When your son breaks out and has a horrible allergic reaction it will put a crimp in your plans. That is what happened today. I got my 17 min HIIT Run in, and he started presenting with welts and itching all over.
I stopped called the advice nurse for our pediatrician and had to administer Benadryl. We have stopped his meds for eye infection and have an appointment tomorrow for him.
Worried Mama is worried, and stressed out.
I only write this, so that you all can seen its a thing to have some one or something mess up your workout schedule. You do what you can when you can and you move on. I used to worry about it, stress about it, and get all bent out of shape cause I did not get my full workout in on top of dealing with the other stress. I have learned though that you have to take care of you and your family. It seems stupid to say this… but a person like me can get very single minded and stress over the fact that I have say a cold, or the flu, or some other thing stopped my workout.
I used to worry that missing one thing, was going to send me right back to where I started and that is just not the case. Your body is smart and missing one day is not going to through you off.
Anyway this is what I planned to do, and will do the rest of the week universe willing.
Anyway I did not get to the weight lifting part, but I did get my run in. I will shoot for Wednesday for weight lifting and running. I try to do Mon, Wed, Fri, weight lifting with Martial arts on Tues, Thurs, Sat.
Thanks for reading and have a great day. I am going to try and not worry now, and go to work. Leaving husband to deal with kiddos.
Mondays are the worst for me. I have to wake up at 5 am, and from there it is feed the family, work at my first job with little kids, come home and feed kids, and deal with my kids, then feed family dinner, then go to work. In there some where I have to squeeze a workout in. I do it. I may not like it. It may not be ideal but I do it. =) That is a small victory for me and for my health.
This is the weight lifting/cardio workout that I will be doing for, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I have Muay Thai and Kali, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
Workout: 40 minute
16 minute HIIT run
Bulgarian Split squats reps 15, 12, 10
Weighted Hip Thrusters 30 lb, reps 15, 12, 10
Reverse lunges, with a bicep curl, 10 lbs each hand, reps 12, 10, 8
Dead Lifts with two 30 lb dumbbells for 60 lbs, reps 12, 10, 8
Double Leg Pike crunch, reps 15, 12, 8
I have to get to work now but I got my workout in. I hope you all have a great day. Thanks for reading
Today is one of those days that it is hard to get everything done. I worked this morning, taught my kiddos their lessons, did my workout, fed the family, and now I have to go to work again till 10 pm tonight.
For those of you on you fitness journey please know that just waking up and dragging yourself from your comfortable warm bed, on those days when it is hard to do. That discipline that you have shown in that minute is a win. That is a force of will power you used, that discipline to just get out of bed is a victory. That can carry you through the rest of the day to make the decision to do your workout, then the rest of the week. Making the decision to go do your workout is a victory, celebrate the fact that you decided to go and work on improving your cardio, strength, flexibility, or anything. It is so easy to say no, I don’t have time, or I don’t have energy. What is harder is to stick to the your routine, and have the discipline to go out there and get it.
Here is the workout I did today, and I will do this for Wednesday and Friday. I have Muay Thai and Kali Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
48 minutes, A 15 minute HIIT Run and 33 minute Weight Lifting workout.
(30 second rest between sets, and 1.5 minute rest between exercises)
I look goofy after a workout.
15 minute HIIT run (2 minute warm up. 10 minute Run at fastest pace, 1 min active recovery run, lather rinse and repeat, then 3 minute cool down jog)
Squat Thruster with two 20 lb dumbbells, reps 12, 10, 8
Reverse Lunge with bicep curl with two 20 lb dumbbells, reps 12, 10, 8 (1 lunge each side equils one rep)
Dead Bug Core, a.k.a. Alternating V UP, 3 sets of as many for 30 seconds. I was able to do about 18 per 30 seconds.
My arms are noodles today after this workout. Get out there and show the world what you got. Making a good decision instead of one that is easier is a victory, and that discipline will help you through out your life.
Enough of my rambling. Thank you for reading. Let me know if you have any questions.
Today I kicked my own butt. I pushed myself to my limit. I ran faster for my sprinting speed on my HIIT Run. I got another 12 minute mile in today as well. My thruster squats, were so difficult, I almost could not get through the 12 first set, then by the 8 set, I was dead. The renegade rows I went to 15 lbs so I could do the plank properly.
I Push yourself, its going to be hard. Its going to hurt. Its going burn, you just have to push yourself. Believe me I wanted to stop. But I am happy I did it. I feel great! I feel accomplished. Yay!
I try do this for workout on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Workout: 50 minute workout
HIIT Run – 20 minute ( 2 minute warm up, 16 minute HIIT run, and 2 minute cool down. I ran faster than last week on my sprint and my active rest jog I ran faster as well. 5. 4, and 4.4)
Thruster Squats 20 lbs each hand, reps – 12, 10, 8 (rack the dumbbells, squat, and stand pushing weights above your head.)
Renegade Rows 15 lbs each hand, reps – 12, 10, 8 (in a plank position row the dumbbells, one row for each hand is 1 rep.)
Individual Leg V Ups, reps 12, 10, 8 ( laying on your back v up with one leg then the other. Once each leg equals 1 rep.)
Bicycle Crunches, reps 12, 10, 8 (laying on your back pull one knee up, and crunch and twist your opposite shoulder/elbow to the knee. Once on each side equal 1 rep.)
Bulgarian Split Squats, reps 15, 13, 11 ( with the top of one food on the bench, bend the opposite knee to do a single leg squat. Do reps for each side. 15 left and 15 right.)
Burpees for 1 minute I was able to get 17 done.
I hope you have a great day. Thanks for Reading. Keep pushing yourself, keep being awesome.
Alright the beginning… that seems a good place to start… Wait… Let me just preface this with. Each persons fitness journey is going to be different. We all are going through ups and downs, and have to start and stop. It took me a while to understand this. But this is normal and it is a part of life. It is what a journey is. Not just a month here and there. But the entirety of your change for the better, and your learning what your body can do for the rest of your life.
Alright the beginning… that seems a good place to start. I was always an athletic person. I used to be a competitive swimmer. My strokes were 200 m Butterfly and 500 m Freestyle. What that meant was I was placed on a Medley Team and I was asked to do IM’s. (Individual Medly – Butterfly, Back, Breast Free) I cannot tell you how much I hated breast stroke. I felt so slow. I digress… being that I was a Butterflyer. I ended up with massive shoulders for a girl. Or so I thought/sometimes think.
Here is a picture of a person doing butterfly.
this is not me but totally what I did
That is what my back muscles looked like. Sigh… I may never get back there again. However… fast forward a few years in college. Life happens. I have problems with family, and end up leaving to be on my own. I jump into the work world and the daily trying to keep up with bills. I was doing well, for a 21 year old with a QA job. Life happens again, and I have to take care of myself. I made some bad relationship decisions and I had to iron those wrinkles out. I end up on my own and going back to school for Culinary Arts.
I meet my now husband, and fall in love. He is loving, kind, understanding, responsible, a sweet heart, soft spoken and a generally great person. All the things my ex was not. I am happy we are buzzing along and we end up having two kiddos. I was not expecting to be able to cause of female problems from the age of 12. I did not workout with the babies because I was scared of losing them. I was told I would never have babies when I was 12. I was scared, thrilled and excited to be pregnant. My baby boy came to us, perfect and healthy. He was 9 months when we found I was pregnant again. Bonus! We wanted a second, and we got one. My beautiful healthy baby girl.
Fast forward 2 years, and I have not been working out at all since college for about 8 years. I finished second college in 2007, and got my degree. Yay! I let myself go since then. I had life, and hazards, and love, and so many other things that people fall into the trap of, and put aside my health and working out.
Baby Gates Be Damned
I have two little ones one 4 and one 5 years old. They are under foot and around foot, and on foot, and on hip, and just need me for everything. I did not have the energy before this to do anything but make sure everyone’s diapers (or nappies for some of you) were changed, and all parties were fed and not trying to kill themselves by going down the two flights of stairs in our home. We lived and still live in a town home that is three levels, and kids whew…they wanted to go up and down stairs, baby gates be damned. I still held my jobs at night and took care of everything else for them during the day.
It was at this point when I finally had a chance to breath and got my head above keeping babies alive to keeping toddlers alive. I noticed in my pictures just how fat I had gotten. I hated taking pictures of myself so I was always behind the camera instead of in front of it. I had let myself go, ho boy had I let myself go.
That is enough of those pictures… you get the picture. Hahah… see what I did there. Eh eh eh…
Health Issues? No, Healthy as a Horse, Just Fat!
I decided I needed to do something. Anything… cause doing nothing was probably going to kill me and I was pretty miserable at this weight. Yeah I could eat what ever I wanted when I wanted, but really I did not like the way I looked the way I moved, none of it. I have been asked if I started my journey because of health issues. The answer is no. I was healthy as a horse as they say. Just fat! I had some criteria that had to be met for me to be successful. I believe in setting yourself up for success. To do so know your needs, and see to them.
Needs:
I had to be able to do it at home. I had kids and no extra time.
I had to be able to do it without a lot of extra equipment at first.
I had to be able to do it when I had little ones under foot.
I had to be able to do it period. I had to get this big body moving. This body that was not used to working out any more moving, and not hurt myself. I could not be down for the count with little ones.
I had to do it on a budget. I don’t know if you all know, but children are expensive. =) I love them dearly but they will cost you an arm and a leg and your sanity.
I found a system that met those criteria. It was from BeachBody.com and it was the Turbofire series. It allowed me to do it from home, with little to no extra equipment, it allowed me to do it with kids under foot, I just had to make sure they were occupied with snack time. I was able to make 30 minutes a day time to get my workout in. Either during the kids snack time, or during nap time. I wedged that workout in where I could. It was important to me so I made sure I put it in. I am not here to sell the workout, just to tell you what I did. It gave me a structured workout, with a calendar of what to do each day. I needed this. I am a type A personality and I need the check marks and lists. It gave me a structure to work from. One that I could do and keep doing. Here is a picture of me on a day after one of the workouts.
I started in June of 2014, and I finished a whole 90 days, or one whole rotation of the system. I even got the tank top to prove it. I changed my food consumption and I incorporated healthy good for me foods. I felt good and I decided I needed to change it up and this is where I added yoga and kettle bell to go with my HIIT workouts.
Kidney Stone
Wanting to get myself to the next level I restricted my food intake more because “that is what you do” and only allowed myself “good for me” foods. I ate spinach morning noon and night. I ate nuts, and veggies, and cut out most meat. I craved and loved things like beets. I would make a whole pan of roasted beets and eat it all for the next couple of days. I was losing weight and feeling great. I had lost about 40 lbs. One day I had this excruciating pain, in my abdomen. I was on the couch and could not move. I called my husband at work and it passed till it felt like it moved again. As the pain passed again, I thought it was just something that may have been temporary. I tried to ignore it, but that level of pain got me scared. That night and the next day I was passing what I found out to be blood in my urine. I was rushed to the hospital the next day and found out I had a kidney stone. It was 5 mm or 1/5 of an inch. So they had to schedule a surgery to get it out. Doctors were surprised I did not go to the E.R., but I have a high pain tolerance. I had to wait 2 days for the surgery and they said it may pass between then but most likely it would not. The surgery went off without a problem. They tested the stone after the surgery and found it was calcium oxalate stone. I had not been drinking enough water, and I was eating all the foods with calcium oxalate. I love them to much it seems. Here are some of the foods with them:
Spinach
Bran flakes
Rhubarb
Beets
Potato chips
French fries
Nuts and nut butters
These are all foods I love. Especially beets, nuts, and spinach. I was shocked because these are “healthy foods”, and supposed to be good for you. But I learned this the hard way. Everything in moderation, and drink your water. Drink lots of water. I drink about 3 liters a day.
I healed up nicely and got back to workout as soon as I was given ok from doctors. I was antsy and raring to go. I was worried I would lose progress. It was about a week till I could do something light. Then the week after that I was able to go back to my regular routine.
By September 2015 I had lost 60 lbs. I was over the moon. I hit a plateau and was upset I was not losing more weight. I kept up with the workouts and eating healthy. I decided to start eating whole foods. Cutting out all processed foods
Hysterectomy
We are at September 29, 2015, and I am scared. I had been having symptoms of cancer for the past 6 months. My OBGYN was concerned it was a tumor that they could not see, and I put my head down and tried to ignore it. Do you see a recurring theme here? I try to ignore my pains and keep going. It is in my nature, and I figure I can just walk it off. I could not walk this off. I was bleeding so much I was in risk of becoming anemic, and I was getting more tired and weak as I went along. I know my husband was worried, and I was sad cause I was thinking of having a third baby. It was a huge decision and I did not want to make it. I ended up deciding to go ahead with my doctors suggestion and had a full hysterectomy. She removed my uterus and my cervix. I did end up having a tumor, and adenomyosis. (“ Adenomyosis is a condition in which the inner lining of the uterus (the endometrium) breaks through the muscle wall of the uterus (the myometrium). “ ) My tumor it turns out was benign but it was one of these. “Endometrial hyperplasia: A condition in which there is an increased number of cells and glandular structures in the uterine lining. Endometrial hyperplasia can have either normal or atypical cells and simple or complex glandular structures. The risk for developing cancer in the lining of the uterus is higher when endometrial hyperplasia has atypical cells and complex glands. “ Find out more information at cancer.net. Mine had atypical cells and could have turned/developed into cancer. So in the end it was the right call to remove my uterus. Cancer is scary and serious don’t be me and stupid and wait. Just go get it checked out.
Here is a post I made on the day of the surgery.
Anesthesia is not a good look on me.
“I am awake and alert. I am doing ok. I am keeping up on the pain meds. I had a slight complication during surgery. They accidentally cut my bladder. Now I have to live with a catheter and bag for two weeks. Wee!
Thanks for all the love and well wishes everyone. =) My H is taking great care of me, and the kiddos are doing awesome.”
Two weeks of bed rest due to complications and cut bladder. I wanted to get up and do all the things but the pain and the discomfort made me listen to my body.
Come Hell or Hysterectomy
Turkey Trot Race I walked in 2 months after hysterectomy.
I had made plans and bought my ticket run a 5 kilometer. It was a goal I had set at the beginning of 2015. It was in November and was a turkey trot. I was not cleared to run but I told my doctor I was determined to get out there and at least do some of it. I was given the go ahead to walk the race, and my family came with me. My two children and husband came out and walked the race with me. I was in pain but I was determined to sort of complete this goal this year, come hell, or hysterectomy.
Three months of only walking and no lifting more than 10 lbs had me biting my nails to get back to my workout routine.
By December 2015 I was gingerly making my way back to my workout routine. I wanted to keep it up and not lose my momentum. I lost some muscle and gained a few pounds but was able to get back to it slowly.
Fast forward to November 2016. Here is the workout I did for that day. =) I still have it, cause I put it up for my friends to see.
Here are the workout details if you want them:
100 squats, no rest 100 lunges, no rest 3 x 1 minute wall sits with 30 second rest in between 100 pike sit ups, 30 second rest at 45, and 65 mark 50 leg lifts, rest at 25 for 30 seconds 50 leg extensions 95 lb dead lifts with olympic barbell, rep set: 10, 9, 10
This is what I looked like then:
If you made it this far, I am amazed. This is already a long winded blog post and I am only up to 2016. But thank you for reading. Keep up the good work, and keep on going. Don’t let little things get stop you and only let the big things stop you till your doc says its ok to get back to it.
Do you ever feel like you have aggressively shoved or wedged your workout into your schedule? I do. Today I had to get my workout in before I had to pick up my husband from the metro. I had exactly 55 minutes to get it in, and I did my workout in 40 minutes.
I kicked my own butt in my workout today. Feels good and I am tired. Have to go to work soon.
Workout:
15 minute HIIT run. (Warm up for 3 minutes. HIIT 1 minute push run, 1 minute jog for 11 minutes, 1 minute cool down.)
Thruster squat ( 20 lb weights each hand) – Squat with hands in racked position, then stand and press dumbell reps – 12, 10, 8 ( each rep is squat to extend, to squat)
Plank Low Row ( 20 lb weight each hand) – Plank and do a tricep pull reps – 12, 10, 8 ( each rep is 1 pull on each side)
Running Man reps- 12, 10, 8 ( each rep was 1 knee to chest each side)
Reverse Lunge Curl (10 lb weight each hand) – stand and step back with one leg lunge, then bicep curl on stand up, lunge back with other leg, and curl. reps – 12, 10, 8 ( each rep was one on each side)
V Ups single leg reps – 10, 10, 8 ( each rep was one v up on each side for 1)
I felt rushed, and because of that I did not take rest breaks. Not resting is both good and can be bad. Just make sure that you don’t do it all the time. I was able to get the workout in, and get the other things I needed to do done. My husband was picked up and not left at the metro. I am about to go to work. The family has been fed and everyone seems happy. My work at home for now is done. =)
Thanks for reading and keep being awesome. Let me know what you think.
This is one of those weeks that I feel like a potato. Something round and undesirable. This particular feeling rears it’s ugly head often enough. It may be from salt, it could be because I am close to my period/monthly time (never been regular that did not change after hysterectomy due to a tumor), and or it could just be my brain weasels.
I wore my tank top that says Will Is A Skill, and it really is. I had to will myself to do my workout and to just keep at it. I have heard of other people having this problem.
So this is how I cope. I try different things…
I try finding something that I like in the mirror. (that did not work today)
I sometimes go to the sports store and find cute workout tights, bra or shirt, or all the above. (I did not do that today.)
Sometimes I look up a different workout for me to try that day, it gives me something different to work on, and focuses my brain on the new thing. (I did not do that today.)
I try to find a treat snack that makes me feel like I am getting a treat and not eating something horrible. (For instance banana, almond butter, and dark chocolate chips… I did not do that today.)
Other days I just push myself through my workout. I make sure to push myself to get that extra rep in, or get that mile run under my normal time. ( Ding, ding, ding. I did this today. I get a satisfaction of completing a workout and the endorphins that come with it.)
I did the push myself through workout. While I am happy I completed the workout and got more reps in. I am still feeling meh. These coping mechanisms do not make the feeling go away entirely, they just let me continue my journey. I would feel entirely worse if I gave in to my mood and just gave up or did not do it. Anyway enough babbling.
My workout routine is Monday and Friday weight lifting and running, and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday – Muay Thai, Kali, Krav and Striking.
Here is my weight lifting workout for the week: 48 minutes (note: go at your own pace I put my weights down for my reference.)
22 minute run
50 prison squats
3 sets crush press x 10 reps at 50 lbs
3 sets of tricep extension x 8 reps at 25 lbs
3 sets of bulgarian split squats x 15 reps
3 sets of bench dumbell glute bridges x 10 reps at 30 lbs
Keep up being awesome, and keep going. Even when the mean brain weasels are out and about. Luckily today is one of those days where I don’t have the time to deal with those thoughts. I have had to work this morning, came home at 12 pm, home school my kids, get into the gym, make dinner , and now go to work again till about 10:30 pm tonight.
Thanks for reading. Here is a motivational poster that makes me giggle.
Grrrl clothing is fantastic and supports all girls of all sizes. Its workout clothing made by girls to help empower women. Who does not like a discount so they gave me a 20% off discount just for you my readers. Use this code: nom1yq8d
This is the weight lifting workout I will be doing for this week. As always modify to your abilities. The weights I put in are for my reference so I can keep track of my progress
If you made a new years resolution and are having a hard time keeping it up. Be kind to yourself. I don’t think resolutions are the best way to go about this. This is a journey and you are going to be on it for the rest of your life. Pick up and keep going. Even if you hit a bump. I have been talking to my friends and they feel guilty that they stopped something they started for two weeks. Guilt may just make you pause to inaction. That is not positive forward movement. Don’t let one misstep derail your life change.
| The Ultimate Full-Body Workout | (I got most of the workout from Bodybuilding.com)
Warm-Up: Perform 1 Round
10 minutes on the elliptical
Dumbbell Halo: 10 reps in both directions
Standing Dumbbell Reverse Fly: 10 reps
Standing Dumbbell Scap Raise: 10 reps
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: 10 reps
Dumbbell Goblet Squat: 10 reps
Planks for 30 seconds
Complex 1: Perform 5 rounds, resting 60-90 sec. between rounds
Dumbbell Clean: 3 reps 20 lbs each arm
Dumbbell Push Press: 3 reps 25 lbs each arm
Dumbbell Front Squat: 3 reps 20 lbs each arm
Complex 2: Perform 4 rounds, resting 60 sec. between rounds
Dumbbell Crush Press from Floor: 10 reps per leg 50 lbs
Bent-Over Row: 10 reps 3 25 lbs per arm
Reverse Lunge: 10 reps per leg 25 lbs per arm
Complex 3: Perform all movements with right arm, then left arm, resting 60 sec. between.
Keep up the good work. If you had a hiccup keep be kind to yourself and keep going. Remember its a journey not a race. But you can’t make any progress unless you keep trying.
Again if you have made it this far, thank you for reading. Talk to me, let me know if you have any questions.
Healthy lunches… even when you don’t feel like eating. I have days where I am busy, and can’t/don’t think I have time to eat. I have days were I am just not that hungry. However, I know if I don’t eat I will be hangry later, and may make bad decisions. So its best for me to eat something healthy and protein rich instead. It seems to help and I can then make better decisions. I also know that I am working out a great day 5 to 6 days a week.
Today I am going to go run a 25 minute HIIT run, and then do a superset weight lifting workout.
“A superset is a form of strength training in which you move quickly from one exercise to a separate exercise without taking a break for rest in between the two exercises. ”
Thinks with Spinks 