Just getting all the equipment together is a workout!
Okay y’all, this post is going to get REAL and I’m coming in hot straight from the top.
When I was preparing for my 2019 Girls’ Trip, I was so excited. But I was also very nervous. Like, kept me up at night nervous. It was going to be my first Disney trip since having the Teacup. And I was out of shape. I had JUST stopped breastfeeding, like, the week before I left. My little love wasn’t fully sleeping through the night. Between the breast feeding, the no sleeping, and the other two kids, working out just wasn’t high on the priority list.
Which really bummed me out, truthfully. I love me a good fitness routine. In fact, when I got pregnant with the Teacup, I was working in a gym childcare in exchange for my membership. I routinely took 4-5 classes a week.
Now, I am not a small gal. Unless we’re talking height. In the words of one Winnie the Pooh, I am short and round. But at my peak, I was a fit short and round. I could do those 10,000 + steps a day at Disney no problem.
But post Teacup? With the baby weight and snacking-at-3am-to-keep-yourself-awake-while-you-feed-your-child-weight and the never-getting-to-the-gym-weight, I was moving a little slower.
Luckily, I have a very supportive friend who I could be honest with. “Hey girl, I know you run marathons and stuff, but you’re going to have to move slow for me at Disney because I just had a baby ten minutes ago, cool?” And between my pal moving a bit slower and me not being quite the turtle I thought I would be, the Girls trip was a resounding success.
Then we started talking about a family trip.
Keeping it 100, there is no way my pre-schoolers are going to go a little slower for me. So I gotta get back into fighting shape.
Here’s what fighting shape looks like for me: I want to be able to do 10,000+ steps in Florida sun, while wrangling three children, and break only the smallest of sweats.
Here’s how I’m going to do it: slow and steady wins the race! I got back to the gym the first week of January and have been every week since. Right now I taking one class a week and walking a few days a week, but this is just the beginning. I have a plan!
I started January with a cardio-weight interval class once a week, with walks as often as I can squeeze them in. My eventual goal is do 10,000 steps a day, every day, like it’s no big deal. But Rome was not built in a day. So my January goal was 5,000 steps a day. 35,000 steps a week.
In February, I’ll increase that goal to 6,000 steps. March, 7,000 steps and add another class. You get the picture. My body needs to be reminded of all it can do when it’s operating at max power, but it’s unrealistic to just pop into the gym after more than a year off and be like, “Okay, body, lift all them weights and do all them squats and then zip around the track a few times.”
This is a journey. It’s not a quick fix, and, I want to be super clear on this, it’s not a weight loss plan. If I lose some of that baby weight, awesome, but I won’t be doing regular weigh ins or stalking the scale. I’ve had three kids and I eat pretty healthily, so I’m at peace with my shape. But what I do want is to be the healthiest version of me, not just for Disney, but for the future with my family.
So every week, on Mondays, I’ll be checking in on my fitness journey. I’ll share my step goals, if I met them, general fitness goals, and whatever else pops into my head. This intro will cover my first four weeks, but after that, I’ll go week by week, starting with Week 5’s recap next Monday.
The sky was grey, my eyes were puffy, but I was ready to get to work. As in work out.
Let’s dive right into goals!
Week 1
- December 3oth- January 5th
- Step Goal: 35,000
- Actual Steps: 23,100
- Best Day!: Friday, Jan 3rd. 5,416 steps.
- Thoughts: Okay, so in a week I did as much walking as I did in two days at Disney. That could be discouraging. But! I think like a lot of moms, I am moving constantly in motion, even if I have only walked six steps. (Usually in a circle. Chasing a child.) So it’s nice to see what the steps actually are, nice to see areas of to focus on improving. We can only go up from here!
Week 2
January 6th-January 12th
- Step Goal: 35,000
- Actual Steps: 35,699
- Best Day!: Sunday, Jan 12th with 9,560 steps!
- Thoughts: Yes! This is what I am talking about. It is crazy how being conscious of movement/need for movement makes a difference. Just by making a few small changes, a walk after dinner, running around with the girls instead of folding laundry, my steps went way up this week. And now I have a great excuse to not fold laundry. ;)
Week 3
- January 13th-January 19th
- Step Goal: 35,000
- Actual Steps: 37,795
- Best Day!: Sunday again! 9,084 steps on the 19th.
- Thoughts: What I especially like here is that I am seeing a pattern on the days I get the most steps and the days I get the least. Fitness is hard, but data is interesting.
Week 4
- January 20th-January 26th
- Step Goal: 35,000
- Actual Steps: 36,062
- Best Day!: Sunday! You guys, Sunday is a day of rest but I find my rest in moving and grooving! 9121 steps on the 26th.
- Thoughts: They say it takes two weeks to form a habit. I am four weeks in and feeling good. Not like, I can run a marathon good. But more, I am committing to this and I honor my commitment and I recognize the good work I am doing even though we’re only four weeks in good. I think it’s important to celebrate your victories.
I promise, I was much happier than I look in this picture. Except my thighs. My thighs were definitely feeling whatever my face is doing.
If you’re thinking about getting fit for Disney too, I would LOVE to hear your goals, your progress, your challenges. It will look different for everyone, but no matter what your reason, getting to the healthiest version of yourself is so worth it. And a lot more fun if you have people to cheer for and with you on the way!
See you back here next Monday for a Week 5 recap!
Kristen B. is wife to the best Prince around, mama to the spunkiest little princesses, and lover of all things Disney. She started her savings journey five years ago and is now dedicated to making her family’s wishes come true one coupon at a time. She is so excited to take her love of saving to the next level and share her journey with you! Click here to catch up on Kristen’s Savings and join in on your own savings adventure!