~~BuffMother! GET BUFF~~

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Are you in love with yourself? You need be! You have to realize that it is vital for you to treat yourself with love and respect.
And that includes, feeding your body the NUTRIENTS it needs to function and allowing yourself to have proper exercise and REST!

As a mother finding the right balance is so hard, we are pulled in so many different directions. BUT I strongly believe all aspects of
our lives will be BETTER and more Productive if we choose to take care of our health. Which means giving yourself permission to take
an 30-60 mins a day to dedicate to your fitness, allowing yourself time to shop, cook/create and eat healthy meals. AND take
time to beautify yourself…shower, dress nicely, fix your hair and wear make up! You will feel better, be more confident and your
family will love you for it!!

I am going to love myself and give myself permission to go to the gym/workout, to shower and to eat well even
when “I don’t have time”…

~ This weekend was nice and relaxing…I am finally over being SORE!! I worked out on Saturday- lifted chest, tri’s and
ran for 12 mins–which was a struggle due to my ULTRA sore hammies…then stayed busy cleaning, taking a trip to
SAMS and watching movies (American Gangster -A, SpiderMan 3 -C, and The Assassination of Jessie James -B). OH
and I slept in until 10am yesterday!! It was crazy…so we missed church, which stinks because I love church!!And
now after I finish this blog, I am headed out into the beautiful weather for a run! It is about 60 here~ perfect temp
for a good run!!

Hope you love yourself today!!!

Love,Michelle

“A healthy life starts first and foremost with acceptance and love for self. We are all very complex beings and
are a product of what we think, feel, focus our attention on, take into our bodies and bring with us on a soul level.
In any discussion of healthy lifestyles, we should remember that our thoughts and feelings are often the primary directors
in how we feel and choose to live our lives. To have positive thoughts and harmonious feelings allows one to make
lifestyle, exercise and dietary choices that energize the body and enliven the mind and spirit.The first step begins
when we acknowledge our intent to live a more positive and healthy life. Our willingness to let go of old habits sets
the process in motion. The next step is to educate ourselves with the highest wisdom we can find on the subject
and then put it into practical application to experience the benefits.”Quote taken from www.thelovefoundation.com

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My blirp on love today is about my love for the Spring!  I feel it comin’ and I am energized by it.  The newness, the air, the sun, the clothes, the shoes, easter bunny …I love all aspects of spring!!! I wonder if the new GREENS of spring emit more oxygen into the air or something?  And are there more pheromones in the air? ‘cuz I get "twitterpated"?  
I just LOVE SPRING!! I can’t wait and I am going to be READY for it~ so I am gonna get in a great workout today!  I think I’ll do an at home chest workout and figure out some sorta of funky intervals.

Sorry, I didn’t post yesterday because I couldn’t move I was soooooo sore!  It think I over did the stair mill~ because my legs kept getting more and more sore as yesterday went on.  It was very painful!!
So needless to say I didn’t workout yesterday.
BUT I did get to get a great massage~ it was exactly what I needed
Then I finished up sending out all the After Baby Abs books
And worked on some training stuff…It was a busy but good day!

I am gonna go workout now~
Love ya ladies,
Michelle

www.BuffMother.com

I am in heaven today~ I finally got myself a new desktop and it ROCKS!!
It is so speedy and pretty am just LOVE IT!!!  I’ve been tinkering with it all night trying to get it set up with passwords etc…AND I can’t wait to use it tomorrow for my WORK!

Well believe it or not it was a snow day here.  NO SNOW, NOT even ice on the roads, but they called off school.  So all 4 of my kids plus DH were home today~ I am totally confused on WHAT day it is!  It felt like a Saturday for sure!

I am on fire the past 2 days for my workouts…I’ve got some major MOJO flowing in that area right now!! Probably something to do with the BEACH trip we want to take in about a month.  I have some damage control to do before I am ready to bear all in a bikini in front a people, lol!!  Did you know I probably own about 40+ bikinis yet I hardly ever wear them in public (like at a pool)…actually lonly about 5 times total in the last 8 years!!  and that count is NOT including contests So last evening at the gym I did legs hard
squats
step up high knees
dl’s
leg curls
walking high knees
walking lunges
smith lunges
rotary calfs
ab and add ductors
abs
and a 15 min run

Then today I did back~
I timed my workout and in 30 mins I did the following back, bi, shoulder buffing style (paired circuits) workout

cybex lat pulls
130×10
130×8
130×6
paired with
hammer strength bicep curl machine
45×10
45×6
45×5
45×8

Lower back extensions
70×20repsx3sets
paired with
under hand pullups 7
overhand pull ups 4

seated rows
100×10
100×8
100×8
paired with lateral raises
12’sx10

Shoulder press machine
70×10
70×10 faceing backwards
paired with knee ups on roman chair
20
30

Wide cable lat pulls on knees
50×10 together 10 each side x 3 sets
paired with posedown cable bicep curls
30×10x3

Cable curls
70×8
60×10
60×8
paired with shoulder cable lateral raises
10×10 x 3 sets

Then the stair mill!! I have not done this MONSTER in many many moons!
I ended up climbing 100 floors in 17:22…I used intervals easy mins at 6 and hard intervals at 8 or 9 and at 12 for about 30 seconds of the last one…killer!!!

Eats are okay today
PPPP
CCCC
1G
FFFF
TT

Alright, I am off to spend some QUALITY TIME w/DH!!
I’ll be around more tomorrow~
Lots of LOVE my computer buddies!!!
-M
 

www.BuffMother.com

 Yesterday I was watching Joyce Meyer’s TV show and she had Gary Chapman on speaking about the 5 love languages~ I never get tired of hearing about them!!  Amazing that something so simple can affect those who are unaware so much.  As I listened to the interview, I was trying to figure out what my love language was, what my DH’s is, what my children’s are and this is what I decided for now:

Me~Acts of Service (primary), and Physical Touch (secondary) (BUT I am not sure…I change all the time)
Travis~ Quality Time and Words of Encouragement (tied with Physical touch)
Gunner~ Quality Time for sure!
Gracie~ Gifts
Tia~ Physical Touch
Layla~ anything …she loves it all and responds to it all!

Here is a bit more about the 5 Love Languages : 

The Five Love Languages (excepts taken from www.fivelovelanguages.com)

Words of Affirmation
Mark Twain once said “I can live for two months on a good compliment.”  Verbal appreciation speaks powerfully to persons whose primary Love Language is “Words of Affirmation.”  Simple statements, such as, “You look great in that suit,” or “You must be the best baker in the world! I love your oatmeal cookies,” are sometimes all a person needs to hear to feel loved.
 
Aside from verbal compliments, another way to communicate through “Words of Affirmation” is to offer encouragement.  Here are some examples: reinforcing a difficult decision; calling attention to progress made on a current project; acknowledging a person’s unique perspective on an important topic. If a loved one listens for “Words of Affirmation,” offering encouragement will help him or her to overcome insecurities and develop greater confidence.
Quality Time
-Quality time is more than mere proximity. It’s about focusing all your energy on your mate.
-Quality conversation is very important in a healthy relationship. An important aspect of quality conversation is self-revelation.
-Quality activities are a very important part of quality time.

Whether it’s sitting on the couch and having a brief conversation or playing together in a tennis league, quality time is a love language that is shared by many. Setting aside focused time with your mate will ensure a happy marriage.
Receiving Gifts
Some mates respond well to visual symbols of love. If you speak this love language, you are more likely to treasure any gift as an expression of love and devotion. People who speak this love language often feel that a lack of gifts represents a lack of love from their mate. Luckily, this love language is one of the easiest to learn.

These gifts need not to come every day, or even every week. They don’t even need to cost a lot of money. Free, frequent, expensive, or rare, if your mate relates to the language of receiving gifts, any visible sign of your love will leave them feeling happy and secure in your relationship.
Acts of Service
Sometimes simple chores around the house can be an undeniable expression of love. Even simple things like laundry and taking out the trash require some form of planning, time, effort, and energy. Just as Jesus demonstrated when he washed the feet of his disciples, doing humble chores can be a very powerful expression of love and devotion to your mate.

It is important to do these acts of service out of love and not obligation. A mate who does chores and helps out around the house out of guilt or fear will inevitably not be speaking a language of love, but a language of resentment. It’s important to perform these acts out of the kindness of your heart.

Physical Touch
Many mates feel the most loved when they receive physical contact from their partner. For a mate who speaks this love language loudly, physical touch can make or break the relationship.

Sexual intercourse makes many mates feel secure and loved in a marriage. However, it is only one dialect of physical touch. Many parts of the body are extremely sensitive to stimulation. It is important to discover how your partner not only physically responds but also psychologically responds to these touches.

It is important to learn how your mate speaks the physical touch language. Some touches are irritating and uncomfortable for your mate. Take the time to learn the touches your mate likes. They can be big acts, such as back massages or lovemaking, or little acts such as touches on the cheek or a hand on the shoulder. It’s important to learn how your mate responds to touch. That is how you will make the most of this love language.

For more info on the Love Languages I recommend Gary Chapman’s book-.

I
www.BuffMother.com
I love sleep and would love some right now!  I have always been a person who needs a BUNCH of sleep   If I don’t get 8 hours a night I am a zombie the next day….that’s probably why I don’t remember much of the past 5-8 years of my life, lol!!  Last night I couldn’t make myself go to sleep.
It was probably after 1 when I got in bed.
Anyhow, I still shouldn’t be so sleepy because today was BEAUTIFUL…It was like SPRING here.  The sun was so BRIGHT, the sky was so BLUE and the Temperature in the mid 50’s~ what an awsome treat for mid February.
I’ve spent a ton of time again today on filling book orders~ what an AMAZING once in a lifetime feeling it has been to be sending out books that I WROTE!! WOW!! Thanks so much for the opportunity!!!
I have to run to the Post Office now before they close~
See you tomorrow!!!
-M

I’ve recently realized something about myself that I do not like!  I have a tendency to go through streaks where I constantly catch myself  thinking about and focusing on, the negative side of things instead of the “bright”!   I’ve heard the phrase “look at the bright side” so many times that it’s lost the intended affect.  If my husband says, “look at the bright side…” I often just groan inside and then wander off and continue to bicker, mumble and complain to myself or other people.  I do this despite the fact that I devoted an entire chapter of my book to the subject of “focusing on SOLUTIONS” instead of the “PROBLEM” at hand.  For the most part, this is the way I live my life, but I still have those NEGATIVE streaks.  The truth is, complaining, bickering, arguing, etc, ALWAYS causes my life to be frustrating, difficult and miserable!!  This is why I’m confessing this issue to everyone and I’m bound and determined to break this horrible habit!!  I’m asking everyone who reads this blog including my family, friends and even casual acquaintances to please hold me accountable.  If you ever catch me writing, talking or even thinking about the negative side of anything, CALL ME OUT!  I want you to BUST me on the spot!  I’ve asked my husband to use the phrase, “focus on the SUNNY side, HONEY” instead of the old cliché’ “Look at the bright side” since that phrase seems to always trigger negative feelings in my mind.

I know that some people would much rather discuss negative rumors, gossip and many other situations of this nature.  It’s very easy to and even somewhat enjoyable to get together with a small group of people and feed off this negative energy.  I’ve been caught in this trap many times!  I declare myself “GUILTY as charged charged”. It’s human nature to take the “easy road” by adding our own little negative spin to a conversation or even starting the flow of negative energy hoping that others will join in.  We all seem to have a natural weakness for being attracted negative information.  If you want proof just read the headlines in any news source, TV, internet, newspaper, etc. The headlines are almost always focused on negative stuff because that’s what attracts readers and viewers.  In fact, I’ve completely stopped watching the “news” because it makes me feel depressed!   As I previously stated, focusing on negative things such as criticizing, condemning or complaining always results in making my life miserable!  I recently to read a book written by the richest, most powerful and wisest man who ever lived.  I believe success breads success and even though I’m not much of a reader, I decided to take 5 minutes a day to learn what this man had to say about true success.  The man is King Solomon and the book is Proverbs.  It has 31 chapters and I read 1 chapter every day of the month.  Friday was the 15th  and here are some tidbits that hit me really hard. Proverbs 15:4 “Gentle words bring life and health; griping brings discouragement.”
15:15 “When a man (or woman) is gloomy, everything seems to go wrong; when she is cheerful, everything seems right”  15:30 “Pleasant sights and good reports give happiness and health.”  The entire 15th chapter seemed to say to me, If you want to be miserable, unsuccessful, and depressed, hang around negative people and focus on negative information.   If you want a great life, full of joy, success and happiness, hang around positive people and focus on the “sunny side” of your circumstances.  As a result, I’ve made a decision. From this day forward, I’m done poisoning my life with negative people, conversations, actions, thoughts, etc!  Instead, I’m rededicated to hanging out and communicating with positive people, focusing on solutions instead of problems, looking for the sunny side of my circumstances instead of all the negative situations and events that occur in life.

I want to find at least 100 women who are willing to join me!  We’ll call it The Sunny side… Honey!  This doesn’t mean that you can’t tell us about negative situations, events or problems that you are going through.  There is nothing wrong with expressing these things to the group.   Together, we’ll help each other find and concentrate on the solutions so we can get through tough times.  We’ll team up to focus on the SUNNY side… honey!  I’d like to incorporate this into the Rally Room since this is one of the many reasons I created the RR in the first place!  If you haven’t joined the Rally Room I encourage doing so.  It will change your life!  If you already are a Rally Room member, and want to commit or re-commit to this positive group, please respond to this post.     Feel free to add your own special twist in your post but don’t feel obligated.  It’s fine to just say something like, “I’m in!  But, if you have any additional thoughts, insights and/or stories that popped into your mind regarding this topic, please jot them down in your post.  Please keep in mind this is not a writing contest or anything like that.  I know most of us don’t have tons of extra time and energy and I don’t want that to stop you from joining us.  I’m member #1, who wants to be member #2, #3, #4…?

xoxoxo~
BuffMother!
www.BuffMother.com

www.BuffMother.com

“Because God IS  Love.  Loving and being loved is what makes life worth living.  Once you learn how to truly accept God’s unconditional love for you and walk in love like Jesus did, you will discover the sweet peace, deep joy and unfailing strength that come with being willing to say, ‘Lord, Reduce Me to LOVE!’ “  from the back cover of Reduce Me To Love by Joyce Meyer

I love this book…Joyce Meyer really boils down love in it and Every time I read from her book I am inspired to LOVE others more and more.  Life is really all about LOVE!!

I had a sick child at home again today, poor little Gracie can’t seem to shake this tummy bug.  She has been sick on an off for the past 2-3 weeks with it
But I also had my 2 helpers BIL and MIL~ so I was still able to get quite a bit done.  I went to Wal-Mart and to Sam’s and to Gunner’s 2nd Grade Muscial and even took a nap.  But I didn’t workout as I am a tish ill feeling myself~ so I don’t wanna wear myself down too much

I am  heading to bed and I think I’ll pray myself to sleep asking God to "reduce me to LOVE!!"

That’s SWEET~
-M