If I had gained this much weight in the same amount of time...

Would people still feel free to offer their opinions, advice, etc.?  Of course not!  (Unless I was pregnant, in which case everyone except those that had recently 'been there done that' would comment.)

Anyway, I posted this on my Facebook page yesterday.  Or maybe it was Thursday.  But here it is:

I came across it on Instagram, and I thought it summed up my feelings pretty well (recall my "If you don't have anything nice to say blog") so I decided to post it on my facebook.  Most of the comments were positive.  However, one person thought it was time to tell me her thoughts on my change.  Now mind you, I haven't seen her since before I was even pregnant with Stella, she's only seen random pictures of me on facebook.  But the conclusion I reached from her comments is that I look sickly, I must have an eating disorder, I am being unhealthy, etc.  And, quite honestly, it pissed me off.  More so than some of the comments I had to endure from my family a few months ago.

For the record, I am not starving myself.  I am not 'over exercising' (most days I get my workout in over my lunch break...meaning less than an hour), I have learned to maximize what little time I do have in the gym.  For the most part, I avoid fast food and when I do have it, I am smart about my choices.  I now cook most of my meals (not frozen meals, etc.).  I rarely drink these days (maybe a quarterly 'binge' here and there).  I don't smoke anymore.  I do still enjoy chocolate on a regular basis.  I haven't been able to give up my diet dew.  I really don't even bother counting calories anymore.  I do enjoy the occasional cheat meal (the burger I had on my birthday was beyond fab....including the soft pretzel bun).  I am really starting to enjoy running.  I love yoga.  I love to sweat.  I love to be active.  Exercise IS my stress relief.

Does any of the above point to a problem?

And now, a pet peeve of mine:  I always post a 'check-in' from the gym.  It is habit.  If nothing else, keeps me accountable...and quite honestly, I have had several people tell me that I inspire them.  Back to the point, I see several people making comments lately, negative comments, about gym check-ins.  Here's the deal:  This is what I do, this is what I enjoy.  I am so overly annoyed by the many passive aggressive status updates, but I don't say anything.  The regular bar check-ins/pictures make me feel like some people haven't yet reached adulthood.  And I seem to be one of the few not blowing up everyone's feed with their anti-gun control sentiments.  I mean seriously, I could be constantly posting all the ongoing drama in my family (not my nuclear family but the extended)...I have so much drama and stress going on there, but this isn't public knowledge and public facebook material.  My job is extremely busy...but I don't need to be doing constant updates about work (just checking in from the gym there on a regular basis).  People just need to be thankful I've cut back on the overs-harenting!

And with that...my rant is over.

Ahh...back to the Y tonight...

The new session started last week and I finally made it tonight.  Boot Camp followed by Spin.  And both were great!  While in spin class, just sitting there pedaling away and dripping with sweat, I had the following realization:

We joined the Y approximately one year ago.  We joined primarily so my husband could swim (remember, he's training for tri/ironman races).  Now...I only go to the Y for my classes as I primarily use the gym at work for most of my exercising (and occasionally utilize the living room at home).  In the time we have been members of the Y...I have dropped approximately 40 lbs. (176 to 136).  I have gone from a size 12 (and at least one pair of size 14 jeans) to a 4.  And recently, the 4s have seemed a bit too big.  I've gone from larges and extra larges in tops to mediums.  And some of those are now a little loose fitting.  My bra size (yes, I'm going there...I'm going to share my bra size) has gone from a 38DD to a 32DDD.  But dammit...my shoe size hasn't changed at all!

The Y definitely doesn't get all the credit, not even a good portion of it.  It goes to me.  I'm the one doing it.  I'm the one that quit making excuses.  I'm the one getting it done.  It is no longer a matter of forcing myself to exercise - I stopped doing that quite some time ago - it is now a habit.  And by habit, I mean I am not happy if I can't get at least a small workout in.  Like cranky unhappy.      A kind of crankiness that could rival Stella's legendary crankiness when she's tired.

And here's the thing.  If I can do it...why can't so may others do it.  I work full time (and then some), I have a toddler.  I have a husband (a husband who works a complete opposite shift and has his own fitness goals).  But I do it.  I hear all kinds of excuses from people of why they can't (and many of those excuses I used at one time or other myself).  I hear that from people and yet they tell me what an inspiration I have become.  What exactly am I inspiring because they certainly aren't joining me in the gym...but rather contentedly complain about what they dislike about their body, health, etc.  I understand, I do...been there done that...but geez...if you say I inspire you...prove it!

fitness class review: KettleBell

A description for this particular class:

Kettlebell training uses a series of swift movements to work the entire body as a synergistic whole (unlike traditional strength training, which uses controlled movements to isolate muscle groups.)

A new session started at the Y this week.  I am, of course, sticking with my twice a week spin class. And would have liked to also stick with the twice a week boot camp I started last session.  However, Wednesday night's class is moved up 15 minutes, so it would start before my spin class is over.  I will continue with the Monday night session.  To replace Wednesday night's boot camp, I started the Kettle Bell class.  I have been wanting to try something like this for a while, so now is my chance.

And?  I like it.  So far, at least.  I definitely felt like I got a workout.  And tonight, I definitely feel like I got a workout last night!  I am getting sore (the good kind, however)!  We worked arms and legs:  squats, lunges, presses, curls, etc.  Incorporated the stability ball on some of the moves, a lot swinging of the kettle bell, even some ab work.  The class definitely made me sweat (and can I just say, that I am really starting to enjoy ow my biceps look?- that's just an observation from watching my form in the mirror).

The only gripe about the class is just me being pissy - burpees.  Seems like every class these days, they gotta sneak those bad boys in.  I hate them!  Okay - it is because I am absolutely horrible at them...but still!

On a separate note regarding gym classes...I have a general gripe.  People talking in class.  Now quiet conversation with your neighbor is fine.  I guess.  But dammit...I don't want to hear your conversation from across the room!  I am (quite literally) working my ass off (okay, so i really didn't have one in the first place) and my working like that does not allow for easy LOUD conversations like yours!  I find it very disruptive to me and my workout.  I am paying to be in that class.  I am there to work on my fitness, not to socialize.  When I can't hear the instructor because there are loud conversations going on either side of the room...that is ridiculous!  When I am dripping sweat  and my thighs are burning and looking over to see you looking like you are on a leisurely bike ride through the park with your pal....argh!!!

Okay...vent over.

product review - Jaybird Bluetooth Earbuds

Jaybird website

Love love LOVE these!  I have always had a problem with catching the wire for my earbuds on EVERYTHING!  Annoying as hell when you're trying to get a decent workout in!  And then, secondary to the catching on everything problem, I have always had a problem with the fit of earbuds.  Just didn't work well for me.  My husband bought a pair for himself a couple of months ago and I tried his on for size...from that moment on, I wanted them.  I went to Best Buy and bought a new nano in anticipation of eventually buying these for myself.  Instead of that happening, my husband surprised me with my own pair for our anniversary!  Only problem?  couldn't find a BT adaptor for my new nano.  Ended up returning the nano and getting an iPod Touch.

The earbuds have worked awesome.  No cord to catch on things, no problem with fit.  And actually, I do not need to have my iPod on my body...I have left it on a machine and walked away to get something to wipe it down and never lost the music.  The only downfall?  After about 4 days max, I need to charge.  I have forgotten a few times and have been left music-free for my workout.  Not good.

The history of my weight loss struggle...

This has been a struggle for me most of my adult life  - chalk it up to laziness, enjoying the brewskis too much, enjoying good food even more, lack of motivation, lack of time, money, etc.  I could probably publish a novel with all of the excuses I've used over time as to why I couldn't work out and the justification to eat/drink whatever I felt like.  I would never have been labeled obese...but most definitely overweight.

I first joined a gym back in 2000.  At the time, the company I was working for had moved into a new building and a new gym was put in there.  It took a while to find my groove...but midway through 2001 I lost weight...actually over a period of three months in the second half of that year, I lost about 50 lbs. as well as finally got smart and left my ex-boyfriend (so I guess all told, you could say I lost over 200 lbs. that year).

Since 2000, I have always had a gym membership somewhere (the majority of that time was Lifestyles for Ladies Only, but I eventually gave that up as many of you Toledo-area ladies know the drama with that place) and for the most part, I really didn't pile the pounds back on.  Nope.  It was more of a steady, very slow weight kind that kinda crept on me and then all of a sudden, it was like "what the hell happened to me????"  I have an excuse for that, I really do!  I blame some of that on my husband.    You all know how it is...that whole 'comfort' thing.  Where you meet someone (we met in 2006) and you're still looking pretty darn good, but over the course of that relationship, you grow comfortable with one another, and then gradually, the pounds start coming back.  Now mind you, I did still hit the gym on occasion...but often I chose to spend time with my new love and socializing (in our early days, we had quite the full social calendar).

We got married in August of 2008...you would have thought squeezing into a wedding dress would have been great motivation to hit the gym, right?  Um.  No.  Apparently wasn't enough for me.  I mean, I thought it was...and honestly I was in the gym religiously...almost daily.  But it didn't happen.  I have pictures of the back fat being proudly displayed in my halter-style wedding dress.

Over the next couple of years, my weight seemed to have gone down a little...actually, I think in 2010, I made some progress.  Then I started a new job (my current job) September of that year.  That hurt the waistline my weight crept up to around 178 lbs. (I think back in 2000, before joining a gym, I was actually close to 190)....despite the fact we had a nice new gym, free even, right there in the building.  I was slowly expanding again.  We started a Weight Watchers at Work program, and I joined.  And in the first couple of weeks following that diet, it seemed I was starving all the time, but darnit - I lost a few pounds!  And then...a month and a half, not even that much time actually, after starting that new job, I found out I was pregnant.  So much for weight loss!

I vowed with my pregnancy that I would continue working out!  And I tried!  But darnit...I got to a point where every time I tried the cardio machines, I had to jump off every five minutes to pee!  And then I just got so busy with work.  And a pregnant woman's gotta eat, right?  I have huge regret that I did not continue working out.  I developed gestational diabetes (I actually question that diagnosis, but whatev) and towards the end of my pregnancy, walking was a chore.  It was bad.  I topped out somewhere around 210 or above (I quit looking, didn't want to know).

Let me tell you - being a new mom gave me a whole new set of excuses as to why I couldn't work out, or not workout as frequently!  My diet got horrible (pretty much a grab what I could when I could kinda thing)!  It was just bad...but those maternity clothes kinda got comfy!  I returned to work two months after having Stella and was probably around 186 lbs.  Between August of last year and May of this year, I dropped another 10.  My husband decided early on in the year that he was going to start training for triathlons...and that was a little motivation for me (wouldn't look good for the wife of a triathlete to be a dumpy fatass, would it?).

And then...in May, I had an unexpected day off work - I had a regularly scheduled doctor appointment that morning and had planned to go into work after.  But daycare called, Stella wasn't feeling good, picked her up, got her to do the docs (double ear infection followed up later that day by the start of hand foot and mouth disease).  While she was napping that afternoon, I headed out to try on bathing suits since I had planned to start her in swim classes.  And for some reason, that was the final motivation I needed.