Trying to achieve balance

This drawing is hilarious. Many people who exercise  also party hard. Don't we all think there's a conversion chart for working off potato chips and Sierra Nevada pale ales? I know we all have vices. The goal is to find that balance between falling off the wagon, rolling down a hill, and landing in a mound of bacon and Guiness versus depriving yourself of sleep to run a marathon every week. But even if you do end up in a hole of nachos with shredded cheese and cheap beer, it's good to remember that you don't have to stay there. Maybe I didn't have the healthiest dinner last night. Truthfully, it probably wasn't the most unhealthy choice I could have made either.  Should I sleep in past my alarm and beat myself up while skipping my morning workout? Of course not.

Life is meant to be lived. I want to drink beer and have my snacks on occasion. I like my smoothies spiked with coconut rum on a weekend evening. I'm gonna order pizza at times and eat too many pieces. We all do this. Right? But I'm also gonna walk my dog when I don't feel up for it and take the stairs up to the fourth floor when I have to use the bathroom at work. I'm never parking in the closest parking spot to the door wherever I go. These are little things I do to keep myself in check.

I do big things too. Like, I got up again at 5:30 and did an hourlong DVD before work. This time I did Jillian's Burn Fat Boost Metabolism. I did plenty of lifting with weights yesterday, so today was going to be my cardio burn. Burn, it did, indeed! I think tomorrow I'll even hit the gym before work. I haven't done that in ages. Seriously, maybe even years? But then I get my exercise out of the way before the holiday weekend. Bring on the fireworks, the beer, and the sweet joy of sleeping in! 

Talk dirty to me Bob

Kickin ass and taking names! I was up and sweating at 5:30 a.m. today. Jason was snoozing and Quixote was grunting in his sleep. Occasionally I wonder what the hell I'm doing. An extra hour of sleep every day is a luxury most people wouldn't pass on. Oh well, I'm not most people, I'm kicking ass at the butt crack of dawn. If you don't believe me, check out Bob Harper's ferocious kicking on the cover of the DVD. Now, picture my face on that threatening pose!
This marks four mornings now that I have stuck to my plan. It's easier to get up when I have something new to try. I never know if I'll love a DVD or dread it. The not-knowing really carries me to a good place. After I punched, squatted, lunged, and planked my way to a drippy, soggy mess, I leashed up the pooch and took him for a quick stroll down the dirt roads. Ahhh, that lucky little guy.

I am still taking Jillian's advice to heart. I'm writing in my journal at night about my accomplishments and about my goals. Really, most people wouldn't notice if I gained 10 lbs. Some people probably think I should. The truth is I can't afford to buy new pants. I want  my old jeans to fit me! When I'm pregnant one day and my clothes don't fit — that's a transformation I'll make peace with. However, I'm not making peace with laziness or clothes that deceive me. My sister gave me a pair of stylish jeans that her friend outgrew. They were a bit too big on me and I seriously think this went to my head. I was like, "Oh, gosh, I am skinny. Get in my face, frosting. Get in my face, potato chips."  I was misled because I wasn't wearing my jeans for these bouts of frenetic eating and sloth moments. I don't want to be that freaky woman who eats in a bikini to stay on track. That is just whack! However, there are different feelings when you're sporting clothes that are too small, too big, or just right for us.

I intend to keep kicking ass at the break of dawn. I want my jeans to fit, not someone else's. And let's face it: those were designer jeans.  I'll stick to my unstylish style and my buns of steel!

2 Down, 5 Ahead

 I have now woke up with my alarm at 5:30 a.m. two days in a row.I finished a Jillian DVD and then took Quixote for a short walk that turned into a 45-minute walk. It was longer than I planned but Fridays are his long days at home, so it was worth it. He needs to get out and unleash his pee sprinkler everywhere and see how high he can lift his leg to do so. That's his morning exercise routine.

In keeping with my spirit of goal setting and recording progress, I wrote in my little journal last night. I talked about how proud of myself I was for getting up early and sticking to my plan. I said I felt great throughout the day having that energy carry me. Well I did fall asleep on my couch for about 20 minutes when I got home, but at least it wasn't at my desk at work! I even took the little squirt machine for another walk after dinner. Don't ever tell me he's not living the dream life! I wrote in my journal that I was going to stick to my plan and get up early once again. When my alarm went off this morning, as the sky was changing from the color of a bruise to the color or a robin's egg and the birds were chirping, my first instinct was to hit snooze. After I did, I laid awake, thinking about my journal and this blog and the need to follow through. That's all it took: a few gentle reminders about  life and healthy body that I want to have. My feet hit the floor before I even heard snooze start squawking once again.

Today I sweated huffed puffed flailed around did Jillian's Burn Fat Boost Metabolism DVD. I was a little sore this morning and thought that dynamic stretching through cardio was the best choice. The cardio in this video is not for wimps! I was flinging beads of sweat off my hair and around the room before the clock even said 6:00! The DVD included a warm-up and a 40-minute circuit of high intensity moves: mountain climbers, up-down planks, burpees, side kicks, butt kicks, back kicks, roundhouse kicks, kick kick kickin' my buns into high gear. Mama! I was feeling it in every muscle from my lower back to my big toe. So many of the moves are actually full-body moves, so even my obliques and washboard abs were feeling the burn.

Sure at times I half-assed a few moves. The climbing, standing mountain climbers were the worst. If someone peeped in my window and saw me they would've snickered at my lack of gusto. But then I would've nailed them right in the snot locker with one of my many side or back or butt kicks! Hiiii-yah!

I feel like a champ having kicked myself all the way through another workout. I will exercise again on Saturday even though it will be a busy day. I might walk up to the gym and then throw myself on a few machines and hope for the best. Then I'll be beating my chest Tarzan-style and saying HOOT HOOT THREE DAYS! SUCK ON THAT!

Unlimited

For the last two weeks, I have been listening to Jillian Michaels' Unlimited book-on-CD in my car. Jillian reads the book, which is probably most of the reason that I enjoy listening to it! She talks about finding your true potential and living your best life, in regards to your profession, your health and other aspects.

The last section I heard was about setting goals. She discussed longer term and immediate goals and how you break things down into sections that you can deal with. Maybe you want to lose 100 pounds in a year, so that's 12 pounds a month, or 3 pounds a week. You break it down into manageable segments.

She talked about the power of getting organized, looking at your time table, and then writing stuff down. I know this isn't rocket science here but gosh, I used to always write goals down and record my workout stats in a little notebook. I keep saying I can't find time to exercise, but clearly I'm simply not prioritizing it!

Last night  before I went to bed I found an old notebook and wrote down a very short entry. I reminded myself how I like to work out regularly and consistently. I want my original size jeans to fit, because I don't have enough money to fluctuate in weight and buy varying wardrobes. I need to prioritize my exercise as much as I do for Quixote. I know if I take him for a walk that that's great for him and decent for me. However, a walk isn't the satisfying, vigorous workout that going to the gym or doing a DVD can be for me. The solution seems to me that I simply have to force myself out of bed early in the morning. That is the one time of day where I can't get derailed. Quixote can still get his evening walk. I can still do house stuff after work. I just have to hear that alarm and follow through.

I know it's possible. Duh. It totally is. How many 5:30 a.m. bootcamps did I go to last summer? Do I have to pay money and be accountable or get a new outfit or buy a $150 DVD box set to get my ass in motion? The answer is NO. I don't! I am the key to my success or failure. I can hold myself accountable.

So I'm telling the Internet that I will fit in SEVEN hour-long workouts by next Friday. I accomplished the first one today. Only six more to go. Thank you, Jillian!