California To Carolina: Friday Five: A New Year, A Chest Cold, A Lot of Giraffes and Some Goals...

Friday...this is the last day my oldest son has off of school for this vacation...it will truly feel like our schedule is back to normal on Monday. Call me crazy, but I'm actually looking forward to having to be up at 6am because even though it sucks, it forces/motivates me to get some things done...and having my Body Beast workout at 6:30am every day really makes a difference. I've admittedly been on a little hiatus from it since my mom came to town and with all the holiday hoopla...but I am eager to dive back in. As far as the gym, I am eager to get back on my regular schedule there too, but I am NOT looking forward to the overcrowded classes and waiting for machines {end of February, please come soon! Tee hee.}

{one}

I could feel a cold coming on all this week and of course with NYE, I drank {and sang karaoke} anyway. I was feeling it yesterday, but I am really feeling it today. I think I've got a full-blow chest cold now. I hope with some nursing, I can at least get to feeling ready to go on Monday. I can't put off getting back on track any longer. Colds are the worst and kicking off a new year with one is not my idea of a good start. I'll try not to consider it an omen, haha.

{two}

After Christmas, I rounded up Farrah's rapidly-growing collection of giraffes. It all started with Sophie La Giraffe a few months back and my obsession with giraffes {for her} started to grow. I am also working on some art for her nursery.

{three}

Sadly, I ended the year not reaching my goal of losing all of the pregnancy weight. I still have a good 10-12 lbs that are really holding tight {and the last couple weeks of holiday crap definitely didn't help}, but rather than get down on myself, I am going to look back and realize that I didn't gain a "normal" amount of pregnancy weight. Had I, I would be like 20 lbs under my pre-baby weight! Farrah was a 57-lb pregnancy! So the fact that I've lost 45-47 lbs in under 8 months is an accomplishment in itself. I wasn't sitting around wishing and waiting for it to happen...I was working hard. So yes, knowing that I was working so hard and it isn't ALL gone is a little hard to swallow, but I'm not far...and spring/summer weather is about 4-5 months away. I know I can make some big changes in that time. Here are my goals for the short-term {4-5 months}:

Finish a round of Body Beast
Continue with my gym schedule in conjunction with the program {two barre classes, one HIIT class and cardio on my own}
Get back to meal prep and clean eating
Run at least one 5K a month

Notice I didn't include a specific weight loss goal in there...that is because I know by doing this and working to my full potential, the right weight will come. I am tired of focusing on a number. Yes, I will still weigh myself, and I have a specific range where I'd like to fall into...but I'm not going to say "I need to lose 10 lbs in one month" or anything like that. If I do that, GREAT, but if not, I won't beat myself up for it...if I'm doing the work and eating right, it will eventually fall into place. I posted this pic on some of my social media a couple weeks ago...being proud of my accomplishments thus far...my abs are starting to come back! {Now c'mon all you mommies out there, you know what a good feeling that is just to get there!} Still a ways to go...but progress is being made and that is motivation.