Light as a Feather

I always forget how the gym makes me feel.
Because I dread going.
And then I do, and I feel so much better.


I sucked it up today and paid the ridiculous amount of money to put all three kids in the childcare at the gym. 


I did a BodyPump class and then ran a mile on the treadmill when it was all done.
I left sweaty and tired, and feeling light as a feather.
I know that I should remember this and make the sacrifice more often.


But I'm really struggling with taking the kids to the gym every day, when it is me that should be watching them. 
And playing with them.
And teaching them.
Not shoving them in to some room with 5 other kids to run wild while Snow White plays in the background.

How do you find the balance between taking care of yourself and taking care of your kids?

Snacks

I went away for the weekend.
Just me. No husband, no kids.


The women's retreat for our church was at this amazing resort type place in Murrieta. Hot springs and all.


And then, there was the food.
I'm giving them grace, because I know that cooking for 700 women can't be easy.
But because of the food this weekend, I lived on snacks.

Snacks that were illegally stored in our room because the resort had a "no food in the room" policy.
Snacks that consisted of Chex Mix, and Bugles, and M & M's.
And chocolate chip cookies with Rolo's inside.


We occasionally darted out for some fast food rescue (think late night Del Taco runs).


Needless to say, I feel like dirt.


And I gained 2 pounds.


Fun.

Friend Makin' Mondays

Linking up again over at All the Weigh. I took a little vacay over the weekend and I'm still catching up!

FMM: A Few More Gender-Friendly Questions

1) What is your favorite physical feature?  
My eyes. Hands down.

2) List three adjectives that describe you. 
Sassy, Dependable, Loyal.

3) How old were you when you had your first kiss? 
Um, what' s 8th grade? 12? 13? Somewhere in there.

4) Do you believe in God? 
YES!!! And I am so grateful that I live with His grace.

5) How often do you watch the news?
 Never. Unless someone else has it on. I know I'm ignorant. And totally not proud. But that is the state of my life right now. 2 year olds prefer to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.

Time

I think that whoever decided that there are only 24 hours in a day, obviously did not have 3 small children, a husband, a home to take care of, a part time job, the need to lose weight, and the need for sleep.


Either that, or I have horrible time management.


I'm actually going for the latter.
I can not get my stuff together. 
I keep making excuses.
For not choosing the right food.
For not getting the workout in.
I'm talking the talk, but totally not walking the walk.
I know all of these things about me.
And yet I can not seem to straighten things out.


All that I am doing right now is treading water.


At least I'm doing that?
Totally the wrong attitude.


I should be setting goals.
Making time.
Eating right.
Working out.
But I'm totally not. (unless working out twice a week counts, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't)


I am totally blaming this on bootcamp, and how hard I was working.
Telling myself that I just need a little break.
That I didn't see any results on the scale, even working as hard as I did.


And then I am reminded that losing weight is 90% diet. And so I am reminded of why this weight will not come off. I can not stop shoving food in my pie hole!
And I have zero will power when it comes to certain foods. 
I recently spent a week without going out to eat. Diligently tracking, drinking only water. Making good food choices. 
And guess what? I lost 2.4 pounds that week.
Only to gain it back the next week when my choices weren't as good. And I wasn't quite as diligent.


This is not my first rodeo, people. I have been here already.
And every time I keep gaining the weight back.
Granted, I had 3 kids in 4 years, but still.. totally not an excuse.


I have got to get my head around all of this.
I have got to start making good choices.
I have got to get this weight off!!!

Magic Shoes

Husband and I recently went and bought new shoes.
It was a lot of money all at once, but I finally went to a running store and got properly fitted.
Yesterday, I desperately needed to get out of my house. My boys had been up since 3 am (which of course meant that I had too), and although they napped well in the afternoon, my patience was pretty much spent.
So after the kids were in bed, I decided that I would go for a walk. 
I had just had dinner, so I didn't know if my stomach could handle running, but I knew that I had to get out and do something.
I left with the intention of walking to my mom's house which is about 2 miles away, and then having her drive me home, because I'm totally afraid of running in the dark, and it was already dusk.
So off I went. Walking in my new shoes with my worship music playing in my ears.
The next thing I knew, I was running. And then before I knew it, I was at my mom's house. My almost 2 mile walk turned in to a 20 minute run!

It felt so good to get out of the house, get some fresh air, and spend some time by myself with Jesus. The running was just an added bonus.
The only bummer is that I'm having a hard time getting my Nike+ to work now that it's in the little pouch on top of my shoe.
I'm calling my new shoes magic.
I'm wondering if I can get a magic scale somewhere too.

Friend Makin' Mondays

I'm linking up with Kenz today for a little Friend Makin' Monday. 

You should join the fun too, and Give the Boys a Chance.

FMM: Giving the Boys A Chance

1. Who is your pick for the Final Four? 

 Um, I don't know about the Final Four, and I actually have a really strong hatred dislike for college basketball, but, because I am an alum... San Diego State! Aztecs fight!

2. What is your favorite workout/fitness activity? 

Running. Me, my music, my running shoes and the pavement. The only real alone time that I get these days. I'm not super great at it, but I don't care.

3. Do you have a favorite healthy snack? Something that REALLY hits the

spot? 

Bananas. And I recently discovered almonds. I know I'm kind of late, but YUM!

4. What is your dream car? 

I could care less about cars. As long as it gets me from here to there dependably it doesn't matter. Thus the reason that I drive a minivan. I promised myself that I never would, but it's the best choice for my family right now.

5. Have you set any goals for yourself this month? What are they? 

Maybe that's my problem. I haven't set an actual goal for myself in a while.

One

This guy is one today.

One reason to stay healthy.
One reason to keep setting a good example.
One reason to continue trying, despite the discouraging outcomes.
One reason why my life is so full of joy.
One.
Wow.