Favorite Things : June 22 – 28, 2019

And we made it through another week! — we only have two more weeks left in Michigan until we move to Texas. The house is starting to be filled with boxes of books and I am starting to feel like I am living in mild chaos. I am sad to leave Hillsdale, but I think I’m ready to get on with it.

Plans for this weekend? Packing, of course. And that is basically it. Very exciting.

I did not find too much for this week’s favorite things — my internet time has significantly decreased in the past few weeks for obvious reasons!

How to help a new mom — my favorite advice? Leave her alone. I may have been alone in this, but I did not want a parade of people coming by, even if they were bringing food. I wanted to get back to “regular” life as quickly as possible.

Fun fact for runners: You don’t have to run ultras. I do eventually want to run an ultra, but I think sometimes I fall under the “if I run longer, I’m a more serious runner” thinking trap.

Interesting use of instagram, but I can see how it would help you keep accountable!

As I said, short list. What did I miss?

Have a great weekend!

 

 

 

May Goals Update & June 2019 Goals : The Year of 1% Better

If you’re new here, I declared 2019 the Year of 1% Better. Here’s a list of all previous goal posts.

January: Goals | Outcomes

February: Goals | Outcomes

March: Goals | Outcomes

April : Goals | Outcomes

May : Goals 

Henry is taking a nap, so I thought I would try to get in a quick post. Most of my May goals were about wrapping things up. I wanted to work on consistent academic writing/editing and getting my class notes scanned. I was more successful on the former than I was on the latter. By the end of the month, I was so uncomfortable the last thing I wanted to do was stand by a scanner and scan. I suspect that boxes of notes will be traveling with us to Texas.

Nor did I finish re-reading Harry Potter, but I will probably have the seventh book done by the end of this month of early July. I came close, but I think I became distracted by other reading. Plus, it has been nice reading Harry while Henry naps or I pump. As usual, I’ll be kind of sad when I finish the seventh book — having lived in the books again the past couple of months. 

As for June — well, I’m not sure you can blame me for not really having any goals on the to do list. I think being a mother makes me more than 1% better. I think focusing on Henry and figuring out a baby has been goals enough! That said, I did start walking a mile a day this week — which was the big postpartum goal I planned before I start running again. I look forward to having more focused plans and goals come July!

What were your June goals?

 

Monday Miles : June 17 – 23, 2019

Week three postpartum: The biggest struggle was overcoming the temptation to run. I feel really good. I would put my discomfort at a 1 or a 2. I can tell that I am not 100% yet, but I do not feel run down or sore or anything. That said, I know this does not mean I’m ready to go out for a run. I know this does not mean I’m ready to walk into a CrossFit gym and start squatting (what is for me) heavy. I’m trying to be patient, but when the sun is shining (finally!) and I am feeling so good it is tempting, really tempting to not just try a minute or two of a shuffle.

This week I added some core exercises to the routine. I know enough to avoid planks, crunches, anything that will cause coning and exacerbate diastasis recti. I did a test — though I’m not sure how accurate it is — and I felt maybe a pinkie finger width of separation in my abs. I’ve never had clearly defined abs, but I will say this post-pregnancy — it is weird how squishy my stomach is and that my core strength is completely gone. I’m hoping to build it back up with bridges, pelvic tilts, and clam shells. I did very little this week, but I’m hoping to increase every week — just creating the habit now.

6 – 17 : Pelvic floor/Core exercises – 1x 10 bridges, 10 pelvic tilts, 10 clam shells. Walk – 11 minutes, .64 miles. Followed by Romwod.

6 – 18 : PF/Core exercises. Walk – 15 minutes, .84 miles. Followed by Romwod.

6 – 19 : PF/Core exercises. Walk (with Henry!) – 25 minutes, 1.14 miles.

6 – 20 : Yoga with Adriene – Yoga for Pelvic Floor

6 – 21 : PF/Core exercises. Walk – 15 minutes, .85 miles. Followed by Romwod.

6 – 22 : PF/Core exercises. Walk – 15 minutes, .89 miles. Followed by Romwod.

6 – 23 : PF/Core exercises. Walk – 15 minutes, .91 miles.

Totals : Walk – 1 hour 36 minutes, 5.3 miles. Yoga – 40 minutes.

This week I’ll increase walking time to twenty minutes — hopefully managing to get a mile in each walk.

Onward!

Favorite Things : June 1 – 21, 2019

Happy Friday! Since Henry, most of the days feel like they are sort of melting together. I am starting to not know what day it is! We have no big plans for this weekend, which is kind of nice. The last two weekends have been filled with visitors and it will be good to have a quiet, normal weekend.

While Henry is taking a nap (for now), I figured I would get out a few of my favorite things for not only this week, but since the beginning of June.

I loved this essay on running in the morning.

Mr. Coffee will always be the best.

Another good one from Cal Newport: on the pleasures and sorrows of life without screens. 

An ode to that hill you love to hate.

Paddling the Colorado River from source to sea. 

Laura Vanderkam’s thoughts on frugal living and the FIRE world.

Best cookbooks for beginners. 

I agree. If you’re not early, you’re late.

What are your plans for this weekend?

 

 

 

 

 

Postpartum Running Goals

Though I have been anxious to get back to running and CrossFit the last two weeks, I have not been anxious to jump the gun. I have no idea if I have pelvic floor problems or diastasis recti, but I do not really want to take the chance. I’m not sure what my return to CrossFit will look like yet, especially considering we are moving at the end of my fifth week postpartum. However, running I have a bit of an idea. I’m going to ease into it very, very, very slowly.

That said, that does not mean I have not been active. After we arrived home from the hospital, I started taking just five minute walks. And frankly, that was about all I could handle. I still waddled a bit, but within a few days I could tell I felt significantly physically better from labor. When Henry was a week old, I added another five minutes. I did a week of ten minute walks followed by RomWod stretching.

This week I’ll do fifteen minutes of walking, but I’ve added a few core movements to do before including just one set of ten bridges, clam shells, and pelvic tilts. At this point, I’m just trying to establish good habits. I’m getting closer to being able to walk a mile and I’m still following the walk up with some RomWod.

So far, this has been working for me and I’ll keep it up until six weeks — just adding five minutes of daily walking every week. After six weeks, I’ll start adding in some running. I’m not sure what that will look like yet, but I will continue to ease into it slowly and cautiously.

I do have a race goal. I would like to build up my running fitness enough to finish the Mosaic Trail half-marathon in Liberty Hill, Texas this year. Note I said finish, not race — so if I’m still run/walking so be it. The race is in December, so who knows where I will be fitness-wise. I don’t want to put any sort of time goal pressure on myself. I’m just ready to enjoy running outside and enjoy the trails. Plus, it will be my first Texas race as a Texas resident!

I’ll start posting Monday Miles again next week, especially considering I’m starting to accumulate a few!

 

Introducing Henry

I’m back! I’m not five-posts-a-week back, but I think I am ready to go back to regularly updating on here.

So — the big news is — its a BOY! Early in the morning on June 4, Henry made his arrival into our now three person family. He is a beautiful and relaxed baby. People ask us how we are sleeping and seem amazed that between the two of us we’ve been able to get four hours continuously (for now).

I do not have the words to express how thrilled I am about Henry. Every cliche seems applicable. I am amazed sometimes that we made such a beautiful boy. Even though he has been with us for less than two weeks, it seems he has always been apart of us. I cannot imagine a life without him.

Sometimes I imagine Henry thinking as Bruno and I try to determine if he is hungry or gassy, “What a bunch of newbs.” But mostly he just eats and sleeps. I’ve taken him on a few walks, but it will be another couple of weeks until he is big enough for the Bob. I am excited for our first run together and all the good things to come.

I’m going to try to post three times a week for the rest of this month and see how it goes. Right now, teaching prep is a priority, so I’ve been trying to get as much reading done as I can during naps. I have not worked out yet and will most likely wait until I reach those six weeks, but I have been walking — increasing the walks by five minutes every week. I miss CrossFit and running. Life seems full, in all the best ways, especially as we try to figure things out.