Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Hurts so good!

I love feeling sore – it lets me know I really did something! It tells me that I’ve pushed my muscles past their comfort level and they will respond in kind by growing stronger. One of the great things about starting Harder2Kill – was not only as an outlet for me to share my experiences, but it keeps me accountable too. When I’m active, when I’m good, when I’m “full-force” I don’t struggle for topics to write about. The lessons learned keep coming. 

So after the past few weeks of slacking, I’m so happy to report that I’m sore! Not injured – just sore – and it hurts so good! Monday after my unfortunate run-in with a deer, I still got a really good workout. It was great to lift again. Since I had not been consistent at C3 for a few weeks – I had not lifted. I still feel too new at it to go down to our home gym and lift. But with my husband’s guidance, I was able to. Tuesday I ran 3 miles with my neighbor and having her company – kept me from remembering that I was convinced I couldn’t run more than 1. (p.s. there’s a lesson in there about not setting limitations on yourself.) When I met her on the street my first words were, “I’ll be shocked if I make it a mile.” So much for self-confidence and positive outlook…. But with great conversation and music – I didn’t notice I had overshot my 1 mile “goal”. Today I made it to C3 and happy to report – no wildlife was harmed along the way. The workout was great (until burpees – but they always suck). Found my 1RM for Shoulder Press (85#) and survived 4 rounds of row sprints, burpees and kettlebell swings.

And wouldn’t you know it – nutrition is cleaning up nicely too J I don’t have the mental fortitude right now for a sugar detox cycle (mama needs her wine) but the grains, dairy and “chemical sh!t storm” for the most part are well in-check. I’ll let you know when my big girl pants are loose again J but for now – just trying to forgive myself for the last few weeks and get back at it.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Ran out of excuses and straight into a deer

It’s Monday morning! Usually not something I'm overly stoked about, except this Monday was set to be the restart of my full-force approach to my fitness. Full-force is the category I put things when I’m successfully tying workouts and nutrition together. If you read this blog – you might have noticed I’ve been a bit quiet for a few weeks. I’ll confess – I’ve been hiding. I’ve fallen so far off the wagon that I’ve dreaded the effort it’s going to take to dust off and start up again. Fitness really is like a steam engine, you have to get the water boiling before any forward momentum can be achieved. Through work travel, family vacations, I-just-hiked-the-Canyon entitlement and just plain laziness – the water in my steam engine had completely cooled over the past few weeks.

And it isn’t just my activity level that cooled, disciplined nutrition fell by the wayside. I can only blame the IL State Fair for one day of the past three weeks. The rest was me – saying things like, “I’ve already been bad for lunch, sure let’s have pizza for dinner.” “Sure let’s have a drink – or five.” “Pasta sounds like a great idea!” or “I’m so hungry this morning – I’ll just swing through McD’s – can’t start work on an empty stomach.” 

So what has happened over this sabbatical from fitness? I’ll tell you – it ain’t pretty. My skin looks awful, Tums has become a daily need, and I’m up two pant sizes. The bikini I was so excited about at the beginning of summer – got pushed aside last weekend for my “old mom-tankini”. My “big girl” pants are snug (granted my “big girl pants are still 6 sizes under what I used to wear – but they are two sizes up from where I know I should be right now). So after all this – I have to call myself out on all this baloney and just get back to doing what I know works! Eat clean, move more!

On the days that you feel like dogging off, slipping or binging – let my experience serve as encouragement to stay the course. Trust me when I say – it is just easier to do the right thing and keep that fire stoked for the workouts. There isn’t a food that tastes good enough to feel like crap. For me one bad decision leads to another and another. Then viola – it’s three weeks later and I’m miserable.


So today was my start day! Alarm goes off at 4 am – feet hit the floor with no whining and zero dread. Yay Me! I was really excited as I got ready and out the door by 4:30 am. At 4:36 BAAAM! Hit a deer. 4:40 – I find myself standing on the side Business 55 just a few miles from home – horrified to have witnessed the deer fly through the air and still trying to move. I’m trying to figure out what to do and can only randomly recall a few thoughts... Call The Hubs cell phone – no answer. Call The Hubs other cell phone – no answer. Repeat. Do I need to call the police when I hit a deer? Look at the car. Is that deer hair in my grill? Is that a crack or a scratch? Dang cell phone not bright enough for flashlight!! Call The Hubs again – finally answers!!! I immediately melt in a sobbing,“I hit a Deer – I broke the car – deer still flopping – what do I do? It’s hurt but not dead. It’s flopping!!!” 5 words/millisecond recap. (P.S a lot of emotion/information for The Hubs to absorb and answer to at 4:38) While he's talking to me - other thoughts racing through my mind were, Where is the deer? Did I pull over enough? I should get back in my car. Seriously – where is the deer? Is that him? No – that is a pile of dirt. I should really get back in my car. I finally can hear my husband asking if I’m okay enough to drive home. After talking to him - I do feel better – this amazing man – stays on the phone with me to calm me down. I get home 4:47 (quite an eventful 17 minutes). He’s not too worried about the damage car – and more concerned about me. Bless Him! He briefly eyes the car in the garage and then matter of factly states, “Let’s go workout.” 

He appreciates the significance of my pledge to start my “full-force” days TODAY – no more excuses – and even “I hit a deer” isn’t going to fly for reason enough today. He looks at the WOD  and helps me with deadlifts and pull-ups and a bajillion push-ups. It was a P90X/free weight hybrid WOD – but felt great! 

Oh - about the deer. He assures me I didn’t hit it hard enough to kill it, and that it was able to still walk away. He might just be trying to make me feel better – and it’s working. I love that man for many reasons – but this morning highlights several of them. He’s my rock during my freak out moments in life. He’s my safetynet-goto-fixit guy. And today, he’s even my personal trainer to keep me on course with my fitness goals.