Emerald Eagle refills her cup

[Emerald Eagle]

You cannot pour from an empty cup. 

 

I have realised the hard way that I cannot be the best Mum, wife, friend, member of society that I want to be if I don't take care of myself first. In the haze of caring for a newborn and living in a global pandemic caring for myself has slipped well off the radar and I need to change this for everyone's sake.

 

Physically my body has never healed from the emergency c-section I had in June and the few workouts I've managed in the last 6 months may have done more damage than good. My nutrition is also way off track - I've been eating to get the calories in (yay breastfeeding) but sleep-deprived days and nights mean too much been processed junk. The pandemic has meant I'm not able to attend an in-person gym (I'm sure that's not a unique experience!) and wanted to start working out at home but it means I've lost my community so I really want to reconnect on the forums with others who have health and fitness goals.

 

Goals

1. Pour in good quality fuel. Better nutritional choices will make my body feel better, ultimately help me change my body composition (reduce my body fat* and hopefully eventually build muscle), and set a good example for Bub who is starting to try solids.

• Grocery shop and meal prep at least once a week to ensure there are healthy meal options on hand 
• Eat 2 meals a day that include a source of protein and a colourful fruit or vegetable (potatoes don't count as veggies!

*I don't like talking about weight so while I don't have a way to track my body comp apart from the scale, I want to use language about reducing body fat and changing my body composition not losing weight.

 

 

2a. Do your damn rehab! I bought an 8 week program to help me recover from pregnancy and birth AGES ago but I've never actually completed it. It's never to late! 

• Do 'Core + Floor Restore' Program a minimum of 4 times per week

 

2b. Pour in some intentional movement. Movement makes me feel good! It doesn't have to be heavy or intense but getting back to some movement will help build the habit for the rest of the year.

• Complete an at home Crossfit workout OR ride my exercise bike for 30 minutes 3 times per week

 

 

3. Reconnect with the Rebellion. I have really missed having a community to connect with you "get it". I've also started a few challenge threads since Bub was born and never made it through to the end so I am making it an intentional goal to update my thread and keep it up for the whole 5 weeks.

• Update challenge thread a minimum of 5 times per week
• Comment on other people's threads a minimum of 3 times per week

 

 

Weekly Tracker

Nutrition: 
Grocery Shop and Meal Prep: □

Protein & Veggies x 2: □□□□□□□

Movement:

Rehab: □□□□

Crossfit: □□□

Community:

Thread Update: □□□□□

Comment: □□□

 

Key: to complete - □  completed - ☑

[Fonzico]

EE! It's so good to see you here, although I'm sorry to hear about how rough this past year has been for you. 

 

I'm here for you! For whatever support/sympathy/occasional side eye you need. ❤️

[Elastigirl]

Yay, glad you are here!

[Emerald Eagle]

On 12/30/2020 at 3:21 AM, Fonzico said:

EE! It's so good to see you here, although I'm sorry to hear about how rough this past year has been for you. 

 

I'm here for you! For whatever support/sympathy/occasional side eye you need. ❤️

 

Yay it's so nice to reconnect  I don't know if 2020 has been any rougher for me than anyone else, or if my year has been normal for a new Mum but I'm glad for it to be over, even if the start of 2021 may not immediately fix everything in the community. 

 

On 12/30/2020 at 3:55 AM, Elastigirl said:

Yay, glad you are here!

 

I'm glad I'm here too! 

 

Week Zero challenge I wasn't expecting - clean out my spare room so that I can actually access my workout space. Seriously, who knew how much stuff kids get for Christmas! We don't have a big house and it was already pretty full, then Christmas happened and our house is exploding with so many Christmas gifts, mainly for Bub. So by the end of this week I need to sort things out so that I can get a workout done. 

 

I took a before photo but I cannot work out how to actually post it... 

 

[Fonzico]

I can't imagine adjusting to new motherhood on top of everything else this year! 

I'm with you though - I know things aren't magically going to be better just because it's a new year, but there's something to being able to slough off 2020 and head into January with a fresh perspective and maybe the wisdom of some lessons learned. 

 

I too need to clean up my workout space! Although at least I don't have a 1st Christmas calibre quantity to wrangle with! 

 

Good luck with the clean up job - if it helps, I'll be spending all day cleaning not just my workout/spare room, but the whole damn house...

[Rhovaniel]

EE!! Oh my gosh I'm so excited to see you here! And congratulations on motherhood!

[Emerald Eagle]

16 hours ago, Fonzico said:

I can't imagine adjusting to new motherhood on top of everything else this year! 

 

I've never done it any other way but it's definitely not something I would recommend. "They say it takes a village", well my village was 1.5m away, hidden behind a mask, and for a long time unable to even get to my house due to travel restrictions. Zoom support is just not the same!

 

16 hours ago, Fonzico said:

I too need to clean up my workout space! Although at least I don't have a 1st Christmas calibre quantity to wrangle with! 

 

Good luck with the clean up job - if it helps, I'll be spending all day cleaning not just my workout/spare room, but the whole damn house...

 

I hope your cleaning went well!

 

16 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

EE!! Oh my gosh I'm so excited to see you here! And congratulations on motherhood!

 

Hi Rho! Thanks I'm so glad to be back (and be a Mum!) 

 

 

Week Zero Update - Friday

Had to get a COVID test earlier this week, thankfully negative and my symptoms cleared up in 24 hours, honestly I think it was just fatigue but you can never be too careful! Unfortunately after 2 months of no new community transmitted cases we've had an outbreak which sucks. They're working out how bad it is but hopefully people actually followed the rules over Christmas and it isn't too bad. After 4 months of the strictest lockdown restrictions in the world I'm not sure I could face something that harsh again so soon. 

 

On the plus side my workout space is now clear and I even got a workout in! 

 

Jobs left for this week is preparation for a properly starting the challenge -

* Print the tracker for my postpartum rehab program

*  Grocery shop and meal prep, mainly to have some protein options in the fridge ready to go

[Rhovaniel]

So glad your COVID test was negative! Lockdowns are so so draining, I really hope you guys don't have to go through all that again. 

[Emerald Eagle]

On 1/1/2021 at 11:30 PM, Rhovaniel said:

So glad your COVID test was negative! Lockdowns are so so draining, I really hope you guys don't have to go through all that again. 

 

Thank you. Really feeling for you guys in lockdown at the moment! 

 

Week Zero Update - Sunday

**In my world, weeks start on Sunday so it is still Zero Week in my brain.

The momentum wheel is rolling, feeling so ready to officially start this challenge tomorrow!

 

https://media.giphy.com/media/QU2zyZqchYWtS2ShUu/giphy.gif

 

I did a second workout yesterday and started my rehab program 🦾 I still need to do my printing but have tracked everything I've done on an online doc ready to transfer onto the tracker hopefully tomorrow.

 

I took today (Sunday) as a rest day for a few reasons. My body needed it, after not working out for so long I'm feeling a bit sore and I knew I would benefit from the rest. Plus it was hubby's brother's birthday and we went to a steakhouse for an AMAZING lunch. I had slow-cooked pork ribs which were DELICIOUS but felt proud of myself for choosing a salad side rather than chips and not ordering dessert because I was full and satisfied with the meal I had (even when others ordered dessert - normally I would totally cave to that perceived peer pressure). I did do my rehab routine while Bub had her afternoon nap.

 

After I have logged off here I am going to make dinner and will make enough to have good quality leftovers for lunches this week  

[Rhovaniel]

Ooh, good choices when eating out is hard! Well done for being so disciplined!

[Endor]

Oh you had a baby! Congrats! That would be pretty scary to have gone through under covid rules i would imagine.  

 

I've been thinking about a return to Crossfit but i don't want to get in a gym right now.  

[Emerald Eagle]

On 1/3/2021 at 7:48 PM, Rhovaniel said:

Ooh, good choices when eating out is hard! Well done for being so disciplined!

 

Thanks It helped that the "good for me" options were so delicious and felt kind of special anyway. 

 

22 hours ago, Endor said:

Oh you had a baby! Congrats! That would be pretty scary to have gone through under covid rules i would imagine.  

 

I've been thinking about a return to Crossfit but i don't want to get in a gym right now.  

 

As she was our first baby I don't actually know what having a baby under normal circumstances is like  It definitely felt isolating at times! My Crossfit gym was near work, and being on maternity leave it didn't make sense to retain my membership there so working out from home was probably going to be my plan regardless of the COVID situation. I might change my tune in March when the Open comes around and I get FOMO. 

 

Week 1 - Monday

 

Nutrition: 
Grocery Shop and Meal Prep: □ half done

Protein & Veggies x 2: ☑□□□□□□

Movement:

Rehab: □□□□

Crossfit: □□□

Community:

Thread Update: ☑□□□□

Comment: ☑□□

 

I unexpectedly spent my Monday morning providing some mental health support to a good friend which put a spanner in my plans for the day. But sometimes that's what you have to do! I still managed to get most of my stuff done but I'm giving myself some grace for a not perfect day. We're lucky to have Hubby at home this week as his workplace has a forced shutdown period for another week. He's working hard on some house projects while he's off but it's still really nice to be able to co-parent through the day. I got my grocery shopping done and have put some chicken in the oven for an easy protein option but I'm not checking the box until all my meal prep is completed! After typing this update I am planning to get a workout in (the WOD is open in the tab next door) because I feel like doing some intentional movement. I'll do my rehab as part of my cool down. 

 

Really enjoying reconnecting with friends here on the forums so a big tick there! 

 

[Emerald Eagle]

Week 1 - Tuesday

Nutrition: 
Grocery Shop and Meal Prep: ☑ 

Protein & Veggies x 2: ☑☑□□□□□

Movement:

Rehab: ☑☑□□

Crossfit: ☑□□

Community:

Thread Update: ☑☑□□□

Comment: ☑□□

 

Today felt great! I finished off my meal prep including another protein option when I get sick of chicken thighs (unlikely but it is nice to have some variety) and a whole bunch of brown rice for easy carb options. The rice took forever to cook but it's giving me a good feeling to have it, I've been using the pre-cooked single microwave serves of rice but it's a lot of plastic packaging that is unnecessary if I just cook a big pot once a week. Food today was great, I've had protein and veggies in all 3 meals (this is the first time that's happened in AGES). For breakfast I had leftover Christmas ham on toast with a side of fruit, lunch was chicken, veggie sticks and spiralised potatoes with garlic salt (yum!) and dinner we had chicken enchiladas - I added corn, zucchini, capsicum and mushrooms in with the shredded chicken filling. 

 

 

Last night's workout did not go as planned. I got less than one round in and realised the workout I had chosen was way more intense than I had the energy for, so instead I decided to just move. I wheeled my exercise bike into the lounge room (rearranging a fair amount of furniture to make it happen) and rode a 5K while watching the cricket in the TV. Not the plan, but better than not doing anything!

 

Today I did get a workout and my rehab in. The online programming that I am following has a challenge called 'the Vault' - 25 workouts once a week for 25 weeks. It's designed to encourage consistency over time and if you complete every workout there is a shirt and other swag you can earn at the end. It feel straight out of the NF guidebook - I am totally motivated by loot! The workout was pretty brutal (and I did the simple version) but it felt really good to breathe hard and push myself. Happily my core feels pretty good after it despite the burpees (which in the past have made my postpartum midline unhappy). 

 

Hubby and I have a date day planned tomorrow, the grandparents are babysitting, so I'm unlikely to get a workout in but my main focus is making sensible food decisions while we're out. That doesn't mean I will overly restrict myself, I just don't want to go over the top or eat something when I don't really want it - I can eat delicious things that make me happy and are not going to jeopardise my goals. Will let you know how I go! 

[Rhovaniel]

Yay for meal prep, and getting your workouts in! 

 

I hope you guys have a wonderful date!

[sarakingdom]

Rice cookers are amazing for rice-eaters. Very cheap, zero effort, perfect rice. Add a steamer basket, and it'll do your veg at the same time.

[Endor]

2 hours ago, Emerald Eagle said:

Not the plan, but better than not doing anything!

Great determination,  nicely done.  

 

2 hours ago, Emerald Eagle said:

Hubby and I have a date day planned tomorrow

That'll be fun,  what kind of food? Melb has heaps of good places, love the scene down there.  

[Emerald Eagle]

23 hours ago, sarakingdom said:

Rice cookers are amazing for rice-eaters. Very cheap, zero effort, perfect rice. Add a steamer basket, and it'll do your veg at the same time.

 

Definitely something to look into! Thanks for the suggestion For this week meal prepping a pot on the stove seems to have worked but if this becomes an ongoing thing I might invest in one. 

 

21 hours ago, Endor said:

That'll be fun,  what kind of food? Melb has heaps of good places, love the scene down there.  

 

We are so blessed with all the amazing food options! One of the things we dreamed about during lockdown was getting back to all our favourite restaurants to eat all the different delicious foods. We ended up having wood fired pizzas today, which were delicious (more detail below).

 

Week 1 - Wednesday

Nutrition: 
Grocery Shop and Meal Prep: ☑ 

Protein & Veggies x 2: ☑☑☑□□□□

Movement:

Rehab: ☑☑☑□

Crossfit: ☑□□

Community:

Thread Update: ☑☑☑□□

Comment: ☑□□

 

Today went really really well and I feel like I am riding a high. Thanks to COVID we haven't had any opportunities to have parents only time while anyone else babysits. I was worried about how Bub would go with people who weren't the 2 of us, just because she really hasn't been exposed to that many people, even her grandparents. Turns out I had nothing to be worried about! She had a great time, apparently was a complete angel and even had an afternoon nap (which sometimes even I struggle to convince her to do!). It makes me feel so much more confident about leaving her again in the future and gives hubby and I more opportunities to invest time in our relationship (which has been hard to do with lockdown + newborn).

 

I had bagels and sweet chilli philly for breakfast (I don't think the cream cheese counts as a protein source for this challenge and there wasn't any fruit or veggies) and it was delicious and used up the last of my bagels before they went bad. After Bub's morning nap we dropped her with Hubby's parents and headed out to lunch. We decided to stay local so that if we needed to head back to pick her up we could. Anyway back to lunch, we went to a local Italian restaurant that we had heard good things about but hadn't tried. It lived up to the recommendations! I ate one small piece of Hubby's garlic pizza focaccia and then we eat had a pizza for lunch (mine included salami, capsicum, olives, and pesto - YUM!). I also had 2 glasses of wine which felt very luxurious and I thoroughly enjoyed both of them (since being pregnant/breastfeeding I don't drink alcohol at home basically at all). 

 

 

When we looked at their dessert menu they had these amazing sounding (and tasting) friend doughnut balls served with Nutella and crushed Tim Tams. We were both quite full so we ordered a serve as takeaway and headed home for some adult time together (adult time without being worried about a baby waking up is much less stressful) and a nap, then enjoyed the doughnuts as an afternoon treat. We're both feeling quite full after a big lunch so we're eating leftovers for dinner. 

 

This evening I got my rehab done while Hubby put Bub to bed. Now my focus is on getting back to my new normal tomorrow to make sure that having a treat day doesn't derail my progress and lead to several days "off plan". 

[Emerald Eagle]

Spoiler

 

Lunch photos. Don't look if you're hungry!

[Endor]

Ermagherd that donut nutella TT thing!!!

[Rhovaniel]

OOOh those doughnuts look so good! I managed to try Tim Tams when I went to NZ... they're yummy!

[Emerald Eagle]

21 hours ago, Endor said:

Ermagherd that donut nutella TT thing!!!

 

12 hours ago, Rhovaniel said:

OOOh those doughnuts look so good! I managed to try Tim Tams when I went to NZ... they're yummy!

 

It was AMAZING! I'm slightly worried now that I know such a thing exists I will be tempted to order it again... 

 

Week 1 - Thursday

Nutrition: 
Grocery Shop and Meal Prep: ☑ 

Protein & Veggies x 2: ☑☑☑☑□□□

Movement:

Rehab: ☑☑☑☑

Crossfit: ☑☑□

Community:

Thread Update: ☑☑☑☑□

Comment: ☑☑□

 

A simpler day today. Got a workout in this morning while Bub was still happy (been having issues with keeping her happy and occupied while I try to workout). 10 rounds of KB deadlifts and KB swings, it got really spicy at the end! Food was pretty good. Still finishing off the Christmas ham for breakfast. Had chicken, rice and salad in a bowl for lunch. Pasta sauce is currently on the stove cooking for dinner. We have friends coming over tomorrow to help Hubby with house projects so I'll be spending the day playing hostess. Thankfully the weather is nice so planning a BBQ lunch to feed everyone. All in all a good day back on plan.  

[Emerald Eagle]

Week 1 - Friday

Nutrition: 
Grocery Shop and Meal Prep: ☑ 

Protein & Veggies x 2: ☑☑☑☑☑□□

Movement:

Rehab: ☑☑☑☑

Crossfit: ☑☑□

Community:

Thread Update: ☑☑☑☑☑

Comment: ☑☑☑

 

Today was a very social day and I'm feeling the drain from that. Making good decisions when there are other people around to influence you is so much harder! We are in the process of rebuilding the front deck of our house, it's Hubby's summer break project and he's trying to get it complete before he goes back to work on Monday. Today we had several family members and our good friends and their kids over to help lay the decking boards. I spent the day managing a cranky baby who is teething and didn't get a proper sleep because there were so many people in our house, and organising lunch to feed everyone. Thankfully because I was in charge of the menu I was able to make something that fit my goals, not perfect but it could have been much worse! BBQ sausages and chicken skewers, mango salad and potato salad for lunch. There was also hedgehog slice for morning/afternoon tea and icy poles for the hot workers which is not really part of the plan. Because there were people here all day I did not get a workout in or my rehab as we were all wiped out from the day (Hubby from working on the deck, Bub because she hadn't had a proper sleep, and me because I'd been running around playing host all day and trying to care for a cranky baby). Thankfully I had meal prepped protein and leftovers to eat for dinner before we all crashed into bed. 

[Endor]

How awesome are pre-prepared meals when you're pooped from a busy day! 

 

I hope you haven't put your hand up for deck staining duties,  that's second worst only to painting!

 

Also now i want an icy pole!

[Rhovaniel]

What is hedgehog slice btw?

 

Sounds like an exhausting day. Glad you had meal prep to see you through the evening!

[Endor]

12 minutes ago, Rhovaniel said:

What is hedgehog slice btw?

Is it similar to Rocky road Emerald E?