Restarting for Health (take 200) for Lent

Planet Fitness

For the season of Lent we (my husband and I) decided to take on a healthier lifestyle. For us that meant working out Monday through Friday and watching our portions/food choices. We started on March 6th on the Thursday after Ash Wednesday using our existing membership to Planet Fitness. We have worked out every Monday through Friday since then. We've both been watching food choices and portions. 

Here's my typical workout schedule for the week:

Monday - 45 minutes on the Arc Trainer + Strength Training for Lower Back and Abs using weight machines

Tuesday - 30 minutes on the Arc Trainer + Strength Training for Upper Back, Shoulders, and Arms using weight machines

Wednesday - 25-30 minutes on the Arc Trainer on my lunch hour

Thursday - 20 minutes on the Arc Trainer + Strength Training for Legs using weight machines

Friday - 45 minutes on the Arc Trainer + Strength Training for Lower Back and Abs using weight machines

Saturday - Intentional steps (ex. park further away, walk a shopping center, walk puppies)

Sunday - Rest Day

Results to Date:

Me:

Starting weight - (March 6th) - 250 lbs

Current weight - 248 lbs 

J:

Starting weight - (March 6th) - 242 lbs

Current weight - 228 lbs

Side note: I'm pretty sure that another punishment to women in the Garden for eating the apple was that men can and WILL lose weight far easier and faster than we ever will. 

A surprising side effect for me is that although I've only dropped 2 lbs I'm seeing muscle tone develop, I'm feeling better, I have more energy, and I feel like I'm rediscovering my old self. I have a goal to get down to 150 lbs. I do not have a date for this. Slow and steady wins the race. I want to be healthier, feel better, and look better. This will happen all in due time. 

Be True to Yourself

I watched the movie "What's Your Number?" last night and it is a funny and sweet movie that I recommend. It was definitely worth the watch. Without giving away the story too much the main character was trying to find Mr. Right by going back through her exes. And she was also trying to find herself and her future.

Part of the story line was how she changed herself to fit each guy. And I got to thinking about how many of us have done or do that in our romantic lives. I started looking back at my exes and my relationship with them. The main one was my ex-husband he wanted a quiet, demure, Mrs. Beaver type housewife, who had the house spotless and dinner on the table all while wearing pearls. He wanted a very conservative wife both in personality and dress. I tried desperately for 7 years to be that person until I woke up and realized that was not who I was, who I wanted to be, or who I should be.

After our divorce I dated another ex (seemed like a good idea at the time) which ended up in me trying to conform once again to his needs. When that relationship ended. I spent some much needed time single. During this time I looked deep into myself to determine who I was, what made me happy, what ticked me off, and what I couldn't care less about. I realized where I stood politically, where I stood on major issues, and where I stood on silly stuff. I realized a lot about myself in the two years I took off from dating. Then after much thought and work on myself I jumped back into the dating pool. I thought I had it all under control.

But I realized I was slipping into my old habits with a guy I was interested in. I was getting into things he was interested in to impress him. Old Megan was coming back. So I stepped away again while I got my head right. Then I took a leap and went back into the online dating world again. I put my faith in God and my gut. If I listened to both I knew I would find the right guy for me who loved me for me.

I did. I found my husband. He loves me for who I am, where I am. He isn't trying to find 100 ways to change me. In our per-marital counseling when asked what we would change about each other. He said "absolutely nothing she's perfect to me." Yeah he scored points. But what we realized is that we loved each other as we were and we wanted to grow together. That doesn't mean we won't change. Change is inevitable but we want to change and grow together not change each other. 

Leaping...with support

Picture: John Collier, Purdue landscape architect
www.mensetmanus.net 

I have long wanted to be my own boss for a long time now. Mainly because the high school drama that occurs in most work places drives me nuts. My current work place has less of this because it is a small staff and frankly working in a church creates a more open environment. But we still have our issues. Also I am not a morning person...seriously. I could easily work until midnight or even 2 in the morning and then sleep late and start all over again. However, office hours run from 9 AM to 6 PM. So I get up at 7:30 AM and get ready to go to work. And I function pretty well most of the time.

I have been a bead artist since I was in my teens (well back then I'm not so sure it was art) and recently I've added sewing to my talents. I've been busy beading and sewing fun. And with my wonderful husband's encouragement I've been getting things in order to open a business selling my goodies online. Currently I've talked to the city about a business license and a DBA (doing business as). I haven't gone to get them because I'm still working on a name that covers what I currently do but also what I might create in the future. I'm a bit of an flittering artist...I start many things and then switch to something new. But currently I'm drawn to fabric and beads. So I've been working...


In the beginning I will continue to work full time and make my creations in the evenings and on weekends. But my hope is that it will expand and at some point it will become my livelihood. We have our fingers crossed. I have decided the only way to move forward is to have faith that it will succeed. And sometimes the very willingness to leap is the success. So I'm ready to leap...and build my wings on the way down.

What about you...what are you getting ready to do? What changes are coming your way?

10 Things I Wish I Could Say

I'm borrowing this idea from SoMi Speaks I personally think it is brilliant. You write 10 things you wish you could say but don't feel comfortable saying or possibly would fall on deaf ears. So here are mine...

1) Stop behaving like you are still in high school, we are adults so confront the situation as an adult instead of asking so and so what they think it meant.

2) If you love someone tell them often...life is short and those that you love need to hear it.

3) I really want it to work this time but I know I'll need help.

4) I feel like a monkey could do my job. So I don't need to be micromanaged.

5) I love you and want you to be happy, but I think your husband is not the man you think he is, nor will he be.

6) Focus on the log in your eye, before dealing with the splinter in mine.

7) I love children a lot. But I do not want children. This does not make me a horrible person.

8) Pets and children should be disciplined. It makes you a responsible parent.

9) Just because you smoke, doesn't mean I do so please respect my air space and I'll respect yours.

10) It is not all about you, but it is OK to think so...we all have days like that.

Log vs. Splinter

So...this post is as much confession as anything else. And it is fairly wide open...

I can tell you, your brother, your mother, your dog, your neighbor, etc what their splinter is...but I would be appalled for you to tell me mine let alone my log. I know I know it isn't fair. But I'm good at it. I'm not sure where the fine tuning of this skill came from...I have some guesses but those are most definitely for another day. But I really really have a problem judging behaviors that I wouldn't do while ignoring the ones I do...do.

J is a smoker...he quit back in August and did great (well we had some hills along the way but overall it was great) until end of January...beginning of February. Then he started with a trickle...one here...two there...ten on a stressful day. Recently he started smoking full time again and I admit I was frustrated. Because he did so good for so long. And I am very quick to judge because I don't smoke...never have...and can't imagine I ever will. And apparently I'm a bit vocal in my judgment because he pointed out to me in a very nice way. That sometimes I have a gift for making him feel horrible for smoking. Now my initial thought was good but then I realized how unsupportive I've been. Smoking is an addiction. A legal addiction but an addiction and it takes time, dedication, and patience to quit. And he is trying...and I love him and support him in whatever he does.

Unfortunately I tend to go with the theory..."the worst sin is the one you wouldn't commit" I'm not saying smoking is a sin I'm simply saying it is easy for me to judge because I don't do it. And I think that is true in most things. It isn't fair I know...but I'm human...

Ripping the band-aid off

You ever have this feeling that you just need to do it...there is something in your life that you know needs to happen but you are too comfortable where you are to do it. So you live with that band-aid stuck to your heal...even though it is rolling down and not looking so pretty. It isn't really that bad so you live with it.

I have a couple things in my life that are like that old nasty band-aid. I'm taking care of some but I need to rip off a few more. I'll keep you posted.