FamilyInShape

Go for a walk, up a hill

Photo by SpinDiva "Windmill Walk"

For the first time since I moved I purposely engaged in physical exercise. I figured since I've been getting my workout from running up and down the stairs, lifting heavy boxes and kids; and walking through town, on the beach, to the pool, I should still be in relatively good shape. I was staying active with the kids even though I was not Spinning(r) or doing any type of organized exercise and that was one of my goals during this moving process.  

Here, in Guantanamo Bay, it is really easy to stay active. You almost have to purposely not want to be involved with anyone to be inactive because there is something going on for the entire family just about everyday and when there isn't, it's not hard to come up with something to do.

A couple of the mom's asked me if I wanted to go for a walk up to the Windmills early in the morning. I, of course, jumped at the opportunity to workout and have some fun company. The walk to the Windmills can range between 2.5 and 3.5 miles. It all depends where you start. The intensity can also vary depending on what you bring with you, a bottle of water vs. a stroller with a toddler. I drove the trail about a week ago and remembered thinking what a painful walk or run that would be because it is most definitely steep and unforgiving. It wold be a challenge.

Obviously, I have selective memory because when we started walking on this beautiful, warm morning I though "oh it may be challenging but I can do this a few times over." (So arrogant!!) NOT!!! or Not yet anyway. I walked with my friend and her toddler in the stroller, at first she pushed and I just held my water bottle. I could see pushing the stroller would add to the challenge so we decided to take turns pushing. Every time we turned I thought this must be the last one and every time I was wrong. The last strip was straight up right to the windmill. OUCH! Coming back was a piece of cake.

But can I just say how sore I am today and not just my legs. I expected everything from the hips down to be sore. Not my arms, back, chest and abs. Everything hurts!!! But it hurts in a good way. I needed to feel my muscles again. I needed to get a cardiovascular workout that would challenge me. Even though I am sore today, I feel great and feel a great sense of accomplishment. I will tackle that hill again soon. That will most definitely be part of my workout routine in the new year.

I hope you are finding ways to stay active alone or with your family. Have fun, despite the weather, and have a happy, energized, fantastic year 2010!!

Stay well, stay safe!

Living in Guantanamo Bay

Photo by Spindiva "Morning view"

Finally living in Guantanamo Bay and so far life is sweet. My first phone call was to the gym to check on a potential job. Well it just so happens that someone left an open Spinning position and I think it will soon be mine. I am very excited about that!!

The kids are adjusting to having nothing much to do because it's holiday season, many people leave the island, and we have nothing in the house, yet. The weather has been rainy but today will be a great day, it's gorgeous out, feels great. We have some fun activities planned for the next few days--all outdoors! Yeah!! Not missing my gray days in Virginia, but really missing my friends and family this holiday season.

Have a fantastic Holiday season everyone! Stay safe, stay well and come back strong to living a healthy, active lifestyle in the new year!!

SpinDiva! 

Staying in the Now

Photo by SpinDiva 

"Surrender is the simple but profound wisdom of yielding to rather than opposing the flow of life. The only place where you can experience the flow of life is the Now, so to surrender is to accept the present moment unconditionally and without reservation... It is to relinquish inner resistance to what is." ~ Eckhart Tolle

~ ~ ~

Life. It has been somewhat complicated these past two weeks. We've been packed, the vehicle has shipped, we live in a hotel suite smaller than my old bathroom but the kids are happy. I was a little worried about their reaction to moving and leaving dear friends behind. I must have done a really good job somewhere along the way (yes, padding myself in the back right now) because I expected trouble all the way to the end. Instead they are excited, sad to leave friends, as am I, but excited for this new adventure to begin. A few more days of this craziness and we're on our way from 45 degrees and foggy to 85 degrees and clear. I can live with that! I can't wait to share our adventures and life in Guantanamo. I have a feeling we will have some interesting stories to tell. I do hear you saying "I don't know how you do it all." Well I have friends reminding me that I should forget about the statement "it is what it is" and remember that "it is...what you make of it." So I choose to make it a positive experience, even in the midst of stress and chaos. 

I admit there were a few moments I thought I'd loose my mind and the stress monster tried very hard to take me down (i.e. when I thought I lost my wallet one week prior to moving) but I resisted, talked myself out of an anxiety attack and guess what, I found my wallet exactly where I left it, under the bathroom sink.  

WHAT? Doesn't everyone use this space for their wallet? Surely you must have put the cereal in the fridge and the milk in the pantry at some point in your life!!

OK call me crazy. Well, then again, don't. That would just be mean.

I will continue to remind myself that right here, right now is really all that matters so I will continue to only focus on that which I can control, everything else will fall into place nicely.

Stay well people,

 

988 miles, 96 hours, 5 states, 4 kids, 1 pick up truck = Fun!

   

Taking the subway into New York City was the most fun. We went to see In The Heights - a fantastic, lively musical.  Go see it if you get a chance. This is really the city that never sleeps, it's been so long since I visited.  The last picture was taken around midnight and as you can see, there's no lack of people walking around. 

The Plan - a family road trip. As a precursor to our upcoming move to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, we decided to attempt to see everyone we could over the Thanksgiving Holidays this year.  No, I wasn’t drinking when I first started planning this crazy trip.

Mode of transportation- a truck. We have a pick up with an extended cab and if you know anything about trucks you know that the extended part is literally an extension of the front seat, not much room to get too comfy back there, but big enough for little legs.

Where to? The loop would take us from Virginia Peninsula to Pennsylvania to New Jersey to New York (Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx, Manhattan – these should be considered states, just saying) back down to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. 

Who's driving now? Here's where you'll think I was really high on something. When we picked up the oldest kid at his school in Jersey, I gave him a turn at the wheel.  I needed a break and he NEEDED to be able to say he drove through New York City and Brooklyn.  He did well, obviously, we're alive and no tickets were issued.

My traveling companions for the majority of the trip were the teengirl with iPod ears.  She spent some time listening to her music singing only the parts she knew – that is most annoying.

I told her to get used to having those in her ears because at this rate she would need hearing aids soon. She did not appreciate that! What, it's true!. 

When the music wasn't blaring out of her ears she insisted on telling me every detail of all the Twilight books at high speed and with more excitement than I could muster. Hey that was like drinking a few shots of espresso -kept me awake through, at least, one state. The seven and three year old in the back seat extended cab were being entertained by several CDs and my laptop, another iPod and food.  

I find it amazing that they claim to be hungry or desperately need to go potty within 30 minutes of leaving the house. Never fails.

What to eat...decisions, decisions. This week I decided not to worry too much about nutrition and my vegetarian diet.  I would not want to miss out on all the goodies nor would I want to disappoint my family members by no eating their food.  

But truly, whom am I trying to kid here?  I’m on the road, in a pick up truck with three, sometimes, four kids. Everyone singing to the beat of their drum.  Do you know what is like to hear three kids singing something different all at once? It's nerve wrecking, had to put an end to that.  

I did pay attention to portion control, I think I had one dessert and that was my favorite Puerto Rican-made custard, yum.  Dominican families cook a lot of food and they expect you to eat it because they think you may never see it again.  I can cook you know!! But with all the walking, dancing, and talking we all did, sometimes all at once, it was easy to avoid the buffet table.  I was too busy yapping!

Home-Sweet-Home. We are back home trying to catch up with a long list of to-do’s, back in the gym and our old routine, at least for the next two weeks.  I made the trip to the local market and restocked the pantry and fridge with lots of colorful foods. We, Ms. iPod ears and I, are back eating healthy, mostly vegetarian, healthy carbs, lean and mean!!

Getting back in the swing of things was not difficult at all.  It was just a matter of determination and knowing that we did not need to continue eating like we were going into hibernation.  I’m happy to say that it really does feel good to be back on track with all the right foods.

Now my challenge will be to keep it going through a very stressful time – the pack-out (if you’re a military spouse who moved alone, you know what that’s all about), the kids (hoping I don't lose one), shutting off the utilities, renting the house and the flight…AHHH!  I’ll be happy when I’m on the flight out – I will miss my dear friends and family but I need some closure with all this stuff.  Wish me luck!!

OK people, stay on track over the next three weeks and you won’t have to worry about weight gain over the holidays.  Make good choices, stay active and you’ll be just fine.

Stay Well,