I work out because I refuse to give up!

As many of you know, I participate in challenge groups almost every month.  They help keep me on track.

Last night my coach challenged us to post an inspiration quote, and fill in the blank:

"I work out because______________"

Thinking about it, I knew I needed more than a Facebook post to answer this..

It's simple.  I work out because I refuse to give up.


But it's also more complicated than that.

I get told by well meaning friends all I'm perfect just the way I am.  Body Positiveity is the thing right now.  And I get that.  And some are going so far as to say trying to lose weight is anti-body-positive and all.

But that doesn't take in consideration other factors.  I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, colon cancer and diabetes in my family.  Heck, my father's entire family is medicated for diabetes.   I know that losing weight will help with the whole trying to fend of diabetes for some time.

I'm working out for my health.  And to make my health better.




In the last few years, I've started running.  And man, do I love me a race!  But I'm a slooooow runner.

My previous goal was to run the Disney Princess half marathon.  I've found some other race to start working towards

My new goal races:  the Disney Star Wars Dark Side half, and the Niagara Falls International Half Marathon!

To that end, I've been using a Couch to 5K program (gotta start somewhere) and an indoor workout.  This month it's Focus T25.  So I get to spend my mornings with Shaun T.

I know that my alternating the running with a solid cardio and body sculpting program I'll get better results.  When I'm done with Shaun T I might go on to 21 Day Fix, or maybe back to the TurboFire/ChaLean Extreme Hybrid that I used before.  But what I know is I'll always have a plan.  I'll always be working toward something.  Toward wearing a smaller pant size.  Towards being able to walk upstairs without huffing and puffing.  Towards a 12 minute mile.

I work out because I refuse to give up.

I refuse to give up on my goal races.
I refuse to give up on my health.
I refuse to give up on me.

Dropping some Truth

I ran into this video this morning:


And honestly, it made me angry.

Why can't we treat teachers more like this?   Why can't we give them the resources that they need AND a decent salary?

And can we stop with the hanging everything on test scores.  You know what?  MANY of the under performing schools are from schools with students living in poverty.  Sadly, the test scores won't go up until the poverty issue is solved.  

And then I thought about some other truths that we tend to ignore.

(Disclaimer:  None of these are sourced....  I will see if I can.  Also, there is a rather large sprinkling of my opinions in here)

• The science vs. religion debate.  Y'all know they are two different things.  Right?  At times it seems like in America you have to chose between the two.  But the science will still be there.  Science doesn't care what church you go to.  It's based on research, data and facts.
• And can we PLEASE get the Christianity out of law?  These lawmakers want the country to have law based on Christian religion.  You know what that is?  Sharia law!!!  If the Muslims can't do it, you can't either.  And the "religious freedom" that many Christians are fighting for is nothing more than making sure that their religion is the ONLY religion in this country.  the First Amendment.  Look it up.
• And while I'm on the subject:  Marriage is a legal contract.  You don't need a church or minister to get married.  It's LEGAL.  And because it's legal, get your damn religion out of it!!!  
• Republicans tend to look back to the post war era as a time they'd like to get back to.  You know what they did back then?  They taxed corporations and the wealthy.  And with that they built roads and made this country great.  So I agree.  Let's get back to that before the Denbeigh bridge over the interstate collapses!
• Creationism shouldn't be taught in Public Schools.  It's religion.  If religion is taught in schools you should tax churches.
• Let's have the same lawmakers that DEMAND that we send the military to do this and that ALSO pay for the VA.  It's embarrassing.
• You know what else is embarrassing?  The fact that we have people dying in this country because of the lack of affordable healthcare.  Most other developed nations don't have this issue.  Could we also throw in some sick leave, a living wage and paid maternity leave?
• The OVERWHELMING majority of Islamic people aren't terrorists.  You know, it's around the same percentage as the Christians that belong to the Westboro Baptist Church.
• Also, Sikhs wear turbans.  They aren't Islamic.
• And not all women in headscarves are Islamic either.  It's their CHOICE and it's not hurting you.

For too long we have been rewarding people for being absolutely mean.  Donald Trump, a candidate for President has been to rally after rally where he has mocked the disabled, called Mexicans rapists and drug smugglers, along with being not so pleasant to woman or Islamic people.

And people want him for President.

He's just the biggest example.  We reward professional sports people with million dollar contracts, but the PE teacher that taught them are using their own pocket change to buy balls.

Can we start rewarding intelligence and kindness?  Can we make the Golden Rule (You know the Do Unto others one.. the one that Jesus was all about) the standard for behavior?

I facepalm at the uninformed comments and unintelligent rhetoric so often that I have a bruise.  

I can't chance any of this.  All I can do is try to treat others with kindness, and try to correct misinformation there I can.

And drink wine.  Wine solves many things....

Oh for the love of Pete!!

NBC and Fox have been doing live musicals for a few years.  Whenh NBC aired the Sound of Music they were very careful to state that this film would be of the stage version, not a remake of the movie.  Grease's producers were on the record that they took the best parts from the stage musical and the movie to make their script.

Then Fox decided to remake the Rocky Horror Show (Or the Rocky Horror Picture Show).

And my Facebook friend's feed went CRAZY with nay-sayers!

So, of course, me being miss "let's wait and see" had to inform them that the BBC had aired the recorded stage version last year.  And that yes, it WAS a stage musical before they filmed it.

But of course the moaning continued!

They are messing with perfection!

They are ruining everything!!

I refuse to acknowledge it's existence!!

I have always maintained that while not everything SHOULD be remade.... the Rocky Horror Show is a musical.  A stage musical.  It's been revival-ed.  A lot.  And that maybe, just maybe they were doing like they did with Grease, a combo of the movie and the stage show.

From this, it looks as if they are going with the Grease approach.

And you know what?  I'm going to watch it.  I'm going to be objective.

It's been a long summer....

Right before the start of the new school year I stepped on a scale.

Ouch.

I'd gained 6 pounds.

I was officially heavier than when I started working here.

Ouch!

The Spousal Equivalent also remarked that he could stand to lose a few pounds too.

So I formulated a plan!

1.) Workouts.  I work out every day, but I need to up my game.  I want to throw in a 30 minute walk with the puppy every day.  (Or our Tuesday.Thursday run)

That is the face of a puppy that wants to go walkies!

2.) Changing eating habits.  By taking my breakfast to work (baked oatmeal and yogurt) I dramatically cut down on the morning munchies.  I may not be eating salad for lunch every day, but I am dramatically increasing my veggie intake.

Seriously.... I could totally murder a loaf of good warm bread right about now!

3.) Changing my shopping habits.  Y'all.. WalMart Grocer pick up is a revelation!  I make a plan for the week, pick out what I need, then pick it up!  No going to the store and picking up ice cream because you were hungry for it!

4.) Actually giving a shit about my health.  You know what helps me remain upright and moving forward?  Chiropractic care, deep tissue massages and enough sleep.  And you know what?  I'm going to find the money to do the first two, and the time to do the last one.  Also, when I'm not feeling well I might actually take a sick day!  (Horror of horrors!)

Today I actually didn't work out.  I wasn't feeling all that hot.  Instead I slept in a tad and then took the dog out for a walk.  

The other thing that got TOTALLY out of control this summer is the clutter in my house!

I've got a storage room that you can't walk around in.  Sadly, it's been 90 degrees all summer long!  I'm hoping that as the days cool I'll be able to get in there and start getting rid of thing that I don't need and box up the things that I want to keep but don't use often and donate the shoes, bags and clothes that I seem to can't get rid of but don't wear (and won't ever wear again)

I've also done things like putting my spice rack on the wall instead of keeping spices in a drawer, so I won't keep buying spices again and again because I couldn't find them in the damn drawer...

 You know... trying to use the vertical space in the house...

(I'm next tackling the mess that is my nightstand...)

The only other thing that I need to SERIOUSLY work on is breaking up my weekend cleaning frenzy into bite sized weekday pieces.  You know.. so I don't spend ALL of Sunday cleaning (Or saying that I'm going to clean...)

Well folks... let's hope that some of these back-to-school resolutions stick...