Two is Better than One

So Beth and I started going to the gym together this week. It helps to have somebody to rely on. I rocked it tonight, doing a 5k run/walk and then another 5k on the bike. Oh yes did I mention I've lost three pounds since Thanksgiving? Woot Woo!

Day 2

Well, day 1 was pretty easy. I ate well and exercised at the gym for 2 hours. Today was not as easy. In fact, it was very tough, but the good news is I managed to stick to my goals. I ate well for lunch and breakfast, but then when I got home I ate way to much. I was starving and had a major headache. For some reason when I get these headaches, I feel the need to eat a lot. I know it doesn't make the headaches go away. Maybe it is just a comfort thing. I had a meeting at work at 6:00 tonight, but I still forced myself to go to the gym afterwards. I did three miles and some weights. I felt a little better afterwards. I still have a pounding headache, but I was happy I stuck with my goal. This is exactly what I need to do; force myself to do the things I don't want to do, until it becomes a habit. When I lost my first 20 pounds, I didn't always feel like going to the gym, but I was going so often that I felt really guilty if I skipped. I need to get into that frame of mind again. Fake it until you make it baby!

By the way, all of you who have been lecturing me and offering me advice through e-mail or in person, have been helping me a lot. Thanks you and keep on lecturing :)

Happy Running!
Sally

The Eve of Madness

All week it seems like everybody and their mama has been giving me motivational speeches, and I have been really pumped to get my running started again. I haven't been able to because I was out of town for three days, but now I am back and ready to start tomorrow (gym bag is already packed). Somebody last week told me to stop talking about it and just do it already, but I do feel I need to talk about it, or in this case blog about it, because it keeps me honest and it keeps it fresh on my mind. My biggest problem and reason for forcing myself back in to this is energy. I seem to have none lately, so I have set four goals for me this week. By the way I have decided to start looking at this one week at a time rather than the big picture, which just seems so far off. Anyway, my four goals for the week:

1. No fast food
2. Go to the gym everyday except Friday (I got plans and everybody needs a day off :) )
3. Take a daily vitamin (got to hit Wal-Mart in the AM)
4. Get on a regular sleeping schedule.

What are your goals for the week to head toward a happier, healthier you? Finally, I read this quote tonight and loved it "Don't let life discourage you: Everyone who got where he is and to start where he was."

Happy Running!
Sally

Ugh!

I just read my last post after not blogging for over a month and am so annoyed with myself that I fell off the wagon. Things are going to start changing though. It is time for me to wipe off the dust that has been forming on me for the past two months and snap out of it! I can't let outsiders effect me so much. Yesterday was really bad. I was having a major pity party for one. One of my sisters told me to go run for a half hour and I would feel better. Well, I didn't because it was getting close to trick-or treat hours. I did however go to the gym today. I am going to try a new approach this week. I am going to tell myself I only have to go to the gym for a half hour. I'm doing this for two reasons. 1. What's a half hour out of the day? Is what I'll keep telling myself and 2. I am more likely to go if I know I am only forcing myself to be there for a half hour. Now, I know a half hour isn't going to do much, but hopefully what it does do is get me back into the habit of going and then in the mood to stay longer than a half hour. It's a baby step to being back on the wagon. To be continued...

The Next Goal

It has been twenty-one days since I gave up pop and I have lost six pounds! I lost six pounds without changing anything else in my diet. Now, I will be honest I went to the movies with my cousin last night and out of habit I ordered a pop. It tasted awful. All I could taste was the syrup. I only took a few sips and I was done. I had no desire to drink it. This told me that I have the pop thing under control and it is time to move on to the next change.

As I was thinking about my next goal I had to remind myself, and I will remind you too, that it is not about going on a strict diet. It is about learning new good habits, and getting rid of old bad habits. I will be focusing on two goals for the next couple of weeks. Goal 1 is to eat at least one serving of vegetables a day. Now you might be thinking, hold the phone you need a lot more than that. Well, I never eat vegetables so this is a good starting point for me (remember baby steps towards life long habits). My second goal is to workout at least one day this week. I was up to exercising five days a week, but I got out of the habit and since school started, I haven't been exercising at all.

What are your small goals for the week? By setting small goals you set yourself up for success, which will motivate you to keep going. Rather than setting huge goals that you know you will fail on.

Have a great week and take care of yourself!
Sally

Don't Let Your Emotions Control You

The bad news is this was a very emotional weekend, but the good news is that I didn’t cave. It has been eight days since I have had pop. If I could make it through this weekend, this tells me I am in the groove. I just have to make sure nothing trips me up. I went out to dinner a couple of times this weekend, including watching the Bears game at BW’s tonight and I stuck to water.

I had my heart crushed tonight, and the old me would have hit the DQ or Starbucks to drown my sorrows in a nice coffee drink, but I didn’t. I went through an hour or so of self pity why me, nice guys finish last, boo hoo crap, but you know what I am not the one with the problem. I need to stop letting other people control my happiness. As I heard somebody somewhere say once, “Happiness is the best revenge.”

OK, that had nothing to do with this getting healthy blog, but I had to let it out. I guess it does. People, we need to stop doing unhealthy stuff to our bodies when we are emotional. If you lost your job, or got dumped, or what ever is weighing heavy on your mind tonight don’t fall into old friendly habits. Step away from the Ben and Jerry’s and go for a walk or pick up a good book. I also find crying to a John Lennon CD is very therapeutic and far fewer calories. OK, all my blogger followers that will be our goal for the work week. When we find ourselves stressed or sad do something healthy for yourself. After all the only thing worse than being dumped, is being dumped and feeling like a fatty, fat, fat.

Good lord I am done. I will probably read this blog in the morning and laugh at myself. No good can come from emotional blogging.

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Today was day two of no pop. Anybody who says caffeine is not a drug, just try to give it up and you will see. Last night my headache was so severe that I got in bed right after dinner around five and did not get up except for at 7:30 to turn off my light, so I could go to sleep. Today at work I broke out in a sweat twice for no apparent reason, and came home with another major headache (although not as bad as yesterday). I feel like one of those druggies you always see in withdrawl scenes in movies. This morning I was gnawing on a piece of gum like someone who tries to quit smoking. Caffeine is a drug!

I just got done reading an article about giving up pop. It says how many rely on pop for a jolt of energy during the day; however, giving up pop will actually give you more energy throughout the day, because you won't have a crash that often comes after drinking caffeine and you are also able to sleep better at night. They also say you will lose weight because food has a hard time going through your system with all that caffeine and sugar in your system. That's the good news for me, but the bad news is the website says I may go for days or even weeks of being tired, irritable, and having headaches before I see any positive results. Eye on the prize! I apologize in advanced to anybody who crosses my path :) FYI they also said diet pop is bad because artificial sweetners are just as bad for you as sugar.

In an unrelated note, I also decided to give up french fries, which will be missed but nowhere near as hard as giving up pop.

Them is Fightin' Words!

I have had a couple of blogs in the past for various things and I have been itching to start a new one. Tonight the chips all seemed to fall into place. I am hoping this blog will motivate me and others to lose weight and get healthy. Notice I said lose weight AND get healthy. I have a lot of skinny friends who live off of Taco Bell and I know a lot of people who lose weight by eating baked chips and low fat Twinkies (low in calories, but not high on health).

Tonight I watched a documentary called Killer at Large: Why Obesity is America's Greatest Threat. This documentary was about the governments role behind keeping America fat. In the first five minutes of the film they showed a lady who lost her legs due to diabetes. They then talked about how high-fructose-corn syrup is the worst poison you can put into your body. Now, those of you that have known me in the past few years know how bad I struggle with my pop addiction. We are not talking diet (which is also bad for you), we are talking regular Coke and Pepsi. I have tried many times to give it up. Well, I will just say that this movie scared the crap out of me. I hit pause half way through and went to the kitchen and dumped all my pop down the drain. My cousin asked me what I was doing. After I explained it to him, instead of being supportive or motivating he said, "You'll never do it." Hence the name of this blog. Bring it on jerk!!!

I have thought of many reasons to lose weight since about age 16 (all of which have had to do with looking better or some guy), but it's time to do it for the most important reason of all; my health. If I am not going to care for myself and put myself first, why should I expect others to. I am worth it damn it!