Phenomenal Cosmic Power, Itty Bitty Workout Space

No space to workout while you're on vacation?? Hmmmm... Below is a pic of where I had to do my 100 squats, 100 sit ups and 50 push ups. If I had been smart I would've put the suitcase under the sink (which I'll do for tomorrow), but alas, I wasn't.

I was wedged in there pretty tight, but I made it work. And I also set the alarm for 6am to get it done. With as poorly as I'm eating while we're on vacation, it's the least I can do to get this in!

How's the Weather?

We leave today for Disney and I've been stressing out for days about not working out while we're gone. The hubs gave his "approval" for me to work on my swimming, so I'll be doing that. I plan on getting some squats, sit ups, push ups, etc. in each day, too. Not sure how well that's going to go over, but whatever. If everyone is sitting around watching TV, it shouldn't be a big deal, right? One would think, anyway. But I know better.

Yesterday I had the longest conversation with a friend about Olympic weightlifting. It was awesome. I've never discussed it with anyone (outside of the gym) for that long. Typically when I'm having a conversation with someone about working out (and now lifting) it goes something like this:

Person: So what's been going on with you?
Me: The kids, blah blah blah.
Person: What about YOU though?
Me: Well, CrossFit blah blah...
Person: Uhhhh...
Me: And I've started doing weight lifting.
Person: Uhhh.. Bet you're getting big muscles. So how's the weather there???


That's an exaggeration for some, not so much for others. But yesterday... Yesterday my friend actually asked what exactly I'm doing with the weight lifting. I gave her my generic response and she persisted. The questions kept coming. It was awesome. I wish that people would realize that if I choose to tell them something, it's because it is important to me.

I love talking about working out. And my kids. I could talk about the kids and working out all day if you'd let me. The kid thing is covered... Tends to happen when most of your friends are mothers. But talking about working out, not so much.

So anyway! If I post anything in the next week it will be from my phone and short. I'm sure at some point I'll come across a thought that I'll need to get out. Right now though I have to hit the box one last time before we leave in a few hours!!

Ch-ch-changes

I'll give fair warning that this post contains a pic that shows a bit of my bare stomach.

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Nice, huh?? If only that was my stomach.


Anyway. So. I was trying clothes on today and getting really discouraged because my shorts from last summer (which fit just fine then) don't fit now. I grabbed a pair of capris that I bought in September and tried them on. Fresh out of the dryer they used to fit nicely, but always loosened up. Here is a pic of them fresh out of the wash today. I tried my best to cover my stomach as much as possible. No one needs to see that mess.

Sexy blue panties, huh?

Obviously these aren't going to Disney with us. I have to make an evening run to the mall to find something that fits. ACK! I finally found jeans, but it's going to be friggin hot as hell, so that's out. Unless I want to wear gym clothes the whole time, I need to go shopping. I hate clothes shopping.

Puzzles In Life

It's very frustrating for me that I get discouraged so easily. A certain look or something small someone says can make me change from confident to discouraged way too quickly. It isn't so much that I'm looking for someone to constantly tell me how good I am because I'm definitely not. That shit annoys me. But knowing I've disappointed someone or that something significant to me is blown off by another makes it hard for me to stay positive. Should I care what others think? Probably not. But I do. I try not to, but I do.

If you were to ask me what my worst fear is (aside from something happening to my family) I'd be quick to tell you that it's not being able to breathe, which explains why the whole swimming thing is a huge struggle for me! On Monday when I was able to swim 4 laps completely unassisted, it was HUGE for me. HUGE. I was so friggin excited that I actually texted my coaches and told them -- Coach M because she's the one who got me to thinking this was a good idea and Coach G because he's never really gotten to see that side of me since I'm usually pretty hard on myself (I did not just admit that).

Obviously it was something I wanted to share with my husband, too.  He seemed happy for me -- for a split second. Like, literally. The word "awesome!" came out of his mouth and then he was telling me we needed milk in the same breath.

I really hate sounding like a man/husband hater because I'm not. I love my husband. And I even like him (most of the time)! But when it comes to working out and exercise stuff, we just can't seem to find middle ground and it makes me sad. His lack of enthusiasm hurt and instantly I was over being excited. Less than 30min and the high was gone. Kind of a bummer because that high is such a great feeling.

Like any other hard part of life, this is a puzzle that I need to figure out how to solve. Well, puzzles -- my husband's lack of interest in something important to me (and how to handle it) and my issue with letting what others think/say/do get to me too easily.


On the workout front: I did the Open WOD 12.3 yesterday. I did an OK job. I could've done better, but I did it, which included 90 box jumps (not consecutive)!! I didn't bust my face or shins either! (The WOD was 18 minutes, as many rounds as possible: 15 box jumps, 12 push presses, 9 toes to bar, which I modified to basically a weird sit up. I got in 201 total reps! I won't mention how light I went on the push presses, m'kay?)

Today I met with Coach G for some weightlifting fun. I didn't leave feeling discouraged, which is a positive! I wouldn't say I feel great about it, but not feeling like it was pointless was nice! My mind is already turning to all the negative thoughts about the session, so I'm just not going to write more about it and go focus on something else! We meet again tomorrow, which is probably going to be my last workout before Disney. We're meeting in the evening so depending on how tired I am, I may or may not make it to class the next morning before we leave. I'm trying very hard to be more sensible about my workouts right now. I REALLY want to go to the morning WOD before meeting him tomorrow night, but I'm not. I just hope I'm not too tired to go Friday.


My face is still bruised, but it's on the mend.

Accomplishment

Tonight I swam 100yds. Completely unassisted. I did take a short breather at the end of each lap, but I did it.

My high is already gone less than half an hour later thanks to the response of my husband. But I felt like I should post it here.

So yeah. A few lessons in and I'm completely on my own. Something to feel accomplished about, I guess.

A Little of This, A Little of That

Exciting stuff going on in our house this week!! First off, we're buying a house!! We found a house over the weekend that we liked, made and offer blah blah blah and now we're under contract! WOO HOO!!

I'll be honest... I was hoping that at this point in our lives we'd be able to have a nice house than what we're getting. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just a modest house. But with our house in FL still ours. While it's rented out, it's still an expense we have. Sucks. I like the house though. I don't see it as our forever house, but can see us being in it for a long time. 

We actually won't  move until this summer. They needed a June possession, which is PERFECT for us since our lease ends in July. The inspection will be sometime this week. Fingers crossed that it all comes out ok!!

ALSO!! Friday we leave for Disney!! I realize that by posting it publicly we're announcing that our house will be vacant. But it won't. So there. 

I'm friggin STOKED. I don't know who is more excited.. me or the kids! I do have to admit.. I'm scared of what the pictures are going to look like compared to what they were last time we went a few years ago. I wasn't quite at my goal weight then, but I know I've gained back weight now.. I hope I don't look too chunky. 

We'll be gone for a week, which means a week off from working out. I don't care what anyone says, while we'll be walking around all day every day that we're there, it's not a workout. Last time we were there I gained 2lbs. I'm still surprised that was all! I have no intentions of being strict with my diet while we're there this time either. That scares me. But I want to enjoy our first vacation since the last time we went 3 years ago. (Seeing family doesn't count because that's just not a vacation.) I might have to take my running shoes though... 

Yesterday was the CrossFit Open WOD 12.3. I went unsure of whether or not I'd do it. I didn't. No one was scaling and I was so intimidated. Plus, after my face plant the other day, I'm nervous to jump. Not so much that I won't ever do it, but not in front of so many people. I was very disappointed that I chickened out, but looking back, I'd probably choose the same decision again. Next year I won't be able to play the newbie card, so I'll do it while I can! Ha!

BUT. I'm actually going to do the workout tomorrow. Super awesome Coach M is coming in to let me do it. I'm nervous, but when I busted my face the other day it was in front of her. So no worries on that front. I'm just nervous about doing it, period!! 

Here's a pic of my face from yesterday. I kinda like the green color part of the bruise! I was planning on getting my eyebrows done before our trip, but I'm not so sure anymore. Ouch. 

Oh. If I hear ONE MORE TIME that I'm too hard on myself, I'm going to SCREAM. Loudly! 

You've Gotta Fight For The Right

Since I've been on my journey for losing weight and being fit, I've come across many types of people... some who are accepting of me no matter what, some who aren't accepting at all and some who I win over after they get to know me.

I always have mixed feelings when I win someone over. If it's one thing you can say about me it's that I'm determined in what I do. I may be a chunky butt, but I'll be damned if I won't give it my all. Yes, I get discouraged. And yes, I know I'm not great. But when it comes to challenges, I'll face them head on -- with attitude. I like that I can win people over, but it's also kind of sucky that they don't just like me at first. (But then, I fully admit that I don't always like someone at first either.)

I woke up this morning and looked at today's WOD. In my plan for the next week, today was supposed to be my rest day. But yesterday I forgot to reset my alarm and didn't wake up. Yesterday would've been MUCH easier than today, though to be perfectly honest, I probably would've gone in today just to give it a shot.


800M Run
70x Air Squats
60x Sit Ups
50x KB Swings (55/35#)
40x Push Ups
30x Overhead KB Walking Lunges (15R/15L)
20x Broad Jumps (8/6 Foot)
10x Burpees

OK, so I didn't do overhead walking lunges. I just hung on dearly to that kettlebell and did my lunges. And my jumps... Let's be real. I can't jump 6ft. I can barely do 4ft. But that's about what I did. I ran the 800m in 5:12 and did the whole thing in 22:40. Not shabby for a fat girl. And I was only about a minute or minute and a half behind the others. (I realize that's a big gap, but whatever. I am comfortable with how I did! And there were only 4 of us.)

Today I realized that I've won over one of the people in the morning class. It didn't happen today, I just realized it today. During the run I got a "Good job" (everyone knows how I struggle with running and how much I LOATHE it... I'm quite verbal about it). Gotta admit that it made me feel all warm and fuzzy, as did the words of encouragement later on after this person had finished (LONG before me).

If it's one thing I'm very aware of, it's how people perceive me. I do not appear to be a "fit" person to someone walking down the street. Hell, I don't appear to be a "fit" person to someone who walks into the CrossFit gym. I am fully aware of the judgment I see in the eyes of others when they first meet me or find out that I do, in fact, workout. It isn't just now.. Here in Kansas. It's been something I've noticed since I started this journey. (And, of course, when I was way overweight, I noticed that people thought of me differently as well.)

I admit that I am a judgmental person. I try very hard not to be, mostly because I've found that every single thing I have judged others for has come back to bite me in the ass one way or another. That and I know how badly it stings to be judged.

In the fitness world, there is sooooo much judging of others, especially those not into working out. You hear many trainers say how they love helping people who really want to be helped. But how many of those people are they really willing to give an honest to goodness chance to change? I can go down the list of trainers who I've had and tell you exactly the ones who are great at what they do and the ones who seriously need to rethink what they're doing. While I understand that they may not be won over by someone right away and realize that they really do intend to change, each and every person needs to be given the benefit of the doubt when they go into making a life change such as losing weight and becoming healthy.

Before I met Lisa, I had tried many times to lose weight. I'd tried working with trainers, I'd tried doing it on my own. But each and every time I failed. As if it isn't hard enough to face those fears, each time I failed made it harder to start again the next time. But Lisa... Lisa is the type of trainer EVERY trainer should be. I won't lie and say that I never saw disappointed or disapproving looks from her. I did. She's human. But as long as I kept at it, she was with me all the way... She was with me before I ever REALLY made the commitment to change. I remember asking her when she realized that I was in it for the real deal and she knew right when it was -- and it wasn't a time that I would've told you was "it" for me... It was way before I realized it myself. And because I love her so much, here's a picture of us when she ran my first 5K with me (despite a 5K being chump change for her):

And because we're all sweaty and gross there, here's a cute pic of us together back when I was skinny (the drunk ones will not be posted):

It's hard for me to see trainers who look down their noses at overweight people and say they want to help those who really want to change. Every single person who starts out trying to lose weight -- even if it's just walking -- really intends to give it their all.

I've often wondered what it takes to be a good trainer. Obviously by nature some people are more accepting and patient, but that's rare. Is it personal experience they bring to the table? I know with Lisa that was part of it. I know with the first trainer I ever had it was that she had zero personal experience. That and she was a total judgmental bitch who scared me off from working out for years to come. (Yes, I have Lisa up on a pedestal -- when it comes to being a trainer. As a person, she's just like the rest of us. That's why I love her.) I'm not really sure what it takes, but I'm thankful for the good ones out there. And the others... hopefully one day they'll realize the harm they're causing by judging others before truly giving them a chance.