"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start,
anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." ~ Anonymous

Monday, January 18, 2016

Weigh-In - Hanging Tight

I had every intention of getting this post up on Saturday and then *BAM* allergy attack from hell.  So weird and so frustrating....but ... let's get on with things. 

Today's Weight:  194.0 
Loss/Gain:  +/- 0

I'm good with that. The week wasn't as on-plan as I would've liked, and I originally thought I was up a pound, but when I looked at my previous weight I saw that I maintained.  Woot!  

This week I did get back to good, regular exercise and it felt good.  

I went to Cycle Class on Thursday and Saturday and remembered how much I love that class.  

My husband is so kind to let me take his picture at Cycle Class. :)
It looks like BodyPump and Cycle will be the classes I can fit in my week, and then I'll simply get to the gym to use the Arc Trainer or walk/jog on a treadmill if nothing else. I'm still figuring out how much I can push myself in BodyPump and the Cycle class to make it through the class and still be able to walk for the next 24 hours.  :) 

So, onward I go.  I took a recent picture with some friends after lunch on Friday and realized again how I need to get my health back on track.  I'm not all about doing this for the looks, but just like it was hard to imagine myself as small as I had gotten it's easy to not realize how big I've gotten as well.  

Photos don't lie and they are good reminders of where we are at.  :) 

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

[Healthier] Pizza & BodyPump

I hesitate to try new "healthier" foods on my family;  there seems to be an aversion to adapted recipes for the sake of health.  I don't blame them.  Healthier foods have only made a regular appearance in my life for the sake of better health, not always because I love them. 

However, this twist on pizza caught my attention, so I decided to give it a go.  I picked Saturday to debut my new meal so the family had plenty of time to figure out another meal if they didn't like my idea. 

I bought flat breads and we made pizzas with them.  I set out everything like a toppings bar and invited them to top their pizzas with what they wanted after I put sauce on the crusts. 

And....


They loved it!  In fact, as we were enjoying our individual pizzas they suggested we make this a weekly tradition.  

Would you look at that.  

The only difference between our homemade healthier pizzas and what we buy at the local parlor were a whole wheat, flax seed flat bread for the crust, but I thought that would be enough to gross them out.  

Nope.  

We will definitely be doing that again.  (In fact, don't tell them, but I've been having one for lunch each day with veggies and grilled chicken.  yum!) 

Another thing I will be doing again is taking the BodyPump class at the YMCA. 

In Jacksonville I took a class similar to this, but it was more of a circuit style with cardio between sets.  This is pure strength, switching out weights for different parts of the body, and it is kicking my butt. 

It's humbling to attend a class like this and wear my running t-shirts (because they are the only ones that fit, and barely so).  I feel like, "Yeah, I can run for 3 miles, but I need to put down the bar for lunges because my legs are dying now." 

Today's instructor was much more to my liking that the one from the Monday classes.  No real reason why, but I liked her teaching style. 

Okay, I do know why... she explained why we were doing things we were doing and what you needed to do to work the correct muscle and not injure yourself.  She also asked right away if there was anyone new to the class and I don't remember the other lady doing that.  

Of course, I was too prideful to act like I was new, but I did mention to a lady nearby that it had been six months since I worked out like that and I think the instructor heard, because she would say, "...or if it's been a while since you worked out.."  :)  

Again, it's humbling to see just how big I've gotten and how out of shape I am, but it's also a good reality check and I'm grateful.  

So, on I go.  Trying new things and liking them.  And continuing the fight to not let my weight get the best of me.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, January 9, 2016

Weigh-In: My Current State

After a 5-pound gain over Christmas week I started off January 1, 2016 at...

197.5 lbs. 

Today's weight:  194.0
Loss/Gain:  -3.5 lbs.

Because I'm all about being honest about my health journey I also took new "before" pictures.  Actually, as my daughter was taking them I told her, "No, not 'before' pictures, but 'current' pictures.  This is a life long journey and these photos simply represent where I'm at right now." 

She smiled, because she is good like that.  :) 

So, now you know.  

I was okay with the added weight, not caring because of all else that happened last year, until I had to confess where I was at.  But I am not letting it be more than motivation of what needs to happen.  

I am in a much better place mentally to deal with my weight and I know it will come off.  It's one of those things I know you -- my observers, friends and general audience -- will just have to wait and see, because I've said it before.

But let me tell you, this "knowing" I feel is not the exuberant, "Yea!  I'm ready! Let's do this!! I'm gonna be one fit mama at graduation!!"

No, it's more like a calmer, "Yes.  I have a plan and I am going to take it one day at a time."  

I feel I will reach the end goal by simply following my plans each day and not worrying about the end.

Thanks for joining me for more chapters in my new ending in life.  As always...I will never give up. 

And if you're wondering what my plans are you can read all about them here:


Friday, January 8, 2016

My Plans for 2016

This year I was hesitant to set goals for 2016.  Something about two years in a row with life changing events made me nervous about trying again to have any health plans for the year.  Shoot, it made me nervous to make any kind of plans.  

So, I did some pondering, perusing and praying (as I posted a few minutes ago here) and I made up my own sheet to note my plans for 2016.  It's going to be folded in half and tucked in my Midori-style Journal later on.  



In a more legible format....

2016
My word:  CONFIDENCE
live it.  learn it.  teach it.
in God.  in myself.  in others.

This WILL happen: 

  • The girls graduate in June and will move to universities in summer. 
  • I will have a healthy and happy marriage.
This NEEDS to happen:
  • De-Clutter ... house and photos and boxes of stuff that hasn't been open in years.
  • Get to a healthier weight. 
This CAN happen:
  • Blog weekly at both sites.  a.k.a.  WRITE.
  • Get photos in albums.
  • Save up for big ticket items.
My motivation:  
  "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.   Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth;  shall you not know it?  I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."  Isaiah  43:18-19

THE ACTIONS TO MAKE THESE HAPPEN
  • I will not let self-doubt creep in, but will hold those thoughts and compare if they are true or not.  If not, I will let them go.  (understanding if it's a lesson I need to learn and not at attack on my person I will learn from it...)
  • The girls will do the school work!  I will plan a party, mail announcements, take Senior pictures and drive w/ my husband to move them...among other things.  :)
  • I will pray for my husband and keep our marriage a priority.  (Among so many distractions and "uglies" this can get lost and I decided it needed to be part of my goals this year, even though it's always something I strive to work on.)
  • KON MARIE METHOD!!  and NO NEW PROJECTS until this is complete... even if it takes all year.  
  • 21-Day Fix to get healthier choices and portions back in order.  YMCA - I will exercise at least 4-5 days a week, but my focus will be food as I am to hit 160 again.
[Insert pink note to self]
  The rest will only happen if the time needed to do so is "my best YES", or the best use of my time and money.
  • I want to write more, so blogging is how I will do it this year/for now.
  • I will use the Project Life App to document 2016, but only start other albums after I've organized photos.  Again...as I can.
  • If there are funds ... new bike for my husband and cookware and a bookcase for me/the house. 
So, there you have it!  I have plans.  They are realistic.  They fit the stage of life I'm in right now.  And they are plans that when completed will leave room for other dreams and possibilities I have for my future.  

Thanks for checking in.  I look forward to a good year ahead...one day at a time.  



Before I Announce My Plans for 2016

The kids are back in school and we are settling back into our regular schedule.  It's nice.  It gives me time to get on paper what has been going through my mind with regards to my goals or plans for this next year.  

I never used to set goals for a year, or New Years Resolutions, especially on here, because my "years" kind of begin and end in May as far as my health journey goes.  Then three years ago I thought I'd go ahead and set some goals, because my husband was getting ready to deploy and I felt having some goals to distract me while he was gone would be good.  

And it was.  I made goals.  I kept my goals.  And I finished 2013 feeling strong and in charge.

So, I set goals again for 2014 aaand... my mom died in January and then my son was in a major accident in March.  Between handling the grief of losing my mother and the care my son needed during his convalescence and months of physical therapy afterwards I felt derailed from my health journey.   

But a year ago I thought I was ready to get back on track.  We had a new adventure awaiting and I was ready to take care of the year and tackle our new move strong and in charge. 

Well, I did tackle it, but it went nothing like I had planned it would.  The "big ugly personal thing I can't share" was going on in my life and, again, I felt derailed from my health journey.  In fact, this time I felt like my weight was so much less of an issue that I didn't really care most of the time.  Which also meant I ate like I didn't care a lot of the time, and proceeded to gain more weight.

So, as December came to an end and I truly felt thankful that the "big ugly" was so much better, I finally felt ready to tackle my weight again.  The "big ugly" had a way of making me think about a lot of things and learn to prioritize.  

I looked over goal sheets and I read a few blog posts about new years and new goals.  I prayed and I put a plan in place and pondered how or whether I would share my plans for this next year. 

Ultimately, I've decided I will have some goals, but this is how they will be handled:

  • I will make plans, set a few goals, but I will learn from the past and make sure they are the best plans for me and my situation.  
  • I will not feel the pressure by many blogs, websites, pinterest boards, etc. to make my plans fit their goal sheets.
  • My goals will not be ones that end on December 31, 2016, but goals that are stepping stones to future goals for my life and my family.


So, up next.  My plans for 2016.  :)  It's going to be a good year!