Monday, June 20, 2011
Motivational Monday
Today I am starting a new weekly feature called Motivational Monday. I'm going to list quotes, my plans for the week, and challenge you to do your very best. At the end of the week I will review & see how I've done. Hopefully some of your participate in this and we can all review together!
Here are some quotes to get you going this week!
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
- William James
Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.
- Thomas Jefferson
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.
- Franklin Roosevelt
I absolutely LOVE all three of these quotes. Definitely found some good ones today. Hope they lift your spirits and get you ready for another great week!
What are my plans for the week? Simple.
- No more fast food, even at the drive in. I don't mind splurging every now and then, but I want to go one full week without ANY fast food, just to prove I can do it.
- Drink nothing but water and drink LOTS of it. I always behave & follow this, except on the days I go to the drive in. I had maybe half a cup of soda from Andrew on Saturday night & I paid the price with a horrible migraine. I am NOT making that mistake again. After going almost 2 weeks with no soda & nothing but water, I ruined it & paid the price.
- Walk/Run 21 miles. It doesn't matter if it's from the Nordic Track, or from walking or running outside, I want to do this. Easy, 3 miles a day. I have been going above and beyond this lately, but I am trying a new system this week and seeing how it works for me.
- Implement my new system of 15 minutes of intense walking or running on the Nordic Track followed by 10 minutes of strength training. Repeat as many times as able. No more marathon walking without strength training included.
- Continue doing 100 crunches in a row each day.
Sounds easy enough, right? I'm not so worried about the physical aspect of these goals as much as I am worried about the food part. I am going to the drive in tonight, again, and also this weekend to see Cars. That's two more times the temptation will be there for soda and fast food & I will have to say no. It's not hard for me to say no, don't get me wrong, but I usually only pack a few things due to limited space in the car, and we're usually there from 6pm until 2am. That's a long time to just be snacking on fruits, veggies, etc. I give in because I get bored, and because my kids and Andrew are eating the stuff I miss.
New motivation idea: think of one thing I'd like to accomplish in the near future!
- Wear a dress & really OWN it, you know what I mean?
I think now would be a good time to list some things I've accomplished that I couldn't claim a few months ago. Since I've begun dieting and exercising, I have:
- had fewer than 5 panic attacks a month.
- have insane amounts of energy.
- really begun to reconnect with my friends & family in a healthy way. My attitude is totally different!
- not had a real argument with my boyfriend in over a MONTH. This is a record, we have always been a bit rocky. I can't believe how much more healthy and happy our relationship is now vs. even just a few weeks back!
- accomplished things I didn't think I could, like doing 100 crunches straight, alternating between walking and running 10 miles straight, etc.
- dropped almost 3 full dress sizes!
- lost somewhere around 20 inches from all over my body.
I think I've deserved a pat on the back, don't you?
What are some of YOUR goals for the week? Share them here and I will call you out on it later in the week to see if you measured up!
Here are some quotes to get you going this week!
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
- William James
Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.
- Thomas Jefferson
It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.
- Franklin Roosevelt
I absolutely LOVE all three of these quotes. Definitely found some good ones today. Hope they lift your spirits and get you ready for another great week!
What are my plans for the week? Simple.
- No more fast food, even at the drive in. I don't mind splurging every now and then, but I want to go one full week without ANY fast food, just to prove I can do it.
- Drink nothing but water and drink LOTS of it. I always behave & follow this, except on the days I go to the drive in. I had maybe half a cup of soda from Andrew on Saturday night & I paid the price with a horrible migraine. I am NOT making that mistake again. After going almost 2 weeks with no soda & nothing but water, I ruined it & paid the price.
- Walk/Run 21 miles. It doesn't matter if it's from the Nordic Track, or from walking or running outside, I want to do this. Easy, 3 miles a day. I have been going above and beyond this lately, but I am trying a new system this week and seeing how it works for me.
- Implement my new system of 15 minutes of intense walking or running on the Nordic Track followed by 10 minutes of strength training. Repeat as many times as able. No more marathon walking without strength training included.
- Continue doing 100 crunches in a row each day.
Sounds easy enough, right? I'm not so worried about the physical aspect of these goals as much as I am worried about the food part. I am going to the drive in tonight, again, and also this weekend to see Cars. That's two more times the temptation will be there for soda and fast food & I will have to say no. It's not hard for me to say no, don't get me wrong, but I usually only pack a few things due to limited space in the car, and we're usually there from 6pm until 2am. That's a long time to just be snacking on fruits, veggies, etc. I give in because I get bored, and because my kids and Andrew are eating the stuff I miss.
New motivation idea: think of one thing I'd like to accomplish in the near future!
- Wear a dress & really OWN it, you know what I mean?
I think now would be a good time to list some things I've accomplished that I couldn't claim a few months ago. Since I've begun dieting and exercising, I have:
- had fewer than 5 panic attacks a month.
- have insane amounts of energy.
- really begun to reconnect with my friends & family in a healthy way. My attitude is totally different!
- not had a real argument with my boyfriend in over a MONTH. This is a record, we have always been a bit rocky. I can't believe how much more healthy and happy our relationship is now vs. even just a few weeks back!
- accomplished things I didn't think I could, like doing 100 crunches straight, alternating between walking and running 10 miles straight, etc.
- dropped almost 3 full dress sizes!
- lost somewhere around 20 inches from all over my body.
I think I've deserved a pat on the back, don't you?
What are some of YOUR goals for the week? Share them here and I will call you out on it later in the week to see if you measured up!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
A nice, relaxing weekdend!
Sometimes it's really nice to just let yourself have a relaxing weekend where you don't worry about work out schedules. I had a great time with my family these last two days. I am not letting the fact that I haven't exercised since Friday get me down. I am just enjoying the time with my boyfriend& kids. He works so much that it's rare we get to spend this much time together. This was his FIRST Father's Day off from work in the entire time I've known him!
Not sure if there are any daddy's who read this, but Happy Father's Day!
Anyway, I will kick start my work out starting tomorrow.
The only thing I've done since Friday night is 100 crunches a day on both Saturday and today. At least that's something!
I've been watching what I'm eating & drinking nothing but water.
Tomorrow morning I am getting up early and getting a few miles in for the week, following that up with some strength training.
But like I said, today is all about relaxation. I am going to go spend some time with my kids & my own father now. Have a great day, everyone!
Not sure if there are any daddy's who read this, but Happy Father's Day!
Anyway, I will kick start my work out starting tomorrow.
The only thing I've done since Friday night is 100 crunches a day on both Saturday and today. At least that's something!
I've been watching what I'm eating & drinking nothing but water.
Tomorrow morning I am getting up early and getting a few miles in for the week, following that up with some strength training.
But like I said, today is all about relaxation. I am going to go spend some time with my kids & my own father now. Have a great day, everyone!
Friday, June 17, 2011
100 crunch challenge completed!
The other day I challenged myself to complete 100 crunches straight by the end of June. I succeeded tonight! I even ended up doing an additional 40 reverse crunches afterward! I am so proud. I've decided I am going to keep right on doing this, even though I still have a lot of fat to burn off before results will really be apparent.
"Crunches, sit-ups, the plank and other core exercises primarily serve to tone, develop and define core muscles, including upper and lower abdominals. It's logical to think that they could make your entire stomach hard and big, by extension, but since those muscles are underlying and covered by fat, that's not the case. If you are slim, by contrast, those muscles will be located closer to the outer layer of your skin and the movements may help tighten and harden your midsection." Taken from here.
What do you think - should I keep doing the crunches or wait until I've lost another 30+ pounds? I am about 70 pounds away from my goal. I think I need to keep doing the crunches. It can't hurt, right?
I make sure that I not only do regular crunches, but I also do reverse crunches, oblique crunches, & bicycle crunches.
My new plan for the next week is really simple. I am going to do 20 minutes of intense walking/running, and then follow it up with some strength training. I will alternate back and forth for 80 minutes. I'm really concerned with getting my arms back to a respectable size & my belly, but I know lifting weights & doing crunches isn't enough. I need to make sure I am burning the fat off as I am toning my muscles in order to see the best results.
I screwed up a lot with my diet today. I did eat lots of fruit, but I also had a movie day/ mini celebration for my daughter's kindergarten play which involved quite a few sugar cookies & almost a full bag of popcorn. Ouch. It's okay though, I can learn from this. I won't let myself go as overboard as I did today. One interesting thing is instead of making multiple bags of sugar cookies like I used to, I only made one bag. We ended up with just under 30 cookies. The kids each had about 6 or 7. Laurin & I had the rest. Oops... Really sad thing is that's a lot less than we used to eat, haha!
I am working on that exercise I mentioned in a previous post, where I answer those 4 questions from my counselor.... It's a lot more difficult than I would have expected. I will post it on Monday, maybe sooner if I am not too busy this weekend. We'll see. It is Father's Day weekend, after all & I am hoping to make it a good one for Andrew. As far as the blog is concerned, I am making no guarantees.
"Crunches, sit-ups, the plank and other core exercises primarily serve to tone, develop and define core muscles, including upper and lower abdominals. It's logical to think that they could make your entire stomach hard and big, by extension, but since those muscles are underlying and covered by fat, that's not the case. If you are slim, by contrast, those muscles will be located closer to the outer layer of your skin and the movements may help tighten and harden your midsection." Taken from here.
What do you think - should I keep doing the crunches or wait until I've lost another 30+ pounds? I am about 70 pounds away from my goal. I think I need to keep doing the crunches. It can't hurt, right?
I make sure that I not only do regular crunches, but I also do reverse crunches, oblique crunches, & bicycle crunches.
My new plan for the next week is really simple. I am going to do 20 minutes of intense walking/running, and then follow it up with some strength training. I will alternate back and forth for 80 minutes. I'm really concerned with getting my arms back to a respectable size & my belly, but I know lifting weights & doing crunches isn't enough. I need to make sure I am burning the fat off as I am toning my muscles in order to see the best results.
I screwed up a lot with my diet today. I did eat lots of fruit, but I also had a movie day/ mini celebration for my daughter's kindergarten play which involved quite a few sugar cookies & almost a full bag of popcorn. Ouch. It's okay though, I can learn from this. I won't let myself go as overboard as I did today. One interesting thing is instead of making multiple bags of sugar cookies like I used to, I only made one bag. We ended up with just under 30 cookies. The kids each had about 6 or 7. Laurin & I had the rest. Oops... Really sad thing is that's a lot less than we used to eat, haha!
I am working on that exercise I mentioned in a previous post, where I answer those 4 questions from my counselor.... It's a lot more difficult than I would have expected. I will post it on Monday, maybe sooner if I am not too busy this weekend. We'll see. It is Father's Day weekend, after all & I am hoping to make it a good one for Andrew. As far as the blog is concerned, I am making no guarantees.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Woohoo!
You know the challenge I mentioned yesterday with the crunches? Last night I did 54 & had to stop. Today I made it up to 75! It's getting easier & easier! Andrew, my boyfriend, said I might as well make it 200 at the rate I'm going. We'll see ;)
I think it's funny/cute how concerned my friends are with me over-doing the exercising. I wish people understood that 90% of what I do is walking/running! It's not hard, and I don't think walking every day could be bad for anyone. I do devote at least half an hour a day to workout dvd's & occasionally a bit of strength training on the side. The crunch challenge is just something new to keep me motivated & see what I am really capable of.
Don't worry so much, people! I'm fine.
My counselor gave me tons of homework today, and I'm thinking I might share it on the blog. I have to answer these 4 questions with the first things that pop into my head & then try to rationalize the answers. I had her laughing her butt off earlier. One question was, "What is your motto or slogan on how you feel about life?" I laughed and said that, "Kurt Vonnegut said it best! Life is no way to treat an animal." She laughed but looked very concerned after. Oops?
Anyway, I think it might be kind of fun to share with all of you. It's kind obviously going to be really personal but I think it's going to help a lot. She says if I can be honest and upfront with my feelings life will be easier. If life is easier, the weight will come of easier, too. It's all connected. Strong mind, strong body.
I think it's funny/cute how concerned my friends are with me over-doing the exercising. I wish people understood that 90% of what I do is walking/running! It's not hard, and I don't think walking every day could be bad for anyone. I do devote at least half an hour a day to workout dvd's & occasionally a bit of strength training on the side. The crunch challenge is just something new to keep me motivated & see what I am really capable of.
Don't worry so much, people! I'm fine.
My counselor gave me tons of homework today, and I'm thinking I might share it on the blog. I have to answer these 4 questions with the first things that pop into my head & then try to rationalize the answers. I had her laughing her butt off earlier. One question was, "What is your motto or slogan on how you feel about life?" I laughed and said that, "Kurt Vonnegut said it best! Life is no way to treat an animal." She laughed but looked very concerned after. Oops?
Anyway, I think it might be kind of fun to share with all of you. It's kind obviously going to be really personal but I think it's going to help a lot. She says if I can be honest and upfront with my feelings life will be easier. If life is easier, the weight will come of easier, too. It's all connected. Strong mind, strong body.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Challenge!
I was watching Cars with the kids tonight after already walking a few miles so I decided it was crunch time. Literally.
I am trying to get to 100 crunches straight by the end of June. Tonight I got to 54 & had to stop. I wonder if I can do this? I used to do 200+ crunches a day in 2004! I want to get to that point again. Of course, in 2004, I wasn't trying to do all 200 at once, I did all sorts of different crunches over the span of a lengthy workout.
I know that physically, the crunches won't do much good since I have so much weight I need to lose. You won't see abs through belly fat, after all. It's more of an ego boost for me. Just knowing I can do it would mean a lot to me. The next thing I want to work on is REAL push ups, but that will take a while.
I am trying to get to 100 crunches straight by the end of June. Tonight I got to 54 & had to stop. I wonder if I can do this? I used to do 200+ crunches a day in 2004! I want to get to that point again. Of course, in 2004, I wasn't trying to do all 200 at once, I did all sorts of different crunches over the span of a lengthy workout.
I know that physically, the crunches won't do much good since I have so much weight I need to lose. You won't see abs through belly fat, after all. It's more of an ego boost for me. Just knowing I can do it would mean a lot to me. The next thing I want to work on is REAL push ups, but that will take a while.
My kids.
I know most of my blogs are about me & what I am doing to get in shape, and the occasional blog packed with healthy tips, but today it's time for something different. You have probably noticed by now that I am big into preaching about motivation& how important it is to stay motivated. There is nothing more motivating for me than my children.
Let's start with Jackie.
She's not *mine* in the truest sense of the word, but she certainly feels like my own child. I've been with Andrew, her father, since she was only 22 months old. I taught her how to walk, talk, and read. She kind of knew how to walk when I met her, but only with support. After 2 months with me she was walking on her own with ease & even going up & down the stairs by herself!
She taught me the importance of patience and also how amazing & rewarding persistence can be. She was diagnosed with autism back in 2009. Jackie isn't a "typical" kid, she's got a lot stacked against her. She had developmental delays since birth, and it's been very hard for her to lead a, um, "normal" life. She has trouble paying attention & staying focused, and quite a bit of sensory issues as well.
She's a burn victim. You'd never guess by looking at her that over 60% of her body was once scalded by hot water (including half of her face). Poor baby spent 2 weeks at Shriners hospital in Boston recovering. Had to have a few skin grafts, too. She healed up great! You really can't even tell except for on her left hand and foot where the skin grafts are.
I hate using words like normal and typical, but as anyone who knows someone with autism knows, kids who've been diagnosed are anything but. Not in a bad way, necessarily, but life with Jackie is definitely different!
She has an amazing sense of humor, she loves to dance, is obsessed with leaves & sticks, and is a big fan of cats. She's got the most beautiful blue eyes in the world & they are framed quite nicely by hair the color of chocolate. She loves fairies, especially Tinkerbell. Her favorite toy is her V-Reader. She is learning how to read this year & doing a nice job with it. She tends to forget if we don't practice every night so we have to stay right on top of it & repeat, repeat, repeat.
Jackie lives with us full time. Her mom lives out of state. She's been such an inspiration to me and to many people who have met her. Already, she is blowing right passed the expectations of doctors, not just for how she healed up after her accident, but with everything she has been able to achieve since receiving her diagnosis in October of 2009. She is a special little girl & possesses two rare gifts for a child her age: extreme patience with others & never wanting to give up.
Now, Xander.
Xander is my pride and joy. I hope I don't sound like a jerk for saying that, but I mean no offense to Jackie by saying that. Some people have made me feel guilty for having such a strong bond with Xander & for having a strained bond with Jackie. Any step mother in my situation would probably feel the same way as I do though, and it's only natural. I LOVE both of these kids with all my heart, I just feel closer to Xander. Him being a part of me for 42 weeks might have something to do with it.
I have learned so much since becoming a mommy on November 6th, 2007. My life wasn't really heading anywhere before I found out I was pregnant. I was a train wreck. My depression & anxiety issues were on the verge of consuming me, and I wasn't too interested in making anything of my life. All I wanted to do was party. I drank almost every night. I'm not proud of it, but it's true.
Xander gave me focus, purpose. My life is still a mess, not going to lie. The good news is that I rarely drink anymore, maybe a dozen times since he was born - and that doesn't mean I've gotten drunk that much, I am counting each night I've drank here. Now, I am all about fixing my life & making things better instead of destroying everything. I recently sought out counseling & I am being treated for panic disorder. I am hoping to get that straightened out in the next few months so that maybe I can go to school next spring & help these kids live the lives they deserve - full of opportunities and happiness.
Xander makes me so happy, and gives me so much love it's unreal. He is my best friend.
These kids are my world. I am going to keep trying to be the mom they need. They are my main motivation in every aspect of my life. I will reach my goals & I will be the healthiest, best mommy I can be for them.
Reward system for working out?
I have been doing pretty good in the last 24 hours with exercising. I did around 8 miles between yesterday & today. I even used the 30 Day Shred twice, and two other DVD's. I also cleaned up the kitchen, bathroom, and living room yesterday and believe me, that was no fun. Cleaning my house should definitely be considered a workout.
After being sick all week, it took a lot of effort to get moving, let me tell you!
I've decided that I will only allow myself computer time (something I generally don't even get that much of, believe it or not) if I've earned it by working out. This is probably one of my better ideas since this is actually getting me moving! I love going online & checking cnn, facebook, and my blog. I really look forward to it every day, in fact! Now I have to earn the chance to do so, and I think it's fantastic.
From now on, I will only come on the computer if I have walked at least 2 miles, have done something with my workout DVD's, or have had one fruit or vegetable. I need to do at least 2 out of those 3 things in order to come online.
Do you reward yourself with something for working out?
After being sick all week, it took a lot of effort to get moving, let me tell you!
I've decided that I will only allow myself computer time (something I generally don't even get that much of, believe it or not) if I've earned it by working out. This is probably one of my better ideas since this is actually getting me moving! I love going online & checking cnn, facebook, and my blog. I really look forward to it every day, in fact! Now I have to earn the chance to do so, and I think it's fantastic.
From now on, I will only come on the computer if I have walked at least 2 miles, have done something with my workout DVD's, or have had one fruit or vegetable. I need to do at least 2 out of those 3 things in order to come online.
Do you reward yourself with something for working out?
Monday, June 13, 2011
I am not a fan of Mondays.
I am not sure if today has been horrible because of the fact that I had such a great weekend & it's over now, or if it's because I haven't worked out in a week. Whatever it is, I feel horrible. Learning that I gained not 1 pound but 3 pounds certainly didn't help. Good news is that I had lost 27 pounds as of last week & never updated the scale on the top of my blog to reflect the loss, so it still says 24 down.
I am not thrilled with gaining 3 pounds, but with as sick as I've been, I'm not surprised. I didn't exercise more than two or three times last week, I was barely eating & when I was eating, it was only once or twice a day. I don't think I had more than 5 piece of fruit last week. Ugh. I was too sick to cook a few days last week & Andrew got me fast food. On my trip to Rhode Island on Saturday we had nothing but fast food. At the drive in on Sunday, I had fast food. I did not drink any soda though, so I'm glad to say I have been completely caffeine free for a week+ now.
One interesting thing I learned is this: because I hardly eat fast food anymore, when I do, I can FEEL how horrible it is for my body. I actually felt sick after eating Taco Bell last week. It's the only fast food I can even stomach.... All I had were cheese roll-ups & cheesy fiesta potatoes (hush, I know, I know) but I actually felt my body running differently almost immediately after consuming that crap. I am pretty sure I have kicked my love of fast food! I used to be a french fry addict & also loved cheeseburgers & chicken nuggets. Now I don't eat meat much (as in less than once a week, most of the time I eat none at all) so that's not an issue. French fries absolutely disgust me now. So, yaaaay.
I am trying to turn this crappy week around and learn from it, though. I am never letting myself go more than 2 days without exercising again. I am going to be better about eating ever 3 or 4 hours from now on, sick or not. I am even thinking of setting timers on my phone to remind me to eat something to keep myself going.
So, anyone wondering how I feel after one week of not working out much? Horrible! My energy is gone, my positive attitude has disappeared, and I am just down right miserable. I even had a panic attack on Saturday.
Getting myself in the mood to exercise was impossible. I just crawled out of bed today and forced myself to walk a few miles on the Nordic Track. I really took it easy & only did 4 miles in 56 minutes. But it's something! I am planning to start the 30 Day Shred again tonight, too. I even picked up 5 new DVD's today to get me motivated. One new DVD a day should keep me interested.
Learn from my mistake - work through your sickness, even if all you do is go for a walk each day. Don't let your cold rule your whole life, like I did. I gained weight, I feel gross, and I have to get used to exercising all over again. Not good.
I know that once I get back into the swing of things, it will come easy. I am just dreading what these workout DVD's are going to do to my body after a week of barely doing anything except sleep.
By the way - what on earth happened to my blog while I was gone? On Thursday I was flipping out and so excited to reach 1000 hits and now I have almost 1800 & I haven't posted since Friday!
I am not thrilled with gaining 3 pounds, but with as sick as I've been, I'm not surprised. I didn't exercise more than two or three times last week, I was barely eating & when I was eating, it was only once or twice a day. I don't think I had more than 5 piece of fruit last week. Ugh. I was too sick to cook a few days last week & Andrew got me fast food. On my trip to Rhode Island on Saturday we had nothing but fast food. At the drive in on Sunday, I had fast food. I did not drink any soda though, so I'm glad to say I have been completely caffeine free for a week+ now.
One interesting thing I learned is this: because I hardly eat fast food anymore, when I do, I can FEEL how horrible it is for my body. I actually felt sick after eating Taco Bell last week. It's the only fast food I can even stomach.... All I had were cheese roll-ups & cheesy fiesta potatoes (hush, I know, I know) but I actually felt my body running differently almost immediately after consuming that crap. I am pretty sure I have kicked my love of fast food! I used to be a french fry addict & also loved cheeseburgers & chicken nuggets. Now I don't eat meat much (as in less than once a week, most of the time I eat none at all) so that's not an issue. French fries absolutely disgust me now. So, yaaaay.
I am trying to turn this crappy week around and learn from it, though. I am never letting myself go more than 2 days without exercising again. I am going to be better about eating ever 3 or 4 hours from now on, sick or not. I am even thinking of setting timers on my phone to remind me to eat something to keep myself going.
So, anyone wondering how I feel after one week of not working out much? Horrible! My energy is gone, my positive attitude has disappeared, and I am just down right miserable. I even had a panic attack on Saturday.
Getting myself in the mood to exercise was impossible. I just crawled out of bed today and forced myself to walk a few miles on the Nordic Track. I really took it easy & only did 4 miles in 56 minutes. But it's something! I am planning to start the 30 Day Shred again tonight, too. I even picked up 5 new DVD's today to get me motivated. One new DVD a day should keep me interested.
Learn from my mistake - work through your sickness, even if all you do is go for a walk each day. Don't let your cold rule your whole life, like I did. I gained weight, I feel gross, and I have to get used to exercising all over again. Not good.
I know that once I get back into the swing of things, it will come easy. I am just dreading what these workout DVD's are going to do to my body after a week of barely doing anything except sleep.
By the way - what on earth happened to my blog while I was gone? On Thursday I was flipping out and so excited to reach 1000 hits and now I have almost 1800 & I haven't posted since Friday!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Weight Loss Motivation.
I've said many times that the most important part of weight loss is motivation. Without it, you're not going to get very far. This post is all about ways to keep yourself motivated and help you reach all your goals. This is the big one, guys, the post I've been working on for a while now.
Buy a notebook & document EVERYTHING.
Go out & buy a notebook specifically to document your current weight & measurements, long & short term weight loss goals, your time spent exercising each day, a food diary complete with calories, whatever you want that may help you lose weight. Use this notebook daily and jot down everything. Keep a record of your energy level before and after workouts, notice that on days you don't work out or eat right how different you feel. This is a really awesome tool that will help more than you can ever realize right now. It will be amazing when you're a few months in and see a huge difference in your weight, energy level, and stamina.
Goals.
In my journal, I like to make a list of 3 little goals I would like to achieve for the week. They could be small goals, for example: this week I have been sick, so I'm shooting for 15 miles walked by the end of the week, 80 ounces of water a day, & getting plenty of rest. Last week, my goals involved using the 30DS every day, walking a few miles a day, and no late night snacking. If you do a great job & are able to meet & beat your goals, reward yourself somehow. It could be something simple like watching a movie you haven't seen in ages, or going out with your loved ones. Maybe a treat of some sort, in moderation of course!
Make a short term goal list, like mentioned above, and a long term goal list. My long term goal is 3 months. By the end of 3 months, I want to be able to ...... fill in the blank with whatever you want! Keep it REALISTIC! Don't force yourself into too much too soon, you'll burn out. Small, manageable goals are less daunting and more likely to be reached. I am keeping my long term goals to myself, and I read the list daily. Every 3 months, I come up with a new list. It's really easy.
I know all of this sounds like a lot of work, but it's really not. Once you get going, you'll get really pumped and not want to stop any of these things! You WILL need to change your thought process a little and forget about your defeatist attitude, if you have one. You need to turn every negative situation around into a positive one. If something happens that's stressful and you go on a snacking rampage, instead of getting upset about it - learn from it! Learn not to let your emotions rule your stomach. Go out and go for an extra long walk & clear your head. As lame as it sounds, think happy thoughts. It really does help.
Make lists.
A great thing to put in your notebook is a list of pro's and cons of losing weight. This may sound a bit silly, because what cons are there to losing weight? That's kind of the point. You need to see that the only thing stopping you is YOURSELF. I am going to share with you the list I created. It's a bit personal, and I may feel a bit awkward about people who know me in person reading it, but it's something I need to share.
PROS
- I will be healthy.
- Confidence!
- I won't feel awkward in public
- I can wear what I want when I want
- No more hoodies in 90 degree weather to cover up my arms
- I will be able to run around and play with them without being in severe pain or having to quit abruptly
- I will see the kids grow up & create their own families
- I will have the strength and courage to know I can do whatever I set my mind to
- I can carry what I have learned from this experience into different aspects of my life
- Everything will become a bit easier
- Losing weight will alleviate a lot of stress, and I will finally be able to relax
- Relaxing might lead to me not being so snippy
- Better relationship with Andrew?
- Sex with the lights on! Haven't done this in years. Seriously.
- I am really looking forward to having nice arms again. I know that sounds silly, but it has been a very long time.
-SKIRTS! I love skirts & dresses, and have always loved them secretly but I never told anyone. I look forward to being able to pull them off again in the future.
- Once I reach my goal, I get a tattoo & a lip piercing!
CONS
- Buying a whole new wardrobe with little money
- Buying more expensive foods, like organic fruits & veggies may not be easy with our budget
- I am honestly kind of worried I might turn into a stuck up bitch
- I will need to forget years of bad habits and maintain a healthy diet and exercise plan all my life & that sounds a bit daunting
- I will have to find a new way to deal with emotional distress rather than eating
- I will need to learn how to cook
If you look at the CONS list, it's not so much cons to losing weight, but hurdles I will have to learn how to jump over in order to meet my goals. There is really no reason to avoid trying to lose weight. No reason at all! Make this list & post it somewhere you can see it every day. It doesn't have to be in a common area if things are too personal, but it is preferred. If you alert everyone around you of your attempts and they can see it on paper, they will be more supportive and also help to keep you on track with everything.
DON'T FORGET TO KEEP ADDING TO THE LIST!
In addition to this list, create a list of the consequences you will face by NOT meeting your goals, or by giving up.
Create a "vision collage" of your future.
I know this might sound stupid, but I've been working on mine for a few days now and it's kind of fun. You surf the internet for pictures of what you want to achieve, of how you'll reward yourself, of anything that might motivate you.
As you can see, I included positive quotes, pictures of nice bodies -- although I don't really expect results like that. It would be nice to have the confidence to pull things like that off, though!
You'll notice I included a tag from a shirt, it's size Medium. I haven't been in a medium since 2004!
I also put a picture of someone doing pushups, someone with really toned arms.
I even put a bit of humor in there with the first picture. the one of the dinosaur because I am sadly just like my 3 year old son with my dinosaur obsession so this picture is PERFECT!
The picture of me with blonde hair and the piercings, that's the weight I want to reach again along with the piercings I plan to reward myself with.
The picture of the tombstone with the words "everything was beautiful & nothing hurt" is from Kurt Vonnegut, and it's the tattoo I am going to reward myself with.
I printed this out and I have put one in my bedroom, in my car, in the kitchen, and also in the living room. I won't forget to my goals at all if I keep this collage handy! Definitely an awesome and FUN motivational tool. I am creating another vision collage with pictures from a magazine when I have the time. It's a bit more fun than using paint to make your collage, but at least with the internet I can look up pictures for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I could possibly want up there.
Use your local library!
There are tons of other great ways to get yourself motivated.
Books are great! Dieting, weight loss, cook books, inspirational books, etc. Try out any and everything from your local library and see if anything there helps you out. I picked up a few cook books from the library & plan to teach myself how to make delicious and HEALTHY meals with them. If I find a cookbook I really like, I am going to reward myself by buying it in a week or two.
Workout DVD's are amazing motivators, too! I am not sure if every library has a DVD section on exercise videos or not, but mine does. I have checked out quite a few of their DVD's and even discovered some new interests that way. Everyone knows I am a fan of Jillian Michaels. I have five of her DVD's and I love them all. 30DS is by far, my favorite. I also enjoy Ripped in 30, though it is more challenging. You want to get DVD's by someone who you know can motivate you. I love 30DS and RI30 because they have time limits, 30 days. You can choose to follow them, or not, but I find that knowing 30 days from now I will have some great results is a great way to keep me moving.
Research.
Don't take my word on all the stuff I post in this blog. Go out and do your own research! Google is the best invention in the world, ever. Hands down. Okay. maybe not quite the BEST thing ever, but damn close. I use google every day to look up motivational stories, inspiring quotes, & weight loss tips. I've gotten a lot of really great information from the internet but it shouldn't stop there. I also use my local library regularly and check out any books I can find on weight loss or exercise to get more ideas.
I really hope some of this helps you as much as it has helped me!
Buy a notebook & document EVERYTHING.
Go out & buy a notebook specifically to document your current weight & measurements, long & short term weight loss goals, your time spent exercising each day, a food diary complete with calories, whatever you want that may help you lose weight. Use this notebook daily and jot down everything. Keep a record of your energy level before and after workouts, notice that on days you don't work out or eat right how different you feel. This is a really awesome tool that will help more than you can ever realize right now. It will be amazing when you're a few months in and see a huge difference in your weight, energy level, and stamina.
Goals.
In my journal, I like to make a list of 3 little goals I would like to achieve for the week. They could be small goals, for example: this week I have been sick, so I'm shooting for 15 miles walked by the end of the week, 80 ounces of water a day, & getting plenty of rest. Last week, my goals involved using the 30DS every day, walking a few miles a day, and no late night snacking. If you do a great job & are able to meet & beat your goals, reward yourself somehow. It could be something simple like watching a movie you haven't seen in ages, or going out with your loved ones. Maybe a treat of some sort, in moderation of course!
Make a short term goal list, like mentioned above, and a long term goal list. My long term goal is 3 months. By the end of 3 months, I want to be able to ...... fill in the blank with whatever you want! Keep it REALISTIC! Don't force yourself into too much too soon, you'll burn out. Small, manageable goals are less daunting and more likely to be reached. I am keeping my long term goals to myself, and I read the list daily. Every 3 months, I come up with a new list. It's really easy.
I know all of this sounds like a lot of work, but it's really not. Once you get going, you'll get really pumped and not want to stop any of these things! You WILL need to change your thought process a little and forget about your defeatist attitude, if you have one. You need to turn every negative situation around into a positive one. If something happens that's stressful and you go on a snacking rampage, instead of getting upset about it - learn from it! Learn not to let your emotions rule your stomach. Go out and go for an extra long walk & clear your head. As lame as it sounds, think happy thoughts. It really does help.
Make lists.
A great thing to put in your notebook is a list of pro's and cons of losing weight. This may sound a bit silly, because what cons are there to losing weight? That's kind of the point. You need to see that the only thing stopping you is YOURSELF. I am going to share with you the list I created. It's a bit personal, and I may feel a bit awkward about people who know me in person reading it, but it's something I need to share.
PROS
- I will be healthy.
- Confidence!
- I won't feel awkward in public
- I can wear what I want when I want
- No more hoodies in 90 degree weather to cover up my arms
- I will be able to run around and play with them without being in severe pain or having to quit abruptly
- I will see the kids grow up & create their own families
- I will have the strength and courage to know I can do whatever I set my mind to
- I can carry what I have learned from this experience into different aspects of my life
- Everything will become a bit easier
- Losing weight will alleviate a lot of stress, and I will finally be able to relax
- Relaxing might lead to me not being so snippy
- Better relationship with Andrew?
- Sex with the lights on! Haven't done this in years. Seriously.
- I am really looking forward to having nice arms again. I know that sounds silly, but it has been a very long time.
-SKIRTS! I love skirts & dresses, and have always loved them secretly but I never told anyone. I look forward to being able to pull them off again in the future.
- Once I reach my goal, I get a tattoo & a lip piercing!
CONS
- Buying a whole new wardrobe with little money
- Buying more expensive foods, like organic fruits & veggies may not be easy with our budget
- I am honestly kind of worried I might turn into a stuck up bitch
- I will need to forget years of bad habits and maintain a healthy diet and exercise plan all my life & that sounds a bit daunting
- I will have to find a new way to deal with emotional distress rather than eating
- I will need to learn how to cook
If you look at the CONS list, it's not so much cons to losing weight, but hurdles I will have to learn how to jump over in order to meet my goals. There is really no reason to avoid trying to lose weight. No reason at all! Make this list & post it somewhere you can see it every day. It doesn't have to be in a common area if things are too personal, but it is preferred. If you alert everyone around you of your attempts and they can see it on paper, they will be more supportive and also help to keep you on track with everything.
DON'T FORGET TO KEEP ADDING TO THE LIST!
In addition to this list, create a list of the consequences you will face by NOT meeting your goals, or by giving up.
Create a "vision collage" of your future.
I know this might sound stupid, but I've been working on mine for a few days now and it's kind of fun. You surf the internet for pictures of what you want to achieve, of how you'll reward yourself, of anything that might motivate you.
As you can see, I included positive quotes, pictures of nice bodies -- although I don't really expect results like that. It would be nice to have the confidence to pull things like that off, though!
You'll notice I included a tag from a shirt, it's size Medium. I haven't been in a medium since 2004!
I also put a picture of someone doing pushups, someone with really toned arms.
I even put a bit of humor in there with the first picture. the one of the dinosaur because I am sadly just like my 3 year old son with my dinosaur obsession so this picture is PERFECT!
The picture of me with blonde hair and the piercings, that's the weight I want to reach again along with the piercings I plan to reward myself with.
The picture of the tombstone with the words "everything was beautiful & nothing hurt" is from Kurt Vonnegut, and it's the tattoo I am going to reward myself with.
I printed this out and I have put one in my bedroom, in my car, in the kitchen, and also in the living room. I won't forget to my goals at all if I keep this collage handy! Definitely an awesome and FUN motivational tool. I am creating another vision collage with pictures from a magazine when I have the time. It's a bit more fun than using paint to make your collage, but at least with the internet I can look up pictures for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING I could possibly want up there.
Use your local library!
There are tons of other great ways to get yourself motivated.
Books are great! Dieting, weight loss, cook books, inspirational books, etc. Try out any and everything from your local library and see if anything there helps you out. I picked up a few cook books from the library & plan to teach myself how to make delicious and HEALTHY meals with them. If I find a cookbook I really like, I am going to reward myself by buying it in a week or two.
Workout DVD's are amazing motivators, too! I am not sure if every library has a DVD section on exercise videos or not, but mine does. I have checked out quite a few of their DVD's and even discovered some new interests that way. Everyone knows I am a fan of Jillian Michaels. I have five of her DVD's and I love them all. 30DS is by far, my favorite. I also enjoy Ripped in 30, though it is more challenging. You want to get DVD's by someone who you know can motivate you. I love 30DS and RI30 because they have time limits, 30 days. You can choose to follow them, or not, but I find that knowing 30 days from now I will have some great results is a great way to keep me moving.
Research.
Don't take my word on all the stuff I post in this blog. Go out and do your own research! Google is the best invention in the world, ever. Hands down. Okay. maybe not quite the BEST thing ever, but damn close. I use google every day to look up motivational stories, inspiring quotes, & weight loss tips. I've gotten a lot of really great information from the internet but it shouldn't stop there. I also use my local library regularly and check out any books I can find on weight loss or exercise to get more ideas.
I really hope some of this helps you as much as it has helped me!
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