Tuesday

I did the Pure Strength Strong Legs & Abs workout today and holy holy holy hell. Oh quivering thighs and buns-o-fire! This workout was phenomenal. I am already sore. I was a tad apprehensive about going from doing two total-body weight workouts a week to splitting up body parts and only working each once a week, but now that I see how hardcore these workouts are I expect to see some drastic changes in my body. For one thing, up until now I've been training with higher reps and moderate weight. Pure Strength uses heavy weights and I have never had my thighs scream at me like they did today. The hover squats and step-ups are new moves for me, and they are intense as hell. There is also floor work using a body bar that targets the inner and outer thigh as well as hamstrings. Tomorrow I'll do the Chest, Shoulders & Triceps workout, and Friday will be Back, Biceps & Abs. I'll also be switching from morning workouts to lifting in the evenings, get this, with Drew! He wants to start working out with me! And since I plan on going back to work in the next month, it makes more sense to train after Ethan is in bed anyway rather than get up at the wee hours and half-heartedly push my dumbbells around. I definitely workout harder and smarter when I'm fully alert and have eaten a meal or two. This will be a bonding experience for us, and we can push each other and high-five after a good workout. Then I'll trot off to eat fish and veggies post-workout and he will probably deep-fry an old boot, but we'll work on that later. One thing at a time.

So! It'll be cardio in the morning, 4 times a week. I plan on one high-intensity interval workout on the step each week, one steady-state workout on the step, one day of kickboxing or circuit training and another day of jumping rope. And then the weight training 3 nights per week with my honey bunny. Totally do-able, considering this means I'll only have to wake up early to work out when I'm back to work twice a week (if I do my other 2 cardio workouts on Saturday and Sunday). Gotta fit it in somewhere, right? I know it will be challenging but the key is making time and planning ahead. I am ready. (Insert fierce growl here.)

It's also back to basics with diet. Ideally I'll have my usual 5 days of 5-6 mini-meals every 2-3 hours, with 2 free meals to use at my discretion. I'm thinking that more often than not those free meals will be used on the weekend, which is fine. I do need to dig around and find some new healthy recipes that I can cook on Sunday in bulk for the week ahead to make food prep easier when I'm pressed for time. Who knows, maybe I'll even find something that Drew will eat. Miracles do happen!

Aside from health & fitness, I have some other goals for the year ahead. One is to read to Ethan more often. We have already established a bedtime routine that includes at least 1 book, but I feel like I should turn off the t.v. more during the day and open a book instead. I also want to find age-appropriate activities for him to do with us at home. Today I gave him a blue crayon and a piece of notebook paper. He seemed fascinated with scribbling lines on the page, so I'll probably pick up a coloring book and a box of crayons next time we're at the store. Even if he rips the book to shreds and eats the crayons, its something different. Also, colorful poop!

I've got to stop cussing so much. I must! I say fuck like it's necessary to survive or something. That's got to stop. Ethan can go to daycare saying shit, but not fuck. No way. We'll save that little gem for kindergarten.