Don’t Hate Me
Posted: October 20, 2009 at 12:09 pm
It’s 6:30am and I’ve already run 3 miles, showered and gotten dressed for the day. Kids are all still sleeping and I’m enjoying a little piece of quiet while I wait for the little monsters to wake up. 
Just kidding. They aren’t really monsters…. at least most of the time. 
If you have absolutely no interest in fitness stop reading now. I’ve turned in to one of those insane and annoying people who loves to exercise and loves to motivate other people to exercise. It’s just that I feel so good it makes the exercise addicting. There is a huge difference in my day when I get up early and workout and when I don’t. I just wish I could put that feeling in a bottle and share it with everyone I know – you would get addicted, too, if you could just experience the benefits that come along with it.
You have to understand that I am lazy. VERY lazy. Not a common descriptor for someone who is up at 5am and running at least 3 miles four times a week. But it wasn’t always that way. Almost a year ago I would have died if I ran to the mailbox. There are a lot of reasons I decided to drag my sorry behind off the couch and do something about it and maybe someday I’ll write about that. The most important thing I want to communicate is that you CAN do it. ANYONE can do it if he/she is just willing to give it an honest to goodness try.
Weighing it at XXX lbs I didn’t start by running 3 miles. As much as you’ll hate me for saying this, the first couple of pounds came off without me even realizing it or trying. (i’m talking 3-5lbs) A combination of Wii Fit and thyroid medicine was the catylist to my weight loss and new lifestyle. I owe my friend Laura BIG TIME for buying me a Wii Fit las November. I kid you not, that is where it all began. So thanks, Laura. You changed my life.
I started playing Wii Fit and the competitor in me had me playing over and over and over again, trying to beat my high scores. For the average healthy adult, Wii Fit probably won’t make you break much of a sweat. For me, I got a good workout doing the step aerobics, hula hoop and boxing. I wrote about the whole step aerobics thing here – it’s worth a good laugh if you didn’t read it before. Anyway, from Wii Fit I did step aerobics in my den, then I moved on to Boot Camp DVDs (which almost killed me) and a few resistance training DVDs. After losing 40lbs I realized I needed help to take it to the next level.
I joined the gym and got a personal trainer and that made all the difference in the world. After working out and doing TONS of cardio in the gym for months, I knew it was time to turn it up a notch. I needed a way to turn this into a lifestyle rather than a diet plan. That’s where running comes into the picture. I hated it at first but felt strong because I could do it. I still hate it for the first half mile or so EVERY time I do it but then my body falls into the routine of pounding the pavement and all is right with the world.
- 81lbs and counting
tags: Fitness Add a comment
Good Morning, World!
Posted: October 8, 2009 at 11:56 am
I just love waking up early and getting a good workout before the sun rises. That’s not exactly true. I HATE getting out of bed and I HATE getting dressed but once I’m moving around a little more and out the door I feel amazing. And then I feel a wall of pain as I begin to run. That first 1/2 mile is brutal as my body screams at me to return to my bed. And then suddenly, I feel like I could run forever. Until I get to mile 3, anyway.
I’ve become so addicted to these early morning workouts that my entire day is affected when I miss them. If only I had the discipline to drag my behind out of bed every morning.
Why is it often so hard to do the things that are so good for us? We all know we should eat right but who sticks to that consistently? Too often I choose to eat yummy crap and feel good for a little while instead of eating something healthier and feeling good for the long haul. We know exercise is good for us not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually. I’m better about making good choices there but there is definitely room for improvement. It’s the same when it comes to spending time with God. We know we need it. Our spirit craves it. But choosing to make time for it every single day just doesn’t happen for me.
Is it a rebellious spirit that keeps us from doing what is right? Is it laziness? Both?
tags: Fitness Add a comment
Confession is good for the soul… and various other body parts?
Posted: September 12, 2009 at 2:24 pm
So I know this girl…..
She is also training for the marathon and running several times a week to get ready. I shouldn’t laugh because I suppose it could happen to anyone BUTT it’s just too funny not to.
On a recent run, she was about 1.5 from home when she began to have mild gastrointestinal distress and hoped it would go just go away. With every step she took she became more and more convinced that it was definitely NOT going away and, worse yet, it was quickly approaching blast off.
Considering her options, she started to walk because the bouncing of her run was proving more than her colon could handle. “oh no. oh NO. OH NO!!!” Horrified at what she knew she’d have to do she looked around for someone picking up his/her morning paper who might be willing to let her use the facilities but no one was in sight. I guess not many people were up before dawn that day.
Finding a bathroom was no longer a matter of convenience and relief. It was imperative to address the matter head on (well, butt on) before she ended up blasting off in her pants. At that thought, she quickly sat on the curb to delay the impending doom. As she pretended to stretch in case anyone was watching, she prayed she could make it home while at the same time knowing it would be impossible to make it another 1.5 miles without destroying her new running pants.
When she was able to walk again she knew what she had to do. “no. NO NO NO!!” It was unthinkable. She was in a neighborhood, for goodness sake, not out in the back woods. No, she’d make it home. She HAD to make it home. She could get home, take care of business and then just run an extra 3 miles to complete that days track. She was even willing to do the whole thing over again if only she could find some relief.
As she approached the fork in the road she had to choose. Turn right and head for home, running the risk of sharing the unthinkable with every house she passed as her business leaked to the ground with each and every step. OR, turn left continuing the normal path and DOO the unthinkable around the corner where there would be enough bushes to hide. NOOOO!!!
Just as she was about to head towards home she had to quickly sit on the curb again to prevent the relief she longed for. She had no choice. No choice. Butt she just couldn’t fathom crapping in a bush in someone’s yard. Only a monster, a disgusting, filthy, pig of a person would crap in someone’s yard. As I am about to pee my pants laughing so hard she admitted she would think it was funny, too, if it were happening to someone else.
She was almost to her only hope – the bushes by the bridge – and prayed she would make it. As she approached, she looked around to make sure no one was looking. She hoped to see even just one person she could beg for a bathroom but it didn’t think she could take even 2 more steps without losing it.
She did it. She faced off with the bushes and prayed for forgiveness. (and prayed no one saw her entering the area) Once she felt better, she realized that in her distress she hadn’t planned very well. The bushes where she now squatted were full of tiny leaves. Although she was hidden from the street she could easily see the house and knew that if someone were really looking, they’d be able to see her, too.
You have to understand that the yard was HUGE. It was more like an estate than a typical house so there was little chance of anyone peering out that far. In her defense, the people who lived in this house would not ever be anywhere near this spot. Only the yard man would ever come close to the evidence that would convict her and he wouldn’t even be close enough to find it.
Just as she was about to leave the scene of the crime a car turned on the street. Feeling like a common a thief, she hid in the bushes until it had passed and narrowly avoided stepping on her own launch pad.
As she slipped back into her jog she wondered if she should confess her sin and decided it was too much to bare alone. So she chose to trust me with her story in hopes of relieving some of her guilt and swore me to secrecy.
Two very important lessons you should learn from this:
1) if you are going to crap by a bush, pick a bush with large leaves
2) if you must share your experience with someone, choose someone who doesn’t blog
Good Morning, Star
Posted: September 10, 2009 at 11:53 am
This morning in the Ebenezer house:
Gracey: Mommy, it’s still dark outside
Me: yes, it’s early, Gracey
Gracey: ooooooh! I bet that star is awake, can we go see it?
Me: okay, let’s go
Gracey: (pointing to the one little star visible through the clouds) MOM!!! LOOK!!!! THERE’S MY STAR! Good morning, star!
Me: (pointing to the moon) Gracey, look who else is awake
Gracey: MY MOON!!! Good morning, moon. He’s awake in the night!
Me: okay, it’s time to go back inside
Gracey: Goodbye star. Goodbye moon.
I love her enthusiasm for life and her pleasure in the little things. She’s 3 1/2 now and I know the magic in her perception of things will slowly fade away over the next few years. I wish we could capture that innocence and unwavering faith in the impossible and carry it with us into adulthood.
I started my morning with a 2 mile run at 5:30am. It’s a great start to my day when I’m able to drag my behind out of bed! Saturday will be my longest run ever: 5 miles! Slowly building up to be ready for the 13.1 mile half marathon in January. Sometimes I still can’t believe that I am even able to run. I often pick up a pair of pants at the store and think “oh, there is no way these are the right size… they are much to small in the waist” only to discover that they are my size and sometimes even a size bigger.
I’m minus 80lbs from last November. I’d really like to hit 100 before this November but I don’t know how likely that is. Especially since I’ve been stuck at 80 for the last 2 months or so. This last wall I have to push through is brutal! I only need 20 more pounds. Just 20!!!! Oh well, I’m sure as I continue to run the pounds will continue to come off slowly.
tags: Fitness, Gracey Add a comment
SHOCKER
Posted: August 4, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Make sure you are sitting down before you read any further.
I mean it. Sit down. Some of you who know me IRL should probably even lay down before you hear the following news.
I’ve been doing really well with my diet so I decided to take it to the next level.
Exercise. I know. It’s a nasty word but I have to say it. I joined a gym. *GASP!
I’m going this morning for my first workout in I don’t know, 7 years? I’m a little nervous. Someone is supposed to work with me for a little while this morning to show me which machines I should use and for how long. There’s a room off to the side where the kids can play and there is a babysitter in there with them. What I like about this place is that on every cardio machine there is a tv and you can put the channel on the kids’ room so you can keep an eye on the kids while you work out. There is also one monitor in the middle so you can watch while you do other stuff, too.
I’m hoping that knowing the kids can play while I workout will be motivation enough to get me there several times a week. It’s a break for me and they’ll have fun, too.
I’ll let you know how it goes.
EDITED to add:
The guy showing me what to do and how to do it was really nice. The kids did a great job and were the only ones in there at the time. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow.
but when I wake up tomorrow i may feel differently.
tags: Fitness 2 comments
Nap Mat Hell
Posted: August 3, 2007 at 6:26 am
Why do I care so much about what Gracey’ napmat looks like for school? I went to FOUR fabric stores and three boutiques before I found fabric that I liked. I decided to make it myself because the ones at the boutiques were so expensive – four hours later I’m not so sure that was the best idea. Though really I only worked on it for 3 hours – one of those hours was spent trying to figure out how to rethread the stinkin’ bobbin. Anyway…..
I’m not finished yet but all I have left is the velcro for closing it and the little pillow. Oh, and one more handle. Oh, and the carrying strap if I decide to make one. It’s 1:30am – who wants to bet that Carter will be up at 5:30 instead of his usual 7 since I’m up so late?
-13
tags: Fitness 2 comments
Just Weighing in….
Posted: July 29, 2007 at 5:39 pm
I was supposed to weigh in on Wednesday but i was out of town. When I went Saturday morning, imaging my surprise when I stepped on the scale and………………………………………………….
-
-12
Week 2
Posted: July 18, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Well, I forgot to post about weighing in yesterday. It was better than I thought – I honestly didn’t think I would have lost any weight and was just hoping I didn’t gain any!
But it wasn’t so bad. I did manage to shed a pound. That’s better than nothing, right?
-6.2
Weigh In – week 1
Posted: July 11, 2007 at 2:55 pm
After two days of not seeing well, finally, I can almost see normally out of my right eye. It’s not 100%, but it’s better than it was. Besides, who cares? I weighed in today at Jenny Craig!!!!! 
-4.6
Day 2
Posted: July 7, 2007 at 3:23 pm
I barely survived my Jenny Craig Day 2. Going to the grocery store when you’re hungry is never a good idea, especially when you are dieting. 
But I did it. The only thing I “cheated” with all day was a plain baked potato. It wasn’t on my plan but I ate it anyway.
Today I’m going to make A vegetable soup that is a freebie – meaning I can eat it anytime I’m hungry. The sad truth is that I’m not usually hungry at all. But what does that have to do with eating?
And you begin to see where the problem lies.