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. 

Remember to Put Your Oxygen Mask on First

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If you've ever traveled on an airplane you've received the speech about safety in the event of an emergency. If you haven't here's the Cliffnote version...in the event that the cabin's air supply should become compromised oxygen masks will drop from above over your seat. You need to give it a firm tug and place the elastic around your head and the mask securely over your nose and mouth. Proceed to breath normally. (umm sure that will happen) They also emphasize that if you are traveling with a small child or someone who would need assistance to make sure you put your mask on first and then help them. The first time I heard this speech I thought well that seems a bit selfish...then I realized...if you can't breath and pass out you can't help others. You have to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.

SMACK RIGHT IN THE FACE...

Umm so here's where the true confessions come in...I am HORRIBLE at self care. I don't just mean kinda sorta bad but horrible. I can take care of everyone else. I am the eternal cheerleader and cheer-upper to others but not to myself. I really realized this in 2012 when J was gone to Japan, two dear friends died two months apart, and my dear co-worker who I share office coverage with was out on and off for the better part of 6 months due to illness, her husband dying, injury, and oh yeah illness again. The poor woman couldn't catch a break. So I was covering everything at home, taking on lots of extra work at work, helping a dear friend go through a horrible break-up from a complete and total jerk the love of her life for the third time, and really ignoring myself. 

I'm not complaining. I made my choices and I lived with them. I enjoy helping others, I enjoy taking care of others, I enjoy filling in as needed, I really do so for me it wasn't like I was miserable. Or so I thought...here's where the rubber hits the road for me...in hindsight I realized I was so busy helping others that my life, my health, and my sanity were spiraling downward. My house was a disaster and I mean a disaster as in it is amazing that I didn't end up hurt or something from my house, I gained weight, at night after work I'd stop by a fast food restaurant and get dinner, then go home and sit in front of the TV with the dogs, go up to bed, and start the cycle over. 

Since January of this year I have been working very hard at taking better care of myself. I joined a gym, I started meal planning, I got back to beading and sewing, and I've been trying to take time away from work for myself. Wow even as I type that I laugh because with the grand opening of our new addition I've been working more and not doing a great job of taking time off. But I will say this...my house is mostly clean, I've been trying to stay on track with meal planning, and I've been trying to get to the gym. But I think my most important thing for 2013 has been that I'm aware of my needs and taking care of myself in the midst of the chaos. I take time to get my hair done, get a manicure, soak in the hot tub, etc to relax and refresh. It makes my day/week better when I do.

So take time to take care of you before you take care of others. Because if you are worn out and tired it is hard to take care of others. Especially as we enter the hectic holiday season it is important to focus on yourself some too. 

Shrove Tuesday

Today is Shrove Tuesday. It is the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. In our family we have almost always had pancakes for dinner on Shrove Tuesday. I never fully understood it as a child but I sure loved eating pancakes. Now working in a church we have an annual pancake supper done by our youth and it is interesting to see how many people come to it. I think it is two fold...it is free and it is tradition. So I will be eating pancakes once again as I get ready to start the season of Lent.

Which leads me to my next topic since tomorrow is Ash Wednesday I have had to do some thinking about what I'm going to give up or take on. A number of years ago a pastor suggested that instead of giving something up for Lent that we take something on, daily Bible reading, helping in a retirement home, helping at a Youth Center, daily meditation, yoga, etc whatever would be a challenge for us and would help us grow in our faith.

This year I've decided to take something on. And like many other Lenten things it is a bit self-serving but it will also be a reminder for me that Jesus suffered for me. I've decided to take on exercise particularly walking the dogs. It is something I should be doing but I haven't been motivated. And I know I'm not taking the best care of my body aka the temple of the Holy Spirit so I would like to do a better job. So there it is out in the open.

What are you giving up or taking on for Lent? Do you celebrate Lent?

This Is Not Good aka Knee Issues

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So my knee is not quite there (the picture) but it has been having issues. I'm trying to get ready for the 8K in March so I'm not happy about this at all. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday to discuss my options. Mainly it has just been tender nothing too serious but enough that I'm cautious with it.

My struggle with my knee (my right one) began in 5th grade. We were playing kickball with a really big rubber ball and I was running to first base when someone through it at me to get me out and somehow I tripped and ended up bending my knee the wrong direction. At the time the advice was elevate it, ice it and take some ibuprofen. So it was basically ignored. It never healed correctly and I've had issues with it since then. I was diagnosed with arthritis in it at the age of 15. I've injured it playing softball, running, and once when my 60lb pit bull ran into it with his head. At the time of my last injury they did an MRI and told me that my knee cap was in the wrong place so they put a J-Brace on it and sent me to physical therapy. It helped some and for a bit it's been doing good.

Until now...I will admit I'm frustrated with it because I want to exercise for health, weight loss and to prep for my 8K but it is too tender. And it is a double edged sword because I know that exercise will strengthen it and weigh loss will help it so I'm frustrated. I can't wait til Monday because at least maybe then I'll have an action plan.

Motivation...Hello Are You There?

As I've mentioned many times I struggle with my weight and my health. Now first off I will say that I know what I should eat and how I should exercise and I've seen results from this. However, I'm looking for my motivation...I'm not sure if it is in Zimbabwe or under the couch or down the street but it isn't with me. I know part of it is the holidays and part of it is J being gone but I need to refocus and work on getting healthy. I've signed up for an 8K in March so I need to work toward that because unlike a 5K you can't just walk up and do that. But my motivation is missing.

I have a membership to the Y, a membership to Twisted Fitness (a dance and exercise studio), vouchers to a yoga studio, and I have two dogs so I have no excuses. Well actually I can give you a huge list of them but none of them are good excuses. I want to lose weight and be healthier but I won't do that sitting on the couch eating junk so I'm hoping the New Year will bring a new level of motivation for me. 

Although I will admit cuddling on the couch with the puppies under a big mink blanket and eating Reese's Peanut Butter cups does sound appealing. It will end up with me not fitting in my clothes and although I love shopping I hate buying bigger sizes so here we come 2012 this will be our year of good health!!

So what about you are you motivated? Do you have changes you want to make in 2012?

November Goals

I've been inspired by The Life and Lessons of Rachel Wilkerson and Beth's Journey and their lists of November goals. So I decided I would share my November goals.

• Clean up my house...one of the dangers of your spouse being deployed is that it is easy to ignore things because it is just you and you are the only one who has to deal with it. My kitchen counter is slightly buried in mail, my bedroom has piles of laundry (clean and dirty), my carpet needs a vacuum desperately, and I'm tired of it so I am going to get it back under control.

• Weekly Yoga Class...I have purchased some passes for local yoga places on Groupon and Living Social so I've been using them to take a weekly yoga class. I'm really enjoying it and I feel much more relaxed and energized following the class. Sadly Tidewater Hot Yoga Studio is closing at the end of the month but I'm hoping my experience at Zenya will be as good.

• Weekly Weight Lifting...for both the yoga and my dance classes I need to work on my core strength as well as my upper body strength. Also I know that muscle is important in losing weight. And I feel good after I do it. My ultimate goal is two to three times a week but baby steps first.

• Walking Two-Three Times a Week...both the dogs and I benefit from this. I am a person who cannot lose weight just on eating healthy alone I have to have exercise of some sort even if it is only 30 minutes three times a week. My dogs are high energy creatures who need to burn off their energy. If I take them for a walk I get two birds with one stone. (but don't mention birds in front of the dogs).

• Fix and Eat More Meals at Home...I like to cook and further I like my cooking. I also find that when I cook I save money and calories. My goal is to make dinners that I can then bring for lunch. I have a crazy obsession with found many recipes online that I want to try including a pumpkin pasta recipe from Rachel Ray. 

• Daily Bible Study...I saved the best/most important for last. I lead a Bible Study at work called Balanced Living by First Place 4 Health and it has daily Bible study lessons which I usually do in the two days before the Bible study class. I want to get back in the habit of doing them daily.

fitbook love

picture from www.getfitbook.com

 After reading about the fitbook over at The Life & Lessons of Rachel Wilkerson I was in love. I decided to go out to their website and check it out. They even have one for kids and a pink one for Breast Cancer Awareness. While over there I learned I could buy it at Target so I went there that night and bought it. I LOVE IT!!

It is a 12 week book that has space for your 12 week goals, your weekly goals, your food diary, your exercise diary, it tracks food groups, sleep, and it gives tips along the way. It is small enough to fit in a purse but small enough that you don't think it is taking up your whole purse. And it comes with a pen. (really that is what sold me I love my pens) It gives you plenty of room to write things down and it has suggestions on how to use each section and page.  I really think it will be a great asset in my weight loss journey. 

If you're looking for a great tool in your weight loss or health journey this is it. I think it is beneficial no matter where you are in your journey.