That's my word for the year. Thrive! To thrive, you can't be last in line, or taking the scrapings from the bottom of the bucket, or doing without. To thrive means to be abundantly alive. To flourish. I think of myself as a late bloomer (in a good way), and what cracks me up about my word for 2007 is that it works so much better for years ending in "5". But maybe I wasn't ready to thrive in 2005!
We leave on a cruise tomorrow -- from LA to Catalina Island to Ensenada, Mexico, then back home. When I return, I promise to post pictures of the training room. Happy New Year to everyone. Hope it's our best year yet!!!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Friday, December 29, 2006
Better
Today I'm feeling much better than yesterday. Thanks for the words of encouragement!
So I've started my own personal bootcamp of sorts. Bad eating definitely contributed to feeling so sad yesterday (although there are very real things going on that feel sad) and feeling out of sorts all week. So today I'm back to proper eating, consistent exercise, and generally better self care. Earlier I did this for a workout:
7 rounds of
20 reps wall ball with squat (10 pound ball)
20 reps hang power cleans (24 pound bar)
And I just finished my spinach, butter lettuce, tomato, yellow pepper, and black bean salad -- YUM!
Oh and one final thing -- I've decided I want to be able to do a handstand with ease. So I'm working on it by walking up the wall (facing the wall) and just holding a handstand, with hands about a foot from the wall. Yesterday I managed to kick up to handstand several times. This is a BIG DEAL in terms of shoulder stability!
So I've started my own personal bootcamp of sorts. Bad eating definitely contributed to feeling so sad yesterday (although there are very real things going on that feel sad) and feeling out of sorts all week. So today I'm back to proper eating, consistent exercise, and generally better self care. Earlier I did this for a workout:
7 rounds of
20 reps wall ball with squat (10 pound ball)
20 reps hang power cleans (24 pound bar)
And I just finished my spinach, butter lettuce, tomato, yellow pepper, and black bean salad -- YUM!
Oh and one final thing -- I've decided I want to be able to do a handstand with ease. So I'm working on it by walking up the wall (facing the wall) and just holding a handstand, with hands about a foot from the wall. Yesterday I managed to kick up to handstand several times. This is a BIG DEAL in terms of shoulder stability!
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Long time!
This time of year is just so busy that although I've had many things to write about, there truly hasn't been any "spare" time (is there such a thing???).
One of my clients got me a massage gift certificate, and I just got back from an hour of heaven. It's hard to break away from my puritanical thinking -- hard work is the only thing that matters -- and just relax and BE, but when I do, it's always great.
Today's workout was a variant on the Crossfit workout of the day (found on crossfit.com):
5 rounds of
50 thrusters (with an 18 pound body bar)
1000 meter row
Good thing I did it before the massage. I loved the intensity, and I really loved it when I was done! Tim did the entire workout as prescribed, which means he did 90 pullups as just part of the workout. He's amazing, my husband!
Change of subject: I try not to write about my kids too much. I don't want them to feel their privacy is being invaded (although they don't read what I write, it could come back to haunt me and them!), and I just like keeping this fitness-ish in nature. But right now I'm feeling so sad about my older son. He's the one who hurt his wrist a couple of months ago. Today he told me he's not going back to gymnastics. He's competed since he was 7 years old, and has never experienced life without long hours in the gym. Well, he says he's really liking the ease his life has right now. Plus he thinks he's lost too much ground from having so much time away.
Ok, so our kids have never done gymnastics for us. We're not frustrated gymnasts or anything. But today I started crying as I thought of Austin not doing gymnastics anymore. Until the injury he thought he was going to take it through college (although we've always taken it a year at a time). And when I think back to watching him do pommel horse right before he got hurt, it kills me that I didn't have my video camera. It was just so beautiful -- the combination of grace and power -- and the smile on his face as he finished the routine -- well, I'm crying as I type this.
I believe all things happen for a reason -- I really do. And I believe that (as Charles Swindoll says) life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. But I'm sad for my son. And I miss the boy I knew. In the last two months, he's changed in ways that make him feel very distant. He's talking about focusing on scootering and trying to get a sponsor. His music is different. I knew my clean-cut gymnast son. I'm afraid I won't know this new boy/man who's emerging.
Wish I could wrap this up, but maybe this is just something that must unfold...
One of my clients got me a massage gift certificate, and I just got back from an hour of heaven. It's hard to break away from my puritanical thinking -- hard work is the only thing that matters -- and just relax and BE, but when I do, it's always great.
Today's workout was a variant on the Crossfit workout of the day (found on crossfit.com):
5 rounds of
50 thrusters (with an 18 pound body bar)
1000 meter row
Good thing I did it before the massage. I loved the intensity, and I really loved it when I was done! Tim did the entire workout as prescribed, which means he did 90 pullups as just part of the workout. He's amazing, my husband!
Change of subject: I try not to write about my kids too much. I don't want them to feel their privacy is being invaded (although they don't read what I write, it could come back to haunt me and them!), and I just like keeping this fitness-ish in nature. But right now I'm feeling so sad about my older son. He's the one who hurt his wrist a couple of months ago. Today he told me he's not going back to gymnastics. He's competed since he was 7 years old, and has never experienced life without long hours in the gym. Well, he says he's really liking the ease his life has right now. Plus he thinks he's lost too much ground from having so much time away.
Ok, so our kids have never done gymnastics for us. We're not frustrated gymnasts or anything. But today I started crying as I thought of Austin not doing gymnastics anymore. Until the injury he thought he was going to take it through college (although we've always taken it a year at a time). And when I think back to watching him do pommel horse right before he got hurt, it kills me that I didn't have my video camera. It was just so beautiful -- the combination of grace and power -- and the smile on his face as he finished the routine -- well, I'm crying as I type this.
I believe all things happen for a reason -- I really do. And I believe that (as Charles Swindoll says) life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. But I'm sad for my son. And I miss the boy I knew. In the last two months, he's changed in ways that make him feel very distant. He's talking about focusing on scootering and trying to get a sponsor. His music is different. I knew my clean-cut gymnast son. I'm afraid I won't know this new boy/man who's emerging.
Wish I could wrap this up, but maybe this is just something that must unfold...
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Many unrelated things, and my genius husband
I think the slimming tea is some caffeine, a diuretic, and a mild laxative. But it sounds so much better when it goes by its nickname of "slimming tea" doesn't it???
Got a little off track over the weekend. I don't know how anyone else gets off track, but for me it usually involves lots of stress, poor food choices, very little exercise, and this time it included forgetting to take anti-d for 3 days in a row. Truly -- this is a recipe for an emotional head-on collision! On Monday I was eating a candy bar (desperately seeking serotonin, I think), yelling profanity at the oh-s0-slow drivers on the road (no kids in the car at the time, though) and thinking "Something is seriously wrong with me!" Thank goodness for the moment of clarity where I thought, "Wait now...have I been forgetting something???" By Tuesday afternoon I was starting to feel more balanced, and I think today it's all systems go.
It's good that I was feeling better yesterday afternoon, because I spent an hour dealing with a printer paper jam. Tucker has a project due on Friday, and he wanted the text to look old. So we took paper and dyed it in a mixture of tea and coffee, which made it look like parchment. When we sent the paper through the printer, the first page did great, and the second page just got all caught up in the printer's guts, and wouldn't come out. So I spent nearly an hour using tweezers to pull confetti-sized pieces of paper from the printer. Then I needed to take Austin to PT, and just had to leave the project. When Tim came home, he clicked on the "How to fix printer jams" icon that I'd completely overlooked, found the magic secret back door to the printer, and had the jam fixed in about, oh like 30 seconds! Mr. Get-It-Done rides again. :)
Tim did convince me to workout Monday afternoon, but I didn't have much time. I went to our gym and did a circuit of these exercises:
KB swings -- 20 pounds, 30 reps
Reverse push-ups -- bar at waist height, 15 reps
Dead squats -- 40 pounds, 15 reps
After 3-1/2 times through, I was feeling, if not completely good, at least quite a bit better. I finished up with some single-leg leg press, using 100 pounds.
On another workout note (sorry this is so long -- kids aren't awake yet, and I actually have a little time to write!), tomorrow will be my last workout with Darla. I started with her in September of 2004 with about 20 pounds of excess fluff that I didn't know how to shed. Over the course of two years, she helped me to get consistent with exercise, created accountability with eating which translated into weight loss, and taught me that I could do WAY more than I ever thought I could do which is what led to me doing a figure competition in 2005. And she helped me to envision a life where I help women make the changes I made, which led to getting certified last month and starting a new chapter in my life. I am so grateful for all she's given me, and my hope is that I can give the same encouragement and guidance to the women who entrust their fitness hopes and dreams to me. (Cue music ... I know, sounds sentimental, but it's true!)
On a final note, I've been listening to some new and some old music recently. On my "I wanna hear it again" playlist are:
Killing in the Name, Rage Against the Machine (Austin introduced me to this) (skip the last minute or so -- it's all screaming and semi-indecipherable profanity)
You Haven't Done Nothin, Stevie Wonder (an oldie but goodie!)
Welcome to Our World, Michael W. Smith (one of my top Christmas songs)
Hope of Israel, Michael W. Smith (completely instrumental, and brings me to tears every time I hear it)
My Christmas Prayer, BeBe Winans and Rob Thomas
Ok, time to mom-up and start rousing the sleeping kids. I told Tucker he was going to wake up with a smile on his face -- hope that happens today!
Got a little off track over the weekend. I don't know how anyone else gets off track, but for me it usually involves lots of stress, poor food choices, very little exercise, and this time it included forgetting to take anti-d for 3 days in a row. Truly -- this is a recipe for an emotional head-on collision! On Monday I was eating a candy bar (desperately seeking serotonin, I think), yelling profanity at the oh-s0-slow drivers on the road (no kids in the car at the time, though) and thinking "Something is seriously wrong with me!" Thank goodness for the moment of clarity where I thought, "Wait now...have I been forgetting something???" By Tuesday afternoon I was starting to feel more balanced, and I think today it's all systems go.
It's good that I was feeling better yesterday afternoon, because I spent an hour dealing with a printer paper jam. Tucker has a project due on Friday, and he wanted the text to look old. So we took paper and dyed it in a mixture of tea and coffee, which made it look like parchment. When we sent the paper through the printer, the first page did great, and the second page just got all caught up in the printer's guts, and wouldn't come out. So I spent nearly an hour using tweezers to pull confetti-sized pieces of paper from the printer. Then I needed to take Austin to PT, and just had to leave the project. When Tim came home, he clicked on the "How to fix printer jams" icon that I'd completely overlooked, found the magic secret back door to the printer, and had the jam fixed in about, oh like 30 seconds! Mr. Get-It-Done rides again. :)
Tim did convince me to workout Monday afternoon, but I didn't have much time. I went to our gym and did a circuit of these exercises:
KB swings -- 20 pounds, 30 reps
Reverse push-ups -- bar at waist height, 15 reps
Dead squats -- 40 pounds, 15 reps
After 3-1/2 times through, I was feeling, if not completely good, at least quite a bit better. I finished up with some single-leg leg press, using 100 pounds.
On another workout note (sorry this is so long -- kids aren't awake yet, and I actually have a little time to write!), tomorrow will be my last workout with Darla. I started with her in September of 2004 with about 20 pounds of excess fluff that I didn't know how to shed. Over the course of two years, she helped me to get consistent with exercise, created accountability with eating which translated into weight loss, and taught me that I could do WAY more than I ever thought I could do which is what led to me doing a figure competition in 2005. And she helped me to envision a life where I help women make the changes I made, which led to getting certified last month and starting a new chapter in my life. I am so grateful for all she's given me, and my hope is that I can give the same encouragement and guidance to the women who entrust their fitness hopes and dreams to me. (Cue music ... I know, sounds sentimental, but it's true!)
On a final note, I've been listening to some new and some old music recently. On my "I wanna hear it again" playlist are:
Killing in the Name, Rage Against the Machine (Austin introduced me to this) (skip the last minute or so -- it's all screaming and semi-indecipherable profanity)
You Haven't Done Nothin, Stevie Wonder (an oldie but goodie!)
Welcome to Our World, Michael W. Smith (one of my top Christmas songs)
Hope of Israel, Michael W. Smith (completely instrumental, and brings me to tears every time I hear it)
My Christmas Prayer, BeBe Winans and Rob Thomas
Ok, time to mom-up and start rousing the sleeping kids. I told Tucker he was going to wake up with a smile on his face -- hope that happens today!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
The Soreness is Building
Ok, so I got up this morning and didn't feel very sore at all. "I must be in great shape!" I thought. Well, as the day goes on, I get sorer and sorer. Everywhere.
In an interesting paradox, this afternoon I was drinking slimming tea and munching on some Petit Fours that a Bingo customer brought to me. Two steps forward and one step back???
In an interesting paradox, this afternoon I was drinking slimming tea and munching on some Petit Fours that a Bingo customer brought to me. Two steps forward and one step back???
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Muffin workout? Workout and muffins?
This week has been light on workouts because of family in town and Tucker's birthday party today. After the party, Tim suggested we do a Crossfit workout he'd seen: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats in rounds for 20 minutes. I agreed and it was great! I still can't do full pull-ups, but I can jump to the top then come down slowly. And instead of squats, I did kettlebell swings -- more intense for the backside than normal squats.
On a less healthy note, Costco blueberry muffins are like crack for me -- highly addictive and totally whack in terms of my fitness goals. We had a brunch for Tucker's party and then took the boys to see the movie "Eragon" which was quite good. But back to the muffins -- we bought tons, cut them in half, and set them out on a plate. They're still out, which makes it all too easy to break off a bite or two every single time I pass the kitchen.
Oh, back to workouts, after the 20 minutes, we ran a mile to finish things off. Tim felt the workout more in his lower body. For me, upper body is very tired. Between us, we're officially jello!
On a less healthy note, Costco blueberry muffins are like crack for me -- highly addictive and totally whack in terms of my fitness goals. We had a brunch for Tucker's party and then took the boys to see the movie "Eragon" which was quite good. But back to the muffins -- we bought tons, cut them in half, and set them out on a plate. They're still out, which makes it all too easy to break off a bite or two every single time I pass the kitchen.
Oh, back to workouts, after the 20 minutes, we ran a mile to finish things off. Tim felt the workout more in his lower body. For me, upper body is very tired. Between us, we're officially jello!
Friday, December 15, 2006
A really funny compliment
I work at a Bingo hall most Thursday nights. Last night I was cashiering, and a woman came through my line and complimented me on my hair, asking how I make it look so good. I told her my 24-year-old niece told me which flat iron I needed, and she said, "Girl, YOU look 24!" Nice!
So we kept talking -- a very rambling conversation about hair (she says black hair doesn't respond to normal flat irons), Christmas shopping, kids, etc. She said she has two kids who are high school seniors. I said, "You sure don't look old enough for that!" and we agreed to say our ages. When I told her my age, she said, "Girl, they say black don't crack, so you must be some black, cuz you ain't cracked yet!" Thought I was going to wet myself from laughing so hard!
So we kept talking -- a very rambling conversation about hair (she says black hair doesn't respond to normal flat irons), Christmas shopping, kids, etc. She said she has two kids who are high school seniors. I said, "You sure don't look old enough for that!" and we agreed to say our ages. When I told her my age, she said, "Girl, they say black don't crack, so you must be some black, cuz you ain't cracked yet!" Thought I was going to wet myself from laughing so hard!
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Crazy Busy!
I really am still here, just crazy busy, as I'm sure everyone else is this time of year! Tucker's birthday is in 6 days, and I'm planning his party for Saturday (a group of boys going to see the movie Eragon). Christmas shopping is in full swing. Got new weights yesterday (hooray!) and flooring too (now just have to figure out how to install it). Ordered business cards this morning (vistaprint.com). Relatives coming into town later today (hooray!) and staying for 3 days. House is a wreck (boo!).
Recommendation: if you see the January issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, get it! It's the one with Oprah and her 3 beautiful dogs on the cover. The issue has great information about motivation and changing habits and eating and is well worth the money.
Time to clean house...
Recommendation: if you see the January issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, get it! It's the one with Oprah and her 3 beautiful dogs on the cover. The issue has great information about motivation and changing habits and eating and is well worth the money.
Time to clean house...
Friday, December 08, 2006
Mission accomplished
Short. Intense. Effective. Here's today's workout:
Warm up
40 jumping pull-ups (2 sets of 20)
50 bodyweight Y squats (arms overhead in a "y" -- makes these harder)
20 Turkish get-ups, using 6 pound squishy med ball (2 sets of 10)
300 kettlebell swings (using 15 pound Cardio Bell, 6 sets of 50)
20 situps holding 12 pound Body Bar
We're heading to Tahoe for snowboarding. Have a great weekend, everyone, and remember:
HARD WORK PAYS OFF!
Warm up
40 jumping pull-ups (2 sets of 20)
50 bodyweight Y squats (arms overhead in a "y" -- makes these harder)
20 Turkish get-ups, using 6 pound squishy med ball (2 sets of 10)
300 kettlebell swings (using 15 pound Cardio Bell, 6 sets of 50)
20 situps holding 12 pound Body Bar
We're heading to Tahoe for snowboarding. Have a great weekend, everyone, and remember:
HARD WORK PAYS OFF!
Christmas came early!
I got my Power Systems order today! Fitness toys! Fitness toys! So I have now in my posession:
1 Reebok Core Board
3 squishy med balls (10, 8, and 6 pounds)
1 Cardio Bell (15 pounds)
1 Body Bar (12 pounds, to add to my 18 pounder)
4 new exercise tubes (at various resistances)
and a lovely lovely exercise mat
Time to go kick my own a$$!
1 Reebok Core Board
3 squishy med balls (10, 8, and 6 pounds)
1 Cardio Bell (15 pounds)
1 Body Bar (12 pounds, to add to my 18 pounder)
4 new exercise tubes (at various resistances)
and a lovely lovely exercise mat
Time to go kick my own a$$!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Feeling lucky
There is a quote by someone famous (but I can't think of who at the moment) that goes:
Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.
So I went to the Christmas lunch and guess what? My old company is putting in a training room for their employees, and one of my good friends is on the committee that's meeting on Friday to decide what kind of equipment they're buying and how they want to proceed. So she asked me to send her an email with my contact information, because we discussed having someone (moi?) come in and educate the employees on how to maximize their time in the training room. So because I have an opinion on all things fitness, I sent her some things to consider as they plan the space.
I have no idea if anything will come of this, but I'm feeling lucky, that's for sure!
Luck is when opportunity meets preparation.
So I went to the Christmas lunch and guess what? My old company is putting in a training room for their employees, and one of my good friends is on the committee that's meeting on Friday to decide what kind of equipment they're buying and how they want to proceed. So she asked me to send her an email with my contact information, because we discussed having someone (moi?) come in and educate the employees on how to maximize their time in the training room. So because I have an opinion on all things fitness, I sent her some things to consider as they plan the space.
I have no idea if anything will come of this, but I'm feeling lucky, that's for sure!
The Transitive Property
Pop quiz: does anyone remember the transitive property? It's the one that goes like this:
If A = B, and B = C, then A = C
This weekend the transitive property kinda did me in. My friend was here with her family. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my friend. But she has trouble knowing what size she is (something many women struggle with). At 5'8" and maybe 120 pounds, she feels big. So here are my thoughts:
If my friend thinks she's a cow. And I'm bigger than my friend. That makes me a ..... ???
I know it's not clear thinking. But it's hard to get out of!
And today I'm going to lunch at the computer company I used to work for. I've been home with my kids for 11 years now, but my job was a big deal to me for a long time. And sometimes I still miss working there. The reason I'm going is that years ago I started a Christmas lunch where I made soup for the entire company (there were about 40 of us at that time) and we watched a Christmas movie. Well, that tradition is still going strong nearly 20 years later, and one of my friends at the company thought to invite me this year. I'm excited to see old friends, but nervous at the same time, because I don't want to feel like I want to work there again.
If A = B, and B = C, then A = C
This weekend the transitive property kinda did me in. My friend was here with her family. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my friend. But she has trouble knowing what size she is (something many women struggle with). At 5'8" and maybe 120 pounds, she feels big. So here are my thoughts:
If my friend thinks she's a cow. And I'm bigger than my friend. That makes me a ..... ???
I know it's not clear thinking. But it's hard to get out of!
And today I'm going to lunch at the computer company I used to work for. I've been home with my kids for 11 years now, but my job was a big deal to me for a long time. And sometimes I still miss working there. The reason I'm going is that years ago I started a Christmas lunch where I made soup for the entire company (there were about 40 of us at that time) and we watched a Christmas movie. Well, that tradition is still going strong nearly 20 years later, and one of my friends at the company thought to invite me this year. I'm excited to see old friends, but nervous at the same time, because I don't want to feel like I want to work there again.
Friday, December 01, 2006
Can we talk beauty?
I used to feel like the only 12-year-old in a grown-up woman's body -- awkward, insecure, and sure that everyone else knew how to "do" the beauty thing, but not me. But in the past few years I've found some confidence, along with a healthy dose of "I am what I am!" and that's helped the awkward adolescent to grow up a bit.
Based on that background, it kind of amazes me AND cracks me up that I'd feel like I could write ANYTHING about beauty. Having said that, I have something to say. I'd found some products I love, so of course I need to share this info with my friends.
First thing is Big Tease mascara by Bare Escentuals. I'm still completely sold on their makeup, but am in love with this mascara. It makes your lashes long and pretty without getting all goopy like some mascaras do. Also at BE is Buxom Lips, a lip plumper/gloss that's really nice, but only seems to be included in some of their kits, not separately.
And my niece introduced me to the BEST flat iron on the planet -- the CHI flat iron. I thought all flat irons were the same, but I was oh so wrong.
Of course, these are just outside beauty things. The most important beauty advice is always to love and accept yourself for who you are, retain a positive outlook on life, and drink tons of beauty juice (aka water). But finding great mascara, lip gloss, and a flat iron sure doesn't hurt!
Based on that background, it kind of amazes me AND cracks me up that I'd feel like I could write ANYTHING about beauty. Having said that, I have something to say. I'd found some products I love, so of course I need to share this info with my friends.
First thing is Big Tease mascara by Bare Escentuals. I'm still completely sold on their makeup, but am in love with this mascara. It makes your lashes long and pretty without getting all goopy like some mascaras do. Also at BE is Buxom Lips, a lip plumper/gloss that's really nice, but only seems to be included in some of their kits, not separately.
And my niece introduced me to the BEST flat iron on the planet -- the CHI flat iron. I thought all flat irons were the same, but I was oh so wrong.
Of course, these are just outside beauty things. The most important beauty advice is always to love and accept yourself for who you are, retain a positive outlook on life, and drink tons of beauty juice (aka water). But finding great mascara, lip gloss, and a flat iron sure doesn't hurt!
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