Motivate Me Monday- Me and Fitness Link up

This is our first link up party For Motivate Me Monday

I am co-hosting with the lovely Ashley and Amanda

Today's Challenge/ Topic is:

Let's get to know you.

Why fitness is important to you. 

Are you just getting started on your quest to be motivated?

Goals you want to reach.. short or long term.

What areas you struggle with vs. your strengths

Anything you want to share about your fitness journey.

just have fun with it! 

Fitness is a humongous part of my life and has been since I can remember

I am a physical Fitness Major and Health minor college Grad

And am going to be doing my Student Teaching in PE and Health this Spring

I love fitness and am excited to share it with 

the youth

ok ok Lets start from the very beginning shall we....
I am going to be real here no fluff

check it out 

When I was 8 I started into the gymnastics world

Yes it is its own world

As time went on I really started to love it

by the time I was in Jr. High and High school it was pretty much my life

It is a year round sport

It is hard

It is fun

It is addicting
and it was easy to be fit then
I was doing something I loved
 and was healthy because of it

 (Summer 2004)

I was fit

Solid muscle

Could eat anything I wanted

(Man how I miss that gymnast body)

 

I ended up doing it for 10 years

I competed up to a level 9 (out of ten levels)

And was working level ten stuff when....

I got injured

I fractured my back

It wasn't as bad as it sounds it happened over time and the fractures got bigger and bigger 

until I was in enough pain that it was time to go to the doctor and I had to quit my love

or my back would get much worse

I had to wear a hideous brace and quit my life it seemed like

But eventually my back healed and so did my broken heart
and I was stronger because of it all

during the time I had to wear the brace 

And being new to the college life

(freshman fifteen)

I gained weight 

I was the heaviest I had ever been

ick ick ick
(I can't find a pic of me from those days sorry)

I moved back home my sophomore year of college

Did the school thing online, got an amazing job

And worked out

I worked out hard

You could say I got a bit obsessed

(It was at least 2 hours a day-I wasn't married or a mom yet...I had the time)

I got the skinniest I had been in a LONG time and I was loving life
and the best part is I felt soooo good 

(August 31st 2007)

I got Married to this amazing man and felt amazing in my dress

(August 2007)

Being a new wife and a full time student, and coaching gymnastics

I got busy

I wasn't working out as much as I should

Until I realized how much I missed it

 (June 2009)
And I was at it again

This time I tried the whole running thing

I fell in love

I again got addicted to working out

It was my me time, my thinking time and kept me sane

I got up to 9 miles and decided I wanted to train for a half marathon

Then.....I found out I was pregnant with our little peanut

(Jan 2010)

We were ecstatic

I can't even put into words how much we wanted this

I told myself before I got pregnant I was not going to be one of those ladies

You know the ones that get pregnant and just stopped

 working out, stop eating healthy

That was not going to be me

until I got pregnant

I kept running for a while 

but I just got so tired and nauseous

And I just didn't have it in me anymore

I said I would start back up again when I was past that stage

But I didn't

I still tried to do some things and I wasn't a complete coach potato

I would go on walks and stuff

But I didn't push myself and I regret that

Next time I get pregnant things will be very different

 

 (March 2010)

I was pretty lucky I only gained a total of 35 pounds so that wasn't too bad considering

(August 2010)

Then My little Maddux entered this world and all I saw

when I looked in the mirror 

or at pictures was Overweight

I was unhappy

 (I seriously have a hard time looking at the picture above)

 (May 2010)

I feel like the first 25 pounds came off pretty quick and naturally while breastfeeding

But then I plateaued

I couldn't loose the last little bit

So I started at it again

And now we are 18 months after the babe was born and 

I am still striving to get back to being the best Fit 

I can be

It is hard

It is frustrating sometimes

But I just try to stay positive and work hard
And I truely do love it
I feel my best when I have been working out
I have more energy
I am happier
And I just enjoy life so much more

I know my body will never be the same unless I kick it into high gear

So that is what I am trying to do now

I did the whole insanity program of two months
and LOVED it it was so so hard but I made it through
and I felt amazing
and was looking a lot more fit
then on the last day I injured my knee
so bad that I could barely walk on it
that was about 3 months ago and it is just now getting
back to normal
so of course that was another set back for me
But I am trying to push through
I am trying to get back to LOVING it again

I now have a gym membership to Planet Fitness
I really love it
 it is only 2 minutes from my home
and it is only $10 a month
Seriously it is the best!
I have been back at going to the gym for a few months
and am able to do more and more
now that my knee is starting to feel better

I do cardio and abs everytime I go to the gym
and switch off on arms and legs
I just need some more gym workout routines 
so if you have any please share

Some of my Long Term Goals:


1. I still have a goal to run a half marathon
I am just not sure when it is going to happen
I will keep running and training and see where it takes me

 2. I also really want to put a team together for the Ragnar race in Las Vegas
next October 2011

3.  When I am pregnant next to continue to exercise 

Some of my Short Term Goals

 

1. I need and want to drink more water

2. I want to work out 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours at least 4 times a week

I know for us busy mommy's out there it can be really hard to find the time

I know what that is like

I have a baby

I have a hubby busy in law school

My gym doesn't have day care

So sometimes I workout at home

And the other times I go in the morning
before hubby leaves for school
or after the babe goes to bed at night

3. I want to eat healthier

Strengths:
1. I do love to go to the gym as long as I stay consistent
2. I know about fitness through gymnastics and
my physical Education and Health Education
Schooling

Weaknesses:
1. I don't drink enough water
2. I get down on myself a lot
3. I need to eat healthier and more smaller meals throughout the day
4. I love love love sweets and could eat them all day long- NOT GOOD

This was taken in July
 But is about the same as I look today

I don't know exactly how much I weigh but it is about 145 lbs

I would love to be around 135 lbs

I am not yet to my goal

but I am working at it everyday

And hope to be there soon.

  Next weeks Challenge/ Topic
Try a healthy new recipe this week and share it with us next Monday! Let us know how your week went!

Now Link up and tell us about yourself!

Grab the button and follow along with Ashley and Amanda!

Our goal is to help motivate each other! So let's have fun and get motivated!

Share anything you want! Or ask us questions and we'll help find an answer!