Baby and Me Exercises

  At my yearly physical last week, my doctor informed me that I needed to build lean muscle mass.  Well, I don't really have the free time to go lift weights at the gym and so I decided to try some exercises I can do with the babies.
For the first part of our work out, we head over to the nearby lake and I push the kids up a really steep hill ten times.

(this obviously is not me, but it was the closest picture I could find of what I do minus one kid and with a steeper incline....Same type of stroller, though.  The picture is from http://www.itstwinsanity.com/2011_03_01_archive.html [and I thought I had it tough])

After that we head home and I do four exercises with my kids.  We do three sets of 20 reps for each exercise.

The first is Baby Press:

(photo courtesy of http://www.rookiemoms.com/do-baby-bench-press/)

I lie on my back with one of my kids on my chest.  I left him/her up with both arms and then back down again for one rep.

Next we do push-ups:

I lay my baby on the floor facing me and get in a push-up position above him/her.  I then go down and kiss my baby for one rep.

Next we do crunches:

(photo courtesy of http://babyfit.sparkpeople.com/pregnancy-exercise.asp?ID=282&extype=pp)

I sit my baby on my tummy and crunch up.

Finally, we do baby squats:

(photo courtesy of http://breezymama.com/2009/06/01/exercise-with-your-baby-4-moves-to-blast-your-butt-and-thighs/)

Unlike the picture, I hold my baby out in front of me at arms length.  I face him/her outward so he/she can look around.

Its a great way to build muscle and keep my babies happy.  Only problem is that Tali likes it so much that she cries when its not her turn. :(

Super Vinegar!

When I decided to cure Tali's diaper rash with apple cider vinegar, I found a site that lists all the benefits of the condiment including cure for diaper rash (which, I'm happy to say, worked).  According to this site, apple cider vinegar can be used to benefit a plethora of ailments from cancer to varicose veins.  I've already talked about its miraculous capability at fighting diaper rash, but I have been using apple cider vinegar to prevent and treat bladder infections.  This may be TMI, but I've had a problem with recurring bladder infections for many years...I'm talking, I would get one every six weeks.  In November, the familiar burn started again, but this time the medication I was prescribed did not work.  My body had become immune.  I decided to take a different approach and that's when I started taking a tablespoon of vinegar three times a day.  I hadn't had any problems until a couple of weeks ago.  At the first tingle, I took a tablespoon of vinegar.  Shortly after that, I had to go again and afterwards I took another tablespoon.  After a couple of hours of repeating this process, my symptoms completely went away and they haven't been back.  With that said, always consult your physician.  My doctor is aware of my remedy and supports it for me.
Anyway, here is the website listing the benefits of the Super Vinegar:http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/home-remedies.html.

Better Than Botox

  Okay, so the title is a bit of a misnamer, but 'Better Than Reconstructive Surgery' didn't sound as good.  Anyway, as you can imagine, carrying triplets did quite a number on my skin.  My stomach, hips, and thighs are paved with winding roads of angry purple stretch marks and the skin around my stomach sags like a droopy, rotten peach.  I was always under the impression that the skin would tighten and heal, and then I accidentally tuned into Dr. Drew.  If you are unfamiliar with Dr. Drew, he is (now) a talk show host and the father of triplets. Even though I hadn't meant to watch the show my interest was piqued because he was talking with Kate Goslin (Kate Plus Eight).  They began to discuss staying in shape and the body of a mother of higher order multiples.  To my great disappointment, Dr. Drew proceeded to comment that, "the body is just not designed to carry so many children and the only way to restore the brutality of the birth of multiples is by reconstructive surgery.  That's what my wife had to get done.  It just tares up your body." (paraphrased)
   This was depressing to me.  There is no way that I am going to have reconstructive surgery and I just don't feel confident about the way I look.  I understand that beauty is only skin deep, but I do not feel good about myself or confident about the way I look.  Our appearance on the outside can effect us emotionally and after I had the kids I have not had the same confident body image that I once had.  So, I've set out to prove Dr. Drew wrong.  I am going to change the appearance of my skin naturally.  Here is how:

-In the morning and at night, I'm going to hydrate my skin with pure vitamin E oil and Aloe (Vitamin E helps to tighten loose skin and aloe restores damage)
-Every other day I will scrub my skin with a mixture of olive oil and coffee grinds (Olive oil helps to hydrate and the caffeine in the coffee helps to smooth skin while the grinds scrub away dead skin)
-Every other day (after I use my scrub) I apply self-tanner.  I apply a coat just over the stretch marks and, after drying, a coat over the rest of my skin.  This will help to cover the appearance of the stretch marks
-Stay hydrated every day

  So I'm going to be brave and post a picture of me in a bikini and without any make-up.  Hopefully in a few months (years) I can post another one with beautiful, purple road and rotten peach free skin.  Maybe by then everyone will be using my skin tightening formula.