life according to us

The choice...to try or not to try.

2013-05-13T14:06:00.000-05:00

On May 18th my 4th session of boxing classes will start.

I’m excited.
I’m thrilled!
I’m terrified (mostly of the conditioning part).
I’m anxious.
…and I can’t wait to hear the sound of the glove hitting the bag. I know it sounds a bit on the loopy/crazy side that I like to hit things and make really awesome sounds but really…there isn’t anything else like it for me.

Oh boxing…you are one of my luvs. :)

I’ve been talking and encouraging everyone at The Journey’s Facebook page to try new things. I wrote about the three letter word “TRY” last week. Even in my classes that I taught this past week I mentioned how we need to invite our friends and encourage them to do something new.

You might be thinking…here is another fitness nut that is telling me to do something that is so easy for them. Maybe you are thinking, “Jessica…you’ve always just done this stuff. You don’t know what it’s like to try new things. “

Oh, really?!? Let’s do a quick recap to just see how I started doing some of the things that I now luv:

heavy strength training…I started this part of my journey on October 31st, 2011. (You can read all about this part of my journey on my original blog) I didn’t actually do the heavy stuff right off the bat but I started the learning process and using dumbbells and bodyweight exercises more. Before I was only doing cardio and spinning and I just wasn’t getting the scale or that pesky tape measure to move…at all. It didn’t matter what I ate. It didn’t matter how many calories I was burning on the treadmill. It didn’t matter how many minutes I spent on a cardio machine. NOTHING WAS MOVING! You know how frustrating that is to get up early every morning and not see progress? I was about ready to give up and just start sleeping in again. I reached out to a friend that was a trainer who worked in Missouri and we formed a relationship where I started to get some help from him and exercises. At some point in this 6 month process there was a moment where I realized that what I was lifting was fun and that I could really lift some heavy weight. I had a lot of inspiration from a group called Girls Gone Strong too…which I was introduced to at this point of my journey. At one point I was doing a new exercise called the Glute Hip Thrust. I was starting this exercise with a weight that I thought was heavy…that is until I saw some videos of what other woman were doing. Holy Cow! These little woman were lifting SO MUCH! There was a challenge put out by them to get to a certain weight with this exercise and after working and working on this goal…I hit it.
Spinning…my oh my…that room can be a scary one. I would walk by this room that was dark and had loud music and just keep my eyes focused on the treadmills in front of me. I would see people leaving these classes covered in sweat and wonder why in the world anyone would want to work that hard. I met a new friend at the gym who, turns out, we had a lot in common and our kids were involved in a lot of the same activities. She told me one morning that I should join her at spin class…she would be there and I could sit next to her. I blew her off and did not want any part of that class and said that maybe someday I would try it, but in my mind I really didn’t think I ever would. In my reflection of this I really didn’t think I could do this class. Mostly though…I didn’t want to do this by myself or look like a failure. What if I went to the class and she didn’t show up? What if I went and I couldn’t finish or do what was asked? One day, after a lot of asking from my friend, I did go to the class and my friend encouraged me the entire time. I can honestly say though that if I didn’t have friendships in that class I never would have gone. Today…I am teaching two spin classes at two different places in town. Who knew that would happen? Here is my first post about spin class. :)
Boxing…Once again, friendships rule. The closest that I’ve ever done to boxing was Tae-Bo during that big craze. I’ve always driven by this dingy looking building and wondered what was inside. One of my friends saw this boxing class offered through our community ed in town and asked if I wanted to join her. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to but I thought…if she is trying it I can try it with her and we can do this together. Turns out…we were both hooked with this new experience. ;) Now, would I have tried this class on my own? I doubt it. Below is a little recap of my first day at boxing class…when I walked in the gym with what I am sure was a look of pure terror.

New gym to visit. New atmosphere that I have only seen on t.v. New gym accessories. :) Today was the first day of boxing class and I have to say…I really enjoyed it. The gym is located over by the Y and I have always seen the outside and was always curious what was inside this building. There is a lot crammed in this little gym.

What I saw:

two rings (yes, I even went in them!)
a cage type of ring (not sure what that really is but I’ve seen it on tv)
lots of free weight type of equipment speed bags several large bags gloves lockers
Bibles

We started with getting in the ring. We had wraps on our hands and were all set to start. You could tell that we were all a little bit nervous and really had no idea what we were doing. The group is very encouraging though and the instructor and his son were very nice and helpful. (turns out…now that I know them more…not the instructors son) My thought of what a boxing instructor would be like changed the second I walked through the doors.

In the ring: We were taught how to hit with our left hand and throw a punch with our right. The right is really saved for the big punches and to knock someone out. Yeah…I could knock you out now. Just kidding We were supposed to visualize boxing with someone, like Ali. Pretty sure Ali would beat me up in less than a second but it was still fun.

Step 2: We got on our gloves and started hitting the bags. Wow. That was more than fun! I had sweat dripping off me (no shock there) but so did pretty much everyone else. We did a lot of intervals…hitting for a minute any way we wanted and then very fast for 30 seconds. Who knew that intervals carried into other activities like boxing? I learned how to hit with my left arm, right arm and also upper cuts. There was even a bag that was shaped like a man. Hitting that was a lot easier than a bag for some of the hits, especially the upper cut. It was a lot easier to visualize what I was hitting too. ;) Ha ha…just kidding.

Side note on the gloves: when you have gloves on you can’t do anything normal. Open up a bottle of water…nope. Wipe your face with a towel…nope. Tighten your ponytail…nope. Nothing except hit things. Such a weird feeling to not be able to use your fingers.

Step 3: Conditioning. This is the part that I don’t like so much and didn’t think I would do very well at. Sometimes we might shock ourselves what we are capable of doing though. First exercise…laying on the floor, lifting our legs up 6 inches, spreading our feet apart while having them up and bringing them back to the center. Sometimes we were supposed to hold this for 10 seconds, 20 seconds and it felt like a lot longer too. Brutal!

Second exercise: medicine ball twists. Do you know what these are? You sit on the floor, put your feet up a bit after you cross your ankles and balance basically on your butt. Someone in front of you throws you a weighted ball, you catch it and then twist to the side and then twist to the other side and then throw it back. This is repeated and you increase the number of twists by 2 with each catch. Honesty check: I thought I wouldn’t be able to do this at all. Reality: I did this with an 8 lb ball and it was not a problem at all. I got up to 10 twists. The guys in the group used a 15 pound ball and some could only do about 4 or 6. The girls all used the 8 pound (I think we could do more ladies!) and there were 3 of us that got to 10 and 2 of us could have gone more.

At the website I helped start, The Journey, we truly believe that you need to take small steps on your journey in order to get to that big picture that you have for who you want to be. But…those steps require some effort on your part, even if they are little steps. You have to TRY. This is a little word but it can have a HUGE impact on your life.

When we encourage you to TRY…sometimes that means we might also need to be the person that encourages someone else. In all three of my luvs 1) strength training, 2) spin 3), boxing…someone encouraged me to try.

Here is my challenge for you…
1) find a friend…and encourage them to try something with you that you luv. You may just be introducing them to something that will truly change their life for the better.
2) If you don’t have someone who is encouraging you…I will be your BFF and I am telling you right now, “GO TRY SOMETHING NEW!” Pretend that I am screaming that in your ear just like Jillian screams at her clients on The Biggest Loser…but I am just a tad nicer. :)
3) Need some accountability? Write us a comment or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/smallchangesbigpicture.

This is my playground

2013-04-01T22:18:00.002-05:00

Just a little something I made today :)

The Journey is the place to be if you want some changes to happen in your life.
www.smallchangesbigpicture.wordpress.com

Videos of me boxing :)

2013-03-25T15:12:00.000-05:00

The Journey

2013-03-23T17:57:00.001-05:00

What is one of the best places to get motivated to make some changes in your life? The Journey...of course!

Here is our latest photo and a few other motivating pictures that we have on our site.

If you haven't joined us yet...why are you waiting exactly?

Here is how to find us (just click on the links):
www.smallchangesbigpicture.wordpress.com
www.facebook.com/smallchangesbigpicture (you will need to be logged in to Facebook for this one)

We also have a giveaway on Monday, an Under Armour hat...so you might want to hurry up and join us so you have a chance to win.

Tonsils are bye-bye for Quinn

2013-03-18T20:05:00.002-05:00

We tried to get a picture of the humungo tonsils but we mostly just got a picture of his cruddy nose. :)

We have had a few months now of getting ready for today...surgery day.

Quinn got his tonsils out today and it has been a process...a process of anxiety, sadness, the uncertain and now...the pain.

This morning we checked-in at 9am and he went in for surgery a little bit after 10. He was hungry but he did really well and really didn't complain about not eating and drinking as much as I thought he would. (I was starving and ended up raiding the vending machines while he was in surgery...I tried not to eat in front of him but I am used to eating a lot of food pretty much all morning long)

After surgery was a little bit different.

I could hear Quinn down the hall as he was leaving the recovery room and he was not happy and was just ready to be held by his mommy or daddy. He had a lot of thrashing and kicking at us...and screaming. He had lots of screaming. I would say that he doesn't have a great sense of pain management. He does have some great words though and he knew what he wanted when he repeated over and over, "I want to go home."

Quinn had a few doses of some pain medication to help calm him down a bit and after about 2 hours of holding him and getting him back to normal a little bit...we got to go home. The ride home was eventful and he almost took my arm off as I was trying to hold his hand while he was screaming...but he just wanted to rest and be held. Who could blame him for that?

He is actually sleeping now and will be up soon with some more screaming I am sure...but I wanted to share a few pictures from our day and quotes from today:

Quinn:
"I want to go home." - said this about a million times today
"Help me, momma." - this one just about breaks your heart

Micah
"Where are his tonsils? Did Quinn get to bring them home?"

Checking out his bracelets. 1 for his name. 1 for his allergies.

Little Quinn before surgery. He was very brave...and had a little bit of help with that. ;)

The screaming and kicking finally stopped long enough to enjoy a popsicle.

The only thing that he wanted to do...play DS...other than going home.

1 to 2 weeks of this (probably more like the 2)...someone is wanting his mommy.

Update on workouts and The Journey

2013-02-27T10:41:00.001-06:00

I wrote a month or so ago that I could tell something was going to happen...something big and I just wasn't sure what that "big" change would be. Not sure if this is the full spectrum of what that change is but I will say that The Journey (the website my friend and I have as well as a Facebook page) is growing. I'm pretty excited about it and there are a lot of others that are too.

On Monday we had A LOT of views on our website and the numbers of "likes" on our page grew to something that I was just imagining would happen in 4 months or so. All it took was 1 day. I was pretty much in awe all day on Monday.

The reason why we had a ton of views that day was because the story of my journey was put out on The Huffington Post. I am very thankful that they shared my story because I can already tell that many others who are just like me are being inspired to make changes just because the story was published.

While I saw the numbers grow and grow, literally with each click of the refresh button, I knew that The Journey was here for a reason. I also read a few messages from woman that wanted help, were reaching out for help and ready to change. The problem though...they just didn't know how to make changes that would work. Their comments in their messages sounded so familiar.

My life is getting a little bit on the busy and crazy side and so I'm going to stop recording how much weight I am lifting on my blog. I just don't have time to keep track of it and although it is really cool to see what I'm doing I am realizing that my number is going to be one gigantic number by the time this year is over. :)

I am tracking my workouts and I will continue to post those...when I reach a goal that I have for myself I will share that as well...cause those are just cool. :)

Tuesday, February 26th...taught spin class (55 minutes)

Wednesday, February 27th

Barbell Squat:
- 105 lb x 5 reps (+70 pts)
- 115 lb x 5 reps (+75 pts)
- 105 lb x 5 reps (+70 pts)
- 105 lb x 5 reps (+70 pts)
Push Press:
- 60 lb x 8 reps (+44 pts)
- 50 lb x 8 reps (+41 pts)
- 50 lb x 8 reps (+41 pts)
One-Arm Dumbbell Row:
- 40 lb x 6 reps (+45 pts)
- 37.5 lb x 6 reps (+45 pts)
- 37.5 lb x 6 reps (+45 pts)
Seated Calf Raise:
- 110 lb x 15 reps (+22 pts)
- 110 lb x 8 reps (+20 pts)
- 110 lb x 8 reps (+20 pts)
Seated Leg Curl:
- 70 lb x 15 reps (+17 pts)
- 70 lb x 9 reps (+16 pts)
- 70 lb x 8 reps (+15 pts)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl:
- 17.5 lb x 10 reps (+34 pts)
- 17.5 lb x 8 reps (+33 pts)
- 17.5 lb x 8 reps (+33 pts)
Cycling (stationary):
- 0:05:00 (+5 pts) ...my warmup
Elliptical Trainer:
- 0:06:00 || Easy (+24 pts)...my cooldown with intervals of 30 seconds on/30 seconds off

100 lb Barbell Squat

2013-02-26T09:54:00.001-06:00

I haven't posted my workouts in awhile...vacation sort of got in the way of my workouts. I did get lots of walking in though!

I have had a number in my mind for what I wanted to squat...100 pounds. It really seems like a long ways off when you start at just using your bodyweight. When did I start squatting? Hmm...can't even remember...but it does seem like forever ago.

I've worked all my way up the numbers though and can now officially say that I can barbell squat 100 pounds (as of yesterday!). Funny thing...I didn't even know I did it until this morning when I added up my weights.

Side note...I am sore today and can feel all those muscles that helped me get to that 100 pounds. It's one of those good pains though. ;) I am now at 115 pounds and could go up just a little bit more but I am very close to my limit for now at about 5 reps.

Now...I want to get to 150 pounds. This will take a bit to get there but that is my next goal for a barbell squat. Little bit at a time and one day I will make this goal too.

Workout on Monday, February 25th, 2013

Barbell Squat:
- 100 lb x 9 reps (+78 pts)
- 95 lb x 9 reps (+76 pts)
- 95 lb x 9 reps (+76 pts)
Barbell Hip Thrust:
- 125 lb x 8 reps (+45 pts)
- 125 lb x 8 reps (+45 pts)
- 125 lb x 12 reps (+48 pts)
Chin-Up:
- 6 reps || assisted || 75 lb (+13 pts)
- 6 reps || assisted || 80 lb (+11 pts)
- 5 reps || assisted || 80 lb (+10 pts)
Push-Up:
- 10 reps (+19 pts)
- 8 reps (+15 pts)
- 8 reps (+15 pts)
Bent Over Barbell Row:
- 30 lb x 15 reps (+29 pts)
- 30 lb x 15 reps (+29 pts)
- 30 lb x 15 reps (+29 pts)
Face Pull:
- 47 lb x 15 reps (+27 pts)
- 47 lb x 8 reps (+24 pts)
- 47 lb x 8 reps (+24 pts)

Florida...the beach

2013-02-19T20:46:00.001-06:00

Today was just a little bit of awesomeness with some sunshine and shells.

Quinn got soaking wet in his jeans and tshirt but had so much fun while he played. It was adorable. He just roamed the beach exploring and had fun.

Micah gathered shells too and got the most probably out of all the kids. He made some great castles though! He even tried to bury his legs in the sand.

Sid was in heaven. :). She got shells, played in the water and was in awe. So cute!

Did we wear suits or bring clothes to change in? Nope. Did everyone get wet in one way or another? Yep. Was it fun? It was awesome!

Animal Kingdom

2013-02-19T20:45:00.001-06:00

The kids were a bit tired today but we got through everything and still had a good day.

It was pretty crowded today until about. 4:30...the Africa and Asia areas were pretty crazy.

The Safari ride in Africa was our first ride and pretty cool. This was a few of our favorites.

We went on a dinosaur ride that was really awesome but probably wasn't the best ride for a 5 year old. We had some screaming going on. :)

The parade was pretty neat...such s different feel to have really happy people come up to you and give high fives. Rochester parade is not quite the same.

Here are a few pics of our day!

To Chris...Happy Valentine's Day

2013-02-13T22:50:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day, Chris!

I haven't been to a store without you for about 3 weeks because "family outings" seem to always be happening or we have someone sick and we can't go anywhere (a.k.a. also the last 3 weeks).

Since I havent' been anywhere and I couldn't get out tonight because Micah was sick, this will just have to do for Valentine's Day.

You've supported me in many ways these last 13 years (almost)...from my crazy business hours, working with Teen MOPS, the kids' good and not so good days...and my good and not so good days. You have been with me and supported me as I have been on my journey to get healthier and I appreciate your support (although one of these days I will be making stuffed peppers and you will like them) :)

You are my favorite husband. :)

.

I know that you would LOVE to have one of these little animals. Yeah...I'm not ready for that. You can have this picture though and keep staring out the window at our neighbors' dog. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!
-Love, Me

The Power Rack

2013-02-13T09:44:00.002-06:00

I'm slacking on the posts lately but I think I am just gearing up for some major posting next week with photos. :) We are heading to a little bit warmer climate than Minnesota and will soon be seeing a very pretty castle.

At the moment I should be thinking of what to pack but I am just trying to get rid of a headache...which isn't an easy thing to do when there are 8 kids who seem to have no volume control. This is day number 3 or 4 of the headache but at least the sore throat, most of the coughing and congestion are all gone. We have 2 others in the family that are not in as great of shape though and are at the doctors office now...hopefully getting some medicine to get over this yuck a little faster. A plane ride with a cold won't be much fun.

My goal is to update my workouts today so that will be something to do later...I can't wait to see how much I have lifted. The total isn't huge because I have been sick and haven't done all of my workouts each day but it is still better than sitting on the couch doing nothing.

I did want to stay in bed this morning and sleep. I love sleeping. :) I did get up though and went to the gym and my body was fighting me every step of the way this morning. I am so glad that I got up though and went because I had a GREAT workout at the gym.

I have wanted to try something at the gym and it is just one of those things that are a bit on the intimidating side. Why big pieces of metal with other pieces of metal on them seem to be BIG SCARY THINGS really is beyond me...but I was set out to figure that out today. This is the machine that I was going to conquer today!

It really doesn't look like much but it is missing a few pieces...a barbell and weights.

This power rack was open today at the gym and I've had my eye on it for awhile. Usually it is busy with guys lifting heavy stuff...doing deadlifts or squats or who knows what else. This morning though it was almost like there was a light on it and I was supposed to notice that there wasn't a single person close to this and that today was the day to try something new. Ahhhh!

I warmed up and then I beelined it over before someone else could grab it.

What to do, what to do? I wanted to do some squats today but first I had to figure out the best way to use the machine. After one failed attempt I realized that maybe standing the other way would work better. And then..it was like magic. :) I added more weights and realized that I can squat a lot more than what I thought I was capable of.

I had so much fun! (That may seem really odd for a lot of people...but at 5:45am today I was squatting 95 pounds and I could have done a lot more. I can't wait to load the bar up again and see how heavy I can really go.)

Boys...you'd better move over because that power rack now has another regular user.

Social ice

2013-02-09T23:15:00.001-06:00

Finally feeling better!

2013-02-06T10:52:00.000-06:00

Where are my posts? I didn't disappear...I've been sick!

Today I actually feel good, woke up with some energy and am thinking that I am almost done with this 7 day stretch of illness. I felt terrible through most of the days and sleep was one of my favorite things to do and what my body needed. I didn't even want to do crunches...that right there says a lot. :)

I don't skip the gym very often and I had a 4 day stretch of no workouts...and if I don't go to the gym I must really be sick. I'm almost back to normal...just a nagging cough that my inhaler should help take away soon.

The kids have either had this or are currently in the middle of it. Micah has a pocket of cough drops with him for school but he doesn't seem to be lacking on the energy part like I was...just has a bit of a cough once in awhile. Chris is sick though and may be heading to the dr to see if medicine is needed to help him out.

Some exciting news...!!!
Last night I also taught my very own cycling class...MINE! I had a great time and was super excited to see who might show up for the class. The gym is a little bit different at night and not my favorite but my job is to teach and encourage those that attend, so that is what I did. I was told that my class is a lot harder than the class taught by another instructor so at least I know I was challenging that person. She seemed to have fun and was hooting and hollering throughout the class too which makes it seem like she was having fun ~~or she was just doing that to psyche her body out that she was going to collapse~~. I'm also glad that I'm not the "easy" teacher. I don't want to be the class that people attend and just don't reach their full potential with what they are actually capable of doing. If you are going to an exercise class you might as well work hard...get the most out of it, right? Go big or go home...that is what I tell myself when I go to the gym. If I'm not there to work hard then I might as well just go back to sleep.

There was one overly critical person in the class that I have had the opportunity to meet before and he was his usual self...not as bad as normal but he did have to throw in how he thought I should be sitting on the bike and where my hands should be on the bike. He may have made a comment about my resistance level too (which he has no idea what I have it set at) but I had already tuned him out so not sure what he actually said. Not much I can say or do for someone who doesn't respect you and is full of themselves so my only response to him was that what I was doing works for me. I'm not sure that he should be talking about my form since his was not perfect...I didn't tell him that part but did mention form several times to the group when his was just horrible.

Class was fun...I was exhausted after it and need to figure out what and how to eat before class and how to get some more water in before class too. I am used to the morning routine but this night stuff I have to figure out.

My workout today was awesome! I have learned two things though in the last couple of workouts:

having a spotter is a good thing to have when doing a bench press. :) There is a story with that but to sum it up...I hadn't tried this exercise before and I decided to just do it one day last week. I was a little too confident in my abilities ;) and you can guess what happened. I did tell someone at the gym that is a regular who was by me to just watch and if they see me struggling to help me out. Well...I was putting the barbell back after I was done and as the bar was up on the rack on one side but stuck on my chest on the other side and I was unable to lift it back up...I received some help. Since then I have a few people that will help spot me and are women that can at least assist me with the weights. One person even offered this morning so right away I did some bench presses today.
when doing a back squat with a barbell it may be a good thing to use a squat rack or power rack to hold the bar for you. Why, you ask? I've now reached the point where I am squatting more than what I can successfully push press...meaning...I usually lift a barbell that has weights on it, push it up over my head and then gently put it behind my head and rest it on my shoulders. I will then do squats and then pull the bar back over my head when I am done. Today's example would be why...I went to do my first squat and I couldn't even pull the barbell up into my hands and flip my wrists to hold it before I push it up over my head. I tried once. Fail. I decided I would try one more time and just see if I could do it because I really thought that I could do it. Second time (with an old guy watching me like I was crazy) I did it! After I finished my squats and the barbell was still on my shoulders waiting for me to bring it back over my head I had a big discussion in my head how I was going to get this off of my shoulders. I had a moment where I thought I might ask the old guy by me to help me out but then just decided that if I got it on my back that I can get it off of my back. Piece of cake ...not really. I did it though and know that next time I use that much weight it will only be on a squat rack.

Here is my workout today:

Barbell Bench Press:
- 55 lb x 10 reps (+59 pts)
- 75 lb x 2 reps (+38 pts)
- I had a spotter today...a friend from boxing class had a few minutes to spare and said she would help me if I wanted so I did these right away today.
Barbell Squat:
- 75 lb x 8 reps (+65 pts)
- 65 lb x 8 reps (+60 pts)
- 65 lb x 8 reps (+60 pts)
- I'm gonna have to start using the power rack for squats...that first set was almost too heavy to do a push press to get it over my head and onto my back
Push Press:
- 75 lb x 1 reps (+23 pts)
- 65 lb x 1 reps (+22 pts)
- 65 lb x 1 reps (+22 pts)
- 65 lb x 6 reps (+42 pts)
- 55 lb x 7 reps (+41 pts)
- 55 lb x 7 reps (+41 pts)
One-Arm Dumbbell Row:
- 35 lb x 10 reps (+49 pts)
- 30 lb x 10 reps (+47 pts)
- 30 lb x 10 reps (+47 pts)
Seated Leg Curl:
- 60 lb x 8 reps (+14 pts)
- 60 lb x 8 reps (+14 pts)
- 60 lb x 8 reps (+14 pts)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl:
- 15 lb x 15 reps (+35 pts)
- 15 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)
- 15 lb x 10 reps (+33 pts)
Walking (treadmill):
- 0:06:00 || 0.5 mi (+22 pts)
- 0:06:00 || 0.5 mi (+22 pts)
- warm up for set 1 cool down/intervals for set 2 (Intervals at 6.5mps for 30 seconds and then walk at 3 mph for 30 seconds)

Big 8!

2013-02-03T22:49:00.001-06:00

Today not only did I officially become a certified indoor cycling instructor (woot woot!) but I also wrapped gifts and decorated a door for my soon to be 8 year old!

Can't believe Micah is going to be 8!

Here are a few "things to know" about Micah:
-worn glasses since he was 3
-He LOVES Pokemon
-he is constantly wresting with Quinn
-he is a very loud child
-he can be impulsive but also sensitive
-he LOVES food. Loves is actually an understatement.
-he likes to help people
-he is very strong
- he has no enamel on his molars and he has just adapted to living with that very well...his teeth are very sensitive
- I can see how Micah could be a ring leader at school...possibly in the class clown type of way. People listen to him so I'm not sure if that is good or bad at the moment. :)
- he loves his sister...a lot...and his brother too
- he likes back rubs
- he wears a size 10 usually on clothes
- he is smart but he has to learn to slow down in school so he can actually get the right answers
- he really enjoys Cub Scouts!

And...
- he is a very good boy and we love him.

Day 3...no gym

2013-02-02T12:17:00.000-06:00

My throat hurts, I could hardly talk this morning and I'm coughing.

Good news though...I am able to eat again without feeling sick and my blood pressure seems to be a lot better. Not sure why but I am glad. Feeling like I am going to throw up each time I stand just wasn't very fun.

I am on day 3 of no gym. I know that I am not feeling very good because I am actually ok with not being at the gym. That is not typical behavior for me so it is a big step for me to rest, take it easy and listen to my body say "SLEEP!". It really was just a matter of time before I got sick though...I believe 8 out of 8 kids that I was watching the other day were doing a combo of nose wiping, sneezing and coughing...in no particular order. My hands are raw because I wash them so much but sneezing in my face was bound to get me at some point. I also joke that Lysol and bleach are my perfume but I am kindof serious about that. Everything gets sprayed once if not twice during the day...and sometimes more if the kids are really going to town.

I am on the mend though and one of these days will be back to the gym! Until then...I am eating, sleeping and trying to breathe.

Rest here

2013-01-31T11:23:00.000-06:00

It is a mandatory rest day for me. That means...no gym this morning and no exercising with the kids today. :( It makes me a bit on the sad side.

My body is telling me that it is a little bit on the screwed up side and today I am just going to try to figure out how to make the feelings of dizziness, lightheaded and nauseous go away after I eat something.

I've decided (and yes, this was with a bit of google Rx advice) that I either am:

not eating enough based on my workout intensity level,
not drinking enough water
not getting enough sleep
my blood sugar is just wacked out and I need to eat a little bit more of the good carbs

#1 My workouts have increased this week quite a bit and it could very well be the reason for my body going crazy. I did deadlifts galore the other day and that is not only intense physically but mentally. (I usually do between 20 to 30 deadlifts at a time...I did 127 different types of deadlifts in one morning) I do eat quite a bit and feel like I eat all the time but it still probably not enough. One thing that I have a hard time with is eating more if I already feel full. When you lift weights you are burning calories all day long and your metabolism is working extra hard...so this could be the issue. Plan 1...eat more food that is good for me. This might mean that I open up a can of green beans and just eat those or pop in a bag of vegetables in the microwave so I have something quick and easy. I don't have lots of time to make food during the day but these are quick and easy options for me. I am also going to be making smoothies again with fruits and veggies and protein powder and see if that helps. I always felt good after I ate those and they are good for you too!

#2 I think I'm drinking enough water but just to make sure...I am being very conscious about it. I have decided that I won't be buying any more pop to keep at the house for myself. I have about 10 cans left of Diet Pepsi and then they will be gone. I felt better when I wasn't drinking it so although it pains me to say goodbye I know that it is a must. I will save the pop drinking for the dining out experience if I am truly wanting to drink a carbonated beverage.

#3 Sleep...yeah, I don't do much of that. I should work on that. I think about going to bed at about 9pm but my kids just went to bed. I've been up since 4:35am and I finally have a moment with no children to take care of or work with. This is my only "me" time (other than the gym) and sometimes I just need to fold the laundry and watch a show that is not always appropriate for little ears or eyes. I do need to work on sleeping though. I know this. I also have a little person in our house who doesn't always sleep the best. I am hoping that after April 1st we will be back to children sleeping all night again (our little one is having surgery mid-March...so after he recovers and is pain free we will be close to April.

#4 This is a very real possibility. It pains me but I am trying to eat more carbs...not the bad ones...but the good ones. I have kept my carb intake very low and I know that it is lower than the average person. No bread, no pasta, no sugar...no chocolate :( ...it has been tough and my body was ok with it and working hard to get the fat off. I became a person that started saying, "wow, that is really rich (or sugary)". My body may just be telling me that it is time to eat a little bit more of the good carbs and based on how much I lift weights it might be time to increase the protein and carbs a little bit more in a good ratio.

UPDATE: It's my blood pressure...again. I am changing all of the above. Today is better than yesterday and I can actually eat something without feeling sick right away.

Phase 2 workout has started!

2013-01-28T11:36:00.003-06:00

I've been slacking a bit on recording my workouts and the weight lifted. It is all up to date though now!

Last week was my deload week so I was really supposed to take it easy and have some fun with my workouts...so I did. My friend and I also launched a website to help others as they are figuring out and starting their journey...and it is called The Journey. (You can click on that...it will send you to our website...which is pretty awesome...and everyone in the world should be part of this...cause it is just that awesome) :)

The words that I read about my workout this week...and this is word for word..."you better be mentally prepared to train hard". For most people this would probably scare them. For me...it just gives me a little boost to work extra hard.

This phase (which is the next 4 to 6 weeks) is all about high intensity. There are words and phrases in this workout that I am learning about and trying that I have never heard before. For me...this is fun, exciting and a little bit on the nervous side. Today was all about figuring things out and learning as I went along. All of the exercises I did today I have done before...I just had to learn what the new terms were...such as RPT and R/P. I still need my chicken scratch notes that I made for myself but I have a lot better understanding than I did at 5am today.

Here is my workout that I did this morning! (on a side note...I just tried to shovel some ice that we have and my arms are pretty sore...I had to stop shoveling)

Barbell Box Squat:
- 40 lb x 8 reps (+33 pts)
- 40 lb x 8 reps (+33 pts)
- 40 lb x 8 reps (+33 pts)
- 40 lb x 9 reps (+34 pts)
- 40 lb x 9 reps (+34 pts)
- I was supposed to do these RPT and mixed it up...did it R/P instead. Also only supposed to do 3 sets and just increase the weights more. Will have to change this for next time around and increase the weight.
- On the squats...I am needing to increase the weights and also need to use the right machine so I get more comfortable and can do squats a little bit safer. Venturing into this new machine is a whole new thing for me...I have to get the nerves to do it first...and then find it when it is actually free to use.
Standing Barbell Shoulder Press (OHP): RPT (Reverse Pyramid Training)
- 60 lb x 7 reps (+78 pts)
- 50 lb x 7 reps (+73 pts)
- 50 lb x 7 reps (+73 pts)
One-Arm Dumbbell Row: (Reverse Pyramid Training)
- 35 lb x 8 reps (+47 pts)
- 30 lb x 10 reps (+47 pts)
- 30 lb x 10 reps (+47 pts)
- need to increase weights next time because I can do more
Seated Calf Raise: R/P

Rest/Pause (perform a set to failure...rest 30 seconds...do another set to failure...rest 30 seconds...1 more set to failure)
- 110 lb x 15 reps (+22 pts)
- 110 lb x 10 reps (+21 pts)
- 110 lb x 10 reps (+21 pts)
Seated Leg Curl: R/P
- 60 lb x 15 reps (+16 pts)
- 60 lb x 8 reps (+14 pts)
- 60 lb x 8 reps (+14 pts)
- first time doing this...felt awkward at first
Dumbbell Bicep Curl: R/P
- 15 lb x 15 reps (+35 pts)
- 15 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)
- 15 lb x 8 reps (+32 pts)
Elliptical Trainer:
- 0:07:00 || Moderate (+53 pts)
- my finisher today: did 6 rounds of intervals...did a gradual incline every 30 seconds with increase of speed for 30 seconds, then went back down to 0 incline and speed of about 3mph for 30 seconds
Cycling (stationary):
- 0:07:00 || 2 mi (+53 pts)
- warm up...just a nice ride with some moderate resistance

The Schild Christmas 2012

2013-01-27T19:17:00.001-06:00

Christmas at the Schild house...2012. Here's a few photos from that weekend. We celebrated Christmas & a birthday for my niece...all in the same day!

Williams Family Christmas 2012

2013-01-27T19:03:00.001-06:00

Christmas is over at the Williams house! We had our last Christmas this past weekend in Illinois. Here are a few photos of our Christmas 2012 season this year with the Williams side.

Deload week...?

2013-01-23T21:23:00.000-06:00

I did not do any deadlifts today but I saw this photo and thought it was funny. :)

I've been to the gym every morning this week but it is my deload week...I am supposed to take it easy, try some new and fun things that I like to do. My mind and body are required to rest this week.

Rest is important for the body, especially when you have been working very hard and pushing yourself. What am I talking about? I am doing a workout that has several phases in it. Between the phases I am supposed to just take it down a notch. It is a much needed break but it is hard to do too when you are used to going 100% every morning and testing your limits. Most of my mornings my legs or my arms are shaking by the end of the workout. This week I am sweating but no shaking of the arms or legs today. (Ok...I did do deadlifts on my first day of my deload week...but I was so close to my goal...I just had to go after it!.

Below is my workout from today. Part of what I did today at home was a workout through The Journey. ;) If you want some fast workouts to do at home you should check it out. I also did some step-ups but couldn't find where to track that one today.

Here was my workout today:

Push Press:
- 40 lb x 10 reps (+40 pts)
- 40 lb x 10 reps (+40 pts)
- 40 lb x 10 reps (+40 pts)
Dumbbell Bench Press:
- 25 lb x 10 reps (+57 pts)
- 25 lb x 10 reps (+57 pts)
- 25 lb x 10 reps (+57 pts)
One-Arm Dumbbell Row:
- 25 lb x 10 reps (+45 pts)
- 25 lb x 10 reps (+45 pts)
- 25 lb x 12 reps (+47 pts)
Barbell Squat:
- 40 lb x 10 reps (+53 pts)
- 40 lb x 10 reps (+53 pts)
Woodchoppers:
- 35 lb x 10 reps (+25 pts)
- 35 lb x 10 reps (+25 pts)
Rowing (machine):
- 0:08:00 || 1773 m (+183 pts)
Crunch:
- 10 reps (+6 pts)
- 10 reps (+6 pts)
- 30 reps (+19 pts)
Body Weight Lunge:
- 10 reps (+15 pts)
- 10 reps (+15 pts)
- 10 reps (+15 pts)

Real moment..life the last few days

2013-01-22T14:44:00.001-06:00

It's time for a real moment...cause, trust me...life in this house is not always picture perfect.

Here is a glimpse of our last few days:

the dust in our house is so thick that I can write things in it. Does anyone else notice this or is it just me? Some of this may be because we recently remodeled a bathroom but I think it is also because it is just dusty and the furnace is going non-stop.
I have a kid with a fever that keeps coming and going today. Hard to get a little one to rest when they don't always feel good...then feel great...then feel good.
Middle child lost his glasses yesterday. We searched for 3 hours, cleaned at the same time and made the kids' beds three times...yes, three times. These are bunk beds so also not the easiest to make. Are the glasses found? Nope. No clue where they are. Does the middle child tend to be emotional when situations like this happen. Yes. Not only did we have the glasses missing and rooms turned upside down but a kid crying spontaneously throughout the day. Can we say "fun MLK Jr. Day?"
I have a little bit of frustration with a current job. Let's say that the communication level between the company and the employees is on a need-to-know basis...or "the doors are closed and we are telling you via a local newspaper" now what? type of thing. I have been told many different things and am constantly feeling like I am running up a climbing wall just to get one step ahead in this situation. Promises are made and then...oops...we lied. Do I trust anything that I am told...not a word. We are just going to go with the flow and see what the next few weeks turn out like because that will really tell me if I am still moving forward or stuck in a rut.
I like to eat chocolate...and sometimes I do.
I have some major zits right now (maybe because of the chocolate or is that really a myth?). I'm in my 30's and I shouldn't have zits. I don't like them. Get them off of me now.
I taught some classes this morning at the gym and I was a bit on the sore side still from boxing class on Saturday. Teaching an abs class while your stomach muscles are still screaming even when you sneeze...not a real fun time today. Exercise and working out has its rewards but sometimes it is a painful process...and Saturdays workout gave me pain.
I burned my arm the other day trying to eat something healthy that I have found that I like...sweet potato! I know...I'm boring...but I like them. I only at them after a workout because it is a good carb for that.

...oh...and I dropped eggs on the floor while making lunch today.

Barbell Deadlift Goal...DONE!

2013-01-21T11:29:00.002-06:00

I am not always thinking the best early in the morning and sometimes have some adding issues when working with the weights. If you ever see me just standing there at the gym it is because of 1 of two reasons:

1) I am resting or

2) I am trying to count up the weighted plates...and trying really hard not to use my fingers as I am counting. :)

Last week I thought I had hit one of my goals. I came home, added it up and realized I missed the goal by 10 pounds because I didn't add right. I was a little bit on the bummed out side but decided that I would work on this goal again next week and would just accomplish it then.

Today I was working on the barbell deadlift. I was adding weights and thinking that I was still under my goal...but it really felt heavier than last week. My mind was telling me that I had more weight to add on based on my calculations but my body was trying to explain that it was lifting some heavy stuff already today...maybe even more than last week. As I was recounting again to figure out where I was at for numbers I realized that I had already made my goal. No wonder it felt so heavy! I was pretty excited...and then realized that I could do more...so I threw on 10 more pounds.

I've been working for over a year to reach this point. Today was a good day! Now...what should my next goal for deadlifts be?

Here is what I did today for my workout:

Cycling (stationary):
- 0:07:00 || 2.5 mi (+95 pts)
- 0:05:00 || 1.5 mi (+41 pts)
- #1 warm-up. Increased resistance every minute to number 9 #2 after my workout...just a nice big climb at a constant pace as the resistance increases
Woodchoppers:
- 40 lb x 10 reps (+26 pts)
- 40 lb x 10 reps (+26 pts)
- 40 lb x 10 reps (+26 pts)
- used a 40 pound dumbbell
Goblet Squat (dumbbell):
- 20 lb x 10 reps (+40 pts)
- 20 lb x 10 reps (+40 pts)
- 20 lb x 10 reps (+40 pts)
Barbell Deadlift:
- 145 lb x 5 reps (+91 pts)
- 165 lb x 4 reps (+96 pts)
- 185 lb x 2 reps (+81 pts)
- 185 lb x 2 reps (+81 pts)
- 195 lb x 2 reps (+87 pts)
- :) Number 3 wasn't great form so I rested, put on a great song and did it again.
Push-Up:
- 10 reps (+19 pts)
Running (treadmill):
- 0:01:00 || 0.1 mi || 3 mph (+5 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0.1 mi || 6 mph (+12 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0 mi || 3 mph (+5 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0.1 mi || 6 mph (+12 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0 mi || 3 mph (+5 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0.1 mi || 6 mph (+12 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0 mi || 3 mph (+5 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0.1 mi || 6 mph (+12 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0 mi || 3 mph (+5 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0.1 mi || 6.5 mph (+12 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0 mi || 3 mph (+5 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0.1 mi || 6.5 mph (+12 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0 mi || 3 mph (+5 pts)
- 0:00:30 || 0.1 mi || 7 mph (+12 pts)
- 0:01:30 || 0.1 mi || 3 mph (+5 pts)
Dumbbell Step Ups:
- 20 reps || 8 in (+36 pts)
- 20 reps || 8 in (+36 pts)
- 20 reps || 8 in (+36 pts)
- workout #1 with The Journey www.smallchangesbigpicture.wordpress.com
Crunch:
- 5 reps (+5 pts)
- 5 reps (+5 pts)
- 5 reps (+5 pts)
- workout #1 with The Journey www.smallchangesbigpicture.wordpress.com
Body Weight Lunge:
- 5 reps (+7 pts)
- 5 reps (+7 pts)
- 5 reps (+7 pts)
- workout #1 with The Journey www.smallchangesbigpicture.wordpress.com

The Journey..."exercise" vs. "working out"

2013-01-20T17:02:00.003-06:00

If you know me...you know I'm at the gym every Monday through Friday from about 5am until 7am. I have a good 90 minutes of exercise where I end up being gross, disgusting and sometimes a bit on the smelly side.

You know what though...I am ok with that. Why? Because I know that I spent my time wisely and I "worked out". What I did that morning (especially if there is a slight stink) was worth it and my body would not only be stronger but healthier. I don't get smelly just sitting on the couch, checking my e-mail or watching my favorite shows...do you?

Today I saw something at the gym that left me a bit on the puzzled side.

Two women recently started working with a trainer, pretty sure it is a mom and daughter. Are they at the gym? Yes. Are they working out? Hmm. Not sure on that answer. Here is why...

Going to the gym or exercising = you are physically there. If you are at home exercising...you are doing the motions and finishing the task that you have, whatever is on the list or in the video that you might be doing that day. You might have some distractions around you that seem to be pulling you though. Let's say...the phone rings. If you are exercising you will pick up that phone and talk, maybe even while you finish up your last few things on your exercise list. Maybe you are riding an exercise bike and reading is something that you like to do while riding. Nothing like getting a great story read while exercising, right?!

Working out has a bit of a different definition. Working out means that you are pushing yourself, challenging your limits and making your body work hard. When you are done with your exercises you know you have accomplished something great and you are proud of yourself. If that phone rings, you are not able to answer it because every breath you are taking is going towards moving that blood in your body and there is some huffing and puffing probably going on. If you answered the phone the person on the other end may just call 9-1-1 for you because they can tell you aren't able to talk and seem short of breath. Reading a book on the bike is not even a question. You are doing intervals, climbing up some pretend hills and are focused as you are working hard at moving those pedals and keeping up that pace. If you had a book in front of you there would be drops of liquid on it because you are sweating on the pages.

The two women that I saw were "at the gym" and there wasn't any type of "working out" going on. Even with a trainer they are not pushing themselves as hard as they can, and that is their choice. How do I know that these women are just "at the gym"? When I noticed these women the other day they were walking from one side of the gym to the other with their trainer leading them. The trainer was walking to another room and kept going as these two women all of a sudden stopped in front of a tv. Side note: at 5am the news is the same news as what you see at the 10pm time slot and sometimes even before that. Nothing changes. The breaking news story that these women abruptly stopped to watch was an old story but one that they seemed to be very interested in because they were not moving. After a minute of watching the tv the trainer showed back up at their side, stared at the tv and then just looked at them with a very interesting look on her face. You could see the thoughts going through her head, "where did you go? We have stuff to do right now and watching tv is not one of those things."

These women are paying someone to train them. These women get up early in the morning a few days a week to "go to the gym" and meet with this trainer. Would I say that these women are pushing themselves and having a "workout". Not at all. They are finding excuses not to workout. Physically they are there but mentally they are not ready for this change.

If exercise was important to them, they would ignore everything around them and listen to their trainer. They would push themselves to lift one extra rep or try a weight higher than what they did before. If this process was important to them they would be at the gym on days when they weren't meeting with a trainer too.

If exercise is not important there will always be an excuse that you can find.

Did I find results because I "went to the gym" or because I had a "workout" while I was at the gym? I have people asking me what I do for exercises and to put it simply...I workout. I have never read a book or talked on the phone while exercising.

Question is...are you ready for change or are you ready to just find an excuse?

The Journey...Truth in Labeling

2013-01-18T14:04:00.000-06:00

Challenge #1.

This is our first challenge with The Journey! It is simple, will take maybe 2 minutes of your time (if that) but will give you something to think about for a few days. There is a possibility that just taking these 2 minutes may change what you put in your grocery cart the next time you are out.

Step 1: Take one thing out of your fridge, freezer or pantry that was not purchased on the outside aisles of a grocery store (you know those areas...where the produce, meat and cheese are!). Find something that is in a box...a container of something that you think really tastes good. Maybe this is your favorite cereal. This could include the tasty crackers that you munch on in the afternoon with a snack. How about that microwave popcorn you eat before bed?

Step 2: what are the first 5 ingredients that are listed? Take a few seconds and write down those 5 ingredients on our Facebook page or make a comment here. Don't be ashamed or think people will judge you for what is in your house and what you are posting. This isn't about them...this is about you.

Step 3:

How many of these ingredients are sugar or a form of sugar? Not sure? You can find out what ingredients are actually a form of sugar at this website (yes, it is a Livestrong site and no, I don't think the site has been enhanced by drugs in any way).
Can you actually pronounce all 5 ingredients?

What did I find?
I looked through some cabinets and the fridge today and found a few things...

This is what my 5 year old ate for breakfast this morning. See what the second ingredient is?

Just something else I found in the pantry. Nothing like some high fructose corn syrup
in your crackers to make you go "mmm, mmm, good", right? I know it wasn't one of the first 5
ingredients but it is still in there.

Disclaimer: I don't eat perfect. I try and do a lot better than I used to but I will never have this food stuff figured out 100%. Eating "clean" is a great for our bodies and something I would love to follow more than I do. Would I love to eat a package of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, maybe even one of those Big Cups? I would. Am I going to? Not right now. :)

What is The Journey?
We all have a journey. This site will help show you how:

to reach those fitness goals that you have with simple exercise plans and changes you can make with food choices.
get kids moving and active and away from those screens.
tips for women who juggle life with families or are just trying to be real in this virtual world.

All of this starts with one change at a time. Join us! Just "like" the page on Facebook. A website will be coming soon as well.

The Journey...now is YOUR time!

2013-01-17T22:06:00.000-06:00

A lot (and I mean...a lot!) of people have viewed the post I wrote that showed all my pictures and the amount of inches that I have lost.

Do you know how hard that was to put those photos out there? Uggghhh! It took a lot just to put that before/after post out there but it really has been good to look back at that and see that what I am doing is actually working...and it is a good reminder to keep doing what I'm doing.

The questions that I am being asked though as a result of that post are not overwhelming...but there are a lot of you out there that want some change, huh?

I want to be honest in my responses to people as I am answering these questions that have been e-mailed to me but I also want to give a somewhat different approach to this because:
1...what I am doing may not work for you.
2...I have been working very hard at this journey and have had to motivate myself probably about 95% of the time. Not everyone can do that, some may never be able to do that and really do need a support system to make changes.
3. I started out not knowing what to do and I have had to ask a lot of questions and do a lot of research. YouTube and I had a lot of special moments as we searched and viewed exercise after exercise. (By the way...there are some horrible videos out there about exercising so be careful what you watch because they aren't all correct...and some are just dumb but will make you laugh.)
4...probably one of the most important things that I have learned is that I needed to make changes slowly. If I made gradual changes it would stick and I would learn that this change was now a habit. When I tried to overhaul my entire eating and exercise plan...I would almost always go back to the beginning of bad food being shoved in my mouth on a feeding binge after I tried to eat lettuce and good food all day long. (Yes...I said all day...as in 1 day).

Are you wanting some help making some changes? It doesn't have to be fitness...maybe you are wanting some changes in another area of your life.

Are you ready for the next phase in your life? Maybe you would like some encouragement each day to keep moving forward?

A few women that want to help others are joining together to bring you an area where you can start your own journey and get support at the same time.

We will be writing tips and challenges about fitness, providing a workout that you can do at home that is great for a beginner with tips on how to challenge yourself, notes about being a woman and juggling life in general...with or without kids. Kids today are also in need of a little more movement and we want to show you how to do that with kids you might know. This should be a great way to inspire each other, provide great information and help keep each other accountable so we keep moving forward. You will be SO glad that you did when you look back at January 2013.

Right now we are on Facebook and will be posting tips and challenges soon for everyone who joins us. Click The Journey to join us! Oh...and tell your friends!