Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Fitness First

Fitness First.  This is my motto.  I say it multiple times a day, mostly to eye-rolling people.  It's become predictable.  The moment someone begins to utter an excuse of not exercising- I blurt it out.  I can't help it, it just escapes my mouth without thought!  Here is why:  I have three kids, a husband and a job.  I'm not superwoman so if I can find time to workout 4-5 times a week, so can you.  Its never convenient, its never what I want to do with an hour of alone time and its not always a great time- but I go.  Consistently.  If I absolutely cannot make it, I'll workout in my garage.  Oh, you don't have a garage gym?  I didn't either a few months back in which case I did workouts in my living room (think AMRAPS of body weight movements.)  Here is the thing, its just not cool to be unhealthy anymore.  Maybe it never was but these days its flat out unacceptable.  People think its sooo hard to be fit.  No, it really isn't.  Stop smoking, stop eating fast food, try not to eat everything out of a box, get off your couch and don't drink too much alcohol...and if you do choose wisely.  I don't understand why this is so complicated.  People lack motivation.  I get that but the good news is if you force yourself to suffer through the first couple weeks- it will become a habit. 

 I'm preaching this like crazy lately because I cannot believe how much diet and exercise have changed my life.  A few months back I was getting really sick.  It was happening once or twice a month where I would have an "attack" and was violently ill for several hours.  This would result in a 5-6 pound weight loss followed by 3 days in bed where I could barely sit up.  I wasn't able to take care of my kids, I wasn't able to go to work and I couldn't even think about working out.  It went from being annoying to inconvenient to flat out devastating after 7 months.  After 7 months I decided to see a doctor which led to a specialist which led to thousands of dollars of testing followed by an ER visit and a ridiculous amount of pills.  I was willing to do anything to get to the bottom of what was happening to my 32 year old body.  I felt like I was dying... that might be dramatic.  Let me try again.  I felt like my body was deteriorating quickly and I had no control over it.  It was legitimately frightening to me.  I never knew when it would happen and I never had any warning.  Oh, and the diagnosis... I'm perfectly healthy with probable IBS.   Basically, I'm fine.  Really???  Doesn't seem like it to me!

Sidenote:  For most of you who read this- you all think/know I am a little weird about food.  I've come a long way, won a 13 year uphill battle and have finally settled into a perfect balance in my life.  For me.  

People think I have always been a super healthy eater which totally makes me laugh.  I guess if you call drinking Slurpee's, eating low fat chips ahoy cookies, weight watcher brownies, having subway 4 days a week for lunch and Leo's the other three days healthy- then yes, I was super healthy!   I hate vegetables, love bread and cereal like nobodys business and wouldn't have even have believed a spaghetti squash was real a few months ago.  Enter crazy cross fitter , Jen Tulpa.  After all of the medical testing, continuing to take 3-9 pills a day and still feeling and looking like I might fall over at any given second I phoned a friend.  I figured I had to figure this out on my own.  Jen agreed to meet with me and try to help.   Jen is a personal trainer, cross fit coach and regional competitor cross fitter.  She is a badass and she knows her stuff.  I sat down with her, gave her the low down and she very simply said, "It's your diet.  Give me two weeks."  She handed me a packet with the Zone Diet and told me to follow it.  Religiously.  She also told me to not fight against my body and to only workout on certain days when endurance wasn't too high.  My focus was to be primarily strength training and perfect nutrition.  She also told me that if I didn't listen to her- she would fire me and that she meant that in the most loving way.  Apparently, shes read a book from my past somewhere!  One of my strengths as a human is that if I want to do something bad enough- I can do it.  I'm a determined little person and I can make just about anything happen.  She looks like she knows what she is talking about and I decided to give it a shot.   So... I zoned.  Perfectly.  I held back on the gym which killed me and I did things that made me uncomfortable.  In  48 hours- I felt like a new person.  I had energy.  I didn't crave a nap the entire time I was awake.  I lifted heavier weights than I had in months.  And, I was happy.  I felt good.  I felt like me.  I was a better Mom, a better wife, and way more fun to be around.    All of this changed because of food.  I am still flabbergasted by the very thought  that food has that much power.  I have never believed it my entire life. Until I tried it.  I am a believer.  

I've restored most of the weight loss from the repeated illnesses, I've not only restored but increased my strength and my endurance is better than its ever been in my whole life.  Do I still zone?  Yes, kinda.  I'm zone-ish.  I don't measure anything anymore and I have more days where I will have things off the naughty list but I'm pretty good.  I pack my lunch every day, I eat a big breakfast and I am a spaghetti squash lovin' healthy girl that even loves pepper and onions when cooked just right.  I'm getting there.  I am miles from where I was and I have many more to travel but I'm better than yesterday.  Yes, I still drink diet coke.  You can't win 'em all.  I'll tackle that hurdle....when my kids are older!

So.  When I say Fitness First, please know that all I want for anyone in my life is a healthy lifestyle.  I don't care if you run, Cross Fit, lift weights, jazzercise, mountain bike, whatever.  Just. Do. Something. Eat better.  Spend all the money you usually spend at restaurants on food you prepare in your own home.  Pack lunches at night.  Buy cool Tupperware.  Plan ahead.  Make a schedule.  I promise you this- life just works better when you feel better.  You feel better when you are better.  Eat well and be active.  You won't regret it.  It's not that hard!

Fitness First!

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

This is it.


My whole life I have always dreamed about what life would be like when I was a wife and Mother.  Where I would live, what I would look like, who I would marry, what my kids names would be and how many I would have.  Literally, my whole life was spent thinking about this.  It was always my main focus of what I needed out of life.

This.  Is.  It.

Today I woke up and folded laundry, fed three kids breakfast, broke up some arguments, handed out vitamins, dressed them all, brushed hair and teeth and headed out.  We first stopped at the store because I needed to run in real quick to get five things.  Real quick and three kids... that's super funny.  Easton is riding in the cart and about 500 ft into the store he drops his sucker and then cries for the rest of the trip because I am not a nice Mama and wouldn't give him the sucker back off the Walmart floor.  Carter and Paige are giggling about who knows what and a little louder than they should be.  All was fun and games until Carter tripped Paige and her hot pink flip flop went flying down the aisle.  Now she is crying which makes two kids... so that's cool.  One out of three managed to make the 15 minute trip through the store without tears- we call that a success!  Better than losing them all.  As I am motoring my way towards the door I kept noticing people smile at me.  I would smile back as I tried to calmly keep on truckin' regardless of the scene we were making.  This is when it occurred to me that- this is it.  



Always mismatches jammies!

Scary combination


This very moment is what I dreamed about my whole life.  I always wondered what it would be like and I am right in the throws of it.  And, its really, really awesome despite the daily chaos.  Its so easy to get caught up in how hard things are or how busy we are and managing everyones activities and praying everyone is healthy, etc.  But, this is what its all about.  In just a few years I know I am going to miss this.  I am going to miss the little face that says, "I need a potty.  Now!," or "Can you just do one pony tail today," or "Will you rub my arm, Mama?"  Its going to be gone in a flash.  Having a 2, 4 and 6 year old really feels like I am in the middle of the most important time in my life.  The level of responsibility I have to shape and help grow these little humans is kinda scary.  I am confident about one thing- I can totally do this.  I will make mistakes, I will yell when I shouldn't and I will make them mad, but I can and I do love them so much that nothing else really matters.  






Everybody that you run into has a lot going on in their life.  Its just how things roll.  Life is complicated and twisted and always has hills and valleys.  I'm trying really hard to stay in the moment.  To memorize their faces at this age.  To remember what they say.  That is the whole purpose of this blog.  I need to reread stories about poop in my car and craziness at Walmart because it really is the best time of my life...even if it doesn't look that way.  

We all know I am not the one to say that having three little kids is all butterflies and unicorns because that's just a lie.  However, in the big picture that's how I want to think about it.  I want to create memories that last forever and as excited as I am to have a little more freedom to do things with my husband- I don't want them to grow up either.  It's a good thing I can't control time because I would be so confused trying to decide if I should speed it up or slow it down.







This life is a blessing.  My little family of five has made my whole world complete.  They give me purpose.  They teach me lessons.  Parenting is a gift, lets not forget that.
We got this.

Play Ball

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Adventures In Parenting, Clark Style

The Clark Babes are growing up.  We have been so busy the last 6 years!   Some may think that is sad.  Not me, I think its cool!  I think it means that these cute little babes are growing and thriving and it also means that Matt and I are doing something right.  Woo-hoo!  You know it has to be an interesting ride for these kids when you have parents like this:


"I want my diapers!"
"haha, I just peed on your floor."
We are in the midst of our final, most dreadful parenting feat thus far... Potty Training.  One. More. Kid.  "We think we can, we think we can, we think we can."  More than likely- we can't.  We suck at this part.  Its so annoying and gross.  And, Easton is being especially irritating about it.  I find it so amazing that he can go to daycare for an entire day and have no accidents yet he can't seem to make it 5 minutes without one at home.  He is torturing us and he's enjoying watching us suffer.  You know how I know?  Because, he laughs in our faces!  Jerk.  Oh, and he pooped in my car and then ran around the inside while I was cleaning the outside- and smeared poop everywhere.  I wish I was kidding.  Have no fear, we will prevail.  Hopefully before he is nine.
Yup, that is poop IN my car.

Carter  is going to be in 1st grade!  While I cannot believe he is that old, he is still having trouble believing he hasn't lost a tooth yet!  I keep telling him to be thankful because once those puppies start falling out we will be entering that awkward stage... and he is sooo cute now!  He's also so sweet.  He loves his Mama and I just pray that he always looks at me like he does today.  Carter is a good boy and he really does amaze me with what he is capable of in just 6 short years that he's been alive!





















Paige Ruby.  Where does one begin to talk about that girl?  She's a little dynamo.  That girl has some fire in her and I have no idea where she got it.  She is a force to be reckoned with and I'm willing to bet that this girl propels herself into something really awesome one day.  She is going to day camp tomorrow and its been on her bucket list for a year.  I really hope its as cool as it is in her head!  She's not even a little scared to head off without me tomorrow.  Despite her craziness, I'm so happy I get to be her Mom.  I like her style and I'm pretty sure I've met my match in that girl!
 



















Life sure is busy, but I certainly love the ones I'm with.


Sometimes he still snuggles me.

Team Deadlift  

He lets her dress him up daily.  Poor kid.





Daddy's Baby G


MR. Doc McStuffins
Birthday lunch for Daddy