Long time, no write!!!

Sunday, June 09, 2013

Why did I 'give up' after our 5% challenge was over? I really haven't stopped eating healthy (or at least trying) but I just revolted against any tracking!!! Just did not want to do it....still don't but I made myself today to track my food. Haven't done my exercise yet. (the tracking of it) I mean there have been many days I spent an hour at the gym and still just didn't want to post a thing!! That is just plain SAD!!! I mean I LOVE seeing the numbers grow on my Sparkpage for exercise but to do it and not even post it??? Ahhh well. I'm doing babysteps again of making myself do SOMEthing....hoping that will spur me to do EVERYthing I need to do for me b/c that's what this journey is all about - ME!! I want better health....and I need to be accountable to get there.

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5% blog

Saturday, March 02, 2013

Finished the 1st week and have been able to get some exercise in and I lost almost a pound. That makes me happy so far. After the visit with the dermatologist who said swimming shouldn't effect my skin too much as long as I follow 'procedure' for afterward. (washing/lotion etc) Hopefully now that I can swim more I can get more exercise in.

Itchiness has become the norm for my life. Thankfully it's not 24/7 so there are moments for reprieve. Basically I'm allergic to every product that's made -- so I'm having to switch all the things I had been using to the 'non-formaldehyde' type things. Now the hardest part is finding out that aspartame -- the sweetener -- can be converted by the liver into --- guess??? Yeah you guessed it - formaldehyde!!!! Who would have thought???? And I believe in my body that's what happened. So having to switch my one 'sin' -- diet pop -- is really playing with my mind. It has always been something I really enjoyed and while I have cut way back in recent years....my one a day is still too much I guess -- which to me is a real bummer. I know in the scheme of things of life -- to some -- it might seem minor (and yes in my mind too, it is) but in my mind -- it is a BIG thing....and one I"m not so sure I want to change. So I'm working on wrapping my mind around it -- as well as changing my life in other ways to accommodate this 'nuisance' of itching.
And who was it that said -- and this, too shall pass.......

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Finally getting back to ME!!!

Saturday, February 09, 2013

It's taken a few weeks (but used to be years!!) but I'm finally beginning to focus on me again! It's been a struggle these last few weeks - I've been angry, sad, happy, amused, puzzled - by my thoughts over these weeks. My health has taken a slim turn for the worst but it's not life threatening - just a nuisance. But it felt like I shouldl give up on me -- that I've tried so many times and have always given up but I went back and read some of my old blogs and remembered (yes I've always known) why I started this journey - to better my health. Why do we give up so easily on ourselves? Do we think this journey is going to be easy? So today I'm back to logging my food and my exercise - I mean how sad is that - I"ve continued exercising but didn't even want to log it!!!??? Tomorrow morning I'll get on the scale and start from there...no matter what the number - it is what it is (I love that phrase!!) Then I will start weighing in on Sat for the 5% challenge. This time I"ve not done the assignments but I have gone to read other peoples responses to the assignments -- do you people know how inspiring you all are??? I still am proud of myself that I am swimming -- although that may come to a halt with my 'issues' of itching....but I've started going to the OTHER side of the gym w/ dh -- and while I didn't like 'sweating'...lol, it's another option and I did enjoy it. The important part is I didn't quit ...so I'm happy about that. Now to get back to food tracking - that's when I know I do best....so stop by sometime and make SURE I still am and give me a quick kick in the seat if I am not!!!
5% challenge -- here I come....

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Office Project 101 --

Monday, January 21, 2013

I have written on the knee/hip replacement team many times over the past 2 months about my office project! (yeah it took that long!!) And actually if you count the planning and the buying of 'stuff' it was over 3 months!! So I decided to make it a blog than more pics on my SPpage!! I do think the project taught me a few things about patience (not a strong point of mine!) I am very happy with the outcome -- so yes it was worth the wait! I am a scrapbooker -- gone astray -- b/c if things aren't 'in their place' I found I couldn't continue my crafting! So hence the reason for the project. And I have been thinking lately about my committment I made to myself in September -- I stayed STRONG for over 3 months but this month I have let my commitment to myself waiver. So as I look around my office and see the finished (well almost - the doors have to be put back on the closet, a light needs to be installed under the shelving over my paper cutter, and a few tweaks here and there) product -- I have to think about my journey. I committed to this project over 3 months ago. It was tough at times and it was really hard to find someone to bring it to 'fruition' - mainly the shelving. But I found someone and got over that 'big hump'. So now I have to think about ME again -- what do I NEED to do to get over this hump/lull/bump in the road I've gotten myself into....So today I re-commit myself to me....I will track food and exercise (now you know it has to be bad when you ARE exercising and then NOT posting it!!!)
The BEFORE paint job ---


The paint color choices -- 3 of them! See which one I chose!



More BEFORE --- did I mention I HATE this sponge painting!!! (I didn't do it!)



AFTER --- in the center will be a bulletin board put up -- still a work in progress!




The CLOSET - AFTER


And of course I added my love of DISNEY!!


And of course one more ---

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Swimming - my new job!!!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

For those of you who have known me for awhile know that I am a happily retired teacher! 42 years in the classroom was great but ENOUGH!! So I've been volunteering some, sitting some, visiting some, sitting some, reading some, sitting some.....well you get the idea! When I started my commitment to myself 'challenge'.....I knew I wanted to say what I do - and do what I say...and to keep myself HONEST aboveall to MYSELF!! So I started all this on Sept 16 and as my last blog said - it continues! But I wanted to post (for myself for future reference ) some things I've noticed

I've decided that for now - swimming is my new job! Me who so dislikes exercising has found something that is relaxing, motivating, peaceful and hopefully burns a few calories!! Now before you say OF COURSE you'll burn calories swimming -- I am NOT a strong swimmmer - I float on my back and I glide through the water at a slow, but steady pace. The gym I go to is having a 100 mile swim challenge - it takes 35 laps to make ONE mile (makes me tired even typing it) The challenge goes til June 30, 2013 and I just joined so I'm behind. But that's ok...this challenge is a continuing of the commitment to me. So my goal is to see how close I can get to that 100 miles by June!! Who ever in their life KNEW that I would make a challenge like that??? That is just soooooooooo not me! But I"m happy I have....and will update my blog from time to time to reflect my progress. As of today -- I have swum 30 laps (took 3 different times of going to the gym but I do what I can) Soooooo I am getting close to my 1st mile !!!! Isn't that so cool?? In between laps I jog in the water or do some of my aquasize class movements...so for a full 90 minutes I"m moving!!! Afterward - I feel great!!

More progress -- I did measure when I first started back again on SP last December -- and I hadn't measured since - was only using the scale and since it's not moving right now -- I thought hey it's time to measure yourself and see if all this swimming (for almost 2 months now) is doing anything...I'm happy to report --

Waist -- DOWN 2 3/4 inches
Hips -- Down 1 inch
Thigh -- Down 1 inch
Calf -- Same
AND the weight is coming off slowly in that year I've also lost 17 pounds....so yep I'm a happy camper!!!

I want the momentum to stay -- know it'll slow down once the weather gets bad and I won't want to drive in the snow just to get to the gym but this is giving me a good start!

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