Okay, this post will lose some of you. That's fine. But there is a post I've wanted to do on my Fitness Facebook page that is just too long. So I suppose I'll put it here.
I'm so tired of hearing from people that it's easier for me, especially because I'm in shape. No. It isn't easier. In fact, it's harder. Much, much harder. But people don't want to hear that. People want to know that their struggle is harder than mine so that if they fail, or fall short, or just plain don't match up it feels better. Guys, I have to be honest because it's me. It only gets harder as you go on your fitness journey. Sure, you'll hit your stride. You can make amazing progress, when you actually get to where you've been trying to reach. I remember the days of 40 minute workouts or less where my body was on point. No calorie counting, just busting a workout and feeling great. I had hit my stride. Once a person gets there, it's an amazing feeling. Until then, the road can suck. However, if you're in good shape, it's even harder. Let's think for a moment. You and I want to lose weight. We each are trying to lose 10 pounds, and by medical standpoints, we are both capable of losing that weight without being underweight or unhealthy. So how do we lose weight? Well, we know there needs to be an imbalance. There needs to be a greater deficit in calories, typically a drop in 500 kCal a day. However, we are learning more and more about how undereating while exercising will cause your body to think that you're starving yourself. So you hold on to more fat and lose muscle, so we up the workouts and eat appropriately. Both of us are using the same system, though numbers will be different because of starting weights. Yada yada yada, we're on the same path. I, however, am more "in shape" due to my history and continual fitness liefstyle. Either way, we need to burn some calories. How do we do this? We raise our heart rates. So we venture off. We do the same workout. My resting heart rate is in the 40's, your's in the 60's. We need to get into the 65% of our max heart rate (upwards of 85%) and stay in that range to burn the most "fat calories." Let's begin. After 5 minutes of work, your heart rate is at 72%, mine is at 56%. Who's burning more fat? After 10 minutes of work, you're heart rate has settled in at about 83%, mine at 74%. Well, I've made it to the fat burning zone, but I missed out on some minutes that you got. After 30 minutes of work, you've burned 573 kCal while I've burned 320 kCal. If the goal was to drop 500 kCal a day, I need to keep working. That workout didn't do it for me. This is one of the big reasons why people plateau. As your body becomes more in shape, and your heart and lungs get used to exercising, it will become less bothered by the exercise. The jolt your body gets will be less. That's great. The feeling post-workout is more excited and ready to go, rather than feeling like you're going to die. BUT your body gets used to it. There has to be that jolt to make a difference. So people like myself, need to get creative. We play different sports, add miles to runs, change how we lift, join classes, and yes, even change our eating habits. I laugh at the couch to 5k app. It's things like that, that make it difficult for people to understand what those in the fitness go through. Not everyone is like me. Not everyone birthed two children, then got a diagnosis that required medicines that make you gain weight and retain water. But this is for those of us that have to work twice as hard as those just getting off the couch for the first time. It isn't easier for us to lose 10 pounds, it's harder. The difference is that we don't tell the world about it. We don't talk about how difficult it is because we know that you'll just say, "But you're already in shape."
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There's a commercial out now that drives me up the friggin wall! I won't go into details, but these two little girls want to negotiate with their mother. This commercial, along with others, puts the kid in charge. Let's face it, I see it everywhere. Moms and Dads hand over the reigns to the little one that can't even wipe their own butt.
The first time I saw that commercial I said, "This is what's wrong with America." Now granted, I don't know the social status of the other countries in the world, but I can say that this is how it is here in the good ole U.S. of A. Kids have been taking charge of homes since Dr. Spock. No, not the Star Trek dude, the psych that decided we should care more about how our child feels at the beginning stages of life, than how they will behave and feel as little adults. Today we see a return to this thing called discipline, but it seems to still be the minority of choices for parents. Sad, I know. At least I know there are parents that are choosing to look beyond the moment. That's all it is. Having structure, rules, disciplinary actions, etc are all just making the time to realize that your children are going to grow. They will grow into the children you create them to be. They will grow into the teenagers you design. They will go off to adulthood as the people you destined them for. Don't you ever think of that? I can't stop thinking about it. Recently I had an encounter with a small child. While I was standing to one side of a door, the child pushed his way through, putting his grubby paws on my butt cheek. He never said a word, just did that grunting whine thing that small children do - and I can't stand. There was more than enough space to go past on the other side, but he thought it best to push his way through. He walked another two feet to get to the water fountain where he mounted a step stool and began to play around in the water. I began to speak to him saying that there was no reason to push and he could have gone around and used words. At that point his older sister came out. She asked what was going on and I told her. She turned to her brother and said, "You shouldn't do that." That was all. I finished my snack, threw the trash in the can and walked away with the final words, "Wow, that was some apology. You need to learn how to treat people." I know who the children belong to. In my anger, I didn't approach the father, but eventually Charlie spoke to him. The response was, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll talk to him about it." Dude, talk is cheap. This is what we're raising? Kids can push whoever they want? Kids around allowed to make a fist and punch an adult in the butt as they shove their way through? Kids are running the show far too often. What is the point of being a parent if you just want the kids to be in charge? Parents, stop negotiating. You're the adult, act like it. You're in charge, not them. Sure they have options - red juice or blue? Batman pajamas or TMNT? Listen or get a spanking? See, we can give them choices. But at the end of the day, what they do and say should be a reflection of how you have raised them. Yes, you must raise them. It is their future I think about. Sometimes I see my son at the age of 16. I see his long lanky features, and the attempts of gaining muscle from his mother's side. I see his heart. I know if we keep this path, my son will be a loving, caring 16 year old that is ok spending time with his family. I can see the good he does for the world, while surprising many. I see a beautiful, tall teenage AJ at times as well. She has her moments of frustration as teenage girls do, but overall she loves fiercely, fights for the weak, and stuns many. It's more than manners I'm hoping to instill in my children. I want them to grow into people that others want to emulate. I will always push for that. And for right now, it means that I am in charge of them. I make the call. Will you? If you know me, you know I live and die by my planner. I'm like Linus with his blanket. My little blue blanket is this planner pictured above. I write down everything. Ev.Er.Y.Thaaaang. I know my life would be pure chaos if everything that I had to do was only listed in my mind.
The problem is that I need an afternoon or evening to write down everything for the next week. This beautiful baby starts each week on the first work day of Monday rather than the Christianity-Jesus-rose-on-a-Sunday first day of the week. Although it messes with my mind, I have grown accustomed to it. It isn't terrible. The worst part is actually that it starts the day at 7 and ends it at 630. I love ending a day at 630, but it seems there are others in my life that would rather I continue on past 7, not including my kids. However, I start my days at 5 am. I take clients at 6 which throws off the actual morning hours of doing things. Either way, it gets done and we're better for it. Or something like that. This past weekend I didn't seem to be home. Ever. If I was, I was sleeping or working. There wasn't much time for planning. In fact, it's Monday afternoon and this weeks lesson plans still aren't completely done. I guess that's the beauty of homeschooling. I get wiggle room. I just don't like it. I like being prepared. I know it's odd. My planner is filled with my to do list. Today I need to hit Wal-Mart for bananas and chocolate milk. I can do it at anytime, but I have told my kids we will leave by 1. Why? I have to work at 245. I want to make sure that I have some time to fold the baskets of laundry before I have children in my house searching for help with their homework. If my son would finish his work before 1, we could actually leave before that, but it's almost 1230 and that's a no go. You may be asking why I don't just fold the laundry now instead of writing a silly blog post? Well, I need to write today. Everyday I need to write, but some days I just don't get to. That's crazy. How is it that I can't find 15 minutes to sit down and write. It's on the to do list and everything. Some days it just doesn't get done. This weekend I was unable to plan ahead for this week. It leads to a stressful Monday morning. To add to that, we had a late night as well as interruptions at 3 am which led to little sleep. Adding the stress. So as soon as I was afforded the chance, I began my plans. It started with lesson plans, but quickly moved to my planner. Once the pen was done and the planner was filled, a peace came upon me. I could see my next moves. It's like I'm playing a giant game of chess with my life each week. Some times I win, but more often than not I sacrifice my queen for the king, knight and bishop. I sacrifice my queen to make sure the rook is clean. And no matter how many pawns make bad choices, I sacrifice the queen for all the pawns that come across those pages. It's very difficult to win without a queen, but one who plans ahead finds the ways to get rid of pawns for to save the queen and king. My planner helps me do that. Hopefully this week, though it has a gotten off to a poor start, will be a game well won. Check mate, life. My plans will be accomplished! I truly believe that each one of us has a longing within us. Before coming to Christ, the soul longs for its redeemer. But even after that, our hearts still cry out and have longing within them. There are different longings as well. The ultimate longing is to be with our Father in heaven. Things don't ever seem to come together. How could they? The end of this stressful world has not occurred. We live in depravity, pain, sin, hurt, fear, death. Once all of that comes to an end, and we meet our Savior face to face, we will then fulfill the ultimate longing.
This post isn't about that though. I know, that would be useful and spiritual, but alas I choose a different path. You know me, I'm always thinking and wandering through my thoughts. Two weekends ago was a weekend of pondering. I have been working at the Farmer's Market each Saturday. It's a long morning, but usually worth it. This past Saturday was slower than normal, but I didn't mind. The weather was perfect, hot in the sun, but a beautiful cooling breeze and shade available. I set up my books each week and watch as people pick up, love, enjoy, pass by, question, and ignore my work. It's all good either way. I was set up at a new location this week and had a different view - both physically and mentally. All along the paths of the market are entrepreneurs putting themselves out there for all to see. Week after week people sit with their hearts on the line and hope that others appreciate their work. There's a longing in the hearts of each vendor. Be it the Pep Rolls guy, Jeremiah, or the glass lady, Debbie, these people have the desire to put forth something they put their time, energy, money, and passion into for the town of Summerville. They want more than just a 9 to 5. They want more than just a regular day. We want to be something different. Let me just say, there is nothing wrong with a 9-5. I need an accountant every February. We need teachers, doctors, firemen, and so many people that get overlooked. This isn't a knock on those that get up and go. This is just a cry for us that want something different. You might be one of them, though you get up and go teach each Monday through Friday. You might be someone longing like us, even though you work each weekend to make ends meet. Sometimes we must do what we must do. But for many of you, the longing is just that - to be the best teacher, coach, fireman, sales rep, so on and so forth. Either way, you feel it too. There is this longing within me to be something unique. I'm not quite sure exactly what it is, but this whole book writing thing is pretty awesome. I love to create. I love to knit for relaxation. I love to make glass pendants and beaded jewelry. Yes, those creative juices are forever there. But there is something about finding what my inner being has longed for. Writing was always a secret. It was something I did for me, and no one else. And now my work is out for all the world to see, and guess what? It's still just something I do for me. I write for my sanity. I write for my soul. I write for the longing that lets me sit from 7:30 - 1:00 every Saturday at the Farmer's Market. And I love that I can see the longing of others each Saturday. I'm not alone. And neither are you... |
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May 2023
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