It's Friday, yo!

I haven't looked forward to the weekend this much in a while. And I love the weekend. The weather has shifted and the holiday season officially starts (in my opinion) next week. I'm ready to wrap up this semester and spend some time with those boys of mine. The elastic waist pants and comfort food kind of quality time.  

We found out yesterday that Mario's coworker and his wife will be joining us for Thanksgiving. They don't have any family nearby, and probably haven't made many connections yet, as they just recently moved to rural New Hampshire. He took over Mario's old job, so we can definitely relate. We offered to have them come and they accepted. Did I mention they have a one month old? (Baby fix!) I haven't met them yet, but I'm so happy they will be joining us and we are able to share this holiday. No one should be alone on Thanksgiving!

We also reduced the price of our house just a tad this week to see if we can renew interest. While we are not in a hurry to sell right now, we know it's important to stay on the real estate radar. (Moving in the winter would be a bummer of the worst kind, but we certainly wouldn't pass up a good offer.) Between that and upcoming guests, this weekend must include some house cleaning. Time to re-spruce since we've become a little lax about keeping our house staged. Have I mentioned that a housekeeper is on my bucket list?

How about a peek at the week?

1// I bought two new winter scarves at Target this week. I wore this black and white one three days in a row. It is so cozy! I get their coupons via text and saved five bucks. The only thing better than a great scarf is one on sale. (P.S. I clearly still haven't mastered the selfie, as this rather odd face proves.) 2// Winter is announcing its arrival with a nice snow storm predicted for next Wednesday. We are getting our snowblower maintained pronto so we are ready. 3// My 30-day Paleo challenge is over, but I want to keep up momentum by making monthly goals. This month I'm trying to ease up on my coffee consumption. I once went coffee-free for over a year, so I know I can do it. I haven't quit cold turkey, but I'm becoming reacquainted with tea. 4// This week has brought a shift at CrossFit. The workouts are still hard, but I'm not reaching the level of exhaustion I was before. A bit of a plateau, perhaps, since I've gained so much strength. I also realized yesterday that I haven't mastered anything new lately. I'm going in today to talk to my coach about tweaking things, as I don't want to lose momentum. 5// I have several pairs of workout pants that are calf length. I love them and don't want to have to replace them. I spied these legwarmers the other day and scooped them up. They keep my legs warm getting to and from my workouts and I can still wear my favorite pants. No buyers remorse here.

Happy Weekend!

It's Friday, yo!

Friday, November 22, 2013

In the moment

source

Today I took a step back. From as many pressures and obligations as possible (self imposed or not). My house has been a stranger this week and therefore some neglect has occurred. This and that got overlooked. Bedtimes took a hit. I felt a bit disconnected from life. Frazzled and rushed were common conditions. I said no to a weekly social thing I like in favor of a taste of home life. A little solitude. While social interactions are crucial, alone time is equally important. I dropped Kiddo off at school, turned the car around, and made the trek back home. I paid a couple bills online (which is no longer stressful), passively watched the news, turned my calendar to October, and had a second cup of joe. All from the comfort of an otherwise empty home.

By the time my noon CrossFit session rolled around, I left the house feeling good. Grounded. Productive. I didn't do a lot, but I did enough. Because of my unfortunate mishap last week, I had to miss two of my usual thrice weekly classes. I have no intention of forfeiting them, which means four days in a row this week to make up for it. My body is tired, oh so tired. So is my mind. Which made shutting out the world for a bit, even if it meant a couple extra commutes home, incredibly important.

Mario is making room in his schedule to be home more later this fall. It means packing a lot more into October, but come November it will have been worth it. He, too, is starting CrossFit, after months of cajoling. Next week he will do his intro session, then we are going to do a private class together. If all goes according to plan, he can attend the Foundations course in November and we can begin working out together. It will be such a cool way to connect... and I foresee Mario warming up to this kind of workout. (You can read my thoughts on CrossFit, as a non-athlete, here.) I see a Friday morning class followed by a lunch date. It's all part of the plan to slow down and find my center point.

After sitting at my computer contemplating a post and potential topics, I decided not to push it. To force what wasn't there. Some days blogging is rather stream of consciousness, which can bring about great personal insight. 

Until tomorrow, my friends.

In the moment

Thursday, October 3, 2013

CrossFit: A Perspective

Photo: CrossFit Ion

My CrossFit journey began back in June. I had heard about it before, here and there, but my sneakers had yet to enter a "Box" prior to that day. I signed up for a month-long Foundations course to get my feet wet. Not all CrossFit studios offer such courses, but mine requires this intro prior to allowing people to take the regular classes. I get why. CrossFit is no joke and injuries can certainly result without proper instruction.

It sucked. It was the hardest, most frustrating thing I've ever done physically. I wanted a shake up and, well, I got one. My hands were blistered, my knees were bruised, and sitting or standing felt impossible some weeks. But I did it. Week one I could barely hang from the bar. By week two I could not only hang on for longer periods, I had begun swinging from it. I took 3 regular classes the week prior to leaving for vacation... and managed my first "kip" on the last day. It felt good.

My local CrossFit "Box"

For those who aren't familiar, I'll try and describe it. I think of CrossFit as a very back to basics workout. When first walking into the studio, I wondered what in the heck I was going to do (but could instantly tell it was going to be unpleasant). There are no machines. Instead, you use your own body or free weights. Lots of push ups, jumping on and off of things (like the boxes shown above), pull ups, running, and Olympic weight lifting moves. There are many acronyms to become familiar with and the moves come with quite a learning curve. During a given hour-long session there is a warmup, strength training, then the Workout of the Day (WOD). The WOD can be for total time, number of reps in a given time, etc. While the WODs don't typically last longer than 20 minutes, I feel as if I've worked out for hours. In most instances, total muscle fatigue occurs. Fortunately, things are scaled depending on your athletic ability (although all levels are hard) and a system of resistance bands are used to aid in certain moves (pull ups, military push ups, etc.).

Kiddo practicing his (assisted) pushup after class one day.

When we got back from vacation I wanted to get right back into it. Unfortunately, my emails went unanswered and August nearly came and went. Over that time I decided CrossFit probably wasn't for me and began mentally writing it off.  Then a note arrived in my inbox, along with the sincerest of apologies for not seeing my email. I was urged to come back. I attended the last Foundations class in August just to re-wet my feet. I loved it. Despite feeling nervous all day about the progress and strength I had undoubtedly lost, I did great. I could still hang from the bar (and swing a little). My time for the WOD was excellent. I felt a renewed interest.

I notice results very quickly and am satisfyingly sore after every workout, proof that I'm working just about every muscle fiber in my body. I've never had that before. Not only is it good for me physically, I find a mental release that is unrivaled by most other workouts. Jogging on the treadmill for a half hour certainly centers me, but CrossFit requires utter and complete focus. There's no thinking about my to-do list or life's worries. I leave feeling calm and freed... and the feeling lasts. It's a perspective changer.

Last Friday's workout

Here's the rub: I'm not sure it's a sustainable workout for me, for a variety of reasons. Because it's class-based, and only offered certain times on certain days, full time work and a family will make it hard to maintain a 3+ class per week schedule in the future. The monthly cost of membership is high, so missing classes is not an option for me. I also worry that the incredible intensity of the workouts could lead to eventual burnout.

Another thing I struggle with is the atmosphere. I'm a novice. I want to lose weight (as told through better-fitting pants) and feel strong. While I have a propensity to gain weight effortlessly, I am very muscular. My body tends to adapt to workouts quickly, and therefore plateaus easily. CrossFit is effective because it tackles my issues and plays on my strengths. It includes weight lifting and cardio in one hour-long session and I never worry about plateauing because the intensity is high and no two workouts are the same. I look forward to feeling improvement and seeing faster times on the board. I compete with myself with the end goal of health and happiness. However, CrossFit is intrinsically competitive. I avoid the evening classes because of this. They are more crowded and mostly full of athletes. There is chest-thumping, grunting, and the oh so nerve rattling drop of 100+ pound weighted bars on the concrete floor over and over again. That's not why I'm there, and am easily intimidated and turned off. When among a group of conditioned CrossFitters, it is also harder to get the attention of the instructors when I need help with a move or deciphering what an acronym means. I know they want beginners to feel welcome, but we often do not. One day I hope to be able to do unassisted pull ups. But that's not where I am now. Nor will I ever fit into the uber-competitive environment.

This is a rather lengthy explanation of where I am at, right now, and what CrossFit looks like to a non-athlete. I was never the naturally athletic, sports-playing kind, even as a kid, and I struggle to stay with a fitness program. I need to reach regular milestones in order to maintain motivation. I want to lose a handful (or five) of chunk. So for now, while life permits, I'm sticking with it. I signed up for a one month (3 day/week) membership. I'm committed to giving this month all I've got. At the end, I'll reevaluate. Perhaps I will feel called to the new kickboxing studio in town. Perhaps I'll turn Kiddo's youth membership at the Y into a family membership and try some of their classes (of which there are dozens). Perhaps I'll decide that CrossFit is what I've been looking for all along.

CrossFit: A Perspective

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Friday: The day after Thursday . . .

 and before Saturday according to Rebecca Black. Also the most annoying day of the week now.

Aaron Peckham

This week has been tough but fulfilling. Personal and academic breakthroughs made the I don't know if I can get all this done moments worthwhile.  Because I got it done. All of it.

 

1. Mr. Vista is home!  Although terribly traumatized by his collar, he is so much better and well on his way to getting back to normal. There have been more and more glimpses of the mischievous Vista we know and love over the last couple days.   
2. Avocados may just be the best food in the whole wide world. Although I dig avocados in general, these bad boys were picked fresh from a tree. In California. A coworker sent Mario home with a big bag of them and I have been savoring every moment.   
3.  This girl hit the gym this morning. For the first time this semester. I have been gloomy and stressed and feeling progressively more out of shape climbing the 3 flights of stairs to the Biology floor several times per day.  So I finally did something about it. I dusted off my sneakers (No really. Everything in my locker was coated in a layer of dust. As if to remind me that I am a slacker.) and climbed on the elliptical, expecting to be miserable. I wasn't! The hour flew by and before I knew it I had finished over 5 miles. Can I tell you how good I feel right now? I am not someone who likes exercise, but my body was clearly craving this. Can I be reminded of this morning next time I decide to be my own worst enemy?  
4. Loft (my new BFF) was having a 50% everything sale earlier this week, so I splurged on several dressier shirts. This beautiful lace one showed up within a couple days and the other two should make an appearance soon. It is oh so lovely.   
5. I am the proud owner of a brand spanking new cap and gown. Because unlike high school, in college you don't have to recycle the stinky duds worn by previous classes. Boy is graduation becoming real. In about a month I will be wearing this bad boy while walking across a stage to claim a really important rolled up piece of paper.

Tomorrow I am presenting at my first academic conference. I set up at 8:15a, but don't present until 4:15p, so it will be a long day spent learning about all kinds of research. I have doubted myself so many times throughout this project, but I did it and will have this accomplishment to my name forever. Afterward, the boys and I are going out for a celebratory dinner.

In other news, Mario has started sporting giant noise-reducing headphones. In public. A fact I find endlessly entertaining.

Happy Friday!

Friday: The day after Thursday . . .

Friday, April 5, 2013

Personal Trainer or P90X?

I want to feel like this. 

Or this.

No, I don't want to be Jen or Jessica. I said feel like them. I'd love their fortune, but I like being me just fine.  They are comfortable with their bodies and can just be . . . without the constraints that come with self consciousness. Their real bodies are not covered by the effects of emotional eating or stress.  They are experiencing total body freedom.

I've never been skinny. Whatever that looks like.  My mom's rich, homemade casseroles and unfortunate metabolic DNA made me a slightly chubby but active kid.  I was a size twelve when I graduated from high school.  Although not obese by any means, I was never really comfortable in my own body.

I've always felt like a skinny person inside, but a chunky monkey outside.

Prior to becoming pregnant with my son, my inner athlete came out.  I woke up naturally at 5 a.m. and starting walking several miles before work.  Then walking became jogging.  Without meaning to, I became a toned, fit size 6.  Fitness looked really good on me. To this day I don't know how much weight I lost, but it never really mattered because I felt so good.  After my son was born in May 2000, I slowly but surely lost most of the baby weight and was back down to a size 8 by that Halloween.  It helped that I worked at a YMCA.

For many years my weight yo-yoed.  My pants would get tight then I'd get it under control.  When I met my husband at 23, I was a size 10 who worked out with a friend at least three days a week. 

L❤ve, however, was not kind to my waistline.

I met an amazing guy who also happened to be a foodie.  He ate what he wanted, and I followed suit.  By the time we married in 2006, I was unhappily a size 16. And my weight has only gone up from there.  But I'm done.  Done with being fat.  With not looking the way I want to in clothes. Done denying my inner athlete.  I know she's in there somewhere.  The girl that desperately wanted to be an Olympic swimmer.  The one that still wants to be a runner.

I've lost weight before.  It's not rocket science.  Calories in versus calories out.  I also know that genetics are not on my side.  Neither is my hectic, often stressful life.  And entering my senior year of college will be no exception, as I'm feeling more pressure than ever to excel.  I do pretty well during the week when it's just my son and me, but things tend to fall apart on the weekends when we are out being foodies.

A friend of mine lost a considerable amount of weight a few years back, and she has always said her personal trainer made all the difference in her weight loss.  I am similar in that I need the push and accountability.  A membership to my college's gym is included in my student fees, and it is a great facility.  However, it can be hard to get a machine during the week and the "personal trainers" are actually students learning to be personal trainers.  I'm not too keen on either of those things.

So here is my dilemma:  Join a private gym and hire one of their personal trainers, or try an at-home program that will give me consistent results and keep me motivated?

I've heard snippets on Facebook touting the toughness of P90X and the muscle-exhausting nature of Insanity.  But can they really get the job done?  And can I commit that much time to it while at home where I'm surrounded by neglected laundry, a full DVR and mother's guilt at the fact that that hour isn't being spent giving Jared my undivided attention? If I'm really honest with myself, I probably won't be able to stick with them.

I'd be sooo skinny.

I'm someone who has to maintain consistency in both food and exercise.  If I'm exercising often, I eat better.  If I eat better, I exercise more often.  It's a weight loss snowball effect.  Only I look less like a snowball.

So in the end, I know I need a personal trainer.  I like the less expensive options, but unless those guys can come to my house and train me in person, the DVDs are probably going to end up collecting dust in my basement after a bit.  Buying a membership when I have a gym available to me makes me cringe.  It feels indulgent and wasteful.  But if I want to change the way I look and feel, I have to be willing to make the investment.  My husband didn't even blink at the prospect.  I'm lucky that way.

I have a gym picked out and a friend of mine recommended one of their personal trainers.  I'm hoping to talk them out of an initiation fee since we will be moving in less than two years and I will be utilizing their personal training services at an additional cost. Getting a deal would help ease my trepidation. Ultimately, I hope to discover a sustainable program that I can continue on my own indefinitely.  Teach-a-man-to-fish and all that. I will keep you updated . . .

Thoughts?  Experiences?

P. S. After writing this post, I came across this picture:

It speaks the truth.  My motivation to improve the way I look and feel stems from self love.  Self loathing would keep me where I'm at.  We all have phases in our lives . . . and this is just one of mine.  Now it is time for a new one.

I will look back on this as a learning experience, one that made me more compassionate of others while paving the path to self awareness. 

Personal Trainer or P90X?

Monday, August 20, 2012