I'm staying at Luke's while he's in Ludington at a Disc Golf Tournament, trying to get his birth for the State Championship Tournament over Labor Day Weekend. I thought it would be perfect because I could walk his dog for like, an hour and get my cardio in for the day. But it was so hot on Friday, that I walked with Julianne instead (I got in trouble for not bringing my band-aids...I've been getting MONSTER blisters!), and then on Saturday, it was still super duper hot, so I waited until like, 7 to walk her but it was still so hot that she could only do a short walk. So we went 1.4 miles and that was it. So today, I bought myself some NEW sneakers (Nike's..."Compete," they're sick...black, grey, pink & white!), and decided to go to the fitness center at Luke's apartment complex.
Which would've worked out fabulously, if only I could figure out where he put the card to get INTO the fitness center! It's 91 degrees outside (feels like 95 according to the Weather Channel) so it's waaaaaay too hot to go walking outside, and I could wait until later, like yesterday, but I don't know what time Luke will be back today...so instead, I'm going to watch some TV, drink a Bud Light, take a shower, and trot around in my new clothes...don't you judge me!! HA!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Push It REEEAAL Good!
Sometimes I need people in my life to push me to do the things that I need and want to do. Especially when it comes to...you guessed it...EXERCISE!! If ever a genie offered to give me three wishes, no strings attached, one of my wishes would be to just become naturally toned & muscular. Then I wouldn't have to work out ever, unless I wanted to, but I would always look like I just did 700 crunches and 500 pull ups! Alas, my dream will never come true, so I go to my trainer and she busts my butt (which I definitely asked for, and am glad!) and then I get toned up!
Although I can't say that I've lost "a ton of weight," I have noticed changes...my upper arms have definition. In fact, a month ago I could barely do 3 leg pull up thingies in the King's Chair, but now I can do 15 in a row! My quads are stronger and more toned, and my belly is a flatter and the love handles are smaller than a month ago and let me tell you what...when you've had a bit of a muffin top for 2 years and then it goes away, it feels GRRRRREEEEEAAAAAT!!
So great, in fact, that I bought jeans from the junior section at Kohl's for the first time in three years! And guess what? THEY FIT! No sucking the stomach in to button them, no trying to figure out what top will hide the tummy, they just...fit. I'm so excited about it! Seriously, I'm really stoked. I'm not joking, I was so excited that I literally wore them four days in a row, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I still haven't washed them because I have this small fear that if I do, then the magic that made them fit will leave and I won't be able to fit into them anymore. But that's pretty unrealistic, because, let's face it, I'm dropping weight like it's hot and they will definitely still fit me after a good cleaning (which they REALLY need)!
So, again, I feel the need to express some thanks for getting to this stage. I seriously would not have began to get my work out on if it wasn't for some key people: Becky, my fab sister who hooked me up with a personal trainer at her gym Club CKO, without even really asking me if I wanted it, lol, which was smart of her! Thanks to her, I met Lenore, my personal trainer at CKO, who worked me so hard that I swear I left my leg muscles at the gym because I walked like a little old lady for two days! But then I went back for session two and retrieved them. Lenore really made me see that I could do everything I needed to in order to tone up and lose weight. She showed met that it wasn't impossible. I am not kidding around when I say that she was half of the catalyst (Becky is the other half!) for getting me to where I am today. Without Lenore I would probably still be spending my evenings sitting around like a human sized sloth. Instead, I'm walking, biking, and strength training. And thanks to Joe, who owns Club CKO, I was allowed to take part in any of the classes while I was visiting free of charge...I probably should've taken him up on that offer! I saw a class taught by an instructor named Chet, and it looked TOUGH, but he seemed like he'd only push you to do what you could...so maybe next time (soon, I hope!!) I can take that one.
Of course, there's my new trainer, Pam, whom I really hope I can afford to continue seeing after I start school in September. She's been so great, there for me both physically and emotionally. I can talk to her about being discouraged and she's so great at lifting me and pointing out the accomplishments that I've made. She's also the best accountability person I've ever had...from going over what I'm going to do when I leave my sessions with her, to the almost daily emails that I get!
So I also have my friends who walk with me and my boyfriend, who reminds me that I didn't want to snack and will pull me off the couch to walk instead, and my family who says, "good for you!" everytime I go to the gym, especially at 6am!
So thanks to everyone for being so fabulous and wonderful and helping to get me started! And hey! I'm always up for a walk if you are!
Although I can't say that I've lost "a ton of weight," I have noticed changes...my upper arms have definition. In fact, a month ago I could barely do 3 leg pull up thingies in the King's Chair, but now I can do 15 in a row! My quads are stronger and more toned, and my belly is a flatter and the love handles are smaller than a month ago and let me tell you what...when you've had a bit of a muffin top for 2 years and then it goes away, it feels GRRRRREEEEEAAAAAT!!
So great, in fact, that I bought jeans from the junior section at Kohl's for the first time in three years! And guess what? THEY FIT! No sucking the stomach in to button them, no trying to figure out what top will hide the tummy, they just...fit. I'm so excited about it! Seriously, I'm really stoked. I'm not joking, I was so excited that I literally wore them four days in a row, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I still haven't washed them because I have this small fear that if I do, then the magic that made them fit will leave and I won't be able to fit into them anymore. But that's pretty unrealistic, because, let's face it, I'm dropping weight like it's hot and they will definitely still fit me after a good cleaning (which they REALLY need)!
So, again, I feel the need to express some thanks for getting to this stage. I seriously would not have began to get my work out on if it wasn't for some key people: Becky, my fab sister who hooked me up with a personal trainer at her gym Club CKO, without even really asking me if I wanted it, lol, which was smart of her! Thanks to her, I met Lenore, my personal trainer at CKO, who worked me so hard that I swear I left my leg muscles at the gym because I walked like a little old lady for two days! But then I went back for session two and retrieved them. Lenore really made me see that I could do everything I needed to in order to tone up and lose weight. She showed met that it wasn't impossible. I am not kidding around when I say that she was half of the catalyst (Becky is the other half!) for getting me to where I am today. Without Lenore I would probably still be spending my evenings sitting around like a human sized sloth. Instead, I'm walking, biking, and strength training. And thanks to Joe, who owns Club CKO, I was allowed to take part in any of the classes while I was visiting free of charge...I probably should've taken him up on that offer! I saw a class taught by an instructor named Chet, and it looked TOUGH, but he seemed like he'd only push you to do what you could...so maybe next time (soon, I hope!!) I can take that one.
Of course, there's my new trainer, Pam, whom I really hope I can afford to continue seeing after I start school in September. She's been so great, there for me both physically and emotionally. I can talk to her about being discouraged and she's so great at lifting me and pointing out the accomplishments that I've made. She's also the best accountability person I've ever had...from going over what I'm going to do when I leave my sessions with her, to the almost daily emails that I get!
So I also have my friends who walk with me and my boyfriend, who reminds me that I didn't want to snack and will pull me off the couch to walk instead, and my family who says, "good for you!" everytime I go to the gym, especially at 6am!
So thanks to everyone for being so fabulous and wonderful and helping to get me started! And hey! I'm always up for a walk if you are!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Nascar Moves & the Sad Results
I’m scared. I’m scared for the young people that I know. They seem to be disappearing at a more alarming rate than I remembered from other years. It’s like there’s an epidemic.
In March, a woman (age 47) in Roseville was driving drunk, hits a median, goes airborne and slams her van into a car full of teens (aged 15-19). All four kids are killed.
In June, a carful of five teens (aged 14-19) tried to beat a 530 ton Amtrack train, swerving around another car and the gates that were lowered to beat it…but lost. All five kids were killed.
In July, a car of three teens (aged 18-19) were tearing down the road at 100mph, turned into a subdivision, clipped a man on a riding lawnmower, and slammed into a brick wall. Neighbors & witnesses say there were no braking sounds, just squealing tires and an explosion. All three kids were killed.
That same week, a Detroit woman was driving her and her three kids (aged 2-10) on the Ohio Turnpike, took a turn to fast, hit a car then hit the median, the force of it causing the three kids to be ejected from her car. Two were killed.
In July (about a week or so before the first July accident) a 27 year old man was driving on the newly finished freeway, when he took a turn, allegedly going 70 mph instead of the recommended 50 (per the speed signs) and hit a tanker, causing a huge explosion that melted the concrete bridge, and caused over $5 million in damages. He is contesting his speeding ticket. He had his license for five months.
A few weeks ago, my 17 year old cousin was driving at 1am, took a turn too fast and flipped her car twice. The officer told my uncle that by the looks of the car, no one would have survived that crash. Her car was totaled. She doesn’t have a scratch on her. She is the luckiest girl I know.
When you look at reckless driving (driving drunk, driving too fast, etc) all of the evidence points directly at disaster. Within 5 months, Metropolitan Detroit lost 12 kids to reckless driving. I’m telling you…we have an epidemic on our hands. We need to ensure that we continue to stress how important it is to be a careful driver. Impressing friends with your “Nascar moves” is not nearly as impressive as showing them that you care by driving cautiously.
It’s hard to blame the kids in the cars that died. However, these tragic accidents would not have happened if those driving had not been reckless. I think that there is something to be learned here, something to prevent terrible accidents like this in the future. I think that we need to take a deeper look at how quickly we give our kids the responsibility of driving a 3,000plus pound car. How easily we trust them to make smart and safe decisions while behind the wheel of a monstrous vehicle…in the company of their friends. We should revamp our drivers education program for those who opt to wait until their 18 and can currently just take a test to get their license. We need to make sure that young and new drivers fully understand the consequences of reckless & risky driving.
This is not something that is just up to the police or the Secretary of State. As these tragedies affect the community at large, it is also the community’s responsibility to help teach the young & the new the safeties of driving. We are all called to action, however, it is up to us to decide whether or not we want to answer. We need to seize the teachable moments, and make them worth something. If we don’t, then we will have to learn with knowing that we could’ve prevented a tragic accident.
In March, a woman (age 47) in Roseville was driving drunk, hits a median, goes airborne and slams her van into a car full of teens (aged 15-19). All four kids are killed.
In June, a carful of five teens (aged 14-19) tried to beat a 530 ton Amtrack train, swerving around another car and the gates that were lowered to beat it…but lost. All five kids were killed.
In July, a car of three teens (aged 18-19) were tearing down the road at 100mph, turned into a subdivision, clipped a man on a riding lawnmower, and slammed into a brick wall. Neighbors & witnesses say there were no braking sounds, just squealing tires and an explosion. All three kids were killed.
That same week, a Detroit woman was driving her and her three kids (aged 2-10) on the Ohio Turnpike, took a turn to fast, hit a car then hit the median, the force of it causing the three kids to be ejected from her car. Two were killed.
In July (about a week or so before the first July accident) a 27 year old man was driving on the newly finished freeway, when he took a turn, allegedly going 70 mph instead of the recommended 50 (per the speed signs) and hit a tanker, causing a huge explosion that melted the concrete bridge, and caused over $5 million in damages. He is contesting his speeding ticket. He had his license for five months.
A few weeks ago, my 17 year old cousin was driving at 1am, took a turn too fast and flipped her car twice. The officer told my uncle that by the looks of the car, no one would have survived that crash. Her car was totaled. She doesn’t have a scratch on her. She is the luckiest girl I know.
When you look at reckless driving (driving drunk, driving too fast, etc) all of the evidence points directly at disaster. Within 5 months, Metropolitan Detroit lost 12 kids to reckless driving. I’m telling you…we have an epidemic on our hands. We need to ensure that we continue to stress how important it is to be a careful driver. Impressing friends with your “Nascar moves” is not nearly as impressive as showing them that you care by driving cautiously.
It’s hard to blame the kids in the cars that died. However, these tragic accidents would not have happened if those driving had not been reckless. I think that there is something to be learned here, something to prevent terrible accidents like this in the future. I think that we need to take a deeper look at how quickly we give our kids the responsibility of driving a 3,000plus pound car. How easily we trust them to make smart and safe decisions while behind the wheel of a monstrous vehicle…in the company of their friends. We should revamp our drivers education program for those who opt to wait until their 18 and can currently just take a test to get their license. We need to make sure that young and new drivers fully understand the consequences of reckless & risky driving.
This is not something that is just up to the police or the Secretary of State. As these tragedies affect the community at large, it is also the community’s responsibility to help teach the young & the new the safeties of driving. We are all called to action, however, it is up to us to decide whether or not we want to answer. We need to seize the teachable moments, and make them worth something. If we don’t, then we will have to learn with knowing that we could’ve prevented a tragic accident.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
