Old dog...new tricks?

Hmmm...can you teach an old dog new tricks?

The past two weeks have been out of the norm.  Last week was a holiday week so my gym had an irregular schedule.  I missed several classes.  This week there was an unsuspected closing due to water damage in which I also missed several classes.  Not going to lie....it's been rough physically and mentally!  I was able to handle it better last week because I was able to plan ahead and mentally prepare myself for a few days off.  This week, since it was unexpected...was not easy.  After missing class # 2 (I missed 5 total) I was feeling hugely fat, ugly, and weak.  Honestly Cindy.  Get a grip!  I will let you in on something that I did that I didn't want to do.  I weighed myself this morning.  I got on the scale and closed my eyes tight.  I finally opened them and looked down.....nothing.  I was on the scale so long that the #'s disappeared.  I got off and got on again....just look Cindy!  LOOK!  I did....no change :)  Phew! 

A good friend of mine told me something very powerful.  She said, " you're not going to gain 100 pounds over night."  Smart huh?! 

I never would have thought at almost 36 years of age I would be affected this much by exercise.  This is how I know this is NOT a phase it IS a lifestyle.

Soooo I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks.

I do need to work on motivating myself to work out at home when I have off days, whether scheduled or not.  I will admit that's a huge struggle for me.  I tend to want to do...then lose the motivation.  I will definitely start working on this.  Doesn't have to be much, does it?  Some squats, crunches, planks and the like.  This will take time but so did getting to where I am.

Glad I will be back on my regular gym schedule tomorrow.  I'm sure my family and coworkers appreciate it just as much (or more) than I do.  :)

Thank You

I'm sitting here reflecting on the day, the week, the year.  There have been some tough days but boy have there been some great ones.  I learn from the bad and enjoy the great.  At almost 36 years of age, I think I'm finally starting to get life.  What works and what doesn't.  Not to stress the small things and focus on the truly important things.  I'm thankful for so much:  some but not all as follows

• my amazing, smart, healthy and handsome boys Sam and Nate, they keep me going and make me so proud. 
•  my husband for being a great provider, father, and supportive friend 
•   my true friends, for understanding and supporting (and putting up with me).  This includes you gym wife! 
• my new friends, for taking a chance in getting to know me
• all of my family, chosen and not chosen
• roof over my head and my wonderful and coworker
• my health and my strength
• for finding and allowing fitness back in my life and the people I have met and share a fitness interest with
• unlimited data plans with unlimited texting
• exceeding my weight loss goal
• all true heroes- medical heroes, veteran heroes, active military, teachers.  Those are able to and help the needy and those less privileged. 
• my awesome Keeping Fit and Curvy followers
• those of you that take the time to read my blog along with your supportive and positive comments
• holidays like this where I can sit and take some time and think how wonderful life is 

May you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving.  May the day be filled and laughter, warmth, family, friends, and great food. 

Thank you!

Choices

After being, living and thinking a certain way for so many years it was nice finally becoming brave enough to make life saving changes.  However, old habits die hard. I know I have said that before.  This time, it doesn't have to do with food or working out, it's more personal than that.

Always being the heavy girl in the classroom at school, or the living room during a family reunion, or the heavy mom at your kids school function it all takes a toll on your confidence.  It's funny, you would think that once you lose the weight your confidence shoots way up!  Sadly, it's not the case, at least not for me.  It's something that I'm working on for sure...but damn it's hard sometimes.  Real hard!

I've been told that I don't see what others see.  That may be true.  Actually, who I am kidding that's completely true!

We all have good days and bad days.  When I have bad day I instantly want to go back to the old me.  It's what I know.  It's easy for me.  But, I don't want to do go back to the old me.  I would be letting loved ones and myself down.  I've worked very hard to get to were I am.  I think it would be a shame to bring back the old me, though it would be easy but I would be hurting and punishing myself.

When I'm feeling sad or down, feeling deflated or beat, feeling alone or lost I have to train myself to STOP and THINK.  Make a good choice.  Make the BEST choice Cindy. 


It's something that I notice and I'm aware that I need to work on.  I know it.  I can do it.  I will do it.   Slowly but surely.

Why and What

I love to sweat!  I really, really do.  I love to work out.  I love to push myself and be pushed.  I love to see and feel progress.  Does that make me a "fitness freak"?  Yes? No? Maybe so?  However you see it....one thing I know for sure....is that it makes me HAPPY!  I do lots of different formats that I don't see myself getting bored.  There are different reasons why I like the different formats that I do!

~~~~~~~~~~Here's the breakdown~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zumba - Music and dancing is just something that I have loved all my life.  Make that into an hour long, cardio workout and you've got me hooked.  It's how I started.  I'm thankful for this class.  Always will be.

Zumba Toning - see above.  With added bonus...WEIGHTS

Spin - Amazing work out.  The music, the atmosphere, the sweat dripping and forming the huge puddles on the floor (cool but gross).  The fact that you have to push and push and push yourself.  Trust your legs to push through every time you add resistance and that feeling when you take some resistance off!

Kickboxing - You just feel so bad ass kicking and punching.  No way you wouldn't!  This workout is so intense that some nights, afterwards, I just sit there and think....'what the hell just happened!!!!'

TRX - The fact that I even take this class is enough.  This is one exercise that you will never EVER master.  No way.  You can always make it tougher.  To be honest, there are some days that it feels like that it's the first time taking it.  The first ever bicep curl, or chest press, or squat.  Then there are those days when you totally rock it.  Like this past Saturday when I was finally able to do a body saw for an entire minute!  Doesn't sound like a long time or hard?!  Try it!  Go ahead...TRY IT!

Boot Camp - Love it..once it's done :) It challenges you, it makes you sweat, if you have the right instructor you are pushed.  It's what I need, want, and love. 

Step -  It's fast, it's complicated, it makes me want to pull the hair out of my head.  It makes me  scream internally....BUT getting one thing down makes it worth it.  The jello feeling in your legs, makes it worth it.  The calories burned after the intense cardio...so worth it!

Maybe I am a Fitness Freak but I am happy, I am making progress, and I am proud! 

21 Day NO JUNK FOOD Challenge

So I'm joining a few others and started this challenge today.  I think it would be a good idea to write my thoughts down.

The only thing I thought I would find challenging would be ice cream.  I <3 ice cream!  I thought I don't eat often, so this can't be that tough, I thought.  OMG!!!!  I want chocolate and candy and cookies, and cake, and ICE CREAM!  The mind is sooo powerful and plays some mean games.  I know that so I WILL overcome it.  Let's see how I do throughout this challenge.

11-8 Day 1:
 I made it through the day.  It wasn't that bad...but knowing that I can't have something makes me want it.  Its not the end of the world but it's called a challenge for a reason.  I'm looking forward to the other 20 days.
11-9 Day 2:
Today was ok food wise.  The only that that was difficult was dinner.  The boys were looking forward to going out for pizza but I wasn't feeling well and didn't want to go out, let alone cook.  So we did order, but I ordered a salad on a wheat wrap.

11-10 Day 3:
No food issues today.  I didn't eat much due to some errands and some other things I had to do.  I do find myself thinking of what I'm eating before I eat it.  I was going to grab a few  blue corn chips, stopped, remember I couldn't have them and had half a Luna bar instead :)
11-11 Day 4:
Today was GREAT!  I made very healthy good choices today.  Breakfast was special K serial then had an early lunch, egg white omelet.  I had some wheat pita chips and hummus for a snack.  Hubby is making a meatloaf roast and salad.  Feeling strong today!

Some Days

There are days when it's hard....

• to eat breakfast when you're not hungry
• to not get that seasonal donut at the coffee shop
• to choose that yogurt or almonds instead of cheez its or chips
• to not reach for the snack basket in the afternoon before you start making dinner
• to make a salad for dinner...all that cutting of the vegetables
• to get out of your warm comfy bed to go to the gym
• to go back out to the gym after you've been home, made and eat dinner, and chatted with the family
• to not grab a cookie out of habit or just because

Changing your lifestyle and eating habits after 20+ years is not easy!  It's a battle.  Some days, even most days are easy now, some are not.  Those seldom tough days can beat you up bad.  Not going to lie.  You have to remember that  it's just a day.   Don't give in!  If you do....only means your normal and you will move on.  Don't give up!  If you do...only means your letting yourself down.  You don't want that.  I don't want that!

Even though I'm warm and comfortable now...I'm craving the feeling of a great workout.

I'm off to get ready for KickBox Bootcamp!

Let's go shopping

Food shopping gets more and more difficult. You want to eat right and feed your family healthy options but worry about paying the bills at the same time.  It's so unbelievable how expensive good food is.   So I decided to compare two food shopping lists to make sure I wasn't being overly dramatic. 

Take a look.......

 Meal  #1

Breakfast
- Cocoa Puffs and Milk
 Lunch
- Frozen Pizza
 Dinner
- Mac n Cheese
- chicken breast
 Dessert
- Cookies
Total spent $22.80

                                                    Meal #2 (healthier options)

Breakfast

- Oatmeal and banana

 Lunch

- Frozen organic pizza with spring mix salad, tomatoes, and cucumbers

Dinner

- Whole grain pasta, grilled chicken, and veggies

Dessert

- Fresh fruit sorbert

Total Spent $ 42.17

 

 I am not being overly dramatic!  Things should be switched.  Fruit should be $1.00 and Ho-Ho's should be $5.99. 

U is who U is

Do you pretend to run against the person next to you on the treadmill?  Do you compare yourself to the person next to you on the treadmill.  These are two different ways of thinking.  I'm not a competitive person by nature in the least but I have secretly 'raced' with the person next to me at the gym.  I'm also not going to lie...I have compared myself to others.  We do the same exercises, why are her arms nicer?  Why aren't I as thin as her?  Well....cause we are all different.  We gain differently and we lose differently.  Different people, different bodies.  It took my a LONG time to accept that I am who I am.  Sometimes it's still hard, but it's getting easier.  We should see how far we have come instead of how far we need/want to go.  When I have one of those days where I think "I'm never going to be have a flat belly"...I really need to think "you might not, but at least you can see your feet!"  Having a secret competition for motivation with the person next to you is healthy.  Physically comparing yourself to someone else is not!

I have been given this life and I took it and my body for granted for so many years.  I am now living, learning and making the best of it.  For me and for the people I love.  I want to be around for them.  I do what I do cause I want to and I feel that it's what's right for me.  I think we should all be like that.  We all have different wants and different goals.  My goals may not the same as yours and your goals may not be the same as mine and that's ok.  What works for me may not work for you and that is ok as well!  I'm constantly trying new fitness classes and formats to see what I like and what works for me.   I suggest that everyone does that.

I told myself once don't strive to be better, stronger, faster, thinner than the person next to you on the treadmill - be better, stronger, faster, thinner than the person you were.

Be you.  Stay you.  Love you.