So Close--So Very Close!

First off, it’s been a hell of a week. Between the schools cramming all the parent-teacher conferences and IEP meetings on top of the weekly appointments and constant running; I do believe I have reached the end of my rope! It’s been an unsuccessful week getting to the gym like I should; with the exception of a few trips and such I have successfully completed; I finally caved and did some things at home to make up for the lack of gym attendance. An item of my grandmothers, her Gazelle machine, was going to originally be sold and I asked if I could take it instead; so my mom let me have it! I finally dusted it off and set it up in the living room got the babies busy eating and watching cartoons while I plugged the ear phones in and went to town!

Let me just say, it was extremely hard to get used to the movement of this particular machine as it tends to force you to lock your knees while trying to maintain the same movement for long period of time. I finally figured out different angles to slant my body and make the conscious effort to keep my knees slightly bent. I did make it through 40 minutes before I just had to get off that thing! The elliptical at the gym is SO much easier on the joints and create a much more flexible movement for a long, high-endurance work out. BUT I cannot complain too much because I did work up a good sweat and burned some good calories here in my own home all while I could watch my daughter and niece.

Once I got off toweled and watered down, I stowed the machine and flipped through some hip-hop work outs on YouTube. I found a lady who has a whole series of workouts available right there on YouTube, Keaira LeShae. I found a 30-minute video of high intensity hip hop work out-- it was SO much Fun! I am extremely sore today, I feel like I’ve been limping around all day! This lady is fun, energetic, has some fun dance moves, and can work it like no other! I had to share with all the ladies out there who want to burn some fat, calories, and tone and sculpt all while having a good time! Let’s just say, you’ll need a lot of ice and heat to help post work out! Click Here for the first work out video I did with Keaira LeShae. I hope you all get a chance to check her out and experience the sweet burn! 

Also, the newest updates on PROGRESS: Down 1 lb. since the previous weigh in--Yes, it is not A LOT but never-the-less it is progress! I’m down a total of 70 lbs. from delivery! Also in positive news, I can now fit back into my Ariat jeans! They are still a little snug but they DO FIT! What can I say, that is progress all the way around! It’s been nice slowly getting back into all my old clothes. One thing I am making a greater effort to not let the number on the scale control my overall outlook on my progress! I am not anywhere near my end fitness goal; however, I am well on the way in achieving it! Only 10 more pounds and my first goal will be achieved! Then from there it will be lowering body fat and increasing muscle. (A good back and forth of weight loss-gain-loss gain-loss etc.) You see it’s all in correcting the ratio of muscle vs. fat and increasing strength, endurance, and HEALTH! Healthy is the new “skinny”!

In other news, today is my last day watching my niece Monday-Friday like I have done for the last 4 months or so… I have enrolled back into college to finish up where I left off when I became pregnant March of 2016 and have the entire degree planned out and graduation with the first degree will be the next major event in the near future! Until school starts in January, the new Monday-Friday will consist of up early, kids out the door to school, Cheeks and I off to the gym first thing each day leading the return to fit on a more consistent schedule! Cheeks can hang out in the child watch a few hours while I continue to complete my fitness goals and see more consistent progress in this journey! Watch out Monday here we come, those results will be blown out of the water! Woo!

-Meredith

We Won't be Distracted by Comparison if We are Captivated with Purpose

Goals are one of my largest priorities in life. How can one not live a life with at least one or more goals? We are constantly growing as people therefore one cannot say, "I know it all." We never will know it all. Learning in general, is a key fundamental to life and how we should strive to live... I've been a mother for 7 years now; and let me tell you I am learning something new about motherhood every single day! Having adopted 4 kids (after a 2.5 year process) and became pregnant, bared, and birthed my youngest; I have already gained a lot of knowledge between pregnancy and ages 0-11. As an adult I have experienced not only motherhood but marriage, divorce, and blending family. My career experience lasted 14 years before making the decision to stay home with my children. It's interesting how we can learn through experience but no matter what we continuously learn every day in all aspects of our lives because with every new day comes a new experience.

When I made the decision to stay home I did it with intentional purpose and goals. During my 5-6 year interim, the first goal set aside for me to adjust to my new little bundle, the growing home of now five children, and spending time focusing on motherhood--lose as much weight as possible and return to FIT. My little Cheeks was born a few weeks before Christmas, so thankfully, it will allow me to enjoy the holidays this year at home with my children with out any outside obligations such as work or school pulling at me. My second goal will begin and end in 2018. All is still in process but as of now I will complete my Associates Degree of Psychology by December 2018. Once I complete my associates degree... Beginning January 2019 I'll be attending college fulltime to complete my third goal--my under grad in Language Speech Pathology. My last and final goal is to complete my graduate degree and receive my Masters in Language Speech Pathology. This folks, will be my ticket back into the work force! My little cheeks will be entering Kindergarten and my oldest will be a Junior going on Senior of High school by the time I return back to work--This time, working in the field I am passionate about and making the desired salary necessary for my big-little family.

"The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice." -Brian Herbert. It is by choice we must push ourselves to succeed in life--whether it is meeting a goal, learning something new, or bettering ourselves overall. Life is so short and we must take every opportunity that is given to us. Each day is a new day to make new choices and to push harder than the day before. Once we are done living this life, we may take nothing with us, but we do leave behind our greatest asset--our legacy! It is up to us to make it a great one!

-Meredith