Update:

LOL

So the poem shared quite a bit but let me just say that I must have been way bigger than I really felt I was in my head.  The dress size doesn't lie and the largest size that I was wearing was 5 dress sizes larger than I am now.  Cheers!  Every pound down is a mini-celebration, but when I put on some jeans that I couldn't even pull up all the way and I pulled them up and brought the button together across the front for the first time in forever... something inside just does a happy dance.

I'm still happy dancing!  And the hubs picked out two dresses for me, one purple and the other black and I laughed "ha, on which leg?!!"  But he said, "Try em on!" and I did and they fit... so I brought boththem home!  Awesome!!!

More updates to come, but now it's time for Callie's schooling.

A Whole Lotta Progress!

By: Stephanie Josiah 12/02/2011


Underneath the baggy mom shirt and mom jeans
I've noticed a change
some things moving back to the way they were
before kids rearranged

is that the hourglass coming back?
are those my abs deep down?
I had forgotten that under the thick tan layers
I was once not so darn round (lol)

I'm fitting slimmer dresses now
bought a purple one and black
a way to treat my happy self
for getting old Steph back

Well, not old Steph exactly
"Old Steph" plus four and glad
But who's that chasing the kids around now?
Nope, this time it's not their dad (lol)

Mom can keep up better now
Mom's not out of air
Mom's not moving the pouch aside
When trying to comb their hair (lol)

Well now I'm just goofing a bit
but the fact remains - it's true
the best person to lose the preggo pounds for
is the awesomely beautiful YOU!!!

Been a good while, huh?

Needless to say I've been MIA.
Still been working on slimming
down and loving myself as I am
(which is a work in progress)

Nothing new really
Still loads of stress and running
errands, making doctor appointments
for the kids and homeschooling now.

That's probably the biggest change
lately... Mommy-nurse-manager-of-four-super-mom
is also adding the teacher hat to her headfull
of hats.  I decided to do homeschooling

first and foremost because I feel like putting
kids in public school nowadays is basically like
this poem...

FIRST DAY OF PUBLIC SCHOOL
by: Stephanie Josiah 9/20/2011

"Congratulations, your kid is now a statistic...

65% more likely to succumb to peer pressure,
snort crack, produce offspring as a tween, sell reefer,
bully other students and/or be bullied by other students,
cuss like a sailor and become jaded before the age of
twelve! Oh and did I mention run into teachers who hate their jobs
hate God, and all His little creatures especially children... yet
the students only crime is being stuck there for what?... seven hours
a day only to get squeezed out of the cold

heartless institution that is public school with a passable
grade point average... leading to the crumbling moment of
having his/her dreams crushed when those far away, unattainable
college goals get shut down and he/she ends up kickin' it in a two-year local,
whilst flipping burgers for the King... or Pancakes for IHOP.

Or maybe let's say they DO get into a four year university somewhere
and graduate Super Suma Cum Freakin' Laude... get an apartment that
they can barely pay for because all their degrees in Physics or BioScientoWhatever
that sounds really super awesome on paper (that framed piece of paper above the mantle)
can't even keep their heat on and flipping burgers was the only available job.

I'm just saying."

I believe that education is essential, but honestly, there has to be a better way to set people up for actual success.

Date Night was a BUST

Hello world!!


I mentioned before that the husband and I have started to go on Friday night date nights, one night to go out and celebrate being adults... minus the kids LOL. 

Well last night's date night was a complete bust.  The husband planned nothing, I tried to grab up some friends last minute (a married couple that we have had game nights with, in the past) but they were heading out last night to New York.  Rats!  Bowling and then lounging at this Afro-Caribbean spot would have been the way to go, but that's okay I think they're more than up for joining us next time around.

But so, we head out (mind you, a mother of four heading out on a much needed date gets washed up, dressed up, and pumped up... meaning psyches herself up with many confidence boosters because well, she's a mother of four and in no way looks the same as she did four kids ago) and the husband tells me that he just texted some old friends to see what they were up to and that they were going to the pool hall.  So the pool hall it was, at that point, I was anxious to be anywhere doing anything.  The pool hall was fairly empty but we had a good time (I was the only female in our group so I was able to watch the guys do their "male bonding thing") but did I mention that this is supposed to be kind of a date?  Did I mention that on the way to the pool hall I caught myself talking to my husband and he was SOUND ASLEEP.  Yes, my date for the night was sleeping on the car ride to the pool hall... and then after not much time at the pool hall the guys had to leave around 10:30, so for me... the night seemed to end brutally short!  We jumped back into the van to head in the direction of food and wound up back in our neighborhood at our local Ihop.  Husband was sleeping all the way, but not before he shot down an idea that I had that I was hoping to at least get his support on.

Date night was a complete and total bust!  I'm not sure that I even want to do it again.  On nights like last night I get a lot of creepy crawly thoughts that make themselves comfortable in my head.  "He's asleep because he's not interested in you anymore" or "Maybe if you were more attractive he would be making bigger and better plans to take you out and show you off... maybe dancing or maybe out on the town with a group of friends... maybe he would make some kind of plans, in advance, period and make it a thing of interest/importance."

Plus, I always get his excuses for why this or that didn't happen or why the interest level seems low... I even tell him that I don't feel like he sees me the same way, and he assures me that it's not anything like that, "I'm just tired," he always says.  Well I'm tired too!  I'm just as tired, just as run down, just as brain beaten, just as sleep deprived as him but I make time for and stay awake for the things of importance to me.  Maybe it's a supernatural power that I possess that nobody else is capable of???

Oh well, I say all this to say that my self esteem building is crucial in times like these.  I could curl up into a little defeated ball and wallow in all those nasty thoughts that try to weigh me down or I can say f* it.  I'm going to continue to work on me and work on treating myself well, because I am the only person that I can count on.  :0)


I know, a much more serious side... there are days like that!  LOL but it's all good.


XOXOXO

~Steph

So what's new?

Recently my nephew decided to give my cell phone a bath in a cup of orange juice... cleansing it of its ability to function.  YAY!!! (sarcasm, needless to say lol).  But I've been a very busy busy woman.  I must have dropped one or two dress sizes!  Whoo hoooooo!  I went shopping with my mom this weekend and she treated me to several clothing items and I had no problem wearing anything in what I thought was my current size.  I even had to go to the smaller size for an item or two, frickin' awesome  :0)  I'm happy as a kid on a rollercoaster with an empty stomach and nothing to lose!

(c) weightlossforwomen.com


The husband has been loving my pumped up confidence, my steps to bringing sexy back, and my overall "go out and get that Stephanie back" attitude.  He has also noticed that my size has slimmed down and that's a plus!  My goal is to be in a size 16, for some of you, that's HUGE... lol.  Well, I'm 6 feet tall with shape and size 11 shoes, it would look crazy for someone with my height and shape to be skinny in all the wrong places.  I need my butt for sitting and I need my curves for well, the obvious reasons!  lmbo.  A size 16 would be purrrrrrrrrrrfect!  I'm not in a huge rush, but it feels good knowing that I am well on my way ;)

So, this week is all about keeping up the good work.  More routine, more fun with hand weights & repetition for my arms.  Still gotta suck those batwings back in LOL.  Progress, my people, progress is being made and I can't stop, and I won't stop!

XOXOXOXOX

~Steph

I SURVIVED VBS WEEK!!!! :=)

Greetings!!




Last Monday was the beginning of the most awesome and most energy-demanding VBS week ever... During one of Maryland's hottest temperature weeks as well, whew!!


Everyday started with me having to wake up at 5:30am to drop the hubs off at work (our other car is in the shop) and then head back to the house in time to wash up and dress all the kids, feed everyone (including my nephew), and have my sister get him ready as well so I could take all FIVE kids to the church building for VBS between 9 and 9:15.  Then drop them all off to their classes (I was so proud to see my oldest in her first actual grade level class :)   So cute!)  Oh, and then pin my name tag on and join up with the 3rd graders in the VBS morning rally!
The VBS day consisted of: Following the students to each station (rotation style): Crafts, Music, Bible time, Recreation and Snack, Small Groups, Music, and Closing Rally.  Rec & snack was outside!  In the hottest, most humid weather I've EVER experienced.  I'm still trying to regain energy because it all but cooked out of me.  LOL!  Then after closing rally I would run back around and pick up all five kids from their classes and head upstairs to the offices where we would eat and then pass out in Mom's office.  (That is, if the kids cooperated enough to eat and take a nap)... I'd cat nap and then I'd grab up FIVE sleepy-cranky kids and load them up into the van to head an hour out to pick up "Daddy" aka "hubs" and then... HOME AT LAST!  Where I'd cook dinner if we didn't grab it already on the go and struggle to get the kids to sleep at a decent hour.
VBS week wrapped up with Friday's performance (which we attended and my oldest child sang in - awwww) and then as soon as it ended, Friday Night's VBS Coney Island Carnival began, indoors.  So before we had even set up for my facepainting station... a line had formed from the front of the auditorium, to the back.  LOL I never knew anything about Angry Birds until this week and I ended up face painting more angry birds than ever!!!  Yep, angry birds and butterfly eyes, tiger faces, and unicorns... ahhhh, good times!  This week was so much running around non-stop, going up and down stairs repeatedly, soaking in my own sweat outside during recreation, cramming a handful of grapes in my mouth here and there...  Never a dull moment!  :0)  But I had a blast!!!  My VBS kiddos, the 3rd Graders, Rocked!


I wonder how many calories melted off of me this week?  I recommend committing to help out with a kids summer camp or a VBS week, you don't stay still and just keeping up with them makes you workout in ways you can't imagine.  My legs, at this point, are sore and my back is whack, and my body is just overall tired...  But I can't wait for the next one :)




XOXOX


~Steph

Getting better, Steph-DayCare, and Plans to get OUT and enjoy me!

Hey there!

Here it is Friday and I haven't filled you in all week?  What's up with that??  Alright to catch you up, the first part of the week I was still recovering from feeling horrible.  I was dancing while doing chores during the day and then I was having stomach issues at night... that's a recap.  But this week starting Tuesday, I believe it was, I had some strength back and I did some nighttime workouts.  Being sick for such a long week and then doing crunches and core building exercises was like AAAAARRRRHHHHHHHH!!!!!  But I pressed forward.

The children were shall we say, "Less than cooperative", all week long.  I actually have another kid to watch during the day now.  My nephew is now in my care from 11:30am to 6:30pm... Thank God that my husband gets home around 5!!  But still!!!!!!  I spent the whole week keeping my son and my nephew from beating each other up over toys and pulling them out of things they shouldn't be in, and fighting them to take naps, and so on and so forth... in fact, I'm exhausted right now just talking about it!

This will be a short posting, as I am going to try to catch a nap... tonight is DATE NIGHT and I have plenty of dancing to do at the lounge.  Better reserve my energies!

xoxo

~Steph

Sick as a dog but dancing through the chores

Hey folks =-)


    So, for whatever reason, my digestive system is out of whack - probably from postnasal drip!  I spent the past week sick as a dog - I originally thought I was coming down with strep throat, but it turned out to be a severe sinus assault on my life.  LOL.  My head felt like it was going to pop open, sinuses were in a pressure cooker, nose stuffed and then draining and then stuffed again, eyes burning and leaking, and to top it all off, sore throat and minor inner ear issues.  I almost went in to see my quack, I mean - my doctor, lol to ask "what in the world should I do and where do I start?"  But I remembered that my mom picked up some Tylenol Severe Sinus caplets... I figured I'd much rather give those a shot than drive 45mins. out of the way to meet with my doctor for two seconds (with her barely paying attention anyway) - only to turn around and write a prescription that is supposed to rectify my snotty situation, but might (since she barely pays attention) counteract with another symptom and have me wind up on the set of HOUSE with some situation bigger than it needed to be but medication made it worse!
    Paranoia?  Maybe so, but I really need to switch primary care physicians because if this doctor is supposed to keep me healthy, she's doing a crap job... cuz I don't even want to see her!  Lmbo.
    Anyway, being sick and taking care of four wild and crazy kids is a hardship.  Not much time to workout when you're popping meds, getting drowsy, doing chores, and changing diapers.  I had to modify my workout time, I did my workouts during chores this week.  I turned on the radio and cooked while dancing, did dishes while dancing, served the kids their food... while dancing, swept crumbs while dancing and did plenty of sweating too!
    Dancing while sick must burn a lot of calories!  Also, I had to keep myself super hydrated.  As I hinted at earlier... I had a major case of the bubble gut.  (yea, IT happens) I drank a great deal of ice water and sweat that out pretty much as soon as it went in.  Last night the hubs and I went out to eat @ Red Lobster and stuffed ourselves pretty full.  I wanted to be carried out of the restaurant!!! =-)
    When we left Red Lobster, I wanted to throw my body on the curbside and sleep... feeling rolly polly and sluggish, I was fittin' to go in hibernation mode.  But we drove over to the mall, parked the car, and walked a lap around the mall.  Surprisingly, I felt awesome when we finished.  My stomach didn't feel filled to capacity anymore and it made for a pleasant change of pace - you know, instead of the whole sleep on a full belly episode. (Which is really bad for you anyway).
    After the mall walk we went to the Wal*Mart over our way to pick up some essentials, I also treated myself to two new nail polishes (yeah, I paint my nails now - imagine that!  Even though I know that babies and dishes, and scraping grime off of tables and counters and floors will completely destroy them right away, I actually don't mind keeping up with the attempt to bring my SEXY BACK.)  Oh, so anyway, then we went to a lounge and sat in a dark corner, listened to Caribbean music and Highlife.  I started jammin'!  The DJ was picking a lot of my faves and before 1AM rolled around, we were in that corner dance-sitting (hey, it was the best we could do, we were tired) LOL.  Awesome time!  Next time around, we'll skip the mall and restaurant and eat at the lounge, dance at the lounge, and get our grown people on!


    So, when's the last time you went out?  Seriously, put your hands up and step away from the diapers - set up some babysitting services and step out, get your grown woman on!  Feeling overly domesticated?:  "Somebody has to keep up with the children and the house"... true, but make it fun and dance through it.  What step are we on now?  That should be a step!  Step *whatever*: Dance while doing domestic duties - practice for when you go out on the town to dance with the hubs or the girlfriends.  If you aren't confident about your moves, ask someone to check out what you're working with first and give honest feedback.  "No honest friends?"  "Friends afraid to give you the steaming hot harsh reality in a mug that says I <3 U?"  Shoot, ask me.  I'll tell you that as long as you're comfortable, move to your own beat!  Don't worry about comparing yourself to anyone else out there.  If you skip a step, lose the beat, fall down... PLAY THAT JOKER OFF and start pop-lock-and-droppin'.  Trust me.  I'm a big fan of making those crazy embarrassing moments worth having!


xoxoxo


Steph


PS~ know any good doctors?

PS~ Workout Videos

    I forgot to mention this earlier, and I certainly don't want to knock personal trainers or workout gurus, mad props to them for keeping us all motivated and for changing lives.

    But if you're anything like me, chances are a size 0 Brazillian model working out in front of you while you try to sweat away the pounds is doing the opposite of motivation for you.  When I see a size 0, Brazillian model type doing a crunch... my crunch looks worlds different from hers.  Like say for instance you grew up in a family where there was always the pretty one and you were like the awkward one... yea.  Kind of like that.  I lose motivation, I even begin to loathe the poor size zero chick simply because of the fact that when she works out: A) she's not even close to being out of breath, B) she's wearing something that I could maybe fit on one leg, and C) she's sporting the most ripped abs and tightened glutes I've ever seen... and I'm sporting a lot more jiggle and a delightful kangaroo pouch.

    I don't know that I am built to look that way, in fact, I can assure you that my bones probably don't wear a size zero and so, I don't recommend viewing videos where model types are working out in front of you, if that just makes you feel more like CRAPOLA!  Working out is supposed to make you feel GREAT!  Emotionally and physically.  So, if you're feeling down while watching hot model chick, memorize the workouts... play some music in the house, find a nice quiet place, and workout to the beat of the music!  Have fun with it.  Now, you're not feeling like you're competing with size zero.

    For those of you who love size zero model workout videos and feel entirely motivated and fabulous while working out, I say... Men!  Get off my blog.  LOL nah, just playing.  Sometimes seeing your "goal self" is a good thing and I can't knock you for it!  Keep it up!!!

    But size zero is not a realistic "goal self" for me.

Step: 10 is it?  "Workout to your own beat, get fit for you and don't compete!"  Yea, I'm totally aware of the fact that I just rhymed :)

xoxo

~ Steph

Daily Workouts - GET SOME

    First off, let me say that I'm typing this post while a severe thunder & lightning storm is blasting over the house, and the storm of children fussing and fighting, certainly matches the outside weather conditions... and certainly distracts from my train of thought, so wow, let's see how well I focus.
    I've been doing some working out, usually when the kids are asleep, and I'm finding that indoor workouts are awesome for multiple reasons... weather issues, lack of childcare, and complete and total busy-bodiness!
    How awesome it has been, for the past few days, to work out in my room when the kids are in bed!  Really I could do the workout anywhere, I don't need that much space - I just need my hand weights (and a little music really helps) and then it's off we go on the journey to getting fit!

    I do A LOT OF ARM WORK!  I'm kind of built like a T-Rex, in the fact that my arms are drastically weaker than my legs.  If I ever needed to fight someone to save my life, I would probably have to kick them to death or something LOL.  Despite how weak my arms feel, after child #1 I noticed that my arms were accumulating some sort of stretchy batwing effect.  By the time children #3 and #4 (twins) came, I could fly away.  I just need a little fairy dust and I could be gliding from the top of trees... tree to tree like a flying squirrel... well, that or maybe that sparkling, poor excuse for a dangerous vampire, Edward.  My bad, Team Edward, peeps out there, but really?  If glittering dudes work for you, there's really nothing I can say to cure what ails you LMBO.  But I digress...  So the arm work is going to help me suck those bad boys back in, afterall, I don't need to fly if my sexy legs are walking again!

    Speaking of which, I don't have any clue how much weight I've already lost, haven't stepped on a scale in a while... but I can feel the changes and the way I'm fitting into my clothes is a great indicator.  I think I might have even stated it in a previous post, "I'm not as interested in putting a bunch of numbers in my face.  The only descending numbers I want to see are my clothing sizes."  This whole journey is about changing my life: putting daily exercise in my routine and GETTING IT DONE or as I like to say, "GET SOME!!!"  LOL and refocusing on who Stephanie is.  That means that more often, I'm going to do my hair, I'm going to paint my toenails, I'm going to put on something a little bit more dressy than jeans and a baggy t-shirt.  I mean, really, it gets better people!  Don't ever feel like you can't do any better for yourselves!  I felt that way for a while - I was like, "man, there's nothing I can do.  I'm too busy... I'm too tired, I'm too depressed, I'm too this and too that."  But the reality was that I was just too blind.  I needed to see myself just how I had become: lifeless, filled with excuses, completely drained and overworked, no effort put in to keep up with my own appearance because I had forgotten who I was.  I had become about as exciting as a worn out momma pig, just flopped over onto one side with no ambition in life but to suckle all the baby piglets in the pen for the rest of her natural life.  I was literally flopped over, maybe I don't nurse my kids anymore, but pretty much a defeated spirit... locked in the four walls of a mental prison... and a reality that I'm not nearly as in charge as I think I am... the kids dictate just about every second of my life from the time they wake up to the time they go to bed.

    But I realized.  I may be busy... I may have a lot of demands on my time and my attention... I may have very little me time at all... but I'm going to make the MOST of my ME TIME!  And one surefire way to make the most of my me time is to focus on making ME a whole heck of a lot healthier and sexier.  Confidence is a must!!!
    Oooop, gotta run, the oldest child wants family time in the basement.  See, what I mean?  LOL


Luv,

Steph

Disguised workouts, Doctors, "Moo Cows", Pilates, Princesses, Green Hamsters, and Sexy Me

(a message that was supposed to be posted yesterday but my computer went BIZZERK!!)


Been gone for a minute but guess what?... I'm BAAAACK!!!

Bwa ha ha ha hahhh, just when you thought I had gotten quiet?  Never that!! :0)  Alrighty so here's the scoop, aside from running around, like a chicken with my head cut off, since I last posted I did my workout on the pilates machine and then the boys' birthday was the following day (Tuesday)... I didn't do much of anything on that day except for cuddle the boys ** Oh wait!  I did a dance off with the children and that broke a sweat, I forgot that I disguised my workout by having them dance with me.  That was fun!**  Oh yeah and then I did some cooking and cleaning. 
    Then Wednesday I was dragging four kids out the house for the twins' 2yr. doctor appointment, fortunately Mom was able to come with me and we successfully had the visit (a shot in the leg for each boy but Nate didn't cry at all and Ishy cried for maybe two seconds and then he was like "huh, is that all you got?")  To celebrate the success we went to "Moo Cow's" as the kids call it (Chick-fil-a) and smashed our faces when we got to the church building.
    Spending some much needed time with Mom was really good for us and we were sad to have to leave... By the time we got home it was almost five and I made everyone rest in their beds so that I could at least stretch out for a few.  Then it was dinner and then it was SLEEP.  Days like Wednesday are so full that they are a workout in and of themselves!!!
    Thursday I did some working out on the pilates machine in the afternoon and some leg lift repetition.  (Step 7: Indoor workouts are mandatory if it's just me watching the kids- naptime is primetime to git-er-done!!)
    Friday Mom came to visit us at the house and then she watched the boys for me so I could take the girls to a Princess themed birthday party (of course you know that the girls were all decked out!  Callista wore Ariel's wedding gown and shoes - courtesy of Mom :0) and Ariana wore Tiana's green gown and shoes - courtesy of Mom :0) and they were covered in bling - courtesy of Ishmael and myself)  It was a team effort!  When the girls showed up they were blinking and blinging and catwalking and stylin'  LOL
    Saturday I was sick as a green hamster and comforted myself with a shot or two of Pepto Bismol

and Sunday I put forth the effort to show off the fitter (taking better care of myself) me - decked out from head to toe and even gave myself a cute faux-hawk hairdo.  (Definitely a hairdo I'll repeat in the near future!!!)  Just me bringing back the sexy on a whole-nutha-level LOL


So WHAT A WAY TO FINISH THE WEEK!

Now, let's bring it to this week...  Monday I rested.  (Hey, if God took a day to rest... surely I can take a hint that rest is a good idea!)

Today I cleaned the entire house, did laundry, organized, de-cluttered, dusted, swept, mopped, took care of kids, ACTUALLY FOUND TIME TO EXERCISE W/ MY SISTER, more laundry, rearranged the upstairs living area's furniture (because I wanted a fresh take on life LOL), took care of an under the weather daughter and all of her demands, made business phone calls, WHEW!!!, made lunch, and stretched out for two seconds before Natey woke up from his nap!!!  Crapola, no rest for the weary, and I'm still doing loads of laundry LMBO!  Anyone else have a day like this where it seems you haven't stopped moving since you woke up, jumped out of bed, and your feet hit the floor?  Well, there's no seeming here!  I've been moving all day.

I was going to try jogging with Ishmael today but since I already caught a mid day workout and have been non stop all day, I figure I must have burned more calories by not staying still at all - than I ever possibly could by jogging for what would probably be one minute LOL well, that's pretty pessimistic, I'm sure I could have jogged a minute and a half LMBO!  But it's better to not kill myself all in one day anyway, otherwise when would I ever want to exercise again???
Step 8:  Know when you've done enough for the day!!!
Oh!!! I forgot to say step 9, it was mentioned earlier, but I didn't highlight it.  Step 9: Dress like a beast... that means put in some effort to dress up, do your hair, and get dolled up to show off what you're workin' with and what you're workin' on!  Yea!  GET SOME!  Confidence makes getting fit - SEXY LOL  :)

XOXOXO

~Steph

Walk Date :)

    Hey hey hey!

    So today, I went on a walk with the hubs @ the cool of the day.  We left at 7pm and returned at 7:20.  That's right!!!  I did the same walk that I did last week, only ten minutes faster!  I think two of the major differences were: 1) it wasn't noon, so the sun wasn't its hottest and highest in the sky... and 2) I had Ishmael kickin' it with me and talking / laughing was great distraction from the burning calves.  Today the calves felt better and I'm shockingly not exhausted.

    Yesterday was a great Father's Day.  We went to visit my ex-stepdad for about an hour (as a complete surprise - he had no clue we were coming) and then we went home, passed out, woke up, and then made dinner.  Beef-Pepper-and Onion Kabobs w/ Chicken Rice-a-Roni and it was really good and really healthy too to grill.  Yeah.... :)  I'm not worrying too much on the foods I eat because I don't eat that many calories in the day, my main focus is on getting out of the inactive rut that I have been in for so long.

(not an actual pic but pretty close)

    Back to today though...  I was initially bummed out because I thought my sister was going out early today and I missed my noon walk - and then she never did actually go out.  But when Ishmael came home we did the walk together.  Walking isn't my idea of the most exciting thing in the world, but it's feeling SO GOOD!  I can actually say "oh yeah bay-bay, I used my muscles today"  LOL...  Not everyone feels like walking, but when there's opportunity take it!!!  "Need motivation?  Go into the bathroom, look in the mirror, and give yourself a pep talk."  I can only motivate myself.

    If my husband were to ask me if I went for a walk (and I hadn't) and I told him that I hadn't and he asked me if I was going to... I would probably zap out on him.  Not that he wouldn't have a good point, but I'm smart enough to know that I need to workout...  So my plan is to usually not leave my workout to the end of the day.  I plan to do my walking midday so I can tell him about how awesome I am and how I motivated and toughed it out myself.

    What step are we on?  Step 6:  Motivate yourself.  Even if you think you aren't in the mood for it (I'm learning that my body has been waiting for this!!!)

    Not counting yesterday's busy busy busy business... that's how many days straight of working out?  Whoah, I think I'm well on my way to making this a habit :0)  Are you making any cool new stuff a habit and what's working for you???

(not me, and I'm more chocolatey LOL)

 

xoxoxo

~Steph

Day Date - Sun Beat

    It's the close of the day and I'm sitting in the room with the hubs thinking about Father's day.  Wow, Father's Day used to be such a drag for me.  But now I get to celebrate the kids having Ishmael as a dad and that totally rocks.  As a pre-celebration, we enjoyed a day out and about.  We went to the Orioles vs. Nationals baseball game today... so funny when Ishmael yelled "GOAL!!!" and all the diehard baseball fans were mentally twisting around in their seats trying to choke him out.  LOL.  I think we must have had the hottest seats in the whole stadium... and no, I don't mean the hottest location as far as being closest to the field with the best view.  I mean, we were in some good seats (special thanks to the Air National Guard for the free tickets) but the sun was frying us all like turkeys out there!!!  I saw women in tank tops, skin just blazing red... and redder still.  "That couldn't feel good," I imagine.  But, c'est la vie!
    I literally melted in my seat.  When I got up, my capris were sticking to me and I looked like I had a "wee" little accident.  And the camel-back that we carried in (that the fans surrounding us had hoped we were cool enough to smuggle booze in with) was disappointingly filled with only ice water (since neither of us drink)... and man, the water ran out real quick.  :)
    So, even though the sun cooked most of my energy out and probably helped me lose some water weight, I figured "what the heck, let's head out of here and walk around the mall for a while."  I was really proud of myself for thinking about a place indoor, with air conditioning, that you can walk laps around... and for even having the desire to walk it.  **Step 4: malls are free places to exercise, just don't be stopping in the stores LOL**
    Did my walk for today!!!  Despite being sun-toasted-beat-tired... and so ends day two of my mile walks!  I'm going to press forward in my goal to making a good mile walk part of my daily routine! 

xoxo

~ Steph

Nap Time is for the Birds

    Today is day one of my "Nap Time is for the Birds" policy.  I don't need to curl up like it's winter and I'm Yogi Bear.  This lady is over-napped and I just don't know it.  I read that it is possible to wear yourself out with too much sleep.  I need energy, not sleepies!
    At noon the kids are going down for a nap and I'm putting on some jogging sneaks so I can... walk?  LOL we'll see how long I successfully jog :)  (Gotta ask my sister to hold down the fort just in case somebody starts to stir before I return.  So, step 1: always have a babysitter.)

** To be continued ** Gotta run!

    So getting out of the house immediately was impossible.  I had to first change a poopy diaper that Nate created, as a protest to going to bed, and fill up my camel pack, and then Ishy started to cry for some reason or another.... But I tucked Nate in and said aloud, "I'm going to do this whether I get cooperation or not."
        Step 2 (after step 1: get a babysitter): Address distractions and then go out anyway!!

    Alright, so now that I returned to the house I'm pumped!!!  It wasn't a jog, it was more of a speed walk, lmbo... it was like my muscles said, "who you foolin'?" so I kept a steady pace and speed walked it 1.07miles in 30 mins. so I was moving maybe 2 miles an hour?  Not bad for a first day..
        Step 3: Accept your pace.  Trust me, you'll be glad you did!

        WHAT I WAS FEELING: whoooooo, I walked until my calves were on fire and then I walked some
        more... and I didn't stop until I reached the international food store and continued around like I was on
        the track&field track.
        WHAT I WAS THINKING: "Come on girl!  In the words of J.T. ' I'm bringing sexy back!' Earn your
        rest when you get home!"


LOL well I'm pooped, time to check on the kiddos and tell the girls "you better go to sleep!  Don't you know I can hear you playing in there!?  Last warning!"

oy!

xoxo

~Steph

FED up!

    Wowy wow woah... I'm completely tired of this new body.
If anyone had told me that I would have popped out four kids and dragged my body through the trenches of mommyhood... I would have said, "Oh get outta here!"  I've noticed the fluffier midsection and the new rolly-polly feeling when I get up and move around but sheesh, I saw my body in front of a wall of mirrors when I was at a resort (on vacation with the family).  This wall of mirrors was placed behind a sexy hot tub in a very spacious and luxurious bathroom.  I winced for a minute and took a second glance... "OMG, that's not a sea cow in some sort of moving 'sea-themed' mural... that's my actual body!  Unholy hell!!!  Now that ain't sexy!"  I gulped a major gulp and grew closer to the mirror, "darn this unflattering lighting!" noticing the dark circles under my eyes and my skin was pasty white and what was even worse... my stretch marks looked like a subway map was paper mache'd to my abdomen.  "Rats on bats!"  I felt horribly disfigured and I thought to myself, "if I could just chop this off, and pin that up, and hide that away... and oooh what the hell is that?"  It was like all this time I still saw myself as that college student with the skinny body... and then I fell into a time portal and found myself 40yrs. in the future!
    So I'm crazy motivated now.  I am going to work my butt off, literally, to get myself as back to I was as possible.  I hope I can keep the boobies though... the boobies were a marvelous, unexpected gift from pregnancy number one (pregnancy number two made them a little bit flat) and then good ol' pregnancy number 3 rectified the situation!  I wouldn't even mind keeping some of my lovely lady lumps (as I believe Fergie stated) but the majority of this mayhem needs to go!  Where does a mother of four young kids find time for a workout??
    I'm going to have to get on the ball.  I need a schedule that works for meeting the needs of all four kids and at the same time, leaves room for my own personal improvements.  Like what about dance?  Did I forget that I love to dance?  Nope, I just got busy... busy, busy, busy!  And tired!  Oh so very TIRED!  i don't think I like to run, I don't remember the last time I ran just for the heck of it LOL oh man, what happened to me?  "Okay, think back...  What did I like before one too many episodes of Dora the Explorer and Yo Gabba Gabba fried my brain cells?  Oh yeah, that's right!  I loved to dance, draw, sculpt, act, bowl, write poetry-memoir-journal, go out with people older than age 5... it's starting to come back to me now.  Oh, that's right and I hung out with my close friends, well, that was before they all dropped off the face of the map because I grew up... got married... grew a family... and they thought that my new responsibilities meant that I was no longer the same Stephanie."  But I digress.  "That's right, even farther back in time (before I got my awesome first car) I actually enjoyed walking everywhere with my then-boyfriend-now-husband... and that was really awesome to just be out in nature, running around and making out behind bushes and stuff."  Wow, whatever happened to that girl?
    So I've figured out that I still enjoy doing all of those things and there's no reason why I can't do a "walk around" date with the hubs again.  Maybe work them into a routine where we park somewhere and walk as far away from the car, lose the car, and then try to find it again.  I've gotta make life less convenient for me.  "Oh no, we're out of milk?  Maybe when Ishmael gets home from work I can go walk and get some?  Would that be too, old school?  Too 'pre-car Steph'?"  Nah, that would be awesome, that would be like me having to use my legs again long distance and even some longer short distances would be a vast improvement to my daily activity.
    What now?  Well, I went walking with the hubs on Monday and did some working out on the pilates machine... gotta step it up.  I really want this really really badly.  I'm so far from pregnancy and post-pregnancy excuses.  If I were to stay fat, it would be like saying, "oh well, that's just the way the cookies crumble."  Or rather, "that's just the way the cookies plump me up."  So I'm completely, totally, past the point of return... FED UP!
    This blog is about me finding myself again, after the dirty diapers and kiddy shows completely brain washed me into thinking I was Momma-milkyboob-bags.  I'm so much more than that and in this process to de-fat-ifying myself, you and I will have the pleasure of sharing more laughs and you can be sort of an accountability partner who checks in on my journey to a new, improved me :0)
    I will be journaling about what I eat, what I do to workout, what works and what flops, what I feel and all the bounces along the way!

xoxo

~Steph