Simple AI

I joined the Simple app, and one of the features is artificial intelligence.  She goes by Avo, and I can ask questions, and they are answered quite intelligently!

So far, I'm feeling successful with the intermittent fasting and nutritious eating. I discussed it with my doc and he approved of my choice.  We shall see how it goes!

This made me smile!!! I like this AI thing!

PS:  No matter how well all this is going, there is no better feeling than climbing into a bed made up with clean sheets and being able to be at rest.  ❤ 

Walking the Beast

Weight loss is never easy, and it gets tougher as you age!  I've been trying a new program with a wellness coach that is provided by my BigBox Store.  It has a place to journal, to make an action plan, and a way to track your activity minutes .... you get the picture.  When you log data, you get feedback via text and Julie has been very encouraging.  However, after a year of this, I'm no further along than when I started.   Which is very depressing.

I've learned a few things about myself, especially during the last three weeks.  The scale is a lousy measure of success.  There are so many fluctuations and every low makes me feel like I'm a failure.  Which in turn leads to feeling bad about myself -- and what do I do when I feel bad?  I eat!  So I'm sabotaging my efforts. 

Today, as I was walking the Beast, I realized that I need to have something that I can actually measure, something that will make me feel like I've accomplished something.  When I started three weeks ago, I reached a mile at 22 minutes. Today, my mile was 18:45.  Now THAT is a measure of success!!!  So I'm going to track my mileage and try to make good changes:  distance, time and incline will be the three measurements for success. 

Sometimes, changing a person's focus could be the better choice!

Update 6/10/20:   On Monday, my mile was 17:50 -- so a good success, and the heck with the scale! It made me feel good, and that's what counts.

Stay safe out there!

Lifestyle, Update

It's been a few days since I took the time to actually write.  I've been in a mode of taking care of myself, mostly working on my lifestyle changes.  I cut back by 250 calories each day, and have managed to finally drop three pounds -- nothing to really write home about, but every inch of progress is a step in the right direction.

My daily walks. .....  and here's Sadie again, scratching at me to pet her.  She hates when I get in a writing mood.  Or maybe she's so spoiled that she thinks all of my waking hours should be *her* time.  lol

Back to daily walks:  I'm walking 37-40 minutes pushing Sadie in her stroller, we cover nearly 2 miles in that time, and it feels really good to have that accomplishment each day!  At the same time, I'm making sure that the foods I eat put me at a good point on the nutrient scale via the Samsung app.   I've cut back my Diet Coke to one a day.  I'm drinking my Plexus Slim Pink Drink.   How long can I keep this up?  It's not easy but I keep telling myself that I'm eating to live, not living to eat.

After my last checkup, I'm on the borderline of having high blood pressure.  I know that dropping weight, exercise an cutting back on sodium is the answer to keeping it low enough so that I don't have to go on meds. 

So for now I try to remember:    A little progress each day adds up to big results!

Lifestyle Change Day 9

Here I am, 9 days into the changes, and ... it's going well. 

I've not lost any weight, but I'm feeling better than I did before. 
I'm trying to stay positive about the changes, and hope that other things will follow when my body and hormones adjust to the new eating style.  At least, that's what I'm telling myself. For now.

Sunday, with the Superbowl, I exceeded my Diet Coke limit, and treated myself to a small plate of home made nachos.  Which nearly started a fire in my microwave! 

I had this paper plate left over from Christmas, red with a gold trim.  I wasn't thinking the trim had any metal in it, but I should have guessed.  I couldn't figure out what the smell was as I was melting cheese on my nachos!  But back to nachos, it was just 1 serving of tortilla chips, a little melted cheese, then chopped avocado and tomatoes on top.  Which tasted delish!

My step counts were down that day as well, because of the rain.  But they're back up over 10K again this week.  My food counts are recorded and each day it's been over 85 in the nutrient content, and that makes me happy.

I see my doctor tomorrow for an annual checkup.  I know she'll say something about my weight.  And maybe a lecture if my cholesterol is up, or my blood pressure.

Planet Fitness

I'm a member of Planet Fitness.  I chose this gym because it's 2 minutes from work, I can dash over on my lunch hour to get a bit of cardio in.  Today, because I was done with work at 10am, I headed over to the gym and hopped on the treadmill.  I purposefully covered the digital display so I wouldn't be distracted with numbers, or more specifically ... how much time has gone? and is it enough time that I can stop?!!!   I set the parameters for 55 minutes and just let it go.  The first time I got the urge to check the time, I was past 30 minutes.

And that's where the I hit "the exercise high".  I felt like I could keep on going ... and going ... and going.    I added another 5 minutes to make it an even 60, and to make sure I got past the 3 mile mark.   The Beach Boys came over the headset and I cranked up the speed so that my running pace would match the beat of the music.

With a mix of 80s head bangin' stuff, to some country tunes, one of the last ones was Jason Aldean's "The Only Way I Know".   Really strikes a chord with me, because I was raised on country music and that's just how it's always been for me:

"That’s the only way I know

Don’t stop 'til everything’s gone

Straight ahead, never turn round

Don’t back up, don’t back down

Full throttle, wide open

You get tired and you don’t show it

Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more

That’s the only way I know"

And it spurred me on, finished it out at 65 minutes, 3.25 miles.
Then I hit the machines for some more leg work.
If work hadn't called and interrupted me, I might have done even more!


As I get older, I have come to find that losing weight is a very real struggle.  Because it is, about two weeks ago, I decided that weight loss wasn't going to be my thing, and put it out of my head.  I changed my thoughts toward staying healthy.  And amazingly enough, I've now lost 8 lbs in the past two weeks!   So was I stressing about it so much that I was hindering progress?  Don't know, don't care.  I just keep going so that I'll maintain some muscle, some balance, and some good health.

Start Now!

 

It took me nearly two years to get up

off the couch, so to speak, and join a

gym again.  But I started.

You can't wait for "the right moment"

which for me would have been some

other company taking over the gym

that's next door to work, that closed up,

because having a gym that close made

it easy to slip in during lunch break, left me with no excuses not to dash in for a workout

after work was done.  But it's still an empty building.

Two weeks ago, I joined Planet Fitness.  And I'm happy that I finally did.  Sure, there's all the benefits to working out and such, but I just like how I feel when I've a)  taken control of something and b) when I'm done with a workout, the physiology of whatever chemicals are doing their thing inside my body leaves me with a good feeling.  That sounds wordy and nerdy, but like they used to say "If it feels good, do it!"

Friday's workout was 1/4 mile on the elliptical.  My thighs were beginning to burn with the effort, and since it was lunchtime, and I still had another 3 hours of work to go, I decided not to push things.  After, I still did 1.25 on the treadmill, then slipped into the Hip Adduction machine, working those inner thigh muscles.  Back in the day, I could do 30 with the weight set at 135.  I did 25 @ 110 lbs.  That was enough for me do go "whoa" ... and I am still feeling it on Saturday afternoon!

Saturday morning, up with the birds, and hit the gym at 7am.  Got my 1.5 miles on the treadmill in 26:30.   I'm slowly getting there, but to increase the speed much more, I'll have to lose some of these excess pounds.  Which is why I hopped back on that Hip Adduction machine, set it at 90lbs and did 20 reps.  More of a muscle memory thing that a real workout, but I could feel the stress on my muscles!   Then I hit the Hip Abduction machine, working the outer thighs, 20 reps, 90lbs (Didn't want to overdo anything!)  Found the Tricep machine, 20 reps, 40lbs.  I could have done more, I'm thinking, because there isn't that intense burn from a "new" workout.  But that's ok, there's still time.

The important thing is ... I started.

Being Better

When you are struggling 

just look ahead and hold your head up high 

it's not a race to compete with others 

it's a race to compete with yourself!! 

You got this!!!"

If you have ever struggled with weight loss,

or keeping your commitment to the gym,

just remember that the only person

you need to do better than

is yourself.

After yesterday's disappointing weigh in

(yes, expected, but it still 'hurts' ) 

I got myself busy in the gym.

I did elliptical for 20 minutes on lunch

then went back after work 

for another 20 on the treadmill

and a whole lotta arms work.

I just need to remember that I'm 

not competing against any one else,

I cannot expect to be like

"the skinny hot one" at the gym.

I can only do better today

than I did yesterday.

Be a Happy Gym Rat! 

This little sign made me chuckle....

"At the Gym!"

Ready, Set, GO!

I can do this!

Here it is, Tuesday night, thought I'd dash off a post before I hit the sheets.  It was a long rough weekend for me.  I got up Saturday morning and hopped on the scale, thinking all my hard work would have surely paid off!  

But I found myself wondering "How the ^&#$ did I gain 5 Pounds Overnight?"   Talk about depressing!  Grrrrrrr.  Now that it's been 4 days, I was able to be calm and rational while checking some Google info.  I found one website that explained "it's absolutely possible to gain 3, 5 even 10 pounds overnight, but don’t worry! It’s not fat and it’s totally temporary."  Yeah?  Tell that to my panicky brain!   Which caused a huge depression bomb to drop on me.   *sigh*   I fought my way through it without a lot of what I would normally do:  reach for the cookies, the ice cream and the tortilla chips.  (Mainly because I didn't have them in the house!)

Blame it on the Full Moon:  "It has been known since roman times that the moon affects the water content in fruit. Pliny, the Elder, writing in AD 63 stated that it was best to pick fruits on specific days of the month if you wanted them to be plump and juicy.

Modern scientific studies on human urological issues have also backed up this idea showing that our bodies retain different levels of water in relation to the lunar cycle, making us plumper on different days of the month."

Ok, that's a good enough explanation as any, I suppose.  Looking back, I could also blame it on being overtired, lack of sleep  (I was working a few 4am-1pm shifts, putting me completely off schedule).  Maybe there was too much sodium for my body to handle in that extra serving of potato chips.  And just maybe there's an inflammation issue.  My personal trainer is tough and gives me very little slack!  After a workout with him, I'm sore for a few days.  Perhaps there is some inflammation going on that's "behind the scenes" and causing a few issues on my insides.

I just need to keep telling myself these four things:

• Don’t let this temporary gain take you out of your game. 
• Stay focused and positive. 
• Go to the gym to sweat off the extra pounds 
• Drink lots of water to flush out your body.

I can do this!   I did all those things yesterday, and today.  I achieved two goals today:  Broke my current endurance streak and went a full 40 minutes on the ellipitical.  At the same time, I made my 2 miles in 30:32 minutes!   Not as good as I used to be, but much better than I was a month ago!

Progress comes in little steps, when you do them every single day.

Sun Daze

Sunday is usually the day I do all my chores.  But because I was uncertain about my having to work, I had done most of my chores on Friday and Saturday.  Which left me at odds today, trying to find things to do.  I took Sadie for a walk at Riparian, and that was good, lots of sunshine, and it wasn't chilly at all.  Gotta love winters in the Valley of the Sun!

When we got home, it was a little time in the chair, reading and getting a little sunshine :)



Then I decided to do some cooking for the week.  I had gotten some hamburger and ground pork, and then a london broil.  So.. I went a little crazy and cooked it all!   Now we're all ready for the week.  It was two years ago that I started on my intense quest to lose weight. And one of the things I found most helpful was having meats cooked up so I could just toss a salad, cook up some veggies and be good to go for supper.   Otherwise, its too easy to grab things that are bad for me, because I'm too tired, or lazy, to cook.


I am starting off with positive thoughts for the week to set and achieve a very small goal:  do something at the gym every day, walk Sadie every day, and record my meals diligently.

This should be easy enough to accomplish!

Weigh In Weds

*throws her fists into the air*   -- I did it!!

Today, I reached my goal:  I lost 50 lbs!!!

I joined 24 Hour Fitness in 2011 and started my own regiment of cardio and resistance training, but my progress was very slow.  After a year, I realized I couldn’t do it on my own, and hired a personal trainer.  Not only did he switch up my workouts, we talked at length about food, nutrition and eating habits.   With a few simple changes (cutting out sugars and processed carbs) I was on my way, and lost 25 lbs in five months.   But again I struggled on my own, and decided to try another round with a personal trainer. 

It’s been harder to take off the second 25 pounds, but with hard work, persistence and loads of encouragement and advice from the trainers here at 24 Hour Fitness, I finally reached my original goal:  to lose 50 lbs.    My doctor, and my family and friends are amazed at my tenacity.   It’s not always easy – you can’t just “give up” food.  You just learn to eat in new ways.  Am I always successful?  No, I stumble from time to time.  But I leave the guilt behind, make myself accountable by saying “I chose to eat that” and move ahead to make better choices.   

 

I’m 53 years young, and I feel terrific.  Thanks to the training staff here, I can do things I haven’t been able to do for years.  They inspire me to dig deep to reach my goals, and even surpass them!  And when I do, I reward myself with something – this time, it’s a tattoo of a phoenix.

Weigh In Weds

Today was a good day, and a bad day, when it comes to my gym time.  The good part:  I was down another two pounds, which means only two more to reach my original goal of losing 50 lbs!   (and that new tat I'm wanting!)  After a holiday weekend, with family here, I was worried about how my eating would affect my efforts -- but was overjoyed when there was a loss on the scale!!  It made me smile.  The bad part of the day was today was the last training session -- and I will miss having this added attention and specific workout sessions!!

Now that I'm so close to my goal, its time to set another!   I'll be pondering that one.  But I'm still working on my 384 mile goal, I reached 194 miles today..... so I hit the halfway point!

The one thing about weight loss efforts -- they're very difficult, to be sure.  But our minds can be a funny thing.  When I look in  mirror, I still see 'the old me' there.   We're our own worst critics when it comes to judging our looks.   As I was getting ready to work with Allan today,  a woman in the gym said "excuse me, but your efforts are really showing."  I grinned, we chatted about hard work and our self images, and she told me "You inspire me to work harder in my workouts."  And that felt so good to hear!!!  Me ....  a chubby old chick, inspiring someone else to work out.   Wow!  Who knew???

If you're thinking about exercising more for health reasons, or preventive medicine reasons, or for needing to lose some weight, there's no reason you can't start now, start small, work your way up to a healthy, happy body!   If *I* can do it, anyone can!

Weigh in Weds

Well here we are, another week has gone by.  I haven't blogged often because I've been working out a bit more than usual. Sometimes just stuff at home, and sometimes longer walks than normal, but really focusing on my efforts, and my eating, this week.  And it paid off!  I was down two lbs, only FOUR MORE to go until I reach that 50 pound mark. 

Its been quite a journey, learning things about myself, about eating healthy, about trying new things, and daring myself to be a better person.  Is it easy?  Heck no!  Is it worth it?  Hell Yes!

When I think about 50 lbs, that's quite a load to pick up in a barbell.... and here I was toting that all over with me on a daily basis! 

Today, my trainer Allan had me doing some leg press machine, we started off with 100 lbs, I said too light, add more, and he never hesitates!  He had me press until I was fatigued, then made me do five more!  Afterwards, my legs felt like rubber! But they recover quick, and of course, the training kept on.  I struggle with the abs work most often.  Today,  "bicycles" -- that's laying on your back on the floor and bicycling your legs in the air.  Those use more of the upper part of your core, and that's ok.  Then the flutter kicks, feet held about 6inches off the floor and up/down.  They use more lower abs, and mine are shot.  I blame 2 kids, 2 C-Sections, my hysterectomy, and nephrectomy --- all those surgeries does awful things to your muscles!  But... that's no excuse.  I should have been working on them all along, but I chose to be lazy.

There.  Using the "I chose...." statement means I own it, its mine, my choice, I can't blame anything but my own choices in life.  I'm working on correcting that from here on out. 

So here I am, weighing in at 219 lbs...  My original goal was to get to 200...

I've come this far, who knows how far I can go! 
But I'm going to keep trying - every day :)

Weigh In Weds

Weigh In Weds :  Down another pound, and still fighting to reach that magical six more!  Ugh, its frustrating at times, but I don't let it get me down.  I just keep plugging along, and I'll get my tat yet! 

Allan worked me very very hard today ... I did planks on a medicine ball.  the real kind from my toes, and not the modified from my knees.   I also did 'wall sits' ... he asked for 20 seconds first time, I gave him 30.  He asked for 40 seconds the second time, I gave him 45.  My legs are fatigued, but it feels so good.   I'll be back in the gym tomorrow for some more :)

Work was intense, we're gearing up for inventory, and that's a complex process to prep for, and it means a lot of extra work for me.  But that's ok, busy makes the day goes by.



But the best joy is coming home to Sadie, we worked in the backyard and played fetch.  Oh!  and the lil smarty-pants was hungry, brought me her empty food dish so that I'd fill it.  hahaha  I busted up laughing :)

Hope you found something

to bring you laughter today!

Weigh in Weds (Tats)

Another week has passed and it was my day to weigh in, see if I reached my goal.....  only down a pound, but at least it was in the right direction!  8 more lbs to go and I'll get my tat !!! 



In Greek mythology, a phoenix or phenix (ancient Greek φοίνιξ phóinīx ) is a long-lived bird that is cyclically regenerated or reborn. Associated with the sun, a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor.  A new life from the old ... losing 50 lbs will definitely do that!  So many of the tats of a phoenix are more bird like, some very elaborate, thus a little bigger than I want mine to be.  (like this one on the left)  The one I fell in love with is below; as you can see, I'm debating colored, b/w or a combination?  We'll have to see what the tat artist says. :)




As far as my workout went today, it was a pretty good session.  Alan works me very hard on very basic stuff, so a lot of core workout - which is definitely needed in my dept.  He seems to want me to do so much more of that than cardio, but I know my old body.... it needs as much cardio as I'll give it!  I'm going to attempt to make my calories really count this week -- more veggies and protein than anything else, while maintaining a calorie count of 1300, instead of 1550.  I want to push myself just a little bit more, see if I boost my system just a tad. :)

Strive for Progress

Early Saturday morning, and there's a chill in the air.  It's something I need to remember, because our summer heat will be here soon!  So I got up early and sat in my chair.  But only until the chill made me shiver.  Then I crawled back into my warm bed!

There was a time not long ago when I thought nothing of arranging my schedule, my 'to do' list so that I could spend hours on the computer, chatting with friends.  OK.  I'll be honest, with one special friend.  It was a nice way to spend time, not be bored, and more important, not be spending money.  But lately I have felt there are more important things to be done in my life.... 

This is the one place where I try to be honest, to share my feelings, to think things through.  Not that it matters, I don't think anyone reads these posts.  Which is ok with me, I don't need an audience, attention isn't something I crave (like some people).  Which also points out - why do I bother writing here?  I could just as easily write in a journal and no one would ever see my thoughts.  But there's something fascinating about writing and sharing with the entire internet community....

Got my hair done today - the whole shebang - color, highlights, cut and styled.  I look ready to head out on the town.  My pup will think I'm stunning as I walk her through the local park. LOL  Quite the hairdo for a housecleaning day :)  But.  It makes me feel good, and that's a good thing, too.  Plus,


Afterward, I shopped because I had a 20% off coupon (gotta love JCP!) - found a pair of workout shorts, which will save on some laundry time.  And I tried on a couple pairs of pants  --- in ONE SIZE SMALLER!  And yes, they fit :)  Shopping is a really hard thing sometimes.  I was the same size forever, so I didn't have to try much on, I could look at something and know it would or wouldn't fit, or if the style was right for me.  But with all the body changes now, I can try things on  that I never would have worn a year ago.  I did buy one really nice pair of pants for $8.  (Can't spend top dollar on clothes if its only a "temporary size"!) They're off white, which won't be so great for work, unless its an audit day, and I won't have to process boxes.  But even if I only wear them once or twice -- can't beat $8!

Now that I've blathered on -- my inspirational thought for today:  Strive for progress.  No one can reach perfection, it just doesn't exist.  So we each need to find our way, making progress every single day.  And of course, finding our happiness :)   I'm making progress on my weight loss journey, and on my goal of walking 384 miles in 2013 --- what progress have you made toward your goals??

Weigh In Weds (and Bent)

Yes, its that day again -- Weigh in Weds.  All week I've been kind of dreading this day.  I haven't been "on my game" as I usually am, and didn't think my numbers would be there... but they were *really big smile*  Since I started on this journey, I have lost 41 lbs.  It has taken me 13 months.  But I broke that magical 40 lb marker and whew, that was work. I think its been harder to lose these last 10 lbs than it was the first 30.


I was a little perturbed on Monday after talking with my trainer.  Russell wanted me to train with Alan on Monday -- and I did.  Was I happy???  No.  I was upset.  I signed on for more sessions because I wanted to see results.  And for me, consistency = results.  Switching trainers midstream seemed counterproductive to me.  But.  I trained with Alan again today, and it went pretty well (Monday did too, but I couldn't see past my "mad" to realize it.) 

I'm a loner, and I'm ok with that.  But that part of me makes it difficult to accept a change, but I am going to turn it into a positive thing - because I need to change my ways and be a little more social, get out of my shell more often.  And I'm thinking about Alan's way of training, and maybe that's a good thing for me.  He's more into the focus of core and making each move count.  He also knows a lot of yoga moves, and those are sometimes incorporated into the workout.  After today's session, I even braved the elliptical for another half mile before leaving the gym :)

Within all this little bit of turmoil for me, it brought it home to me even more that I truly am a loner.  I've sort of dug that little niche for myself, and that's OK.  Most of the time.  But when I need support, an ear, some venting -- there isn't anyone in my life I can count on in a real way. Sure, I have friendly acquaintances and a gal pal I hang with at work for breaks and lunches.  But I'm always 'the strong one' - the one people come to for an ear or advice. 

But I liked a song I heard on the way home by P!nk ...
I'm not broken, just bent. 
(It's from her song Give Me a Reason) 
And its true. 
I'm not broken, maybe just a little bent. 

Things always get better. 
Always.
If you're willing to work at it.

Weigh In Weds

Yep... its that day again... weigh in Weds at the gym.  And today was a pretty good day!  Down another 3lbs, so that felt good, encouraging.  Yes, even though Russell measures body fat and does calculations to tell me I'm doing well.... I sure do like seeing it on the scale.  I just need to keep this up for a stretch.... just one more pound to go to reach the -40lbs mark! 

Russell worked me HARD today.  Lots of strength training, and he increased the amount of weight I'm lifting.  And I think I surprised him by just being a "go get 'em" kind of gal today, knocking out the reps in short time -- which left extra time for extra exercises on the cable machine, but that's ok, if felt good.  And, he took time to stretch me today, which felt wonderful too.  I've had a sore right hamstring or glut or both for about a week now, and I'm still trying to get it to heal up and feel right.  Maybe it means its time for a new pair of tennies for work -- sometimes a bad shoe will throw things off, so ... I'll be shopping this weekend!

Day 7 - Sleep On!

And I'm sure you can predict that I will say Yep, I'm tired!!!  Just that much work makes a body tired, but at the same time there were issues at home here that caused Sadie to not sleep, which caused ME to not sleep.....  what a cycle.

The problem with that is two sided -- not only is it hard to be efficient at my job, but when I'm tired, all I want to do is reach for comfort foods - because eating something just might help me feel better (when we all know what's needed is a good night's sleep!)

So I found on WebMD these little blurbs and that totally explains it:

Could lack of sleep be causing you to gain weight?

Think about it: If you’re feeling sleepy at work, you may be tempted to reach for a cup of coffee (or several cups) and a doughnut for a quick shot of energy. Later you may skip the gym and pick up takeout on your way home to your family -- no time to cook. When you finally find yourself back in your bed, you are too wound up to sleep.
 
“It’s not so much that if you sleep, you will lose weight, but if you are sleep-deprived, meaning that you are not getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly,” explains Michael Breus, PhD

The two hormones that are key in this process are ghrelin and leptin. “Ghrelin is the ‘go’ hormone that tells you when to eat, and when you are sleep-deprived, you have more ghrelin,” Breus says. “Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and when you are sleep deprived, you have less leptin.”

Well.  I don't know about you, but I feel better knowing this now!!  Sleep is important for everything to function properly, and if I'm not getting my sleep, my efforts (and money) at the gym are being totally wasted.   And I won't let that happen......

Gotta get my sleep on!!

Happy St Patrick's Day, everyone :)

Day 4

It was S.H.I.T day == So Happy Its Thursday!  hehehehe  I survived another day, even though not enough got done.  Only 6 more days to go.  When I think of it like that, my head hurts!  But I plod along, doing as much as I can .....

There was a celebration of sorts and my BigBox store provided lunch to celebrate 4th quarter earnings - there were sub sandwiches, chips, soda and cake.  Nothing real fancy, but I was diligent and stuck with my salad.  I had packed an extra protein bar in case the urge to indulge hit me, but I survived!  Sometimes its those little battles that are harder to fight than bigger issues! 

I'm gonna give myself a big pat on the back, I was checking numbers and stats and found that yesterday's weigh in was the mark of 35 pounds lost in the past year.  Yay!  When I realized that I'd reached a number I hadn't seen in ... ohhhh.... a long while... I remembered some custom sized toe rings I got when I still lived in California.  I slid them on my toes, and Taaa Daaaa!  they fit!  Who knew toes got chubby too???  *laughs*

Can't wait for sandal season to get here, and I can show them off :)

Here is today's quote from SparkPeople (where I do all my tracking)

And I think its important for us to remember.  So many of us gripe and want changes, but are unwilling to do those things that will create change.  It truly doesn't take much, its the little things that grow into bigger things that create change.  When I started at the gym, it was only 3 days a week; I could only walk for 20 mins on the treadmill and I was thrilled to be able to do one mile.  Now, two miles is the norm, but on days when I have a little extra time, my goal is 60 mins, or 3 miles, whichever comes first.  And my pace has increased, nothing less than 3.8 mph.  It took a while to build up, but just a little bit added up to bigger things.  The same can happen in our lives in other ways.  Maybe your goal is to be happier at work (yeah, I know, some things don't seem possible!! hahah)  but happiness is an attitude as much as anything else.  Sometimes all you have to do is smile.  It catches on and people smile back.  Pretty soon, people are smiling instead of being grumpies -- its the little things.  Got a project  that will take a lot of time?  Break it down into bite sized pieces, and do a little bit.  Pretty soon-- you're halfway there! 

Change isn't easy, but it's worth it!

Courage to Begin!

Every day is quite the day it seems.  While work is very busy, they are watching pennies .... errrr, hours.... and I'm over my allotted hours for the week, so I left at 10:45am. Which was really nice for some quality gym time!

Two miles on the elliptical and then half an hour on the weight machines - it was a leggy kind of day!  I'm sure it was an 80s song that went "she's got legs, and she knows how to use them..."  ahh yesss... ZZTop :)

One of the things that is so important about success is having courage to begin.  When I started going back to the gym last March and was approached about having a personal trainer, I wasn't sure doing that would be successful.  Being overweight all my life, and having tried what I felt was every combination of diet and exercise that never worked in the past, I was doubtful that a personal trainer would make any other difference.  But I realized right there that I was admitting defeat before I even got started.

One of the hardest things about losing weight is learning to change your habits.  But it seems to me its more important to realize that it took a lifetime -- for me 53 years -- to reach this point and I cannot expect changes to happen drastically or worse, magically!, overnight  Its a process.  I'll be the first to admit it sure is easier to put the pounds ON than it is to take them off.  A handful of m&ms (10 = 34 calories) can be popped into your mouth and eaten within seconds.  To work that same handful of m&ms off on the treadmill takes a whole lot longer.  (34 calories burns off in about 6 mins at 3mph on a treadmill).  *Personal note:  whoa - I can eat a whole lot more than 10 m&ms!!

But whether your battle is losing weight,
or something altogether different,
its still the same message: 
You have to begin. 

If you've begun your own battle with something - a great big hug and kudos to you!
It may not be easy, you may falter or feel like you're losing ground, but don't let that lose your focus on the bigger picture.  No one's perfect every day, all the time -- all we can strive for is to better more often than we falter in our steps.

I know I am.  I hope you are too! 

TS: Every day in every way,

get stronger and stronger.