Fit Life

Today is the first day of the rest of my Fit Life.

I've been doing extremely well on staying active. I've been taking the stairs at my job versus the elevator since I only work on two. I work in a corporate complex so I often have to park pretty far, and even when I don't I do. I have to walk between two buildings in my campus. I just bought a new pedometer to be able to keep track of how many steps I'm getting in. I'm thinking it should be pretty damn close to 10,000. But we shall see, you know how that goes: think you're walkin a million, really walkin 3,000. lol

I'm about to go weigh in, after missing last week. I am not going to miss ANY more weigh-ins. I've given myself a Sept 21 deadline to get the last of my weight OFF of me. That's the mister's 30th birthday. He's still very focused on his healthy living as well. I'm suprising him with a VERY cool present(s) if I do say so myself and we will both need to be fabulous for it. I would tell you guys but I'm 85% sure he reads this blog from time to time... probably more than I write on it for sure lol.

Anywho, today is the day... no more ruts, no more stoppages. I cleaned my house spic 'n span last week and my mindset is so much better. I've still been holdin on to my loss but now my focus, I feel, is also there. Let's continue to do this!

Still Pushing Play

Rest Days Gone WILD!
Tuesday was my rest day... and it started off pretty good. Well, actually it started kinda off because my initial plan was to go for a leisure bike ride to Washington Park. But the weather interceded on that plan. It also interceded with plan B: to do my light errands on foot. It wasn't the worst thing in the world since I really should have been letting my muscles calm down from Monday, especially the first week back into these very intense workouts. It really is important not to overdo it... now when I consistently get through three weeks of them, perhaps then it will be OK to do a little more activity on Tuesdays and Sundays... but yesterday, I probably should have done SOMETHING because the day somehow turned into an emotional eating day. I worried myself into a frenzy about some personal issues and before I knew it had eaten two honey buns... "Well, CZ, why do you even have honey bun's in the house?!" I don't know, dear reader... I don't know why I even bought them. *lowers head in shame*

And then around midnight I added to the mayhem... when I should have been asleep, I ate a pizza puff and fries made in the comfort of my own oven. The good news at least is that the fries are gone. And I have vowed not to buy processed, already made cut potatoes for frying again. lol But instead try sweet potato fries/chips made in the kitchen. I still have pizza puff's.. they're not as bad as you might think though: 400 calories. What I usually do, is cut it in half. Give half to the boy with pretzels or calorie pack chips and eat half for myself with a big salad full of veggies and light dressing.

So yes, yesterday was a mess. BUT, bad associations spoil useful habits. Those damn fries were badly associated with my freezer! And today is a new day...

Burn Circuit 2... kicked my butt! But this day has started off a lot more awesome than Rest Day. I woke up on my own will at 6:24 a.m. Then after about 7-10 minutes of getting my eyes to focus, I headed downstairs to get my day 2 on. And I drenched sweat for that lil 38 minutes.

I could feel every muscle working and some reps were just plain difficult to get through, but I did. Those of us who workout have all had that moment at some point. You feel so fatigued and exhausted... every weight, even your lighter sets, feel like they weigh a ton. But we can either quit or PUSH through. You always have to push through. Unless you physically feel like you are experiencing a problem: heavy chest, heart rate way too abnormally high, working out through the "pain" to push past your boundary and comfort level cause that's what's going to make us stronger. Not just physically, but mentally.

I stopped for a couple brief (10-15 second) breathers during the workout when I felt like it was too much. Serial workout enthusiasts (myself included even though I am just getting back on the scene) can sometime feel guilty about doing this but it.happens. You can do that, or you can also slow your pace (pausing in between sets for lifting). Try a new exercise... doing the same exercise over and over can really get boring. I worry about this having to do five of the same workouts, five days a week for four weeks. I will try to combat any boredom by upping the weights to keep challenging myself. That will distract me from the fact that I am doing the same routine.

Morning Workouts
My morning workout, I've learned is a great, great motivator. I get it out the way in the morning and feel determined to be great the rest of the day. Not to eat too much or poorly because it will counter effect all my good work. If you can workout in the morning I would seriously give it a try and this is coming from one of the most NON-morning people ... ever. But it beats doing whatever the hell I want all day and then trying to workout later in the day and it barely puts a dent in what I ate or drank. I feel my muscles working... feels good and I wanna keep that good feeling going!

Make sure you motivate yourself... because you are the one that has to ultimately do this for yourself. And I will need a lot of motivation. I am in the hardest stretch of my workout: four consecutive days. One (today) down. Three to go!!!

Off to have a nice bowl of cheese grits, my daily vitamin, and a 1/2 cup of skim... do your best today. Log your food, workouts. You deserve it!

cheese grits, sprinkled with chopped turkey
bacon bits, paprika and cayenne
brendan brazier strength training

129 Days to Peace...

Today is the first day, of the rest of meh life... it sounds corny, but today... for me, it's true. I really need "a change gone come" around here. Having my sun 14 months ago really made me see a lot of things differently... and for him I was trying to make certain things work in my life that just aren't meant. I've had to refocus and center myself... but it is a seemingly difficult task with the wrong influences. Having him has truly changed me as a person, and I should follow suit in all things so that I can be the best mother he deserves. I'd like to believe I'm a good person, so why negativity always seems to find me, I am not sure. But today is the day I take more ownership of how things in MY life progress and keep them natural and positive and great. So with that said: I am instituting a sort of "challenge" for myself. There are exactly 129 days left until the first of 2009. (Nuts how fast this year went, but I digress.) So with these 129 days, I will take myself into my own personal "next level."

So of course, I have some goals.

1. Get Back Active: Exercise at least 3 times a week. It can be a walk, a bike ride, an exercise DVD, a dance class, whatever -- but I must get in at least three days.
~ I have registered to take my re-certification exam December 6, 2008 in Schaumburg.
~ Tone, tone, tone!

2. Remove 20 pounds... for good!
Genesis 1:29 ~ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

Coincidence of this Bible verse? I'm sure, but who cares. I need to get back to eating those whole-grain, organic, things of the earth and away from what I had started resorting to... more flesh than veggies, more processed junk that life foods, etc.

3. Enjoy life... enjoy my child... and let no one take this happiness, love from me.

4. Save some duckets. Buy a home. The goal is to buy a home early 2009.

My moment has arrived. I give thanks for all that encompasses me and has made me who I am today... but tomorrow is not promised, so I must begin to live for my present.

I recognize now that which is truly important... I abhor being stressed out. I look on with envy as certain friends of mine are always golden. Either they hide it well or they truly are happy inside out. I crave that. I will have that.

I want to be free. I sense the divine order of all things in my life approaching me... and I welcome it with open arms. And then I will release it unto you and others... let's spread positive energy.

John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Rejoice with me! We just brought in Day One...

Jah Bless.