Day Two Success

Working out with Steve when he got home last night was fantastic!  We both did very well for as out of shape as we both are.  Neither one of us has done anything physical, (snorkeling in the Caribbean aside), in the last three months.  It's truly disgusting how quickly the human body reverts back to Jabba the Hutt form.  We really were created to be extremely active beings.  I'd estimate that there were a total of 10 minutes in the 38 minute work out that we just couldn't do.  Those 10 minutes were peppered throughout the entire work out.  Insanity is interval training, so there are regular 30 second rest breaks.  Old, fat people like us need more than 30 seconds of rest to get our heart rates back down.  I feel like we did well though, and it was so much better to work with someone else.  The one drawback was that Steve was grumpy as all get out for the rest of the night.  He was tired.  I get that.  I'm super grumpy when I'm tired too. 

My quandary now is this.  Do I put up with Steve being nasty grumpy for a few hours every night in order to have a work out partner?  Or do I just suck it up and work out on my own, and let him work out at his preferred time, before work?  I guess we will have to discuss it together.  I really need to find some friends here!  Some friends who don't work all the time, so they can work out with me. 

Tonight is going to be interesting.  Steve and a few other guys from work are going to help another guy from work move some furniture after work.  So he will be home late.  Then, there's trick or treating to be done.  We are going to have to plan carefully in order to fit Insanity in there somewhere.  I have faith in us, though!

First Day Fail - Bad Attitude

As the title of this post suggests, I completely failed my first day of the Insanity Challenge.  Steve got up at 4:45 in the morning, like a good doobie, and did his very first ever Insanity work out.  I couldn't get myself up at any time of the morning, afternoon, or evening to do my umpteenth Insanity work out.  I concluded that I needed more motivation than just an obscure prize that's nine weeks away.  Nine weeks.  That's more than two months.  I can't be motivated by something that's going to happen that far in the future!  I  need immediate motivation!  I'm a here and now kind of gal!  I asked Steve if he would try being my work out partner, and wait until he got home from work to do his work out.  He was reluctant, because he is tired when he gets home from work.  I pointed out to him that he was most likely tired when he got up at 4:45 in the morning, but he still did it.  He loves me, loves me, loves me, so he acquiesced.  Today I will do my first work out while he does his second.  On the bright side, my extreme laziness has given him the leg up, and therefore extra motivation to out do me.  At the rate my attitude toward Insanity, and weight loss in general, is going, he won't have to put forth much effort at all to out do me.  *sigh*  But he does love me, love me, love me, so he is going to help me today.  I don't know about tomorrow, but today he will help. 

My mental attitude toward weight loss is not surprising.  My mental attitude is the same as countless others who have previously tried, in vain, to loose weight.  If you read any weight loss books, or go through any weight loss program, they all begin with the same words. 
"The reason you failed before is that you didn't make a lifestyle change.  Our program is a lifestyle, and therefore guarantees success!  Just change a few parameters of your existing lifestyle, and you will be thin and healthy in no time!"

Even though you already know what these parameters of your existing lifestyle are that you must change, I'm going to list them here the way they would be listed in any weight loss book, or program if they were being completely honest.

1.  Do not eat or drink anything that gives you joy or pleasure.  If you derive joy or pleasure out of something you've put in your mouth, for the love of Fred, SPIT IT OUT!!!  Keep in mind that the word "palatable" is a word only fat people value.  Food is fuel, and fuel is not tasty, it's a tool.  You must fuel your body with joyless food and beverage at least six times a day.  Eating this many times a day won't at all hinder you from getting any work done.  You need to learn to multi task anyway.

2.  Embrace hunger!  Hunger is your friend!  Yes, I know you are eating constantly, but if you ever fill up on any of those "fueling sessions" then you're doing it wrong.

3.  Exercise until you vomit, and do it every day.  It doesn't matter what you do, or how long you do it, as long as the end result is puke.  Do you need to join a gym?  That's completely up to you.  Can you drive yourself hard enough to vomit on your own, or do you need a fitness nazi to help drive you that hard?  The choice is yours.  Can't fit this into your schedule?  Change your schedule to work around your fitness.  Your boss won't mind a bit.  In fact, he/she will admire your tenacity. 

4.  Sleep at least 8-10 hours within a 24 hour period.  Preferably all at once.  If you need to go to bed before the kids do, and get up after they are already at school in order to get in all 8-10 hours, go ahead.  Your family, and job, will understand. 

5.  Drink water until you are urinating every 15 minutes.  Once you have achieved this urinary goal, keep drinking water so that you can keep up the urinary pace.  Your co-workers won't mind your constant trips to the bathroom one bit.

See?  Easy weight loss plan!  Go ahead, make this your lifestyle.  Your family, friends, and job will love you for your efforts!

And I wonder why I'm still fat!

New Insanity Challenge

The first title of this post was, "What Have We Done???"  but I decided to be more positive this cold Monday morning.  As the current title suggests, I am starting Insanity back up.  This time, I am not alone in my efforts.  Steve and I have decided to do Insanity together.  Together but separately, actually.  We have made it a competition.  We will be competing to see who can loose more inches, more bulk, more clothing sizes.  We will do this by percentage, of course, since we are nowhere near the same size to begin with. 

As you may, or may not, have noticed, I didn't do very well with Insanity last summer.  The program is six days a week, for nine weeks straight.  I never made it to six days a week.  The closest I ever came was five days the first week.  After that, it was four, if I was really good, but mostly just two and three days here and there for a few weeks before I quit altogether.  Results?  Not really. 

It's not that the program is overly difficult, it's more that it's not fun.  It's not Krav Maga, which is the most fun I've ever had with a physical activity.  Not being fun, mixed with 45 - 60 minutes a session, six days a week for nine weeks is a formula for failure, right out of the box.  Unless, of course, you have something, or someone to keep you accountable for your work out sessions.  That's what Steve and I are hoping to do/be for each other with our competition.  We've never had a competition for anything before.  This should be interesting.  I'm not going to tell you about the prize for the winner.  It's personal.  I will say this about it; if it doesn't motivate us, there is NOTHING in the world that will!

We have two huge obstacles in our way during the program.  Week four happens to be the week of Thanksgiving, and week nine, the last week of the program, is the week of Christmas.  Can we do it??  Can we work through Thanksgiving week and Christmas week??  I guess we will find out! 

Today is day one, week one. Steve got up at 4:45 this morning and did his work out before he went to work.  I stayed cozy and warm in bed.  Now it's my turn.  As soon as Gabriel leaves for school, in about 25 minutes, I'll get my work out on.  I will banish all thoughts of going back to bed, since Nathan isn't up yet, and concentrate on the prize at the end.  Here I go...

Double Digit Diva

 

 It's hard to believe it, but this baby turned 10 years old this month. I really don't know how it happened, but it did. I sure don't remember authorizing that!

 

 

 

 

 

We had two different birthday parties for her.  She had one quiet one at home with us, and one fun one at a place called Plaster Palace with her friends.  By far, the party at Plaster Palace was the most fun for her.  I had an incredible sinus infection on her actual birthday, which is when we had the small party for her with us.  (It was the first sinus infection I've had in almost 8 years where the left side of my face swelled up from hair line, to jaw line.  I had to ice it down so I could open my eye all the way.)  Steve took up the reigns and made the dinner of her choice for her, and picked up her favorite cake from Publix.
Plaster Palace is a craft shop that has shelves and shelves of plain figures made out of plaster.  You can pick whatever figure you want, and sit down at a table and paint it however you want to paint it.  They provide everything you need, including smocks.  Once you are finished painting, you have the option of having glitter put on your piece, then the ladies at Plaster Palace spray your piece with a sealant.  Since it's plaster, and not ceramic, you can take your piece home with you that day.  Annalise and her friends love creating things, so they really loved that they could pick out something and paint it.  When you have a birthday party at Plaster Palace, you get to eat pizza and cake after you are finished painting your piece.  The birthday child also gets to put their hand print on the wall in the party room.  It's a pretty sweet deal!  No fuss or clean up or anything for the parents of the birthday child! 

Pictures from both parties are at www.flickr.com/photos/animagusthree/

So now I've got two children in double digits, and one who refuses to get out of diapers.  I just can't believe my first two babies are so grown up.  On the other hand, I don't think Nathan will ever grow up at all!!!

First Experience With Marching Band

This year, Gabriel is in 8th grade.  He was in band last year, and is in band again this year.  He plays the bassoon.  He was the only bassoon in the whole band last year.  This year, there is another bassoon in beginning band.  Anyway, this year the LAJH 8th grade band was invited to play with two different high school bands during their schools football game.  Last Friday, they played with the Clay High School marching band.  Next Friday, they will play with the Middleburg High School marching band.  I hope to god that Middleburg has a better band than Clay does!  Clay High School has the worst marching band I've ever seen in my life!  Their band director is pathetic!!  I can't even go into everything that was wrong with this band, and the experience the 8th graders had with them.  I will say this, though, Gabriel will NOT be going to Clay High next year.  Like I said before, I hope the  Middleburg High experience is better. 
Here are some pictures from the Clay High marching experience.

Here they come!

This is the only time you will ever see a bassoon in a marching band.  Well, except for next week, when he will be with a different marching band.

Yes, this marching band took off their jackets and played half dressed until half time. 

They got dressed again for half time.

I LOVE this picture!

New Floors, Second Installment

In my last post, I told you that we had new flooring put in most of the house.  I also said that the floors were JUST put in, and that the pictures reflected that.  Here are some pictures of the floors after we've lived with them a few weeks, and cleaned them a few times.  I also want to mention that we LOVE this tile!!!  Its wonderful!  It's easy to clean, and it looks spectacular, and it's so much quieter than the laminate was.  It's fantastic!!  If you live in the south, because having tile all through your house in the north is just plain freezing, I highly recommend tile throughout the entire house!  As soon as it's financially possible, all the kids' rooms and their bathroom will be tiled.  (Our bathroom already has tile.)

Imaging this room painted in Valspar's Blue Haze.  Pretty, eh?

My dream is to repaint our bedroom the blue and gray that is in the bedspread. 

 

The two remaining rooms with carpet, Gabriel and Annalise's rooms.  Their bathroom, to the left, is one of two rooms left that have laminate.  Nathan's room is the other room with laminate.