I love love love Christmas! It is the perfect holiday to celebrate Jesus birth and to spend with family! This morning I baked homemade cookies with my little man for Santa! Santa will be thrilled with the choc. chip and PB cookies (esp. Since he knows mom and donovan HAtE pb cookies and made them special for him)! So The best part was watching my little guy do so much on his own! Man 10 yrs old and already I know he is going to be a good man! He helped clean our mess up without being asked! He used his manners, followed directions and then turned the oven light on and sat in front of the oven to watch his dough turn into cookies! He helped wrap a few of his sisters gifts! Lots of Joy in his laughter and in my heart! It is days like this I LOVE being a mother!

Today and tomorrow all my fitness goals and eating healthy is not going to be worried about at all!
I will get back on track the 26th until then I am just going to enjoy my time with my family and hope you all do!!
Merry Christmas to you all!!

So yesterday as I tried to get residents to join us for group exercise (chair yoga), I had to laugh at how many times I was told by the seniors yoga was not exercise. When asked why not they would say things like it is just moving your arms or body and stretching.
Made me think abouty biases when it comes to exercise, I know the importance of stretching and muscle balance, but prefer HIT, running, Zumba and cardio mixed with strength training classes over Pilates and yoga any day!
So my goal for next week is to go with the PT I am working with to yoga and to maybe start incorporating it or Pilates into my weekly routine since I know the importance of flexibility and know yoga has so many benefits!
The only yoga I am doing right now is the chair yoga at work which does not challenge me (although I would totally recommend it to my seniors patients or residents as my employer prefers us to call the seniors living at the lighthouse).
So my question for everyone who reads my blog is what is it that you do or hate to do that you have trouble thinking of as exercise?
Why do we get in our little boxes and avoid trying new things? Isn't exercise about moving, about getting are muscles working and creating optimal health for ourselves,not just about burning calories?
If we are not stretching enough even though we exercise 5 days a week are we really making our bodies the best it can be?
All things for me as a theaprist to really think about..... Time to practice what I preach...... And help myself achieve one of the goals I love seeing patients reach better flexibility and range of motion! ;-)

Gym shopping is by far harder than Christmas shopping for anyone so far!
Yikes, yuck and HELP!!!!!!!

So looking for a new gym.... The gym I have been going to is the opposite way from my job and does not offer night classes and would be hard to get to in the morning because it is 20 min from my house in the wrong direction and about 45 min from my job!
Frustrating because I LOVE My old gym!I like group fitness, enjoy making my own circuits, I LOVE rowing and sprinting the track....pluseI love being around others and hate working out alone! So wherever I go they need to have a variety of free weights, kettle bells, a box or steps for box jumps and a bosu ball an preferable a few group fitness classes I can attend a week.
The gym I visited tonight was not a fit for me, I walked in loved the machines, but hated the small area with the bosu balls, step and other misc equipment. Not enough room for burpees, moutain climbers, plank jacks and NO kettle bells! Then I find out no rowing machine....and no fitness classes. Blah so for the same $50.00 a month I spend now..... plus a $50 key fee, a $20 maintence fee and a year contract I have to give up fitness classes, the track, the rowing machine, space and my gym buddies!
Wowza that may be a little too much to give up ---- would I still be excited about going to the gym without all those things? Will I lose some motivation? Honestly I am thinking I probably will NOT be happy and will get bored.
So I guess my journey continues... Tomorrow I will be checking into Kosama (a group fitness club offering a variety of classes including kickboxing, Pilates, kettle bells, Plyo workouts and more!) I am super excited and hoping that it is a fit! Even though it is a but more costly..... I am thinking that the mix of classes, the fact that I like group fitness and support I will receive there willl make it well worth my money!
So this weeks goal to work out 4-5 times, to find a gym and to get back on track with my diet since I have been a sugar addict since my birthday on Saturday and have been slacking on logging my food!

Anyone with advice on how to stay motivated with schedule changes, gym changes and a new career let me know!

So today was my first day of work! The lighthouse facility is huge.... Should have no issues getting in lots of steps! Now to get in my workout! Gotta be a boss right? No canceling! Ohhh But I am tired.... (Something you all should know is procrasting is something I do really well)! On that note I Guess I better learn to get up earlier and figure out a way to get it done and over! . I am not a morning person (I practically tossed my alarm this morning at 540 am.... How will I ever be able to get up earlier?).
So about my job no Physical therapy today just some paper work, going over doccumentation/computer system and then meeting the residents and my coworkers. It was fun and I think I will LOVE the PT I will be assisting!

I can not wait to start doing therapy with the residents and look forward to seeing the gym (that was suppose to be done today) come together! Right now we have no light fixtures, no baseboards and the only pieces of equipment we have is the parallel bars and weights .. Which would be fine if we wanted to lift or do gymnastics in the dark but since I am working with the elderly population probably not a great idea. ;-)

Ate a healthy breakfast and lunch slacked a lot on my water consumption and can feel it for sure!
Tomorrow is my second day.... Maybe the construction company will give us light so we can actually get the gym put together and doing some therapy! ;-)

About me....
I live in Iowa and have been married to the love of my life for 7 years. (Jay baby, you are amazing)!
I am a 33...... almost 34 year old mom of a 14 yr old (Alyssa) and a 10 yr old (Donovan). I just graduated and will begin my new career as a physical therapist assistant this week (Wednesday) with Odom Health and wellness.
I have become addicted to working out and making fitness and health a priority this last year!
It all started with a small 2 week challenge last winter! Thanks mamavation! After that I began working out with a trainer a couple days a week for 8 weeks (my birthday gift from the hubby) and joined an amazing gym!
NowI want more than anything to be a role model for my kids, my patients and those around me. I feel better than I did at 30 and hopefully at 40 will feel better and healthier than even in my Early 20's.
I am working towards a healthy body fat % and later want to work on getting into the athletic category.
Last year I was shocked when my scale read 186lbs (which is more than I weighed at 8 months prego with my now 10 yr old son) and was even more shocked when my trainer said my body fat % was 35% (after the 2 week challenge and already losing a few pounds and several inches)! Wowza.... Well today I am 30% bf and down to 161 lbs (which is great but stinks because before my last clinical I was down to 156lbs but real life 40 hrs of work, plus running 2 kids and studying left very little Time for me). My newest goal is with my new career starting soon to prove to myself I can continue my workouts and healthy life and can make time for myself!
With the help of my handsome hubby and my crazy kids I will succeed and hopefully my family will get healthier and stronger!

We are in charge of our own happiness! Do something today that makes you proud and then smile because you accomplished something you set out to do! Big or small take pride in all you do!

Loving this for motivation! My journey to a healthier me is all about improving myself and not comparing myself to anyone else!