Streak Madness

Monday, September 24, 2012

I have been rereading "The Spark" and every time I learn some thing new, today I was reading about fitness streaks. I have been working out a lot for the last two months and have been keeping track of it. I have exercised for 72 days but have taken days off. I don't feel that this has been a streak. I think a streak should not have days off. It should be some thing that you do every day, I believe that is how it works. No taking days off to just sit in front of the computer or t.v. and veg. out.

I think a streak should be something you work at and do every day. If it is fitness it does not have to be the same thing just as long as it is some type of exercise you do. I am trying to do at least 90 minutes a day. Some days I do 60 minutes on the exercise bike and 30 minutes in a brisk walk. Some days I do 30 minutes strength training , 30 minutes on the bike, and 30 minute walk. And then some days I do all 90 minutes on the exercise bike. I even some days go over the 90 minutes just for the kick of it.

Yes, the kick of it. I have gotten to the point where I love working out. Me the one who was never going to do any kind of formal exercise now am trying to see how mandy crunches or push up I can do in one minute. My exercise bike use to be a great coat rack and is now used more then my t.v. I get up early in the morning to do my work out before my hubby wakes up. Most days when I have ridden the bike my hubby will wake up and ride it after me. This is the guy who said he could not ride a bike, now he rides it most days for over 30 minutes. Yes I have influenced him to work out too. And he has lost 13 pounds since June. I am very proud of him.

Today I am starting at day one of my fitness streak with riding the exercise bike 90 minutes and doing 30 minutes strength training.

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October Goals

Sunday, September 23, 2012

I was rereading my "Spark" today and got to the part about making goals. So I thought about it and came up with some good ones to help me get healthy in mind, body and soul. Here goes my goals for October 2012:

1. Walk 5 miles a week
2. Give myself 10 minutes quiet time a day, not on the computer
3.Write a positive blog 3x a week
4.Avoid snacks after 8 pm
5. Ride exercise bike at least 30 minutes every day
6.Eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day
7.Think about what I have learned from my mistakes 1 x week
8.Read success stories 1x week
9.Do visualization exercise 1x week
10. Write down reasons that I can succeed 1x week
11. Keep my staying in calorie allotment streak alive

Well that should be enough things to keep me on track and working at being healthy in mind, body and soul. I have put these goals on my goal tracker so I will be reminded every day and keep on top of things.

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Work in Progress

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

On September 18, 2011 I joined Spark People. I was looking for help to lose weight. I did not know I would discover a whole new way to live.



I was a very unhappy lady. I was over weight no make that obese. I ate a lot of fast food and restaurant meals. I never ate breakfast. I did not work out in any way. I was a mess and I did not like myself very much. One day I had a photo taken of me for Facebook and I saw what I looked like. I was not happy with what I saw. I thought that all I needed was the right diet. I got on the internet and typed in diets. The first thing I saw that looked good was Spark People and I am glad it was there.

I started reading what they had to say and it made since. I joined teams and made friends. Now I was getting support. I told my hubby about Spark People and he started giving me more support. I read posts on the team pages and learned that I was not alone in all the struggles I was having. Wow others had the same problems I had. I read other peoples blogs and learned even more.

I looked into the fitness pages and found articles and videos that got me thinking and doing. Before I found Spark People I did not do any exercise. In fact my exercise bike had become, soon after I bought it, a coat rack. I never walked any where when I could get a ride from someone. Now days I ride that exercise bike 60 minutes 6 days a week, workout with weights 3 day a week and walk everywhere I go. in fact my hubby and I just got back from a 2 hour walk.

I am a work in progress. I have not lost all the weight I want to. I stopped weighing myself as the scale does not tell the whole story. I go to the doctors every 3 months let him weigh me, I don't want to know. What I do know is that I have gone from a size 20 to a size 12 jeans and they are lose. I know that I have gotten off my blood pressure meds. and diabetic meds. and am stronger and healthier.



I am happier now with myself then I have ever been, Thank you Spark People.

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Pep Talk to Myself

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Some times you have to give yourself a little short in the arm, a pep talk. I guess that is what I need to do today to get myself back on track. So here goes, my pep talk.

Okay self you made a misstate last night , you ate something without looking up the calories first. You over ate 6 calories worth of graham crackers. You messed up, hey wait a minute. You need to change your way of thinking to change your life. Instead of dwelling on your bad experience figure out what good can come from it. You will remember from now on to check how mandy calories are in the foods you eat. Don't blame yourself for failure think about outside influences that may have affected you. That T.V. show showing people eating cookies made you want something sweet after dinner. You know you weren't hungry you were just influenced by what you saw. Life is to short to be miserable start turning your thinking around.

You've got your goals set, a plan to reach them and nothing can get in your way. Keep drinking 8 glasses of water a day instead of pop. Eat those healthy home made lunches and dinners. Workout 6 days a week to get your body strong and fit. This is a good plan you have made it is doable and well thought out. Give yourself a pat on the back for the good choices that you have made. You are worth the effort. You deserve to be healthy, confident and strong.

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Why I Want to Lose Weight

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Today on spark Coach I was asked to write a blog about why I want to lose weight. I had never really thought about it, I just wanted to do it. I guess my ah moment was when I had my photo taken to go on Facebook and for the first time in years I really saw how much weight I had put on. Here was this big round face with double chin hanging down, I looked bad. I had become obese, fat beyond chubby. I was a mess.

How had I let myself get like this? I guess it was from not eating breakfast, eating fast food for lunches and restaurant dinners. I was no longer going out to dance I was just going for the fancy, sugar filled mixed drinks and a lot of them. Exercise was some thing I thought about but did not do. I never used the resistance band I was given by my physical therapist and he could tell. My exercise bike was a coat rack. I was a mess, out of shape and out of breath after even a short walk. and don't even ask me to run it wasn't happening.

I wanted to take off weight to look good. I did not want this big pot belly I want a flat tummy. I want to be able to lay flat on my back and not see a mound of flesh blocking my view of the tv. I want a slim face looking out from the mirror. I want to be proud of myself. I want to feel like I am beautiful. I don't believe it when my hubby says it. I see myself as a fat tub of lard and I don't want to feel that way.

I want to be able to exercise as much as I want and not have to give up because I am so weak and out of breath. I want to be able to run for long lengths of time and not just for 1 minute. I want to be strong enough to walk as fast as my Spark friend and not be left behind in the dust.

I want to be healthy. I want my doctor to see a thinner healthier person when I go for my doctors visits. I want to stay off my blood pressure medicine and my diabetic medicine. I want a clean bill of health not be at risk that my doctor needs to see me every 3 months.

I don't think I am asking for too much and I can have it. I have taken the first steps towards getting where I want to be. I am eating a lot healthier then before. Eating breakfast, eating healthy lunches and dinners made at home. I have given up drinking alcohol and now drink about 10 glasses of water a day. I workout 6 days a week using my exercise bike. I do strength training 3 times a week using weights, weighted boxing gloves and a new band. And in almost a year I have taken off a little over 20 pounds.

I see myself as a work in progress. I am beginning to like the changes I see, and when my hubby says I look great I think I am starting to believe him.

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