Exercise....it does a body good

So I was working out this morning.......Yes, I was working out.  I know, I know, I gave up working out months ago.  Well, I'm back.

Exercise is something that I have to work at becoming a part of my life.  It's not something that I look forward to naturally.  Don't get me wrong, I like being active.  I like playing volleyball, walking, hiking or doing organized sports, but I don't do it very often.  My current lifestyle doesn't lend itself to a lot of extra time for those things.  I'm busy shuffling the kids to their organized activities so I don't have the time or extra money to get myself in them.  Therefore, if I want some purposeful exercise, I need to make a special effort to exercise.

In the past, when I have been in a good exercise regimen, I have worked out in my living room with DVD's.  I have found that to be my preferred way to exercise.  It has many benefits in my book:
1. I can do it in my pajamas after I wake up so I don't need to dirty extra laundry with workout clothes.  In a household of 7 I have enough laundry to do daily so I don't need any extra.
2. I can shower just once a day since I do it before I even get dressed for the day.
3. I can exercise whether the kids are awake or asleep and I don't need to worry about getting a babysitter to go to the gym or outside.
4. No one is watching me mess up my moves except for my kids and they are going to tease me no matter what anyway.  It's par for the course because I tease them plenty too.
5. I have an array of DVD's, hand weights, exercise mats and tension cords I have collected over the years so I can choose from any of them to do the workout that I feel like doing that day.
6. It's cheap.  I don't need to pay for a membership.  Yes, I had to pay for the DVD's and equipment but they were cheap and I now have them forever so I don't get new ones often.

These are the reasons that I use my method of exercise.  I know that you may agree or disagree with my methods, but it works for me.  We each need to find what works for us.  I was talking to my brother recently who has been working out at the gym lately.  He is a regular to exercise.  About a year ago I remember him talking about his new DVD set that he was using in his house.  He was loving it.  Now, he's on a "go to the gym kick."  He says he is liking the results he sees when he goes to the gym.  He says that it's extra work to get to the gym but it's worth it to him.  That's great.  If he has found what works for him right now, then that is what is important.  He's getting his exercise to stay healthy and in shape.

I have used lots of excuses over the past 6 months about why I am not exercising.  One of them was a fairly decent one. My knees were hurting while I was exercising so I didn't want to injure them further.  I should have found another exercise to do that didn't hurt my knees but I didn't.  I decided that I was deprived of sleep so I was not exercising.  I told you earlier this week how Samuel is sleeping better.  He hasn't been sleeping 9 hours each night but he is doing better so I have been inspired to get back to exercise.  I am proud to report that I have exercised four out of the last five days.  It feels good to be in that routine again.

I have started my exercise routine slowly.  One day I did a 10 minute workout on my Weight Watchers Walking Kit DVD.  It's a nice DVD.  I feel like I worked out when I am done but it's gentle.  It's not hard on my knees at all either.  Two days I did a 20 minute workout on the same DVD. Today I did the 30 minute workout.  It feels really good to be taking care of my body better.  Losing the weight by watching my food choices is great but losing weight with exercise added to the equation makes it fabulous.  As I was working out the woman on the screen was telling me how many benefits there are to exercising: better sleep, better mood, better body, better health, and I can't remember the rest.  I know there were more but even those 4 sound great to me.

I am looking forward to my new venture with exercising again. I am also looking forward to the new body I will get in response.

Get some exercise today.  It doesn't need to be long.  It doesn't need to be hard.  It just needs to be some exercise.

Corinna

"The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth, because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever: Grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, and Father's Son, in truth and love." -2 John 1:1-3

Sleep, glorious sleep!!

My sweet, little Samuel turned 13 months yesterday. He has been such a blessing to our family.  He is a true sweetie too.  His smile will light up a room.  His laugh is so contagious that they kids beg me to tickle him just to hear him laugh. I often say how much the kids fawn over him.  I will admit that it's not just them.  Bryan and I fawn over him too.  The only department where he has been a challenge is sleep.

After having 4 children who slept through the night by 2 and 3 months, it has been an interesting and trying journey to have Samuel who wakes up an average of every 2 hours. I've been trying to be patient but most of all I've been tired.  Bryan has been telling me for months that he is worried about me.  He says I hide my exhaustion well but he knows that I am tired and he is afraid I will collapse one day.  A few weeks ago my hygienist even told me that I just looked tired.  It's true, I have been tired for over a year now and it's wearing me out.

It's hard to function when you are tired. It's hard to accomplish the normal, daily tasks of dishes, laundry, taking care of 5 kids and being a good wife.  It's hard to say no to food when you see that food as a source of energy and you need energy more than anything.  It's hard to do some purposeful exercise when you are just finding the normal daily grind tiring enough.  It's also hard to find time to do things since everything you do seems to take longer than it should because you are moving slower than you should.  This is the fog that I have been functioning in for over a year now.

A month ago I started weaning Samuel from nursing.  He weaned directly to whole milk.  I knew this might be a challenge because he really loved nursing.  I was hoping though that this would help him sleep since he woke up several times each night wanting to snuggle and nurse with Mommy.  It did seem to help as I weaned him off of his night time feedings and replaced them with nothing.  At 1 year old he doesn't need to eat during the night.  It was just a bad habit.  He is a very healthy and well-proportioned baby.  It was challenging but something that I felt we needed to do. He started sleeping better after a couple of weeks.  He started some 3 to 4 hour sleeping stretches.  Then he got double ear infections.  We were back to being up each night crying.

His ear infections are clearing up and we are back to trying to get some sleep.  I am so excited to announce that last night he slept 9 hours.  I went to bed one hour after he did so I got 8 hours of sleep.  I jolted awake this morning to light and silence.  It freaked me out because it was light outside and I didn't remember waking up at all last night.  I looked at the clock. It was 7:30.  No one seemed to be awake.  Bryan had left for work at 4am and I didn't hear a thing.  I was tempted to run to Samuel's room to see if he was okay but I held back.  I drifted off to sleep for 15 minutes and then heard Samuel crying.  After getting him out of his crib I texted Bryan to ask him is he got up with Sam last night.  "No," he texted, "did you?" I then asked Gabriella if she hear Sam last night.  She said no also.  Wow!  He actually slept all night.  I was still groggy but amazed and excited.

I have been using the lack of sleep as an excuse for my lack of exercise so in turn I did one of my exercise DVD's for 20 minutes today.  I also did it the other night for 10 minutes so I am looking forward to my new found energy and time.  I know it's just one night but it's light and I'm sure it will turn into more nights of restful sleep soon.

Good sleep to all of you,

Corinna

"You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound. I will both lie down and sleep in peace;p for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety." -Psalm 4:7-8