Anyway, just wanted to throw down a quick update post to let anyone following this sideshow on SixSmallHands.com, that I am still plugging away at my goal.

This morning, I made my first attempt at getting up early to exercise before work. I got up a little later than planned, so I only did 20 minutes on the elliptical. Certainly got me going, though, and feel really alert this AM. So I may have to do that more often – it would probably make it easier to exercise more consistently, since we have so much going on at night.

Stats: 4.51 miles and burned 357 calories.

Soundtrack

• El Torrente – Minus the Bear
• 7/4 (Shoreline) – Broken Social Scene
• Little Thoughts – Bloc Party
• October is Eternal – Of Montreal
• Can’t Think About It Now – Lifetime
• Present of Future End – Most Serene Republic
• E-Pro – Beck
  

Tonight I watched episode 3 of Lost Season 5 (Jughead) while working out on the elliptical.
Final stats: 6.23 miles and burned 639 calories

Haven’t weighed myself in like a day or two, but I was down to like 186 (-3 lbs)… not too bad in two weeks, with no diet change.

Anyway, going to try to get in some elliptical tomorrow and Friday AM, as we’re heading to Albany for the weekend to visit family. Hopefully I can get in Friday AM at the very least. If not I’ll be skipping two days in a row for the first time. Definitely want to avoid that as much as possible.

Jason:
Tonight I hit up the elliptical again and watched episode 2 of Lost [Season 5] – The Lie. Went for 6.04 miles and burned 619 calories.

Overall, I think I am making good progress. Been over 6 miles and 600 calories the last few times, it seems like it is getting easier (both flying by faster and physically easier), and I feel better. I think a lot better, actually… so that is real encouraging. I currently take blood pressure pills and have borderline cholesterol issues, so it will be interesting to see how much progress I can make before my next check up in November. If these last two weeks are any indication, it will surprise the doctor for sure.

Looking back at the last 14 days, I’ve done the elliptical 9 times, ‘play’ exercised 3 days, and skipped 2 days. Not too bad and pretty much what I hope to stay on after these 30 days… 4 to 5 days of exercise ever 7 days and never skip two days in a row.

And Melisa is pretty sore from running last night! Got me to re-think my ‘take it to the streets’ idea last night. I’ll stick with my lower-impact elliptical, thank you very much!

Jason:

Changed things up today, as I decided to start re-watching Season 5 of Lost instead of listening to music. Tonight I watched episode one – Because You Left. It really made the time fly, as I focused on the episode, rather than the clock/mileage/calories… I ended up with 6.00 miles and 616 calories burned. Not as good as the last few, but it seemed easier which I guess is good. The only negative to watching episodes, is it pretty much sucks the entire ipod battery for one episode… so I’ll need to re-charge each day to make sure I have enough juice. We’ll see how that goes…

Melisa went on a run with her friend Lis tonight [see Lis, I wrote about you! ], which ended up lasting more than 45 minutes… she seemed to think it went quick though. Maybe I’ll have to try an outdoor run one night, in order to compare it to the elliptical and see what I can do on the streets.

I’ll end the weekend with a quote from Lucy… (I think she is watching too much Electric Company!)

Word up, Momma.

She’s also said “hey you guys!”, like they do on Electric Company… if you have seen the show. Ha, too funny!

Jason:

OK, so I skipped yesterday. My first, I didn’t really do anything active skip. I was beyond beat last night, so I decided to get rest instead. That seemed to pay off. Tonight I got back on the elliptical, though. I got off to a seriously good pace to shatter my previous best, but hit a wall at five minutes to go and kind of coasted my way to the end. The 30 minutes seem to be getting easier to do, so I definitely am making progress.

Exercise of Choice: 30 minutes on the elliptical (6.08 miles and burned 625 calories)
Soundtrack:

• You Are – Built to Spill
• Out of Routine – Idlewild
• Unguided – The New Pornographers
• Runaway – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• The Radiator Hums – Cursive
• The Embassy – Mos Def
• Third Cross Salute – Falling Forward
• Hotel Arizona – Wilco

Melisa
Exercise of Choice: Elliptical for 30 min. (5.75 miles, 591 calories)
Reading: Prodigal Summer by Kingsolver

Jason

Feeling pretty good each day. Not as tired as I was for sure. I feel like I am starting to get in shape, regardless if weight isn’t coming off yet. (Not that I have to lose that much.) Each day sells me more and more on continuing this past the 30 days, so that is all I can ask for…

Exercise of Choice: Elliptical for 30 minutes (6.07 miles, 627 calories!)

Weight: not today!

Number of “passed with flying colors” dental appointments: 1

Number of good mid-years reviews: 1

Soundtrack:

• Spikes to You – Drive Like Jehu
• Ellen and Ben – The Dismemberment Plan
• Bright Pink Bookmark – Frightened Rabbit
• An Eluardian Instance – Of Montreal
• Drop It Doe Eyes – Los Campesinos!
• There There. (The Boney King of Nowhere.) – Radiohead
• As Your Ghost Takes Flight – Saves the Day
• Violently Happy – Bjork
• Misfits and Mistakes – Superchunk

Melisa
Exercise of choice: basement elliptical while staring at fake wood paneling
Distance: 5.87 miles? km? not sure on the units..
Calories burned: 604
Soundtrack: I’m a constant skipper of songs that come on that I don’t like so today it was a mix of M. Ward, Band of Horses, Silversun Pickups, Conor Oberst and Superchunk.

Jason

Back on it tonight. Was way too tired last night… so I skipped a day. Tonight, I hit up the elliptical.

Stats: 5.63 miles and burned 597 calories

Weight: haven’t in a few days…

Soundtrack:

• U-Trau – Jawbox
• The Conversation – Elliott
• Plans – Bloc Party
• Complications – Broken Social Scene
• Skeletons – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Unsalted Butter – The Long Winters
• Slugs in the Shrubs – Les Savy Fav
• Cruel Swing – Jawbox

*Day 6*

Played in park for 2+ hrs. and cleaned for 2+ hours, but no formal exercise.

*Day 7*

Went to bed at 8pm!  HA!  Studied the inside of my eyelids instead of exercising!

*Day 8*

Weight: Not telling, but I think I lost a pound miraculously!

Exercise of choice: 50 min. walk around neighborhood with Lucy and Zoey in stroller and Stella in hiking backpack on my back.

Soundtrack: Lucy narrating the walk

Just a note on wearing your baby for a walk.  Obviously it doesn’t work to jog/run with a baby in sling, although its entertaining to think about that visual.  In the evenings I can start running, but for now my only option from about morning until 7/8pm is walking with the kids- at least as far as I can figure out (suggestions please!)  But I am having an issue deciding how to carry either Zoey or Stella on these walks.  For what its worth..

The backpack aluminum frame carrier for hiking that we have is great, but heavier and not as comfortable.  It does allow me to put one of the twins in it and “stand” her there until I can get everyone else in the stroller.  This is good for Stella since she is so fast at crawling and hard to contain.  Zoey still doesn’t crawl and only walks when you can get her to standing.  However, Zoey likes this one more since she can move around a bit and sits up higher.  It also has a sun hood, which is so nice, along with a small pouch on the back to put keys, etc in.  I also like how I can sit down and undo the waist belt and it can free stand with the baby in it so I can get her off easily and safely.  However, its the heaviest option and when the baby falls asleep, she rests her head on the padded bar or the back of your head, which makes it kind of off balanced and harder to carry and move your head.  I tried this today and Stella slept the whole 50 minutes in it and was leaning heavily to my right side, giving me a neck cramp!

The new Ergo carrier I found is sooooo comfortable for me, but hard to get the baby into solo since it doesn’t have a frame that is stiff. I basically lay it flat, put Stella in the middle of it where her butt fits and quickly put on the waist belt and shoulder straps while sitting in front of her.  This has only worked once.   The other times I tried, she wiggles away, stands up holding onto my shoulders, etc. and then gets irritated when I try to get her into it again.  The Ergo seems best with another person to help you do it.  However, when the baby falls asleep they make a nice little snuggle between your shoulders and you can bend your body with theirs.  Zoey hates being this confined and won’t ride in it and the only other negative is getting baby’s hat on her on a sunny day, especially if your kids are like mine, and hate wearing any clothes they can get off themselves.

I haven’t tried the Moby Wrap while on a long walk in a while since I have to wear the baby on the front when I am solo.  Wrapping the baby on your back requires another person’s help definitely.  It takes a bit of practice to wrap it right, but I’m a whiz with the front wrap after almost 2 years.  The problem with walking is that the girls are too big to put on my front without seriously hurting my back after a while.  Plus they are so tall their heads come up to mine and their bodies get too close to the stroller handle bars if i should hit a big bump in the pavement, especially when going fast!

So, for what its worth there are some thoughts on baby wearing and long walking.  Any ideas from Moms that have tried other carriers, or these carriers other ways?

Day 6 was 2+ hours at the park playing with the girls, as we had an impromptu picnic with our friends and their kids at Delaware Park. It was a beautiful day and we all had a fun time. Hopefully there are more days like that this summer!

*Day 7 Update*

Jason:

Finally got back to the elliptical tonight after a couple days of ‘play’ exercise this weekend. Another late exercise session, so I kept it shorter than 30 minutes, but also tried to push past the marks I set in the previous 20-minute session. Bested both, so that’s good to see.

Overall, I am thinking more and more that our life doesn’t fit the 7-day workout regime, as you’ve probably witnessed over the last week! No duh, right? Well, my main thinking was it would help solidify the habit and routine. I think it does accomplish that, but I also need to be realistic – especially given that it’s summer and there are plenty of opportunities to get outside and move.

I also came across a great article on Zen Habits called The Healthy and Fit Algorithm. Definitely worth a read. The points on exercise really hit home, as I thought about this little challenge:

Exercise:

1. Do it 4 times per week for at least 30 minutes. Seriously, doesn’t matter. Basketball, jogging, weights, push ups, etc. Unless you have a specific goal just make sure to get it done!
2. The two day rule! You can’t miss 2 days of working out in a row. You can skip one day. But not the next!
3. Don’t let the “Exercise Monster” build up. When I don’t do laundry for a while it becomes what I like to call the ‘Laundry Monster’. It builds up in my mind and I avoid doing it at all costs. Until finally, I have to. And it’s never as bad as I think it’ll be! Don’t let it happen to you. Follow the two day rule!
4. Don’t focus on exercising at a certain time. Just focus on making time to exercise!
5. Make it fun! Listen to music; join a nice gym; etc. Bonus: If you love working out with music as much as I do, only listen to your favorite music while you workout. I’ve actually exercised just to listen to my music.
6. Focus on how you want to feel. We always feel energized after we workout. Yet, we usually skip exercise when we’re feeling tired! Remember: Exercise will give you energy. Want more energy? Exercise more!

My plan is to try one more week of every day exercise, then consider moving to a four day regime and use the two-day rule if things are still crazy hectic. I would prefer to finish out the 30 days with an every day workout, but I also need to strike a balance with everything else. With that said, off to do the dishes quick before bed!

Day Seven Meta
Weight: Didn’t today, but I did weight myself yesterday was in the same 188-190 range.
Exercise of Choice: Elliptical for 20 minutes (4.32 miles and burned 349 calories)

Soundtrack

• This Are Flashes – Q and Not U
• Close to Home – The Get Up Kids
• Asleepers Union – Les Savy Fav
• One After One – Dananananakroyd
• Cheated Hearts – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• Reprobate’s Resume – Les Savy Fav