Went for a run the other day. Managed 2 miles. Felt great, but my hips were sore for a day or so afterwards.

It didn't make sense though. When I run on the treadmill, I've NEVER sore. But every single time I run outside, my hips ache like crazy for days afterwards. I said this is Aaron and he explained that running outside is harder on your joints because you're pushing yourself. On a treadmill, you're just trying to keep up with the belt. Makes sense to me. But, I'd much rather be outside and running. I despise treadmills. I just wish running outside wasn't so killer on my hips.

I wonder why..

According to my scales at home, I'm 127.4 lbs. I haven't been to the gym in 3 days. Why is it, when I don't go to the gym, I lose a decent amount of weight? But when I do go to the gym, I stay the same or gain?

Obviously, the answer is muscle.. but man, it SUCKS.

127 is 2lbs away from my goal weight, so I'll take it. BUT, with the holiday's coming up, I'm going to have to do something to keep it that way. Maybe running again? I'll have to bring my running gear I guess.

These babies.

I love working out with kettle bells.

I might even buy myself one for Christmas ..

What is one of your favorite workout tools?

I want this:

This is the Free Motion incline trainer. It rooccks. We have two at my gym. Now, normally I'm a runner. But running on a treadmill isn't very fun. I'd much rather be outside in the fresh air, running up and down hills. On the treadmill, running for a half hour, I would barely burn 300 calories. When I get on this baby and put the incline at 24% and walk at a speed of 3.5mph, for a half hour, I burn 700. 700! Unbelieveable isn't it?

So lately my workout has been this:
Treadmill for a half hour.
Kettlebells - 3 sets of 20 on each side.
Abs on the machine
Abs on the floor.
Leg presses
Stairs for a half hour at a pace of 110 steps per minute which burns 500+ calories in a half hour.

So almost every day, I'm burning 1,000 calories. I should start seeing some weight loss soon. Well, I am actually. Last week I weighed in at 134.5 - today I weigh in at 131.2.. so that's something. I'm still aiming for a goal weight of 125. But I'm happy to be getting toned along the way.

Those kettlebells are the shit. I can already see a big improvement in my love handles and it's only been 2 weeks.

yuck

So I've been sick. Which means, no workout cause I don't want to bring my  nasty to the gym. Mainly because it's already hard to breath in there in the first place without having a headcold. Not to mention, the gym was probably where I caught this sucker in the first place. AND, I dont want to get anyone else sick.

Anyway, Ive been out of commission for over a week now and it doesn't seem to be getting better. I did manange to push myself out the door yesterday morning to go for a 2 mile run around the neighborhood. But that was the most pathetic run I've ever taken. I wouldn't even call it a run, really. It was more like a shuffle. And I was weezing and coughing the whole time. I even carried a tissue with me cause I knew Id have to blow my nose on the way.

I thought that maybe getting out in the sunshine would make me feel better. You know, the whole fresh air thing.. but it didnt. I feel worse this afternoon. I even took a nap on the couch this morning. I keep thinking that this has to get better - head colds dont last for weeks, do they? What if I have the Flu? I've never even had that before so I have no idea if I do or not. (note to self: Google "flu symptoms") I was pretty achy the other day. I couldn't even let my kids touch me cause it felt like I had bruises all over my body..

But enough complaining. There is an Oktober Fest 5k on the 23rd and I'm on the fence about running it. I know that I should since I havent ran an actual race since April, but part of me is just to lazy.

Aaron says he'll run with me and push the boys in the stroller. I guess that would be kinda fun. Obviously we woudln't be running for time though.. cause eveyone knows pushing a stroller and running is kinda hard. (atleast I think it is!)  But it's like a big festival and it looks like fun. Might be worth it to get back into the running thing again instead of being a gym rat all the time. Really, there is nothing like running. The feeling. Just going out there in Mother Nature with your thoughts and your sneakers..

This is what I think..

And it may not come out right, cause I'm never very good with words. .

 I was just thinking about how far I've come in a year and how easy it would have been to just give in to becomming an over weight Mom and Wife.

I see it happen time and time again. We get pregnant, gain some baby weight, and then become completly consumed with this whole life of changing diapers and taking care of these adorable human beings that we brought into the World.

I get it. You're a Mom now and have another life to worry about but your own. BUT, that's the problem. Another day goes by and you are still at your pregnancy weight. You go to bed each night saying, " Tomorrow I will go for a walk.. tomorrow, I will exercise" and tomorrow comes, and it doesn't happen. Believe me, I've been there.

When you're used to being a certain size, and you're now 60+lbs over that weight, (like I was) you start getting depressed and start to give in to the fact that you're always going to be over weight because with a new baby, it's just so hard to get out there and do something about it.

But it's not! When I first had Noah, I was 30+ lbs over weight. After my 6 week check up, I could hardly walk around the block without getting winded. I remember trying to do crunches on my living room floor and just failing miserably. I tried laying on my back, putting my legs straight out, and trying to lift them up and I couldnt. That's when I knew I had to do something. And I did.

I started walking every night around the neighborhood. It turned out to be 3 miles. I did that Monday-Friday (this is easier when you're a stay at home Mom like me) and took the weekends off. Then I started doing more and more.. and then even tried running. I think I could do about a half mile.. and then a mile..and then more..

Until I got pregnant wirh Benjamin. I fell right back into that," I'm pregnant, I can eat whatever I want and not do anything" mode. That's when I gained almost 60 pounds. I was over 180lbs when I delivered Benji. I was miserable.. I had no self esteem and NO motivation to do anything about it..

I had Ben in May, 2008, and stayed that weight until January, 2009. In January, I had had enough. I went to the gym on base with my neighbor and made myself run a mile on the treadmill. It took me almost 14 minutes, but I did it. I went right home, and decided that THIS was going to be the turn around in my life. And it was.

I've been working out ever since. This is easy for me bacuse like I said before, I'm a stay at home Mom. I don't have a job to go to every day. But if you do, I still think you need to make time for some exercise. Even if it's going for a walk around your neighborhood. After all, that's what got me started.

"No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change" - Bill Phillips

I think I've come to terms with..

The fact that I have a big butt.
That my hips are always going to be a bit wider.(Thank you Noah and Benjamin)
That I might always have this "double chin," (and an awful profile)
That I have a lot of work to do on my theighs.
That I have the boobs of a 12 year old.
That I still have a widdle "Mommy pooch"
That I'm not 19 anymore and my metabolism is slowing waaaay down.
That I need to workout longer and not harder.
That exercise is very important to my self image.
That its one thing I can do for myself.
That exercise is a daily need. If I don't get out and do something, I feel like a slug.
That exercise makes me a happier person and has been such a positive in my life.