Workout #72 of 2012

Just did 10-Pound Slimdown: Total Body and I can tell that I'm almost in the best shape of my life.  I was actually in the best shape of my life when Kailee turned 1.  Anyways, I digressed...  Well, that workout used to kick my butt (literally) pretty hard but all my diligence has improved my abilities so this workout was quite easy. :)

As I type, I'm sitting in the hallway waiting for the kids to fall asleep (they can both see me from their beds).  Once they are out, I feel motivated to hop on the elliptical.  I've decided to "train" for a 5K on the elliptical for now since running makes my ankles and knees feel like death for weeks.  Around June 5th, I will bravely attempt to restart the C25K program outside because by that time, my glucosamine chondroitin should be helping my joint pain improve.  If it doesn't workout, at least I tried :).

XOXO,

Trying Something New

Tonight, I took my first glucosamine chondroitin supplement (thank you, Aunt Karen for enlightening me!) to help ease my joint issues.  It says online not to expect results for about 8 weeks; for me that would be June 5th.  Why am I doing this?  Well, I want to be able to run again.  I don't know if this will make it happen, but it's certainly worth a shot :).  For now, the elliptical it is.  I figure the longer I can last at a fast pace, the easier it will make the transition to running.  Stamina has been my issue with any cardio in the last several years, and I'm working towards hour long workouts on the elliptical.  Give me a few weeks and it shouldn't be a problem.

XOXO,

A little motivation...

Those of us that have stopped making excuses and have started making changes see right through your excuses.  Stop lying to yourself and do something!  You CAN!  I believe in YOU!

XOXO,

Workout #71 of 2012 ~ Cardio Game

As I started out on the elliptical tonight, my legs felt like dead-weights.  I adjusted the resistance down a level and powered through.  Tonight I watched the most recent Vampire Diaries episode (so I'm all caught up) with the rule that I could not check the time until the 4th commercial break.  At that time, I was past the 30-minute mark and proceeded to up the ante every time I met one of my mini-goals.  So tonight I ended up with 3.6 miles and 449 calories burned in 45:19.  As it turns out, at the beginning I had set the resistance up a level higher than normal, so when I decreased it, I was at my normal level.  I'm about a week ahead on my workouts which is awesome.  I've been trying to get ahead in preparation for busy weekends where it will be hard to fit in workouts and vacations when I probably won't workout (just being honest here).  I'd rather stay ahead than get behind :).

Feeling pretty great right now.  Time to get a snack so I don't go low tonight!

XOXO,

Reflections on Lent ~ My Fast Food Fast

One of the things I gave up for Lent was fast food.  This is the first time I've given it up without cheating and for the most part, it was easy to do.  However, lately I have had CRAZY cravings for fast food, notably Taco Bueno and Jack-N-The-Box tacos.  Now that Lent is over and I can again have fast food, I have zero desire.  I know that will change--probably within the next couple of nights after work when I'm too tired to cook(and while Brady is still out of town)--but for now, I don't even want it.  

This is the longest I've ever gone in my entire life without fast food.  The reality is, fast food enables my laziness when it comes to cooking.  I have a few menu items among various chains that I like, but for the most part, it has been a convenience that we've heavily depended on in the last several months.  It took 40 days without it to really see that.  I thought I'd miss it more, but I haven't.  I've even been around McDonald's French fries many times throughout Lent, and I had ZERO trouble resisting them.  It made me realize that somewhere along the way, I began to believe I actually loved fast food.  

Like I said, I have some items I love (like Mexidips and chips, tostadas, tacos) but I don't love fast food like I thought I did.  I don't need it.  I am so glad to know this about myself as it will make it much easier to stay away from in the future.  We had become so lazy that we were eating fast food on average 3 times a week.  THREE TIMES A WEEK!  That's so bad!  I am so lucky I did not gain 20 pounds from it.

We'll see how much longer I last without it at all.

XOXO,

Workout #70 of 2012 ~ Yoga, a Family Affair

I know I sound like a broken record but this week has been so stressful with Brady gone.  I thought the older the kids got, the easier they were supposed to be.  This is NOT the case right now.  2 and 5 together means lots of bickering, antagonizing, screaming, crying, requesting, etc.

So I needed some yoga!  I did my favorite, 10 Pound Slimdown: Yoga with Chris Freytag and it was much appreciated... Even with Kailee running over my hand with her baby stroller and with Gavin trying to get me to look at him creating his own yoga moves.  By the end, I was fighting for a spot on my mat as both kids attempted the last several moves.  A family that works out together stays healthy together :).

Despite the distractions, I still feel a lot better.  Yoga is quite empowering.

XOXO,

Workout #69 of 2012 ~ Cardio

It's been a stressful week with my husband out of town and my kids have been testing my patience a bit more than usual today.  Thus, I felt the need for some cardio therapy.  I worked out for 45 minutes on the elliptical, did 3.55 miles and burned 442 calories according to the likely inaccurate calorie-counter on my machine.  I did not even look at the time until 32 minutes had passed.  How is that possible?  

Well, while I worked out, I watched the last 17 minutes of one episode of The Vampire Diaries (including some commercials that I fast-forwarded through) and then began a new episode.  I made a self-imposed rule that I could not check the time on the machine until the second commercial break in the new episode.  It was a game of willpower and I won! I was trekking along thinking, "Surely it will be past the 20-minute mark."  Imagine my surprise to see 32 minutes had already passed.  I also was already at 2.6 miles.  I first decided to make it to 2.75 miles.  Then I decided to make it to 350 calories burned, then the goal became 3 miles, then 45 minutes and/or 3.5 miles.

It's just like with teaching.  If you can make it a game, it's that much more engaging.

XOXO,