Monday Funday

Happy Monday everyone.  Is that an oxymoron?  I swear it is some days.  There have been times in the past where I dream about skipping work on Mondays, and then I realize that Tuesdays would just turn into Mondays.  Why prolong the inevitable?

I have to report that my weekend was a FAIL.  I started sneezing on Thursday and that turned into some sinus funk.  I felt bad Friday and even worse on Saturday.  I didn’t feel as bad on Sunday but I still didn’t feel right.  Even today I don’t feel 100%.  I worked out in spite of feeling bad on Thursday and Friday.  I didn’t work out this weekend because I wasn’t scheduled to workout.  I purchased all of the food I needed to cook on Friday but haven’t got around to cooking it.  I suck, I knowJ

I did have pics taken on Sunday so I can track my progress.   I asked my ex husband to do it.  It literally was going to take 30 secs.  He complained the entire time and informed me this was the stupidest thing he has ever done (throw in a couple of F bombs and you will have the full synopsis.)  Wow, not only was that uncalled for but it was very hurtful.  I do not understand how people can be so malicious.  I understand that working out and getting in shape isn’t his thing but does he really have to criticize me for doing it?  I don’t knock his hobbies and adventures even if I don’t agree with them.  I try to be supportive of whatever he’s doing even if it isn’t my thing.  Its one thing to NOT support someone, but it’s a whole new beast when you purposely put them down.  I will NEVER understand it.  I have to tell you though, it really takes a spring out of your step when you’re on fire, you’re doing your thing, and then someone puts you down.  I am not saying that I wanted to give up, but I surely didn’t have the motivation to do anything else.  My feelings were hurt to say the least.  He could’ve at least kept his nasty comments to himself. 

So what do you do if you don’t have the support you need?  Do you keep going? Does it get you down?  I would love to hear some inspiring stories about how you kept going even though those around you purposely tried to keep you down.

They see me rolling

Hello folks!  How are you?  Are you enjoying spring?  A cold snap came through so its not as warm as it has been, but I am glad the winter is over. 

I have been on a roll this past week.  Last week I got in 5 complete workouts.  I didn't follow my meal plan last week because I didn't have the food I needed however, that changed as of Sunday!  I spent the day buying and cooking my food for half the week and finished the other half last night.  My workouts have been going well this week.  Tuesdays workout wasn't 100% but I made an effort.  I would say it was 80% complete. 

I am at a phase where I am so frustrated.  I am in between weights and I hate it.  My gym doesn't have "in between" sizes like 2 lbs, 8 lbs, 12 lbs, 18 lbs.  They have weights in increments of 5.  So, a 5 lb weight is way too light, yet a 10 lbs weight is heave.  But its not just dumbbells.  Even on the machines I am frustrated.  I was doing pull downs and I wanted to scream because I couldn't use 40 lbs with the number of reps I was doing yet 25 lbs was cake.  There wasn't anything in between. Really???  I would do 25 lbs this set then swap to 40.  But there was no way I could've done 40 lbs back to back.  Yet it felt like I was wasting my time with 25 lbs.  What do you do?  Do you go with the higher weight although you cant finish the set or do you use the lower weight? Or do you use the higher weight then swap down to lower.  I usually start off with the higher weights until I cant use them anymore then I will drop to lower weights. But wow, there was such a drastic difference between the two.  I couldn't have completed 2 sets at 40 lbs. There was NO way.  35 lbs...sure...but nooooooooooooooooooo the machine didn't have it.  So.....there's my complaint for the day...I need different weights! 

I work on an Air Force base and we have 2 gyms.  I LOVED the fact that one gym actually had a better weight selection with those "in between" sizes.  Now I cant speak for the machines...I don't know if there was a 15 lb gap between weights.  But the dumbbells were great.  Then I went in one day and they were all replaced with the same weights that were used at the other gym.  Bummer.  Do they not think that people need in between sizes?  Maybe men don't??  Well, the gym is free, so I guess I just have to suck it up and hope that although I am using the lighter weight, my strength will grow so I can make it to the next size:)

That's all I have.  Sorry for the small rant!  I am just happy to be working out consistently.  I am happy to be getting in shape.  I am happy to be eating properly. 

Stressssssssssssssss

I have a line on my forehead next to my left eye.  I guess it’s usually called 11’s, but I only have 1, so I am going to call it 1.  I spend a lot of time trying to minimize this.  I have even considered botox because I HATE it.  Well, yesterday I looked in the mirror and noticed all sorts of lines on my forehead that weren’t there before.  Where did they come from?  Were they always there but I didn’t notice because I was busy staring at one line?  Did I make them happen as I squished up my face trying to make the one disappear?  Maybe stress suddenly brought it on?  I have NO idea but I swear they weren’t there last week.

So this got me thinking about stress in my life.  I don’t have any more stress than the normal person—at least I don’t think I do.  But I think my body is affected by stress.  For a while there I was breaking out in hives for no reason.  I am always tired.  I don’t feel like working out because my mood is so horrible I don’t want to move.   It seems like every Tuesday night I crash at like 8pm instead of my usual 10-11.  I think my body is just dealing with so much emotional stuff even though I don’t necessarily realize I am stressed out.  There have been times when I have gone days without eating hardly anything because I was too blah to eat, then I spend the next week eating like a horse---as if my body was trying compensate for missing the food.   Its amazing how we have a mind/body connection and how our mind can affect the body.

This leads me to yoga.  I wrote the other day about wanting to be flexible so I wanted to incorporate some stretch/yoga/pilates into my life.  Well I think I need it to mentally unwind too.  I only have one body.  I am not opposed to plastic surgery but A—I cant afford it and B—I am only 33.  Gosh if I started now I would have to do it forever to keep up my appearance.  Anyway,  I need to do what I can now to combat the signs of stress/aging.   Whether its doing cardio, or lifting weights, or doing something more relaxing like yoga, I need to do something before I find more wrinkles/lines on my faceJ

I am travelling to DC in mid-April.  I think our hotel will be in Arlington where we stayed last time.  We really liked the hotel, the metro was a few blocks away, as was a HUGE mall.  We were straight across from the Pentagon.  The Airport is a like 2 metro stops away and our class right outside the L’Efant Metro Station, which is only a few stops away.  I think we were at a Marriott Residence Inn so we had a kitchen!  There was a fab grocery store a couple of blocks away.  There was free breakfast and dinner at the hotel.   We were originally going on this trip March 18^th but we decided to wait until April.  The hotel was booked in March so we were going to stay in a very similar hotel up in Rosselyn but I think we will stick with the one we are familiar with.  Okay, with that being said, I was hoping to do some hot yoga while in DC.  I live in Podunk Texas and there is NO hot yoga here.  So why not take advantage of it while I am in a city that DOES have it?  I didn’t do a ton of research but I found a studio that was on Capitol Hill.  Actually, there’s another on Dupont Circle.  Hey, I know how to get to both of those places.  Either would work just fine.  So I checked the pricing--$30 for 10 days. That’s so awesome. Oh wait, you must be a DC resident.  BUMMER.  Looks like I am paying $19 a session if I want to try this.  Hold that thought...I found ANOTHER one in the Dupont area that has a $50 traveller week.  Hmmmm…..I would be there Sunday night, so I could get in 6 sessions.  Is it worth it?  Have you tried it?  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know how this worked out for you? 

Stretchhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Happy Monday everyone.  How was your weekend? 

Today I want to discuss stretching.  I was shaving my legs yesterday and noticed how tight my hams were.  They’re always tight, I am well aware of this, but for some reason it really stood out to me yesterday.   So I dog out my P90X Stretch X DVD and got to it.   The first part was kind of boring as I didn’t feel the need to stretch my neck and wrists, but hey, I did it.   I really enjoyed the last half that pertained to the lower body.  I cant believe I am so inflexible. Ahhhh.  I guess you should be able to bend over and touch your toes?  Yeah, I am a few inches away from that.  I guess I need to add a few yoga or pilates or stretch sessions to my workouts.  Not only do I want to be fit and slim, I would love to be more flexible.

How flexible are you?  Do you do anything specifically to increase your flexibility?

Payday

I absolutely love paydays.  I love checking my bank account first thing in the morning to see a nice big figure.  Of course it doesn't last long as bills have to be paid. Its kind of sad watching my bank account shrink to nothing!  This take me to our good friend: the scale.  Isn't it funny how its opposite of a bank account.  When the numbers go up we feel bummed. As the numbers go down we are jubilant. Well I will be the first to tell you that my scale has gone up a hair and I am not liking it. Not. At. All.  I know the scale will be down in a couple of days but wow, I hate the way it makes me feel.  Its the reverse bank account!

Do you rely on the scale?  How do you measure your success?

I better get to work.  I have been listening to Black Eye Peas Radio on Pandora.  Its pretty motivating and keeps me in a good mood.  The funny thing is I don't work out to this stuff.  Odd huh?