For years I worked out alone or with my husband. My husband is a great partner, but finding the time to go sometimes became tricky. Besides, when you husband tells you to “keep you shoulders back” and you already think you do you are a lot more likely to tell them to back off! This is why when Chad was a trainer everyone had a saying, “never train your spouse.”

When I work out alone I go easy, I quit early, I won’t do that last set, I’ll skip out on doing core…I’m horrible. I’m not saying I do that everytime, but I certainly am not nearly as excited to be in there.

I’d say that I started working out consistently in November of 2010. I worked out alone or with Chad. I was getting bored….fast and with the holidays approaching, I was scared I would quit! (Isn’t it strange that I would be afraid of such a thing? You’d think being aware would make it a nonissue? Anyway…). My friend Meagan had just moved to my town. We’d always talked about working out but she lived a little bit further away and it never happened. We were excited to start hitting the gym together. Let me tell you, I had no idea what I was in for. Since working out with my partner I have seen HUGE changes. I attribute SO much of my success to her!

Reasons why having a gym partner has benefitted me:

1) My gym partner and I have a designated time that we meet everyday (except Wednesday and Sunday). Having this scheduled we make appointments around this time…you’d never schedule something when you knew you had a dr appointment at the same time, why do you do it at the gym? Also, knowing that we have this time, I can prepare mentally everyday…rather than wondering, “when am i going to get to the gym today?” Trust me, that never happens. ((It also helps that her kids are older than my kids so she’s like 100times more flexible than I am!))

2) Meagan is competitive. When I say that I mean, if I accidentally do too many reps, she’s going to do too many reps too. If I can lift XX lbs, she’s gonna lift XX lbs. This is great for me because I’m NOT competitive, but sometimes when she gets in that mode, I just want to beat her. It’s that constant competition that push us to do more.

3) Motivator. When I feel like I just can’t do something (ahem, jumprope) she’s over there telling me I can, trying to get me to do as much as I can. Also, I’m never going to skip that last set, skip on core, etc when someone is there is pushing me.

4) Friendship. It’s been great for our friendship and that helps in the gym. I know the gym isn’t a place to be social, but occasionally, that get you through a rough set and that’s ok. Also, It allows us to pick at each other in a motivating way that only friends can do.

5) Sounding board. So many of our conversations at the gym are regarding food and lifting…by talking out what you are eating and doing you get in that mindset for the rest of the day. You also know that you aren’t alone so that when you are missing some fun meal at, lets say, MOPS, you know that its because you have someone you have to be accountable to!

What you should look for in someone:

1) Same goals. What does your end result look like? Do you just want to loose some weight? Are you wanting to be muscular? Are you trying to build endurance? If you want to be muscular (resistance training) but your partner is wanting to build more cardiovascular endurance, well you won’t be wanting to focus on the same exercises. I want to have a lean and fit physique. I wan tto be in cardiovascular healthy, but its the lowest thing on my list.

2) Availability. You need to be able to work out at the same time consistently. If you are a morning person, I wouldn’t be finding a workout partner that prefers to workout at night. If you both have small children, you need to find a common time where all kids are happy and the gym childcare is open. Before deciding to work together get a set schedule. Sure things come up, be flexible, but keep a schedule.

3) Stronger in areas you have weaknesses. I haven’t found my partners weaknesses, but I know she fills mine. Her athletic background pushes me because I have never had one. If you told me to run sprints between sets I’d laugh and say I didn’t have to. Because, really, you don’t HAVE to…you just won’t be seeing as great results.

4) I had another thing but can’t remember it. Boo.

PROGRAM:

GRADUATION:

FAMILY SHOT: (what a funny/horrible pic)

I’m starting to feel like I’m finding balance. If its lifestyle, then really there isn’t a “cheat” right?? But I’m starting to look ahead and think of what I’ll be eating at things. On Saturdays post I mentioned my Sunday plans and I was dead-on, however I was not controlled with my eating at all (felt like poop too)! This weekend is looking similar. Saturday BBQ to say goodbye to my brother, Sunday preschool graduation BBQ. I plan to eat at both, but stay clean the rest of the weekend. We’ll see how that pans out. And then next weekend its a family reunion. So, I’d say we are eating good 90% of the time. We eat our way as much as we can and still enjoy ourselves with others.

Again, last night, I was so full. I was craving sweet, but I couldn’t eat if I wanted to, and I had eaten so light all day.

Yesterday:

B: Egg whites, onions & peppers

S1: Banana

L: Leftover turkey spaghetti w/ezekiel bread

S2: apple w/PB

D: 1/2 brown rice, 3 oz chicken, broccoli

S3: Protein shake and nut mix

I didn’t need snack 3 but i realized i was low on calories for the day and didn’t want that to effect today.

Both Chad and I have started using trace amounts of Splenda again (me in my oats, his in his coffee). We just aren’t liking agave. Maybe its better with baking and cooking?? I dunno, just not a fan. We’ve still abstained from cheese which used to be the we flew through in this house. I told chad the other day i felt like being bad i was gong to put cheese on something, but I never ended up doing it. I did have a moment of weakness in the McDonalds drive thru (don’t judge kenlee hadn’t eaten in two days and wanted a cheeseburger!) and got a sugar free vanilla iced coffee. Yum. I love those! So really by limiting dairy, sugar and white flours we are seeing a difference.

I am NOT ready for this. Teeth falling out, preschool ending, kindergarten beginning, Kai asking to learn to read….He’s growing up so fast.

The story, for my record keeping. This silly little guy has been loose a LONG time. Kai has NEVER been a fan of pain/blood/anything…he FREAKS out. Even haircuts were hard until like six months ago. So, when the hygienist told us kai had a few lose teeth I started to worry. How would my child who hate even nail and hair clipping handle the parting of a tooth? I can still remember the snapping feelings of losing my teeth and then the blood. Ugh. Yesterday morning and the breakfast table, once again his hands were in his mouth wiggling. I said, “let me see that” and i wiggled it side to side which immediately he jerked, eyes started water, little blood at the gum line…I felt horrible, but i knew that was a good sign that this bad boy was ready. Chad kept telling Kai his teeht would fall out and that mommy didn’t need to yank on it. WHAT?? So when I ask Kais if he’d let me try he said, “daddy said I don’t need to.” gee, thanks man who isn’t watching his kid play with the stupid thing all and and has stopped eating certain food because it hurts.. After school I encouraged Kai again telling him how I lost my first tooth (again!). Finally getting out of bath I said, “Buddy just let me look again…oh wait i need to dry it off first.” I take the towel, hardly touch (ahem yank) the tooth and its out. He didn’t even know until a showed him! And then the pride set in!!! We had to text everyone (Sidenote: isn’t it weird that my kids told me to text and email the pic to people??).

This guy has good taste in watches….

Kai explaining the babies to Kenlee (have I mentioned that Kai recently MILKED a goat??)

I have to admit, my kids are normally VERY timid when it comes to feeding/touching animals but they were both super excited to feed these guys!

Just look at that smile. Seriously, child!

These three bless my socks off.

I’m so blessed to have my parents close by. I can’t imagine raising my kids far away from them. I was chopped liver all afternoon – POPPY was the star!!!

I haven’t always been skinny or in shape…or at least both at the same time. Obviously, my worst weights were recovering from children, but even before my first pregnancy I had put on the post-wedding weight. I had gone up 2 sizes in the 9 months before I got pregnant.   There are people all around me that have the genetics that allow them to eat whatever whenever they want…I am not one of these people. My sister and my sister-in-law are this way. Drives.Me.Crazy.

I have to work hard. I have to watch everything that goes in my mouth. I have to go to the gym. This is obvious, I look back over the years and I look better/lose weight/etc when I’m structured and working at it. So my response to the above statements: “Yes I do, that’s how I stay fit/small/in-shape/etc” If i relax ever THIS much, it creeps back on. Its a LOT easier to put fat on than it is to take it off.

But really, the point of this is who gives them the right to question why I’m doing what I’m doing? I don’t question why at XX lbs overweight they are choosing a cheeseburger over grilled chicken or a salad…the thought doesn’t even cross my mind. But for some reason when you make healthier decisions, you are ridiculed. And the worst are those closest to you. It makes it SO hard to make changes for the better.

I highly recommend this article. It made my day the other day and really hit home some things that I couldn’t put into words.

DO MY GOALS MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE

Enjoy.

It’s that time of year again when all of my organized things are ending. One thing that I love during the year is BSF, Bible Study Fellowship. I have been in BSF for four years now. So far I have studied Matthew, Moses, John and Isaiah. The problem is when BSF ends and I’m left to study my Bible completely unguided.

Why is it that the Bible is so scary? What is it that keeps you from diving in and learning?

For me, sometimes I know right where to go, some times I’m lead on a journey….but other times I’m dry. Where do you go when you don’t know where to go???

This is my second time to read The Modern Girls Guide To Bible Study by Jen Hatmaker.  This book motivates me to develop a more intimate relationship with God through my own study. If you are looking for a book that teaches you how to study the Bible on your own, I highly recommend this book. Resources, cross references, how to find Bible history. It’s perfect to reread as I’m going into the summer. This time I’m doing the “study” in the back on my own, last time I only read the book.

With chapter titles like “I’m Less Intimidated Reading Shape Magazine” and “Nail, Diet Pills, and other things that don’t work” how can you NOT love it? Jen mixes humor and a passion for the Bible so nicely. She’s relatable. A girl like me…..yet not at all like me as she’s a Pastors kid and a Pastors wife….but a messy mom of three kids who still finds the time to be passionate about the Lord and admit her kids may watch too much TV.

Anyway, I just thought I’d pass it along, in case anyone out there is wondering how to start being effective in their Bible study journey.

While prepping my lesson for wednesday night childrens church Kai comes in

K: Mom, what are you teaching tonight

Me: Samuel

K: You mean the kid that slept in the temple and heard from God.

Me (trying to figure out where he heard it KNOWING i haven’t taught this story to him): Um, yeah buddy, you know that story? Tell me.

K: Yeah, mom. (in the *duh* tone). Samuel is sleeping and God wakes him up, only he doesn’t know its God…. **Goes through the ENTIRE story…in detail…all the way up to the Philistines army winning and Eli’s sons dying**

I sat there in shock. Even if he had hear the story, it couldn’t have been more than once or twice. Frankly **I** am not even that familiar with it. I called his Sunday School teacher asking if it had been taught recently and she said no, but they had touch on the story while discussing another lesson. If you haven’t read 1 Samuel 3&4 thats the story.

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Coming home from church a few Sundays ago

Kai: I’m going to be a man of prayer when I grow up.

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Listening to a teaching by Dr Mark Barclay about Exposing Satan he talks about the sneaky devil

Kai: That sneaky devil is going straight the lake of fire and he’s going DOWN DOWN DOWN!

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In church, listening to a teaching CD in the car, ANYWHERE when someone says Amen in the “can i get an amen” way Kai will always Amen. I don’t even think he realizes he’s saying it or what he’s listening to.

You would think such an experience would never leave your mind, that you’d always knew right where/when it occurred….or at least that’s what I thought last week. If you would have asked me then I would have said, “I was saved when I was 5. I was in the car, told my mom i was ready to turn my life over to Jesus. I was taken to the Pastor to see if I really knew what I was talking about….which they said I did. Then, I was baptized.”

But, the more I study out salvation, the more I realize that that may not have been my real conversion. I was asking my Pastor a few weeks ago about how I’ll know when Kai is saved. You see, for months he’s been saying that Jesus lives in him and that he asks God to live in him daily, etc… So, according to MY salvation experience and what I was brought up in, means he is saved. But see, I know he doesn’t have true heart repentance. I know he knows he did wrong, I also know that he is sorry, but is that truly realizing our sinful nature and that Jesus DIED to save us from that sin??   One of the biggest signs of true conversion is a change of life/lifestyle. You turn from sin and follow the ways of the Lord. YOU CHANGE, you begin to live on fire for God. Jesus becomes LORD of your life not you (whole other blog to come on that!).

When I started reflecting on this, repeatedly a certain event in my life kept coming to mind. I was 20 years old. May 2000. School had just let out and I was going into summer, ready to read something new. Months after my mom telling me to read it, I finally caved and started to read “Left Behind.” I remember where I was, on my couch in my apartment off Hulen. I was suddenly so convicted of my ugliness and sin that I fell to the floor crying out to God. Literally CRYING out to Him in sobs. I knew the Bible, heck I grew up in Church, I was a good person, but BAM – SIN was all that rushed to my head. I knew I had to change. I KNEW! I prayed out to God like I had never talked to him before asking for forgiveness and asking him to lead me.

I changed that day. I broke up with the guy I was dating because I realized the wrong nature of the relationship, I quit drinking, I quit swearing, I moved home. I spent the next few summer months studying the Word of God. I was so consumed that I had to tell myself to stop studying the Word to go outside, to go be social, to leave my room at my parents house. I have notebooks and notebooks from that period of time…I was so hungry. I couldn’t get enough. I also couldn’t shut up about God. I’ll never forget when the guy I broke up with called me from the radio station he worked for ON AIR on a very popular morning show and I publicly professed without one ounce of embarrassment my love for Jesus and yes the sinner girl they knew two weeks prior was GONE! I’ll never forget the silence that followed or the emails I received. All of that came natural. All of it from the heart, not religious….from my heart.

I can’t help but think that THAT was my conversion.

My husband maintains that his was gradual. That he always knew he was saved from a young age, but like me in college, he had real revelation…but with out having really ever strayed from the Word. The main difference in Chad and I is *I* was bad. Chad never strayed from the Word. I strayed often growing up. I didn’t want God in my life, I didn’t want to live by those rules, that Bible was so ‘old school” and not for MY generation. (sound familiar?)

In fact, I backslid more after my true conversion experience (the one I just mentioned). What? Yup. Guess I better go on….it would be wrong to leave it at that because most people know me from my most backslidden state (ugh).

So after that summer of feeding only of God, I had to go back to school full-time. I had transferred to a new school. I started going to a church out there, the Baptist Student Ministry and started getting mixed in with a few that wanted to play on both sides of the fence. Strong believers….big partiers. I stuck a toe out and started flirting with the other side. I was feeding my flesh and spirit at the same time. They warred against each other. But, when all is said and done, *you* make the final choice….and I chose my flesh. Satan took a hold of that and WHAM I was gone. I trekked further away from my Savior than I would ever care to admit…..but its so vital that I do admit it (heck, I’m accountable for it!). I remember the unrest in my heart. I knew knew knew how wrong I was being, but I could not stop the train….it was going to fast. I clearly remember knowing always what was missing but not wanting to go back to “being good.” Honestly. It was always in the back of my head.

I’ll never forget the first time I heard someone talking about my husband. I was at a bar getting drunk. Someone asked someone else about him and the quote was, “he’s probably home with his head stuck in his Bible.” I will never forget the immediate guilt. I thought, “What an honor that they are talking about him like that.” It was about 5 months later when I actually met him. My first words to my husband, “where is the bar, I need a drink.” He always tells people how shocked he was when he found out I knew the Lord and even more so that I knew a christian rock station existed. Ha. But let me tell you, 4 days after meeting I walked back into church….what is STILL my church…and turned away and haven’t looked back.

Sure, I’ve had struggles…maybe started flirting with the other side a bit, dry spells, but always pulled back in. You know, come to think of it, I pull away the most when I’m not in the Word myself. I can do it in church or bible study, but if I’m not in there reading it for myself I drift away. When I quit praying, I start to dry up. Reminder: Stay in the Word and talking to God at all times.

Wow….I’ve really just gone on and on….whoops. But if you are reading and are so inclined to share your salvation testimony…I’d love to hear it.