Hello, Bare Beauties!  Where did the last three weeks go???  I hope you had a wonderful holiday!  Ours was so happy and fun, but I am still recovering.  My schedule has been packed since Annabel’s birth (the day before Thanksgiving).  My parents have been down twice, for about five days each visit, we had a baby nurse for ten days, my sister and her boyfriend came and stayed with us for five days, Richard and I went to New York so I could be in my friend’s wedding, and I’ve had the FLU – even though I got the flu shot, which I think is a total hoax, for the record.  (I got it for Annabel’s sake this year and thank goodness she is fine.)  I am exhausted just thinking about all this and I desperately need some “me-time”.

The definition of “me-time” sure has changed in the past seven weeks.   I am dying to workout. DYING.  And a power walk with Annabel does not count – I need my ass kicked.  All I want is an hour a day to go to a Pilates or aerobics class so I can just sweat and zone out.  I’ve tried to do a DVD at home, but after two leg-lifts, I lie down on the sofa and fall asleep.

And to all those sweet women who told me “nursing makes the baby weight fall right off” and “honey, you are all belly” when I was pregnant: I hate you.  You were wrong.  You LIED to me!!!  I was most definitely not all belly and there is no weight falling off around here.

So, I am going to start a little side project here at Bare Beauty to hold myself accountable.  Operation Lose Baby Weight Wednesdays starts today and ends three months from now, and dammit, it better work, or I may have to give away all our mirrors and switch my husband’s eyeglass prescription so he can’t see me.  And move somewhere cold; sweater-weather is saving me right now.

Since I am breastfeeding, I can’t do my favorite 21-day cleanse and I can’t “diet”.  But I can cut out gluten, dairy and sugar that doesn’t come from fresh fruit.  My sweet husband has also agreed to work from home for the first hour of his day or come home for lunch a few days a week so I can fit in a good, “me-time” workout.

Other than that, I don’t have much of a plan.  This is where you come in.  I know you are all health and fitness nuts and many of you are mothers.  What has worked for you?  Do you have a recipe you can contribute?  A workout routine you swear by?  I would love to know and so would all the other Bare Beauties out there.  Please share!

I am leaving you with my “Before” photos.  (Please excuse our not-so-decorated guest room.)  My fingers are crossed that the “After” photos will look much different!