Back to Work

Working out that is (still got a couple more weeks before I head back to work). I've got the all clear from the doc (although I admit I started working out before then, but I knew to listen to my body and just do what I felt it was capable of doing), and I can tell it is going to be a long, uphill battle to get back into my former shape. I suffered terribly during this pregnancy from a condition called symphysis pubis dysfunction. I had this with A, too, but to a lesser degree. My hip and joint pain started as early as month 5 with this one and by 6 months preggo I was limping like a little old lady, constantly holding my back but never able to alleviate it to any measurable degree. It made it difficult to maintain an kind of meaningful workout program, although I did continue to walk on the treadmill and use the elliptical until the end of my 7th month. The last two months of pregnancy I spent doing a lot of walking while we visited Cambodia and Singapore, but I did not do any particular workouts. Additionally, N weighed in at just 6lb at birth, so I can safely say that much of my 25lb weight gain had to do with less movement and more eating *sigh*. The good news is that literally the moment that N was born I started feeling better. As soon as I was able to stand up, I could instantly tell the difference. It helped that my doctor ordered a consult with one of the hospital's physical therapists, who assured me that many women suffer from SPD and just don't realize it. She also sent me home with a compression belt that you wear around your hips to help squeeze the joints back together. This along with my post-preggo girdle (oh how I wish I'd known about these with my last 3!) really helped in pulling everything back into place after the birth.

So now I'm feeling mostly back to my old self. The only problem, of course, is the lost cardio and strength capacity. As I ease back into my workouts, I am definitely feeling the effects of my age in that it seems much harder this time around. But I am bound and determined to get back into my old clothes hopefully by the time I start back to language training. Of course, when I tried to put on an old pair of pants (I did mention we got our UAB last week, right?) I couldn't even get them over my thighs! Even if there's a perfectly good reason, it is still incredibly disheartening to realize just how far one has to go. Anyway, since I am starting anew, I am focused on beginner/intermediate workouts. There so many great resources on the web now, I can't imagine that there would ever be the need to buy workouts again.* Here's a few sites that are good for beginners:

Totally Free Workouts
Zuzana
Fe Fit

I'm also using Lindsay Brin's Mom's Into Fitness series. She's got a new app with all of her workouts, which range from during and post preggo to super-duper advanced. I find her to be a bit annoying (and I can't stand the "bun cakes" talk), but I do like her workouts, and since I use my own music to workout to anyway I don't mind her chatter. Plus  I like that she focuses on deep, transverse ab work designed specifically to help bring those post baby ab muscles back to their former glory.

*who am I kidding? There's always a reason to buy new workouts!