Never Giving Up!!

So a couple of weeks down and still going...maybe not as strong but still feel the need to pursue my happiness being happy and healthy.  There is so much into getting fit, it is almost exhausting.  I think it is overwhelming and I can see how so many people give up on it all together.  Not making excuses and not giving up but boy, life is busy already and I sure don't need to throw anymore wrenches into our schedule. 

First thing...I need to figure out what workouts, classes or swimming I am going to do for the week...and that has to work around our crazy schedule for the boys and our work schedules. 

Then there's the food scheduling...need to eat healthy and know what to make...so planning on that part is very important!!  When we find ourselves not planning out the meals for the week we tend to eat out more and eat things that aren't entirely healthy.  I really enjoy trying out new recipes so this isn't all that bad..but finding the time to do the planning is not easy. 

I have to hand it to the kids though, we have cooked so many different things and have fed them so many different varieties of foods....and they eat it.  Matt doesn't like pickles...and that's about it...they are actually great eaters.  The kids have also been getting better about going to the gym...Ben and Matt have been fine from the beginning...but poor Jon has his rough days.  There is a certain employee that he seems to not like...she has been really rude to myself as well so I am not too fond of her myself.  I just don't know what to do about it.  Today was a turning point though...we dropped him off at the daycare at the gym and he waved bye and love you!!  Of course she wasn't there....Oh it was such a relief. 

So still on this journey and I am not giving up...my well being is very important for me and for my kids and family.  I want to feel good and have energy when I get up and do the things I want to...I know I am on the right path and pray that God will bless me with the strength and motivation to keep going. 

My First Week Dissapointment

First week is all done...I stepped on the scale...gained 2 pounds!!  What is up with that?  I hate the saying "muscle weighs more than fat." So I took that two pound weight gain and pushed even harder at the gym.  I am not going to let these measly two pounds stand in my way!!  Other than that, I have been doing great, love the work outs and can feel my body getting stronger...slowly but better.

Last time we had a gym membership the boys got sick and we were unable to make it for a couple of weeks and finally cancelled our membership because we were paying for us not going.  Well what do you know...a few days ago Jonathon started up with a really high fever.  The great thing is this time we worked together and watched the kids while the other went to work out...we didn't get to work out together but at least we got to work out.  He is a great guy...don't know where I would be without him.  As much as I let myself go over the years he still tells me how beautiful I am and how lucky he is, little does he know that I am the lucky one by far! 

So, first week down and ready for more...next hurdle...end of the year appointments, musicals, track meets and award ceremonies.  I will need to plan my work outs very carefully so I don't miss one.  Thank you Aunt Dean for being my support, love you very much!!  Away we go....into week two!!

First Week Alllllmmmmost Done!

Oh goodness....this first week has felt more like a month.  I think every inch of my body has hurt in one way or another from these workouts but I feel good.  It's amazing how much you learn in just one week from changing your entire lifestyle. 
First of all, the workouts I am actually looking forward to.  I know I really want the end result and I want to change, I know all too well that I am not going to get there unless I put in a lot of effort.  So I am trying to keep the mentality that I want to attack every work out. 
Weekends and Monday's are my only real days with Bill and the boys so I thought those would be the days we could work out together and get to use the pool as well.  So I hit another stumbling block...overtime at work.  I woke up, ate dinner and was out the door.  I felt bad for not depriving myself of sleep and going to the gym.  Then I had to face going to work where all the fast food places and Starbucks were open...I actually didn't think twice about it.  I was so happy for myself. 
Today I got to work out with Bill and that was nice, sometimes I wonder if I am doing things the right way at the gym and wonder if anyone is thinking "look at that crazy lady...what is she doing?"  So Bill was there to help me out and make sure my form was perfect. 
I don't know if we did a good or bad thing today though, feel like I am telling on myself...we ate out!!  Nothing was taken out for dinner and we were heading to the gym.  After the gym I told Bill, we deserve it!  We haven't ate out at all and we are doing so good.  Glad we have each other to put it into perspective...Bill says...."yah for a week."  Thats it...a whole week.  Heck I thought that was great!  So we stopped and had dinner at Village Inn.  Not too bad, not fast food and the food was delicious. 
So tomorrow will be my rough day...Get home from work and have the kiddos while Bill is at work.  Hopefully they will cooperate for me so I can get a nap in before I head to the gym.  I am just praying that I make it to the gym....staying up for a couple of days with maybe an hour or two of interrupted sleep is pretty rough...for this girl anyways.  The journey continues...

My Journey

I am embarking on a journey that I have started many times before, this time I am finally going to see the end and finish what I started once and for all.  Of course I am talking about losing weight, been my main concern my whole life it feels like.  Even when I was fit I still worried about my weight.  I feel that if I keep a good record of it, I can look back on my ups and downs and see where I am failing and excelling.  Most importantly, I also want to write this out in case I can contribute to someone else wanting to do the same. 
So here I go into the well known time of eating right and getting the exercise I need.  Why can't it be just that easy?  Why do we have to have to many interruptions, cravings, hang ups and failures?  I am three days into wanting a change and I already feel the pressure of these coming down.  My biggest enemy at the moment is exhaustion and sleep.  I am already trying to get used to night shift, and now I am completely exhausted with a work out on top of it.  On the other hand, my body feels sore and wonderful from the first three days of a work out so oh well. 
On that note, workouts...I really enjoy working out.  It is the getting off the couch part that is the hardest for me, goes back to the whole lack of sleep.  I bought a great ifit app on my iphone that I just love that gives me circuit training workouts and it really is great!  I also tried water aerobics and a Group Power class at the Y.  The water class was nice but the Power class kicked my butt.  Isn't it funny how we can be completely drained from a work out but feel great at the same time for accomplishing it?  The hard part today was having the power class and being in a room with all mirrors.  I just kept looking at myself and thinking...I didn't realize I was this big!  Totally not joking, what a killer to my workout this could have been...but I just let it motivate me. 
So how did I get here?  I can name off many ways like child birth x3...but the teacher in my class today had 3 kids the same age and looked great!  Then there's the truth...my love for food, overeating and lack of exercise.  OUCH!  It happens quick too, never saw it coming. 
Food...I am the type of person who enjoys all types of foods...except olives.  Unfortunately my stomach can hold a lot so I just eat and eat.  Then we discovered a convenient way of eating unfortunately...fast food.  Believe me, it isn't all that good, but the dollar menu and how fast you can get it is very convenient.  So another laziness problem and just not caring I guess.  This week we have tried  not eat out at all...it was harder for the kids which really killed me.  What kind of habits are we teaching our kids about this horrible lifestyle? 
Well that is enough for today...hopefully I didn't ramble on too much...Relaxation day tomorrow and BBQ and Trishas...we will see how that goes.