I've only got 1 pair of sweat pants. It's a little embarrassing to admit, because I go to the gym 3 days a week but I have to be kidding myself if I think people haven't noticed. Then again, maybe I am making myself a little more important than I truly am. I tell myself that they are black sweatpants and fairly innocuous, so people can't tell that I am wearing the same ones each time I show up. (caveat: I do a load of laundry on Tuesday and Thursday nights, so the pants are in fact CLEAN each time I show up.)
I'm not much of a fashionista. In fact, just about every trendy outfit I own is due to a shopping excursion with a much trendier friend or some poor unsuspecting sales person at The Loft, Banana Republic or some other up-to-date store. However, I do have one rule, instituted when I had baby #1. Sweatpants are NOT to be worn outside of the house. I break that rule three days a week and it's not pretty.
Owning 1 pair of sweatpants has put me in a funk lately. You might wonder why that would be such a bad thing. I just told you I don't wear sweats outside the house anyway. In my infinite wisdom as I set out on my journey, I made a few goals with rewards when they are achieved. I was really excited about this. I have been eying the Athleta catalog for almost a year now and never ordered anything. Here is my chance.
Goal one- lose nine pounds and get yourself a new pair of shoes.
CrossFit doesn't require fancy shoes or equipment. It's out there, of course, but you can participate without having to buy anything new. I think that is what scared me about the YMCA anyway. All of that high-tech workout stuff with computers and screens and stuff. How do you watch tv while on an elliptical? I just get motion sickness while I am bouncing up and down trying to focus. Reading on a treadmill? I'm lucky I can put one foot in front of the other on one of those things. Now you are going to throw in reading. No, thank you! And the outfits...all I want is a new pair of shoes that will help me "get on my heels" when I am lifting the bar and help improve my form. Shoes are one of the few things that I will buy. All the weight fluctuations in the world will not matter to a cool pair of black heels (or a nice purse, for that matter)!
Goal two- here is where the sweatpants come in- lose 20 pounds and get an outfit from Athleta.
I still just have one pair of sweatpants. I assumed the 20 pounds would take a while, but I didn't realize HOW long. I was hoping that the 9 would be off before the March 16 family vacation to Disney. I should have clued myself in when my friend told me, "You know, muscle weighs more than fat." I feel change already, and I have to be honest- it is muscle. I FEEL stronger. The scale just doesn't show me strength.
This slow progress in weight loss brings me down. I know I can't expect the pounds to melt away. It's a lot of work. There are tons of pep talks I give myself on a daily basis. All the words of encouragement from my husband and his unwillingness to allow me to skip a day at the gym show me that the support network is there. It's just not easy believing that it will happen. I know what I have to do. Diet comes next and it's looming on the horizon.
Maybe I need to change my goals or insert a reward at "Goal .5 or Goal 1.5" that involves another pair of sweatpants from somewhere a little less dreamy than Athleta. Would that be cheating?
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
My Little Valentine
Got this in the mail from Maddy today. I make a point of telling her when I go to the gym so she can learn that an active lifestyle is important. 
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
There Is An Upside
In case you haven't checked the comments, here is one from my Torture Coach, Seth. For those of you that participate in CrossFIt, I think you can see right through this to what it is. A bold attempt to put a positive marketing spin on the tongue lashing that I will be handing out on a regular basis. Take a look:
Hello everyone My name is Seth I am Kasey's torture/CrossFit coach lol. I just needed to get on here and let everyone know that even though Kasey plays it down a bit on what she has accomplished in the past two months make no mistakes she is a freaking rockstar in my book anytime someone puts fear aside and walks through the door of a CrossFit gym it is a very big deal! Its not easy and she does it again and again. I saw this blog and thought I needed to share some of Kasey's workout stats for her and all to see how far she has come in a short time. When she first started she could not do something we call the back squat and front squat with a pvc pipe with good form, today she does this with 75 pounds for twenty reps she is running faster, jumping higher, and getting stronger, she is day by day becoming and athlete this is truly amazing to me, all other CrossFitters understand this.Kasey I think you ARE what people SHOULD strive to be and that is courageous! You are brave and you are showing that you will not let fear and its evil cousin regret stand in your way to becoming fit! YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!
Now,I told him yesterday that I would be writing a blog and he was going to be mentioned. I figured fair warning was my duty. I also mentioned that he shouldn't take anything I have or will write personally. I have to see this person 3 times a week and he is partially responsible for the pain I inflict on myself. If you want to take a look at what I am required to do, feel free to check out the web site www.silvabackathletics.com. If you are anything like me, you will probably have to google "push press," "power clean," and "burpee." Have fun with that! Let me also inform you that each of these work outs is named after a horror flick. Fitting.
Seth posts these workouts the night before. Just to make the torture last a little longer, I look. OK- that's not entirely true. I look at them in a vague attempt to google the move I don't know. Each lift and movement is practiced with a pvc pipe before the workout under the guidance of our torture leader and his sidekick. I also check because after three kids, there are certain times you need to take a precaution or two. Those of you with children will understand that one. Let's just say jumping rope can be embarrassing. Are you having fun yet? Let me help some more.
I have not walked without soreness since I started at this gym and have at times had to go down the steps backwards. Often, I will finish my workout and race home to take a shower and wash my hair before the pain sets in to my arms and I am too sore to even brush my hair. The touch of my 2 or 4 year-old on my muscles can result in sheer pain, never mind what happens when my 9 year old touches me! Even he has learned how to properly massage my shoulders. I clearly remember Seth telling me on day 2, "You will get used to living with the soreness." I don't know what is more frightening, the fact that he told me that and I keep going back or the fact that I have actually learned to live with the constant state of soreness. My limp isn't as obvious, I compensate for the inability to raise my arms above my head by getting a taller ladder and I can maneuver out of a deep chair relatively pain free.
However, I am being completely unfair. There is an upside. I appreciate the response Seth put on the wall. The upside is just that- the community is great. The group you work out with on any given day does not leave until the last one has finished the timed portion of the workout. Sometimes, that's me. Let me tell you- if anything motivates you to work harder and push faster, it's being the last one to finish the workout. I don't like being the center of attention and everyone cheers you on. From the encouraging "You got it" to the loud and rather angry sounding "Keep it up" everyone offers support and motivation.
The fun and the reward comes from the results. I didn't think it was necessary to write down my workouts and the times or the weights in the beginning because I wasn't in it for the weight I lifted, but more for the weight I lost. When the scale wasn't moving, I realized that I should probably start tracking the weight I lifted. I needed some sort of encouragement. When I did that, I noticed something...I was getting better. My torture jumps, I mean box jumps, have grown from 2 #45 lb. weights stacked on the floor to the 18 inch box in less than 2 months. I have gone from a 55 lb. overhead press to 65 lbs. in less than a month. I can deadlift 155 lbs. and I actually bench pressed 85 lbs! And yes, I can even front squat 75 lbs for 20 reps. Did I ever think I would have that lingo down? NOPE. Am I glad I am starting to get it, just a little? Yup.I have in fact lost the intense fear I used to feel whenever a workout involving lifts came up and I have replaced it with only mild anxiety. I have a long way to go, but to me, that's progress.
Thanks, Seth for the positive words. I'll be back tomorrow, ready to submit myself to another day of pain.
Hello everyone My name is Seth I am Kasey's torture/CrossFit coach lol. I just needed to get on here and let everyone know that even though Kasey plays it down a bit on what she has accomplished in the past two months make no mistakes she is a freaking rockstar in my book anytime someone puts fear aside and walks through the door of a CrossFit gym it is a very big deal! Its not easy and she does it again and again. I saw this blog and thought I needed to share some of Kasey's workout stats for her and all to see how far she has come in a short time. When she first started she could not do something we call the back squat and front squat with a pvc pipe with good form, today she does this with 75 pounds for twenty reps she is running faster, jumping higher, and getting stronger, she is day by day becoming and athlete this is truly amazing to me, all other CrossFitters understand this.Kasey I think you ARE what people SHOULD strive to be and that is courageous! You are brave and you are showing that you will not let fear and its evil cousin regret stand in your way to becoming fit! YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!
Now,I told him yesterday that I would be writing a blog and he was going to be mentioned. I figured fair warning was my duty. I also mentioned that he shouldn't take anything I have or will write personally. I have to see this person 3 times a week and he is partially responsible for the pain I inflict on myself. If you want to take a look at what I am required to do, feel free to check out the web site www.silvabackathletics.com. If you are anything like me, you will probably have to google "push press," "power clean," and "burpee." Have fun with that! Let me also inform you that each of these work outs is named after a horror flick. Fitting.
Seth posts these workouts the night before. Just to make the torture last a little longer, I look. OK- that's not entirely true. I look at them in a vague attempt to google the move I don't know. Each lift and movement is practiced with a pvc pipe before the workout under the guidance of our torture leader and his sidekick. I also check because after three kids, there are certain times you need to take a precaution or two. Those of you with children will understand that one. Let's just say jumping rope can be embarrassing. Are you having fun yet? Let me help some more.
I have not walked without soreness since I started at this gym and have at times had to go down the steps backwards. Often, I will finish my workout and race home to take a shower and wash my hair before the pain sets in to my arms and I am too sore to even brush my hair. The touch of my 2 or 4 year-old on my muscles can result in sheer pain, never mind what happens when my 9 year old touches me! Even he has learned how to properly massage my shoulders. I clearly remember Seth telling me on day 2, "You will get used to living with the soreness." I don't know what is more frightening, the fact that he told me that and I keep going back or the fact that I have actually learned to live with the constant state of soreness. My limp isn't as obvious, I compensate for the inability to raise my arms above my head by getting a taller ladder and I can maneuver out of a deep chair relatively pain free.
However, I am being completely unfair. There is an upside. I appreciate the response Seth put on the wall. The upside is just that- the community is great. The group you work out with on any given day does not leave until the last one has finished the timed portion of the workout. Sometimes, that's me. Let me tell you- if anything motivates you to work harder and push faster, it's being the last one to finish the workout. I don't like being the center of attention and everyone cheers you on. From the encouraging "You got it" to the loud and rather angry sounding "Keep it up" everyone offers support and motivation.
The fun and the reward comes from the results. I didn't think it was necessary to write down my workouts and the times or the weights in the beginning because I wasn't in it for the weight I lifted, but more for the weight I lost. When the scale wasn't moving, I realized that I should probably start tracking the weight I lifted. I needed some sort of encouragement. When I did that, I noticed something...I was getting better. My torture jumps, I mean box jumps, have grown from 2 #45 lb. weights stacked on the floor to the 18 inch box in less than 2 months. I have gone from a 55 lb. overhead press to 65 lbs. in less than a month. I can deadlift 155 lbs. and I actually bench pressed 85 lbs! And yes, I can even front squat 75 lbs for 20 reps. Did I ever think I would have that lingo down? NOPE. Am I glad I am starting to get it, just a little? Yup.I have in fact lost the intense fear I used to feel whenever a workout involving lifts came up and I have replaced it with only mild anxiety. I have a long way to go, but to me, that's progress.
Thanks, Seth for the positive words. I'll be back tomorrow, ready to submit myself to another day of pain.
Friday, February 10, 2012
At least I'm off the Couch.
Blog? Huh? Why the heck would I ever want to do something like this? I am definitely NOT interesting enough to be putting my life out there for everyone to read about. I'll be lucky if 10 people follow this thing. Is that what you do? You "follow" a blog? Either way, if I can figure out how to add sound effects I will be adding the sounds of crickets chirping when I add an additional post.
Nope. I am not blogging to win a popularity contest. That much is for certain. I have decided to start this in an effort to embarrass myself in to losing weight and getting in shape all while trying to raise three children that will not become criminals. Not a lofty goal, but one that I think might be attainable. Perhaps my struggles might speak to someone out there or I might even get an encouraging "You go, girl" every now and then. What I do know is that nobody wants to hear me talking about the gym, so instead I will keep all comments here on this blog. Spare you the pain by allowing you to opt in and see what is going on when you feel your voyeuristic tendencies rear their heads.
Enough on why I am doing this. I'm going to bring it all up to speed. Two and a half years ago I had my third child. I am not my young, in shape self anymore and it has taken me this long to realize that in fact diet and exercise might be necessary to return to any sort of thinner version of me. So, my New Year's resolution was to join a gym and go, among other resolutions that I will discuss later. I made that resolution in November. I figure, why not- I'm ready.
Next step, find the place for me. I realized quickly that the YMCA was not that place. I can only do so much on an elliptical and there are too many people there. It would be really embarrassing when they have to call 9-1-1 because the out of shape lady who thought she could go hard on that day passed out/went flying off the treadmill, etc., etc.
A friend of mine has been a member of a gym for over a year now and she looks great. She also talks about it CONSTANTLY. How much she likes it, how good she feels, blah, blah, blah. I am hoping to spare my friends this conversation by doing that here on my blog. But, I thought to myself if she likes it so much and there is actually a person there telling you what the workout will be it sounds perfect. I went and checked it out and signed up.
Then I looked more in to it and realized that I just joined a CrossFit gym. Ummm, Google it. Yup! WTH was I thinking? I am the most out of shape woman there. I'm a mess. I've never picked up a weight in my life except to move my husband's free weight set across state lines 3 times! If you have ever seen me dance, I have the rhythm of a 2 year old and the coordination to match. These people are weight lifting machines, conditioned, toned and for some-specimens of work out beauty. And there I was. Huffing, puffing and practically blowing the gym down with my red faced, uncoordinated, out of shape muffin top pretending I could keep up. Some days I will program 9-1-1 in to the phone just in case. I already have the phone call to my husband scripted in my head when I am in the ambulance on my way to the hospital.
I'm two months in and still going. I'm still huffing and puffing, trying to keep up but I have become used to that. I justify it by saying that Seth (he's the one that inflicts the torture) has to earn his money somehow and I am just doing everyone a favor by giving them something to strive NOT to be. In the words of people that try to make me feel better when I get discouraged, "At least I am off the couch doing it. That's the first step." Yup. At least I'm off the couch doing it.
Nope. I am not blogging to win a popularity contest. That much is for certain. I have decided to start this in an effort to embarrass myself in to losing weight and getting in shape all while trying to raise three children that will not become criminals. Not a lofty goal, but one that I think might be attainable. Perhaps my struggles might speak to someone out there or I might even get an encouraging "You go, girl" every now and then. What I do know is that nobody wants to hear me talking about the gym, so instead I will keep all comments here on this blog. Spare you the pain by allowing you to opt in and see what is going on when you feel your voyeuristic tendencies rear their heads.
Enough on why I am doing this. I'm going to bring it all up to speed. Two and a half years ago I had my third child. I am not my young, in shape self anymore and it has taken me this long to realize that in fact diet and exercise might be necessary to return to any sort of thinner version of me. So, my New Year's resolution was to join a gym and go, among other resolutions that I will discuss later. I made that resolution in November. I figure, why not- I'm ready.
Next step, find the place for me. I realized quickly that the YMCA was not that place. I can only do so much on an elliptical and there are too many people there. It would be really embarrassing when they have to call 9-1-1 because the out of shape lady who thought she could go hard on that day passed out/went flying off the treadmill, etc., etc.
A friend of mine has been a member of a gym for over a year now and she looks great. She also talks about it CONSTANTLY. How much she likes it, how good she feels, blah, blah, blah. I am hoping to spare my friends this conversation by doing that here on my blog. But, I thought to myself if she likes it so much and there is actually a person there telling you what the workout will be it sounds perfect. I went and checked it out and signed up.
Then I looked more in to it and realized that I just joined a CrossFit gym. Ummm, Google it. Yup! WTH was I thinking? I am the most out of shape woman there. I'm a mess. I've never picked up a weight in my life except to move my husband's free weight set across state lines 3 times! If you have ever seen me dance, I have the rhythm of a 2 year old and the coordination to match. These people are weight lifting machines, conditioned, toned and for some-specimens of work out beauty. And there I was. Huffing, puffing and practically blowing the gym down with my red faced, uncoordinated, out of shape muffin top pretending I could keep up. Some days I will program 9-1-1 in to the phone just in case. I already have the phone call to my husband scripted in my head when I am in the ambulance on my way to the hospital.
I'm two months in and still going. I'm still huffing and puffing, trying to keep up but I have become used to that. I justify it by saying that Seth (he's the one that inflicts the torture) has to earn his money somehow and I am just doing everyone a favor by giving them something to strive NOT to be. In the words of people that try to make me feel better when I get discouraged, "At least I am off the couch doing it. That's the first step." Yup. At least I'm off the couch doing it.
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