When your plans change....

Let's face it, plans change sometimes.  Today, for example, we had to run some errands even though the kids are not yet 100%.  I told a coworker that I would work for her tonight, so I had to find time to do some sort of at home workout.  Is this my favorite thing to do? NO, not at all, but today I could have just done nothing, like I did on Tuesday ;) Instead, I had my little motivator, Brayden, asking me if he could work out with me!  SO, we put the kids down for nap and headed to the basement with our weights, bands, and balls. We did a variety of core exercises along with some burpees and mountain climbers.... It was awesome!  We, of course, had to take a quick water break, and when Brayden cashes out on the sofa, I will probably do some planks and wall sits for good measure.

I'm thankful my family supports my decision to change my lifestyle :)

Happy Thursday!

Butt-kicking

Wow.... so I met up with a college friend, Annie, tonight.  I told her I wanted to hurt when I was done.  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.  We did sprints, a million or so lunges in varying positions, walking lunges which is very deceptive because I could not really walk by the end of it, and some core work.  Boom!  It was fantastic! 

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Nolan and Kalyn have been running fevers this week so I couldn't make it to the gym yesterday and had to go at an alternative time today which messes up our normal flow, but I am so glad that I made it in! 

For the most part, I was on point today with food with a few alternatives because I just wasn't very hungry. 

Tomorrow's plan... head to gym for kickboxing IF the kids are fever free still... if not, head there when Jon gets home and try to mimic the workout I did today except with an upper body focus.

I will let anyone workout with me as long as they bring a butt-kicking attitude :)

New Me--Let's get real

There are SEVERAL things that I am so VERY proud of and thankful for in my life.  My family, my husband, my kids, my jobs.... and my faith.  There are also a few things in my life that need a makeover!

For starters, I'm tired of making excuses for the weight I gained while pregnant with the kids and never lost.  I'm sick of avoiding fun gatherings because I don't feel comfortable in my body.  I am certainly tired of being trampled by my own thoughts and attitude about my body image!  SO.... I'm simply DONE with that.  To add a few more characteristics that can go...... I'm done people pleasing by rearranging things that our family has planned to do so--unless there is an emergency, obviously.  I'm setting boundaries.  I am keeping those boundaries.  I am changing the way I CHOOSE to feel about people and situations.  Some people might not make the change to the newer, better version of myself, but I am going to CHOOSE to be okay with that! 

SO... with that said... here goes! 

The Naked Truth.....

I am 31 years old and I am starting a weight loss journey.  It's a journey because it started a long time ago .... and I have been up and down ever since in terms of weight and motivation. 
I am starting off at 176.  I will end up at 155.  I am going to look for a 2lb/week loss.  Friends and Family, please support this--no food pushing ESPECIALLY around the holidays!  And feel free to knock those snickers bars out of my hands :)  Family gatherings do not have to be food based, nor do friend hangouts and catching up.  Let's meet at the gym and burn some extra calories by walking while we chat for 3 hours!!! :)

I have a very specific meal plan in place and I will be tracking my food on myfitnesspal (JSSJRS if you want to be my fitness friend). 

So, now my goals are public and I am excited to stop hiding, stop making excuses, and get serious.  I've been working out for a good 18 months now, but I wasn't changing my diet... AT ALL.  I am now!  I am changing a lot of things--maybe it's a midlife crisis.... but in a positive way! 

I do need to thank a few people for knowingly or unknowingly giving me a nudge.... Annie, Jess, Daira, Analee, Lisa, Taycey, my mom, and my husband.  Annie--thanks for the lifting and workout knowledge!  I freaking LOVE working out with you when you are free!  Complete buttkicking and I love every ounce of pain it brings!  Thank you!!! Jess--Had you not sent that bag of body by Vi, I would have never thought to dig deeper and ask you how you do it everyday! 

Some things are private, and I completely get that, but I'm choosing not to hide this one and that way I am more accountable.  I will track my food better and so on.  I might even post progress pictures.....who am I kidding... no I wont. Measurements, maybe.

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for our dog, Jack.  He has come a long way and grown SO very much since we got him in May!  He is 84 lbs now!!

I'm thankful for getting together with family last week for Thanksgiving!!  We celebrated early with my family since my mom had to work this year (she's a nurse).  It was great getting everyone together!  Thursday, we got together with Jon's family.

I'm thankful that my mother in law talks about Rick with our kids! Brayden got to put a "6-0" balloon at his grave at the cemetery with Nana and the kids for Papa Rick's 60th birthday.  Heaven sure is lucky to have him and we all sure do miss him!

I'm also thankful for the late night card playing with my husband and brother in law.  We have the best chats late at night.

I'm thankful my kids have been healthy so far this winter.  A few sniffles here and there, but overall, healthy.

I'm thankful Brayden has slept ALL night for TWO nights in a row!!!!!! We are all sleeping better these last two nights because of this!!

I'm thankful an ELF appeared at our house this year!  The kids named him Teeny.  He's silly, not naughty.  He has gotten stuck in his parachute, wrote the kids a letter on toilet paper, TP'd the Christmas tree a little bit, made a marshmallow snowman, and the most recent one--built a lego sleigh and used the "little people" animals to pull him!