During the holidays I ate all the things and exercised exactly zero times unless you count all those bicep curls of methodically slotting one cookie after another into my food-hole, so this week is all about getting back on track with diet and fitness (again). It’s the first week of January and I am suddenly re-focused on my health, which I realize makes me quite the special snowflake, but hey, look at all the fucks I do not give about anyone’s tiresome Hipster Ariel attitude towards New Year’s goals.

Screen shot 2012-01-04 at 3.59.57 PM

Anyway, here’s the obnoxious part about trying to sneak in a workout at home with the kids:

Screen shot 2012-01-04 at 3.37.30 PM

That right there is cute for about .005 seconds and then it’s like dude can you please just move out of my way and let me get this shit done because let’s be honest, whatever you’re doing there is totally not even remotely a jumping jack. Way to phone it in, Dylan.

On the plus side, I busted out my ancient Turbo Jam DVD today and when chirpy Chalene Johnson told me to find someone to high-five, there was Riley, hovering nearby peppering me with a thousand questions (“Why does that lady have on gloves? Is this what Daddy’s gym looks like? Do you know all these people? How come your knee makes that sound?”). As I told him, I’ve worked out to that DVD probably 50 times since I bought it, and never once had someone to high-five before.

So that was nice and all, but man, escaping kid-free to the gym is much better.

I know it’s become virtually politically incorrect to talk in terms of pounds, but I need to lose about ten of Those Things Which Shall Not Be Named Because Of Course It’s All About Health and I Have More Important Interests Anyway. Ten TTWSNBNBOCIAAHAIHMIIA ago, I felt better, I looked better, and I didn’t have to surreptitiously undo a jeans button whenever I sat down.

I don’t know if I’d call it an official resolution, but I feel resolved. So long, cookies. It was nice while it lasted.

Comments

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

69 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Lori
Lori
12 years ago

Same boat. Same 30 Day Shred experience with a chatty, bouncy preschooler that likes to ride on my back while I slog and moan through the push-ups. I like to tell myself that it’s good for her to see me exercise. Right? And she interested in exercising with me for about 2.5 minutes. Then she lies on the floor and asks me a million questions that I can’t answer because I can’t breathe. I miss going to a gym.

Danell
Danell
12 years ago

Why DOES my knee make that sound? And my back, elbow, neck…oh YEAH, because I am getting OLD. *sigh*
Makes it even harder to give a sh*t and give up the cookies.

Faith
Faith
12 years ago

Nothing really productive to say here except that I really loved this entry! I lost 17 pounds over the summer/fall and then promptly got pregnant, so I’ll be doing this same thing in about 6 months, complete with lurking toddler.

Kristianna
12 years ago

“That right there is cute for about .005 seconds”

Thank you for writing that. Whenever I see someone suggest I include the littles in my nonexistent-because-they-bother-the-crap-out-of-me-the-whole-time workouts, I want to punch them in the throat. Especially when it’s my husband, who (cough, cough) gets to workout in complete isolation 5-6 times a week at our house–“leave daddy alone!!–is the one who is dumb enough to suggest it. He can’t have the door open because it distracts him if he hears them, but I am to include spazzes in my workouts. GAH.

Don’t get me wrong… insert all I love my kids to death disclaimers here… but I really can’t include them and actually get the job done.

We can go on family hikes, at least for a whole 300 yards before someone has to pee, haha. That’s something.

NancyJ
NancyJ
12 years ago

LOL – I think the entire world is doing the same exercise/self-examination we’re doing here!
Yeah, I’m re-motivated, renewed in spirit, waking up at 4:40 (that’s AM) and out to our room above the garage to nordic track. But I think I’ll mix it up and bust out the FIRM tapes and see how that feels a couple of days a week. I’ve got 10 pounds I want to lose (Is that the magic number?).
Good luck to everyone in their quest!

Laura
Laura
12 years ago

I will just tell you that I have about 6 pounds to lose, and I’m not ashamed to say pounds. That might be half a stone, but I am too lazy to look it up. Anyway, I have 2 or 3 Turbo Jam dvds, and reading this tonight, I remembered that I bought my first one after your hearty recommendation! And I still use them!

Chloe
Chloe
12 years ago

You know what, I worked out over December (though NOT as much as I normally do/ “should” have), I even worked out New Years Eve. And I still packed on two of those things that should not be named.

Now I’d like to get rid of this damn belly bloat, but I don’t regret a damn minute of it. It was delicious, and fun. It’s not the rest of my life, but it is the holidays and they should be enjoyed (and by holidays, I mean “the most socially acceptable time of year to pig out, and also the time with the most hand-made, delicious goodies being offered unto me”, because I am not at all religious).

I’m two pounds up after 40 pounds down for almost a year… I can get it back off, and hell yeah I can live with this.

Lisa Ann
Lisa Ann
12 years ago

I just lost (and trying not to re-find) 33 lbs!!! I am so proud of myself and really wish I had someone to high-five; can I borrow Dylan for the high five?

jen
jen
12 years ago

yeah, why can’t you say you want to lose a certain number of pounds anymore? it seems like everyone i know will say “well…you know, i just want to be healthy.” perhaps it’s to keep things loose so you don’t feel like a failure if you don’t meet your goal? how can you have a goal if you don’t have a way to measure your progress?
good luck with the workouts. i don’t have children yet and i know i’m incredibly lucky to have all the time i want to do these things.

Katie
12 years ago

LOVE the comment about the hipster Ariel attitudes…hilarious and so true. Good luck with your goals (and keeping the boys busy while you workout)!

Sara
12 years ago

Well, this time last year I started a workout routine and lost oh lets say 20ish pounds, but my body was SO DIFFERENT and I got all new clothes and it was AWESOME…

Until I gained not only the 20 I lost but 30 more back the last six months, that’s 50 pounds in six months (sorry I eat my feelings).

So I’m jumping back on the band wagon I fell off with the desire to get back in all those awesome clothes I wore last year.

And to feel better.

And to self hate a little less, that would be nice too.

Amy
Amy
12 years ago

This reminds me of running with my son in the baby jogger. He just talked and talked and talked or rather asked questions and asked questions and asked questions. AHHH!!!

amy

sooboo
sooboo
12 years ago

That kid is pretty cute though. I lost 15 of those whatever they are’s last year and gained back about 5 over the holidays. But hey, ya gotta live a little. Back to spinach salads and chicken breast and goodbye cookies for me too! Sniff.

Life of a Doctor's Wife

My knee makes that sound, too.

I bet you burn extra calories – ahem, I mean you gain extra HEALTHY POINTS – by having to pay attention to both the exercise video AND your son. That’s multi-tasking at its finest, right there.

H
H
12 years ago

Hey, Lisa Ann, HIGH FIVE! I lost 30 lbs. over a 7 month period in 2011 and just bought myself new jeans that are 2 sizes smaller. I think the hardest part is being patient and not getting frustrated when it seems like progress is slow. If anyone can do it, Linda, you can.

Caroline
Caroline
12 years ago

I just like you man. You crack me up. And yeah….I have about 12 of those to get rid of.

Erin
12 years ago

I’m ridiculously jealous that you had someone to high five.

Once, I made the dog high-five me. Which she totally knows how to do so it was OK.

June
12 years ago

OMG, the shred. I tried it for 2 weeks and then promptly got hideously, hideously ill (coincidence? I think not!). I have not gone back to it, lest I return to VomitFest 2011.

And my knee, it makes a hideous cracking sound, is that what yours does?! I actually went to a physical med and rehab doc about it a couple years ago, just to make sure it wasn’t a sign that my leg was going to fall off. Nothing to worry about, he said.

Laura
Laura
12 years ago

I’ve got about 10 of those things to kick to the curb because of my holiday eating.

Also, once again I am reminded of one of the reasons that I love reading your work. You just call it like a lot of us see it (and sometimes don’t even realize we see it until it is spoken/written by someone else). I LOVE LOVE LOVE the “tiresome Hipster Ariel attitude” comment!!!! (I just read one of those posts earlier today.)

Wendy
12 years ago

I’ve got 10 of those things to lose myself. great post Linda.

Mama Ritchie
Mama Ritchie
12 years ago

I hear ya sistah. Instead of actually doing the Kinect exercise game I bought 3 weeks ago, I ate 4 boxes of Christmas cookies my sister sent me. None of my jeans fit. So what do I do? Go to Mercer and buy bigger jeans, of course! (Mark me down for 10 pounds too. I can always get these jeans taken in, right?)

Mama Ritchie
Mama Ritchie
12 years ago

And screw healthy. I want to be skinny, dammit!

Christie
12 years ago

I resolve to lose 10 of those “Things Which Must Not Be Named” every damn year. Hasn’t happened yet. Working from home and wearing yoga pants every day… FTW!

MichelleH
MichelleH
12 years ago

I’ve done The Shred with a toddler and it sucked (during the crunching portions, he likes to do a running belly flop onto my stomach, good for a little extra resistance). I would also love to lose 10 of those things we can’t talk about and I’ll even give my lame justification for it which is that its not so much fat vs. skinny but pear-shaped vs. not pear-shaped. I wouldn’t mind the extra pounds if they sorted themselves into an hourglass, but they don’t. So, goodbye Hot Chocolate with whipped cream and hello Kale Juice. Having a little one to high five does sound pretty adorable and encouraging, though. But I do miss my gym membership. A lot.

Kelley O
Kelley O
12 years ago

I’m with everyone else, 10 of those unmentionables (possibly 15, haven’t been on the scale for several months) but most of the smaller size jeans just don’t fit anymore. :( Obviously exercise (elliptical in my living room and a Roku Box subscription to thegymbox, plus DVDs) but I’m also thinking about cutting out most of the sugar. The yogurt I eat every day for breakfast has a shocking amount of sugar in it. And more whole grains.

JMH
JMH
12 years ago

FYI..I just bought one of Chalene’s newer workout (ChaLEAN Extreme) and it came with an extra free workout called Turbo Fire…it’s like Turbo Jam on steroids. :) I previewed it yesterday and it looks like a fun, crazy workout. It is a 30 min. HIIT workout and a 10 min. stretch workout. I plan to start that, along with the extreme workout, on Saturday.

Jenny
Jenny
12 years ago

I hear you on the kid while working out. I can handle having to give him a turn on the treadmill because he “needs to workout too” but when I was doing Insanity and he told me that I wasn’t doing it right and not fast enough (while I was simply trying not to puke), I lost it! :)

Melissa
12 years ago

@Mama Ritchie
“And screw healthy. I want to be skinny, dammit!”

THANK YOU! Me too! I tell myself it’s to ‘be healthy’ because I cannot get below this damn number of pounds I am. But we’re all lying. We want to be skinny and healthy is just a bonus.

Also – do NOT do the Kettleworx program. Messed up my wrist and knee on that thing and it’s taking me weeks to get back to be able to run on the treadmill again. Wrist and Knee braces FTW.

Kizz
12 years ago

It’s sort of about lbs but it’s mostly about the fact that I’m too goddamned cheap to buy a whole new series of pants that aren’t trying to strangle me.

Annie
Annie
12 years ago

“hey, look at all the fucks I do not give” is my new motto for 2012.

Jen
Jen
12 years ago

This made me laugh out loud. Love.

Amy
Amy
12 years ago

I’m with you on the losing weight thing. I spent all winter gorging on treats and now most of my pants don’t fit. The 30-Day Shred is a good start :)

Also, I know you really like Breaking Bad and I happened across a sweepstakes for a walk-on role on the show:

http://www.breakingbadsweeps.com/

Mary
Mary
12 years ago

Every time I lie down to do crunches (Cindy Crawford workout video circa 1994, my daughter covers me up with her blankie and says “Night night mama! Love you!” and kisses me on the forehead. It’s cute. For a minute. Now please move.

Erika
Erika
12 years ago

I don’t talk about those things because I need to lose 10 times 12 of them which seems impossible so I just say, “I have to walk today”. I can do that.

nonsoccermom
12 years ago

I’m with Annie – “look at all the fucks I do not give” is TOTALLY my motto for this year.

And working out with little kids around is frustrating at best. Thank jeebus my gym has a childcare, because seriously.

Jennifer
Jennifer
12 years ago

Five years ago TO THE MONTH, you got gung-ho motivated and started exercising and making recipe suggestions for healthy snacking and meal choices, and I followed you as my inspiration. Result: I lost 10 of those-things-that-shall-not-be-named as well as got my high cholesterol WAY DOWN.

Maybe I just stalk you or something, because now I’m back in the same boat, have put those 10 lbs back on and am disappointed to find I have a tiny muffin top (ack!). So I hope you’ll stay motivated and blog about it so I can continue stalking you and catch your contagious enthusiasm for being fit (and thin!) again.

Good luck to all of us :)

Jennifer
12 years ago

The best: Those Things Which Shall Not Be Named Because Of Course It’s All About Health and I Have More Important Interests Anyway

TTWSNBNBOCIAAHAIHMIIA

Hahahahaha.

Tony Genito
11 years ago

I have been browsing on-line greater than 3 hours today, but I by no means located any interesting post like yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my watch, if all webmasters and bloggers made excellent articles material as you probably did, the net will in all probability be much more useful than ever before.

Brock Hinckle
11 years ago

There are some interesting cut-off dates in this article but I don�t know if I see all of them center to heart. There is some validity but I will take hold opinion until I look into it further. Good article , thanks and we want more! Added to FeedBurner as nicely

fishing kayak
10 years ago

Excellent post. I’m facing many of these issues as well..

maid pro
10 years ago

t Adele, we understand that house cleaning can be a burden and even stressful when faced with big or even small residences. With work life, family obligations and other responsibilities, who has the time?! The Adele Group provides a supportive, friendly team of outstanding and experienced cleaners to relieve you from the onerous task of house cleaning.

cialis
10 years ago

I was just given a script for Adderall from my doctor. I have insurance but would like to know how much it usually runs before I take it in to my pharmacy..

e cig
10 years ago

Hi, does anyone know about that electrician in Tribeca called New York Electrician, 94 Chambers St, New York, NY 10007 (646) 415-6723

trackback
10 years ago

Great blog! Do…

I am often…

Accountants Barking
10 years ago

I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Well written!

premies
10 years ago

It’s best to participate in a contest for probably the greatest blogs on the web. I’ll suggest this web site!

Birmingham escorts
9 years ago

An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a coworker who has been doing a little research on this. And he in fact ordered me lunch simply because I found it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending some time to discuss this issue here on your web page.

seo company
9 years ago

Can I just say what a comfort to find someone who truly knows what they’re talking about online. You definitely understand how to bring an issue to light and make it important. More people have to check this out and understand this side of your story. It’s surprising you aren’t more popular given that you definitely have the gift.

soniclean
soniclean
9 years ago

This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger. I’ve joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your magnificent post. Also, I’ve shared your website in my social networks!|

home insurance quotes
home insurance quotes
9 years ago

Excellent write-up. I absolutely love this website. Thanks!|