this week has been a struggle for me to find a work out that works. i started insanity and that was going pretty well. i (hated hated HATED!!) liked it, and i loved that jake was doing it with me. it was a (torturous) fun way for husband and wife to bond. but then my damn knees started acting up. mostly my right one. in the midst of one workout, we were squatting and i happened to glance at my knee and saw a huge lump on the side. my knees had been bothering me for a few weeks but i just figured i would tough it out and they would get stronger as i went. but that lump was not normal. so i decided to stop that for now, until my body gets stronger. insanity is not exactly a workout program that you should just jump into while in horrible shape. so my new plan is to get back into running and supplement with some p90x. i'm pretty excited, i have missed my time with tony horton. i like him so much more than shaun t :).
the diet part has been easy. that part is always easy for me. i have my portion sizes under control and i'm working on including more veggies. for example, one of my snacks yesterday was half a bell pepper and a handful of walnuts. i must be doing something right because at my weigh in today i have already lost 1.8 lbs and .3 % in just 5 days. so i'm feeling pretty good.
this is not just about vanity for me. yes, it is going to feel GREAT to rock the short shorts this summer, to go swimming without that annoying voice in the back of my head saying, "omg i wish i was more covered up, everyone is looking at me!" to go clothes shopping and come home feeling accomplished instead of depressed... but all of these things are just by products for what i really want. i have shit to do in my life. i have goals and dreams. i am an athlete at heart and my weight has always held me back from what i really want to do. i want to be a rock climber, to raft some III and IV rapids and know that i can trust the strength of my body to keep me in the raft (i'm not too interested in V cause, you know, i have kids to live for lol), i want to learn to box, i want to hike the Appalachian trail, i want to play soccer, i want to get scuba certified (which doesnt have as much to do with getting strong as with not wanting to be that fat chick in the wet suit in front of a bunch of random people. no thank you.) and so many other things that, yes, fat people can do, but they just plain wont enjoy it like someone who is in great shape. i'm doing this to get strong because i dont want to just "get through" these things, i want to rock that shit. i look back at myself 10 years ago, and i was so self conscience. i wore hoodies in 100 degree weather because i didnt want anyone to see my body. ugh, and i am still struggling with this. ten years from now, i do not want to still be doing this. this is no way to live my life. i am so ready to move on to the real stuff.
i developed this crazy idea last night at 1230 when i was trying to force my brain to shut off so i could go to sleep. i think i might enjoy being a personal trainer. i love fitness. i love working out (once i get on track) and i LOVE helping other people stay motivated and reach their goals. i do it all the time. if you are around me while i have my mind right, you are going to get preached to about health and fitness, there's just no way around it. a wise person once told me (lily, you'll like this) figure out what you love to do in your spare time, and then find a way to turn that into a paycheck (see, i listen when you talk). and as far as i'm concerned, the best trainers are the one who have done the journey themselves. if this idea sticks, it's going to be a great motivator to get into better shape than i ever thought i could be.
oh and, since i cant seem to get though a blog without mentioning zumba, i will probably get my zumba certification at some point too. ahh, if zumba were a man...
i'm going to tell a story that's going to sound like i'm going way off track but i promise i will tie it up in the end. let me tell you a little about florence, italy. it is so dirty. it smells like sewer and exhaust. the number of people/ square foot ratio is like 5/1. it's suffocating, hectic, and if you breathe the dirty air there for longer than an hour you're gonna have a headache. it is one of my least favorite places we've been so far. now let me tell you about my favorite place! lauterbrucken, switzerland... omg, heaven on earth. there are no roads to this village, you have to take the train. it is nestled into the side of a mountain right smack dab in the middle of the swiss alps. it is so quiet and peaceful, the people are so nice (there is simply no way to be unhappy when you are surrounded by this much beauty), the air... wow, i never knew air could smell that way. it is like an ice cold glass of cucumber water on a hot summer day. crisp, clean, it smells like mud and freshly cut grass. the mountains are commanding and majestic. there is no noise but the sound of sheep and the occasional avalanche (on the other side of the ridge, thank goodness). if i could stay there forever, i would want for nothing else in the world.
now, having spent most of my life unhealthy, and just parts here and there healthy, i compare the way i feel when i am unhealthy to florence. my body feels sick, slow, clogged up. but when i put my effort into making myself healthy with clean foods and the right activity level, i feel like lauterbrucken inside. clean, crisp, ready to take on the world. if you have spent your life being unhealthy, put in the time to learn how to be healthy. it is a wonderful feeling.
recipe of the week: Bruschetta chicken
1/4 C sun-dried tomato vinaigrette dressing
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 C low moisture, part skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 C chopped fresh basil
preheat oven to 350. combine chicken and 2 T dressing in ziploc. turn over several times to coat and refrigerate for 10 mins. remove chicken from marinade and cook in baking pan for 15 mins. meanwhile, combine remaining 2 T dressing, tomato, basil, and cheese, mix well. turn chicken over and cover with tomato mixture. bake another 15 mins.
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