Family Challenge Day 1

My hubby is still in recovery mode from his back surgery.  We had hoped that by the end of the 90 day window from the surgeon he would be back to 100%, that is not quite the case.  When he was in the worst part of his pain, he had lots of numbness from where his disc was pressing on the nerve that ran down his leg into his foot.  He had pain, numbness and at times had to walk with a cane.  For someone with a VERY physical job, this was hard...add in our two very active children and it was near impossible.

So now we are cleared by the doc, he can go back to doing everything he did before the surgery...but he still has this numbness from time to time and residual pain.  It's so hard for me to watch him be in pain and suffer...so what to do?  Well, last night we were sitting in our family room after dinner and he looks at me and says, "Lets see how healthy we can be from now until vacation."  Now, we have had these little challenges before, but there is more at stake this time.  I know he is worried about begin able to walk around Disney for a few days with how he is currently feeling.  With that in mind, there was no need to pause, I knew this would be good.  "Ok, lets do it!"

So here we are on day one...we have 42 days until we leave and I think that maybe by doing SOMEthing everyday it will help build strength back up in his muscles that was lost during his pre-surgical time and hopefully (fingers and toes crossed) re-strengthening this will help with his pain. 

This little challenge is a two-fold one for me though.  I have decided to help get myself back in the habit of sitting here with YOU more to blog each day of the challenge as well.  What the what?!?!  Yep, I'm going to do my best to sit down at least for a few minutes everyday and keep you up-to-date on how we are doing as well as keep my self honest and accountable about how we are doing. 

How does that sound?  What I am most excited about with this one is our inclusion of the kiddos too!  It really is a full family challenge, and to me that makes it the best!  So, what do we have planned for day one?  Swimming. 

My big girl had a soccer showcase this past weekend on the other side of the state so we all packed up and headed down.  She stayed with her team in one hotel and Mom, dad and lil sis stayed elsewhere.  Sher is going to be a freshman and we were literally just down the way from her so if she needed anything we were right there...but we tried to give her the freedom of being with the coaches, team and team managers.  We know we have to loosen the strings some now that she is in high school.

Anywho...if you know me then you know that I generally don't swim.  It seems tat whenever we have access to a pool the water is always far colder than I would like, so I just don't do it.  Well...after 4 hours in the car and sitting through 3 hours of games in 90+ degree heat, I was game for he hotel pool.  It was magical.  The water felt perfect.  We got in and swam around for the better part of 45 minutes before getting dressed and going out to dinner (a nice anniversary steak dinner to top of the night for us and some delish looking ribs for Mini Me). 

The next morning Mini wanted to swim again...with how well behaved and patient she has been so far sitting and cheering on her big sis through the heat...how could we say no?!? My first thought too was, "well we were SO hot yesterday that is why the water felt so good, today I'm sire will be no dice."  Much to my surprise the water felt even BETTER the next morning.  So Mini Me hopped in while Dadoo hit the hot tub for a few...then we had a nice family swim, ending with Momma getting a few minutes in the hot tub.  This renewed my faith in swimming a bit.  Top that off with the hubs stating both the first night and next morning how good it felt on his leg to be in the pool and how that relief actually carried out into the day for him.  Swimming is going to be a BIG part of this challenge. 

So here we go, time to "dive in!"

Time keeps on marchhing

Wow...I can't believe I haven't taken the time to sit and write anything since February.  Shame on me,  right?!?!  It has been a crazy few months of ups and downs and emotions and...wow is all I can really say.

First and foremost, my hubby's  back.    We are (finally) successfully two weeks post-op  today.  The difference is amazing.  He was in pain for so  long, and it was heart breaking to watch.  The idea that no matter what  I did,  nothing could make him feel better.  This road was a long one, but amazingly brought us so much closer together.  I would never  wish what he went through on anyone, especially for the length of time that  he was suffering, but honestly...the new appreciation we both have for each other  is beyond  words.

I have always known that he was the driving force behind me, behind being better, stronger, more present in our relationship...but I didn't realize how much it affected me until the past few months.  In my exhaustion of running the kids everywhere...not an exaggeration, it reached the point where being in the car  too long,  or standing/sitting in certain places was unbearable for him so I became the primary chauffeur and errand  runner.   When physical  things needed done around the house, I was the one taking on the majority of the work.  When I would feel defeated or exhausted or at my wits end, I would get a text from him reminding me how much he loved me and how much he appreciated everything I was doing.

He pushed the kids to be more independent to allow time for me to take care of me too.  Squeeze in workouts,  help out with chores, anything and everything.  Now that he is on the mend, the  family mindset has been changed  for  the better.  My 5 year old asked me when we were going for a run the other day.  What?!?!  Amazing!  My thirteen year  old asked to go through and use my workout tapes.  What?!?!  Once we get the okay from the doc, the plan is to renew the whole family 's  membership plan for the rec center and get into a  habit of exercise everyday...for ALL OF US!  I love it!

I have had so many moments over the past few  months where I was so moved by something, or so worried that I thought, I should write about this...but  then when I would sit down to start...fear would take over  my heart.  My biggest  fear being what if something goes wrong.  As the supportive and loving spouse you focus on the positive.  You reassure your husband that things will be great, the light is at the end of the tunnel (not THAT light fear factor), we will take control of  our lives again!  But everywhere I turned there was bad.  Sat to watch Grey's  the week before and two healthy, strong police officer die end  of brain dead from throwing clots in surgery.  Not what I needed to hear right then, people asking a bout the surgery and the look  of fear when they found out how extensive it was going to be...great,  thanks peeps!

Our surgeon is amazing!  He was reassuring, calm and present, it made  me feel better just talking with him before hand.  The kiddos sat with me so patiently in the OR waiting room, along with my parents and my MIL.  Such good girls.  They have really been shining stars through  this  whole thing.


And today,  2 weeks post op, my honey is driving the girls to school.  He cleaned up the garage some yesterday, helped  do  yard work,   walked the Botanical Gardens.  We are  all working on building our endurance again, and we are  doing it as a team!  All  four of us actively  engaged.  We have had moments  like this, but  they have always been fleeting...I think we are finally all on the same page.  We are all focused on the right things.   My 5 year old even wants her own fitbit.  HA  I think we may invest in the kidfit...any thoughts or experiences out there with that.

Today, I am taking a deep breath and being thankful.  I  am thankful for my family,  my health and my blessings. How are you starting over  today?

My Fitspiration-an honest look in the mirror

I stumbled across this picture  the other day (as you  may have seen on my facebook page) and honest  to  goodness, my first thought was "I HAVE to blog  about this."  It has been a long time since I have felt that strongly about needing to get my thoughts out and I think this is all part of my overall "acceptance" of things.  I need top keep  moving forward and finding the things that I can own, that I can hold myself to, and these two ah-may-zing blogs I am fortunate to be a part  of,  both Waits and Measure(ments)s and The Journey, allow me to  do that.

I  have challenged myself this  year  to do right by ME.  I took the time (and bravery) to take physical measurements and put them out there to all of you.   Numbers in print that can't be taken back...well, I  mean I could delete the post but we all know once its in cyberspace it is  there forever.  I have been working through the pain in my hip, I have been trying to focus.  The past few months have been hard.   My who-knows-why-my -hip-hurts chronic pain, yep I said  chronic.  Did you know that if you suffer  from pain for  more than six weeks it's considered chronic?  I didn't until my doc told me. My poor husband with his back pain that turns out to be not one but TWO herniated discs and just keeps  plugging away as best  he can.  The winter blues, thee kids activities, life in general.  It's so easy to get bogged down, and that is not  good.  It (at  least for me) leads  to feeling blue  and that  leads to overeating which leads to guilt  which leads to more eating, which ultimately leads to your pants feeling just  THAT much to tight.  I know, I  have been living it.

I was feeling puffy and gross and shameful for allowing myself to get  this way.  How does someone who writes for  not  one but TWO health focused blogs spiral down like  this?  Could you feel my shame,  I mean, I fell off  the face of  the earth with my blogging.  I  wanted to disappear, but I didn't. My family inspired me, as they always seem to do.

When my hubby and I went to see  the kinesiologist  we found the reason for  my hip pain, at least  part of  it...bad foot.  Crazy I know,  but the doc gave me an orthotic insert and I felt relief for  the first time in a long time.  While there, both the hubs and I took a nutrition survey for toxicity.  WOW was I shocked.  I mean, I know that we  don't always eat what we  should, I know that I don't exercise as much as I should...but there is SO much more than that when figuring out why you feel the way you do.  The survey covered topics like: digestion, ears, emotions, energy, weight, head, skin...to name a few.  It asked about our risk exposure  ton  things like household chemicals, pesticides, and pets.  Once we finished, after picking my jaw up from the floor, I knew it was time to do something about it.

We took home the detox cleans the doc suggested  and read through what we needed to do and decided to get started.  This was  all before the herniated discs were actually diagnosed...just severe pain for  my poor hubby.  It got to  the point where he  knew after
no  relief came from the AK doc that he  needed to  see  someone how would help with the pain.  With that in mind,  we decided to put the cleans eon the back burner for a few (who wants to  cleanse pain meds out when you feel as   awful as  he does).

Fast forward  a few weeks and we are on the long wait to see  thew spinal surgeon, so meds are in place for a while.  Dear hubby encouraged me to  go ahead  and start  the cleanse, he can always do  later.  So I do...I can't even begin to tell you how much better I felt after just a few days.  The puffiness and bloating I'd been carrying in my midsection is gone.  My hubs even said my face looked less puffy and more sculpted like  it used to.  I  got  complimented at work by someone who said I looked as though I was"glowing".  All of this from detoxing?!?!  I mean, I wont get into the details but my little 5'2 frame was really holding onto a lot of stuff it shouldn't have been.

So as I am progressing, my hubby goes to see  a pain management doc.  The pain management doc is having him  wait on pain blockers until he tries some water therapy...ok, at least  we have something in place now.  I am feeling pretty good at this point but still not getting back on the workout trail.  Do you ever feel guilty for working out when someone else can't?  My  hubby has ALWAYS been my workout buddy.  He pushes me to keep going, keep getting stronger, and with him WANTING to work out and not being able to I felt as though I couldn't or at least shouldn't enjoy those endorphins without him.  And because he knows me so  well, he knew  I was stalling.

He told me that I was NOT to wait  for  him, that if he  was  able he'd be working out everyday, and I know he means it.  So I  hit the mat.  I am aiming high too for just really coming back.  I figure February is a short month so why not try to do SOMETHING everyday.  Whether its walking, a full on cardio or  strength workout...whatever....as long as  its something!  AND even better, PT has encouraged swimming for the hubs, its supposed to be a great way to  workout with herniated discs s o  he is re-upping the rec membership so he can start to swim and try and get himself back on track and stronger  and more fit wile still dealing with this pain.

Its funny because I have really only been out of my routine for about 6-8 weeks which in the grand scheme isn't a lot, but even with the setbacks I must have been doing something right.  My kiddos (well  the little one at least) actually will sit and watch and CHEER for me as I burn those calories,
and then they hit the mat together too.    They know the importance of it.

the girls  doing a little yoga together :)

So we are moving forward, and finding/making better choices and I feel like there  are  some GREAT things on the horizon for  my  little family!  Feeling fit-spired!

Inching closer to the goal

As we  all trudge forward into another  glorious year, I felt like this picture was a perfect mindset to start off the year.  I wrote a  piece( for The Journey) called Ho-Ho-Hold On that hit on the  New Years Resolution phenomenon..ALL those bodies in the gym...but it was about then that  too...it  was about taking those small steps towards the bigger goal.  What a perfectly named site right, The JOURNEY because that IS what it  is all about.

I decided  this year to try something different.  I've talked about accountability, and that is SO  important,  but what have I really put at stake?  What measurable goals have I shared with you? None.  How do you know how I  am doing other than through these fabulous updates?  You don't. How do I really know?  I don't.  and that isn't fair...to  you, or to  me.  So this year I am laying it all out there.  

It has been a rough few weeks.  This  hip pain has only gotten worse, so  I am FINALLY going to see another doctor  and see what  we can do.  My hubby is having a similar problem, so there has to be something more to it all then just an overworked hip flexor muscle.  I am excited about our appointments because we are meeting with a very accomplished kinesiologist and will both be getting full work ups...nutrition, blood  work, alignment, everything. It has been hard with all this pain to even walk  sometimes, so I am DEFINITELY not at a happy place on the scale...but  even that doesn't matter.  The goal is to  get there.   The goal is to  see what I am doing to my body and correct  the things that aren't working properly.  

All that being said...it's time to look at hard numbers.  I am a vain person.  I have NEVER  posted numbers like this before,  but I think in order to make it sink in for myself...I need to be as honest as possible with myself...and with you, so  here  it  goes.

As of  this morning, Monday 1/15/15:
Weight: 131 (not since I was preggers have I hit this number)
Bust:  34
Waist: 27
Hips: 38
Thighs: 22

How do I set a goal from here?  Inch wise  I have no idea...less is  better I guess, right?!?!  weight wise, I am at the high end of normal for  my height...so I would like to drop at least 10.  Not a huge amount, but they always say the last 10 are the hardest.    I have my work cut out for me.  I will keep you posted, and will update  the numbers once a month.  I will let you know  what the new doc says too...I am excited to see how my inner workings are doing.  I think I will be in for a shock.  The general stuff is good,  that I  know from having them done in November (cholesterol,  BP, etc), this will go  into things like thyroid and liver function, general nutrition, etc.

Wow...I'm thinking like a real grown up

t feels as though it has been forever since I posted.  I am not sure where the time goes sometimes.  I have the best of intentions and have so much to share with you,  but then life gets in the way.   Isn't that always how it seems to go?!?!  Well my friends not today.   Today I am making YOU a priority.  Doesn't that sound sweet, I wont lie though…this is only partially for you.  By taking this time, these few moments to update you…I am making time for ME!  Where to begin.

Over the weekend I saw something that scared me, shamed me and disgusted me.  It was the number on the scale  in my bathroom.  Now this post is not going to be a shamefest.  I was  actually more disgusted on the whys of  this number than the number itself.  I know that I don’t always make the best  food choices,  but I am human hear  my stomach roar!   I  also know that I am   not eating every meal from a box or wrapper though.  I don’t always get in the workouts I should, but I have upped my step goal by 2000 steps  a day in the past few months.  I am walking 3-3.5 miles everyday at lunch during the workweek, I am hitting my step goal earlier in the days on the weekends.  I  was coaching soccer and running around with my kiddos 2 days a week…how did this happen?!?!

Before you jump on  the “muscle weighs more than fat” band wagon,  let  me assure you that I am aware of  that and that in this circumstance, it’s not the issue either.  I can see the loss  of tone my laziness has brought on.  But  it has given me reason to  pause.

I am just as bad  as everyone else out there.  I know we all  want to be the person that “doesn't care about what  then pics in the magazines look like” or  the person that can say,  “as long as  I’m healthy I  don’t care  what the number on the scale says.”  I agree.  I am that person to a point.  Where  does that point end…at the number I saw this weekend.  If I was more  secure,  I would share  it  with you…but I know that YOU know that its different for all of us.  We all have a number  that scares us.  One that defines us.  I hit  mine.  i knew what  it was before, so  this was no shock…I just didn't  plan on seeing it again for a long time.

Now, I  have read that after 30 people tend to put on 10 pounds a year after 30.  WHAT!  That wont be me.  I  will defy all odds…well l guess what, I have less than 3  years  to now prove that wrong.  This weekend, I  saw THAT number.   This weekend my eyes opened wide, as wide  as my butt felt. ;)

Is this irreversible?  No of course not.  But I am realizing (slowly and in my own denial riddled way)  that I have to make changes if I want to see changes.  Not  the kind of changes that are  obvious,  eat better/exercise more, but the kind of choices like really monitoring what I put into my body and how it reacts.  I can feel sometimes how foods I have always loved make me feel differently now.   They don’t all agree  with me the  way they used  to…examples you ask?  Gluten and nuts stand out the most.  I’m not  trying to be hip with the gluten,   I can actually see  and feel a difference  in my body when I cut the gluten out though.  I drop a few pounds in just a few days from water.  I can see my belly flatten  out,  it’s just so darn hard to cut gluten all together and without having a legit medical reason too…I get lazy.

I know that I am not alone in this  fight, this journey.  How do you  cope with this?