7 Quick Takes Follow-up to last week

1) I ran the race I mentioned in my last post.

I came in 2nd for my age group and 9th overall.  Anyhow, the long version goes like this. . . I started out right in front because being competitive and all I did not just want to run the three miles, I wanted to be FIRST of course!  Now, I knew I would not be absolute first, but by golly, if I'm going to run, I'm going to run to win!  So I plunged off the starting line with all the gusto I had and quickly fell into pace with another gal (who ended up being the top finisher for the women) - it was a bit grueling, but I was able to manage it.  Then she fell back some, but I kept chugging along thinking the more ground I covered now the further along I would be the faster and that had to be good.  Then I hit about the half-way mark and was starting to feel QUITE warm and out of breath and my body was telling me I would be lucky to FINISH, let along beat anyone.  The women's leader had passed me a little ways back and the distance between us grew.  A few more men passed me and then a younger girl (about 14) and her mom.  I struggled to not pass out and told myself I could rest all I wanted when I was done.  One foot in front of the other, struggling to get breath as I trudged through the grass down by the dyke and up the hill.  I kept reminding myself once I got back on the street it would be downhill (a little) and then flat - easier than this part on the grass!  I struggled on and I don't think anyone else passed me after that, but at one point I was fumbling with my mp3 player and slowed some so another guy caught up with me, but as he pulled even I realized I had slowed, so I kicked it in again. (Only thinking the sooner I finished the sooner I could stop running!!)  My pride would not let me stop and walk - not this little race in my hometown where everyone knew me - not on my FIRST RACE EVER - not when I had called it a "measly" 5K - oh no, my pride ruled me and I pumped on to finish with a time of 27:37.  I walked some to recover and then decided sitting would be a better choice.  I sat for a bit and and was going to get up and ask my time (which I had missed as I ran by) but I was too light-headed.  The last mile had been HORRIBLE - I played the labor card out in my head (telling myself I survived labor six times and each time had a point where I think I would have rather died by did not - so if I could do that, I could do this).  Fortunately my daughter Rebekah (the only one of my family I had brought to support me) was engrossed in a book (had barely looked up as I sat down) so I recovered slowly with no need to explain why my hands were shaking.  It was a gratifying and humbling day all rolled into one.

2) Since I have more to say and I've already said a lot, I'm making this another point.

The take-away. . . I was thinking that this race would clarify if I was going to keep running (and maybe try for a bigger race - like a half marathon - or even a full marathon!) or if I should just run for exercise and pleasure as I have been doing and not worry about the rest.  Unfortunately, it did not really do that for me.  I have never run competitively before and I did not train for this race, so it really just showed me that I "could" run at a decent clip for three miles, but it was a lot tougher than I realized!  But I don't think I WANT to run competitively - not the same way I play basketball or other sports.  In those sports I LOVE to push and get caught up in the challenge and the responses of others, but I think running needs to be more personal for me.  I wonder if I need to think of it as me getting from point A to point B - and maybe I need to find some running buddies to make it a little more fun.  Then I don't have to run like my pants are on fire and create five new blisters on each toe by the time I'm done.  Then maybe I can just chill and enjoy the day. . . maybe.  My competitive nature is tough to squelch, but I might have to give it a shot. . . if/when I try a longer race.

3) I told you we were done with school. . .

And since having posted it I have been confronted twice about that and had to clarify that Rebekah technically has a few more lessons.  It is complicated.  She only needs to finish 85% of her coursework in Science and History.  She is over 92% in History, and right at 85% in Science.  But she also WANTS to finish some more of the lessons because they are interesting!!  Crazy, I know.  So I guess I should have said something more like "SAMUEL and I are DONE with schoolwork."  (Because Task-Master-Momma is no longer breathing down Rebekah's neck, urging her to finish up already!)  And I actually called the office to close Samuel's coursework so they could order his books for next year and was planning to call for Rebekah this week.  So. . . now you know the whole story.  And most likely, by the time you read this, I will have called and closed Rebekah's lessons and then we really will be done!!  Yes, really!

4) I am tired of allergies.

I had a nasty ear infection a couple weeks ago and now I still have trouble with fluid in that ear off and on.  Although I am not a fan of the bi-annual stomach bug, at least it comes and goes quickly.  This ear/head/sinus stuff is just a lingering annoyance.

5) I knew the day would come when Zipporah helped herself to all the food on the table. . . and it has.

I left her sitting near the table (having finished feeding her) and went downstairs to get something.  Coming back up a few minutes later I found her a few feet away, having scavenged Miriam's unattended pizza.  And she was quite proud of herself.

Well, I was still hungry, and it was just sitting right there. . . 

6) I have concluded I need a retreat.

With all the craziness of the past several weeks (as my hubby has spent hours off preparing for the musical) I have been going a little crazy myself and I feel the need to recharge.  My favorite way to recharge is a silent retreat.  I did one in Wichita at the Spiritual Life Center and it was AWESOME.  Unfortunately Wichita is a bit far to drive and I have yet to find any similar retreats offered around here.  If nothing else I plan to take an afternoon to go to adoration, sit in the church for a bit,  and go for a nice walk maybe or find something else peaceful and calming to do for a while.

7) This post is only about four days after my last post.

I think this means I am not getting enough "adult conversation" in.  What do you think?  :)

Journal #25

Out My Window:

It is overcast today and a little chilly (maybe thirty degrees) but not a "bad" day.  Feels a little more like winter I suppose.  The seasons have certainly been crazy lately.

Clothing Myself In:

Black stretch pants, black MS walk t-shirt, camo long-sleeve shirt on top, bare feet.

Around the House:

Nana has been helping out all week because of my little "accident" and that has certainly been a blessing.  She is a great teacher and really gets the kids to stay-on-task and get it done!  It has felt busier than usual, but my nephew (who happens to be Paul's age) has been here most of the week, as well, and we babysat for a friend one day, too.  It has been nice to be out and go to the park a couple times since the weather was so nice, but it is strange how the warm season being "out of place" makes me feel all confused - if that makes any sense.

The Baby:

Zipporah finally made it in for her "six-months-check" but she is already seven-months-old!  (This was not my fault - the doctor rescheduled the visit.)  In any case, she has only gained one pound since her last check (at four-months-old I believe) but she has grown two inches (up to 27 inches long!).   I'm not overly concerned about her lack of weight gain, but I am definitely watching her like a hawk.  Fortunately she has been amazingly healthy and happy, eating well and filling her diapers, so I have no worries at the moment.  She still is not a fan of sitting up or tummy time, but she LOVES to stand and lean against me or be carried around or sit in her bumbo (assuming it is close to the action).  Today she was intently watching me drink so I gave her her first few swigs from my water.  She seemed to enjoy that.

The Kids:

My amazing pitcher that the kids loved has broken already (sad face).  I guess I was cleaning it a little too vigorously as the handle snapped off.  I thought maybe Daddy could fix it, but he looked skeptical and gushed about how it would not look the same and be a lot of work, so it looks like I will be finding another pitcher soon.

Daily Mass (which we try to attend at least once a week) has been going smoother in some ways and more challenging in others.  Paul is quite well-behaved now, as long as I'm ok with him sitting and looking at our religious books we bring with us, but Miriam has trouble with volume control (or really just talking in general) and finds being still for forty to fifty minutes (we go with the school kids, so they have music and Mass is a little longer than the typical daily Mass) quite a challenge!  She often has to go potty (even if she just went at home) but fortunately Rebekah does not mind taking her out for that.  God bless big sisters!!  Jacob is also giving me a little struggle as he is old enough (in my opinion) to be standing correctly and kneeling and generally sitting as he should (at least LOOKING like he is paying attention).  I think we need to do a little more talking about this BEFORE Mass, though (and I keep forgetting) and maybe some practice for all the kids so things keep going as smooth as possible.

In the Kitchen:

I just cooked up some beef for another batch of taco meat (going to cook the beans tomorrow and mix it all together).  I was also brave enough to make homemade pizza!  (Which is crazy here - two breadmakers for the dough, four pizzas for our clan!)  And I made some teething biscuits for the baby, but so far she is not impressed with food in general.

Watching:

We stumbled upon an old tv series (on Netflix) called Chuck and it has been quite entertaining for the hubby and myself.  It was definitely written for the male crowd, but the plot is not too bad and most of the characters are well-done.

Crafting:

Since my hubby rarely reads my blog, I'm going to go ahead and throw this out there.  I have not been crafting in the traditional sense, but I am always looking for ways for the kids to get more movement in their day - especially while inside.  As it is good to go outside and play or to go to the upstairs of the garage (the indoor gym) and play, I feel they need to be moving more than we can get to either of those places.  Thus I finally got a couple more large hooks for our exposed beam in hopes of hanging a set of rings in our living room.  However, I tried to put one of said hooks in yesterday and it did not go so well.  How in the world do you get those big screw eye-hooks in??  I am afraid to ask the hubby for help as he already thinks I'm crazy and has a honey-do list about a mile long - on top of all his other plans and projects.  But stay tuned as I just might figure it out myself.

Thinking About:

Restorative Exercise.  Seriously, it is a lifestyle change I feel I am beginning.  And I think it is for the better.  In a nutshell, restorative exercise is all about moving more throughout the day.  Regular "exercise" is not necessarily bad (although sometimes it might be considered so, but it gets a little confusing), but it is not enough.  We should be moving most of the day, not just for an hour or two.  So I'm trying to put more standing, squatting, sitting on the floor, stretching, and walking into my day - and of course that of the children as well.  I will definitely have more to blog about this soon.  And you can read up some more on a previous post of mine - here.

Bringing Me Joy:

Zipporah.  It is great to see her personality start to show and her smiles are simply amazing.  Well worth the wait for them to show up.

Pictures To Share:

Samuel loves his baby sister, Zipporah.

Pizza and a Kansas sunset.  What could be better?

My Initial Reaction to Katy Bowman's book, "Move Your DNA"

I stumbled upon Katy Bowman's blog (Katy Says) as a link in a facebook group, in answer to a question about exercises to do at home. This post was about squatting. I read the post, took note of her pictures, and concluded my “squatting position” (thinking “the position I use to do weighted squats as part of my exercise in my home gym”) was fine. Was that the point of my friend posting this? No. Katy is not about exercise (although she is not against it). She is about looking at humans as whole beings – all of our parts, all of the time – in our current living conditions (environment). And to Katy, squatting is not an exercise, it should be a huge chunk of our lives as our bodies were designed to squat. We were also designed to spend much of our days standing and walking, but we do not do that so much anymore. And before you think walking from your car around the store and standing in line is what I mean, I will clarify that it is not. I mean walking four or five miles to the store, standing for an hour or two and walking the four or five miles home – and then going on about the rest of the day. But I digress.

Let me back up.  Here is my general understanding of things (and I am not claiming to be the end-all-be-all or get it all right, but if I'm understanding correctly, here is the scoop): 

Katy Bowman is a biomechanist (that means she studies the mechanics of how the body works - think bones and muscles) that in this book (Move Your DNA) is basically looking at humans from an historical perspective of how we used to behave as hunter-gatherers.  She goes back to this point because she says that time/activity is how our bodies performed optimally and she says a lot (most) of our troubles today (such as osteoarthritis, pelvic floor issues, hyperkyphosis, etc)  are from poor alignment/lack of movement as we do not move as much or in the same way we used to because of modern convenience.

Side Note: This book fell on fertile ground in me.  Whispers of her ideas/concepts/suggestions/explanations have been coming to me over the past few years in listening to my body and paying attention to/choosing my exercise regimen.  And I believe in order for someone to take the advice of another (no matter how smart or educated the one delivering said advice may be) the one receiving the message must see some glimmer of truth in it all.  I see that truth in a lot of what Katy says.  It all makes so much sense to me!!  But if you have not experienced things as I have you might think this post is a bunch of silliness, and you are entitled to such, but I will write it anyhow.

Rather than try and summarize her entire book I will share some things that have been helping me and/or I found particularly interesting.

#1) According to Katy we do not move nearly enough in our average day.  

Even those of us who are avid exercisers, only exercise for an hour or two and then sit for much of the rest of the day.  She is particularly concerned with those who work "desk jobs" and sit basically all day.  We are made to move - so move it!

While my day as a stay-home, homeschooling mom does include more movement than a typical desk job, I can be guilty of parking in the easy chair and commanding the household from my "perch."  I am making an effort to NOT do this.

#2) Katy says walking is good for our bodies - and not just as exercise, but walking is good for all parts of our body and does great things like aid in digestion, etc.  

In her words from this book, "Walking, as basic as it seems, is an extremely complex phenomenon that can simultaneously involve all your muscles at once."

So I have been trying to add more walking into my day - and not just MY DAY, but into the days of my children, too - as even children need to walk.  No, not play sports or run around outside, they need to WALK!  (Granted, children can ALSO do those other things, but walking is important for little people just as it is for big people - accept no substitutes!)

Side Note: You probably do not walk "correctly" or at least could have your walking pattern, gait, etc, improved but I am no expert.  Katy goes into some basics in her book and more on her blog, but her saying is "You cannot do it wrong, but you can always do it better."  

#3) Katy is VERY AGAINST sitting in a typical "chair."  

Our bodies are not designed for this - it has been adopted by our culture - with the chair originating as something of a trophy for the very rich to afford.  Now we sit, I would argue, out of habit and/or because it is culturally expected.  There are chairs in the waiting room at the dentist's office, so if you do not sit in one you are considered a potential "threat" (why is that person not sitting??) or if you sit on the floor you are considered "unprofessional" (you would sit on the floor in public?!?!).  Instead of sitting in chairs, Katy suggests standing workstations and reclining on the floor.  She understands we all need to rest now and again and being on the floor allows our body to open up more and stretch.

I have been taking note of how much of my day I spend sitting in a chair and actively trying to find another position for those tasks - such as sitting on the floor to do school work with the kids and setting my laptop on a shelf to stand while I check my e-mail.  I also squat anytime I would typically bend down to pick something up.  I also squat to hang out with the kids or do simple tasks at floor level (like fold laundry).  Squatting opens up the hips, stretches the pelvic floor, and just overall helps keep the body in good working condition!

#4) Stretching is VERY important.  

And it all starts with the calf stretch.  Seriously, I think every one of her exercise DVDs begins with the calf stretch.  There are a ton of other stretches she recommends, but unfortunately she does not have them all in a neat little list, complete with pictures in such, although she does go through all of them in her book, amidst other information and anecdotes.

If I understand it correctly, stretching is what brings the blood to the muscles and gets rid of the waste.  While the heart does pump blood, it is the smooth muscle of the capillaries that gets it into all those cells.  And our typical "exercise" only uses certain muscles and often in a repetitive fashion.  While these muscles get stronger, those around them get weaker.  (Use it or lose it.)  So wee need to be stretching and moving in all the ways we can in order to keep the oxygen going to and the waste moving out of all our cells.

I am working on stretching more.  I'm not ready to give up my cardio exercise because although walking and stretching would probably make my body the healthiest it has ever been, I am too caught up in the worldly way of things to be happy with my extra weight right now.  While it would eventually fall away (I think! - or at least some of it) I do not have the patience for that!

Plus I would say I am mildly addicted to "serious" exercise.  But of all the addictions I could have, this one has some of the best benefits (losing weight, building muscle - albeit it only SOME muscle on those parts I am actually using, but still - and relieving stress) and the least adverse affects (potential for injury, my husband having to listen to me whine about missing my work-out, or go on and on about how amazing it was today).

#4.5) After having my most recent baby I concluded that Kegels were not doing it for my pelvic floor.  

I then stumbled upon Katy's DVD called "Down There For Women."  This video consisted of five stretches that I found MOST HELPFUL but it was not until I read this book that I realized the final component in pelvic floor health (for me at least - as Katy would surely argue that the whole body works as a whole and you cannot piece out any part of it, from the pelvic floor to the foot, it all goes together).  

Are you ready for this?  The final component to my pelvic floor health was/is sucking in my gut.  And I do not mean the kind of sucking in one would do to button a pair of pants that is a bit small, but the constant tightening of the abdominal muscles.  Yes, the very tightening that my physical therapist recommended I practice "all the time" because that is "what these muscles are designed to do."  Katy says the brain, specifically the unconscious brain, is very smart and your body will naturally respond as it needs to, far better than you can consciously try to clench certain muscles.  So, instead of tightening my core to lift my child I am just supposed to lift my child?!?!  What if I strain my back?  Well, then Katy would say you are not strong enough to lift your child in that fashion in the first place and by tightening your core you are taking the stress in other joints/ligaments that are not up to the task any more than your back and eventually you will feel the injury in them as well.

What does this mean for me?  Well, by relaxing my core muscles and letting them fire when they decide it is right to fire (rather than the constant flexing that creates muscle tension and inhibits some muscles from behaving as they should) I was able to take the final bit of strain off my pelvic floor, allowing it to behave as it should.  (I will save you the specifics but I imagine you understand what I am saying here.)

Funny side note: When I first read that I should not be flexing my core muscles all day my reaction was, "WHAT!!!  NO WAY!!"  Followed by a deep analysis of how smaller, tighter tummies is a cultural thing!  How vain of us!  And now that I have been relaxing those muscles and letting my belly "pooch" out I realize this better offsets getting my pelvis back in neutral (read: sticking my butt out as we are meant to).  Now I cannot imagine NOT doing this.  Unfortunately it means I might have to rethink a few of the tighter/shorter shirts in my wardrobe, but honestly, who am I trying to impress?  I have a husband and he loves me skinny or chunky, with my belly in or out.  Who have I been trying to impress?  Everyone else.  Everyone that looks at my choices in life (to be open to life and to homeschool my kids) and wants to tell me I am crazy.  I am secretly trying to impress them so they will at worst leave me alone and at best encourage me.

#5) Katy considers this way of looking at the whole body as a whole is one of alignment.  

She has a facebook group called "Aligned and Well."  By stretching and walking, standing, and squatting as we should we are able to keep our bodies in alignment.  Key to this alignment is good footwear.  Starting at the bottom, if we have positive heeled shoes (even just a little bit of a heel, like a quart of an inch) it throws off our alignment.

This is one of those things I TOTALLY GET!!  As I have been struggling with footwear for quite some time.  And finally I realize that bare feet is the best way to be!  And when one cannot be barefoot, minimalist shoes (like vibram five fingers) or at least zero-drop shoes (straight all the way across like this pair I have my eye on, the Kigo Flit - or the Kigo Drive which I currently have) are definitely the way to go, for me at least.  Now, this being said, I can walk fine in these shoes (and it took some work to get my foot muscles to wake up and respond appropriately in the vibram shoes) but I am not ready to run in them.  If you want a quite comprehensive list of "Katy's footwear suggestions," you can find it on her blog.

And I must say that going barefoot and wearing more minimalist shoes has improved my balance as I have woken up all those muscles and bones in my ankle again.  I could feel it as I ran yesterday - even though I was wearing stiff regular positive heel tennis shoes - when I turned a corner that would normally have thrown off my balance and caused me to teeter some, I was able to adjust in my ankle and keep the rest of my body moving as I desired.

The End. . . for now.

While there are many more tid-bits to be gleaned and ideas to process but here is what I have stewing right now.

Low Impact Series: Cardio Supersets

Low Impact Series: Cardio Supersets by Cathe Friedrich

General Background on the Low Impact Series:

First off, let me say I enjoy the entire Low Impact Series immensely and definitely recommend it.  As a whole it is very joint friendly - great for bodies that need a little TLC or pregnant/post-postpartum moms.  It definitely keeps it intense, but low-impact.  With that said, I will try to review each video on its own as you might or might not want to buy the whole series.

On to Cardio Supersets:

This video consists of several drills grouped in sets of two and repeated twice. It moves at a nice pace and keeps things interesting.  None of the exercises are too demanding or difficult.  All are low-impact.  Often she mentions modifications as she explains each movement.  The music is peppy but not annoying.  A good little work-out for some intense but not overly demanding cardio.

Tips:  Cathe counts out how many to do of each exercise and has her crew do them with her, but if you wanted to get crazy, you could just go all out as fast as you could and try to get as many done in the same amount of time she does them.  Likewise, she uses fairly light weight (or often no weight) and I found that to increase intensity I like to wear hand-weights or wrist weights or to increase the amount of weight I use for the weighted exercises.

Pros: Low Impact, but intense.

Cons: Short.  But there are fun premixes to make it longer (or shorter if you are pressed for time). Also, it is a little easier than a high impact intense cardio, so if that is what you are looking for, you will need to make some modifications

Intensity Factor: 6.5 out of 10 (8 out of 10 if you add enough "extras" such as weighed vest, gloves, ankle/wrist weights, or just heavier weights when she uses weights)

Recommended Fitness Level: Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced (with modifications)

Work-out review of Cathe Friedrich's "Pyramid Upper and Lower Body" DVD.

Today I will review Cathe Friedrich's Intensity Series: Pyramid Upper and Lower Body.

This is definitely one of her "older" DVDs but it is a SOLID work-out.  It is a "stand alone" video, too, thus, if you are wanting ONE video that will seriously work your arms and/or your legs (both work-outs are on this DVD and you can do one or the other or there is a premix for BOTH), this is IT!  You pick three weights for each exercise.  I always go down from my max, so for example, I can crank out 8 reps of bicep curls at 20 lbs, so that is my max weight for that exercise.  So I start two increments down (for my weight system, that is a ten pound weight with a 1.5 lb hand-weight on my wrist - hey I do not have 12 lb dumbbells yet, so I improvise).  So you begin with 12 reps at your lightest weight (11.5 lbs for me), then you do 10 reps with your middle weight (15 lbs for me) and then 8 reps with your heaviest weight (think as heavy as you can lift for that exercise - 20 lbs for me).  Then you go back down with 10 reps of your middle weight and 12 reps of your lightest weight.  Then you move on to the next exercise.  It is a tried and true formula.  She keeps it moving (I often have to hit pause to get my weights situated as she does not wait!) and the music is peppy (although definitely reflective of the decade it was produced). I try to do this video (once for arms and once for legs) at least once a week. 

 Tip: Keep a notebook handy to write down what weight you used for each exercise as there is a lot of switching going on and it gets tough to remember.

Pros: Solid work-out.  I ALWAYS feel this one.  As I said earlier it is a tried and true method.

Cons: Uses lots of different weight selections.  You could probably get by with just dumbbells for at least the arms portion and maybe the legs (depending how heavy you lift), but as you get stronger, it will require more equipment.

Intensity Factor: 8 out of 10 (assuming you really push yourself selecting the heaviest weight you can handle with good form)

Recommended Fitness Level: all (beginner through advanced - just start with weights you can handle and keep at it!)

Background for "My Great Journey With Exercise Videos"

A while back, I made a post about exercising and how it important it is to me.  Then I promised to post reviews of my videos to help out those that might be looking for something like what I use.  And I have not done anything with it since.  To be honest, the task has been a bit daunting as I have been using exercise videos for about six years now.  It all started when I gained a little too much weight in my second pregnancy so when I tried to get back into my regular running routine (which I did pretty-much all through college, simply because I was intimidated with the thought of going to the gym - haha), I was WAY off-balance.  (And it was winter, that might have had something to do with it, too - since he was born in December.)  In any case, after a twisted ankle a few scrapes and bruises I decided I needed to try something else.  I bought one of those steps from Wal-mart.  You know the pretty green and purply color ones.  I should add that those steps are actually a bit smaller than the regular "health club" step, just FYI.  Anyhow, the step came with a video: "Basic Step" by Cathe.  I started with that one and continued using Cathe videos pretty exclusively for about five years.  It has only been in the past six to eight months that I have tried a few other series.

Why you may ask?  Well I will tell you!  First off, because I LOVE Cathe.  I fell in love with her from the start as she is so positive and upbeat.  She was encouraging and fun.  She was very "doable."  She is not quite like some of the other leaders out there that are all crazy and tough.  She is more "try this, do what you can until you get there."  She CAN be intense and encourages reaching that level, but she is definitely VERY approachable at all levels of fitness.  Secondly, I did try getting another video shortly after purchasing a few Cathe ones.  It was called "Slim and Lean" by Jari Love.  I tried it maybe twice and was SOOO disappointed.  IT WAS SOOO BORING!!!  And Jari was not all that encouraging or anything.  From then until about January of this year I have been a tried and true "Cathlete."  Now, why have I suddenly changed some. . . well I have been doing these videos for so long my body has some SERIOUS muscle memory going on.  In other words, I have "burned out" on these combos and they no longer require much effort AT ALL.  Now, Cathe has put out more videos since the ones I have used, but they have changed some and she really adapts to meet all different audiences, some AWESOME (like her Low Impact Series) and some a little disappointing (some of her X-Train Series).  In any case, I was just ready for something new and more intense.  A friend lent me P-90X.  and although I enjoyed Tony a lot, I was not all that impressed with the program, so I moved on to Insanity.  That was fun, but I was already the level of the "second set" of videos and although they are pretty decent work-outs and require no equipment, they are certainly NOT all that joint friendly or that much fun really. . .but I do plan to continue using them as I am able.  The previously mentioned friend also let me my latest passion, Turbo Fire by Chalene.  Wow, those regular cardio work-outs are SO MUCH FUN!!  The hiit ones are pretty good, too (although I think Cathe's hiit videos are tougher).  I was not so impressed with the "strength" ones as they use a band and it just pulled funny or I could not figure out the right strength level. (I have quite a few weights, so I lean more toward just doing traditional weight exercises.)  And I have not even TRIED the stretch videos yet.  (Oops!  Yeah, that is just how I roll, I'm still learning to like stretching and Yoga stuff. . . I know it is good exercise and good for your body but I just have trouble with something that does not make me sweat profusely or hurt afterward.  I do plan to give them a shot one day. . . honest.)

In any case, this is my "work-out journey" in a nutshell.  My next goal is to get up some reviews of my favorite videos, so stay tuned.

In the mean time, here is a lovely photo of my recently updated work-out space.  I posted about it moving from the basement to the garage a while back.  Now my dearest hubby has helped me "tidy it up" and "upgrade" (notice the nice big screen tv?!?) some.  We are also planning to climate control the garage, so once we get that figured out, it will be golden.  In the mean time, I often sweat a little extra during work-outs in the summer, even if I get up early, but it is a great space, so I really cannot complain much!

New Work-out Zone

I must start by saying this was NOT my idea.  We had toyed with the thought of moving the work-out area to the second floor of the garage (which is to be the kids' zone/skating rink/giant theater/awesome-open-area-to-do-amazing-stuff-indoors).  I was not too excited over this idea as many of my work-outs are high impact.  I used to only work-out in the basement simply because I did not like the way the house shook with my jumping on the main floor.  Imagine how I would feel jumping in a second story on the garage - even higher up!!  In any case, as the hubby tried to join me for some work-outs in our basement laundry/utility room, he realized it was just too crowded there.  This, coupled with him getting a GREAT deal on some giant mirrors (from a school auction - about $600 worth of mirrors for $15).  I think it was the mirrors that really cemented the deal because he realized we could not put those upstairs where the kids would play as they would throw stuff at them or run into them, etc.  And then one day he said, "Hey, let's move the work-out room to the garage."  And we did.  It is not quite done (we need to mount the mirrors and the computer screen and build some shelves for my equipment) but it is usable and I am LOVING IT!!  I'm not sure if it is the mirrors so I can see myself (and push harder - "I bet I can jump higher than that - I bet I can push my legs out further or my arms higher") or just having more space to really get into the movements, but whatever it is, my garage work-outs have DEFINITELY upped intensity from those in the basement.

So, without further ado, the before and after pictures, for your viewing pleasure.



BEFORE (laundry/utility/storage room)

BEFORE (other side of laundry/untility/storage room)

AFTER (in garage - main floor)

Yes, I LOVE my husband!!  Thank you so much for offering up a chunk of your garage for our physical health!!

Exercise Part 1 - General Overview

Exercise has been on my mind for a while now.  We recently rearranged my exercise room and I really wanted to share the pictures with the world.  I really want to encourage everyone to take time to exercise!!

The problem is that I cannot seem to get my thoughts in a good coherent order.  I have random-encouragement type of thoughts and then they drift into I-LOVE-CATHE-WORK-OUT-VIDEOS type of thoughts, and then back into reflective thoughts about my past work-out experiences and how I have changed and grown and what I have learned.  I guess I really have a lot to say about it, which is odd since I am really not all that old.

But before I get too much further, here is the lovely picture of my rearranged work-out space!!  It probably looks silly to you, but it makes me very happy.



Unfortunately I am TERRIBLE at before pictures.  I only think to take pictures after.  In any case, I post this to encourage others.  A lot of space is NICE, but not required.  This little corner of our utility room works quite well for me.  Note the computer and tv - I often put a DVD work-out video on the little tv and then stream a show or watch something else on the computer.  This way it is not so boring if I am doing a work-out I am fairly familiar with.  I think I get a better work-out when I do not do this, but if this is what I need to do to get it done, than I figure anything is better than nothing!

Moving on. . . here are some RANDOM THOUGHTS ABOUT EXERCISE in the order I thought of them. . .

1) Did you know exercise releases happy hormones in your brain? (as does cleaning - another of my favorite activities)

2) Without regular exercise I seriously go a little crazy!  (I notice I lack patience, have more aches and pains, and often have trouble focusing on what I need to do.)

3) Exercise does not have to be intimidating.  Start at your level and just keep building.  If you miss a day, try again the next.  If you need a break, take it.  But keep coming back.  It is worth it!

4) Exercise does not have to be done in a gym.  You can do A LOT of exercise in your own home with little or no equipment!!

5) Exercise can be FUN!!  It might not be at first.  It might not ALWAYS be.  But it CAN BE, so keep that in mind.  Attitude is everything.  (As my dear Cathe says.)

6) My personal preference for exercise is videos done by Cathe Friedrich.  Ninety-nine percent of the exercise videos I own are by her (in other words, I have one video by Leslie Sansone and one that I purchased by Jari Love, but was so disappointed in it that I promptly got rid of it and have been a faithful "Cathlete" ever since). 

Side note: I have purchased a few of Cathe's DVDs and been disappointed.  Not every video is for everyone.  And perhaps.  . . maybe. . . not every Cathe video is absolutely amazing (as you would expect from a  work-out goddess like Cathe :) so be sure to read reviews and such to get what you expect and think will work for you.

7) I do plan to review some of my favorite Cathe videos at some point soon and post about it here.  (I'm sure you are anxiously awaiting that :)  I also got her new set of videos (XTRAIN) for my birthday (that I ordered for myself, of course) and so far I am LOVING those.

Another kind-of side note: I have a lot of "runner" friends.  My favorite form of exercise will probably always be long-distance running.  There is NOTHING like the "runners' high."  Running is great for prayer, reflection, contemplation, and relaxation (well, mental relaxation anyhow).  Unfortunately I do not find myself able to run much for many reasons: my body cannot take the pounding much anymore (hard on feet, knees, back), we do not have great trails or any such to run on nearby, and it is difficult to schedule time for this with a large family and young baby.  But perhaps one day I will be one of those "silver-sneakers" ladies that you see out and about. Hey, my 90-year-old Grandma still walks four rounds at the Mall every morning!!

So the moral of the story?  Get your daily exercise!  You will be so glad you did.