Monday, July 29, 2013

Operation get healthy and 30 day ab challenge

My heart finally feels healthy enough to be able to get back into exercising. My husband is extremely athletic, he rides a bike to work and runs on the weekends, and I've always wanted to be able to share in that fitness passion of his, I've just been too sick to get out there.

My heart results are this: my heart has a few extra beats--totally normal--and occasionally my heart goes tachycardic, meaning it goes from a very slow pace to a rapid heartbeat, which is a bit abnormal. My doctor suggested I get on a new medicine which will slow my heart rate, but I really don't want to take any more medicine. So I am trying to strengthen my heart muscles by slowly jumping into running.

Sean is my biggest supporter.

We dropped the babes off at Grandma's and went for a run.

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He could've run circles around me with how slow I ran, ahem walked, but he held my hand and told me to take my time.

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I think I did a mile in 14 minutes and change--I didn't hit stop right away so the time isn't quite accurate. Not great. But I did it.

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So when we came home from our first run, I saw that my friend Laura is starting a 30 day ab challenge. Perfect, I thought, I'm feeling athletic! Why not add an ab challenge?

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I think Laura found this challenge on Pinterest here.

So she and I decided to do it together and to push each other for support because we both recently had babies and our abs--although we are quite skinny--are not at all strong. Having a baby reeks havoc on a belly. And since Sean and I are suddenly on a let's exercise kick together he decided he'd do it with me, too.

So here's my disclaimer:

I like to document things like this to see my progress; Laura made me promise to take a before and after picture. But even though I'm skinny I'm not quite comfortable with laying it all out there. So I went back and forth on whether or not I'd be posting my bare belly--unedited, flaws out for all to see--on this blog or not. So I guess I'll post this challenge publicly because it's an experiment and I do want to see if it works. I may change my mind in the morning.  Promise me you won't judge. 

Here is my before:

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I don't mind the way I look although I feel like I could stand to gain a few pounds, but I really want to feel healthy again. I want to earn my muscles back.  I'm on track to kick this cancer to the curb. 

We took a video of our first workout and laughed at how ridiculous we look. But again, I'm laying it on the table and being honest about this challenge and maybe some of my blog friends will want to try it. Or it could just be a big fluke.



Pregnancy absolutely ruins your ab muscles, I can barely do a sit-up. 

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By the end of the 30 days my goal is to be feeling strong like bull in the belly. And it looks like I've got a long journey ahead of me if I am struggling to do 15 sit-ups.

Anyone care to join us in our challenge?