needed more practice walking in heels.

I called Josh when I got into my car and let him know I was on my way over to the townhouse he was sharing with his brother. My feet weren’t feeling any better and I was hoping for a sympathy foot rub and also to show him how cute I looked in my boots. I arrived and upon entering the house I immediately removed my boots. They were killing my feet and I didn’t care how cute I looked, I wanted them off. I again mentioned to Josh how weird my toes felt.

Thinking it might feel good to soak them in warm water we walked outside to the community pool and I sat on the edge of the jacuzzi giving my feet a good soaking. It didn’t help and I was starting to get more annoyed that they weren’t feeling better. It had been three days since the tingling had started and I was ready for them to return to their non tingling state. I said goodnight to Josh and went home. I was in bed 15 minutes later praying to God for my feet to be healed in the morning.

Thursday, March 15, 2007, I woke up and was highly disappointed and starting to worry because not only were my feet not better but the tingling sensations I had been feeling had gotten worse. Plus the odd sensations had traveled further up my leg to just above my ankle and were feeling a tad more uncomfortable. It was a pins and needles sensation that I had only experienced before when sitting for long periods of time in one position. I got out of bed and thought about going to the gym and debated if I should go or stay home before work. Opting to go I quickly got dressed but had to steady myself when I put my pants on. I walked to the gym, did cardio on the bike, and walked home.

Back home from the gym I stepped into the shower to get all squeaky clean. I shampooed, lathered, rinsed, and repeated, and was letting the conditioner seep into my hair. I picked up the razor and started shaving my legs and did a double take to look down at the razor.

I could not feel anything as I slid the blade from my ankle up to my knee.

I tried again.

Nothing.

I pressed the razor against my calf.

Nothing.

I was starting to freak out.

I tried the other leg.

Nothing.

I dropped the razor and started touching, poking, and pinching my leg at various places.I had lost all feeling in both legs from the knee down.

Thanks for reading and here is Part 3 to continue the story.

Filed Under: Personal Tagged With: Guillain–Barré Syndrome, Illness, My Story, Recovery

Baby Registry Must Haves

April 4, 2013 by Tamara 11 Comments

It is spring time, which naturally makes me think of babies! Cute, adorable, little tiny babies!!! Now that Caden is almost 10 months old I thought it could be helpful to new or future mama’s if I shared what products we really loved and would purchase or put on our registry again.

The big price tag items are first. If you have never looked at baby items before be prepared for sticker shock. Baby gear is expensive people.

We went with Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30 for 1 reason and that was because it attached safely and securely to both strollers we had purchased. Yes, you read that right. We have two strollers. Regardless of the reason why we bought the Peg Perego, I would highly recommend this carseat for little babies. Caden used this seat for almost 9 months and still uses it in when he rides in Josh’s truck.

The Britax Marathon is Caden’s new ride. This seat is so roomy, designed to be rear or front facing, and can transport your little tiny newborn until they reach a whopping 70 pounds. Our little guy will get a lot of use out of this seat.

The two strollers that we own are the BOB Ironman (our jogging stroller) and the Phil and Ted Explorer. We bought our jogging stroller used and it has been, possibly, my favorite purchase. If you run/jog/or are planning on it after having a baby invest in a stroller designed for jogging. The Phil and Ted Stroller we purchased brand new with gift cards and cash from family for a little under $500. I know. I know. So. Much. Money. The main reason we invested in this deluxe stroller was because it can be converted into a double for whenever baby number 2 arrives. And no, I am not trying to tell you that I am pregnant ;).

The Ergo Carrier is the most comfortable baby carrier ever! Doesn’t hurt my back and I feel secure wearing Caden and he loves it. I tried a few other carriers but they either were really uncomfortable or I couldn’t figure out how to use the product due to having to wrap the baby around me. I love using it at the grocery store, zoo, and hiking too. Plus it has a small storage pocket in the front where I can stash a disposable diaper, my iPhone, and car keys.

We didn’t buy a changing table, instead we bought the Summer Infant Changing Pad and placed it directly on Caden’s dresser. It can be overwhelming to walk into a baby store and see all the cute nursery mock ups with the crib, changing table, dressers, nightstands, rockers, and overpriced crib sheet sets. To save money we bought Caden furniture pieces that can grow with him.

Get yourself all stocked up and ready now for when your baby gets congested, runs a temp, or has the flu. The best thing you can do is be prepared. I would recommend the Crane Humidifier and 2 thermometers for your little love: a Vicks Thermometer and a Temporal Thermometer. This way you have the ability to check their temp every single way. Enough said about that.

The Twilight Turtle and the Sound Machine Giraffe are great! By pressing a button on the turtle stars are displayed across your nursery celling and the giraffe creates white noise to calm your fussy baby. I love both of these products and think Caden’s room is highly relaxing and conducive to sleep. Even when he hasn’t.

We chose not to invest in a video Baby Monitor. Our house is so tiny that it takes 15 steps to get from one end to the other and it seemed like a ton of technology to have in a little persons room. That being said I can totally see the benefit of having a video stream on your baby monitor. At almost 10 months of age we hardly use the monitor now but used it everyday for the first 6 months.

As new parents we had this idea that Caden wouldn’t use a pacifier and that he would be able to fall asleep by just laying him down gently in his crib, whispering I love you, and kissing him goodnight. That didn’t exactly happen. We use the Mam Pacifiers at nap time and bedtime now. Our baby was however, sleeping 12 hours through the night without waking up by 2 months. I really believe the reason for that was because we implemented a bunch of steps from a little book called On Becoming Baby Wise. There is quite a bit of controversy about this book on the internet and in mommy groups but we found so much helpful information by reading it.

Make sure to get your baby a few blankets, sleep sacks, and swaddles. When he was first home from the hospital we used the Halo SleepSack because it was super easy to swaddle his tiny arms and body. No tucking, wrapping, or folding required. It was the only swaddle that he couldn’t break out of.

I love the brand Aden + Anais! Their products are soft, breathable, and have adorable prints. The Aden + Anais Sleep Sack is perfect for 3+ months of age and allows the baby’s arms to be free, I love these things! I put him in a pair of jammies, zip him up in his blanket and he is good to go. Also check out the Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets and Aden + Anais Security Blankets.

Oh look, it is another product from my favorite baby company. The Aden + Anais Burp Bib is a burp cloth and a bib in one. Great idea, and even better for when your little one has large explosive baby burps after a feeding.

Nursing mama’s I had never heard of Lily Padz or Milkies until after having Caden so I want to make sure you know about them. Both are amazing products for avoiding leaks. And of course you will need a pump, I use the Medela Pump In Style Advanced. The Medela brand does go on sale periodically and when applied with those 20% off coupons from the baby store you can reduce the price by around $50.

If you have not read any of my other posts we live in a pretty small townhouse so to save space we asked for the Chicco 360 Swivel Hook On High Chair. I am so glad we did. Even if we lived in a larger home I would still purchase this item . It allows Caden to sit at the table with us and can easily be folded up to take to the Grandparents house or to a restaurant. The best part: it is easy to clean.

For all the bottles, sippy cups, and miscellaneous baby items I am cleaning I love my Grass Drying Rack! It is simple, cute, and actually makes me happy to clean and wash Caden’s items because I get to arrange them on the grass. I know. I am a little weird. But I do love this drying rack and would probably put 2 on registry instead of 1 because I use it every single day and bottles and cups take up the majority space.

I know this next section will not apply to everyone but if you are interested in Cloth diapering this will be a good list to get you started. There are so many brands and styles available that your best bet would be to find a local store that sells cloth and take a visit to see them all in person. If you are not sure what brand to try I would recommend the bumGenius All In Ones to start with. These are my favorite and easiest to clean. Snap closure will last longer but velcro is easier for when relatives are on diaper duty. I also like FuzziBunz and bumGenius pocket diapers.

Since we cloth diaper we use Cloth Wipes too. We either get the cloth wipe wet in warm water before a changing if we know it is going to be a messy diaper or we use Lotion Potion Bum Spray to clean up Caden. When you use cloth you can’t use Desitin because it will cause the diapers to loose their absorbency. So instead, we use Booty Love Ointment to prevent diaper rash and protect Caden’s skin.

Now on to cleaning. You will want to get a Wet Bag to store your dirty diapers in. The wet bag prevents smells from leaking and creeping into your house. We have about 18 diapers and do laundry every 2 days. For as long as your baby is breastfed you can put the diapers directly into the washer. Once you introduce formula or solids you will need to start removing any poo before washing. There are two ways to do this. You can buy a Diaper Sprayer or Diaper Liners. We use both. The liners are nice because you can just remove them and flush them. Lastly make sure you use a detergent that will not cause build up in your diapers, I like Rock in Green Detergent.

I never thought I would cloth diaper but I love it! If you are considering trying it you can find tons of used diapers on craigslist. I know that sounded completely gross, but it is a good way to see if cloth diapering will work for you and your family and what brands you like the best.

This was probably the most time consuming post ever written but hopefully it gives you some ideas of what to add to your registry or new products to try with your next baby. Special thanks to Jessica for inspiring this Registry post.

What baby items could you not live without? Let me know! I always love to hear about different products from other mama’s.

xoxo, Tamara

Filed Under: Products Tagged With: Baby Registry