Race to Abs Week 2

If you know me you know that I like to make schedules but it's difficult keeping to them while keeping up with prior commitments. I'll get the hang of posting on Thursdays or just have to adjust. I'll make it work.

So I wasn't awful this past week with food but I did make and eat cookies and had a tiny piece of pie (I actually mean tiny). I did good with avoiding processed foods aside from some crackers on the road trip home. Veggies have been a delight each day and were much appreciated while at my parent's for Christmas. It's sad to say but I was actually quite hungry for the couple days I was there. It's tough being a mostly-vegetarian person in a home where the main staples are chicken and white rice. My family does their best to make adjustments but it's tough.
I've been working on getting lots of kale back into my weekly diet as well as the wonderful oil of olive. Sweets are yummy but I'm going to work harder on kicking those out by replacing them with tea, an apple, or even a banana-- my banana cookies would be a good choice here too.
So the measurements for today are:

40" shoulders
33.5" chest
29" under bust
9.5" biceps
27" waist
31" belly button
36" hips
37.5" butt
20.75" thighs
14" calves

The changes are small but they're still changes-- credit to my time on the elliptical, sit-ups, and yoga. Once the campus gym is back on regular scheduling, it's back to the weight floor for me! Oh, and the rowing machine will get to see me again, too, of course.

There was some gossip going on about my last photo and I'd just like to clear the air in regards to the public-access of the image of me in my underwear. I viewed it as equivalent to wearing a bathing suit, which it is, but our society views a two piece and a bra and underwear as entirely different articles of clothing, even though they cover the same amount of body. So, I figured I would just wear my workout clothes and then at the very end I'll buy a new bathing suit or something and flash everyone with my new abs. Here's me in my new workout clothes (thanks mommy!).

Adaptation

When you don't have a gym with access to machines and weights, everything changes.

I've learned that, like any other routine, a workout must be flexible. We often rely too much on ellipticals tredmills and anything that is a product created by corporations to gain the focus of people in the workout community. 

I have loved the gym for some time now-- the atmosphere and all the equipment needed for easy dummy-proof fitness is available. But what happens when the gym is taken away? What happens when the person who is best at buying real food (produce-- the food earth provides for us) is stripped of their funds and they must rely on others who have the money but lack the understanding of the difference between food and a product?

In America everything has a price: fitness, food, and over-all well being. This is against the natural order of life yet Americans solute themselves with their negative nutrition meals and artificialized lives. 

At school I was in prime position for a healthy me-- I had the money to buy my own food and the schedule and location to workout. Now that I'm home I see I must be ever more flexible in my life. Life is change and diet and fitness are no different. 

If we are to survive and thrive as we choose, we must adapt. Adapt as creatures of earth are meant to. 

It's been tough dealing with less energy rich foods filled with simple carbs and sugars, while lacking the opportunities to burn it all off. I don't own a bicycle and I am literally about to step through my sneakers. On the occasions I have to lift at Alex's house, I do it wearing socks because my shoes provide instability as opposed to support. 

It's a big change and I need to create and force things if I have any hope of working towards where I want to be physically. 

Luckily I do have Alex and Colie, along with others, who support me in my decisions. I also have yoga. My mat may be physically falling apart but every time I step on and breathe, I feel the connection, the drive. I just have to find the way. 

As for food, I need to be more stern with my parents about what I actually eat. 

I hope your rainy Tuesday evening is going well. Maybe the sky will clear up for the stars tonight. 

This Little Corner

"Each of us feels some aspect of the world's suffering acutely. And we must pay attention. We must act. This little corner of the world is ours to transform. This little corner of the world is ours to save." -Stephen Cope

We have strength and we have the power of decision. Take control of the self and embrace the energy within.

I'm done with undergrad and I've been accepted to USF's library science program but now I'm worried about what I will love in the future... I'm worried that i won't be spending my time in a passionate manner. I love my yoga practice and I am advancing... I just don't ever want a job to take that time away. Working at the movie theater provides odd hours and my workouts have been suffering, and are practically nonexistent, because of it. I imagine there are many people who feel a rut when finishing school and haven't found a job other than an entry level one. 

I have to find ways to make time again and still do the things I love when in home. Change is truly necessary. No such thing as a forever routine if you're living your life. Even brushing your teeth doesn't happen at exactly the same time every day of your life.  

Happy Mothers Day, mother, nature, and universe.

Fitness Junkie-- And PROUD!

So I'm anxious to get this semester over with because my classes have been fairly stressful. Only three projects, three exams, and three papers to go and I'm complete with my senior year and ready for graduation!
Oddly enough my finals week only has two exams so much of the week will be free until the day of graduation when my family and soul-mate join me here in Tally. What should I do all week? Oh, I don't know... GYM TIME!!
I'm happy to see that the Leach's schedule includes a wide range of classes, including my favorite Power Yoga class that Sunday and I can finally attend the Tuesday one. Now the tough part is deciding which classes to go to... I've been super curious about the Barre Lean class, and Tabata Boxing and QiForce sound awesome too. So many choices!
I better get back to being a good student now.

Hope everyone has a great day!

Cardio/Warm Up

I absolutely cannot skip my warm up with cardio. Today I just stretched and went to the weights because I was cut short for time. It was leg day. I was ready to run.
Never again. No longer will I think it's even feasible to skip out on my cardio warm up. While I was lifting I felt so antsy and the antsy-ness is still with me right now.
We live such sedentary lives that, once you really get going for a while every day, you gotta keep going or the flow is messed up. Tomorrow I plan on a date with a Tredmill followed by arms.
I wish I could sit still. I'll correct the issue tomorrow after school.

I forgot to do the online sign up for Spinning class with one of my sisters. Boo.
Today included some downs... the hate in Boston... but the world keeps spinning. We should do what we can to help, then look to positive things to "Keep Calm and Carry On,"-- have a cup of tea. Toast to Mondays that are not quite Mondays.
Look to the future with hope.

I hope. I do.

Midterms then Spring Break

Hey there,

sorry i haven't been posting as often as I was. School is taking me by storm and although I manage to squeeze in my workouts, I have such little time for the blog. Spring Break is coming up so soon I'll have a little time to breathe and share more with you. Alex and I still have our make-up Valentine's Day to do so I'll most likely be cooking up a few things and doing something.
The gym has been going very well despite my levels of stress; I think everything would be worse if I wasn't going. My knees have been feeling great and I haven't even bought a split. I've started using the treadmill more and I've found I prefer it over the elliptical or bike now-- just because I get to feel my feet pound, I guess. It's also exciting that I've been doing good with my breathing-- no asthma attacks for two or three weeks now!
I hope all is well with you, readers. I'd love to hear from you to see how your own practices are going. Keeping up with the yoga? Starting a new good habit? Send me an email :)

Namaste

Goals

I've been realizing just how important goals are in life. Why are you doing something? To achieve something: discover, create, observe, analyze, be a part of-- the list goes on.
In order to make a thought a reality we need to make it a goal. Instead of thinking on it we need to act. One step at a time, and you'll get there.
With fitness, I'm at a spot where I need to make changes and add and learn new things. With each workout we do, our body adjusts and adapts to it so we must always be changing it up.
Since I'm already at my healthy weight, I need to tone it up and Body Tone once a week isn't enough. In addition to keeping healthy eating and cardio habits, i believe it takes lifting weights a least three times a week for you to notice a difference.
The FSU Leach offers free BMI(body mass index) exams so once that opens ill go and hopefully have a little more information to work off of. BMI is a test where they pinch your skin and calculate your body fat percentage. Body fat is good as long as its around a certain percentage. Ill find out more about where I stand and how it's determined once I get my BMI.