I made it to the Y three times this week again. I spent one day between being with my friend and my son. I spent the next day trying out Zumba. My son was with me and wanted to go to a class too but the instructor didn't show up. This makes me very upset. They did create a room for 13 to 17 year olds but it almost looked like they tried to hide the room with dark shades. The person in charged told me my son could stay in there. My son is 12 so by rules he shouldn't. On the other hand though I don't have to have a babysitter for my son at the Y. I struggle with getting my workout in and his. My idea of burning calories and breaking a sweat are different and I have to be able to let go and remember that even if he is scattered brained and jumps from machine to machine that it beats him sitting home watching tv. I caught him watching me do Zumba and I didn't like knowing he was watching and motioned for him to go away. I explained that watching it wasn't bad but watching Mom is weird to Mom. Tonight, my son tried out some of the new strength training machines they put in for the adults. I barely knew how to use the old ones and now I don't have a clue. I went and did a water class on my own. I feel bad cause most of the cooking is falling on my husband's shoulders if I am going to the Y three days in a row. I work 36 hours a week plus the babysitting at the church so I don't always have a chance to go and or do the cooking. I have been doing the myfitnesspal and counting calories and never sure if I am on it right or not with the measurements. I told myself that I wouldn't get serious enough to weigh food but I found myself wanting one. My husband told me to wait until this weekend but came home with one tonight. It will be interesting to see if I have been off and which way. I have been getting up 15 minutes earlier than my son. This gives me some time to wake up before eating breakfast with my son. I am trying to get my son's eating habits kind of close to mine. Not that it's always the same. I used to just eat cereal and now I measure out cereal and most of the time get fruit and yogurt. My breakfast usually is under 400 calories and I wonder if this is a safe amount for my son. I am not really counting his calories but I know the average that I am consuming so his is pretty close to be the same. He hasn't been giving me any issues over this now. I hope to get to the Y at least one more time this week. Hopefully, I can go on my own. Maybe, do another Zumba class.

Friday, my husband told me that my encouraging Stephen to eat different foods besides his cereal has been falling aside. I am not trying to take his cereal away but do want him eating less of it and more of other items. I think I am going to start waking up a little bit before my son to get myself more fully awake and so I can actually take time to cut an apple, peel an orange ect. Hopefully, this little plan of mine will work. Mornings are always rushed and not a lot of wriggle room for extra time for eating or fussing over food.

I been to the Y three times this week. I am really liking the water class but I think I will give it another week and then take a break from it. I don't want to get bored with it. My sister came with me today and she seemed to be having a hard time but it's a lot harder than it might look. I bought my son today for the first time this week. By the time he got done with his homework we only had 15 minutes for cardio and then I sent him for his class and I went to my class. Only thing they didn't have his class and he followed my instructions to come swim laps but his attention span is short so he ended up getting bored and quitting. We seen him up above and motioned him to come down to the pool for a little bit and we just mainly relaxed in the pool. My son is getting more of a workout either at the Y or by us taking a short walk but he continues to obsess about food and gets ticked off if we add things to our food like green peppers and onions. Today, my husband cooked a pizza and he left them off his portion but he still freaked out. It's just frustrating when the first thing he talks about is food before he says hello or anything. I am just trying to take things one day at a time. I am measuring out somethings he asks for like his nuts that he loves. I am trying to teach him about portion control and choosing food from the different food groups in our meals.

We couldn't make the Y yesterday due to taking my son for a mental health assessment which took ALL day. It was horrible! We did make it to the Y today and met my sister. I have to learn to be more patient and not be a drill Sargent for my son when he is on the machines. He kept pushing the buttons and starting over and I sort of feel like I can't get into my workout because I am worried about what he is doing. I have to keep reminding myself that any movement my son does is better than sitting on his butt. I just kind of miss my "me" time. We came home and made chicken wraps and they were yummy. I am trying to get my son open to more than just chicken and cheese and he ate it with tomatoes too. I log my food and exercise on myfitnesspal and my son is asking me to do that for him. I really don't think it's the best idea. Maybe, a food journal or something but don't want to go high tech with him. I want him to make better choices but don't want him to ever feel like he is on a diet.

Stephen's Doc appointment went pretty good. He is having some allergy problems but I think it's cause when we trust that he will take his medication when we are not watching. He weighed in at 149 lbs and 5 ft 2 and half inches. The doctor didn't seem overly concerned with the gain but that could be cause he gained two inches too. He still is pushing for me to take him for a mental healthy assesment which I am going to make myself do on Friday. I wish I didn't have to do it. I love my son and I don't want him to think something is wrong with him. My goal is to come up with an arrangement that will get him to the Y more than once a week. Yesterday, we took a 20 minute walk and that wasn't something he wanted to do. He just loves the Y. I am wondering if I weigh him monthly at the Y will it give him issues. He is suppose to go back to the doc in a couple weeks following the mental health assesment so that will be interesting to see if he gains or stays the same or loses.

Let's move!!

Stephen was given an orientation at the YMCA. It's really not suppose to happen until he is 13 but I think they are allowing this because I raised a concern about the classes were not happening like they said they would. He loved going but it was a hit or miss if the instructor showed up or not. He has already used the treadmills and bikes on a couple occasions but the orientation makes us following the rules. So far, he likes it. He does have a short attention span so he will try to machine hop but I try to stop that. Tonight, we did 30 minutes on a treadmill and ten minutes on a elliptical. We were shown the ropes on how to use the strength machines. When the guy said he would show us I heard my son say, I don't want to workout in there. Once the guy was showing him how it worked and let him get a feel for it he was hooked. After we did the cardio, we did strength training. This is an area of the Y that I haven't been using because I have never felt at ease in there. Mostly, I was just letting my son use the machines and reminding him to go slow. It's not a raise. I did do a few of the machines and he was like the work out police trying to tell me how the machines work. It was cute. Shortly after five pm, we arrived at 2 pm, my friend came with her daughter for a water class that she wanted to try out with me. I let me son have free time to be on his own except I wouldn't let him sit on the computers in the lobby that they recently put in. I really don't get why they even put those things in. My friend and her daughter enjoyed the water class and might come back on Wednesday with me. I have to try to come up with a workable plan that will get my son exercise at the Y and also get my own time. I really didn't feel like I got much of a workout in the cardio because I just can't focus on myself when I have to listen to Mom Mom Mom. haha I am sure I will figure it out. I recently just free up sometime because I kind of got fired from MELD. Plus, a couple months ago, I got four hours out of my work week. I had my son get on the scale so I know what he weighs and he is up to 149. It's a 20 lb gain from one year ago. He goes to the doc on Wednesday so I will know then if the Y scale was correct and also what his height is at. I thought I recorded his weight from his very last appointment in December but I don't see it.

Today, my sons and I worked out at the Y. We did 35 minutes on a treadmill and 10 minutes on a bike. My 12 year old son is suppose to get an orientation on the cardio machines Monday. We might have some issues though because it says he needs to be 13 but the manager told us it was up to me. I don't want to be a Mom who gets herself to the Y but not her kids. Hopefully, we won't have any trouble.