Dear Erika... (and friends)

Last week my blog friend Erika posted about gym fashion  and the comments were almost better than the post. Seriously funny and if you're a female who works out, go read it and laugh. It has spurred me on to ask my internet friends for some help in the workout gear department. 

I mostly like to work out in shorts and have one pair of capris that I like, which I picked up at Old Navy years ago. They are fitted, but aren't too tight, probably because of years of wear! I would like to add a few other pairs of capris into my wardrobe for cold days, but can't seem to find a pair I like. Even if you haven't tried on a pair of workout capris lately, surely you've at least seen ladies prancing around the stores doing their grocery shopping and realize that those suckers are TIGHT. Like, accentuate every single curve or ripple or cellulite spot hiding in those pants. (Though I will say they're typically black pants, so at least the cellulite looks thinner!) 

Now, when I'm going to work out class, I'm working out with our church members, so I'm slightly more aware of what I'm wearing and try to not wear anything that would cause people to raise some eyebrows. Are there any workout capris that you can actually work out in but yet aren't too tight for the youth minister's wife?  You should know I am not hard core enough to want to spend big bucks on pants, so I'm looking for like Old Navy, Target, etc. so they won't break the budget.  (Unless these pants don't exist at those places. Then I might have a problem!) 

So to my gym fashionistas out there, can you point me to some good capris? My workout gear thanks you!

In closing, let me share this awesome story that happened at our workout class last week. The new year has brought several new members to our class. I am considered a youngin' in the class and we've had even more older folks join. Thursday as we were getting started to start the exercises, our instructor ran to start the music (which we don't normally have) and then came back to make this announcement: "Let me be crude for a moment.... the purpose of the music is two fold: one, because I like it, and two, to cover up your toots!" Y'all. I am still laughing about it. And it is so true! Apparently once you get to a certain age and you start jumping around, you just can't keep it in! 

Life Isn't Fair

Our church offers a work out class three times a week that I was a faithful attendee of for the fall semester. Cody attended for a three week time period before falling through the ceiling and putting a hiatus on his work out career.  During that three week period though, we did have a weigh in that we both attended to track our stats. Since then, our class took a break over the holidays. Between traveling, finishing school, parties, etc. we knew attendance would be slim and decided the leaders could use a break. Tonight was a kick off night where we weighed in with the holiday bad news and start back with the exercise on Monday.

Want to know the results of the weigh ins?

After eating whatever the heck I wanted, in large quantities, without any form of exercise for the past six weeks, I weigh POINT EIGHT pounds more than when I am watching what I'm consuming and working out a lot. Like, that is pretty much the necklace I was wearing.  Taking that off would have probably taken me under that previous weight!

Please, someone explain to me why I even try???

Grr.

Want to know what is even more depressing?

Cody hasn't worked out since October, he's eaten a lot more junk in larger quantities than me, and HE'S LOST SEVEN POUNDS!!!!!

Why has the universe cursed women?


Life just isn't fair sometimes.

#50MilesInJuly

The funny thing about having kids is that it causes you to take a look at everything you're doing wrong in your life that you don't want your kid following in your footsteps. Some of it can be easy to fix {make the bed every day} , others take more effort {become a better spiritual example}, all of it can be overwhelming.  So, it's all about the baby steps to try and make sure that I don't somehow ruin this child we've been entrusted! :)

Because of the G-man, I'm trying to work on my fitness. I want him to enjoy being outdoors and not be dependent on tv and video games. Which leads me to this confession: Y'all, I want to be a runner. I've given it a go several times, starting the Couch-To-5k program multiple times, even doing a few 5ks and once a 10k.  All of which I have apparently never blogged about or at least purposefully didn't tag so that people couldn't track my lack of progress.

I started the program again once I stopped working and was doing rather well with it (almost through week 4 while pushing Griff) when our vacation and church camp happened.  Since I don't want to be a runner bad enough to actually work out while I'm on vacation, I came back after a two week break and was prepared for a major setback and possibly even having to start over.  I fiddled around for several days, bemoaning how bad it was going to be when I actually did go run, until I had wasted almost another week at home and not one run actually took place.

Finally, one day after Griff had gone to bed, I just made myself go out and do it to get the worst out of the way. Imagine my great surprise when I was not only able to run some, but did at least a full mile and a quarter without stopping. It was totally awesome and miserable all at the same time, {I felt all of those vacation ice creams with every step!}  but I still did it. And then a day or so later, I did it again.

On the 1st, I read a post about a July running challenge with Hausofgirls and I knew I at least had to give it a shot. After Griff was in bed, I laced up and headed out again and completed my first day of the challenge. 

Since then I've completed 10 miles total and in the process I've figured out why the Lord has probably kept me from becoming a runner all of these times:

my pride!  :)

Seriously. There's nothing I love more than coming in after a run and gloating all day to Cody about what I just accomplished.  Luckily for me, he's a good sport and let's me be a total ego maniac when it comes to my running.  That's how I know he's a keeper!

There's still time to join the challenge, either walking or running! Just use #50MilesInJuly on your instagram photos! Get to movin'! :)




*in full disclaimer, I feel like I should tell you that you can pretty much replace every "run" with "wogging so slow I'm not totally sure she's not just wogging." you know the phrase "at least you're lapping everyone on the couch."? that is totally the only people I'm lapping! ha!*

Time For A Poll

Once again, I was crazy enough to head to the gym... on a Friday night. I decided to make it a little more fun though, and my pain is your gain!

Here's a picture of me before working out:




And now it's time to poll the readers... Did I go through my work out WITH or WITHOUT the headband on? Fess up now! The votes are anonymous so you won't hurt my feelings!

Did I wear the headband?
	Yes you crazy high maintenance girl!
	No... surely you're not that crazy, right?
pollcode.com free polls

Check back later to find out!



p.s. - last chance to enter the giveaway tonight!

I'm Lovin' It.

I am sitting here listening to the best music to my ears. Have you heard of Slim in Six? It's a pretty intense set of 3 workouts designed to get you slim in six weeks. I've had it for forever, and used it off and on throughout the past couple of years. Before my Shred days, I even work up a few times in the morning to do it in preparation for Jamaica.

One day, Cody decided that he too would try Slim in Six. He, like all beginners, began at Start It Up. While semi-painful, Start It Up is only 24 minutes, and nothing compared to the Ramp It Up I was using. Cody chose to skip going to the gym today and opted for Slim In Six today. He confidently exclaimed that he was moving up to Ramp It Up today.

Imagine my pure delight when two minutes into the warm up Cody was already breathing hard and worriedly said, "This one sure goes a lot faster that Start It Up." The further he got into it, the harder he was breathing and the more he was wincing in pain. Call me a bad wife, but I laughed at him the whole 45 minutes. And I'm proud to say I can hang with Cody when it comes to Ramp It Up.

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Presenting....


Yes, somehow it is the month of May already. Who else feels like it should still be January? Time sure flys by. The main joys of May are that school is on the brink of being over, and of course, our family vacation. May brings some other changes with it to the Neinast household.

I know that being busy is an excuse for many people. Why they can't work out. Why they're so tired. You know the list. As much as I hate to use it as an excuse, during the semesters, Cody and I are very dang busy. Remember when I told you what our schedule looked like? Things are just crazy when we're in school, and due to business, many other things fall by the wayside because of it. I can confess to you, bloggers, that much of it is due to laziness. But when I have 30 extra minutes on a night, and my choices are picking up around the house or spending time with Cody, well, he never got mad at me for picking him and not picking up.

But now that school is over, Cody and I are getting rid of the laziness. We've got time on our hands and things are getting done. So here's an idea of what's going on around our Love Abode during May Madness:

Cody's List:
Organize Bills in an expandable folder
Clean cars (inside and out)
Move Tools
Put the back on a piece of furniture
Attach a TV antenna outside so we get better digital reception

My List:
Weekly Menu Planning and gasp, actual cooking!
15 minute rule - spend 15 minutes a night picking up stuff around the house before going to bed

Hum.. it is now very obvious that my list is much shorter than Cody's. However, there's a lot I will do that just won't get put down, including lots of spring cleaning around the house. We cleaned out the fridge today and it feels wonderful!

I don't know what needs to be done around your house or what you would like to accomplish this May, but feel free to join in our May Madness!


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I've been cooking a roast in the crockpot all day. It smells DELICIOUS. I don't know why, but I love the smell of roast. I don't remember us having roast all that often when I was growing up, but every time I smell it I can picture the big blue pan my mom cooked it in. Can't wait for dinner tonight!


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Ok, I'm off to check on dinner and clear off the table so we have a place to eat. Hope you're having a great week! Come back soon for our first week of menu planning!

Pay It Forward!

Last week Andrea at My Chihuahua Bites! wrote a Pay It Forward challenge on her blog. The idea is that you chose three winners from the comments, then "pay it forward" with a homemade gift. I was one of the lucky winner for Andrea, so now I'm sharing it with you! Leave a comment and I'll draw 3 names who will get a little surprise. Can't tell you what it is yet.. I'll be making it this weekend. Here's the two kickers... don't comment if you're not willing to pay it forward... and I have 365 days to actually send it to you! :) I promise I won't take that long!

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Have you heard of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred? Apparently someone in the blog world threw down a challenge for a bunch of bloggers to do it together. It's a 20 minute workout that is supposed to transform your body in 30 days. I know what you're thinking. 20 minutes. How hard can it be?

I can't do justice to the pain that you feel in this 20 minute work out. Jillian doesn't scream at you like she does to the Biggest Loser contestants, but she makes me want to cry. Check out what Big Mama said about the 30 Day Shred. She captured my exact feelings with this post.


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Why am I doing the 30 Day Shred you ask? Because as of tomorrow, we only have THIRTY DAYS before we leave for Jamaica! Good thing I'm already on Day 2 of the Shred. So I will be perfectly cut and lean a whole whopping 2 days before we hit the beach. Now we're all praying that the Jamaicans don't shut down their island to Americans due to swine/H1V1/whatever new name appears next flu. I can't even tell you how crushed my heart would be if that happens.


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Cody and I had a milestone in our marriage tonight. We grilled chicken, had cooked veggies and garlic bread. That is not the milestone. Instead of taking the veggies straight out of the pan and onto our plates, I ACTUALLY PUT THEM IN A BOWL AND PUT THE BOWL ON THE TABLE. We're been married almost 10 months and this was a first. I felt like such an adult. And the cute polka dot bowl definitely inspired me to get my full servings of veggies.


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School is on the brink of being finished for the semester. I've finished going to all of my classes and only have one take home final left. Sadly, the final is supposed to be 13-15 pages when completed. I'm like, seriously professor? You're just as burned out from this semester as I am, and you're pretending like you're going to grade that many pages on all of us? BOGUS I say.

But I will do it. Not willingly though.

Remember when I talked about my health care ministry class and how getting in 26 hours of visiting hospital patients was going to kill me? Well, I got 24 1/2 of my 26 hours. But I know I got an A in the class. And that folks, is all that matters. It was a learning experience, and I'm thankful to say that the Lord is definitely not calling me to be a hospital chaplain.

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Ok. I think that's all of got for now. Come back soon to get the details on the May Madness that will be taking place at the Neinast household. You can even participate too!


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p.s. One last thing. I think I'm going to try to make homemade cinnamon rolls for church on Sunday! There's hope for my cooking skills yet!

Have a great week!