Ash Wednesday was yesterday and so begins Lent. So I thought about what I wanted to give up, what would challenge me and what would be good for me. I chose two things to give up Facebook and sugar. With Facebook I can't post, comment or stalk for 40+ days. So far so good!! In regards to the sugar ... I am reading all ingredients and if sugar lands in the first five ingredients then I can't eat it. This will be a challenge but in the end will be very good for me. Walking away from Facebook will be good for me too. I need to work on my Time Management skills when it comes to school work and I don't need to be waisting my time on Facebook. The funny thing about not being able to post anything is throughout the day I think about things that I would post on the book...comments or things that happened but I can't. Now I have to communicate with friends the old fashion way!!
Just trying to stay the course
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Lazy Slug...
...that's what I feel like lately. A lazy slug! I have not worked out since Tuesday. Crazy is I ventured out in Chicago as soon as the blizzard ended but I get back to New York and I haven't stepped into the gym yet. I don't know what is wrong ... just haven't felt like doing much. What is also bad is my school work has suffered this week as well.
It has become my routine to go to the gym after work and then stay on campus to do school work. I find if I go home to do school work I have adult onset ADD. I end up watching TV; doing laundry or find anything else to do besides school work. Of course I miss one day of school work I get behind and if I miss one day of a workout, lately, I end up feeling like a lazy slug. So can you imagine how I feel if I have missed four days...
Tomorrow is a new day ... my running shoes are longing for the pavement and there is school work to be done...plus I need to get out of this funk before it goes on for too long.
It has become my routine to go to the gym after work and then stay on campus to do school work. I find if I go home to do school work I have adult onset ADD. I end up watching TV; doing laundry or find anything else to do besides school work. Of course I miss one day of school work I get behind and if I miss one day of a workout, lately, I end up feeling like a lazy slug. So can you imagine how I feel if I have missed four days...
Tomorrow is a new day ... my running shoes are longing for the pavement and there is school work to be done...plus I need to get out of this funk before it goes on for too long.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
The Coat...
When trying to lose weight you will find yourself reading articles, books or posts that will give you suggestions to help you succeed. I know I do and I can almost guarantee that I am not alone.
When it comes to measuring your success everyone usually uses the almighty scale. This thin box can make or break you. It can make you feel like you are on top of the world or it can make you feel lower than dirt. I once saw a cartoon with two kids standing near a scale. One child said to the other, "don't stand on that, it can make you cry". I laughed at the cartoon but I also thought to myself that is so true. So are there other ways to measure?
When reading the articles, books and posts an individual trying to lose weight is encouraged to find other ways to measure weight loss. You can use how your clothes are fitting, measure inches on your body or maybe it is just how you feel physically and mentally.
So you are probably wondering why I am talking about this? Well here is goes. Earlier this week I was walking on campus. I was actually walking from the gym while it was snowing during the day. I started to cross an intersection, slipped on the snow and down I went. I know you are not surprised that I fell, being the klutz that I am. So after I fell I jumped up as fast as I could but I was covered in snow, slush and dirt. The winter coat I was wearing was now wet and dirty. I brought the coat home, hung it up but knew I didn't have time to take it to the dry cleaners. So then I had to ask myself what will I wear now? It was too cold for my winter vests and the fleece jackets weren't going to do it either. So I reached into the back of the closet and pulled out a long black winter coat that is probably 8+ years old. The coat is still in great shape because I barely wear it. The reason why I don't wear this coat is because for many years I wasn't able to button it closed.
So the moment of truth came on Wednesday morning. I was ready to leave for work and I put the coat on. I was in shocked, not only did it button close but it closed easily with extra room. I didn't need the scale this week, I had a way to measure my hard work and I was a success.
However the measurements are not over. I thought the black coat said it all but I was wrong. On Friday I was curious so I stepped on the scale and it was down an additional half pound. Not a huge loss but a loss just the same.
But wait there is more ... I feel like I am doing an infomercial ... if you call now you can get more for a low price. After a few weeks of no work travel I was back on the road this morning. I was taking a flight to Chicago, heading right into a blizzard, but that is a story for another day. I got on the plane took my seat, got settled and then buckled my seat belt. Not only was I able to buckle my seat belt I was able to pull it tight. That hasn't happened in a long time. Over a year ago there was one flight that I had to actually ask for an extension and today I pulled the seat belt "tight across your lap".
Woo Hoo
Using other measurements helps to build you up!
GO Patriots!!
When it comes to measuring your success everyone usually uses the almighty scale. This thin box can make or break you. It can make you feel like you are on top of the world or it can make you feel lower than dirt. I once saw a cartoon with two kids standing near a scale. One child said to the other, "don't stand on that, it can make you cry". I laughed at the cartoon but I also thought to myself that is so true. So are there other ways to measure?
When reading the articles, books and posts an individual trying to lose weight is encouraged to find other ways to measure weight loss. You can use how your clothes are fitting, measure inches on your body or maybe it is just how you feel physically and mentally.
So you are probably wondering why I am talking about this? Well here is goes. Earlier this week I was walking on campus. I was actually walking from the gym while it was snowing during the day. I started to cross an intersection, slipped on the snow and down I went. I know you are not surprised that I fell, being the klutz that I am. So after I fell I jumped up as fast as I could but I was covered in snow, slush and dirt. The winter coat I was wearing was now wet and dirty. I brought the coat home, hung it up but knew I didn't have time to take it to the dry cleaners. So then I had to ask myself what will I wear now? It was too cold for my winter vests and the fleece jackets weren't going to do it either. So I reached into the back of the closet and pulled out a long black winter coat that is probably 8+ years old. The coat is still in great shape because I barely wear it. The reason why I don't wear this coat is because for many years I wasn't able to button it closed.
So the moment of truth came on Wednesday morning. I was ready to leave for work and I put the coat on. I was in shocked, not only did it button close but it closed easily with extra room. I didn't need the scale this week, I had a way to measure my hard work and I was a success.
However the measurements are not over. I thought the black coat said it all but I was wrong. On Friday I was curious so I stepped on the scale and it was down an additional half pound. Not a huge loss but a loss just the same.
But wait there is more ... I feel like I am doing an infomercial ... if you call now you can get more for a low price. After a few weeks of no work travel I was back on the road this morning. I was taking a flight to Chicago, heading right into a blizzard, but that is a story for another day. I got on the plane took my seat, got settled and then buckled my seat belt. Not only was I able to buckle my seat belt I was able to pull it tight. That hasn't happened in a long time. Over a year ago there was one flight that I had to actually ask for an extension and today I pulled the seat belt "tight across your lap".
Woo Hoo
Using other measurements helps to build you up!
GO Patriots!!
Sunday, January 18, 2015
I cheated ...
I cheated ... I stepped on the scale early. When I posted five days ago I said I would wait until Monday to step on the scale. Well curiosity got the best of me this morning and I stepped on the scale. The scale moved and I was happy. I am down 1.5 pounds ... FINALLY!!! I know that shouldn't be my only focus but the frustration of a scale not moving gets the best of me!!
Tomorrow morning I have an appointment with my diabetes nurse expert (for lack of a better word). My numbers aren't consistent so I am curious to see what she has to say. She wanted my numbers to be in a certain range every morning. I only hit that range 3 times since I saw her last. They have been low in the morning but not always low enough. So tomorrow could be interesting.
I missed three workouts this week. Wednesday I had planned on a workout, packed my bag and everything. However, I forgot that I had a conference call planned at 5:15 for work and by the time it was done the gym was closed. Thursday, I had also planned a workout but had to stay later at work to finish a few things and the gym was closed by the time I was done. The students will be back this week so the gym will go back to regular hours thank God!!! I walked yesterday and I will do something today I just don't know how far. I am fighting a head cold and I have to see how I feel. However, I promise to get something done today.
Keep moving forward.
Tomorrow morning I have an appointment with my diabetes nurse expert (for lack of a better word). My numbers aren't consistent so I am curious to see what she has to say. She wanted my numbers to be in a certain range every morning. I only hit that range 3 times since I saw her last. They have been low in the morning but not always low enough. So tomorrow could be interesting.
I missed three workouts this week. Wednesday I had planned on a workout, packed my bag and everything. However, I forgot that I had a conference call planned at 5:15 for work and by the time it was done the gym was closed. Thursday, I had also planned a workout but had to stay later at work to finish a few things and the gym was closed by the time I was done. The students will be back this week so the gym will go back to regular hours thank God!!! I walked yesterday and I will do something today I just don't know how far. I am fighting a head cold and I have to see how I feel. However, I promise to get something done today.
Keep moving forward.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Wish the scale would move
I realize that my 2015 word is HEALTH but I am human and I want the scale to move too. I know I am doing all of this to better my health but again I want the scale to move. Prior to Christmas I broke the 30 pound mark for a total of 31. After the holidays I am still holding at 31 pounds. I understand that I should look at the glass as half full and tell myself that I am happy I didn't gain any weight over the holidays but I am losing patience. I am happy I didn't gain any weight but when I start to lose patience it can get ugly. I want to keep moving forward but I would like to see the scale move too. I would love even a half a pound.
So what do I do ... I hide the scale until Monday. Instead of stressing about it, thinking about it too much or focusing on it I hid the scale. It's just a number right? Waiting 6 days until I can weigh myself is not a bad thing. I need to focus on HEALTH. My workouts; food intake; sleep etc. Monday will be here before we know it.
The scale better move!!!
So what do I do ... I hide the scale until Monday. Instead of stressing about it, thinking about it too much or focusing on it I hid the scale. It's just a number right? Waiting 6 days until I can weigh myself is not a bad thing. I need to focus on HEALTH. My workouts; food intake; sleep etc. Monday will be here before we know it.
The scale better move!!!
Sunday, January 11, 2015
27.43 miles
In the last 11 days I have run a total of 27.43 miles. Just keep moving forward is my mantra! The best part of this update is that the running that I have been doing over the last 11+ days hasn't been a chore. I have actually enjoyed hitting the pavement. It has been empowering and peaceful at the same time. I am just hoping I can keep this up! 19 more weeks until the marathon!
I was recently reading through some past blogs and I realize that I have not given you all an update on my water drinking challenge. Back in November I challenged myself to drink a gallon of water a day for 28 days. I have to admit it was tough. A gallon of water is a lot to drink in one day. Keep in mind it is not the only thing that I drank so add a gallon onto my morning cup(s) of caffeine and/or other liquids and it is tough. Some days I achieved my goal and other days I missed by a few ounces here and there. I am glad I took the challenge on because I realized I didn't drink as much water as I thought. I thought I drank a lot of water throughout the day but I wasn't even close.
The positives that came out of drinking that much water. I limited my cups of caffeine (Tea) and also cut out soda. In the 28 days that I took this challenge on, I had one soda. I was at a work event and I needed a caffeine pick me up and soda was my only option. Since I finished the challenge, I haven't had a soda. I think I broke the habit!
So how much water am I drinking now? 80 ounces a day is my goal...it seems reasonable and doable!
Just keep moving forward.
I was recently reading through some past blogs and I realize that I have not given you all an update on my water drinking challenge. Back in November I challenged myself to drink a gallon of water a day for 28 days. I have to admit it was tough. A gallon of water is a lot to drink in one day. Keep in mind it is not the only thing that I drank so add a gallon onto my morning cup(s) of caffeine and/or other liquids and it is tough. Some days I achieved my goal and other days I missed by a few ounces here and there. I am glad I took the challenge on because I realized I didn't drink as much water as I thought. I thought I drank a lot of water throughout the day but I wasn't even close.
The positives that came out of drinking that much water. I limited my cups of caffeine (Tea) and also cut out soda. In the 28 days that I took this challenge on, I had one soda. I was at a work event and I needed a caffeine pick me up and soda was my only option. Since I finished the challenge, I haven't had a soda. I think I broke the habit!
So how much water am I drinking now? 80 ounces a day is my goal...it seems reasonable and doable!
Just keep moving forward.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Happy New Year! 2015 The Year of Mo!!
While I was off from work this past week I had the time to watch many of the morning news programs. Something I enjoy but I am not able to do normally. The last few days the focus on these morning news programs was the New Year and resolutions. One suggestion was made instead of listing resolutions come up with a word or phrase that defines your resolutions.
After I heard this I started thinking. Obviously resolutions are not for me. It is obvious if you look at my post from a year ago when I listed 10 resolutions but only completed 3 1/2 of them. So I decided instead of resolutions I would set goals. I do better with goals that have a beginning, a middle and an end. And I wrapped those goals into one word and one phrase.
My one word --HEALTH
My phrase -- MEDICATION FREE
Knowing that I am a triathlete and a runner you can guarantee that I have set race goals for myself for 2015. These goals will feed into "health" and "medication free". The following list are my event goals:
February 2015 - Lake Effect Half Marathon (registered)
March 2015 - Syracuse Half Marathon (registered)
May 2015 - Vermont City Marathon (registered)
July 2015 - Gillie Girl Triathlon (waiting for registration to open)
August 2015 - Cayuga Triathlon (registered)
Ultimate goal -- Open Water 3 mile Swim in Lake George, NY (waiting for registration to open)
Finally, what do I want? I want my health! I want to be healthy! How will I get there? One step at a time. Everything I do and every choice I make I will keep my "one word" and "my phrase" in mind ... will this get me what I want!
I have announced this in year's past but this year I believe it ... 2015 is the YEAR OF MO!! A year to take care of me in order to accomplish my goals.
There is a Japanese Proverb that states: "Fall seven times, get up eight".
Happy New Year!! Take advantage of your blank slate, your untraveled road and the blank first page of your book!!
Tri-ing to get the fire book!!
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