Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Finals!

yeah.  I just realized I have a final tomorrow, 3 math exams in the next 10 days, and two huge English assignments.  By 8/9.

And VOD turns 14 on Saturday.

twitch.

What was that I said about pacing yourself?

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Ooo.  I took that final tonight instead.  A in that class.  Wahoo.

So the plan and hope is that while I'm taking an "internet" break (really, breaking from FB and forums) I can still get my workouts in and finish up my last two classes, and celebrate VOD's birthday in TARDIS style.  My elbow has been bothering me a bit the last two days, so I skipped today and will hit the gym tomorrow and Saturday instead of my regular Wed/Fri schedule.  Maybe I'll do some yoga at home tonight ...

Peace out people.



Saturday, July 20, 2013

Pacing Yourself

Over the years, I've made several attempts at losing weight and getting healthy, and I usually jump in really fast and burn myself out and quit.

That is not happening this time.

I have decided that I will work out 3 days a week -- that's it.  Just 3 lifting days, with a little cardio warm-up and cool down.  And that is all.  I am eating my calories, making sure I'm getting enough to support my activities and my body and the lifting, which is actually more than I had previously been told.   A lot more.

I did a Jillian Michaels video on Monday, and it kicked my butt.  Wednesday, I felt pretty good, so I did a great workout ... and had a hard time walking on Thursday AND Friday.  Feeling better this morning, and after learning a few things about different workouts, I did work out today with an actual outlined weight lifting program.

And overall, I feel really pretty good about this.

But that's not all!

I realized that I've been doing this sort of low-key, low-stress working out for about a month now.  The scale hasn't moved much, and I'm OK with that.  I can chase my kids easier, pick up my 5-year-old again, and my knees don't hurt going up our stairs anymore.  I can feel the muscles in my arms and legs getting stronger, and they are firmer to touch as well.  I can walk across campus without getting winded.

Wow.

I'm just taking things a day at a time.  I will keep lifting and using this program.  The Rock and VOD have been super helpful with the little kids and supportive, and it helps that it's only about every other day.  I've proved I can do this and I know I'm worth taking the time to improve my health, and my mindset.

You know what else?  So are you.

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Let's get moving!

While I was taking physiology, I was all over campus, going up stairs and moving every day.  It wasn't necessarily a "workout" but I was moving more than I have been since class got over, and I definitely moved more while taking the class than I had in the months previous.

My professor's doctorate was in exercise physiology, so he often would explain how the body works during exercise ... and what happens when we don't.

Two key points:  It only takes 2-1/2 months of inactivity to lose toning that took you years to achieve.  And the only good stress our bodies experience is exercise, which can help you deal with other stress better.  I'm not going to get into the mechanics of either of these, just know they're true.  ha!

When I learned those things, I started deliberately taking the stairs every time I went to school.  And I tried to move more with the kids.  I jogged through the grocery store with a friend's 3-year-old until it freaked him out.  (My kids were at home.)  I still wasn't "working out" but I was moving more.

A couple of facebook friends have been really encouraging with their posts and messages to me over the years.  One runs stairs during the summer.  So I started looking for stairs ... and I found them at the high school track, where there are bleachers!  I've been wanting to go but haven't been able to make it work ... until today.

Today, I loaded up the kids and went to the track.  We ALL went around twice (baby in the stroller) -- 1-1/2 times, then I ran the bleachers while the kids were playing.  Then we finished cooling down by finishing that second lap and out to the van.

I can't even tell you how great I feel.  I am sore, for sure, and I had a hard time not throwing up right after (so I sat on the bleachers next to a garbage can, lol, catching my breath at the same time).  But I feel like I can accomplish something now.

It's hard being obese and having people judge your worth as a person based on your dress size.  It's hard to be fat and shop in the fat lady section of the store.  It's hard to jog through a grocery store, getting looks from strangers.  It's hard to hear people saying that obesity should be outlawed and less socially acceptable than smoking. (For the record, it IS less socially acceptable than smoking. People don't generally mock smokers, but if they see someone fat, the whale comments and "jokes" start right up.)

I can do hard things.  It's hard being in school with a family.  It's hard to maintain a 4.0.  It's hard to understand physiology.  And math.  And write papers.  And spend time with my husband and children and nurse my baby.  And it's hard to do all of this and still feed my emotional needs, too.   But I'm doing it.

I have been having dreams of running -- with joy -- for years.  Being so heavy, however, I never felt like I could.  And made a lot of excuses why I couldn't get started.  I'm done with excuses.

So I am going to choose my hard.  It's hard to make the time to work out.  It's hard to run intervals around the track.  It's hard to run those bleachers.  It's hard to lift weights and eat healthier and get rid of the junk in the house.  It's hard to load up the kids and make the time for me.  But I'm doing it anyway.  Because this hard is easier emotionally than the obese hard.  It just is.