BLACK BEAR DINER, YARD WORK & TRAMPOLINES...Oh My!

On Sunday we went out for a Mother's Day Reboot brunch.  We went to Black Bear Diner with my Mom and my sister and her family.  Black Bear Diner is SO GOOD, but SO FATTENING.  I had pretty much resigned myself that I was going to get one meal on Sunday because we were going to Black Bear.  I ended up getting the Chicken Fried Steak, which comes with their strip cut hash browns, eggs, and a sweet cream pancake.  It was so good - but when I tracked the calories, I almost swallowed my tongue!  It was a whopping 1860 calories for the meal!

OUCH!  I was definitely done eating for the day - I had used up all of my calories in one sitting!

I had planned a pretty relaxing day - maybe a movie, a nap - just pure relaxation.  On the way home from brunch Chris and I stopped at Lowe's because we needed to buy a new lawnmower and after looking and looking we felt Lowe's was going to be the best place to find what we were looking for.

That stopped changed my Sunday from one of relaxation and leisure, to a hardcore yard work day that has left me so sore that I can barely walk!

We ended up buying a new lawnmower, and of course when we got home Chris just had to assemble and then test his new gadget.  Since he was going to be outside mowing, and because the weather was damp and cool, I thought it would be a good time to get some weeding done.  That was at about 1:00.  At 6:30 that night we called it a day.

I don't know if you can tell from my posts, but once I get something in my head I am pretty stubborn and driven about it.  Weeding on Sunday was no different.  I kept telling myself, "OK, you are just going to finish this section and then call it good for today" - and once the section was done I would say, "OK, you still have some energy, let's do one more section".  Well, before I knew it I had been weeding for the better part of the afternoon and had completely transformed our front planters, as well as the gravel and roadway next to our house.

I was a woman obsessed!

After I had been weeding for about 3 hours, I went around back to check on Chris (who was still playing with the lawnmower).  I was really worn out and so I decided to climb up on the trampoline and lay on it and relax for a little while.

A couple of weeks ago I had tentatively ventured onto the trampoline - it has been calling to me ever since.  Every time I walk by it I think about getting up on there - so, on Sunday, tired and worn out I decided to get up there again.  The black jumping mat attracts the sun and keeps it REALLY warm - and I was feeling cold from the wind and the overcast, damp conditions.

After laying there for a about 10 minutes, I decided I was going to give jumping a try.  I had bounced around on the tramp the last time I had gotten on, but I hadn't actually jumped - I thought, WHAT THE HELL, I am going to give it a try.

I stood up and gave a mini jump, then immediately asked Chris to assess how close to the ground I was coming when i jumped - I was TERRIFIED of hitting the ground.  he told me I had at least 2 feet of clearance between me and the ground.  I thought, OK...I am really going to give this a try.  So I started to jump, and jump, and jump...it was SO FUN!  I forgot how much I loved jumping on the trampoline!

When I was a kid I was a trampoline maniac.  I mastered every twist, flip, turn out there...and I loved to do it.  But, at some point I stopped.  And then I gained weight, and then I convinced myself I couldn't get on a trampoline any more - you know, weight limits and all (and, please know, I am not advising any one to violate a weight limit on a tramp - I just decided to finally take the risk), and I just stopped.

It has been at least 17 years since I jumped like that on a trampoline.  17 years!!!

I was jumping, and soaring - and feeling pretty cocky about it - and out of nowhere, I threw a toe touch out there!!!  ME, 372.4 lbs., jumping and throwing a toe touch!  I LOVED IT!  I felt so free, and I was so thrilled that my body was cooperating!  I was so excited that I could actually still manage a toe touch, that I did another, and another!!

By this time my kids had wandered out and were cheering me on, my husband had wandered over to warn me to be careful!  I kept jumping and shouting with joy!  Finally, my calves started to burn so I thought, OK...that's the warning - time to give it a rest.  I sat down and just basked in the glow of my trampoline fun.

After another 5 minutes I went back to my yard work - energized from my round of fun on the trampoline.

I worked for another hour or so - until my body really couldn't do anything more.  I went in the house and started to clean up.  When I looked in the mirror I was SHOCKED at how hammered I looked.  Some women look so clean and nice after a round of gardening - I am not one of those women.  I thought it was so funny how crazy I looked that I decided to document it...and I'm actually going to share it here!!

Note the dirt on my face, the crazy hair, the weeds stuck in the hair, the filthy feet and hands

Right after I snapped these pics I wandered in the house and went directly to the bathroom where I took a very thorough shower - obviously.

After getting out of the shower and relaxing for a minute, I pulled up Sparkpeople and logged my "workout".  I plugged in 3 hours of gardening - and it said I had burned 1300 calories!!!!  I also plugged in 10 minutes of jumping on the trampoling - 67 calories!!!

1367 CALORIES!  After an 1860 calorie brunch - I needed a burn like this!  I was so thrilled!  I mean, what a workout!  My body was feeling it...and it felt good! I had really pushed my body - yard work, trampoline - and it made me feel reinvigorated and excited for the future as my body shrinks and becomes more and more capable physically.

Later that night Chris and I were talking about all the things that over the years we have just stopped doing - and we wondered why!  Jumping on the trampoline.  Biking.  Roller Skating.  Things we enjoyed and found so much pleasure doing - and we just stopped.   WHY???  Why do we stop doing things that we loved as a kid?  We didn't really have an answer, but we committed to throw caution to the wind and try those things again - and soon!  I can't wait!

The relaxing and restful Sunday I had planned turned out to be anything but...it was still a great day and I went to bed feeling so good about everything!!  And even though today every step I take is punctuated by intense muscle pain - I can't wait to do it again!