Hi Bob

After the debacle in getting a deal with my kettlebell kit, I was determined to find a kettlebell DVD that first and foremost got my attention and was challenging yet able to be done with lesser reps if needed. Having just a demo of the moves and a poster of them doesn't work for me. I need to be "distracted" by someone talking and telling me what to do or even just counting. As long as the music isn't too irritating, all is well.

We were at Target today and I picked up Bob Harper Inside Out Method Cardio Kettlebell Shred DVD. The price was good so that helped since I didn't have a lot of money to spend. I've watched The Biggest Loser for years and know I can listen to him. (Since I already have Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred, I have my BL section of DVDs now.)

So I have been watching the DVD for a little while and plan to finish watching it before I go to bed. Watching? Why am I not DOING the workout rather than sitting on the couch? Watching fitness DVDs work for me. I like being prepared both mentally and physically when I start something. If I've watched it first, I know the best mindset to be in when putting in the DVD to actually do it.

So far I know that I want to be awake when trying this at first (so no first thing in the morning) so that I am not in full on zombie shuffle with being a newbie. I know if I want to do all the reps I can't be too worn out/ready to fall asleep on the couch if I turn on the TV.

Am I looking forward to doing this routine, or what I've seen so far? Yes.

Will I be worrying about the dogs being in my way for awhile? Yes.

Will I post something about it when I start? Of course.

Will I post photos? Maybe. I'm still not to sure about posting anything workout wear wise just yet.


Do you watch fitness/exercise DVDs before you actually do the routine?

And exhale....

HLS 2011!

As I go back to happy squeaking!

What lies beneath

Earlier today....

• Scale: pssst.... Psst..PSSST! Hey you!


• Me: (looks down) Yes?


• Scale: You know you haven't pulled me out lately. It is getting pretty boring in this corner. PLUS the cat hair is making me sneeze.


• Me: The floor was washed last weekend. You had a mini-trip to the hallway. No complaining to me about cat hair if you let Frankie sit on you.


• Scale: Whatever! C'mon you know you are curious. Plus you have had a few good weeks lately (snickers softly)


• Me: Ok, fine (getting annoyed - takes scale out of corner, puts in center of bathroom, steps on)


• Scale: ERROR!


• Me: Seriously?!?!


• Scale: Sorry (calculates current weight) Ohhhhh...


• Me: Excuse me? It was less than last time so that's good.


• Scale: True but not that much. I guess I wasn't correct about the past few weeks.


• Me: (glares are scale) I have had a good few weeks. I am walking 13 miles a week. THIRTEEN miles is awesome. You don't even have real feet so you wouldn't understand. Those little metal nubs would be worn off in no time!


• Scale: Piff!


• Me: I've been eating well and keeping things balanced. Plus I was sick recently and didn't go into fast food mode as a result since things didn't taste the same. I'm back to my yogurt a day as well.


• Scale: Oh, well...


• Me: PLUS the skirt that looked a bit too inappropriately tight fits amazingly well now. So THERE!


• Scale: But but!


• Me: No buts! Quit trying to make me feel bad! If you don't watch it I'll put tuna on you and then BOTH cats will be sitting on you! (puts scale back in corner)


• Scale: (pouts)

Sort sort pitch

I have been in a straightening mood lately which is a good thing. There are some places that got out of hand, mostly my fault in terms of millions of cut out/printed out/handwritten notes and whatnot. Basically an idea board sans the board took over a two shelf area in the house.

The cookbooks are all straightening which makes me feel good. The clippings and smaller paperback (think Taste of Home holiday books in the checkout aisle) are away for now. I plan to get some sort of cheesey folder next time I am out at Target. (We have Bumblebee from Transformers as our take-out menu folder - gotta have fun with the little things when you can.) I found about $1.50 in random change, a gas card for $10, and a Sears giftcard with $14.09 remaining.

It was all crammed into that area. I know I had given up on it because it didn't seem as important as other things. The thing is, it is important. Now that is is cleared out, I feel better mentally that the mini chaos is done. I do try to be organized but at times it goes into my own system or runs away from me. Especially when things get crazy, busy or things go off plan, it gets pushed to the side. Clean bathroom becomes more important than a shelf of cookbooks and misc stuff. It was out of balance and now I'm getting back to it.

Balance was included in FitBlog this past week. While, true it means food and exercise, I think it is generally everything. I used to use the word moderation before but I've found balance seems to be a better word choice for now. Moderation, which does work, is going on the back burner for now.

This past week I balanced 25lb weighted squats with sitting on the couch w a cat on my lap. I balanced cup after cup of tea with orange soda. I balanced sleeping in for a night out at the pub to watch some live music with Hubs.

I know that I am not perfect with it but overall it is a good goal.

No schlumpy!

This frigid weather has been getting to me. Correction, was getting to me. Ok, realistically I want it gone but I have decided to combat it as well as I can. Look cute.

Cute, not cutesy.

Cute. Strong. Put together. Part diva, part sweetheart - all heart.

I know I sound like some sort of cheeseball as well.

I found myself falling into the winter trap of bundling up to go out and layering up when inside. Please understand that poor Hubs is forced to suffer through some pretty bad pj pants - butterflies anyone?

I am not looking to not be warm or comfy but in the midst of it all adding something special or fun or totally not expected is helping me beat these winter blahs. (I will be painting my fingernails bright blue sometime in the near future.)

Adventures in Happyland

Yesterday I went to a place that always puts me in a good mood - Micheals. I love craft stores and have loved them as long as I can remember. I have yet to meet one that I did not like.

This one ended up being right in the area of other errands so it totally worked. I needed to get some new yarn for an upcoming scarf project. I ended up finding a nice navy that ended up being on sale as well as in multiples of the same dye lot number. (For the non knitters, dye lot numbers basically help you make sure you have all of the same color. Mixing numbers especially in the middle of a project can lead to a slight difference in color that may end up being quite noticeable.)

I know several people who are expecting little ones sometime during the next year as well. That means baby knitting. While I can be a fast knitter, when it is baby knitting you are knitting both against time and the growing baby size increase. It makes me feel like I am knitting at turtle speed (and I am not talking the TMNT kind.) I am thinking of a different approach to making things this time. (When it is decided upon, it will be another blog post.)

I may have only been in the store about 30 mins max but it was a total zen moment in the yarn section, staring at all the racks. It is a knitter thing - that moment of peace with skeins and skeins of yarn in front of you. I think I have settled upon at least one gender neutral color scheme that can be modified to focus on one gender slightly more than the other if I so desire. Being stuck with light pink and pale pale yellow baby yarn in the past, I am trying to branch out from the gender specific only yarn colors. Pink is nice but adding a chocolate brown or an amber orange makes it so much nicer. Same goes with mixing blue with a grey or a forest green.

No duh so-duh

Give me a can of Coke - plain fully leaded stuff, not the diet/zero/free stuff - and I am a happy girl. Put several fridge packs in the house for the holidays and then let there be leftovers and I'm over carbonated and sugared. EEK! While I am not giving up soda all together, it is smarter not to have a default grab in the fridge be a soda. It was a bit too much and I could start to feel the blah that I get as a result.

I think drinking less soda will help my running once the weather remembers that I live in the Midwest and not the tundra. While tundra may not be the best word to use, it works well when your eye lashes are frosty. (There was also a poor girl on the bus recently who had raccoon eyes from her mascara dripping in the cold.) Hubs and I are planning to run a few official races, budget allowing, as well as just run more on our own. (I really like the "we" part of this since I know it will help us motivate each other. While I do have friends who run, having the person bugging you to go or if you went as you had planned living in the same house as you makes it more of a kick in the pants.) I need to research IF less sugar/caffeine actually will help but for now why not.

FIVE!

It is five days until I turn 30. Like I have mentioned before, I am not freaking out. No whatever life crisis. I am working on a 30 before 40 list.

Here is what I have for now:

1. Run a 10 k.
2. Travel to both coasts.
3. Be a mom.
4. Learn to sew.
5. Have a garden that I dream of and keep it looking great


It is just a start and I know there will be more.

Do you have a # before # list? If so what are FIVE things that are part of it?