Wine + blogging = Inspiration

Hi all!  It's been a few days, so apologies for no blog posts.  Tonight's post is not about fitness, or what I ate today, or my workout.  There are no fun pictures or ecards about how burpess make me want to barf.  I'm taking a little more serious tone, but I promise that my snarky, sarcastic self will be back in full effect soon.

It's been a few days of just dealing with personal things, but today, I wound up having a time of reflection and I had a major light bulb come on (that, and I've also had about 2 glasses of wine).   That light bulb was this: Life is too short, things are really good right now, get out of your funk Rebecca!

Without disclosing my entire personal life, I'll just say that the past few days have been riddled with small things that bogged me down emotionally and mentally.  I've felt tired, uninspired, even sad at times and all for reasons that I just can't put my finger on.  It's days like the past few that I've had that make you want to veg out in your sweatpants on the couch and watch re-runs of The Cosby Show.  Sounds awesome right?

Nope.  I started thinking about this today as I forcefully pulled myself out of my slump.  One, sweatpants or anything with an elastic waistband is a bad idea multiple days in a row.  BECAUSE, when you go to put your real pants on (with an actual button and zipper), they don't fit, you become more sad, and then you put on your big girl pants, and then you feel even more sad. 

Two, re-runs are things you've already seen .  You know the lines by heart.  You remember the episode when Vanessa went to The Wretched concert in Maryland, got robbed, and Claire and Heathcliff were waiting up on her.  But what's the point in watching that? You know the outcome of the story already.  Don't you want to surprise yourself with different endings?

I digress about fat pants and re-runs, but my point is...stop worrying about the small things.  Let's worry about big things and be happy with the progress that has already been made.  As I've spent today almost waking up from a deep sleep, I started thinking about the things and the people that inspire me.  I'm inspired by mentally or physically challenged people in tough situations that make life work and come out on top.   I'm inspired by my parents that have been married 32 years and continue to amaze me with their commitment to each other.  I'm touched and moved by my friends and peers that tell me that they read my blog and love it and to keep on writing.  In the grand scheme of things, these are major life events that matter.  Not a fleeting moment that you replay over and over in your mind.  Or a small regret you had 20 years ago.  Or that delicious cookie that I ate at a company meeting today.

I've written a lot lately about change and transition because that's where my life is.  As I do that, I realize it's hard when life starts to change on a big scale and you have to either get in line and go with it, or else you'll just fight a losing battle.  This life is a beautiful thing and I am kicking myself for wasting 3 days feeling sorry for myself and just rolling around on my pillows.  I'm getting those 3 days back starting now and going forward. 

Life is too short you guys.  This could be your last.   Can you look back and say that you were truly happy as the sun went down on today?

Ok I lied, I do have one picture.  This is the sunset tonight after a company event I attended.  I stood in that salty Charleston breeze, looking at the water and all those gorgeous colors painted in the sky an thought "life does not get much better than this right here".

Feeling blessed y'all!

I totally sucked

So let me tell you guys about yesterday's workout.  It's been oooooooooooooooooh like a week and a half since I've done my small group training (which I love, and try not to miss).  It's called Go Performace AND it rocks my face each time I do a WOD (workout of the day).  I work out with some pretty amazing trainers, they all push me and get behind me when I feel like booty-hole.  Which is pretty much how I felt yesterday.  It was a long day at work, I left really late, and I rolled up in the gym literally pulling my shirt over my head.  (not really, but you get the idea)  Here was the workout.  Next time, I'll link up for Workout Wednesday with Skinny Meg.

 

7 different moves (so think burpees, kettle bell swings, rope climbs, wall balls....pretty much any type of movement that you would hate for an extended period of time).....times 4 minutes.  THEN when you are done with four minutes of brutal repetition, you go run a lap around the gym.  The round lasts 7 minutes before moving onto the next thing.  Whatever time you have left after your lap is your recovery time.

 

Sounds fun right?

 

 

Not so much.

 

First of all, I felt like a week and a half of not working out zapped my muscles I was starting to build.  I felt like a complete flabby butt. 

 

Second, I finished each round dead last.  I'm not really a fast runner at all, but when you're in a class full of people, there's always a little competition.  I did not feel competitive.  I was just happy to make it around the track without collapsing. 

 

Third, the last thing I did at the end was....yep, burpees.  Imagine 4 minutes of throwing yourself on the ground.  There were a lot of breaks.  A lot of feelings of the vomit making its way into my throat. 

 

I struggled.  I fought.  I really wanted to quit at times.  But I finished.  My trainer Eli made a good point.  I haven't seen him in awhile, so we were chatting and I mentioned it was my first session in awhile.  And he goes "sometimes you need the kick in the butt to get you back to where you need to be".    How can you not like a guy that puts stuff like this on his Facebook page?

 

 Thanks, Eli!

Even though yesterday was a really rough workout, it came and went really fast.  So when you convince yourself that you shouldn't go to the gym because you're too tired, too fat, or too busy.....just go.  You'll thank yourself. 

 

Short post tonight y'all! This southern girl is tired, but is happy it's almost Friday!!!

 

New things

Hi everyone!  Sorry for the long hiatus.  Jarrett's birthday is today (happy 35th honey, looks good on you)...and we've been celebrating since Friday.  So I've been out of blog world for a few days, but have a fun NEW post for your Tuesday.  You're welcome.

I thought I would give you guys a few new updates to some things I've been doing/researching/accomplishing.  It's been a busy couple of days.

1.  I've been taking this since last Tuesday...

 

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat is that!

 

Great question, have a good answer.  

 

Recently, I was in the healthy store near my house and I asked if they have any good supplements.  The bright, perky store owner gave me a few samples of some pill-like substances, which she promised would not make me feel like vomiting up my food while my heart beats out of control.  Well, I KNOW BETTER, because I've taken these things before.  She did, however, throw around the term "CLA" a few times.  I did some research on my own after leaving with my sample crazy pills (which I did not take).  Significant research has shown that this stuff can be found to reduce heart disesase and carcinogens, BUT, the thing that got me was interested is that it increases lean muscle mass, thus increasing metabolism, thus increasing fat loss.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner.   This stuff does not make you feel weird, it's also FDA approved, which is really important.  I've been hovering around the 160 mark for a few days now, so I'm hoping that CLA, along with clean eating and running/training, will break the barrier.  YAY, weight loss. 

 

2.  I'm thinking about trying out a Paleo lifestyle for the next 30 or so days.  (my fiance is probably groaning right now). 

 

I've heard a lot of my trainers and workout buddies talk a lot about eating a Paleo diet.  I'm always like.....what's that meaaaaaaaaan????

 

 

Like I usually do, I turned to blog world for a little insight and stumbled upon Rachael's blog.  Go check out her before and after.  Amazing results, which just goes to further prove that what you put into your body really does matter.  If you eat fatty, greasy stuff, you will probably be a fatty (and maybe greasy).  But on a serious note, eating this way is going to further help with obtaining that amazing muscle tone that only Jillian Michaels seems to know how to pull off.  So I'm giving it a shot.  No sugar.  No dairy.  (sigh, cheese).  Anything that grew in the ground, swam in the sea, flew in the air, or walked on land...it's all game.  All of those gluten free people that I've probably made fun of for so long, well......I'm about to be one of you. 

 

3. I'm going to attempt to start running in the morning.  I LOVE my evening training classes, which I will still go to (and must start back up this week, I've been MIA).  But I've been busting out the running shoes and feeling pretty amazing lately, so it's time to start some AM sessions.  I went this morning.  I watched the sun come up.  People were out walking their dogs.  I got a few human and furry hello's.  I just loved the feeling of nature and life teeming all around me as I pounded the pavement. I felt more complete and calm as I drove to work this morning.  I'm going to attempt to make this a habit. 

 

4. And the most important news of the week is...we're going to the Bahamas for our HONEYMOON!  We found this wonderful little secluded getaway (referred by my maid of honor, she loved this place) on Eleuthera, little place called Gregory Town.  We were planning on going to Asheville, NC, but.....we can do that any weekend we want, this is the chance to get tans at Christmas.  It's not a 5 star resort and there is no maid, but it looks like it's millions of miles away from reality.  Which we'll need after the big day.  We're both so excited and I'm even more motivated to stay in shape so I can post bikini pictures up in December.  Without a dress covering the bikini. 

 

Happy Tuesday ya'll!  And Happy Birthday to J.  Life is SO much better with him in the picture.  Even if he does stick his chin out a lot and make this face in selfies :)

 

 

Things I'm not...

This week has been a time of self reflection.  Not sure why, nothing major happened that would cause me to ask myself a million questions...about myself.  But I started thinking about the ways I define who I am.  I'm a spin instructor.  I'm a woman.  I am a preacher's kid (that right there probably explains a LOT).  I'm a country girl and city girl all at the same time.  I really love Christmas, probably more than Buddy the Elf. 

I began to think about some of the things I'm not, because there are definitely things out there that don't and should not define us.  I felt pretty liberated in breaking the boundaries on the things that don't define me so I thought I would share.  Since I'm in a year of transition in my life, understanding who I am has been very important.  I think it's because at the end of the year, I'll be taking on a new identity as a wife, a new last name, and eventually, a mother.  Mama Laughlin's post yesterday about self worth really brought that home in thinking about how important I am to myself. 

Side note...if you are offended or just don't understand, I really can't help you there.  Some of you are probably going to read this and go ... well she's selfish, that's conceited, what a B! I'm really not, I'm just feeling a sense of coming into my own right now.  Sharing is caring.  Get over it :)

So here are 10 things that I'm not.

1.  I am not 100% defined by my job.  Do I love what I do for a living? Absolutely! Do I work for a wonderful, expanding company?  Yes.  Do I go around introducing myself as "Hi, I'm Rebecca, Manager for eExchange Account Management"? Not a lot. Not unless I'm in a meeting and have to say it.  But this is not who I am 100% of the time.  I'm so many other things.  I think it's important to enjoy your job and truly be good at what you do, but know that you other things to other people. 

2. I am not quiet.  EVER.  I talk loud, I laugh out loud, I sing loud.  If I'm not being loud, that usually means something is wrong.  I get this from my Granny Price.  She has never been quiet.  She's almost 94 and when I'm out with her cranky self, sometimes I find myself going "Shhhh....GRANNY, don't say that so loud!"  She will flat out criticize the prices on thrift store clothing to the store owners (when they're like, a dollar for a shirt).  But you know what, she's earned the right to be loud and say whatever she wants.  I hope I'm just as snarky as she is one day. 

3.  I am not defined by my kids...yet.  (well, I don't have any, just a furry baby).  Ok so some of you moms are going to probably get mad at me on this one.  I sometimes drink champagne with my girlfriends at fun restaurants and not at my house because I still can.  But that's where my life is right now.  I can't wait to be a mom one day.  I love a lot of other people's kids.  I babysit a lot.  I think they're wonderful little human beings.  But sometimes, when I'm in Publix, I see one running around acting a fool with snot boogers and I think....hmm....not yet....but one day. 

4. I'm not level headed at times.  I like to play it like I'm a powerful woman that can walk around in her high heels, smugly, and just not care about small things.  But I have emotions.  I have a lot of feelings.  And sometimes they come out...in the form of tears.  Sometimes at my desk.  I'm a woman with hormones...you just have to deal. 

5.  I am not a size 2.  Nor will I ever will be any number close to zero.  But I'm learning to accept my shape and the improvements I've made.  Love to all the ladies with tree trunk muscular thighs, because that's EXACTLY who I am.

6.  I am really blunt.  This goes along with #2 at times.  Loud and blunt.  I speak my mind.  I don't have a filter most days.  I probably should at times, but I say exactly what I'm thinking.   

7.  I am not good at having long hair.  I love chopping it all off during the summer.  My mom has always had short hair, so that's probably why.  Short people = short hair do's.   I have to grow it out for the wedding.  I am probably going to get it all chopped off on Dec 16th, the day after we're married, for our trip to the Bahamas. 

8.  I am not as young as I used to be.  UGH, this one hits me every day of my life.  I work in a company that is full of 23-27 year old girls as the typical female demographic.  I look at their non-cellulite bodies, long hair, and pearly white smiles.  And I want to remind them that they too will get older at some point.  They'll put on jeans one day to realize they have muffin tops.  They won't be able to eat pizza at 3 AM after drinking all night and put on a bikini the next day.  They'll understand the 2 day hangover.  But you know what, I'm not jealous, because my 30's have been amazing and I'm going to embrace aging as best I can.  And I was once a young girl myself, so I'm more reminiscent on this one more than anything.  Even if I do get Botox in my face. PREVENTION Y'ALL!

9.  I'm not into music that is jam-bandy or so weird that I can't follow it.  Sorry DMB.  I hated your concert I went to years ago.  Your songs should stop after 5 minutes.  Widespread Panic falls under that category.  Grateful Dead.  I just can't do it. 

10.  I am not afraid to make mistakes.  I make mistakes on a daily, probably hourly basis.  I assume the wrong things sometimes.  I stick my foot in my mouth.  But along with that, I'm not afraid to apologize.  I know when I'm wrong.  One thing I will do is answer for myself. 

Today's my day off, but the first thing I wanted to do this morning was share this with you guys.  How do you define yourself and what things don't define you? How do make changes to how your view yourself?

Just a little food for thought as you start the weekend.  Exciting news, since I'm in love with blogging, I'm investing in an updated blog design.  Should be available in the next few weeks.  REALLY happy because I need some help in that area.  And sometimes, you just need a professional to do it.  So keep an eye out for a new, cute design.  SUPER pumped about that. 

Ya'll have a GREAT start to your weekend!  I know I am!