http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal.asp?id=FITAGAIN4EVER FITAGAIN4EVER's Blog on SparkPeople, home of free diet plans and a healthy living community http://assets2.sparkpeople.com/assets/nav/logo_spark.gif http://www.sparkpeople.com/ http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4676527 Today is January 12th and I am so proud! <BR> <BR> I have been carrying on my merry little way since New Years and just realized that my habits are changing for the better. <BR> <BR> I have had 0 sweets! <BR> No candy. <BR> Not one slice of cake. <BR> No cookies. <BR> <BR> These things have been replaced with fruit and sugar free hot cocoa. Splurges consist of reduced sugar peanut butter (love Simply Jiff!) or dark chocolate almond butter on apples or bananas, but I've limited those amount... Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:05:48 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4658945 With the new year and my 1 year Sparkaversary, I've been looking for a way to reenergize my commitment to health goals. One of my good friends had real success with Weight Watchers and, although I've tried it 4 other times but never made it past week 5, the balance between reasonable diet, increased movement, and tools for positive thinking agrees with my philosophy. In mid-December, my company announced a free deal with Weight Watchers starting January 3rd, so I took this as a sign and have ... Thu, 5 Jan 2012 08:42:58 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4592308 What's the deal? The only routine I seem to be sticking with is yo-yoing, which is not a productive game! There are all kinds of excuses in the way: A cold knocked me out, it's been rainey, just one more hour on the computer and work will be under control. <BR> <BR> But they're just excuses. <BR> <BR> Getting control of me weight, ie health, should be the easiest thing in the world. It's the one thing totally in my control. My environment is set up to help me succeed. I know exactly what ... Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:02:30 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4571487 Autumn has finally broken -my favorite time of year! <BR> <BR> Along with outdoor activity friendly temperatures and the time change welcomed by all of us night people, I've started tutoring a 2nd ESL class, now 4 nights a week. It's incredibly rewarding and has helped fill my social life back up. <BR> <BR> But I recognize that it is in addition to demanding projects at work that still need to be done, squeezed in betweeen vacation time I'm determined to take. It's going to require seri... Sun, 6 Nov 2011 17:36:17 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4464286 No joke, I own just about every kind of equipment, tool or gadget that could possibly motivate me to get up and get moving....  <BR> <BR> 1 treadclimber (aka Mother, as in, the mother of all workouts)  <BR> My 3rd treadmill (aka the life saver) <BR> 1 racing bike (aka my 2x mode of transportation from Houston to Austin)  <BR> 1 Total Gym (aka the traitor; pulled my calf, gave it to my brother, he lost 30 lbs!) <BR> 1 Core stability ball (aka one time home office chair) <BR> 1 My Gym (aka wha... Sat, 3 Sep 2011 13:58:07 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4464205 and so did my tired attitude. While the rest of the country has been dealing with much too abundant rain and Texas is, literally, on fire from drought and record breaking temperatures, so it feels August was a bust for me physically and emotionally, motivation-wise. I came back from vacation the 2nd week with a bug that knocked me out of commission and a pile of work it felt like I would never make a dent in. I couldn't figure out why I was digging my heels in and resistent to even log a meal... Sat, 3 Sep 2011 13:06:28 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4451160 Turns out, I'm pretty active when I go away on vacation. Sure beats being tied to a computer and phone like during work. There are so many things to do when I'm in a new place, or somewhere that I don't visit often. It's fun and easy to walk everywhere, pedal around on a bicycle, romp in the waves, and stroll through pretty little streets and cute shops. The daily routine is pretty simple, too. It's easier to get up and out the door when my commitments are all things I want to do. It's quite ... Sat, 27 Aug 2011 11:35:18 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4442607 Gotta admit, after hitting it hard for 7 weeks straight and pushing through 100+ degree heat, blisters, chafing, and only shedding four pounds, I was looking forward to a week's vacation in a cooler climate. <BR> <BR> I didn't plan on completely slouching, it was an active vaca with lots of walking through parks and museums, bicycling through forest trails, romps on the pristine shores of the Great Lakes, and conquering sand dunes. All this peppered in with hammocks and plenty of reading. M... Mon, 22 Aug 2011 20:26:17 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4368306 Today's self-advice: Don't let the scale have the power to demotivate you. The numbers on it are one indicator of what your body is trying to communicate to you. Listen to what your body needs, and focus your mind on doing the activities you can to nurture it. You have the power right now to make healthful choices to nourish and strengthen your body. The numbers on the scale are the results that follow. Redirect your thoughts to the basics: tracking food, drinking water, and re-energizing y... Sun, 17 Jul 2011 15:53:36 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4314529 How much time, money, energy and self-esteem have been invested in trying to squeeze your body into smaller space, push it down to a lower weight, and control it unforgivingly? <BR> <BR> Countless for me! Tried every diet, exercise plan, and even some goofy, useless migraine management systems to minimize the derailment. I realized the focus was too much on "bad food" and punishing exercises, making negative self-talk and guilt worse. <BR> <BR> SparkPeople is different, and I love it becau... Tue, 21 Jun 2011 23:54:22 EST http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=4309003 I've battled my self image and weight it seems like my entire life. When I dropped about 40 pounds in my 30s, I did it totally on my own by walking on the treadmill or outside every chance I got and ruling my diet with an iron will. <BR> <BR> Just as the goal weight range that had been elusive since college was in sight, 10 pounds creeped back. (I thought: Really?!) I got scared and switched up my plan. I was fit enough do a half marathon after training for 4 months with some great coaches ... Sun, 19 Jun 2011 19:29:49 EST