I am body tired. Not sore, but tired. I went to bed at 10:00 last night and could barely wake up at 7:00. I'm still yawning even though I showered to try to get myself going. This is VERY unusual for me as I am generally the most chipper, raring to go morning person you will meet. (well that is if I don't have to keep saying, Get Dressed, Go Potty, Eat your Breakfast or you'll miss the bus - then NOT so chipper)
Last night I did Body Pump and then tried a little of a new class called Sh'Bam! It is from the Les Mills Brand of classes. It is a cardio dance class and it was a lot of fun! I only lasted 15 minutes because I had just squatted my butt off in the previous class and my legs would not have been able to dance 45 minutes. I'm a bit excited about this class actually because it is dance I can do! The other class they have had was called Body Jam and it was more of a hip hop class. But, I don't pimp my ride, yo! This class feels more like what I imagine to be a Broadway dance class, complete with Jazz Hands!! Yes, please! It's always been my secret desire to be a Broadway store! My only dilemma - it follows Body Pump with Kiersten who, if you have followed my blog from the beginning, is my ultimate favorite instructor. But Sh'Bam is taught by Therese, who is my second favorite instructor, and the first instructor I ever took in the beginning who made me feel completely comfortable being in a Yoga class with a bunch of skinny people. DILEMMA! I suppose I could alternate, or just do what I did last night and take as much of the class my legs will let me. We will see...
*UPDATED* Here's a youtube video of a class of ShBam in Kuala Lumpar Malaysia. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlnn8VEl2AM&feature=related
and then...
*BAM!* I created an Emeril recipe for Simply Salsa, which was Simply Delicious!! I have resolved to make a recipe using each spice in my spice rack this year. I have already completed Cilantro (with the salsa) and Coriander (I made a delicious Turkey Sausage!) It's kind of fun!
Today is a day of body rest. But so far I have worked out 4/6 days this New Year. Go ME!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Body, Barbells, and Books
There were 40+ people in my Body Pump class this morning! I have NEVER had so many people in one class. New Years Resolutions in Action- All right!! I'm still working through the pain, but it isn't too bad. Body Pump is a weight lifting class set to music. I really love it. (except squats and lunges). I've been going light with the barbell because I'm still sore from the first class, but I'm hoping next week to increase a little.
I had been trying not to step on the scale, but I can't help myself. I should probably just throw the thing out, but it's a good scale. And it has told me some good things this week.
I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. Hmm...eating well, exercising, feeling better....I'm sensing a connection....
I started attending a book club a few months ago, and it has been a VERY successful endeavor. Outside of church I haven't really met anyone since I've moved to Illinois. I tell you, I haven't laughed so much in years. We loved meeting that we added a 2nd social meeting per month and will randomly text/email to get together for drinks/movies at other times. Having a social life in addition to my family and separate from church has really helped me feel like a better person. It's a place where there are no expectations, no requirements, no judgments. Where people are really interested in your ideas and what you think. It is a beautiful thing. And on top of that, I am reading at least 1 book per month, which just helps to better my mind!
Two stresses today almost led me down the binging path of bad food. First, my husbands company is having layoffs at the end of the month, and while we are fairly confident that he will keep his job, it still adds some stress. We've just gone through 2 years of financial stress not being able to sell our second house. We really hope that we will not have to go through any time of unemployment! Secondly a friends husband is looking out of state for a new job. I cannot even express how devastating it would be for me to not have my friend here. She has been my greatest cheerleader in my weight loss efforts, she's the one I call crying when I get pulled over for speeding and don't want to tell my husband. She's the type that starts belting out Bon Jovi and Bette Midler tunes just because they fit the conversation we are having!
But, she will be glad to know that instead of grabbing the bag of chips, I grabbed the bag of snow peas. (They aren't nearly as satisfying though!) It would be silly to sabotage my efforts due to the "what ifs" of life. Today I made it through...
2011 Workouts: 3/4 days
I had been trying not to step on the scale, but I can't help myself. I should probably just throw the thing out, but it's a good scale. And it has told me some good things this week.
I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. Hmm...eating well, exercising, feeling better....I'm sensing a connection....
I started attending a book club a few months ago, and it has been a VERY successful endeavor. Outside of church I haven't really met anyone since I've moved to Illinois. I tell you, I haven't laughed so much in years. We loved meeting that we added a 2nd social meeting per month and will randomly text/email to get together for drinks/movies at other times. Having a social life in addition to my family and separate from church has really helped me feel like a better person. It's a place where there are no expectations, no requirements, no judgments. Where people are really interested in your ideas and what you think. It is a beautiful thing. And on top of that, I am reading at least 1 book per month, which just helps to better my mind!
Two stresses today almost led me down the binging path of bad food. First, my husbands company is having layoffs at the end of the month, and while we are fairly confident that he will keep his job, it still adds some stress. We've just gone through 2 years of financial stress not being able to sell our second house. We really hope that we will not have to go through any time of unemployment! Secondly a friends husband is looking out of state for a new job. I cannot even express how devastating it would be for me to not have my friend here. She has been my greatest cheerleader in my weight loss efforts, she's the one I call crying when I get pulled over for speeding and don't want to tell my husband. She's the type that starts belting out Bon Jovi and Bette Midler tunes just because they fit the conversation we are having!
But, she will be glad to know that instead of grabbing the bag of chips, I grabbed the bag of snow peas. (They aren't nearly as satisfying though!) It would be silly to sabotage my efforts due to the "what ifs" of life. Today I made it through...
2011 Workouts: 3/4 days
Monday, January 3, 2011
Full Steam Ahead
There's an episode of the Gilmore Girls when Rory goes golfing with her grandfather at an upscale country club, and when telling the tale to her mother she says "I took a steam" as if it were the most natural thing in the world. I think taking a steam should be a natural part of everyone's life!
Here's a link to Livestrong's website that describes the benefits of a steam room
http://www.livestrong.com/article/51064-benefits-steam-rooms/
Our steam room pumps in a minty smell, which helps in the relaxation. I'm wondering why, with this luxury (that I've been continuously paying for, mind you) I have not actually gone more often these past 6 months.
I took an Aqua Pump Class today. It was a pretty good workout, and I didn't have to fight for a spot in the class. Thankfully our fitness center didn't run a $0 enrollment fee for the new year like last year, which made it CRAZY! I'm still sore from the other day, but I don't want to start skipping workouts already!
Workout days for 2011: 2/3
Full Steam Ahead!
Here's a link to Livestrong's website that describes the benefits of a steam room
http://www.livestrong.com/article/51064-benefits-steam-rooms/
Our steam room pumps in a minty smell, which helps in the relaxation. I'm wondering why, with this luxury (that I've been continuously paying for, mind you) I have not actually gone more often these past 6 months.
I took an Aqua Pump Class today. It was a pretty good workout, and I didn't have to fight for a spot in the class. Thankfully our fitness center didn't run a $0 enrollment fee for the new year like last year, which made it CRAZY! I'm still sore from the other day, but I don't want to start skipping workouts already!
Workout days for 2011: 2/3
Full Steam Ahead!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
The Pain! The Pain!
Ah yes, I remember this now...it's been so long. The day after the first workout in a while...ouch! I went easy at the gym yesterday, too, but I guess coupled with preparing our house and food for our game night it added the the stress on my body! Not that I mind. Game nights are one of my favorite nights of the month. I love laughing and there's always a lot of that going on! I'm not sure my body could handle all of that laughing today, though!
I had some great successes in the kitchen though. I made a guacamole for the first time and it came out pretty well. It would have been better if the avocados were riper, but most of it was eaten so it wasn't that bad! Ingredients: Roma Tomatoes, Garlic, Avocado, Red Onion, Lime Juice, Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper. I made delicious fudge earlier this week, and the girls and I made Cereal Cookies that were quite tasty as well!
However, my kitchen work was not without a failure with my deviled eggs. I think the recipe (in one of those homemade recipe books)had a typo and called for a Tbsp of Mustard. I think it should have been a Tsp. Thankfully I tasted it before I put it in the eggs-It was HORRIBLE. I will probably make an egg salad sandwich with Miracle Whip for lunch with the hard egg whites. Egg salad seems like a very unhealthy thing, but with Miracle Whip its not that unhealthy at all.
Laying low today...might walk if its not too unbearably cold!
I had some great successes in the kitchen though. I made a guacamole for the first time and it came out pretty well. It would have been better if the avocados were riper, but most of it was eaten so it wasn't that bad! Ingredients: Roma Tomatoes, Garlic, Avocado, Red Onion, Lime Juice, Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper. I made delicious fudge earlier this week, and the girls and I made Cereal Cookies that were quite tasty as well!
However, my kitchen work was not without a failure with my deviled eggs. I think the recipe (in one of those homemade recipe books)had a typo and called for a Tbsp of Mustard. I think it should have been a Tsp. Thankfully I tasted it before I put it in the eggs-It was HORRIBLE. I will probably make an egg salad sandwich with Miracle Whip for lunch with the hard egg whites. Egg salad seems like a very unhealthy thing, but with Miracle Whip its not that unhealthy at all.
Laying low today...might walk if its not too unbearably cold!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Weight Loss and "Winkies"
I'm a little sad that my kids are now old enough that they need to learn the real names of things we have let them have cute names for like "Old McDonalds" and "Winkies".
What's a Winkie, you ask? Well it's that delightful golden yellow cake with filling that could last through a nuclear annihilation of earth (according to Wall-E anyway).
I was never a Twinkie fan (although I will eat them) but I do love me some Hostess Suzy Q's and those 2/$1 Honey Buns you can get at most convenience stores. It's sad that such wonderfully tasty treats do not allow for weight loss. I ate a Suzy Q every day that high school was in session. EVERY Day. Clearly my addiction to these things started early in life. I am thankful that my children are not allow to buy add-ons to lunch yet, and that will be closely monitored when it becomes available.
I don't buy Suzy-Q's now. But in a sense of balance for my kids, I do have snack foods around the house and I'm not really willing to banish these things. I have no desire to raise nutritious fanatics. My goal in parenting is to teach my kids moderation and balance, not deprivation and disproportion. It's being able to say 'No, you may not have 3 packs of fruit snacks, but if you are still hungry after 1 pack, then you may have a cheesestick or an orange." Why is this so hard to do for myself! Oh, anguish!
Wishing you all well for the New Year! Be safe!
What's a Winkie, you ask? Well it's that delightful golden yellow cake with filling that could last through a nuclear annihilation of earth (according to Wall-E anyway).
I was never a Twinkie fan (although I will eat them) but I do love me some Hostess Suzy Q's and those 2/$1 Honey Buns you can get at most convenience stores. It's sad that such wonderfully tasty treats do not allow for weight loss. I ate a Suzy Q every day that high school was in session. EVERY Day. Clearly my addiction to these things started early in life. I am thankful that my children are not allow to buy add-ons to lunch yet, and that will be closely monitored when it becomes available.
I don't buy Suzy-Q's now. But in a sense of balance for my kids, I do have snack foods around the house and I'm not really willing to banish these things. I have no desire to raise nutritious fanatics. My goal in parenting is to teach my kids moderation and balance, not deprivation and disproportion. It's being able to say 'No, you may not have 3 packs of fruit snacks, but if you are still hungry after 1 pack, then you may have a cheesestick or an orange." Why is this so hard to do for myself! Oh, anguish!
Wishing you all well for the New Year! Be safe!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Reflections for the Year End
I used to hate New Years. I was usually alone or babysitting for someone else while they went out and had fun. So I would sit alone and eat Pizza or Chinese food and watch TV and think about all the terrible and lonely things that had happened the prior year and lament that I was still alone and still fat.
Now, I find hope in the end of a year. I see failure as something that has happened but doesn't need to continue to happen. 2010 was a failure for me in weight loss. I gained back every pound lost. The whys of it aren't incredibly important. I eat because I'm...(insert any emotional adjective here).
I think what IS important is that I am thinking about the coming year and finding opportunities to do better. I have already made a list of fitness classes and times that are convenient for me to take each week. I have made attainable numerical goals. Have I done this all before? You bet! But I will continue to do it until I am successful and maintain the success.
I considered starting a new blog, but then I realized my story is continuing - it isn't a new one. There is no need to rip out the previous chapters. There is a lot to remind me of my failure, but there is also a lot to remind me of my success, also.
So, because I like "cute" mottoes I have made this goal:
212 By 2012. Will I still be overweight if I reach this? Yes. But I will be healthier, stronger and closer to where I want to be. It gives me attainable weekly goals of around 2 lbs per week. It leaves me some room to fail, because I surely will some days.
That's my only resolution this year.
Happy New Year!!
Now, I find hope in the end of a year. I see failure as something that has happened but doesn't need to continue to happen. 2010 was a failure for me in weight loss. I gained back every pound lost. The whys of it aren't incredibly important. I eat because I'm...(insert any emotional adjective here).
I think what IS important is that I am thinking about the coming year and finding opportunities to do better. I have already made a list of fitness classes and times that are convenient for me to take each week. I have made attainable numerical goals. Have I done this all before? You bet! But I will continue to do it until I am successful and maintain the success.
I considered starting a new blog, but then I realized my story is continuing - it isn't a new one. There is no need to rip out the previous chapters. There is a lot to remind me of my failure, but there is also a lot to remind me of my success, also.
So, because I like "cute" mottoes I have made this goal:
212 By 2012. Will I still be overweight if I reach this? Yes. But I will be healthier, stronger and closer to where I want to be. It gives me attainable weekly goals of around 2 lbs per week. It leaves me some room to fail, because I surely will some days.
That's my only resolution this year.
Happy New Year!!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
All Fall Down
Last Saturday I fell in the indent of a mulched area and badly sprained my ankle. 10 days of an air cast now. Life's little interruptions. We all have them, we all fall at some time in our life. When I fell it took a few minutes to get up because I wasn't sure if I could stand on my foot. There I was on all fours, my girls asking me if I was okay and I wasn't sure of anything except it hurt. But then after a few tears and a few minutes I was able to gain some composure and stand up and drive home (still in tears, mind you). I could have stayed on the ground and called for some help, or had my husband come pick me up. But I really didn't need it. All I needed was a few minutes. Sometimes we need a few minutes before we get back on the horse. I am frustrated that now this impedes work outs, since I had just gotten my schedule all together for the fall classes. But life happens. Falls happen. Just need to wait til I'm ready again. Soon.
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