Happy 2009 ladies, I'm right into Crossfit right now, have deadlifted more than my bodyweight yesterday and did Hang Power Cleans at 70+lbs so I'm feeling good!! I haven't gained weight for a year but hopefully looking to see some more muscle for 2009.

Hey Mel, the practice of clean eating has been a bit of a shock to me yet again. It amazes me how slowly little "just this times" slips with food seem to become a habit and I have to readjust once again. Since the beginning of the month I've gone completely back to basics and gosh darn it I'm actually hungry! Well, at least an hour before my next meal rolls around. It's okay. It's working to take off the few holiday pounds. I am feeling rather inspired by it though too. It's during these moments that I'm truly appreciative of the strength and focus it took to lose the weight in the first place.

Hi Sacha. I bet you do feel great. It looks like your are doing some fun training as well as lifts. So when are your plans to hike the Grand Canyon. (I saw your little tag line.) That seems like a fantastic motivational tool.

Cheryl: I know you don't mean anything ill toward my mom. My sister and I have teased her about her obsessive need to live in a "museum" type home for years. I have this gene too but since I've placed exercise as my number one priority behind my husband and sons, things kind of slide here. I killed my inner Martha about four years ago. It. Was. Beautiful. The result, I no longer walk around with fabric swatches and paint samples in my purse. I traded those for an assortment of key fobs to the "Y", sporting goods stores in which to purchase fitness toys, and library key fobs where I mainly check out nonfiction books about diet, exercise, and overall wellness. Besides, one of my friends gave me the best bit of advice during this transition. "There is a time for growing grass and a time for growing children." This gave me the permission I needed to not be perfect. Not that I ever was I just kept myself crazy trying. These days, I just make sure the dishwasher is loaded/unloaded, beds are made, fridge is stocked, and laundry is kept up. Just keeps things running a little smoother.

Am I glad to be back to my normal routine! Kids back in school, DH back in work, and in the gym by 5:30am. Last night I was only able to sleep for two hours. Tossed and turned...second night in three nights this has happened. DH asked this morning how I was feeling after I returned from my workout. Apparently he was kept awake by me too. I commented that I need to cut out the caffeine in the afternoon. Decaf only. He smuggly says, "What's the point..?" Grrrrrrr.....Uhm dork, because I like the taste and I've taken just about everything else out of my diet and I'm not ready to give up something warm and comforting in the afternoon and sometimes I just don't want GREEN TEA! Considering how deliriously tired I was he is very lucky to have been able to go to work with all of his appendages intact. It might help to know that he is a bit of a coffee snot and will only drink a certain roast from a certain coffee house in the city. Really. Decaf will be just fine.

power cleans. Maybe that's what I needed to do this morning. Obviously I'm still a little terse here.

Hi Lydia,

I'm not sure on the plans yet. I am graduating university in June so if I get a job right away (yeah, RIGHT), I have no clue. I think I might actually try for spring break (February). I know it will be cold overnight but hey, I'm Canadian, I've done my fair share of hiking and camping in Rocky mountains. We're going to drive there so it'd be a good 20 hour drive. I gotta research more! I think I'll do that right now, thanks for reminding me, lol!

Have you ever been?

Calm down Lydia!!!!!

Welcome, Sacha I think February is COLD in the Grand Canyon...I've never been there, but this is going on the old story "Brighty of the Grand Canyon". I'm remembering illustrations of the animals all huddled up against the wind.

I had a good back and chest workout today. Boy, that parking lot was crowded! The bodies must have all been in group classes, because I saw very few unknown faces in the weights area or even the cardio, but the parking lot sure was a challenge!

Clean food....it does a body good!

Mel

Mel, I bet if Lydia gives up the bed making, she'll be able to calm the rest of the way down, with or without the caffeine!

Seriously Lydia, give up the bed making........you only crawl right back into them later the same day. WHy make going to bed so hard???

Yay, someone with my attitude towards bed making! Seriously, mine is made when I change the sheets or if someone is coming to visit.... I have made life easier by using a duvet with a cover, so you can just make it by shaking, but I still don't usually bother. The cats prefer the mussed up version anyway, easier to burrow into.

Busy, crazy Monday here, but hey, it's warmed up to -11F - but with 30mph winds, so it feels just as cold and you have to fight the wind. Grrrrr.

Actually, DH is the one who makes our bed in the morning. I just make sure that it's done. No, these things usually don't stress me out. I was just overly tired this morning from two nights of lost sleep. I'm feeling better this evening. Hopefully I'll sleep for a full eight hours. I've nixed the caffeine today and I'm thinking a nice hot bath before bed would be good too.

Sacha: I've never been to the Grand Canyon. My father was there last summer as well as one of my neighbors. I recall them talking about taking donkeys or mules down into the canyon for sight seeing. I sounds like a great time. I think hiking it would be a very cool thing: the gear, the clothes, photos. Good luck with your studies this year as well as securing the employment you wish to seek.

Pat, that's practically shorts weather, lol.

I confess, I'm a bed maker. With dogs in the house, it's easier to make up the bed than it is to wash the sheets every other day. Also, like Lydia, I've got the AR gene, lol. Not as bad as my sister C, but I definitely have some perfectionist tendencies that can really get in the way some days!

Sacha, welcome!

Anne, welcome back!

Mel, lol about the "Brighty.." book. I read all those when I was a horse-crazy kid.

to everybody I missed. Gotta make sure I'm not blowing the day on the computer, since we're back to homeschooling and trying to get back on track with the day-to-day and out of holiday mode! I missed my lifting workout yesterday. No good excuse, but the wipers went out on my van, "for real," so no Y trips till I get it fixed, and I just could not get into another bazillion rep set at home with too-light weights. Hopefully will be able to fix the wipers today, if the rain will let up enough for me to get to the auto parts store!

Wow, I'm talking to myself today.

Just reporting in that I did my lifting workout today, UB, then the crossfit WOD, since it looked like fun. I was having major guilt from missing my workout, so I feel better now!

Cardio done, clean eat packed

Cheryl- talking to oneself one this board every once in a while is a time honored tradition! Someone's got to do it

I'm not even feeling yesterday's leg workout though I sure was tired and hungry yesterday.

Shoulders today and I'm going to start re-incorporating olympic lifts. I love them even with the potential for knocking out my teeth if my form isn't perfect

Lydia, how are you doing? I made my bed (well, just pulled up the duvet cover) for the first time in ages today and thought about your inner Martha!

Gotta scoot-

Mel

No bed making for me today. Or ever basically.

I'm postponing my run because it is freezing here. Yep, 32 degrees. I'll be out after the kids get to bed tonight. I'm such a cold weather wimp.

Lifting again tonight. I did better on the soreness than in November. The jacknifes on the ball just kick my abs though. I'm guessing it probably needs more postpartum work than the rest of me LOL.

Cheryl, what is a WOD? And usually, you are talking to me when you post, but I'm a total lazy bum and don't talk back a lot, kinda since by the time I make it down here to the bottom of the forum at night, I'm pretty much toast, and it is bedtime. You can always say, ANNE!! Get your lazy butt over here and check in.

Coffee is done. Have to lock up the dog since the house cleaners are coming today, pour my mug, and get moving to work.

Anne

I know! I know! Pick me Pick me.


WOD: Work out of the Day

http://www.crossfit.com/

Actually, today is a rest day. My dream would be to join a gym where the members are actually trained to do these things. When I find one, I'll let you all know.

Had my blood work done today to have all my levels checked. Can't wait to see what all of this clean living is doing within my insides. My blood pressure is now down to 116/80 and my resting heart rate after climbing the stairs, shifting around out of my coat and settling in to the chair was 60. I know it's lower than that! But I wasn't really resting was the point. I am now officially off from my blood pressure meds.

To celebrate my minor accomplishment I went to Sportsmart and purchased gloves to use while on the rowing machine. Lifting never really bothered my hands before but the rowing. Gaads. Now I have calluses and the calluses are raw when I go to lift. Time for some padding. I also bought an ab wheel. I'm not a gimmicky person but I'm thinking it will be easier than setting up for the barbell rollouts.

Have a great afternoon everyone.

Oh, and glad you all made your beds today.

Lydia, congrats on being off the blood pressure meds. Rocking arms are great and all, but a rocking cardiovascular system is probably a little more practical.

Have fun with your ab wheel!

(I did not make my bed today---eeek!!!)

Oh yeah, yeah, the bed, sure, I made it. NOT!

Okay Cheryl, I have an excuse as good as your wipers - my gym stuff sat in my below zero car all day yesterday, and I couldn't wrap my mind around putting it on. The clothes I can handle, it's the frozen shoes draining what warmth there is in in my feet..... Today they're in my office, thawing.

Pat, frozen gym bag...lacks a certain originality, but, okay...you win!

Speaking of wipers, I went to get the switch for my wipers yesterday (got a ride from my sista), but nobody had one. I keep forgetting my van is so old they don't carry the parts any more. So, I ordered one, and it will be in Thurs or Fri. Meanwhile, it's raining/flooding. I'm actually just glad it's not more snow.

Anne, Little Martha already answered the WOD question, so I'll just say . That jackknife is a good ab-killer. Also entertaining when you fall off the ball, which I like to do with style.

Lydia, there are Crossfit affiliates everywhere now. I bet there's at least one near you. There are at least 3 within 5 miles of my house. Unfortunately, they are all out of my measly budget, for now. It would be sweet to get the Oly lift training! I started working on the handstand push-up progressions last night. At first, I got dizzy being upside down, but after a few tries, it went away. I liked the feel of that for a shoulder workout, since nothing was crunching or making bad popping noises. Of course, wait till I get all of my weight up there, lol! This could be potentially more entertaining than the jackknife.

Mel, good luck with the shoulder workout today. What all do you do for shoulders these days? I'm sure there are some fabulous torture exercises we're all missing out on.

Fran, . How are the sessions going with the trainer?