Legs of Spaghetti complements of Coach Kusick

I haven't written much about my healthy advenure over the last few months, but I figure now is a better time than ever.

It started when Becca my sister n law ran her first marathon last November. She is a parent of two little ones like me who has her hands full. She was so inspiring to me to be able to accomplish such a feat!! Amazing. Now, I can't run, play a lot of sports that cause impact or other crazy stuff like marathon running because of my hip disease and previous surgeries. BUT, I can bike ride, use elipticals and lift weights. Becca (who happens to also be a birthday girl today!) gave me an initiative to do something great for myself. So, I made a personal goal to get in the best shape of my life.

It began. Becca had emailed me a training workout that consisted of about three weeks of intense exercises, and most I could do at home. With some great help from Ben and Jonna. I was dedicated. As I began to do these exercises, I increased my reps, or then added on weight. I began working out 4 to 5 times a week. Some workouts consisted of a 10 to 20 minute workout, and some were my 40 minute workouts at the Y on lunch. I call it a combinatin of P90X, Crossfit, Cardio, and Strengh training. Always core excercises, but some days focused on legs more, or arms more, or back more, or core more. I felt my body tone up more and more. I was getting stronger. The first weeks of these exercises I was SORE, and I mean sore in places I didn't know I could be sore in. But it felt good. I had to stay motivated. And it was helpful, that these workouts actually kept my endorphins up, so I felt good. I was getting good sleep when I can. Now, my kids still get me up at nights, but it takes seconds for me to get back to slumberland.

Then, Jake started this caveman diet. It consists of nuts, fruits, and vegetable all during the day, then a full meal in the evening. We had so many almonds, pecans, peanuts, and walnuts at home, along with a fruit basket of anything you could want. How could I not enjoy. I have always been a fan of healthy foods, and taking supplements. But I am also a big fan of carbs and sugars too! Love me some good ole chocolate! So, I ate what was around the house and Jake ate. He kept telling me how great he was feeling from removing processed foods from the diet.

So, Lent began (March/April) I told myself I could give up on sweets. I can't lie, I had some cheat days, but for the majority, I started this diet during the week of Hardboiled eggs, cottage cheese, apples, cheese, bananas, greek yogurt, meat, oranges, carrots, cucumbers, peanuts, and almonds. I ate those types of things everyday and stuck to one meal at night, with no snacks after dinner. Meals always had a meat in them, and then probalby some carbs, a vegetable, and sometimes even a dessert. Every so often I enjoy a bowl of icecream or some other small sweet, but nothing past 7pm. And I would still enjoy beer or wine on occasion. So, I haven't totally given up carbs, but did cut A LOT of them out of my normal day to day diet. I was a bread, cracker, chip queen, so by doing this, I really was reducing my overall processed food/caloric intake.

Ok, then I am still working out four days at least a week. I was getting stronger. Strong enough that I upped my dumbbells in workouts from 10lb to 15lbs. I was doing more reps. My pants were getting bigger. My arms were getting lean, and by golly I don't have any more cottage cheese on the back of my upper legs!! I fit into sizes I haven't fit since early college years. So, I decided to weigh myself about a month and 1/2 ago. I was weighing 6 lbs below my average weight that I have kept when not pregnant since I started dating Jake.

I have had this hypothesis in the past years, that from my genes, the more I lift and work out with weights I gain weight. Cuz, well, I always have. Even my sisters have agreed with me. That's what their bodies did too when they worked out. But back then i wasn't ever changing my eating habits. I LOVED CARBS. Now, I am not going to say I am on a diet, cuz I never go hungry, I am just eating more balanced, and a lot healthier. I weighed myself last week and was 8lbs less. And not only that, I thought I would test my strenth at some pull ups. I haven't been able to do a pull up since before I had Benjamin. I remember when I was young and in gymnastics I could do 10 or more. Do you know I did three?!! I couldn't believe it. I was so proud of myself. I sent a text to all my brothers and sisters and my Dad! haha. Fyi, my Dad and brothers can do up to 40 pullups or more. no joke. Then, last Sunday, I did a set of four, then two, then one in my work out.

So, I have had such great results with this and truly feel I am in the best shape of my life. I want more. So, what did I do talked to COACH KUSICK! My brother that is a teacher, coach, and now a personal trainer. He wrote me a program over the weekend, and my first workout was yesterday. Legs of spaghetti today are complements of Coach Kusick! But, I am excited again. I have more workouts to look forward to.