The boys are off at camp 'til 2pm today and the "Mama should" lists of work, chores and projects is L-O-N-G, but this morning I choose to ignore them A-L-L, every single one of 'em!
It's always such a personal struggle...do you use precious non-Momming time for work (marketing consulting work that actually generates some cold hard cash!), editor duties (a volunteer gig editing a local parenting newsletter), blogging (there are never enough hours for all the ideas pinballing through my brain!), do the dishes, fold the laundry, sort through the boys' overflowing drawers (the summer duds got piled on top of the school clothes and there's an entire outgrown wardrobe waiting to be shared) OR do you do something just yourself?
It's a lovely late-summer day -- sunny, not too hot, and most of the Irene debris raked into piles -- so I dumped the boys and hopped on Ruby for a ride around town.
Last August, after a lot of working out & conscientious eating, I was just a few pounds away from my goal weight. After birthing two bundles just two years apart, it felt great to feel comfortable in a swimsuit again. I even dreamed of buying myself a bikini (nothin' too skimpy, somethin' cute, sporty & Mom-friendly from Title Nine or Athleta) when the scale hit my goal. But a couple of pesky health issues intervened this year and I'm almost back to where I started -- feelin' like a Mom blob.
It's daunting getting back on the fitness band wagon, especially when you're over 40, are still on limited workouts (due to a recuperating ACL replacement), and know the slow road ahead.
I have to admit I've struggled this summer.
Some days I've wished I could wear a little sign that says "I'm not normally this dumpy." The body-image dialog in my head has been less than positive, and sometimes I've felt outright depressed and defeated.
Of course, having a newly-minted triathlete hubby training, training, training and getting slimmer, trimmer, leaner & stronger doesn't help. I've happily cheered him on, smiled as he rode off on his fancy new bike when I still wasn't allow on anything more challenging then the stationary bike at the Y, then slouched and pouted while no one is looking.
So this morning I said "productivity be damned!" and I rode!
Then, in an even more brazen act of selfishness, I downloaded the new Nike Training Club app for my iPhone (that my pal at Everyday Treats has been using to jump start her fitness regime) and decided to take on some targeted ab work.
Wow, that's was some tough 15 minutes! (OK, I admit it, I didn't actually it thru all three sets. Next time!) Definitely a challenging ab workout, something my doughy mid-section desperately needs!
My recovering ACL will require me to hold off on some of the exercises in the program, but a few new moves will freshen up my workout routine and hopefully jump start my motivation and results.
After working up a respectable sweat, I even treated myself to a little at-home spa time -- deep conditioning, shaving, pumicing, plucking, moisturizing, cuticle pushing and filing.
Wow, I feel like a NEW woman!
Now, it's time to squeeze in a little productivity before pick up time!
Tomorrow -- full-time Momming, pie baking & packing for one last summer weekend at the beach!
It's always such a personal struggle...do you use precious non-Momming time for work (marketing consulting work that actually generates some cold hard cash!), editor duties (a volunteer gig editing a local parenting newsletter), blogging (there are never enough hours for all the ideas pinballing through my brain!), do the dishes, fold the laundry, sort through the boys' overflowing drawers (the summer duds got piled on top of the school clothes and there's an entire outgrown wardrobe waiting to be shared) OR do you do something just yourself?
It's a lovely late-summer day -- sunny, not too hot, and most of the Irene debris raked into piles -- so I dumped the boys and hopped on Ruby for a ride around town.
Last August, after a lot of working out & conscientious eating, I was just a few pounds away from my goal weight. After birthing two bundles just two years apart, it felt great to feel comfortable in a swimsuit again. I even dreamed of buying myself a bikini (nothin' too skimpy, somethin' cute, sporty & Mom-friendly from Title Nine or Athleta) when the scale hit my goal. But a couple of pesky health issues intervened this year and I'm almost back to where I started -- feelin' like a Mom blob.
It's daunting getting back on the fitness band wagon, especially when you're over 40, are still on limited workouts (due to a recuperating ACL replacement), and know the slow road ahead.
I have to admit I've struggled this summer.
Some days I've wished I could wear a little sign that says "I'm not normally this dumpy." The body-image dialog in my head has been less than positive, and sometimes I've felt outright depressed and defeated.
Of course, having a newly-minted triathlete hubby training, training, training and getting slimmer, trimmer, leaner & stronger doesn't help. I've happily cheered him on, smiled as he rode off on his fancy new bike when I still wasn't allow on anything more challenging then the stationary bike at the Y, then slouched and pouted while no one is looking.
So this morning I said "productivity be damned!" and I rode!
Then, in an even more brazen act of selfishness, I downloaded the new Nike Training Club app for my iPhone (that my pal at Everyday Treats has been using to jump start her fitness regime) and decided to take on some targeted ab work.
Wow, that's was some tough 15 minutes! (OK, I admit it, I didn't actually it thru all three sets. Next time!) Definitely a challenging ab workout, something my doughy mid-section desperately needs!
My recovering ACL will require me to hold off on some of the exercises in the program, but a few new moves will freshen up my workout routine and hopefully jump start my motivation and results.
After working up a respectable sweat, I even treated myself to a little at-home spa time -- deep conditioning, shaving, pumicing, plucking, moisturizing, cuticle pushing and filing.
Wow, I feel like a NEW woman!
Now, it's time to squeeze in a little productivity before pick up time!
Tomorrow -- full-time Momming, pie baking & packing for one last summer weekend at the beach!
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