"It was easy once I made up my mind to do it". Well, it is always easy when you have done that. Everything is easy. You make a choice and you don't look back. You make up your mind to go to school, buy a car, call a friend, order the fish instead of the burger. You make up your mind about the clothes you wear and the neighborhood you live in. Those are choices you make and they are done. Making up your mind to change your lifestyle is more complex. That is a decision you make and then you have to alter every decision in your life after that to comply with the new rules/restrictions/regulations, etc.
Once I made up my mind that I would eat better, eat less, exercise for purpose, and drink fewer of my calories, it has been *okay*. None of it is EASY. NOT ONE BIT OF IT!
I don't tend to embark on things simply because they are easy. A lot of things do come easy to me but I like to conquer mountains sometimes and create challenges for myself. Learning new things for the purpose of passing a test has been a recent series of mountains I have worked to conquer and that will continue. I also am focusing on some personal financial goals (savings goals are always exciting for me) so we can buy a new house, send the kids to college, and one day retire comfortably. All of this is fine a good: sharper mind with more knowledge and greater compensation opportunities - good; more money in the bank and becoming financially sound - good. All of this while carrying around an extra 25 pounds of fat and the lung capacity of an asthmatic - BAD!
What is the point of saving for the future and sharpening my brain if I wont be physically fit enough to enjoy any of it? Yes, I am aware that I could die of something else - right. I could also not die of something else and just be a big fat blob of an elderly person being pushed about by someone working for the weekend. No thanks!
I want to be that other woman. You know who I am talking about. The one who gets up early and rows her kayak in an inlet of the Bay. The one who makes her own granola and tends a garden because she can still get up from a kneeling position. I want to be the lady who teaches her grandchildren the same things she taught her own children.
Right now, I want to be the person who can run around a track - at least once - with out feeling like I will die. NBD...right? Ugh, this is such a first world problem! I am excited particularly today because, in spite of the fact that I didn't get up with the alarm, don my workout clothes and have my vigorous walk, I did stop at the park after dropping off Rhys at preschool and had a "coming to Jesus" meeting with myself.
There is a park with a football field and a paved track. It is a rural park so the track actually dips down behind one of the goal posts and has a decline and then incline back up the other side. It is good because, while there are flat areas, this little incline interval makes it challenging. My short-term goal is to run/jog around that track 1 lap by Valentine's day. I was able to do a little over half today and walked and jogged around it 5 times (which turns out to be a little over a mile). This is a big deal. I puffed and panted. Forced myself to keep up a pace for just a few more strides. Each time, I picked a destination and didn't allow myself to cheat. I heard the voices of friends and many cliche' lines play in my head encouraging me to keep going. Mind over body. I made up my mind. It was not easy.
Breakfast was Fiber Cereal with freeze dried peaches and half of a sliced banana
Post workout snack was sugar snap peas with hummus
Lunch was a wrap filled with a microwaved pre-seasoned frozen filet of some white fish (pretty tasty) with about 6 wasabi peas and a fistful of baby mixed greens. There wasn't enough flavor in this one but sometimes that just happens and we move on.
I had 5 pretzel M&Ms - don't hate me
I also had about 1/2 cup of freeze dried fruit
I made a big cup of half caf coffee and put a teaspoon of lowfat caramel apple dip (not a terrible choice)
I did 50 jumping jacks
I jumped rope 65 times
It is only 4:00 but I am going to go ahead and publish this. I will post a separate update with what pans out for food for today.
I will go ahead and tell you that a glass or two of wine is in the cards. I allow myself 2 adult bevvies on non-work nights...TGIF!
1 comment:
You are doing great. And you are right it is SO NOT EASY! But one day, one meal, one exercise at a time.
I will not hate you for 5 pretzel M&M's, in fact I applaud you, because I wouldn't have stopped at 5.
Love that you jumped rope, I hate jumping, rates right up there with running... in fact I almost think I'd rather run... almost.
Today I had healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner with lots of fruits and veggies, but I screwed up snack and binged on hidden Little Debbie Swiss roll... sigh! But the rest of my day was good, so I'm going to hit the gym tomorrow and put it behind me. If you ever want to join me at the gym on the weekends let me know, I get friends in free!
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