motivation

Patience. The lack of it can be the biggest culprit of failed goals and regret in any area of life. Big life changing results are the result of consistent small steps over the course of time (sometimes years). Big life changing results are NOT the result of massive effort for a few days or weeks. Most people quit before the real progress can even be noticed...and you always find yourself back in the same place...the beginning...more desperate each time. You wouldn't get to mile number 10 in a marathon and decide to go back to the starting line would you? Obviously, with that mentality you'd never get to the end. So don't make the same mistake with your life. Get some patience. Do the work consistently. The results will be there.

Shame on me!!!

So, I was caught in the Christmas laziness.... I just got back into the gym this morning... its been almost 5 days since my last workout... Man, I sound like an AA meeting gone bad. Anyways, I figured out a few things this morning. First of all, I have a long way to go till I am in great shape. Second, I am going to repeat this weeks workout again next week. I dont feel like I have mastered it, but I will. Third, I was doing my cool down on the bike and watching ESPN. So, this commercial comes on and I just start laughing out loud. It was a commercial for professional bowlers, and it was trying to make them look all sexy and what not. Two things-- I didnt have my headphones plugged into it, so the song that I had on "Sexy and I know it" (which makes me laugh anyways) was playing when this commercial came on... And next-- there is no possible way to make bowling look sexy... Don't get me wrong-I have a great time bowling with my kiddos... But sexy?? LOL... So, all in all not a bad workout this morning... 800 calories burned...

Mild case of OCD...

So, today I found out that a mild case of OCD is okay... I reached my goal of 500 calories on the bike. Then I needed to cool down, so I threw in another mile. But, then the calories didnt come out to a 50 or a 0. So, I kept going. Then, the miles didnt match... I could've spent forever at the gym fixing this problem... Good workout today 22 miles on the bike... and who knows how many calories... I just know that I went over 500... WOOT WOOT!!!

LOVE THESE BABIES!!!!

Perfect for my "Perspectives"

Most people are so afraid that others wont approve or believe in their dreams/goals that they don't even try. Well, I hate to break it to you, but if you don't even have enough courage to say what you really want for fear of others disapproval...your chances of making it anywhere but where you are currently are virtually non existent. Success makes other people uncomfortable because they are forced to look in the mirror and judge their own progress.The truth is, many people (sometimes the ones closest to you) are going to always want to see you fail at whatever it is you do for this exact reason. THIS IS A FACT. Everyone who has ever accomplished ANYTHING has dealt with this. NEVER let them stand in your way. You don't need their approval to succeed...you only need your own belief in yourself and willingness to do the work! Nothing is impossible. Quit being a whiner/excuse maker. Put on your work boots. Get to work. Learn to be strong. If people get in your way, ignore them or run them over. Do whatever it takes...because in the end you'll be the one with regrets if you don't.

Perspectives...

So, when I was at the gym surrounded by a thousand mirrors (at least thats what it felt like) I caught myself doing something---or not doing something for that matter... I dont look in the mirrors. It's hard when you are trying to reach a goal to see where you are right now. But here is the kicker. On the days when I am there all alone, I think- Heck yeah, I'm doing it. But on the days when other people are there I catch a glimpse in the mirror and think-- Dang it's you again. Don't get me wrong, I'm not quitting by any means. I will just drive on. But, I was looking around today instead of seeing the "me" in the mirror and I saw a quote that sums up what needs to take place in my life. "DON'T LIMIT YOUR CHALLENGES, CHALLENGE YOUR LIMITS!" So, this will be my drive from now on.. pushing a little harder and harder each time I am given the chance. I have been blessed with a gym at my disposal, and I am taking advantage of it at much as I can! That being said. DAY 2 of the SUPERMAN Workout complete. And 1.5 miles run to warm up and 5 miles bike to cool down.

Still going....

So, you don't die when you turn 34... Just so you all know.. lol.. According to my kiddos I am "700 years old". Yesterday's workout was a really good one. I did week two of my Superman transformation workout!! It kicked my butt...in a good way. Today was intervals. Although I wasn't at the gym for longer than an hour today, my clothes were soaking wet and my legs shaky. I only went 2.25 miles doing sprints. I need to start getting it up to 3-4 miles of sprints. Patience Grasshopper, that will happen. I am the biggest squirrel when it comes to thinking while working out. I have a feeling the next few years are going to hold something good in store for myself and my family.. I'm just saying. I look forward to it. I am definitely getting my CCL this next month. Especially for when I am out and about with the kiddos. See.... Squirrel!!! lol

Are these too big to use for the CCL??? Just kidding!!

YAY!!!

So, being a mom has its advantages and disadvantages... ADVANTAGE: Kiddos that want to snuggle... DISADVANTAGE: They all want to snuggle at the same time in my twin bed. Let's just say that with those little hot bodies, who needs a heater? So, at 0200 I put them all in there beds again so that I could get a little sleep before my 0400 wakeup. The gym was good this morning. I threw in an extra set of reps on everything, so I feel really good right now. My body feels so sore... I feel alive!!! I was looking at the trainers on the wall. It looks like one of the girls I played soccer with in college is a trainer, and one of the guys I worked with at a trucking company is also a trainer. Small world. Well, I burned 600 calories today. Slow but steady... Tomorrow I have a 3.5 mile run planned before drill.. YAY!!! There is something about the solitude of being outside under the stars that I just love... It is so peaceful and calming.

Little Victories...

So, I've decided instead of focusing on what I was and what I am not, I am going to focus on the little victories that life allows me to earn.. First victory, Day 2 at the gym, consistant 0400 wakeup. 0415 at the gym. Second victory, 1 hour on the eliptical on level 5. I've only done the eliptical one other time, and I felt like a chicken trying to swim... So, then I did three miles on the bike. I am accepting my flaws as goals that I need to overcome. Little victories are what keep me going. Tomorrow will be day 2 of weights. Thank you for the SUPERMAN workout. I will push my self with more reps... Like I said, I am learning to love little victories.

Little know fact about sharks... Some will drown if they stop moving... So, I will keep moving too... lol (I took these pics at the aquarium at the Mall Of America.) My kiddos loved it!

Still trucking!!!

Well, I have to admit it... I am in horrible shape. It sucks to realize that half way through the workout. But, I will continue the workouts until I am where I want to be... no matter how awkward I may look or feel. It sucks to have the "me I used to be" still in my head, and look in the mirror and see the me I am today. I am still working on it though. My end goal will be to weigh 155lbs and be 18% body fat (I will take less than that, but that is my goal for now. My deadline is APRIL APFT!!! That gives me about 4 months to make it happen! I want to be able to run and play with my kiddos, and have them not beat me all the time...fast little buggers. I want to be able to put a shirt on and not have it show all my imperfections. I want to be able to wear my jeans that look nice on me again. Still trucking. I want to be able to look and feel like a soldier and an athlete again. I want to get rid of my Large ACU's and go back to having my Medium's feel loose on me..

This is what I want to be like again!!!

Ramblings on the run....

This morning was beautiful. A brisk 33 degrees and skies as clear as can be. I was blessed to see 2 shooting stars, and all I could think was, "Man, Molly and Kyle are going to be so excited." I really started to ponder some things today. A lot of it has to do with medicine and my military career. I started to think about what kind of MEDIC I wanted to be and how to better myself. I see the Soldiers around me that don't know a lot about medicine (teaching a CLS class to a transportation unit today), and I want to help them understand. So, I was going through the steps of triage, treating and different procedures in my head. I want to teach. My passion is helping others have that light bulb go off in their heads that says, "Oh, this makes sense now." I want to know that when my brothers (literally my brothers... from the same Mama) are in situations where they need help, they have someone that they trust their life to. I may never know what they went through, or feel what they felt, but I need to know that I am ready to help if called upon. Hopefully that passion will rub off on MEDICS that don't care as much about their jobs. I was blessed to have one of the most incredible instructors that I could have ever been blessed with. She is a Paramedic and taught with such passion and experience that it was hard to not be excited about learning. For that, I will be eternally grateful!! I need to push myself to be the best that I can be. People trust that when they need help, it will be there. I am sure there will be those, "Oh Crap" moments when I first start as a Paramedic, but I will learn from them, and ensure that I will become better with each call. This next year is going to be interesting. I will finish up school, earn my degree and license, and put my PA packet in. I have been extremely blessed to have mentors in my life to help guide me to what I need to learn and where I need to be. Working in the EMT this past Deployment helped me to understand and acquire the thirst for knowledge. I had the best Doc's, PA and NP that I could ever ask for. They allowed me to pick their brains and learn what my passion truly is. It seems like the more I am around a higher degree of knowledge, the more I get excited about medicine and want to know what they know. So, enough with the ramblings... Great run this morning: 3.5 mile run, .8 walk warm up/ cool down. Run was done in 35 minutes. Not a bad start... Gotta start somewhere.

My Motivation for today....

Today as I was running, my mind was all over the place. Where I've been, what I'm doing now, and where I see myself in the coming years. As I hit my last mile, the hill climb with the wind in my face, I couldn't help but think about someone I have noticed for the past few years. I don't know her name, probably never will. She was this somewhat larger woman. My kiddos and I first noticed her when she was walking by my sister's house. It seemed pretty normal to see someone walking. That wasn't what caught my attention. 2 hours after being at my sister's house, I saw the lady again...walking the opposite direction. I thought to myself... "Good for her, she's out and doing it!" Throughout the next few months I saw her everyday. My little one's noticed her too. We would always cheer in the car as we drove by. The kiddos call her the turtle lady, because we saw her rescue a turtle one day from being hit by a car. So, as we watched her day in and day out, we started to see her jog for a little bit , then go back to walking. She did this for a while. I left for deployment. When I came home, she had lost a lot of weight and is now running. The other day I saw her running way past my house, turn around and keep going!!! We never know who we are going to inspire by our actions, and our consistency. Even if it is something like going for a walk everyday, we motivate others through our actions. Thank you "TURTLE LADY" for being my motivation. DAY 6: 3.5 mile run .8 mile walk warm up'cool down.

Running Thoughts

I often wonder what life would be like if I made a few different choices here and there. Would I be successful? Would I have kiddos? Would I be traveling the world? I look at what life could be if I had decided to make different choices. Honestly, I dont know that I would like it as much as I like my life now. Yes my life is difficult, and the choices I have made have contributed to that. However, it is my life, and my challenges.. I wouldn't have it any other way. Sometimes I think I just need to learn to breathe...because breathing is the key to life!

DAY 5: Unconscious movement

One of the things I like the most about waking up at 0430 and running is that my brain isn't quite awake and talking to my body yet. By the time my brain and body are talking I have gone far enough that my brain says to my body "You realize we still have to make it back to the house. You can't keep running in this direction and expect to get back to where you started." The other good thing is that the kid riding back seat in my brain isn't whining yet--" Are we there yet? How much longer? I have to go potty..." That being said, not too shabby today... Day 5: 3.5 miles running .8 miles walking warm-up and cool down. Serious about the eviction. Fat take your friends and LEAVE!!!!

DAY 4: The Journey

REGRET!!!!! As much as I dislike this word, it was my motivation today. I knew that if I didn't get up and run, my mental and physical well being would suffer. I was up most of the night with a sick kiddo, so sleeping in would've been a whole lot easier. Anyone who knows me knows I don't take the easy way out. I don't want to be "that person". I know that if I don't do what needs to be done, I won't see results... So, that being said... DAY 4: 2.2 miles running and 1 mile walk for warm up and cool down. I know I have a long way to go before I am the "me" I want to be, but if I look for the finish line too early, I will miss taking the steps to get there... This is my Journey-healthiness, peace, happiness-not a destination.

DAY 3: EVICTION NOTICE

Day 3: 2.2 miles and .8 walking warm-up and cool down... Dear baby fat... Consider this your official eviction notice!!! Starting weights in 2 weeks... That is all.

DAY 2: Ninja Suit

DAY 2: 2.5run .6 walk for warm up and cool down..... DEAR ARMY, Thank you for providing the perfect NINJA suit for me to run in this morning!!! No one could see or hear me-- because that is what a good ninja does!! Trust me I learned from SSG Sebastian-- and he has mad ninja skills!! That is all... Oh, and the stars and moon were beautiful at 0430---just in case anyone was wondering!!

DAY 1: New ME!!

Random 5k this morning... Check.... On my way to a skinnier, healthier me... Check... Vowing to never be this size and out of shape again... Check... Beautiful morning, and the moon was gorgeous!!! Loving my 0430 schedule... Now, if I could only head over to the EMT and work on some patients my morning would be complete!

"Someday Ill get in shape", "Someday Ill go back to school", "Someday Ill write a book", "Someday Ill get out of this bad relationship", "Someday Ill make millions", "Someday Ill ______"(fill in the blank). Do you have a case of the somedays? Well, I got news for you..."Someday" is never coming. You're never going to magically wake up "someday" and magically have all you ever wanted for your life. You know how you get what you want for yourself "Someday"....by making the right choices TODAY...by taking action TODAY. So stop worrying about "someday", stop putting off things for tomorrow and concentrate of what you are doing today...because thats the only way to make the dreams of "someday" a reality.

EVICTION NOTICES

One of the main difference between those that succeed and those that fail is the way they mentally process challenges or setbacks. Successful people look at set backs as an opportunity to learn a lesson, improve and come out of the situation better than they went into it...ultimately getting that much closer to their goal. Unsuccessful people pout, look at their set backs as failures and usually quit justifying their quitting with some whiny excuse. There are no excuses. Setbacks happen. They are inevitable. Learn to expect them. How you view, interpret and act when they happen will ultimately determine the winners from the losers. Remember...you cant fail if you don't quit.

Starting over

Well, like a lot of things in this world-LIFE is unpredictable. You set out on a path, thinking you know how it will end or that you are going in the right direction. Then, all of a sudden you are going on a different path with new scenery. This past year has been an interesting one. I have gone from being in the best shape of my life, to having a baby and starting all over. I have seen the worst in people and I have seen the best. I have gone to having everything I thought I needed including deep pockets, to having everything I really needed and empty bank accounts. I have seen the joy and love in my children's eyes and know that this is all that matters. All the material things in life dont mean anything if you dont have the love of family. I have been to the point of having empty cupboards and becoming very creative in finding ways to feed my family, to having overwhelming amounts of food storage!!! All in all, you never know what life is going to bring you- and what lessons need to be learned. My mom would say that I am the queen of whiplash... Nothing is set in stone for me. But, I am taking it a day at a time with a huge dose of patience and optimism!!!