Wake Up Call

One afternoon you're sitting on the couch, minding your own business, happily eating cheetos right out of the bag (no judgment) when the phone rings.  You casually lick florescent  orange powder off your fingers and take the call.

That call.  The one from your doctor with your lab results.  Telling you that your cholesterol is too high and she wants to discuss a management plan with you as soon as possible.

You go in the next day.  Your cholesterol isn't just "kind of" high.  It's high - period.  It's all just a big mess.  Bad cholesterol is too high.  Good cholesterol is too low.  Triglycerides are through the roof.  This isn't good.

Not. Good.  At all.

You know you've put on a little quite a bit of weight in the past couple of years.  You haven't been exercising for the last several months.  Your eating habits have been on a down hill slide recently.

But you didn't expect this.  This is a big red flag being waved right in front of you.  Alarm bells are ringing. This is your wake up call.

photo: publicdomainpictures.net

It's time to get serious about your health.

I say "you" - what I mean is "me".

I've been kidding myself.  Making excuses.  Turning a blind eye.

"It's not that much weight"

"A lot of people eat worse than I do"

"I'll start exercising again soon"

"I deserve a treat because _____"

But I'll be honest - this shook me up.  Put a scare into me.  Got my attention.

It's time to stop the excuses and get real.  Take charge of my health and make some permanent changes.

Healthier eating.  Reading labels, making better choices, tracking calories.

Regular exercise. Wearing the FitBit and tracking my steps.  It's no longer a matter of "I don't really want to".  Now it's a matter of "I have to".

This will be my journey toward health.  I'm inviting all of you along with me to keep myself accountable.  And maybe for a little moral support from time to time.  I plan to post weekly updates to start.  And we'll see where this goes from there.

So, here it is - I am embarrassed  to even share this with you - the not so pretty honest truth.

Today:  January 16
Weight: 167.8 lbs (you have no idea how much I did not want to type that)
This week I exercised: none
Steps walked: ?

My goals for Week 1:
*  Drink enough water
*  Wear FitBit daily
*  Exercise at least 3 to 5 days

Have you ever had a wake up call which caused you to make some  health or lifestyle changes?

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Plank, Interrupted

Some of you may have noticed in one of my Spirit of Gratitude posts about a month ago I mentioned doing a 30 Day Plank Challenge with the Man of the House.  Some days we even got the entire family in on the daily plank time!

publicdomanpictures.net

All was going along well.

Ok.. in all honesty - there was some shaking.  And groaning.  And complaining.

But it was going.

Unfortunately it seems the length of time to hold the plank position increased a little too quickly for my body to keep up.  In an effort to hold the plank longer than I was physically able to do - I must have done it wrong.  Because I suddenly found myself spending an entire week with some pretty intense lower back pain.

Not good. At. All.

I see to have recovered.  And I'm ready to get back on that plank.  I  am thinking a modified plank challenge this time around.  Just holding the position for a set amount of time, only increasing when I feel good about it - not trying to push too far, too fast like the last time around.

Have you ever tried a 30 day plank challenge?  Or have you ever tried to exert yourself too soon or too far while exercising and ended up hurting yourself? 

You can find me connecting at these Blog Hops and Link Ups

You Are A Temple

No one builds a temple only to fill it with junk and leaving it neglected - lacking maintenance and upkeep.

They fill it with beautiful, carefully chosen pieces.  Things which will enhance it and add value to it. They keep the inside and outside clean, maintained and looking beautiful.

 A healthy body. Well nourished.  Lean. Well taken care of.  That is a temple fit for the Holy Spirit of God.

Good Week!

This was a very good week.  I did well with all my goals and feel good about that!  Gives me good motivation and keep working toward the final goal of being fit and getting back to a healthy weight. 

• Drink the recommended amount of water each day: Every day except Thursday.  Thursday was a lot of running around grocery shopping, going to orchestra concerts, etc so I came up short on the water goal.  
• Exercise at least 3 days this week: Made it to the gym 4 times!  Go me!
• NO soft drinks: Check!
• Prepare to start juice fast next week: Getting there and should be starting 3 day juice b the end of this week.  

And my pushy sister will be happy to know that I have an eye appointment this morning.  So there!

  

Now on to a new week (and a new month!) I am SO ready for it!

This Goals For This Week:

• Exercise at least 3 days
• NO soft drinks
• Drink recommended amount of water each day
• Have a healthy breakfast each morning
• Complete 3 Day Juice Fast

A Week of Good Intentions

So, last week was kind of a mixed bag - full of good intentions, but not exactly the fulfillment of many goals. I'd like to blame this on the fact that I was trying to manage a fierce sinus headache for 3 days in a row last week.  But to be honest, the headache can't be held responsible for some most of the goals not being met.  See what I mean...

• Eat a healthy breakfast every morning (typing this as I finish a bowl of shredded wheat with banana, strawberries, and skim milk because I realized the leftover cheesecake in the fridge didn't really meet the "healthy" criteria) - Yes!  This one I managed to accomplish.  Although I'm not sure the french toast the male offspring made for me on Saturday fits into the "healthy" category, it was breakfast.  And most days I had either some sunflower butter toast and fruit, yogurt with berries and walnuts, or cereal with skim milk fruit.
• Drink the recommended amount of water each day - turns out this is a lot more difficult than it sounds.  I'm still working on it, but not quite getting to that recommended amount most days.
• Exercise at least 3 days this week - ahem... no.  I only made it to the gym once.  A combination of laziness and that pesky headache.
• NO soft drinks! - I actually did pretty well on this one.  I slipped up only once, when the female offspring and I grabbed lunch while shopping at Sam's Club.  I filled up my cup with some Dr. Pepper and gulped it down without even thinking about the "no soft drinks" rule.  Oops!
• Use neti pot before bed each night - No.  I used it two nights, and on the others I just didn't.  I didn't think about it a few nights.  And on some of the nights I thought about it, I was just too tired to deal with mixing up the solution.
• Make an appointment for an eye exam - Another no.  No good reason.  Just didn't do it.

Bleh... seeing it all spelled out like that makes me realize that there is great room for improvement. Yep, got to do better than that!  Let's see what I can manage this week...

• Drink the recommended amount of water each day
• Exercise at least 3 days this week
• NO soft drinks!
• Make an appointment for an eye exam
• Plan for 3 day juice fast

Keeping Up The Motivation

I'm sure you're all eagerly awaiting an update on how I did with my goals for last week.  (No, I know you're not really - but let me have my little delusion, OK? Thanks)  So, here's an overview:

• Drink more water eh... a few days I did really well, others - not so much.
• Exercise at least 3 times  I'm not even sure how to judge this.  I only exercised 2 days; but on one of those days I worked out twice (am and pm)  So, I think I'm counting it as accomplished.
• Walk a total of at least 5 miles Check!!
• Get cards/packages in the mail  Um... no. Maybe this week.
• Finish a craft project (and blog about it!)  Project completed.  Blog will be written and posted soon at A Wise Woman Once Said...
• Have dinner as a family - at the table - every day except Thursday Was right on track with this - but then we had pizza in front of the TV on Friday.  And it sort of went downhill from there. 

 For this week, I'm feeling health conscious and keeping to that theme for my goals. Trying to keep up the motivation I'm feeling after having to buy some new pants this weekend because so many of my others keep sliding down and I'm too old to pull of the pants-riding-below-my-hips look (not that anyone can really successfully pull off that look)

• Eat a healthy breakfast every morning (typing this as I finish a bowl of shredded wheat with banana, strawberries, and skim milk because I realized the leftover cheesecake in the fridge didn't really meet the "healthy" criteria)
• Drink the recommended amount of water each day
• Exercise at least 3 days this week
• NO soft drinks!
• Use neti pot before bed each night
• Make an appointment for an eye exam

Reaching My Goals

I have a list of weekly goals I am working to accomplish.  These goals are different from the good ol' weekly/daily To-Do list.  That includes chores I need to do, errands I need to run, and the like.  These goals are more personal things I want to accomplish over the course of the week.  Some are health/fitness related.  Some are for my family.  I'm feeling a need  to keep myself accountable, and in that effort I'd like to place my list of goals out there for the world to see. So, here they are: My Weekly Goals:

This Week I Will:

• Drink more water
• Exercise at least 3 times
• Walk a total of at least 5 miles
• Get cards/packages in the mail
• Finish a craft project (and blog about it!)
• Have dinner as a family - at the table - every day except Thursday

Should I? Or Should I? - I Should!

I wake up in the morning and almost immediately the mental battle begins. 

I know I should go work out.  But I still think of a million reasons not to go.  I think about all the things I could be doing instead of walking on the treadmill.

More days than I care to think about, I even manage to talk myself into not going.  But some days I manage to beat back all the excuses and reasons not to go.  I drag myself out of the house and over to the fitness center. 

And as I leave an hour or two later, my attitude has always completely turned around.   I have that great, exhausted, sweaty feeling of accomplishment.  I know I have completed something worthwhile. I feel great!

I should probably keep that feeling in mind when faced with other things I don't really want to do, but know I should...

What Is Given Them From Heaven

The other morning I was just waking up and thinking about my day ahead.  Somehow I began thinking about what a mess the house was and how much cleaning it needed.  Then my mind wandered to how out of shape I am and the weight I have put on over the last two years or so.  I was feeling a little discontent with both of these things and spent a few moments reflecting on changes that need to be made.

Suddenly - as clearly as someone speaking in my ear - came this thought.  Often I have not been a very good steward of many of the things God has trusted to me.  More often than I really care to think about.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ~ 1 Corinthians 6:19

My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Yet, quite frequently  I have been treated it more like a food court at the mall.  Just sitting around, stuffed with as much junk food as it could possible hold.  Not exactly "temple" material there. 

I have been making an effort to consider the many blessings the Lord provides to me, and to give thanks for those things.  This showed me a whole new step in this process.  I have to remember that just as John 3:27 says, "A person can receive only what is given them from heaven". 

Everything is a gift from heaven, and I need to treat it accordingly.  Whether that is taking better care of my health, doing my best to keep the house up, keeping my car cleaned out, or spending quality time with my family.

"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' ~ Matthew 25:21

Wisdom From Oma

Realizing you are the youngest person in the workout room makes you feel great... until you realize the woman approximately twice your age on the treadmill next to you is kicking your behind!

Working It Out

I am so out of shape. It's really quite sad how far I have let myself go.  One of my main goals for 2013 is to improve my health through diet and exercise.  (which you already know if you have read "Goals for 2013")
The Man of the House helped get this goal off to a great start when he came home to surprise me with our family membership to the fitness center!  This place is almost literally right around the corner from our house.  Once the weather warms up I can even walk over!  (bonus!!)

Last night we went over to check things out and just try it out a little.  I did about 15 minutes on the elliptical machine, waked walked a little over 1.25 miles on the treadmill with a few bursts of jogging (I know! Me? Jogging?  Crazy!!), and the man of the house and I walked a mile on the walking track.

Today I went by myself at lunch time and walked just over an hour (2.5+ miles) on the treadmill. 

I'm also very excited about trying some of the classes they offer, including Zumba, pilates, and yoga.

How do you keep in shape? What is your favorite form of exercise?

30 Days of Activity: Day Two

We've hit a snag.  Yes, already. 

You see, last night I started having some discomfort in a broken molar.  By 3:30 this morning it was full blown pain.  After much anxiety on my part, and some gentle pushing by the female offspring and the male of the house - I ended up at the dentist this afternoon.  Where the remains of the tooth were extracted.  I was sent home with a numb face, a big chunk of gauze in my mouth, a prescription for antibiotics, and orders not to exercise for 24 hours while the extraction site clots and starts to heal. 

Um... well, that certainly puts a damper on the whole "30 Days of Activity" thing.

I wonder if I could manage a nice walk to the end of the road and back without causing a hemorrhage or any other complication?

30 Days of Activity: Day One

Day one did not go exactly as I had visioned.  I had intentions of taking a morning walk.  However the day dawned gray, gloomy, and rainy - so the walk never happened.  At that point I started putting the activity for the day off; but by mid afternoon I knew I had to do something.  So, I grabbed the nearest (and cutest) thing I could find and got my activity on...

Squats: 3 sets of 10 using the (almost 25 pound) grand baby as a weight

Modified bench presses with the grand baby 15 times

30 Days of Activity: The NEW Challenge!

Confession time y'all:  I'm a couch potato.  A computer zombie.  My motto is "I don't run unless I am being chased". Truth is: I'm lazy.  My weight, body shape, and energy level are testimony to it.  I feel confident in saying that no one has ever looked at me and thought, "Wow!  Really?  She doesn't work out?  Amazing!"  Nope. Never.  (or - if they did, the comment was heavy with sarcasm.)

This is why I have decided it makes sense to make my next personal challenge: 30 Days of Activity.

For the next 30 days, I will do some sort of activity each day; whether it's going for a walk, riding the stationary bike, doing some sit ups or push ups, some sort of stretches, or playing a game. 

30 Days of Activity - with no excuses!