This is what time I've been at the gym, in my seat and spinning. It's crazy. My husband isn't even up yet and I dress in the dark, grab my water, and go. Class has started by the time my husband's alarm has gone off. I'll will probably have been spinning for about 15 minutes by the time he rolls out of bed. Crazy!
So I've done for two mornings now. It's a little weird too know that I've done more in the last 3 hours than I usually do...all with the kids still asleep. Yesterday was my first day taking an early morning class.
I was so tired by 2pm and barely standing when my husband came home. Usually my hubby is home by 6:30 and I'm ready to hand off the kids, have dinner on the table, eat dinner, and then get a few minutes of "me" time while he does the bedtime routine before I go up to join them for bedtime prayers. "Me" time usually entails me cleaning up from dinner while listening to the radio or a book on CD. I'm totally okay with this. It's my time to zone out, bop along to music, or catch up on my "reading" without stopping to attend to someone else. Last night Hubby had to work late and didn't get home until after 7:30pm. I had just finished getting my daughter ready for bed when he walked in the door. I was totally done by then. Getting up at 4:30am makes Discombobulated Mommy a very tired mommy.
One of the neat things I got to see last night was the way that my kids greeted my husband. Usually I'm trying to get dinner on the table and I basically shoo them all out of the kitchen so that I can get things done in 5 minutes instead of 20. Last night my husband came up the stairs, I heard my son shriek with glee, "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" My daughter came to the top of the stairs and sat down on the top step, patted the area next to her and said, "sit." Which he did. Then my son came bolting up the stairs and landed in my husband's lap and gave him a huge hug and my daughter followed suit and tried to share the lap and wrapped her arms around him, too. There was my husband, sitting on the stairs, and covered in love...his head sticking out between the two heads. It was really sweet and I know that my husband loved being greeted with so much enthusiasm.
5:30 is a difficult thing time for me to get things done, but it might work out for us in the long run. I am able to get more things done during the day while still getting my work out in. I don't know how long I will be able to sustain this kind of lifestyle, but I'll try it for now...if I'm still standing ;)
Showing posts with label Fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fitness. Show all posts
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Catch Up Week
I've posting about the craziness of my weeks. It seemed to just become more chaotic the closer we got to my son's birthday. Between all the sports activities and prepping for the party, we were on the move an awful lot. One of our routines is to go to the gym on a daily basis. Last week I was informed that the childcare for the gym would be closed this week due to some remodeling. Well, huh...
I was given suggestions about going to other facilities that were near by and part of the same chain. But I'm particular about who watches my kids and I'd rather wait it out. My kids love the ladies that currently watch them at the gym, so forget it, I'm not going anywhere new for the week. It was also suggested that I come at night when my husband comes home from work. He doesn't get home until 6:30. By the time dinner is over and the kids are in bed, I'm ready to be in my jammies and spend time with my husband, reviewing the day or watching a favorite television show.
So I did what any sane person would do in this instance, I signed up for a 5:30am Spin class this week. That's right, you read it right. I signed up for a 5:30 AM Spin Class. I figured I could go and be back before my husband left for work. Yesterday I didn't hear my alarm go off, but I made it this morning. Not bad, I must say. I could do this and make it work. I've already been to the gym, showered, had my morning devotional, and now I'm blogging. I feel like my day is already half over. But we all know that it's just beginning because the kids will wake up any minute now. I might actually get to do some of things we can do during the day because we're at the gym.
I feel like the gym takes up a lot of our time. And it does. It's probably a two hour process: prepping for the gym, going to the gym, leaving the gym, coming home and getting lunch, etc.
Yesterday, I didn't wake up in time so we ended up not going anywhere. I planned to clean and straighten the house yesterday and I actually got to do it! Granted the kids and I stayed in our jammies all day, but that's fine! My son had time to play with a lot of his new birthday presents. I was able to get everything checked off my cleaning "to do" list and I had time to play games with the kids, read to them, and just spend time with them without any pressures to go anywhere or do anything. It was really nice! Today we will run errands after the kids are up for the day, but we won't have to cram everything in. We'll get done what we get done. This is a nice reprieve from our usually chaotic schedule. We'll do this all week! Ahhhh, 5:30am Spin Class...this might work!
I was given suggestions about going to other facilities that were near by and part of the same chain. But I'm particular about who watches my kids and I'd rather wait it out. My kids love the ladies that currently watch them at the gym, so forget it, I'm not going anywhere new for the week. It was also suggested that I come at night when my husband comes home from work. He doesn't get home until 6:30. By the time dinner is over and the kids are in bed, I'm ready to be in my jammies and spend time with my husband, reviewing the day or watching a favorite television show.
So I did what any sane person would do in this instance, I signed up for a 5:30am Spin class this week. That's right, you read it right. I signed up for a 5:30 AM Spin Class. I figured I could go and be back before my husband left for work. Yesterday I didn't hear my alarm go off, but I made it this morning. Not bad, I must say. I could do this and make it work. I've already been to the gym, showered, had my morning devotional, and now I'm blogging. I feel like my day is already half over. But we all know that it's just beginning because the kids will wake up any minute now. I might actually get to do some of things we can do during the day because we're at the gym.
I feel like the gym takes up a lot of our time. And it does. It's probably a two hour process: prepping for the gym, going to the gym, leaving the gym, coming home and getting lunch, etc.
Yesterday, I didn't wake up in time so we ended up not going anywhere. I planned to clean and straighten the house yesterday and I actually got to do it! Granted the kids and I stayed in our jammies all day, but that's fine! My son had time to play with a lot of his new birthday presents. I was able to get everything checked off my cleaning "to do" list and I had time to play games with the kids, read to them, and just spend time with them without any pressures to go anywhere or do anything. It was really nice! Today we will run errands after the kids are up for the day, but we won't have to cram everything in. We'll get done what we get done. This is a nice reprieve from our usually chaotic schedule. We'll do this all week! Ahhhh, 5:30am Spin Class...this might work!
Friday, March 12, 2010
A Week of Fitness Firsts
Since November I have been on a mission to lose the baby weight from my last baby. Between November 1st and January 1st. I lost 16 pounds and made it to my weight loss goal...one pound less than I was when I became pregnant with L. I was really excited!
Now I'm on a mission to lose the rest of the baby weight of baby #1 who will be 4 at the end of the month. I have about 6 1/2 pounds to go to my goal weight of being 1 pound less than I was when I became pregnant with him. If I can lose the rest of that baby weight I will be ecstatic. While on this mission I decided that I want to be at my healthy weight according to the BMI...that means I have to lose 23 1/2 pounds. I gave myself until May 1st which is creeping up on me. I totally slacked in January and February. I didn't gain any more weight, but I didn't lose any, either.
My husband was trying to be supportive with Weight Loss #1 by promising a new laptop if I lost the weight. He knows extrinsic motivation works for me and he was right! I love my new Macbook!
My new "prize" will be a Kindle. He gave me until May 16th...I want to try to do it before then.
So here it goes. I go to the gym 3-5 a week. If I'm really motivated and if there is any time on the weekends I'll go all 7 days. One of my crazy rules is that if I don't lose any weight from one month to the next I'll add a gym class. So far I'm taking Trek, Bodystep (2 times a week), and Abs & Stretch. On my off days from taking a class, I'll run on the treadmill at the gym and lift some weights.
So this week I tried my first Spin Class. The instructor for my Trek class (which is a treadmill class) also teaches Spin. I spoke to her about it and she told me to come in to give it a shot. Holy Crap! I think I broke my butt. My bottom was sore for 2 days afterwards. Those seats are hard! She kept telling me to do what I can do and adjust...I thought...really? I'm just biking this should be fine. Within the first few minutes I could feel my quads getting tight and sore. Okay, not so easy. By the end I was shutting my eyes praying for the class to be over. I did what I could and basically held on for dear life. I think I'll try it again next week :)
This week I also tried a Body Pump Class. This is a class where you use a light barbell and some added weights. It's strengthening class. I'm still sore. I'm such a klutz that I was afraid that I would whack someone near me with my barbell. Fortunately it was a small class and we had plenty of room. When I introduced myself to the instructor and told her it was my first time I asked her what I needed, she replied, "strength, willpower, motivation....oh and a bench, 3 risers, a barbell, and 2lb., 5lb., and 7lb. weights to put on your bar." If I stick with this class it will replace my Abs & Stretch class. I'll see how it goes!
Both classes are at a time when my son is in preschool. This is another first. I usually leave the time open to run errands (because it's easier with one kid than with two), or go home and clean the house while the baby naps. But I have been finding that if we go to the gym after preschool, that I am so tired that we don't do anything else. We go home, have lunch, play a little bit, the baby goes down for a nap, my son watches his favorite show, and then goes down for quiet time, and then I'm taking a nap or I'm working on my to-do list. I can't get a lot done while my son is in his 2 1/2 hour class. I can get the grocery shopping done and maybe one other errand. If I go home to clean the house, I usually end up on the couch watching the last of the Today Show. So here I am trying to be more productive, maybe I'll get more done after preschool while losing the weight, too!
Now I'm on a mission to lose the rest of the baby weight of baby #1 who will be 4 at the end of the month. I have about 6 1/2 pounds to go to my goal weight of being 1 pound less than I was when I became pregnant with him. If I can lose the rest of that baby weight I will be ecstatic. While on this mission I decided that I want to be at my healthy weight according to the BMI...that means I have to lose 23 1/2 pounds. I gave myself until May 1st which is creeping up on me. I totally slacked in January and February. I didn't gain any more weight, but I didn't lose any, either.
My husband was trying to be supportive with Weight Loss #1 by promising a new laptop if I lost the weight. He knows extrinsic motivation works for me and he was right! I love my new Macbook!
My new "prize" will be a Kindle. He gave me until May 16th...I want to try to do it before then.
So here it goes. I go to the gym 3-5 a week. If I'm really motivated and if there is any time on the weekends I'll go all 7 days. One of my crazy rules is that if I don't lose any weight from one month to the next I'll add a gym class. So far I'm taking Trek, Bodystep (2 times a week), and Abs & Stretch. On my off days from taking a class, I'll run on the treadmill at the gym and lift some weights.
So this week I tried my first Spin Class. The instructor for my Trek class (which is a treadmill class) also teaches Spin. I spoke to her about it and she told me to come in to give it a shot. Holy Crap! I think I broke my butt. My bottom was sore for 2 days afterwards. Those seats are hard! She kept telling me to do what I can do and adjust...I thought...really? I'm just biking this should be fine. Within the first few minutes I could feel my quads getting tight and sore. Okay, not so easy. By the end I was shutting my eyes praying for the class to be over. I did what I could and basically held on for dear life. I think I'll try it again next week :)
This week I also tried a Body Pump Class. This is a class where you use a light barbell and some added weights. It's strengthening class. I'm still sore. I'm such a klutz that I was afraid that I would whack someone near me with my barbell. Fortunately it was a small class and we had plenty of room. When I introduced myself to the instructor and told her it was my first time I asked her what I needed, she replied, "strength, willpower, motivation....oh and a bench, 3 risers, a barbell, and 2lb., 5lb., and 7lb. weights to put on your bar." If I stick with this class it will replace my Abs & Stretch class. I'll see how it goes!
Both classes are at a time when my son is in preschool. This is another first. I usually leave the time open to run errands (because it's easier with one kid than with two), or go home and clean the house while the baby naps. But I have been finding that if we go to the gym after preschool, that I am so tired that we don't do anything else. We go home, have lunch, play a little bit, the baby goes down for a nap, my son watches his favorite show, and then goes down for quiet time, and then I'm taking a nap or I'm working on my to-do list. I can't get a lot done while my son is in his 2 1/2 hour class. I can get the grocery shopping done and maybe one other errand. If I go home to clean the house, I usually end up on the couch watching the last of the Today Show. So here I am trying to be more productive, maybe I'll get more done after preschool while losing the weight, too!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wiggle it, Just a Little Bit...
"Wiggle It" is one of the songs that we use in my Bodystep aerobics class. I remember it from my teen years. It's fun and you can move to it. I also enjoyed doing what I thought of as one of the easier routines. When the refrain, "Wiggle it, just a little bit" comes on, we all go to the corner of our step, raise our arms above our head and we wiggle it. It's easy. We do this on each corner a few times and then continue our routine and when the refrain plays we wiggle it again. Not bad, eh?
Um, have you ever looked at yourself in a full-length mirror while wiggling it in spandex pants? The refrain really should be "jiggle it" for me. I was horrified. Here I am having fun and thinking, "wow this is easy and little silly" and then I saw myself. My saddlebags jiggling oh so unattractively. And then I move to the next corner, and yup, there they are, still jiggling unattractively. I couldn't believe it. I thought the pants I was wearing would contain the jiggle, no-no, they only enhanced the jiggle. It was like a bad accident. Every time we had to wiggle it, I analyzed myself in the full length mirror directly across from me. To make matters worse, in my mind it happened in slow-mo, every time I looked. I'm not a small girl. I'm 5'3" and still about 25 pounds overweight (though I have lost 20 lbs and the last of the baby weight from daughter since October, thank you). It's just not pretty. But I remind myself that's why I'm there. Mirrors and judgmental onlookers be darned, I'm gonna wiggle it!
Um, have you ever looked at yourself in a full-length mirror while wiggling it in spandex pants? The refrain really should be "jiggle it" for me. I was horrified. Here I am having fun and thinking, "wow this is easy and little silly" and then I saw myself. My saddlebags jiggling oh so unattractively. And then I move to the next corner, and yup, there they are, still jiggling unattractively. I couldn't believe it. I thought the pants I was wearing would contain the jiggle, no-no, they only enhanced the jiggle. It was like a bad accident. Every time we had to wiggle it, I analyzed myself in the full length mirror directly across from me. To make matters worse, in my mind it happened in slow-mo, every time I looked. I'm not a small girl. I'm 5'3" and still about 25 pounds overweight (though I have lost 20 lbs and the last of the baby weight from daughter since October, thank you). It's just not pretty. But I remind myself that's why I'm there. Mirrors and judgmental onlookers be darned, I'm gonna wiggle it!
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