Day 16

fitspoholic.tumblr.com

I lost almost all of last week to either being sick, or caring for sick children.  I only worked out the first 3 days last week, and didn't get back to it until today.  

 waist: 29.5"  (down 1.5" total, .5" since last week)

hips:  37.5" (no change)

weight: 117lbs (up 1 lb from last week)

All told, not too bad.  I could definitely tell that I'd missed a week on the cardio, and I don't think I'm quite back at 100% anyway.  Tomorrow will be better.

Day Eight

originally from howdoigetfit.com

I made it to day 8!  I'm doing well with  meeting my exercise goals: I worked out Monday-Friday last week (yay!), skipped Saturday and Sunday (boo!), and I'm back at it today (yay!).  I'm not having as much success with my diet, but I am doing better with it than I was.  I'm reaching more often for things like carrots, and I have cut back on the sweets a bit.  Here are my stats after my first week of tracking:

waist: 30"  (down 1")

hips:  37.5" (no change)

weight: 116lbs (down 2 lbs)

That's pretty encouraging, after only a week!  This week, I'm going to push harder to work out every day, and definitely work harder at controlling what I feed myself.  Wish me luck for Week 2!

Reviving the Health Blog

Here I am again.  I got lost for a while, but I'm still around, and I still have the same basic goal:

I've been doing better with the depression, which is huge.  I finally got in to see a real psychiatrist, and he seems to have gotten my meds straightened out.  He didn't take me off of the Prozac, but he cut my dosage in half and added Wellbutrin to my daily line-up.  The Wellbutrin has given me a significant energy boost, and I like to think that I've put it to good use.  I started working part-time, as well, and it's helped to revitalize me, to get me moving.  It's a simple thing, really, but it has been so good for me to get out and interact with other adults, and to do something that I know I'm good at.  And, I've actually been exercising intermittently for the last few weeks.  This is where I'm at now:

31" waist

37.5" hips

118lbs

I've lost a lot of ground since last May, and I wasn't happy with my body even then.   I know that I'm not obese, or really even overweight, but I also know that I could be in much better shape, and that I will be happier with myself and my body when I am.  Not to mention the fact that I do want to have more children, probably in the next year or two, and the more fit I am going into pregnancy, the better off I'll be.  So.  It's time to set down some specific goals.

Goal #1: Work out every day, for 30 days.  

I'm doing 30 Day Shred again, and for simplicity's sake, I'm calling this Day 1.  My goal is not to skip a single day, so that if I do miss one here or there (because life happens) I'll still be working out at least 6 days a week.  I'll be going to a wedding on March 3, and I want to make as much progress as I can in the next month. I even bought a pretty new dress, to provide me with a bit of extra motivation.

Goal #2: Cut down on sweets.

Chocolate is my vice, and my biggest downfall. I know myself well enough to know that if I completely eliminate sweets from my diet, that I'll cave and binge periodically.  So, for the duration of my Shred, I'll be limiting myself to one small serving of sweets daily.

Goal #3: Make healthier meal choices.

More fresh fruits and veggies, fewer fried and processed foods.  This one is difficult, because most of my favorite recipes don't really pass muster, but we're trying.  I'll be posting any good recipes that I find to my recipes page, so if you're interested, be on the lookout there.

Goal #4: Lose at least 1" from my waist by the end of the Shred.

I don't care about pounds, because they're misleading.  Frankly, I don't care whether I gain pounds or lose them, so long as I lose flab and gain muscle tone.  I'll be tracking my waist and hip measurements weekly, to quantify my progress.  My goal is to lose at least an inch from my waist by the time that wedding rolls around.

What are your health goals?

Every day, I say "tomorrow".  But somehow, I never get to tomorrow.  

Like a Yo-Yo

     Up and down, and round and round till I'm dizzy.  Warning: this post is something of a rant.

     My experiment with the Celexa was a spectacular failure. I felt worse taking the Celexa than I did on the Prozac, and I was having very vivid, very bizarre dreams.  I went back to the doctor, but my doctor was on vacation (naturally) so I saw someone else.  This someone was nice enough, but it's always hard to do a med-check with someone who doesn't know me or my history, and I wasn't impressed with his manner.  He put me back on the Prozac, which is admittedly an improvement over the Celexa, but he also put me on Trazodone because of the dreams.  I took it only once.  Not only did it not keep me from dreaming, but left me feeling drugged the next morning. And do you know why?  Trazodone is used to treat depression and insomnia.  I am quite the opposite of an insomniac.  I sleep far, far too much.  I told him that.  And yet he gave me the Trazodone anyway.   Fortunately, I had a sneaking suspicion what would happen, and I took it on a Friday night so that Brandon would be around the next morning.  This was a very, very good thing, because I slept until 10:30 and then was worthless for a good while even after I did get up.

     So I called again to try make an appointment with my doctor, only to find that within days of returning from vacation, she'd been transferred to another clinic.  I now have a new doctor to get to know.  Yay.  I'll be seeing her at the beginning of September, so until then, I'll continue on the Prozac.  But, there's good news!

     The last time I saw her, my doctor put in a counseling referral for me.  I've seen my new counselor twice, and already I think that this will be beneficial for me.  When I was there yesterday, he referred me to the clinic psychiatrist so that I would no longer have to worry about being bounced around between doctors when it comes to managing my medication.  If I can get in to see her quickly, then I will just cancel the appointment with my new doc and wait to see her when I have a cold.

     Not surprisingly, I haven't been exercising.  I keep telling myself that I ought to, but then I don't.  I suppose I've kind of put that on hold while I try to get my head on straight.  Here's to being healthy, in body and mind.

Motivation Monday

Because I desperately need to be motivated, and I know it needs to come from within.

I have commitment issues.  You?

On Again, Off Again

Consistency is a problem for me.  I got in a few days of Shred last week, but I've been lazy the last few days.  I feel like a truck with a bad starter.  I'll work out for a few days, but I just can't seem to get my engine to turn over and fire up so I can keep going.  I blame the depression, my ineffective new medication, and the on-going potty-training drama in the house, but when it comes down to it, it's my fault for not following through.  So, tomorrow, I'll be back at it, and Little Miss had better not pee on the floor while I'm Shredding.

Motivation Monday

Sometimes, we just need a reminder, a push in the right direction, or some inspiration.  

Especially on Mondays.

found on Pinterest.

I only worked out one day last week.  Blah.  I'm needing some motivation and encouragement!

Motivation Monday

Sometimes, we just need a reminder, a push in the right direction, or some inspiration.  

Especially on Mondays.

YES!  

Goals, Revisited.

So, the last time I posted my goals, I made it only four or five days before falling off the horse completely.  I've climbed back on now, hit the reset button, and now I'm happily trotting down the path toward being fit and healthy once again.  I'm keeping the same goals that I had last time:  

Goal #1: Work out every day, for 30 days.  

I'm 5 days into the 30 Day Shred. My goal is not to skip a single day, so that if I do miss one here or there (because life happens) I'll still be working out at least 6 days a week. 

Goal #2: Cut down on sweets.

I'm a slave to my sweet tooth.  I know myself well enough to know that if I completely eliminate sweets from my diet, that I'll cave and binge periodically.  So, for the duration of my Shred, I'll be limiting myself to one small serving of sweets daily.

Goal #3: Make healthier meal choices.

More fresh fruits and veggies, fewer fried and processed foods.

Goal #4: Lose 1" from my waist by the end of the Shred.

I don't care about pounds, because they're misleading.  I want to lose the flab, and gain muscle tone.  I'll simply be using my waist measurement, taken weekly, to quantify my progress.

I'm feeling much more optimistic, now.  I've got the depression under better control, and it's amazing how much that one thing filters into and changes every aspect of my life.

Here's to being healthy.  :)

Get Motivated Monday

Sometimes, we just need a reminder, a push in the right direction, or some inspiration.  

Especially on Mondays.

I think this is doable, and more along the lines of what I'm wanting to achieve.   She's not ripped, and she has lovely contours.  She's a bit thinner than I aim to be (my thighs will never be that slim!) but she still looks healthy.  Now, to just get working out.

Get Motivated Monday

Sometimes, we just need a reminder, a push in the right direction, or some inspiration.  

Especially on Mondays.

from this site

I was close to that, last fall.  I can get there again!

Weekly Weigh-In...?

So, um, yeah.  I've been slacking.  Hard.

 The bad news is that I haven't been exercising.  The good news is that I have been (somewhat) careful of what I eat, and I still weigh only 114lbs.  I haven't given up; every day presents new opportunities to make healthy choices.

Get Motivated Monday: Memorial Day Edition

Sometimes, we just need a reminder, a push in the right direction, or some inspiration.  

Especially on Mondays.

I know it's Memorial Day, and a lot of us have the day off.  Don't forget to work out--you can run on the beach, do laps in the pool, play tag with the kids.  Whatever.  It still counts even if it's fun!

More importantly, don't forget to remember those who have fallen in the line of duty, while serving our country.

Get Motivated Monday

Sometimes, we just need a reminder, a push in the right direction, or some inspiration.  

Especially on Mondays.

I think I'll go for sore, but I'm not up for a Shred today.  Yoga, anyone?

Guest Post on TOBB Blog

I've written a 2 part series on (postpartum) depression for The Other Baby Book Blog.  The first went up yesterday, the second was posted today.  Follow the links if you'd like to read them.  

(Postpartum) Depression Part 1: Let's Talk

(Postpartum) Depression Part 2: 10 Ways to Triumph

Depression and Health

Depression is my own personal demon.  It's difficult to talk about, because I feel ashamed of my weakness.  I know that it's silly to be ashamed of it, silly to be ashamed of taking antidepressants.  Diabetics aren't ashamed of  the need for insulin, right?  Depression is a real illness, and it has had a very real impact on my life and my health.

 First off, let me just tell you, depression is a bitch.  It's a difficult thing to describe to someone who has never experienced it, but it is so much more than just a bad mood. It is pervasive and insidious, effecting not only mental and emotional health, but physical health as well.  I've dealt with depression off and on since I was a pre-teen, so I've also had plenty of time to learn to recognize when I'm sliding back into it after a clear spell.  I've learned to recognize when the depression is coloring my experience of life, my actions and reactions.  Knowing that intellectually may give me an edge in controlling my external reaction.  This knowledge does not change my emotional experience.

 I'm also well acquainted with how it effects me. It tampers with the way I think, with my emotions and how I experience them.  I have to struggle to take the ups and downs of daily life in stride, rather than falling into despair or flying into fury at the slightest bump in the road. It robs me of will, energy, and interest in doing many of the things I normally enjoy, like playing with my children or sewing and making jewelry.  So if I can't even muster the energy to sew a dress for my daughter or work on a bridal necklace for a friend because the thought of starting--much less finishing-- such a project is overwhelming, how the heck am I ever going to make my self work out? I like to cook, and I like to have a neat, clean house, but I struggle with those tasks too.  And unfortunately, when I'm feeling like that, exercise and controlling my diet fall to the very bottom of my list of things to worry about.

I've been on a very low dosage of Prozac for a few years now, and it has been enough to keep me on an even keel for most of that time.  In the last few months, though, I haven't been so even.  I think my boat started to rock as far back as the first of the year, but the changes were so subtle that I can only recognize  what was happening in retrospect.  I started exercising less frequently, and started forgetting to take my meds, which made things get a little worse.  So then I exercised less, and forgot more.  The whole thing is a nasty, vicious circle.  Finally, a few weeks ago, I ran out of my meds altogether because I neglected to get the prescription re-filled.  I kept telling myself I would take care of it later, tomorrow, on Monday, until I ran out of time, and even then I kept putting it off.  I spent almost 2 miserable weeks on nothing at all before I finally got my act together.  (God bless my husband for his love and patience!)

Now that I'm taking my medication again, I'm starting to feel more like my usual, buoyant self, but I'm thinking that it might be a good idea to bump my dosage up just a bit.  After all, this is what I was taking when I first started to spiral downward, right?  So I'll be chatting with my doctor come the end of the month, and hopefully, soon, I really will be back to normal, and one hurdle to meeting my health goals will be removed.

Weekly Weigh-In

28.5" waist (1" lost)

37.5" hips (1.5" gained? I think I must have mis-measured last time.)

113 lbs (no change)

Well, I'm off to a dismal start.  I worked out faithfully for the first four days--and then skipped the next six.  And that whole not-eating-sweets thing?  I seem to have forgotten about that one.  I have plenty of excuses: my children have been sick, my baby is on a 6 day (and counting) nursing strike, and I've been struggling with a few demons.  Still, they are only excuses.  Tomorrow is a new day; here's to making it count!

Get Motivated Monday

Sometimes, we just need a reminder, a push in the right direction, or some inspiration.  

Especially on Mondays.

My First Set of Goals

 Goal #1: Work out every day, for 30 days.  

I'm 2 days into the 30 Day Shred. My goal is not to skip a single day, so that if I do miss one here or there (because life happens) I'll still be working out at least 6 days a week. 

Goal #2: Cut down on sweets.

I'm a slave to my sweet tooth.  I know myself well enough to know that if I completely eliminate sweets from my diet, that I'll cave and binge periodically.  So, for the duration of my Shred, I'll be limiting myself to one small serving of sweets daily.

Goal #3: Make healthier meal choices.

More fresh fruits and veggies, fewer fried and processed foods.

Goal #4: Lose 1" from my waist by the end of the Shred.

I don't care about pounds, because they're misleading.  I want to lose the flab, and gain muscle tone.  I'll simply be using my waist measurement to quantify my progress.

I'm going to check and post my progress weekly.  At the end of the 30 Days, I'll re-assess and post new goals.  Along the way, I'll be posting other little helpful things, like healthy recipes that I've tried and funny and encouraging pictures to help keep us going.  What are your health goals?