It's been way too long. I needed a blogging hiatus for awhile. This past year has been so fun, and so new, and I needed to take some time to just enjoy the moments, rather than think about "oh that was a delicious meal, let's blog about it!".
The break has been lovely, to say the least. Exactly what I needed. However, I miss sharing the parties, the recipes, and all the kitchen mishaps with my internet world....so here's to hoping I can get back into it!
Life changes? You bet!
I accepted a job in my actual career field that I love. I could not have been more blessed in finding this opportunity. I look forward to my work days, even though they are usually only twice a week. I also took a side part-time job in education- which is something I have always wanted to do and hope, some day, to make it more permanent. Unfortunately for the level that I want to educate, I have to go back and obtain my doctorate degree at some point. So until then, adjunct faculty will be the perfect blend of educating and practicing the art of medicine.
The furchildren are still the loves of our life, and we couldn't be more "dog people" if we tried to be.
We have celebrated countless weddings, friends having children, friends moving, and family celebrations over the past year that I couldn't even begin to dive into. Every day we have become more and more aware of all the blessings that surround us.
I still love to cook. We still eat clean 85% of the time. I love finding recipes that are the perfect blend of comfort food, but healthy. This has been a major lifestyle change for me since last summer, and I don't look back. I still have my Achilles' heel, mainly tootsie rolls lately, but I have grown to accept and value that if you make healthy choices the vast majority of the time regarding food, you not only feel better, but when you do enjoy that delicious burger and French fries on an off day- you really enjoy it.
I finally found my fitness inspiration. Those who know me, know that prior to going back to school for my masters degree, I was obsessed with working out. I lived for my two-hour gym session, at least 5 days a week. I loved to run. I loved everything about it. Unfortunately, the combination of school, life, and then work left me void of what I called "time" for exercise. I traded my gym sessions to tackle those extra loads of laundry, to go to the grocery store, to scrub the bathroom... Sure, some people call those excuses. My friends that are workout crazy call them excuses, but I don't see them as such. Those are obligations of mine, responsibilities of mine, that is a part of my life. I take pride in having a clean, organized home. I take pride in planning, shopping for, and preparing healthy meals 5-6 days a week. Those "excuses" are important to me, and to my sanity. I never agreed with the "stop making excuses and just go workout" mantra that so many fitness experts have.
....No offense, but I have about a dozen 20-30 min dvd workouts and do I do them? Heck no. Every once in awhile I will, but let's be honest- just because it is short and a good workout, doesn't mean I am going to do it. So, after months of trying to readjust my mental view of priorities and I signed up for a purebarre class. In this class, the instructor said one thing that resonated to me more than any fitness pep-talk, book, video, class, anything ever did. She said "This is your 55-minutes. This is your time to focus on you. Stop thinking about your to-do lists, and just be here and now." And I realized, to myself: she's right.
So now, I try to go 4-5 days a week to take those classes. I have managed to snag 4-5 hours a week that I can take for myself. At first, I thought to myself "how on earth am I going to find more hours in the day?" Then I realized.... There are 168 hours in a week. As humans, probably 56 of those are spent sleeping, so that's 112 left. Now, I work a bunch of part-time jobs that end up to more than full-time hours, but let's just say (for the sake of things) that I work 40 hours a week. That's still 72 hours. 72 hours. I can find 4-5 of those and take an hour to myself, to do something for myself, something that not only is for me, but more importantly something that is good for me. And you know what? I'm better because of it.
I'm a better wife- I feel better about myself, and as such I am a happier spouse. I am a better cook- I think more thoroughly about what I put into my body, therefore I make healthy choices more frequently. I am a better PA, because now I not only can have discussions with my patients about making time to exercise, but I can say "look- I do it too." Spiritually, I am stronger because I am taking care of this external body that houses my heart and soul. I am happier, I am stronger, I am more myself than I have been in a long time.
People always have reservations about new fitness endeavors. Mine were always:
1. No time
2. Too expensive
3. Inconsistency
Ironically enough, once I made time I realized that I feel as though I have more time now. Which obviously is not true, but when you feel better, you are happier. And, when you are happier, you are more apt to carpe diem every day- rather than every once in awhile.
The reason that PureBarre works for me (and it may not work for everyone), happens to be the antithesis of the things that always kept me from joining a workout class program.
In fact, the very reasons I did not want to try the classes, are the very reasons that keep me coming back...
1. Classes are scheduled
- This always caused me anxiety. What if my schedule doesn't fit with when classes are available? You know what? You can move your schedule around. You can do your grocery shopping an hour later than you normally do and stop on your way home from a class. Having to schedule my workouts in based on availability of classes has made me less OCD and more flexible. It is a great thing. It also keeps me going because I have to go at a certain time. I can't "just go later".
2. It's expensive
- Probably the main reason I didn't want to join was the price. Sure the $99 initial 30-days sounds great (actually, to me that sounded expensive), but when I've been only paying $20 a month for a gym membership, $99 sounds painful. It sounds even more painful when after that month I can get a second month for $175, and after that it's $195 a month, or $499 for 3 months. OUCH. Then I realized, I've been paying $20 a month for a gym membership for the past two years and I have made myself go a grand total of (drumroll please....) three times. I have paid $480 for three workouts. I went 16 times out of those 30 days to purebarre. It was worth every penny.
- The main reason I keep going to purebarre- is because it is an investment. The more classes I take, the less per class cost it is for that month. Sure it's a flat fee for a month, but if you break it down to cost per class I attend, it makes me feel better. So I go. I go because I financially invested a lot in my physical health, rather than just blowing off the $20 for the gym I never go to.
3. Consistency
- I hate repetition, but I like schedules and organizations. I never get bored in PB. The format stays the same: warm up, arms, legs, seat, abs... same order, different routine. Different teachers, different music, different exercises. I get variety, but with consistency. I know the first few minutes of abs won't be terrible (but won't be easy, either), but then the dreaded "let's kick it up a notch" comes out of the instructor's mouth and I know I'm about to be in ab muscle pain for the next 7 minutes. You become comfortable with the order, so you don't feel out of place. And each class you challenge yourself to do "your best 10", "sink a little lower", or "leg a little straighter". Every little victory, no matter how small, shows their mantra: You are stronger than you think.
so for now, I'll continue to lift.tone.burn
So that's been my life the past several months. A lot of personal growth, changes, and re-organizing this puzzle of life so that I can get more in. I'm not saying that everyone should start eating clean 80% of the time, or that everyone should sign up immediately for PureBarre. I'm saying this:
You are worth it.
There is only, and will only ever be, one you.
So find a healthier recipe that you want to try! Or just substitute skim milk for 2% this week, or low fat shredded cheese for full-fat on that favorite recipe of yours. "Oven fry" that chicken with panko breadcrumbs and Olive Oil Cooking Spray, instead of dipping it into the oil. Make one healthy change every day, and just see where it takes you.
Find a form of exercise that works for you. Find those 4-5 hours a week where you can turn your mind off and only focus on the then and now. Focus on you. You are irreplaceable.
Xoxo,
Virginia
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