Change is a Good Thing

photo from CrossFit Lisbeth

Try! That's a funny word. Try, simply defined is "to attempt to do or accomplish." How many of us, at one time or another, have decided to try to loose weight, try to get stronger, try to be patient, try to be more organized, try to be consistent, try to finish that book, try to learn to cook, try to save money, etc. You get the idea. The list goes on and on. How many things have we all attempted, only to discover we weren't perfect or we couldn't finish, therefore we shouldn't try? What if we all quit trying and started doing? What if we weren't paralyzed by fear of failure and just jumped in with both feet? What if we were able to NOT just ride out the storm, but actually, dance in the rain? What if every ending was a happy ending? (that's a tall order) What if? What if? What if?

I have been challenged recently to NOT try anymore. It's time to do. If I am passionate about being a great homeschool mom, I don't try. I do what it takes to become that great homeschool mom. If I want to be more patient, I don't try to be patient. I practice patience. If I want to be kind, I can't just simply try to be nice. I have to do kind things, say kind words, extend kindness. If I want to change my family's lifestyle so that we are active and healthy and around for each other for a very very long time, then I quit trying. I simply do! I plan vacations differently. I plan meals differently. I plan my life differently. I absolutely put the time in to do the things that God has called me to do and become the person He's calling me to be. It's okay to slip and fail in a moment. It's going to happen. But it's not okay...never okay to quit. And trying, in my opinion, sort of represents that abyss of deciding whether or not I am going to DO!

I am so blessed by the gifts in my life...my husband, my children, my friends and family.  But, I can't remain in the place I sit today! I must DO! I must do things differently. I have to be a good steward over those blessings in my life, not try to be. So, here's to not trying! Here's to doing!

Be strong! Be consistent! Be intentional! BE! Change is a good thing!

Hugs and peace from one tough mother.

"He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding" Daniel 2:21

Just Dance...

I have this picture in my house that reads, "When you stumble, make it part of your dance."

I bought that little picture some years ago and haven't really given it any more thought since. Occasionally someone will come to my house and say, "what a beautiful phrase," etc. etc. I usually just brag about how inexpensive it was when I bought it (ha!). Well those nine words have been ringing true for me lately and that little picture has become my reality. I have stumbled a lot over the past several weeks. Not the kind of stumble you are thinking about. The kind of stumble that doesn't knock you down, but just s-l-o-w-s you down. Yes, I have been keeping up with my paleo diet and yes I have been doing my best in the gym...but something happened.

I was pushing so hard, a few weeks ago in the gym, and began to have pain in my left knee...nothing serious, just uncomfortable. Well, in the stumble, my dance was, "I'll just train around it." Then a few days later, I am doing toes to bar in a work out and BOOM, strained by bicep. Grrrrrrrr!!!!! Not a happy camper. I'll just rain around it. Right?

While training around it, my confidence was through the roof!! I can do this! I can be uncomfortable and be fit...more than uncomfortable, but you know what I mean. Well, this past weekend, I participated in my first Extreme 5k. Basically, for those of you who don't know, an extreme 5k is a 3.2 mile run with obstacles all through the course. You may crawl through mud, go down a giant slip and slide, scale walls, crawl through tunnels, roll under fences, and RUN. Run....hmmmmm, something I have neglected. Well, I discovered my stumble had become my downfall. Since I highly "overestimated" myself going into this race (who ever overestimates, right?), I was totally humbled. Luckily I was running with friends who stuck with me and pulled me through and made the entire day worth it. I "danced" during my stumble. 51 minutes later, I FINALLY danced across the finish line. Thank you, Lord. :) 3.2 miles never felt so long.

Well, I am happy to say, that today I am back in the gym and dancing....that's right dancing. It's a beautiful mess, this life I am living. But, it is mine to live and if I quit dancing....well, I quit living life to the fullest. I love to dance. I just hope it's not during my stumble for too much longer. I am strong and so are you! Whatever you are allowing to keep you from dancing your way through living, let it go!! Life is so worth it when your dancing!!

Hugs and peace from one tough mother :)

One more thing...If you are interested in some great recipes and how to be fit and strong, check out this blog... www.everydaypaleo.com. This girl is a rock star and will help you dance your way to "awesome!"

Push-ups? If it were easy...

...EVERYONE WOULD DO IT!

A friend of mine in Tampa, Florida extended a challenge to do 100 pushups a day for 30 days starting NOW!! I laughed at first. I thought, "with all the crossfit I am doing, I do enough. I have upped my game lately, I am good." But, then something crazy happened. I remembered something I say to my clients every day, "Your body will do exactly what your brain tells it to do."

Often we decide ahead of time that something will take too much time, will be too difficult, or will not be worth the trouble. When in fact, if we reprogram our brain, the extraordinary can happen! How many times have we shoved something to the side, that will bring great gains, because we are too lazy, we don't have enough time, or we need to wait until Monday? It's amazing how long it takes the right Monday to roll around. I know, I have been there...many, many times.

What are the benefits of a pushup, you may ask? Well there are tons...but, if I may quote Herschel Walker...

 

"Pushups are one of the oldest and most basic exercises and they are very effective. They work out all the muscles in the upper body and build optimal strength in the forearms, wrists, upper arms, shoulders and chest. Former NFL star Herschel Walker was one of the top running backs in the game in the 1980s. He eschewed weightlifting but he did a regimen of at least 100 pushups everyday, something he has continued well into his retirement. 'They helped me get in shape and stay in shape,' Walker said. 'That's why I have always done them. Every day.'"

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/25511-benefits-pushups/#ixzz1maPA9Avu

So my question is..."What are you waiting for?" Even if you don't have a regular workout routine. Even if you think today that you can't do it. Force your brain to tell your body otherwise. Get off your "you know what," and do it! You can do them any way you want. You can do them on your knees, or you can do the full body kind. If you are not sure how to do them, email me, dixinotdixie@gmail.com, or facebook me...I'll help you! You can do all 100 at one time, or you can spread them out throughout your day! How cool would it be for a ton of us to do 3000 pushups in 30 days!! Do it! Do it! Do it!! Let's do it together. Just, get moving!! You'll be glad you did! "Being strong is a choice...so is being weak." I'm feeling sassy today. Can you tell? :)

Hugs and peace from one tough mother :)

What is it?

Mind over matter...there is power in your thoughts...stinkin' thinkin'...we have heard them all. But, what does that mean for you, for me, in our journey to get healthy and strong? I say journey because the process often has ups, downs, wheels on the side, cruising through, etc. You get the idea.

What is it that makes Roger Federer unable to beat Rafa Nadal in an Grand Slam final these days? As a friend of mine and Crossfit trainer himself says, "I love Roger Federer, but he is a mental midget when he plays Rafa Nadal."

What is it that makes an entire team or athelete (and stadium of fans) take a deep sigh and lose their momentum causing, their once winning team, a loss?

What makes someone do a workout and suffer through with everything in their gut to continue? I had a client say of a workout recently, "I really wanted to quit, but once I got past the first round, I had to keep going." This person was lifting heavy and doing everything better and stronger than he had ever done before. He had the drive...suddenly. The "want to" overtook the "quit" in him. 


What is it that can suddenly take you to another time and place, enjoying or suffering through a memory so real, you would swear it was happening right then and there?


What is it that enables a mother to go through the excruciating pain of child birth, but amazingly, forget the pain and only remember the beauty of such a day and such a miracle?


Well I call it the good ole mind...or is it heart? However you look at it, "it" has the ability to bring life and rejuvinate or to kill and paralyze. For myself, I have learned (and I am still learning) what my "usual" behavior looks like when I am not thinking clearly...when I am not seeing myself through the eyes of a loving Heavenly Father, who is always with me...when I lose heart. 


See yourself the way God sees you! Take heart! We are able to do extraordinary things when we are able to take hold of that thing for which Christ took hold of us. In encouraging others, we are encouraged. In helping others, we are helped. In loving others, we are loved. In being a friend, we find a friend. In reaching a goal or struggling, we can always take heart. Nothing is lost, nothing is hopeless, and certainly nothing is wasted. It is not too late to begin. It is not to late to begin again! It's never to late! 


Your health is more than what you eat and drink. It is more than if you're moving or staying still. It certainly encompasses all of those things and your journey will be more than tricky without the proper balance. However, I encourage you to take heart! Don't lose it. Hold on to it! It's a funny thing...this heart, this mind. It's all heart!


Hugs and peace from one tough mother :)

52 Days? Are you kidding me?

As I begin to write, my mind is flooded with so many thoughts...so forgive my rambling.

I have so many friends and loved ones that really want to make a change in their life. So many have taken the first steps and some are contemplating and want to take the first step. I have a friend who is an animal when it comes to running and has decided to add another element to her workouts. When it got hard she got discouraged due to circumstances beyond her control at the moment. The point is she is still trying and doing whatever she can day by day. That is the key...one day at a time.

One day at a time...hmmmm...chew on that a moment. Isn't that the case in anything we do in life? Isn't that the word for all of us? It's more than a cliche, it is TRUTH. When we are striving to be a good spouse, a good parent, a good employee, a good person, an encourager, a leader, a follower, a soldier, a teacher, a healthy person...whatever you're striving to be...we take it one day at a time.

Often times, we look at a goal or at our life and think, "There is no way I can do this. How can I do this? How can I get to where I want to be?" I am lead to the book of Nehamiah in the Bibile, and the rebuilding of the wall. What would take years to rebuild, Nehemiah (with God's blessing) finished that wall in 52 days. 52 DAYS!!! Now that is believing in what we think we can't do and then doing anyway...read it. It's an amazing encourager when you are facing a new task.

Whether you are running a 5k, walking to the end of your driveway, beginning a new workout program, being a better "fill in the blank," they key is to DO....and do it one day at a time. I am certain, if Nehemiah was as human as me (and he was), that he looked at rebuilding the wall and thought, "good gracious, this will take forever!" But with determination, God's blessing, and drawing a line in the sand with himself, it was done far sooner than he thought.

So, just begin...don't worry about how long it will take or how far you have to go. Don't worry about the bad days or the "not feeling with it" days...just start moving toward your goal. You'll get there! And much sooner than you thought, in fact!

I am no where near where I want to be. But, am I in process? You bet I am! And one bad day won't stop me, it won't paralyze me. I have set me eyes to the prize and I will get there...one day at a time!

Hugs and peace from one tough mother :)

The moment before you think...

"The moment before you think you can't, comes the self realization that YOU CAN. Don't underestimate...OVER DELIVER!"  Rx Star

It is absolute bliss when you over deliver rather than underestimate! No one knows (not even you) what you can accomplish when you set your mind toward excellence. This picture is me squat cleaning 95 pounds. We had a work out the other day that was simply this...run 800 meters, do 30 squat cleans, then run 800 meters. The prescribed weight was 95 pounds. I had a moment of underestimating... just do 65 or even 55...gasp!! But, I decided to over deliver. And guess what....I did 95 pounds! It has become quite remarkable to me what the human body can do when you fool your mind into thinking you are stronger than you thought you were. Is 95 pounds some great thing? Probably not. But, guess what...it was remarkable for me!!

I say this to say, whatever your "remarkable feat," go for it. Embrace it with no regrets. Go for it. Is it one push up? Is it 50 push ups? Is it running 3 miles? Is it running to then end of your driveway? Is it starting your day with a good attitude? Is is deciding to start a journey you've been afraid to start? Whatever  your "underestimating" is, just begin. You are always stronger than you think!!

I don't look at that picture and think that I have arrived. I look at that picture and see what I have accomplished to this point, and...that I am a work in progress. PROGRESS..."to move forward in space or time."

We all have a starting point and a finish line. But, today...enjoy the journey. Do what you can and make progress. Move forward. Move through what you thought you could do. DO IT!! Don't underestimate...Over deliver!!!

hugs and peace from one tough mother :)

My work out today...

"Filthy Fifty"
50 box jumps, 20 inch box
50 jumping pull-ups
50 kettle bell swings, 36lbs
50 walking lunges
50 knees to elbows
50 push press, 25lbs
50 back extensions
50 wall ball shots, 14lb ball
50 burpees
50 double-unders

No Sugar and Spice for me...True Grit, please!

WHOOO HOOOO!!! Guess who has full body weight pullups? YEP...this tough mother!!

I am not at all being bragadocious! It is simply this...a pullup has been a goal of mine since I began losing weight and getting stronger two years ago. There have been two times in my life when I was able to hoist myself to have my chin over the bar. I usually do workouts that involve pullups with band assistance and today was no exception. I began my workout on the smallest resistance band. I did 5 pullups in a row (for you Crossfitters out there, I did an abbreviated "Cindy"). After the fourth set, I thought, "I am just going to see if I can do a full body pullup. If I can, I'll finish the workout with no assistance." Well...quietly...to myself, I tried it...and... BOOM SHAKA LAKA...I am in!! Not only did I do one, I did as many as it took to finish my work out! Scrump-dilly-icous is what I would say! 

I saw a quote this morning that I will share below that inspired me to be more than just sugar and spice. The beauty of being a woman is that I can have true grit. I can be strong, and I can be tough...AND, I can have sugar and spice, kindness, and a nurturing spirit. This is the real strength in being a woman!

So, be strong people! Try something new. Work hard. Be dedicated. Be determined. Have courage. Have grit. And, have some sugar and spice too. After all, it makes all things nice. :) 

hugs and peace from one tough mother!

 "Ode to the Strong Girl: In this day it is all about courage, determination, toughness, heart, talent, sacrifice, belief, passion, and guts. THAT is what ALL Girls are made of; let the old saying 'with sugar and spice' RIP."  Rx Star

My work out today...

Row 1000 meters (rest 3 minutes)

As Many Rounds as possible in 20 minutes of "Cindy." 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats (rest 3 minutes after)

21-15-9 reps of wall ball shots, GHD situps, burpees, GHD back extentions

This once Hot Mess is now "Won Tough Mother!"

My efforts over the last couple of years to be healthy and strong have led me down an interesting path. Once a 213 pound, depressed, stressed, lazy (and sad) hot mess...NOW (the pic to the left is me today...I ran 4 miles this day)...40 pounds thinner and more determined than ever...A tough mother! I am still in process and have a great journey ahead of me. However, no longer do I claim the title of Hot Mess!! Now...I'm no mess, I'm a Tough Mother! :)

I am calling a do-over on my blog and I am embarking on a journey that I want to invite you on...the journey to keep me accountable to myself! Hopefully while you keep me accountable, you will be inspired and come with me in this fun that I call crazy strong and healthy living. I want to inspire others and have been encouraged by some people dear in my life to resurrect my blog and begin again to document my progress. 

I have lofty goals for myself this year and with great anxiety I share them! I say great anxiety because I will either LIVE and achieve or eat my words. I don't know about you, but I am no good at eating my words. They don't taste like chocolate, they taste more sour! :)

I am going to do a major event/"run" each quarter. My first is scheduled for March 31 and it is called a Tough Mudder. This is a 10 to 12 mile obstacle course that includes crazy obstacles...mud, electrical shock, ice baths, monkey bars, scaling walls, crawling under barbed wire, etc. etc. etc. Doesn't that sound awesome?!? Look out Dallas!! My friends and I are coming in March. My only goal is...FINISH! I may be there until March 31, 2013, but I will finish! Check it out at www.toughmudder.com.

I was talking with a friend the other day and we said, "I want to live!" This is ringing true as my mantra in 2012. I don't want to make resolutions. I don't want to wish to be better, stronger, or different. I want to walk it out. I want to start to live! I vow to get outdoors, climb a mountain, go on a hike, enjoy this beautiful world that God so generously placed as my playground. 

Let's do it!! Are you in!! Don't make a resolution...just MOVE!! Just change!!! To quote one of my favorite blogs that I follow, "Crossfit Lisbeth..." 

"...if your resolutions don’t work for you, then why make them? Instead, just act. There’s no law that says you have to think, decide, plan, and then act. Sometimes, in some cases, you might be better off just acting. Less talk. More walk. Less planning. More results. Skip to the part where you can make things happen. If your life is not where you want it to be, the easiest way to change it is to change it.  Really. So, maybe it’s time not to talk. Maybe it’s time to just do."

My work out yesterday..."300"

25 pullups

50 deadlifts (95lbs)

50 pushups

50 box jumps

50 abmat sit ups

50 kettle bell snatches (36lbs/one arm)

25 pullups

My workout today...

Run 800 meters

30 clean and jerks (95lbs)

Run 800 meters

ARE YOU IN? Are you going to start living with me? Enjoy life and live it...Abundantly!!

hugs and peace from "won tough mother"...