As a mama in this postpartum period, I incorporate clean ingredients into my diet to help me feel well-nourished and provide the best to my little babe. Many of these products and ingredients help to support a healthy milk supply and promote an overall sense of health for a mama’s body. They truly keep me going.

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I've had several requests to share what I feed my sweet boy(s). Leo is now 6 months old and I've started to slowly experiment with food for him. So far he's had raw zucchini and cucumber, banana (he loves!) and oatmeal with a little breastmilk and GREEN DREAM! I'm so excited to continue to explore and experiment for new Philosophie products with my sweet boys.

Here are some foods that Kai (2 1/2 years old) LOVES.

1. Green Dream Smoothie- depends on the day but usually I do the classic recipe with almond butter, cinnamon, spinach/kale and banana. Lately I've been doing a fun tropical one with mango, pineapple, kale, coconut oil and Berry Bliss.
2. Cacao Magic Smoothie- (just not too close to bedtime!) i always add leafy greens to this smoothie... so easy to sneak a lot in because it tastes soooo good!
3. Goji Berries, Pumpkin seeds and Sunflower seeds as a trail mix. Great for a snack on the go. If your child is younger and doesn't have a lot of teeth, you could process in a food processor until powdery and mix with coconut oil, Berry Bliss and dates to make into a bar by pressing it into a pan and freezing.
4. Coconut Butter, Cashew Butter and almond butter- straight from the jar! We both love sharing it that way and it makes it more fun! My favorite brand is Artisana for the butters or Garden of Life for coconut oil. These are "good fats" so don't be afraid of them! SO IMPORTANT for your growing child!
5. Frozen lima beans, corn, peas and/or edamame- SO EASY. I just heat up on the stove top and add a little coconut oil or earth balance "butter" with a pinch of sea salt. Frozen veggies get a bad rap but according to the research I've done, most of the time organic veggies are flash frozen at their most ripe stage, preserving most nutrients. "fresh" produce, may have spend days in transit or at the store, so it isn't necessarily better for you.
6. Fresh berries-Especially strawberries and blueberries. I just take the entire box of blueberries with us on a walk and let him hold it in the stroller... he LOVES IT. SO much fun to have it all to himself!
7. Raw "ice cream"- I blend frozen banana with green dream powder and whatever fruit I'm in the mood for. Sometimes we do a strawberry banana with Berry Bliss powder which is great because it adds protein, most times I do a chocolate one with Cacao Magic. DEEEE-LISH!
8. Fresh Coconut Water- he could drink 10 of these if we had them. I am going to start getting them by the case from the Thai Market in Thai Town because it's just ridiculous how many we buy one by one throughout the week.
9. Seaweed Nori strips- sometimes we buy the unsalted large sheets, other times we do the small sheets roasted and lightly salted that come in a container. He's happy with either!
10. Superfood Protein Truffles- recipe here! So easy, raw, vegan, gluten-free and simple to take in the car and on the go. We all gobble them up so quickly! Next time I'm going to make triple the amount and freeze them so they last longer!
11. GREEN DREAM POPSICLES! this was a guest post/recipe from a wonderful, inspiring friend. My soul sister on the other coast! Here's the post if you want the recipe!

I'm SO excited because I finally got the courage to ask the principal to Kai's preschool if I could bring in fresh fruit and veggies and Green Dream and give them a smoothie recipe for all the kids. He eats so beautifully at home and at school it's not "bad" but definitely not superfood rich! So I'll bring some Green Dream in Monday morning and they will blend it up! I'm thrilled.

For more specific tips on sneaking healthy foods into your kids meals, see this post.

What do your kids love that you love?  What's super healthy but they beg for it and it makes you secretly smile? Please share below in the comments!

Love,

Sophie, Kai and Leo! <3

Now that I'm a mommy and wifey, I don't just have to think of my own nutrition and health. I have to consider my children and husbands well-being as well. 

My son, Kai, is a little over 2 years old. His first solid food was butternut squash pureed, followed by a puree of green vegetables. He didn't have any sugar until a few months ago when he went to a birthday party, and to be honest, he didn't even care for it much. I was terrified once he had the processed kind of sugar he'd never want to go back to his clean ways of eating. Au Contraire.

His palate is so sophisticated now. He can eat anything no matter where we go. He loves spicy foods- he's happy and at home in any Indian restaurant and equally safe at sushi or any other ethnic cuisine. We've traveled to Paris, Costa Rica, Tel Aviv & South America and he's happy no matter where we go and what we feed him. This takes a little more effort on my part, to pave the way to healthy foods being part of his normal routine.

Phases and Bumps along the way

Sometimes he's not in the mood for a certain type of food. He'll push things he's loved for months away or throw it on the floor for our dog to eat. My trick is to lay out ONLY fruits and vegetables to start with-- a huge variety-- some cooked, some raw. Some warm, some cold. All different colors and flavors to entice his little appetite. He LOVES organic frozen veggies, which makes it super easy for me. He especially likes peas & lima beans, eating them one by one. I don't usually add any butter or salt to the veggies because he eats them without. So what's the point? He takes "butter" (Smart Balance) on his gluten-free waffles in the morning as a treat and loves it, but doesn't expect it yet. He's never touched syrup and there's really no reason to introduce it.

The best time to give him the foods he's not in the mood for is when he's super hungry after playing outside. Sometimes I just need to give him a "gateway" food to get him started. When he was super little just a few little Organic Puffs would do the trick. Now I'll give him half a piece of an organic cookie or the green flavored Pirate's Booty (our version of junk food) and after a few of these snack items he moves right into veggie land. Works pretty much every time.

Other days he just doesn't feel like sitting in his high chair and eating. On those days I let him run around and snack as he pleases. He'll graze on the veggies and fruit I put on a plate on the coffee table and run around and grab what he wants when he chooses to.  Many parents are really militant about kids sitting in their chairs and eating, and I understand their feelings. I get that sentiment, that it's more "proper" to eat meals sitting in their high chair. With my lifestyle (always on the go) and my manner (I'm not a very "proper" person myself) I allow him to guide the way, as the most important thing to me is Kai getting the nutrients he needs to GROW "properly", while being a formal "correct" child falls a bit lower on the priority list. Every child is different. Some kids really need that type of structure to stay well behaved. Kai is (luckily) really flexible and adaptable with my crazy on the go lifestyle.

Green Dream and Philosophie superfood blends save the day

When all else fails, I can make a Green Dream smoothie and at least feel good about Kai getting all the nutrients and greens he needs for the day. In one smoothie I can be sure he's getting good fats, vegan sources of protein, no weird fillers and nothing processed. This makes things a lot easier and makes me feel secure in what he eats for the rest of the day. Lately one of the only ways I can consistently get green veggies into his body is through smoothies. And that's fine with me! Sometimes in the morning I'll add Cacao Magic powder to his oatmeal or even a dash of Green Dream. Other times I'll sneak it into an "ice cream" where I blend frozen bananas, spinach and green dream or cacao blend. These tricks ensure the love of my life is getting everything he needs nutritionally. Not to mention the hubby benefits from these tricks as well! If you're interested in buying Green Dream, Cacao Magic or Berry Bliss blends, email me: sophie@thephilosophie.com and mention this post for a mommy discount!

I'm not sure where the "green" phobia in kids begin, but I can't help but think it's from parents trying to drive the foods down their kids throats. Kai loves Green foods and actually gravitates towards these foods vs running away from them. I think this practice starts early, but that you can retrain your kids brains by sneaking greens into a smoothie or into an ice cream... so they don't feel they are missing anything. I mean let's revisit Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess! In the end, he lovessss the Green Eggs... it just took TRYING them!

In Gratitude and Elmo obsessions,

Sophie

PS. SPEAKING of Green Eggs... an easy way to make your own Green Eggs is to blend the eggs and fresh spinach in the blender until smooth. Then cook as you normally would! Kai loves them, your kids will too!

Now that I'm a mommy and wifey, I don't just have to think of my own nutrition and health. I have to consider my children and husbands well-being as well.

My son, Kai, is a little over 2 years old. His first solid food was butternut squash pureed, followed by a puree of green vegetables. He didn't have any sugar until a few months ago when he went to a birthday party, and to be honest, he didn't even care for it much. I was terrified once he had the processed kind of sugar he'd never want to go back to his clean ways of eating. Au Contraire.

His palate is so sophisticated now. He can eat anything no matter where we go. He loves spicy foods- he's happy and at home in any Indian restaurant and equally safe at sushi or any other ethnic cuisine. We've traveled to Paris, Costa Rica, Tel Aviv & South America and he's happy no matter where we go and what we feed him. This takes a little more effort on my part, to pave the way to healthy foods being part of his normal routine.

Phases and Bumps along the way

Sometimes he's not in the mood for a certain type of food. He'll push things he's loved for months away or throw it on the floor for our dog to eat. My trick is to lay out ONLY fruits and vegetables to start with-- a huge variety-- some cooked, some raw. Some warm, some cold. All different colors and flavors to entice his little appetite. He LOVES organic frozen veggies, which makes it super easy for me. He especially likes peas & lima beans, eating them one by one. I don't usually add any butter or salt to the veggies because he eats them without. So what's the point? He takes "butter" (Smart Balance) on his gluten-free waffles in the morning as a treat and loves it, but doesn't expect it yet. He's never touched syrup and there's really no reason to introduce it.

The best time to give him the foods he's not in the mood for is when he's super hungry after playing outside. Sometimes I just need to give him a "gateway" food to get him started. When he was super little just a few little Organic Puffs would do the trick. Now I'll give him half a piece of an organic cookie or the green flavored Pirate's Booty (our version of junk food) and after a few of these snack items he moves right into veggie land. Works pretty much every time.

Other days he just doesn't feel like sitting in his high chair and eating. On those days I let him run around and snack as he pleases. He'll graze on the veggies and fruit I put on a plate on the coffee table and run around and grab what he wants when he chooses to.  Many parents are really militant about kids sitting in their chairs and eating, and I understand their feelings. I get that sentiment, that it's more "proper" to eat meals sitting in their high chair. With my lifestyle (always on the go) and my manner (I'm not a very "proper" person myself) I allow him to guide the way, as the most important thing to me is Kai getting the nutrients he needs to GROW "properly", while being a formal "correct" child falls a bit lower on the priority list. Every child is different. Some kids really need that type of structure to stay well behaved. Kai is (luckily) really flexible and adaptable with my crazy on the go lifestyle.

Green Dream and Philosophie superfood blends save the day

When all else fails, I can make a Green Dream smoothie and at least feel good about Kai getting all the nutrients and greens he needs for the day. In one smoothie I can be sure he's getting good fats, vegan sources of protein, no weird fillers and nothing processed. This makes things a lot easier and makes me feel secure in what he eats for the rest of the day. Lately one of the only ways I can consistently get green veggies into his body is through smoothies. And that's fine with me! Sometimes in the morning I'll add Cacao Magic powder to his oatmeal or even a dash of Green Dream. Other times I'll sneak it into an "ice cream" where I blend frozen bananas, spinach and green dream or cacao blend. These tricks ensure the love of my life is getting everything he needs nutritionally. Not to mention the hubby benefits from these tricks as well! If you're interested in buying Green Dream, Cacao Magic or Berry Bliss blends, email me: sophie@thephilosophie.com and mention this post for a mommy discount!

I'm not sure where the "green" phobia in kids begin, but I can't help but think it's from parents trying to drive the foods down their kids throats. Kai loves Green foods and actually gravitates towards these foods vs running away from them. I think this practice starts early, but that you can retrain your kids brains by sneaking greens into a smoothie or into an ice cream... so they don't feel they are missing anything. I mean let's revisit Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess! In the end, he lovessss the Green Eggs... it just took TRYING them!

In Gratitude and Elmo obsessions,

Sophie

PS. SPEAKING of Green Eggs... an easy way to make your own Green Eggs is to blend the eggs and fresh spinach in the blender until smooth. Then cook as you normally would! Kai loves them, your kids will too!

I wrote this post is to share with you a basic overview of what I did to lose ALL my baby weight in just 3 months!

Keep in mind that every body is different and unique. Listen to your body, the signs it sends you. The take home message for diet is to eat for nutrients, not to worry so much about calories. If you eat nutrient dense foods, you will be full and satiated for longer.

I'm not saying calories don't matter. They do. Calories in have to be less than calories out to lose weight. My point is that if you chose more nutrient-dense foods, your body will be more satiated and you won't have as many cravings or be as hungry.

Diet: what did I eat?

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Here's what I do as far as eating goes. The proof is in the raw-pudding! Remember that when you're breastfeeding, you need to get at least 500 extra calories per day to support your milk production and the health of your baby. Don't worry, you burn it during breast feeding! (about 500 calories/day) The rule of thumb when you're eating is to think about NUTRIENTS not just energy/calories. Ask yourself what NUTRIENTS are in your meal, not just putting empty calories into your body. For example, when reaching for a snack, don't eat 5 rice crackers because they are low in calories, eat an apple and a handful of almonds because then you're getting vitamins, fiber, protein and good fats. (and you'll stay fuller longer!)

Some bullet points of what I've been doing in any given day:

*Every day I get some raw juice or smoothie. 4-5 days a week I get a green vegetable juice, and every single day I make a Super-Mommy-Power smoothie. I also have 1-2 coconut waters per day-I feel so dehydrated from breastfeeding that coconut water is really the only thing that quenches that thirst.

Here's a recipe I make variations of just about every day:

Super-Mommy-Power Smoothie

• 1 Cup Almond, Rice or Hemp Milk/Coconut Water
• 2 teaspoons maca (excellent for energy and to balance crazy mommy hormones!)
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder (chocolate in it's most raw form, super high in antioxidants!)
• 1 tablespoon coconut butter or almond butter (both have GOOD fats and are good for skin, nails, etc)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (speeds up metabolism) or flax oil (omega-3)
• 1 scoop raw protein powder (keeps me full for longer, no soy or whey)
• 1 banana (tip: after bananas get ripe, put them in Tupperware or a Ziploc in the freezer for easy smoothie access!)
• 2 teaspoons spirulina (blue-green algae, great for iron and protein)
• 1 tablespoon agave or 2 drops of chocolate stevia
• 1 handful of ice

• top with goji berries and granola! (this smoothie also satisfies my cravings for sugar and  chocolate... only this is all the right stuff!)

*once or twice a week I get animal protein. Free range, Hormone-Free, Organic steak or fish. I'm not much of a chicken/turkey person but I learned to really like steak during my pregnancy. I've always loved fish. I add greens and veggies to every meal. Make sure you get double the veggies vs quantity of protein. We eat sushi A LOT, but make sure if you're going this route that you don't just get rolls-lots of white rice/empty calories. Try and get some sushi or sashimi so you get more protein and less rice. Use the green lid soy sauce (lower in sodium) and don't use a lot of that either! you only need a little bit, especially if the fish is fresh! I also always get a seaweed salad which is excellent for digestion, iron and calcium.

[caption id="attachment_1641" align="alignleft" width="227" caption="sprout salad with veggie buger"][/caption]

*I eat a huge spinach or mixed green salad for lunch almost every day-lots of sprouted seeds, nuts and beans to get as much protein as possible. I add a veggie burger to the salad also and use lots of flax oil and/or olive oil for the good fats. (tip: good fats get rid of bad fats, we NEED good fats for our brain and body functioning!)

*I always have snacks with me in the diaper bag or in my purse, I usually snack on 1 protein bar every day and some type of trail mix I make. My favorite blend is a trail mix with: cashews, goji berries, dark chocolate covered cacao nibs, soaked almonds, sprouted pumpkin seeds, sprouted sunflowers seeds.

I found during these months that I would get FAMISHED If i didn't eat every 2-3 hours. If I waited more than 3 I thought I would die. DON'T get to this point! You are exerting so much energy taking care of the baby, nursing, etc... never mind if you get an exercise in TOO! Besides, when you let your blood sugar drop this low it does crazy things to your metabolism and your body goes into starvation-fat-protection mode, aka something you don't want.

Exercise/Body/Fitness

The first 2 weeks I was very gentle with my body and focused on bonding with my baby.I was eating very healthy and nourishing foods and was wiped out from the surgery.

The 3rd and 4th week I got to WORK! I worked with a friend of mine who's also a personal trainer twice a week to start building strength, but mostly to build my confidence. I was scared at first to do anything ab related (since I had a c-section) but he quickly and safely helped conquer this fear as well.

Each session I felt stronger and stronger. We mostly used resistance bands or exercises using my own body weight (like plank, pushups, yoga) so you don't need a gym to lose weight! Here's a great workout you can do at home in place of the training session I did.

Some people don't think exercise makes a difference. What I know is that I feel better when I exercise than when I don't, and I'm more mindful of the food I'm putting into my body when I do. Also, when you look at the calories in vs calories out rule, it means you have more wiggle room in the calories in.  Works for me!

Here's what my work-out/exercise schedule basically looked like:

Monday-walk outside with baby/hubby/doggy for 30 minutes, baby squats and baby abs (see pics below) for 10 minutes

Tuesday-30-45 min with my trainer, Trent (resistance bands, kettlebells, light weights, light cardio, ab work)

Wednesday- Yoga class 60-90 minutes

Thursday- 30-45 min with my trainer, Trent (resistance bands, kettlebells, light weights, light cardio, ab work)

Friday- off day, maybe some baby exercises while holding him and/or some stretching/yoga while watching tv

Saturday-walk outside with baby/hubby/doggy for 30 minutes, baby squats and baby abs for 10 minutes -or- Yoga class

Sunday-walk outside with baby/hubby/doggy for 30 minutes, baby squats and baby abs for 10 minutes

[caption id="attachment_1618" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="baby sit ups!"][/caption]

On the days I'd walk outside with Kai in the stroller I usually took the dog too. Sometimes my hubby would join. But those were days I set out with an intention to be out for 30 minutes for exercise, so I'd walk a little faster than a normal walk. On other days I still would walk the dog but I didn't count it as exercise.

I also didn't count walking around in general, carrying the car seat everywhere, carrying 3 bags around plus baby, cleaning, standing, etc. I considered all of this stuff bonus, plus it speeds up your metabolism to be active.

It's been so much fun using Kai in my exercises, especially because he LOVES IT! (see pics and video to come!)

I've now lost ALL MY BABY WEIGHT, and it took 3 months! This is definitely something I wanted to share with you, since many moms are nervous it will take them a whole year to lose their weight. Some people say "give it a year, they were in your body for 9 months it should take that long to lose it." I don't agree. I definitely worked hard, but in my opinion, if you worked half as hard as I did you should lose your baby weight in 6 months, tops. I think a huge factor in my ability to jump back into a workout routine was that I exercised up until the last possible second in pregnancy, so my "off time" was only about 4-5 weeks total, not 9 months. If you ARE pregnant, check out my article about pregnancy and exercise. Thanks for reading and GOOD LUCK! let me know how it goes, share your stories with me!

 

 

 

I wrote this post is to share with you a basic overview of what I did to lose ALL my baby weight in just 3 months!

Keep in mind that every body is different and unique. Listen to your body, the signs it sends you. The take home message for diet is to eat for nutrients, not to worry so much about calories. If you eat nutrient dense foods, you will be full and satiated for longer. 

I'm not saying calories don't matter. They do. Calories in have to be less than calories out to lose weight. My point is that if you chose more nutrient-dense foods, your body will be more satiated and you won't have as many cravings or be as hungry.

Diet: what did I eat?

[caption id="attachment_1634" align="alignleft" width="212" caption="lots of veggies!"][/caption]

Here's what I do as far as eating goes. The proof is in the raw-pudding! Remember that when you're breastfeeding, you need to get at least 500 extra calories per day to support your milk production and the health of your baby. Don't worry, you burn it during breast feeding! (about 500 calories/day) The rule of thumb when you're eating is to think about NUTRIENTS not just energy/calories. Ask yourself what NUTRIENTS are in your meal, not just putting empty calories into your body. For example, when reaching for a snack, don't eat 5 rice crackers because they are low in calories, eat an apple and a handful of almonds because then you're getting vitamins, fiber, protein and good fats. (and you'll stay fuller longer!)

Some bullet points of what I've been doing in any given day:

*Every day I get some raw juice or smoothie. 4-5 days a week I get a green vegetable juice, and every single day I make a Super-Mommy-Power smoothie. I also have 1-2 coconut waters per day-I feel so dehydrated from breastfeeding that coconut water is really the only thing that quenches that thirst.

Here's a recipe I make variations of just about every day:

Super-Mommy-Power Smoothie

• 1 Cup Almond, Rice or Hemp Milk/Coconut Water
• 2 teaspoons maca (excellent for energy and to balance crazy mommy hormones!)
• 1 tablespoon cacao powder (chocolate in it's most raw form, super high in antioxidants!)
• 1 tablespoon coconut butter or almond butter (both have GOOD fats and are good for skin, nails, etc)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (speeds up metabolism) or flax oil (omega-3)
• 1 scoop raw protein powder (keeps me full for longer, no soy or whey)
• 1 banana (tip: after bananas get ripe, put them in Tupperware or a Ziploc in the freezer for easy smoothie access!)
• 2 teaspoons spirulina (blue-green algae, great for iron and protein)
• 1 tablespoon agave or 2 drops of chocolate stevia
• 1 handful of ice

top with goji berries and granola! (this smoothie also satisfies my cravings for sugar and  chocolate... only this is all the right stuff!)

 

*once or twice a week I get animal protein. Free range, Hormone-Free, Organic steak or fish. I'm not much of a chicken/turkey person but I learned to really like steak during my pregnancy. I've always loved fish. I add greens and veggies to every meal. Make sure you get double the veggies vs quantity of protein. We eat sushi A LOT, but make sure if you're going this route that you don't just get rolls-lots of white rice/empty calories. Try and get some sushi or sashimi so you get more protein and less rice. Use the green lid soy sauce (lower in sodium) and don't use a lot of that either! you only need a little bit, especially if the fish is fresh! I also always get a seaweed salad which is excellent for digestion, iron and calcium.

[caption id="attachment_1641" align="alignleft" width="227" caption="sprout salad with veggie buger"][/caption]

*I eat a huge spinach or mixed green salad for lunch almost every day-lots of sprouted seeds, nuts and beans to get as much protein as possible. I add a veggie burger to the salad also and use lots of flax oil and/or olive oil for the good fats. (tip: good fats get rid of bad fats, we NEED good fats for our brain and body functioning!)

*I always have snacks with me in the diaper bag or in my purse, I usually snack on 1 protein bar every day and some type of trail mix I make. My favorite blend is a trail mix with: cashews, goji berries, dark chocolate covered cacao nibs, soaked almonds, sprouted pumpkin seeds, sprouted sunflowers seeds.

I found during these months that I would get FAMISHED If i didn't eat every 2-3 hours. If I waited more than 3 I thought I would die. DON'T get to this point! You are exerting so much energy taking care of the baby, nursing, etc... never mind if you get an exercise in TOO! Besides, when you let your blood sugar drop this low it does crazy things to your metabolism and your body goes into starvation-fat-protection mode, aka something you don't want.

Exercise/Body/Fitness

The first 2 weeks I was very gentle with my body and focused on bonding with my baby.I was eating very healthy and nourishing foods and was wiped out from the surgery.

The 3rd and 4th week I got to WORK! I worked with a friend of mine who's also a personal trainer twice a week to start building strength, but mostly to build my confidence. I was scared at first to do anything ab related (since I had a c-section) but he quickly and safely helped conquer this fear as well.

Each session I felt stronger and stronger. We mostly used resistance bands or exercises using my own body weight (like plank, pushups, yoga) so you don't need a gym to lose weight! Here's a great workout you can do at home in place of the training session I did.

Some people don't think exercise makes a difference. What I know is that I feel better when I exercise than when I don't, and I'm more mindful of the food I'm putting into my body when I do. Also, when you look at the calories in vs calories out rule, it means you have more wiggle room in the calories in.  Works for me!

Here's what my work-out/exercise schedule basically looked like:

Monday-walk outside with baby/hubby/doggy for 30 minutes, baby squats and baby abs (see pics below) for 10 minutes

Tuesday-30-45 min with my trainer, Trent (resistance bands, kettlebells, light weights, light cardio, ab work)

Wednesday- Yoga class 60-90 minutes

Thursday- 30-45 min with my trainer, Trent (resistance bands, kettlebells, light weights, light cardio, ab work)

Friday- off day, maybe some baby exercises while holding him and/or some stretching/yoga while watching tv

Saturday-walk outside with baby/hubby/doggy for 30 minutes, baby squats and baby abs for 10 minutes -or- Yoga class

Sunday-walk outside with baby/hubby/doggy for 30 minutes, baby squats and baby abs for 10 minutes

[caption id="attachment_1618" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="baby sit ups!"][/caption]

On the days I'd walk outside with Kai in the stroller I usually took the dog too. Sometimes my hubby would join. But those were days I set out with an intention to be out for 30 minutes for exercise, so I'd walk a little faster than a normal walk. On other days I still would walk the dog but I didn't count it as exercise.

I also didn't count walking around in general, carrying the car seat everywhere, carrying 3 bags around plus baby, cleaning, standing, etc. I considered all of this stuff bonus, plus it speeds up your metabolism to be active.

It's been so much fun using Kai in my exercises, especially because he LOVES IT! (see pics and video to come!)

I've now lost ALL MY BABY WEIGHT, and it took 3 months! This

[caption id="attachment_1629" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="3 months post-pregnancy"][/caption]

is definitely something I wanted to share with you, since many moms are nervous it will take them a whole year to lose their weight. Some people say "give it a year, they were in your body for 9 months it should take that long to lose it." I don't agree. I definitely worked hard, but in my opinion, if you worked half as hard as I did you should lose your baby weight in 6 months, tops. I think a huge factor in my ability to jump back into a workout routine was that I exercised up until the last possible second in pregnancy, so my "off time" was only about 4-5 weeks total, not 9 months. If you ARE pregnant, check out my article about pregnancy and exercise. Thanks for reading and GOOD LUCK! let me know how it goes, share your stories with me!