Confusion is my middle name (or it might as well be since I don't really have one). I have been training with Steve again since the middle of June this year. Results over 5 months: ????. It was VERY VERY slow going. I don't know that my mind was 100% in it right away and I felt Steve wasn't either. Without revealing every raw detail about what was going on in either of our lives, we have both been going through some transitional times, although similar, not connected in anyway. The outcomes, also extremely different, and will still require much more time for either of us to be back in the groove. It has been very frustrating from the training perspective but I really can't blame one person or thing specifically as it's been a tough year. This bizarre time I now dub the "pre-beginning" and I've officially declared yesterday the End Of It!!
I also began working completely full time at Squire in January of this year. Two years ago, I had time to work out, shop, cook, get adequate sleep; had one less child and Jackson was a fairly self-sufficient preschooler (i.e. no diapers); my mom living with us and as a workout buddy (and a strange point of "intensity measurement", I'll have to explain later) and much less stress in my life. I've had a very difficult time balancing my life now in order to get the sleep I need, eat correctly and get in all my exercise.
This is going to be a difficult "beginning" but none the less, one I'm going to fight with a vengeance until it's beat. And I kind of take back the ???? results measurement. I have no idea how much my weight, body fat or measurements have changed in the past 5 months as we have only taken measurements once. I am down a size or two since we began and without a doubt much stronger and have more endurance than I think I left off with before I had to stop over 2 years ago. Working out hasn't been so much of a burden (hope you're not reading this Steve!) as trying to fit it in. I'm hoping with a change in my sitter (thanks Tory and Maria, so happy you are it!), that balance can be achieved because that will free up more time to hit the gym.
By my calculations from my previous successful attempt (before life as I knew it was permanently turned upside down by proving infertility doctors wrong), I was able to lose about 2 lbs and 1/4% body fat per week over the course of 16 weeks. I actually have a date that I need to work towards (the occasion to be announced later, it is still in the works. Although it will hit right before tax season ends, what's one more roadblock anyway?!). So keeping in mind the barriers that will hinder my progression, I am hoping to lose 30 pounds by April 7, 2012. That works out roughly to be 1.58 pounds a week for the next 19 weeks, not quite 2 pounds as before but I still think will be a challenge. This will be the "beginning" of the end and then I will set a new goal at that time. I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to be under 150 pounds by Memorial Day (26 weeks) and be able to enjoy our Seven Peaks passes fully without wanting to hide myself when school is out. That would require a bit more than 1.58 pounds a week but here's to hoping and not getting hung up on expecting....
Afterthought: To state "tough year" for me would be an outright understatement and I will be SO HAPPY to wish 2011 a hasty and readily goodbye. Personally, so much sadness, frustration, confusion, anger, loneliness, uncertainty and tears... lots and lots of tears. Among everything else, both my grandmas passed away (guessing also my last living grandpa soon to follow) as well as a client I was working fairly close with. There has been a lot of death this year, I've lost count how many funerals I've been to. So many people I know have lost jobs, their savings and their homes due to the economy and/or very strange natural disasters (flooding, tornadoes, fires) and even health issues. I think it would be ignorant to believe that our nation is doing well and so many people and businesses are down-hearted. I've never followed politics much but I will be very interested to see where things go in the next year before the election. Mitt Romney is up in the polls to be elected president, the attacks on members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints have been ongoing but in my eyes, not widely accepted. I really hope the US will think with their hearts and not so much with their pocketbooks next year!