Barb's journey part III

In the last blog I wrote about the challenge I had Barb and Michael do: Spend one day doing as many things as they can BACKWARDS. They must have thought are you kidding me.... we've spent the last year + doing what works for us why change it? But both of them said "yes, we will do it"

My purpose was to show both of them sometimes we can get comfortable in our ways. Our daily routine stays the same day in and day out but sometimes as we all know, life changes. We can either continue down the same path or we can try to adapt new ways. Barb and Michael are all about adapting to their situation which is why I knew they would do well with it. After their day of backwards I sent them each a list of questions. Some of the things they did were better... like sitting at a different spot for meal time. Some of the things did not go better, I repeat DID NOT go better. Michaels response to my question "What did you find more difficult?" "What did you like the least?" "What would you not do again?" Michaels answer: Peeing while sitting down, Peeing while sitting down and Peeing while sitting down!........ So I guess for Michael.... Peeing while sitting down is not the answer! LOL!

My favorite response was when Michael wrote the answer to my question (and I just have to say this, Michael responded fully to my email which took him 90 min to type.... a pointer attached to his cap tapping letter by letter word by word. You are a man of strength, courage and determination Michael!)  If you cold tell Barb one thing you are most thankful for what would it be?  his answer: "her unconditional, unfailing love...... and when she smiles." Awe...... don't you just love Michael? So sweet! 

Barb Brandt is like a strong piece of iron to me. Not in a way you might think; unbreakable, strong, magnetic, although she is that too...... but more in a manner of "iron sharpens iron".  Anyone who has really nice knives knows how to sharpen them: It isn't the strength or the speed at which you sharpen, it's the angle at which you hold the knives. Working at the wrong angle would be worse than not sharpening the knife at all. I believe this process can be used to describe the work of our friends in our lives as well "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" Proverbs 27:17  We all need people in our lives that sharpen us, people that can be there for each other in the really big battles as well as the small battles. I am truly grateful to consider Barb that kind of friend.

A bit of information I just learned about....  Michael has been asked for the 3rd season to give the Famous Lou Gehrig "Luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech at the Twins game on May 14th. GO MICHAEL GO!!!!

Lastly I want to encourage you to take a look at the ALS foundation that Barb and Michael are associated with. ALS TDI is doing research to find a cure.

Barb and Michael there 2 boys along with many friends will be biking on May 18th for 14 miles in St. Croix to raise awareness and money to help find a cure for this disease.

CLICK HERE TO HELP THE BRANDT FAMILY to donate and for more information.
Thanks everyone!!!

"We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame."   Romans 5:3-5

Barb's Journey part II

Barb has this undeniable strength, which she believes people think she is stronger than she is. I have personally seen this strength and I can tell you.... I admire her. Barb spends most of her day tending to her husbands needs. The simple things you and I take for granted are a big deal in the Brandt household. Starting their day at 5am, getting herself ready, Michael ready and their 2 boys off to school is a task. But one that Barb has fully embraced as a gift.
It is easy for me to understand where her strength comes from but hard for me to understand how she endures. It's not like Barb has a hard day or two and then a man on a white horse shows up. No, it's a daily, physically and mentally enduring job they both face EVERY DAY.
 Barb and Michael accept his diagnosis as if Michael were chosen to have ALS for a purpose. A purpose that may be greater than they fully understand at this time, but one they fully embrace. Barb and Michael love the Lord. They both love to share their story and as believers feel it is their purpose to share with whomever wants to listen. Does that mean that Barb has never wondered "why us? Why Michael?" of course she has, she is human. Does that mean she doesn't ever wonder why bad things happen to good people?  of course. But what Barb and Michael SEE and believe is so incredible it makes me question how I would stand on my own faith when challenged with such an enormous battle.
Barb sees that God has brought many blessings out of this diagnosis to their household. Prior to Michael's diagnosis he was a work-aholic, he traveled a lot and did not have a lot of time at home with his family. He's now home 24/7!  Michael's ALS has allowed them to be on a platform in front of many people and speak about what it is like to live a life facing a terminal disease. It has put them in touch with so many people (one being me!) and touch so many lives.

What I love about Barb and Michael is that they continue to go about there day with fun and exciting activities with just a bit more.... planning. You can often see them tooling down the road in a sweet red convertible mustang, Barb the one driving Michael directing. Hanging out at Caribou or relaxing in Barbs favorite spot... the couples massage table. Yes they are ordinary people living an ordinary life.
I asked Barb "does anything ever get to you, what do you struggle with?" She said "yes, but we take it one day at a time" I dug a little deeper to see what daily things are a struggle. She said "brushing his teeth" now for me I think it would be getting him in and out of the car, Michael is a tall dude. But Barb struggles with the teeth. It kills her back, the position she has to be in and Michael cannot swallow so his head has to be in the right position. There were a few other things that they struggle with and Barb gets a bit frustrated with so I put on my "challenge cap" and asked them to try something. I asked both of them to participate in one day of doing EVERYTHING backwards. Wait it gets better.... I said Barb can't complain and Michael can't tell her how to do it. As if the daily tasks weren't hard enough!!
They were troopers and followed through (yes, we are still friends).
Follow me tomorrow to see how they did!

Meet Barb Brandt

Barb Brandt is one of the strongest women I know. Strong in her physical strength, Strong in her faith and strong in her mind. I met Barb about a year ago in bootcamp. I didn't know it at the time but soon I would find out that she was going to be a big part of my journey. You see Barb is the type of person that kicks you when you are down..... I don't mean in a bad way, I mean the kind of person that says "you fell down.... now get up off your butt and get going" and she means it! When I am slacking I have Barb in my face pushing and yelling at me to get moving! Barb has become one of my dearest and most trusted friends.
Barb has her own journey.... a journey that is not easy for me to write about. One that makes you feel as a friend you wish you could just take some of her burden, take some of the sorrow that must be felt and carry her heavy load for her. Barb's husband Michael was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease 2 years ago. Barb and Michael have faced this battle head on, with unbelievable strength, courage and faithfulness.
I hope you follow me on this journey over the next few days, it's worth every tear you may shed and laugh you will laugh. And Barb and I laugh A LOT!!!

Amazed

Do you ever spend time in your head "trying to figure things out". Why is it that we always try to "fix" something, spend a lot of time and energy on trying to figure out the issue when we really may need to focus on the solution. I have been so focused on why I am struggling to get these last pounds off that it has put my thoughts and my spirit in the dump! In my mind I keep telling myself "You've lost 80lbs WHY can't you finish it??!!!" ..... because I am too busy focusing on the issue or the problem and not busy enough focusing on the outcome. Basically.... I got lazy! Lost sight of what I am trying to do, became comfortable with what I am currently doing and in that process got myself into the negative thought process. 

Yesterday I went looking for inspiration. Looked at old pictures of myself, looked at motivating videos, quotes, and then I posted something on Facebook which read: "If I have inspired you in any way; loose weight, exercise a little, make small changes anything, post it here or just say ME!" to be honest I didn't think many people would respond.... I do know there are a few but honestly I had NO IDEA that there were so many of you that really followed, really watched and really cared, for that matter. I am completely blown away by the response. BLOWN AWAY people!!!! So THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Thank you for having the courage to let me know, thank you for hangin' with me this past year, YOU have INSPIRED ME to keep pushing, keep going and finish this thing! I have 6 more pounds to get to my personal goal of 90lbs. I have a goal date that I set of May 17th. My trainer and I have set up a consequence. really it was my trainers idea, because I would never pick this one..... My consequence is: not working out at the gym or training for 30 days. This to me is a BIG deal. Because that is one thing I love a lot. It's a good choice because he knows I will use any and all measures to get to my goal.

The reality of it is.... and don't tell him this I not only want to make my goal of 156.... I want to SMASH IT! I mean kill it, like...... surpass it, amaze and SHOCK and AWE it! So how am I going to do it?

I don't know?.........

So kidding! 70% of weight loss is in the kitchen so I am CLOSELY watching what I eat, low sodium, low sugar, lower fat when I need to, mixing up the carbs a bit depending on how I am working out. I am hugging the hungry line which is REALLY hard for me because it takes a lot of will power not to cave. Like seriously, I was at Barns and Noble the other day (safe place right? wrong!) you know how they have starbucks.... well they just happen to be having FREE SAMPLE day, seriously I mean come on! I have been in Barns and Noble 100 times and I have never run into free sample day. I was sooo tempted especially when the lady said, "do you want to try a sample of our new hazelnut macchiatto?" I'm like yeh of course I would! But that would just set off a chain of events for me, like going up to the counter and ordering a bit bigger size than the "free sample" and then I would have the BIGGEST sugar and caffeine high due to the fact that it has been a year since I have had any of the sorts. So I kindly said "No, but thank you!"

Ahhh will power, I know it well.   

What else am I going to do? PRAY..... A LOT! Especially on Tuesdays when I meet head to head with my trainer who trys to KILL me... did I just write that? I mean On Tuesdays when I meet with my personal fitness trainer who does such a great job of giving me amazing exercises to do in a fun and loving atmosphere where I leave feeling energized refreshed and renewed! And I am going to try really hard to run outside.... in the allergy infested air with 2 knees that feel like I still have 246lbs of pressure riding on them :) Did I mention I don't really like running? BUT I WILL! because that is what is going to take me there and really I love sunny warm days, it's my happy place..... just not the allergies! 

So here I go!!!! Time to SMASH my goal....... take it to another level of discipline! Thanks for the motivation!!!!!

Jen

6 more plinks!!!!!

"I committed"

I would be lying if I didn't say this journey can be a REAL struggle. It's so strange how some weeks a person can feel so strong and confident in their goal and have the desire to reach it. Only to have the next week feel so completely..... defeated.
It's like I want something so badly I can see it so clearly and then other days it's really foggy. Those days that are foggy is when fear sets in. Fear of many things like commitment, fear of failure and fear of pain.
It's funny how some simple words out of the blue can strike a nerve. Today I heard the words "Dad, I committed" from my sweet 10 year olds lips. In our house if you don't like what was made for dinner your other option is to make something else yourself. My husband had previously taught our daughter how to heat up the skillet and make "grilled cheese". No there really is not a healthy way to make grilled cheese but for some reason using whole wheat bread and organic cheese makes it sound better :) She had tried previously to make it with dad, but just couldn't manage flipping the sandwich for fear of getting burned by the skillet. Oh I so remember those first few times I used a skillet or putting in and taking out the cookie sheet from a hot oven... ouch!  Well this night our daughter was determined to "make her own dinner" because she was not going to have fish!! Gene and I were sitting at the table when I hear "DAD.... I COMMITTED!" " I DID IT!" I was like what is she talking about and why is she jumping up and down so excited? I came to find out she "flipped it" and she did it in the smallest skillet possible which makes it even HARDER!  Last time Gene was teaching her he said to her "all you have to do is commit to it, just flip it and it will be fine"
I heard those words and the excitement in her voice and it actually made me feel like "wow.... my 10 year old gets it" She just learned a really valuable lesson that, believe it or not will help her later in life. In such a small way she learned if she wanted something bad enough all she has to do is "commit to it"
And oh how some simple words can be so powerful if you listen. I mean REALLY LISTEN to what's going on around you. My trainer often tells me "just go.... just do it, don't think about it!" but my head says "NO", you've been down that road before and it hurts..... it burns like that skillet. If I listen to my head.... where will I be in a year if I don't "commit" to it? I will tell you.......I will be EXACTLY where I am at right now in my journey: the same weight, the same mindset and the same outlook on life. Some people might say "what's wrong with where your at?" I would say I feel sad for myself, because that would mean I don't dare to dream bigger, I don't dare to look at a future full of promise or a life full of vitality and fulfillment.  That would mean I would settle for what I currently have...... and I personally desire so much MORE, a life that I can look back on and say "WOW..... that was a life worth LIVING"

Fear can be a powerful thing if you let it. I hope this post and my 10 year old inspires you like she inspires me........ to get burned a little bit and "COMMIT" to it! Here's to a new week of stepping out of my comfort zone and committing to it!!!

Jen

Day 28!!!!

It's finally Day 28 and Gene is done!!! Final results:

Starting weight:201

Ending weight :184

Total weight loss -- 17 pounds

Measurements

Chest: 42 3/4            39 1/4
Waist 39 1/4             37 1/4
Hips   41 3/4            39 1/4
Thigh  23 3/4           22 1/4
Arm   13 1/4            12 1/2

Total inches lost 10 1/4 inches!!!!!

Wow! Way to go Gene, My Man, My main squeeze, My stud .... okay enough I know. Sorry :)

I asked Gene what he has learned from this whole journey?

His words: If you REALLY want to do something you CAN do it. You have to put your mind in the right place and don't let anything stop you.  It's a lot of planning but it for sure all paid off. I'm glad I lost the weight but most of all I feel better. For the first time in my life I realize that food really affects your performance and how you get through your day. AND I realize how hard my beautiful wife has worked to get over 80lbs off her body. I would like to thank Jay Altman Altman Fitness for the opportunity to take part in the 28 day Fat loss program and for the encouragement.  Also to my wife for pushing me, inspiring me and encouraging me to work my butt off.... literally!

More than weight loss Gene has also noticed:

Less brain fog

Overall more energy

No headaches

No back pain, joints feel good

Taste of food is heightened. 

Great job Gene, I am so proud of you!!!!

Jen

sex

You are in for treat here and boy is this title going to drive a lot of traffic from the search engines!  A fellow friend wants me to write about sex..... Yes that's right, she said to me "I'm waiting for you to talk about your SEX life on your blog" So here you go Joan this one's for you!  First of all let's make this a bit more comfortable for all of us.
The statistics:
*Did you know you can burn 180 calories having sex for 30 min?
So next time you want to have that midnight chocolate cake or ice cream treat... have it, then have a little romp afterwards and burn it all off!
*The greek word "gymnazeim" or gymnasium really means to exercise naked... who new?
*The first couple shown on tv in bed together were Fred and Wilma Flintstone. Ever notice how Fred was always crabby?? I think you could compare me more to Fred than Wilma Flintstone: big and stalky and my husband would probably say I wore the same outfit from the day, to bed at night.... Attractive!
I'm not sure how much sex Fred and Wilma had but I can't image it would have been very often on that awfully hard stone bed! But Barney Rubble..... always had a smile on his face (okay Gene MADE me put that last part in)  Prior to my weight loss I would say we were more like Fred and Wilma, rarely had sex. For many reasons; low energy, low desire, low self esteem and just plain fatigue. I mean who wants to get their heart rate up at 10:00 at night after  putting in a full day?
I would say this decreased sexual desire (on my part) added to stress on our marriage. After all men think about sex every 7 seconds right?  And women they just want to be held and made to feel loved right? Problem was.... every time he held me all I could think of was "oh how embarrassing he is holding my roll"  or at my peak weight a bakers dozen!
Sex is a hard thing to talk about, for some reason society has made it out to be some dirty thing. And our parents.... they NEVER talked about sex, would not even say the word, usually they spelled it in a really quiet voice... s - e -x.. am I right? And whoever would want to think of their parents having sex? oh... yuck!  But really it's not yuck. It's beautiful. It's healthy. It's what I believe is a true way for a husband and wife to unify.
With this journey I am healing my body from the inside. It's more than weight loss and having a thinner, more toned body. It's about embracing the person I have become; I have energy, I have stamina, my hormones are regulating, my brain is functioning and firing so I can enjoy what God has created between a husband and a wife. One of those things is Sex.... And it is beautiful! And we would say thankfully..... it's quite often! So if weight loss or getting your body healthy is on your mind.... Sex will defiantly be better and more enjoyable with a healthy body. ( just a side note, I know there are people out there that will say there sex life is fine, It probably is... but imagine it with a well fueled high energy body! )
I am being bold and out there with this blog. But I am done with being so guarded about my body. Women judge other women all the time. But what some of us don't understand or at least I didn't is that women are not perfect, there are things that ALL of us women hate about our bodies.... EVEN the women you believe have the perfect body.  For me, my body is better than it was for sure! But the girls sag, my belly has war wounds and excess skin, and I hate... repeat hate how big my arms are. But I say if you hate it.... change it! I still have weight to take off, muscles I can tone and most of all a heart and lungs I can strengthen then we will see how it all looks...... and hopefully by then...... I will have also grown in my confidence and learn how to except and embrace how my body looks just the way it is!
Life is a work in progress, just make sure your making progress!  And have lots of  s - e - x ! 

Jen