#Mamavation Monday: Strength training

So this week's topic is strength training and I'll be honest I usually avoid it.  I'm not confident I know what to do and I'm afraid I'll hurt myself.  I am also usually alone and I don't think we're suppose  lift alone.

Okay with my excuses aside, I do try to  lift dumbbells and I have the Mamavation 2-week challenges to thank for the confidence and routine.  I keep the Mama Guns routine as my go to for lifting and when I started I struggled with 15 lbs weights and now I'm up to 20 without much problem.

I do have an idea in my mind that I would love to be strong enough to do an unassisted pull up.  I know I can build strength and I just need to commit to building my strength to reach my goals.  I'm toying with the idea of setting up a few private training sessions so I can set up a strength building routine that will lead to my goal.  Right now I'm toning up and I can see a real change.  My arms are looking great but now I"m up for the challenge of building some major muscle power!

#WordlessWednesday Low Ropes

#Mamavation Monday - The Stairs

So I have been taking the stairs instead of the elevator!  My office is on the fourth floor and I'm slowly keeping my breath more and more.  The first day I lost my breath on the second floor.  Now I'm good until the 3rd floor.  I'm recovering pretty quickly but recovery has never really been a problem.  I have no clue why I seem to sweat like a pig and lose my breath very easily and then recover in 30 seconds flat.  It makes me feel like I don't workout hard enough but then I push until I can't push and still recover quickly.  I've lost 2lbs since making the switch to the stairs and my ass is getting rounder so this is a total win-win for me :)

Anyways, I conquered the high ropes the week before last.  I tried all three challenges and I only fell off of one!  I didn't really fall off, I just could not find a way to stand up on the pole for the leap of faith so I just let go.  The hardest part of the whole thing was on the first challenge were I was reaching from vine to vine and suddenly the whole ropes course started to shake.  I just knew I was going to fall.  I held fast!  I was shaken as much as humanly possible at the moment.  Shaking and 30 feet in the air and I held fast.  I'm taking that lesson into my life in general.  I can survive anything!  I can be shaken and I can survive!

Gym Mom: What the flip just happened?

Ravebaby (okay let's change it to GymGirl from here on out) just made the gymnastics team. She's four and they have a new pre-competition squad; basically they are being groomed for the tougher "real" team. We started at Tall Timbers when the gym first opened almost 2 and half years ago. GymGirl is one of the original students. I remember when she would be told to jump and she just lifted her heels. The office lady said it the other day, "from diaper bug to team, she's come a long way." GymGirl is super excited about team. I'm not so excited about the cost but for GymGirl I would do just about anything. I never saw myself as a Gym Mom. I excepted a daughter who wanted to do karate or be a drummer and I know there is still plenty of time ahead for those things. I'm nervous about the commitment we've all made. Not just money but time. Meets are on Saturdays (GymGirl will have 5 next Spring so much for pre-competition) and I'm still working on this doctorate. I'm also looking at returning to work full-time which complicates homeschooling a bit. I know everything will work itself out. I must trust in God's plan but I'm still wondering What the Flip just Happened!

Diaper Bug 2012

First Day of Team Try-outs 2014

Team Try-outs

Last Day of Team Try-outs

Team T-shirt

Fat Martha

I originally posted this on my tumblr but the more I thought about it I realized it belonged here. Why hide on tumblr? I've always been open and honest so here is another open and honest piece. So DH keeps getting on to me about calling myself fat. He tells me I’m beautiful. I believe he is telling the truth according to his view point. He asked why I still don’t believe it. So why don’t I believe I’m beautiful? Good question and here are some thoughts: 1. If I’m beautiful then why didn’t anyone look like me on tv? I would think as least one show would feature a lady that is beautiful like me instead of just skinny hags. 2. If DH could only see the kids I get when I’m not next to him. The looks of disgust on many a person’s face. The whispers about how dare I wear x or y. 3. My mom on my birthday this year called me fat. This is pretty much a weekly occurrence, in my childhood it was closer to daily. It is so fucking hard to take that voice out of your head. So I’m beautiful, okay. I know many realities exist at once. In DH’s reality I’m beautiful. In my mom’s reality, I’m fat. In my reality, I struggle. Just a side note, my mom is great. I love her dearly and most of the time being called fat is more of a term of endearment. Being Mexican being called "Gordita" means more like I see you and love you the way you are instead of just meaning Fatty (which is the literally translation of the word).

#Mamavation Monday: Emotional Eating

This weeks topic hits close to home. I eat my feelings. I feel great, time to eat. I feel sad, time to eat. I feel nothing, time to eat. I'm not sure why I connect eating with my feels so closely but I do. I try to exam my hunger and eating. I check in with myself. I feel like I should begin keeping a diary for why I eat. At this point in my life, I am noticing I eat when I'm bored. Instead of starting a project, I tend to sit and eat. I totally catch myself searching for food knowing I"m not hungry but bored. I'm trying to do other things, like read (which by the way I very rarely eat while doing this task). Is it any wonder my weight is over the top? Strangely since I started hanging with the Mamavation Sistas I've lost about three inches around my underbust area and about 2 around my waist. My weight on the other hand keeps going up. I have no clue what is going on with that! I took my first zumba-like class today. I had fun and I plan to continue with the classes. I play bass, I have birthed a black child, and I still can't find the flipping beat! Anyways that is my check-in for the week!

#Mamavation Monday: #2weekchallenge non-completer

So first of all I would like to give myself props for not calling myself a loser.  I am non-completer.  I did most of the 2week challenge.  The bur-pees and my lack of working out for almost 2 months did me in this round. 

I am still proud of the workout I did complete and I plan to keep a few in my regular rotation.  I'm also happy with the new format.  Week 1 was based on the plan for the challenging rotation from the last 2 week challenge.  I would have never tried it if it were not part of this challenge.  I was too afraid to try.  I was worried I couldn't handle it but I know I totally can.  I just need to take my time and get it done.

I hope to finish out the couple of workout I have left.  I am a non-completer but I still feel like I won since I challenged myself and finished each workout I started.  I'll get stronger and I'll keep at it.  I'm sure I'll be ready to kick the 2-week challenge in the nads next time.