Healthy Competition

It is now 5.5 months since I gave birth to my little Goober. She is healthy and happy and well, so it's time to shift some of my attention back to Mama! Mostly that means giving back to my hardworkin' baby-producin' bod. The physique is in need of some love - especially as Goober gets heavier and harder to lug around. I used to be able to devote countless hours to tracking exercise and eating with SparkPeople (love love love it!), but those days are gone. Instead I turn to my embarassingly competitive spirit for motivation to get this ol girl back into form.

Irrelevant Aside: The film The Competition came out the year I was born. Coincidence? I think not.

Step One: Thank you Grampa! My father has challenged me to a "walk-off". We both have pedometers now and track our daily steps. The contest is to see who can accumulate the most "10 000 steps" (sorry about the pdf) days in a month. With whooping my father (who is a walking nut by the way) as my fuel, I have managed to log some 15 000 step days, and bring my average up to 10 000 steps a day! This has been a great way to push my postpartum body to the next exertion level.

p.s. Dad. I've got hills + the weight of a carried baby or the pushing of a stroller to increase the intensity of my walks. Maybe you should start carrying Flo on your walks!

Step Two: Thank you Husband! Christopher has accepted my challenge to avoid treats for the month of July. Treats = any indulgent food item. My major downfalls are Mochas (decaf; not that it's any of your business), ice cream (specifically pricey Häagen-Dazs bars) and Coca-Cola (yes I AM aware it's toxic - toxically delicious!). Using Google's handy forms, we have begun a spreadsheet to track our treat intake through the month. It's like golf; the player with the fewest points wins. Since giving birth I have allowed myself treats as a reward for working so damn hard. Now that I'm feeling stronger and more confident as a mother, I don't need that crutch and I want to break this habit of indulging.

Like my volleyball shirt always says, "Go hard or go home!"