A Life Of Gymspiration

Hey check it out- yet another non-fitness-related post! Well kinda. It all ties in eventually. :) I recently had the opportunity to travel to San Francisco on a mission trip. I'm going to stop you there. I know what you are thinking. The phrase "mission trip" has the tendency to have people put me into a certain category and I'm going to stop you right there. I am so lucky to be able to take these trips every year. For being invited back every year and for having a boss who lets me take a week off to do so. So great. Each year is a great experience, no matter where we go, no matter the adversities we are faced with (example: blatant hatred from people of authority), we find a way to connect to ourselves, God, all while helping others, bonding with each other, forming memories, but most of all, laughing.... A LOT. Sleep deprivation makes EVERYTHING funny. Many years ago when I started doing these trips, we learned that it's always much better when we drive. W...

Okay, so I know technically this is a "health and fitness" blog but every once in a while, I will have something to say that has to do with neither of those. And since this is my blog... I get to. :) In a lot of ways, when I entered the professional world I felt like it meant I needed to change everything. I seemed to see my friends less and less and even talk to them less as well. As the time passed, I got sad and missed "the good old days". Though we often try to plan get-togethers, more often than not it just doesn't work out due to our very busy lives. The last few weeks there have been a few situations that have caused me to pause, look back and remember the really good times. I've been a huge supporter of the GLBT community for as long as I can remember. It was something I just always knew was very important to me. I just wanted to reach out to those people, show them love because that's how I was raised. I never understood the hatred that some...

For this month, I was matched up with Gina over at  Health, Love and Chocolate  and let me say, she did a wonderful job!!!!  She sent a lot of really great snack foods, which I have to admit I haven't tried a lot of it. Mainly due to the fact that I haven't been working out like I usually do. But these snacks make GREAT pre-workout snack, especially if you are a busy busy on-the-go kinda person like I am! One of my favorites was the LUNA bar. It was delicious and the perfect size! I'm gonna have to start buying these! YUMMMMMM! Probably my favorite in the entire box was the Teriyaki Dried Chicken Breast. SO GOOD! I actually ate it as a snack yesterday when I was sitting in the van with the kids waiting for the rain to subside so we could go tour the farm! Poor kids wanted to have some but I didn't want to share. :) (They didn't starve- they had vanilla wafers... that a squirrel later got into, but that's a different story) It was AMAZ...

I went back to the doctor today to have my knee looked at. I was really hopeful that he would say "Oh, you are fine to go back 100%" but obviously I knew that wasn't going to happen. Though it has gone down considerably I still have pain. So running--- probably not the best choice. So here's the deal. Since it's getting better, I am able to expand what I am doing at the gym.The two things he said I could probably start trying: Spinning and Stairs. I'm gonna go ahead and say that spinning means the bike, not spinning class (which I've never tried because it terrifies me). I'm not sure if you know this, but I HATE THE STAIRS. I mean... HAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE! Megan used to make me do them when she was mad at me or was just in a torturous mood. Or wanted to laugh and remind me of the time she made me get on a broken machine and I tried to outrun it which really just led to me falling down them resulting in many many bruises. *sigh* SO ACCIDENT PRONE! I...

I realized I never updated after my last post. At the request of my trainer, I made an appointment with my chiropractor to get my knee looked at and he told me I have a Patellar Tendon Strain. So that's awesome. He said to start icing it. I also started taking glucosamine chondroitin with MSM (I still don't know what that is) and ibuprofen for the pain. He also said to start going to the gym and ride the bike, starting at 1 minute and increase a minute each day. Have you ever gone to the gym just to ride the bike for a minute? Kind of embarrassing. I really want to get a shirt made that says "Don't Judge Me, I'm In Rehab" so people will know that I'm not that pathetic. Although, if they watch me the sheer look of pain on my face combined with my limping around the gym oughta clue them in. After my diagnosis I went home to research it a little more and read that these can take 6 WEEKS to heal. Oh boy... I actually was pretty convinced that the ibuprofen w...

I mentioned in my last post how I was kind of burned out on the gym since my 11 day streak, so I won't really discuss that much. All I have to say is not much has changed in that department.... But I did force myself to go to the gym. So that's good. Well, in theory.  2 weeks ago I was doing a workout I found on pinterest.  This one to be exact! Right as I posted this, I noticed the disclaimer on there. Now, I've never really thought of myself as someone who had knee problems. But I do now.  Now, I've done this workout a handful of times and it's been okay. Although, my lovely glutes have NEVER been sore following them so I'm not sure it really does what I want it to. Anyway, I digress.  Upon completing this one 2 weeks ago my knees kind of hurt, which I thought was weird but not a big deal. The next time i worked out and tried to run my knees kind of hurt and when I was in aqua boot camp and we were doing a flutter kick I felt it in my knee...

In a little over a month, I will be 29. As I'm about to enter the last year of my 20s, I've become very reflective. I can't help but be discouraged with the state of our world today. Let me give you examples of events that have happened in my lifetime and have shaped who I've become today. Matthew Shepard Murder  Columbine High School Massacre 9/11 Aurora Theater Shooting Jessica Ridgeway Murder Newtown and now Boston Not to mention the many friends I have who have lost their parents much earlier than should happen. I'm reminded of the boy I went to high school with who took his life when we were sophomores. I think of the young man who thought texting and driving was harmless and that's what ended his life. I am reminded of my dear friend whose daughter's life ended far too soon because of a freak car accident. I think of my dear friend who lost his father and 2 siblings in one car accident. I am reminded of my friend's girlfriend who took he...