April challenge: Exercise three times a week.

A totally unrelated photo of me and Gwen last weekend, but as it happens I don't have a recent photo of me working out! Funny that. 

I seem to have triggered some sort of glutton-for-punishment-chemical reaction in my brain, because no sooner have I completed my "month without treats challenge", than I decided to get started on the next one! 

Friends, for the month of April I will exercising three times a week. 

It's a bit simpler in some ways than March was because it's not so restrictive, but it will also be harder for me because it requires actually getting out of my comfy spot and doing something. And I do so like my comfy spot. And I do so dislike not being comfy. But I'm looking for ways to live a healthier life with my family (it's so important to teach those kids good habits, and who else is going to do it if I don't?), so I'm going to give my best shot at being a bit more physically active*. 

Here's what I'm aiming for:

• At least three exercise "events" spread out through a week of 7 days for the month of April, ending at midnight on April 3rd.
• Each workout should be at least 20-30 minutes long. 
• Workouts can include (but is definitely not limited to) walking, using the elliptical in the lone and dreary basement, doing yoga, hiking, Wii Fit and just about anything else that raises my heart rate and makes me pink-cheeked and sweaty (I know what you're thinking Ari, and that doesn't count!)

How am I doing so far? Well, because April started on a Tuesday, I allowed myself to count Monday March 31st. We had a few hours of sunshine in the morning before what I knew was going to be a cold and wet week, so I loaded up about 60 lbs. worth of kids into the double stroller and took them to the park. It's about half a mile (800m) away, and took me a little over 10 minutes each way to walk, so that totals a 20 minute workout. Pretty simple. 

On Wednesday I worked out with a friend. I am lucky enough that my friend and neighbor Ashlee, who is a yoga instructor, was willing to come and do a one-on-one session with me in my home while our rampaged wildly in the playroom together. And it was awesome! I've taken yoga classes at the gym before in the dim and distant past, but very little compares to having an instructor all to yourself to help you with your form and to tailor things to your abilities. Especially one who is patient while you run upstairs to change a diaper halfway through the session, and who lets your non-napping toddler join in the class as needed. As chaotic as this all sounds, it was actually a really great workout and I felt all happy and endorphiny for hours afterwards. Definitely a little sore today, though!

My third workout will be a little tricker to fit in as we are leaving town for the weekend tomorrow afternoon. I am either going to have to hop on the elliptical tonight after the kids are in bed, or get up a little early and do it tomorrow. Or fit a walk in somewhere. What I can tell you is that there will be very little of anything resembling exercise this weekend as we relax in sunny St. George for a couple of days! No matter, I'll make it work. 

Have a great weekend! 

*I also want to maintain the good results I've seen from not eating treats for a month. I've said before that I really don't want to make this about weight as much as I want to make it about slowly transiting to a healthier lifestyle. That said, I have conservatively lost about 5 lbs (possibly closer to 8) in the past month, and I'd like to keep it that way. I am currently back to what I weighed before I got pregnant the 2nd time, and have to say it feels pretty great!