We’re halfway through Body Back. We’ve been at it for 4 weeks. 4 to go. Part of me is very sad about this. I’m enjoying it. I don’t want it to be half over. The other half of me is very excited because I’m seeing results. I was 7 or 8 lbs. down in the first 3 weeks. At Stroller Strides the other day, some of the Body Back veterans told me I looked good and they could tell a difference in my physique. I walked a little taller and held in my core a little tighter. Hells yeah, ya’ll!

Then I look at this pic and realize I have more work to do. Then I remind myself to be kind to me. I’ve gestated and birthed two remarkable humans with this body.

I don’t think I’ll lose weight tomorrow morning when I weigh in. You know how you can just tell sometimes? I lost 3 lbs. last week, but this week was different. I was hungrier and lazier. Well, I won’t say lazier, but a lot more tired. I worked out 4 days instead of 7. (Except for the planks. Those were everyday.) It’s amazing to me how I’m disappointed in myself for “only working out 4 days.” Before Body Back, 4 workouts in a week would’ve meant I was a fitness rockstar worthy of multiple desserts and another beer.

Our instructor Christie made a great point. We made it to the “21 day mark.” You know how they say, it takes 21 days to make a habit? Can this Body Back life be a habit? Logging on My Fitness Pal everyday, forever? Eh, likely not. But, being aware of what I’m consuming and how much I’m working out? Yes. That can be a habit.

Okay, we’re about to start a new week. After a week of  “taking it easy.” It’s on. I feel rejuvenated. No resting on my laurels. 4 more weeks. It’s on.

This week for Body Back we’ve been given a plank challenge. Dude. Holding plank? If you’ve ever held plank for an extended period of time you know how hard it is. It works your whole body. My husband has been timing me as I hold plank. Here’s the at-home exercises I’m doing this week:

Yes, I know it’s important to focus on your form while holding plank, but sometimes you need a distraction. This is me holding a 45 sec. plank tonight. I was talking about “Thomas The Tank Engine,” and English accents. Naturally.

Sometimes Greyson doesn’t tell me when it’s really over and lets me keep holding for 10 more seconds just to prove to me that I can do it. 10 more seconds, says the guy sitting and not holding plank. Stinker. I’m gonna make him do it with me. He can. He rocks at holding plank. I’m nervous about the last day though. I mean, 10 minutes of plank would be long for a Navy SEAL marathon runner. Geez. Wish me luck.

Am I right about the accents? British people sound American when singing except for Ed Sheeran and kids, right? 

It’s 10:00 pm the night before the Super Bowl. I’m staring at huge bags of tortilla chips, jars of queso blanco and other nacho necessities on my kitchen counter. I’m catching up on episodes of Shark Tank with my husband if anyone cares. We’re baller. Don’t hate.

We’re hosting the Super Bowl party for our friends. Specifically, our Fantasy Football league. We’re having a “Build Your Own Nacho Bar,” hence the chips.

Wait, wait. What do you call cheese that isn’t yours? Nacho cheese! (Get it? “Not yo” cheese.) Sorry, I’m really punchy and tired.

Anyway, I’m starting to realize the clean eating expected during Body Back is extremely difficult during the weekends. Super Bowl aside, we just left a Chili Cook-Off at church. There were nearly 15 different chilis to sample. Across the room? 15 different homemade desserts. I asked Charlotte what she wanted to make for the kids’ dessert cook-off. She said instantly and emphatically, “Chocolate pie!!!!”

Really sweetie? Are you sure you don’t want organic fruit salad with no added sugar?

Of course not. I used my favorite recipe for Chocolate Chess Pie  and had some sweet and wonderful moments with my little 4-year-old. Yes, I licked chocolate from my fingers and had a tiny sliver at the event. I’m a firm believer in not missing out on any fun or enjoyment. Just ask my husband. But, in the past I’ve gone too far. At Super Bowl parties in previous years I have downed beer, eaten wings and topped it off with a cookie cake with the competing team’s logos. I’m not even kidding you they had homemade chocolate covered potato chips that year. Gah! Amazing.

Oh, it is now 2:00 pm on Super Bowl Sunday. I got tired while writing this post last night. Then it was crazy this morning. I thought Henry was sick. We took him to the doctor. He’s not sick. Teething. Having a tough time. It was a rough night. Sorry. I’m back. 

Anyway, I’m all for the exercise and clean eating of Body Back. I’m down 5 lbs. in two weeks, so obviously I’m loving this. Even more than the weight, I just feel really good. I’m getting stronger. A gagillion crunches and lunges will do that. However, I do want to enjoy the Super Bowl nacho bar with my friends. I’m not going to restrict my diet to an extreme. I want my kids to see me healthy AND enjoy some indulgence WITHIN REASON.

My solution? Portion control. I have a plan. I’m skipping beer. Water only. I’m loading up my plate with veggies from the veggie tray. Instead of smothering my chips with cheese, I’m putting a small serving size on the side to dip some chips into. I’ve looked up all the calories on My Fitness Pal so I know how much I can eat ahead of time. Our instructor Christie always reminds us, “Plan ahead!”

The USDA reports that Super Bowl Sunday is the second largest food consumption day for Americans, behind Thanksgiving. I get it. Wings are delicious and the game is usually boring. So, plan ahead so you won’t overdo it and you can look as hot as Katy Perry or Tom Brady. Game on!

Body Back is incredible during the week. Early morning workouts give me momentum for five days of working out. Yes, I only go to Body Back class twice a week, but we do other supplement workouts during the week. For me, it’s Stroller Strides. Others in my group do different workouts. We communicate with our instructor Christie through our private Facebook group to stay focused and accountable.

Then the weekends come. Ah weekends! Date nights! Birthday parties! Football watching! Sleeping in for people with children older than mine! So many opportunities to be lazy and eat junk.

I got a great question on from a reader on Instagram today, “What about weekend workouts?”

Christie had a great remedy for combating weekend laziness. This challenge:

• 100 crunches
• 90 jumping jacks
• 80 lunges (front lunge, alternate sides, 40 each leg)
• 70 squats
• 60 secs running in place
• 50 second plank
• 40 jumping jacks
• 30 squats
• 20 high knees (Drive knees to chest, 10 each leg.)
• 10 push ups (Try on toes first. If not, get to your knees and get as low as you can. Be sure form is spot on!)

Seems easy enough, right? Well, we had to do it 4x’s during the weekend. One girl in my group did it 4x’s in one day! I divided it up to keep momentum through the weekend. I did this short, but intense workout Friday night, Saturday morning, Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon. We were traveling for a fun family weekend. We stayed at my sister’s house. I chose times to quickly slip away and get my workout in. Well, not really. I was really in the middle of my sister’s kitchen, or in the living room.

One of my favorite parts of a fun weekend with family and friends was Saturday morning. It was raining and cold and I wasn’t in the mood to workout until my husband said, “I want to do it with you. Come on.” That’s when the love of my life stood in the drizzle with me and did what felt like a million lunges.

I was wearing all black and I said, “Ah! We’re like Frank and Claire Underwood out here!”

How many days until Season 3 of “House of Cards?” Anyway, I’m losing focus. My husband said he was impressed with me and with the workout. It kicked his butt a little and he said he was feeling motivated by Body Back. Who says daddies don’t want their bodies back too?

If you try this, tell me! Anyone done short, intense workouts like this? Are they effective? 

I’ve been asked what you eat during Body Back. “So, are you on a diet?” “Are you doing like a Whole 30?” The short answer? Eh, sort of, but not really.

Body Back doesn’t focus on weight and calories as much as whole, healthy foods. Yes, you are weighed each week as a measure of progress, but the scale is not the focus like it is for other programs. There are other measures of progress like actual measurements of your waist, thighs and hips. Fitness assessments at the beginning and end of the 8 weeks also show your progress.

I say the focus is not on calories, but you do track your calories daily in food journals. Our class does it through the My Fitness Pal app. It’s easier for our instructor Christie to check it daily that way. I can update it from my phone. It’s not that hard. Christie emphasizes eating whole, unprocessed foods, but it’s not the end of the world if you have a slice of pizza.

In fact, I’m out-of-town at my sister’s house this weekend and we had Friday night pizza Dude! My sister ordered Mellow Mushroom! Good God, Mellow Mushroom! (She did ask me if it was okay since I’m doing Body Back. I gave her the go-ahead to order.) I had half a slice and salad. The rest of the week I have made dinners of foods like baked fish, steamed vegetables and salads. My Fitness Pal helps you customize your calories based on your weight, calorie burn etc.

One thing that I have issues with is my coffee and how I like it doctored up. Christie pointed out how coffee creamers are very processed sugars. Yep. They are. I joke with a friend that I like “chemical water” in my coffee. Seriously, it’s embarrassing how much of the stuff I drink. I haven’t given it up completely, but I’m cutting back. Here are some texts between Christie and me this week:

So I got Coconut Creamer. It’s not that great tasting. I may or may not have added a dollop of chemical creamer to my coffee with it. I’ve been doing half-and-half with sugar too. Not great, but not bad. Artificial sweeteners are out. I don’t like them anyway. I’m going to snag some non-fat half-and-half if it doesn’t have too many chemical ingredients. I’ve been looking for foods with a small list of easy to pronounce ingredients. Real food. Real ingredients. I can do it.

I must warn you to be careful as you are doing your research at the grocery store, especially if you have your child with you. I was perusing the creamers and texting Christie with my back turned to the cart for one second. This is what Henry did:

It cracked me up that it was called Henry Hotspur’s Hard Pressed for Cider.

Yeah, I was hard pressed for a drink after that, but I didn’t buy (another) one. I worried it wasn’t “whole” enough. Henry agreed.