Mamavation Monday: Belly Dancing

I'm excited to share that I've started taking a belly dancing class! I love it!!! 
My first class was very productive. We began by doing what many women do best, shopping. After checking out the merchandise we then grabbed our yoga mats and introduced ourselves. I'm taking the class with two other friends and overall there were 7 of us in class. 
The wall in front of us was all mirror so it took me a moment to get use to watching myself dance. Actually, I'm not really a dancer. I've never felt comfortable moving my body in public so when this opportunity came up, I was a bit surprised by myself that I jumped on it so quickly, but I'm so glad I did.
The class will last 5 to 6 sessions and then I'll probably move on to the next level. The class does participate in shows but it's not mandatory, just an option I may take on later.  Another great aspect of the class is the focus on this feminine strength and ownership of inner peace and stability. The idea that taking time for yourself is important and helps to build calmness and strength into your daily life. That, I like. :)
And, in regards to my running...I did a 6 mile walk this weekend, that brings me up to 29 miles for this month. My goal is to run/walk 40 miles this month..and, I think I just might get it done!
I hope all my Sistas are enjoying their week! 
We could possibly close on our house this Friday which is super exciting but I'm trying to not get my hopes up too high in case it takes a bit longer. It's not about what happens to you in life, it's about how you respond to it all....that's what I'm trying to work on. :)
Make it a great week!!!!
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Monday Madness: I Am Tired...

Every morning I wake up, roll over, and hit my snooze button. And yet every day I secretly criticize my body, the extra weight I carry, and compare myself to other women. Every. Day.
I'm so tired of it.
I'm ashamed that the thoughts of my body have become a constant battle in my head. I seriously wish I could move past this and "love myself for who I am, not what I look like..." I'm not saying my value as a person is set by the number on the scale but I am saying that I'm disappointed in the way I look. I don't feel comfortable in my clothes....or my skin. I want to feel the way I did a couple of years ago, when I was running. I enjoyed that body...I enjoyed catching glimpses of myself in the mirror. :)
And, over these last few months I've been trying to work out, I've done different DVD's, started and stopped running programs, but I've seen no results from any of it. It's time to seriously get back on track.
And so it's time to take on this mind frame....

I'm just not sure it could be said any simplier. It's just time....
Workout Schedule: Monday: C25K {morning}, bike ride {afternoon} Tuesday: C25K {morning} with 30DayShred {afternoon} Wednesday: C25K {morning} bike ride {afternoon} Thursday: C25K {morning} 30DayShred {afternoon} Friday: C25K {morning}
What about You??? What workout program are You enjoying at the moment??

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On Leave

Today marks Day 1 on maternity leave. I've thought about this day for almost 9 months now. I've daydreamed about what Maddie and I would do with my time off before and with the baby, but now that it's here, I feel a bit lost. Maybe it's because I had planned on working for several more weeks, maybe I truly don't feel I was in a position to take the time off, there seemed to be so much more that needed to be done. But maybe I should accept it as a blessing and enjoy the time I have.
As I began preparing lunch for my girl I realized I'd love to do more home cooking while I'm off. It was then that I wondered if I should sit down and think of some goals, some ideas of what I'd like to do so that I feel as if I really took advantage of this time rather than just spinning my wheels with no direction.
But then again, what if I set goals and don't reach them? What if I need to go back to work before my 16 weeks are up? What if I simply can't do what I set out to do? So is life, isn't it? I guess living my life in fear of never meeting goals is no way to live. It's more productive to set a goal, move toward, and tweak it if need be. I mean, ok so what if I don't run a marathon this year or bake a homemade pie? I'm sure I'll have experienced something just simply trying to reach those goals.
So, let's set goals...let's do it and then put a plan in place to make it happen.
1. I'd like to get back into running. Within three to four weeks after the baby's here I'd like to start back up into a workout routine. Now, I do have some postpartum exercises that my midwife gave me back with Maddie and it begins with some breathing exercises after week one to begin strengthening up the stomach muscles. The only real obstacle I see here involve sleep. It's kind of hard to get back into a workout routine when you're exhausted so my next goal will be....
2. Sleep. I suffered from a bit of insomnia when I had Maddie. I was so worried I'd suffer from PPD that I spent all my time moving and going and in the end my anxiety went through the roof and I couldn't sleep. So, this time around, I'll definitely get up, get dressed, and start my day but I'll also pay close attention to when I'm feeling drained and I'll take all the opportunities to rest and recharge.
3. Organizing the house. I'd love to declutter and clean up a large portion of the stuff we simply don't need and don't use. I think I'll use the FlyLady's approach with this: set a timer and work on a project for that allotted time, remembering to not create more of a mess by creating another project while cleaning. You work on one area then you move on while keeping the idea that by cleaning up daily, you keep the clutter down and the projects small.
4. Homemade cooking. Now, this goal involves a bit more than simply cooking, it also involves nutrition, something I desperately need to work on. I'm gonna use my time off to really explore the idea of clean eating as well as reducing my consumption of red meat, dairy products, and processed foods. I may even look into weightwatchers but this idea is still up in the air.
Alright, so those are 4 broad goals I'd like to address over the next few months. Any advice or direction you can offer would be greatly appreciated. I'll be going back and really delving into each idea to really lay out a plan to make it happen.
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Cut The Fluff: I'm a Runner??

The weather was gorgeous this past weekend!

Sunday hit a high of 67, and it's still January!!

Maddie and I took advantage of the beautiful day and headed down for a walk and playground fun. I say walk, but I quickly discovered I am a runner.

It started off with a nice walk, gaining speeding, checking out all the people, the bikes, and the water, just enjoying chatting with Maddie in the stroller when all of a sudden I realized I was jogging. I'm not sure really how it all happened, it seems my feet simply knew they were to pick up their pace until we were moving at a nice speed, my lungs expanding then back down, one hand on the stroller while the other arm swayed back and forth, just natural, just running. :)



Like I said, just gorgeous.

I hope to run two races this year, The Chicamauga Chase and The Gate to Gate, the same two races I ran last year. This gives me about 3 to 4 months of training. I feel pretty good about it all. I plan on starting back on the Couch to 5k tomorrow morning. Being outside today really helped me realize how much I do enjoy running, how much it's become a part of who I am, and how much more growing I need to do in it.

So, what about You? How's your weather been? Are you stuck in snow or enjoying the sunshine like me and my fam? And, what races are You thinking of tackling this year??



 

So Much To Do!

Maddie's birthday is this coming Saturday! My baby girl will be a year old. I can't believe how fast this year has flown by. :)

We've decided to cook out at our local downtown park, inviting friends and family to bring their favorite side dishes, with blankets laid out for picnic style munching. :) I've got a few toys for the older kids, some kites and games, and bubbles gallore.

So, this week is about getting everything in order to sit down and relax, celebrating Maddie's first year of life. :) Oh, and I can't wait to see what she does with some paint and canvas. We plan on having her paint a canvas each year on her birthday and then hanging them up around her room or the house. I'm so excited to see what she'll come up with. :)

On the work out note, everything is going well, I'm walking for 3 minutes and running for 5 for a good 45 minutes now. It hurts. I want to stop, but I always keep going. Today is day 40 and I've removed 10 pounds and several inches. I'm very happy with the program, but, well, it's a workout and it's hard. :) I've also discovered running on the treadmill is much easier than running on a sidewalk. The treadmill at least pulls you along while running outdoors, you truly must move your own body weight. I look forward to the day when this body weight is much easier to move. :)

Happy Thursday, Love!