Trying to start a new ritual

I made a new purchase on Amazon the other day. I bought this bike and it arrived yesterday. I read the reviews and checked out other sites to make sure this was a good buy, of course, and I found it funny that one of the Amazon reviews mentioned the complexity of assembling the bike. I thought, 'eh, can't be that bad' and then I saw this:

Ok, so that is a little crazy.

But, it looks worse than the actual action of putting it together and I was able to get it done and test it to make sure I wasn't going to fall onto ouchy metal while I'm trying to get a good sweat going.

Finished product.

So, tonight I gave it a whirl. But first, I was distracted by Violet who had a very congested nose and was crying because she was having trouble breathing, and as I was waiting out another 5 minutes before going to get her, I received a phone call from my sister who was a little bit stranded with a dead car battery. Since Vi was already awake, I grabbed her, went to the parking lot and helped the Roses out.

By the time I came back, used the nasal bulb on Violet and rocked her to calmness, I sat back on the bike and flipped on Jeopardy. I figured I would get warmed up during the segment before the first commercial break, and keep it to the next highest setting for the rest of the show.

It worked out pretty good, though I would LOVE to know if the calorie burning counter was at all accurate. If it was, hot diggity, I'm really happy with the purchase. But I have a feeling that it may be a bit more generous than accurate.

Pin it down!!

Oh, and btw, I'm trying to be 'productive' in my newest time-suck. Pinterest, which is a super-mindless-fun-activity to do while watching tv (since I don't have a husband to talk to during shows), is giving me ideas much like what I used to rip out of magazines for workout ideas. Starting next week, I'll be implementing some of these routines, however I will have to YouTube several exercises, like trying to find out what a "Russian Twist" is.

My "Workout" Pinterest board

My hatred of exercising < My hatred of looking chunky in pictures

I have done 4 days of workouts. The first day was before Violet got out of her crib in the morning and again during her morning nap. The second through fourth day was only in the time before getting her in the morning. (Though, today is the fourth day and I want to try to get another workout in during her afternoon nap.)

And, man, the Ab Fat Burner workout I did yesterday morning was weird. I couldn't get ANY of the moves right and kept flubbing. And today, the tops of my thighs hurt enough to make it difficult to walk up and down stairs while carrying Violet and my abs are not in pain at all. I think I did something wrong there....

Inspiration and encouraging words

Here's me spot-blogging once again. July was a super crazy month that allowed me to spend 12 days with Scott (more on that on the other blog just as soon as I sit down and write it!!), which also meant a whole month at my Mom's place, where the word 'no' has zero meaning.

I've weighed myself this morning at 137.8 pounds. I've been pretty much at that standstill for a month and a half and I need to get off this plateau. My goal is to lose another 10 pounds and I would LOVE to do this for Tara's wedding (and directly following that, my trip to Greenland). That means I have all of August and all of September.

Can I do this? I hope so!! Not quite like the "Bob the Builder" song, but that's why I need your words of encouragement!!

Weeeee! Progress report!

About a year ago, I was 170 lbs and a size 16 jean according to Old Navy sizes.

I am now 141 and a size 8.

Still more to go, but in the meanwhile, I'll say....

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!

It's been so long, let me reintroduce myself.

Hello to the people who read my 'other' blog! It has been months (and months and months) since I last posted here and I'd like to start up again. Here's a quick update:

-I've moved to the mountainous country of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, where everyone shops from REI and LOVES the outdoors. Do I feel like a fish out of water? Most definitely. People talk of their usual activities and hardly ANY of it is just sitting. Hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, rafting, biking - all of the healthy, crunchy, granola-and-energy-drink guzzling activities you'll ever find in Adventure Magazine. And I mostly just stare blankly at them. However, as out of place as I feel, I do want to use some of my free time to huff and puff alongside of their easy stride to try to get back on the hors... I mean, treadmill.

-I have been weighing myself occasionally, and this morning it read 146.6, which is the kindest the scale has been since the end of my first trimester. Yay =)

-I took a pilates class this morning. I thought it was going to be yoga mats and resistance bands. What it turned out to be was a big, fat, serious workout on one of these:

 I will be going back again, but probably not until I can settle into ANY kind of routine. This won't happen until after I get back from NJ in April.

In the meanwhile, I'll be busting out the two sets of dumbbells (both very lightweight), the balance ball and the balance board, and all of my workout DVD's. This time, I'll try to do more than just give a slight glance at them and actually get off my patootie and do any of the workouts.

Here's to finding the motivation.... again!