cleanse | days 19-21

DAY 19 --breakfast: smoothie [protein, bee pollen, coconut water, mixed berries, peaches, mango, spinach] snack: none lunch: [applegate] chicken sausage, avocado, herb lettuce, wrapped in a brown rice tortilla snack: 1/2 larabar dinner: juice [2 large kale leaves, 3 carrots, 1 beet, 1 lemon, 1 pear, piece of ginger]

the thoughts of cheating keep getting stronger and stronger. everything i look at that i am not allowed to eat right now, i think about taking a bite.

just one bite. no, don't! you're so close. but no one would know. just a tiny nibble. no way!

my mind goes back and forth. back and forth. thankfully, the side that really wants to see this through prevails every time.

DAY 20 -- breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, bee pollen, water, mixed berries, peaches, spinach] snack: carrots with hummus lunch: turkey lunchmeat, guacamole, lettuce, onion wrapped in brown rice tortilla snack: none dinner: smoothie [protein, flax meal, almond milk, mixed berries, mango, kale]

i confess. day 20 and i cheated.  i had carrots at 11 PM. the closer i get to the end, the stronger the urges to cheat.  all in all, a great day though.

DAY 21 -- breakfast: none snack: none lunch: smoothie [protein, flax meal, bee pollen, fiber, coconut water, raspberries, mango, kale, spinach] snack: piece of [applegate] turkey lunch meat dinner: smoothie [protein, flax meal, coconut water, raspberries, mango, kale]

i rushed around early morning and then headed to apple store at 9:30 AM, to get my computer fixed.  i was there two hours, hence my not eating breakfast or a snack. needless to say, i was starving by the time i got back home at 12:30 PM and rushed to make a quick smoothie. so here i am now, just a few hours from being done with my 21-day clean program cleanse.  can't believe i made it. proud that i made it. feeling great.

so what's my first day post-cleanse going to be like? coffee smoothie for breakfast [water, ice, 1/2 banana, peanut butter, protein, fiber, kale] i might try a gluten free cookie, that i've been eyeing at the health food store [hope it's yummy as i've been fantasizing it is, but probably not] something super clean for lunch dinner out with a friend, which will include a beer

i'll be sharing my cleanse conclusion in a few days. i figured i'd get a couple regular days under my belt before sharing all my post-cleanse thoughts.

so happy i'm done!!!

cleanse | 10:30 AM

it's only 10:30 AM and...i have a headache. i'm so over this cleanse. but only today and tomorrow left. had to convince myself to not cheat constantly, especially late last night. all i want is a fricken cookie. or anything that i'm not supposed to have. no motivation to workout while cleansing. probably because i haven't eaten enough for three weeks straight. no one to blame but me for that. trying to stay focused. and i really have nothing to bitch about. so i guess i'll stop. only two more days!

needing to reset

days 1-3

days 4-6

days 7-9

days 10-12

days 13-15

days 16-18

days 19-12 and cleanse conclusion posts coming SOON!!

cleanse | days 16-18

DAY 16 --breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, bee pollen, coconut oil, coconut water, raspberries, mango, kale] snack: none lunch: two applegate chicken sausages snack: none dinner: smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, almond milk, water, raspberries, mango, kale]

pretty uneventful day. felt great but at the computer or running errands most of the day.  once done with the cleanse, my plan is to do a 'cleanse conclusion' post, sharing my overall thoughts regarding my three weeks of doing the clean program.  so if you have a question, please ask and i'll be sure to answer it in my final cleanse post.

DAY 17 -- breakfast: none snack: none lunch: white chicken chili snack: 1/2 larabar [i would have eaten a whole one but that's all i had] dinner: smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, avocado coconut water, mixed berries, mango, spinach, kale]

i woke up at 2:30 AM, from hearing ryder struggle to breathe. rushed him to the ER, where his oxygen saturation was low and he had a 101.5 fever. ended up receiving IV, labwork, chest xray, IV antibiotics and was put on oxygen. four hours later, he was diagnosed with bronchitis and we were sent home. and all of that threw off my morning and is the reason i didn't have breakfast or snack. the chili was such a great change from my daily roll-ups.  day 17 was just weird probably because of the combination of stress, lack of sleep and not enough food.  had a lingering headache pretty much the entire day.  blah! made grilled cheese with bacon and avocado for the family and it took everything i had not to nibble on the bacon.

DAY 18 -- late breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, bee pollen, coconut water, mixed berries, mango, carrots, spinach] snack: apple with almond butter and carrots with hummus lunch: none snack: a couple pieces of [applegate] turkey breast lunchmeat dinner: a smoothie [protein, water, almond milk, mixed berries, peaches, spinach]

i'm getting kind of lazy. with my food. with my supplements. keep forgetting to take my supplements here and there. not wanting to really cook anything. although i never really wanted to cook anything just for myself. it's just that much worse now. just munching and wanting to get through these last few days. i should have eaten lunch but i had a late breakfast and then snacked a bit and lunch time had come and gone. thinking about cheating with all kinds of crazy stuff -- cookies, a coke, a hamburger. i don't even really drink coke but i'm really wanting some at the moment. these past three days have really been kind of weird.

only three more days. monday tuesday wednesday. monday tuesday wednesday. monday tuesday wednesday. that's all. three days. and i'm DONE!!!!!!

as confident as i am that this cleanse absolutely was the right thing for me to do, i absolutely cannot wait to be done!

cleanse | days 13-15

DAY 13 --breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, bee pollen, coconut oil, water, mixed berries, mango, carrots, spinach] snack: carrots with hummus lunch: lettuce, spinach, chicken, avocado, mustard wrapped in brown rice tortilla snack: larabar dinner: smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, almond milk, water, raspberries, mango, kale]

pretty much blah day because of the day before. was tired the entire day. feeling so ready to be done.

DAY 14 -- breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, bee pollen, coconut oil, water, mixed berries, mango, carrots, spinach] snack: none lunch: [applegate] chicken breast lunchmeat, herb lettuce, hummus, mustard wrapped in brown rice tortilla snack: half a larabar dinner: smoothie [protein, fiber, coconut oil, coconut water, peaches, raspberries, carrots, kale]

felt back to normal on day 14, but was really hungry by late evening [probably should have been in bed].  i think about quitting multiple times every day, this day included. just really ready to be done, but then also i've come this far and so why quit now. but yes, i'm so darn excited about day 21 being only a week away. wondering how i should celebrate the big day?

DAY 15 -- breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, bee pollen, coconut water, raspberries, mango, carrots, spinach] snack:  apple with almond butter lunch:  [applegate] chicken breast lunchmeat, herb lettuce, hummus wrapped in brown rice tortilla and 1/2 larabar snack: 1/2 larabar dinner: you guessed it. a smoothie [protein, fiber, flax meal, coconut water, mixed berries, mango, kale]

man i woke up hungry on day 15 and stayed hungry most of the day. late night, i was so hungry that i couldn't think straight. it's funny how the days vary so much [not in my eating, but in my level of hunger]. besides being hungry, i felt great.

i know my lunches are boring and repetitive but i have no desire to really cook anything different or special. and i'm really not a very big vegetable eater ever. i tell myself every day that i'm going to make a juice, but that seems to never happen. maybe tomorrow. i have beets, carrots, apples and ginger waiting for me. i really need to juice more.

six more days and i'm DONE! cannot wait, cannot wait, cannot wait. kiele asked me today what my first meal was going to be post-cleanse...a donut? ummm...no, not a donut. but what IS my first meal going to be? it's kind of exciting to think about.

you can find my original post regarding this clean program cleanse here.

cleanse | days 10-12

DAY 10 -- breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, bee pollen, water, almond milk, raspberries, pineapple, spinach] snack: apple with almond butter lunch: [applegate] chicken sausage, lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, avocado & hummus wrapped in brown rice tortilla snack:  none dinner:  smoothie [protein, fiber, coconut water, raspberries, mango, kale]

while i was so hungry the previous three days, day 10 brought something different -- i was actually full after lunch and stayed satisfied the rest of the day.  well, i stayed hungry until we went to a 10 PM movie and oh...the smell of movie popcorn.

HELL YEA -- HALFWAY THERE!!!!!!

DAY 11 --

breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, bee pollen, flax meal, coconut water, mixed berries, pineapple, spinach, kale] snack: none lunch: smoothie [protein, fiber, bee pollen, flax meal, coconut water, mixed berries, pineapple, spinach, kale] snack:  none dinner: grilled chicken with side salad and 1/2 larabar [at restaurant at the polynesian hotel, disney world]

today was supposed to be disney world but the parks were so crowded, we decided not to go to any parks.  but we did go visit our friends, who were in orlando, from pennsylvania.  since i wanted to eat dinner with everyone, i decided to do a smoothie for breakfast and lunch and dinner at a restaurant [with our friends]. all went well with no cheating but i sure did want a sip of steve's jalapeno margarita and a bite of his white chocolate cheesecake. oh yea, i really wanted some of the fresh right-out-of-the-oven hawaiian bread too; it smelled amazing.

DAY 12 --

breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, bee pollen, flax meal, coconut water, mixed berries, pineapple, spinach, kale] snack: none lunch: salad of lettuce, avocado & black beans [at mexican restaurant at epcot] snack:  none dinner: a couple of beers

yes, you read right, i had a couple of beers at dinner. we spent the day with friends at epcot center and ended up at 'the house of blues' in downtown disney, for dinner. we sat on the patio, listening to awesome live music. we ate [well everyone except me], we drank and the kids played and played and played. we didn't get back home last night until about 10:30 PM and exhausted, i went right to bed. so it's now the morning of the 13th day and i'm back at it but feel pretty much like shit. i'm tired and way, way dehydrated right now.  but it sure was an awesome day and evening spent with our friends, who had flown in from DC. hoping to get my body back on track today.

you can find my original post regarding this clean program cleanse here.

a couple of iphone photos...

cleanse | days 7-9

DAY 7 --breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, bee pollen, water, blueberries, pineapple, kale] snack: none lunch: chicken, hummus, avocado, spinach & lettuce wrapped in a brown rice tortilla. carrots on the side. snack: pineapple dinner: smoothie [protein, fiber, water, mango, pineapple, kale]

another day of feeling great.  although i did feel more hungry than the previous few days. and i was up really late and so hungry by 1 AM, i could barely stand it.

and so begins week two.  YAY!

DAY 8 -- breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, bee pollen, flax meal, water, almond milk, blueberries] snack: apple with almond butter and juice [celery, beets, ginger, apple] lunch: a bowl chicken, spinach & mushroom soup and lara bar snack: carrots with hummus dinner: smoothie [protein, fiber, water, peach, pineapple, kale]

woke up and was certain my stomach was eating itself, i was so hungry. and the hunger continued throughout the entire day.  i was never satisfied...thought about food all day and dreamt about what my first meal will be post-cleanse.  besides being hungry, i felt great and even climbed the stairs, which also felt great. now to get my butt to yoga [why can't they have more morning yoga times?].

DAY 9 -- breakfast: smoothie [protein, fiber, bee pollen, water, peaches, raspberries, spinach] snack:  none lunch:  [applegate] chicken sausage, lettuce, spinach, avocado, drizzle of homemade dressing, wrapped in brown rice tortilla and 1/2 of a larabar [larabar = dessert] snack:  a few carrots dinner: smoothie [protein, fiber, water, almond milk, raspberries, pineapple]

while i was feeling good, day 9 was a day of wanting to be done.  i longed for a regular meal.  my tea was boring.  i was never satisfied throughout the day.  2-5 PM are my witching hours, for this cleanse.  thank goodness i'm doing this with a friend.  we gripe to one another. we share with one another. we support and encourage one another.

+++

i was reading about breaking bad habits last night and something i read shared about replacing a bad habit with a good one, e.g. replacing coffee with tea. sounds fine and dandy but all i can think about is having coffee again. but maybe that's because i'm not so committed to giving up coffee, when this is done. i've already said that i'm going back to coffee. i just am. so i guess i don't consider my coffee such a bad habit.

let day 10 begin. although i already really, really want a cup of coffee.  it smells so, so good!  and i have no idea how i'm going to manage days 11 and 12, being at disney world.

the coffee, that steve left behind when he left this morning, which i longed for but didn't have...

after 2-1/2 months away

i did quite a bit of traveling this summer, which factored into my 2-1/2 month break slacking from crossfit and eating like shit.  i am huge into the routine of working out and when things got thrown off, they REALLY got thrown off.  and i had a hard time getting back into the swing of things.  i really have no excuse for not working out because i could have visited any crossfit gym across the country or i could have created my own body-weight workout.  anyways...i'm now officially back at it.  i did crossfit this past friday and monday (i try to get to crossfit every M-W-F).  monday's workout was... 1000 m row 50 thrusters 40 hand release push ups 30 1 arm snatches (15 each side) 20 burpees 10 pull ups 1000 m run

i about died. so, so hard.  i could barely move yesterday, let alone walk. today, i am still crazy sore. so i decided to give myself another day to recover (as i'm still walking like an old lady) and didn't go to crossfit this morning.  instead, i'm planning to do friday's crossfit workout and sunday's yoga class.

i've also started eating well again (at least much, much better than i was).  i'm determined to get back to how i was feeling before -- mentally and physically.

i took these this morning. i had gotten ready for crossfit but after walking the kids (painfully) to school, i decided i was going to skip today and just did these pictures instead.  here's my previous update (pre-working out and april 2011 photos), for comparison.

since i was so anxious to share my crossfit progress, i thought it equally important to share my falling off the wagon.  i'm SO READY to start feeling great again!!  i miss that feeling.

dear 16-year-old me

dear 16-year-old me...i'm proud of you. keep doing what you're doing. don't give in to peer pressure. and...watch this. (actually EVERYONE watch this!!)

at age 16, i tanned on my house roof, laying on a silver mat, to attract as much sun as possible. and sometimes i added baby oil to the mix. often, i tanned until i blistered.

in my 20s, my cousin was diagnosed with melanoma on his chest. major, massive surgery. he lived. and thankfully continues to do well today.  but, you're never totally cured from melanoma.

as a nurse, melanoma scared the shit out of me.

today, i'm 41. i avoid the sun and use sunscreen. tampa is brutal; the sun here is vicious. i also get skin cancer checks every year by my dermatologist.

wish i never laid out in the sun like i did. wish i saw this video when i was 16. hoping to spread the word.

dear 16 year old me... you really shouldn't have followed the poofy hair trend; it wasn't very flattering on you.

...or the sunglasses fad.

rosie, you ARE a young genius.  sorry i missed you in utah.  next time, for sure.  thanks for the share.  xo.

eight month update

the reason that I can be 38 and have two kids and wear a bikini is because i work my ass off. it’s not an accident. it’s not luck, it’s not fairy dust, it’s not good genes. it’s killing myself for an hour and a half five days a week, but what i get out of it is relative to what i put into it. that’s what I try to do in all areas of my life.- gwyneth paltrow

although i have to say...gwyneth paltrow does have some pretty damn good genes. have you seen this photo of gwyneth and her mother?

i haven't posted a crossfit update in a while so i thought now is as good as time as any.  it's been almost eight months since my first day at crossfit jaguar. i remember so clearly walking in, nervous as hell, thinking what the hell am i doing. but i did it...telling myself over and over again, what did i have to lose; if crossfit isn't for me, i don't have to go back.

since my last update in january, i've lost a couple pounds (no, i'm not trying to lose weight) and about 1/2 inch everywhere. i've also dropped about three percent body fat.

i crossfit four times a week and do my best to eat well -- high protein, low-glycemic. but some days are just off days and i waiver, like this past week. but i WILL get back on track.

a couple weeks ago, i tracked my daily food intake.  i quickly realized that i just don't eat enough food and how very easy it is to eat a lot of carbohydrates.  i've never been a big eater and i don't like vegetables that much, so i really have to work hard at this eating well and eating enough thing.

here i was, pre-working out, may 2010.

and here i am today.  proud to be a 41-year-old, mother of three, fit, healthy and stronger than i've ever been in my entire life.  when i started crossfit, i could maybe do one military style push up.  the other day, i did 100 (no going to my knees).  can't wait till the day that i can share that i did one unassisted pull up.

there was no editing, retouching, tweaking or anything done to any of these photos.  i wanted to be honest and real, with everything i posted throughout this journey.

i share these continued updates to hopefully inspire.  you CAN do it!! it's never too late to get fit and be healthy.  i truly haven't felt better and i keep getting stronger and stronger.  it's really been an amazing journey and i never thought i'd say this but...i actually look forward to working out; i crave it. i know and completely understand that crossfit isn't for everyone, but i hope that you will find that thing that works for you!!

you can see more photos and read more about my getting fit journey here.

i pinned this today (via pinterest) and it says it perfectly (couldn't find original source to give credit)...

lastly, check out this amazing video of crossfit women.  blows my mind!!

if you have any questions, please ask!  i'm no expert, but i can offer my personal thoughts.

ETA --

Q: is it a class or did you have to get a personal trainer? A: personally, i started out with a personal trainer three times a week.  and did that for three months,until i got to the point that i was comfortable to go into a class.  however, depending on the gym, you might be able to go right into a class (many gyms are now requiring a fundamentals or foundations course).  for me, i wanted to get a good understanding of the workouts and make sure i knew how to do the lifts properly so i wouldn't get hurt.

Q: where do I find this workout? i admit Im out of shape and have a few health issues..i need to get fit!!! how often do you train? A: you can read all about crossfit here. that website has everything -- workouts of the day (WODs), demo exercise videos, etc. you can also google crossfit in your local area, to find all the crossfit gyms around you. i researched all the gyms in tampa, before deciding which one to go to. i wanted to find one that was a good fit for me. while the fundamentals of each crossfit gym are the same, the gym personalities (feel or vibe of the gym) can be very different.

i started out training three days a week. some days it was 20 minutes. other days it was an hour. now that i'm in classes, i crossfit four times a week.

and this awesome momma shared about her journey, doing and managing her own personal crossfitting.

Q: i am still finding it hard to get specific exercises for my waistline. do you have any that you have found that worked particularly well? A: my waistline was my HUGE trouble spot and in the first five weeks of crossfit, i lost three inches in my waist. with that being said, i think it was the combination of all the exercises (so many of them work my core) and changing my diet. i really don't do that many sit ups (or ab specific exercises) at all.

i just googled and found this crossfit article regarding exercises for abs and i love working out with a kettlebell.  i'm sure there's plenty more articles out there too.

Q:  as a previous carb-addict, what do you eat for breakfast now? A:  i typically have a protein shake in the morning (water, 1/2 banana, spinach or kale, almond or peanut butter, flax seed, protein powder and ice).  if i don't have a protein shake, i'll have eggs and/or bacon.  i don't eat until after my crossfit workout, so that's around 10:30 AM.  if i'm really hungry in the morning (pre-workout), i'll have a clementine and some almonds.

it's my party

today is my trainer / crossfit gym owner's birthday and it's my party was the name of our workout of the day (WOD) this morning. 51 deadlifts 51 bench presses 51 squats

and so i dedicate this post to paula! thank you for inspiring me so, teaching me that strong is beautiful and that 50s are fucking fabulous.

i've now been crossfitting for 5-1/2 months and couldn't be happier. it's addicting, i tell ya. my weight and measurements haven't budged much since my initial loss at the 5-week point, but i know my body is getting stronger, toner and hopefully leaner.

i recently weened myself from private sessions, which i loved but are expensive, and am now attending four group classes a week (M-W-F-S). i love, love, love it...and can't wait to see where this crossfit journey continues to take me.

here's my pre-photos and then a few update pics from this morning...

may 2010

today ((i had just got home from crossfit, drank a smoothie and was freezing)

i hope my updates will continue to inspire others.  remember that it's never too late. find what works for you and do it.  you CAN do it!!

and if  you have any questions, PLEASE ask!! i'll either answer in an ETA section below or another blog post.

and a few photos, just for fun, from my it's my party series.

friendship & inspiration

we met the C family when we lived on whidbey island, WA.  our husbands worked in the same EOD unit.  we lived on the same circle and our houses were separated by a playground.  and we fell in love with the C family the moment we met them.  our families were stationed together for two years and they helped us get through our own deployment (steve left when i was three months pregnant and he returned a couple weeks before ryder was born). and it just so happens that the C family now lives  only about 10 minutes from my friend, steph.  it had been six years since i last saw them and it was so, so awesome to see them again!!  they haven't changed a bit...except the girls are now 16 and 14 instead of 10 and 8.  oh my!!

also, i have to share that lou was my inspiration for starting crossfit.  we're friends on facebook and i had been reading her posts about how much she loves crossfit and how it was life-changing for her.  here's a before and after photo of lou.  the after photo is about one year later and 35 pounds lighter.  her strength, focus, passion and determination inspires me daily.

and here's some photos i took, while i was there this past weekend.  they sure did an amazing job at not looking cold.  it was 34 degrees when we were doing these.  i had on a parka; they kept running into the heated car to warm up for short bits.

and then lou's beloved dog, Pnut, joined us for a few photos...

i'm so looking forward to going back to virginia beach this april, when i'll be doing rachel's senior pictures.  woot woot!!  and of course, i'll get to hang out with this awesome family again.

12 week update

hard to believe it's been 12 weeks since i started crossfit.  and i still absolutely love it and long for it!! i remember when i started and was absolutely scared to death.  i remember the day when i was so excited to bench press using the big girl bar (as we called it).  or the day i was able to do five military style push-ups (not on my knees). and today, i bench-pressed 55 pounds and deadlifted 110 pounds (almost my body weight) -- both personal records. i also did squats with weight but i can't remember how much. all were 5 reps x 4 rounds.  oh...and monday, i pulled, flipped and rowed a big-ass tire and pushed a jeep.  yes, i pushed my trainer's jeep.  so hard!  i thought i was going to die but it felt oh-so-amazing when i was done!  needless to say, i'm proud of my own little accomplishments as i've pretty much always been a weakling.

i fricken love, love, love having a personal trainer, who arranges workouts specifically for me and pushes me. she pushes me so much farther than i could or would ever push myself.  i actually am still trying to wean myself from her, which has proven much tougher than i anticipated.

i keep sharing updates because i hope to inspire others to keep going. and pushing.  it's never too late.  i want you to find that thing you love as your workout -- that thing you so love that you can't help but keep doing it!!

you CAN do it!

here's photos from...

may (pre-anything)

september (5 weeks post-crossfit)

and today (b/c i was wearing the same clothes, and it's almost 12 weeks)

i haven't lost a pound since my 5 week point but surely i must have gained some muscle.  while i could easily obsess about my weight, i try and focus on getting strong and being fit and healthy.  i threw out my scale long ago and only weigh myself occasionally at the box. i also had a rough couple weeks of not doing anything in san diego and then coming home and getting sick.  but no excuses!!  my goal is to wear a bikini this summer -- something i haven't done since pre-kiele (about 14 or 15 years ago).  i'm proud to be 41 and feel more real than i have ever felt in my entire life (that's a whole other blog post).

let's keep pushing and inspiring one another through this holiday season filled with the yummiest food, cakes and cookies.  everything in moderation is my motto!!  i WILL eat cookies but only in moderation. :-)

let's do this...together!!

p.s. i try to take pictures in the exact same position but it's damn hard.  i guess i'm getting close enough though.

congratulations

anyone who follows my blog probably knows that i'm now doing crossfit and so loving it.  :-) and a few weeks ago, i photographed a bunch of women at my box, for the deadlifts and dresses 2011 calendar competition. today, i found out that three of the crossfit jaguar women were selected for the calendar! woot woot!! and i have to say...after two weeks of traveling, getting sick, not working out and eating like shit, i'm so happy to be working out (crossfitting) again. today felt amazing.  thanks paula (last set of photos below)!

meet the the three selected...

the in between

between two school (class) auction photo books, workshop prep and deads and dress photos, my spare time has been slim to none. oh yea, that doesn't include plumbing problems, etc. anyways...i thought i'd share a bit of what my time has been consumed with lately -- first, check out this second grader's writing and drawing about what he wants to be when he grows up. OMG!! be-still my heart.

and here's my kids' book spreads this year.

Sky wrote:

i whant to be a veternarien beacuse I love animuls.  And I whant to be a photogerpher beacuse I like taking pictures.  And beacuse I like meating other people.  And seeing things I never saw before.  I also want to be a vetunarein beacuse I want to help animuls when they are hurt.  I want to be a dacer and singer beacuse I always love bacing and singing every singgul day.

Skyler, 7 years old

Ryder said:

When I grow up, I want to be a policeman and a artist because I always like to do art and I don't know about the other.

Ryder - 5

lastly, check out these incredible women -- a few of the shots i photographed of the crossfit jaguar women, for the deads and dresses contest. i'm hoping that a photographer friend of mine will do my pictures once i'm back from the utah. but of course, i have to get the perfect pair of socks first. :-)

and my most awesome trainer, who has inspired me so!!

i am a crossfit woman

adding onto yesterday's post... I am a CrossFit Woman I sweat I grunt I curse I bleed

I am a CrossFit Woman I will not shy away from failure I will not hide my emotions I will not hold back I will not quit

I am a CrossFit Woman I am a competitor I am a daughter I am a mother I am a friend

I am a CrossFit Woman I am confident I am healthy I am beautiful I am strong

I am a CrossFit Woman

- adpated from the 'i am a crossfit woman' poem written on the wall at the jaguar box

shawna shared this in a comment yesterday, on my blog. she's accomplished amazing things and does crossfit on her own, at her regular gym. i, like her, will never be the strongest. or the fastest. and i'm okay with that. crossfit can be very competitive but the only person i'm in competition with is myself. i compete with me, in an effort to achieve and hopefully exceed my personal goals.

and...courtesy of crossfit jaguar.  me, at the box.  doing swings. it ain't pretty. but it's real.

crossfit is the toughest...most amazing thing i've ever done.  i do a lot of cussing.  and saying, "i can't".  only to be quickly reminded that I CAN!!

5-week update

yesterday was exactly five weeks since my start of crossfit and my pre-crossfit measurements.  i decided that i would love to post a 5-week update and so asked my trainer if she would do my measurements (so that i could include with my update).  she said that normally she doesn't do them this early but if i wanted them done, she's game. and so we did... i started crossfit because i truly believed (from what i heard from others) that it would be a perfect fit for me and my personality. i've been doing crossfit for the past five weeks, with a trainer (paula), every monday-wednesday-friday. after the first workout, i could barely walk. and i've been sore almost every day since, but it's a comfortable sore, if that makes sense. today is actually a little worse but that's because yesterday was a workout filled with squats, deadlifts and bench presses.

along with crossfit, i have also tried to just watch what i eat a bit more. nothing crazy...just opting out of carbs a bit more than i did previously. if i want dessert, i eat a bit of dessert. i still drink coffee and have soda, when i want it. in recent years, i haven't been a terrible eater and i've never been one that eats a lot. my husband has always joked that kiele (our now 13-year-old) eats more than me. but i just eat when i'm hungry. and stop when i'm full.

i've worked hard. and am especially proud because much of the past five weeks, we have eaten out (living here, there and everywhere).

i've lost four pounds, four percent body fat and two inches in my waist. my arms are the same. my thighs are  3/4 inch larger.  my trainer couldn't believe my results, in such a short time.  and neither could i.  i couldn't be happier!!

PRE weight (with shoes): 123 pounds body fat: 27.6% waist: 31 1/2 inches

POST weight (with shoes): 119 pounds body fat: 23.5% waist: 29 1/2 inches

without a doubt, i will continue crossfit although i'm probably only going to do one or two days with a trainer and do the other days with the group. my original goal was simply to get my body fit and in shape.  that goal remains the same -- but fitter and stronger.  i long to wear a bikini this summer, as i haven't worn one since 1996 (pre kiele). i didn't think i was overweight prior to crossfit, but i knew i was out of shape (or as i called it, fluffy).

i'm a firm believer in everything in moderation. and sometimes i worry about others, who lose weight with the aid of crazy diets, drastic measures, etc. remember that different strategies work for different people. find the strategy that is a good fit for you, your body and your personality.  like anything...do it right and do it well.  do something you can stick with long term.

i feel so great -- healthy and strong(er). and can't wait to see what the next five weeks has in store for me.

here's my pre-photos (taken may 12th, when i told myself that i was going to start getting fit, but i didn't) and post-photos (taken today). i tried to get in the exact same position. and did nothing to either of these photos.

i'd love to hear about your getting fit | getting healthy journey. please share in the comments. lets keep inspiring one another.  i waited till 40.  i hope that you won't wait that long.  find what works for you and...go for it.  what's stopping you?

have a question?  please ask and i'm happy to answer in another blog post.