Ladies and Gentlemen it is time to come clean. I have a very serious confession to make. I suffer from a rare but serious condition....A fear of the TREADMILL!!!
I know what yall are thinking, seriously Ryan....a fear. And while it isn't one of those things where I can't see them or anything crazy, I literally find it almost impossible to workout on one.
I think it mostly goes back to being self conscious. When I was extremely obese I wouldn't run on one because it sounded crazy loud and shook with each strike of my foot on the belt. I also have a history of being shot off of the end of the treadmill. And although that memory still makes my friend Ashley who happened to be on the machine next to me at the time laugh hysterically...it has haunted me for almost 10 years.
So in this time of the dreaded plateau that I find myself in, I have finally had to give in to the fact that I am also in a fitness rut and need to switch it up to continue on my journey. In my quest to set new fitness goals it all kept coming back to running. Run a 5k people would say, train for a tough mudder, or what about a half marathon. I would shoot those suggestions down in a heart beat because the 300 pound girl inside me was thinking are you NUTS?! I CANNOT RUN, and it's winter, training for a run means the treadmill....so I was out on that deal!
In the past my excuses for skipping the dreaded running machine included my boobs, "They're just too big and flop around when I run", my knee "It can't handle the impact", and well "It's Hard!"
My husband spends about 5 hours a week on the treadmill, and he loves the way he feels after a great run. After weeks of not so gentle encouragement from him, I finally decided it was time to try it out. I made it my goal to run 1 mile on the treadmill with out stopping. I thought that was an easily attainable goal because I usually run 2 miles or more on the elliptical each day when I am not in a high intensity cardio class. So about 2 weeks ago I took my first jog on the treadmill. Keeping my incline on a 2.0 and my speed around 5mph off I went. The first 5 min were easy...fun even. My boobs are no longer an issue, in fact they pretty much don't move at all in a sports bra. My knee, still hurts a little but after being checked out by a doc I found out it is a ligament issue...not a cartilage issue. Plus my iPhone was blaring one of my favorite Pandora stations and I got in a good rhythm. Before I knew it my mile was up, and I had done it!!
The rest of that week I ran every day, getting faster and stronger. This week I have even experimented with intervals on the treadmill, different inclines, and even got up to 7.5 mph sprints. And you know what, the Husband was right!!!! It has made insane improvements already. Yesterday I decided to get back on the elliptical to see how different it felt after my 2 weeks of treadmill running. It was a breeze! I ended up going about twice as fast on it and ran 4.39 mi in 35 min.!!! And still felt good enough to take a yoga class and do abs!
The moral of my story is that sometimes we need to take risks even if they seem small. Getting out of our comfort zone can make you feel empowered and successful. I no longer feel like I can't do something that it seems so many enjoy. I no longer feel restricted to the elliptical and stair machines. I still don't know if I will be signing up for any long runs any time soon, I will keep y'all posted!
Friday, December 7, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Fat day blues!
There are some things that I need to address. Some things that I have alluded to in the past but haven't really elaborated on.
I am talking about body image! This can make or break you for the entire day. We all want to put our best foot forward right? We all try to look our best and make a great impression. That is after all a huge part of the way we are perceived as healthy, successful, smart, competent, etc. So what are we supposed to do or think when we look in the mirror and no matter how hard we have worked, or what we have achieved we still see a fat or unhealthy reflection? This is something that I struggle on more than a daily basis. I will look in the mirror and still see my old self, or even if I see my new body size, I still only focus on imperfections.
As we all know, we are our own worst critic's, but when the mindset of a 'fat day' sets in, it can ruin your entire day. When you feel fat, or blah you don't feel like putting on your workout clothes because they're tight, so you skip the gym. When you skip the gym you tend to eat like crap, which makes you feel fat which in turn makes you skip the gym....its a vicious cycle.
Check out this blurb I found in an article on fitsugar.com:
I am talking about body image! This can make or break you for the entire day. We all want to put our best foot forward right? We all try to look our best and make a great impression. That is after all a huge part of the way we are perceived as healthy, successful, smart, competent, etc. So what are we supposed to do or think when we look in the mirror and no matter how hard we have worked, or what we have achieved we still see a fat or unhealthy reflection? This is something that I struggle on more than a daily basis. I will look in the mirror and still see my old self, or even if I see my new body size, I still only focus on imperfections.
As we all know, we are our own worst critic's, but when the mindset of a 'fat day' sets in, it can ruin your entire day. When you feel fat, or blah you don't feel like putting on your workout clothes because they're tight, so you skip the gym. When you skip the gym you tend to eat like crap, which makes you feel fat which in turn makes you skip the gym....its a vicious cycle.
Check out this blurb I found in an article on fitsugar.com:
Feeling thin or fat is an illusion constructed in our posterior parietal cortex — an area of the brain that integrates sensory information from different parts of the body. Unlike your sense of touch, there are no specialized receptors in your body that send information to the brain about the size and shape of your body parts, says lead study author Henrik Ehrsson, MD, PhD. "Instead, the brain appears to create a map of the body by integrating signals from the relevant body parts such as skin, joints, and muscles, along with visual cues," he says.
So you see, we are not crazy or experiencing depression or self hatred (well you might be and if you are I would suggest you seek out professional help). This is a normal brain pattern, and we have to recognize that and move on during the day. Here is the link to the whole article so you can learn from their tips on turning around a fat day. http://www.fitsugar.com/How-Feel-Fat-25314402?spi_source=popsugar.com&spi_campaign=tagalert_email&spi_medium=email
There are a ton of resources out there about body image and how we can fix it. If you need more info or article please shoot me an email, I have a bunch more on hand. Also keep several 'before' photos on hand...never forget where you were so you can appreciate how far you have come!
As you all know my journey to health is very closely tied to my relationship with God. So even though I have read a ton of info on body image and how to fix it, the best way I have found is to ask the Lord to give me a very clear view of my actual reflection. To give me a proud sense of self in order to carry out His tasks he has given me for the day. You see we are not simply living out our days for us, we are here with a purpose. We must be healthy in order to complete any task he may set before us!
Huge shout out to my husband for breaking through the 90lb loss threshhold!!
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Is it really possible that it has been 2 months since my last blog post? That is terrible! I am so sorry! This fall has come on fast and strong! We are all out insane busy right now! Between running kids to school and piano and riding lessons, keeping up with the family, being in charge of Sunday school at church, and Major's Motivation life is crazy!
Friday, August 17, 2012
Back to Nature!
So the weekend after the theme park we decided to take the girls up to the mountains in the Shenandoah and go hiking! Justin grew up in Oregon in a town surrounded by wilderness and mountains...I did not. I grew up in the Texas Hill Country, and the only hiking I had ever done was up the trail at enchanted rock **still a great time and if you're in central TX you've gotta do it!!**
We made the hour drive to the mountains, and began the hike. I was a little hesitant about how Madi would do with being carried all the way up, and we would still be on the way up if she was walking herself. But she did great! She rode all the way up and down the mountain on Justin's shoulders.
Bethany, who is not a nature girl when it comes to bugs so this could have been bad...but she also did great! She complained less than we expected and completed the full hike! She only fell down a few times, and by the end I think she learned how to avoid the sticks on the ground that were tripping her up. I absolutely loved the hike! I love being outside and this was right up my alley! I love the trees and the smells, and the little creeks and streams that are all around! It was beautiful!! My first hike will certainly not be my last!
I know this blog is intended to be about health and fitness and this post as well as the last have a lot to do with family. I am posting these things because as we improve our health we are able and willing to do more active things with our kids! It is awesome!
I also post these things to encourage you to get out and play with your kids. Ask them to join you for your workouts, teach them about fitness from the get go, so they don't have to fight an uphill battle for health like so many of us!
Bethany is a morning person...like a really early morning person. She usually gets up about an hour before Madison and I (as in 6am, she's crazy). The last 2 mornings I have come down to the living room to find my yoga mat out on the floor. She did her kids' yoga workouts on her own, and was folding laundry. Just gotta say...awesome kid!
I wear a fitbit everyday to track my steps and fitness each day....we logged 7 miles at Kings Dominion (not including the water park), we hiked 4.35 mi on the mountains and 615 feet!! Family fun days can be a great way to get your workouts in!
We made the hour drive to the mountains, and began the hike. I was a little hesitant about how Madi would do with being carried all the way up, and we would still be on the way up if she was walking herself. But she did great! She rode all the way up and down the mountain on Justin's shoulders.
Bethany, who is not a nature girl when it comes to bugs so this could have been bad...but she also did great! She complained less than we expected and completed the full hike! She only fell down a few times, and by the end I think she learned how to avoid the sticks on the ground that were tripping her up. I absolutely loved the hike! I love being outside and this was right up my alley! I love the trees and the smells, and the little creeks and streams that are all around! It was beautiful!! My first hike will certainly not be my last!
I know this blog is intended to be about health and fitness and this post as well as the last have a lot to do with family. I am posting these things because as we improve our health we are able and willing to do more active things with our kids! It is awesome!
I want my kids to lead active lifestyles, to see past the television to the world around them, and put the laptops down and find true adventure.
I also post these things to encourage you to get out and play with your kids. Ask them to join you for your workouts, teach them about fitness from the get go, so they don't have to fight an uphill battle for health like so many of us!
Bethany is a morning person...like a really early morning person. She usually gets up about an hour before Madison and I (as in 6am, she's crazy). The last 2 mornings I have come down to the living room to find my yoga mat out on the floor. She did her kids' yoga workouts on her own, and was folding laundry. Just gotta say...awesome kid!
I wear a fitbit everyday to track my steps and fitness each day....we logged 7 miles at Kings Dominion (not including the water park), we hiked 4.35 mi on the mountains and 615 feet!! Family fun days can be a great way to get your workouts in!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Roller Coasting!
A couple weeks ago Justin and I embarked on a journey most parents cringe at...we took the kids to the theme park. I say cringe because lets be honest this can be a less than desirable experience depending on the age of your kids.
This is the time that we are reminded exactly how inconvenient the 6 year age gap in our kids is, especially at these ages. Bethany can ride pretty much everything and Madison doesn't understand why she can only ride baby rides. Neither one of them are going to go on their own and Justin and I cant ride anything together because someone always has to be with the kids. So needless to say we had been avoiding the whole situation. Not to mention the last time we went to a theme park we were both overweight. I was on the smaller side after my initial weight loss, and hadn't gained a lot of it back just yet, and his marriage weight gain was on the rise.
But going to a theme park as an overweight or obese person can really be terrible. You can't fit comfortably into the seats on most rides, or even ride some of them because of a weight limit. Walking confidently in the water park? YEAH RIGHT!
Justin and I like to think of ourselves as fun parents and we do really enjoy roller coasters, so we were semi excited about that part of the visit to Kings Dominion. We arrived when the park opened with 2 very excited, sunscreen coated girls. And we had a great day! There was no drama (well...minimal drama we do have 2 daughters) and both kids did great all day!
I met a fellow fitness and health coach watching Madison drive the monster trucks, and that was a total God thing. We were discussing how being at a place like Kings Dominion really shows us how we are the small percentage of the population that is health conscious. 'Gym Rats', 'Health Nuts', we are the exception, not the rule. I guess it is human nature to flock to those similar to you. I am at the gym everyday and everyone there when I go is for the most part always there. I go to church at Lifepoint every Sunday, and everyone there is on fire for Christ. In my little bubble of influence everyone is pretty positive, genuine, and encouraging. It isn't until you go places like the theme park full of the general population that you realize how unhealthy and unhappy the general population can be. People screaming at their children, morbidly obese people on scooters (eating fried oreos...seriously people you can't make this stuff up), and the group of 9 year old boys in front of us in line at the water park who were talking like thugs, cussing in front of their mother who did nothing to correct them. Not my favorite.
Universal Studios 2010
Kings Dominion 2012 (We look so much younger....except for Bethany...she looks like a baby in the Disney photos!)
Thanks Madi for the awesome family photo with the peanuts characters!
Finding people to do life with that lift you up and encourage you to be the best version of yourself is crucial to meeting and keeping your fitness goals. On the days that I stumble I am so blessed to have a spouse to lift me up and encourage me. On the days when I just don't feel like working out, I am blessed to have a beachbody coach to tell me to push play or head to the gym. Everybody needs somebody to hold them accountable. Please let us know how we can help encourage you! Major's Motivation has openings for in home health coaching and is now accepting new clients!
This is the time that we are reminded exactly how inconvenient the 6 year age gap in our kids is, especially at these ages. Bethany can ride pretty much everything and Madison doesn't understand why she can only ride baby rides. Neither one of them are going to go on their own and Justin and I cant ride anything together because someone always has to be with the kids. So needless to say we had been avoiding the whole situation. Not to mention the last time we went to a theme park we were both overweight. I was on the smaller side after my initial weight loss, and hadn't gained a lot of it back just yet, and his marriage weight gain was on the rise.
But going to a theme park as an overweight or obese person can really be terrible. You can't fit comfortably into the seats on most rides, or even ride some of them because of a weight limit. Walking confidently in the water park? YEAH RIGHT!
Justin and I like to think of ourselves as fun parents and we do really enjoy roller coasters, so we were semi excited about that part of the visit to Kings Dominion. We arrived when the park opened with 2 very excited, sunscreen coated girls. And we had a great day! There was no drama (well...minimal drama we do have 2 daughters) and both kids did great all day!
I met a fellow fitness and health coach watching Madison drive the monster trucks, and that was a total God thing. We were discussing how being at a place like Kings Dominion really shows us how we are the small percentage of the population that is health conscious. 'Gym Rats', 'Health Nuts', we are the exception, not the rule. I guess it is human nature to flock to those similar to you. I am at the gym everyday and everyone there when I go is for the most part always there. I go to church at Lifepoint every Sunday, and everyone there is on fire for Christ. In my little bubble of influence everyone is pretty positive, genuine, and encouraging. It isn't until you go places like the theme park full of the general population that you realize how unhealthy and unhappy the general population can be. People screaming at their children, morbidly obese people on scooters (eating fried oreos...seriously people you can't make this stuff up), and the group of 9 year old boys in front of us in line at the water park who were talking like thugs, cussing in front of their mother who did nothing to correct them. Not my favorite.
Universal Studios 2010
Kings Dominion 2012 (We look so much younger....except for Bethany...she looks like a baby in the Disney photos!) Thanks Madi for the awesome family photo with the peanuts characters!Tuesday, July 31, 2012
FINALLY BACK!! Tons of recap!
Good morning!! I am so happy to be able to sit down and knock out this blog for y'all! It has been a crazy busy summer. I was in Texas for the entire month of June. This proved to be quite the challenge fitness wise, but I managed. My weight was maintained and I managed to lose 4.5 inches!! So it was a good month!
When I was in Texas I was able to speak with a friend of mine who is also a health coach. She had some great advice, and I also joined her as a Beachbody Coach!! While I am not one for home sales companies, and I know that they give a lot of people a funny feeling, I have to say a company whose mission is to end the trend of obesity is one I want to be a part of!
It was great being home with my family for a month, getting to ride horses each day, and see everyone. The girls had a blast!
Now that I am home I am doing my best to hit it HARD with the workouts. I am doing Brazilian Butt Life (an amazing home workout through beachbody). When I decided to buy BBL I wanted to just add it in and not eliminate any of my gym workouts. I thought it wouldn't be that hard since it was a DVD workout and I could keep doing what I was doing plus BBL.....NOT THE CASE!! It is hard!! Plus that equals 3 hours a day working out...something that I just don't have. So I am down to 1 hour in the gym and 1 hour for BBL. Some days I get it all in but that is rare.
The coaching business is going really well! I am offering a free 30 day trial of coaching when anyone buys a beachbody workout!!
Here is a photo from my college roomie and bestie's wedding with Madi and my Dad!!
I will use some more TX photos for our progress photo from July...but it will be on tomorrows blog b/c it's already time for M-DAY!!!
When I was in Texas I was able to speak with a friend of mine who is also a health coach. She had some great advice, and I also joined her as a Beachbody Coach!! While I am not one for home sales companies, and I know that they give a lot of people a funny feeling, I have to say a company whose mission is to end the trend of obesity is one I want to be a part of!
It was great being home with my family for a month, getting to ride horses each day, and see everyone. The girls had a blast!
Now that I am home I am doing my best to hit it HARD with the workouts. I am doing Brazilian Butt Life (an amazing home workout through beachbody). When I decided to buy BBL I wanted to just add it in and not eliminate any of my gym workouts. I thought it wouldn't be that hard since it was a DVD workout and I could keep doing what I was doing plus BBL.....NOT THE CASE!! It is hard!! Plus that equals 3 hours a day working out...something that I just don't have. So I am down to 1 hour in the gym and 1 hour for BBL. Some days I get it all in but that is rare.
The coaching business is going really well! I am offering a free 30 day trial of coaching when anyone buys a beachbody workout!!
Here is a photo from my college roomie and bestie's wedding with Madi and my Dad!!Sunday, June 3, 2012
6 Months of tracking....
When I began tracking my weight loss and measurements through a spreadsheet I had no idea what that would look like in 6 months!!
It has been 6 months since we switched to a plant based diet, and 8 months since I started my daily gym routine and almost a year since I set my sights on losing baby weight!! I will share with you some statisitcs since January!!
It has been 6 months since we switched to a plant based diet, and 8 months since I started my daily gym routine and almost a year since I set my sights on losing baby weight!! I will share with you some statisitcs since January!!
Since January 1st I have:
Lost 35.5 lbs
Lost 4.75 inches from my bust
Lost 4.25 inches from my waist
Lost 3 inches from my hips
Lost 3.25 inches from my thighs
Lost 2.25 inches from my arms
Taken my BMI from 31 5/9 to 26 even
What blows my mind is that this is just what I have been able to do in the last 6 months. This doesn't include what I did from July-December of 2011. This time last year I was losing the weight from having a baby, and honestly I felt okay about my body. I wanted to lose 20 lbs and get back down to my wedding weight....but other than that I didn't have much more in mind. I didn't think I could get lighter than when I got married! Well did that plus 33 on top of it. A 53 pound loss in a year! Sounds like a small number (considering I have lost 140lbs total) but 35 of it has happened since January!
I hope these numbers give you all hope. I hope that watching my journey shows you that you can do this too!
The health coaching business is offically open!! Please stay tuned for the launch of our website!! COMMING SOON!!!
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| June 2011!! 4 generations of strong beautiful women! (Photo By Judson Baker) I am so blessed to have a mom and nana who support me!! I will post a new 4 generations photo when I get to Texas NEXT WEEK!!!!! So ready for some ranch living and Lone Star state in my life!!! |
Saturday, June 2, 2012
It's that time again!!! M-DAY!!!!!
Here we are again at the beginning of another new month! May was a great month for me!! Sure I fell short on my lb loss goal, but I am realizing that my body will do what needs done on its own time. I just need to embrace my new shape, and enjoy the muscle mass and tone I am building!!!
I am adding a new category to my measurements, and that is body fat percentage!!
.25 inch from my left arm
Jan 1
Feb 1
March 1
April 1
May 4th
May 1
June 2
June 1
June 1
I am adding a new category to my measurements, and that is body fat percentage!!
From M-day
Last Month I have lost....
4.5 lbs
Bust stayed the same (glad!! I dont care to lose anymore)
.50 inch
from my waist
.25 inch
from the hips
.25 inch
from my right arm
.25 inch from my left arm
right thigh
stayed the same
left thigh
stayed the same
neck stayed
the same
My body fat percentage was 23.21% May 1st
June 1st it is 23.09% (I would like to get it into the Athlete range)
Jan 1Feb 1
March 1 April 1 May 4th May 1
June 2
June 1
June 1
I realized that I have only been posting my monthly photos in my workout clothes...June is proof that I do own other clothes. lol
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