Today, I did yoga at work

I found myself feeling like I was stuck at my desk and my muscles were all locking up. I’ve been having some back problems since I hurt myself at the playground a few weeks ago.

I’ve been to the chiropractor twice, now, and the spasms seem to have reduced, but things still get pretty sore throughout the day.

While getting my steps in and exploring the lower level at work, I found a quiet space and decided some yoga was in order. I loaded up the YouTube channel for Yoga with Adriene and found a perfect 10-minute sequence that I could do on my breaks.

In it, Adriene Mishler said something that really resonated with me–as I’m joining Weight Watchers, using a FitBit, going to Orange Theory Fitness, and really trying so hard to transform who I am. She said:

I love yoga because, yoga is actually not about transforming into something awesome. It’s about recognizing that you’re already amazing, and awesome, and unique, and beautiful, and if that makes you giggle, that’s fine, that’s okay with me–just know deep down that it’s true…

At the end of our yoga sessions we often take a moment to acknowledge how awesome we are; it’s not stuck up. It’s a way of going I’m awesome, you’re awesome, and we’re all awesome.

Gosh I just loved that. Especially since she acknowledged that saying “I’m awesome,” might cause some people to giggle, or refuse to accept it as fact. I have to tell you what, though.  When I interviewed for my job, I said I was awesome because I HAD to. Most of it was bravado and desperation to find my next career and actually excel at it. But I’ve been living that ever since I started my new career.  Am I perfect? No. Will I make mistakes? Of course! But you know what? I’m pretty freaking awesome.

I think if you need a boost and you want to connect with your inner-awesome, you should check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube. She’s unique in the way she connects with her audience… less woo, more woo-sah.

 

Do your best

I’m a good Christian man!

I kind of stopped listening after that because this “good Christian man” had spent the last 20 minutes yelling and swearing at me because he didn’t like the terms of the contract that he signed with my company.

And now I’m going to have to pray for forgiveness for swearing at you!

Because it’s my fault, right?

Ugh. Talking to this guy had my heart rate up at 86 BPM while sitting at my desk. I’m proud of myself, though, because I did not lash out at him, nor did I take the verbal assault personally. He asked what I was going to do and I told him that I was going to continue to service his account and do my best to help him in any way that I could. When he asked why, I told him it’s because “that’s the way my momma raised me.”

With an air of authority, he told me that he does his best every day because Colossians 3:23 says: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

*sigh*

Well, Mr. Christian… I told him that I’d made myself vulnerable by reaching out to him with the information that he needed to make an informed decision for his business and that I did so because I, too, am a good person and I’m trying to do my best. I let him know in no uncertain terms that I was not obligated to be yelled at or sworn at or criticized, but I did so because I wanted him to have the information needed, and be able to ask questions if he had them. He apologized, I forgave him, then I went for a walk.

I’m down 3.4 lbs this week and I’m not going to ruin it by going to “comfort foods,” because the adrenaline makes me feel icky. Walking for 25 minutes helped me work up a good sweat, and now I can vent here and get back to work.

 

1 year update: Cliffnotes

The last year has been a whirlwind. It seems like we were just putting up streamers for Little Elfkin’s first birthday, and here we are planning out the party for her second birthday. (Spoiler: it’s Moana themed.)

What’s Changed: 

Little Elfkin has gotten bigger, braver, and much sassier. She has come to the point where she says “NO,” I say “YES!” and she says “FINE.” Teen years are coming earlier and earlier…

I quit my job. No, really. It was a joy working with my customers, but my boss threw me under the bus one-too-many times and I just couldn’t take it anymore. There seemed to be a lot of systemic issues with the business overall, though. It turned into a toxic environment where crying was expected and stress levels were notoriously and consistently high. No one wants that.

I found a new job. I spent 3 months looking for my next career and landed in the tech industry. I’m still getting to know the new business, but I feel like it’s going to be a good fit. It was a little bit of culture shock coming from a super-corporate office into a tech company because the atmosphere is so much more relaxed–but that is part of why it’s so great. It’s like a breath of fresh air.

Our health as a family has changed a lot this year. My weight has changed. I had another miscarriage, but haven’t lost the weight that came with the pregnancy yet. Hubs has some things we’re sorting out and combined, it’s really motivating us to get in shape. We both have FitBits now, I re-joined Weight Watchers and I attend an HIIT class every week at Orange Theory Fitness. 

What do I hope to accomplish with this blog?

I really don’t know. I’m on Facebook less and less these days, and on Instagram more, but I just haven’t found a great outlet for connecting with people who want fitness and wellness. I am hoping that by writing here, I’ll be more accountable again and get healthy enough to start reaching other goals.  I’ll flesh out a plan later on but I think that’s as good a place as any to start. At a minimum, I hope to write at least weekly.

 

Level up with loot!

This is not a sponsored post. It’s also about a month old because I never hit “publish” lol..

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I’ve been chugging along for 2 months to the day,  back on the wagon.  I took my weights and measures today to see how I did and the results were less than stellar. 

In case you can’t read my chicken scratch,  I summarized the results by saying that the difference could just be in the way the measurements are taken. There is no concrete change one way or another. 

I’m motivated to keep going. Despite the heat,  I’m still jazzed about Pokémon GO. Earlier this week,  I walked for 2.5 miles just to hit up a pokemon gym. 

I don’t even walk that far to the regular gym. Of course,  that’s because I quit my membership,  but still.  Hahaha 😁

My most consistent work out has been playing with Little Elfkin. We go for walks,  which is great for my core because in bent over holding her little hands. I rough house,  which is great for lats and traps because I throw her into the air and catch her multiple times daily. 

To keep the motivation going,  I’ve developed a Loot List:

1. Trip to Target (something from the One Spot)
2. New nail Polish
3. New book
4. Fun pens
5. New t-shirt
6. ???

I’m just weeks away from my first big loot, which is the shirt featured at the top of this post. Active Apparel might just be a new go-to for big loot at the end of challenges. I already ordered the shirt and even received it, but I’m saving it up as a reward for a 4 week nerd fitness challenge or something similar. I see the package daily and really want to earn it. 

No Sweat… wait, actually a lot of sweat

I found my new favorite group exercise class!  It’s called “Accumulator” and it stacks exercises up one after the other so that it just grows and grows.

For example:

Burpees

Burpees + Jump Squats

Burpees + Jump Squats + Clean/Press

Burpees + Jump Squats + Clean/Press + Single Arm Lifts

They kept adding up until we were doing burpees, jump squats, clean/press, single arm lifts, reverse flies, high knees, and bent over rows.  THEN! They had an ab-specific portion where they started with plank and added one after the other until we were doing plank, overhead lift, flutter kicks, crunches, reverse crunches, donkey kicks, and Russian twists.

It was INTENSE and I worked up SUCH a good sweat.  The awesome thing, though, is that there were sufficient modifications that I could complete the class at my own level.  For burpees, I had a riser to add an incline. For the plank step-outs I just held a plank or used the riser. For high-knees, I marched when I got too fatigued.  I did 6″ leg raises instead of flutter kicks…. My shirt was soaked, my face was red, I was completely out of breath and I *LOVED* it.

I’m definitely going to carve time out of my schedule for that class.

When I’m not working out at class, I’m working out with Little Elfkin.  We go for walks and she leads me on a merry chase.  It’s probably good for my back if I remember to keep good form 🙂

I’m still working on getting my diet cleaned up.  I have a sugar fiend that keeps sabotaging my efforts.  Slowly but surely I’ll wean off of that.  Caffeine too.  Eventually.  It’s quite difficult to go from so much sugar and monster + daily to nothing–and I’m not great at quitting cold turkey.  Yesterday I had a doughnut for breakfast, today I had cookies for a snack…. The stuff is entirely too accessible either on my commute or at work.

Little Elfkin had her check up recently and she’s my little chunky monkey.  She’s proportionate, but she’s proportionately *big*.  The pediatrician basically said that genetically she’ll have a double chin and a little belly because she was shaped that way from the start.  She even had a little double chin when she was a hungry baby before we figured out how to breastfeed or use formula.  Still, though, I want her to have a healthy relationship to food and fitness, so we’re still having our meals together 🙂 she eats what I eat when we’re together and I won’t give her junk, so that cuts down on the junk I have! 🙂 It helps that we got rid of so much of the junk from the pantry.

She loves spinach, eggs, sweet potato, strawberries, cherries, peaches, pears, carrots, peas, beans, etc. 🙂 She’s an adventurous eater and not picky at all. As more veggies come into season, I’m excited to share more of the flavors with her.

6 Week Challenge – Week 3

Today’s entry will be a summary of the challenge so far.

Sit tight, Baby Girl, it’s not time yet.

The following is a stream of consciousness about the upcoming arrival of our Baby Girl, and the possibility that it might just be time to start working from home until she gets here. See the rest of the content after the jump!

Body Image + NFR 6WC Challenge 7/27-9/7

!— STOP—!
If you’re seeing this on facebook, you’re not getting the full story.  Click the link to read more.

CSA Day: Mario Edition

Today’s CSA included Mario turnips! Hahaha! What better to do than to reenact some classic veggie-throwing Mario goodness?

Also included were:
– Beets
– Kale
– Romaine
– String Beans
– Broccoli
– Peas
– Turnips
– Multi Grain Bread

We’re heading to Costco right now to pick up some protein to go with all this veggie goodness. We’re going to pick up some frozen fruit, too, and start having smoothies in the morning.

I’m thinking of sending messages to my sister and her hubby to get a good recipe for borscht, and I might get a little daring and put cheese over the broccoli…

If you have ideas on how to eat these great veggies, leave your thoughts in the comments below!

CSA Day 3 – veggie overload!

I’m starting to wonder if maaaybe the CSA wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had. I guess when I pictured farm fresh vegetables every week, I had hoped for vegetables that I usually actually eat and enjoy. Bell peppers, carrots, potatoes, even parsnips, cucumber, and celery would be cool! But what have I been getting? Turnips. Kohlrabi. Napa cabbage. I’m all for adventure, but when I get stuck on how to use an item, it gets abused and discarded. I really hate wasting the food 😦

Tonight’s CSA box includes:
– Brats from Von Hansen
– Broccoli
– String Beans
– Peas
– (unidentified root vegetables)
– Lettuce
– Potatoes
– (Unidentified leafy green)
– Purple Kohlrabi

We still have from the LAST CSA:
– Strawberries
– Rhubarb
– Napa cabbage
– Lettuce
– Broccoli
– Kohlrabi
– Beets

Plus, from our standard groceries we have bell peppers, cucumber, carrots, and celery.

This is decidedly a first world problem. I’m not complaining by any means–I’m thankful for the abundance–but I’m also worried about how to best make use of it.

Last night me and Jeff blanched 3/4 of the broccoli, and 3/4 of the string beans, and froze them. We’re giving the beets, some broccoli, and some peas to my parents. I’m hoping my sister wants one of the kohkrabi…

Kohlrabi

The CSA is going to last at least another month, if not longer, so I’m going to use this as an opportunity to expand my veggie horizons and eat a lot more veggies… Even if I *do* have to Google them first 😛

I think dinner tonight will be the brats and a cole slaw of kohlrabi, Napa cabbage, and carrots. I can bring it to my brother’s house to share tomorrow afternoon for lunch ^_^

Chef salad for dinner!

I’ll make another pie!

Broccoli cheddar soup!

Uh… Other stuff!!

Okay, WordPress readers… What would you do? Leave your ideas in the comments below.