An inch at a time

I walked into Warrior last night and was so excited to see battle ropes and agility ladders among the Bulgarian bags and weighted balls.  Only Todd can turn two of my favorite pieces of gym equipment into pure torture devices.  There was an entire circuit of exercises and my last station was the ladders. Two minute drills of bear crawls, then squat jumps in the box, squat, and then in-outs.  There were three ladders in a row.  Two minutes had never seemed so long.  And then we got to the "cool down" which was bear crawls, army crawls, guerrillas and I'm forgetting one I think.  My mind went blank at that point. I didn't know if I was going to puke or cry. Then I looked over and saw the lady next to me struggling.  I could tell she was about to quit, just like I wanted to do.  I tapped her on the arm and told her we were almost there and she could do this. I said, "let's do it together".   And we did.  Both of us finished, even though we were much slower than the rest of the class. That didn't matter at all. It was only important to me that we didn't quit.

There have been many times in my journey to a healthier Lyndee that I've wanted to quit when it got too hard, but I don't.  I may be going slow but I'm still going an inch at a time.

Warning: Weekend ahead

Good news, we're going back to an evening workout time with Scott.  Very excited about this as getting up at 4 am on Thursday mornings was a bit painful.  And with winter rolling in I'd much rather give the snow plows time to do their duty before I hit the 20 miles of highway each day.

The weekend is upon us and this is always my setback.  I am trying to be prepared for this weekend so it's not my normal disaster.  We are hosting some friends for dinner tonight.  Rob is smoking ribs and I'm searching to find some fun and healthy sides I can pair with it.  Sunday morning we are having his mom over for breakfast rather than hitting the brunch buffet so we can have a bit of control over what we take in.  I'm going to do eggs, bacon, fruit and maybe some rolls.  Much better than the carb and fat, although oh so tasty, brunch buffet at Crauses or Granite City.  Plus it will be cheaper and we won't have to wait in line for a table.  I think it's so cool that our mom's have the same birthday. I wish mine could come for breakfast as well but that 3 1/2 hour drive kind of puts a damper on that idea.  *sigh* Guess I will just have to wait until next weekend to see my Mom and give her a big birthday hug.  Have you hugged your mom today?  If you can, do it, for all of those that can't.  Squeeze away! Have a wonderful weekend.  Remember to shine and be brilliant.

Warrior indoors

Because of the weather and ever earlier darkness, Warrior has moved inside the wrestling room on Monday and Wednesday now.  I have to say, it's awesome! It reminds me of Biggest Loser resort.  Quick circuits, constant moving, no rest and sweating your face off.  I got to punch and kick things and play with kettle bells.  These always make me happy.  And we got to rock out to some AC/DC.  Music always helps put me in the zone! The only thing I didn't like was the sweaty weighted vest that I had to slip on for the last circuit.  You put it on to do pushups and mountain climbers.  After 15 other people have worn it in a sauna type wrestling room, it is soaking wet and stinks! Blech! But other than that, the circuits are great.  There are even TRX bands! I'm still searching to refocus my food and really accelerate my workouts to the degree I was at previously but I'm feeling better each day.  Just have to make each day better than the last.  That's all one can really do.  And remind myself that the holidays are right around the corner. And we all know what that means!! Too much food at gatherings and parties and not enough exercise because of busy schedules and cold weather.  Don't wait until January to focus on your fitness and wake up at the beginning of 2013 going "oh crap".  That's what I'm trying to avoid.  Every bit helps.  Shine and be brilliant.  It's a beautiful Tuesday morning.

Running

Wow, am I sore today. It's very sad.  My abs hurt from laughing so hard Friday night with my friends.  Also, probably from the run yesterday.  We did the Principal 5K as part of the Des Moines Marathon.  I didn't train at all which was a pretty dumb move but I powered through the race and completed.  It certainly wasn't my best time but it wasn't my worst either.  I was lucky enough to get to race alongside Melody and her family "Team Beneke", which was awesome.  They are one fun family!  The bummer of the day was that they ran out of medals for finishers.  But luckily my husband and our friend Lynn were kind enough to let me borrow theirs for a picture so I could feel cool.

It was a great event that ran smoothly and was well organized.  It was so amazing to watch the marathon and half marathoners.  Congrats to all my wonderful friends that completed those races!!! You guys are all rockstars.

After lunch I went to Gray's to walk with Molly and Stephanie.  It was part of the marathon course and 6 hours after the start, there were still people out completing their race.  We told them great job, keep going and gave out some high fives.  Now that is perseverance and dedication! Holy moly! Made me feel like a slacker on my 5K.  This will be my last race of the year but I plan to do many, many more in 2013. And the hubby is hoping to do a Tough Mudder in Omaha.  I won't be participating in that but I will definitely be cheering him on.  It's crazy to think we're already planning ahead for 2013.  Where the heck did 2012 go?!?!?

Don't Quit

It’s sometimes easy to feel sorry for ourselves.  Self-pity and wanting are ugly beasts. We wonder, why is life so easy for others? Why can’t I catch a break?  Does it have to be this hard? Everyone feels like that from time to time. I know, I do.  And then things in life happen or you take part in something amazing and it sets your mind right. 

I’ve been feeling pretty frustrated lately. It’s a vicious circle of knowing what to do and doing the exact opposite and then being mad about the results.  Ir doesn’t make sense to anyone of logic but humans are not always logical creatures.  I got a call on Friday that was a little disappointing…oh who am I kidding? It was so disappointing I cried.  And on my drive back to Cresco I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.  I was wondering why things don’t tend to go in my favor.  I was a little mad at fate and God and the powers that be in multiple places and wondering why the stars just couldn’t align for me. I worked hard, I busted my butt, I lost blood, sweat and tears and I didn’t get the prize.  And I was pouting and feeling miserable.  I felt like my entire weekend was going to be a loss. I just wanted to get in bed and cry and feel bad for myself.  But I didn’t.

I tried to put things into perspective.  The news I had received was disappointing but it wasn’t dead.  There were still avenues to explore.  There was work to be done and dreams to keep chasing.  With the help of my husband, some great tunes in my ear phones, and the Iowa wind blowing across my face along a lonely highway, I kept driving. I tuned my mind into alternatives and devised new plans.  I spent time with my beloved family and was reminded of my blessings.  Even when you feel down, there are ALWAYS people out there in worse circumstances.  I reminded myself that I was going home for to celebrate the birth of the adorable baby Michael.  I was going home to help someone in much more need than myself at a charity benefit for a friend of our family, Stacy. There was a benefit being held for her Saturday night with dinner, silent auction, live auction, etc. to raise money for her family as she battles severe MS.  She is 36 years old. She is the mother of two adorable little children.  She always has a smile on her face even when we know that she is suffering.  She never gives up. She’s a fighter and a shining example for everyone who gets the chance to know her.  During the auction I had my eye on a framed poem that entitled “Don’t Quit”.  I was determined to get it but it went out of my price range quickly.  And then, the lady that bought it, walked it over and gave it to Stacy.  There were very few dry eyes watching.  It was the perfect moment.  And she was just the person that deserved that photo.  It was inspiring to me to watch her be so brave and gracious and surrounded by love.  It made me know that I couldn't quit either. 

So this weekend I made my own Don’t Quit picture with the poem and a picture of me on top of a mountain in Malibu.  I am going to hang it in my bedroom to remind me every single day that I am blessed enough to wake up, that no matter how things go and what twists and turns we face, we can never quit.  Shine, be brilliant and keep trudging on.   

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will, 

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, 

When the funds are low and the debts are high, 

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, 

When care is pressing you down a bit, 

Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns, 

As every one of us sometimes learns, 

And many a failure turns about, 

When he might have won had he stuck it out; 

Don't give up though the pace seems slow-- 

You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than, 

It seems to a faint and faltering man, 

Often the struggler has given up, 

When he might have captured the victor's cup, 

And he learned too late when the night slipped down, 

How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out-- 

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt, 

And you never can tell how close you are, 

It may be near when it seems so far, 

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit-- 

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

If only I could move my arms

I wanted to do the Friday happy dance but I can't really move my arms today.  Doing Warrior Wednesday night and then training with Scott at 5:30 Thursday morning was possibly a bad idea.  In those 10 hours I did probably 200 push ups, 10 minutes of planks, countless sprints, shoulder presses, rows and lunges, among other devious exercises.  My shoulders, back and neck are shredded.  My thighs burn when I go down the stairs.  Yes, it's the muscles getting stronger which is great but it would be much cooler if I had a hot tub of icy hot right now. Mama mia! Happy Friday and have a great weekend! Shine and be brilliant.

Small victory's

Sometimes it's the smallest victory's that can make us feel great.  I had one of those last night at warrior.  I believe I have complained sufficiently about my dislike of bear crawls and wheelbarrow, especially in the sand. I struggle with these moves at Warrior and am often the last one to finish those exercises.  Last night we did alligator crawls which is kind of like a bear crawl but you can bend your knees?  I'm not sure how to explain it.  Anyway, I did them, with a resistance band around my waist and Kara pulling me back for resistance. I did them and didn't fall down or give up or alter it.  No one else would've noticed this and it's not finishing a marathon by any means but to me, it is a small victory that makes me feel stronger and more confident...and that's pretty cool.

Remember to watch Jennifer Livingston on Ellen today.  I saw a clip and it looks great! And she gets some fun surprises. Go Jennifer!!

Jennifer Livingston

Remember the post I had last week about the reporter in LaCrosse, Wisconsin that put together a wonderful rebuttal to a man that sent her an email saying she was not a positive role model because she was obese?  Well, the story/video went viral and Jennifer is going to be on ELLEN tomorrow!!! How frickin' awesome is that? I love Ellen more than words can say so I am super excited to watch it tomorrow.  DVR it if you must but be sure to check it out!  Rock on, Jennifer, rock on!  You are an inspiration.

Irony

I was driving to the gym at 4:30 this morning in a total daze and found myself singing along with Katy Perry's "Wide Awake".  How is that for irony?  And then I got to the gym and had to pump a lot of iron and my muscles were pretty mad at me.  Well, not me as much as they were mad at Scott.  I can't wait to see the fit they throw tomorrow when I try to use them. It's nice to have the burn back though.  And it's great to be with Scott and Molly, even if it is at an ungodly hour in the a.m.  Our goal for the week from Scott is to lose 2 pounds.  Guess I better get on that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0BWlvnBmIE

It's a cruel world

While I am not a public figure by any means, people around Des Moines and at Principal recognize my face from the stories on Channel 13, Des Moines Register and Q Magazine. Some people, like you awesome readers, still follow my blog.  I have had numerous instances where I have been judged because I wasn't losing weight fast enough or because I've gained back 10 pounds or maybe they just don't like my story.  And that's fine.  To each their own.  If you don't like my story, don't read it.  That's pretty simple.  But this story that Melody shared with me today REALLY hit home for me and I wanted to share it with all of you.  I don't live in a bubble, I realize the world is not roses and cotton candy.  I realize that many people look down on fat people.  I know that obesity is a preventable disease. I get all that. But the way in which some information or opinions are delivered are just beyond me some days.  I love the message that Jennifer has for everyone in this clip. Please, take a few minutes and watch/listen.  Think about what you are teaching your children.  Think about this in situations of bullying for so many ridiculous reasons, besides weight.  Think before you say something offensive in front of others.  Think about other people's feelings.  Just think, shine and be brilliant.  For today, that's all I ask of you.

http://video.news8000.com/watch.php?id=36335