Day 3...UFC 129 : )

Great day today…AWESOME workout and watching the UFC 129 fight, so quick post tonight!

First fight in a while alcohol free…feels good!

Blessings!

~Rob

Day 2...Shabbat Shalom!

So day 2 is pretty much in the books and it went surprisingly terrific! We did another run on the treadmill with an incline to make it more difficult. I was drenched in sweat afterwards! We had a nice, but healthy Shabbat meal tonight and really enjoyed some quality family time…it was really, really nice!!! Jen and I both are SOOO sore from yesterday’s workout…feels good though : )

So, tomorrow we will rest some, clean house and probably get a few groceries.

Till then, many blessings!

~Rob

Day 1...here we go again : )))

Today was our official ‘first Day’ of the challenge! Everything went really well…we got in a great workout and things with the family seem to be going WAY better!!! Jen and I are getting along really well and the kids seem really happy that the stress level has gone down : ) Jen got to come home early today and those days are really nice.

Trying to plan ahead for the weakened so there want be any surprises…don’t want to sabotage ourselves! Anyway, ordered some RTD shakes from EAS/Abbot today as well. Jen loves the cookies and cream and they were on sale : )

So far so good…

Blessings!

~Rob

Prestart day...To the Glory of God

So seems we actually made it a WHOLE 2 days this attempt : )))

This would be totally laughable, if not so serious! Anyway, made it to date night and everything went well…LOVED the Rock Climbing, really awesome adventure!!! All went really well until we got to the Irish Pub, actually that wasn’t too awful bad except we drank way too much or more then we had planned anyways! We met a really nice couple and were having a great time. It all went South when we got home at about 3 in the morning and by the time the babysitter left at 5am I was already up, we had made a couple of drinks once we got home also, so once the sun came up there was no way I was going to bed!

Jen fell asleep and when she woke up 6-7 hours later there I sat : ) She wasn’t happy and we ended up arguing most of the rest of the day! I really wish I had went to sleep cause it was a miserable day…the problem is, I just couldn’t…once I saw the sunlight I guess my internal clock was reset!

Anyway, we ended up making up, but we have spent the last 3 days depressed and, once again feeling like we let our family, selves and God down! It’s become blatantly apparent that alcohol is not going to be able to have a place in our life! Nearly every time we drink it derails our challenge and cause nothing but strife in our life and marriage!!!

So, Jen and I had a long talk last night and even talked to the kids…we prayed and made some decisions that are going to change our life and the direction it’s been taking lately. We have placed so much focus on completing a BFL challenge, becoming healthy and fit, yet at the same time have tried to maintain a lifestyle that doesn’t necessarily denote and definitely doesn’t promote that lifestyle. We have lost the simple things in life and the foundation of our Faith (which use to be so strong)! I think we both agree that we have been trying to do this on our own and sometimes asking for God’s help and accepting it are two very different things!

So, we have dedicated ourselves a fresh and a new to following God, His principles and guidelines for our life and seeking His guidance for this challenge and EVERY part of our life! We cannot deal with ALL the stress in our life’s right now alone! We can’t be party people and eat and maintain a healthy life…we can’t focus on anything, but GOD and our family and helping others! Anything else will lead us right back to this situation!

So, after 3 days of depression, 10 pound weight gain on my part and lot’s of prayer…we are going to commit to finally completing this challenge successfully! The WHOLE family is on board and with God’s help I have a sneaky feeling that this is it…this is finally the time!

This will be the post that we will look back on and say, “This is the day things turned around and we were finally able to do this!”

God bless!

~Rob

Body-for-Life Challenge 2011

Took before photo’s on April 26th, 2011

Starting Date: 4/28/11

                 End Date:  7/21/11

Rob weight: 175.6

Jen’s weight: 162.5

off to a great start!

Day 2 went really well, as did Day 1!

We did 2 really great workouts both days…we did 5 rounds for time of: 400 meter run/ 10 thrusters/ 40 sit-ups Jen- 45lb bar Rob 95lbs – Jen 30:09.4   Rob 23:50.7 yesterday, and todays WOD and times were Row 2K   Joshua 11:25.2   Jen 9:41.2   Rob 8:25.3!

Other than my lack of sleep ‘issues’ things have been going surprisingly well. Jen and I are getting along great and have even planned a date night for tomorrow night : ) Eating healthy again feels awesome and even the children seem to really enjoy it!

So far so good!

Till tomorrow!

~Rob

body-for-Life Challenge!

So, once again the last couple of weeks have been pretty rough! It seems stress from school, work, 4 kids and life in general have derailed us yet another time. I know from our past experience with trying to complete the 12 week Body-for-Life how difficult it is for us.

Most people just push through and past life’s obstacles and finish the 12 weeks…we can’t seem to do that. I don’t think it’s a case of ‘perfectionist’ but rather simply wanting to do ‘it’ right…not wanting to leave anything to chance…not wanting to look back at the end of 12 weeks and think, “if only.”

I normally keep this blog real simple and have never gotten too personal and it’s not like anyone is really reading it anyway, but I think I’m going to share a bit more of my emotions and what’s going on in hopes that that will help de-stress my life. STRESS is the ultimate killer of our challenge attempts…stress leads to alcohol, which sometimes leads to ‘over-consumption, which definitely leads to 3-4 or more days missed from the challenge usually with me ending up in deep depression!  

Over the last few months this cycle has led to some very unsettling moments in my marriage also…actually to the point that the ‘D’ word has been brought up and we have never considered that an option. So, something has to be done to end this cycle and get us back into a ‘healthy’ place. Jen missed her weight again for work and this isn’t good. She is an emotional eater and when stress hits her…she eats! I run to alcohol and she runs to food!

Well, I hope and pray that God will help us once and for all…This Body-for-Life challenge is something we have aspired too for years and is a GREAT common goal that we have to bring us closer and heal our relationship. We have 4 beautiful children who depend on us for EVERYTHING and I do not want to let them down. Harvest, with her Type 1 diabetes needs us more than ever and needs that healthy example placed into her life at an early age! We need this and have to finish it! Not to mention how much a blessing the prize money would be if we could actually WIN!!!

So, this is where we are at right now…we have ALL the tools necessary, we just have to get the right attitude and let nothing stop us! PLEASE GOD, give us the strength to complete this challenge and be the example to our children and others that we need to be!

Amen!

~Rob

rough day...

Day 6 was a rough day…felt totally stressed and decided to have a few drinks…

Didn’t really overdo it, but didn’t help matters either! Took a rest from working out as I can barely move…those walking lunges killed my legs!!! Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day!

Till then!

~Rob  

still sleepy

Today was beautiful outside…I still struggled with sleep last night and not sure what to do, but hopefully I’ll figure it out soon. We did a crazy WOD today, the Crossfit main site called for 400 meter walking lunges and OMGoodness…I’m not sure I’ll be able to walk tomorrow!!!

My legs are so stiff right now and Jen feels the same way…Joshua seemed to do fine with his though. Anyway, I’m off to bed and hopefully to sleep : )

Till tomorrow!

~Rob

Sooo Sleepy

Day 4 is almost in the books and I’m exhausted! I seem to have this problem every time I start exercising after a couple of weeks off…I CAN’T SLEEP!!! I lay there and lay there tossing and turning, mind racing like crazy and end up with only 2-4 hours a night! This is and has always been one of my biggest struggles with fitness and losing body fat!

Tonight I’m hoping to turn it around…I’m heading to bed right after this and hopefully fall right to sleep…I took 2 Benadryl which is supposed to knock me out, per my wife’s suggestion : )

Anyway, Great day today overall, I got in a great chest workout this morning and then did a WOD with Jen and Joshua this afternoon!  We did WOD/For time run 800 meters/ 25 20lb medicine ball squats/ 25 kettle bell swings/25 box jumps/ 50 sit-ups / run 800 meters   Joshua 14:03.75  Mom 17:56.52  Dad 11:59.37

Hope everyone else is having a great week and blessings to you all!

Best!

~Rob

sore all over : )

Another amazing day…lots of rain, but it couldn’t damper my mood!!! Feels so good to actually be feeling good again! Jen is still a bit under the weather and has TONS of school work she’s trying to get caught up on. We were all sore from yesterdays WOD so her and Joshua took a rest day, but I felt good enough that I decided to hop on the treadmill and run a quick 5K before bed tonight!

Weight is also starting to come off pretty quick…

Sleep well!

~Rob

Feeling good...

Today was AWESOME!!!



  Joshua doing todays WOD

The sun was bright, sunny and in the temps high 80’s!... Jen actually came home early due to her sinus infection, but she STILL managed to give her all during our workout! Today’s WOD was 5 rounds for time of: 400 meter run/thrusters rob 95lbs-Jen and josh 45lbs/ 30 sit-ups – Rob 21:31.2   Jen 25:06.1   Joshua 25:34.8

Our last meal of the day was quite delectable as well…even the kids LOVED it…we had Grass-fed beef and organ meat meatballs with coconut and tomato sauce- http://www.marksdailyapple.com/curry-meatballs-with-a-little-offal-in-creamy-tomato-coconut-sauce/  Fresh strawberries and blueberries

So this challenge is off to a great start and I know our numbers are going to be really good this week. I have a little break from school so that has really helped with my daily stress level and that’s always a good thing! Anyway, trying to get more quality sleep too, so sleep well blogger land!

Till tomorrow!

~Rob

No, we will not go away!

 So what we thought was a simple cold morphed into a major illness…Jen and I both are STILL congested and I think she has a sinus infection! Anyway, yeah you know it….starting over cause this means more to us than just a 12 week challenge! We are in it to win it!!!

I hope, sincerely hope that this will be our time-our year-our challenge!!! Going to give it our ALL! Started out good today, took before pictures on the 8^th and our official DAY 1 Started today…had a GREAT workout, despite still being sick!

I know people must think were crazy, but when you look back in 2012 and see we won this thing you’ll say, “WOW, perseverance pays off”

All the best!

~Rob

Jen's a Wild Women...

Definitely felt much better today…Still not completely back to normal, but WAY better!!!

Jen ran her 'Wild Women' 8K today even though she was sick and did an amazing job! I was so proud of her…

Other than that I would say today was our first real’ free day’ as we did indulge in some bread, lot’s of cheese and I had two chocolate cookies…first real sugar stuff I’ve had in a while…I immediately felt pretty rough too! Anyway, back to the normal routine tomorrow and I think we should be pretty much over this whole sickness…I sure hope so anyway!

Be blessed!

~Rob

back in the game!

Today was much better…still congested and hacking like a runaway train, but we sucked it up and did a workout anyways!!! Man, it was HARD…felt like I was dying, but I just couldn’t stand not doing anything else for another day! We did 21-15-9 reps for time of: deadlifts/kettle bell swings and jump box…

Tomorrow morning Jen has her Wild Women 8K to run and I truly hope she feels better than this last week! Other than that today has been great…nutrition still going great…ate a few more carbs than I normally would have today and last night, but I think the extra calories/energy may help : )))

Till tomorrow!

~Rob

Almost better...I hope : )

Another sick day and bout over this being sick!!! Jen even had to take the last two days off from work! It’s been rough to say the least…the kids seem to be getting a little better…Nehemiah and Hadassah are still a little congested, but Joshua and Harvest are doing great now! I think/hope the worse was yesterday…felt like I had a fever some of the day today, but a lot of the congestion is going away!

Jen is running an 8K on Sunday so I really hope she is MUCH better by then!

Sooo, yeah still no workouts today, but still dropped over a pound over night…crazy : )

Sleep well!

~Rob

must get better...

Still sick and feel something awful!!!  

Hanging in there nutrition wise and actually losing quite a bit of weight…but no workouts!

Miserable : (

Till tomorrow!

~Rob