Hmmm, 2012 is around the corner, this is traditionally the time of year where everyone looks back on what they did/didn't do in the past and prepares to make some lofty (and often unachievable) resolutions for the next year. I think this is a horrible thing to do to oneself this time of year. We often make a long list of sundry things about how awful we are and what we need to change about ourselves in order to be more "ideal". Often we are not prepared mentally and emotionally for those changes because they are often based on someone else's vision (media and celebs). And many times these "resolutions" come at a price of being nasty to ourselves: "I need to lose ____ pounds because I'm overweight and gross and everyone's always looking at me" or whatever your internal monologue happens to be that day.
Usually we are focusing on our flaws and how we need to be "fixed" and that ultimately sets up for resolution failure sometime around February (if you make it that long). If you've dealt with children or dogs or watched Harry Potter you know that negative reinforcement has an effect for only so long. You can guilt or shame yourself into something for only so long before you rebel. When you aren't kind to yourself you set yourself up to spiral out of control and can end up worse than before. None of us are perfect which is the beauty of life, could you imagine a world full of perfect people? What would we do for entertainment? It is our mistakes and our failures (stop treating it like a dirty word people!) that help us develop into well-rounded and wiser people, if you did everything right the first time you wouldn't learn a damn thing.
So with that, I challenge you to not make 2012 about resolutions of how you need to be "fixed" make it about goals you want to achieve. Give yourself something to work towards so when you accomplish it, 2012 is an amazing year. As you achieve things in your life, other benefits come along for the ride. When you achieve something you gain pride in yourself and pride in yourself allows you to eat better, to take the time to work in exercise, to de-stress, to sleep better, etc... because you start to value yourself. And until you put yourself ahead of others because you value your health and well-being, your wellness will be second fiddle to someone else's desires. You are responsible for you, no one else can make those choices for you.
My 2012 goal is to run a 5K, 10K, and a half-marathon. I figure that's a pretty big one and a lot of things need to be done to meet it, so that's really all I'm going to worry about this time around :-).
Think about what you want to say you accomplished a year from now. What is it you want to do? What goal would you like to achieve? Remember, you do not need to be "fixed" work towards a goal and life can and often will fall into place around it.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The holidays are here....
What does that mean? Food, too many things to do and not enough time to do it in. And unfortunately that can be the downfall to a healthy lifestyle. This year I want to make a pledge....I will continue to make health-ful eating part of my life and I'm going to keep up with activity during this hectic 6 weeks. It's only 6 weeks people, but how do we lose it so damn bad in 6 weeks?
My main goal during the holiday season is to not end up with the "bloated-unbutton my pants-someone kill me if I move" feeling during the special occasions. I have learned to understand my body's signals as far as starving-hunger-not so hungry-full-immagonnadie modes. This has served me well over the course of the years because I don't want to feel the pain. It's kind of like eating fast food. McDonald's sounds good except now every time I eat it my body wants to stab me from the inside out, pretty good incentive to stay away from it, right? That's what I thought :-).
The other thing is time, people get so wrapped up in shopping, decorating, cards, etc... that they forget what the season has come to mean. For each of us, our religious (or not) bent is a different "reason for the season" and all. But in western culture, whether you're Christian, Jew, Pagan, atheist, humanist, etc..., the season means spending time with friends and family, swapping gifts to show your appreciation for each other. It doesn't mean let me use all my time spending money on things I don't need or can't afford (I know there are many things out there that have me in these categories...). And because we're so concerned with the gifts we buy we forget to be kind to ourselves in the meantime.
This season make sure to give yourself a gift, the time and respect you deserve to keep yourself healthy. Don't wait 6 weeks from now to form a "resolution" because 6 weeks from now isn't good enough. You deserve better, we all do. We deserve to do the things for our physical, emotional, and mental well-being right now and always. Too often we forget ourselves in the shuffle of making everyone else ok, making sure everyone else is happy. For once screw everyone else and make yourself happy.
Letting 6 weeks just slide by without being an active participant is in no way good for us. Life happens and whether we're part of it or it happens to us depends entirely on us. Are you going to end 2011 miserable, depressed, up a clothing size or two (it can happen in 6 weeks!), less financially stable, and just an all-around "hot mess" (to borrow a phrase from The Riverton Cooper Clan)? Or are you going to stand up and tell yourself you deserve better and you're going to start making those changes now? And guess what, if you can start making little changes in these 6 weeks, you can survive anything. Focusing on yourself and your well-being is never easy in the holidays, so if you start now you'll end up all the better for it.
Let's make a small deal to help get you started, tomorrow is the US "stuff your face" day also known as Thanksgiving. Take some time to go for a walk (or a run) outside, in the spirit of the day think of a few things you are thankful for while you're enjoying the fresh air. We all have reasons to be thankful, having an attitude of gratitude (I swear I heard that somewhere) makes us happier in the long run. Remember thankful people are happy people. Knowing that our situation can always be worse puts us in a better mood and helps us cope with things that ordinarily would derail us. Research has shown that fresh air and positive thinking help people stay healthy, so 15 minutes while the turkey is in the oven is all you need to start ending 2011 on a better note. I promise to do the same thing :-)
My main goal during the holiday season is to not end up with the "bloated-unbutton my pants-someone kill me if I move" feeling during the special occasions. I have learned to understand my body's signals as far as starving-hunger-not so hungry-full-immagonnadie modes. This has served me well over the course of the years because I don't want to feel the pain. It's kind of like eating fast food. McDonald's sounds good except now every time I eat it my body wants to stab me from the inside out, pretty good incentive to stay away from it, right? That's what I thought :-).
The other thing is time, people get so wrapped up in shopping, decorating, cards, etc... that they forget what the season has come to mean. For each of us, our religious (or not) bent is a different "reason for the season" and all. But in western culture, whether you're Christian, Jew, Pagan, atheist, humanist, etc..., the season means spending time with friends and family, swapping gifts to show your appreciation for each other. It doesn't mean let me use all my time spending money on things I don't need or can't afford (I know there are many things out there that have me in these categories...). And because we're so concerned with the gifts we buy we forget to be kind to ourselves in the meantime.
This season make sure to give yourself a gift, the time and respect you deserve to keep yourself healthy. Don't wait 6 weeks from now to form a "resolution" because 6 weeks from now isn't good enough. You deserve better, we all do. We deserve to do the things for our physical, emotional, and mental well-being right now and always. Too often we forget ourselves in the shuffle of making everyone else ok, making sure everyone else is happy. For once screw everyone else and make yourself happy.
Letting 6 weeks just slide by without being an active participant is in no way good for us. Life happens and whether we're part of it or it happens to us depends entirely on us. Are you going to end 2011 miserable, depressed, up a clothing size or two (it can happen in 6 weeks!), less financially stable, and just an all-around "hot mess" (to borrow a phrase from The Riverton Cooper Clan)? Or are you going to stand up and tell yourself you deserve better and you're going to start making those changes now? And guess what, if you can start making little changes in these 6 weeks, you can survive anything. Focusing on yourself and your well-being is never easy in the holidays, so if you start now you'll end up all the better for it.
Let's make a small deal to help get you started, tomorrow is the US "stuff your face" day also known as Thanksgiving. Take some time to go for a walk (or a run) outside, in the spirit of the day think of a few things you are thankful for while you're enjoying the fresh air. We all have reasons to be thankful, having an attitude of gratitude (I swear I heard that somewhere) makes us happier in the long run. Remember thankful people are happy people. Knowing that our situation can always be worse puts us in a better mood and helps us cope with things that ordinarily would derail us. Research has shown that fresh air and positive thinking help people stay healthy, so 15 minutes while the turkey is in the oven is all you need to start ending 2011 on a better note. I promise to do the same thing :-)
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
I did it!
The 10K has come and gone. On Sunday morning we woke up early, got dressed, pinned my number to my chest, got breakfast and waited for the train to take us to Camden. Waiting for the start, my heart was pounding. Here I was, about to run 6.2 miles, the longest distance I've ever attempted. Dave was there with encouraging words to get me to the start line. We met up with Julius since he was the reason I was running this race in the first place.
Julius and I made it towards the start line and met up with some of his other Philly Fitters and my nerves were starting to subside. I was already in the crowd waiting for the start, there was nothing else I could do other than run. Julius had just run the Marine Corps Marathon the weekend prior so he was just chilling and enjoying the run so I set a 4 minute run/1 minute walk pattern. I was not going to be able to run the whole course so to try and keep up a more consistent pace I chose a Galloway interval.
The run was hard, I keep finding hard things to finish :-). Having Julius there during the run was positively awesome for me. I remember something he said around mile 4: "We've already done 2 miles twice, so we can do 2 more." It was great to run with him and I was able to set a PR by 20 seconds on twice the distance with relatively minimal residual pain. I call that a win!
It was awesome to finish that race, to be able to add one more thing to the list that I was able to accomplish. That is the most important thing, find something you want to go for, some goal, and go for it. Accomplishing something is more important for us in the long run. Whatever you choose to make your goal, make a goal and go for it. Finishing something breeds pride in ourselves and motivation to keep going.
I challenge you to find something you want to do (big or little) and make your next goal and do it. Don't be afraid, don't worry about failing, just do it. In the immortal words of Yoda: "Do or do not, there is no try."
Julius and I made it towards the start line and met up with some of his other Philly Fitters and my nerves were starting to subside. I was already in the crowd waiting for the start, there was nothing else I could do other than run. Julius had just run the Marine Corps Marathon the weekend prior so he was just chilling and enjoying the run so I set a 4 minute run/1 minute walk pattern. I was not going to be able to run the whole course so to try and keep up a more consistent pace I chose a Galloway interval.
The run was hard, I keep finding hard things to finish :-). Having Julius there during the run was positively awesome for me. I remember something he said around mile 4: "We've already done 2 miles twice, so we can do 2 more." It was great to run with him and I was able to set a PR by 20 seconds on twice the distance with relatively minimal residual pain. I call that a win!
It was awesome to finish that race, to be able to add one more thing to the list that I was able to accomplish. That is the most important thing, find something you want to go for, some goal, and go for it. Accomplishing something is more important for us in the long run. Whatever you choose to make your goal, make a goal and go for it. Finishing something breeds pride in ourselves and motivation to keep going.
I challenge you to find something you want to do (big or little) and make your next goal and do it. Don't be afraid, don't worry about failing, just do it. In the immortal words of Yoda: "Do or do not, there is no try."
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Sleep...mother nature's best medicine....
Sleep is one of the most important things our bodies can do for us. Think about it, all non-essential systems are shut down and our bodies are allowed to rest physically and mentally to rejuvenate us for the next day. What is the thing that helps us heal fastest when we've come down with a cold or the flu? Sleep. It's the body's way of being able to put ourselves back together so we're healthy for tomorrow.
As I sit here anxious over the 10K run tomorrow I will be able to mentally over-power my anxiety by writing this entry so I can get to sleep. Sleep is incredibly important for our bodies, I could link here the many studies I've read over the years and all the side effects that not getting enough sleep can cause, but I'm going to talk to you about my personal plight with sleep. I have never had a problem with getting sleep, but I've often had a problem with getting restful sleep. I have three main problems when it comes to sleeping restfully and some easy solutions I've discovered, mainly in the past year, that has dramatically increased my restful sleep quotient.
I'll start with problems so I can finish on a positive note :-)
1. Restless Leg Syndrome. I have not been officially diagnosed with it but given the way my legs act while I sleep sometimes I believe that I have some degree of this whether in the clinical definition or not. My legs often twitch, shake, or feel like dead weights when I lay down to sleep. I am convinced that my problem is muscular/circulatory in nature so I have come up with a few successful ways to deal with this problem. It has also been linked to iron deficiency or anemia which I am diagnosed with. The random movement of my legs during the night causes my sleep to be disrupted and Dave's as well.
2. Can't-turn-the-brain-off syndrome. This is when my brain is going a mile a minute thinking about something/things. They can be good things or bad things or just things in general (AKA what I have to do tomorrow). When I don't shut my brain down properly I often toss and turn trying to tune out the monologue that's playing in my head. This keeps me from getting appropriate shut-eye and often makes me feel lousy when I get up the next day because whatever I was thinking about I now probably have to deal with.
3. Having to use the bathroom. I'm still a little young for a lot of trips to the bathroom during the night, but I have noticed that with drinking water all day, usually a cup of tea at night now that it's colder, I have to pee in the middle of the night. Now, this one is easy, if I try to fight the urge I toss and turn but if I get up and go I can usually snuggle back down and continue sleeping. However, sometimes waking up can disrupt the night.
So how do I fix these problems? It's actually a relatively easy list of solutions...
1. Set a bedtime routine. I tend to go to bed around the same time every night, I push it an hour or two on the weekends since I'm getting up later, but I'm not staying up until 2am and sleeping through Saturday or Sunday since that will make Monday morning all that more difficult. Brush your teeth, get changed, read a little, whatever you want it to be, but set some sort of routine and keep it. That way your body starts to get that muscle memory that says "hey, it's time for bed" and it learns to do it without too much extra help.
2. Get extra electronic devices out of your room. There have been studies to show that electronics in the bedroom disrupt sleep patterns. Turn your phone to airplane mode (or off) so it's not buzzing during the night. Even if you don't wake up to the vibrating spam email that came in to your smart phone at 3am, your body heard it and has been disrupted by it. Also, electronic devices like TVs and computers in the bedrooms have been shown to wreck havoc on your system with blinking lights, whirring fans, and whatnot that can contribute to un-restful sleep.
3. Exercise. Not right before bed because that'll drive your heart rate up and make it harder to go to sleep, but regularly as part of your daily routine burns off excess energy caused by foods ingested so your body isn't "twitching" when you lie down. I've noticed on days when I complete regular activity I fall asleep much easier and sleep better over all and wake up better. Also, as part of my exercise routine, I include elevating my legs. I spend most of my day standing so gravity does it's thing and drops blood into my legs and feet where it pools. So I've found that elevating my legs for 10-15 minutes as a stretch helps drain the blood and reducing how restless my legs are when I lay down to go to sleep.
4. Clear the headspace. Spend time writing down or meditating on the problems/thoughts/to do lists that would keep your brain active when you try and get to bed. Making a list, writing down thoughts, or just sitting quietly meditating helps my brain slow down so when I close my eyes I don't have my brain still buzzing with all the things I didn't get done today, all the things I have to get done tomorrow, or whatever is rattling inside my head.
Sleep is an incredibly important thing for our body. Ok, I'll touch on it, but people who don't get enough regular, restful sleep are at risk for many physical problems (obesity, immune system problems, cardiovascular problems, and potential for car accidents) and mental problems (anxiety, depression, mood swings, and trouble concentrating) and we all know how I feel on the relationship between mind and body. So if there's a treatment that can help you physically and mentally you should use it. And one of Mother Nature's best remedies for what ails you is sleep :-).
Sleep Foundation
As I sit here anxious over the 10K run tomorrow I will be able to mentally over-power my anxiety by writing this entry so I can get to sleep. Sleep is incredibly important for our bodies, I could link here the many studies I've read over the years and all the side effects that not getting enough sleep can cause, but I'm going to talk to you about my personal plight with sleep. I have never had a problem with getting sleep, but I've often had a problem with getting restful sleep. I have three main problems when it comes to sleeping restfully and some easy solutions I've discovered, mainly in the past year, that has dramatically increased my restful sleep quotient.
I'll start with problems so I can finish on a positive note :-)
1. Restless Leg Syndrome. I have not been officially diagnosed with it but given the way my legs act while I sleep sometimes I believe that I have some degree of this whether in the clinical definition or not. My legs often twitch, shake, or feel like dead weights when I lay down to sleep. I am convinced that my problem is muscular/circulatory in nature so I have come up with a few successful ways to deal with this problem. It has also been linked to iron deficiency or anemia which I am diagnosed with. The random movement of my legs during the night causes my sleep to be disrupted and Dave's as well.
2. Can't-turn-the-brain-off syndrome. This is when my brain is going a mile a minute thinking about something/things. They can be good things or bad things or just things in general (AKA what I have to do tomorrow). When I don't shut my brain down properly I often toss and turn trying to tune out the monologue that's playing in my head. This keeps me from getting appropriate shut-eye and often makes me feel lousy when I get up the next day because whatever I was thinking about I now probably have to deal with.
3. Having to use the bathroom. I'm still a little young for a lot of trips to the bathroom during the night, but I have noticed that with drinking water all day, usually a cup of tea at night now that it's colder, I have to pee in the middle of the night. Now, this one is easy, if I try to fight the urge I toss and turn but if I get up and go I can usually snuggle back down and continue sleeping. However, sometimes waking up can disrupt the night.
So how do I fix these problems? It's actually a relatively easy list of solutions...
1. Set a bedtime routine. I tend to go to bed around the same time every night, I push it an hour or two on the weekends since I'm getting up later, but I'm not staying up until 2am and sleeping through Saturday or Sunday since that will make Monday morning all that more difficult. Brush your teeth, get changed, read a little, whatever you want it to be, but set some sort of routine and keep it. That way your body starts to get that muscle memory that says "hey, it's time for bed" and it learns to do it without too much extra help.
2. Get extra electronic devices out of your room. There have been studies to show that electronics in the bedroom disrupt sleep patterns. Turn your phone to airplane mode (or off) so it's not buzzing during the night. Even if you don't wake up to the vibrating spam email that came in to your smart phone at 3am, your body heard it and has been disrupted by it. Also, electronic devices like TVs and computers in the bedrooms have been shown to wreck havoc on your system with blinking lights, whirring fans, and whatnot that can contribute to un-restful sleep.
3. Exercise. Not right before bed because that'll drive your heart rate up and make it harder to go to sleep, but regularly as part of your daily routine burns off excess energy caused by foods ingested so your body isn't "twitching" when you lie down. I've noticed on days when I complete regular activity I fall asleep much easier and sleep better over all and wake up better. Also, as part of my exercise routine, I include elevating my legs. I spend most of my day standing so gravity does it's thing and drops blood into my legs and feet where it pools. So I've found that elevating my legs for 10-15 minutes as a stretch helps drain the blood and reducing how restless my legs are when I lay down to go to sleep.
4. Clear the headspace. Spend time writing down or meditating on the problems/thoughts/to do lists that would keep your brain active when you try and get to bed. Making a list, writing down thoughts, or just sitting quietly meditating helps my brain slow down so when I close my eyes I don't have my brain still buzzing with all the things I didn't get done today, all the things I have to get done tomorrow, or whatever is rattling inside my head.
Sleep is an incredibly important thing for our body. Ok, I'll touch on it, but people who don't get enough regular, restful sleep are at risk for many physical problems (obesity, immune system problems, cardiovascular problems, and potential for car accidents) and mental problems (anxiety, depression, mood swings, and trouble concentrating) and we all know how I feel on the relationship between mind and body. So if there's a treatment that can help you physically and mentally you should use it. And one of Mother Nature's best remedies for what ails you is sleep :-).
Sleep Foundation
Sunday, October 30, 2011
I am a rock.....
Growing up this used to be one of my favorite "theme" songs. As a kid I was often hurting, sometimes looking back on it now, it was just normal kid drama but sometimes it felt like more and for reasons I still haven't understood, I kept it to myself. I was bullied at school due to my size, not just being a little chunky, but also being a giant. I am 5'10" on a short day and my entire time in grade school I was always towering over everyone else. I even remember looking down at the principal of the school because he was much shorter than me. Being a giant of child was hard and I don't ever remember turning to anyone when I felt upset. Don't get me wrong, my parents are awesome people and would've been there for me had I given them the chance, but I never did give anyone a chance, I was going to do it on my own. I could handle it, I think because I thought in some strange way since I was "adult-sized" already it meant that I could do it.
But what did this personal pain lead me to learn? And actually I'm just starting to get the handle on this lesson...we need others. It only took me almost 30 years to figure this out but we need to share ourselves with others. When we feel emotions of any kind we need to let those out for people to know us. Being emotionally balanced is part of being healthy. You cannot be physically healthy and emotionally not. Eventually your emotions will wear into your physical and your health will decline. There is plenty of research to back up the mental-physical connection between your spirit and your well-being.
So over the course of the past few years I have vowed to shed the "island" attitude. And looking at this, I think this may be part of my roller coaster problem I've been experiencing. Ever since I've started doing this, I've been up and down, up and down, with weight. And I think part of that is because the sharing is hard! Breaking out of my built-up isolation unit is not easy and sometimes leaves one open to the potential of hurt and pain. I think each time I chip away at that, I subconsciously get scared and it causes a mini-breakdown and I go back to unhealthy habits as a way to combat the fear. However, as GI Joe says, knowing is half the battle. Now that I have identified part of my problem I can be aware of it and use it to my advantage.
Sometimes, being self-aware is so damned difficult....but without knowing yourself you can't achieve what you want so it's always a positive thing to learn something even if it sucks to hear it.....
Friday, October 14, 2011
Perfect for the moment....
I told a student today that "we are never perfect in the 'we're done' sense, but we are perfect for the moment." There are things along this health journey that I do REALLY well sometimes and things that I don't do nearly as well. And on different days, those things can be the exact same. So while I was incredibly profound for my student (I think...), that statement resonated with me today. I can only be what I am at that moment in time and that, by nature, is perfect. I can improve on my actions and my responses to life after the moment has passed, but the decision I make in that moment is perfect.
What does that essentially mean to me? I can't beat myself up over what I did three hours ago, yesterday, last week...etc... This journey of healthy lifestyle is just that, a journey through life. It is a journey that has a finite destination, because how can you go somewhere on a journey if you don't know where you're going? It is not the direct path between two points in time and space but a winding road of ups, downs, and side-to-sides.
Words are powerful tools along this journey; both words you say to yourself and words you say to others. Recognizing that I am the most perfect me I can be at any given time in the present makes it so I don't brood over the failures of the past that will cripple my future successes. I cannot be successful if I've already given myself the handicap of being pre-occupied by all the things I didn't do right. It allows me to be kinder to myself in spite of my mistakes and allows me to forgive myself for my shortcomings.
I'm not saying that this should make me stagnant in the fact that I can keep repeating the same bad things over and over again, but what I should be able to do is look at what I've done and objectively identify what went "wrong" and be able to fix it for next time without feeling bad about what I did last time.
I'm not sure I really have a "conclusion" to this post today, I just have thoughts that have fallen out of my head.
What does that essentially mean to me? I can't beat myself up over what I did three hours ago, yesterday, last week...etc... This journey of healthy lifestyle is just that, a journey through life. It is a journey that has a finite destination, because how can you go somewhere on a journey if you don't know where you're going? It is not the direct path between two points in time and space but a winding road of ups, downs, and side-to-sides.
Words are powerful tools along this journey; both words you say to yourself and words you say to others. Recognizing that I am the most perfect me I can be at any given time in the present makes it so I don't brood over the failures of the past that will cripple my future successes. I cannot be successful if I've already given myself the handicap of being pre-occupied by all the things I didn't do right. It allows me to be kinder to myself in spite of my mistakes and allows me to forgive myself for my shortcomings.
I'm not saying that this should make me stagnant in the fact that I can keep repeating the same bad things over and over again, but what I should be able to do is look at what I've done and objectively identify what went "wrong" and be able to fix it for next time without feeling bad about what I did last time.
I'm not sure I really have a "conclusion" to this post today, I just have thoughts that have fallen out of my head.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Getting in the habit...
Bad habits are an easy thing to form and a hard thing to break, good habits are hard to form and easy to break, so what does that mean for the fit and healthy lifestyle? You have to work at building new habits, but fitness and health should work for/with you, not against you. That means working within your schedule and making compromises with friends, family, yourself, and your obligations.
What's the biggest reason people make for not being active? "I don't have time." Yeah, been there, done that. I always thought my life was way to busy to squeeze in an hour of activity but then I really looked at how I was spending and (mis-)managing time to make time work against me and not for me. There are only 24 hours in a day, take out 16 for working and sleeping and that leaves you with 8 more, how are you going to spend those 8 hours? Some time saving tips that I've come up with over the course of my journey:
1. Make a menu!! I cannot stress how this is so incredibly useful this is for time management, money management, and health! This is honest-to-God THE most important habit I have developed that is the best. It saves me time because I sit down on Saturday or Sunday and come up with seven meals to serve for dinners (breakfast and lunches are usually pretty consistent). Then I make a grocery list, I look through my pantry/veggies/fruit, see what's coming in the Suburban Organics box and I only go to the grocery store ONCE. Imagine not having to waste time during the week because you don't have what you need to cook X, Y, or Z!!! Imagine not having to waste money (or calories) going out to eat because you don't have a plan for cooking this week!!!! One good dinner plan for the week can save you time, energy, aggravation ("What do you want for dinner?" "I don't know, what do you want?" etc...), calories, and money. Also, you can plan your menu around your family's schedule: I want to go to the gym these days so I'll plan a quick dinner, these days I have more time so I'll be able to cook something more elaborate. This also allows you to try new foods! I'm not a recipe person, per se, but I've got cookbooks out the wazoo so I'll look through them and pick a new food/preparation to try.
2. Have workout clothes easily accessible. I went to target and bought two of their cube fabric bins, one for workout bottoms and one for workout tops. When I get home from work before I sit down on the couch (because that is my demon) I go upstairs and grab one from each and I'm ready to go. Who cares if they match? You're only running/going to the gym/walking/doing an at home DVD.... what do you care what they look like? I've gone numerous times to the gym in black pants with a teal stripe, a purple tank top, and a pink head band...yes I am THAT girl ;-). I don't have to hunt for clothes, and if they don't fit in those bins I don't keep them (yay for getting rid of clutter too!!). This also enables me to easily put together a gym bag because sometimes carpool plans change (I tend to only go to the gym on days I drive so I don't even have the temptation of getting home and plopping on the couch). Keep your sneakers somewhere visible!! Then, when you haven't taken them out for a while, you're sneakers will be there staring at you, longingly desiring to be used.
3. Turn off the "screen." Last night, I went to clean the yoga studio (yay for free classes!!), then hopped down to the library, read for a little while waiting for one of my bestest buddies Gina's zumba class to start. After that she and I decided to go out to dinner and just hang out (which is also a necessity in your life...time with friends), came home, showered, answered a few emails I'd been meaning to do, made a phone call to wish another friend happy birthday, but then I shut the computer off, climbed into bed, read and meditated my happy little ass to sleep, and slept like a baby I might add. I didn't spend hours in front of the TV or on the computer. DVR has been a wonderful invention for this kind of lifestyle. There is no TV show I HAVE to watch when it's on. DVR will get it and when I have extra time I get to sit down and watch it. Dial down the number of hours you're staring at a screen, it'll free up time, it'll ease up the strain headaches, and climbing into bed and doing something NOT technology based will help your sleep patterns. Sleep is insanely important people, you need it and you need enough of it and you need a regular schedule of it...but that's a whole other blog entry.
4. The last, but probably the most overlooked/hardest....Ask for help. Ask for what you need from your friends, families, neighbors, etc... Your health is your priority, not theirs (their health should be their priority...). There have been times I've pushed off cooking duties to Dave because I just can't handle doing it all (or eating would be really late if he waited on me to finish working out ;-) ). I've asked my mom to push back our dinner appointment so I can accommodate my exercise time. They don't know what you need unless you tell them. No one is a mind-reader and the people in your life are there to help you, but they can't help you if they don't know you need help.
This is a lifestyle for you, designed by you. Make it work for you. I know, I hear ya, I get up at 5:30, stand on my feet, working with angsty teenagers all day, I have a house to clean, 5 pets to take care of, family to take care of and when I come home, the last thing I want to do is get off my couch, but the high is so worth pushing yourself for a few weeks. After a couple weeks, these habits are starting to build and it gets so much easier. Give one (or all) of these tips a try for a month and see what a difference it makes in your life. I love my life and wouldn't trade what I have for the world, but it takes work to get there.
What's the biggest reason people make for not being active? "I don't have time." Yeah, been there, done that. I always thought my life was way to busy to squeeze in an hour of activity but then I really looked at how I was spending and (mis-)managing time to make time work against me and not for me. There are only 24 hours in a day, take out 16 for working and sleeping and that leaves you with 8 more, how are you going to spend those 8 hours? Some time saving tips that I've come up with over the course of my journey:
1. Make a menu!! I cannot stress how this is so incredibly useful this is for time management, money management, and health! This is honest-to-God THE most important habit I have developed that is the best. It saves me time because I sit down on Saturday or Sunday and come up with seven meals to serve for dinners (breakfast and lunches are usually pretty consistent). Then I make a grocery list, I look through my pantry/veggies/fruit, see what's coming in the Suburban Organics box and I only go to the grocery store ONCE. Imagine not having to waste time during the week because you don't have what you need to cook X, Y, or Z!!! Imagine not having to waste money (or calories) going out to eat because you don't have a plan for cooking this week!!!! One good dinner plan for the week can save you time, energy, aggravation ("What do you want for dinner?" "I don't know, what do you want?" etc...), calories, and money. Also, you can plan your menu around your family's schedule: I want to go to the gym these days so I'll plan a quick dinner, these days I have more time so I'll be able to cook something more elaborate. This also allows you to try new foods! I'm not a recipe person, per se, but I've got cookbooks out the wazoo so I'll look through them and pick a new food/preparation to try.
2. Have workout clothes easily accessible. I went to target and bought two of their cube fabric bins, one for workout bottoms and one for workout tops. When I get home from work before I sit down on the couch (because that is my demon) I go upstairs and grab one from each and I'm ready to go. Who cares if they match? You're only running/going to the gym/walking/doing an at home DVD.... what do you care what they look like? I've gone numerous times to the gym in black pants with a teal stripe, a purple tank top, and a pink head band...yes I am THAT girl ;-). I don't have to hunt for clothes, and if they don't fit in those bins I don't keep them (yay for getting rid of clutter too!!). This also enables me to easily put together a gym bag because sometimes carpool plans change (I tend to only go to the gym on days I drive so I don't even have the temptation of getting home and plopping on the couch). Keep your sneakers somewhere visible!! Then, when you haven't taken them out for a while, you're sneakers will be there staring at you, longingly desiring to be used.
3. Turn off the "screen." Last night, I went to clean the yoga studio (yay for free classes!!), then hopped down to the library, read for a little while waiting for one of my bestest buddies Gina's zumba class to start. After that she and I decided to go out to dinner and just hang out (which is also a necessity in your life...time with friends), came home, showered, answered a few emails I'd been meaning to do, made a phone call to wish another friend happy birthday, but then I shut the computer off, climbed into bed, read and meditated my happy little ass to sleep, and slept like a baby I might add. I didn't spend hours in front of the TV or on the computer. DVR has been a wonderful invention for this kind of lifestyle. There is no TV show I HAVE to watch when it's on. DVR will get it and when I have extra time I get to sit down and watch it. Dial down the number of hours you're staring at a screen, it'll free up time, it'll ease up the strain headaches, and climbing into bed and doing something NOT technology based will help your sleep patterns. Sleep is insanely important people, you need it and you need enough of it and you need a regular schedule of it...but that's a whole other blog entry.
4. The last, but probably the most overlooked/hardest....Ask for help. Ask for what you need from your friends, families, neighbors, etc... Your health is your priority, not theirs (their health should be their priority...). There have been times I've pushed off cooking duties to Dave because I just can't handle doing it all (or eating would be really late if he waited on me to finish working out ;-) ). I've asked my mom to push back our dinner appointment so I can accommodate my exercise time. They don't know what you need unless you tell them. No one is a mind-reader and the people in your life are there to help you, but they can't help you if they don't know you need help.
This is a lifestyle for you, designed by you. Make it work for you. I know, I hear ya, I get up at 5:30, stand on my feet, working with angsty teenagers all day, I have a house to clean, 5 pets to take care of, family to take care of and when I come home, the last thing I want to do is get off my couch, but the high is so worth pushing yourself for a few weeks. After a couple weeks, these habits are starting to build and it gets so much easier. Give one (or all) of these tips a try for a month and see what a difference it makes in your life. I love my life and wouldn't trade what I have for the world, but it takes work to get there.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Ahh fall has come...
Yesterday I went on a 35 minute run through the neighborhood. It was a beautiful afternoon to run, it was cooler then it has been and the dogs enjoyed the time to get out. Since the bridge 10K is only 50 days away (eek!), I run up and down as many hills as I could find and today my legs feel awesome. I changed my running stride based on some research that I did (coupled with the barefoot running movement) so my legs have definitely benefited from the new stride. I am still wearing my nice comfy Saucony shoes, but the change in stride has done wonders for my leg fatigue.
Being back into the routine of work has been nice, back to hitting the gym and getting in my weight training again. I've got a new app on my phone that has help me set up two weight lifting routines, one for arms and back and one for legs and abs. I'm so used to just wandering around the gym going "hmmm....which exercise do I want to do next?" Now I have a little more structure with the lifting so I'm looking forward to making real progress on the toning.
I went out shopping with my mom today and I used to hate shopping for clothes years ago because nothing fit, nothing looked good except for tents. Now I have a shape, clothes fit, and I can look presentable.
Health and wellness is awesome :-)
Being back into the routine of work has been nice, back to hitting the gym and getting in my weight training again. I've got a new app on my phone that has help me set up two weight lifting routines, one for arms and back and one for legs and abs. I'm so used to just wandering around the gym going "hmmm....which exercise do I want to do next?" Now I have a little more structure with the lifting so I'm looking forward to making real progress on the toning.
I went out shopping with my mom today and I used to hate shopping for clothes years ago because nothing fit, nothing looked good except for tents. Now I have a shape, clothes fit, and I can look presentable.
Health and wellness is awesome :-)
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Alright...it's over....
....Summer I mean. I know that a lot of people are upset that summer's over (not officially but close enough!) but in all honesty, I'm not. I love the change of pace that summer offers, things to do, people to see. But summer is not my favorite time of year, although it is the host to my favorite holiday (my birthday!!), it is hot, sticky, and my life is all outta whack. I worked a lot this summer, more than I care to admit to at a PT job that I'm hoping I never have to repeat again. The place I worked wasn't bad, the people weren't bad, just the nature of the retail beast. I don't like not having a set schedule, I don't like not being able to plan my week. There were times when I was working until 10p and then up again to start at 9a. Sometimes I didn't want to eat dinner until 10:30p, sometimes I had already had a full day by 7pm and was ready to call it quits for the day. So with the end of summer comes cool nights and back to normalcy. Sure I have to get up at 5:30a, but at least I have to get up at the same time everyday. It makes getting my exercise in easier, it makes getting my meals taken care of easier, it just makes life easier when I have a weekly routine to follow.
For the summer, I have a net loss of 2 pounds, not stellar in my books, 2 pounds for 2 months sucks. Yes, I look on the bright side, it's still down, but I barely worked out this summer, I didn't eat right, and I was just an all around terrible healthy person and I feel it. I'm looking forward to getting back in the swing of things with a fresh start of the new year. As the leaves start to turn and fall, running will be easier and gym time will be much more consistent.
Love for the new year, for a job that I adore, for a lifestyle that I want, and for the chance to have it all! Besides, if I'm going on a cruise next summer (or to Chincoteague) I need to be bathing suit ready, bring on fall my friends!
For the summer, I have a net loss of 2 pounds, not stellar in my books, 2 pounds for 2 months sucks. Yes, I look on the bright side, it's still down, but I barely worked out this summer, I didn't eat right, and I was just an all around terrible healthy person and I feel it. I'm looking forward to getting back in the swing of things with a fresh start of the new year. As the leaves start to turn and fall, running will be easier and gym time will be much more consistent.
Love for the new year, for a job that I adore, for a lifestyle that I want, and for the chance to have it all! Besides, if I'm going on a cruise next summer (or to Chincoteague) I need to be bathing suit ready, bring on fall my friends!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Tomorrow I Kiss my 20s Goodbye....
I'm reaching a milestone, I'm going to be turning 30...but was does 30 mean in today's world? Absolutely nothing.... Being 30 is really no different than being 20 at this point to me except I have more money and parents aren't breathing down my neck!! Well, my parents never really breathed down my neck, they are awesome, but living under their roof at 20-21 did come with a set of responsibilities.
As I look back on the decade that is coming to a close, I see what the past ten years has been, a glorious ride of ups and downs and all arounds. When I started this decade I was a college student halfway through my degree, stayed up late, got up later and did some studying. I was able to finish my BS with two minors in 4 years with a pretty good GPA when I was 21. May 2003 college graduation seems so long ago!! Go CCC grads of '03! I started working for a nonprofit agency and was stationed on Montclair State University. I made a lot of contacts that I didn't use that year but it's all good! If I had, I would have been living in NYC. After that 9 months I got a job working at Delta with my good friend Todd. Working as an environmental consultant was boring, sitting in a cubicle staring at a computer screen was not my idea of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I loved my office and I will never ever have co-workers like that again, but I just couldn't stand the job itself. After 3 years in the private sector I started teaching. I love my job, I have found the job that makes me happy, I have found the job I could do for the next 20+ years, so hopefully that stays the case.
Relationship-wise I've had 3 main "adult" relationships in my twenties, the last one is crossing over into the 30s. I was never really a "dater" per se, but each relationship has taught me many things that are important to continue living and dealing with people. The relationships have all been a net gain of good, even the divorce. I can't say that I'm thrilled to be a divorcee at 30 but I'm happy that things have turned out for the good. And through that process I learned a lot about myself and my own behaviors.
I started out my 20s probably close to or over 300 pounds (I didn't exactly monitor my weight yet....) and I'm ending it close to being under 200 pounds. 10 years to lose 100 pounds isn't so bad! I have turned myself into a conscious eater, a runner, a yogi, an all-around much healthier individual than when I was 20. I'm not perfect, I'm still overweight and it's still a struggle from day to day sometimes but I'm better than I was then. I feel better, I look better, I am just better. I'm healthier in body, mind, and spirit which is always an accomplishment.
So as I look back at the past decade, and into the next decade I am starting out this ten years as a better version of myself that can only continue to improve. I have things I know I need to work on as far as myself and dealing with others, but being aware is half the battle, so I can't complain that my next decade is already starting out on a better foot than my last one.
Here's to another year I've survived on this earth and to the next one where I'm going to continue to thrive. Birthdays are always opportunities!!
As I look back on the decade that is coming to a close, I see what the past ten years has been, a glorious ride of ups and downs and all arounds. When I started this decade I was a college student halfway through my degree, stayed up late, got up later and did some studying. I was able to finish my BS with two minors in 4 years with a pretty good GPA when I was 21. May 2003 college graduation seems so long ago!! Go CCC grads of '03! I started working for a nonprofit agency and was stationed on Montclair State University. I made a lot of contacts that I didn't use that year but it's all good! If I had, I would have been living in NYC. After that 9 months I got a job working at Delta with my good friend Todd. Working as an environmental consultant was boring, sitting in a cubicle staring at a computer screen was not my idea of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I loved my office and I will never ever have co-workers like that again, but I just couldn't stand the job itself. After 3 years in the private sector I started teaching. I love my job, I have found the job that makes me happy, I have found the job I could do for the next 20+ years, so hopefully that stays the case.
Relationship-wise I've had 3 main "adult" relationships in my twenties, the last one is crossing over into the 30s. I was never really a "dater" per se, but each relationship has taught me many things that are important to continue living and dealing with people. The relationships have all been a net gain of good, even the divorce. I can't say that I'm thrilled to be a divorcee at 30 but I'm happy that things have turned out for the good. And through that process I learned a lot about myself and my own behaviors.
I started out my 20s probably close to or over 300 pounds (I didn't exactly monitor my weight yet....) and I'm ending it close to being under 200 pounds. 10 years to lose 100 pounds isn't so bad! I have turned myself into a conscious eater, a runner, a yogi, an all-around much healthier individual than when I was 20. I'm not perfect, I'm still overweight and it's still a struggle from day to day sometimes but I'm better than I was then. I feel better, I look better, I am just better. I'm healthier in body, mind, and spirit which is always an accomplishment.
So as I look back at the past decade, and into the next decade I am starting out this ten years as a better version of myself that can only continue to improve. I have things I know I need to work on as far as myself and dealing with others, but being aware is half the battle, so I can't complain that my next decade is already starting out on a better foot than my last one.
Here's to another year I've survived on this earth and to the next one where I'm going to continue to thrive. Birthdays are always opportunities!!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
My Love Affair with Running
If any of you have known me for a long time, I was not the fitness and healthy person I am now. I'm not to an endpoint, but I'm farther from my start. When I was younger, my only reason to run was if someone was chasing me with a deadly implement (not that anyone ever has, but that's what I said about running, "I'll only run when someone with a knife is coming after me, a gun and I'm already screwed..."). What changed you ask? I tried something new :-)
At the beginning of my health journey, a bunch of women I was acquainted with decided to stop being "squishy" as we called it and decided to all register for a 5K race together. A local, no frills, nothing special race but it was a goal. Someone then informed me of the C25K plan, which really helped give me a guide to easing into the process, I can do anything for 30 seconds, and it grew from there. After I ran my first 5K, personal stuff happened and I drifted away from a lot of things for many reasons. But once the personal stuff was out of the way, I decided to get back into it, so I signed up for a new 5K this past March (the Colon Cancer Coalition 5K "Get your Rear in Gear" for my momma). My friend Julius ran the race with me because he's awesome like that. He then challenged me to run the 10K over the Ben Franklin Bridge here in Camden in November, so I said yes.
Over the course of my journey of running I have learned to love it, of course it's not always the perfect relationship, but the sneakers are always there for me when I'm ready to give them my time. I never thought I would be a "runner" and I'm not a very fast runner but I'm still a runner. It is a very active meditation. When you're running it is you and the pavement (or the treadmill) and sometimes my dogs. The outside world melts away as you focus on the rhythmic beat of your feet and the sound of the music in your ears. It's time for things to "compost" as I call it. I'm focused on the running that the other worries I have are allowed to work themselves out in my sub-conscience, I'm not agonizing over a decision, I'm not thinking out all the different possibilities, by the time I get done running, if I've had anything to worry about I have usually come up with a solution. It is because of this that running has become part of my life.
And today I proved that by completing my longest single run yet (except for an 8 mile mostly walk with Julius last year) at 4 miles. I didn't run the whole thing, but I ran and I made it through 4 miles on the treadmill (no outside running in this heat for me friends...). Running and yoga are very similar to me. It is your own practice and you just can't let yourself quit. But in the end, being able to say I did it, is better to me than wondering what if I didn't??
At the beginning of my health journey, a bunch of women I was acquainted with decided to stop being "squishy" as we called it and decided to all register for a 5K race together. A local, no frills, nothing special race but it was a goal. Someone then informed me of the C25K plan, which really helped give me a guide to easing into the process, I can do anything for 30 seconds, and it grew from there. After I ran my first 5K, personal stuff happened and I drifted away from a lot of things for many reasons. But once the personal stuff was out of the way, I decided to get back into it, so I signed up for a new 5K this past March (the Colon Cancer Coalition 5K "Get your Rear in Gear" for my momma). My friend Julius ran the race with me because he's awesome like that. He then challenged me to run the 10K over the Ben Franklin Bridge here in Camden in November, so I said yes.
Over the course of my journey of running I have learned to love it, of course it's not always the perfect relationship, but the sneakers are always there for me when I'm ready to give them my time. I never thought I would be a "runner" and I'm not a very fast runner but I'm still a runner. It is a very active meditation. When you're running it is you and the pavement (or the treadmill) and sometimes my dogs. The outside world melts away as you focus on the rhythmic beat of your feet and the sound of the music in your ears. It's time for things to "compost" as I call it. I'm focused on the running that the other worries I have are allowed to work themselves out in my sub-conscience, I'm not agonizing over a decision, I'm not thinking out all the different possibilities, by the time I get done running, if I've had anything to worry about I have usually come up with a solution. It is because of this that running has become part of my life.
And today I proved that by completing my longest single run yet (except for an 8 mile mostly walk with Julius last year) at 4 miles. I didn't run the whole thing, but I ran and I made it through 4 miles on the treadmill (no outside running in this heat for me friends...). Running and yoga are very similar to me. It is your own practice and you just can't let yourself quit. But in the end, being able to say I did it, is better to me than wondering what if I didn't??
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Stepping Out of the "Normal"
I love to dance. I always have ever since I started taking classes when I was 6 (thanks Mom and Dad!! I know it was just because I was annoying and you had to get rid of me but it was awesome :-D ), I miss the structured dance classes the way they used to be when I was a kid. At home or at work, I can often be found dancing around to my iPod, the radio, or the music in my head. I love just being able to move. It's such a blessing to have the physical ability but it just feels good. I don't know if it's because the endorphins are running around in my brain, but dancing always makes me feel better. "Dance as if no one is watching..." I often wonder what my neighbors think as they see me flailing around the house, but hey, I'm having a good time, so what does it matter?
What does the intro about dancing have to do with weight-loss/exercise? I'm glad you asked!! Today I redeemed a groupon (if you don't know what those are by now, shame on you!) with some girlfriends for The Art of Exotic Dancing For the Everyday Woman. It was just fun. Yes, the woman taught us a striptease for use if desired, but it was just a blast going and doing something different. I sweated! It was hard work, dancing for 90 minutes (in 3 inch heels..), but it was nice to let the body move. Now granted I don't think I "learned" anything I didn't already know how to do with all my dancing, MTV, and club days but it was a good time, and it did make you feel good about yourself. Not that I'm one who's known for having self-esteem problems, but staring at yourself in a full length mirror can at first cause you to judge yourself a little ("oh, my butt looks HUUUUUUGE in these pants" and "hey check out that arm flab!") and it shows. But once the negative thoughts came out and I was able to squash them and make my peace with my lack of perfection, the giant mirror and I became friends.
A few lessons re-inforced today:
1. Don't let the negative (anything) get in your way. I've been playing with the same 2 pounds (up and down, up and down) for a month or so. I was really annoyed with myself this morning when I weighed in but after I was done getting some endorphins running I just have to move forward. I have to own up to my own excuses and just suck it up.
2. Working out doesn't always have to be structured gym time or dedicated ("right now I am exercising") to the exercise. Dancing around your house like a fool can work up a sweat, so next time you're cleaning the house plug in and move your hips :-) Suddenly it won't feel like such a chore :-)
What does the intro about dancing have to do with weight-loss/exercise? I'm glad you asked!! Today I redeemed a groupon (if you don't know what those are by now, shame on you!) with some girlfriends for The Art of Exotic Dancing For the Everyday Woman. It was just fun. Yes, the woman taught us a striptease for use if desired, but it was just a blast going and doing something different. I sweated! It was hard work, dancing for 90 minutes (in 3 inch heels..), but it was nice to let the body move. Now granted I don't think I "learned" anything I didn't already know how to do with all my dancing, MTV, and club days but it was a good time, and it did make you feel good about yourself. Not that I'm one who's known for having self-esteem problems, but staring at yourself in a full length mirror can at first cause you to judge yourself a little ("oh, my butt looks HUUUUUUGE in these pants" and "hey check out that arm flab!") and it shows. But once the negative thoughts came out and I was able to squash them and make my peace with my lack of perfection, the giant mirror and I became friends.
A few lessons re-inforced today:
1. Don't let the negative (anything) get in your way. I've been playing with the same 2 pounds (up and down, up and down) for a month or so. I was really annoyed with myself this morning when I weighed in but after I was done getting some endorphins running I just have to move forward. I have to own up to my own excuses and just suck it up.
2. Working out doesn't always have to be structured gym time or dedicated ("right now I am exercising") to the exercise. Dancing around your house like a fool can work up a sweat, so next time you're cleaning the house plug in and move your hips :-) Suddenly it won't feel like such a chore :-)
Sunday, July 3, 2011
July Positivity
Every month I sit down and think about my affirmations and gratitudes. It's a way to keep positive about myself and know what I'm thankful for. These two things keep me grounded in good, healthy thoughts as opposed to allowing negative ones to creep in. Don't get me wrong, I'm not always a rosy picture of joy and unabashed happiness, but I think I tend to be more positive than most. I do have bad moments in bad days but being able to come out of those quickly tends to keep me on the right path instead of getting lost inside the myriad of negativity that one could sink into.
One of my favorite books as a child was the Anne of Green Gables series and one thing Marilla said was "to despair is to turn your back on God". And it's true. If you despair, or always think in the negative, how can positive come into your life? It can't. When you are constantly being negative about yourself, about your life, your job, etc... you'll never have space for the positive to come in and lift you up. If you're in despair you can't look up and see the beauty that is this life.
Of course being positive is an exercise all by itself, most people don't have the natural inclinations anymore, they've been beaten out of us as a nation by various circumstances. Think about the number of people on psychotropic drugs in this country... Think about the number of people addicted to various substances to "not feel the pain"... It's not an easy road to take, but it definitely will make a big difference in the long run.
Your greatest asset is your mind. Your thoughts can bury you in pain or can carry you through the darkest hour, which will you choose? It's been said: "change your mind, change yourself."
So, for July I will share these with you:
Affirmations: I will work my 10K plan in preparation for November's run. I will track the food that I eat. I will enjoy everyday that is given to me.
Gratitudes: I am thankful for a job that I love that gives me the summer to recoop. I'm thankful for the ability to run, jump, and play with friends or my dogs and the health that comes along with it.
One of my favorite books as a child was the Anne of Green Gables series and one thing Marilla said was "to despair is to turn your back on God". And it's true. If you despair, or always think in the negative, how can positive come into your life? It can't. When you are constantly being negative about yourself, about your life, your job, etc... you'll never have space for the positive to come in and lift you up. If you're in despair you can't look up and see the beauty that is this life.
Of course being positive is an exercise all by itself, most people don't have the natural inclinations anymore, they've been beaten out of us as a nation by various circumstances. Think about the number of people on psychotropic drugs in this country... Think about the number of people addicted to various substances to "not feel the pain"... It's not an easy road to take, but it definitely will make a big difference in the long run.
Your greatest asset is your mind. Your thoughts can bury you in pain or can carry you through the darkest hour, which will you choose? It's been said: "change your mind, change yourself."
So, for July I will share these with you:
Affirmations: I will work my 10K plan in preparation for November's run. I will track the food that I eat. I will enjoy everyday that is given to me.
Gratitudes: I am thankful for a job that I love that gives me the summer to recoop. I'm thankful for the ability to run, jump, and play with friends or my dogs and the health that comes along with it.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Push!
Tonight I tried a new class at the gym: kickboxing cardio. I've never done anything that intense before. An hour long sweat session that felt like it was never going to end. I kept telling myself that I just had to get through it, I've done many physically difficult things so this was just another thing. I hiked the Costa Rican rainforest at 14 years old, if I could do that, I can do anything. Even though I'm almost 30 (more than twice my age since the rainforest expedition) I can still push myself. Those 10 days were the best in my life, the most difficult sometimes, and the ones that taught me a couple important lessons. 15 years later and I'm still thinking about them and the impact they've had on me. I am lucky that my parents were able to send me on that trip to experience the things I was able to experience.
One major lesson I learned that week was push. Keep going. If you make it through the experience (hiking 10 hours in rain and mud for example), you will have the pride of completing the task and the joy of being able to look back on it and say "I did it!" The ability to be proud of yourself and happy with your accomplishments is incredibly empowering. Whether you were able to walk a block or run a marathon, accomplishing something breeds security, power, and drive to continue. Sometimes it's hard to push through to the finish, but the end result is worth it!
Life isn't made by the easy moments, it's defined by the hard ones that make the easy ones so much sweeter. Pushing through makes the opportunity to sit and relax so much better. Don't be afraid, you might accomplish great things! I know I have.
One major lesson I learned that week was push. Keep going. If you make it through the experience (hiking 10 hours in rain and mud for example), you will have the pride of completing the task and the joy of being able to look back on it and say "I did it!" The ability to be proud of yourself and happy with your accomplishments is incredibly empowering. Whether you were able to walk a block or run a marathon, accomplishing something breeds security, power, and drive to continue. Sometimes it's hard to push through to the finish, but the end result is worth it!
Life isn't made by the easy moments, it's defined by the hard ones that make the easy ones so much sweeter. Pushing through makes the opportunity to sit and relax so much better. Don't be afraid, you might accomplish great things! I know I have.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Routines....
As school is coming to a close I'm thankful, thankful for another year at a job that I love and thankful for a chance to take a break. Dealing with the students is wonderfully exhausting, being a teacher is an act of service, I am constantly bombarded with their needs and their wants and their problems while I'm at school. Some of these needs, wants, and problems are purely academic ("What's my grade?" "What's the homework again?"), some are more personal. I got a letter from a student thanking me because I'm the first adult female she's felt close to because of her issues with her mom, one student wrote me a thank you note because of my faith in her and my patience with her classmates. This is all part of the job that I love and it is part of the routine of the school year.
During the school year, I get up around 5:30a, get dressed, feed the dogs, feed the cats, feed myself, get coffee, hop on FB for a little while, then leave for work around 6:30a. Get to work where I have a set schedule of class, carefully orchestrated potty breaks, lunch, and down time all to the tune of a bell. I'm usually home by 3:30p or 4p depending on tutoring and meetings where I can change, have a snack, walk the dogs, and start to plan/prepare dinner. A few nights a week I go to the gym and whatever else needs to be done. I tend to fall asleep anywhere between 9:30p and 10p because if I don't get my sleep fairly regularly I know I'll be a capital BIOTCH and there are a whole host of issues I could be subjected to (weight gain is one of them....ironically enough, but they've also linked bad sleep to anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease and a lot of other nasty things...) But it's all part of the school year routine.
Now comes the summer when I have no routine, nothing to keep me really in line from day-to-day, and this becomes something of a drawback for summer. With inconsistency, my eating habits take a nosedive. I do not eat as regularly, I'm not as good about planning what I eat because I'm not under time constraints the way I am during the school year. I'm a big fan of planning and organization but during the summer that seems to go by the wayside too. I don't drink water at home the way I do at school (something I'm currently trying to fix....) and I tend to follow Bruno Mars' "Lazy Song".
My goal this summer is to at least plan and prepare meals during the summer the way I would during the school year, this means still making a menu for the week, still planning grocery shopping to a T (better for food AND budget...) and making sure I don't take Bruno's advice too often :-).
I lose my routines on the weekends too during the school year, but Monday is always right around the corner to bring me back. Let's hope I can keep this summer under control and not let it run away with me :-).
During the school year, I get up around 5:30a, get dressed, feed the dogs, feed the cats, feed myself, get coffee, hop on FB for a little while, then leave for work around 6:30a. Get to work where I have a set schedule of class, carefully orchestrated potty breaks, lunch, and down time all to the tune of a bell. I'm usually home by 3:30p or 4p depending on tutoring and meetings where I can change, have a snack, walk the dogs, and start to plan/prepare dinner. A few nights a week I go to the gym and whatever else needs to be done. I tend to fall asleep anywhere between 9:30p and 10p because if I don't get my sleep fairly regularly I know I'll be a capital BIOTCH and there are a whole host of issues I could be subjected to (weight gain is one of them....ironically enough, but they've also linked bad sleep to anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease and a lot of other nasty things...) But it's all part of the school year routine.
Now comes the summer when I have no routine, nothing to keep me really in line from day-to-day, and this becomes something of a drawback for summer. With inconsistency, my eating habits take a nosedive. I do not eat as regularly, I'm not as good about planning what I eat because I'm not under time constraints the way I am during the school year. I'm a big fan of planning and organization but during the summer that seems to go by the wayside too. I don't drink water at home the way I do at school (something I'm currently trying to fix....) and I tend to follow Bruno Mars' "Lazy Song".
My goal this summer is to at least plan and prepare meals during the summer the way I would during the school year, this means still making a menu for the week, still planning grocery shopping to a T (better for food AND budget...) and making sure I don't take Bruno's advice too often :-).
I lose my routines on the weekends too during the school year, but Monday is always right around the corner to bring me back. Let's hope I can keep this summer under control and not let it run away with me :-).
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Set Back
Well, this week didn't go so well. Ok, to be honest that last two weeks I was not on top of my food the way I should have been. It caught up with me this week. I had an official gain this week, but I think of this as a new opportunity. Failure is only a failure when you refuse to correct it, so here I am this week, logging like a pro. When I'm tracking, it seems that even when the amount is truly ugly, it's still not nearly as bad as when I'm not tracking. Back on the path I go.
It's normal to sway once and a while, those are reminders that I'm not perfect, that I'm not always going to do this exactly right. The trick is to not let it totally derail me. If I give up because of one bad day or one bad week, I'm going to lose the battle not matter what happens. I might as well throw in the towel if every time something goes wrong I lose myself and start beating myself up over it.
The way I look at this (and life in general) is either you can become paralyzed by your mistakes/fears or you can overcome them. If every time I did something wrong or was scared to do something and I just froze up, where would I end up? What would I be able to do? Being a teacher, I'm constantly in the spotlight, I'm constantly on the stage. The kids ask me questions all the time I can't answer, but instead of losing my confidence in me and who I am and what I'm capable of, it's an opportunity to learn and grow. There was a quote I read once (that I'm paraphrasing now since I can't recall it exactly...): Mistakes only become great errors when you refuse to correct them. It's true, a mistake or a misstep is only a problem if you refuse to learn nothing from it. When you learn something, you still win, it just might not be the prize you were anticipating.
Anyway, I have to get my butt moving. Only 3 more alarm clocks!! Stay positive my friends :-)
It's normal to sway once and a while, those are reminders that I'm not perfect, that I'm not always going to do this exactly right. The trick is to not let it totally derail me. If I give up because of one bad day or one bad week, I'm going to lose the battle not matter what happens. I might as well throw in the towel if every time something goes wrong I lose myself and start beating myself up over it.
The way I look at this (and life in general) is either you can become paralyzed by your mistakes/fears or you can overcome them. If every time I did something wrong or was scared to do something and I just froze up, where would I end up? What would I be able to do? Being a teacher, I'm constantly in the spotlight, I'm constantly on the stage. The kids ask me questions all the time I can't answer, but instead of losing my confidence in me and who I am and what I'm capable of, it's an opportunity to learn and grow. There was a quote I read once (that I'm paraphrasing now since I can't recall it exactly...): Mistakes only become great errors when you refuse to correct them. It's true, a mistake or a misstep is only a problem if you refuse to learn nothing from it. When you learn something, you still win, it just might not be the prize you were anticipating.
Anyway, I have to get my butt moving. Only 3 more alarm clocks!! Stay positive my friends :-)
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Streak is still going strong
I thought that this was going to be a bad week. I was really bad at tracking as soon as I got home, I was going through the whole "PMS let-me-eat-everything-in-sight" the past couple of days with very little exercise. I ran on Monday and then felt like I was catching the cold that's been going around so I took it easy until last night where I zumbathon'd with Gina for an hour and a half. But I still came out a loser on the scale today, so I guess I didn't do too bad for myself this week. I think I'm starting to reach my groove again. I'm back in the mind-set of still just practicing prudence and balance in my habits. It's written in my sub-conscience what I can/can't do, I'm paying attention to my hunger signals again and realizing when I wander into the kitchen because I'm bored, not because I'm actually hungry. I'm regaining ground that I had lost over the past couple of years and it feels good to be heading back in the right direction.
One thing that's tripping me up right now is my back. I don't know if I've been pushing it too hard since I've gotten back on track or if I need to have it looked at again since I haven't done anything with it since the injury 12 years ago. My mom brought up the possibility of arthritis setting in due to the injury and family history...not even 30 and arthritis...*sigh*. Somedays it feels awesome, I've been working on strengthening my core muscles for this reason alone, but sometimes I'm paralyzed in pain for a few minutes at a time randomly during the day because of it. I'm working to push through the pain, but there are still days where the idea of moving more than I have to, or standing at all, is a bit much. But should I be working to push through it? I don't know. Since it seems to be more and more of a problem lately, I scheduled an appointment with my (new) doctor. I am looking forward to meeting him, he's a runner general practitioner who also does chiropractic adjustments...so I'm hoping he's a good place to start (and hopefully end...) with this problem. I have a feeling I'm going to be sent for another round of x-rays (since the last time they were done was when it happened), but I hope that's as far as it goes. I don't want to hear any bad news with it (maybe that's why I've been putting this off??).
The other health issue I've got is colon cancer. With my 30th birthday looming around the corner, I know it's time to start getting checked for that due to my mom's early on-set of it (thank god they found it when they did and were able to operate on it or else she wouldn't still be here...kudos to mom for being in tune with her body). It's another thing that I'm not looking forward to but I know I have to do to be on the safe side.
So what's the moral of this story? Always pay attention to your body, listen to yourself. When you need to take a break and let your body recover, either for sickness or injury, let it happen. I know that when I burn the candle at both ends, it sets me up for a disaster. We must take care of ourselves, whether it means being lazy or being proactive :-), know yourself and know your body, it will give you the signals you need to maintain health and wellness.
One thing that's tripping me up right now is my back. I don't know if I've been pushing it too hard since I've gotten back on track or if I need to have it looked at again since I haven't done anything with it since the injury 12 years ago. My mom brought up the possibility of arthritis setting in due to the injury and family history...not even 30 and arthritis...*sigh*. Somedays it feels awesome, I've been working on strengthening my core muscles for this reason alone, but sometimes I'm paralyzed in pain for a few minutes at a time randomly during the day because of it. I'm working to push through the pain, but there are still days where the idea of moving more than I have to, or standing at all, is a bit much. But should I be working to push through it? I don't know. Since it seems to be more and more of a problem lately, I scheduled an appointment with my (new) doctor. I am looking forward to meeting him, he's a runner general practitioner who also does chiropractic adjustments...so I'm hoping he's a good place to start (and hopefully end...) with this problem. I have a feeling I'm going to be sent for another round of x-rays (since the last time they were done was when it happened), but I hope that's as far as it goes. I don't want to hear any bad news with it (maybe that's why I've been putting this off??).
The other health issue I've got is colon cancer. With my 30th birthday looming around the corner, I know it's time to start getting checked for that due to my mom's early on-set of it (thank god they found it when they did and were able to operate on it or else she wouldn't still be here...kudos to mom for being in tune with her body). It's another thing that I'm not looking forward to but I know I have to do to be on the safe side.
So what's the moral of this story? Always pay attention to your body, listen to yourself. When you need to take a break and let your body recover, either for sickness or injury, let it happen. I know that when I burn the candle at both ends, it sets me up for a disaster. We must take care of ourselves, whether it means being lazy or being proactive :-), know yourself and know your body, it will give you the signals you need to maintain health and wellness.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Keep on Trucking!
Ok, what do I want to talk about today? Make it important to you! I've realized that I have to make exercise and healthy eating and tracking part of my day. It doesn't matter who's around, who's going to see me, who I have to postpone time with, but I have to do it. It has to be a priority for me.
Example, last week my mom wanted to go out for dinner. Usually because it was my mom, I would blow off my exercise plans to be with her, because she is my mom after all, instead I told her I had to do it after I got done at the gym. And what happened? Nothing different, my mom and I were still able to go out to dinner and a little shopping. The world didn't end, my mom wasn't upset and I would have still gotten my workout in (if I didn't fall asleep on the couch, but that's a whole different story...).
Making your health is priority. I get organic produce delivered to my house because I like knowing I have it to eat, it tastes better than the stuff you get in the grocery store, and it coming to my house means I have to eat it. There are no excuses. It costs more money, but you know what I did? I stopped buying soda, extra chips/pretzels and other snack foods so the money could come out of my budget and not put a crunch on the finances.
There are many things to consider in today's world, men and women all have to deal with it. The trick is to making you and your health a priority. Speak up for yourself, ask for what you need from friends, family members, and significant others. You are responsible for yourself, no one can do it for you and no one should have to. If you need an hour to yourself to get some exercise in, tell somebody, schedule it in your planner/datebook/app. If you take an hour of time for yourself now, imagine how many years you'll have in the future with your loved ones?
Example, last week my mom wanted to go out for dinner. Usually because it was my mom, I would blow off my exercise plans to be with her, because she is my mom after all, instead I told her I had to do it after I got done at the gym. And what happened? Nothing different, my mom and I were still able to go out to dinner and a little shopping. The world didn't end, my mom wasn't upset and I would have still gotten my workout in (if I didn't fall asleep on the couch, but that's a whole different story...).
Making your health is priority. I get organic produce delivered to my house because I like knowing I have it to eat, it tastes better than the stuff you get in the grocery store, and it coming to my house means I have to eat it. There are no excuses. It costs more money, but you know what I did? I stopped buying soda, extra chips/pretzels and other snack foods so the money could come out of my budget and not put a crunch on the finances.
There are many things to consider in today's world, men and women all have to deal with it. The trick is to making you and your health a priority. Speak up for yourself, ask for what you need from friends, family members, and significant others. You are responsible for yourself, no one can do it for you and no one should have to. If you need an hour to yourself to get some exercise in, tell somebody, schedule it in your planner/datebook/app. If you take an hour of time for yourself now, imagine how many years you'll have in the future with your loved ones?
Friday, May 20, 2011
Some tips from my experience....
Over the course of my journey, I've found a few things that help greatly.
1. Get smaller bowls/plates. When I'm having a dinner of mac and cheese (homemade and yummy), beans and rice, pasta, cereal and the occasional ice cream, putting it into a smaller bowl requires me to really decide if I'm still hungry and get seconds. It helps limit my intake of foods instead of just heaping it onto a plate and not really paying attention to how much I'm putting on there.
2. Invest in a reasonable-sized good lunch bag. Something that's cute and not over-sized. You'll save money and calories by bringing your lunch and only being able to fill a bag with what you NEED to eat for the day will mean you don't have extra snacks at work "just in case". If you have them, if you're anything like me, you'll eat them. So, instead of giving your willpower a workout, just have a bag that's big enough to carry you through the day.
3. Have a mug/water bottle to drink water out of during the course of the day (at work and at home). Being able to drink throughout the day wherever you are will help you stay hydrated, feeling full, and less tired (for cheap!!) during the day.
and my last one...
4. Invest in your tracking. No matter what you do, you have to track what goes in your body and what you put out during exercise. However you want to track, paper or electronic, is important to keep up with it so you know what you're doing to yourself. If you're like me and love your smart phone, track on there. If you like pen and paper, get something you'll keep with you all the time.
I don't presume to know everything, but I know what helps me and keeps me on track.
In other news, I ordered a new Road ID to wear while running since I've almost been hit quite a few times.
I don't have much more to write about tonight, but was thinking about some of the things that help me. Hope you guys have a good night!
1. Get smaller bowls/plates. When I'm having a dinner of mac and cheese (homemade and yummy), beans and rice, pasta, cereal and the occasional ice cream, putting it into a smaller bowl requires me to really decide if I'm still hungry and get seconds. It helps limit my intake of foods instead of just heaping it onto a plate and not really paying attention to how much I'm putting on there.
2. Invest in a reasonable-sized good lunch bag. Something that's cute and not over-sized. You'll save money and calories by bringing your lunch and only being able to fill a bag with what you NEED to eat for the day will mean you don't have extra snacks at work "just in case". If you have them, if you're anything like me, you'll eat them. So, instead of giving your willpower a workout, just have a bag that's big enough to carry you through the day.
3. Have a mug/water bottle to drink water out of during the course of the day (at work and at home). Being able to drink throughout the day wherever you are will help you stay hydrated, feeling full, and less tired (for cheap!!) during the day.
and my last one...
4. Invest in your tracking. No matter what you do, you have to track what goes in your body and what you put out during exercise. However you want to track, paper or electronic, is important to keep up with it so you know what you're doing to yourself. If you're like me and love your smart phone, track on there. If you like pen and paper, get something you'll keep with you all the time.
I don't presume to know everything, but I know what helps me and keeps me on track.
In other news, I ordered a new Road ID to wear while running since I've almost been hit quite a few times.
I don't have much more to write about tonight, but was thinking about some of the things that help me. Hope you guys have a good night!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Moving Forward
Last week, I weighed in on Saturday and still lost a pound. I've been on a losing streak for the past 5 weeks and I'm finally feeling like I'm on the right track. Last week, because of allergies and social engagements, I think I made it to the gym once, but I still lost weight because I still kept track of everything I put in my stomach. That is the trick, my friends, keeping track of it all; the good, the bad, and the ugly.
One thing I do for myself however, is give myself Saturday off. I weigh-in Saturday morning and give myself the rest of Saturday off. It gives me a little freedom for social engagements that happen often on Saturday night (I have to stay in line Friday night...) but also gives me a break from the structure. The one thing though is I HAVE to be back on track and logging my food in-take Sunday morning. I have to keep that disciple.
I'm happy that I've been able to turn myself around. Part of my being able to move forward, I think comes from hearing my mom approve of me and my (tough) choices. I know my parents love me, that has never been a question, but hearing my mom verbalize her approval made me feel better. I've also thought about my "aunt" a lot lately. My Aunt Sally was a genuinely awesome woman who was taken from this Earth too early due to complications associated with breast cancer. When my aunt died, I lost the person who was my confidante for the longest time, she died when I was in college and I feel like I have never found someone to take her role in my life. Of course, that is entirely my fault.... Since I've identified this shortcoming, I have worked towards developing those relationships with other people in my life, not in an effort to replace her, Aunt Sally could never be replaced, but to find someone/people to become that "person" to share with, my Mom is great, but she's still my Mom.
I am happy that I have some great people in my life (parents, Dave, bffs, etc..), but I have to remember that they are there. No woman (man) is an island, no matter what Simon and Garfunkel told you. You can't survive on your own. We are a social species; we want friends, loved ones, and others to be part of our lives. Holding all of that on our own shoulders makes it too much to bear. It is impossible to survive and thrive as a human without a "village" so here I am, remembering to make my village.
One thing I do for myself however, is give myself Saturday off. I weigh-in Saturday morning and give myself the rest of Saturday off. It gives me a little freedom for social engagements that happen often on Saturday night (I have to stay in line Friday night...) but also gives me a break from the structure. The one thing though is I HAVE to be back on track and logging my food in-take Sunday morning. I have to keep that disciple.
I'm happy that I've been able to turn myself around. Part of my being able to move forward, I think comes from hearing my mom approve of me and my (tough) choices. I know my parents love me, that has never been a question, but hearing my mom verbalize her approval made me feel better. I've also thought about my "aunt" a lot lately. My Aunt Sally was a genuinely awesome woman who was taken from this Earth too early due to complications associated with breast cancer. When my aunt died, I lost the person who was my confidante for the longest time, she died when I was in college and I feel like I have never found someone to take her role in my life. Of course, that is entirely my fault.... Since I've identified this shortcoming, I have worked towards developing those relationships with other people in my life, not in an effort to replace her, Aunt Sally could never be replaced, but to find someone/people to become that "person" to share with, my Mom is great, but she's still my Mom.
I am happy that I have some great people in my life (parents, Dave, bffs, etc..), but I have to remember that they are there. No woman (man) is an island, no matter what Simon and Garfunkel told you. You can't survive on your own. We are a social species; we want friends, loved ones, and others to be part of our lives. Holding all of that on our own shoulders makes it too much to bear. It is impossible to survive and thrive as a human without a "village" so here I am, remembering to make my village.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Frustration
It's been a while since I've made an update to this thing. I think part of my problem is I was frustrated. Frustrated with myself for not being at goal, frustrated with always having to pay attention to what I eat and never getting a break, frustrated with trying to find time to fit in exercise (and I don't even have children...), and just feeling "done" with this whole process.
But as I started to watch the weight fluctuate I guessed that this is how it probably all started in the first place, this is how I got to be almost 300 lbs to begin with, bit by bit, and apathy on my part. It was that apathy that I was feeling again, I just didn't want to be an active member in my health anymore. However I realized I had two choices: be an active member in my health or die... Ok, well maybe not that dramatic, but my quality of life was deteriorating, I could feel it. I was lethargic, moody, not active, and no desire to be active. That's not how I want to live.
So here I am, taking an active role again in my health and welfare. I am planning my meals again, making sure I write EVERYTHING down, even if it's something I "shouldn't" have I'm still keeping track of it. A new resolve has blossomed in me and away I go. I was listening to a Jillian Michaels podcast and she talked about how if you don't take care of yourself now, you'll be paying for yourself later when you're sick.
But as I started to watch the weight fluctuate I guessed that this is how it probably all started in the first place, this is how I got to be almost 300 lbs to begin with, bit by bit, and apathy on my part. It was that apathy that I was feeling again, I just didn't want to be an active member in my health anymore. However I realized I had two choices: be an active member in my health or die... Ok, well maybe not that dramatic, but my quality of life was deteriorating, I could feel it. I was lethargic, moody, not active, and no desire to be active. That's not how I want to live.
So here I am, taking an active role again in my health and welfare. I am planning my meals again, making sure I write EVERYTHING down, even if it's something I "shouldn't" have I'm still keeping track of it. A new resolve has blossomed in me and away I go. I was listening to a Jillian Michaels podcast and she talked about how if you don't take care of yourself now, you'll be paying for yourself later when you're sick.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Get Your Rear in Gear 5k
So today was my 5K, I came in 925 out of 1018 with a time of 45:16 and a pace of 14:22/mile. This was faster than I anticipated, but that's because I had Julius of Run Maul Run with me pushing me. He's going to be an awesome coach for his group when they start training again. He never left even though he could have finished way faster than that.
There we are getting ready to cross the finish line (I'm in pink and Julius is in blue). It was good to get out and participate in an organized run. There is a lot of positive energy at these events, no one to beat but everyone to help you and support you. I finished it, which meant I won. Doesn't matter how fast I was going but that I finished.
That's what this journey is all about, it's not about how fast, it's just about the process. I'm not the fastest one out there to the finish line but I'm going to make it to that finish line some day.
The runner's high is amazing, isn't it? I would have never considered myself a runner until a few years ago and even then, I'm not a very consistent runner, but the gauntlet has been thrown so maybe my consistency can improve.
And hopefully with improved consistency will come improved weight loss/health. I ran today for my mom who's a colon cancer survivor and I hope with better health I, too, can survive anything.
Here's to putting the runner's high to good use to continue using the positive energy to moving forward.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Time
When am I going to find the time? I am a full time teacher, a part time grad student, a part time retail store associate and am attempting to get a direct sales position going (I've got a year). But amongst all of this I need to have the time and energy to pay attention to what I'm eating as well as the time to get out for some exercise. I know that if I work out I feel more energized and can do everything I need to do, when I eat better I feel better, but when am I going to be able to squeeze it all in?
Now I've been asked to take on a partial overload at school to prepare students for the state biology test, I have practicum students once a week whom I need to mentor and my house elf will be going back to work (yay and nay...lol). With my house elf heading back to work I will then need to also shoulder my part of the house work again.
So time, when am I going to find the time and the energy to do this right?
Now I've been asked to take on a partial overload at school to prepare students for the state biology test, I have practicum students once a week whom I need to mentor and my house elf will be going back to work (yay and nay...lol). With my house elf heading back to work I will then need to also shoulder my part of the house work again.
So time, when am I going to find the time and the energy to do this right?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
At long last....no more excuses
I've been a procrastinating poster as of late. I was/am frustrated with myself, I have not really progressed at all with my weight lately. My significant other moved in and he's a big cookie/sweet eater so that's not helping matters, can I blame him?? No, I can't but I can at least ask for his help in changing our home environment so I can be more successful.
I also made some excuses, you know the ones..."I'm tired" "PMS is acting up" "I'm sick" and a variety of other excuses. But now I don't have the option of continuing to excuse myself, two reasons:
1. My 5K race is in 17 days....so I'm running that whether I "feel" like it or not
2. I'm not getting anywhere standing still
I always pride myself on moving forward, but right now I'm standing still and not getting anywhere fast. So in an effort to kick-start myself, I changed gyms. And I'm logging, whether I like it or not. Even on days when my food consumption is 30+ points over what it should be. Tracking my food forces me to own the truth about my food and forces me to look at it critically. I do not have a good relationship with food, I still think I need more than I really do, but I have yet to identify why my relationship with food is still not fixed. I didn't have a traumatic event as a child, my parents loved me, I did well in things that I tried. I never am the smartest person in my family or group of friends and sometimes that made me feel inferior, but since childhood I've accepted my lack of traditional brains because I know I'm good at other things.
So tonight I'm making a new playlist to take to the gym tomorrow and I've got a log for my workouts too, so here we go. That's the nice thing about life, we can always improve it.
"Don't call it a mistake, call it an education" ~Thomas Edison
"It's never too late to be what you might have been" ~George Eliot
I also made some excuses, you know the ones..."I'm tired" "PMS is acting up" "I'm sick" and a variety of other excuses. But now I don't have the option of continuing to excuse myself, two reasons:
1. My 5K race is in 17 days....so I'm running that whether I "feel" like it or not
2. I'm not getting anywhere standing still
I always pride myself on moving forward, but right now I'm standing still and not getting anywhere fast. So in an effort to kick-start myself, I changed gyms. And I'm logging, whether I like it or not. Even on days when my food consumption is 30+ points over what it should be. Tracking my food forces me to own the truth about my food and forces me to look at it critically. I do not have a good relationship with food, I still think I need more than I really do, but I have yet to identify why my relationship with food is still not fixed. I didn't have a traumatic event as a child, my parents loved me, I did well in things that I tried. I never am the smartest person in my family or group of friends and sometimes that made me feel inferior, but since childhood I've accepted my lack of traditional brains because I know I'm good at other things.
So tonight I'm making a new playlist to take to the gym tomorrow and I've got a log for my workouts too, so here we go. That's the nice thing about life, we can always improve it.
"Don't call it a mistake, call it an education" ~Thomas Edison
"It's never too late to be what you might have been" ~George Eliot
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Snacks in progress
My mission from last week was to get my after-work snacking under control, and I found a technique that worked for me. There's a million and one studies out there about how people who log their food do better than those who don't. There's a very simple reason for this, you see what you've eaten in plain black and white, staring you in the face. If you see that you've shoved 3 pieces of pizza and a slice of cake down your gullet you may think twice about that ice cream sunday later....and it really does work, it gives you a moment of pause and reflection. In that vein, what I did this week as part of my after-work snacking habit is I sat down with my tracker. When I got home from work, I made myself a cup of tea or poured a glass of water and sat down at the table and went over my tracker. Did I write everything down that I had eaten thus far? Sometimes I didn't so I had to add foods in. Where are my daily values? How many points do I have left (I like the points, tracking all the individual numbers just gives me a headache...I AM NOT a numbers person, if you like keeping track of the cals, protein, fat, carbs, fiber...etc...be my guest)? After a drink and sitting and looking at everything, I could decide if I was in fact still hungry and it gave me focus to make the best decision possible for an after work snack. So I think I created a new habit/tool for myself this week and will continue to use it to help my absent-minded snacking.
I lost 2 pounds this week, so that's almost all the weight I put on over the holidays so I'm happy with that. What is my mission this week? I'm going to get my butt back into the gym. I am no longer a one-person household which now means that I will have help doing all the things that need to be done. Part of that means that I have to take time to focus on me and that means taking time to go to the gym. I need to practice for that 5K and I have the membership so I need to use it, especially because the sidewalks are still too narrow/dangerous to try running with the dogs outside. My mission this week is to get my exercise in, through a mix of gym time and wii. I also want to log my steps and average HR using the awesome pedometer/HR monitor watch my parents got me for christmas. Of course I'm very sad at it's dramatic decrease in price after the holidays...if I'd have known I would not have asked for it for Christmas because I'm afraid to find out how much my awesome parents paid for it....
Here's to an activity filled week my friends!
I lost 2 pounds this week, so that's almost all the weight I put on over the holidays so I'm happy with that. What is my mission this week? I'm going to get my butt back into the gym. I am no longer a one-person household which now means that I will have help doing all the things that need to be done. Part of that means that I have to take time to focus on me and that means taking time to go to the gym. I need to practice for that 5K and I have the membership so I need to use it, especially because the sidewalks are still too narrow/dangerous to try running with the dogs outside. My mission this week is to get my exercise in, through a mix of gym time and wii. I also want to log my steps and average HR using the awesome pedometer/HR monitor watch my parents got me for christmas. Of course I'm very sad at it's dramatic decrease in price after the holidays...if I'd have known I would not have asked for it for Christmas because I'm afraid to find out how much my awesome parents paid for it....
Here's to an activity filled week my friends!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Signed Up and a New Year
I signed up for a race on March 20th. I'm running the Get Your Rear in Gear Colon Cancer Coalition 5K on March 20th. When I found this race I decided I would sign up for it. It's enough weeks into the year to give me time to get up to "fighting" strength but not enough time to slack off, I'm also running it because my mother is a colon cancer survivor so it's a cause I can get behind (haha). I also got my friend Julius to run with me and then he challenged me back with "run the 10K bridge run in October with me" so I agreed. A 5K on deck for March and a 10K bridge run coming in October, I have my work cut out for me. I went to the gym on Friday night for a run on the treadmill and did a 5k distance as a gauge for where I'm at. My time was 46:36, not too bad considering I haven't run in over a week and I don't think I've logged a 5K distance in how long, but at least I know what I have to work with between now and March 20th.
So on to the weight. I weighed in on Saturday morning at 231 pounds. That's only a 3 pound gain over the holidays which was impressive, I thought I'd be much worse than that. But I'm recommitting. It's 2011 which means it's time to get serious. This week I'm focusing on re-teaching. I've been on a weight-loss journey for so long that it's kind of been the same-shit-different-day. I'm going to recommit myself to this process for 2011 which means I have to re-educate myself about health and healthy eating. This week I'm going to take time to re-acquaint myself with healthy foods and healthy snacks. My biggest problem is when I get home from school. Once I walk in that door I'm instantly ravenous and once I start snacking I can't stop, so I'm going to find a healthy snack to eat when I get home that won't completely derail my plans.
What does this all mean? Well, by the end of 2011 (51 weeks away) I want to be under 200 pounds. As much as the NIH says I should be 170 (I'm 5'10"), I feel like that's too low for a goal weight so I'm aiming for 190 and then I'm going to decide from there based on how I feel whether I want to try and get to a lower weight of I'm comfortable staying there.
That's my plan for this week, what is yours?
So on to the weight. I weighed in on Saturday morning at 231 pounds. That's only a 3 pound gain over the holidays which was impressive, I thought I'd be much worse than that. But I'm recommitting. It's 2011 which means it's time to get serious. This week I'm focusing on re-teaching. I've been on a weight-loss journey for so long that it's kind of been the same-shit-different-day. I'm going to recommit myself to this process for 2011 which means I have to re-educate myself about health and healthy eating. This week I'm going to take time to re-acquaint myself with healthy foods and healthy snacks. My biggest problem is when I get home from school. Once I walk in that door I'm instantly ravenous and once I start snacking I can't stop, so I'm going to find a healthy snack to eat when I get home that won't completely derail my plans.
What does this all mean? Well, by the end of 2011 (51 weeks away) I want to be under 200 pounds. As much as the NIH says I should be 170 (I'm 5'10"), I feel like that's too low for a goal weight so I'm aiming for 190 and then I'm going to decide from there based on how I feel whether I want to try and get to a lower weight of I'm comfortable staying there.
That's my plan for this week, what is yours?
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