I have had a couple rough weeks and although I had a blog ready to write a little over a week ago, I got busy. You see things haven't changed much since my last blog Sept 7th. The weight gain vs. loss became very emotional and I had actually gained 1 more pound back before it started to drop again. Ugh! I wish I could lose as fast as I gain, because it is a battle already without having to redo the loses. I guess over the years I could say I have lost lots of pounds the way my body rolls back and forth, but when you gain it back I guess it really does not count. Which leads me to my point for this blog.
I subscribe to many health related Facebook fan pages and emails to be sent to me for the purpose of encouragement and knowledge about healthy eating and exercise. I love getting them, because my husband really does not get how to help in this aspect of being helpful or an encourager. In fact sometimes I view him as my sabotager..if that is even a word. He brings home treats and processed foods saying hey it was cheap so I purchased...ugh! I am really working at a clean/whole foods eating approach!
Anyway, back to the tidbits I get via Internet resources, lately they have been about "not counting on your scale for success". I am having to do that lately as I am moving so slowly at the pounds coming off that I have to find something successful in all of this. As I try to apply this method of success I realize how hard it is, because people don't come up to you and ask " Have you gotten any better at cardio exercises?" or "How is the coordination and balance coming along"? or "How is your strengthening exercises going"? Nope the question I always get is "how much weight have you lost"?
We jump on the scale to measure how successful we are and it gives us a number we can share. This is how we measure weight loss, no getting around that! But with my challenges and focus on weight loss, I lose sight of the other successes I am having. I guess there isn't really a way to measure the other things specifically. If there is I don't have access to them.
Since my weight loss is such a slow process and it frustrates me to tears and is hard to stay motivated, I need to rely on the other positives taking place in this journey. It isn't all about the weight loss, but what I am doing to improve my health and way of living. I am able to do so much more because of the exercises.
On my Wii there are uplifting things that happen and Wii told me to share that I am now a Gold Level which means I have logged 40+ hours ( that took place a couple weeks ago) ! My huge improvements over the last few weeks have been in the cardio exercises. When I started on Wii there is a basic 3 minute run to chose from and the first time I got brave enough to go for the run, I seriously did not think I could finish it. I was breathing like a bad case of asthma had struck me down, but Wii encourages you and when it said I was half way done keep up the good work, I could not let it down...LOL so I finished, completely unable to breathe and I was not able to do another thing afterwards. It took me awhile to get my breathing back to normal. Here is the measurement difference that motivates me, I am now running the long run which is 5-6 minutes depending on the guide I have and running that 3 times a day in intervals between other cardio exercises like the advanced step which I do 4-5 times in a row now! (step has helped me see improvements in my coordination)! You see I have not run in about 6 years because 6 yrs ago I tore my achilles. It was so painful and took about 6 months to recover from and another 3 years of severe charlie horse cramps in my leg that I have been afraid to run. I never wanted to feel that pain again. I faced a fear and have started running. Now yes, they are short runs, but getting better for longer runs and more intervals. Yesterday, near the end of my workout I opened yet another longer run and I look forward to selecting it and give it a go! I am not afraid to select cardio things I think may be tough to do anymore. I am learning to push myself beyond the current comfort zones. Next I want to run a mile, then work towards a 5K and who knows where all that will lead. I know there are bigger things ahead and I will get there. Heck, my husband pulled out a jump rope last week and he and Dixie were seeing if they could jump rope and how many rotations. I came outside and he said " I bet you can't even make it 10 rotations"...not sure if that was a dare or lack of confidence in my ability by him, but I took the handles and made it 15 times before it caught my feet and not because I couldn't do it. I was proud of myself! A month ago, I would have been afraid I couldn't even jump, not even once. Coordination happening and no fear!
I am starting to see that the scale is not the only way to measure my successes. Granted I want to see the numbers drop and it makes me feel good to see that, but there are other things to measure to see success.
I have one more thing I am going to share and this was an emotional (tearing up now) decision, but I am going to post my weight loss over on the right column. I thought about this for awhile and figured it could only be a good thing. I realized yesterday as I contemplated it even more that I should! After all when I tried out for Biggest Loser I knew a million + people would see what I weighed and if I was so willing to be on the show and expose that part of me I should be brave and do it on my blog. It is very embarrassing and makes me cry to realize I haven't tried to do anything about it till recently, but I recently had a friend post a blog sight to me that had an incredible motivating video. The blogger had his weight loss and running miles posted on his page as well. It was very encouraging for me to see the pounds and dates as they dropped, I decided that if it encouraged me, I want to encourage anyone reading mine that it can be done. I have posted a link at the end of a video on his page. Very inspiring!
There are many ways to measure your successes in your health. Some things start out in baby steps, but you have to start somewhere. Every little change reaps big rewards in your health. See what you can do to start and just keep pushing yourself forward. " When the going gets tough, the tough gets going!" Ben Does Life- Inspiration
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Why does one day have to matter so much?
24 hours ago I was high on life! Everything I was doing seemed to have a great positive momentum and I thought I had finally figured out what will work for me to lose all this weight! I was on a roll, feeling good, seeing success, my weight loss graph had a big downward slope! I had great hope that I could go all the way with my task!
In the last month I had lost 11.5 lbs and 8 lbs of that have been since August 20th! Today, a rise on the graph took place. As I saw the graph on my Wii create a new peak and have the Mii tell me I am Obese, I yelled out loud a big frustrated "Duh! That is why I am on here ya dumb shit"! The Wii says it every time I get on, but today it really bugged me, because instead of heading in the direction I wanted, it rose 3 lbs...ughhh!
I had a melt down and I am not talking fat melting, but a mental melt down! I started crying! Why does one day matter so much? I started pacing the room yelling at myself, even used the eF word which to me is one of the worst words ever and I hate hearing others use it. Yet here I am, eF this and eF that directed at myself! I got mad and decided I was going to workout so I hopped on the Wii crying my eyes out! I was bound and determined to not let it knock me down, I was not going to let the mental negatives take over! I was in fighting mode!
Lets just say that with all the determined fight I had inside screaming to get past this moment, it actually got worse. Each and every exercise was a battle that I was not winning. The first 3 or 4 exercises I did today, I was getting the worst scores ever on! Oh what a rotten, depressing day! I thought I had a melt down a few minutes earlier, now I am sobbing wondering what in the hell is wrong with me! Why does this day have to be! It feels defeating. I lost my mojo, my confidence and feel that I know nothing anymore! I wanted to go back to bed and pretend it is just a nightmare. I was crying so hard and so mad at myself and wondered what it was going to take. I stared out the window sobbing hoping nobody heard me cursing ( it was pretty loud, I was happy the windows weren't open!) wondering how I was going to get through this day.
I am happy to report that I am blessed with a brain function that realizes when I am hard on myself like this, I have the capability to recognize that what I am doing to myself is self destructive and not going to be of any benefit and quickly I shift gears. I decide I need to fight the negative and get back to work. I can do this!
I don't know why I let this one day matter so much! Why do such events hit me so hard and tear me down. After all there are so many more great days than this lousy one day so why let it get to me?
I started to think about that more, "why does this one day matter so much" and discovered I was saying it negatively, so I switched where I was enunciating the phrase and heard it in a positive way instead. When I am mad at myself I tend to dwell on words over and over again and this time I heard the phrase differently then how I was using it. Instead of crying about it, learn from it!
I started asking myself questions about why would there be such a big difference in 24 hours, what is this picture I have to face? What can I learn?
I started looking at my food intake and discovered an underlying problem. I rewarded myself with food, hum. There it is! And it is NOT good! I had been doing so well with my workouts and careful with what I was eating that when a nice momentum took hold I had a sense of freedom, because something was working. I felt invincible! I had it going on and nothing was going to stop me! I felt like I had this weight loss figured out and in the bag! So with this high I was on I made a couple meals that I love and instead of leaving out the unhealthy ingredients I went all out! I seemed to not care, I do remember a brief thought of "man,I probably shouldn't do this, but these couple things won't be that big of a deal. After all my metabolism seems to be kicking in to a higher level working for me now!"...Did I listen...nope, because I am invincible! I have read not to totally deprive yourself some of your food pleasures so you won't binge out on it at some point and used that as part of my excuse. LOL..oh my, ya right and now I see that on the scale. I failed on the scale! I failed in my decision making! Now I am paying for it....suck!
Why does one day matter so much? Today mattered because even through all the tears and the melt down, I grew and learned something about myself; I reward myself with food. Now move on and find another way to reward myself! I also did not give up today. When I was crying and wanted to go back to bed and forget about it all, I realized I am one tough cookie! I stayed down stairs, whipped away my tears and jumped back on the Wii for a 2 hour workout! I burned 720 calories...yes ma'am! I can do this and each day does matter because I am growing and learning what I need to do, who I am and what I am am capable of...something far greater than what I have done so far! Now I need to make each day matter!
When you are faced with a horrid moment or day on your journey, don't let it take over! Whip away the tears, learn from it, focus on the successes and get up and move toward your dream!
In the last month I had lost 11.5 lbs and 8 lbs of that have been since August 20th! Today, a rise on the graph took place. As I saw the graph on my Wii create a new peak and have the Mii tell me I am Obese, I yelled out loud a big frustrated "Duh! That is why I am on here ya dumb shit"! The Wii says it every time I get on, but today it really bugged me, because instead of heading in the direction I wanted, it rose 3 lbs...ughhh!
I had a melt down and I am not talking fat melting, but a mental melt down! I started crying! Why does one day matter so much? I started pacing the room yelling at myself, even used the eF word which to me is one of the worst words ever and I hate hearing others use it. Yet here I am, eF this and eF that directed at myself! I got mad and decided I was going to workout so I hopped on the Wii crying my eyes out! I was bound and determined to not let it knock me down, I was not going to let the mental negatives take over! I was in fighting mode!
Lets just say that with all the determined fight I had inside screaming to get past this moment, it actually got worse. Each and every exercise was a battle that I was not winning. The first 3 or 4 exercises I did today, I was getting the worst scores ever on! Oh what a rotten, depressing day! I thought I had a melt down a few minutes earlier, now I am sobbing wondering what in the hell is wrong with me! Why does this day have to be! It feels defeating. I lost my mojo, my confidence and feel that I know nothing anymore! I wanted to go back to bed and pretend it is just a nightmare. I was crying so hard and so mad at myself and wondered what it was going to take. I stared out the window sobbing hoping nobody heard me cursing ( it was pretty loud, I was happy the windows weren't open!) wondering how I was going to get through this day.
I am happy to report that I am blessed with a brain function that realizes when I am hard on myself like this, I have the capability to recognize that what I am doing to myself is self destructive and not going to be of any benefit and quickly I shift gears. I decide I need to fight the negative and get back to work. I can do this!
I don't know why I let this one day matter so much! Why do such events hit me so hard and tear me down. After all there are so many more great days than this lousy one day so why let it get to me?
I started to think about that more, "why does this one day matter so much" and discovered I was saying it negatively, so I switched where I was enunciating the phrase and heard it in a positive way instead. When I am mad at myself I tend to dwell on words over and over again and this time I heard the phrase differently then how I was using it. Instead of crying about it, learn from it!
I started asking myself questions about why would there be such a big difference in 24 hours, what is this picture I have to face? What can I learn?
I started looking at my food intake and discovered an underlying problem. I rewarded myself with food, hum. There it is! And it is NOT good! I had been doing so well with my workouts and careful with what I was eating that when a nice momentum took hold I had a sense of freedom, because something was working. I felt invincible! I had it going on and nothing was going to stop me! I felt like I had this weight loss figured out and in the bag! So with this high I was on I made a couple meals that I love and instead of leaving out the unhealthy ingredients I went all out! I seemed to not care, I do remember a brief thought of "man,I probably shouldn't do this, but these couple things won't be that big of a deal. After all my metabolism seems to be kicking in to a higher level working for me now!"...Did I listen...nope, because I am invincible! I have read not to totally deprive yourself some of your food pleasures so you won't binge out on it at some point and used that as part of my excuse. LOL..oh my, ya right and now I see that on the scale. I failed on the scale! I failed in my decision making! Now I am paying for it....suck!
Why does one day matter so much? Today mattered because even through all the tears and the melt down, I grew and learned something about myself; I reward myself with food. Now move on and find another way to reward myself! I also did not give up today. When I was crying and wanted to go back to bed and forget about it all, I realized I am one tough cookie! I stayed down stairs, whipped away my tears and jumped back on the Wii for a 2 hour workout! I burned 720 calories...yes ma'am! I can do this and each day does matter because I am growing and learning what I need to do, who I am and what I am am capable of...something far greater than what I have done so far! Now I need to make each day matter!
When you are faced with a horrid moment or day on your journey, don't let it take over! Whip away the tears, learn from it, focus on the successes and get up and move toward your dream!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
It is all about the little things
The more I look at life the more I see it is the little things that matter most. Those little things apply to everything! I used to only look at the big things and roll my eyes and say "yeah, whatever" whenever someone stated that quote. My mind would basically shut down upon those words. You see I always have been wowed by the big things in life! Someone else's great accomplishments, in business, sports, talents of any sort, having an impact on the world or their personal community. I am now realizing that people do not get to the big moments without the smaller things mattering first.
I recently read an article about Blake Mycoski founder of TOMS shoes. This company started just 4 years ago and it is a remarkable company! This company is doing amazing things, big things, important things! As I read his story, I realized it started with the little things. He had a catalyst moment in his life that took off on wanting to change something he saw! He was on a trip and saw a need and wanted to do something about it. He did not know how exactly, but had a passion that set things in motion. The small things lead to the success of his company which is making a global impact. I read words in the article like; passion, risks, obstacles, opportunity, change, simplicity, optimism, experience, clarify and enthusiasm and the reason they stood out is the fact that they all fit my journey. Probably would fit any ones journey for that matter.
It is the little things that we do that makes the bigger things we desire take shape. We have to clarify what the bigger picture goal is and then simplify and make smaller goals to get there.There will be obstacles along the way. The risks we take can make us stronger and give us experience. Have a passion for what you want to accomplish. The opportunity is there before us so jump in with some enthusiasm and make the necessary changes. It is the little things that matter!
This last week, I have read from different resources a quote being said a few different ways but all meaning about the same thing. It is funny how God puts reoccurring points out there for us to see. He is trying to help us if we take the time to notice. The 4 quotes that have stood out to me this week because of the theme they carry follows:
"A body in motion tends to stay in motion"
"The destination is not as important as the journey"
"Why dream it when you can do it" and
"Pick something and practice and work on it until you're good at it. You can only change if you are in motion" ~ Donald Miller
So the little things I am doing and practicing are working me into a forward motion to get me to the destination of my dreams. I am a work in progress! I am on my journey and taking it all in to learn and grow.
Another article I read was at the beginning of each day making a statement and writing down " what will I do today that will help me move forward towards my goal"
Today I will first have a glass of water before my tea and breakfast (ways to add water in my day to stay hydrated)
Today I will exercise enough to burn at least 600 calories ( goals to push myself farther)
Today I will eat smaller meals ( learning to portion size and realize I am full and can still have energy)
Today I will not be so critical of myself ( learning to appreciate Gods creation in me)
I am thrilled to say that since Aug 2nd I have lost 8.4 lbs! One month and so far averaging 2 lbs a week! Nice! Yesterday was frustrating though. I could not master some of the exercises I have gotten really good at prior and it drove me crazy. My body was stiff, I had no sense of balance. I called it a day yesterday after 30 minutes of a workout. Frustration got the best of me. Today my 600 calories to burn was to not give up when I feel frustrated with my lack of ability because each day is a new day! Today, I still felt stiff, but able to master the things I could not yesterday. I ended my routine today learning me some yoga! I did a sun salutation, palm tree, a chair and a warrior! The chair was the hardest! Wii says I have good control and posture! so on that note..... concentrate on the little things you can do,get your body in motion and stay hydrated!
I recently read an article about Blake Mycoski founder of TOMS shoes. This company started just 4 years ago and it is a remarkable company! This company is doing amazing things, big things, important things! As I read his story, I realized it started with the little things. He had a catalyst moment in his life that took off on wanting to change something he saw! He was on a trip and saw a need and wanted to do something about it. He did not know how exactly, but had a passion that set things in motion. The small things lead to the success of his company which is making a global impact. I read words in the article like; passion, risks, obstacles, opportunity, change, simplicity, optimism, experience, clarify and enthusiasm and the reason they stood out is the fact that they all fit my journey. Probably would fit any ones journey for that matter.
It is the little things that we do that makes the bigger things we desire take shape. We have to clarify what the bigger picture goal is and then simplify and make smaller goals to get there.There will be obstacles along the way. The risks we take can make us stronger and give us experience. Have a passion for what you want to accomplish. The opportunity is there before us so jump in with some enthusiasm and make the necessary changes. It is the little things that matter!
This last week, I have read from different resources a quote being said a few different ways but all meaning about the same thing. It is funny how God puts reoccurring points out there for us to see. He is trying to help us if we take the time to notice. The 4 quotes that have stood out to me this week because of the theme they carry follows:
"A body in motion tends to stay in motion"
"The destination is not as important as the journey"
"Why dream it when you can do it" and
"Pick something and practice and work on it until you're good at it. You can only change if you are in motion" ~ Donald Miller
So the little things I am doing and practicing are working me into a forward motion to get me to the destination of my dreams. I am a work in progress! I am on my journey and taking it all in to learn and grow.
Another article I read was at the beginning of each day making a statement and writing down " what will I do today that will help me move forward towards my goal"
Today I will first have a glass of water before my tea and breakfast (ways to add water in my day to stay hydrated)
Today I will exercise enough to burn at least 600 calories ( goals to push myself farther)
Today I will eat smaller meals ( learning to portion size and realize I am full and can still have energy)
Today I will not be so critical of myself ( learning to appreciate Gods creation in me)
I am thrilled to say that since Aug 2nd I have lost 8.4 lbs! One month and so far averaging 2 lbs a week! Nice! Yesterday was frustrating though. I could not master some of the exercises I have gotten really good at prior and it drove me crazy. My body was stiff, I had no sense of balance. I called it a day yesterday after 30 minutes of a workout. Frustration got the best of me. Today my 600 calories to burn was to not give up when I feel frustrated with my lack of ability because each day is a new day! Today, I still felt stiff, but able to master the things I could not yesterday. I ended my routine today learning me some yoga! I did a sun salutation, palm tree, a chair and a warrior! The chair was the hardest! Wii says I have good control and posture! so on that note..... concentrate on the little things you can do,get your body in motion and stay hydrated!
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