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Introduction Text I am a 41 year-old married mom of three. My oldest daughter is 15, and I have 7 year-old twins--a boy & a girl. I also work full-time as a teacher. I've had a regular fitness routine since my late teens/early twenties. The challenge these days is to continue to find ways to "tweak" it so I still see good results. Is does get harder with age! And, of course with three kids, it's harder to find the time. But, you will find NO excuses here! I have spent the last 4 years here on "Spark" maintaining/improving and logging my fitness routine; tracking my eating habits; and finding ways to minimize stress and get more sleep. The connection between sleep-stress-weight (gain) is real, but I didn't believe it until I saw it on myself a few years back. My number one goal has always been to be HEALTHY. Not skinny, not thin, not a certain number on the scale, or a particular dress size. Heck, at my current weight, I wear anywhere from a size 6 to a size 12, so who the hell knows what that number on the dress tag means anyways. My focus is honoring my body, mind, and soul with things that make me feel all-around good. On any given day that could be good-for-me food, exercise, taking a much needed break, and even some wine and dark chocolate from time to time. I want my children to see that honoring your body doesn't just mean not drinking soda and going to the gym. It means doing whatever makes YOU feel your best inside and out. My scale is under my bed, with a dead battery and a nice thick layer of dust on it. That's where it has been since February, 2011, and I plan on keeping it that way! A number will not define me. It will not become my compulsion, an unhealthy obsession, nor determine my daily mood. For the first time in my life I FEEL healthy, beautiful, and strong WITHOUT knowing the number on the scale, and I am probably in the best shape of my life to boot. For the last two years, my interest has shifted when it comes to working-out. I used to run....and run, and run, and.... I was a typical "cardio-queen". 5-6 days a week I would leave a puddle of sweat on the floor beneath me after a good LONG run or marathon kickboxing workout. But over the years something happened along the way and I stopped seeing results from that. After much inquiry from various sources & following several women I truly respect in the weightlifting-world, I started to dabble in weight-lifting...and now I am TOTALLY in love with it!!! Yes, I lift big, heavy "manly" weights...and, NO, it has not made me look big or manly! It has done A-M-A-Z-I-N-G things for my body (more than any 16-mile run ever did)! My kids think I am "cool", and I'm glad my girls are seeing that it's ok for girls to be strong. Besides that, it is a mind-blowing confidence-booster. To rip a bar off the floor in a deadlift that weighs more than my own bodyweight feels pretty bada$$!!! My journey now continues with staying on this plan, holding myself accountable to my goals while redefining them along the way as needed, becoming stronger (physically AND mentally), more fit, and striving to continue to live a healthy life and be an awesome example for my kids.

Weight Goal: --MAINTAIN weight/size, but continue working on getting stronger and increasing lean-muscle Strength-training Progress (past 6 months: (set/reps/weight) AO Sept 1, 2013 Back Squat (3/5/140) Deadlift--rack pull (3/3/180) Bench Press (3/3/107.5) BAR Leg-lift (3/4/185) AO Oct 19, 2013 Back Squat (3/3/145) Deadlift--rack pull (1/1/190) Bench Press (4/1/110) BAR Leg-lift (2/3/190) AO Jan 21, 2014 Back Squat (3/1/150) Deadlift--rack pull (2/2/200) Bench Press (3/1/117.5) BAR Leg-lift (2/2/205) AO Feb 13, 2014 Back Squat (3/2/150) Deadlift--rack pull (2/1/205) Bench Press (2/1/120) BAR Leg-lift (3/2/205) ***As of 04/2014--Progress on "BIG" lifts has been put on hold while I nurse a lower back herniated disc. Focus now is on high volume, lower weight work & kettlebells*** 11/2014

EXERCISE: (As of 06/2014) 3 days/wk-- on non-consecutive days I strength train alternating high volume-low intensity / low volume-high intensity lifts that work both upper and lower body -5-6 days/wk brisk walking (about 2 miles in 30 min)--This is my "cardio" NUTRITION: --PALEO: I eat 'real' food--NO processed junk, NO HFCS, NO GMOs, NO soy (and minimal dairy) Basically, if it didn't have a mother or grow out of the ground, forget it! --100% GLUTEN-FREE as of 04/2012. This has just about eliminated my chronic joint pain; improved all my cholesterol #'s; helped my digestive issues, and controlled an auto-immune skin issue I've had for years. I also limit most other GF grains simply because they do not align with my personal nutritional goals. --Reading ingredient labels can be a pain in the a$$, but I do! --MINIMUM 6-8 cups of water per day + MINIMUM 6.5-7 hours sleep per night

It's NOT about the weight on the scale. It IS about how much weight I can put on the bar! It IS about being strong & healthy AND HAPPY!!!

Southern California Girl! Elementary School Teacher for past 16 years--currently teaching Technology, Grades 1-8; and Language Arts, Grade 6.

Add a Link Elizabeth Focus on what you CAN do, instead of what you can't! It's not about lowering the weight on the scale; it's about increasing the weight on the bar! Stop weighing yourself! Focus on eating healthier & getting stronger. Looking better will simply be an added bonus!
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