Yesterday was one of those days where things come to a screeching halt. Everything just stops. It seems like an eternity, but it's really only a minute. I'm not going to go into details about the situation as there are still aspects of it that we're dealing with, but it was one of those times when it's rubber meeting the road of our faith.

But what I can say in the midst of all the chaos is this... I'm so glad that I serve a God that loves me and I'm so thankful I've been memorizing scripture. After I got over the initial freak out crisis moment, my mind was flooded with verse after verse about God's love, faithfulness, and provision. But it was this verse that stuck with me...

The situation we were faced with yesterday could have been potentially devastating to our family. And we had no control over the outcome. There was not a single thing we could do except pray to be accepting of God's will and trust in his bigger plan. And after I prayed those things, I was filled with a peace I've never known before. To the point that in the midst of the chaos, all I could do was praise God for his love and his faithfulness to me and our family. It's something I've never experienced. I can honestly say this was the first time I've ever been able to "praise God in the storm". It was as if I could do nothing else. I was overwhelmed with a sense of love and thankfulness towards God. 

In the 6 years Aaron and I have been together, we've been forced over and over again to trust God. We've been so totally out of control of so many situations that we've had nothing else to do but trust. And he's proven himself faithful time and time again. I'm finally coming to a point where God is the first person I turn to instead of the last. And because of that, yesterday I was able to say... God's got this. He hasn't failed us yet, and today isn't going to be any different. Even if the outcome isn't what I'd choose, there's a bigger picture. And this didn't surprise him. He wasn't caught off guard by this and whatever happens the day after and the day after, He knows all that too. And he's there waiting for us. 

If you don't know God, or you don't know him in a way that's deep and intimate, message me. Find another Christian, a pastor, someone. Ask them to tell you about God. About who he is and why he loves you so much. My desire for you is that when you're faced with a stressful, potentially devastating, totally out of your control situation, you can know that it's ok. It's not out of control. God's got it. He's got you. And he always will because he loves you beyond what you can fathom. I want you to know that God. And he wants to know you. 

For some reason, 4:30 am today wasn't as bad as last week. But, I felt a little thrown off because I tossed my workout clothes in the dryer last night and they weren't dry this morning, so I spent some extra time hunting down more clothes. Then, I got caught in traffic on the way to the Y. At 5 am. When I finally got there, the trainer girl took our measurements. To my dismay, I've lost a half inch in the last 4 weeks. A loss is a loss, I know that, but I know what I'm capable of, and a half inch isn't it. Then, we started our work out. It didn't seem bad this week, oh but we were fooled. Our workout was all on or next to the treadmill this week which I actually kind of liked. 

*5 mins on treadmill at 3.5 and 10% incline
*Medicine Ball squats- 20 lb medicine ball, squat until your butt hits the end of the treadmill. - 20x
*Push Press- 20 lb medicine ball, push out and then press up. 20x
*Plank- 30 sec
*Push Up on the treadmill. Place feet on the outside of the belt and hands on the inside bars. Complete push ups while keeping elbows as close to the ribs as possible. 20X
*Burpees- All the way to the floor. 10x
*5 mins on treadmill at 3.5 and 10% incline
-Repeat for 1 hr. 

Trainer girl didn't realize she had us walking for 5 mins at the start and finish of the workout, so we actually ended up walking for 10 mins each time which was a bit of a welcome break even though it was straight uphill. This workout was different in that I feel like my arms, shoulders, and chest did most of the work. Normally I feel like it's the lower half of my body that is worked most. I can already barely lift my arms over my head. Should be an interesting day! 

I have 2 more weeks left of this class. They are starting another 14 week session right after this one is over. I really want to do it, but it's kind of expensive. I'll have to see how our budget is looking before I can even consider it. Today is a busy day for us! Excited to enjoy this beautiful weather we're having here in Indy! Heading to the park for a picnic lunch! Hope you enjoy your day as well! 

Aaron and I have been in and out of "ministry" and ministries for the last 6 years. Longer than that if you include the ministry we each did before we started dating and got married. I always had a perception of what it meant to be "in ministry"- being a pastor, being a pastors wife, and being a parsonage family. 

Now for those of you who's heads are already spinning, I'll lay it out like this- being "in ministry" just usually means that you hold some sort of title as a pastor within in a church. Although, it's definitely possible to be in ministry and not hold any sort of official position. Doing any sort of service or volunteer work is ministry at your church. Cooking dinner for a friend or family member is ministry. Just loving people as Jesus would love them is ministry. But, for all intents and purposes, this blog is about the "official, title holding, on staff at a church" ministry. And a parsonage is the typical name for a house that the "in ministry" family lives in. 

I grew up in church. My parents were always very involved and held leadership positions within the church. Because of this, they were always fairly close with the parsonage family. We spent lots of time with our pastors and pastor's wives. I have fond memories of all of them, and am thankful for each of them and the influence they had on my life. But now that I've been a pastor's wife and a parsonage occupant, I've realized what and who I perceived them to be was totally off. 

These are the few of the observations and truths I've come to know over the last 6-10 years:

1. Pastors don't live in a suit. Funny as it is, I had this perception that my pastors got up in the morning, put on a coat and tie, and headed out for the day. All day. Every day. I remember being shocked the first time I saw one of my pastors in shorts doing non church things. The truth is- Pastors love their church and the people inside the church, but they do have a life that happens outside of the 4 walls of the church building. They have to. Just as you need a break from your work, or some down time- Pastors need it too. Obviously, there are exceptions- emergencies (legit ones), but PLEASE let your pastor have a life and have some free time especially when it's with his family! 

2. Pastors (and their spouses) are humans. Please realize that just because your pastor can get up and preach the most spirit filled sermon on Sunday morning that doesn't mean he is above or free of struggle. He gets tired, he gets frustrated. He probably really wants to ignore the 100th phone call of the day. The pastor's wife locks herself in the bathroom to get a break from her children (I wouldn't know a single thing about that), she's probably lost her cool with her kids in public, and she's ducked into the fitting room at Target to avoid "that person". Love them, respect them, but don't hold them to a standard that, as a human being, they can't keep. One day they will do something you don't like and you will be hurt by the extreme expectation you have placed on them. Be fair to yourself and be fair to us. 

3. Pastors don't know everything. I feel like your pastor should come with a disclaimer-

Just because I graduated from such and such school(s) and potentially have a certain number of degrees that add letters to my name doesn't mean that I can answer every question or solve every problem that you have. And it doesn't mean that I can pick up a phone and call God to handle all of your issues immediately. 

Sometimes, the best your pastor can do is put his arm around your shoulders, cry with you, and share in your pain. Pastors are people that God has called to teach others about himself and his word. People that God has called to lead his Church- to shepherd them, to love them, and to hold their hands along the path of life. Sometimes the expectation of being a miracle working problem solver seems like an insurmountable wall that Pastors can't climb. Don't build that wall for your pastor. There is a good chance that he holds himself to a rather high standard to begin with. Don't make his ministry feel impossible. 

4. Pastor's Wives don't fall directly from the June Cleaver tree. Being a pastor's wife is as much of a calling as being a Pastor. That may be hard for some to understand, but essentially, you are accepting the same challenges and sacrifices as your spouse and you have to be happy about it! My worst fear as a pastor's wife (when we were a parsonage family) was that someone would drop by unexpectedly on the day my children got out of bed on the crazy side, my unfolded laundry was piled on the couch, and dishes were filling the sink. The pressures that you feel in keeping your house, raising obedient polite children, looking put together, and essentially having it all together-  add even more expectation from every smiling face that fill the pews (or chairs) of your church and that is how your Pastor's wife mght feel. 

If you sense an air of frazzeldness, extend a hand or a hug. Offer to watch the kids for a few hours so she can take a bubble bath, or read a book, or go shopping, or fold laundry. Surprise your parsonage family with dinner (provided you call at least an hour in advance) or send your son over to cut their grass. Love on them. It will mean more than you know.

5. You are loved. Pastors celebrate your births and cry at your losses. They enjoy getting to see your successes, and they pray you through your struggles. They appreciate you trusting them with your children, your teenagers, your wives, your husbands. You become family. It may be a hard thing for your pastor, youth pastor, or children's pastor to express to each and every person, but you are loved with a love that only God can give a shepherd. We worry, we lament, and we rejoice because we love you. And because we want you to know that God loves you more than we ever could. 

Obviously, none of this is scientific and it's also generalized. There are lots of pastors and pastor's wives that might disagree with these things. (They do wear suits all the time and they wouldn't dream of using the lock on the bathroom door). But these are just a few of the things that I've lived, experienced, and sentiments that have been shared by other folks "in ministry". 

I'm willing to put money on the fact that your pastor (and spouse) would appreciate hearing how loved they are on any day of the week, not just once a year or on holidays. Take a minute to send your Pastor a card, and email, or a text, or order some pizza for them for dinner. Just thank them for all they do (and lovingly put up with!). 

Beautiful Spring! I've always said fall was my favorite season but it seems that every spring I decide that spring is my favorite instead. I love the beauty of growth. Of newness. I love when what seemed like nothing becomes something. The flowers peaking up out of the hard cold ground, leaves popping out of the gray looking tree branches, birds, baby ducks, life. What a great reminder of God's love!

Ok, end tangent. On to the menu for this week. I got tired of the same ole, same ole. I seemed to have fallen in a rut with my menus and I was wanting something new. So, I dug out my cookbooks. (I actually didn't get one single meal from pinterest this week!) I am doing some basics and a few new things as well! I've updated my menu section so I'll link up the new recipes! 

Monday- Mac and Cheese with Broccoli and Turkey Meatballs. I'm always one for some good comfort food. This looked awesome with the meatballs and broccoli thrown in. I'm interested to see how the cheese sauce turns out.  I'll report back!

Tuesday- Chicken Pot Pie- Continue with the comfort food. This is always a family favorite and honestly, pretty easy! Although, I pre bake the biscuits because I do NOT like raw biscuits!

Wednesday- Taco's- Wednesday is a busy night, so Taco's are an easy fix and a family pleaser!

Thursday- Chicken Enchiladas- I love love love this recipe. Plus, it's a "skinny" recipe. So good!

Friday- Friday is date night for us with some friends, so the girls will probably just have nuggets while we're out!

Saturday- Pizza- Homemade pizza and movie night!

Sunday- Ranch Pork. A pretty common recipe in our house, although, I'm using a different cut of pork, so we'll see how it turns out! I love that this is a crock pot meal and all I'll have to do when we get home is fix the mashed potatoes and veggies! 

Well, there ya have it. We'll see if it really works out that way this week! It seems like there is always sandwiches subbed somewhere!

This morning I read a devotional on living where you live. Putting your roots down in today and not living a shallow life waiting for tomorrow. I don't necessarily feel like I've been shallow in my relationships with family and friends, but I definitely do feel like I've become focused on what is ahead of us. And the truth is, when it's time, God will show us that. Whatever it may be. I might miss opportunities I've got today if I'm trained so hard on tomorrow! 

2 Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to parish, but everyone to come to repentance. 


For a control freak like me, it's hard to trust that God knows the bigger picture. And that he knows what's best for me and when it's best for me. This week I'm going to commit to trust every day to God. To trust him and his timing in my life and in the life of my family. 

Happy Monday! 

Over the last week, I've been pretty frustrated. Actually, a little longer than that, but it's sort of peaked this past week. I've been frustrated that my house has been a mess, my children seem to be all sorts of crazy, I've only worked out 3 times, and the last time I updated my blog was 9 days ago. And yet I can barely seem to keep my eyes open by 4pm. 

About a month ago I decided that if I wanted to be a certain type of person, I just needed to do the same things those certain types of people did. If I want to have a totally clean and organized house, then I just needed to stay on top of every dish and piece of laundry. If I wanted my children to behave in public then I needed to try all sorts of different forms of creative discipline. If I want to have effective and efficient workouts, I needed to be in the gym before 7 am every day. If I want to keep on top of my blog than I need to create planning charts and create a posting cache weeks in advance. 

None of that stuff is bad. In fact, it's all great stuff. And there are people who do it very successfully. Those people are not me. At least not the whole list at once. I got into this mindset where I was thinking - ok, if I want to be this person, then I've just gotta do this stuff. But don't screw up. If you screw up you're not that person. And you shouldn't need to screw up if you just do this stuff. It's a ridiculously disappointing pattering of thinking.  It's not healthy. It's not possible. And it's not Christlike. 

So, here I sat feeling like a big heap of failure on the couch at 4 pm, drinking my 2nd cup of coffee hoping to stay awake through the rest of the afternoon. And in the middle of my self imposed falling shortness, I came across another blog*. The whole blog was full of awesome and witty quips about parenting. It was good enough that I shared it on my personal Facebook page. But what really stuck out to me was this line...

 "...[A parent] Who asks God to help you to be a better version of the person that you actually are, not for more strength to be an ideal parent..."

What?! A better version of myself?! Myself is a cluttered, tired, falling behind mess! Why would I just want that all polished up? Because I'm created in God's image. Not the sin filled part, but the person part. The person God sees when he looks at me. 

God didn't create us to wallow in laziness. But he also didn't create us to live in constant frustration. So, I've decided that there are 2 solutions to this problem. #1- Ask God to show me what the truth is. Who He sees me as. Not the mess, not the frustration, but his child that he loves. And once he shows me that, believing it. Not getting bogged down in my own feelings of unworthiness. And #2- make a plan. I've been trying to be more diligent about creating a weekly schedule. Every day, creating a schedule of what and when. I keep my calendar on my phone, but that doesn't always help me. Spending a little time being more prepared. I read a quote yesterday that was like a "Yes! Thank You!" type thing... 

The best preparation for tomorrow is the right use of today.- Unknown

Maybe you've been feeling frustrated and overwhelmed too. You're not alone. I think more people feel that way than would admit. Especially the folks we assume have it all together. Please remember that God doesn't look at you and see your mess, or your missed workouts, or your *feeling* of failure at parenting your children. He sees his child. One he loves more than we could ever understand. Don't get caught up in the lies I have been getting caught up in- that my worth and value is in the cleanliness quotient of my house or the number of workouts I get in during a week. Embrace a some of that freedom, take a minute to breathe, and then create a plan that will lessen your stress! 

Have A Great Friday! 

* The blog I mentioned is "To the Parents of Small Children...." by Steve Weins. You can find this blog at his websitewww.SteveWeins.com. 

My theme for Wednesdays now is coffee and ibuprofen. Getting up at 4:30 am is getting increasingly harder the longer this class goes on. But, I love how I feel when I'm done. I think I'm slowly uncovering my inner athlete. Pushing myself to finish the workouts is hard, but I refuse to be a quitter. 

Last Sunday, we had a guest speaker at church because our pastor was on vacation. He used a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote in his message that I love...

"Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an action and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny." 

It hit me how much that applies to this weight loss journey that I'm on. Every decision I make sows a seed. Every choice has a ripple effect and helps paint a bigger picture. I may not think that choosing not to eat that cookie or drink that pop doesn't make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things, but in reality- it does. Because it isn't necessarily about the calories, it's about my character. 

So, just a little food for thought this morning. No pun intended! 

Class today wasn't brutal like last week, but it was tough. My back was bothering me going into it so I had to modify some of the exercises. And I made mention of my knee hurting some while I was doing squats, so Trainer Girl had me stop doing squats and had me start doing kettle ball pulls. When she gave us our workout sheet it was just a short list which is deceivingly encouraging. But it's always the short lists that get ya!

 I weighed in before class started, and wouldn't ya know... I lost 8 oz. (Insert surprised eye roll here) Frustrating. But I'm hoping that dropping my calories this week will make a difference! I'm eating 1550 calories now instead of 1800. The same thing has happened this time around as last. 1800 is just below my maintain calorie count, so I haven't been losing anything. Dropping just 250 calories makes a big difference. I'm expecting to see around a 1.5 loss a week. I'm still tracking my food, but Trainer Girl now wants weekly emails of my food tracking. Eek! Better clean that up a little! I haven't taken any measurements in 3 weeks, so I'm interested to see how much that has changed. I can tell there has been changes based on how my clothes are fitting, but it's always nice to actually see the numbers on the paper. I'll see if trainer girl will take them next week. 

Ok, so here's workout #3!

Phase 1- 1st set, 10 reps; 2nd set, 15 reps; 3rd set, 20 reps. Be consistent with no breaks. 
Burpees
Mt. Climbers
Jumping Jacks

Treadmill- 3.0 at 10% for 3 mins

Phase 2- 1st set, 10 reps; 2nd set, 15 reps; 3rd set, 20 reps. Be consistent with no breaks.
Kettle Ball Squats
Push Ups
Walk Outs - Bend at waist so your hands are touching the ground, keep knees straight and walk hands forward until you're in a plank position. Walk hands backwards to feet and stand up straight. 

Treadmill 3.0 at 10% for 3 mins

Repeat both phases until you've completed an hour workout. (I did it twice) 

It's a good workout for sure. Even with all the modifications I did, I still feel like my body has been worked! So, now it's onto that coffee and Ibuprofen! Have a great Wednesday! 

If you've followed my blog for a time, you've probably read that Hubs got a new job in December. He's a mail carrier with our local post office. You've probably also read that due to a new contract negotiated between the United States Postal Service and the Union in January, hubs had to reapply and reinterview for his own job, which came with a new title and a $6/hr pay cut. 

This is nothing new for us. This salary range isn't uncharted territory. It's ocean we hoped not to sail again, but never the less, here we are. And this time we decided the be in control of our situation instead of our situation be in control of us.

In November of 2011, Aaron and I went through Financial Peace University. We'd had lots of friends do it all with great success and we loved that it was a biblically based program. We completed the classes and jumped in with about 10% effort, eventually just setting aside all the major principles we learned and going back to debt filled, stress filled, managed by our money living. Money has ALWAYS been a source of conflict in our relationship. 

Fast forward to current. 

We were able to pay off all our debt with exception of student loans with our tax return. That has helped considerably, but, we still had TONS of money falling through cracks- mainly fast food, Walmart, and Target cracks. We knew with this big pay change looming we needed to do something. So, we pulled out our trusty Financial Peace stuff and started over. 

Why yes, that would be my debit card frozen in a block of ice. I figured this was the best and fastest way to stop all that "slipping through the cracks" I was talking about. It's amazing the sense of loss I've experienced knowing my card isn't in my wallet. Am I better for it? Yes. Is our budget better for it? Yes. Do I dislike it? Yes. BUT. God didn't call me to do easy things. He called me to do the right things. And being a good steward of the money he blesses us with is one of those things. This is a little bit of "good stewardship insurance". 

On top of going to a cash based budget, Aaron and I have worked out a few things that would create a more faith based open handed lifestyle. We've been so blessed over the years to have people that have given to us, financially and otherwise, without blinking and we want to be able to repay them and also to pass that blessing on. Yeah, sure, I could find a million things to do with that money, but more food or new clothes would never come close to the blessing we could give to someone else with it. Yeah, sure, we need that money so our budget isn't so tight. But God is faithful. 

Then, if that wasn't enough, we agreed that we were going to be "fast food free" for the month of May. I know for some people this isn't a big deal, but the convenience of fast food is a weakness of mine. And so is planning ahead. So, along with saving some $$$ I'm also exercising my plan ahead and pack some lunches muscle. 

So, here we are, at the beginning of our cash based, faith filled, open handed lifestyle! I'm excited to see how God grows us through this! 

So I've determined that this week I'm going to stay on top of this darn blog! I don't usually create posts ahead of time, so when I do post, usually it's freshly typed. The problem with that is I don't always have time to sit down and type one up! One of my goals this week is to stay organized (yeah, we'll see how that goes) and have good time management. So, here's to the goal of 5 blog posts! 

The end of April. I really have no idea where the time has gone. It's amazing. Although, I do have to say that I LOVE spring. The leaves are not popping out fast enough. I'm rebellious and planted flowers before Mother's Day. 

Anyways, on to this week's menu. I planned through Saturday. Sunday will be an on the run day. Lots to do! I'll probably be packing dinner for us to eat on the road. Aaron and I have committed to not eating out at all this month. But more on that tomorrow.... 

Monday- Breakfast. The girls have been asking for eggs, so we're doing breakfast for dinner- eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, and toast. 

Tuesday- BBQ Chicken Pita Pizza. This has quickly become one of my favorites. I love how crunchy a piece of pita bread gets when you bake it. This is pretty simple- baked chicken that I slice, bbq sauce, and cheddar cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and pita is crisp.

Wednesday- Green Beans, Smoked Sausage, and Potatoes- Yum!

Thursday- Pulled Pork Sandwiches.

Friday- Homemade Pizza.

Saturday- Chicken Nuggets. My trusty Chick-fil-A copy cat recipe. 

So when I started thinking about this week's verse, I was having a hard time coming up with a specific verse that I wanted to do. I get an email every morning from KLove radio with their verse of the day and today's verse is John 3:30. This has basically been kind of a theme verse over the last months, my prayer on a daily basis, so I decided that even though it's well known and I've already got it memorized, it needed to be my verse of the week... 

He must become greater; I must become less.- John 3:30

How simple this verse is. How hard the action behind it is. My prayer and goal above any other this week is that in all this organization, time management, raising children, being a wife- less of me, more of God. I pray the same thing for you! Have a wonderful Monday! 

Ok, so it's Weigh In Wednesday. 

I weighed in this morning at my class- I lost a whole 8 oz.

I'm kind bummin' about that but oh well. I know why it wasn't more. I haven't been making the best food choices. I'm going to tweak my calories a little bit so that I can't fill the extra calories with not good food. Hopefully that will make a difference. 

So, I went to class again this morning. I had a harder time getting up for this one. Emmy has had a fever and woke up around 11 last night crying. After we got her back to sleep I woke up almost every hour. So my 4:40 alarm didn't feel like it was coming so early. I got to class, weighed in, and then got our workout sheet. Um... yeah. The trainer wasn't playin!! It was hard, but I love feeling like I pushed myself and my body feels worked. I'm glad today used a lot of weights. It's something I've been wanting to add to my routine. Now if I could just mix that with weight loss, I'd be in good shape! (No pun intended)

Ok, so I'm going to include the workout from today. It might be a bit complicated as we had her to explain a lot of it. It was mostly stuff I was familiar with, she was just using technical names. 

Phase 1- 1 set of 20 reps
Goblet Squat- A normal squat where your elbows touch your knees. Hold a 10 lb dumbbell with both hands.
Hammer Curl to Press- Hold dumbbells vertically in each hands at waist level. Lift forward to shoulder height and extend arms upward. Do not lock elbow.
Dumbbell Dead Lifts- Hold dumbbells in each hand and bend forward at the waist.
Dumbbell Pullover- Hold one dumbbell behind head and pull upward until arms are extended above head.
Single Arm Dumbbell Row- Hold dumbbell in one hand. Spread legs into starting lunge position. Bend forward.  Support yourself with opposite hand on leg and pull the dumbbell backwards bending elbow.
3 minutes Cardio of Choice- I did 3 mins walking at 3.8 with an 8% incline for each cardio. It was a bit of a break bit still had my heart right in a good zone. 

Phase 2- 2 sets of 15 reps
Dumbbell Squats- Use 20 lb kettle ball. Place feel slightly wider than shoulder width apart and squat pushing your butt backwards. Do not extend knees past toes. 
Mountain Climbers- Place hands on the floor and get into a push up position. Push off with your toes and alternate bending your knees. Do as quickly as possible. 
Dumbbell Squats- same as above.
Medicine Ball Slam- Use the biggest medicine ball you can find. Lift above head and throw downward to the ground with force. Catch the ball. (This was actually kind of fun! Didn't feel like exercise until #14 and 15 of the 2nd set!)
3 minutes Cardio of Choice

Phase 3- 1 set of 20 reps
Plank- Lay on ground in extended push up position. Hold for 30 seconds.
Bent Over Dumbbell Row- Hold dumbbell in one hand. Place opposite knee and hand on weight bench. Keep back parallel to the floor. Pull dumbbell backwards until your elbow is bent but not locked. Finish set, switch arms. Keep arm as close to body as possible and don't round your back or shoulders. 
Leg Raises- Lay on the floor, hands to your side. Raise legs off the floor. Lift 3-5 inches then lower. Do not touch feet to the floor. 
Incline Bench Press- Use a weight bench with a back. Set it to mid recline and do basic bench press with dumbbells. (This was honestly the easiest thing we did the whole workout!)
Plank- same as above.
3 minutes Cardio of Choice

Phase 4- 3 sets of 10 reps
Push Ups- basic push ups
Russian Twists- Use medicine ball. Sit on the floor with knees bent. Lift feet off the floor. Lift medicine ball and twist from side to side while holding the medicine ball. Do not move hips.
Medicine Ball Squats- basic squats while holding a medicine ball. 
3 minutes Cardio of Choice

Phase 5- 1 set of 15 reps
Mountain Climbers- See above
Push Ups
Squat Thrust- Hold dumbbells at shoulder height. Squat. Once standing, push dumbbells above head. Do not lock elbows.
High Knee with Arm Drive-Place hands behind head. Lift knee. Twist until opposite elbow touches knee. Be careful not to pull on your neck. Twist at the waist. 
3 minutes Cardio of Choice

Phase 6- 1 set of 10 reps
Overhead Dumbbell Press- Hold dumbbells at shoulder level. Press upward until arms are extended. Do not lock elbows. 
Squat- basic squat. Do not extend knees beyond toes.
Weighted Crunches- Hold a dumbbell or small barbell weight on chest while doing basic crunches.
3 mins Cardio of Choice

See what I mean?! Today was no joke! I'll be impressed if I can get out of bed tomorrow or even up the stairs this afternoon! This was a great workout and can be done at home as long as your have dumbbells and a medicine ball. If you're a member of a gym, it will be fairly easy as the equipment is provided. It's intended to be an hour workout- 10 mins for each phase. I left today feeling pretty proud of myself. I pushed myself AND I ventured into the big boys room (the free weights area). I don't know that I'll be doing this workout on a regular basis. I did Class #1 workout twice this last week and felt really good after. It's fairly straight forward but you still get a great workout. 

If you brave workout #2 let me know! Good luck and Happy Weigh In Wednesday! 

Ok, so technically this should be a Weigh In Wednesday post, but we'll just call it Weigh In Thursday just because. 

So, last week at counseling, the marriage expert guy suggested that I find a class to join at the Y. He said that it would be good for me to connect with other people and get exercise at the same time. I was sharing this with Trainer Guy and he told me that he knew of the perfect class. He got all pumped up about me joining and practically forced me to the information desk to sign up for it. I was kind of excited (excited = scared out of my mind) too.... until I found out the only class they were doing is at 5:30 AM. That's right- pre sunrise. There is 2 things I do pre sunrise- sleep and snooze my alarm. 

I've had almost a week to let the idea of #1) doing a class with other people and a trainer and #2) in the middle of the night marinate in my mind. Of course, if you know me, you know that turned into images of me hyperventilating and being carried off on a stretcher out of the wellness center because I couldn't hack the workout. All the while a monster like trainer yelling at me with people all around on treadmills laughing at pointing at me for months to come because I'm "that girl". I went to bed early so I could be rested for the early morning. I woke almost an hour before my alarm went off and hardly slept for the next hour. I was ready to leave by 4:50 am. I knew that if I got there early, I'd be the wierdo standing around waiting for my impending doom, but I went anyways. 

I got to the Y and found that the trainer was waiting and there were already a few people from the class there ready to get started. She weighed me (that makes 3 people on earth that know my weight), took my measurements (Eek! I was chanting to myself... She's not judging me! She's not judging me! over and over again in my head). She actually turned out to be totally opposite of what all that over thinking had made her out to be. She hooked me up with a partner, and handed us our workout sheets. I looked over it and realized 90% of it I could live through. 

My next thought was... ok, fat girl, get moving! (Is that politically correct to say about myself? I'm not sure!) And I did it. Not all of it. There are things I can't do yet (my goal is to be able to at the end of this class) and things I had to modify because of my back. But I left feeling proud of myself. I would have liked to work a little faster, but working with a partner made it slower. The awesome trainer girl let me keep my workout card from the class and also gave me an additional cardio workout to do on off the days. Can I actually say I enjoyed it? Yes, I think I can. :-)  And the best news- there was no hyperventilation, nobody pointing and laughing, and no moster like trainers biting my head off. 

So, what's the lesson in this? #1- have a little more faith in myself, and #2- have a little more faith in others. Today's workout may not go as planned because I'm super sore, but that's all good right? 

I wanted to share the workouts with you in case you wanted to use them too! Right now I'm working out 5 times a week, and I may throw in an extra workout that's just swimming. That will give me an opportunity to give my back a bit of a rest and still burn mega calories. 

Oh man, it's on! I left the Y yesterday morning feeling encouraged that there are finally a team of people behind me that can help me make this happen. I know that it's on me to get it done, but I'm thankful for the support! If you use one of these workouts, let me know! We can compare battle stories! Have a great Thursday!