Workout Results #2 & 3

My appetite has increased significantly with my workout.  With this increase comes a better awareness of what I eat and making sure I don't splurge too often.  I miss being conscious of my food intake.  Hopefully I can start shedding pounds (and keeping them off for good!) within the next couple of weeks.  Wish me luck!

Wednesday morning I did another 2.25 miles on the treadmill and 50 crunches.
Wednesday night I did a shoulder & tricep workout.  After much debate, I decided to walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes instead of running so I could give my legs a small break.  I then did:

• dumbbell incline shoulder presses
• dumbbell lateral raises
• dumbbell triceps kickbacks
• cable tricep pushdowns
• dumbbell calf raises
• 50 crunches

I must say that I think that triceps are my least favorite workout, but only because it hurts so much.  Haha!

Thursday was my off day because my legs were hurting worse than Wednesday!  Today I woke up again with soreness in my legs, but I went to the gym anyway after dropping the hellion off at school.  I can't quit now!  & I must say the soreness is a constant reminder that I'm doing something right & that it won't be too long before I start seeing the results I want.  Today's workout is my favorite workout to do, back & biceps:

•  2.25 miles on the treadmill
• dumbbell rows
• pull downs
• hyperextension
• dumbbell curls
• preacher curls
• 100 crunches

I think the back & biceps workout is my favorite because it's the one that I see results the fastest with, and the workout isn't that hard.  I was a little disappointed after I weighed myself because I haven't lost any weight yet, but then I had to remind myself that it's only been three days and that learning to be patient needs to be on my checklist.  Haha!

After I left the gym I went home and was a complete bum for the rest of the day, which I don't do very often.  It was nice. 

(This is the last time I'm going to post my workout results.  I'm aware that they can be boring and not fun to read.)

Beauty Must Suffer

Purchased a gym membership yesterday.  One of my good friends is working on a personalized workout plan for me.  I'm so ready to be back in shape.  After my plans to work out yesterday morning were botched two times, I ended up going to my Taekwondo instructor and doing a private lesson.  Then I decided I would go work out last night after the hellion fell asleep.  Well, if you don't know me, then I must tell you that whenever I put the hellion to bed (8:00 P.M.), I fall asleep (99% of the time) also.  I didn't wake up until 10:00, then I laid in bed for thirty minutes before finally convincing my lazy ass to get out of bed and go to the gym.  I worked out for an hour and a half, and I can definitely feel the burn this morning.

My 1 1/2 hr. workout last night was focused on my legs:

• 30 minute cardio workout = 2.25 miles on the treadmill.  (I know that that isn't too great, but I was proud of myself, considering I haven't really worked out in almost a year.)
• Leg curls = 4 sets of 15
• Leg extensions = 4 sets of 10
• Lunges = 4 sets of 14 (My friend Steven suggested squats, but I was too self-conscious to do squats in front of all the guys who were working out.  Haha!)
• Leg press = 4 sets of 15
• 50 crunches

I'm not going to lie though, after I got off the treadmill I almost went home.  I was sweating and panting and my face was completely red.  When I was working out regularly last year I would only get on the treadmill for 15 minutes and run a mile and a half, so I kept that in mind while I was on the brink of quitting halfway through my cardio workout.  Then when I was doing my second set of lunges, I got a cramp in my inner thigh.  If you know me then you know that I absolutely hate lunges, but I push myself to do them because they are such a good workout for your legs.  After I finished working out I stretched-- which I never do, btw.  I think I'm going to start incorporating stretching into my workout.  Before, after, and/or both.  I know I should stretch, I'm just too impatient to do so.  Anyway, the motto I use when I'm working out is this:  "beauty must suffer."  I repeat that in my head during my entire workout.  It helps me persevere!  Try it yourself the next time you feel like quitting.

My ideal goal is to lose about 15 lbs., but if I can lose at least 10 lbs. then I will be happy.  I want to be able to get back to the weight I was at this time last year, and since I am determined to work out constantly I think 15 lbs. isn't too bad of a goal for myself.  We'll see where I'm at in due time!

I left the gym at 11:45, got home around midnight, ate a few Ritz crackers with squeeze cheese (what?  I didn't eat dinner, ok?), and went to sleep.  This morning after I dropped the hellion off at school I went back to the gym and did another 30 minutes on the treadmill, but this time I did 2.27 miles!  See, one day and I'm already improving =)  After the treadmill I did another 50 crunches and went home, because tonight Chad and I are going to the gym to work out.  I'm going to focus on my shoulders and triceps-- after cardio, of course.  Then I'm going to finish, like I do with every workout, with crunches.

I don't ever want this feeling to go away.  I feel much more confident about my body and more motivated to work out regularly now that I've actually taken the next step.  (The first step was dropping $300 for a 1 year membership.  Eek!  I definitely plan to get my money's worth.)  Why did I quit working out in the first place? 

Next on my list is incorporating my yoga practice back into my routine.

My not-so-new New Year's Accomplishments

My awesome friend Lauren is always thinking of cool, different ideas.  She's so inspiring.
Today I was talking to her on the phone & she told me that instead of making a list of New Year's Resolutions she made a list of things she accomplished this past year.  Hearing her accomplishments made me happy for her and also made me want to make a list of my own accomplishments from 2011.  (I'm such a copycat.)  So without further ado, I present my list of accomplishments from 2011:

• I successfully completed my first semester at a four-year college.  Only three more semesters to go!
• I took Logan on a vacation to the beach.
• I paid off my credit cards.  (Right now I currently have balances on a few credit cards, but I plan on paying those off asap.)
• I bought a brand new car.
• I purchased a gym membership.....today, but hey, I still got one, right?
• I saw A Perfect Circle, Weezer, Stone Temple Pilots, The Avett Brothers, Band of Horses, The Black Keys, & John Butler Trio in concert-- bands I'd never seen live before.
• I was chosen to present some work from one of my classes at the 2012 College of Arts and Sciences Research Symposium.
• I wrote an article for the school newspaper.
• I took Logan to see the circus.
• I made new friends & built new relationships.
• I was at the hospital on my birthday to witness the birth of my niece.
• I was with one of my best friends, Crissy, on the day she became a mother.
• Another of my best friends, Brandi, finally got her wish to become a mother and will be one in January!
• One of my teachers published some of my work from the class I took with her in the spring.
• Logan & I started taking Taekwondo classes.
• I put together Logan's massive swing set that he got for his 4th birthday.
• I discovered Florence + The Machine, Adele, Mumford and Sons, SONOS, and The Civil Wars.  All of which I intend to see live in concert one day.
• I got a new tattoo.
• I took an interest in yoga.
• I de-activated my Facebook account....for a few weeks, anyway.
• I visited St. Augustine, Florida.
• I visited the German town of Helen, GA.
• I saw the very interesting Bodies Exhibition in Atlanta.
• A few important people went out of-- and came back into-- my life this year.

That's all I can think of at the moment, but just re-reading this list has lifted my spirits.  Make one for yourself!

Shake It Out- Florence + The Machine

Retract

Have you ever read something you wrote in the past and thought, "I sound pathetic?"  That happens to me.  A lot.  Introduce my horribly embarrassing previous post.  Ughhhh.  I think that about a lot of the things I write.  I want to go through and delete every emotional thing I've ever written, but I have such a horrible memory and I like to torture myself with the memories I do happen to keep, so embarrassing blog posts get the privilege of staying and being viewed (or not viewed) by friends and strangers alike.

Anyway, I said all that to say this:  I get on my nerves

I can't even begin to describe how many words and thoughts I've typed for this blog that I've deleted.  In my crazy, jumbled brain, the light bulb has gone off and revealed that I am, in fact, an idiot.

But I can't help it!  I just have such big dreams & bigger fears that sometimes I just lose sight of them because of my even bigger envious nature.  I'm going to improve.

So how do I improve?  New memories.

Like the 3 day (much needed) vacation I just took in the adorable German town of Helen, GA.

Or watching adorable kids while they put decorations on the Christmas tree.

Or planning a trip to TN in February to follow my two favorite music artists for a weekend.

RHCP

Ani Difranco

But most importantly, making new, painless memories with this adorable little man:

Time heals.  Eventually.  I'm looking forward to a new year with more new memories.

Doomsday

Isn't it funny how the memories you cherish before a breakup can become your worst enemies afterwards?

Holding my hand while the life we created together was pushed into the world.
Sweet nothings lovingly whispered in my ear as that newborn's soon-to-be-familiar cry was first heard.  Promises made, kept and not kept.

A new found experience for the both of us.

The happiest day of his life.  Until today.

The thoughts you loved to think about, the memories you wanted to hold up to the light and view from every angle--it suddenly seems a lot safer to lock them in a box, far from the light of day and throw away the key. 

How does one reconcile to fate?  "It's like moving mountains."

 It's not an act of bitterness. It's an act of self-preservation. 

7 months of knowing and avoiding the obvious couldn't prepare me for this day.

It's not always a bad idea to stay behind the window and look out at life instead, is it?













(Bold, italicized words from Ally Condie)

To spoil or not to spoil?

My hellion has told me repeatedly what he wants for Christmas:  a slew of games for the Playstation (which he'd better tell his dad, considering we don't have one) and "only TWO games for the Wii:  Captain America and Super Mario Brothers, Mommy."  This was after I already bought his Mario Brothers Strikers and a cheap Sonic the Hedgehog game.  I told myself I wasn't going to buy him the two games he requested because I already bought him those two games. But....the more I think about his cute little face, the more I want to buy him those "only two" games he requested.

As the second of four children, my parents didn't have a lot.  It was a very rare occasion for my siblings and myself to receive a gift from Santa that was on our Christmas Wish List.  I'm more than positive that my hellion is going to be my one and only child, and so I want to be able to provide for him the things that my parents couldn't provide for me.  Isn't that how most parents feel?

I know the logical answer is no.  Or to take the two games I already bought back and exchange them.  Or to just tell my hellion, "Better luck next year."  But, I mean.....how can I deny this sweet little innocent face?