Getting PRO-Active

Yes, another installment of the “trying to get in shape” saga…..(it has been a while since I posted on this topic)

Last time, I shared with you how I began using an iPhone App Calorie-Counter.  Based on the data I was entering, I was eating on average 1600 calories per day, and with my “exercise” I should have been losing 1.2 pounds per week, thus reaching my goal of 5-6 pounds in about a months time.  I used this app for 2 months, and didn’t lose a lick. So I stopped using it. I feel fairly confident that my calorie intake is not the issue, it’s my lack of (serious) activity.

I tried to add more activity into my life–taking Miss Lily for 2 mile walks a couple of times a week. But in reality, the life of the VP, those opportunities are few and far between–especially with school getting out, being more of a taxi service with all these summer camps, having kids around—unless I want to exercise/walk/gym at 5am or 8pm. Neither of those times are very appealing to me at all.

What’s going on now? you ask.

The past 2 summers, I have been brave enough to wear a bikini in the summer–especially on our boat (I figure if I’m not brave enough to wear a 2-piece on my own boat, when/where would I wear a 2-piece?). I thought I looked OK–not great–but definitely acceptable.

But then, a photo was taken of me in my 2-piece. In 2 or 3 different angles. And I didn’t like the way I looked. I NEED to tone-up. Seriously.

I talked to hubby about getting more gym time before our upcoming trip to Hawaii, especially since he’s been going to the gym 2-3 times a week (for months) to “buff-up” for Hawaii. He goes straight after work. His response (more than once) was “You can go anytime you want.” OHHHHH….I cannot tell you how much this IRKED me. Finally I asked him “When, exactly, is ‘anytime’?” Clearly he doesn’t understand or appreciate the VP’s summer schedule. It didn’t seem like he was going to offer any flexibility to me, and that the onus would be on me to find a solution to this problem.

I came up with a plan. I would ask our neighbor’s son if he could come over 2-3 times a week to watch the boys. I would use that time to walk Lily, go on a long bike ride, and perhaps a trip or two to the gym.  Good plan in theory, but his availability is sketchy. This week is a week that works well for both of us. But I figured that the walks and bike rides wouldn’t give me the results I yearn for.

So, since time is of the essence, I decided I would use a personal trainer at our gym. The gym has several “trainer packages” available, and after long consideration of my issues, my persona (i.e. motivation), and my time issues, I would purchase a 4 1-hr trainer package. I would use 2 before Hawaii, and then 2 after the kids go back to school, so the “training” would be fresh in my mind and I would have more time to take care of me.

Yesterday I met with Joe the Trainer, who interviewed, assessed, and evaluated me for 45 minutes. The interview took 15 minutes. I explained that I’m not really looking to lose weight. I’m OK with where I am–not too bad for an almost-40, 5’8″, size 8.  I explained that I lost 15 pounds of “baby-weight” while living in England, loved the way I looked and felt, but those nasty “lost” pounds are s..l…o…w…l..y finding their way back to me. I will admit that I have probably gained almost 1/2 back, but I’m still ok with the way I look. I’m not looking to shrink to a size 6 or 4. I never call myself “fat” (how could I? I’m a size 8). But I need to TONE. FIRM THINGS UP. The bathing suit pictures were borderline “not-pretty.”

Joe the Trainer seemed to understand my “needs” and we moved onto a 1/2 hour of balance/strength/endurance evaluation. I’ll tell you…..that 1/2 hour kicked my butt. Seriously.  I didn’t feel it right away, but the rest of the day I had “wobbly legs” and my muscles definitely felt like they had been used for the first time in MONTHS. 

Due to Joe’s schedule, my schedule, and my sitter’s schedule, I had to schedule my next 2 “pre-Hawaii” training sessions back-to-back.  Hubby laughed when I told him, because he heard my moaning and groaning after a 1/2 hour ‘work-out.’ How would I handle 2 days of 1-hr training/exercising, if 1/2 hour kicked my butt? Good Question. Hubby seems to forget that I have a fairly high pain tolerance and that I am resilient.

The good-thing about yesterday’s experience, is that Joe the Trainer showed me a bunch of exercises I could do at home on my own time. During our next session, he will incorporate free weights and exercise balls—things I could get for the home. He said he doesn’t use exercise machines (which is good, because I’m very intimidated by them).

I’ll keep my fingers crossed that this will be a turning point in keeping active and taking care of myself.

The Dreaded DS

Santa joyfully delivered 2 DS systems this Christmas–one each for T&M. This was a huge step for Santa….having the twins enter the digital gaming age. At age 9, and the prevalence amongst their peers, clearly Santa thought the timing was OK.

At first, with any new cool toy, there was a fairly high interest in it. But we were also vacationing in California, so the level of play didn’t bother any of us (plus, there was lots of cousin/family time).

Upon the return home, the kids had Basketball, skiing, snowman/snow fort making, so like anything else with my boys, the interest in the DS came and went. The year before, Santa brought a Wii to our home for Christmas. The boys never became “addicted” to it. One week they would play it non-stop, and then for the next 3 weeks their interest would be somewhere else. That’s just how my kids are.

BUT THEN…..sometime this spring, a Mario Bros. DS game entered our home. (I think M bought it with saved up allowance money—honestly, I don’t know where it came from). This Mario game has changed everything.

The moment the boys wake up and come downstairs, they grab the DS. And when I say “boys” I have to clarify that it’s either M or Little Guy. Although T plays his DS (and/or Mario), it’s definitely not as much as the other two. 

I decided to limit the play to 1 hour a day–total amongst the 3 boys. They could divvey out the 60 minutes any way they saw fit. They could play it all in the morning before school, or each boy can play 15 minutes in the morning, and then 15 min after school. They could choose. The issue of letting Little Guy play came up, since technically it’s not his DS/game, but he really enjoys playing. But he watches T&M play very intently. Totally absorbed in what’s going on the tiny screen.

Well, the hour limit doesn’t work very well. Sometimes I’m not keeping track (and God knows they don’t). I take it away, and they find it, and start playing. They even tried to out-smart me by muting the volume so I wouldn’t hear the bleeps. But after calling them 3…4…times and being ignored, I know something is up. So, I started taking it away, putting it in better hiding places and declaring “DS-Free days”, sometimes 2 days in a row.

Little Guy is desperately wanting one of his own. Even to the point he begged my mom to buy him one for his next Bday or Christmas.  When T&M are in school, he will find their DS and sneak it into his room and play it under the covers. I know something is up, cuz he NEVER goes to his room unless his bros are home. And on a recent playdate at a friend’s house, he was disappointed because his Little Buddy wanted to play outside, and not play DS inside.  I have asked and explained to my mom that he is just TOO YOUNG for his own DS. Santa waited ’til age 9 for a reason. Age 5 or 6 (IMHO) is too young for a DS. He still has his Leapster, with it’s educational games, that he can play (and still does when I hand it to him on long car rides/appts/etc).  If he plays 10-15 minutes with his brother’s DS every now and then, I will allow that. But he is not ready for his own.

The other night, while I was out having dinner with a friend, Hubby got to experience the Dastardly DS and it’s evil powers. M-Man was playing it after Hubby strictly said “NO.” And then M-man ignored and back-talked to hubby.  Awww….the Power of Mario. Hubby took the DS away and told M that he would not get it back until he turns 10 (next May).

But after talking about it, we realized it is not necessarily the DS causing the angst in our household, but the Mario Bros game. The DS was returned, but WITHOUT the game cartridge. And I have no idea when it will be returned. And for the last 2 days, no one has asked for the cartridge or played their DS. They have actually been spending tons of time OUTSIDE—riding bikes, scooters, skateboards, shooting hoops, playing tennis. Summer as a little kid. It’s a beautiful thing.

I do have ONE positive thing to say about the dreaded DS.  It allows us to go to a restaurant with 3 kids.  People think we have the most well-behaved kids on the planet. Yes, mealtimes out have become “peaceful” (eerily so), but on the flip-side, since we’ve been going out to restaurants with the kids since they were babies, for the most part, they have always behaved well.

Does anyone out there experience the same thing with the DS? Mario Bros? Any suggestions?

Deep thoughts

Do you ever sit around and wonder about the paths you’ve taken in life? Were they the right paths? How different your life would be if you had made a different decision? How long you will live in your current house? Where the future will take you? Where it will take your children? About past relationships and how they went wrong? About current relationships, and how to make them better, if you can? How past (or current) shortcomings can make you a better person? Upset with yourself for being jealous of others, when you have so much to be thankful for? Wondered if you have the strength to weather an awful event?

I saw a therapist earlier this year for a personal problem I was experiencing. She commented on how “well put together I am.” I couldn’t help but laugh internally—I can be a pretty good actress at times. In fact, I am a bundle of insecurities most of the time. In my childhood, I was expected to be the dutiful, respectful daughter. Standing up for myself wasn’t an option. As a result, I was shy and had few friends. As a teen/young adult, I found my voice and learned to stand up for myself and my beliefs. From watching others (silently) for so many years I decided what behaviors were/were not acceptable to me and what type of person I wanted to be. But the insecurities never completely left me, because deep down I just want to please people, and sometimes that just isn’t possible. And then I have to please myself. And sometimes I’m at a crossroads with those two.

Being the VP ( ok, I’ll use the term SAHM), I obviously have a lot of time on my hands (between all the taxiing), and THOUGHTS creep I to my head……not entirely sure if I’m where I should be (want to be)….how to improve MY future without affecting my family…..what OUR future holds…and all those questions listed above. Clearly, there are no straightforward answers. Just need to take things one day at a time.

And the vacation winner is…

Truthfully, all the Members of Thomas Inc. are winners. Our vaca on Sebago Lake was truly fantastic. I couldn’t get tired of watching the boys jumping off the docks. What a great “boy” (kid?) thing to do! Even the Big Guy got in on it….

But I have to give the WINNER award to Aspen. This was her type of vacation. Aspen is all about the adventure…..what a fitting name she has.  At 13.5, she was behaving as a mutt half her age.

Our first day there, she went in for a swim. We were all worried because of her age and her arthritis, and the deteriorated muscle in her back legs. We tried to be “on guard” whenever she headed towards the water. But that DID NOT STOP her. Each and every day, she’d go out for a swim. And she was happier than I’ve ever seen her.

Of course, we tried to get Lily in on the fun. But she is truly a cat-in-dog-clothing.  She is NOT a fan of the water. Not even Aspen’s shenanigans could convince her that the water was fun. Each day she got in a little deeper, and once her paws left the rocks (she was trying to fetch a ball). But she never went swimming, she didn’t like going on the dock (she clung like lint to our legs when we all went on the dock), and there was no way in hell she was going on the boat.

And speaking of the boat…….Daddy kept his promise to Aspy…..

Have you ever seen a happier dog?  WINNER!

QT

Building a 550 piece puzzle w/ my boys.

Having a family water gun fight.

Family swim.

Watching my two big boys be good brothers by letting Little Guy on the torpedo while they paddle around the lake.

Hubby taking M on a Father-Son fishing trip. M catching a huge large mouth bass! M’s grin was bigger than the fish

Hubby letting T drive the boat back to our rented cottage.

Playing the game of Life with T and Little Guy.

Daddy teaching his boys to play the game of Risk.

Watching my 13.5 yr old dog go for a swim. And having to help her get back on land.

Watching Aspen almost jump off the dock to go duck-hunting.

The whole family trying to coax Lily into the water. First day, no chance. Second day, she got her feet wet. Third day, up to her belly. Fourth day….she actually paddled.  We all clapped and cheered her on!

Having a cup of coffee with my hubby on the swing by the water, enjoying the peaceful morning.

Family Fudgsicle Time.

More to come………….

I want to be free…..

A line by Freddie Mercury in one of the Queen’s songs. (sorry, I’m on vaca, so the brain is not fully functioning).

Free from what? you ask…..

Ahhhh, civilization. Responsibilities. Worries.

Do you remember being a kid? Or do you have kids now (or even dogs) and enjoy watching them be FREE? Maybe the better description is CAREFREE.  It looks like so much fun!!

Unfortunately, in our little five-some, I’m the responsible, somewhat uptight one. I’m watching out that no one gets hurt (and w/ 3 adventuresome boys, there is always that risk), making sure everyone is behaving, following rules, etc. I can’t imagine I represent “fun” to them.

This week we are enjoying some R&R at Sebago Lake, Maine. I visited Sebago Lake when I was 18-20 and I always felt at peace here. Last summer we spent a week at Point Sebago and had a great time.  But with being boat owners this year, we (i?) decided we should try to rent a house with a dock. (I found an absolute winner!) 

It is my goal this week to be more…….carefree. I attempted to ride the torpedo with T-man. I’m not very good on those type of things. And T was yapping the whole time (before hubby started the boat) and was wiggling around making be nervous. I decided to bail on that endeavor. One of those times where I just know what my comfort-zone is. But today, I surprised the boys by swimming around the dock, even jumping off the dock, and then jumping off the boat for a swim.

I’m also trying to just let the boys be boys—especially since this place is great for that–lots of exlporing.  But then…..being boys…..they do….stupid things. Little Guy decided to jump off the dock (with his life vest on, thankfully!) when there was no adult on the dock with him. I was nearby on the grass, and hubby came running out and got him out of the water.

Later that day, T decided to get the hose and spray the screened-porch. What do you think happens when the hose hits the screen? EVERYTHING INSIDE GETS WET!!!! (oooh, I was not happy)

And then, there’s Aspen.  Yes, we brought both dogs.  Aspen is now 13 1/2 years old. She hasn’t swam in 6 years. She is arthritic and has trouble with stairs. She has decided that she will go on a daily swim.  OOOOOHHHHHH—-KAYYYY.  Apsen has never shied away from adventure. But she is nearly giving me a heart attack, because she can’t get out due to the slippery, jagged rocks. She needs to be HEAVED out (with her soaking wet heavy fur) by myself or hubby.

The look of happiness afterwards is totally worth it. She can’t walk for the next 2 hrs, but man, is she happy.

And Miss Lily is having fun too. My “cat-in-dog-clothing” actually dipped her paws in the water today. She still won’t walk on the dock (unless we make her with a leash). She can see the water through the wood planks and she DOES NOT LIKE IT.  She will occassionally bark at the boys, who swim out to this massive flat rock about 30 feet out, saying “Hi Guys, are you sure your safe out there?”

And finally the boat.  Still no name for the boat. We’ve had a few problems with it.  The three times we used it (prior to this week), it would hiccup/burp/sneeze/fart (whatever you want to call it) after running for about an hour and temporarily lose power.  Last year, when we put it into storage, we had the marine shop give it a tune up. After our first time out this year, hubby called them, described the problem, and they suggested vapor-lock in the engine (i.e, needs more ventilation). After the 2nd outing this season, we took the boat back to the marine shop because we didn’t want to be concerned about being on Sebago Lake with a malfunctioning boat. They changed the fuel valve because it was totally clogged, thus explaining the hiccups/burps/etc. 

Yesterday, we ran the boat on and off for over 4 hours. And it ran so BEAUTIFULLY!! Hubby said “It runs like a deer” (the John Deere slogan). I laughed, because our boat is green and it would make cute name…Runs Like a Deer (or Dear). 

And then…..a burp. And a slight loss in power. Sigh.  Today, after an hour of running, it happened again.  Not a big deal, but a little unsettling.

So here’s hoping that I will continue the week in peace, tranquility, relaxation, and free of cares…….