No Greater Joy

No Greater Joy

Saturday, October 15, 2016

First Week Accomplishments

Just checking in on this fitness journey. Today I finished the first week of this 10 week fitness challenge. I've had several people ask me what I'm doing. Here's a link to check it out: http://dubuquemcdonald.extremebodyshaping.com/

Out of the six days I enjoyed the three days of kickboxing most. After a hard day of work Friday, I was ready to punch the stuffing out of the bag. The other three days were doing exercises with resistance bands and even a medicine ball. I don't know where the term "medicine ball" came from, but after using it this morning I felt like I might need some medicine to help my body! The bands are interesting. I mostly used the lowest resistance, yellow bands. A couple of exercises were easier for me so I used green bands, and one I was able to use red! The first night I used the bands I wasn't sure whether the noises were coming from my body or the bands. Apparently my joints weren't too sure about the extra work I was asking from them. The first night with the bands I kept imagining what would happen if one of those bands snapped when I was pulling it. Thankfully I managed to get out unharmed.

Eating hasn't been terrible. I've been eating more meals a day, smaller meals, and watching my carbs and protein. I haven't had sweet tea or Coke all week. I've been trying to embrace the water bottle as my new best buddy. However, Sunday is my free day so I'm prepared to get a gallon of sweet tea going by lunch! Supper time is the hardest, but I've decided I don't want this to be a fad diet of some kind so for now I will still eat what I prepare for our family, but in smaller portions and making easier substitutions where I can. School is the easiest part because what I take to school is all I have to eat.

Monday begins week 2! I know I'll miss two days of workout sessions due to parent-teacher conferences, but I'm feeling good and only hurt in a few places after my first week. I look forward to what next week brings! I am so thankful for my friends, family, and co-workers that have been encouraging me. That's what will get me through it!

Monday, October 10, 2016

A New Journey

It has literally been years since I've visited or posted on this old blogger, but it's time to figure it out again as I look to share a new journey in my life.

In August I attended a character education conference thanks to a scholarship and opportunity given to me by my principal. The conference was great, but what was unexpected was a prize drawing that I hope will be a healthy change in my life. I won a 10 week certificate for Extreme Body-shaping. So I thought I should journal about my experience, and maybe someone would be entertained, but hopefully encouraged through this experience.

2 days ago I reported for baseline stuff. It started pretty okay by seeing how many sit-ups and push-ups I could do in a minute. The best thing about the experience was seeing all kinds of people there! It wasn't a room full of thin girls and muscular men. Now I have done the Planet Fitness thing before and that was fine, but I had no real direction. Also in August, I began running with my hubby to train doing Couch to 5K. Y'all need to understand that running is not my thing. Really. With every step I take I can feel every pound of my body shift to places it's never been before. I do still hope to do a 5K. Maybe one of those cool ones where I get to experience some actual color (those color runs look fun) since the only coloring I know on my skin is that of freckles when the sun finds me. I digress...back to Saturday...the worst part wasn't the mile fun, but the before pictures we all had to do. Even in my best of appearances, like the ones when I was 18, I was conservative so being asked to strip down to reveal the parts of me that I work hard to hide was scary. Maybe that's why I went later that day to the salon to get my hair chopped and colored, so no one would recognize me if they saw the picture. Just kidding, but something to think about. :)

Forward to today where I attended the very first class. It wasn't as bad as I thought, actually. The classes are 6 days a week, 45 minutes per day. I was lucky enough to be paired with a "fit member" which is a person that has experienced this before and is a bit of an expert compared to people like me. Her name is Cindy, and she was a great partner. It was kickboxing tonight. It did feel pretty cool to put on those boxing gloves. I enjoyed hitting and kicking the bag, but son of a biscuit eater, the planks!! I All I can say is that I feel pretty good now, but tomorrow hasn't come yet. It may even take a few days, but I know it will come.

I'll take any encouragement and advice that anyone has. I did eat 5 meals today and even avoided the cake that was in front of me at lunch today! That was perhaps a bigger success than anything else I accomplished today. I hope to post frequently as I seek to be a better me. By the way, GEM told me my face was as red as my hair when I got home tonight.

Stacy