Hard Work and Support

Okay, so Tuesday I could hardly walk after that race! I barely walked at work and didn’t do any workouts. It was brutal, but my feet have finally healed and I’m back at my workouts full force! Wednesday I had Zumba class. I couldn’t do some of the moves because my feet were still pretty tender, but I did all I could. Thursday they felt a lot better, so I tried to work extra hard at College Street Zumba! Friday I had a workout with Carlos and he made me run again. We did 7 sets of running the length of the studio outside then came inside and ran suicides. It was HOT! But I did it and it didn’t kill me. Carlos mentioned that my stamina is building and I did well with the running. I think I did pretty darn good too considering I’m totally not a runner!

At our Inspired! meeting Thursday, we talked about why people workout and what keeps them coming or motivated. Besides my health scare, what got me started and has kept me going is having a support system; someone that has been by my side to encourage me and literally walk with me. I think that’s crucial for anyone wanting to get healthy and workout. If you don’t have someone there to stand by you, you can make all the excuses you want and you’ll eventually give in. Having someone there to remind you of your goals is so helpful. It keeps me motivated knowing someone out there cares about my end result as much as I do. I encourage you to find that person that will help motivate you. It could be someone that is working toward the same goals or someone that you know will just be there for you. If you can’t find that person, I’d be glad to help with your accountability! Just comment or send me an e-mail and I will do all I can to help you achieve your goals.

Speaking of goals, Laurie gave me one to achieve yesterday. She told me to do 20 minutes of walk/run intervals, 50 crunches, 50 push-ups, and 100 squats! When she told me that I couldn’t believe it, my jaw dropped. HOLY COW! How in the world was I going to do it? Well, I did! I actually did about 25 minutes of walking and running. I downloaded an interval app for my iPod touch and did 7 sets of 3 min walking 30 sec running. It definitely got harder toward the end, but I finished with a strong run. Next time I’ll try 2 min walking and 30 sec running. Then I’ll increase my running interval. I never thought I’d be running on my own! You do what your trainer tells you when you’re working out with them, but to go out and run by myself….NEVER thought it would happen. I could have very easily walked the whole time, but I was given a goal to strive for and I accomplished it. It felt really good!

Today starts the last week of my transformation. I am really sad to see this process end, but am completely excited to see my results! I really wish I could keep up with the training sessions with Laurie, Bobby, and Carlos but it just isn’t in the budget. I am definitely going to keep up with my Zumba though! Plus, each of them has given my great tips and exercises that I can continue at home. I have been blessed with their expertise, encouragement, and commitment. It has been an absolute joy to endure the pain they put me through. Pain is weakness leaving the body and they’ve helped me get rid of A LOT of weakness! LOL! I do my final measurement and weigh-in on Friday then Sunday we’re having a BIG REVEAL PARTY at the studio (Inspire 4 Life Fitness)! It is gonna be hard keeping my results a secret for 2 days! I cannot wait though! If you have been following my blog and are in the area, you are MORE than welcome to come to the party and help me celebrate! (if you need directions, just let me know!) I know the trainers are probably going to “torture” me this week, but I’m ready. Let’s finish strong!

Catching You Back Up

As you might have noticed, I didn’t get much of a chance to blog last week. So let me try to catch you up! I left you having made my 8,000 step goal for Tuesday; well I met that goal again Wednesday! I hit 8, 312 steps Wednesday and 7,517 Thursday. I’m definitely making strides toward that 10,000 mark! I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll hit 10k tomorrow because I am walking a 5k in the morning! I haven’t said much about it because, honestly, I’m not really prepared for it. It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m really doing one again. My sister-in-law asked me if I wanted to do it with her (she’s actually doing the 10k) and my nephew, and possibly my brother. Obviously I said yes but my mind just isn’t completely there this time. I’m actually kinda nervous about it right now. I know I can do it, that’s not the issue. I just haven’t prepared for it by walking like I should, plus my legs are KILLING me from my workout with Bobby yesterday. He did actually prepare me for it a little bit without even knowing it. We went to the gym (Core 24) to workout yesterday and he had me “warm-up” and “cool down” on the treadmill. He had my speed at like 2.6-2.7 with an incline of 2.5-3.0! My body is not used to that…my LEGS are not used to that! And on top of that, he had me doing leg extensions with 30lbs. My thighs are screaming at me today!! I just hope they feel better tomorrow for this race. Carlos actually said he wanted to see me run the next one! Yeah, we’ll see about that! LOL

Speaking of Carlos, I worked out with him Thursday before our Inspired! meeting and Zumba. And of course he made me run again. We didn’t have a whole lot of time to work out. I went straight there after work, changed clothes and we got going around 4:15pm; our meeting started at 4:45pm. We did about 4 rounds of running, kettlebell squats/raises, and modified burpees. The running actually aggravated my hip from where I “hurt” it Tuesday, but I did it and it didn’t kill me! I did feel like I was falling apart by the end of the night though. I have developed a bone spur on the top of my foot and that started hurting, plus my hip was already bothering me, then I started getting calf cramps during Zumba! Again, I still made it. There’s a quote image that I found a while back that rings true in situations just like this…

Friday I didn’t have a workout because I had a surprise birthday party for my 2nd mama (my best friend’s mom). I did well at her party though as far as Paleo goes. I had some chicken salad (no sandwich), some veggies, and fruit. I stayed away from the cake, even though I had to cut it. I didn’t even lick my fingers! We had a great time.

Today was homecoming at our church. I wasn’t really looking forward to it because of all the food I couldn’t eat. I wanted to dig in so bad, but I didn’t. I actually brought my own stuff to make a salad for my lunch. I did enjoy a little bit of the apple and cherry crisp that my mom made, but mainly ate the fruit filling and not so much of the topping. I couldn’t even eat much of it because it started becoming too much.

I’m proud of myself and the obstacles I overcame this weekend. That was actually the main topic of our Inspired! meeting this week, obstacles. We talked about different things that stand in our way of staying on target for our goals. This weekend it was special occasions for me. The biggest thing is being prepared. Carlos mentioned planning out your meals on Sundays. Honestly, if you don’t prepare, you set yourself up for failure. That doesn’t mean you can’t overcome, but the odds are stacked against you to make bad decisions. I knew there would be fruits and veggies at the party Friday, so I wasn’t worried. Today, I knew there wouldn’t be anything I could eat, so I took my own. "By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail." (Ben Franklin)

Today is the day you can take control of your life. Take the necessary steps to get where you want to be. You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

New Season

Okay, so if you've read my blog from last week, then you know how frustrated I am with my job right now. Well, we've also been in a spontaneous revival at my church this week. I wasn't able to go Monday and Tuesday, but when I went Wednesday -- OMG! God knew I was going to be there and He knew exactly what I needed to hear because the evangelist preached right to me. Have you ever been there before? It's scary yet comforting at the same time -- to know that God is speaking to YOU and telling you exactly what you need to hear and do for exactly what is going on in your life at that specific moment! The preacher even started singing a song that I have found encouraging so many times before but haven't heard in a while....

I'm telling you, God moved in that service Wednesday night! God gave me the job I have right now, and I gave it back to him that night. He knows I can't handle all the drama and can only make it with his help. This is a just season and my NEW season is coming!! God has bigger and better for me! Satan doesn't like it either because today he attacked me at work so hard. I was literally singing this song at my desk....and God helped me make it through. I know it's not going to be easy waiting, but HE will help me through!

The devil's time is up, no longer can he bother me.

'Cause the controller of the universe He fathers me.

And it's transferable, your children's children will be free.

It's a new season.

If you don't know it now, you need to know it's Jubilee. 

Your debts at cancelled and your children walk in victory.

It's all available to you right now, just taste and see.

It's a new season!

It's a new season. It's a new day.

Fresh anointing, is flowing my way.

It's a season of power and prosperity.

It's a new season coming to me!

Renewal

I haven't had much of a chance to blog this week. It's been pretty busy with work, workouts, church, and such. I just wanted to let you know I'm still alive! We have had some great services at church this week and it's been late getting home. I just can't tell you how much I've needed these services and to feel God like I've felt him move the 2 nights I was able to go. God is so good, and if you don't know Him, I'd like to introduce you!

He is EVERYTHING!!

I have seen all of this in our services this week!

Prayers

I come to you tonight coveting your prayers. I am so frustrated with life right now....not just in my eating but in my job.

I hate the environment at my job. There is so much inequality, double standards, no existence of professionalism, gossip, backbiting, DRAMA....I could go on and on. I know people from work will read this blog, but not a single one of them can deny the facts. My boss (I won't name names) is a complete jerk. (S)He has no respect for me or my coworkers. (S)He is completely unprofessional. Sometimes, (s)he might show an ounce of dignity, but that doesn't last long. (S)He always has other people doing their job or is never around. You can't voice your concerns because nothing gets done about it or everyone ends up knowing what you spoke in PRIVATE about. I'm just tired of it all. This is not what I want to be doing for the rest of my life....this is not what I went to school for. I dread going to work. I came into this job after being out of work for a year and a half. I was promised there were bigger and better things planned for me here. None of it has happened. It is all empty promises and I'm not the only one they've done this to. I want to walk out and never look back....but I know I can't do that....

...trying not to let hate consume me...

Lord, I know you are making me endure this for a reason.

Please help me hold out for the TRUE bigger & better

that YOU have in store for me.

So True!