Exercising: A revelation

I had a revelation of sorts today. 

Actually, I knew it already, but I am so hard headed that it took about 500 times for me to commit it to fact. The revelation is this: I cannot exercise without a goal.

Ha. 

Simple and yet, my stubborn ass could not really grasp said simple fact. 

I have been shunning running because I basically just did not want to run. 

But today, I felt like running. So I decided to run a loop while my kids were at practice. 

Easy. 

 

Gratituesday: The beginning is here

So...I started something, actually two things this year.

The first is my Power of a Positive Mom weekly Bible studies. They are on Monday and I started keeping a log of all the things I pray for, am struggling with, want to remember, etc. 

So far, two weeks down and it is amazing how on point they are with my life.

via

The other thing I started today. I decided that 2013 is a year of breaking old habits and starting new. So,  old habit #1 potty mouth is going out the door. New habit #1 is reading my Bible.  I decided to read the entire Bible  this year. I did it before in my teens and so, I thought it was high time to do it again. I am following this and today, read the first assignment.
 I have a Catholic study Bible which goes on to explain the verses and that is going to be very helpful, I think.

What I find to be amazing is that the Bible study this week is about gossiping and the reading in Ephesians mentions not using "coarse language". Yes, Lord, I am listening.

Nice

 

I think it is so overwhelming when you put something out there, even if you don't pray about it, that God knows and hears. I have found so many instances in my life when God answers my prayers or nudges me to let me know He is aware of what is going on with me.

As someone who is raising daughters, I feel it is extra important that they have an internal dialouge that is the voice or at least the words of God. So, as I read my Bible, I am noting verses that I want to post around our house, on their bathroom mirrors, etc. The memorizing of God's words and the teaching we follow as Christians is like taking your vitamins or working out. The act of it  creates reserves when you really need them.

I am not special at all by doing this. Millions over the millennium have done so as well.
My memory has gotten rusty over the years and the words don't come as easily as they once did. So, I am taking my vitamins, working my memory muscles and asking God to speak to me via my daily readings.

Gratitude and a hopefully open heart.

"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."-Ephesians 4:32

Dirt: Again with the routine?

As I have progressed through the stages of motherhood, I have realized two things. 

#1 A routine will save your life.

#2 Routines do not mean you are boring (at least that is what I tell myself.)

routine does not = these

My first daughter was an easy baby, except she never slept through the night. She nursed through the night. I was exhausted, but happy because she really didn't need a routine. I could go all day long and she would nap here and there and we were cool. We traveled across the country when she was 5 months old, first by plane, then by car. I never wanted to commit to a routine because I felt that as a new person in town and a new mom, I really needed flexibility to just live my life. And, if I am honest, I equated a routine as such a "mom thing" and while I had a child, I did not want to be labeled a mom. By 13 months I was pregnant again and we moved into "Mommy needs a routine...because Mommy  needs a nap" mode.

Cooking: Post Ragnar week

We did it!

Pacers and Chasers finished our second Ragnar Relay.

Fun, exhausting, strenous and a test of our mettle.

I was dreading it, partly because my knee had been killing me and I wasn't up to my fitness level I was last year. But, I sucked it up and did it.

I learned a lot about myself, mostly that I don't like to let people down. Especially people I love and respect. My team was full of people like that.

So....we got into two vans and ran 196.2 miles. Finished in 30 hours and had a blast.

We smelled, we ached, we slept three hours. We crashed in a blaze of hazy glory at 10 pm.

But we did it.

Best one yet.

Casa Swann's Post Ragnar menu

• Garlic Shrimp with Tomato Artichoke soup

• Baked chicken, sauteed spinach, oven roasted veggies

• Chicken noodle soup/ Tomato Artichoke soup
•  Spaghetti squash spaghetti

Exercising: For real?

My goal of keeping an exercise log failed. 

Probably because the exerciser failed to exercise.

I have started again, however and this week, I am on a roll.

Source: everydaypeoplecartoons.com via Anya on Pinterest

I ran Monday, did crossfit yesterday and today.

Yes, I do crossfit. I do  not GO TO a crossfit gym. I do it at home, sometimes. I am not a fan of the competitive smack talk that goes on and causes people to hurt themselves trying to back up the swagger. However, I was a little curious. SO...

This week, I decided to check my WOD against the others who read the blog I sometimes use for ideas. Just to see how I ranked. And, I was middle of the road. Which made me feel a little better than slug like.

Why do we compete? I am not sure. Usually, I try to beat myself and anyone my husband compliments. But that is a dangerous way to be. I am me. I am me, not the girl who mountain bikes like a maniac or the girl who is 15 years younger than me and weighs 80 pounds and definitely not the 70 year old who would kick my butt around the block. I am the one who has to live with my aching collapsed disk and who has to look in the mirror at my lack of muscle tone after 7 weeks of slacking. I am the one who has to deal with being hungry in the middle of the night because I talked myself into no lunch.

Me. The one who likes to be strong and fit and sexy to my husband. The one who finally will be seen in a bathing suit around friends.

So, I started keeping my log again and I posted my bare minimum on my bathroom mirror. I put my running shoes on every morning. And, I have a glass of wine every  night.

Here are some of the blogs I read for inspiration :

Crossfit Mamas

Ally Fit

No Skinny B%$^&s Here

Body Rock *

* This one has some hoochie looking outfits, but the workouts ROCK!

Exercise: I am not

I had gotten my butt back in gear this summer with my fabulous plan.

I dropped my kids off at their respective summer activities and then I strapped on my iPhone and went for a run. I averaged 4 very slow miles up and down Chattanooga's famous hills. I was doing great, feeling fine, getting my legs back. My knee was only bothering me on occasion and I was sweating like a beast. I didn't mind that it was 8:30 and 92 degrees. I just thought about running when it was cool.

 

 

 

 

I was back.

Then.

We started renovations and I started a new job.

Exercise became more sporadic. 

This week....

It died.

I was feeling guilty, but then I thought about it.

I can take a week (or 10 days) off and not fall off the wagon.

I can eat healthy and maintain my weight. (The real reason comes to light!)

So what, I am getting bat wings. 

Big deal,  I feel slug like. 

 

My life will not fall apart.

 

Unless....

 

I don't get back to it on Monday.

 

 

Food: New year dinner

My husband is a nut.

pink helmet...Step back...he's all mine!

 A health nut. He belongs to a gym that he loves and, as he has been working out there for almost 2 years, it is his home away from home.

Manly man...

They are always doing some sort of challenge to keep them on their toes.
Be it rowing from here to China on a rowing machine, or eating Paleo, they are all about it.

He loves it and is happy, so I am happy.

Their newest insanity challenge, is a food challenge for one month. He is eating pretty much what we normally eat, but subtracting all grains, legumes, or sugar and only one caloric beverage a day. Veyr entertaining watching my beer loving husband "ration".  He invited me to join in, which would have been fairly  easy for me as that is pretty much how we eat anyway. I usually only have one glass of wine at night , tea (no sugar) in the morning and water the rest of the day.

However, as I eat little if any animal protein besides eggs, I have to have my beans. 

So, I am not doing the challenge. But I am cooking for it.

http://www.getbuiltchattanoogacrossfit.com/yannuary-2012/

If you are trying to reset your bodayafter a holiday of shoveling cookies, fudge and holiday beverages, this is a pretty good way to get it done. The hardest part is making it okay with your mind, and being creative with your food choices.

I am not a fan of "diets" as I have done most of the ones around and have always gained weight when I stop them, due to psychologically feeling deprived. I just try to eat sensibly ( high fiber/low carbs), avoid high fat/fried foods and processed foods, and drink lots of water. I don't eat potatoes, corn, or cheese (which I love) very often, as I have found they are allergens for me.
I do enjoy sugar and eat it way too much.

Doing this, my weight has stayed almost exactly the same for over three years. I fluctuate in my fitness level (read: sometimes I am a flabby tub of goo), especially after a big event when I am burned out (read:about twice a year).  But overall, I stay about the same. I feel like  if I stay active and exercise regularly, I can eat whatever I want, as long as I don't over do it and eat the whole sleeve of cookies. Which I have done, hence, I don't buy them. 40 has been hard on working cookies off!

The crazy people at Get Built know what they are doing, setting a pattern for good habits and not fad diets.  What are your tips for staying fit? Do you "diet" or just eat smart? Do you have tricks that you use to  manage your food urges?

Yannuary meals for Casa Swann

Ribollita for me, Chicken soup (with noodle for carb eaters)

Eating at my daughter's school after swim meet...best food in town, courtesy of Meg's dad

paleo salmon cakes, roasted sweet potatoes, oven roasted broccoli/cauliflower

Savory Squash soup and meatloaf

Gumbo

 I have made the salmon cakes and they are pretty good. Super healthy and very easy.
I "fry" them on my griddle.