Cabin fever musings ...

   Day Three of "The Ice Storm that shut down IPS," and every other school district and I am grateful for the sunshine, even if it comes with some bitter temps! We have done an ice-chipping WOD - with some success - and Chris' posted "at home" workout - very fun, kids love the swooping Hindu pushups! The food has flowed freely, but not without some checks and balances ... And I am thinking about last Saturday's BTWG class and awareness (thinking about awareness, that sounds odd, but true).  Just wanted to share a bit of insight that helped me tremendously 8 years ago, and continues to guide me today ... Segue into a bit of a story,, but hey - you're iced in anyway, right?
   Matt and I decided to become parents by adopting our amazing daughter Emma from China. About this time, 10 years ago, we had completed our paperwork, shared our joy with our families and started reading everything we could about adoption and China.  Seven months later - in July - I found out I was pregnant with Sam (just about the same day Emma was born in China). Pregnant without fertility (who knew?) and now two kiddos on the way, I wish I could tell you that I was ecstatic. Instead, I felt scared and unprepared.  Sam was born in March and Matt left for China in early April to bring Emma home (with my Dad, a whole 'nother story). By the end of April, I was parenting an infant and a 9-month-old, and my life was full of joy and fear. When I look at photos from that time, I feel like I was in shock -- somehow, not really there, or maybe there, but kinda numb.
   Enter the point of the story: Matt and I took a great parenting class with a woman named Michelle.  And here's what I learned about awareness - of parenting, food, exercise, wellness, life:
   Michelle broke awareness down into 4 categories:
1. Unconsciously incompetent
2. Consciously incompetent
3. Consciously competent
4. Unconsciously competent
Most of us start out unconsciously incompetent in our journey (Really? 1200 calories in one meal at Steak and Shake?  10 minutes of mediation is a great start to a busy day? Walking to the fridge does not burn calories?)  As we progress, we become consciously incompetent, and that is where we are alot in BTWG, don't you think? (Wow, I ate that, and now I KNOW how many calories that was... Wow, I skipped 2 workouts and now I FEEL the difference...) The goal is to become consciously competent (No thanks to the chips, I'll eat the carrots with hummus instead ...  I'll get up early to workout because I might not fit it in tonight...) At some point, I think we hope to be unconsciously competent - at a place where we don't have to think about our choices, we just find ourselves making the right (healthy) ones ... Each stage is necessary, and we all dance at different places for different amounts of time.  What I can say now is that I waver between 3 and 4...Most of the times, I know better, and many of the times I choose well without too much thought.  When I don't, I know it. But instead of diving into a vat o guilt, I choose to think about these levels - and where I started: Holding 2 crying babies, unsure of what to do next -- and now smiling at the chance to spend some family time in the snow, or maybe even beating one of  them at Wii! :)
  

Y-O-G-A

Perhaps the best 4-letter word I know!  I went to Chris' yoga class tonight at Cityoga after a LONG absence. It reminded me how much I need yoga -- my body needs it, my mind needs it and my soul needs it! Yoga helps me put the workouts, nutrition and mediation all in perspective - like a soft, flexible ribbon that ties it all together with breath!
Enjoy your week, everyone, and stay warm!
Peace!

Old and new

Just in case anyone is interested, this is the link to my original blog for BTWG.  I couldn't add to it, so decided to start anew!

http://btwgnoexcuses.blogspot.com/

Just finished shoveling snow. Time to find some grub for the kids and call it a night!
One quick thought to pass on about meditation: I struggle with this all the time. I am finding that it is easier to do in the morning, instead of at night, when I am beat. 
Each morning, I have been hitting the snooze alarm, jumping out of bed and meditating until the next alarm  ... It beats pretending to go back to sleep! :)
Looks like a great first week!
See you Saturday!

The space between ...

   I am honored and excited after meeting the BTWG gang on Saturday! Your honesty, your motivation, your desires - and your sense of humor - will make this next 12 weeks an amazing adventure! 
   I am starting my new blog - inspired by yours - in the space between. It just sounded right today. It is one of my favorite lyric-bites from Dave Matthews. It is a good space - better than the one I was wedged in two years ago, before my journey with BTWG.  It has all the important information, all the muscle memory of great results, and all the not-so-good noted.  It's filled with intentions, energy, community and gratitude.  There is little room left for guilt and head games, but they clutter up the corners occasionally.  This space between is solid, but leaves lots of room for growth and rearrangement. Peace - and chaos - fit perfectly! :)
   Whatever your space, however it looks and feels right now, it is OK. And you are more than OK. You are here, the journey is on.  Work from your space and trust yourself (and Chris!)
Remember to breathe - and to laugh.
Accept that you will be overwhelmed at times.
And know that you are not alone.
Your biggest fan,
Kelly