I confess that since our heifers started calving the 11th of April, I have not worked out (save for a couple yoga workouts and trying to figure out how to do a “sit out“).
However, that’s not to say I’m not getting plenty of exercise. In fact, my legs may hate me this morning.
We’ve had snow, around 21 inches of it, on and off on the ground since April 13.
Now, I don’t know how many of you have trudged through snow wearing Carhartts and Muck Boots, with an extra three pounds of gumbo (the type of soil here) attached to your coveralls and boots, but let me tell you, your glutes and quads and calves (no pun intended), all get a workout.
I also don’t know how many of you have had to pick up a calf that may weight 75lbs and move them out of a snowbank, but I think you’re getting my my point – calving heifers can be a workout.
Not only do you do a lot of moving – sorting calved pairs from heavies (those that are close to calving), but if you’re me, you check on them all night, save for the weekends, when The Cowboy relieves me, and I attempt to get a full-night’s sleep. Then there’s the 9am text, when you’ve not slept a lot the night before telling you that there may be a calf to pull. So you go to the barn, without coffee or breakfast, and you’re covered in birthing fluids by 10am. There’s also the technique involving core muscles, that helps when you’re trudging through the semi-frozen sludge as I like to call it, at a 4am calf check. Sometimes a foot may sink, other times you may stay on top, and you have to be prepared for either!
Again, I find myself frustrated! Despite my increased activity, my 1200 calorie per day diet, and eating mostly clean, I’m still barely able to fit into any of my jeans – I’m down to one pair that I can wear comfortably – and I’m not losing. AT. ALL.
Lucky for me the weather should straighten up this week and maybe this weekend I’ll be able to head outdoors for some interval training. It’s difficult to find the energy to do additional working out when you spend your day bottle feeding calves, tagging calves, or sorting pairs and you spend your night trudging through the semi-frozen ground of the pens; mostly I just think napping sounds good in between all of those activities!
Even though I’m unhappy with my progress, I couldn’t be happier about spring, and honestly, aren’t these cuties worth a little set back?
How’s your weight loss journey going? I’d love to hear from you!
Happy Trails and Happy Hump Day!
Have no fear, went though all this when calving heifers and cows back in Jan/feb. Now getting ready to start breeding heifers next week, weight will start to shed when running back and forth from the sorting pens to the chutes while breeding cows. 🙂
I’m right there with you! This Spring better bring done big changes!
Hang in there cowgirl, springs coming and the pounds will shed off like the horses winter coats. We’re almost done calving here, I love calving season!!
Your babies are all adorable. Ours were all scheduled to arrive in early spring so we are all finished with that. Keep up the good work and one day the pounds will drop!
I’ve read a lot about how lack of sleep can effect weight loss efforts – could be part of your problem. Good Luck – love all your calf pictures!
I think you’re right! I even just heard a fitness ad on the radio that said, you snooze you lose!