Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Up from the Depths...

Hello World,

I don't even know what to title this post. It's me, Iceman, it's so cold here in the Northern Tundra that "Iceman" is an appropriate handle.

As my wingmen have said, I did, in fact, just give birth to babe #5. Well, it's been a month now. Is that still considered, "just giving birth,"? It sure feels like it. I'm still trying to get my brain wrapped around my new "normal." Somehow the jump from 4 to 5 kids is a BIG jump. What DO you do with the newborn who's crying and hungry while trying to explain the finer points of multiplication to my 8 year old. Or dealing with a screaming 4 year old and 2 year old who can't share while I'm handicapped by the nursing baby and the book that I'm trying to read to my 6 year old. (Yes, this all did happen this morning...) This will all get easier, right?

Oops, little break. The 2 year old just whacked the 6 year old in the head with the business end of a plastic sword. Oops, another break, 8 year old needed some direction with math.

I'm back.

So as for body reclaiming. Here's what I know:

1. With a stronger body I know I will better take on this physically challenging role.
2. Being physically more capable will help me to be emotionally more capable. Plus all those feel good endorphins from exercise.
3. Looking nice helps me feel better about myself.

So what IS a good plan for an already maxed out schedule.

Well I am going back to Weight Watchers Tonight! Waa Hoo! O.k. I'm a little apprehensive about going back because I'm not really there, mentally, to start being disciplined with my diet. I'm hoping for a big "kick in the pants" tonight that jump starts that mental change.

I have joined a small gym that I haven't actually been to yet. I remember with the last baby, telling my husband that when the baby starts to wake only two times at night I'll start going. Well I'm already there with this one. Yet working-out 4 weeks postpartum seems insurmountable. Maybe this week I'll work on the diet and next week we will start in with that gym.

O.k. back to school, babies, well, life. Hoping I hit my stride sooner than later.

Iceman down but not out.... :)

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Throw Down



I think we need a challenge!  With Prize!

I need to pull together my eating and my exercise.  And I need to do it on a new schedule as my morning workouts sort of went out the window when morning Kindergarten started.

I happen to know changes have been afoot for Goose and Iceman as well so we are all reinventing our eating and work out schedules a little.  The holiday's are over and spring is right around the corner.  Time for something to get us back on track.

The Challenge:

Since we are all runners I propose a 2 month challenge.

Month number 1-January 30-February 26
Run 15 miles per week
weight train in whatever way suits you 1 times per week
Post weekly meal plans

Month number 2- February 27-March 26
Run 20 miles per week
weight train 2 times per week
post weekly meal plans

The Prize:

The person who runs the most miles and completes all other training should get $5 coffee cards from the losers.  One prize per month

I propose adding biking to the challenge in April but we can review when we get there.

You have a week to prepare and accept the challenge and then I will look forward to the weekly updates.

If we have any readers who want to join in spirit just let us know in the comments.

Secondary goal:  Get a picture of iceman in some race this year.

A healthy lifestyle is journey.  A marathon not a sprint.  We are butt kicking animals one day and then we fall down and become wide load couch potatoes the next.  The question is, do we get back on track or will we let failure define us?

Maverick

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Marketing Martha

I have been getting a little magazine called "everyday food" for the past year and love it.  I love it so much that when the renewal came in the mail I bought gift subscriptions for my mom, Goose and Iceman as Christmas gifts.  Why keep all those yummy recipes to myself?

Here are some things I enjoy about it and look forward to sharing with family:

Every month there is a 1 week meal plan.  Now often in magazines they are complicated week long meals but I have actually done a couple of them and they are simple, delicious and simple.  Plus they are good.  OK I have a limited list of requirements for my food, quick and tasty.

The food is for the most part healthy, lots of stuff that is dairy free, encourages organic living.

I have gotten lots of magazines with recipes in the past and even recipe magazines before and I will say I have lots of recipes I use from them but I have never had one magazine that I so consistently found and used recipes I enjoyed.

This month I have already tried and enjoyed the Shredded buffalo chicken sandwiches and am going to try out some of their smoothie variations.

Not that Martha needs help marketing but I just thought I would share.

Maverick out

Friday, January 7, 2011

The full spread

Maverick In

Well I think that H would make an excellent "Viper", the leader of the flight school.  She could shape us all up.  Just a thought.

I don't like to be a cliche.  I want to be original.  So I decided against jumping off my butt on Jan 1 like everyone else and have continued to meld with the couch for another week now.

It has been over a month since my last run and getting close to a month since my last any other form of exercise and I have made a few observations:

The good news is that although I don't have a scale and can't say one way or another what my weight is, my clothes aren't any tighter.

On the other hand...my body is starting to hurt, not the good kind from exercise but the bad kind from atrophy, I am sleeping terrible, becoming a slacker around the house and in general becoming one with the downstairs couch.

Sometimes you just give in to your inner sloth and go for it.  That is one of the down sides of MN.  The cold just sucks the life out of you.  But then maybe that is the whole point, back in the day we needed that additional layer of fat to survive.  The thing is, I don't need additional fat now, I have a furnace.

Then again when you are in MN unless you have some crazy commitment, you need a club membership.  NEED.  And as we have had to cut back on things this year I had to cut that.  However, I started a part time job this week and although I wasn't planning to make any changes for a few months I told my husband I would be going to the nearest club as soon as possible.

I can't live like this.  I mean I know I did live like this for years.  Sluggish, tired and without much enthusiasm for life and getting out there and living it.  BUT, I have seen the other side.  I have tasted the good life and can never go back.

So here are a few things I am considering to keep me motivated this winter and throughout the year:

Cross Country Skiing.  I must admit that I have told hubby at times that when I see Cross Country Skiers I think they look crazy.  I mean people who do it REALLY love it.  But I talked with a neighbor who recently started doing it at a ski hill a couple miles from our house and became interested.  It is only $8 for rental and trail pass. That price excites and motivates me.  Plus my hubby grew up doing it with the family and I am always looking for something our whole family can do together that is healthy and active.  So potential future post about how that works out to come.

While races are fun they are also costly so I am not quite as ambitious as Goose limiting myself to just a couple things.

The spring Get In Gear race.  I had said I wanted to do the 10K but as my butt has spread across the couch I have been thinking the 5K might be a challenge.  However, if I do sign up for a new club membership in the next week I will go back to my 10K plan.  I don't expect to be able to run the whole thing by the end of March but I want to do something that will really challenge me at the beginning of the season and get me off the treadmill.

Sometime in August:  first annual Wolfe/Byrd/friend family duathlon.  Bike/run/bike.  Iceman and I will plan it, set it up and unless we can motivate the rest of our families, be the only participants.  Still it is happening!

Possibly considering the Irongirl duathlon here in the cities this summer.  Not making full commitment at this point but I do want to keep up my triathlon body a little.

Biking:  More family bike rides, something we enjoyed last summer.  Looking to borrow or buy a ride behind for Isabelle so she can join the fun and we can loose the big parachute on wheels.

I really miss my body pump class and my nice toned arms, legs and abs.  I am not sure I will be re-joining the Y since I have found the cut rate clubs also have treadmills for half the price.  If the new club doesn't have something similar I will be forced to make up my own routine.  At least I have learned a lot from body pump.

My hubby has full access to a wonderful workout room at the fire department and I will be challenging him this year to use it.  Another competitor in the family duathlon this summer.

That should be enough to keep me entertained and in shape.

ICEMAN---What news from the postpartum ward?

Maverick Out.