Ooops !

   One week, that's what I took off, one week. Who knew ?  I never felt like I was breaking my habit or giving up. It was last week, the week of Christmas and I was busy. I worked out on Tuesday, December 20th. Then for this, that, or the other reason, I missed the rest of the week. I thought about it and knew I should but just didn't take/make the time to do it.


  Well guess what? I paid for it, two fold. First, yesterday, when I did get back at it, I was sluggish and not up to par. It felt like I was weighted down, oh yeah, I was (more on that in a bit). Second, was today when Kara, the nurse, came to work for our weekly weigh ins. I knew I had gained. I could tell in my clothes and how I felt. I gained two pounds. In a week ! Seven days! Two pounds ! Why is it so hard to lose and so easy to find?

 So I said I would tell you about being weighted down. Rick gave me wrist weights and music for Christmas. The weights are great, small three pound weights that slip on your wrist. I can feel the difference in my arms after using them. He also took a bunch of his rockin, up tempo tunes and put them on my IPOD. Now I can run without hitting a bunch of slow songs, which is what most of my stuff is. It's fine for chilling or listening to while mowing the grass and things like that, but I just can't work up a good pace to Jack Johnson.

 So I have vowed that I will never take a whole week off again. That was crazy and foolish. I'm back into it and feeling good. I don't think it was a total wash, I was reminded of a few tips I already knew.

• Weight comes on a lot faster than it goes off
• If you start something you need to stay with it
• Changing up or adding something new to your workout is a good thing. 

 So how do you find your way back after taking a break.?
   Jump in full force or ease back into it?
     Either way, keep at it.



 

Finding My Drive

  Inspiration can be found anywhere. I, for the most part, am a very positive person. I do have moments when I get down, but try not to stay there. It doesn't help anything, in fact it makes things worst. This whole working out and doing something for myself change in my life started because I was in a funk.

 I'm doing really well about keeping with my treadmill workout. I can't say that I do it everyday, but most. I've increased my speed and time that I'm on it. It makes me feel good, gets the blood flowing after sitting all day and clears my mind. I also have the most amazing support group.My best friend Rick is by far my biggest cheerleader. Lew, Tori, Ann, Kristi, Tammy, and Larry are great about telling me how well I'm doing and how proud they are of me. I know it's silly but I like having people to back me up.

 I have yet to see a difference on the scales or in how my clothes fit, nor has anyone said, "Are you losing weight?" As Tori pointed out though, I haven't been around anyone who hasn't seen me in awhile.

 As I've said in a previous post, I give myself pep talks while I jog. I also think about those who love me and want to see me happy & healthy. I have a facebook friend who is always posting inspiring quotes that I draw strength from. Then, the other day while I was stretching, I got a Twitter update from the Colts punter, Pat McAfee, that said, "The little things that you aren't willing to do to be great, somewhere, someone else is."  This made me work that much harder.

 What inspires you? What are you willing to do to be great?

A New Habit Is Born

  Old habits are easy and comfortable. They are things we do without thinking about or working hard at.
New habits are exciting, full of promise, and do take a lot of work.

  When you make a decision to break a bad habit many things have to happen. First you have to admit that the way you're doing things now isn't working. Then you have to find, and lean a different way. Most importantly you have to stick with it, which in my opinion, is the hardest part. When you realize you have really broken that bad habit and replaced it with a better one, it's the most amazing feeling.

  I've read things that say it takes at least six weeks to develop a new habit. Although I haven't been at it for that long yet, I'm well on my way to having a better way to live, and I love this new part of my life.

Pushing It

It's raining. It's been raining for three days. I love the rain, the quite peacefulness it brings, the time to get lost in my thoughts and just listen to the sounds of the world around me. This does not, however, help with the motivation to keep up with the work outs.

I've started using the treadmill in the gym at work. I work at a call center so I sit for 8 or 12 hours a day, not real good on the body. We get 10 minute breaks throughout the day which I have started using to get in a little jog. Just a few minutes, but I always come back to my cube feeling better. More alert, focused, and ready to face the next lag of the day.

I say "jog"...... not really sure what it's that I do. It's not walking but not running by far. I guess "jogging" is the right thing to call it. I'm moving at a quicker pace than I am used to and my heart rate jumps up. Usually it's only for a couple or three minutes at a time. I give myself pep talks while doing this. No one else is there, just me and the T.V. I don't turn the lights on, no need to. I just pay attention to what I am doing, which is getting healthier.

Today I got cut from work early because we weren't busy. As I walked to my van in the rain, I went back and forth in my mind as to whether I was going to work out. It was yucky outside, I just lost work hours, and I really wanted to go home and go back to bed. I try to live by the motto; " Do the right thing." Most of the time it works well for me. So I open the door and see the bag that holds my workout clothes. Not wanting to be a hypocrite, even to myself, I grab the bag, ditch my purse and lunch bag and go to the gym. I like the way I feel when I workout, always have. I like taking time for myself.

I put the bad feelings into the workout and push myself. I stretch for a few minutes as always, set the timer for 30 minutes and walk at a slow pace, increasing the speed a little at a time till I get to jogging speed. I start off and focus on breathing right. ESPN is on the T.V. so I'm watching that and not looking at the timer. When I do look down I see that I've passed the four minute mark, I think "cool!" More SportsCenter, more time passes and I'm going on my seventh minute. I push to finish this pace for 10 minutes, not a marathon but a big thing for me. I walk at the same pace for a little while, then think, "I can jog a little more.", Five more minutes and another five at a slowed pace to cool down.

I'm sweaty and red faced but feel charged up. I know I'm doing something good for myself and that is a great thing!

Getting Started...... Again

I'm fat. Not chubby, pudgy, chunky or any other cute things people say when they are trying to not call it like it is.

I've always been over weight from a young age. A lifetime of bad habits and abuse of food has been my way of life. For so long I didn't know it was wrong or bad. Sure I knew I wasn't like all the other kids. I got picked on and teased but learned to adjust by being nice to everyone and pretending that it didn't hurt. Truth is it did, still does.

As I aged and became more aware of the hazards to my health I tried to change my ways. Change is hard and it's easy to fall into the comfort zones of the past. In my head I know. I can tell you anything you can read in a book about how to lose weight, how to exercise, and how to eat right, but finding the will to do all that is what has always been a challenge. I get a good start and think this time it will be different. Many times it has been, I've lost up to 30 plus pounds at a time before only to see it creep back and sometimes even more.

So why is this time different? Why is this going to be the time ?

Many reasons:

• For me; I want to, need to, have to !
• For my family; I wanna be here to see what they become, I want them to have me.
• For my best friend; Rick is an amazing person and an inspiration in this journey.
• For this blog; I'm not gonna try to post everyday but along the way I'll let you know how I'm doing.

So that's it, here I go again. Join me, encourage me, ask how I'm doing. I need the accountability and feedback. Here's to a new healthy me however long it takes, this time I'm gonna do it.