Birdalamode

Losing The Baby Weight

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Feeling a little inadequate to write todays blogpost all about weight loss as I sit here & can still feel some loose skin and rolls creeping over my pants.

But I have come a long way. 6 weeks ago I was 28 lbs heavier as I was pregnant with my sweet baby boy. I feel grateful as I only have a handful of lbs to lose. Which I tell my husband I might purposely hold onto for as long as possible because once the lbs are gone then what? I’m just skinny Shannon forever – knock on wood –

Losing a dramatic amount of weight might be the best feeling in the world. Throw a yummy newborn in my arms and I feel like Wonder Women, & I can do anything, hence hightailing to Vegas with a 2 week old.

So how do I lose the weight?

It’s a combo of things

Nursing/Pumping

I get water and calories out of me 5 ounces at a time every 2-3 hrs. I believe in breastfeeding with all my heart for the health benefits of both mom & baby. But please don’t feel ashamed if you chose not to. It is so hard and some babies don’t take to it. And that’s why formula was invented. No shame in using it.

Drink For Fuel

One of the best parts of having a baby is the hospital water bottle. I drink at least 8 of these a day for the first 6 weeks. It actually feels me up and makes me feel less hungry. So instead of eating when our body sends the hunger pain signal drink some water first and then eat. Its really helped me.

As I now start to work out I will post more about health and fitness along with my personal goals and how I plan to achieve them.

I hope you find this post helpful and it answered some of your questions. Have a great weekend friends!

Keeping Firm With Clarins

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Special thanks to Clarins for sponsoring today’s post.


I am just about 9 months pregnant gaining weight rapidly, about a pound a week. I don’t mind the number on the scale as long as I can keep firm and toned during my pregnancy. In my experience it’s been easier to get back to my pre pregnancy body if I maintain muscle tone. My theory is the more I can do before baby, the less work I have to do when he gets here.

Clarins’ new Body Fit is that extra step in your fitness routine that you never knew you needed. A couple weeks ago, I started using Clarins’ new Body Fit cream along with my treadmill (walking at an incline) to fight and target my stubborn unwanted cellulite to get me ready for my baby moon. I used my cream during my trip & have continued to use the cream even after in hopes to prevent cellulite.

I’ve noticed a major improvement since using Clarins’ Body Fit cream. My legs haven’t felt this healthy in a long time. They look smoother and feel more firm, especially behind my thighs. I also love the great cooling sensation and how it dries quickly.

My skin started looking and feeling smoother in just a week. Clarins’ Body Fit cream is a light, non-oily texture with a pleasant fragrance and does an amazing job at correcting and preventing  cellulite.

But how?

The ingredients in Clarins’ Body Fit stimulates fat release and limits fat storage. I have personally noticed the changes in my skin, especially in the thigh area, feeling lifted, smoother & firmer.  I will definitely be using Clarins’ Body Fit post baby to help me tone and to get swimsuit ready, again.

I highly recommend Clarins’ Body Fit for all of you who are like me, who hate fighting gravity and cellulite.

**Warning… you will get addicted to this product and you will see results!**

We Have To Stretch To Grow

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lilac & ivory tank (kate spade) / pink bow neck zip up (kate spade) / bow black leggings (kate spade) / black scallop activity tracker (kate spade) / yoga bag (kate spade) / adidas (nordstrom)

The word of the month is “Grow”. With each new blogpost I slowly stop recognizing myself as my baby bump starts filling out. Today I went to the Dr.s and he said by my next appointment my baby will double in size, how fun and wild is that! -I’ll be in my third trimester very soon!

These last couple of weeks are crucial in my babies growth, which is why I am highly encouraged to stop nursing Briton. This appointment was music to my husbands ears. And something he’s been trying to tell me for a while now.

But there is something about hearing it from a Dr. and hearing all the reasoning why has me determined to stop today! I haven’t nursed Briton since my appointment and put Briton to sleep by rocking him. I’m not in pain yet, praying I don’t get mastitis this time around.

We also spoke of my birth plan and travel plans. We got some good news. I’ve been so worried about traveling with the zika virus. I got the green light for Hawaii, so babe start booking 🙂 I also got the red light for Dallin’s off roading trip he and his brothers have planned middle of April. That is if he wants to be there for the birth. I was told to plan on my birth and delivery to be similar to that of my others. From 36 weeks to 37 weeks, and to get in the car as soon as I start feeling my labor signs or my water breaks because we live an extra 25 mins away from our hospital and it doesn’t take many contractions to get me to go from a two to a 10.

With my babies coming early, getting the little boy inside of me as big as possible is our goal. Boy’s develope slower (lungs) so we don’t want to risk Briton taking any nutrients and calories away from him.

Wish me luck, I’m going to need it! Everyone has their battles and this is definitely mine. I hate being capable of giving my child what they want/need (nursing), but having to say no and to make them cry while I painfully fill up with lechè is so hard for me. Since this is my second attempt to stop nursing the Britzy, I think/hope it will go a lot more smoothly than the first time 🙂

-Knock on wood-

*A special thanks to Kate Spade for my new workout clothes, they are perfect to “grow” in and one day, I will shrink in them. Seriously the softest, prettiest and most comfortable yoga pants I’ve ever worn.

Altar’d

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I’m really excited to tell you all about Z Living’s newest show Altar’d (premiering January 17th at 8pm)! Z Living, the TV network dedicated to all things health and wellness, has tons of great new shows, but I’m most excited about Altar’d because of the positive and healthy transformations COUPLES make before their big day – their wedding day that is. These 90 day-transformations are not just about weight loss, it’s about shedding all kinds of baggage before the wedding.  The couples are separated to undergo their inspiring personal wellness transformations, with the big reveal at the altar. It’s so inspiring!

I know first-hand how simple changes to diet, exercise and self-care can lead to big transformations. I wish I had known this before I got married, or at least practiced it. I am just glad I now know what works for me. The picture on the left is what I looked like 6 months after marriage, and the one on the right is how I looked after I did some very simple alterations to my diet and workout routine. I am so excited for all of these people who get the chance to lose weight and make positive and healthy transformations  before they say, “I do”. Looking back, I wish I had embraced these type of transformations, too!

Just the other day my husband said to me he wished he had done things a little differently as well. He said he had wished he had proposed to me in the spring, when he told me he loved me, and that he would have married me in the summer when a wedding would have been much easier for me. Instead he reserved his feelings and we traveled like crazy all spring and summer, rarely ever making mention of marriage, just having fun. The very night before Dallin proposed to me, and right before I was going to sign up and pay for my fall semester for college, I walked into his room and asked, “are we ever going to get married?”  I had NEVER said something so bold to him our entire dating history. He said, “not to worry…we will talk in the morning and for me to get some rest!” I walked out of the room crying knowing I was going to have to break up with him if we were not engaged by fall semester. I couldn’t emotionally be with someone anymore that was taking this long to be in love enough to marry me… Or so I thought…. He paid little attention to me the entire next morning. (Little did I know he had a ring in his pocket and was just nervous) I thought he was thinking the same thing as me, that we had reached the end of our courtship. We went out to the court and played a silent game of tennis, then his sister yelled over the intercom “everyone we’re going to the boardwalk!” When we arrived at the boardwalk, I kept trying to hold his hand and he kept trying to walk ahead of me. My last attempt to hold his hand, I was like, “Dallin I really have to go to the bathroom” then he pivoted and dropped to his knee to propose!!!! I just about peed my pants! His family swirled around me and a huge crowd gathered around us. I was SHOCKED! I had no idea how to feel. I just kept saying FINALLY!  My emotions got the best of me and I started crying. I obviously said yes…but Dallin kept asking me over and over again if I did actually say yes! 🙂

 He planned our marriage date around BYU football games, he didn’t want it conflicting with the other major event that weekend, our marriage!!!  It was a couple weeks into my semester, and then we were off to an exotic honeymoon for two weeks. We close on our new home from our Honeymoon, and we barely had time to move in before were off to NJ for a week for our Open House at the Ocean City Yacht Club. It was a dream, but my grades were SHOT! It was a miracle I graduated with a GPA above a 3.5! My student teaching semester, which gave me a 4.0 for that semester, brought my GPA back up, however I was stressed out about it for two years.  Dallin learned not to bring up my grades to me, because I kinda blamed him for our mid-semester wedding and he had zero consideration for my grades. 🙂 As soon as I graduated, it was as if the biggest weight of the world was taken off my shoulders. I instantly was able to drop weight and focus on anything but school.  I also got off birth control, which helped with my post graduation/marriage transformation. However, when I started working out I didn’t notice immediate results.  I knew I needed more than just a consistent work out routine.

 I had to change my diet! I started with having a protein shake for breakfast instead of cereal, then I added a second one in for lunch instead of a sandwich and the pounds just came off. I also didn’t go for endurance when I ran, I felt that always tired me and I ate more throughout the day when I did. Instead I either did fat burn or sprint workouts.  I got just the right amount of muscle tone.

Don’t forget to tune in to the premiere of Altar’d Tuesday January 17th at 8pm on Z Living. I can’t wait to see the big reveals each week! 

Exercise at Every Size

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Today I’m sharing a little pregnancy fitness advice. I get that I am not the epidomy of #goalz or “in shape” at the moment. Nor is everyone who reads this post going to be pregnant.  But I do think this post can give everyone a little motivation at whatever stage of life you are currently in, or for nothing else a good belly laugh 🙂

In the above pictures I have just hit 6 months on the dot! And couldn’t be prouder to showoff my baby bump. I have been waiting for the day for it to start rounding out looking like I’m pregnant vs. I just had a big lunch.

Below I have shared posts from both this pregnancy and previous pregnancies. I still can’t believe this is my 4th baby /5th pregnancy!

Above I am 14 weeks pregnant. And in this post (see post here) I am sharing what I did for exercise when I was in my first trimester.

zumba (wear wrist weights that have finger holes preferably)

turbo jam (wear wrist weights)

Bob Harper (I do 20 mins beginner with 3 lb. weights, and I feel it every morning)

Tae Bo (wrist and ankle weights) *only wear ankle weights when doing stationary movements, never go running in them it will cause you shinsplints

Youtube (the 8 min abs, buns, arm, legs, and stretch, all while wearing wrist and ankle weights)

I am all about switching it up, working different muscles, and using light weights for sculpting. I do it after my kids fall asleep. I can no longer wake up before them and workout in the morning. I am personally more of a night owl so a night routine works best for me.

– See more at: http://birdalamode.com/category/exercise/#sthash.EPgBVHYs.dpuf

This is when I was 16 weeks pregnant with Briton (see post here)

When I am pregnant I am not trying to lose weight or hurt my baby, I am just trying to tone and feel good about myself as I face the ever increasing scale for the next 24 weeks. It’s all about raising those endorphins. I am just now starting to workout as I am starting to feel better, less vomiting is a plus, oh how I love the second trimester! For those of you who want some tight tummies for the summer and who are not pregnant enjoy and you have to tryout the abs as well. After I am done being pregnant, never do sit ups pregnant, you will RUIN your stomach, and your abs will split! I will be doing 8 min. Abs whenever I have a spare 8 mins. I swear by these workouts, and a lot of cardio and running to take off post pregnancy weight.

– See more at: http://birdalamode.com/category/exercise/page/8/#sthash.HB8oTRLu.dpuf

32 weeks pregnant with Briton (see post here)

First off I want to say that it is extremely important to take care of yourself while working out when you are pregnant, when you’re not pregnant too, but so-o important when you are.

The most important thing is to listen to your body.

If you feel too hot, dizzy take a break and hydrate.

Always tell your instructor/trainer that you are pregnant and ask for modified versions of the workout.

Don’t EVER do crunches while pregnant. I can’t see it being good for baby, and also what it will do to your already stretched out stomach muscles is not good. Girls you can tear and unproperly train your stomachs muscles when you do crunches while pregnant. You will ruin your previous abs. The result if you do will be protruding, split abs.

Always stretch. The last thing you would want is to pull something leading to expensive massages and/or bed rest.

Hydrate and eat to make up for your workout.

Wear ultra supportive workout shoes when working out. I am a huge fan of light workout shoes, but not when I am pregnant, I need all the support I can get. {especially with this pregnancy I have experienced some sciatica}

I hope I haven’t scared you from working out, I just want to let you know of some things to be cautious of. And to weigh the pros and cons of certain exercises.

For example I usually run on the treadmill when I am not pregnant. When I am pregnant I take classes or use the treadmill at an incline while walking.

– See more at: http://birdalamode.com/destinationmaternityworkoutclothes/#sthash.oyvD4gqv.dpuf

28 weeks pregnant with Briton (see post here)

Today I want to talk about working out. If you look at my third trimester body, obviously I am not the epitome of a super thin, toned workout guru. I want to first say that I struggle so hard to get motivated to workout when I know that I am not trying to lose weight and that when and if I workout I knowingly will probably eat more calories than I burned during my workout.

I also love playing with my kids. And sometimes use the excuse well we played basketball or tennis or something.

But there is something to be said about setting some personal time for yourself, and just focusing on your own personal workout.

What motivates me when I workout when pregnant is I tell myself it will help me lose weight faster after I have my baby, but most importantly it helps me with my mood.

I don’t know about all you other pregnant ladies out there, but it’s really hard for me to gain weight. Not in a I can’t sorta way, but in a I don’t want to show up to my Dr’s appointment because I dread the scale sorta way. It’s lame I know. For me this is the hardest part about being pregnant. Losing control over my body. As soon as I am pregnant I change my closet out fast. I am instantly in maternity pants and dresses and I hide all my “skinny” clothes. Trying to squeeze in them or being reminded of them is not good for my mood. I even take the batteries out of my scale. It is no longer a time to focus on me, it’s all about the baby.

So when I workout I feel like I am at least trying to maintain some sanity and I feel for the brief hour that I am normal Shannon. -minus the waddle 🙂

– See more at: http://birdalamode.com/category/exercise/page/7/#sthash.4M4Ph1uQ.dpuf

 

Home For Christmas

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We spent our first Christmas in our home and I loved every minute of it. There is something about staying home for the holidays that made it so magical. Every year we travel back east for a couple weeks, and that has always been a good time. But it was so much more magical starting our own family traditions and to not have to haul or skimp on presents due to traveling across the country. It was a total win-win situation and we were so lucky to have some of our family come stay with us this year.

The week was nonstop fun and full of activities. Almost everyday the entire Bird clan would wake up early & go skiing. I stayed home one day with the little ones cleaning etc. wishing I could fast forward to next year when I get to join the fun.

Holland was pretty upset and she even called my mom. She told her that the girls always get “weft” out and she wanted to ski. So we went to the ski shop, got Holland some new skis and boots and I did something I have never done while pregnant, I skied, after squeezing into my ski gear that is 🙂 Never in a million years did I ever think I would, but after being left out for 4 seasons*, I was determined to get out there with my family.

*they were not consecutive seasons

I was very carful and stuck to the magic carpet and bunny hills, we would occasionally go to the base of the mountain to catch a lift, because the kids felt so-o cool on them. We normally have a ski helmet and goggles for Briton, but we could not find them all week. He wore them four-wheeling and we just found them last night, so he too will be sporting a helmet. I, as well, will be joining the helmet crew soon. I am all about safety first. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask 🙂 I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas & have a happy New Year!!!!!

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