Body After Baby

I have to be honest with you guys. I'm sort of lagging on Body After Baby material. Every week-with occassional breaks in between -since The Body After Baby Challenge started in June, I have been blogging about health, nutrition and fitness topics. I love these topics (my degree is in health!) and I love writing about them, but my brain feels Body After Baby fried!

I'm not going to stop hosting this here and providing a Mr Linky for you to use, because I know its helped so many women reach their goals and connect with one another. I'm sure I'll have some exciting material for next week, but right now I'm just beat. Bare with me!

I would love to make this challenge ( I suppose it's not really a "challenge" right now however) better for everyone. Do you have any suggestions for me? Ideas, thoughts, questions? What do you want me to write about? I would love to feature a new topic each week. Eating breakfast, doing sit ups, how to run a 5K, why tanning is bad for you. Let me hear from you! What topics do you need help with, what things do you want to learn about? Where do you struggle the most?

I want to put together an 8 or 12 week fitness program for us, so I'm working on some details with that. I'm also working on getting together with another fitness blogger for a collaborative challenge next month! That will be real fun if it works out! Also I have ideas and visions for doing something with pregnant and postpartum bodies... but nothing concrete has come to me yet.

So see! I do have ideas and plans, just nothing quite yet! I'm sorry this isn't a motivating or informative post for you!

I hope everyone is having a great week! If you wrote about your Body After Baby this week, please leave your post url link so we can visit you!

* If your link is deleted it means you didn't direct us to your Body After Baby post and you didn't link back to this blog. Please only link up if you actually wrote about this challenge and how you're doing with your goals.

Body After Baby: Do You Snack?

This weeks question was, what is your favorite healthy snack? My aunt sent me this interesting article on snacking. It talks about how we are always snacking and parents have this idea that children need to have snacks all the time! It's become so routine for us to have a snack after lunch, before dinner, after dinner, after breakfast... we're always snacking! It reminded me of my high school days, when my brother and I would come home from school and eat a snack. This was about 3 hours after we had lunch at school, and our snacks were usually lunch size portions! I am just such a snacker! Do you snack?

Besides just the basic fruits and vegetables, here are a few ideas for healthy snacking:

• Nuts
• dried fruit
• Crackers
• Chips & Salsa (the good kind)
• Apple with peanut butter
• Egg whites
• String Cheese
• Cheese melt- more like part of a meal but it looks delicious!

Snacking is fine as long as we keep our portions small! I'm more of a snacker and eat small meals throughout the day rather than eating 3 basic larger meals.

___

I got a gym membership at Planet Fitness. If you've never seen one or been inside one (I hadn't until just recently) it's basically like Barney meets a fake lemon. Their logo and colors are bright purple and bright yellow. Brilliant color combination. I try not to complain because it's only $15 a month, in which I'm clearly getting what I'm paying for here. It feels great to lift weights again. Out of all the people there tonight, I was one of the only females lifting weights. Why is that? Why do the majority of women do cardio only? Do you lift weights?

I wanted to address something that I saw on TV tonight. Octotripledouble mom (sorry, I forgot her name) was doing an interview on some celebrity gossip show. In her interview they were asking her how she managed to lose 150 pounds without surgery, and she credited a bunch of it to her genes. I can't quote her exactly here, but it was very similar to something like, "people don't realize how important good genes are. If you don't have good genes, pretty much nothing you do will help." If you saw this interview, I'm sure you remember what I'm talking about. I want to tell you that what she said is not true! Yes, genes may help you but you are certainly not at a lost cause if you "have bad genes." I think what she said was really discouraging, especially for many people who may be watching this interview. With hard work, consistency, a good workout routine and the correct nutrition, anything is possible!

How did you do last week? What are you goals for this week? Let's hear about it!

Body After Baby: What Motivates You?

This week we're asking ourselves the question, What is my motivation behind my weight loss and health goals? WHY do I want to lose weight and be healthier? I think this is something we have to ask ourselves often, because if we're not motivated, we're not going to reach our goals. If we have no reason to reach your goals then it probably won't happen. Just as we have a purpose to brush our teeth (get rid of bad breath, keep our teeth healthy, have teeth until we're old) we must find the purpose of losing weight. Maybe it's to look better, feel better, be healthier, or something along those lines.

While we probably all have numerous little reasons, I can assume that the majority of us are motivated by our children. We want to live long lives for them and with them. We want to enjoy life with them and be happy with ourselves. We want to set good examples.

I am definitely motivated by my son. When he grabs my can of Diet Coke I can already tell that I'm not giving him a positive example. However, when he sees me eating something healthy and reaches for it- that's a great example! I'm a young mom, and I want to stay that way. I'm able to chase after him without losing my breath, and I want to always be that way.

What about you?

I feel like I am finally getting back on track with my eating. Being in our own house and having a fridge and cupboard space is just wonderful! We've stocked up on healthy snacks and meals, and I now have a place to prepare something. As I type this I'm snacking on an apple with peanut butter and sipping water out of a mug. Delicious! Lucas and I are also starting our walks again, which I just love. It was cold today! Lucas stays really toasty in his stroller with layers, blankets and a wind protector over the stroller. I on the other hand need to wear more layers next time!

I think I burned a ton of calories moving this weekend and painting four rooms! I'll be getting a gym membership eventually. I'm waiting to see how a few things work out- more details on that later. Once my living room is cleaned up, maybe I'll do a few Shred workouts. Maybe.

How are you doing? Did you reach your goals for last week? What about this week- what are your goals and plans?

Next weeks question: What are your favorite healthy snacks? Do you like to munch on things throughout the day? I like snacking on nuts, crackers, carrots, chips and salsa (a “healthy” snack actually- at least I think so!) and anything crunchy or sweet. What do you snack on?

This weeks challenge: How many days a week can you do some physical activity? Going on a walk or run, hitting the gym, swimming laps, doing a workout DVD. Can you reach 5 or 6 days of exercise for at least 30 minutes? I dare you!

If you wrote about the Body After Baby Challenge this week, please feel free to leave your post url link. Copy and paste the code beneath the Body After Baby button on my sidebar if you'd like to add it to your post! Remember, I'll close this linky two days after it's posted. Please try to visit others and leave encouraging words! 

Body After Baby Questions & Mini Challenges

I hope everyone is having a great week!

During our last challenge, which was 8 weeks long, I "assigned" us a mini challenge to do each week. For example, week's four mini challenge was to see how many sit ups you could do. Having the mini challenges each week is a great way to stay motivated because you have a smaller goal to focus on that week. It's also a fun way to have some friendly competition and challenge yourself!

I want to start doing this mini challenges again. Next week I will assign us with something fun (and hard!) to do.

Along with the mini challenges, I also will be asking a weekly question. This is again, another great way to have something to focus on, and its a great way to see what other people think about the subject!

The question for this week comes from Corrie. What is your favorite part of your workout? Let us know when you blog about your Body After Baby this week! I will also post next weeks question so you can have time to plan and write your post.

Next Weeks Question: Why do you want to lose weight and/or get healthier? What is your motivation?

I hope having these mini challenges and questions will give you ideas of what to blog about each week and keep you motivated!

Also. One last thing, promise.

My brain is in the works of coming up with a super-awesome- fun-crazy 30 day challenge. I mean, have you looked at the calendar lately? Do you know what month it is? Do you know when the sun starts to shine?

Ideas, ladies?!

I'm talking before and after pictures, dedication and awesome results. Stay tuned....

Link up if you're participating in the Body After Baby Challenge! Please try to visit a couple people linked after you. Have a beautiful week!

Chocolate Temptation (Body After Baby)

First, a few important announcements.

1. Rules for using Mr Linky: When you leave your link in the tool at the end of this blog post, please make sure you are leaving the post url link, not the home page of your blog. For example: www.mamantoes.com/bodyafterbaby not www.mamanotes.com If your link goes to your home page instead of your Body After Baby post I will delete your link. You can of course re-enter it again the right way!

Also, please make sure that you are linking back to this blog in your Body After Baby Post.

The linky tool will close two days after I put it up so be sure to get your post for that week in.

I don't do these things to be mean, it's just the way Mr. Linky works.

2. I would like to get some feedback from you. What would be the best day to put up the Body After Baby post with Mr. Linky? I am flexible on the days. Would Monday's make it easier for you so that you could reflect back on an entire week, monday through monday? Please let me know what day works for you and I'll see what I can do!

3. A while back I created the Body After Baby ning site which you can find HERE. It's a great way to meet more moms who are working on getting their health back and reaching their fitness goals. You can ask questions, support one another, learn new tips and get ideas for fitness and much more. It's a community site, so do what you want with it! I encourage you to join (you just have to enter your email address to create an account) and ask a question on diet and fitness (or parenting topics are fine too!) and answer another members question. Have fun with it!

4. I thought it would also be fun to organize a chat on twitter. For those of you who use twitter, you probably know about using hashtags to put with your tweets for discussions or just to organizing things. Like #bodyafterbaby or #clothdiapers at the end of your tweet. What day and time is the best for you for a Body After Baby chat? After I hear from all of you I will organize a chat for us so we can have a weekly chat/discussion.

If you have any other questions or suggestions for the Body After Baby Challenge on how it works or how we can make it better and more interactive, please let me know! Thanks again for joining us!

***

Now for my update.

I'm still working on getting a gym membership. The cost for the gym I want to join is $85/month for a single person plus $4 for child care each time. Yeah. That's a lot and not feasible for us. I'm looking at a few other gyms that are cheaper but that don't have child care. This means I would have to go in the evening, which isn't my first (or second) choice, but I might have to deal with it.

But, if I get a job at the gym I will have a free membership!

I haven't lost any weight this week.

I drank Diet Cook yesterday.

Oh, and get this. The people we're staying with are going on a super-freak healthy diet that their chiropractor put them on. They can't eat cheese, flour, chocolate and all things good. So. They have cleaned out their cupboards and upstairs, at this very moment, is a table full of chocolate. Okay, half a table full of chocolate bars and chocolate nibbles and such. They said to take all we want because they can't eat the stuff anymore.

Oh temptation.

How are you doing?

My Body After Baby Goals (& link yours!)

Well, hello (almost) 2010. Hello saggy butt. Hello flabby arms. Hello stomach. You used to be smaller. Hello calf muscle. You used to be defined. Hello butt, again. My husband says you used to be perkier. (Boobs too, but that's not my fault.) Hello legs. You used to have muscle. Hello negative eight pack. Hello pregnant 10 months ago body.

No really. You were cute for a while. During that one time when we were eating oreo's or something. I liked you then. And that one time when I had a cute large sweater to wear over you. And yes, yes dear one, those chocolate candies are darn good. But I'm sorta sick of you. Sick of ya I say!

Sometimes when I talk to myself it makes me feel better.

Anyways, I seriously want my old body back. No no no. I mean. seriously.

My biggest challenge right now is finding the time, place and resources to work out. I don't have a gym membership yet since the move, (goal and priority #1!) and because there is so much snow on the ground it's not as easy to go for a walk or run with the stroller. I have to get more creative and focus on my diet more.

Goals:

• Exercise (not including daily walks) a minimum of 4x/week at the gym. I'm hopefully going to get a gym membership when we get back to Alaska. I miss lifting weights terribly!
• Drink a min. of 3L of water a day
• Lose 10 pounds by March 3rd, Lucas' first birthday. That will be hard for me, but I know I can do it if I'm consistent!

Plan:

• Exercise 4 (Ideally I would love to get in 5 or 6!) days a week by going to the gym for an hour.
• Stop Snacking and eat solid meals. I snack way too much because frankly, snacking is sometimes easier when you're a mom. I would love to get back into the habit of making a nice lunch for myself, and sitting down to eat in in silence while Lucas is napping. It's really refreshing to me, but I often just eat something on the run.
• Carry my water bottle with me everywhere!
• Keep track of everything. I want to write down my daily eats and exercise to keep myself accountable. I did this a couple years ago, and while it gets really repetitive to write down every meal you eat, it does help! It's also great for looking back to see what worked... or what didn't!

As soon as I get a gym membership I will be making myself a specific workout plan with coordinating days of weight lifting and cardio. I'll share that with you once it's set! I like to have very specific plans because it gives me something to follow. Instead of saying "I'm going to the gym today" I have a plan so it's more like, "I'm going to the gym at 5pm to do an hour of running," or whatever it may be.

This works for me!

This is me about 5 years ago. I was much younger and I totally look it, but I was also about 15-20 pounds smaller! That dress probably wouldn't get past my belly button at this point. Bummer 'cause I loved that dress! This is my motivation.

More than anything and more than any number I might see on a scale, my ultimate goal and focus is to be healthy, feel healthy and look healthy. To be active, to eat with sense and to enjoy life to its fullest.

What about you?

If you're joining the Body After Baby Challenge, leave you post url link here so we can all visit you and see what your goals are for the new year! Please make sure you are linking back to my blog too!

Please try to visit as many people as you can, at least the person after you! Read their goals and root them on, and who knows, maybe you'll be inspired yourself and get some new ideas!

To clarify a few things, you do not need to send me any before pictures right now. This is an ongoing challenge to keep us accountable and encouraged to reach our goals. I may ask for success stories or before & after pictures in 6-8 weeks. Of course you can always post these on a blog post any week as well.

Link up and let's get this thing started!

Body After Baby 2010: This is Your Year, Join Us!

Welcome to the Body After Baby Challenge 2010! Are you ready to lose that weight you've been talking about and feel better about yourself? Then join us! Anyone is welcome, it doesn't matter if your kids are a few months old or a few years old. It's never too late.

So this year? Let's do this thing.

Oh, and friends? I have something to tell you. Come here a little closer and I'll whisper it in your ear.

Summer will be here before you know it.

source: marinmagazine.com

Here's how to sign up and some details.

1. Blog about this challenge before the start of the new year and include your goals. Be specific and measurable and write out your plan. Getting these things out on "paper" will help you see your goals. Write about why you're joining this challenge, why do you want to lose weight or get healthier? How much do you want to lose and by when? What is your plan- how will you reach your goals? I will be doing this later in the week for myself. Feel free to get ideas or use it as an example. Once I put up my goals this week, I'll also add a linky so you can leave your link to your goals! That way everyone can visit one another before the new year starts.

2. Add the Body After Baby button to your blog if you'd like!

3. Take your "before" pictures and measurements before the new year starts. You don't have to put these on your blog or even show your husband. But you must do it. No excuses.

4. Every Wednesday (starting January 5th) I will put up a Linky for you to add your weekly progress post. I have found in almost all cases, that people who write about their goals, updates, failures and successes are much more likely to succeed. They keep themselves more accountable and they receive support and encouragement from each other.

If you don't have a blog, feel free to tag along with us and visit other bloggers for ideas and inspiration!

5. This challenge will be an ongoing weekly thing. I might have specific things going on each week- if I do I will let you know about in advance. I want you to have a place to share your fitness and health goals and be held accountable each week. I want you to be open about what you're trying to change and what you're doing to change it. As I've said, support and accountability from others is huge and that's mostly what I want this place to be for.

I hope that I can occasionally feature success stories. Sometimes hearing about a fellow mom who reached a goal can really be encouraging and inspirational!

6. Unlike the previous challenge, I will also be blogging about my Body After Baby too! I will share with you my goals and plan and updates each week on how I'm doing. I need the accountability just like you do! And apparently I'm getting pregnant in the year 2010 so I'd like to lose before I gain. Again.

I'm excited to start this again with ya'll! Let's have a rockin' year!

First Linky should be up by Friday. In the meantime think about what you want to accomplish in the next couple months as far as weight loss and healthy habits go, and figure out what your plan is. You can do it!

Body After Baby: Winner & New Game Plan

Congratulations to Amanda, the winner of the last 8 week challenge!! Head on over to her blog and tell her congratulations! Amanda please get in touch with me so I can get your prize to you!

The Body After Baby Challenge here on Mama Notes will continue! I don't know about you, but I'm pretty excited to get my body back for the year 2010! I'm really looking forward to starting up this challenge again with all of you. It'll kick off the first week of January!

Feel free to post a Body After Baby post any week you'd like, and leave it in the Mr Linky provided. You can write some weeks and not others, you can write about how you're doing, what your meals look like, what goal you reached this week. It's totally casual and nothing is required of you! The most important thing is that you have a place to write about your diet and health and get support and encouragement from one another.

Feel free to add the Body After Baby button (made my Holly) to your blog so others know you're participating in this challenge and to keep an eye out for your post each week!

I plan to blog about my health and fitness progress and goals as well. I will share them with you on the day Mr Linky goes up. I hope together we can all reach our goals in 2010!

Body After Baby Finalist: Final Four (Please Vote!)

A couple weeks ago, we ended our 8 week session of the Body After Baby challenge. I created this challenge after my son was born when I was (still am) working on getting my body after baby back! The support and encouragement from one mom to a next is so important in reaching your fitness and health goals.

Our last challenge was an eight week series. Over 75 of you signed up, and many of you blogged about the challenge each week. Everyone did wonderful, and I'm so proud of each of you! Even if you only changed one habit, or started exercising one more day a week- any positive change is great and bringing you one set closer to your ultimate goal!

Of course you're all winners, as getting healthier and reaching you goal weight is the real prize here! The final four were determined by points (received each week for doing challenges) from the people that emailed me.

Please read each statement from these amazing mamas and take a look at their blog post (say hello while you're there!) and any before/after pictures. Vote for who you think should win in the poll to the right. The person with the most votes will win the $50 gift certificate to Mama Momo. Voting will close Monday night and I'll announce the winner on Tuesday!


#1 BrassyMom

Blog: www.brassymom.blogspot.com
Before and after pictures are HERE.

My baby turned six months old just a few days after the Body After Baby Challenge. Regardless of whether or not I "win" the contest, I feel like I've already won! Body After Baby was just what I needed to kick my tush into gear and lose the last few pregnancy pounds. I'm still overweight, and still working on myself, but I'm now down to my pre-pregnancy weight. Of course, winning the actual tangible prize would certainly be wonderful too! Money is extremely tight for us right now, like I'm sure it is for everyone else, and what better prize than being able to buy something useful - cloth diapers?!


#2 Melinda

Melinda's blog: www.hippiemommy.com
Before and after pictures are HERE.

Honestly, If I didn't win this challenge I would still feel like a winner. It gave me the motivation and support to finally take the initiative to loose weight.I lost a total of 18 inches, 8 from my waist and 4 from my hips. My goal for the Challenge was to loose 15 lbs.I ended up losing 26.3 lbs. I went from 240.1 lbs to 216.8 lbs.I started out wearing a plus size 20 pair of jeans. The other day, I bought a size 14 pair of pants.While winning the challenge and the prize would be great, I feel like a winner already.I still have aways to go to reach my ultimate goal, but the challange has already started me on "a journey to a new me".Thank you Samantha and all the mommies who particiapted in the challenge.

#3 Harmony

Harmony's blog: www.fatandnormal.com

Before and after pictures are HERE.

Hi my name is Harmony and I am a first time mother to Xander who is almost a year old. For me this challenge really meant keep up with my promise to myself and to my family about getting back into shape. Working with all of you to keep me on track throughout the weeks really made me accountable and the numbers show my results. I might not have lost the most weight or earned the most points but as far as my health is concerned I am a winner in this challenge because I really make the scale move for the first time in several months. And it didn't just stop at the end date for me I am down to 172 which is another 2lbs since the challenge ended.

I would would like to be voted the winner of this challenge because it's made a huge difference in my life and I'm going to stick to it. I also just started cloth diapering my son and I could really use some more cloth diapers, lol. Thank you all for your support and for your vote. Please visit blog post:Body After Baby Final Stats to see the results in pictures and numbers.

#4 Amanda

Amanda's blog: www.thesikesfamily.blogspot.com

Before and after pictures are HERE.

I am wearing the same jeans in each picture. I was able to accomplish a lot during the eight week challenge. I stuck to my diet with almost no cheating and the reward has been totally worth it. I now weight what I did when I got married and then (only six short weeks later) found out that I was expecting for the first time. I have, in the past month, worn two different dresses that I had been saving all these years because they were my favorite ones. It was amazing to be able to wear the dress that I got my engagment pictures taken in.

Please show support for these ladies and all their hard work. Visit their blogs if you can and congratulate them on their success!! Vote #1, #2, #3 or #4!

* Use the poll on the right to vote please! Votes left in the comments section won't count!

It's the Last Week of Body After Baby

This is the 8th week and our very last week of this 8 week session of Body After Baby. This challenge officially ends on Sunday! I have noticed over the weeks that the amount of links and comments is slowly dwindling.  I'm so proud of those of you who have stayed with this for the entire 8 weeks! You guys  rock and you should be happy and proud of yourself!

As I said, this challenge ends Sunday. If you have been playing along with the mini challenges and keeping track of points, please email me your total number of points.  Please be flexible with me as I will be in transition and moving to another state, but sometime during the first week in December I will pick the top 5 people who have the most points. Those people will be notified and have a chance to submit to me their before/after pictures if they choose and/or to blog about why they think they should win the overall challenge.

Then, the top 5 people will be showcased on this blog, and the voting will begin! Specific details to come... so stay tuned! And remember, the grand prize winner is getting a $50 gift certificate to a great online store: Mama Momoall things mom and baby. Unfortunately I am not able to offer a prize for 2nd place.

This is your last week to blog about and link up for this Body After Baby Challenge. How did you do these last 8 weeks? Did you lose weight? Do you feel better? This would be a great chance to share your total points as well! Have a fantastic 8th week!

Body After Baby: Week 7

Ya'll have two weeks left of this Body After Baby Challenge. Two weeks.

Time to push it to the metal!

This weeks challenge:

Because we are coming to the end, I'm going to use these last two weeks to combine mini challenges we've had throughout the weeks. For this week...

• How many days a week can you work out. This must be a minimum of 30 minutes. Each day you exercise for 30+ minutes = 1 point. Max. point a day = 1.
• How much water can you drink? Max point a day = 8 points = 8 cups of water

The people with the most points at the end of this challenge will then be submitting (if they want) their before/after pictures to decide who the winner of this entire challenge will be! So, points are huge! Don't you want to win a $50 gift certificate to Mama Momo a cloth diapering/baby store and a $25 gift certificate to store of your choice for some shopping?! Yes. Yes you do.

A few of you have asked me if we're doing another Body After Baby Challenge. And honestly, I haven't decided yet. I will probably take a break from it as my mind is going a little bit body after baby crazy. I would love your thoughts on the idea though or if you think you're interested in doing another one!

If you wrote about the challenge this week, go ahead and leave your blog post url in Linky!

Have a fabulous healthy week!

Working Out With A Baby: A Video (Body After Baby)

I made a video this week of Lucas and I working out.

I mean, I tried to make a video.

It didn't work.

Failed. Miserably.

What once was a relaxed child who would lay on his back for two minutes while I did push up's over him is now an active not sitting still kid. I did squats holding him and he was practically jumping out of my arms. After that it just got dangerous.

But for what-the-heck sake, here is a small glimpse of what you could do with your child. This is sort of embarrassing. My husband was not suppose to be talking and the dog was suppose to be sitting still. But my friends, this is real life. Oh, and I was suppose to be wearing cooler workout clothes but what gives.

If you could please turn on some NSYNC while you're watching, I think it might make it more enjoyable for you. I would suggest Tearin Up My Heart but really, the choice is yours.

Here is the song clip. With a video! You can thank me later for this. Don't tell me your head isn't bopping up and down right about now. MmmmmmBop! Oh wait, I think that's Hanson.

Thank you Justin for your white beater and blonde hair. Do you know that even after all this time, I still know every single word of this song? Every single word. I think that's sayin' something.

Gosh, this is really embarrassing.

I hope to next time be a little bit more, um professional.

Enjoy!


So. Body After Baby week five. How's yours? Is your stomach firmer from all the crunches you've been doing? I bet so.

Last weeks winner of the book is #29- Alysia Congrats!

This weeks giveaway:

A one year magazine subscription to Women's Health- paid for by me!

I love magazines.

To be entered to win, blog about this challenge (make sure you are following the rules and linking back here otherwise your entry won't count!) and leave your link in Linkmaster below.

I don't have a challenge for this week. Just do your thing and try to eat healthy and get some exercise in!

Here's another great one by NSYNC- It's Gonna Be Me You're welcome!

Have a great week mamas!

Body After Baby: Week Four

Here we are. Another week. How did you do last week? Did you get a lot of healthy meals in? I sure hope so!

Last week is last week. Let's focus on this week.

This weeks challenge:

How many sit ups can you do a day?

Yes. I said sit ups. As in get down on the floor, and crunch. Cruuunch.

You want a tight core don't you? A flatter stomach?

I thought so. Gosh I know you guys well.

Diet comes first in the equation, but this challenge is about all parts!

So, how many crunches can you do? Maximum amount of points that can be earned each day is 50 points.

50 crunches a day = 5o points. Try to do 25 in the morning and 25 at night! Or, 10 here and 10 there and 10 here and... it all adds up.

My question for you this week is, when do you exercise? Do you wake up early in the morning before your kids get up to head to the gym? Do you do it at night, or take the kids to gym day care during the day? Do you work out with them by walking or running with a stroller, or in your family room while they're napping? I would love to hear in the comments when you work out and how you do it!

I want so bad to be a morning workout person. You know those crazies who wake up at 5:30am, get to the gym for an hour long sweat session, come home and eat breakfast, shower and meditate or something all before their family wakes up. I want to be one of them. But when you're up two times a night with a crying baby, it's so hard to exercise at 6am. Excuse, I know. Whatever to them. I usually try to go to the gym at night but... but....

This weeks giveaway:

The book, Hunger Free Forever by Michael Murry and Michael Lyon.

I have not personally read this book, but I've heard its a great book for learning about how you metabolism works and the cues behind your hunger.

Everyone who writes about the challenge this weeks and uses Mr Linky will automatically be entered to win. You must follow linky rules for your entry to count. I'll announce the winner next week!

If you're participating in the Body After Baby challenge and wrote about your progress this week, please feel free to link up! Be nice and visit the first two people before you to offer your support and encouragement. A little rah-rah or something. Happy week!

Body After Baby: Week Three

Happy week three! How are we doing?

This (Last) weeks winner of a $5 gift certificate to Target is #14- Nicole!

Daily walking challenge ends right now! How did you do? Was it harder for you to make time for walking or daily exercise? Did you walk outside or at a gym? Did you walk with your kids or with a friend? I would love to hear!

Try to keep up your walking or any other physical exercise that you're doing! It's so good for you mentally and physically!

This weeks mini challenge:

How many healthy meals can you eat? A healthy meal needs to include at least two different types of food groups. Example: a bowl of soup doesn't count. A bowl of soup with vegetables or a salad does count.

Fast food does not count. Sorry!

This is going to be a harder challenge I think. Eating healthier meals usually requires more preparing and cooking. It won't be as easy to get a lot of points, but it's a very important challenge! The meals you're eating now are leading your path to success for weight loss.

Maximum amount of points you can get a day is 3 points = 3 meals.

We are two weeks down and starting our third week of this specific Body After Baby Challenge. Are you happy with how you're doing? Keep going! If you wrote about your progress of the challenge this week, link up! Please make sure you know the Mr Linky rules and are linking back to Mama Notes and mentioning that you're participating in Mama Notes' Body After Baby Challenge.

Try and visit two people listed before you and offer your support and encouragement! Have a great week!

Body After Baby: Week Two

Happy week two! I know I said I was going to announce the winner of last weeks giveaway on Thursday- I'm really sorry about that. I was completely stressed and dealing with a sick baby and I forgot about it. Please forgive me!

The winner of last weeks giveaway of the Diet and Exercise Diary is #2- Amanda! Congrats Amanda! Email me and I'll get your book to you!

I want to clarify that anyone is welcome to participate in the general Body After Baby Challenge, blog about it, link up here and visit others, but please know that only people who signed up for this specific eight week challenge are eligible for the weeks giveaway and the grand prize of a $50 gift certificate to Mama Momo and another $25 gift certificate to store of choice. People who are participating in that eight week challenge (hopefully!) took before pictures and are submitting them to me with their after pictures in 8 (now 7) weeks. I will be verifying this at the end of these 8 weeks with the comments you left on the sign up post. Everyone is welcome to tag along and keep track of points for fun and motivation though! Feel free to continue to blog about this challenge!

I hope that makes sense. Thanks for understanding!

So.... week two! How did you all do with last weeks mini challenge of drinking water? I hope you noticed a difference... besides just having to use the restroom more often!

I know you're not submitting your points to the end, but I'd love to hear how many points you got this week from drinking water! Did you get the maximum of eight points a day? Let me know! The mini challenge of drinking water ends now. Continue to drink as much as you can though, the benefits are endless!

This weeks mini challenge:

How many minutes can you walk?
Every 15 minutes you walk = 1 point.

If you're a runner and normally run instead of walking, that's fine. 15 minutes of running = 1 point.

Maximum points that can be earned for each day is 4 points which is equal to one hour of walking or running.

Please be realistic. Walking around your house or walking to and from you car to the grocery store doesn't count. However, if you park 10 minutes away and walk to the front doors, that does count! Walk on the treadmill, walk outside with your kids, push the stroller, walk during your lunch break at work, or walk to your errands.

This weeks giveaway:

I really really wish I could give away a new pair of running shoes.

This weeks giveaway is a $5 gift certificate to Target. Linky will close Thursday morning and winner will be randomly selected and announced next week.

Have a great week! If you wrote about the challenge this week, leave your link below. Please make sure you know the Linky rules or I will delete your link, (I'm not mean, promise!) and try to visit the two people before you!

Have a great week!

Body After Baby: Important Water Details

If you're participating in the Body After Baby Challenge, please read on.

I wish that I didn't have to clarify such things, but I do. Truth is, there are some people that can or may go crazy when one suggest drinking water or makes it a part of a challenge. I don't want anyone drinking  excessive amounts of water and getting sick because they were trying to win some challenge.

So, I am changing things a bit for this particular mini challenge and I apologize that this is mentioned after the original post.

One glass of water is equal to 8 oz of water.

The MAXIMUM amount of points you can earn for this challenge PER DAY is 8 points.

8 points= 8 ounces of water=8 glasses

Technically, eight ounces of water is equal to one glass of water. So that is what we're going by.

Any more water you drink it awesome, but points won't be counted towards this challenge.

Please understand that I have to do this out of safety reasons.

Thanks for understanding!

Body After Baby: Week One

Welcome to week one of the 8 week Body After Baby Challenge! Yeeeeeehaw!

Because this is the first week, I will explain everything that I'm doing in some detail. Know that from here on out, I will assume you understand how things work so I won't be explaining everything every time. :) Email me if you have specific questions!

Every Tuesday morning (or sometimes Monday night) I will put a new Body After Baby post up. Mr. Linky ( or Jim or BABs- a new name Jamie suggested) will stay open until Thursday. That gives you two days to write your Body After Baby post and enter it into the link. You do not have to write about Body After Baby. It's not required to participate in this challenge. Doing so however will help you with accountability and support, as well as enter you in the weeks giveaway.

This weeks mini challenge:

How many glasses of water can you drink?

1 glass of water = 1 point.

I've talked about the benefits and functions of water here. I believe it's absolutely a KEY ingredient in weight loss!

Mini challenge goes for one week- from the day this post goes up to the day the next post goes up. As with all these mini challenges, I trust you guys that you'll be honest.
* UPDATED: One glass is equal to a min of 8 oz. Maximum amount of points you can get per day is 8 points.

Each glass of water you drink is equal to one point. Keep track of all your points. Remember, you will submit your total points to me at the end of this eight week challenge. The winner of this entire challenge is a combination of before/after pictures (voted by blog readers) and people with the most points.

This weeks giveaway:

A Diet and Exercise Diary. A journal ( I don't know why it's called a diary. I suppose you could leave your darkest I ate two bowls of ice cream last night secrets in it.) for you to keep track of your meals and workouts. It also has a place for you to list your weight each week.

People who blog about this challenge ( rules for using Linky!) this week and leave their link below are automatically entered to win this (and every other) giveaway. I will randomly select the winner on Thursday and announce it here. I will be out of town and want to try and mail it out to you on Thursday afternoon so please check back Thursday morning to see if you've won! Normally the winner of giveaways will be announced on the next Body After Baby post, but because this is a journal I want you to get your hands on this as soon as possible so you can start using it for this challenge!

A general idea/suggestion for what you could write about each week. Just suggestions-

• How you did on last weeks mini challenge (Last week I drank 20 glasses of water which means I got 20 points!)
• How you did last week with your goals ( I went to the gym twice but only ate healthy 5 days. I did great this weekend though!)
• What your goals are for this current week ( My goals this week are to get to the gym 4x/week and eat healthy every single day.)
• How you're feeling over all (My clothes are fitting better!)
• Your weekly weight (if you're choosing to weigh yourself each week)

Feel free to write about whatever you want and whatever success's and challenges you're going through while doing this challenge!

Please make sure you know the rules for using this linky. Don't forget to link back to my blog and mention "Mama Notes" and "Body After Baby." That way people know what the heck you're talkin' about and so people can visit other blogs and support them as well. Feel free to grab the code to the right and put the button on your blog or with your post! This linky will stay open until Thursday morning. I will not allow any new ones after then, so if you want to write about it, do so and get your link up here! If you're leaving your link, try to visit the person listed before and after you! Let's support and encourage one another by visiting blogs. Also be sure to check out the ning site for some good discussion! Feel free to start your own as well if you have a question or thought!

Have a great week and get to drinking that water!

*If your link was deleted from below it probably means that your link went to the home page of your blog rather than this weeks Body After Baby post. Make sure your link goes to your post not the home page of your blog. Example; www.mamanotes.com/bodyafterbabyweekone Please enter it again!

Body After Baby Details: Mr. Linky

** Okay, you guys, I don't know how else to explain this. It is really really easy, I promise. It might help to look in the archives at the old body after baby post and you will see the linky at the bottom of the page of a post. Look at that and follow the links and you'll see how it works. You will understand and see what I'm talking about it when there is an actual linky up next week. Don't worry about it until then. Send me an email if you need to. You do not HAVE to write about the challenge every week. . It's not required. But, if you DO write about that week, you can leave THAT post link into the linky so all the other participants can visit you and see how you're doing. You're also be entered in the giveaway for that week IF You write about the challenge THAT week. Please don't stress. You'll see what people are doing and you can follow their lead. It will allllll make sense soon. :)

It's not to late to sign up for the Body After Baby Challenge! Remember it starts the 27th! I will close the sign ups Friday (25th). Read all the details and sign up here!

Using Mr. Linky

We need a new name for Mr. Linky. I'm so sick of calling it that. Somebody give me a name and we'll go with it. For now, "Jim" will do.

How to use Jim. Okay, how to use the blogging tool Jim. Please be nice when using him.

That was just too much fun. Ahem.

Jim is a tool bloggers use that allow other bloggers to easily visit one another. It's used for many different blogging memes such as the popular Wordless Wednesday. To use Jim the blogging tool, there are a few things you need to make sure you do.

In your body after baby post you must link back to my blog. Be sure to use the words "Mama Notes" and "Body After Baby Challenge." This is so people can come back here and visit everyone else who is participating in Jim and Body After Baby.

To add your post to Jim, click on the title of your body after baby post and copy that url into Jim. You want to make sure you have it going to the actual body after baby post for that week, not the home page of your blog.

Please make sure you do these things. If a link entered goes to your home page instead of your body after baby post or does not include Mama Notes with a link back here, I will automatically delete your link. This isn't because I'm mean, it's just the way Jim works on my blog and every other blog.

Jim will go up with my weekly Body After Baby post on Tuesday. It will remain open until Wednesday evening and then I'll close it. So, be sure to write your post and link up as soon as you can. This will also allow others to visit you as well!

I plan on having a few weekly giveaways (how many yet to be determined) during this challenge for fun, motivation, and encouragement. By leaving your link each Tuesday you will automatically be entered to win that weeks giveaway.

That's it! It's really simple, don't worry! I'm really looking forward to starting this new challenge with you! We have some good discussions going on over at the ning site, so be sure to check it out and ask your own diet/fitness questions while you're there too! You can also grab my new Body After Baby button and put it on your blog if you'd like!

GO TEAM GO!

Join Us for the Next Body After Baby Challenge!

I'm really excited to announce this next challenge! Are you ready to get your body back? Feel and look better? Lose weight? Be healthier?

Then welcome, my friends. Welcome to the Body After Baby Challenge!

If you're new to my blog, let me take a second  to introduce you to the Body After Baby Challenge. It all started in April when I wrote this post. Being in a community (the blog world) where we can meet and talk to other moms about losing weight and being healthier is so important and really, just a lot of fun! I really believe that Body After Baby isn't just about losing our "baby" weight. While that is the motivation and reason behind this challenge, and the ultimate goal, I also think it's important to learn how to be happy and confident in our new body since having babies, be healthy for ourselves and our family, and set a positive example.

You know those stretch marks? That saggy skin? The lopsided nursing boobs? The extra 30 pounds? I know. We are mother's and of course our children are worth every mark and pound. But that doesn't mean we have to nor should we sit around in sweat pants all day and feel sorry for ourselves. Lets get serious about getting our body after baby back!   It doesn't matter if you're 2 weeks post partum or 2 years. I don't care if you have 5 pounds to lose or 50 to lose. You are all welcome here.

In July I started the Fit by Labor Day Challenge- an 8 week challenge that included before and after pictures. The before and after pictures were amazing! And you know what? I have no doubt in my mind this next challenge is going to produce even better results! It will rock our panties off! (Socks usually, but not this case.)

I'm so excited to start another 8 week challenge with you all.  Many details of this challenge will unfold as the weeks do, but I want to give you a general idea of how things will work so you can decide if you'd like to join us!

When

The dates of the next Body After Baby Challenge will be September 27th- November 22nd. 8 weeks. I have it ending just before Thanksgiving so we can enjoy the holiday with family, friends and food guilt free. And honestly. Because really, we all know being on a diet during Thanksgiving is absurd and basically just not possible. And not realistic. And just stupid. 

How will it work?

On or before the start of the challenge you will take your before picture and weigh yourself to get your starting weight.  You will keep your before picture- do not send it to me.

Every Tuesday I will post that weeks Body After Baby post. It will include a mini challenge/goal/task for the week as well as that weeks giveaway. By participating in the mini challenges, you will receive points. Example: How many push ups can do you this week? 1 push up = 1 point. You'll be in charge of keeping track of all your points and then submitting them to me at the end.  By writing about Body After Baby that week and leaving your link in Mr Linky, you will automatically be entered to win that weeks giveaway. They are fun little giveaways. (Because I love ya'll!)

I'll explain some mr linky rules later and provide you with a super fun button as well.

At the end of the 8 weeks, you will take your after picture and figure your ending weight. You will then email me your before and after picture side by side.  This means your before/after picture must be attached, like they are shown on this post. You will also send me your total number of points that you received.

Then.... I will put all before/after pictures on my blog. Because it is the week of Thanksgiving, we will take a short break, then allow people to vote for their favorite contestant!

How will the winner be chosen?

Based on nominations and total points received, we will have a voting process. Basically people will be nominated (by blog readers) by whoever they think looks the best, has the most changed appearance or the most dramatic transformation and picked depending on who has the most points. Then out of those people, we will have 5-10 people that can be voted for to win the grand prize. The winner will be chosen by you. Your friends, family, blog readers...

More details on the voting process as it gets closer.

What does the winner get?

The grand prize winner of this Body After Baby Challenge will receive:
* A $50 gift certificate to Mama Momo- a cloth diaper store with fun accessories for mom and baby and your choice of a prize package from Mama Momo worth a $70 value!! (More details later...)
* A $25 gift certificate to to your choice of store: Nordstrom, Kohls, REI, Macy's, Target or Old Navy.

There may also be a 2nd runner up. *possibly*

And who knows! Maybe I'll be able to add more prizes!  Like I'll win the big ones and buy you all a new wardrobe!  And Ellen will pick us up in a fancy limousine! And we'll shake our tail feathers at the New Years Eve ball! And! And!

I want to join! How do I sign up?
To sign up for this challenge, just let me know by leaving a comment in this post! Because I'm not taking your before pictures until after the challenge is over, I need to know who's in! By writing about the challenge each week and leaving your link in Mr Linky each week, (Mr. Linky details here.)  I'll also know you're participating!
*** You don't have to have a blog to join, although it will be more fun if you do!

I will close the comments on this post on Sunday September 27th so make sure you leave a comment and join before then!

You can also join the Body After Baby ning site that I created!  Of course as soon as I posted this the website isn't working. Check back-hopefully they fix it soon!! By joining this ning site you'll get your first 5 points! Feel free to start your own discussion or join in on others! I think it will be a really fun way to get to know one another!

I can't wait to start this new challenge with you! Let's ROCK IT!

Fit by Labor Day Challenge: Before & After Pictures

Here are our before and after pictures -before on the left, after on the right- for our 8 week Fit by Labor Day Challenge! (More of the original before pictures are here.) I am so proud of all of you!  You are a motivation and inspiration to others. Truly, I hope you know that. Just by putting your progress pictures up for everyone to see, you are already motivating at least one person. You should be very proud of yourselves!

You look amazing!

What I love about so many pictures that I see here, is not only the result of weight loss, but the confidence, the self esteem increase, the renew of health, and those smiles on your faces. The proof is in your picture my friends! Way to go!!

Oh, and about that frolicking around in our bikinis drinking pink margaritas? You bring the boom box (anything but Elmo or Baby Einstein please)  and lounge chairs. I'll provide the margaritas and chips n' dip.  Say, my place? Wednesday at 8? Great. See you then! Tell, er ask your husbands to take care of the kids. Remind them that you gave birth and now you look smokin'.  You can't top that!

Many of you have asked if we'll be doing another Body After Baby Challenge and the answer is absolutely yes!  I'm still trying to work out a few details, but I guarantee it's going to be awesome. I've got some fantastic prizes lined up as well!  Stay tuned for more information in the next couple weeks.

Behold....

Nodak Mama. Lost 9 pounds and 2 inches off waist

Courtney. Lost 14 pounds.

Elizabeth. Lost 10 pounds.

Janet. Lost 3 pounds & 2 inches off hips.

Nancy. Lost 27 pounds.

Samantha. Lost 4 pounds.

Beth. Lost 10 pounds.

Jennifer. Lost 5+ pounds and eating healthier.

Mary Beth.

Holly.

Anna. Lost 7 pounds.

Alissa.

Chanda. 

Annie. Lost 8 pounds. 

Sarah. Lost 8 pounds. 

Emily. Lost 5 pounds. 

Jamie. Lost 6.5 pounds. 

Who do you think looks the most different? Besides just numbers- who's the biggest change? Leave your response in the comments!

Fantastic job mamas! You guys rock! Thanks to all who participated!