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?

Motivation Monday

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

I have commitment issues.  You?

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!  

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!

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?

Get Motivated Monday

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

Especially on Mondays.

Get Motivated Monday

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

Especially on Mondays.

Go get sweaty.

Inspiration

My husband has been so very supportive of my new be healthy project.  He's been on that path for quite some time now; he's lost 15 lbs and has improved all of his PRT stats.  That in and of itself is a great motivation, but added to that he's been very encouraging, and has given me a lot of helpful advice.  He's the one who brought home to me just how badly I've been treating my body, by letting me know that not only had he noticed, but that it worried him.  He's the one who told me to track not only my weight, but my waist and hip measurements as well, to help me get a clearer idea of my progress.  I text him everyday when I'm starting my workout, and he almost always texts me back with something funny and encouraging.  It's a small thing, but it really makes me feel good.

Elora is also a big help.  Most days, she does the beginning of my workout with me.  It is so stinking cute that I want to do it just to see her attempting jumping jacks.  And then there are the days that she sees me start in on the exercises with the girls in the video, and she says something like "Yay, Mama, you're doing it!"  or helps me count my reps.  She's my own personal cheerleader.

 And then there's Evie.  I've known her since forever; we grew up in the same church community and our mothers were involved in a lot of the same ministries.  She's a few years older than me, and smart and pretty and just one of the most genuinely good people I've ever met.  As a child, I always looked up to and admired her quite a lot.  Life carried us in different directions, and I lost track of her for a while, until I found her blog about year ago.  She posts mostly about her children, so I had no idea she was working to lose weight until I saw this post in August.  I was stunned and so impressed!  She lost 52 lbs, not by using some miracle diet pill, but though more than a year of hard work, and dedication to a permanent change in her diet.  Her goal is to be healthy, so she's made permanent life changes to make it happen, and she stuck with it. And darn it, if she can do it to lose more than 50 pounds, then I can do it to lose 10!

And finally, there's Pinterest.  It's like a Rolodex for all my favorite things on the internet, and it's my new addiction.  You'd think that something that tempts me to waste time on the computer would hinder me, but no.  I keep finding all these great motivational posters with quotes and pictures to keep me moving.  It sounds kind of silly when I write it out, but then, why would there be motivational posters if they weren't useful?  So I read through them periodically, and add to them when I find a new one that speaks to me. 

And right now, I'm needing all the motivation I can get.  I stalled out over the weekend... I missed my workout on Friday, because I was so preoccupied with cooking down and pureeing my pumpkin, and I missed Sunday because the girls and I have been sick and I just couldn't marshal the energy to make myself do it.  Even worse is that I've slid back into some of my bad snacking habits.

But today is a new day, and another opportunity to succeed.

Personal Goals

Or, Growing Up and Buckling Down.

People tend to get mad at me when I start talking about needing to get in shape.  After all, even at my heaviest (135-140 lbs in 2009) I was still petite.  But the truth is, I am woefully out of shape.  Yes, I know, most people call me "skinny".  I'm a small person, and I'm supposed to be small.  I'm 5'3", I have a very small frame, and my ideal body weight is around 115 lbs. 

But I'm not just talking about weight.  I'm talking about being healthy.   I haven't gotten any regular exercise since high school, when I was on the dance team.  Back then I was very definitely in shape.  Now?  Not so much.  I eat way too many sweets and I've done no more than flirt with exercise for the past 4 or 5 years.  Taking a single flight of stairs quickly is enough to leave me out of breath, I'm always tired, and I'm squishy everywhere.

  

I'm closer to 30 than to 20, I have children for whom I need to set a good example, and it's past time for me to start exercising some will power.  So I've set some goals for myself.  

Goal # 1:  Eat smarter.  I've cut myself back to only a single serving of sweets per day (I stumbled over Halloween), and I've gone back to snacking on fruits and veggies.  I've also become aware of my portion sizes, and stopped eating after I'm full just because it's good.

Goal #2: Exercise daily, to improve my cardiovascular health and tone my body.  I started the 30 Day Shred  two weeks ago, and I've only missed one day.  It's only 20 minutes a day-- totally do-able! I've already seen a huge improvement in my endurance and flexibility, and now, instead of feeling like I'm about to die at the end of a work out, I feel alive and energized!  All totaled, I'm down to 118 lbs, and I've lost 1" each from my waist and my hips.  I'm feeling so much better!  I'm needing less sleep, I feel more confident, and--bonus!--my headaches are less severe. 

I am not focusing on losing weight or inches; I'm using those measurements to help quantify my progress.  Being trim will come naturally from meeting those 2 main goals.  I'd be lying, though, if I told you that I'm not excited about being able to wear my tight jeans comfortably, or about wearing my little black dress with confidence to the command Christmas party, or the appreciative "damn, baby!" that I got when my husband smacked my bottom the other day.  No, I'm focusing on being healthy--but all those other things are keeping me motivated.