I Survived Paint Ball

We went paint balling on Saturday and I survived. It was fun. All the girls in the group were pretty apprehensive at first. It of course helped that the first person we talk to said it hurt way worse then she thought it would. Once we got the safety training and geared up it was game on.

Our group of 6 got mixed in with a bunch of other small groups making one large group between 30-40 people. We divided into teams and went to battle. At the location we went to you have 10 minutes of play where you try and shoot other people while they are taking aim at you. One hit and you are out. What really stunk was the fact that my gun got hit to knock me out twice. I suppose I should be grateful it was my gun that got hit and not me because one of the times I was walking to the dead box and I wasn't paying attention and I got hit by "friendly fire" on my mask and my hand. Getting hit on my fingers hurt worse then child birth. It stung and bled. My little pinkie is still bruised and tender today.

I wish we had more time to play and I wish we had purchased more paint balls.  It would have been more fun had I known everyone playing. It also would have been great if there was more of a point, like play capture the flag at the same time. I wouldn't think twice about going again. I highly recommend wearing baggy clothes as a beginner. They tend to cushion the blow.

Rainy Day Park Play

Today I met up with some girlfriends at our local playground. It was hot and humid when we arrived. The kids emptied one and a half boxes of Capri Suns and were starting in on the water bottles with in the first 30 minutes. Then the clouds rolled in and blocked the sun and a refreshing breeze helped to cool things down. Before we knew it, it was sprinkling. We decided it was just a light rain and would pass soon so the kids continued to play. Gradually the rain became harder and the other mothers and kids at the park were running to their cars. My girlfriends and I just sat there under the pavilion enjoying the cooler weather and our kids laughed and played in the rain. There was no thunder or lightning so we saw no need to leave.

The park transformed into a water park in a matter of minutes. Puddles formed at the bottom of the slides and Bubs enjoyed seeing how high the water splashed when he hit it. The climbing structures became a ship that was caught in a storm. The shredded tires below them was the dark sea and it held all sorts of deadly creatures they had to get by. It was fun just sitting and listening to them play in the rain.

At one point the rain stopped and we continued talking and enjoying our time. Out of the blue came a deep rumble and the dark clouds rolled in and dumped rain. It came down in sheets. Since the thunder had arrived it was time to load up and head out. As I was standing in the rain unlocking the van doors I was wishing I had the automatic sliding doors or at the very least doors with power locks. By the time we got in the car I was almost just as wet as the kids. It was a great day at the park.

Moral of the story: Don't let a little rain keep you from having a good time at the park. If there is no thunder and lightning enjoy your time.

Well Woman Exam

It is recommended that you visit a health care professional for an annual well woman exam. It has been almost 2 years since my last visit and I decided I couldn't put it off any longer so today, I made a visit to my OB/GYN. I hate going to these exams but not for the reason you might think. Sure, having my doctor probe in the nether regions is a little uncomfortable but that is not why I dread going. I hate going for the fact that I have to stand on a scale and have my weight recorded.

I don't know a single person who is happy with their weight. I know people who are thin who wish they were bigger and people who are thin and think they are fat. I'm not either one of those. I'm overweight and I hate being overweight. In fact, I think I'm only a pound or two away from the weight I was when I delivered baby #4 almost 2 years ago. The thing is, I don't think of myself as being overweight until I have to be accountable for my weight, see pictures of myself, go clothes shopping or put on a bathing suit. I still feel like I'm a much smaller person. I have a pretty good self esteem. However, I'm reminded I'm not as small as I feel when I try to squeeze through a tight space that I'm sure I can get through only to realize half way through that I'm stuck. Or, when I walk by one of my kids and the next thing I know the junk in the trunk has knocked them over and I had no idea I was that close to them. I know I'm overweight but I guess I just ignore it. I know my weight. My husband knows my weight. A few really close friends know my weight. For some reason though, having a nurse know my weight and the doctor know my weight is much worse. Maybe it is because it is recorded on my medical record. It makes it official....I'm overweight.

So, today I show up for my exam. I went back so they could take my vitals. Then came the moment of reckoning. She pointed towards the scale and asked me to get on. I look at where she was pointing and it looked like a cattle scale to me. Great. Just perfect. I'm too big for the regular scale. I laughed out loud to myself and made a comment about it looking like a cattle scale as I stepped on. The nurse chuckled a little bit and said "I know it is big but is a scale that our wheel chair patients can use." I knew what type of scale it really was but after 2 seconds I saw the numbers. The numbers themselves weren't very big, maybe 3/4 of an inch but they might as well have been 6 inches big and blinking bright red because that is how it felt when she wrote it down.

The awkward moment was over quicker than it has taken me to write this moment down. I survived. I'm in the process of changing some bad eating habits and getting in an exercise routine but the progress isn't as fast as I would like. I don't loose weight easily. In recording my medical history she asked about a thyroid disorder. I hesitated in answering because at one point in my mothers life she was diagnosed with a thyroid problem only to have it discovered by another DR. that she was diagnosed wrong. We decided to check it out just to rule out the possibility. I don't think I have one but secretly I kind of wish I do because then my weight isn't entirely my fault. I think my birth control is to blame for some of the problem, genetics is to blame for some too, but the majority of the problem is on me and my love of all things baked. I haven't met a brownie, cookie, or bread I didn't like.

I reach out to you my readers....few in number but strong in knowledge and experience....what things have worked well for you in the battle of the bulge and what things should I avoid. Is there a specific diet plan? A specific exercise? I would love your healthy recipes. It is time to look as thin as I feel.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Cardiovascular Exercise is one of the most common forms of exercise. There are so many different forms of cardiovascular exercise it is easy to find one just right for you and your exercise needs. It is named cardiovascular exercise because the most important muscle that benefits from it is your heart. Cardio can lower your blood preasure, increase circulation, and significantly lower your risks of cardiovascular disease. Some other benefits are and increased metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns calories), burning calories, and improved mood. To get the best results from cardio exercise you want to do a gradual warm up to get the blood flowing and then keep your heart rate elevated for at least 20 minutes and then slowly bring it back down.

Here are some excellent cardiovascular exercises.

• Walking is one of the best forms because pretty much anyone can do it. You do not need special equipment other than a good pair of shoes. For people who are really over weight it is a good starting point.
  


• Jogging/Running is the next step after walking. You burn calories faster while jogging and running.
  


• Swimming is perfect for people who have bad backs and knees and for those who are overweight. The water helps support the weight so there is not as much pressure on joints. It is a total body workout to swim laps.
  


• Aerobics is a fun way to get exercise. Coordinated movements to music is fun and really gets you moving. It can be done on a flat surface or you can incorporate weights and steps into it.
  

Don't forget to stretch following your cardiovascular exercise. Find something that works for you and most importantly, have fun.