The View from the Classroom

Those few of you that have been keeping up with me know that this past week was my first week of school with students.  You also know that I haven’t been on here AT ALL….a testament to how darn busy I have been.  Busy isn’t bad.  Just different when you’re used to no structure whatsoever in your day.  Anyway, thought I’d write and let y’all know how it went…

First, I’m not used to the "1st week" of school being a full week.  In all my 5 years of teaching, students have never started on a Monday.  In my pre-teaching days, I thought that was just plain stupid, but shortly after my very first "week" of school, I changed my thinking on that.  The first days of school are a big adjustment for teachers and students.  Routines (including ones for sleep) must be established and the teacher’s body must adjust to being on the feet constantly while talking much more than usual.  Additionally, for us bodybuilding, diet-conscious teachers, diet and workout routines must be adjusted to fit the working life that we so quickly erased from our memories upon hitting the first day of summer break.

So….my first week…workouts were mostly great…I made both of my 5:30am cardio sessions though I was questionning my sanity all the way to the gym both times…afterwards, I felt great, so I was glad I made it, especially on Thursday…I was one of the few teachers NOT looking like I’d been beaten up and battered just wanting to crawl into a hole for the rest of the year…

Weights were lifted in the evenings and there was only one day where I was really feeling weak…Wednesday…chest and tri’s…started off great…8 reps at 95lbs on the bench press…I know you’re thinking 95lbs? that’s all?  For me that is an awesome feat…most I’ve lifted in a way long time…and to do it for 8 reps (ok, maybe it was 6 with a little help from hubby on the last 2), I was proud of myself…I think that zapped me though…let’s just say I finished the workout, went home, ate, fixed my meals for Thursday and hit the sack…I slept wonderfully well.  (Remember, I had to get up the next morning for my 5:30am cardio!)  Felt MUCH stronger Thursday evening and had a pretty good leg workout…still taking it a little easy, but have managed to add squats, leg press and extensions to my workouts…feeling REALLY good about that!

Diet…mostly clean, which since I’m bulking, that’s what it’s about, right?  Staying MOSTLY clean?  Days were easy…I had my meals prepared and didn’t touch the crap in the lounge…donuts, mainly…I was literally STARVING in the evenings the first couple of days…wanted to eat everything in sight, but did ok (not great, just ok)…adjusted the amounts of food I took to school with me toward the end of the week and wasn’t quite so hungry those evenings. 

My trainer and I decided that Friday evening would be my official cheat evening (I’ve NEVER really had an official cheat anything!).  I looked forward to it all week…hubby and I decided on a restaurant only to find a cardboard "closed" sign on the door.  So, we tried a mediterranean grill place that we hadn’t been to…it was good, but really not cheat worthy…the entrees were pretty clean…I felt a little cheated on my cheat meal….not to worry…being the ice cream junkie that I’ve become, I opted for the double dip hot fudge sundae with reeses peanut butter cups sprinkled on top later that evening…now that’s what I’m talking about!!  YUM-O :) 

So now it’s the weekend…I’m catching up on my sleep…slept til 6:30 yesterday and 7:15 today and I get to sleep in tomorrow too…woohooo!!!!….gonna do some shopping with my daughter (unless her other plans pan out…teenagers…that’s ok, it will be her loss)…catch up on my magazine reading…do a little bit of work…teachers ALWAYS take work home…and just plain relax a little…

I feel like I’m embarking on the second leg of my bodybuilding journey.  My first contest is past me.  I’ve decided to give it another go, but not too soon.  I need to really work on some things…pump up the upper body to give it some "fullness" that I need to balance out what seem to me to be massive hips and at the same time, take the fat off those massive child-bearing things that genetics so kindly gave me (I think it’s the offsetting genetic gift of decent abs).  Anyway, two goals that seem a little contradictory.  If not impossible, challenging for sure. 

So…the plan…find a trainer with competition prep experience who understands my goals and can customize a plan of action to help get me there.  Done!  At the recommendation of a fellow bodyspace member, I found one.  A local guy.  Met with him yesterday after sending him background info and pics.  He seems to understand and be up for the challenge.  Even holds posing classes regulary for his women clients which is something that I also need to work on.  Affordable too.

Needless to say, I’m excited at the prospect of working with this guy.  I can’t wait to really get started and I have total faith that I will get to where I see myself in my vision.  I am typically the type of person that does things on my own…independent… do it my own way, etc.  I like trial and error, experimenting to figure out what works and what doesn’t, doing a little research to see what has worked for others, etc., but, this time around, I decided I want some help.  I think sometimes, we just need to admit, we need a little guidance from others more knowledgeable.  It can shorten the distance between where we are and where we want to be.

Ok…just read gymfreak’s blog and besides making me smile, it made me think of something that happened a couple of days ago.  Thought I would share.

This was Wednesday.  After being back home from my competition for a few days.  Feeling a little down.  Missing the weights some, etc.

I went to CVS to get a few things and was putting them in the trunk of my car.  I noticed an older yet very nice looking man in the car next to me.  He backed out and went on his way.  A few seconds later, I heard a screech and looked up to see him backing his car up hurriedly.  He stopped right by me, rolled his passenger side window down and said "I don’t want you to think anything by this, but I just have to tell you that your legs look really nice."  He went on to compliment my tan and assure me that his only intent was to compliment me.  WOW.  A perfect stranger, someone who didn’t HAVE to put his car in reverse and tell me that.  What made him do it?  I don’t know, but talk about an instant pick-me-up!  I needed that.  Things like that motivate me especially when I’m not feeling so good about myself.  And yes, I do have those days where I don’t feel so good about myself.  I think we all do.

So…ladies and gentlemen…don’t hesitate to give a compliment if you’re sincere about it.  You never know when the recipient might really need it!

I seriously need to update my favorite cheat foods…add ice cream.  I’ve always loved ice cream, but before this past week I could have it in the house and not really be tempted.  What’s up with that?

It started Friday night after my pitiful finish in the novice class…wanted ice cream…Ben & Jerry’s just down the street from the hotel…hubby and daughter so willing to go get me some.  Brought be back a scoop of "Half-Baked"…chunks of fudge brownies and nuts…yum-o!!

Then, Saturday night after a wonderful meal at Landry’s…Ben & Jerry’s closed, but not to fear, Baskin Robbins also just down the street was still open…nutty coconut or something like that was on the agenda and it was a two-scoop night…almonds and walnuts and toasted coconut…double yum-o!!

And it didn’t stop there!  Bahamaman’s blog entitled "Skinny Jeans and Blizzards" had me craving a DQ blizzard and since we don’t have a DQ close, had to stop on the drive home just for that.  Reese’s Peanut Butter Blizzard and I’m proud to say that I stuck with the small though I thought long and hard about the medium…pure HEAVEN is what it was!!

Ice cream three days in a row…wow…long, long time since I did that.  And you know what?  It didn’t stop there!

Of course, I had to make a trip to the grocery store upon returning home and my daughter (definitely her mother’s daughter) says "If they have any good ice cream, will you get some?"  Like there exists on this planet some "bad" ice cream!!  I wasn’t even gonna venture down that aisle, but ya know she really wanted some.  I headed straight for the Ben & Jerry’s section.  Decisions, decisions.  Went with the "Mint Chocolate" and "Peanut Butter Chunk". 

I think that was on Tuesday.  I polished off the pint of Peanut Butter Chunk yesterday and the Mint Chocolate will be history today (after a killer cardio session, of course).  I had to tell my daughter that after Saturday, ice cream isn’t coming in this house.  She was really disappointed.  Told me I need to control myself.  Ha! 

You would think that I would be happy to have the contest thing behind me.  In a way, I am, but in a way, I miss it.  It gave me something to do…how sad is that?  I don’t mean that I have nothing to do, but with the contest prep I was focused on something.  I HAD to workout, eat right, plan for the show, etc.  That took a great deal of time and energy.  Now that it’s done, I have all this time and must find other things to fill it.  Thus, I’m feeling a little blue.  Not really depressed, just a little empty.  Like, that’s it?  It’s over?  What now?  I get on here and I read about all of you in contest prep mode and I’m jealous.  I miss it already.  Ok…THAT really is sad, right? 

Part of me is afraid that without that "something" I’ll fall off the wagon, go back to eating junk all the time and get fat again.  A legitimate concern.  I mean, it happens, right?  Everyday you hear or see stories about people who lost weight and got in shape just to put it back on once "real life" kicked in.  I don’t want that to be me.

So, what do I do?  Find another "something".  That’s me.  I must have something to work toward.  If not, I’m not happy.  Hence the tri.  Just far enough off to give me time to heal the disk (I hope) and get to where I need to be swimming and cycling-wise, but not too far off.  It’s not like I expect to go out and win it anyway.  I just want to do it.  This is something that I’ve thought about doing for a long time.  One of those things that would be on my list of things to do before I die I guess.

Yes, having that "something" gives me something to do, something to look forward to, something to motivate me even when I’m feeling a little blue.   And, yes, something for my family to say I’m obsessing over

Said I was taking off for awhile…that lasted all of 5 days I guess (counting back to last Tuesday, the last day I really worked out).  I decided that I couldn’t just sit around and do "nothing" so I went for a swim thinking that it might actually help the disk.  Now, before I continue, you must realize that I have NEVER done any competitive swimming which means swimming laps is new to me. 

I’m thinking the pool at our gym is 25 meters long.  Being the math teacher that I am, I quickly figured out that 32 lengths would be 800 meters, the distance I will have to swim in the triathlon I’m looking at in October.  How hard could that be?  I mean, I’m in good shape, right?  Yeah, right…lap 1…I’m out of breath…this is gonna be harder than I thought…much harder!!  And it was…I managed 20 lengths and it took me about 40 minutes…felt good, but lots of room for improvement.  Good thing I have a few months!  And boy am I hungry!!!

Bahamaman wrote a good blog recently about trying to motivate those couch potatoes who don’t get the whole lifestyle we weight-lifting, clean-eating types like to live.  Basically, he said it’s a waste of time, they just don’t have the desire or motivation or whatever to do it.  I agree.

Motivation comes from within.  When I started my weight loss journey, I’m the one who saw the light and made the decision to do it.  I had my own reasons.  Basically, I was sitting in a room of overweight teachers and came to the realization that I was one of them…never thought about it that way and not sure what made me think of it at that particular time.

Prior to that split second decision, however, no one on the planet could have motivated me to do it, NO ONE.  I had to be in the right frame of mind first. 

Since then, however, MANY people have educated me by sharing information, motivated me by giving encouraging words and inspired me by sharing their own experiences.  

I’m all for getting people to convert to our way of thinking…but, I’ve realized that they must first make that decision.  Once they take that step, we can use our experiences to help guide others, to pick them up when they fall, to inspire them to do better. 

And…that’s what this site is all about…sharing our stories so that we can help others in their journeys.  So…keep sharing…you never know when something you share will motivate or inspire someone to make a life-changing decision.

I once would have described myself as a dessert-loving chocoholic unable to forego the sweets no matter how ready-to-pop my belly felt after a meal.  Thunder from Down Under, oh yeah…Cheesecake, uh huh…Key Lime Pie, I’m there…Creme Brulee, gotta have it…you name it, if it’s sweet, I would eat it and savor every moment.

BUT…through concentrated, focused choices, I have learned to eat right…(1) so I don’t have that stuffed full, ready-to-explode feeling, (2) so that my metabolism functions efficiently and (3) so that I can lead a healthy, fit, lifestyle in which I enjoy the body I’m in. 

Now, it took some time for the sweet cravings to go.  Occasionally, however, I find myself wanting dessert and I know that after 4 more short weeks I can indulge here and there and I’ll be ok.

One thing that I’ve learned to love in place of dessert is natural peanut butter.  I always liked peanut butter so when I learned that I could have natural peanut butter as part of my healthy diet, I was thrilled.  And I have soooooo enjoyed it…in my oatmeal, in my protein shakes, on Ezekial cinnamon-raisin bread, on celery, with my grilled chicken and spinach, with my tilapia, with my tuna, it’s good with ANYTHING.  Heck…it’s good straight out of the jar.

In fact, I can’t pass by the fridge these days without wanting to open it up, get the pb and start going to town on it.  I’m craving it!!!  I have at least 1/2 a jar in the fridge, but bought more today "just in case".  I wouldn’t want to run out!!  I’ve turned into a natty pb junkie!!!!!!!!

Not good when in contest prep mode.  So…I have to constantly tell myself…I have a contest…I MUST make the choice that will get me the results I want, not the one that gives me instant gratification…I must do this NOT daily, NOT hourly, but EVERY minute of the day and it is HARD.

So far today, I’ve only had one tablespoon of the stuff.  I get to have one more tonight in my oatmeal, but that’s it.  That’s what must be if I am to reach my goal.  And again, IT IS HARD!!!!!

When I "got serious" about losing weight, that was it.  That’s all I really wanted to do…get down to a healthy weight where I didn’t feel fat.  But, the snowball effect kind of happened.

I lost weight, started "toning" as some people say and soon found myself at that acceptable weight.  But, I wasn’t totally happy.  I was still "flabby".  So, I started researching, reading, asking questions and through that decided that I needed to hit the weights more.  So I did.  I lost some more weight, but more in the form of body fat rather than a combination of fat and muscle.  Why?  Because along with the weight training, I really changed the diet.  All of the pieces of the puzzle came together.

Meanwhile, my husband…God love him…has gone from standing by and "watching" my transformation to tagging along with me to the gym to being my workout partner to doing more cardio than I ever thought about doing to entering and winning a bench press competition at our gym to nixing the Dr. Pepper habit he has had for many many years to eating chicken (previously despised by him) to switching from 2% milk to skim milk to eating all my almonds and the last avocado and all my sweet potatoes that I spent hours baking and scooping and seasoning with cinnamon just perfectly and all my brown rice prepared in advance for the week.  What’s next?????????  Oh know :0)…HE’LL want to compete….I don’t know if I can handle that!!!!!

I think he’s obsessed…

Ok.  This isn’t for sympathy.  And I surely don’t need a lecture.  Matter of fact, I’m not sure why I’m writing this at all.  I guess I just am not "inspired" enough today to write about anything else.

I’ve had this pain in my left glute and down the leg for awhile now.  Anyone who knows me knows I don’t go to the doctor unless I absolutely have to.  I’m healthy.  Never had anything major wrong with me in my life.  "Suck it up" could be my motto.  And…the pain hasn’t interferred with my cardio (only time it doesn’t really hurt) or even too much of my lifting  so, how bad could it be?

But…the pain has not gone away.  So a few days ago, I call my orthopedic surgeon brother who immediately says "Sounds like you have a herniated disc and you need to come see me (he’s about 2 hours away) and have an MRI done."  He goes on to explain to me treatment options if that is in fact the case and tells me about his personal experience with the exact same problem.  After 4 or 5 months of suffering, he woke up in a Chicago hotel not being able to get out of bed…my reply?  "I have a contest in 5 weeks!  I’ve put too much time and work into this to NOT do it!!"  My brother understands completely (I mean, he’s an orthopedic surgeon, probably KNEW what his problem was and still didn’t do anything about it!).  So yesterday, I go see him.

EXACTLY what he said…herniated disc.  So that’s where I’m at.  He prescribed medication and told me that no surgeon is going to do surgery at this stage (symptoms haven’t gone on long enough).  told me that with this medication and rest, history has shown that a lot of cases clear up and surgery isn’t necessary.  The "doctor" told me that I should lay off lifting, but the "brother" knows that I won’t.

My plan…lay off the lifting…well, at least a little…yesterday was just a cardio day and I did that prior to seeing him.  Today is no cardio and tri’s and bi’s which I worked on Tuesday for some reason so they don’t have to be worked today.  Tomorrow is just cardio.  Sunday, one of two leg days so I can take it off.  After that, I’m lifting, but will take it easy on the legs…no deadlifts, no weighted squats, stuff like that.  Major pain in the a$@, minor bump on the road to my contest