Mamavation Monday: Just Breathe!

It’s a big Monday around here. The kids are back in school, the husband is officially back at work, and it’s just the Animal and me hanging out for 7 hours every day. I love the school year, and it is rather strange to start my second school year of not teaching in a face-to-face classroom. For the first time in thirteen years, I didn’t have a before-school nightmare about awful students or incorrect classrooms.

Today, I’m reminding myself to breathe. Pete Cohen‘s suggestions to me this week included reminders that oxygen burns fat. One way to get that oxygen is to — duh — breathe! And one way to get myself breathing is to exercise. Those motions, he says, gets our serotonin and endorphins moving, and we feel better!

As Pete guided me on the Weightloss Guru site, he coached me through breathing 4×4: breathe in for 4, breathe out for 4. Even in the few moments that I participated with him and the video, I felt so much more relaxed!

For those of you who have been around me a while, you know how much I hate to sweat. Like, I hate it so much that I’m angry as it’s dripping down the side of my face. But, that doesn’t keep me from going out every morning to do my speedy walk. Other than the fact that I want to stay in shape and keep the Animal busy for about 40 minutes in the morning, I really love that feeling afterward when I know I’ve accomplished this exercise feat (plus, I’m done for the day!). Pete talks about that too. He says, “The more you move it, the quicker you lose it.” I’m wondering if you’ve figured out yet that I think Pete is a genius. . .

Happy Monday friends! I’m excited for the school year, and I’m also excited to cheer on some of my friends! Today marks the beginning of the Mamavation Moms campaign as well as the unofficial beginning of the Mamavation Moms Graduates campaign. Several of my Mamavation Sistas will be in a bootcamp of sorts as we wait to find out who will be the official Mamavation Moms.

Celebrate the 13th #Mamavation Boot Camp launch w/ @Bookieboo 8/27  from 8-10pm EST http://bit.ly/MD9EVY