Beating myself up...

I have spent the last two weeks beating myself up.  And, I'm not talking about working hard in the gym.  I am talking about emotionally beating myself up.  I'm not a good mom, I'm not losing enough weight, I'm eating more food than I'd like to be, I'm not attractive, my house is a wreck, I don't work out enough, I have a gut, blah, blah, blah... the list goes on and on.  I just came back from a fabulous new mom's group that I've been going to for the past couple of months, and do you know what I realized? My sweet boy doesn't care about any of these things.  He just wants his mama to scoop him up after another child bonks him on the head with a cell phone.  He wants me to kiss him and throw him up in the air.  He doesn't care if I eat five squares of dark chocolate and drink too much tea, nor does he care that my hair has been in a pony tail every day for over a year.  He just wants his mama.  It took hanging out with these wonderful women, watching our children play, for me to realize that.  My heart is full.

This is an oldie, but a goodie.

Physical Training Log

Last week I got off my lazy booty and worked out!  I was elated with my run time on Saturday.  I set a personal record (PR) for myself, and I couldn't be happier.  Perhaps, taking a week off did my body some good. Working out this week is going to be a challenge.  We have a lot going on in the evenings, so I will have to sneak workouts while my baby is napping. We'll see if that actually happens.

Remember, the workouts listed below are a representation of what I completed last week.  Please consult your physician before beginning a physical training program.  If you are starting a physical training program as a part of a New Year's resolution, begin slowly.  Rome wasn't built in a day.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

Run the neighborhood loop twice

= 30:41 (PR!)

* According to mapmyrun.com, I ran approximately 3.15 miles.  This is the third time I've been able to run this distance, and it was my fastest!  Sweet!

Monday, January 21, 2013

Snatch technique work with the help of the world's most handsome trainer (my hubby)

-and-

Snatch balance (15 kilos) x 3
Farmer's walk to the end of the driveway and back (45 pound plate) x 2
Complete 5 rounds
-then-
Complete 3:00 of planks
= 14:00

* I used my brand new 15 kilo bar for the snatch work.  For those of you who don't know, 15 kilos equals 33 pounds.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Run to the end of my street and back
-then-
Overhead squat (15 kilos) x 10
Burpees x 5
Complete 5 rounds
= 12:07

*According to mapmyrun.com, the run portion of this workout was approximately 0.33 miles. 

I have a problem...

My name is Kellea, and I am addicted to peanut butter.  Gasp!  I took peanut butter out of my diet a few months ago because it was hurting my stomach, or so I thought.  I am starting to think that was just a bad batch of peanut butter.  That happens, right?  Either way, for the last two weeks I've been eating peanut butter like Jif is about to stop production, and I've had no tummy issues.  However, after finishing another jar (seriously, I just licked a jar clean seconds ago), I have decided I must bid peanut butter adieu.  I don't need it, and I eat far, far, far too much of it.  Good-bye sweet peanut butter, I will miss you.  It's not you, it's me.

Motherhood

This post has nothing to do with exercise or nutrition.  I just wanted to give you a glimpse into my brain.  Sometimes being a stay-at home mom is hard.  Hard?!  Yes, hard.  Sometimes I miss working.  I was quite good at my job and, for the most part, I enjoyed my work.  Sometimes, I just want to get out of bed, take an extra-long shower, straighten my hair and do my makeup, put on a pretty outfit with accessories, drive-thru Starbucks, and go to my office.  I want to sit there and talk to other adults about adult things.  I want to spend hours finding background information on subjects, then track them down and interview them, getting them to confess things they thought they never would.  It's like the ultimate game of cat and mouse.  I want to write affidavits and appear in court.  I want to feel like I have a brain.  If you don't know what I used to do, use your imagination.

Five seconds after these thoughts cross my mind, I feel an enormous sense of guilt.  I love my baby.  I love being at home with him, watching all of his firsts.  I love to watch his little mind work as he figures things out.  I love the sweet smile that crosses his face when he accomplishes something that he's proud of.  I love his contagious laugh and the way he smells.  I love the sweet sounds he makes when we're playing.  I love being blessed enough to spend my days with him, I really do.  He is a joy and I am very lucky.  

I think as moms we are often times very hard on ourselves.  There is a lot of guilt that comes with being a parent.  Guilt for thinking about our child-less days or for trolling Facebook when we should be pureeing baby food. What makes matters worse is that we are also judgmental and critical towards one another.  Stay-at-home moms judge moms who work, and moms who work judge stay-at-home moms.  How about we not judge each other, and instead be kind to one another.  After all, we all want what's best for our kids and we don't know what personal struggles go on behind closed doors.  

He is the best boss I've ever had!  And the smartest, cutest, and most wonderful!

     

Halfway there!

It has been SIX months since I started this journey.  Can you believe that I have made it this far?  In six months I've lost 14 pounds and had one cheat day.  I am still pretty mad at myself over the cheat day.  I think my body had a hard time recovering from me treating it like a garbage disposal, so I really didn't see a single pound weight loss this month (no gains, but no losses either).  This will have been my first month without any weight loss. I could kick myself.

Since I am at the halfway point, I bit the bullet and asked my husband to check my body fat.  Body fat loss is more important to me than weight loss, and I was dying to know if it had changed.  I was terrified; what if I hadn't lost any body fat?  After what seemed like an eternity, my husband calculated that I'd lost 3% body fat.  When I started this journey, I was 27% body fat and I am now 24% body fat.  Yay for subtraction!  As a reference point, 25% body fat is considered overweight and 30% body fat is considered obese.  I am now out of the overweight category!  Can I get an AMEN?!  According to my calculations, I've been averaging a 0.5% monthly body fat loss.  I need to step it up a little, as I would like to end this journey 20% body fat or below.

Here's a photo from last weekend.  Sorry the lighting is weird, we get a lot of sun in our great room.  Or maybe it's my new, bright orange shirt that's blinding.

Since we ushered in 2013, I have had a marked decrease in motivation.  I could blame the cold weather or the fact that I have a toddler, but the real problem is me and my laziness.  I am not sure why I am unmotivated and lazy.  I just don't feel like doing anything, except playing with my son and spending time with my husband watching Amish Mafia.  Awesome right? This month, I am going to get off my booty and get back into the gym, after all I have a 5K coming up.  I am going to try out new recipes and limit my time aimlessly wandering around the Internet.  I've got to get back on track!  I cannot slip into old habits!

No physical training log...

I don't have a physical training log this week because I am lazy.  I am lazy and I have no blasted motivation to do anything but play with my boys and play on the Internet.  Oh yeah, and I pulled my groin.  I DID have motivation on Monday, but as I was warming up, I pulled my groin.  No bueno!  So now I am pouting about my groin injury and catching up on episodes of The New Normal.  I can actually feel myself getting less fit.  If you haven't noticed, I am having a pity party.  Hopefully, I will find my motivation next week and be able to work out a little in spite of my groin.    

Physical Training Log

Hello everyone!   Another week of PT has flown by, and I (of course) switched my program up mid-week.  Last week I said I was going to start snatching and back squatting.  I did snatch this week, but I was F-A-R too sore to back squat.  I may wait to resume that lift until I've run the 5K I am doing in February.  Also, I think I may take next week off.  I am tired, sore, and feel like I need a break.  The weather is supposed to be amazing next week, so I will try to walk with my baby a few times if I do end up taking the week off.

Remember, the workouts listed below are a representation of what I completed this week.  Please consult your physician before beginning a physical training program.  If you are starting a physical training program as a part of a New Year's resolution, begin slowly.  Rome wasn't built in a day.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Run the neighborhood loop twice

= 31:56

* According to mapmyrun.com, I ran approximately 3.15 miles.  This is only the second time I've been able to run this loop twice.  My time was about a minute slower this week, but that's fine with me.  Completing the run was my goal.  

Monday, January 7, 2013

Snatch technique work with the help of the world's most handsome trainer (my hubby)

-and-

Sprint to the end of the street

Walk back to the starting point

Complete 4 rounds

= 1:03, 1:01, 1:02, 1:03

* I used my brand new 15 kilo bar for the snatch work.  For those of you who don't know, 15 kilos equals 33 pounds.  Also, according to mapmyrun.com, each sprint distance was 0.16 miles for a total of 0.64 miles sprinted.  This is what caused my legs to be too sore to back squat. Sprints stink!

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Run to my farthest neighbor's mailbox and back

Overhead squat (15K) x 5 

Complete 5 rounds

= 15:24

* According to mapmyrun.com, the run portion of this workout was approximately 1 mile.

Have a super weekend!!

Physical Training Log

I did it, I did it!  Two days before the end of 2012, I reached my goal of running my neighborhood loop twice.  I should mention that it was 32 degrees when I started my run, and I still finished!  3.15 miles is probably a short distance to most people, but not for me.  I am quite happy I ended 2012 by reaching my goal.  I am running a 5K in February with my sister (a legit runner), and now it doesn't seem quite as daunting.

My sister (the runner) and my mom.

Now that we've rung in the new year, I am going to switch my training up... again!  I am going to start lifting again, focusing most of my attention on the back squat and snatch.  Also, instead of completing metabolic conditioning workouts each week, I am going to focus on running.  After I complete the above-mentioned 5K, I will start metabolic conditioning workouts again.  I look forward to lifting again, and I even have a new women's weight bar (15 kilos) arriving Monday from Rogue Fitness.  If you've never checked out Rogue Fitness' website (www.roguefitness.com), I suggest you do so.  They have an awesome array of equipment, and their customer service is outstanding.

Remember, the workouts listed below are a representation of what I completed this week.  Please consult your physician before beginning a physical training program.  If you are starting a physical training program as a part of a New Year's resolution, begin slowly.  Rome wasn't built in a day.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Run the neighborhood loop twice

= 30:58

* This loop is a little over 1.5 miles.  According to mapmyrun.com, I ran approximately 3.15 miles.  YAY!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Row x 100 meters

Dumbbell snatch (20 pounds) x 10

High to low planks x 7

Complete 7 rounds

= 14:28

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Run to the end of my street and back

-then-

Burpees x 10

Ball slams (25 pounds) x 10

Complete 5 rounds

= 13:04

* According to mapmyrun.com, the run portion of this workout was approximately 0.33 miles.

Happy New Year!  I hope 2013 brings all of your hearts desires!  Have a great weekend.

Resolutions...

Happy New Year!  Many of us will begin the new year with a list of resolutions a mile long.  By the third or fourth of the month, we've failed at all of them and have resolved to start anew next year.  Don't let another year pass by without trying to meet a goal of some kind, no matter how trivial.  If you start your resolution on the first and fail on the second, try again on the third.  You don't have to throw in the towel just because you've had a misstep in the beginning.  I started my flab to fab challenge in July, not January.  There is no hard and fast rule that you have to make changes as you ring in the new year; rather, try to make small changes throughout the year.  You may fail in the beginning with what you've resolved to change.  That doesn't make you a failure, it just makes you human.  Start fresh and try again!  Good luck and have a wonderful 2013!