the big picture

Posted: October 15, 2010 at 11:00 am

Bloggers of the Day (chosen randomly from yesterday’s comments)

  • The Fitness Dish – Laury is about 3 months pregnant and an extremely fit chick. She is inspiring and continues to share tons of great tips on fitness.
  • Meals and Moves – Janetha comes up with great meal ideas and always has a challenging workout up her sleeve Plus, every post is so much fun!
  • Living With Healthy Hunger – Dorry has such a great approach to health. She also has great travel stories, like her recent trip to Europe to get married.

You want to know what I look like right about now? Something a little like this…

[source]

You know? The whole chicken running around with its head cut off thing? That’s me. Prepping for a kid’s birthday party is serious stuff, people. Especially when coupled in with an already busy schedule. It reminds me that sometimes it’s okay to say no.

You all know how much I enjoy getting in regular workouts. During pregnancy, I regularly get in 4-5 days per week. My weeks usually go something like this:

Sunday & Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Spinning
Wednesday – Group Power weights class
Thursday – Kickbox DVD
Friday – Yoga
Saturday – 1 hour quick paced walk with the family

I adjust that schedule accordingly for my schedule. For example, this week I did the Kickbox on Monday in order to have yesterday off to tutor. I still strive to fit in those workouts though because I know I feel my best when completing them. They help me relieve stress, are fun to me, and give me energy. I don’t like missing workouts. I also don’t care to lose my sanity either and some days something just has to give. Some times it’s okay to just say no to the workouts and refuse to stress or feel guilty over it.

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During the week, I have two opportunities to get in workouts - in the morning after breakfast or in the afternoon shortly after Peter gets home from work. My schedule this week prevented those options. Yesterday I had play group in the morning, then a bunch to get caught up on before tutoring in the afternoon. Today, I have another scheduled visit with a friend during the day, then have to prep for little M’s birthday party all afternoon. This weekend, each day has a full schedule. Tomorrow M has her 2nd birthday party and then we will be going to the pumpkin patch and corn maze for the afternoon/evening. Sunday I will have church and another kiddo birthday.

I would prefer not to miss four days to work out in a row. I may still find time to get a short walk in with my family or do a 20-30 minute workout DVD, because even a little something still feels good.  I won’t force it though. One week off schedule won’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I have to remind myself of the big picture. I have worked out 4-5 days consistently this pregnancy, minus one week I was sick. The busier schedule goes along with preparing for a special event – my daughter’s second birthday. I shouldn’t diminish the worth of the everyday physical activity I will get playing with my daughter at the park with her friends and traipsing around all afternoon at the corn maze and pumpkin patch as part of our family tradition, like last year (below).

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Life gets busy. Life is busy. Making time for fitness and eating well do hold great importance. We do need to keep them a priority in our lives in order to pursue health and find ways to fit them into our hectic schedules. However, I know one day or week off the top of my game doesn’t have to equal a screw-up or something to fret over. Been there, done that. Now, I choose to remember balance is healthy too. I still say yes to fitness and workouts the majority of the time.  So, sometimes its okay to say no too. Then, say yes to making cake balls into wands and play dates with friends.

  • What ways does looking at the big picture help you not to stress over something? I try to remember it for everything – workouts, little daily annoyances that I won’t even remember in a month, my future and that God has an even better big picture than I know.
  • For what things are you more willing to miss workouts?
  • Something to do? Ask me anything for a Q&A series I hope to do in November. CLICK HERE

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30 Comments to “the big picture”
  1. Aww I love pumpkin patches!! I try really hard to always look at the big picture. When it comes to workouts, unless I’m training for something really big & soon, I don’t mind missing workouts- as long as I’m staying healthy, everything is more important: friends, family, etc.

  2. Robyn says:

    Are you doing a b-day party theme? If so what is it? I have never been to a pumpkin patch and think it looks like a lot of fun.

    Enjoy your weekend!

  3. I stress about the smallest things — missing a workout, having my commute take 5 minutes longer than normal, etc. I just want to get too much done in a short amount of time and when I “fail” I beat myself up for it.

    Lately I’ve been more lax about it though — if I miss a workout its not a big deal. If I don’t fold laundry for 3 days, its ok. If I don’t blog on a certain day, its ok. I’m working on getting relaxed and more peaceful with what I have and what I can do in a day. Time with Jason and my family and spending time on things I LIKE to do are more important than getting a million things done in a day.

  4. Yesterday I was totally a chicken with my head cut off, and in the back of my mind I kept hearing “get a workout in, get a workout in” and then around 3pm I just told that voice to shut up! I needed the time for myself to be productive, and as much as I wanted to workout, I wasn’t going to waste more time feeling guilty over it!

  5. M’s party this weekend is going to be so much fun! What special memories you will have!

    I used to be a ball full of stress when I missed workouts. Definitely an end of the world mindset! And to be honest, I sometimes still get like that but I’m much better about relaxing myself and realizing what is truly important. Like you, I feel BETTER when I workout. I feel more alive when I workout but sometimes it just isn’t meant to fit into your life on certain days. I try to keep them smaller rather than larger. 🙂

    For me? Time with family/loved ones, events and sickness are the top reasons for missing a workout. Worth every skip!

  6. Last night, I missed my run for happy hour! I needed the unwinding BADLY, though at the time I though I was going to have a little to drink and then do my run.

    But all is good… I did it this morning and just did a smaller version of my Friday-morning weight routine.

  7. Jess says:

    Looking at the big picture helps me with eating and exercise- as well as grades in school. If I get one lousy grade, it won’t mess up my GPA (or life) forever:)

  8. I love pumpkin patches so much! Love that pic of M w/ the punkins. 🙂 I’m willing to skip workouts for family time – usually on Saturdays or Sundays. Since I get my fitness on during the week, I don’t feel so bad if I skip it on the weekends.

  9. Looking at the big pictures reminds me that small mundane things and tasks are not that important. As long as my family and me are healthy, happy, have a roof over our heads and food on the table, nothing else really matters. Those are the only things we need and when things get stressful I think its good to remember everything you have.

    Things that I will miss a workout for- being sick.

    BTW, your daughter is so cute in the pumpkin patch! What a great picture! : )

    • Tina says:

      I am so much more lax about cleaning than I used to be because its become a mundane thing that doesn’t matter as much. I used to get so upset if things weren’t organized and neat on a daily basis. Now, I try to keep things in order enough to where its not chaos and a huge ordeal when I do clean more, but don’t worry if I don’t get a deep clean in every week like I used to.

  10. while I *try* to adjust the workout schedule for plans, if something comes up (when does it not??) I will skip it – for an impromptu visit with a friend, a longer day with my mom (happened yesterday, and SO worth it!!), a date with Jason for dinner instead of cooking!

    🙂

    as long as I keep it in check – I don’t think I’d string too many of those instances together, I’d miss running!

  11. I will always miss workouts to spend time with friends, family and my fiance. They always come first. But it’s even better when we can get active together – hiking or taking walks for instance.

    Happy Birthday M! You get cuter each day 🙂

  12. M is adorable!

    I needed to read this post. I ended up in the hospital this morning because I had a serious fainting scare. I donated blood yesterday and the doctor said I might be hypoglycemic. But my first question after realizing I could recover with bed rest was, “how soon can I run again?”

    I’m currently training for an obstacle course 5k, but today showed me that I need to take some time to relax and not worry.

    • Tina says:

      I hope you are doing better! That must have been scary. I’ve fainted from hypoglycemia before and it always takes awhile for my blood sugar to feel remotely normal again. Take care of yourself.

  13. One week off of schedule definitely doesn’t mean anything! I don’t blame you for saying no to your workouts this week– it sounds like it’s been a crazy one!

  14. Jaime says:

    You aer SUPER Mom and I want your shower! 😉 I pay attention to detail, so after I saw your cute little self in the picture, I glanced behind you and saw your amazing shower. J-E-A-L-O-U-S party of one over here!

    • Tina says:

      You do pay attention to detail! We love our shower too. Peter actually did the entire thing himself when we redid our upstairs. Plumbing, tiling, design, everything. He’s crazy like that. Now, if only our kitchen looked that nice. Oh, teal tile be gone!!!!

  15. Dorry says:

    Thank you for the shout out! Made my day. 🙂

    I think your workout schedule (on top of everything else) is very admirable! And love you mentality about “just 1 day’ because sometimes there just isn’t going to be time to workout. I know for me, it is important rolling with the punches and not let it affect me to a point of frustration. If I’m so busy that I can’t workout, I must be doing some worthy, important things. 😉

    Happy Birthday M! My sister can commiserate – she’s been planning my niece’s 6th birthday party tomorrow…rowdy! 🙂

  16. Heather says:

    I do some sort of exercise daily which is not for most though some days it’s only 20 minutes. It’s my routine because it makes me feel better, gives me time to clear my head & I simply enjoy it (weirdo, I know.) BUT if I happen to miss a day or just don’t feel that I have the energy for it, I skip it without guilt.

    Things come up certainly so I just allow for that & if I need to skip the gym then so be it. We have vacation coming up & while we know we’ll be walking a lot, we’ll take gym clothes in the off chance we want to run or hit some weights. If not, no biggie though.

    I find for me that it becomes more of a priority if I don’t feel “forced” to do it.

  17. You are definitely right about looking at the overall big picture. I am training for a 1/2 marathon and have been doing really well. For some reason, yesterday and today I have just been feeling like slacking. It is a bit different since getting in my training is a must. But at the same time, I think it is important that I listen to myself.

  18. Camille says:

    Unfortunately, right now I have an injured knee and I am on crutches, so I am trying to be okay with not working out. It isn’t easy though!

  19. Angela says:

    I agree that keeping the big picture in mind is definitely important. I try to remind myself when I’m in one of those horrible, irritable, everything-makes-me-want-to-scream type moods that i’m only irritated because I’m choosing to be. Then… I try to fake a positive attitiude…. and sometimes trick myself into being happy! 🙂

  20. Wow, girl, I needed to read this today. Other than a short 30 min morning cardio (more like sleep walking on the treadmill), I’ve just been SOOOO tired today and can’t make it to do my afternoon HIIT plus chest/abs workout. This competition prep, as you know, requires a lot more than a quick 30-minute cardio session in the morning, but I can tell my body was screaming for me to R-E-S-T! After breakfast I fell asleep for 2 hours and then after lunch I fell back asleep for another hour and have been sleepy all day. I feel a bit guilty for not bucking up and going to do my afternoon HIIT, but I choose to listen to my body which needs rest to recover from all the OTHER intense workouts I’ve had this week.

    So, in answer to your question, I’m willing to miss a workout if my body so obviously needs rest. Not just the kind where I think “I’m tired and don’t feel like it”, but when I KNOW I need rest. In the grand scheme of things, taking an extra rest day will not make or break winning a competition. It just won’t. Great perspective!

    • Tina says:

      I think rest was exactly what you needed. A day or two extra rest won’t hurt progress and will keep your sanity.

  21. Ameena says:

    Prepping for a kid’s birthday party is a full time job! Every year I tell myself we are going to do something easy like Chuck E Cheese and then every year I get talked into a blowout party. I feel your pain Tina! Good luck with everything and have a great weekend.

    • Tina says:

      Yea, and after dropping a couple hundred bucks on food, favors, decorations it would probably be cheaper to do something like Chuck E Cheese too. I now see the temptation of it. LOL

  22. Sarah says:

    Oooh good luck with M’s birthday party. The theme sounds adorable 🙂 Fortunately toddlers are easily entertained, it might be the parents you have to worry about!

    I hate missing workouts. I’m semi flexible about everything else but I feel miserable if I don’t work out. I’m working at being okay with missing workouts but I stress out. So I typically will sacrifice sleep or something to get in a workout if I plan on hanging out with friends or family.

  23. Sava says:

    I am willing to miss workouts for school, schoolwork, actual work, cooking/eating, or sleep.

    I base it on things that are going to make me healthier or happier or advance me in life that aren’t exercise.

    Unfortunately, video games, television, and blogging are no excuse @.@ Well.. MAYBE blogging..

  24. janetha says:

    Thanks for the shout out 🙂 Clearly, I am way behind on blog reading. Catching up on yours tonight!

    Love your thoughts on the big picture. I have to remind myself of that if I miss a workout or if I eat waaaayyyy too much dessert. Sure, I feel crappy at the moment, but in the long run? No big deal.

    Love you! Off to read a zillion posts!

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