I have great news: I FINALLY UPLOADED A VIDEO THAT'S GOING ON THREE YEARS OLD!! Actually, I attempted to upload it, and it only did the first ten minutes...I'm not really sure where to go from here. Let me start from the beginning...
Once upon a time, I taught Zumba at the Waynesville Recreation Center. Little did I know that not only discovering Zumba there, but teaching it there would impact me greatly. My life has literally never been the same. I think I've shared before that 2008 was my first big year of weight loss. I've lost weight so many different times since then and I'd love nothing more than to finally sustain a weight loss, but it was 2008 that created my addiction to working out. It was the year that I learned to run, that I understood the importance of lifting weights, that I started taking numerous classes from numerous facilities, and when I first heard of Zumba.
Now, I'm not making this post about Zumba, and as I'm sitting here throwing these words down as randomly and as quickly as I can, I'm realizing that I haven't created a Zumba post yet...odd. I'll add it to my forever long To-Do List of Blog Post Topics...I'll pencil it in right between Why Pinterest Makes Me Hate Myself and I've Accepted the Laws of Gravity. Back on topic, Abigail: Upon meeting the man of my dreams, my time in Haywood County was coming to an end. I needed to be with Reuben, Reuben was not in Haywood, hence, Abigail leaves Haywood. The week I left, I taught one last Zumba class. It was three hours long of Abigail originals. You wanna talk about tough? In fact, the entire three hours didn't even get taped. I'm so tech challenged that I caught the middle of the madness. But where the video does pick up shows that I'm sweating like crazy and my energy had already diminished. I'm not usually so cranky faced.
Well, I've been sitting on this video for years because I couldn't get it to upload. My Waynesville members begged for me to post videos so they could continue moving and grooving; my lovely Zumba participants in South Korea continue to ask for videos, my husband bought me a Go Pro for crying out loud, and I'm just now getting ten minutes of an old video online. I said that was my 2013 goal...this goal is a work in progress. So, let me present to you, ten minutes of awesomeness!!
Zumba Video #1
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Monday, December 16, 2013
Welcome to the Gun Show
Ya know what, y'all? Sometimes I don't wanna workout!! I mean seriously. I would rather drag my knees across cheese graters covered in salt than to better my health. Uhhhh....it even has the word WORK in the title. I don't wanna have to work for it! You got that Britney! And, girl, you better watch your mouth. (Sarah Shaver...check your girl.) Anyway, I want it handed to me...on a silver platter...alongside a Kit-Kat and gift certificate for a pedicure...and a nap. I know I'm not the only one who feels this way. We're all guilty of it. When I get this way, I do one of two things: Eat a Kit-Kat while getting a pedicure before taking a nap, or I look for motivation. Well, let me introduce to you my newfound motivation: Mrs. April "Flex Those Guns" Sirit.
First off, this girl needs a better introduction than I can provide. Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we. Once upon a time, my beautiful friend, Shannon Wardwell, got even more beautiful with a photo shoot she did with the very talented April Sirit. I wanted in! I instantly contacted April and set up an appointment. This girl works magic. Just look at the proof:
.jpg)
Fast forward a few years to needing bridals done--hence the above photo--and bam, I could only have April. However, when I met April in Raleigh for the bridals the first thing I said is, "You've lost so much weight!!" She was never big, and I didn't think she needed to lose weight, but when she lost weight, I was like, "Daaannnnggggg!" With that being said, April's pictures of herself really don't do her entire journey justice. But the pictures do prove that a lady turns into a hot momma with muscle. And now, I shall let her tell her story...
This is me: April Sirit. I'm a wife and mother of two boys. I love photographing people when I can. Although I hate waking up super early, I love my bowl of coffee. I'm very selfish with my time--I love being home with my family. However, I'm an extrovert, and I do all I can to be around others. I'm in between careers which is weird, but I do love this season in my life where I can savor time with the people that mean most to me.
My breaking point: I've heard over and over that food is medicine. I get that. But what didn't sink in is that it can also be a poison. I was an all-or-nothing person, so when I did nothing, I seriously revolted against doing anything. For over a year, I ate everything I wanted (with loads of excuses). I have a history with melanoma, so when I found out I was having another large patch of skin being cut out back in April, it terrified me. I knew I was poisoning myself with a horrible diet and a non-existent exercise routine. The day after my surgery was scheduled, I joined a gym.
Solution: I found a gym that does stuff I LOVE. But the only classes I could go to were the EARLY morning classes...I'd rather workout at 1:00 a.m. than 5:30 a.m...but when you make a change, you change. I push tires, box, kettlebells, slam huge ropes, box jumps, etc...it's a lot of fun stuff that I enjoy. I'm challenged everyday. I started off doing Zumba on Sundays and going to the gym twice a week. A month later, I did more, and now I make sure to go to the gym at least five times a week. Little by little I add and adjust my workouts. Little by little I tweak my diet. I've had to learn all or nothing does NOT work, not perfection.
Maintaining: I would love to lose five more pounds, but I do realize that this health journey is FOR LIFE. It's not that I want to lose five pounds by Christmas, it's that I want to live to see 80. I want to get stronger and leaner, but my goal is good health, hopefully melanoma free from now on. I will head to the gym every morning, and I will monitor what and how much I eat--it's a life plan, not really a "goal."
The new me: I AM in control! It's NOT all or nothing--it's a little all along. I'm more positive/awesome in general because I just feel better!!
Words of wisdom: What you eat and what you do for exercise must go hand in hand--one isn't very effective without the other. Both can be fun and adventurous--there's a lot of really cool food out there that's not in the grocery stores! And mix up your exercises--there are SOOO many things to do, even twerking classes. I'll stick to flipping tires, but I'm sure someone would love to twerk off a few pounds.
Here's a link to my wonderful gym http://www.sweatwakeforest.com/
First off, this girl needs a better introduction than I can provide. Let's take a walk down memory lane, shall we. Once upon a time, my beautiful friend, Shannon Wardwell, got even more beautiful with a photo shoot she did with the very talented April Sirit. I wanted in! I instantly contacted April and set up an appointment. This girl works magic. Just look at the proof:
.jpg)
Fast forward a few years to needing bridals done--hence the above photo--and bam, I could only have April. However, when I met April in Raleigh for the bridals the first thing I said is, "You've lost so much weight!!" She was never big, and I didn't think she needed to lose weight, but when she lost weight, I was like, "Daaannnnggggg!" With that being said, April's pictures of herself really don't do her entire journey justice. But the pictures do prove that a lady turns into a hot momma with muscle. And now, I shall let her tell her story...
This is me: April Sirit. I'm a wife and mother of two boys. I love photographing people when I can. Although I hate waking up super early, I love my bowl of coffee. I'm very selfish with my time--I love being home with my family. However, I'm an extrovert, and I do all I can to be around others. I'm in between careers which is weird, but I do love this season in my life where I can savor time with the people that mean most to me.
My breaking point: I've heard over and over that food is medicine. I get that. But what didn't sink in is that it can also be a poison. I was an all-or-nothing person, so when I did nothing, I seriously revolted against doing anything. For over a year, I ate everything I wanted (with loads of excuses). I have a history with melanoma, so when I found out I was having another large patch of skin being cut out back in April, it terrified me. I knew I was poisoning myself with a horrible diet and a non-existent exercise routine. The day after my surgery was scheduled, I joined a gym.
Solution: I found a gym that does stuff I LOVE. But the only classes I could go to were the EARLY morning classes...I'd rather workout at 1:00 a.m. than 5:30 a.m...but when you make a change, you change. I push tires, box, kettlebells, slam huge ropes, box jumps, etc...it's a lot of fun stuff that I enjoy. I'm challenged everyday. I started off doing Zumba on Sundays and going to the gym twice a week. A month later, I did more, and now I make sure to go to the gym at least five times a week. Little by little I add and adjust my workouts. Little by little I tweak my diet. I've had to learn all or nothing does NOT work, not perfection.
Maintaining: I would love to lose five more pounds, but I do realize that this health journey is FOR LIFE. It's not that I want to lose five pounds by Christmas, it's that I want to live to see 80. I want to get stronger and leaner, but my goal is good health, hopefully melanoma free from now on. I will head to the gym every morning, and I will monitor what and how much I eat--it's a life plan, not really a "goal."
The new me: I AM in control! It's NOT all or nothing--it's a little all along. I'm more positive/awesome in general because I just feel better!!
Words of wisdom: What you eat and what you do for exercise must go hand in hand--one isn't very effective without the other. Both can be fun and adventurous--there's a lot of really cool food out there that's not in the grocery stores! And mix up your exercises--there are SOOO many things to do, even twerking classes. I'll stick to flipping tires, but I'm sure someone would love to twerk off a few pounds.
Here's a link to my wonderful gym http://www.sweatwakeforest.com/
ABIGAIL SAYS, "LOOK AT HER BUTT!! I WANT THAT BUTT!!"
ABIGAIL SAYS, "GORGEOUS STOMACH...AND NOW I HAVE TO HATE YOU."
Thank you, April, for sharing your story and being so bloody talented. I continue to support your healthy lifestyle journey and look forward to updates which, of course, will be posted on here to keep everyone in the know.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Post It
Disclaimer: This post is not intended to anyone directly, nor is it meant to be offensive in anyway. I'm just bein' me, which is always a risk...
I didn't get Facebook until 2011, and the only reason I did was because Reuben went to Korea and that was our way of "chatting." I didn't have a smartphone at the time, and my technological knowledge of communication was limited to sending an email. Facebook is an amazing thing. I always refer to as THE Facebook, just as I say THE Wal-Mart or THE Pinterest. But now that I have it, I get kind of aggravated when people don't. I blame it on my overwhelming dependence on all things convenient.
I don't need to tell you that people use Facebook for different things. There are plenty of memes out there that highlight the various types of Facebook users. The hilarity of these memes resonates with individuals on personal levels, making them that much more enjoyable. I'm sure there is a category, or multiple categories, that I could fall under, but I know there are even more that I wouldn't. Facebook is not my diary, my billboard, my personal public service announcement tool, nor is it my Jerry Springer stage. It's simply my way of staying in touch.
However, I do have the want to post something every single day. I purposely don't because I know I'm not that interesting, sometimes what I want to say is offensive, and I don't have a twitter account aiding my ability of throwing around hashtags. I present to you a month of stifled Facebook posts. And since I am not a member of THE twitter, I made up my own hashtag titles, ones that I feel are applicable to the subject at hand. AAAAnnnnddddd, here we go...
October 1, 2013
Made the mistake of styling a small "bump-it-ish" poof in my hair on the same day I wore a skirt...I was Pentecostal for a day.
#ilikebigbumpitsandicannotlie
October 2, 2013
I'm so proud of my art kiddos! I found a print online, and they replicated it beautifully. They still have no idea I'm clueless...but maybe I'm not...hmm...learning about myself.
#etsypleasedontsueme
October 3, 2013
Long weekend...just a few more hours until a long weekend...you can do it!
#winesolvesproblems
October 4, 2013
Today was hard. I'm really missing my husband.
#whotakesthetrashout
October 5, 2013
Fabulous run today! It's amazing how good it feels when I'm not running in the soul sucking oppressive heat.
#longlivebloodysocks
October 6, 2013
That moment you read that your final paper was due Saturday at midnight, not tonight by midnight...
#gradschoolwoes
October 7, 2013
My goof in class after reading about an African tribe's penalty they put in place during a trial:
Me: "Yes, luckily we don't have 'cutting off genitals' in our penal system."
Students: (Wide eyes, pointing fingers, and laughter explodes).
Me: "No pun was intended, y'all...no pun."
#thingsfallapartinenglishtwo
October 8, 2013
I'm so full; I'm gonna have a food baby and name it Regret.
#healthylivinghypocrite
October 9, 2013
I taught another awesome Zumba tonight, but you know what's weird? I'm the only white girl. No joke...literally, the only white girl in the room of 20+ women. "They gonna learn somethin' today!"
#whitegirlgotskilzyo
October 10, 2013
Skype is a blessing!
#hottietoohottiehusbandfaceadmiringtime
October 11, 2013
I'm just sayin' that if they sold alcohol at high school football games, you would find a bunch of little southern schools' athletic departments in the Forbes Magazine. Go Eagles!
#highschoolfootballkeepsmesober
October 12, 2013
Apparently, you can do a burnout on an Exmark.
#blackmarksonthedriveway
October 13, 2013
If you see me running downhill, you can bet your butt that I already ran up it.
#wokeupfromanaptodothisrunsomakeitworthit
October 14, 2013
True story: I assigned my students a creative writing activity, a fable. One student had two main characters: Toke-It and Nigga. To the office that paper went. Later that week...
Student: You just think it says that 'cause I'm black.
Me: No, I think it says that because that's what you spelled.
#icantmakethisstuffupifitried
October 15, 2013
Halloween candy in bulk = weakness. C'mon, willpower, carry me through!
#maryjanepeanutbuttertaffyisamazingeverydaysoshutyourmouthandhanditover
October 16, 2013
A student cut off two of his fingers in shop today. But luckily, he was wearing his safety glasses.
#putitonice
October 17, 2013
1118 calories burned after a 6 mile run and a 1 hour Zumba class instructed by moi. Now, if there's a way I could do that everyday...
#endorphinsaremyfriend
October 18, 2013
I'm no fun without my husband.
#feelingpitiful
October 19, 2013
"I'm all caught up on grading!"
#saidnoteacherever
October 20, 2013
Today, I met a woman who lost 143lbs. For dinner, I had pizza and chocolate. Abigail, where's the disconnect?
#ieatmyfeelings
October 21, 2013
I came home to find that Seyo removed the doorstops from the wall. I'm not sure what beef she had with them, but she made her point clear.
#forsomethingsosmallshetakesupsomuchroom
October 22, 2013
I went to the local yogurt shop where I can add my own toppings and whatnot. I was in there for thirty minutes. You'd think I was deciding the fate of the world with how meticulous I was being.
#kitkatsandpeanutbuttercupsandgranolaandtoffeeandoreosandcookiedoughandcheesecakeaaannndd
October 23, 2013
I had my first physical therapy appointment for my hips today. After pulling, yanking, tugging, twisting, stretching, pushing, holding, thumping, he concluded that he had no idea what it could be. Great...
#mymilkshakebringsallthepaintomyhips
October 24, 2013
Ummm, the only thing I understand about the "BitStrip" trend going on right now is that I don't understand the "BitStrip" trend.
#apptrendsequalheckyes
October 25, 2013
Talking with a friend at Wendys prior to the football game...
Me: Oh my gosh, I don't want a salad. I want a baked potato and some chili. Or that grilled chicken looks really good. I had a salad for lunch, so I definitely don't want one. I've not had a burger in a long time. You like the flatbread, yeah? Maybe I'll try that. Hmmmm.
Cashier: What can I get for you?
Me: May I please have a salad?...actually, make that half a salad.
#ipretendsaladsmakemehappy
October 26, 2013
(My Ipod tells me I have over 900 songs.)
Me: (I put my Ipod on shuffle.)
Ipod: (I will play the same 40 songs over and over again, making sure they are only the slow songs, Zumba songs, and none of your recently synchronized songs.)
#spicegirlsnumberoneforeva
October 27, 2013
Ask yourself, "Did I take/post more than one selfie today?" If the answer is yes, please go buy a mirror.
#iforgetwhatilooklike
October 28, 2013
There's nothing like waking up to a cats tongue up your nose. Here's to a good day!
#exfoliatednasalpassages
October 29, 2013
Student: Mrs. Newton, you should give me candy for Halloween.
Me: I'll give you candy when you pass my class.
Student to self: I'm never gonna get candy...
#onedayyouwillthankmeorhateme
October 30, 2013
It's been a full month today since my amazing husband left, which means it's been a full month today since I've lifted a finger in this house.
#worstwifeever
October 31, 2013
Well, I bought candy for the trick-or-treaters, but they didn't come to the house, which was a good thing because I ate the candy for the trick-or-treaters.
#bitesizecandyhasbitesizecalories
Until next time, my friends.
I didn't get Facebook until 2011, and the only reason I did was because Reuben went to Korea and that was our way of "chatting." I didn't have a smartphone at the time, and my technological knowledge of communication was limited to sending an email. Facebook is an amazing thing. I always refer to as THE Facebook, just as I say THE Wal-Mart or THE Pinterest. But now that I have it, I get kind of aggravated when people don't. I blame it on my overwhelming dependence on all things convenient.
I don't need to tell you that people use Facebook for different things. There are plenty of memes out there that highlight the various types of Facebook users. The hilarity of these memes resonates with individuals on personal levels, making them that much more enjoyable. I'm sure there is a category, or multiple categories, that I could fall under, but I know there are even more that I wouldn't. Facebook is not my diary, my billboard, my personal public service announcement tool, nor is it my Jerry Springer stage. It's simply my way of staying in touch.
However, I do have the want to post something every single day. I purposely don't because I know I'm not that interesting, sometimes what I want to say is offensive, and I don't have a twitter account aiding my ability of throwing around hashtags. I present to you a month of stifled Facebook posts. And since I am not a member of THE twitter, I made up my own hashtag titles, ones that I feel are applicable to the subject at hand. AAAAnnnnddddd, here we go...
October 1, 2013
Made the mistake of styling a small "bump-it-ish" poof in my hair on the same day I wore a skirt...I was Pentecostal for a day.
#ilikebigbumpitsandicannotlie
October 2, 2013
I'm so proud of my art kiddos! I found a print online, and they replicated it beautifully. They still have no idea I'm clueless...but maybe I'm not...hmm...learning about myself.
#etsypleasedontsueme
October 3, 2013
Long weekend...just a few more hours until a long weekend...you can do it!
#winesolvesproblems
October 4, 2013
Today was hard. I'm really missing my husband.
#whotakesthetrashout
October 5, 2013
Fabulous run today! It's amazing how good it feels when I'm not running in the soul sucking oppressive heat.
#longlivebloodysocks
October 6, 2013
That moment you read that your final paper was due Saturday at midnight, not tonight by midnight...
#gradschoolwoes
October 7, 2013
My goof in class after reading about an African tribe's penalty they put in place during a trial:
Me: "Yes, luckily we don't have 'cutting off genitals' in our penal system."
Students: (Wide eyes, pointing fingers, and laughter explodes).
Me: "No pun was intended, y'all...no pun."
#thingsfallapartinenglishtwo
October 8, 2013
I'm so full; I'm gonna have a food baby and name it Regret.
#healthylivinghypocrite
October 9, 2013
I taught another awesome Zumba tonight, but you know what's weird? I'm the only white girl. No joke...literally, the only white girl in the room of 20+ women. "They gonna learn somethin' today!"
#whitegirlgotskilzyo
October 10, 2013
Skype is a blessing!
#hottietoohottiehusbandfaceadmiringtime
October 11, 2013
I'm just sayin' that if they sold alcohol at high school football games, you would find a bunch of little southern schools' athletic departments in the Forbes Magazine. Go Eagles!
#highschoolfootballkeepsmesober
October 12, 2013
Apparently, you can do a burnout on an Exmark.
#blackmarksonthedriveway
October 13, 2013
If you see me running downhill, you can bet your butt that I already ran up it.
#wokeupfromanaptodothisrunsomakeitworthit
October 14, 2013
True story: I assigned my students a creative writing activity, a fable. One student had two main characters: Toke-It and Nigga. To the office that paper went. Later that week...
Student: You just think it says that 'cause I'm black.
Me: No, I think it says that because that's what you spelled.
#icantmakethisstuffupifitried
October 15, 2013
Halloween candy in bulk = weakness. C'mon, willpower, carry me through!
#maryjanepeanutbuttertaffyisamazingeverydaysoshutyourmouthandhanditover
October 16, 2013
A student cut off two of his fingers in shop today. But luckily, he was wearing his safety glasses.
#putitonice
October 17, 2013
1118 calories burned after a 6 mile run and a 1 hour Zumba class instructed by moi. Now, if there's a way I could do that everyday...
#endorphinsaremyfriend
October 18, 2013
I'm no fun without my husband.
#feelingpitiful
October 19, 2013
"I'm all caught up on grading!"
#saidnoteacherever
October 20, 2013
Today, I met a woman who lost 143lbs. For dinner, I had pizza and chocolate. Abigail, where's the disconnect?
#ieatmyfeelings
October 21, 2013
I came home to find that Seyo removed the doorstops from the wall. I'm not sure what beef she had with them, but she made her point clear.
#forsomethingsosmallshetakesupsomuchroom
October 22, 2013
I went to the local yogurt shop where I can add my own toppings and whatnot. I was in there for thirty minutes. You'd think I was deciding the fate of the world with how meticulous I was being.
#kitkatsandpeanutbuttercupsandgranolaandtoffeeandoreosandcookiedoughandcheesecakeaaannndd
October 23, 2013
I had my first physical therapy appointment for my hips today. After pulling, yanking, tugging, twisting, stretching, pushing, holding, thumping, he concluded that he had no idea what it could be. Great...
#mymilkshakebringsallthepaintomyhips
October 24, 2013
Ummm, the only thing I understand about the "BitStrip" trend going on right now is that I don't understand the "BitStrip" trend.
#apptrendsequalheckyes
October 25, 2013
Talking with a friend at Wendys prior to the football game...
Me: Oh my gosh, I don't want a salad. I want a baked potato and some chili. Or that grilled chicken looks really good. I had a salad for lunch, so I definitely don't want one. I've not had a burger in a long time. You like the flatbread, yeah? Maybe I'll try that. Hmmmm.
Cashier: What can I get for you?
Me: May I please have a salad?...actually, make that half a salad.
#ipretendsaladsmakemehappy
October 26, 2013
(My Ipod tells me I have over 900 songs.)
Me: (I put my Ipod on shuffle.)
Ipod: (I will play the same 40 songs over and over again, making sure they are only the slow songs, Zumba songs, and none of your recently synchronized songs.)
#spicegirlsnumberoneforeva
October 27, 2013
Ask yourself, "Did I take/post more than one selfie today?" If the answer is yes, please go buy a mirror.
#iforgetwhatilooklike
October 28, 2013
There's nothing like waking up to a cats tongue up your nose. Here's to a good day!
#exfoliatednasalpassages
October 29, 2013
Student: Mrs. Newton, you should give me candy for Halloween.
Me: I'll give you candy when you pass my class.
Student to self: I'm never gonna get candy...
#onedayyouwillthankmeorhateme
October 30, 2013
It's been a full month today since my amazing husband left, which means it's been a full month today since I've lifted a finger in this house.
#worstwifeever
October 31, 2013
Well, I bought candy for the trick-or-treaters, but they didn't come to the house, which was a good thing because I ate the candy for the trick-or-treaters.
#bitesizecandyhasbitesizecalories
Until next time, my friends.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Yep, That Just Happened...
This post, like most of them, is llllloooooonnnnnnggggg overdue. I appreciate those who submitted their stories and sincerely apologize for the delayed publishing...my B. (Insert shameful stance.)
Do you know what one of the things I love most in life is? Yes, I do love Kit-Kats; of course, I'm head-over-heels for my husband; yeppers, Seyo definitely tugs the heart strings; well, duh, I do love my family oh so much; and yeah, buffets are definitely up there...y'all are proving to know me pretty well. I'm impressed. But what I was initially getting at is GOING TO THE GYM!! I love going to the gym. I'm not even joking; it gets me really super excited. Do I pitch a fit before I go? Sometimes, and yes, it can feel like a chore, but I never leave the gym feeling worse than when I went in. Now, I know a lot of people who also love to go to the gym, but I know a lot more people who do not like to go to the gym; they're prefer the solitude and privacy of working out at home. Not only do I love going to the gym, but I FREAKING love fitness classes. I don't even care what kind it is. I could read a sign that says Fitness Class: Pogo Juggling with Kettle Bell Burpee Sprints with a Concentration in Spaniard Flambe Twists, and I'm like, "SIGN ME UP!!" I have no idea what that sign would even mean; I could walk in and they could be beheading grasshoppers for a sacrifice to the goat gods but I would show up because of the sign...I don't think I'd stay, though, for that anyway. And like going to the gym, I know a bunch of people who are also fitness class addicts, but I also know a lot more people who stay away from them. "I'll be too embarrassed; I don't know the moves; I need to lose weight first..." (that last one always seems a little ironic to me), but I've heard all of the reasons. If there is one place in life you should not care what you look like, it's going to the gym!!!
Think about it: One of the reasons people go to the gym is to change their life for some reason. No one is in the gym because they think they are perfect. Yes, it looks like some of them are trying to maintain perfection, but that's how we see them. They see themselves as someone who is trying to better their health just like everyone else in the room. There's too much self-conscience thoughts in the gym, and these thoughts are what keeps a lot of people from going to the gym in the first place. Well, this made me start thinking about all of the times I did something stupid or embarrassing at the gym, and ya know what? Had those moments kept me from going back, I would feel a lot worse now than what I did on those certain days. But the gym is also one of those places where I genuinely don't care what I look like...I really don't. I have no make-up, my hair turns into a different texture of brillo pad mixed with hay, I sweat like a werwolf in the sauna, and I will do anything that gets results. "Hey, Abigail, swing upside down from the light while holding thirty pounds and singing God Bless America for two minutes..." Done, son!! I'll do anything, I don't care how it makes me look. I do not/will not let self-conscience thoughts get in the way of productivity.
I asked some of my fitness friends via facebook about some of their embarrassing moments. They were more than happy to share. These are individuals, despite having been embarrassed, who returned to the gym, no worries. I'm gonna start things off with something that happened just a few months ago...
Having participated in Crossfit in Korea with my awesome coach Norelle, I was thrilled to get back in the scene at the Crossfit Gym in Haywood County. I knew I was going to push myself--jump higher, lift heavier, go faster--because that's what I was used to. Emily, my little sister, went with me. As we were doing box jumps, I looked over to tell her how to do it, and bam, I caught my shin. I didn't even know I was bleeding until two stations later when the instructor called me out. I was embarrassed because I knew better, but I kept going. Silly, Abigail, never look away from your box!!
Do you know what one of the things I love most in life is? Yes, I do love Kit-Kats; of course, I'm head-over-heels for my husband; yeppers, Seyo definitely tugs the heart strings; well, duh, I do love my family oh so much; and yeah, buffets are definitely up there...y'all are proving to know me pretty well. I'm impressed. But what I was initially getting at is GOING TO THE GYM!! I love going to the gym. I'm not even joking; it gets me really super excited. Do I pitch a fit before I go? Sometimes, and yes, it can feel like a chore, but I never leave the gym feeling worse than when I went in. Now, I know a lot of people who also love to go to the gym, but I know a lot more people who do not like to go to the gym; they're prefer the solitude and privacy of working out at home. Not only do I love going to the gym, but I FREAKING love fitness classes. I don't even care what kind it is. I could read a sign that says Fitness Class: Pogo Juggling with Kettle Bell Burpee Sprints with a Concentration in Spaniard Flambe Twists, and I'm like, "SIGN ME UP!!" I have no idea what that sign would even mean; I could walk in and they could be beheading grasshoppers for a sacrifice to the goat gods but I would show up because of the sign...I don't think I'd stay, though, for that anyway. And like going to the gym, I know a bunch of people who are also fitness class addicts, but I also know a lot more people who stay away from them. "I'll be too embarrassed; I don't know the moves; I need to lose weight first..." (that last one always seems a little ironic to me), but I've heard all of the reasons. If there is one place in life you should not care what you look like, it's going to the gym!!!
Think about it: One of the reasons people go to the gym is to change their life for some reason. No one is in the gym because they think they are perfect. Yes, it looks like some of them are trying to maintain perfection, but that's how we see them. They see themselves as someone who is trying to better their health just like everyone else in the room. There's too much self-conscience thoughts in the gym, and these thoughts are what keeps a lot of people from going to the gym in the first place. Well, this made me start thinking about all of the times I did something stupid or embarrassing at the gym, and ya know what? Had those moments kept me from going back, I would feel a lot worse now than what I did on those certain days. But the gym is also one of those places where I genuinely don't care what I look like...I really don't. I have no make-up, my hair turns into a different texture of brillo pad mixed with hay, I sweat like a werwolf in the sauna, and I will do anything that gets results. "Hey, Abigail, swing upside down from the light while holding thirty pounds and singing God Bless America for two minutes..." Done, son!! I'll do anything, I don't care how it makes me look. I do not/will not let self-conscience thoughts get in the way of productivity.
I asked some of my fitness friends via facebook about some of their embarrassing moments. They were more than happy to share. These are individuals, despite having been embarrassed, who returned to the gym, no worries. I'm gonna start things off with something that happened just a few months ago...
Having participated in Crossfit in Korea with my awesome coach Norelle, I was thrilled to get back in the scene at the Crossfit Gym in Haywood County. I knew I was going to push myself--jump higher, lift heavier, go faster--because that's what I was used to. Emily, my little sister, went with me. As we were doing box jumps, I looked over to tell her how to do it, and bam, I caught my shin. I didn't even know I was bleeding until two stations later when the instructor called me out. I was embarrassed because I knew better, but I kept going. Silly, Abigail, never look away from your box!!
"Well, Abigail, it was one of those days where you just feel great and feel like you could lift anything. So I proceeded to do my leg workout, which I love doing by the way. Anyway, so I started on the leg press and started with 5 plates on each side; I did my set and then went up. And by then, there were quite a people there. So I get to my last set of 10 and still felt pretty good, so I put 10 plates on each side. I got in and did my grunting the whole time. I got done and jumped up, and felt darn good that I just did 900 lbs 10 times. I started talking to the people who were watching me, and then started taking the plates off. Well, I took too many plates off, and the machine tips over on its side with all the weights on the other side. It took like 8 guys to get it back up right. Needless to say, I felt like I was the new guy at the gym that day."
Submitted by Mark Hyman
"I decided to teach myself to do a handstand. During my cardio class, I would practice my handstands in the corner when the instructor was picking new music. So a break comes, and I start to do my handstands. I get my legs up, and I start to fall on my back. As I'm falling, I see my feet getting caught in the stack of chairs they kept in the corner; they started tumbling down on me. Then I see these two big arms grab them and hold them up long enough for me to get up and help him push them back. Needless to say, everyone in the class was laughing by then...oh, well."
Submitted by Ken Kladnik
"One embarrassing thing I can remember, while not thinking between Zumba routines, is when Ken caught me drinking his water. We could embellish the story and say that later I got sick from his germs and had to go to the doctor. However, it is good that Ken caught me and didn't drink afterwards. He would have gotten sick from my germs, and they would have had to airlift him John Hopkins Medical Center...lol."
Submitted by Al Rowe
"During the mid 1990's, this Jersey girl moved to L.A. to attend school for Occupational Therapy. I was an avid step aerobic enthusiast. One August afternoon, one of my besties from NJ was visiting and we were taking a class. Doing an "around the world" movement, my left ankle came out from under me, and I fell on the floor in front of the class. I was so embarrassed. After all, I was not a novice to this class. Bearing weight on that ankle was pretty painful, so after all the stares and people asking, "Are you okay?" my friend, Debbie, and I gathered our risers/steps. We were going, I was hobbling, out of the aerobics room, trying not to draw attention to ourselves. I could feel the flush in my face from embarrassment and was mad at myself for being such a klutz!! I was mad at myself for cutting the class short because of my stupid, stumbling escapade. I can remember thinking, "Will I ever be able to do step again...a class I really enjoy without fear of my ankle buckling and Big Nanc falling in front of this large, seasoned group of fellow step enthusiast?" About a month of strengthening my ankle, I entered a step class and grabbed one rise for each side instead of two, and I watched the instructor. I got into the hang of the familiar steps, didn't stumble, and made it through class. I was not going to let one moment of embarrassment and a few days of pain interfere with my need to release endorphins working out."
Submitted by Nancy Gluck-Coleman
The moral of these stories is that no matter what happens that day or in that moment, you literally brush yourself off and keep pushing forward. Unless you walk in with a picnic basket and a cell phone to set up shop in the middle of the free weights section, no one cares what you do or how you look in the gym. If anything, when someone goofs, it should make you feel more comfortable. If you went to the gym with me, you'd feel perfect. Seriously, I'm massive treadmill dancer. To me, the display and side rails are merely my drum set.
I would love to have some more stories. Please, if you have a moment that you'd like to share, hit me up with a PM over the FB...haha...all those letters. I'd like to do a few segments of this because I have way too many moments to share. So again, I want to hear your "survival" stories!! Send them my way, homie!
Saturday, August 24, 2013
No Excuses
How good is God? I mean really...how good is He? Man oh man, I tell ya, I'm just livin' on cloud 9 every single day of my life. Amen! Look at that...people in the back are shoutin' "HALLELUJAH!" As they should. I know it's been awhile since I've posted anything, but my life hasn't exactly been full of moments where I can sit down and produce two coherent thoughts. (Go ahead and use that as a warning that you won't be reading anything that resembles coherent thoughts...I'm just rambling."
To catch you up, we're back in the USA for good. We went from an apartment in Yangju to lodging in Dongducheon to my parents' house in Canton to a lake house in Georgia to my mother-in-law's house in Alabama to a hotel in Leesville to OUR HOUSE IN DERIDDER!! ALL WITH A CAT IN TOW; she was pleasant (eye roll). All that traveling took place over a three week period. What? Yeppers, we were mastering the life of living out of a suitcase.
During this three week period, I was frantically filling out teaching application for every parish within sixty miles of our home. I wasn't scared of commuting; I was scared of not collecting some form of a paycheck. Fast forward: We got to Leesville on a Sunday night, I had a job interview Monday morning, and guess what...I got the job! For those who don't know, I'm now an English and Fine Arts teacher at Rosepine High School, and I couldn't be happier. BTW: Do you know what Fine Arts is? ART! Yeah, I'm teaching Art. These kiddos have no idea that I don't know how to draw a stick figure. I'm pretty much faking everything. Anyway...moving on to the home.
We were super excited to finally do a walk through of the home we decided to purchase via pictures online. Well, we were a little more than disappointed. Basically, we bought a home from three early twenty-something males. Yeah, we pretty much bought Animal House. I'm not sure what kind of Belushi madness took place in this sweet home that lies in the heart of a gorgeous subdivision, but it was project. It wasn't anything terrible. It just looked like it hadn't been cleaned ever...and I mean ever. For instance...
To catch you up, we're back in the USA for good. We went from an apartment in Yangju to lodging in Dongducheon to my parents' house in Canton to a lake house in Georgia to my mother-in-law's house in Alabama to a hotel in Leesville to OUR HOUSE IN DERIDDER!! ALL WITH A CAT IN TOW; she was pleasant (eye roll). All that traveling took place over a three week period. What? Yeppers, we were mastering the life of living out of a suitcase.
During this three week period, I was frantically filling out teaching application for every parish within sixty miles of our home. I wasn't scared of commuting; I was scared of not collecting some form of a paycheck. Fast forward: We got to Leesville on a Sunday night, I had a job interview Monday morning, and guess what...I got the job! For those who don't know, I'm now an English and Fine Arts teacher at Rosepine High School, and I couldn't be happier. BTW: Do you know what Fine Arts is? ART! Yeah, I'm teaching Art. These kiddos have no idea that I don't know how to draw a stick figure. I'm pretty much faking everything. Anyway...moving on to the home.
We were super excited to finally do a walk through of the home we decided to purchase via pictures online. Well, we were a little more than disappointed. Basically, we bought a home from three early twenty-something males. Yeah, we pretty much bought Animal House. I'm not sure what kind of Belushi madness took place in this sweet home that lies in the heart of a gorgeous subdivision, but it was project. It wasn't anything terrible. It just looked like it hadn't been cleaned ever...and I mean ever. For instance...
We bought a vacuum cleaner, I vacuumed 1/4 of the living room. I had to stop because this amazing power house of a vacuum was already slowing down. Just think about it, if you ever vacuum and feel the need to take a picture of how much was in the carpet, it's just too much. Taking photos of vacuum dirt isn't on the daily To-Do list unless you wind up with something this astronomical. From the living room alone, and only after going over it once, the dirt weighed over 6 lbs. Are you kidding me?
But with a little bit of hard work from my amazing husband and myself, we managed to do this:
And that's just the living room. We painted our bedroom, the kitchen, and cleaned like no one has ever cleaned before. We still have a lot on the list of things that need to get knocked out of the way, but we're taking it one task at a time.
Now, here's where I get to brag a little bit. As I told you in the last post, I was continuing with Insanity while living in lodging. Well, well, well, I'll have you know that I not only did it there, but continued to do it everywhere I stayed over that three week period. Did it annoy people? Probably, no one really wants to hear, "Let me do my workout(s) first," when we haven't visited in nearly two years. My sister, Amber, even joined me one such occasion when we were at the lake; she got a little taste of Insanity; she concluded that it lived up to its title.
Even though I was working out, I wasn't really giving it my all on the diet front. It didn't take long for me to notice that things weren't only tight, they just didn't fit. I love that we live in the time of leggings because I pulled those suckers out and put them to go use. No sucking in for me.
But, you know me, that feeling can only last so long. Something needed to be done, once again, do you see a pattern? It was time to get back on the wagon by drinking Shakeology, documenting my food, and partaking in another Beachbody Challenge with my Beachbody Coach. I ordered Focus T25, Shawn T's new 25 minute workout plan, and got to work.
When we were in Alabama, I did all of my workouts outside in the carport because I didn't want to bring the house down with all my jumping. Do you know what it is in Alabama during July? HOT! But I kept the goal in mind and pushed play every single day.
Finished Insanity and T25...the heat was killer!
My mamaw gave me some built up Christmas and birthday monies which lead to the best purchase ever! My new Polar Watch!! This was after one hour of Insanity. I'll take that!
Kristen and Scott visited with their two precious children. The baby was asleep, so I mixed my Shakeo outside...nothing stops this girl.
I was drinking, and continue to do so, a gallon of water a day. Actually, I was drinking more than a gallon. I was sweatin' buckets!
I'm still doing my T25 workouts, and I'm about to incorporate other weight lifting programs in my schedule. Right now, I'm not teaching Zumba because no one is hiring, so I've got to find a way to stay tone. My thighs is jiggly, bawse! But all in all, my fitness is being prioritized, and it's paying off. Here's to staying on track!
I loved catching up with these girls in July, but I wasn't digging my look in this picture. This is when it really set in that I needed to get back on track. (These girls have their own blog post coming up...fun times...)
The current me, still working on it, though.
Until next time...
Monday, July 1, 2013
Lodging Insanity
Update on my life: We move back to USA tomorrow! Wow! I can't believe how quickly my time went by here. I definitely took this time for granted, for there is still so much kimchi to be eaten. C'est la vie. As I mentioned earlier, we moved into lodging. Besides the obvious matters that would become a concern of mine--living out of a suit case, shipping items back home, tying all the loose ends, house hunting online, making sure Seyo doesn't have an anxiety attack--I was deeply concerned about what kind of hit my "body morphing" progress was going to take.
First of all, I've learned that when I live on post, I no longer feel the need to get dressed. I go into total laziness. I recognized this the first day we were settled here in room 102. Lucky for us, owning a cat pays off because we got an animal room which is more like a little apartment. I took my pajama covered butt to the commissary and loaded up on lean protein, fruits, and veggies. My husband said my food choices weren't fun, which I took as a compliment. I was really worried that we were going to be at the mercy of the food court. Not a problem, my friends. But stay tuned for a food confessional...
Second of all, I realized that our little annex had just enough space needed to continue with my Insanity experience. The week we moved out of the apartment was the Core Cardio and Balance week, and that worked out perfectly. So once we moved here, I knew I was suppose to start phase two. And for those of y'all who have done phase 2 understand that going to a Gilbert Gottfried impersonation contest could be more enjoyable. Trying to find a reason not to do it became tedious, so I finally gave in and made myself move on to the Max videos.
First of all, I've learned that when I live on post, I no longer feel the need to get dressed. I go into total laziness. I recognized this the first day we were settled here in room 102. Lucky for us, owning a cat pays off because we got an animal room which is more like a little apartment. I took my pajama covered butt to the commissary and loaded up on lean protein, fruits, and veggies. My husband said my food choices weren't fun, which I took as a compliment. I was really worried that we were going to be at the mercy of the food court. Not a problem, my friends. But stay tuned for a food confessional...
Second of all, I realized that our little annex had just enough space needed to continue with my Insanity experience. The week we moved out of the apartment was the Core Cardio and Balance week, and that worked out perfectly. So once we moved here, I knew I was suppose to start phase two. And for those of y'all who have done phase 2 understand that going to a Gilbert Gottfried impersonation contest could be more enjoyable. Trying to find a reason not to do it became tedious, so I finally gave in and made myself move on to the Max videos.
Day 1: I moved the table out of the way and turned up that AC you see on the wall.
Well, hello there, Shawn T. Welcome to lodging.
I forgot how difficult these videos were. I was literally mind blown upon completion of the first video.
But I recovered...
...with the support of Seyo, of course.
I was really proud of myself! I didn't let such a dramatic change of environment stop me from continuing with this little journey. It felt so good that I kept hitting play day after day.
And this is what day 2 looked like when I was finished...hmmm.
Day 3 also provided weird hair results.
I was super proud of myself on Day 4 because I didn't want to do it. We were in Seoul all day, and I came home with the intent of being lazy...but I pushed play once again.
Day 5 ended with some battle scars.
I was a little shocked and concerned on day 6...it just wasn't getting easier.
I literally finished on day 7 looking like this...
...but I smoothed it down and thanked Shaun T for the butt kicking.
Days 1-7 had its share of distractions, but the workouts were completed!
I was so proud of the progress I made, and I want the progress to continue. I'm literally at the point that I'll find anyway to complete my workouts. Tomorrow morning, we leave here before 5 a.m., and I already know that whenever we get to NC that I'll need to do a video. No more excuses for Abigail. The only way I can get the results I want is to put forth the effort. I'd like to say I put just as much effort into eating well, but I DIDN'T. In fact, if I'm being honest about my workouts, I need to be honest about some food choices...
Lo Mein
Butter Pecan Ice Cream
Soooo many chicken wings
Cheeseburger
Fries
Half a loaf of bread
Turkish kebab
Ribs
Mashed potatoes
Chicken tenders
Pastries
Pizza
Fried pork cutlet
Delish Korean chip things
Ramen
Egg rolls
Rice
Oreos
Peanut butter M&Ms
Kit-Kats
...and this was just breakfast from this morning! Okay, maybe not just this morning. But wow! Who does that? "Oh, that was a great one hour workout...I deserve 4000 calories." I'm a fool. I can honestly say that it could have been worse had I not bought those healthy items in the beginning even though I can't fathom what else I could have done to my body. Well, there...that's my food confessional. There's nothing I can do now. The calories have been stored safely in my butt and will be blasted away another day.
I could have done better with the food...I know, I know, but I'm still proud of myself for not giving into the temptation of forfeiting my video progress. Here's to no more excuses on the workout front!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
"Look What I Can Do!"
Wow, I've had a whirlwind of a week! We are out of our apartment...goodbye, Sujain 601...and now we are living in lodging. Lodging = "hawse keepinggggggg" once a day...woot woot! But it also means that we have to put Seyo in a cage anytime we leave this place and that = sad face. Anyway, with all of the changes going on my schedule has been different (duh). I don't adjust well with things that are different. I'm a sentimental person. Sentimental people enjoy things that are constant, predictable, and scheduled. With everything up in the air, my brain has been going in a million different directions. Every single day I sit down to write a new blog post. I have like five different rough drafts taking place because my thoughts are everywhere. And ya know what...? I'm sensing some negativity from these drafts. Let me elaboraxplain....
There are key lessons in life that I have missed out on, like serious "I own a home and should know what escrow means" lessons. Way too many times a day do I sit and reflect upon on all the things that I don't know how to do. Now, it's okay that I don't know how to perform open heart surgery or speak Latin because 1) I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn, and 2) I've not been trained in those skills. No, the areas in which I'm referencing are things in life I should know...like how to blow dry my hair. I'm not really going to elaborate right now because, believe me, you'll be reading about it soon enough.
I can't be gettin' all caught up in that kinda negativity, yo! So, that got me thinking about something that my fellow faculty members from HEC and I did with our students for a group project, and I thought I'd apply that to myself. What did I learn? I'm a freakin' miraculous person that has nothing but random awesomeness to offer to anyone lucky enough to be in my presence. To put it shortly, I'm a keeper.
"What is this practice you speak of, ex HEC faculty member?" Oh, I'm so happy you asked; let me explain. Our students partook in a project called All About Me. Many schools have done it, many grades have done it, and many students have hated completing it but were secretly appreciative for having been given the opportunity. One part of this project was making a list of 50 things THEY COULD DO. They all complained, "But I can't do nothin'" in which I would respond, "Oh, yes, you can. Look, you can you use a double negative!" They were hesitant at first, but then they ran with it. Can you see where I'm going with this? I've been spending so much time focusing on what I can't do: I can't run a mile under 7.3, I can't lose 5lbs in two weeks, I can't complete Insanity without taking breaks, I can't stay in the bounds of my calories for two days in a row...so on and so on. It's time for me to think about the all things I can do, and here I go x2:
1. I can spend money I don't have on things I don't need.
2. I can watch The Little Mermaid back to back for days at a time.
3. I can get lost in my hometown.
4. I can control my cat's life with a little red dot.
5. I can car dance like a pro!
6. I can eat more than most men.
7. I can dare you to challenge me about what I can do in #6.
8. I can sing out of tune with pride.
9. I can make a shower last longer than it should.
10. I can read a book in a day.
11. I can read a book in a few hours.
12. I can walk around Wal-Mart without purchasing anything.
13. I can quote almost every single episode of Friends.
14. I can keep my husband guessing.
15. I can lose myself in an amazing workout.
16. I can make restaurant owners question the profit margin of All You Can Eat options.
17. I can misspell restaurant every single time...thank goodness for little, squiggly red lines.
18. I can sleep past noon.
19. I can cluck like a chicken...perfectly.
20. I can be the best Aunt there ever was.
21. I can make easy things look difficult.
22. I can talk while running an entire marathon...every mile of it...ask my husband.
23. I can clog drains with my very thin hair.
24. I can follow a recipe like a champ!
25. I can read a kindergartener's mind.
26. I can fail at whistling.
27. I can speak a little bit of French.
28. I can eat 98 jalapeno peppers in 2 minutes.
29. I can make it look like a five year old painted my toenails.
30. I can demolish an embarrassing amount of Kit-Kats.
31. I can spend an entire day on Pinterest.
32. I can charm people I don't know with my Southern accent.
33. I can drop it like it's hot.
34. I can maintain a 4.0 in grad school.
35. I can admit when I'm wrong.
36. I can admit when I don't know something.
37. I can also admit that I'm stubborn and #35&36 might take some time, but I will do it.
38. I can make people laugh.
39. I can accidentally hurt someone's feelings, and that makes me sad.
40. I can sing gospel like a proud Southern woman.
41. I can hide behind a pillow while watching a scary movie.
42. I can make my husband smile.
43. I can get tipsy from one glass of wine.
44. I can draw the world's best ugly stick figures.
45. I can make my student's wonder about my motives.
46. I can sell items on the internet.
47. I can download fun fonts!!
48. I can learn from my mistakes.
49. I can cry from a commercial.
50. I can cry from a greeting card.
51. I can cry from a book.
52. I can cry from telling Reuben about a book.
53. I can cry from a dream.
54. I can my husband shake his head with laughter when I start crying.
55. I can pray and mean it.
56. I can torment my cat with shadow puppets.
57. I can eat trays and trays of ice.
58. I can wait tables.
59. I can put off an important phone call until the last minute.
60. I can pack more than I should when going on vacation.
61. I can give a pretty mean guilt trip.
62. I can run into corners of walls.
63. I can choreograph a Zumba routine from my driver's seat.
64. I can complete math homework up to second or third grade.
65. I can do 40 power jumps in 30 seconds.
66. I can take a blurry picture.
67. I can eat myself into a miserable state.
68. I can be a strong confidant.
69. I can captivate a room with my charisma and a microphone.
70. I can lay in the sun.
71. I can still sing along to Hanson's first album.
72. I can make a Reese's cake that makes you want to slap your momma.
73. I can fail all of my New Year Resolutions.
74. I can write a ten page paper in three hours.
75. I can get dirty on Black Friday.
76. I can pee on myself from laughter induced by my sisters.
77. I can remember full conversations I had years ago.
78. I can hurt for those who have lost someone.
79. I can forget how to ride a bicycle.
80. I can put off doing the dishes.
81. I can watch an entire series in one sitting.
82. I can be adventurous.
83. I can stub my toes at least four times a week.
84. I can roll my R's.
85. I can still do a high kick.
86. I can make people stare...and wonder.
87. I can speak Korean using only hand gestures, smiles, and head nods.
88. I can fall asleep while driving.
89. I can gag at the thought of plants/bushes/trees in natural bodies of water.
90. I can make someone's blood boil in seconds.
91. I can make things up as I go.
92. I can rely on a GPS.
93. I can get super cranky when either hungry or sleepy.
94. I can push my body to its limit.
95. I can read over my grammatical errors.
96. I can speak for those who can't.
97. I can remind others of someone they used to know.
98. I can deliver good news.
99. I can slide at least two feet on wooden floors while wearing my husband's socks.
100. I can keep going if you'd like...
There are key lessons in life that I have missed out on, like serious "I own a home and should know what escrow means" lessons. Way too many times a day do I sit and reflect upon on all the things that I don't know how to do. Now, it's okay that I don't know how to perform open heart surgery or speak Latin because 1) I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn, and 2) I've not been trained in those skills. No, the areas in which I'm referencing are things in life I should know...like how to blow dry my hair. I'm not really going to elaborate right now because, believe me, you'll be reading about it soon enough.
I can't be gettin' all caught up in that kinda negativity, yo! So, that got me thinking about something that my fellow faculty members from HEC and I did with our students for a group project, and I thought I'd apply that to myself. What did I learn? I'm a freakin' miraculous person that has nothing but random awesomeness to offer to anyone lucky enough to be in my presence. To put it shortly, I'm a keeper.
"What is this practice you speak of, ex HEC faculty member?" Oh, I'm so happy you asked; let me explain. Our students partook in a project called All About Me. Many schools have done it, many grades have done it, and many students have hated completing it but were secretly appreciative for having been given the opportunity. One part of this project was making a list of 50 things THEY COULD DO. They all complained, "But I can't do nothin'" in which I would respond, "Oh, yes, you can. Look, you can you use a double negative!" They were hesitant at first, but then they ran with it. Can you see where I'm going with this? I've been spending so much time focusing on what I can't do: I can't run a mile under 7.3, I can't lose 5lbs in two weeks, I can't complete Insanity without taking breaks, I can't stay in the bounds of my calories for two days in a row...so on and so on. It's time for me to think about the all things I can do, and here I go x2:
1. I can spend money I don't have on things I don't need.
2. I can watch The Little Mermaid back to back for days at a time.
3. I can get lost in my hometown.
4. I can control my cat's life with a little red dot.
5. I can car dance like a pro!
6. I can eat more than most men.
7. I can dare you to challenge me about what I can do in #6.
8. I can sing out of tune with pride.
9. I can make a shower last longer than it should.
10. I can read a book in a day.
11. I can read a book in a few hours.
12. I can walk around Wal-Mart without purchasing anything.
13. I can quote almost every single episode of Friends.
14. I can keep my husband guessing.
15. I can lose myself in an amazing workout.
16. I can make restaurant owners question the profit margin of All You Can Eat options.
17. I can misspell restaurant every single time...thank goodness for little, squiggly red lines.
18. I can sleep past noon.
19. I can cluck like a chicken...perfectly.
20. I can be the best Aunt there ever was.
21. I can make easy things look difficult.
22. I can talk while running an entire marathon...every mile of it...ask my husband.
23. I can clog drains with my very thin hair.
24. I can follow a recipe like a champ!
25. I can read a kindergartener's mind.
26. I can fail at whistling.
27. I can speak a little bit of French.
28. I can eat 98 jalapeno peppers in 2 minutes.
29. I can make it look like a five year old painted my toenails.
30. I can demolish an embarrassing amount of Kit-Kats.
31. I can spend an entire day on Pinterest.
32. I can charm people I don't know with my Southern accent.
33. I can drop it like it's hot.
34. I can maintain a 4.0 in grad school.
35. I can admit when I'm wrong.
36. I can admit when I don't know something.
37. I can also admit that I'm stubborn and #35&36 might take some time, but I will do it.
38. I can make people laugh.
39. I can accidentally hurt someone's feelings, and that makes me sad.
40. I can sing gospel like a proud Southern woman.
41. I can hide behind a pillow while watching a scary movie.
42. I can make my husband smile.
43. I can get tipsy from one glass of wine.
44. I can draw the world's best ugly stick figures.
45. I can make my student's wonder about my motives.
46. I can sell items on the internet.
47. I can download fun fonts!!
48. I can learn from my mistakes.
49. I can cry from a commercial.
50. I can cry from a greeting card.
51. I can cry from a book.
52. I can cry from telling Reuben about a book.
53. I can cry from a dream.
54. I can my husband shake his head with laughter when I start crying.
55. I can pray and mean it.
56. I can torment my cat with shadow puppets.
57. I can eat trays and trays of ice.
58. I can wait tables.
59. I can put off an important phone call until the last minute.
60. I can pack more than I should when going on vacation.
61. I can give a pretty mean guilt trip.
62. I can run into corners of walls.
63. I can choreograph a Zumba routine from my driver's seat.
64. I can complete math homework up to second or third grade.
65. I can do 40 power jumps in 30 seconds.
66. I can take a blurry picture.
67. I can eat myself into a miserable state.
68. I can be a strong confidant.
69. I can captivate a room with my charisma and a microphone.
70. I can lay in the sun.
71. I can still sing along to Hanson's first album.
72. I can make a Reese's cake that makes you want to slap your momma.
73. I can fail all of my New Year Resolutions.
74. I can write a ten page paper in three hours.
75. I can get dirty on Black Friday.
76. I can pee on myself from laughter induced by my sisters.
77. I can remember full conversations I had years ago.
78. I can hurt for those who have lost someone.
79. I can forget how to ride a bicycle.
80. I can put off doing the dishes.
81. I can watch an entire series in one sitting.
82. I can be adventurous.
83. I can stub my toes at least four times a week.
84. I can roll my R's.
85. I can still do a high kick.
86. I can make people stare...and wonder.
87. I can speak Korean using only hand gestures, smiles, and head nods.
88. I can fall asleep while driving.
89. I can gag at the thought of plants/bushes/trees in natural bodies of water.
90. I can make someone's blood boil in seconds.
91. I can make things up as I go.
92. I can rely on a GPS.
93. I can get super cranky when either hungry or sleepy.
94. I can push my body to its limit.
95. I can read over my grammatical errors.
96. I can speak for those who can't.
97. I can remind others of someone they used to know.
98. I can deliver good news.
99. I can slide at least two feet on wooden floors while wearing my husband's socks.
100. I can keep going if you'd like...
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Workin' on My Beachbody...
In April, I wrote an entry about the size of my derriere . It was absurd. In May, I did something about it, or rather, Coach Mer did something about it. Now, for those of you who know me, like really know me, know that I don't do things that are trendy. My wardrobe alone should tell you that I'm not a trendy person. I missed that lesson in life. It's not that I purposely stay away from the trend, I just don't keep my ear to the ground to figure out the "ins and outs" of social acceptability.
With that being said, it took me until recently to truly experience what the company Beachbody has to offer. Apparently, it's been around for quite a few years...apparently, Abigail just jumped on the wagon. "But, Abigail, didn't you blog about Insanity once..." Yes, I did, but it's different than just getting my hands on the program; the Beachbody experience--like with a coach and all--really sets one up for success.
Now, I'm not saying that these are the final results, but these are my results from one month of Insanity and Shakeology. I'm nowhere near finished with this journey/challenge. I still have a second month to go. But having these results after one month puts things into perspective. The results came from a combined effort of having to track food, calories, motivational quotes, workout selfies, and meaningful conversations. And I am a huge fan of accountability, it's the only thing that really makes me work to my full potential. Working with this group of ladies was a dose of motivation every single morning. They were putting their all out there, so why not put mine.
Once again, I present you with a picture walk through of what this past month has looked like...
With that being said, it took me until recently to truly experience what the company Beachbody has to offer. Apparently, it's been around for quite a few years...apparently, Abigail just jumped on the wagon. "But, Abigail, didn't you blog about Insanity once..." Yes, I did, but it's different than just getting my hands on the program; the Beachbody experience--like with a coach and all--really sets one up for success.
Now, I'm not saying that these are the final results, but these are my results from one month of Insanity and Shakeology. I'm nowhere near finished with this journey/challenge. I still have a second month to go. But having these results after one month puts things into perspective. The results came from a combined effort of having to track food, calories, motivational quotes, workout selfies, and meaningful conversations. And I am a huge fan of accountability, it's the only thing that really makes me work to my full potential. Working with this group of ladies was a dose of motivation every single morning. They were putting their all out there, so why not put mine.
Once again, I present you with a picture walk through of what this past month has looked like...
Little did I know how true these words would become...
We had to purchase our supplemental nom nom noms.
We had to track our food.
We had to track our calories.
We were even held accountable with our grocery purchases.
We had to spread the "healthy band wagon" message.
And we had to workout...
...again...
...again...
...again...
...again...
...and again!
All of this work (May 15-June 15) provided these results:
The ironic part of this entire past month is that I didn't lose any weight. And, boy, did my coach have some fun trying to hammer that 'weight doesn't matter' into my brain. I still have a long way to go before I reach my final goals, but I know to rely and measure my progress on pictures instead of the scale. Oh, you know me too well, I'll still jump on the scale to see, but I'll be lining up pics side by side from here on out. This is just a snapshot of what the next five weeks will entail...I can't wait for those pics!!
Coach Mer -> Thank you for putting up with me and my whiny, stubborn self. I look forward to future challenges and more butt kicking honesty.
Team Train Mean -> You, ladies, are fierce competitors and make me work harder than I thought I could. I look forward to partaking in future challenges with you all. I've become reliant on your efforts!!
Team Eat Green -> You, ladies, have the strongest willpower I've witnessed in life. You've inspired me to take on the reset, but at a later date. Thank you for showing me that it is possible...lol.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
I'm Not a Runner, but I Run
Do you like that crazy image layout? I thought you did. Yep, that's what you call talent or blog feng shui, or you could chalk it up to Abigail doesn't know how to make things the same size or space them out correctly to make something look decent so she just goes with it. Can you see what the theme of today's message is? Yep once again, running. Let's talk about that happy little topic, but in order to do so, I need to break this subject down into different components, all of which may or may not be conquered today in this post. Running and I have quite the difficult relationship.
2007: When It All Started
My good friend, Lauren Kincaid Crumbliss, introduced me to the idea of Weight Watchers, like actually going to the meetings. On my own, I had already gone from a size 14 to a size 10, but I lost my mojo and stayed at that weight for over a year. Weight Watchers was amazing. Not only did it introduce to much needed eating habits, but it opened my eyes to the purpose of exercising. I know that might seem ridiculous, but my inner-fat kid was saying, "Hey, if you workout more than you already do, you get to eat more." Ding, ding, ding! That's what I wanted to hear. Of course, that's not necessarily true, but it got my butt in the gym. Within five months, I went from a size 10 to a size 6. And if I wanted to look like a sausage bursting from it's casing, I could squeeze into a size 4. WW was great, but I attest a lot of my success to new gym habits.
Running?
I've been an avid gym goer for the majority of my post high school life, as well as an avid all you can eat buffet frequenter. My machine of choice was the stair master, and there's not much more to tell. I never even thought about the treadmill. Running was a punishment. I remember the few times I had to run a mile before dance practice and thought I was going to die, so why would I jump on a machine that handed out death wishes? Well, for some reason I got on one in 2007. I felt really awesome because I just got a MP3 player, and I thought that could help with the monotony of running in place, and little did I know of the love affair that was about to take place.
My Routine
I made a commitment that I was actually going to go to the gym. Luckily, I passed by the little rec center everyday on my way home from work. At the time, I worked in Highlands, which meant an hour and some commute at 45 miles per hour, and yes, that's one way. No matter how tired I was or how late cheerleading practice went, I would drive straight to the gym to perform the following:
20 mins on the elliptical on the program titled Weight Loss
5 songs on the treadmill
abs and other such doings with weights, machines, and mats
There would be days where I would sit in the car and cry because I was so tired, but I got my gym bag and walked in before anything more pathetic could happen. At the time, I needed the elliptical. Heck, I really need it now because then my legs, butt, and abs were bangin' because of that machine, but it helped me warm-up/wake up; no more tears. Now, I run straight to the treadmill...shame, Abigail, shame.
My Treadmill/Running Formula
This, my friends, is what made it happen. This practice took me from getting a side stitch from walking quickly to performing long distance runs (10+ miles). I use it today just as I did 6 years ago. As you notice under the routine breakdown, I never gave/give myself a measurement of minutes or mileage to perform my run; I "measure" everything by songs. Keep in mind that I waited a long time to get a music device, so I was pumped that I finally got to hear Spice Girls, N'Sync, The Dixie Chicks, Aerosmith, Reba, Jason Mraz, Genuine, No Doubt and other such random artists at my request. When I got on the treadmill, my music game just happened without me putting any thought into it. First of all, I never told myself that I couldn't run; I just did it. Second of all, I didn't/don't care what other people think about me and if treadmill dancing is required for a song, it's going to happen. The treadmill is my little one stage club! Okay, here we go, my first treadmill experience went something like this:
Song one: Walk quickly
Song two: Walk quickly during the verse and jog during the chorus
Song three: Jog during the verse and walk quickly during the chorus
Song four: Walk during the verse and jog through the first chorus to the second chorus
Song five: Jog during the verse/chorus and walk during the second chorus only
Workout is complete
Again, I wasn't going for mileage, I was just pushing through five songs at a time. I did this until I could run through all five songs, which turned out to be almost two miles, depending on the length of the song. Sometimes it would be more than two miles. I didn't just all the suddenly say, "I'm going to run all five songs," I would start with the first two songs as suggested above and then run the third song and finish with the other two as is. Before I knew it, I didn't feel the need to walk. I was jamming out so much that I would fly through a verse and realize that I missed my chance to walk, but I was okay with that. After awhile, I added music and played my song game through six, seven, eight songs. I also felt comfortable with changing my pace.
I promise that I still do this. Yesterday, I went for a run when I really didn't want to. I ran through the first song and didn't feel anymore motivated. Miranda Lambert told me that she was the fastest girl in town, so as she was filling me in on the details, I was running/walking to her story. Around the fourth song, I was running at a regular pace. Every single time I run, I use music for the cues. I also use this method for speed training. I'll run through the verse and sprint through the chorus.
Keep in mind that running on a treadmill is physically easier than running on the pavement. When running outside, you have to push your body weight forward unlike the treadmill. I'll never forget that I was averaging five miles a day on the treadmill, and then thought I was going to die after my first 5K. I had never run outside prior to that; it was a different world. But hey, calorie burn is calorie burn no matter where it is being burned.
Music
When you choose the music, listen to you only. Your playlist should make you embarrassed if it was ever played out loud in public because that means it's full of your guilty pleasures. Mine is. When Reuben and I were running the marathon, I had my ipod strapped to my camelback with the external speaker blaring as loud as the little thing could. The music was hilarious, or at least I thought so. I started dancing; Reuben said that if we were listening to Backstreet Boys while running through soldiers, I could at least spare him my dancing while running. I agreed. What a trooper. Choose music you can lose yourself in, who cares if it is fast or slow. When Rascal Flatts is telling me what hurts the most, my speed takes off.
Running = Hard
For me, running is hard...every single flippin' time. I sweat like Sasquatch in a burka, my brain is pushing me the entire time, and I'm happiest when it's over. Do you know why there are so many running quotes out there? Because even runners need them. You don't find near the amount of motivational quotes for anything else as you do running. It's hard in the sense that it takes more discipline than ability. Everyone can run, but not everyone start a run. Rarely, do I wake up and say, "I can't wait to complete this run." I have to walk through the motions without thought: put on shoes, walk outside, and push play. It's also difficult to recreate the sense of accomplishment one gets from an awesome run; it makes it all worth it.
The Naturals
I am not a runner; I'm not even a jogger. I refuse to call myself a runner because that title means something special; I have not earned it, nor do I see myself earning it, and I'm okay with that. There are naturals in the world that take up running and excel; they excel because they train, train, and train. I train and train, but that last train just isn't in there. I'm okay with not being a natural; I understand that I'm not fast and it's always hard for me. I'm just proud that I'm on the pavement as much as I am.
My husband is a natural. He's fast, he has endurance, and he can go without running for months without losing the ability.
My girlfriend, Sarah Evans, is a natural. She trains like no other, and she constantly improves. She never backs down from a challenge and approaches everything with a positive attitude.
My other girlfriend, Jessica Martinez, has the ability to be a natural. Within three weeks of purchasing a treadmill, she had already mastered five miles, and she was a first time runner. Naturals amaze me. I have to work my butt off to maintain a 9 minute mile, but again, I'm okay with that. My goal is not to be the fastest or the best, but to be in an activity where I am performing beside those who are.
It's a Choice
No one says that you have to run, but for some reason running has become a point of contention for most. People either hate it or they love it. Even though I hate it, I actually do love it because I'm still doing it. If I really hated it, you wouldn't see this girl be-boppin' down the road. There are so many programs, apps, and plans out there to inspire people to run, but again, it's a choice. You don't have to run, but when you do, make it about you. Make it something amazingly enjoyable. You may not be natural, you might just be an Abigail, but that's okay, too. If you treat it like a chore, it will be a chore, but if you treat it like a blessing because God has blessed you with an able body to perform this activity, then you'll perform at your best every single time.
Shout Outs
Congrats to these Area 1 ladies for busting their "humps, their sexy lady lumps"at this past Memorial Day 5K.
Just in case you needed to know. This is what a natural runner looks like compared to not a natural runner:
The Natural
The Unnatural
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