Another day, Another Workout

Before going to work Tuesday and after work on Wednesday, I exercised with my trainer, Zach. As usual, it was hard, but fun.  Since I began training over a year ago, I've had to use a bosu for many of my workouts. If you don’t know what a bosu is, I will share what I discovered from the source itself, www.bosu.com. Invented by David Weck, the BOSU® Balance Trainer debuted in 2000. Originally the name “BOSU” was an acronym for “Both Sides Up”; now means “Both Sides Utilized.” 

Just one of the many BOSU balls to choose! Price varies. 

I really hate the days when Zach brings out the bosu. I’m not great at balance on flat ground, so putting me a raised platform/half exercise ball contraption just makes me feel inadequate in everything. Last night was no exception.  Now, I've done many exercises using the bosu (some pictured below), but doing squats on the bosu was awful! 

Burpees and the Bosu

Crunches and the Bosu

I found this picture of what it is supposed to look like online; I can tell you I look nothing like this.

Squats and the Bosu

My legs shook the whole time -- I thought east TN was experiencing another earthquake! One and one-half minutes (1.5 m) later, I was done and strangely,  felt a sense of accomplishment. Zach is very challenging, but encouraging. He always says my form is excellent, so I could totally be a fitness model! My sessions are almost over, so I’m really going to miss Zach, his training, and his fun banter.  I’ll keep you posted on my progress. If you are in the area and interested in a personal trainer, you should meet Zach J. I highly recommend him (but, maybe not his bosu exercises :P)! 

New Season, New Clothes

This weekend I had the opportunity to participate in a Sample Share co-hosted by Old Navy and Crowdtap. I've probably mentioned this site/company before, but in case you didn't know, it is a marketing company allows other companies (Old Navy, Woolite, Playtex, Verizon, AT&T, and McCormick’s Grill-mates to name a few) to get opinions and feedback from everyday consumers like you and me to aid them in making their products better through samples and discussions. So far, I've been able to get lots of free stuff and have even given some much needed funds to various charities.

Check out Crowdtap for more sampling opportunities!

 Anyway, I took my mom along with me to the store so that she could get a free dress too! Our local store had just been renovated, and this was the first time I had visited the new store. To say the least, I was very surprised and pleased! The Turkey Creek Old Navy (Knoxville, TN) can now boast a much larger store, an awesome jewelry and accessories bar, and better dressing rooms/space.  They can also boast a super friendly staff who were very curious (and very kind) as to why my mother and I were trying on lots of clothes and taking pictures all over the store.  If you are in town, I would definitely recommend checking it out and purchasing from popcorn from Popcornopolis while you are there. My mom and I had a great time and we got some cute dresses. I picked out a light brown cowl neck sweater dress with a gathered waist band; retail price $34.96, my price $0.00.   I thought it flattered my new figure well and could be a great foundation piece for the fall/winter season.
 

For Winter, I paired my sweater dress with a long coat and scarf. Those shoes were pretty cute too, but  one size too small for me. Old Navy needs more size 11 shoes :)

My mother picked out an orange warm knit sleeveless dress paired with a matching belt; retail price $24.96, her price $0.00. Luckily, we wear the same size, so I will probably be wearing this one as well.  We also thought this was a good foundation piece and it can easily transition from the fall/winter to the spring/summer.  

I modeled it, mom purchased it. It really is a good transitional piece!

We took lots of pictures of multiple looks and overall had a great time. If you ever get the opportunity, join Crowdtap and see if you can get some new, awesome, free stuff as well. 

31 Pounds for My 31st

Hello everyone! It’s been awhile since my last blog update. My excuse is that life got in the way, but we all have that excuse. During that time of blog silence, my friend got married and my dress was still too big even after alterations (picture below).

Becca and Kevin's Wedding (Photo courtesy of Cortney Cutcher, edited by SEH)

I’ve still been working out with my new trainer and so far, I’ve about 5 pounds of fat and have continued to tone up/increase fitness.  Lately, I started thinking about my birthday last year (my 30^th) and couldn’t remember anytime too incredible other than being in Las Vegas and having someone ask if I was turning 21! I didn’t want this year to be a complete let down by comparison, so I decided to issue a challenge to myself...lose 31 pounds for my 31^st birthday. I’ve been working on it for a while, but the next 31 days I’m really going to focus on this challenge. I’m also going to try to be more diligent on my blog updates, so that you all can help keep me in check.  Thinking about a holiday or special event challenge yourself? Let me know. I’d love to hear from you J

Last year's Birthday picture. Here's to making this years much, much better!

One of Those Days

Have you ever had one of those days when nothing seems to go right? Lately, I've been having a lot of those and it's really doing a number on my self-esteem. I've shared with you my struggles with weight loss and some about my health issues.  I have fibromyalgia and with that comes a milieu of associated problems. Aside from the chronic pain, the hardest one is depression. 

Depression can be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. However, when it interferes with your everyday life, it can be a huge problem. Today, I decided to write about depression to educate non-sufferers, and to empower those who live with it like I do. It is not something to be ashamed of or to hide. I've been told everything including that it's my own fault I'm depressed to my depression would go away if I didn't sin so much. Anyway, without further ado...

The exact cause of depression is unknown. Many researchers and physicians believe it is caused by chemical changes in the brain, which could be due to genetics, triggered by certain stressful events, or as part of another disorder/disease. More than likely, it's a combination of several factors. 

Depression can change or distort the way you see yourself, your life, and those around you. People who have depression usually see the negative in everything. This is my problem. However, I tend to over think everything LOL. 

Symptoms of depression can include:

• Agitation, restlessness, and irritability
• Becoming withdrawn or isolated
• Difficulty concentrating
• Dramatic change in appetite, often with weight gain or loss
• Fatigue and lack of energy
• Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
• Feelings of worthlessness, self-hate, and guilt
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyed
• Thoughts of death or suicide
• Trouble sleeping or too much sleeping

Depression can appear as anger and discouragement, rather than feelings of sadness.

In general, treatments for depression include:

• Medications called antidepressants
• Talk therapy, called psychotherapy

If you have mild depression, you may only need one of these treatments. People with more severe depression usually need a combination of both treatments. It takes time to feel better, but there are usually day-to-day improvements. I'm a fan of talk therapy as it gives you an outlet to vent your feelings in a neutral environment and a good sounding board to help you sort out your issues. 

Talk therapy is counseling to talk about your feelings and thoughts, and help you learn how to deal with them.

Types of talk therapy include:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy teaches you how to fight off negative thoughts. You will learn how to become more aware of your symptoms and how to spot things that make your depression worse. You'll also be taught problem-solving skills.
• Psychotherapy can help you understand the issues that may be behind your thoughts and feelings.
• Joining a support group of people who are sharing problems like yours can also help. Ask your therapist or doctor for a recommendation.

If your thoughts and feelings turn suicidal, or if you are extremely depressed, seek help immediately! You are not alone. People are there to help you. If you have thoughts of suicide or harming yourself or others, immediately call your local emergency number (such as 911) or go to the hospital emergency room.

You may also call a suicide hotline from anywhere in the United States, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-999-9999.

I hope this post helps someone other than me. Don't be afraid to talk about your problems. Thanks for reading! God bless :)

Believe in Yourself

So, it’s been awhile since my last post. I could say that life got in the way, which would be true, but I really couldn’t think of what to write about. I decided just to vent, letting it all out. You want to vent? This is the place!

I started about 2 weeks ago with my new trainer, Zealous Zach (a story for another day), and have been hating it ever since. Don’t get me wrong, I like Zach, but he has been kicking my butt! While I appreciate the intensity of the workouts, my body isn’t responding well.  On Monday of last week, I had mentioned to Zach that I’m really not good at the Jacob’s ladder. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a “comprehensive workout that is easy on the joints, excellent for cardiovascular health and muscular development”. That was a quote from the manufacturers of the exercise machine and here is a picture. 

I refer to it as a never-ending climb to HELL. Anyway, having mentioned that I loathed this machine, Zach decided that I should do it for 2 whole minutes. A horrible 2 minutes of my life that I will never get back. Topping it off was the skinny ninny beside me not even breaking a sweat and climbing about a mile a minute. After our Tuesday workout last week, “The Accumulator” (a story for another day), I couldn’t walk. Seriously.  The muscles in my legs wouldn’t relax and I had to use a walker to get around my house.  My self-esteem hit a new low.

Then I went to the doctor for a physical and he proceeded to tell me that I would feel so much better if I was skinny. Really? My fibromyalgia would just magically go away if I lost weight? He lectured me about this weight loss clinic where they control everything that goes into your mouth and the calories are restricted to 800 calories a day. On 800 calories a day anyone would lose weight! However, what happens when I eat 810 calories one day?  I’ll balloon up like the Goodyear Blimp. Anyway, needless to say I left feeling even lower and my self-esteem managed to fall yet again.

I have to say the week ended on a better note as I got to hang out with my best friends. On Friday night, I co-hosted a bachelorette party for my friend, Becca. She is getting married on September 22, so we are counting down the days and praying our dresses fit. The party ended with everyone having a great time and stating that it was the best bachelorette party that they have ever been attended!  I wish I could show you pictures, but what happens at the bachelorette party stays at the bachelorette party! 

I think this week’s lesson was that you have to believe in yourself and know your strengths and weaknesses. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you know is right. For my Friday workout, I was honest with Zach about how I felt and he altered the workout to accommodate my injuries. He also reformatted the rest of our workouts to incorporate more stretching so my muscles don’t get so tight. Others may look at that as a cop-out or blame my lack of weight loss on my inability to jack up the intensity level, but I know the truth.  I don’t want to be skinny. I want to be healthy and the best me I can be. I hope you all feel the same way. Don’t let life or anyone else get you down! Until next time!

5K Finally :)

Not my best look, but I was getting ready to exercise!

Here's my virtual trophy! It's my gold medal (LOL)

This picture was taken before my first official 5K.  Walking/running a 5K may not be a huge accomplishment for some people, but for me, it was a great big deal (see earlier posts to see why).  My picture was also featured on MapMyFitness’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mmfit), so if you visit it, you should be able to find it under the August photo contest. You can vote for me, or anyone else featured there. 

MapMyFitness is a good iPhone app as well as a website. This is just a cool picture found on Google search.

While, I may not be Usain Bolt, I achieved my personal best 5K time of 29.12 minutes. I will definitely walk/run a 5K again and my new goal is to run at Disneyland!

The Disneyland Princess Half Marathon. Training for someday!

Monday was a sad day for me. My trainer, loving referred to as Killer Kyle, told me he would be moving back home to Memphis. Our last training session is this Wednesday and I must admit I will miss him.  Now, I will have to break in another trainer. I’m sure there will be many great stories to come!

Keep On, Keeping On

Well, it’s been a while since my last post, but I’m trying to make up for it today.  My trainer, Kyle, finally decided it was time to repeat my measurements (much to my dismay), so as promised—my starting and current measurements.

                       Start        Now    Difference

Chest              45.5         44.38       1.13

Right Arm       15.75       15.5         0.25

Waist              45.88       45.75       0.13

Hips                56.00       56.5         -0.5

Right Thigh      25.75       28.5        -2.75

Right Calf        18.75       18.13       0.63

While I can’t say that I’m satisfied, I’m not as disappointed as I had expected. My weight was only up 2 lbs., not the 15 lbs. I had originally thought, so that was promising.  I’m beginning to think I will always have "junk in the trunk" and turkey legs, but other than that, I do not hate my progress.  I’m also hoping that Mother Nature had an influence this time (ladies, I know you understand), so again, I keep on, keeping on. That is the focus of this post and I anticipate that it encourages you as much as it does me!

Finding Your Inner Keep On

1. Tap into Your Inner Warrior: Sometimes a big ego can be a good thing. Telling yourself that you are better than X, Y, Z (whatever your challenge is) can help keep you going. “I won’t let this beat me” is one of my workout mottos. I also like “Sweat Happens” and “Save a Treadmill, Eat a Donut”, but those are better for another time!

2. Set Limits: Want to run a marathon? Begin with a small 5K and work your way up. If you set out to run the Boston Marathon, but can barely get off the couch, then of course, it’s going to be challenging and ultimately, discouraging. Start with 1 mile, then another, then another. When those miles get easier, add more. I will share my 5K story in the next post, so I can relate to this challenge. Since I had been working out, I thought 3.1 miles would be a breeze, but in reality, even training was hard. With FMS, my legs start aching after 5 minutes, so I have to slow down, stretch, and sometimes, stop before reaching my goal. Knowing your own body and health can help you set realistic goals and expectations for whatever challenge you make.

3. Celebrate the Small Victories: I will be the first one to admit that I often get angry and frustrated at my slow progress.  Other notice the changes more than I ever do, but I’m learning to shift my focus to the small improvements that I see and feel...clothes are looser, able to walk longer, faster, etc. I like so many others expect to lose massive amounts of weight overnight after 1 workout. I exaggerate, but you get the idea. Focus on the bigger picture—better health, confidence, whatever your motivation. The small snapshots can help encourage you onto the bigger picture.

Thanks again for reading! The big 5K results will be posted next time!!