The First Day

Well, today was the first day of a new life.  My goal?  To be in the best possible health of my life.

I decided to take my trainer's offer of prepping for a body competition next year.  YEP!  Next year, I will be posing in a bikini....on stage....posing.  AHHHH!  Even thinking about it freaks me out!

So, my trainer gave me a whole work up of daily work out plans and eating plan.  He has kept it super easy for me to follow, which I am very thankful for.  So, as I am reading, I start to FREAK OUT!  I was so overwhelmed and had NO idea what to do.

Thank goodness for Google!  I was able to look them all up and find images to show me what exactly I need to do.  PLUS I had a fellow gym member who offered to meet me today and "show me the ropes" as you will.  I felt SO much better.

However, I can barely raise my arms to wash my hair.  My legs are so sore from a good 40 minute run and 10 minutes on the step treadmill.  I am sore but am so glad I have started this!

Just had to share, and yes, I will keep you posted.  I took a before picture a few days ago.  I will post them side by side with my progression over time!

~ <3 ~
Me

Organizing and De-Stressing

So after the kids went to bed tonight, I sat down with a few things in mind. 

Number one on my list of things to do was to create a daily checklist.  Sometimes I am just running around like a chicken with my head cut off and go go go go go that my day is over and then I do it all over again.  Second was sitting down and going through my trainer's food recommendations and figuring out how I am going to accomplish it.

I DID IT!!!  I got my checklist done AND added in what foods I need to eat!  I am so excited and motivated and just excited!!!

I seriously can't wait to see how I do with slimming down and dropping weight....nervous and excited.  I am gonna be eating a TON of chicken LMAO :)

My checklist makes me laugh but it is what I need.  Make bed, pack lunch (and what to pack), dinner (what to eat), work out, laundry, cleaning, vacuuming.  It sucks but my mind  SQUIRREL  is so chaotic some days.

Ok, I just had to share, but have an amazing week everyone!!

~ <3 ~
Me

Feeling Strong

So my trainer always says "You're getting stronger" or "You're improving a lot".  I will tell you something.  I am an impatient person.  This dropping weight and toning up thing does not mesh well with my impatient personality!  HOWEVER, I am still sticking with it, and my PT (Personal Training) days are my favorite days of the week.  I have an intense 30 minute session with Tommy and then I do 6 miles on the elliptical machine....I'd love to run outside but I know as soon as I get home I will get occupied doing other things and let it slide.

I have been doing a lot of upper body stuff at my training sessions and I have to say I have impressed myself!  I am doing squatting chin ups/pull ups.  I can't wait for the day when I can do a regular one all on my own.  That is my goal because I have NEVER been able to do that!  Even when I was younger.  When I turn my arms certain ways I can see the muscle I have.....now I just have to drop the fat!  That is what I need to keep up with.

I am guilty of not doing my every other day PT homework he has given me and I know he knows I am not doing it because my results aren't as obvious.  Why I won't do it baffles me, but I have to start somewhere and that somewhere is tomorrow!!!

I have been doing pretty good with my eating lately though!  I have been doing my protein smoothies for breakfast and having spinach and chicken salads for my lunches!  My husband has been keeping up with it also, so we go through lettuce, spinach and chicken like its chocolate.  It is getting pricey but this healthy eating is just totally worth it!  You feel better and you look healthier and happier.

Slow and steady with the fitness.  I don't want to rush and then let go everything I have worked so hard for.  I also don't want to drop the weight and then get a ton of flappy hanging skin.  That started to happen last fall because I dropped my 20lbs so fast.  Now that I am strength training.....well just training in general....I have really started to tone and tighten up.  My trainer is a blessing and I am forever in debt to my patient that referred me.  It was the right time and meant to be.  Stupid "Other Gym".  I wasted way too much time there when I could have been having results ASAP.  Had I known, I would have loved to do it when I started running last year.  I bet my results would have been HUGE!  Not that they weren't on their own, but I bet it would have been incredible!

I am going to try and start posting a song of the day on my blog.  Some songs I just really push harder while I am working out or running.  I hope it helps you build your music collection everyone!

Ok my friends.....I have a lot to do today.  Stay active and go for a walk.  Enjoy the outdoors playing with your kids or your pets.....live and love life!

~ <3 ~
Me

*Song of the day: "Sail" - AWOLNATION*

Routine Has Happened

I was sitting her on the couch browsing the internet (yeah I know so healthy and all) and I realized something......I finally have routine with my healthy lifestyle!  I was telling a friend of mine how I always heard it takes 30 days to make something a habit.  That is a load of BS! 

I can't tell you how many times I attempted to turn my life around.  I would stick with things for MONTHS and go right back to where I started.  I don't know what the difference is now compared to then, but it just feels right!

It feels weird if I don't work out during the week (especially my PT sessions).  If I don't eat well, by body tells me so!  Like seriously, it makes me miserable....absolutely miserable!  My body craves exercise!  It's like a drug!  A huge antidepressant drug!  I am more positive and my body is happy!

I cried today at my Personal Training (PT) today.  I felt so stupid but I cried!  I was doing a circuit and part of it was a "chin up" move where I squatted to the floor and used my arms to pull up and down.  Immediately I started crying.  My trainer seriously thought I was hurt and that something was terribly wrong with me.  All I could say was "I never would have thought I'd be able to do something like this before".  All he said was "Well, you're doing it now!".  Damn right Tommy!  Damn right!

My trainer is amazing.  (that's my sweaty PT selfie) Super patient but very firm and motivating.  Pushes me to the point that my body can take the work out but, as he said today, "I don't push you to the point that you can't even sit down on the toilet".  SO TRUE!  When I was at Fitness 19 my trainer (let's call him Bob) would work me out so hard that I literally couldn't sit down on the toilet without something to support me!  He knew I had a knee issue and was worried about building up the strength in my thighs and around my knees.  I'd be out of commission for DAYS!

I am sore with my new trainer, but it is a good sore.  A reminder of what muscles I used for my workout and that I am slimming and trimming that fat away!  A reminder of the old me becoming the new me!  RAWR!!  LoL

Ok, so I love my PT days and they make me happy and healthy like my healthy eating!  YAY!  When I miss either of those things, my world comes crashing down and all is lost and gone forever ;)

As a side note, I have signed up for a 5k race every month until October!  I am so happy and so excited because my husband has decided to run with me!  He wants to get into it too!  I am so excited to share this part of my life with him!

Off to bed I go my friends!  Thanks for reading and share this with your friends!  Maybe I can guide someone to a healthier lifestyle too!

~ <3 ~
Me

Feeling Like A Failure

I feel this way more lately than I should.  I haven't been running....I haven't been OVER eating....just eating junk.  I feel like this sign is just flashing in front of my eyes lately.  I could list my excuses and reasons.  Thanksgiving hit, my knee hurt....I wish I would have realized I just needed new shoes.  I wish I would have done better with my eating during the holidays....so many regrets.

I started my 5k-10k app and was doing well.  HOWEVER.....my trainer has been less than helpful.  I get a decent work out on my training day, but then I am SO SORE the rest of the weekend that I feel useless.  SO, I have decided to look into another alternative.  A patient of mine recommended a friend of hers.  He went to college specifically for personal training.  Weight and diet management.  I spoke with him on the phone and just felt such a strong draw to use him as part of my training.

I go this wednesday morning and I am really excited about it.  Nervous, yet excited.

The reason for this blog post was an email that FREAKED me out!  I have only 10 weeks until my first 10k!  Holy crap!  10 weeks!?  Seriously!?  I am in full anxiety and panic mode here my friends!  Seriously 10 weeks and I can barely run 5 miles!

I guess I am just in a depressed funk tonight and I can't shake it.  I have the rest of my goal weight to get to and I just feel so lost and so confused.  I feel like it's impossible!  I am in serious need of anxiety medication tonight....and no I don't have any but I wish I did.  My mind is racing and I feel so panicky!  

Yes, I have my moments, and I am having such a hard time tonight.  Thanks for reading and I am in need of major support my friends!  I need a lot of support and encouragement and a cheering section right now! 

~ <3 ~

Me

Same Sweater....New Me....Bad Knee!?

So, I have posted this beauty before in a past blog.  I am mortified I ever let myself get to that point, but what are ya gonna do!?

I was going through drawers trying to find SOMETHING to wear in this cold Ohio weather.  I dove into my sweater drawer.  I need something warm that will fit.  Even if it hangs off me a little bit, I just need it to look somewhat nicely.

As I was going through my drawers I came across this same red sweater.  When I see it, this is the picture I see in my mind.  I almost put it in my donate pile when I thought "The lines on that seem slimming enough....I wonder if it would fit?"

So, I put it on and BAM!  This is how it fit!  I still feel like my face shows my weight, but I realize I have a strong jaw line and chin like my father, so I shouldn't complain.  He is a handsome person :)  I couldn't believe how different I made this sweater look now compared to just a few years ago.

Why did I save it after seeing this picture of me!?  Maybe for a day like this!  I felt amazing in the sweater and it was comfortable.  It was a LITTLE loose, but I felt it still looked somewhat cute! Please no need to tell me any compliments.  I am not fishing for them.  It is just taking time to enjoy this new me!

Now, onto the bad news!  I was doing SO amazing running last week!  I ran Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  By Thursday I noticed my right shin and my knee were feeling a little pressure.  Friday morning I could barely make it up or down our small flight of 6 steps.

As anyone would do.....instead of contacting my physician I turned to the trusted internet!  The only common explanation I could find was that I bruised my knee or knee cap and that was why it felt like I had a huge air bubble behind my knee cap.  The solution/treatment you ask?  Elevation, ice compress, and Advil.  NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!  Did I do something wrong?  I was averaging 13-15,000 steps a day and I was feeling AMAZING!  Was it just too much at one time, or was it my shoes?  I invested in an amazingly supportive pair of running shoes.

I don't know what happened but I am sad.  This has now made me realize to stick with my 3x weekly running with some strength training.  I have GOT to do he strength training!!!  I just need a buddy because doing that by myself at the gym makes me pretty panicky :(

So, to lighten the mood....my old new sweater was a pleasant surprise but my knee is still throbbing *sniffle*.  What is a girl to do!?

~ <3 ~
Me