First-World Problems and Health

Exercise. It's a good thing, it keeps us healthy. We all know that. So why is it so hard for a lot to stick to an exercise routine? 

Well.. for me, it's just plain being lazy. That and every time I've got an exercise routine down I've been told by a doctor to stop it. Crazy, isn't it? I inherited my mom's fast metabolism. Which is awesome because I can pretty much eat whatever I want. My only problem is, the more I eat, the more I lose. And while probably all of you reading are calling me plenty of names and growling at me in your head I can assure you, it's not as fun as it sounds. 

It's frustrating. Very frustrating. 

I had to stop nursing my now 2 year old because I couldn't keep up with the calories with being pregnant and nursing.  I dealt with a VERY unhappy toddler for almost a month until we got the new routine established, not how I wanted to stop nursing. 

They were pushing me to GAIN as much weight as I possibly could during my last pregnancy because the scales said I just didn't weigh enough. Whereas I had gained 35 pounds by the time it was said and done, they wanted me to gain more but because of the high metabolism, nursing and morning sickness throughout, I was underweight when I got pregnant. On top of that, my diet was limited because of a low blood pressure issue my system decided it needed to have.  

Yet, our youngest came out healthy and happy, the biggest yet at 8 pounds. And if you know me, you're probably like us and still trying to figure out how the heck I had an 8 lb baby. (I'm 5 nothing and typically 100 pounds soaking wet).  I know the nurses and midwife were sure surprised because she certainly didn't look like an 8 pound baby. And to that, all I have to say to the doctor in Nebraska who told me my 7 lb 9 oz boy would have to be a c-section because he was 'too big' is a tongue sticking out at you and maybe a 'na-na boo-boo'.  (No, I don't spend all day with toddlers.....) 

I do have a point behind this post, I promise. And it's not to make my whole two dozen readers jealous that I'm little. I hate it as much as you do... 

The year I got pregnant with Eva we decided we were going to start exercising. (I laugh now because we aren't really the go-getter types and my husband has a bad back so he really needs a trainer, but anyway...) We can't afford a gym membership-not like I could go because I have babies to take care of. So we went and bought the PS2 (I think that's right, I can never remember which version we have) version of a Wii fit 'game'.  It was fun...for the first few weeks.  I think I petered out about two weeks before we found out we were expecting Eva because I couldn't keep up with it. Go figure, I was only 15 weeks pregnant trying to do a hard core exercise routine. Plus keeping up with a one year old. And getting the now out-of-business family dollar store up and going. 

So, for two years, this has been sitting on the shelf, collecting dust. I'm considering starting it again. We'll see. I know Grace is only two months and I have preaching since I got pregnant with her that 'it takes nine months to gain the weight, give your body nine months to get it off'. Which makes perfect sense to me and I fully believe that. But, quit frankly, I'm tired of seeing a muffin top every time I put on a pair jeans or a skirt and I can't wear my favorite dress because of said muffin top. Which is really frustrating and leaves me with a whole two skirts to wear to church. 

I also know it's warming up (YAY) and that means, I'll start my garden and start cleaning out the gardens in the back yard. And we'll start walking every day. And housework and this and that the other.... I know the muffin top will go away soon between all this.  I just feel self-conscious is all. It won't go away. 'Course it probably doesn't help that my four old declared the other day 'mommy, your belly isn't little anymore and Grace is out'. Gee, son, thanks for THAT.  I don't remember my oldest being so brutally honest.  

I also know we (the kids and I) snack WAY TOO MUCH around here. I need to find healthy snacks that don't break the budget. Quite frankly, I'm all for the carrot sticks with ranch dip. Or the fruit with cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk dip (I'd have to get that recipe from my mom-it's GOOD).  The problem is, produce is more expensive than flour and sugar and raisins for raisin cookies. Hey, they have raisins, they have some health aspect. If say it enough, maybe it would be true?

My entire point here is that I don't FEEL healthy any more. Perhaps it's the constant back pain, perhaps it's because I want to get out of the house and walk, work on the garage, the gardens. ANYTHING but be confined to the house. Perhaps it's all in my head because of the muffin top (that makes my husband laugh that I complain about a muffin top). Most of all, perhaps I just need to be content with the body God gave me. Yes, that's got to be the key, right there. 

Now that I've probably confused and infuriated every single one of you because I'm doing nothing more than venting and am starting to even wonder if I should publish this.... I think I have uncovered the root of the problem (besides this back pain that has been driving me crazy for two months).. I'm not content. I need to pray, sit back, and be thankful to God that he has given the blessings I do have. A wonderful husband, four wonderful children. A roof over our heads, food in our bellies. And the first-world problems of muffin-tops and gardens to clean out before black birds think it's their new summer home. 

Speaking of gardens and the birds. The sun is starting to come up, the birds are singing-we have cardinal family and blue jay families this year. The blue jays are new. The cardinals were here last year for the first year.  Maybe I'll even get pictures..during nap time so the kids don't scare them away. Now, if anybody in the area wants to come give their kids a lesson in horticulture and what NOT to do to gardens..or what house NOT to buy if you don't garden.. Come on over, give me call, message me. I would love the help and maybe you can teach me a few things while you're at it. Because I'm bad at keeping plants alive... I planted 9 tomato plants, three have survived-the cat killed 4; 6 onion plants-yep, they died. 3 pepper plants-the cat killed the one that grew... Are you seeing a pattern here? Which, with all the dead plants, I'm scared to try an indoor herb garden, but since the garlic is already growing on my kitchen counter I need to find the instructions I pinned for that...  But since I have discovered this cat does not like vinegar (YAY! no more scratched furniture), maybe a herb garden has a chance. Can't hurt, can it? 

But seriously...if you are close, you can even take some plants home. There's flowers galore. Tree saplings if we can get them out with the root... Peppermint running around somewhere. Rhubarb-which I'm told can't be transplanted until fall, but you can sure come harvest. I even have a back yard full of vine that likes to grow beneath my dryer vent and took over the back yard last year. Heck, take the ants. PLEASE TAKE THE ANTS that have invaded my kitchen every year for 4 years.. Seriously, you can't kill them. I have tried EVERYTHING. Diatomecious earth only slows them down. Heck, bleach didn't even work and if that chemical straight from Agent Orange doesn't work, nothing will.  The point in this particular paragraph is, if you are close and want more plants in your yard, come take them-I'll even help you get them out. They will just go to the city dump here. I NEED HELP. I'm not cut out for pretty gardening and I'm wondering if I'm cut out for any gardening.  Just...watch out for the resident snake.. I can show you where he lives... If you need wood-we have trees that need trimmed, you can have the firewood for trimming...we even have mini-pine trees (I have no idea what they are, besides little and pine) that need cut down because the ice storm last year killed them. 

Well, now that I have begged and pleaded I suppose I  had better start on housework and maybe even start that exercise program. At least get my last cup of coffee for the day.. 6 AM and I'm on the last cup for the day. Also proof that I need to remember to proof read when I write a post at 5:30 in the morning....