I feel like once you've lost the initial post-pregnancy weight that is all fluids, trying to work of the actual hard-core pounds that you packed on during those 9+ months is so slow and frustrating, and I can understand why so many women just give up trying.  I stalled out at 147 pounds, and now I am stalled out again at 142.  Some people would say that losing 5 pounds in a month is great progress, but it's just not enough.

Even though I'm hardly eating anything, and I'm working out every day, I am still not losing weight fast enough.  Is the reason that I'm getting old?  Is the reason that it is harder to lose the weight after having a second child?

It doesn't help that now I have injured both ankles doing T25... they are swollen, they look visually bruised, and they hurt (and I just got found my ankles again after the post-pregnancy swelling went down)!  Mark says that maybe I have "weak ankles" (reminds me of Meg in Disney's 1997 animated movie Hercules - I know, I said I was old).  

I already have bad knees that prevent me from running (something that I do enjoy but can't do) - now I have weak ankles too?  Do they make whole leg/feet braces for working out because apparently I need them!  (by the way, ankle braces will be delivered from Amazon Prime tomorrow...)

Although the maternity clothes are starting to loosen on my body, my other clothes still are nowhere near close to fitting - even my fat clothes.  Okay yes, the maternity full-panel shorts are comfortable, but I'm sick of them and the weird line they make at the top of the "waistband" underneath my shirts.  I feel like everyone can see it and they know that I'm wearing maternity shorts even though I'm not pregnant!  

No, I'm not considering having a free-for-all binge because I'm in a mood about my weight loss, but I'm just irritated, and I want to complain about it.  

When Mark said he was going to be on a work trip for 4 days, I thought that would be my chance to lose a few fast pounds since I didn't have to make elaborate dinners for him, and I could eat brown rice and vegetables and go for extra walks after dinner to lose weight.  No such luck, however, as I actually seemed to have gained a little back.  Seriously?  ARGH!!!

I guess at age 33, there is no such thing as a "fast pound" unless you're talking about gaining one.  Should I just resign to having the mom pouch that could double as a fanny pack?  Um, probably not.  I realize that the weight will eventually come off, but when, and how with my annoyingly weak ankles?!
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Image Credit: rebloggy.com

So I finally made a real attempt at Focus T25 this morning, and it is so much more difficult that I imagined.  I know I'm extrememly out of shape after having a baby, and it has only been a month since giving birth, but I truly believe after one attempt at the Alpha Cardio workout (1st workout DVD) that Shaun T is the devil and a robot.  Seriously, some of those moves are really hard!

No, it didn't help that Cambridge was fussing the whole time, and I had to keep stopping to calm him or change poop diapers.  I only made it 17 out of the 25 minutes too, and I was dripping sweat.  Good news, I lost 1.5 pounds in that short period of time, but it took a long time to be able to stop sweating enough to be able to put my face on, which, by the way, I ended up doing with one hand while holding Cambridge in the other (only a mom can multitask successfully like that!)

There was a LOT of jumping involved, and I realized that my workout bra/shirt wasn't cutting it in terms of support as I was almost knocked out by my own chest!  Just saying... if you want to attempt this workout, you need a really good sports bra... and a really strong post-pregnancy bladder...(you know what I mean).

Am I giving up?  No.  I will try the next DVD tomorrow morning and see how horrible that is.  Hopefully Mr. Cambridge will allow me to work out without having to take poop changing or pacifier inserting breaks!  Maybe he can do tummy time and work out with mom!

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Original Image Credit: Dona-Gisele

Update #2: July 1, 2014

Post Baby Starting Weight: 160
Current Weight: 147
Goal Weight: 120 (pre-baby was 125)

Current Clothing Size: maternity and elastic-waisted shorts (still can't fit into my size 6 "fat" shorts)
Goal Clothing Size: 4

First of all, I want to say that I DID NOT enjoy taking this awkward selfie.  I cut out my face/head so you can't prove that it's me, but sadly, it is.  That awful flab is all me right now.  After looking at the pictures, I was super hesitant to post any of them, but I'm keeping it real...

So I've lost some weight by default, but I've sort of stagnated.  Why?  Who knows, but it's beyond depressing.  I went for a walk the other day only to realize that my shadow looked gross, and that it was jiggling as I walked.  EEW.  Why is it so hard to lose weight when it is so easy to put it on?  I know it has only been three weeks since I gave birth, but I want quicker results.

What have I been actively doing to lose weight?  Well, besides my extreme diet, I have been slowly working my way up in the amount of sit-ups I have been doing.  I'm at 100/day, and I'm hoping to be able to sit and do at least 200-300 in one sitting (the 100 today was done in two shifts).  I have also been doing the AB DVD of the T25 workout because it is low impact, and I cannot do the other DVD workouts yet because it hurts... down there... to do them, and I'm not technically supposed to be doing that yet.  (Dr. J., if you're reading this... try to stop me!).  

My T-Rex arms have been struggling to do push ups.  I only made it to 15 yesterday.  I hate push-ups.  Haven't been able to graduate to using my Perfect Push Ups yet.  As for cardio, the weather has been way too sticky and icky to go outside.  Maybe this week I'll be able to walk off some of this flab with the family in tow.  Today, I did 1.5 miles on the elliptical in 20 minutes, and I guess I'll have to stick with that low-impact cardio until I can do high-impact workouts.  What I wouldn't give to be able to run (and to have the time to do so - I MISS MY TREADMILL)!

I'm still grossed out by my flabby tummy and my as-wide-as-the-chair-fat-when-I-sit thighs.  I also feel like I still have a visible double chin that if photographed incorrectly looks just awful (photograph me from above!).  Unfortunately, as much as I hate my limited maternity wardrobe, I'm still wearing it (and whatever else I can find in black).  I refuse to spend more money on clothes that I will not be wearing long and in sizes that shall not be uttered aloud, and I fully plan on burning some of these maternity items when I graduate to a decent clothing size that I have in stock.

Sigh... my body depresses me.  Good thing my husband doesn't share my sentiment, and my boys couldn't care less how mommy looks as long as mommy is around for hugs, kisses, and to make food!