Success Begins With Small Steps

Well, it's been a difficult week, but the hubby and I have stuck with it and now we can say that week two in in the books. Neither of us has lost much weight (maybe a pound each), but we are feeling better and maybe, just maybe, our pants aren't feeling quite as snug as they used to.  So that is SUCCESS!

Here is what I have noticed though, I am physically exhausted!  Come 8:30, this girl is ready for bed!  I'm sleeping all through the night and still a bit tired in the morning. That alarm ringing at 4:30 am is really not my favorite thing!  What I do like is that we are done with the workout early in the morning, so I don't spend my day worrying about getting my workout done.  I've also noticed that each workout is hitting different muscle groups. For instance, I spent yesterday feeling muscle fatigue and soreness in my calves and hamstrings and today I am sore in my triceps and abs.  It is nice to hit a muscle group hard and then let it rest and recover while I'm working another.  All the while though, I'm building my cardiovascular strength and I'm really happy about that.

Along with working on my fitness, I have also been trying to lower the toxins in my home.  Not only in food, but also the household and beauty products I use.  Since I have been on summer vacation, I have made several products to replace the store-bought toxic versions and the expensive healthier items. I think I'll save that list for another day though.  Suffice it to say, that it's been fun and MOST items have turned out really well.

I'm really just working on taking those small steps that will add up to big changes for my future.

Building Good Habits

So I know I've done this before, but today is the beginning of my second week of working out regularly again. I've restarted Focus T25. I figured that 25 minutes a day is a great way to start. So far, my hubby and I have been up at 4:30 am and working out at 5:00, then walking after for 30-60 minutes. The workout is strenuous, but the walking allows for cooling down and time to visit with my busy husband. I enjoy the organization of following the predetermined workout schedule, it's nice to have that part of fitness taken care of for me.

Also, a while back I invested in a Fitbit. I can't believe how much this little bracelet has motivated me to not only move more, but also to make sure I am getting enough sleep each night.  Having friends that have them helps with motivation too. We challenge each other regularly to meet our own goals.

The diet isn't on point yet, but that will come. Small changes over time will add up. I'm looking forward to building upon these first steps. Wish me luck! And prayers would be appreciated!!

Changes Over Time

I just happened upon my blog again.  I'm obviously not doing well keeping it current. My last post was in September 2013. How did over a whole year go by?  I'm actually sitting here wondering where the last 20 years went as well. Hmmm, as the saying goes, " life got in the way" and really I wouldn't have it any other way.  It means I've been out living instead of sitting at my computer, and that's a good thing.
There have been so many changes in my life since I last wrote.  If you know me or have read all my blogs, you know my daughter left for college in 2012 and I wanted to update you on her. She is doing very well in school and should be ready to graduate in a year and a half. She started as a math major, changed to business, and then changed to education. It's taken a bit to find her calling, but she seems very happy now.  She joined a sorority in October of 2013, I was so happy for her to experience some of what I did in college and also to have her own adventures. This past year, she started a women's club volleyball team at her school. She took on the task and saw it all the way through to the finals in Missouri. It monopolized most of her time, so I'm not sure if she will continue playing next year, but what a wonderful legacy to leave for future students and players at her school.
My son has just finished his junior year of high school and at 6'1" and 235 lbs, I often wonder what happened to my sweet little baby boy who used to run to give us hugs.  He is very involved with his football team and works very hard on and off the field and during season and off-season to be the best player he can be.  For the past 3 years he has taken home the trophy for the best lifter of the team.  He continues to build his strength, but also works hard weekly with a speed coach to increase his speed and agility. He wants to play football in college and I believe he will get there. His dream is to attend a military academy, so we are working with a tutor this summer to raise his SAT scores to be academy worthy.  My son also adopted a boxer puppy Christmas time this past year, she just turned a year old and is a pistol. She is crazy and has stolen all of our hearts.
The hubby is still working with at risk youth and getting them back on track to be outstanding tax paying citizens. His job is rewarding and he loves it.  His program has been so successful, in fact, that CBS had news teams follow a class of cadets from start to finish. You can see those news segments here.  He also had the opportunity this year to meet the president. That was pretty cool. Not too many people can say they have shaken his hand and had a conversation (they spoke about his program).  He even got a presidential coin.
I continue to work for the school district as an instructional aide.  I was moved to another class to help start a new fourth/fifth grade program, like the one I was in for second/third that I loved so much.  I just finished my second year on the fourth grade side.  I really enjoyed my time and learned a tremendous amount from the teacher.  She was a lot of fun and I consider her a great friend now.  The school has since decided not to continue the program for fourth/fifth in the future, so I have requested to return to my old assignment in second/third. I really hope it is granted.  I have realized that I really prefer the academic side of my job to the behaviorist side.  I can do both, but I guess the teacher side of me just really wants to teach math and reading.
So now you are caught up, kinda.  Here's to becoming more regular with my posts. Cheers!

Are You Eating for Your Health?

So another week has passed.  This was a big one for me.  I accomplished another goal I had set for myself.  I told myself back in April that I would finish the Insanity workout and I did, then when I started Focus T25 in July I made a promise to myself I would finish, and I did...today.  Today was the final workout.  I feel so proud of myself.  For years I would jump into a weight loss effort with both feet only to peter out after a short time.  When I started my journey toward better health back in March, I knew I had to go about things differently than I did in the past.  I had to look at this journey as a lifestyle change, not as a short term diet.  I have a family health history that I needed to overcome.  I knew it was going to take some effort on my part.  I needed to put my effort into getting up every-damn-day and working out, I needed to put more effort into planning and preparing food, and I needed to put the effort into defeating the naysayers.  Those naysayers come in all forms, family, friends, and occasionally, even myself. 

I've been contemplating what it was that was different about me this time.  And I have come up with some answers.  Number one, with Team Beachbody I have a built in support group.  My coach and even people I don't know are cheering me on.  I often wish that others could see my facebook wall.  I am friends with and follow so many positive people.  It is full of motivation and inspiring stories.  I feel blessed to be involved with Team Beachbody.  Number two, since I became a coach with Team Beachbody, I feel that I am being held accountable to reach my goals and prove that it can be done.  I know people are watching.  Most are watching and cheering me on, I'm sure there are some that are waiting for me to fail, but that is life.  I am choosing to pay attention to the positive people.  Number three, and possibly most important, my eating has changed.  You can't out exercise a bad diet.  I'm making informed choices about the food I am putting on the table for my family and me. 

I've come to realize over the past seven months that the food I had been preparing for my family the past 25 years was not the healthiest.  I am embarrassed to admit it was not uncommon for my kids to have a meal of chicken strips, tator tots, and a vegetable when they were young (I thought I was making it healthy by adding the veggies).  Of course whatever was leftover was popped into my mouth while I did the dishes.  I spent years buying processed foods, adding a salad or vegetable and thinking I was giving my family a well balanced meal. As a matter of fact, when my 3 year old daughter got a Barbie Jeep for Christmas, she drove it right up to a bush (her version of a drive-thru window), leaned her head out and yelled to the bush, "I'll take a cheeseburger and fries."  That should have hit home, way back then and there, but it didn't.  So today when I saw the coolest Chipotle ad, it really hit home to me how much I have changed what we are eating at our house, and even when we eat out at restaurants.  The pictures in this blog are from the ad you can here. 

 

Since April, I have been making every effort to make sure we are eating foods that are minimally processed.  It requires a bit more thought, planning, and prep time from me, but it has been so worth it.  I try to buy meat without added hormones, and non GMO foods.  We are eating whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and making every effort to have five or six small meals a day.  For instance, my son was told in early spring of this year, that if he wanted to play varsity football, he would have to put on 30 lbs.  Otherwise, he would not be big enough.  So we went to work.  He worked out and lifted weights daily in the off season, and I fixed up his diet.  



My son, number 11



Fortunately, I had already been implementing the cleaner eating lifestyle into our family, or he would have just gained that weight as fat (by eating fast food).  He gained the weight as he was asked, he gained 30 lbs and is solid and strong.  And he earned a starting position on varsity.  He did it on his own, but I like to think I had a small role in that, by providing him with healthy choices.  I wish I had been a good role model living a fit and healthy lifestyle for his whole life, but there is no going backwards.  We just build from where we are.  From here on out, I purchase the healthy food, I prepare the healthy food, and we all eat the healthy food.  Along with exercising daily, eating right will prepare us all to live a long healthy life.

It's Just Too Easy For Me...Unfortunately

So, I had one of those weeks.  I got overwhelmed with life and I missed my workouts for two days.  I know now that really was the catalyst.  The not working out.  I missed my workout on Thursday because I stayed up too late on Wednesday, so the alarm clock was ringing at 4:30 am it was just too much, plus it has been oppressively hot here lately.  The temperature is not so high, but lots of humidity.  Anyway, when it is already 80 degrees outside at 4:30 am, I know my garage (workout room) has not cooled off during the night.  So I just hit snooze and went back to sleep.  Well, when Friday came around and I did the same thing, and that is when all the negative self talk started.  And truly it is an easy habit I fall into.  Not sure where it came from, but I've done it for years.  When I was younger, it was not as defeating, but over time I have become especially good at it.  That voice in my head telling me I'm too fat, not smart enough, too loud, not pretty enough, not rich enough, I'll never make it, I always fall short.  At my age now, I'm really good at finding specific flaws, my hair is too thin, thighs are too thick, too many wrinkles, I'm too this or not enough that.  I would NEVER speak to anyone the way I talk to myself.  And why do I do that??  Where did I learn that??  I guess those are questions for a therapist.  I just know that it has to change.  It has never helped me get out of a slump, so it just needs to STOP!

 

The good thing is that this time, I realized what I was doing pretty quickly.  I'm actually very happy about that.  For the past thirty-odd years, I would have let this moment defeat me.  I would have slid backwards and let it get the better of me.  Not only putting me in a slight depression, but I would have slowly (or quickly) gained back the weight I've lost and probably added a few more.  This time was different, not only because I recognized it starting, but I also gave it a name and talked about it.  I realized what it could do to me and what triggered it.  The truth is when I stopped exercising, that is when my mind freaked out.  I believe that is because I was now missing out on the natural high that exercise provides.  There are all sorts of articles I've read that talk about exercise causing the release of endorphins, like this excerpt from WebMD:
Improved self-esteem is a key psychological benefit of regular physical activity. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. These endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain (physical and emotional).

So I think that catching it early, realizing the negativity for what it is, and then working to solve the problem instead of criticizing myself for my mistakes, should help me overcome those negative feelings.  I've also decided to give myself permission to slip up occasionally, I am human after all.  Is life really worth living without an occasional piece of cake?  I think not!  I am learning that even though my workouts are tough and I'm not very fond of them while I'm in the sweaty middle of it all, they do help me to keep a positive outlook on the outside world and where I fit into it all.  Life is not always smooth sailing, and honestly I'm sure any sailor will tell you that sailing is a lot of hard work (even though they enjoy it).  When I started my weight loss and fitness journey back it April, I knew it was going to be a lifestyle change for me this time.  It was not going to be something that I just did for a short time and then stopped once I got to my goal weight.  I just never realized back then, that my body would NEED to workout to keep my brain on an even keel.  (sheesh! you'd think I was a sailor over here with all my references!!)  I have always drawn the line from eating well and how I felt, compared to eating junk and paying for it for days!  It is good to know that my body has accepted this new way of life and will "encourage" me to keep up with my fitness too, as long as I pay attention to what it is telling me.

 

Lastly, I want to reference this last picture.  A few years ago I read the book The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.  If you haven't read it, I recommend it.  It talks about the power of attraction.  The book said whatever you think about, you bring to your life.  So for instance, if I constantly thought about how fat and worthless I was, I would bring things into my life that would prove that to be true.  Have you ever noticed when something goes wrong and you get upset, then it is like everything that can go wrong does?  Well the same is true if you are feeling confident and grateful for all you have in your life, then you bring more good into your life.  I'm over simplifying it, but I'm sure you get the point.  The reason I am bringing it up is that I really noticed this week, how I was letting my negative thoughts about myself, control how I was feeling.  I need to be more mindful about keeping a positive attitude so that I bring more positivity into my life.  Who doesn't need a little more positivity??

Struggles, stress, and how NOT to deal with them

What a week this has been.  And truly it was only half the week that was difficult, even though it felt like an entire month.  I have done well over the entire week with my workouts.  They were definitely needed to release stress and get me started on the right foot each day.  I actually increased my dumbbell weights this week again too.  When I started the weight portion of my workout, I started with 5 pound dumbbells.  The week before last I moved up to 8 pounds and this past week I increased up to 10 pound dumbbells.  It is amazing what a struggle that is to lift when you have to do it so slowly and when you are combining it with intense cardio.  I saw a big difference in my measurements this week though, so it was totally worth it!!  I think I will stay at 10 pound though for a while.  I really don't want to get big, I want to lean out.  I know the key to that is having more muscle though.

So, this is what created added stress and struggles this week.  School started on Wednesday.  Wow, just saying that, I can't believe it was only three days ago!!  We've been on a schedule this summer because of the many football practices so it really wasn't because we had to be up early.  I'm not sure what it was that started it, but we have all been on the edge.  Having a teenage son who has his own set of priorities has not really helped the situation.  He can't remember to do half of the things we tell him to do.  His mind is all about football and girls right now.  My hubby and I have had a hard time just staying on the same page about anything too.  A big problem that started on Wednesday is that we both want to get our workouts done in the morning before work.  This would be fine if we were doing the same workout, but we are not.  He is on his second round of Insanity where many of the workouts are an hour or hour and a half long.  In the summer, while I was off from work it wasn't a problem because I would just wait until he left for work.  Now he is trying to get up early enough and get his done so that I will have time to get in my workout before I have to get ready.  I've had to bump mine back about a half an hour so he doesn't have to start so early, but that means I'm still sweating even after my shower.  That kinda turns me into a crankypants.  Mornings have not been fun around here lately.

It isn't just school that caused all the ruckus this week.  My eating has not been on point either.  I started the week with an amazingly large and delicious chorizo breakfast burrito from Nick's Deli in Los Alamitos.  If you've never had one, you are missing out!  Seriously.  Anyway, I would have been fine if I had stopped there, but nope.  I ended up eating out with my hubby too.  I ordered a delicious tri tip salad from Madera's in Los Alamitos.  Again, if you've never been there, put it on your list.  I've never had a bad meal there, I take that back, I have only ever had amazing meals, great service and if you go on a Friday or Saturday night you get live music too!  So, still not too bad right?  I don't think so either, but then Wednesday night came around.  That was the day school started, remember?  Well I also had to go in to my doctor for a blood test and ultrasound on my thyroid.  So the blood test means fasting...  First day of school, no food all day, so when the hubby asks if I'd like to go to El Torito for dinner with his boss, well yes!  Yes, I would.  I'M STARVING!  Not a good idea, but I did it.  Table side guacamole?  Yes please.  Refill on your chips?  Yes, please.  Another beer?  No, thank you (at least I had a little sense in my head).  So fast forward to the next day, snacking out of control, pickles, cheese, veggie straws.  Then Friday comes around and my body is completely angry at me.  I ended up Friday afternoon in bed at 4:30 lying in the fetal position practically crying.  I had stomach cramps that felt like labor pains!  I won't go into too much detail, but after the offending items left my body I was finally able to go to sleep, after 4 hours of cramps.  I have learned my lesson.  My body prefers healthy food in much smaller quantities!  I will be more thoughtful about my choices in the future.
So, yes, this week has been a trial and really I think it is all due to not being on a schedule that we are used to.  I struggle with making good choices when I haven't planned properly, I struggle with appropriate responses when I am dealing with stress and I'm tired and hungry.  So the answer is to have a routine.  I will be planning out my schedule not only for work and working out, but also for healthy meals and snacks.  Here's to a new, better organized, start next week.

Just Show Up and Push Play

So I was reading my friend Marci's blog where she was talking about the importance of showing up and she inspired me to think about how I have been applying that to my own life.  It is a relatively new concept for me at this time in my life.  If you would have asked my mom what my nick name was while I was growing up, she would have told you they called me "Katie Go."  If anyone was going anywhere, I wanted to go.   For example, at five, my mom had a guest over who talked about how cute I was and that I should pack a bag so I could go home with her.  Well, I did.  I got a brown paper bag (she did say to pack a bag after all) from the kitchen and I was packed and ready to go when she was leaving.  Now the disappointment I felt about finding out she was just being nice and I was not really invited to go, well, that is for another time, or maybe even therapy. ;)  But anyway, my point is, I used to get out there.  I showed up for anything I could, and I loved it.  Somewhere along the way, I quit showing up.  I'm not sure if it was because I started gaining weight, so I quit showing up, or if because I quit showing up, I started gaining weight.  Hmmm, that is something to think about.  Sounds like a chicken or the egg type of discussion.

 

So, I'm sure you're wondering how does this actually apply in my life now?  Well, let me tell you.  My new healthier way of life involves exercising.  Since I prefer working out in the privacy of my home, so I started doing home exercise DVDs back in April.  April 1st to be exact.  It was a Monday, it was the first day of the month, it was actually a dieter's dream start date!  Anyway, I will in no way ever say that I am an expert, or that I have all the answers, but what I do know is that every day (since April 1st) I showed up!  How??  I have followed the workout plan that came with my DVDs and PUSHED PLAY!  It didn't matter if I didn't feel like it, if I was tired, if I was sore, if I had something else I wanted to do, I still went into my workout room (my garage), put the DVD in the player and pushed play.  There are days where I nailed my workout and I know it has made a difference, but there are days where if I look at it honestly, I mailed it in.  But you know what?  I still did it.  And it made a difference too.  I did more than I would have done by staying in bed or laying on the couch watching TV!

 

I think it is funny that it took me until I turned 45 to realize that I really did need to eat right and exercise if I was going to make lasting changes in my health and in my figure.  I have been told that my whole life, but I always searched for the easy way, or the quick fix instead.  Unfortunately, none of those were lasting.  What I actually had to do was Show Up (in my garage) and Push Play.  It has taught me that I CAN do it, and I am capable of making lasting changes in my life. 

 

It is now my goal to bring along as many people as I can with me on this journey.  I feel so much better, not only physically, but emotionally as well.  Everyone deserves to feel this way!  I'm ready to start Showing Up again at social events and not feel like I have to hide.  I'm through with worrying about what other people might be thinking about me.  I do know this change didn't happen overnight, and not even after the first month of working out steadily.  But I do know that working out does make you a happier person.  I don't know all the science, but it is something about releasing endorphins and some other mumbo jumbo like that.  What I have learned is that I like SHOWING UP and I really do like my results from PUSHING PLAY. 

 

So here is the deal.  Maybe home workouts are not your cup of tea, maybe you love the gym, or the track, or the pool.  What ever it is, it really doesn't matter, you just need to SHOW UP!  Do YOUR best, and each time you go, your best will get a little bit better.  All those small improvements will add up to big changes in your health - body and soul.

 

Getting my Priorities in Order

Priorities are important.  We all have them.  What do you have in your list of priorities?  I like this image, as it lists lots of different priorities, but they are all jumbled, so you really don't know what is most important.  I guess that is because they are different to everyone.  That is what makes the world go round.  My priorities have changed over time.  Obviously my priorities as a young girl, a single college girl, even a new mom, are a lot different from what they are now.  We are all a work in progress.  I just want my progress to be going in the direction that will most benefit me, my family, my friends, and my business.  
So this has been a stressful week caused by a phone call from the breast imaging center.  I realize that this is their job, but when they call you out of the blue and in a nonchalant voice say that the radiologist would like you to come back in to the office to re-do your mammogram... and he'd like you to have an ultrasound too, well, it is hard to hold it together.  Especially when I'm still trying to wrap my head around the passing of my mom to cancer in May.  On top of it all, I knew my husband was going to be out of town when I had my appointment.  I was trying to be strong, but, oh the thoughts that have been flying through my head.  All the negotiations with God, the wondering if it even mattered that I have been working on getting fit and eating better, even wondering about what I would look like without hair.  I can't even go into the thoughts I had about my husband and children.  The good news is that after the second mammogram the radiologist said that everything was clear and I didn't need to have the ultrasound.  He said something about how they compare them as a mirror image and there was some sort of asymmetry.  Ha!  I could have told him they were asymmetrical!  You don't need a mammogram for that, just a set of eyeballs!!  Anyway, I've come out of this experience with a new found vision for what I want my future to look like.

Back in April I went to a short training that talked about Franklin Covey's productivity quadrant.  This past week really brought that back to the front of my brain.  So I learned that I need to be spending most of my time in quadrant II.  And I want to get out of my habit of spending time in quadrant IV!  Now for me though, I feel that spending time with my family is a pleasant activity, however, I would place it in II, because I want to build memories and raise my children in a responsible way.  I've come to realize that while it is important to have a job, and be productive and successful at work, it is far more important that I take time to let my family know they are valuable and important to me.  Sure, I can tell them all the time, but how do you really show that something is important to you??  You give it your time.  That is it.  Simple as that.  So, I have placed my family at the very top of my priorities.


Finally, here is the deal for me.  I am going to spend more time with my family, I am going to take care of myself, so I can spend more time with my family.  I will be working on my Beachbody coaching business so I will eventually be able to work from home and spend more time with my family.  Are you seeing a pattern here??  These things are priorities for me.  They are not an option.  I am focusing on what is important to me.  Life has a way of throwing things at you and it is how you deal with them that matters.  I've realized after this week of stress, that I handled it the best I could at the time, but from now on I will be facing life with a positive attitude and making sure that my friends and family know that I love and care about them.  I will be working hard to improve my health and the health of those I care about.  We only have this one life to live and I want to look back on mine and know that I focused on what mattered. I will look back and know I lived my best life for me and for everyone that matters to me.

Consistency = Success

Consistency... that is the name of the game isn't it?  When I look back on my life to times where I have been successful the key ingredient has been consistency.  When I really wanted to be a flag girl back in Jr. High, I brought home that practice flag and practiced the routine until I could do it in my sleep.  And oh, boy, when I wanted to be a cheerleader in high school you could find me on my front yard lawn practicing the routine in front of the big plate glass window.  It was like the giant mirrors that were on the wall in the girls' gym.  And the same goes for my school work, jobs, and hobbies.  If you consistently put in the time, success usually follows close behind. 
So, how do you make that consistency happen?  That is the hard part, right?  While I can look back and see the successful results of consistency in my life, I can also see the poor results from times where I was not consistent.  Those times are not looked upon very fondly.  I can't even count the number of exercise programs I have tried, let alone the number of diets. (eek!)  That is so embarrassing!  So what was the problem?  Why couldn't I hang on?  Why didn't I EVER make it to my goal?  It is simple really, I was looking at all of these things as temporary fixes.  A diet I would only have to be on for a short time, and then I would be able to go back to my life and live.  I had to look at them that way, they were so restrictive!  No one should have to live without ever getting a dessert, or a piece of bread with butter!  Enjoyment is what life is all about.  We should enjoy relationships, food, exercise, and what we do for a living. 
Here is the deal, once I realized that I needed to make PERMANENT changes in my lifestyle, was when I realized that these changes needed to be something I could live with forever without feeling deprived.  I started by changing my nutrition, and Shakeology has become a big part of that.  I consistently have one shake a day and it delivers a full day's nutrition to me in the one glass.  Once I was doing that, I started eating better, it was easy since the Shakeology took away my cravings!  Then I was ready to add in regular exercise.  The first program I chose was Insanity.  I opted for such an intense program because I knew I needed to make some big changes in my life.  It was hard on this overweight 45 year old mother of two teenagers!  But I knew that consistency was the key.  Even when I felt like I couldn't give it my all, I still got by butt up and out of bed every morning.  I pushed play and gave it whatever I had available to give.  It wasn't always pretty, but it was DONE.  I can't tell you the sense of accomplishment I felt when I completed that program.  It was the very first exercise program I have ever completed.  And I succeeded in doing that by consistently pushing play on my DVD player.  So here I am at the end of my first month of my second exercise program (Focus T25), and I have not missed a single day of exercising.  I will achieve success with T25 as well, because I do it consistently.  You can too.  I can help you.  You see, that is the part I didn't mention.  It is helpful to have accountability.  My Beachbody coach has been there with me all along.  Supporting me, cheering for me, and really just being there expecting me to do my best... so I did.  Hmmm, accountability, that sounds like another blog topic...

Katie Armstrong's Fitness Bunker

So I'm sure you are all wondering two things...
1.  What's with the name?
2.  How long is she going to last blogging this time?

Well, the first question I can easily answer.  Since the last time I was on here and writing regularly, I have taken on a new business venture.  The best part about it is that I get to work on my health while I am working the business.   This business is Team Beachbody and my website has my screen name in it.  (www.beachbodycoach.com/ktarmywife)  I have been trying to tie everything together with an army theme, so therefore we have the Fitness Bunker.  Bunker is defined as: a defensive military fortification designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks.  Now while I'm pretty sure we will not be in any position to have bombs falling on us, I do feel that when we are trying to make healthy food choices and exercise regularly, we sometimes feel we are under attack from the outside world.  We are "assaulted" by a barrage of ads on television that encourage us to eat giant greasy burgers and wash it down with chemical laden sodas.  We all have friends or family that occasionally sabotage our efforts as well.  So the Fitness Bunker is here to be a place to take refuge, a place to get encouragement and motivation to start or carry on with your fitness goals.  Ask any fitness or weight loss questions, I will do my best to answer them, if I don't know the answer, we will learn together.  This is a lifelong journey after all. 
As far as question number 2, well, I'm going to do the best I can.  I previously tried to write everyday.  Obviously this busy wife and mom could not keep that up!  My plan is to write at least once a week.  I do find that in my "battle" against obesity, there are plenty of roadblocks and assaults from unforeseen enemies that pop up, so I will have plenty to write about.  

Back Again (Hopefully)

Wow, I haven't been on here in such a long time.  I wandered back here without the thought of blogging today, but when I noticed the blogger logo on my gmail screen, I thought I should take a look. I only had 4 posts in all of 2012.  That is crazy!  I re-read several of my old posts and noticed I have had so many changes in my life in the past year.  I had practically forgotten that my husband was slated to deploy to Afghanistan.  That didn't end up happening, between Obama calling for the draw back and the state of California's finances, plans changed, thank God.  I survived my daughter's senior year of volleyball.  My girl graduated and has also gone away to college.  The house is empty without her here.  She is doing great, but I'll save all the bragging for another blog. :) 
The best news for this school year for me is that I was able to get a placement in a different classroom.  I was so burnt out working in the autism program.  I love where I work now and I love the staff I work with!  I don't even miss that old classroom at all, not even a little bit!  On top of this great placement, my principal offered me a job after school teaching math intervention to second and third graders.  It is so great!  I'm actually using my credential too!  I just had to renew it to keep myself legal.  Feels good to actually be in charge of childrens' learning again.  I'm actually hoping it turns into a full time job.  We will see.
I hope I can continue to do this blogging, I think I will set more reasonable goals for myself.  Maybe I will shoot for once a week, or maybe even once a month! Ha! (probably more attainable for me!)

Back at the Gym

"The Devil"

Well, I got the news... there will not be a new job or me any time soon.  I expected it after the interview, but I was still hoping for some changes. 
Other than that, the only news I have to share is about my recent return to the gym.  My typical workout is about an hour.  Thirty minutes on the treadmill, thirty minutes on the elliptical, and then if I am feeling like I am up to it, I do a whopping five minutes on the stair climber (commonly referred to as "The Devil")  This machine gets my heart pumping like no other.  It is like the five minutes I spend on that stair climber is more difficult than the entire hour I spend on the other machines.  I don't even set it at anything really difficult.  I think it is at level six at best, but when I get off of it, I am a sweaty mess!  Well, I have gone on a rant about this machine, but that isn't even the story I wanted to share.  Anyway, back to the point.  I did my regular workout (including some time with the Devil) and then I thought, I really need to start working my arms.  So I picked three machines that looked like they operated similarly to ones I used at Curves.  Although these machines use your body weight and weights.  I chose a low weight (although it was too heavy on the first machine I used) and did three sets of ten reps.  I figured this was a good place to start.  I worked my biceps, triceps, and front of my shoulders.  The first machine I put the weight at level 4, first two sets went fine, third set... could only do five!  Next machine, I couldn't even move it!  My arms were already fatigued and shaking.  I put the weight at ONE, and managed to do all three sets.  The third machine, I put the weight at 3 (it was an easier machine... Kind of like tricep dips) and I finished all three sets.  The drive home was a little strange.  I've had what I call spaghetti legs from running or swimming, but I had spaghetti arms and I was a bit uncomfortable driving.  After I was home for a while they felt more normal, but I could still tell I'd had a good workout.  Fast forward to this morning... Oh My God!  I felt like I had been beaten up!  Like someone took a bag of oranges and repeatedly hit me... arms, back, shoulders, chest.  I had trouble brushing my teeth, holding the blow dryer to fix my hair... oh, and lifting a cup of coffee to drink it.  And, just lifting my arm to put my hair behind my ear!!!  I've had the sore legs where it is hard to sit without pain, but I have never had my arms this sore, even when I was doing the push up challenge.  Obviously, I am seriously lacking muscle in my arms.  You can bet these machines will become my close companions over the next month or so... just not today!

A New Start??

I got the email today.  The one that said I passed the test and they would like me to come in for an interview.  Passing the test doesn't seem like much of an accomplishment.  One only had to get 70%.  The last time I took a test for the district, I scored 97%.  And, wow, it was really hard.  This time, I thought the test was much easier, but I only scored 86%.  I'm really disappointed in myself.  How can I expect my children to get A's in their classes and I only got a B!  I'm hoping I was one of the top scores, but who knows.  I guess I need to just accept it and be happy that I was selected for the first round of interviews.  I will really need to wow the panel.  I've been thinking about what I should wear to an interview for an athletic equipment manager.  I think I am just going to go with the professional outfit.  I will only get this chance to make a good impression.  I'm worried about not having the knowledge base needed for the job, but I am a quick learner.  Hopefully that will do.

It will be a big change if I get this job.  I understand it starts this school year so I will have to leave my assignment in the kindergarten autism classroom before the end of the year.  Plus it is a full time job, so I will be putting in many more hours than I do now.  Not sure if I will like that, but the paycheck increase will certainly be nice.  Plus, we will save quite a bit on gas.  I will be traveling approximately the same distance to work, but it is the same direction as my son's school, so instead of extra trips or big round loops to drop off or pick up, I will be right there.  He would actually be able to walk to me when he gets out of school.  I can add all sorts of other bonuses, like not having a kid spit in your face, but I still feel a bit uneasy about it all.  Does this mean I am shutting the door on actually going back in the classroom to teach?  If you would have asked me a couple of years ago if that was something I was contemplating, I might have laughed in your face.  I think I do miss running my own classroom.  I just have all these questions.  I don't want to pass up any opportunity.  Hopfully I will have answers to some of these questions after the end of next week.

First Day of Spring Break and I'm Sick, Is There a Pin for That?

So here we are, it is the first day of spring break, or what we used to call Easter Vacation and I am sick.  Last night when I went to bed I thought my allergies were just acting up, but I guess not.  I feel for my kids.  They are ready to take on the vacation and live every day to the fullest, but not me.  I have spent over half of the day in my pajamas either sleeping in my chair while trying to watch TV or in my bed doing some real sleeping.  I sure hope I get over this quickly.  I need to be able to get up tomorrow and cook Easter dinner!
Along with sleeping I have been logging a lot of hours online.  My IPad has windows open for Facebook and Pinterest.  I am ashamed to say I am mildly obsessed with both sites.  On the negative side, I think they both take up huge amounts of time that can be better spent doing, well, almost anything else.  But, I still like them.  I actually feel quite happy with Pinterest lately.  I especially like that I can find new recipes that others have tried (and like).  It gives me more confidence to give it a go, when I know someone else has been successful making it.  And, I haven't been all talk about it, or should I say just pinning?  I have made several of the dishes.  Every single one of them has turned out great.  I'm not always that lucky with recipes from magazines.  After I have made a recipe, I go back into the pin and comment on it if it turned out well, and so far everything has gotten a positive comment.  Either that says something about my pinning, or that people only post really good stuff.  Maybe it is a little of both.  I wonder who came up with Pinterest, and since I don't see ads on the side bar, like Facebook, I wonder if/how they are making money.  It has already changed a bit since I have joined, and like Facebook, it always makes it a bit difficult to navigate the site until you get used to it.  But even though I enjoy it, I still wonder if they are going to eventually charge us to store all this information we have placed in files on their site.  That would stink, since I have been a pinning fool!  I have files not only for recipes, but files for books I've read and books I want to read, crafts, fitness, inspiration, and just things I think are funny.  Why I need to save (pin) them, I have no idea.  Hopefully someday I will use it all.  Oh yeah, I also have a file titled 'someday.'  Maybe everything should be a sub-folder of that one!
Wow, this has been a somewhat rambling post... I would like to blame the cold medicine if that is alright with you.

It's Been a While...

It has been a while, well that is an understatement!  My last post was sometime around the beginning of this school year.  I fully intended to continue writing during the past year, but somehow life just got in the way.  The good news is, I have gotten over my guilt of not writing!  Yay for me!  Now I just have a desire to put some things down in writing, just so I can quit carrying them around with me.
From now on I am not going to post any links from facebook.  That really added to the pressure for me.  So, who needs added pressure?  Not me, that is for sure.  Anyway, if you have found me, welcome!  I hope I don't bore you with my meandering thoughts.
I guess we will start today with my job.  I have plenty to say about that!  I am still working in an autism specific kindergarten classroom.  I feel like I make a real difference in these childrens' lives.  Typically it is a very rewarding job.  However, after the difficult last year and this year being somewhat difficult as well, I feel very burnt out.  I am even considering going back into teaching regular education.  Who would have thought I would even consider it again, what with NCLB, state standards that don't take into account language barriers or development delays, and all the extra hours outside the classroom, not to mention dealing with parents who think their children are perfect.  See what I'm doing there?  I'm already trying to talk myself out of it.  Anyway, back to autism.  Did you know that when I started in this job four short years ago, the diagnosed were 1 in 500?  Now it is 1 in 88, and a much higher percentage if you only count boys.  Why are there so many?  Are they over-diagnosing?  Are we giving our children something we shouldn't?  Is it a natural evolution of our brains?  Who knows?  All I know is class sizes are getting larger and the children seem more severe.  I have been well trained to work with autistic children, so why am I feeling burnt out after 4 short years?  I think it is because of the students who are in the class and autism isn't their main issue.  It is hard to work on behaviors all day long and have it all undone by the parents once the child goes home.  Shall I give a small example?  No names will be given to protect the innocent guilty.  I spent the better part my shift restraining a child who before he/she was restrained, was hitting and kicking another teacher (because the child didn't want to do what he/she was told).  While being restrained by me, the child spit on me several times and when he/she managed to get an arm or leg free attempted to (sometimes successfully) hit or kick me.  He/she repeatedly hit the back of their head into my arms, shoulders, and chest all the while screaming and crying at a volume that vibrated my ear drums.  Now, I would like to say that this is a rare occurrence, but between last year's class and this year, it is becoming more frequent.  Anyway, I digress.  The point of this is, why am I burnt out?  Well, this particular child went home after this incredibly exhausting day and the next morning the parents wrote a note to the teacher saying that since the child was good at home, they didn't give him/her any consequences.  Wait, what???!!!  We have a word for the kids in our class who act this way... we say they have "bratism."  Children, ALL CHILDREN, need to be parented!  They have no idea that they are creating a monster, one that is only going to get bigger and stronger.
Along with my desire to get out of this environment, as I mentioned earlier, I am considering going back into teaching.  My credential expires in 2013, so I need to make up my mind soon.  In the meantime, I have applied for a full time position at the high school as an athletic equipment manager.  I took the exam today and feel I did pretty well.  I should know by the end of next week if I will be selected for an interview.  Here's to keeping my fingers crossed! 

The Moving Wall is Very Moving

So, it has been a while... yeah, I know.  I have had way too much on my plate lately.  Not sure if I got sick first, or was doing too much, either way it is a vicious circle.  Not enough rest for me = catching any cold that comes along.  I did finally finish with my work for the fundraiser, well, until the event is over at least, then I have to go back and help with clean up.  But it does feel good to have the paperwork for that big job off my plate.  It is always difficult to coordinate so many people, especially when a lot of it is dependent upon teenagers doing their part.  We sold 67 tickets though, so that is a good thing. 
Well, I have held off talking about it for as long as I can.  I knew it would be coming this year, but the news still managed to floor me.  My husband let me know this past week that he will be deploying to Afghanistan in August.  I'm not sure how news I am expecting can still startle me, but it did.  It has taken me a while to digest this and be able to talk about it.  I am not new to a deployment, but that doesn't make it any easier.  I am happy he will be here for Amy's high school graduation and Will's eighth grade graduation, though.  But there just is no good time to be gone.  I am also a realist, he has only had his shoulder tapped, he has not been given orders yet (in writing).  So what is not in writing may not ever happen.  I still have to prepare though.  I need to have everything in order so the kids and I can successfully make it through the time he is gone.  I know he can't be successful at his job if he has to worry about us.
In other news, The Moving Wall is here in Southern California.  We went to go see it in Garden Grove this morning.  For those of you that don't know, it is a (smaller) replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  I saw a notice that it was going to be here a few months ago and put a reminder on my phone because I wanted to see it.  I am so glad we did.  I really didn't expect it to affect me the way it did.  I can't imagine how it would be to see the actual memorial.  Anyway, when I walked up to it, I was surprised how big it still was, then as you get closer and see the sheer number of names on the wall, well, it was overwhelming.  And to think that most of these young men were called to serve, they did not volunteer for the service.  Before I could stop myself, I had tears streaming down my cheeks.  I don't know anyone who died in Vietnam, so it was not due to any loss of friend or family.  I think it was just the thought of all those young men... and their lives cut short.  There were lots of bouquets and pictures of soldiers left in front of each section of the wall, it was good to see that these soldiers have not been forgotten.  It really made me think about how awfully the returning soldiers were treated.  I think as the wife of a soldier, it really hits home.  And now with a deployment looming less than a year away, it really made me think about my own family and all those "what if" questions.
  

Overwhelmed

One of the pictures of Will and Amy

Wow, so many things going on right now.  I got a bit overwhelmed.  Glad I gave myself permission to skip blogging while I needed to!  It didn't stop me from feeling guilty about not writing though. 

So my daughter's volleyball team played in a local tournament this past weekend.  They played on Friday afternoon and evening and then all day on Saturday.  All the girls played so great.  The finals were last night and they defeated Edison in two games.  It was so exciting.  I know I have mentioned their fans, they actually have printed up their own t-shirts to wear to the games... the back of the shirt says "our game is tighter than our spandex."  Funny.

On Saturday night, my son's football team played Cypress.  The Cypress team was undefeated and won most all their games by the maximum number of points.  Well, that was before our boys came to town!  It was a tough game because we were short several key people (a tail back, running back, and a linebacker just to name a few).  Anyway, our boys worked hard all week learning new positions.  And I don't mean to brag (even though I consider it my right, since I'm his mother), but my son was amazing!  He carried the ball all night long, played in almost every single down, and even scored our only touchdown.  He really worked hard and stepped it up to help his team to the victory.  We won 8-7.  It really pays off to have a good kicker in Pop Warner!

The above are both reasons why I didn't write on Friday and Saturday, but what was really keeping me busy was two computer projects I had to complete.  The first is a project for the volleyball booster club fundraiser we have coming up in October.  I have completed all I can on that, now I have to wait for everyone to turn in their tickets and/or money so I can input the rest of the data.  Yikes!  Why did I agree to do that?  The second project has been a lot more time consuming.  And here I guess I need to rant a bit.  The volleyball team has a video made showcasing the season highlights, but they also have a special section for seniors.  Parents of seniors are supposed to submit 20-25 pictures to be used in the video.  That is all well and good, except that I thought I was doing a wonderful thing years ago when I made all my albums into scrapbooks.  What this means is, there are no loose pictures lying around.  Every single picture is literally "stuck" in an scrapbook album with a clear plastic sleeve over each page protecting our precious memories.  UGH!  Amy and I went through each scrapbook and put a post it note on all possibilities.  Of course that means we ended up with about 80 pictures selected.  I then had to take each book apart, remove the plastic sleeve (no easy task!), and then scan the pictures.  Then I had to edit the pictures on the computer because they are not usually put in the album in a straight up and down fashion.  While it was tedious and literally a pain in my neck, it also was a nice walk down memory lane.  I have to say that I have two of the most beautiful children!  It really was hard to choose only 25 pictures.  But the project is finally done.  I just need to get a thumb drive to save it all on.  Let's say a little prayer here that my computer does not crash before I save it on the thumb drive!

So anyway, I'm back.  At least until all the ticket stubs are turned in for the fundraiser!    

Crock Pot Dinners

I've been having trouble lately getting a healthy dinner prepared for everyone.  Now, it is not completely my fault though.  Usually there is no one home during dinner time.  I know I mentioned in a previous blog about starting to use my crock pot more.  Well, that works when I can actually get it all ready in the morning before I leave for work.  That is the thing about crock potting... you have to do it in advance. 
I think I would be apt to try it more frequently if the meals all turned out good.  The last new recipe I tried didn't come out so well.  It was called Italian Chicken and Potatoes.  It sounded really good.  And easy.  Boneless chicken breast, Italian spices, Italian dressing, potatoes, and Parmesan cheese layered and then cooked for 6-7 hours.  Yeah, well it sounded good.  After 7 hours in the crock pot, the potatoes were still hard.  I think the chicken was done, and if I had been thinking, I would have removed the chicken, but no, I was not thinking. I continued to cook it for another 2 hours.  Still the potatoes were hard.  By this time, the chicken had to be removed with a spoon.  The problem was even though it was going to pieces in the dressing, it was really, really dry.  I ended up throwing out the entire contents.  I haven't had a mishap like that in quite few years.  It reminds me of a crock pot meal I made about 8 years ago.  I don't remember what it was called, but it had chicken, a cream soup, broccoli, and rice.  All good foods that actually taste good together, but as soon as they joined together in my crock pot... well, some sort of chemical reaction happened.  First of all, it looked like baby food.  The broccoli turned that grayish green color and turned to mush.  The chicken was so moist it shredded into minuscule pieces and the rice?  Well, you would have thought I put cream of wheat in the crock pot instead of rice!  Anyway, as gross as it looked, I had a hard time getting my kids to even try it.  My husband being the good man that he is, scooped an enormous portion to put on his plate (just to encourage the kids I think) and he ate it.  Amy took a small amount and gagged it down, and Will?  Well, Will refused to eat at all, he wasn't having any of it.  I think he may have asked for a peanut butter sandwich at this point, but I am not a short order cook.  My kids eat what I prepare, or they don't eat at all.  I put some on my plate, and if a person can get past the texture of their food, they might have thought it was OK, but I am not one of those people.  So it was very surprising to me when my husband asked for seconds.  "Really?"  I asked him, "OK...."  I scooped up another serving as the kids were excused from the table.  As I put the plate down in front of my wonderful, supportive husband, he stared at the plate for a full thirty seconds and then he said, "I can't do it."  At that point we both just started laughing, it really was awful.  The remaining contents of that crock pot meal went in the garbage as well.
I like to make different things for dinner, but days like these only serve to keep me relying on the old tried and true recipes.  Well, those recipes and a delivered pizza every now and then!

Trying to Find Balance

Wow, this blogging every day is not working out so well for me.  I missed yesterday again.  I'm doing my best to keep at it, but life keeps getting in the way.  Today I was talking to Cheryl, the teacher I work for, about how I feel about my blog.  Generally it is something I am proud of .  I am hopeful that people are reading it and that they are somewhat entertained.  I was lamenting to her though, that I find myself upset if I can't find anything humorous about my day.  I so enjoy reading my friends blogs, especially when they make me laugh.  So, as I was telling Cheryl, that since taking on blogging, I now not only have added stress about getting my blog written each day, now I feel stressed if it isn't funny!  No one wants to continually read about someones boring days!  So, I don't know what to do about this.  I'm thinking that I might just give myself permission to write less often, but I am one of those people who do better when I have a schedule to follow,  I'm afraid if I give myself the freedom to write "when ever," I just may never get to it.  I think what I am going to do is continue to try to write daily, but just not beat myself up when I skip it.  Sounds good to me. That way, if I'm swamped and can't get to it, or I just don't have anything to say, I won't feel the pressure. 
So on another note, I think my family is keeping our local chiropractor in business.  Between Joel's constant back issues, and my kids going all out in their respective sports, I feel like lately I have been at the chiropractor's office more than usual.  It is always funny when it is someone else's back that is hurting.  My kids love to poke fun at Joel and me when we are hobbling around because we have thrown out our backs, but it is suddenly the end of the world when they are in pain!  I can't remember who I was talking to the other day, but they mentioned something about "they don't make kids the way they used to."  He was referring to all the injuries on my son's football team.  It got me thinking.  When I was Will's age I never heard about kids going to the chiropractor.  Did we just not hurt our backs?  What is different now?  How is it that his football team had three kids out with ankle injuries in the first game?  Were we really tougher?  Did we not play as hard?  I obviously didn't play tackle football, but it was around.  Were there as many injuries back then?  When I analyze it, the only thing I can come up with is that we played just as hard, but I think we had more down time.  My kids have 2-3 hour practices at least three times a week and then games 1-2 times a week.  Plus they go from one sport to the next with no time to let their body rest and heal.  I guess that is my fault, I know I have mentioned before... I want my kids to be too busy to get into any trouble.  I just hope they don't have chronic pain as they get older!  We think about all this exercise as being healthy, but repetitive stress injuries seem to be fairly common.  I guess we all just need to find a way to balance our lives.   

Sportsmanship

What a beautiful day today.  Of course I am stuck in the house doing laundry, but that is how it goes as a mom right?  I was able to get out yesterday.  It was my son's football game.  They won, so that is always good, but the other team was playing dirty and when one of our kids reacted, they both got thrown out of the game, and he can't play in the next game either.  It is a real loss for us since the kid is a leader on our team.  We should have realized early on that something like this would happen.  I could hear the way the kids on the other team were talking to each other.  Tempers were high and there was lots of swearing.  At one point, I even turned to my husband and said, "that is all in the coaching."  I truly believe that.  I think that the coach sets the tone for the kids on what will be tolerated.  Will has been very lucky in his football career.  He has had the same coach move up with them each year.  Not only is Coach Mark a successful coach, he also demands respect and good sportsmanship from his players.  When they answer him, they always have to call him sir.  I like that.  I really like that it shows on the field though, our boys come out to play football and they keep the focus on the game.  Normally, our player who got ejected is the one that not only fires up the boys to play, but he is also the one to calm all the other players when tempers flare and is the voice of reason.  One game, after each play, our players were offering a hand to help the other team's players up.  The other team kept slapping their hands away.  He told them to keep offering, if the refs see what they are doing, they will get a penalty.  So it was surprising that he engaged the player in yesterday's game.  Must have been some bad stuff going on that we couldn't see.  He will be missed next game, quite a few of our players will have to step it up next game to try and fill his shoes.
Amy comes home today too.  I really miss her.  Her team did really well in the Durango tournament in Las Vegas.  They went undefeated all the way to the finals, but then lost.  Still a very strong showing for the Griffins.  They got second place out of 48 teams from all over the nation.  Her team works on team bonding and sportsmanship too.  It makes it a pleasure to watch teams that think of team above self.