Monday was the first day of my Biggest Loser Competition with some friends. Basically everyone kicks in $10, does whatever diet and exercise they want for the duration of the challenge, weighs in at the end and the biggest loser (percentage of body weight) wins the money! We’re actually doing top 2 winners, which makes it a little more fun. It’s kind of nice to have a formalized challenge and a group of girls that I can talk to daily about weight loss, recipes, workouts, temptations, and body image. Support groups are life.

Here’s my plan for the next 5 weeks (and this is a ROUGH plan)

• Carefully plan, meal prep, and eat low-carb breakfasts & lunches at home
• Drink a full water before each Diet Coke
• Increase my cardio (Zumba) to 3x a week and weightlifting to 2x a week
• Cook low carb dinners 2x a week
• Keep meditating! It really helps with my mental strength and willpower
• Go to bed earlier – shoot for 10 pm (LOL)
• Wear my Fitbit everyday and more closely monitor my step count
• Make cheating count! I’m totally ok with cheating here and there. Avoiding it or making myself feel guilty only makes me less likely to keep dieting! I just want it to be worth it. No more eating half a loaf of french bread on the drive home from the grocery store. If I’m gonna cheat I want it to be a huge delicious Costa Vida burrito at dinner with friends. Ya feel?

If you’ve read my blog before or talked to me for more than 2 minutes chances are I have brought up Vasa Kid Care. And I don’t take it back. Vasa Kid Care is amazing and it’s the single best thing that’s happened to me since having Reese I swear it. They are SO GREAT.  I feel totally safe and confident leaving Reese with them, and they love her so much. I love working out, but if it weren’t for Kid Care I would only go 1-2 times a week and it would be so much more of a hassle. Plus you have to schedule it in advance and they charge you $1 if you miss your appointments, so I’ve never been this regular in my gym attendance in my life LOL. And mentally I just really think each mom needs an hour or two to herself to not worry about baby at all and just zone out. When my night anxiety gets really bad I know the best way to combat it is to hit as many Zumba classes as I can that week and soon I’m sleeping like hibernation. For $5 a month it really is insanely priced and so so worth it. THIS ISN’T EVEN A SPONSORED POST. I JUST LOVE VASA KID CARE SO MUCH. Anyway that’s my schlpeel.

I’m going to the gym 3x a week minimum, and hauling Reese there with me, so I’ve worked out the gym bag essentials that I need to make the trips successful. After having to cut workouts short because I was hungry or Reese was hungry or she decided to have an unexpected diaper event I decided it was time to get more serious about packing my gym bag.

My Gym Bag Essentials

Left to right, Top to bottom – I know I need to learn to do a product collage. One day.

Gym Bag (Victoria’s Secret Pink) – I love this bag because it’s really light and thin and not bulky, even with all the crap I’m hauling.

Under Armor Zip Hoodie – I got this for Christmas and it’s my new favorite! I usually work out in tanks but it’s much too cold to head into the gym without a jacket on top. I sometimes wear this while warming up a little too because it’s so soft and flexible.

Headband (Victoria’s Secret Sport) – I keep one of these in my bag (along with some hair ties and bobby pins) just in case I really feel the need to get my hair outta my stare. This one is cute and funky so I particularly like it for Zumba!

S’well Water Bottle – My best friend E gave me this water bottle and I love it! It keeps my water cold and just makes me feel so classy.

Book (Why Not Me by Mindy Kaling) – I don’t do much machine cardio anymore, but sometimes I arrive too late for Zumba or I’m nursing a bit of an injury and need to just do some light elliptical. For those times it’s best for me to read something interesting and hilarious to trick myself into forgetting that I’m actually doing cardio.

Beats – I’ve had these headphones for 2 years now and I love them. Loud, noise-canceling, and hot pink… what more could you want?

Cliff Bar (Cool Mint Chocolate) – I’ve been trying a lot harder to eat breakfast, but it’s still not natural for me. This is the only type of Clif bar I like so I keep a handful in my pantry and always have one in this bag, because when I work out on an empty stomach I’m so lazy and weak and lame.

Arm Band – Honestly I don’t even remember where I got this… maybe groupon? Groopdealz? I don’t wear it all the time. But it is really nice if I don’t want to stuff my phone in my waistband or bra.

Gum – Sometimes I head to the gym after lunch with my mother- and sister-in-law, or I was wolfing down an egg cup in the car. Trust me, gum is a good idea.

Hand Sanitizer – Not only am I a former teacher who sings the praises of hand sanitizer, but I’m also a huge sucker for the cutie baby ones from Bath & Body Works. The gym and Kid Care have hand sanitizing stations and wipes, but I prefer the fun smelling ones that I bring myself.

Lip Balm – I’m so so dry, and having cracked, bleeding lips is so obnoxious when you’re working out. I keep an Eos lip balm in there and I use it almost every single time!

Wipes & Diaper – Kid care will call you if your kid has a diaper problem or if they cry for 10 minutes straight, otherwise they’re really good about keeping them so you can get in a good workout. I don’t want to bring my full diaper bag because I only have to go change Reese like 1/10 times. I got this tiny pack of like 20 wipes in the travel size section, and I keep 1-2 diapers in my gym bag just in case. They have a changing station so I don’t bother with my changing pad.

Outfit – I learned the hard way that a blowout can really ruin your workout. At the time I was exhausted and feeling gross and was honestly a little relieved for the excuse to leave. But when I realized it was a blowout and I didn’t have ANYTHING with me? That wasn’t so great. She was totally chill riding home in her diaper, obviously, because she’s Reese. At the same time once I got home I realized what a waste that was, and wished I had just been more prepared so that I could quickly change her and get back to finishing my workout, since I had come all that way and was in the mindset, you know?

Burp Cloth – Reese does this thing where as soon as I open the car door to get her out she sneezes? It’s gotta be something to do with the bright light but it’s pretty gross. And you know, you really just have to carry a burp cloth everywhere you go, just in case. That’s mom life.

Bottle – I leave Reese with a bottle (they have you label it with a piece of tape with her name on it), which prolongs my workout and makes her even more happy to be there. I think they like it too, because babies love people who feed them when they’re hungry. Reese has grown to love the Kid Care people, and smiles and yells happily when we walk up to the door. It’s the best.

Wallet (not pictured) – I usually throw my wallet in there too, because I’ll go grab lunch with friends afterwards or my favorite – an Ivie Beach Babe acai bowl because they opened up shop literally adjacent to the University Vasa. YAHTZEE.

Yoga Mat (not pictured) – I haven’t been to a yoga class in forever, but I have been trying to do yoga at home once a week. Obviously I’m not hauling my yoga mat to the gym for Zumba or weightlifting, but it kind of goes with this category, no?

Foam Roller (not pictured) – Again, I don’t take this with me, and they have some there. But I bought this foam roller to help me work out knots and tense muscles when I started working out again postpartum. I use it at least once a week and anytime I’m feeling tight and painful.

I’m really grateful that I can take the time to exercise and not feel like it’s a drag or a hassle. It’s really important to me that I pass down a tradition of fitness and body appreciation to Reese and my kiddos. It’s never too early to start!