Beginning again... with a lot on my mind.

Tell me how fast you can lose your fitness.

I mean, I feel like I had some pretty good fitness in me.... & then I didnt work out for a month & its like I am in square one.  More like, standing behind square one. Geez. My body hurts so bad from just the first day of working out.

My legs?  The muscles are so tight & they ache to even TOUCH.  What the heck?

The only thing I keep telling myself is that I've been in this spot before - & it WILL GET EASIER.  I'll keep telling myself this.  Even as I limp & moan & groan.

Really, its amazing to me to see how the body works. Especially an aging body.  How fast you do lose your fitness... how hard it is to get it back.. how painful it can be.

I just want to get it & not have to start over again.  That's the goal.

Last night's workout was the Upper Body Extreme.

My poor arms were literally shaking for an hour afterwards.  (It will be easier... it will get easier)

These flappy triceps need to get back on track here too so I love doing the upper body.

& thanking Jesus that it wasn't lower body.  With my legs as sore & painful as they were, I would have cried.

(& dreading tonight, because it is lower body)

I felt like my nutrition was pretty good for the most part.

I had a good breakfast... got some protein for a morning snack

... had a good salad full of greens & quinoa for some more protein

& then made up a Mexican bowl - black beans, tomatoes, red peppers & quinoa pasta - topped with avocado. It's delicious. I usually like to put taco sauce on top but we were out. It still tasted wonderful.

But again - I think I ate too much of it.  Lesson learned.

I'm trying not to get discouraged being at the beginning again.

Trying to get in the mind set of acceptance more than anything... & to find that motivation to turn that switch that makes it full dedication.

The first time I changed my eating & lost 40 lbs (... dang, I cant believe I've gained 17 of that back... UGHHH)... I had my mind so set on the goal, nothing swayed me. Put sweets or my favorite treats in front of me & all I saw was my goal. I need that fire in my soul like that again. I think I'm kindling it - its there more than it has been... but I need the fires to EXPLODE.

I'm also kinda frustrated because I've pulled apparently my intercostal muscle again a few weeks back.  The muscle on the bottom of my rib.  I actually was in the ER with it a few years ago because its disturbing how painful it is - & with it being so close to vital organs, like liver, pancreas, stomach, intestines.  I worry its something worst... & then after many tests, they said its a pulled muscle.  Which is crazy.  & it took FOREVER for it to heal. Apparently whenever you breath, it pulls those muscles since they are attached to the ribs so it takes awhile to heal.

I just am a worrier by nature so concerned it is those muscles again & wondering if its something more.

But I did just have blood work done for neuropathy check up - & they tested so much... 6 tubes of blood worth - so if it was something serious, that would have shown up in that, right?  .... this is me trying to convince myself all is well.

It's just literally a PAIN. A PAINFUL PAIN so its just another thorn in my side (literally) on starting over & feeling so badly.

But, say it with me.... It will get easier.

Pressing On to a new day!!!!

Look whose back... back again...Day 1 (again)

Soooooo I've been having this inner debate - all over the past 12 hours... long debate, huh?

But I have been thinking of starting this blog back up.

& I really think I want to come back here to this space in the inter-world.

Not because I have a lot of information to share, not because I have these amazing posts to do, not because I'm trying to compete with any fitness blogs out there.

I want to do this for me.

I have fallen off track the past few months... year really.  & I have to get back on track.

I have gained 17 lbs over the past few months & I'm feeling it.
Awful.  BLAH.

So I want to start this blog back up just for myself. For an online journal of sorts.  Some place to track my work outs, my nutrition, how I'm feeling - physically & emotionally.

Its going to be raw.  It's going to be honest.  It may be funny. It may be interesting. It's more than likely going to be boring... but I want to see this first post starting again & look back & say, I remember when I started again - THAT was the moment my life got back on track for good.

& I may post something that I end up sharing on my other 'main' blog as well... that's OK. Again, this is for me. No rules. No trying to compete - just want to document my life in fitness.  & I know on my other blog, it jsut doesnt fit there to do an update on workouts & nutrition like it does somewhere seperate.

So if anyone wants to follow along... feel free... but I'm not expecting many views, many comments, & I'm ok with that. But if you are following this new journey.... than give me some encouragement whenever you can.  I love me some encouragement.

________________________

Anywaysssssss.....back to it.

Day 1

I went back & forth on what fitness routine to jump into.

I just have lost my running mojo. I know it will come back - it usually does.  But its not what is going to get me back on track.

Especially because (HONEST ALERT....) I just recently found out that I'm peritmenopausal .... another word for shriveling up & getting old.  But I've been reading about fitness in this stage of life & the main thing is strength training - get those old bones strong. Get the muscle pumped up.

So with that, I'm starting a new round of 21 Day Fix Extreme... which I've never done.  I got it & just added those videos in with running - never did the full 21 days on it.  This should be interesting.

I havent actually done ANY work outs for nearly a MONTH - GASPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

& let me tell you - I could feel it.

Day 1 is Plyo Extreme.  Jumping.

Yeahhhh -I didnt jump much

... & my quads were still shaking & cramping & feeling like they were going to give out on me.

But I made it through.

Enjoyed the sweat... feel good to do it again.

It's funny to be back with my containers & using my tracker to see what I'm eating.

But I've got my 21 Day Fix app on my phone & clocking in all the different colors I've eaten through the day.  The game is ON!!!!!

I have to note - I am really digging Subway's apples instead of chips with my veggie sandwich.... one little extra save there to get in fruit for the day & no more carbs with the chips.  Little changes makes a big different, right?

Day 1 down... let's see how day 2 goes

Come visit me ....

So I started this blog a few years ago to try & keep my workout life seperate from 'normal' life... but I have found out that my normal life can't be seperated from my workout life ... its all part of the same...

& I thought I would really focus in on health, fitness, running & working out here... but I see I have so much more to focus on...& I'll never be as awesome as most of you that run every day & do races every weekend.  I'm in awe of you - but I'll never be that blogger....

& with life being so hectic - one thing I'm focusing on in 2016 is to simplify things more... so for awhile, I am only going to be blogging at my Home blog...

JUST CLICK & come on over

I hope you all come visit me there.

I know that many that do visit here also come to my other blog... & if you haven't, know that I am a 5-day-er over there typically... not like here where I'm good to do once a month...so lots to read over there.

& I may actually devote one day specifically for a health/fitness/workout post on my home blog... so if that's the only thing you care to read about, then come visit me on that day (Probably going to be on Tuesdays)

... I'm leeaving this open because I dont want to let go fully here yet... I'm horrible at goodbyes anyways...

heck, I may end up posting again tomorrow... or maybe not...

but until then... you know where to find me :)

A good workout week

Look at last week....

I am patting myself on the back.  I did really well!

I almost did a yoga work out on Sunday to have every day marked, but ended up just saying forget it & enjoyed a evening on the couch knitting a cowl.  #oldladystatus

I love how much stronger I am feeling with the workouts.

I even upp'ed my weights to 7 lbs for the Upper Body Fix... & felt good with it.
I do always have to watch my shoulder & know which exercises I need to be careful with & maybe go down to 5 lbs for that arm, but I love the feeling of progress.

It has been so warm this past week too & I almost scraped the #fixmas thing happening to get outside & get in some walks or runs.... I just hate that its so dark by the time I get home & get changed.  By the time I got to a location to work out, it'd be dark.  That's depressing.  So, I stick with the plan.  That's OK.

I will admit - I have been slouching on the nutrition a bit with Christmas candy being EVERY WHERE in my house. I need to hide it.  Or tell the hubs to hurry & eat it all.  Its so easy to just pop in a little mini Reese's cup... a few times a day. UGH!  That adds up.  & I have my year end goal.

I need to dig in deep for self control. I can ignore the candy. I can...

I will.

So are you doing good working out during the Holiday season?

Any struggles with the Holiday Candy & yummies around?

Fixmas - week 1 ... & my first year end goal

Well it may be Wednesday but here it is anyways - last week's workouts.

As you can see, I'm back on the 21 Day Fix workout schedule for now.

There's a whole big event going on Facebook with over 56,000 people doing the 21 day Fix for December which leads right up to Christmas week.

This works out great for me since right after Christmas, I'll be getting my schedule all ready for Half Marathon training....

.... ohhhh - that excites me.

I love a good training schedule.  Something about it keeps me sane & calm knowing what I'm going to be doing 2 months down the road.

I have enjoyed the 21 Day Fix schedule again though.

Those workouts aren't no joke!

But look at me.. on one arm.. with a bad shoulder!

Progress baby... progress....

I may need to start adding in more cardio though on the days that are 'calmer' - like Pilates night - I need to burn some extra calories.

Great for the abs... not so great for the calorie burn

See, I have a goal.

My birthday is December 30th - close enough to year end... & I have a number in mind where I want to be for my first part of my weight loss.  I'm still 31 lbs... I want to be 35 lbs.  4 lbs to go... with only 2.5 weeks left.  I've actually had some weeks where I did loose 2 lbs each week so it IS possible... but I need to really be on check with everything...

... & its hard when we're running around more... & there's chocolate all in my house in Christmas decorations & easy to just walk by & grab.

This is temptation central right now...

4 lbs...

I can do this - right?

... & this isn't the end.  This is my FIRST goal.  The 2nd half comes when its time for my half marathon at the end of April... I want to have 25-30 lbs off by then... so I still have a long way to go...  but convinced I'll get there...

I can do this!

You doing any December Challenges?

Any Year end Goals?

Catching up...

I'm still alive! ... struggling through anyways.

I've been here & there with the Holidays kicking off, being on vacation, & fighting some dizziness & tooth pain  - because life always has to have some sort of dramatic effect happening, right?

But I've still been working out.

let's do the fastest recap in the world.

here's a little view of last week

I love I got a new wipe board that I can keep track of my weekly workouts.

I feel so fancy.

I was so happy when it was actually nice & warm on Thanksgiving where I could do a run for the Gone for the Run Virtual 5K

I hadn't run in the LONGEST...

& my knee still acted up.

Yes way...

UGHHHH!!!!!

There's that whole life & dramatic effect thing again I guess.

That was a tad discouraging because I already have my training schedule marked on a 2016 calendar for my half marathon in April.  I thought all the rest doing other exercises would have made my knee better.  Drats.

I'm not going to let it discourage me. I'll make adjustments.  Even if I have to walk the whole half marathon, I will... I'm doing it - no matter what.

But anyways - it did feel good to get 3.11 miles under me for Thanksgiving

... I totally signed up for this just because of the socks.

But it also earned me a piece of pumpkin pie... which I made... & was the most delicious thing I ate all Thanksgiving day!

How was your Thanksgiving?  

I've seen all the Turkey Trot posts - love it!

Hopefully I'll get back in the swing of things now that life is getting back into its groove

... & if you dont see me here for awhile, feel free to visit me over at Knit by God's Hand  

Cherish

... protect & care for (someone) lovingly

... hold (something) dear

... keep (a hope or ambition) in one's mind

I'm sorry - when I heard the word today to discuss, all I can think of is Kool & the Gang from the 80's

... is it true he wrote that for his dying wife?... I'll have to google that now.  That was the rumor when I was in middle school.  But middle school is also the time full of made up drama.

Is anyone else singing it now in their head?

... cherish the love...

So much to cherish in life.
All the people we love - all the memories we have.

Kool & the Gang was onto something....

For me when it comes to myself & fitness though, I think of every day - how much it is something to cherish to have the ability to move & function & to have the means to try & take care of myself.

I know when I'm sick & I can't work out, or my schedule is so busy that I do good to get 'life' done, much less getting in a good sweat - its those moments that I really realize how much I cherish being able to work out - to make myself healthier & stronger.

It's something we should never take for granted....

it is a blessing to be able to move, to sweat, to push ourselves to be a better you.

& now I'm off to cherish memories of my 8th grade dance with Kool & the Gang playing in the background

... keep enough room for Jesus in the middle...

#SweatPink - Favorite Strength Moves

So yesterday was amazing here with all the visitors for the Blog Hop.

I hope I didn't scare anyone away & fingers crossed I have some new blog friends.

I love blog friends.

but back to ordinary life.

& today I'm talking about favorite strengthening moves.

I've always been a cardio girl. I've talked about this before. I feel like the heart has to pump for it to be considered a great workout...

but I've also learned that isn't true.

The things you learn as you grow older.

I have so many stinkin' injuries & aches & pains that I have to be careful in strengthening moves, but still love them.  Especially when I can see the results.

Like I can see some muscles in my quads lately

& I really love when I can up my weights on some upper body moves.

Progress.  That's what its all about.

Some of my favorite moves.

Squats

Good ole basic squats.  It works the whole lower body & I love them.  I love to see how many it takes before it feels like my legs are jello.  That's sorta messed up but I know other people that enjoy fitness & health are giving me a mental high five.

The weird thing about squats?  I can do them no problem with my knees.  Now, give me lunges & I'm ready to cry in pain. It hurts when I have to make my knees separate.... so I'm glad I can do squats pain free.

Inner Thigh Criss Cross

Loosing weight, I'm finding that my inner thighs are getting really REALLY loose.  Like gross loose. I used to love working my inner thighs & am taking a whole new obsession with them since all this shaking is happening.  This is one of my favorite moves. I can remember doing it in Jazzercise & feeling the burn.  I actually have to do it with bent knees because ... well... bad knees is my middle name.  But it still works with bent knees.  Believe me.

Shoulder raises

I can always remember watching Bravo show with the trainer Jackie Warner on it & she would talk about when she trained her stars for the red carpet, the first thing is always the shoulders because it gives the impression of a small waist.  These things stick in my head.  But I love basic shoulder raises.  Forward & side.  Now again - with shoulder injury, I have to be careful & the side raises are more dangerous for me then the front, but I love doing these - especially front raises all the time.

Bicycle for Abs

I love this move. It works the whole ab area for me & I really love when working the abs, something that works the obliques.  Again, I've always heard it said, the more your obliques are toned, the smaller your waist is.  I hold valuable information in my head when I need to.  & keeping that head up works the core anyways so this is a full ab workout that I love to do.  I'll even just do a few during commercials.

These are just a few of my favs.... 

what are some of your favorite strength moves you like to do?

All are welcome!!!

.... OK - so my title just totally reminded me of the movie Poltergist.

I blame ABC Family for playing it during Halloween & bringing back flashbacks of a childhood of the 80s when the movie really freaked me out - but now I see how corny the special effects were.

But that little lady's voice still does kinda chill me to the bone...

What am I talking about?

I got side tracked!

Today is my day & I'm talking about Poltergist?

I love so much where Kristy from Runaway Bridal Planner set up a Grow Your Blog bloghop... I love finding new blogs & getting to know people so I'm thrilled to be a part of it.

& today is my designated day where you get to meet me & learn a little about me....
If you've been here awhile, this is all probably old news to you - or you may find out something new about me... & for those who are visiting for the first time?  Yep, all are welcome!  (I couldn't resist doing it again... DANG YOU HALLOWEEN MOVIE-THON)

So far, I guess you can tell, I'm windy & could talk for days.
& kinda get side tracked & walk to a beat of my own drum

But just take it all as a lover of life....

On the serious side, this here blog is just basically my journey on health & fitness.

Fun facts about me in the fastest method possible....

*This is what I look like - not really Jennifer Aniston

* I swore I'd never run
* ... until I did my first race at 37 years old
* My first race was a half marathon
* I nearly died (wish I were joking)
* I crossed the finish line & swore I'd do it right the next year
* I beat my time by nearly an hour the next year
* I love running now!

That was quick & fun, right?

But I love all things fitness.

I just love the idea of taking care of myself the best way possible.  Which means so many things - exercise, nutrition, mentally in the game... it all counts.

Let's do another fun fact rundown....

* I gave up Diet Cokes after being a total addict
* I also gave up meat 5 years ago & could never at anything that breaths air again
* I have recently lost 30 lbs using 21 Day Fix plan
* I am just half way where I want to be in my weight loss
* I am a Beauty & the Beast freak & am convinced we are one in the same & I'll convince everyone that its true someday

* I also love ALL things Disney #nevergrowup
* I usually do posts labeled {DL} that just stands for "Daily Life" & just like to keep a health journal here
* I am a wife & have stepdaughters & 3 grandsons
* I hate medicine & will do anything as natural as I can
* I have so many injuries & issues with my body, its crazy - but I keep PRESSING ON!
* Yes, my dogs are like my children to me

* Most importantly - I love Jesus & am so thankful for His mercy & grace - its the most important thing to me in my life.
* The name of my blog is from my life verse in the Bible - Phil 3:13-14

... did I mention that I could talk for days?

I wont let this post go on for days - I promise...

But I just wanted to give you a quick look at who I am... just an ordinary gal... someone who has good days & bad days... your new blog buddy!

Be sure to stop back by & see where life has taken me for my Daily Life - I'll try not to be so awkward & windy

... & I'll be sure to join in on your life adventures.

I want to go to Old Navy right now!

I have to say, ever since I have found my camo leggings at Old Navy -  I'm obsessed with them.  I have 2 different pairs & love to alternate them.

So now I'm hooked on Old Navy workout clothes. I actually just went back in & got a new shirt this weekend as well...

I'm not being compensated in any way - I'm just posting what I like... the latest things they have

Here are some of my favorites....

Patterned Compression Leggings

How stinkin' cute are these leggings?  I love the pop of color but they still have a lot of black to keep that 'trim' thing going on.  These are sale right now for $25.00 too!

Leg-Graphic Compression Leggings

I'm for anything with motivational words on it.  & you don't usually see words on your legs. I may have to order these STAT because right now, they are on clearance for $12.00!  Heck, I spend $12.00 on one trip to Starbucks!

Go Warm Long Sleeve Tea

With the cold air coming in, I love anything that has the name "Go-Warm" in it.  This looks so comfy.  I think Old Navy is known for really soft & comfy shirts - thats why I always go back to them.  I bet this one is pretty nice. & this one is only $15.00 right now too! ... (my cart is filling as I type)

Medium Support Racerback Sports Bra

I know bra's are a sticky issue with everyone because it all depends on the support you need. But I love this one - again, with the words of motivation - even if they are on my boobs.  I'll take it.  I have a few Old Navy bras & they really seem to hold up well after lots of wear & tear.

Sweater-Fleece Vest

Another $15.00 bargain happening right now.  I think vests are my favorite thing to wear when running outside.  They keep my chest warm but gives me some moving room in my arms.  Heck, I wear these vests on a normal weekend day with my jeans. To me, they are always perfect to throw on.

Graphic Tank

I actually have this tank in 2 other colors - but I love how thin it is when working out indoors - or on really hot summer days - & I love the cut on the shoulders.  Makes your shoulders looks broader & more toned. I'll take any piece of clothing that makes me look better & more toned.  Plus, its $9.00... I buy pajamas for more money then that

Fleece Cowl-Neck Tunic

I am in love.  First of all, the cowl neck!  & the zipper on the side?  & pocket in the front?  Yep... I want this!  & its $20.00!!! ... this really would be a great weekend wear as well as putting on to go to the gym or putting on when you get those chills after working out.  They have a beautiful teal color one too.

Which one of these is your favorite?

Do you like Old Navy's workout line?