I went for a quick run to the local sporting good store to buy a swimsuit. I just can't let another summer go by and force my children to miss out on the fun of the pool because their mother has body issues! I mean really, enough punishing myself, and don't you dare mess with my precious babies! Sooo, I went shopping, and came home without a suit. *sigh* These are the observations I made...
1) Wow, I am pasty, like I had to wear sunglasses just so I could look at the suits through all the glare! Ha. Apparently I CAN use self tanner while breastfeeding. Ok, will get on that!
2) A couple more salads a week and definitely a few more runs (like more than the TWO times I have run since my second son was born!) would not hurt me ONE bit!
3) I am VERY proud that I have almost NO cellulite on my body. It is shocking, and I LOVE it. I had LOADS of it after Lucas, but all the healthier eating with Liam, has done my thighs and booty some good!
4) I have very low standards in swimsuits.. so why can't I find one? All I want is one that covers my rear, and my chest, and doesn't cost $75. (It is not like I can expect a couple of pieces of SPANDEX is going to 'fix' the sins I have committed to my body, hahaha) I can find any two of those, but not all three. I KNOW that I will be most comfortable in a 'competition' type swimsuit, but those suckers are NOT cheap. Guess I will have to shell out that big cash. Why, oh why Sierra Trading, have you failed me this year? Ha
I am heading off to the 'promised land' (Oklahoma where I was raised) for the next two weekends. Poor hubby will be staying behind. That work thing, that pays for my higher ac bill since I seem to still have hormones racing through my body and I am HOT all the time! Haha. But I will get to see my mommy, work on this PASTY white body by laying on the dock in the lake. (there is not much better than that, really, not much makes me happier, well, except unsolicited hugs from my children!)
My mom has decided to be vegan again, and though I do not 'agree' with the diet, I am pretty happy. The healthiest and happiest I have ever seen her was the year she was vegan. She lost weight like crazy, she felt like she was in control, that really helps your self esteem! And she thought about what she put in her mouth, which really, is never a bad thing. Helping her get a good start on that, will help me remember that what I put in my mouth, always shows up on my body. My skin, my tummy, my thighs, my nails, you get the point.
After I get back, I have some ideas of what I will do for a while on the blog. I need some accountability with my meals. I am much busier with two little guys than I was before. So I either eat nothing all day and suffer headaches, or I stumble upon 'crap' food and scarf it down. Though, the 'crap' can't be too too bad since I have gone gluten-free and trying to avoid milk products, but still not the best stuff. So I might try and take pictures of everything I eat and post them. We will see. I would like to stop spending time on Farmville at night, and maybe spend less than half the time I WAS 'farming' and blog instead, then spend the rest of that time, snuggling with that man of mine. That man of mine, oh, that blessed, God given gift of a husband!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
I'M BACK
Sooo, long story short.. I was working hard towards my goal, making strides like crazy, and I started feeling dizzy during workouts and could barely make it through the day I was so tired. Then I went on a car ride over Memorial Day weekend, felt car sick.. and I KNEW... I was pregnant! WHAT! Sooo, fast forward 9 months later with lots of nausea (lasted the WHOLE pregnancy) and plenty of heartburn and only gaining 30 lbs (which, by the way is only HALF what I gained with my first child) my second son was born, the day before his older brothers fourth birthday no less! Oh, and this time, I got to birth on MY terms. I went to a birthing center and the experience, sans meds, was nothing short of euphoric. It was amazing, unbelievable, empowering and life changing. Nothing will ever compare, nothing. I am SO glad I did it that way!
Anyway.. here I am just over a year from when I started trying to get back to it and get in the best shape since I got married. And the 'dream' is still alive. However, nursing a voracious 4 month old and waking 1-2 times a night makes it mentally tough to deal with the 'dream'. I will say that I lost ALL my pregnancy weight in 3 WEEKS. Can you believe it? AND I am already a couple pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight!
So, Now I shall try to be consistent with chronicling becoming a fit NURSING mother. There does not seem to be very many examples of that in the fitness world. Surely you can be fit AND nurse? I mean, aren't we meant to nurse our young? Come on now! I'll figure it out, somehow, because I am NOT giving up nursing just to 'get my body back'. Right now I am happy to share it with my little Liam... but I still want to be healthy. Because after all, the better I eat, and take care of myself, surely the better and richer the nutrition I will be providing him through my milk!
Stay tuned, I promise to take a picture of me and my two boys. They are so precious. It is such a gift I have been given. I am so blessed by my little surprise pregnancy that afforded me the opportunity to take my body to the limits it was created for and have a 'natural' childbirth. So blessed to be a mommy to TWO little boys. Have I ever mentioned how much I love little boys???
Anyway.. here I am just over a year from when I started trying to get back to it and get in the best shape since I got married. And the 'dream' is still alive. However, nursing a voracious 4 month old and waking 1-2 times a night makes it mentally tough to deal with the 'dream'. I will say that I lost ALL my pregnancy weight in 3 WEEKS. Can you believe it? AND I am already a couple pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight!
So, Now I shall try to be consistent with chronicling becoming a fit NURSING mother. There does not seem to be very many examples of that in the fitness world. Surely you can be fit AND nurse? I mean, aren't we meant to nurse our young? Come on now! I'll figure it out, somehow, because I am NOT giving up nursing just to 'get my body back'. Right now I am happy to share it with my little Liam... but I still want to be healthy. Because after all, the better I eat, and take care of myself, surely the better and richer the nutrition I will be providing him through my milk!
Stay tuned, I promise to take a picture of me and my two boys. They are so precious. It is such a gift I have been given. I am so blessed by my little surprise pregnancy that afforded me the opportunity to take my body to the limits it was created for and have a 'natural' childbirth. So blessed to be a mommy to TWO little boys. Have I ever mentioned how much I love little boys???
Monday, June 14, 2010
Temptation & Success
Memorial Day weekend we went and visited my in laws. I am very blessed because they actually like me! Haha. None of that horrible stress.
We had a great time. I tried to plan ahead and brought snacks I could eat and an extra meal or two as well. Most of the time my mother in law really tries to cook healthy. It drives my diabetic father in law NUTS. haha. Apparently it was his turn to run things, so we went out to eat, not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. CRAPPPPP. The first place we went to I just KNEW I could eat healthy. Um, yeah, wrong. This is why I HATE small towns. No offense to those that love them. I just can't take it. The 'best' choice was a "grilled, skinless, boneless chicken breast", with BUTTER covered cooked to death veggies. (There is no such thing as changing up the menu to suit YOUR needs) I ordered just the chicken. SERIOUSLY? It came out with SO much grease on it that I could not sop it all up with TWO napkins! I ate a meager salad at the 'salad' bar. Lets just say they use that term VERY loosely. Since when is mac and cheese and jello SALAD? Grr. The next day we went to Sonic. I did NOT want a grilled chicken sandwich with no bread, so I just waited to eat till we went home and made some egg whites. Then, the next morning, my Father in law wanted to go to get Kolaches. They live in German 'country', so apparently they are legendary. Humph. I will NOT lose $$ just for that, so, I was a big girl and made some egg whites again, before we left. Lets just say that I ate a LOT of egg whites that weekend!
The things I learned.. It felt AWESOME to come home from that trip and have LOST weight! I am down a total of 10 lbs. I finally fit back into my clothes. I can breathe again! haha. Also, though it was SERIOUSLY painful at the time to make wise choices, each time it was a little better and let me tell ya, seeing the very sad, very overweight people chowing down half asleep on all that buttered and fat drenched food was more painful than making a wise choice. Do I want to be fit, healthy, and chasing my grandkids around, or do I want to be tubby, in pain, only watching my grandkids play just so I can eat all the grease I want?? Hmm...
Two Weeks down, six to go!
We had a great time. I tried to plan ahead and brought snacks I could eat and an extra meal or two as well. Most of the time my mother in law really tries to cook healthy. It drives my diabetic father in law NUTS. haha. Apparently it was his turn to run things, so we went out to eat, not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES. CRAPPPPP. The first place we went to I just KNEW I could eat healthy. Um, yeah, wrong. This is why I HATE small towns. No offense to those that love them. I just can't take it. The 'best' choice was a "grilled, skinless, boneless chicken breast", with BUTTER covered cooked to death veggies. (There is no such thing as changing up the menu to suit YOUR needs) I ordered just the chicken. SERIOUSLY? It came out with SO much grease on it that I could not sop it all up with TWO napkins! I ate a meager salad at the 'salad' bar. Lets just say they use that term VERY loosely. Since when is mac and cheese and jello SALAD? Grr. The next day we went to Sonic. I did NOT want a grilled chicken sandwich with no bread, so I just waited to eat till we went home and made some egg whites. Then, the next morning, my Father in law wanted to go to get Kolaches. They live in German 'country', so apparently they are legendary. Humph. I will NOT lose $$ just for that, so, I was a big girl and made some egg whites again, before we left. Lets just say that I ate a LOT of egg whites that weekend!
The things I learned.. It felt AWESOME to come home from that trip and have LOST weight! I am down a total of 10 lbs. I finally fit back into my clothes. I can breathe again! haha. Also, though it was SERIOUSLY painful at the time to make wise choices, each time it was a little better and let me tell ya, seeing the very sad, very overweight people chowing down half asleep on all that buttered and fat drenched food was more painful than making a wise choice. Do I want to be fit, healthy, and chasing my grandkids around, or do I want to be tubby, in pain, only watching my grandkids play just so I can eat all the grease I want?? Hmm...
Two Weeks down, six to go!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Delts & Abs oh, and a little cardio too!
The workout plan I am doing right now I LOVE. I like how it splits up my muscle groups and how I get to hit the weights FOUR whole times a week. I think I will stick with some variation of this for a long time coming. I really like it. New and exciting. My muscles have not stopped complaining and I love it. Oh, and I also feel a tiny bit of freedom that if a morning does not work out, it is OK, because I always have a day I do not HAVE to go to the gym during the week. Freedom is a good thing.
I especially like that there are a couple more exercises JUST for delts. Shoulders are my biggest lacking muscle group. I never feel like they are big enough and pop to make the rest of me appear slimmer. I have struggled finding a way to emphasize them, but now I have the way! They have their own day paired up with abs. That way they still get hit on days like chest, but I can really annihilate them on their own special day.
This whole $1000 pay out has made me focus the tiny bit more energy I needed to make workout ALWAYS happen. Sad that I just now realize that it takes like only half an ounce more energy than I was giving before.
For instance, I was honestly too tired to get up at 5am this morning. I would have been dangerous on the road. So I committed to lift at home during naptime, and I actually did it. It did not RUIN naptime like I thought it would. Granted, I would not want to make it a habit, but nice to know I have the option and it is a GREAT option. THEN, I went for a super speedy walk around the park while my boys played soccer. They always want me to go to the park with them, but I hate it. Wish I knew why, but man do I hate it. This time, I got something done I needed to do, and they were actually happy because I made the walk to the park and back with them and even played soccer for a whole 10 minutes with them. (That is about my limit anyway. I rather do crafts, or *gasp* cook with him!)
Now I have three more lifting days this week and 2 more cardio sessions on the books. I have a full week, but this just adds some stressless icing. Why do I ever fall off the wagon when it feels so good to be on that wagon? I need to post when I feel the self-sabotage demon coming on! Gotta analyze that one right out of my way.
I especially like that there are a couple more exercises JUST for delts. Shoulders are my biggest lacking muscle group. I never feel like they are big enough and pop to make the rest of me appear slimmer. I have struggled finding a way to emphasize them, but now I have the way! They have their own day paired up with abs. That way they still get hit on days like chest, but I can really annihilate them on their own special day.
This whole $1000 pay out has made me focus the tiny bit more energy I needed to make workout ALWAYS happen. Sad that I just now realize that it takes like only half an ounce more energy than I was giving before.
For instance, I was honestly too tired to get up at 5am this morning. I would have been dangerous on the road. So I committed to lift at home during naptime, and I actually did it. It did not RUIN naptime like I thought it would. Granted, I would not want to make it a habit, but nice to know I have the option and it is a GREAT option. THEN, I went for a super speedy walk around the park while my boys played soccer. They always want me to go to the park with them, but I hate it. Wish I knew why, but man do I hate it. This time, I got something done I needed to do, and they were actually happy because I made the walk to the park and back with them and even played soccer for a whole 10 minutes with them. (That is about my limit anyway. I rather do crafts, or *gasp* cook with him!)
Now I have three more lifting days this week and 2 more cardio sessions on the books. I have a full week, but this just adds some stressless icing. Why do I ever fall off the wagon when it feels so good to be on that wagon? I need to post when I feel the self-sabotage demon coming on! Gotta analyze that one right out of my way.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Kcals and MacroNutrients
My little brother is a nutrition science GEEK. You should see him. He is evidence of his geekiness too. He is fit, and lean, and very strong. He looks like an Abercrombie model. Doesn't hurt that he is awful pretty, in the most manly sense of the word of course! He even has a wife, two young kids and they both work and are active in their church and have a nice little social life.
He and I have always shared a love of fitness and nutrition and how one can sculpt the body with the right tools and knowledge. He is just WAY geekier about it than me, and, well, he is living proof of his knowledge!
I have been SO sick of wavering around and not getting serious, so this week, I set up a challenge and decided to bring my geeky family member into it too! He is LOVING it. He always wants to tell all of us what to do. He is a middle child you see, and I was ALWAYS telling him what to do, so I guess it is my due!
Here is what I did. I have saved up $1000 for that figure contest. Yeah, I know, I told you I felt like God wanted me to lose some weight already and get strong and lean! So, I gave ALL that money to my brother. I get to EARN it back by sticking to the diet he has set me up with and doing ALL the workouts in the current issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers 'Transformation Challenge'. If I complete a week successfully, then $100 goes back into my 'contest account'. However, if I fail, that same $100 gets paid to my MORTGAGE. He said that was a win win since we are trying to pay it off early, but yeah, I would SO rather spend that $$$ on me since I scrimped and saved it. I am selfish like that. Anyway, back to the challenge. I have 8 weeks to complete this challenge. But you say, that is only $800. Yep, I know. Those last $200 are tricky. See, if I screw up and lose $100 one day, I wanted a way to not let myself feel like I could just lay in the ground and ruin the whole week by eating like crap etc. (as I am wont to do sometimes). So now, I can lose $100 in a week, but if I wallow in my failure, then I lose an ADDITIONAL $100. However, if I pick myself up, and continue on like a biggy girl, then I will not be penalized any extra. I will get that $$$ back at the end.
This is the first time in my LIFE that I have been counting calories. EVER. I have learned so much in just these three days. I am even more amazed and impressed in the value of veggies. Especially greens. I already have a love affair with green smoothies. But did you know that FOUR cups of mixed greens is only 15 calories? WHAT? All that food, all those amazing nutrients, with that little tiny amount of calories to work off. Shocking. I think I will come out of this on the other side with a new respect for fruits and veggies and maybe, just maybe, I will finally be woman enough to cut up all those veggies and eat them up like I actually LIKE to do. (It is the cutting up and cooking that I always trip over, I love eating them.)
I will do another post about the specifics of my brothers plan and try to do a semi decent job of chronicling my progress. My brother is giddy, rubbing his hands together, e-mailing me more in one day than he has in the whole month before! He asked me to take 'before' pictures. I told him he needed to start a dossier because he has already given me more info than I have ever found on my own. And he KNOWS how to back up his knowledge. I only thought I was a research nerd!
He and I have always shared a love of fitness and nutrition and how one can sculpt the body with the right tools and knowledge. He is just WAY geekier about it than me, and, well, he is living proof of his knowledge!
I have been SO sick of wavering around and not getting serious, so this week, I set up a challenge and decided to bring my geeky family member into it too! He is LOVING it. He always wants to tell all of us what to do. He is a middle child you see, and I was ALWAYS telling him what to do, so I guess it is my due!
Here is what I did. I have saved up $1000 for that figure contest. Yeah, I know, I told you I felt like God wanted me to lose some weight already and get strong and lean! So, I gave ALL that money to my brother. I get to EARN it back by sticking to the diet he has set me up with and doing ALL the workouts in the current issue of Muscle & Fitness Hers 'Transformation Challenge'. If I complete a week successfully, then $100 goes back into my 'contest account'. However, if I fail, that same $100 gets paid to my MORTGAGE. He said that was a win win since we are trying to pay it off early, but yeah, I would SO rather spend that $$$ on me since I scrimped and saved it. I am selfish like that. Anyway, back to the challenge. I have 8 weeks to complete this challenge. But you say, that is only $800. Yep, I know. Those last $200 are tricky. See, if I screw up and lose $100 one day, I wanted a way to not let myself feel like I could just lay in the ground and ruin the whole week by eating like crap etc. (as I am wont to do sometimes). So now, I can lose $100 in a week, but if I wallow in my failure, then I lose an ADDITIONAL $100. However, if I pick myself up, and continue on like a biggy girl, then I will not be penalized any extra. I will get that $$$ back at the end.
This is the first time in my LIFE that I have been counting calories. EVER. I have learned so much in just these three days. I am even more amazed and impressed in the value of veggies. Especially greens. I already have a love affair with green smoothies. But did you know that FOUR cups of mixed greens is only 15 calories? WHAT? All that food, all those amazing nutrients, with that little tiny amount of calories to work off. Shocking. I think I will come out of this on the other side with a new respect for fruits and veggies and maybe, just maybe, I will finally be woman enough to cut up all those veggies and eat them up like I actually LIKE to do. (It is the cutting up and cooking that I always trip over, I love eating them.)
I will do another post about the specifics of my brothers plan and try to do a semi decent job of chronicling my progress. My brother is giddy, rubbing his hands together, e-mailing me more in one day than he has in the whole month before! He asked me to take 'before' pictures. I told him he needed to start a dossier because he has already given me more info than I have ever found on my own. And he KNOWS how to back up his knowledge. I only thought I was a research nerd!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Strength For Life
I am sore, still. At least now I can manage my day and not cry when I drink water knowing that in just an hour I will have to fall upon the seat to pee! HAHA. I don't think that even ONE muscle I have worked out has not been sore. Even my back AND shoulders have been sore! Those guys are NEVER sore!
My current workout plan is from the book "Strength For Life". It is by the brother of famous 'Body For Life" author Bill Phillips. I am SOOO sick of doing Body for Life style workouts. I have done them off and on for the last 10 years. I only kept coming back to them because I KNOW they work! Anyway, this current workout is SO different and I LOVE it. I get to the gym around 5:10 and I am ALWAYS home by 6am when my coffee maker turns itself on! Even on the long workout days, I get to hear the coffee moaning and gurgling when I walk in the door. For a busy mom, that never seems to have it all together, this is a GOD SEND. I actually have time to read the Bible AND spend time on the Internet or better yet, read a little in a book! I missed reading books. And all of this before my husband wakes up enough to turn on the TV or my son gets up and starts demanding to be served. Ha
Anyway, the thing is.. the silly guy at the gym (that runs the front desk) keeps giving me CRAP about how short my workouts are. On one hand I laugh and know that he is NOT going to deter me, and well, you know how boys are, they tease you when they are trying to be nice. (roll my eyes) And, I think, dude, just watch... I am already showing muscles in my arms. I could see them while I worked out LEGS today. I mean REALLY. And for a moment I want to punch him. Ha. But then I decide, to put my big, mean, you just wait, pants on, and show him what a girl can do in 30-45 minutes a day. That is what I am going to do. I have SHOCKED one trainer before. He made fun of me too. But man, he changed his tune three months later when I had completely changed my body and my mind with just 45 minutes a day. Still, I kinda wanted to punch him anyway for having made fun of me in the first place. Even if he did practically grovel and tell me how amazing I was! ;)
Now if I could just have this much control over my sewing projects! haha! One day, soon, I WILL get that chair slipcovered. Really, I will.
My current workout plan is from the book "Strength For Life". It is by the brother of famous 'Body For Life" author Bill Phillips. I am SOOO sick of doing Body for Life style workouts. I have done them off and on for the last 10 years. I only kept coming back to them because I KNOW they work! Anyway, this current workout is SO different and I LOVE it. I get to the gym around 5:10 and I am ALWAYS home by 6am when my coffee maker turns itself on! Even on the long workout days, I get to hear the coffee moaning and gurgling when I walk in the door. For a busy mom, that never seems to have it all together, this is a GOD SEND. I actually have time to read the Bible AND spend time on the Internet or better yet, read a little in a book! I missed reading books. And all of this before my husband wakes up enough to turn on the TV or my son gets up and starts demanding to be served. Ha
Anyway, the thing is.. the silly guy at the gym (that runs the front desk) keeps giving me CRAP about how short my workouts are. On one hand I laugh and know that he is NOT going to deter me, and well, you know how boys are, they tease you when they are trying to be nice. (roll my eyes) And, I think, dude, just watch... I am already showing muscles in my arms. I could see them while I worked out LEGS today. I mean REALLY. And for a moment I want to punch him. Ha. But then I decide, to put my big, mean, you just wait, pants on, and show him what a girl can do in 30-45 minutes a day. That is what I am going to do. I have SHOCKED one trainer before. He made fun of me too. But man, he changed his tune three months later when I had completely changed my body and my mind with just 45 minutes a day. Still, I kinda wanted to punch him anyway for having made fun of me in the first place. Even if he did practically grovel and tell me how amazing I was! ;)
Now if I could just have this much control over my sewing projects! haha! One day, soon, I WILL get that chair slipcovered. Really, I will.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Blogs, blogs & more blogs
I am SO sore over my ENTIRE body that I can barely even LIMP around. My abs, oh heaven help me, my abs.... they hurt the WORSE! Haha, it is what I get for ever stopping taking care of my body! I will take it, but I am VERY much looking forward to NOT being sore all the time!
I have so much to write.. so many ideas, so many posts. However, right now, my focus is me and my job as wonderful mother and loving wife! hehe. My family is loving it of course.
Lately I have been reading a lot of blogs. Mostly home decorating, but I still have a couple fitness blogs I can't miss. I have been thinking about making this blog more about EVERYTHING in my life. I am not just about failed and successful fitness attempts. There are a LOT of things in my life that I need to be brave in order to succeed. I kinda want to encourage myself to jump into those things too by highlighting them in my blog.
As for the figure contest, that is STILL on. I am thinking that I will push it to the beginning of NEXT year. Don't think I am wimping out, I am still leaving it VERY open to do it this year. I am saving every little penny that comes into my hands for all the things I would need to buy. I am kinda hoping that I have enough $$ to hire a trainer for the last couple months and have a better chance of not looking ridiculous! hahaha! The reason for postponing it? I want to make sure I do this right. I want to get healthy, the real healthy, and stay that way for a while. I don't want to get so caught up in prepping for the show, that I don't learn how to make this a forever thing. You know? My goal all along, has been to figure it out for me, so I can teach it to others. I REALLY want to reach out to the women in my area and help them put themselves back on the list, and learn how to take BETTER care of their families by feeding them living foods.
Ok, I gotta go. The Boy is about to wake up and we are going to IKEA with a friend. WAHOO! I luv that place! Lets hope they take my kid in the kids club thing this time. Last time they said he was too short. Humph. He is NOT! hehe
I have so much to write.. so many ideas, so many posts. However, right now, my focus is me and my job as wonderful mother and loving wife! hehe. My family is loving it of course.
Lately I have been reading a lot of blogs. Mostly home decorating, but I still have a couple fitness blogs I can't miss. I have been thinking about making this blog more about EVERYTHING in my life. I am not just about failed and successful fitness attempts. There are a LOT of things in my life that I need to be brave in order to succeed. I kinda want to encourage myself to jump into those things too by highlighting them in my blog.
As for the figure contest, that is STILL on. I am thinking that I will push it to the beginning of NEXT year. Don't think I am wimping out, I am still leaving it VERY open to do it this year. I am saving every little penny that comes into my hands for all the things I would need to buy. I am kinda hoping that I have enough $$ to hire a trainer for the last couple months and have a better chance of not looking ridiculous! hahaha! The reason for postponing it? I want to make sure I do this right. I want to get healthy, the real healthy, and stay that way for a while. I don't want to get so caught up in prepping for the show, that I don't learn how to make this a forever thing. You know? My goal all along, has been to figure it out for me, so I can teach it to others. I REALLY want to reach out to the women in my area and help them put themselves back on the list, and learn how to take BETTER care of their families by feeding them living foods.
Ok, I gotta go. The Boy is about to wake up and we are going to IKEA with a friend. WAHOO! I luv that place! Lets hope they take my kid in the kids club thing this time. Last time they said he was too short. Humph. He is NOT! hehe
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