Holy Good Days, Batman!

Yesterday was a rare completely good day for me at school. I really enjoy teaching, but there are certain classes that I would rather not teach, but that need teaching. Like General Music.

1^st-8^th graders are required to have a music course of some kind, which is AWESOME! Way to go for supporting the Arts! But let me tell you, 7^th graders in general are strange creatures. This is the age where they start hitting puberty. The boys are either very tall (having hit their growth spurt) or very short (obviously having not). The girls have hormones flying and haven’t learned how to really control them yet. Couple those things on top of them having to take a music class and it can be a real headache. I try to do things that are fun, but some groups just won’t allow for it. Too many attitudes classroom management issues to deal with. But yesterday… was blissful. (not blissdom, which apparently sucked all kinds of… well yeah) The kids were quiet and did exactly what they were supposed to do. *sigh of relief*

Another good thing- I teach band too. Like teach the kids how to play the instruments. And yesterday I saw some real what I call “light bulbs.” It’s when a kid finally gets it.  That’s why I teach. That look like “ohhhhh!” It’s awesome! The student then feels good and confident and smart and all kinds of other things that kids should feel! Oh Happy Day!

Yesterday also included a workout that out trainer had given our group. I walked into the gym and there was a girl from my group and we did it together. Let me tell you- I freaking love her. Gabby is from Guatemala. So of course, she’s beautiful but she’s also friggin’ tiny! (I have no clue why she’s doing a weight loss competition, but whatev- it works for me!) Gabby pushes me. She keeps my pace up and we keep each other motivated. We learn from each other.

I learned an amazing lesson yesterday- a workout partner can be an absolute blessing. When The Hubby and I workout together, it’s sometimes hard. We can talk ourselves into doing less than what we should. We are comfortable together- and we know how to talk each other into pizza taking it easy. With Gabby, I’m not completely comfortable with her. She’s not completely comfortable with me. Not in the marriage sort of way. So it’s great. I’m not saying you have to workout with someone EVERY DAY, but you might try it.  It’s been a blessing for me. And I like to think for her, too. J Be happy and healthy!

Kris

The Feel Goods

Getting Lean (or dead) in 13

The Hubby and I are doing this contest at our gym. It’s called “Get Lean In 13.” We started it by going to a meeting where they gave us a food plan and then divided us into teams. We each have 2 trainers and they give us a weight workout and a cardio workout for the week and we alternate days we do them. And on every Monday, our group gets together to do our group workout.

I was “lucky” enough to get into the group with the guy who teaches our Bootcamp Class at the gym. Seriously, he’s great, but our trainers decided this week we would do a “Bootcamp” workout for our group session. OH HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!! Let me give you a quick run-down of our death workout.

3 laps around the track (at this point I’m thinking “okay, I got this.”

50 Squats (4 baby squats at the bottom without coming up=1 squat- it burns!!)

15 Pushups followed immediately by 15 dips (3 rounds)

Sit ups with a partner (45 seconds, 4 rounds)……. Like your whooha faces your partners whooha and you sit up at the same time and pass a medicine ball back and forth. Well teacher’s pet here got paired with the trainer and therefore got the heaviest weight. This is where my soul started dying a little bit.

Chest pull ups (12 reps, 3 rounds) we layed under the squat machine (when they said squat machine, but poor little thighs screamed NOOOOO, but it should have been my arms and back screaming) and then grabbed the bar, and did like a mini pull up to the chest with our feet out in front of us.

Last… stairs… I hate stairs. Up and down was one round. We did 5 rounds with two flights. Then we did 4 rounds with 4 flights.

I almost threw up. And I’m not a Biggest Loser throw up to get out of a workout kind of girl. I’m tough. I don’t like to be weak. But let me tell you… I almost lost my cookies (well more like broccoli) all over my trainers’ little bootcamp booties.  

Knowing that soreness is always the worst the 2^nd day, I powered through a cardio workout yesterday, so needless to say that earlier when I sneezed, I almost cried.

Just a little tip that works for me- when I got home knowing that I had some major soreness heading my way, I took a bath with some Epsom salt in it. It helps heal and relax your muscles. And while I am sore beyond belief, I am not sore beyond walking. (Which has happened before.)

Before I go, I’ll give you a typical rundown of my cardio workout. I get bored on the dreadmill. So I mix it up.10 minutes of three different things, 2 rounds.

Yesterday it was Precore (fancy elliptical) for 10

 Treadmill for 10

Rowing machine for 10

I might need gloves for the rowing machine....

Sometimes I throw in the bike or another cardio machine. Whatever you do, make sure that you’re doing something to raise your heart rate. Don’t make it easy. All you have to survive is 10 minutes. Take it minute by minute. But make sure you’re pushing yourself.

Be happy and healthy!

Kris

The Feel Goods

Well Hello There!

How the hell do I start this? Will anyone even read it? Oh well, here it goes!

When thinking about what the post as my first blog post, I figured I might as well introduce you to me. So here I am, my name is Kristyn, and I’m 25, married, teacher, sister, and mom to two amazingly perfect (I know everything thinks their pets are perfect, but seriously, mine are) fur babies Ellie and Daisy. Try not to die from the cuteness…

Me, Hubs, Ellie on the left, Daisy on the right

I have always always been two things.

#1- a teacher. Granted, not always a licensed, paid teacher, but a teacher none the less. Whether it was my siblings, my younger friends, working at our daycare, or in college, I was always interested in working with kids. Now, after 5 years in college, I’m in my 3^rd year of teaching.  

#2- a fat kid. I came out of the womb at a whopping 7 lbs 8 oz. That’s the only time in my life that I’ve been normal sized. Just to prove this, I’ll include some pictures. Not to say I wasn’t a cute kid, I was just a cute fat kid. Or chubby. Or I just “kept my baby fat.” More like hoarded. But whatev.

My at about 2 years old- check out them cheeks!

Me in preschool about age 4.5- love me a big bow

Me and two of my best friends in college... ewwwww

In January of 2011, my now husband had just lost a ton of weight (about 60lbs) because of being diabetic. My thoughts were “if he can do it, so can you.” (Did I mention I’m competitive?) I started with “cutting back” on sodas, which eventually turned into no soda at all. HOLLA!! Then, and only then, was I brave enough to get on the scale… tipping it at 295lbs. That’s right folks, at some point, I was OVER 300 POUNDS. Ya’ll- I’m short. I’m 5’3” if I really stand up straight. That’s a lot of poundage on a small piece of real estate.

Enter low carb diet. While very good for dropping a lot of weight quickly, is not a healthy lifestyle. I know that now, but then I didn’t. So I did it. Under 25 grams of carbs a day. I started in January and by September, I weight 197lbs. What’s that you say? You need help with 2^nd grade math- let this old teacher help you out… that’s a whopping 98lbs. 

Did I mention that I hate low carb diet? (It gets italics because when I say it, I say it in a very Voldemort type voice). But I hate it because once you try to add carbs back in, you balloon. Like gain 30 pounds balloon. My focus now is losing all this weight again, plus some. My goal weight is 140. That is precisely 92lbs. (Yes, that puts me at 232- gag)

Left is September 2010, Right is September 2012

This is my journey. I will make mistakes. But I know so many people have been successful with their journeys because of blogging. Because of the support system. Because of the accountability. So here I am… typing my first post… hoping and praying that it will help me. And hoping that I can help others out and give them a fraction of the happiness that reading blogs has given me. I feel like I’ve truly met friends (they don’t know we’re friends, but that’s cool- all things in good time.) If you’re reading this, thank you. And hope you come back! Be happy and healthy! 

 Kris

The Feel Goods