My Apologies

I'm sorry that this blog has been such a dud. I'm running out of things to discuss that don't have to do with teaching or racquetball. I've decided to play at the Summit tournament on the 24th. It's a cut throat tournament and it should be crazy fun. I heard there's also a tournament on the 31st, with costumes!

I got to see my parents this weekend although briefly. It's always nice to see them, but this time they came bearing gifts! Too many! I'm sick this weekend and now I'm feeling awful. Seeing my mom while I'm sick just made me want to curl up on her lap and let her make me feel better. I hope I give my daughter that feeling. There's nothing like having your mom take care of you when you're ill.

I need to find some motivation somewhere.

Weekend Tourney

Yay...I won a racquetball tourney this weekend. It was a small, free one at Peloton Ridge in Harker Heights but it was very fun and I won my division. I know two of my competitors read this blog so I'll take this opportunity to say "in your face" to Odie and Cindy. :) We always have fun together. I love the social aspect of finding people that love the game as much as I do.

I found out that there will not be a winter league offered this season, so I'll wait until spring and I hope to have my life in better order at that time. I was glad to hear that I didn't have to miss out.

While I enjoyed playing...it's the most exercise I've had since school started 9 weeks ago! I'm so sore today I'm having a hard time moving. Normally the second day after is worse than the first. If that is the case this time...oh dear...

There is a Halloween tourney in Temple at the Summit. I'll have to check in to playing in that.

Have a great week, Readers...JM

The Cruise

Readers, today I booked the "never had a honeymoon/8th anniversary/ survived my first year of teaching" cruise for just me and my fabulous husband in June. So I guess the countdown begins. I love all the pictures you get on cruises. In them I'd prefer not to look like the whale my husband had a close encounter with. So now I have to find a way to think about health again, eating AND exercise, and how I can get this big booty to do something besides sit again. I just never seem to have any time anymore. It's ten till eleven now and I know I'll be paying for it tomorrow. I'll write more later. J

My Butt

Well Readers....I went to the racquetball wrap up party today. My husband took 1st in his division and I took 4th. As a doubles team we also took fourth. Grrr for me. So out of all the teams that did not get a trophy....we were the best of "that" group.

There IS light at the end of this tunnel. I've decided to go ahead and book a cruise in June for just me and my husband. We need the time together and it will get me through the school year knowing that I'll be on a boat the week after school gets out. So I now have motivation. Plus...I saw the racquetball video of my behind....SOOOOOO not pretty. When I say "not pretty" I really mean to say, "I've been walking around with that gigantic thing behind me this whole time?" It's much like paparazzi I'm sure. :) I found a little motivation. When I went to the grocery store tonight I actually thought about Weight Watchers points again. I didn't really do anything other than think about them, but it's a first step back in, right??

Several peeps have suggested I get the knee looked at. I may put that off for a while. I'm not ready for any bad news or hinderances right now. My literal and figurative "plate" is full right now. Maybe once things get settled with school I can think outside of my classroom. Right now...not so much, but after the video tonight...I'm getting much closer.

So discouraged...

Readers, if you're still out there...I've got to tell you how discouraged I am. Teaching has been so much more challenging than I anticipated. Have I said that already???? How many times????

I went from being someone I consider to be pretty smart and knowing my job to being the clueless chick on the block. The trouble is that I'm smart enough to know how much I don't know. Fitness is the furthest thing from my mind right now except for the nagging knee pain in my right knee. I can no longer squat or kneel without pain. I thought I overdid it playing racquetball but while it's not as pronounced as it used to be, it feels like it's gradually getting a little bit worse, just like I am gradually getting fatter. :( I want to go to the doctor, but I don't want to just hear that it's my weight. This change in job has affected my confidence in general. My antianorexia is on a temporary hold.

We were going to book a cruise in June, but now we've had some unexpected expenses and we probably need to hang on to that money a little longer. I was going to use the cruise as motivation to get a fitness plan in gear. Can you tell that I'm feeling a little sorry for myself right now? I should be happy that I have a job and that I have reasonably good health. My health problems are self-imposed.

Readers, I tell you what...Jason has been playing racquetball in the morning before work. I will have him wake me too and I'll do the Wii active tomorrow morning....I almost promise.

New week same story

I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend this weekend. "Thoroughly enjoyed" translates to...I ate A LOT. I had a good weekend. We got to visit with friends, we went out for Mexican food, had breakfast at Cracker Barrel....ahhhhhh. If you didn't know any better...you might think I'm not on a diet at all! :( I did however brave weighing myself this weekend. I weigh on the Wii so that it tracks my progress over time. Since June I've lost 1/2 a pound. It's nothing to write home about since in May I was 6 pounds less, but at least in the midst of all this job turmoil, I haven't gained. This month has been mind blowing. I'm either teaching, thinking about teaching, or how to improve my teaching at all times of the day. I REALLY miss having the ability and type of job that I could leave at 5pm and not think about it until 8am the next morning. Those days are SOOOOO over. Teaching is a mind devourer. I really do like it though. The good days are so rewarding but the bad days are pretty bad. There seems to be very few days that are middle ground.

Health and fitness wise... I'll keep bringing my lunch every day. Once I'm more accustomed to the new lifestyle, I really hope to go back to aerobics. I miss Mary Ann and spending time with LIbby. My right knee has still been hurting. If I bend past 90 degrees it hurts enough for me to make an audible. I kept thinking it would get better once I took a break from racquetball, but so far...no luck. Have a good week Readers!

Howdy

Well, the racquetball season is over. I came in 4th out of 8 women and Jason and I also came in 4th for doubles - I thought we might have sneaked into third place, but after all the points shook out, even though we won 5 of 8 matches...and the third place team won 3 of 8, we still didn't make it to 3rd. Ah...well... it was fun. Due to the new teaching job I think I'll sit out the next league and come back in the spring or summer. I'm too busy now. Speaking of being busy...the school schedule is helping me not eat so much. I have to bring my lunch and I only have a half an hour. While I'm lacking in exercise...the workweek diet is working out just fine. I hope to get settled into school and then start back with aerobics. My knees have been bothering lately, so I feel like I need a little break.

Take care Readers, I hope to have more fitness news soon.

Oh My...

Oh my goodness....I've been quite a terrible blogger. I was so excited about blogging and getting fit and sharing it with swarms of readers...oh Readers, it just hasn't worked out that well. Unfortunately I haven't been to the gym in ages. Becoming a teacher has not just been a change in jobs...it's a change in the direction of my life. It's a whole new career path with new challenges, new things to take up my thoughts, all new people to meet, new expectations....children's lives to help guide...it's been overwhelming to say the least. I really don't know how I'm going to find an adequate work/family/fitness balance.

Any suggestions are welcome...because in the meantime I'm only getting fatter...

New Job!

Lots of things happening for me...I start my new job as a 5th grade teacher on Monday.  I'm going through an alternative certification program to do it.  I was so happy to find a job, not a lot of people did this year.  I think the school will be fabulous.  I got a hug from my new principal today. I felt so wanted and welcome. 

I'm not sure how this fits into health and fitness, but that's where I am...kind of upside down.  It's all happened so fast my head is spinning.  The racquetball league is going well.  We've got a tournament at the Peloton this weekend.  

I'll keep you posted Readers...

slacker

I've been told that I've been slacking on the blogging.  I'm just glad you guys are reading this stuff.  Let me tell you that the hotel in San Antonio spooked me out.  That is the last time that I will EVER read ghost stories about a hotel I plan on sleeping at.  It would have been fine had I not read  all sorts of spooky things.  It didn't help that we could look into the Alamo from our room and when we were "falling asleep" in our 1800's room...we actually heard horses outside!  It turns out that the horse drawn carriages congregate outside of our room.  It was all too creepy for me.  Romance?  I think not.  I was afraid that every time I opened my eyes that there would be another set looking at me that did not belong to my husband.  

Other than the creepy thing and outrageous rates for parking our car ($84 for three days??  REALLY? We're already staying at your hotel...), we had a great time.  We had good visits with our friends, Jason got some good clinics in, and it was overall a really good time.  I ate WAY too much and moved WAY too little and I'm afraid I have lost a lot of forward momentum.  

I've got a lot going on in the way of life right now and it's sad to say that health goes on the back burner but I think for a lot of us, that's exactly where it goes.    We had a doubles match in r-ball on Monday and I have a singles game tomorrow and I think another game on Thursday night...  We lost a doubles and won a doubles.  I think we're working out our strategy and communication a little better now.  We make a pretty good team.  

As a teaser and if you know it please don't comment....but I hope to have some good news to share in the next couple of weeks. 

 

Vacationitis

Lazy, lazy lazy, eat, lazy, lazy lazy, eat more, lazy, lazy, play Scrabble, lazy.  

I'm clinging to my last few days of vacation. Next week I'll be back on the grind.  Promise.  

Aww Geesh!

Well...if I tell you when I win I guess I need to tell you when I lose.  And Readers...I lost terribly in a racquetball league match tonight.  Yikes!!  I knew she was going to be tough, but holy smokes....between her being as good as she is and me playing as poorly as I did...good things did not happen on the court tonight.  I won't even tell you the score.  I felt sluggish and a bit on the oafish side.  I was nervous all day and tried to ready myself for play.  I think I psyched myself out.  But all excuses aside...she was better than me.  As true as it is...it still hurts a little.  I prefer winning if at all possible.

I get a chance to redeem myself tomorrow.  I'm taking vacation and I'm playing a singles match at 11:30 in Harker Heights and a doubles match with my husband at the Summit at 6:00.  Lots of racquetball this week and then it's off to San Antonio on Sunday! Rest, relaxation, and looking around checking stuff out.  Oh yeah...and sleep...BUT we are staying at The Menger Hotel.  It's right next to the Alamo and is supposedly haunted.  Ghost stories to me are like  a scary movie...I'm interested in it even though it scares the bejeezus out of me. To make matters worse...I'm reading a book about it now...I haven't reached the paranormal section yet, that's in part 2.  I'm not sure if I'll sleep much, but you can bet I won't be alone in there very long.  spppooookky...

New Week

So let me update you on my weekend...I WON my racquetball match!  Hooray!  I could definitely tell that the little bit of aerobics I did this week helped ease me into activity again.  I was supposed to go to the Big Step class tonight at the Summit but I whimped out.  I'm still sore from r-ball this weekend.  Every part of me is somehow sore.  I just wanted to wait a bit until some of the soreness goes away before I head back to class.  We are going to San Antonio next week, so I have some matches to make up since I'll be gone this weekend.  This week I have step aerobics tomorrow, a racquetball match Wednesday at the Summit, a doubles match on Thursday, and possibly a singles match during the day on Thursday.  I'm going to attempt to exercise while in San Antonio, but it might just be the 16 oz. curls, or walking around downtown.  

I haven't stepped on the scale just yet...I wanted a couple of weeks to get back into it before I torture myself with a number.  

This summer season of racquetball league play will be interesting.  There are 8 women in our league.  I can already tell that the competition will be intense. This spring I knew that I had a chance to play everyone three times because there were four of us and the league was 12 weeks. This time, there are nine of us and the league is eight weeks.  I've got to be on target if I'm going to have a chance to be in the top three.  After watching some of these women, I doubt it, but I'll give it everything I've got.  

I tried to find a good action picture of r-ball to share, but all I can find at the moment is a picture of me and my husband at the end of season dinner at the club.  Before you even think it...he's not 12....he's 33 just like me!! I'm leaning over him a little so he looks smaller than he is and he's always looked younger.  Stupid men...

Back to Mary Ann

So the class last night (Big Step) was very fun and fast paced.  Edward has a nice way about him and he's very energizing.  The class was basic and I think most people could follow if it were a first step class.  I'd like to encourage others to come to the class, but there was barely enough room for the people that came.  I was able to do the whole thing and the frequent breaks were appreciated.  It was a good "coming back" class for me.  I'll definitely go back.  That room is a little difficult because it is long and narrow making it tough for some people to see all the way to the front and the acoustics in that room make it difficult to understand some of the instructions.  I love the floor though.  I didn't have any aches and pains and my knees felt good.  I felt like I was in a ritzy club in some trendy city somewhere.  My daughter Maggie really enjoyed the new kids work out room. She liked the bicycle game.  Maggie liked the bike game so much last night that she wanted to come with me tonight just to ride the bike and play the "dragon game".    I didn't realize that the kids gym closes at 7 so she was disappointed but enjoyed the movies in the little kid area.

Tonight I was reunited with Mary Ann and her half and half class.   It's a lot easier to go to classes when you have a buddy to go with.  I've got Libby and I'm so glad I do.  We to talk on the way to class, support each other when we're there and talk about everyone in the class on the way home.  Just kidding about that last part...sort of.  :)

I liked going back to Mary Ann.  It was like putting on an old shoe.  I know her moves, how she does things, what her cues are...She keeps it interesting with different choreography, but it's always fun and challenging.  I'm not just saying this because she might read this one day...

So tonight I used a riser the whole time.  Edward's class last night gave me more confidence to use a riser tonight.  Generally I just use the step.  My knees tend to hurt and I get too tired if I use a riser.   So tonight...for your benefit, I used a riser the whole time.  I took about ten breaks for water...but I used the riser the whole time.  Those two to three inches make a HUGE difference in the amount of energy you have to exert.   My legs are sore already.  I've decided that I'm just going to use a riser and stick to it, breaks and all.  If I don't make it happen, I'll be on a lonely step forever.  That's how I started just the regular step.  I was tired a lot at the beginning, then as the class went on I took fewer breaks and fewer breaks until finally I did the whole class, that is until Mary Ann bust out with some crazy hard new routine...then I need breaks.  It's those repeaters that always kick my booty.  

I'm glad I went to class twice this week.  I think it's been a successful week.  Tomorrow night we're going to dinner with friends then off to a play at the Temple Civic Theater.  Saturday racquetball...I feel more prepared this week than last.  Maybe I've got a shot.   

SERIOUSLY going to AEROBICS TONIGHT

I'm going to try a new class tonight at the Summit.  I'm going to go to the Big Step class.  I'm not sure what to expect, but if I don't get some cardio in this week I've got no shot at r-ball this weekend and no shot at weight loss.  The class starts at 5:30 so I'm here on my lunch break gathering my clothes and shoes for the class tonight.  There is no BAIL OUT tonight.  

Wish me luck.

quick update

The diet is going pretty well, but not so much the exercise...

I'm skipping aerobics tonight so that I can stay at home and "swim" in our blow up pool with my family.  Maybe afterwards I can try out our new Wii Active.  I've been wanting to try it out but haven't yet.  I'm exercising my lungs right now by blowing up a new floaty.  It's tough to want to leave my family after I've been gone all day, so tonight...I stay home.  Thursday back to aerobics...I'll let you know if I get to try out the Wii Active tonight.  

Baby Steps

This morning I took the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood.  I think I remember that 2 laps around is equivalent to about 1.5 miles.  It's hot out there.  Yesterday I bought an armband and a new set of headphones for my ipod.  I then rocked out to Black Eyed Peas and Matt Kearney while I cleaned the kitchen.  It was nice.  I like the armband.  I wore it this morning while walking the dogs and it kept an extra bounce in my step.   This might be a new critical piece of equipment for me.  Here are the dogs...Daisy and Shadow, our Temple Animal Control rescue Lab pups and my walking buddies.  

The final countdown

Two days left until Doomsday, DUM DUM DUM.  Monday I start Weight Watchers again, exercising regularly, yada yada yada.  I've been there and done that.  How do I get it to stick and how do I make it not feel like punishment?  I always feel that I'm being punished for being so ridiculously large and now I'm on "restriction".  I need to break that mind set and somehow tell myself that it's a reward to eat healthy food and exercise.  I've tried this brainwashing before with little success.  1-2 weeks into the plan (most of which is spent being grouchy, irritable, and fighting with my husband because I feel like I'm being punished the whole time) I feel like "the Man" has got me down and that I'm fine the way I am (see anti-anorexia on Day One post).   So smart me quits the plan and embraces the fatness, quickly gaining whatever weight I lost.  

Since today was Friday and not Monday,  I went out tonight with a couple of girlfriends to Deadfish Grill.  It was nice out there.  We sat on the patio when we first got there and sweat it up.  It was pretty, just really hot.  Our waitress looked just like Ann Hathaway.  We had a good time: drinks, food, and lots of laughs.   Too bad I'll be obsessing about calories the next time I go out with the girls.  On the plus side (and I'm not talking about my big pants) maybe I'll fit in the chair a little better next time.  

I need to get my attitude in gear before Monday.  It turns out that my racquetball match for tomorrow is off since my opponent is out of town.  There goes that motivating factor, so I'll have to find something else.  I'm off to bed for now.  I think I'm going to like this blog. 

Day One

Today marks day one of my year long blog for the City of Temple Parks and Recreation Department.  I'll be cataloging my attempts at health and fitness for the year.  I'm reluctantly excited about getting started because then there will be some REAL accountability and I can't just fool around anymore.   

I looked at the other bloggers in this series and I appear to be the "token" really really fat person in the group.  I knew that if I just held out long enough, this mass would get me something free one of these days.  Booyah!

It is what it is and why and how I'm doing the blog is no matter...the fact is that I am and it's time to get started.   Right now I work full time (except that I have this week off - just so no one thinks I'm goofing off at work) and I go to Mary Ann's step aerobics on Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Summit with a friend of mine and my husband.   I've had some setbacks this summer due to going through an alternative certification program to teach.  It had my nights wrapped up for all of June.   

I also really enjoy racquetball and I used to be pretty decent. We played a lot in college.  I played in a league at the Peloton Ridge Country Club in the spring and I'm getting ready to play singles and doubles in a summer league starting this weekend.  It should be a good butt kicking since I haven't played since the spring league ended.  If anyone is interested in playing in this or future leagues, let me know and I can get you some information.  

As far as diet goes...I'd been doing really well on Weight Watchers and I'd lost 20 lbs.  It was fun; people were noticing, I was feeling good about myself...then for what ever reason I just quit doing it.  I'm going to get back on this monday...I swear. 

I believe I'm inflicted with anti-anorexia (a friend of mine made up this term).  What is anti-anorexia you ask???  If I had anorexia, when I look in the mirror I'd say "wow, you are gigantic, you gross, disgusting pig - no food for you today."  Being that I have anti-anorexia, when I look in the mirror I say "wow, you're looking pretty good girl...a little on the chubby side, but overall pretty cute for a big girl - have a cupcake."    See how dangerous this can be???

So here you have it...the good the bad and the ugly.  I'll share it all with you this year.  I hope you cheer for me and let me know you're reading.  It will keep me interested in continuing.