Oh I Don't THINK So!

Hello.

Um. Hmm. Where do I begin? Let's just get it out there right now. As you can hear, my song has changed to a sweet 80's pop number from Matthew someone or whatever. But listen. Listen closely to the words. They say "Ain't nothin gonna breaka my stride, ain't nothin gonna slow me down, oh no, I got to keep on movin!" And they say this because I have my first athletic injury and I am taking it on as a challenge to get in more shape than ever before!!!! It is not shin splints. It's my knee? I'm so PISSED about this "injury" and if I didn't walk like a total deadleg I would just run it off. Meanwhile, as I peruse the vast mechanics of the knee on google. m.d. (I am sure all doctors LOVE it when I have a diagnosis for them upon my visit to their office)...I am thinking MCL ligament pull from hittin the lake of hell run a little too hard. How annoying. I didn't even feel anything when running except for the complimentary side ache, which I breathed through-you remember this-and kept going. But now I am down and out with this hideous pain on the inside of my knee area and I sort of walk like a pirate with a wooden leg and it really, really SUCKS! I do not like going to the doctor because I usually get the advice I found for FREE online but then end up paying the huge deductible only for the injury to get better within a few weeks. I am calling my brother in law. He is a basketball coach. Legs and knees to these people are like gold to a well, a pirate. They love nice, shiny, healthy legs and knees. He'll know what to do.

Now, onto my exercise plan. First I am on a detox diet, and yes, coach Katie, that includes the dark chocolate mousse you brought over for my birthday. We busted out the the Jack LaLane juicer (AGAIN, I will TRY to post a picture unless someone steals it away from me, but I think I am on to these web sites and how to KEEP my pictures for my own use). The Jack LaLane juicer is truly amazing. And I can't help but to take on infomercial mom voice when I use it. Like this morning. I chopped up my fruits and veggies for a "Sunrise Delight" and said in ultra infomercial lady voice, "Okay Gonnella Family *wink* time for your fresh, all natural, delicious fresh juice! All I have to do is put in a few carrots, apples and strawberries and then *zing* fresh juice from the Jack LaLane power juicer right into your cup *big smile*!!!! They look at me like I am going seriously insane and then happily drink the concoction. I am juicing and eating whole grains, lots of water and antioxidant teas in order to rid the body of the birthday build up I put in it last weekend and to keep me motivated to continue my journey to go the distance. And we have included a probiotic in our diet and I must say, my tummy has not felt this good for a long time. Now, if I can get the knee to feel better, I will be on my way to super awesome energy power mom.

Did you know that it is EXTREMELY difficult to get up and down stairs with a straight leg? Try it. And then you will know what I am going through at this time. So drop me a line, say a prayer, call me, do something while I endure this drama. I had a little borderline meltdown in the car the other day and said something along the lines of, "I shoulda just stayed with art and cleaning the house, or cooking for a hobby (teardrop) and now LOOK AT ME! I am a total incapacitated mom of three who can't even sit down on the floor with bent legs!" Then Nick looked at me and said, "Seriously? Are you really crying?" And then it became quite funny as I know that I am a drama queen and Nick can just say simple phrases without even pointing the obvious out, and I know what he means.

This really is stupidly funny. I have gone running two times. And now I am an injured athlete. Not even an athlete. Just an injured mom who wanted a hobby. But, like my theme song says...

Ain't nothin gonna slow me down,

Rebecca

Can I?

Run in jeans? Because that would just be so much more convenient. One thing I am learning about this new "hobby" (that's for you Nick!) is that it requires a bit of overhauling in the clothing department. Now I think running in jeans would not be so bad-at first...but Nick and my sister in law Gina said no. So I have a sweet new running shirt, compliments of my friend and coach, Katie. And APPARENTLY I need to buy some running pants with a secret fanny pack on the rear end. Runners sport these pants all the time-there is a little pocket on the rear end for keys and MACE (Mr. Diddles Repellent) but let's get real and recognize that the pocket is indeed, a facsimile fanny pack. Facsimile means "fake" and I really like that word. I will sport the fake fanny pack running pants soon and take a picture. I SORT OF want a REAL fanny pack, just because they are so, so out of control. But I digress.

There is an amazing skier who taught my husband everything he knows, and this skier used to blare down the mountain in, you guessed it, jeans. I get it Steve Gonnella-it was more convenient and they kept you warm. You had no problem showing your kids how to ski in jeans and you thought nothing of it that perhaps it was not the most fashionable thing to wear...nope, you had a mission and it was to ski and have fun. Mine is to run and have fun? So if you see me running down the road in jeans, don't judge.

Now, the current issue in my little running world is this. Shin splints. What the hell? You know I already hate exercise and now it is painful? The "old" Becca would have cashed in her wristband and moved on to a martini. But I am not giving up. Instead I am going to get fitted for some serious running shoes. And I am going for a light jaunt tonight. I will include a diagram of shin splints and then it will probably be blocked and taken off my blog page, and replaced with a little box and question mark. I am learning the ropes here people-bear with me. Shin splints feel like someone has prodded a hot searing knife into the upper part of your shin and when you think about walking, you really would rather crawl. It's a darn good thing I have the needs of my kids to get me up and moving throughout the day, otherwise, this shin splint stuff could have warranted a major binge session with movies on the couch. See? I'm that lazy sometimes...even the smallest ailment would give me an excuse to become stagnant. But stagnant does not produce RESULTS people and WE ARE AFTER RESULTS HERE! SO INSTEAD OF BEING A LAZY BAG, I AM GOING TO JOG TONIGHT NO MATTER HOW BAD IT HURTS AND NO MATTER HOW I FEEL ABOUT IT. I AM GOING THE DISTANCE! I'M GOING FOR SPEED! And thanks for the comments-its like a little cheerleading squad, and I never really understood the need for cheerleaders, but now I do. Gooooooo team Gonnella!

R

Mr. Diddles and Jog By Joinings

Hello my dedicated blog peeps!

Now, you are just DYING to know who Mr. Diddles is. That will come later. For now, let's celebrate the fact that run #2 is under my warm ups and I feel terrible! Yes, TERRIBLE. I hate exercise more than ever right now. My joints hurt, my hammies hurt, the tops of my feet STILL HURT and I am more hungry than ever. Is this progress? Well, according to my dear sister in law who is in the Marine Corps, yes, the Marine Corps- deep, searing bone pain is a great sign! Super! Here is a synopsis of today's evil run.

Coach Katie was so kind to watch my kiddos while I went to run around the lake of hell again. It was a lovely afternoon and the sun was on my side, which helped my motivation. But running when your legs already hurt is serious business. I equate it to giving birth to twins. Oh, yes, the first one is out and over with, and you hurt quite a bit, but let's DO IT AGAIN!!!! No me gusta.

Nonetheless, I attempted. I did my stretches and set out for a grueling grind of my bones around the lake and then, I saw him. Lots and lots of people run and walk around this lake-most in some sort of "outfit" that says, "Hey, I am exercising!" But not this guy. No, there were plenty of normal people on the trail today. But this one was anything but normal. He donned a nice fleece of sorts, some jeans and googly eyed glasses. It wasn't how he looked but how he looked at ME. It was the sort of look that gives you the willies-you want to shake the look off but can't quite come to terms with what it is about this person that makes you want to break your legs running. Enter Mr. Diddles. Mr. Diddles is a nickname my sister and her friends hand off to people who are, well, creepy molesters of sorts. And this guy earned his name for sure today. Not that he tried to molest me because I would have round house kicked him in his googly eyed glasses, but he gave me the vibe AND I WAS OUT!!

Necessity is indeed the mother of invention, so today, I invented "the-jog-by-joiner". Kind of like a drive by shooting, but without guns, and a car, and a red bandana. The "jog-by-joiner" scopes out her crowd on the trail to see who she can pace behind in order to not be alone with the Mr. Diddles' of the world. There's lots of opportunities to do a jog by join-you just act like you are a serious exerciser and when you see a group of women who look like a trusted aunt or grandparent, you slowly jog behind them. Then, if Mr. Diddles decides to diddle dally doo over to you, immediately you have witnesses/backup. This really worked for me today until my "friends" decided to jog off to a picnic bench and have a rest. Jog by joiners are never to "follow" their designated friends otherwise the JBJ (jog by joiner) becomes similar to Mrs. Diddles...you get the jist.

So with Mr. Diddles ahead of me, I turned around half way and went back. I probably made it a mile today. And again, I felt MUCH better after the run-more energy to be with the kids during the "chaos hour" (5-7 pm) and even created a new delicious kid friendly Alfredo sauce to pair nicely with the noodles that I inhaled for dinner.

It's just a day in the life,

Rebecca

STATS

Good Evening,

Because I am using this blog as an accountability word box, I have decided to post some "stats" about my current physical form in order to track its metamorphic potential. What? What I mean is, here are the present statistical results of having three kids in under four years, dessert every night, lots and lots of blizzards from the DQ, no programmed exercise and about 4-5 hours of sleep every 24 hour cycle.

Current Weight: 146

Height: 5'6"

Dress size: 8-10

Overall Mood: Hungry (what, that's a mood)

Greatest Desire: To sleep through the night

I would like to drop about 15 pounds, fit into my super cute size 6 jeans, not feel hungry all the time and sleep about 8 hours a night. That sounds like a healthy mama to me.

Now in reality, I am pretty sure my abs are shot to shit. Sometimes we use naughty words to make a point...get over it and recognize that foul words are adjectives too. So that being said, I am accepting the fact that unless Dr. 90210 offers some abdominalplasty procedure, I must live with my "squish" as Maddie so lovingly calls it. Right now it is a bit of fat and lots of loose skin that so eloquently "tucks" itself into my bandelino blues. I WILL NOT give into the muffin top and will continue to wear appropriate jeans even if I reach my goal weight. There are some things better put away than left for unwelcome sneers of disgust upon witnessing said muffin top. I have been guilty of these sneers and would like to showcase what I mean in a slew of internet pictures. Enjoy!

I'm still sore,

Rebecca

The Top of my feet hurt?

CRIPPPPPEEESSSS!

Maybe a 2.3 mile "jog" around Lake Padden was not a good starting point? NO SELF DEFEATING MESSAGES-Coach Katie would say right now. Yes there is a bit of uncomfortable pain in my hammies and the tops of my feet. But guess what? I'm going again. HOLLA ATCHA GIRL! Not sure why a bit of gangsta love comes out in my writing sometimes but it does. I'm totally going for a run today. Word to ya mother.

Rebecca

Coach Katie and Me

The woman who looks like a runner, is indeed, a runner-meet Katie Ruthford. Not only does Katie run, but she mountain bikes and paddle boards too. She was kind enough to encourage me on my first run yesterday. Thanks Katie!!!

(this was a moment after we got home from the big run...note how Katie looks calm and exhilarated and I look bewildered and hungry)

A Serious Runner

Check out this lady-she seems to be elegantly running like the gentle breeze on the lake. Quiet, yet present in mind, body and spirit. She knows no boundaries, she is engaged in her sport.

OHHHHH SNAP! It's ME!!!!!!

Not a Proper Use for Spandex, a.k.a. "Lycra"

A Proper Use for "Lycra", a.k.a. Spandex

Adventures in Running Lake Padden

Ow?

I did it. I went for my first jaunt. I intended to merely run from our home, down the road, to the stop sign and back. Maddie said, "What are you doing with your shoes on?" before I left. And this other neighborhood kid said, "Who is that in the grey (running outfit)?" with a look of disbelief on his face (mind you this child has seen me many times before. Thanks for the morale boost kids. Enter Katie Ruthford-my seriously in shape neighbor. She had some other plans for us-like, oh, running AROUND LAKE PADDEN!!!!!!?

I decided to wear some old warm up pants and a Bloomsday marathon shirt that our seriously in shape friend Matt gave me yesterday as an accessory to my "outfit" THANKS MATT!

Before I committed to leaving the house for my run, I did some procrastinatory things to escape the inevitable...checked my e-mail, and Facebook of course, did some dishes, changed a baby. And then my coach, er, I mean, Katie knocked on the door and with a spark in her eye and a way too chipper tone said, "Okay, you ready?" Uh? No?

So we did some stretching which I guess helps warm up the legs and such and then we were off. I saw some very serious runners who looked like they would kill me if I got in their way, so I stayed off to my side of the trail. Katie was energetic and bubbly and let me know we would walk the hills...the hills? Cripes. It felt fine for about 10 minutes and then a flashback of running around the track in high school came flooding my mind...I could almost hear Coach Reicshman saying, "GET MOVING! WE DON'T HAVE ALL DAY HERE FOLKS!! REBECCA!!!! STOP DOING YOUR HAIR WHILE YOU RUN!!!!" I got the obligatory side ache and told Katie. She told me to do some birth breathing, like letting all of my air molecules out completely. So I did. I just pretended I was in labor. It hurt like labor pains. Okay not that bad, but definitely uncomfortable. But while I was struggling to keep a good pace, something was happening. I felt my breath becoming more deep, and for the first time, in a long time, I felt awake and motivated to keep going. So I did.

There were a few "dog hurdles". That's when the owners of small dogs don't keep them on a leash and as you are running, they sort of come up like they want a pet, but you aren't sure if they are going to move, so you just hurdle over them. Or around them. It irritated my serious running coach Katie. And she is right, they really should be leashed.

Then, near the end of the 2.3 miles or whatever horrible distance it was, I heard these words. "Yes, they are running and doing a great job!" It was a dad talking to his kid. He saw me and used the word "runner" in my presence. Sweet.

So we rounded the last bend and then it was walking time (thank you God almighty in Heaven!!!!) and then to the car and back to the house.

My hamstrings hurt (Katie said I could go down the stairs backward if they really hurt tomorrow-gee, great, thanks for the warning (SERIOUSLY?) and I did take a hot bath. I was NOT prepared for the gigantic, voracious appetite that hit me after the run...I'm still hungry after a huge pasta salad, some toast, some eggs, spinach, tea, a cookie, and a bowl of cereal. But then again, I am still nursing baby Ben, so I am working off double calories. Or something like that. Any tips for a good, healthy, filling meal after a run would be super.

I am learning how to post pics on the blog site-Nick will help with that later on. He is on a night mountain bike ride. That's right A NIGHT TIME MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE. Do you see what I am up against? I live in a neighborhood where every other neighbor is like an Olympic athlete, my husband enjoys riding up a mountain at night on a bike and I have Coach Katie two doors down who likes to run the way I like to eat cookies. I'll never be able to not exercise again! The accountability is nauseating.

I will post tomorrow with the results of how my legs feel and some sweet pictures. But for now, I feel good. I feel the deep breath in my chest and the good tiredness similar to the only main form of exercise I knew as a kid. Going into the ocean and being tossed by the waves while bodyboarding for hours and hours. And then taking a hot shower and putting on soft jammies. Now THAT, is a good feeling, and THIS is mimicking it enough so that I will be running again the day after tomorrow.

Signing off to go eat a steak,

Rebecca

I Refuse

Greetings my six followers and all the peepers who I know look at this and do not sign in,

It rained morning, noon and night. I REFUSE to exercise in the rain. Now, maybe someone who LIKES to exercise would don a parka and forget about it, but not this mama. No way. Call it an excuse or what you may. I polished off the night with a Haggen Daz bar. How bout them apples?

Sorry if I let you down, but do you really want my first jog to be a miserable experience? I think not. So tomorrow's forecast calls for clearing skies. And then I will do it. I will take pictures to prove it.

I have however found that not eating a crap-load of sugar helps lose pounds and I am pleased to say a "new" pair of jeans fit nicely this evening after a week and a half of foregoing sugar.

I learned something new tonight about running gear. Do not call them spandex. They are called "lycra". So, tomorrow after my "jaunt" I will be finding some undergarment lycra. Why do people wear this? It sounds constricting and sweaty. Yuck. Do they wear it underneath their shorts or just alone. I have seen what lycra can do for a nice body and a not so nice body. I will post some pictures to showcase this phenomenon.

Spandexically yours,

Rebecca

A Reflection of Childhood

Greetings on this miserable rainy night,

My dear husband has been telling me that I need a hobby (aka-exercise outlet) ever since I first met him. He has struggled to understand how I made it through life without this outlet since he was raised quite the opposite. His poor mother has told me about her amazing, gigantic calendar that used to track all three kids' sports-it was as if each needed their own secretary to keep track of practices, games, summer camps and the likes. I will say, that what was embedded into each of the Gonnella kids was something I could have certainly used growing up. They had a routine and their bodies exhibited fit athletes who now know HOW to exercise and still require it to feel good. And I DID get exercise as a kid, just not the way most do. Come away with me to the High Desert of California, circa 1980's...

Instead of a track, my sister and I had "acreage". Five to be precise, enough to run and run and never see the same thing twice in one day. Instead of a ball to throw, we hurled dried up sandstone and dirt clods at one another, or at a passing rattlesnake. Instead of soccer, we kicked around tumbleweeds. Basketball? Nope, we threw rocks into old rusted cans. Sure there were organized sporting events "in town". And I was on a soccer team. For a few weeks.

It just never appealed to me. The sweating, the competition, the commitment to a long term "plan". No, I much rather preferred to read, to write, to play an instrument. To gaze for hours at the cloud formations in the desert sky. I enjoyed people too much to compete with anyone. I loved music and dancing. I was a dreamer. Who am I kidding-I am a dreamer.

Now, fast forward to the present. Oh! Guess what has motivated me to exercise?! Reading and writing and playing instruments don't help you lose the little fat pockets around your waist and the "squishy" spot on your stomach after birthing three children in under four years! Who would have guessed that skinny Becca who used to drink high fat and protein shakes in hopes of GAINING weight, would be writing a blog about exercise and losing a bit of leftover baby poundage. It all makes sense. I have incorporated writing and exercise. Note which has come first. But I digress. Friday is the day. It begins in less than 72 hours. Me and the pavement. I don't even know what to wear. I don't even care. I'm going the distance.

Exhausted just thinking about it,

Rebecca

PS. Nick, you were right. For the past 13 years you have been encouraging me to at least try to find an exercise outlet. I will have my "plan" to you by close of business tomorrow. Thanks for being my patient, supporting, husband. You were right all along... painting walls is not an outlet. Neither is going grocery shopping alone. And neither is sleeping.

Cake-A band or to eat?

If you will note the first few words of my chosen blog song, they go like this, "Reluctantly crouched at the starting line..." I could not have chosen a better word. Reluctant. However reluctant I may be, and even though there are always dishes to be done, I think my first "jaunt" (people who are casual exercisers use this word) will take place on Friday. I know that was a big run-on sentence, RUN-ON, I didn't even mean to create a play on words there! This is meant to be.

Now, who will be my first "Exerciser Profile" pick of the week...I choose KATIE RUTHFORD. It's on girl. She isn't even a follower of my blog yet, but little does she know, that I have been scoping out her exercise endeavors for a while now. You will be impressed. This is one exercise addict that I am pleased to call my friend. The hope is that addict+phobic will = motivation.

Toodles,

Rebecca

P.S. Cake equals the band. I gave up sweets for Lent.

The ups and downs of an Exercise Phobic

Greetings Everyone,

Here is my very first blog posting.

I HATE EXERCISE!

But I am willing to go the distance. Join me!

Warm Regards,

Rebecca