I did something last weekend that is very rare for me.
I went shopping.
I've said before I hate to shop. Still do.
But, true to my norm, I went with a purpose. I went to replace a long string of fake pearls. I had a long one that could be doubled, used to could triple it before Scooter broke it the first time. And I found one. On sale even. Could have left then.
But the store was having a 50 to 70 percent off sale.
Surely I could look at the just a couple of sweater dresses? That wouldn't hurt would it?
Well, I spent too much money, but I got several very nice sweater dresses and one suit for work. With busy season hours, the sweater dresses are nice. They are comfortable for all day and still look nice.
But here's what I want to share. I've said before, and will continue to say, I'm more than just a number. I'm more than the number on the scale or the one on the label in the clothes.
But, true confession time now, it was really quite nice to be able to look at the rack where the size in the label is a single digit. Or a single letter that is not an L. It really made me feel very good inside. Because it's been a long time since I could. I believe I was just out of college the last time I could buy single-digit sized clothes.
I know that wasn't the purpose of the weight loss. Wasn't really even a consideration. I went two years before I even started buying new clothes so it wasn't foremost in my mind.
And I fought having to shop even then!
So it really was a pleasant surprise when I walked up to a rack and realized I was starting in the smaller sizes. Sort of like a bolt from the blue.
Lots of programs tell you to reward yourself with non-food treats when you meet goals or reach an achievement. And I have to agree. It was really pretty cool.
Now, when I got home, I laid the receipt on the bar, which is the rule in our house, but I circled in a BIG circle the amount SAVED. I felt like that would be the place to start. I did save more than I spent. Which is a very good thing.
So, if you're having trouble meeting a goal, then pick a reward. Maybe it's a massage or a facial. Maybe a new swimsuit. Find something you want and go for it!
Sometimes focusing on the reward at the end is easier than focusing on the journey to get there.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Know the Signs, Save a Life
Such an important reminder. This is the Denise Austin Newsletter for January 21. 2011.
Here in the United States, we're fighting a very tough killer: heart disease. Every year, 1.2 million people suffer a heart attack, and almost 40 percent of them die. It doesn't have to be that way! The faster a person having a heart attack gets medical care, the better his or her chances are for survival and recovery. And you can do something about that!
Whether you're 25 or 85, it's important to know the symptoms of a heart attack. While heart disease is more common among older individuals, young people sometimes experience heart attacks, too - many times without any history of heart disease. Even if you know your heart is strong and pumping, you probably come into contact throughout your day with people who are at risk. A simple way to be prepared is to make sure you recognize these signs of a heart attack, from the American Heart Association, so you can respond ASAP!
Chest pain or discomfort
Discomfort in other areas of the body, such as the arms, back, neck,
jaw, and stomach
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Nausea and vomiting
Light-headedness
Jaw pain
If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, call for emergency help right away!
As the new year brings new resolutions to exercise and get in shape, we sometimes overdo a good thing and add stress to our hearts. Hearts that may or may not have been given the best diet of late, if you know what I mean. Our hearts are so important and have to be taken care of! Part of that care is knowing the above signs (NEVER knew about jaw pain!) and paying attention.
Minutes matter.
I'll share a short story. In 2007, I found that I was having numbness in my right arm. I couldn't grasp things with that hand very well and it just didn't seem to work right. But it was intermittent and I just blew it off. Until one day at work the numbness started and was followed by a pain going across my chest. So I called my doctor's office and asked to speak to a nurse. I barely got the first sentence out of my mouth when she stopped me and said "get to an emergency room, now".
So I did.
I'll never forget calling Billy from the emergency room. Fortunately it started with "everything's ok but...".
I was lucky. A car wreck earlier in the year had messed up my neck and the pain and numbness were from a buldging disc in my neck. Another problem that actually could have caused a lot damage if I hadn't gotten to the doctor when I did.
My point is this. A lot of those warning signs are not big, dire, bells going off indicators. They are common, every day symptons that can easily be ignored or brushed off. Especially for those among us that think we're Super Woman and must do everything and do it all ourselves and so on.
You know who you are. Or you know someone does and needs you to keep an eye on THEM.
So, know your family history, know the signs, and get yourself checked as needed.
It's important.
Not just to you, but to all who love you.
Have a great weekend!
Here in the United States, we're fighting a very tough killer: heart disease. Every year, 1.2 million people suffer a heart attack, and almost 40 percent of them die. It doesn't have to be that way! The faster a person having a heart attack gets medical care, the better his or her chances are for survival and recovery. And you can do something about that!
Whether you're 25 or 85, it's important to know the symptoms of a heart attack. While heart disease is more common among older individuals, young people sometimes experience heart attacks, too - many times without any history of heart disease. Even if you know your heart is strong and pumping, you probably come into contact throughout your day with people who are at risk. A simple way to be prepared is to make sure you recognize these signs of a heart attack, from the American Heart Association, so you can respond ASAP!
Chest pain or discomfort
Discomfort in other areas of the body, such as the arms, back, neck,
jaw, and stomach
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Nausea and vomiting
Light-headedness
Jaw pain
If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, call for emergency help right away!
As the new year brings new resolutions to exercise and get in shape, we sometimes overdo a good thing and add stress to our hearts. Hearts that may or may not have been given the best diet of late, if you know what I mean. Our hearts are so important and have to be taken care of! Part of that care is knowing the above signs (NEVER knew about jaw pain!) and paying attention.
Minutes matter.
I'll share a short story. In 2007, I found that I was having numbness in my right arm. I couldn't grasp things with that hand very well and it just didn't seem to work right. But it was intermittent and I just blew it off. Until one day at work the numbness started and was followed by a pain going across my chest. So I called my doctor's office and asked to speak to a nurse. I barely got the first sentence out of my mouth when she stopped me and said "get to an emergency room, now".
So I did.
I'll never forget calling Billy from the emergency room. Fortunately it started with "everything's ok but...".
I was lucky. A car wreck earlier in the year had messed up my neck and the pain and numbness were from a buldging disc in my neck. Another problem that actually could have caused a lot damage if I hadn't gotten to the doctor when I did.
My point is this. A lot of those warning signs are not big, dire, bells going off indicators. They are common, every day symptons that can easily be ignored or brushed off. Especially for those among us that think we're Super Woman and must do everything and do it all ourselves and so on.
You know who you are. Or you know someone does and needs you to keep an eye on THEM.
So, know your family history, know the signs, and get yourself checked as needed.
It's important.
Not just to you, but to all who love you.
Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Who, Me, Stressed?
I finished Week 2 of my 9 week challenge.
What was I thinking?
Who starts a 9 week, 4 day a week, workout plan when they have to work 60 hours a week?
Honestly?
I finished last week 27 calories and about 20 minutes short of the goal. But I couldn't have worked out another minute if I'd wanted to. There was just too much going on.
Then Saturday came. Week 3. And that's when I decided to put the plan on hold. I had to get up, dress for work, work most of the day, and attend a Mardi Gras party that evening. Adding a 35 minute workout didn't seem feasible. Next thing I knew it was Sunday. Church, work, cooking, you name it. Then I fell asleep. But not before I'd spent the day trying to see if I could somehow squeeze out an hour and do Saturday and Sunday's scheduled workouts.
And it hit me. Exercise is supposed to be fun. At least enjoyable! Not an added stressor in my life. So my approach is going to be to workout on the nights I feel like it and not get all bent out of shape if I miss one. Or two.
Don't misunderstand-I'm not giving up. Not by a longshot! No, I'm just trying to work within my own limitations and make the best of it.
Today, for example, I rode my bike to work. Home for lunch then back again. A good way to squeeze in some exercise. And I'll keep using my Wii in the mornings and do the workouts at night as I can. Exercise makes you feel good, think better, stay healthy, and reduce stress.
As long as trying to exercise doesn't create the stress. Then, it's a chore. Work. And I already have plenty of that.
What was I thinking?
Who starts a 9 week, 4 day a week, workout plan when they have to work 60 hours a week?
Honestly?
I finished last week 27 calories and about 20 minutes short of the goal. But I couldn't have worked out another minute if I'd wanted to. There was just too much going on.
Then Saturday came. Week 3. And that's when I decided to put the plan on hold. I had to get up, dress for work, work most of the day, and attend a Mardi Gras party that evening. Adding a 35 minute workout didn't seem feasible. Next thing I knew it was Sunday. Church, work, cooking, you name it. Then I fell asleep. But not before I'd spent the day trying to see if I could somehow squeeze out an hour and do Saturday and Sunday's scheduled workouts.
And it hit me. Exercise is supposed to be fun. At least enjoyable! Not an added stressor in my life. So my approach is going to be to workout on the nights I feel like it and not get all bent out of shape if I miss one. Or two.
Don't misunderstand-I'm not giving up. Not by a longshot! No, I'm just trying to work within my own limitations and make the best of it.
Today, for example, I rode my bike to work. Home for lunch then back again. A good way to squeeze in some exercise. And I'll keep using my Wii in the mornings and do the workouts at night as I can. Exercise makes you feel good, think better, stay healthy, and reduce stress.
As long as trying to exercise doesn't create the stress. Then, it's a chore. Work. And I already have plenty of that.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Count On Yourself
Week One. Completed.
I told you all earlier that the EA Active 2 goals for this week were 4 workouts, total of 2 hours, and to burn 600 calories in the process. The 4 workouts were no problem. I picked the four days that I thought would be easiest and got up in the 4's a couple of mornings to get them in. I had planned on one of the nights being Wednesday but I put in an extremely long day, out of town, and I was just too exhausted. Even though I did it the next morning, it still counted as a miss, but I did get all four in.
I started to get concerned about the other two goals by the third day. The programs that it had for me didn't last 30 minutes a piece and the anticipated calorie burn was less than 150 each. On the last day, when I discovered the workout was not going to meet the last two goals I actually got angry.
My initial reaction was that the game had set me up to fail. It didn't structure my plan to meet the goals!
And then it hit me. I wasn't supposed to ONLY count on the game. I had to count on myself as well. There was nothing to say I could ONLY do 4 workouts, that was just one of the goals. And, furthermore, the goals for the week were actually 3 separate and distinct goals. Not one collective goal.
It hit me on the last day when I burned up more calories than expected (144 compared to 139). Maybe it was the anger fueling it, but I had pushed myself harder than what was expected of me. I could have been doing it all week.
That would have solved the calorie goal issue. I was less than 50 from that benchmark. The time, though, would have only been met with one extra workout. And not even a long one. Each day the workout got a few minutes longer than the previous so I probably only needed about 15 minutes.
All I needed was to raise my own bar above the expectation. Simple enough. The only person responsible for that is me.
I learned today that I have some control over the setting of the goals. I didn't have to just accept the "trainer's" recommendation. Since I didn't know yesterday that I was supposed to reset the goals myself, yesterday's workout didn't count. So I dialed all the levels back a little to account for it. It's not really cheating, I did the workout. 30 minutes and over 150 calories burned.
3 workouts, 499 calories, and 90 minutes to go.
I told you all earlier that the EA Active 2 goals for this week were 4 workouts, total of 2 hours, and to burn 600 calories in the process. The 4 workouts were no problem. I picked the four days that I thought would be easiest and got up in the 4's a couple of mornings to get them in. I had planned on one of the nights being Wednesday but I put in an extremely long day, out of town, and I was just too exhausted. Even though I did it the next morning, it still counted as a miss, but I did get all four in.
I started to get concerned about the other two goals by the third day. The programs that it had for me didn't last 30 minutes a piece and the anticipated calorie burn was less than 150 each. On the last day, when I discovered the workout was not going to meet the last two goals I actually got angry.
My initial reaction was that the game had set me up to fail. It didn't structure my plan to meet the goals!
And then it hit me. I wasn't supposed to ONLY count on the game. I had to count on myself as well. There was nothing to say I could ONLY do 4 workouts, that was just one of the goals. And, furthermore, the goals for the week were actually 3 separate and distinct goals. Not one collective goal.
It hit me on the last day when I burned up more calories than expected (144 compared to 139). Maybe it was the anger fueling it, but I had pushed myself harder than what was expected of me. I could have been doing it all week.
That would have solved the calorie goal issue. I was less than 50 from that benchmark. The time, though, would have only been met with one extra workout. And not even a long one. Each day the workout got a few minutes longer than the previous so I probably only needed about 15 minutes.
All I needed was to raise my own bar above the expectation. Simple enough. The only person responsible for that is me.
I learned today that I have some control over the setting of the goals. I didn't have to just accept the "trainer's" recommendation. Since I didn't know yesterday that I was supposed to reset the goals myself, yesterday's workout didn't count. So I dialed all the levels back a little to account for it. It's not really cheating, I did the workout. 30 minutes and over 150 calories burned.
3 workouts, 499 calories, and 90 minutes to go.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Motivational Monday
From Denise Ausin's Newsletter this morning:
Rethink Your Habits One Step at a Time!
I am a big believer in the power of small victories! The best way to get healthier and more fit is to take baby steps, to introduce good habits a few at a time.
When you try to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight, it's easy to burn out. But when you start with one small change and put your energy into making it a habit, the chances are a lot better that it will stick! Did you know that it takes about three weeks to establish a habit? If you can take a small, achievable step and make it a regular part of your life for three weeks, you should be able to stick to it permanently.
If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by the number of changes you want to make in your life, or if you're not sure how to get started, try this: Make a list of the changes you'd like to make, big and small. Include anything you can think of. Now go over the list and pick out one change to start with. Make it something that you feel is achievable at this stage of your life - for example, you may not be able to make over your entire diet, but maybe you can fit in one more vegetable each day in place of a less healthy food. Or you may not have time to join an aerobics class, but maybe you can start taking a walk most nights after dinner. Pick something you think you can accomplish, and put your energy into making it happen! You'll be so happy when you can check this item off of your list.
Once you feel confident that you've accomplished this small change, add another item from your list to your efforts. And don't forget to keep track of the changes you've already made! Nothing is more inspiring than knowing that you can - and have - accomplished changes in your life. Be proud along this journey!
And, by the way, feeling muscles this morning I'd forgotten about after Day 2 on the EA Active 2. Roughly halfway through this week's goals: 55 minutes and 274 calories. And I'm just marginally ahead of what the game predicted so the next two workouts must be a little longer and a little tougher to get to 2 hours and 600 calories. Good thing today is a rest day!
And thanks for all the positive comments on the first post. TOGETHER, we can do this!
Rethink Your Habits One Step at a Time!
I am a big believer in the power of small victories! The best way to get healthier and more fit is to take baby steps, to introduce good habits a few at a time.
When you try to overhaul your entire lifestyle overnight, it's easy to burn out. But when you start with one small change and put your energy into making it a habit, the chances are a lot better that it will stick! Did you know that it takes about three weeks to establish a habit? If you can take a small, achievable step and make it a regular part of your life for three weeks, you should be able to stick to it permanently.
If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed by the number of changes you want to make in your life, or if you're not sure how to get started, try this: Make a list of the changes you'd like to make, big and small. Include anything you can think of. Now go over the list and pick out one change to start with. Make it something that you feel is achievable at this stage of your life - for example, you may not be able to make over your entire diet, but maybe you can fit in one more vegetable each day in place of a less healthy food. Or you may not have time to join an aerobics class, but maybe you can start taking a walk most nights after dinner. Pick something you think you can accomplish, and put your energy into making it happen! You'll be so happy when you can check this item off of your list.
Once you feel confident that you've accomplished this small change, add another item from your list to your efforts. And don't forget to keep track of the changes you've already made! Nothing is more inspiring than knowing that you can - and have - accomplished changes in your life. Be proud along this journey!
And, by the way, feeling muscles this morning I'd forgotten about after Day 2 on the EA Active 2. Roughly halfway through this week's goals: 55 minutes and 274 calories. And I'm just marginally ahead of what the game predicted so the next two workouts must be a little longer and a little tougher to get to 2 hours and 600 calories. Good thing today is a rest day!
And thanks for all the positive comments on the first post. TOGETHER, we can do this!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Day, New Year, New Plan, Same Goal
I hope to blog more in the near future. Even if no one else reads it, it helps keep me accountable. 1/1/11 and all is well.
At least so far.
I journaled my weight and food eaten and exercise. Just like I used to. Which I know works.
I started the 9 week fitness plan on the EA Active 2 game for the Wii. It works you out for four days a week for nine weeks. There are also weekly goals. This week the goals are 4 workouts totaling 2 hours and burning 600 calories. Today, first workout done, took 25 minutes and burned 134 calories.
I'm on my way!
Happy New Year to everyone! May you aim for the stars and reach your goals in the process! My wish for all is a happy and healthy 2011.
At least so far.
I journaled my weight and food eaten and exercise. Just like I used to. Which I know works.
I started the 9 week fitness plan on the EA Active 2 game for the Wii. It works you out for four days a week for nine weeks. There are also weekly goals. This week the goals are 4 workouts totaling 2 hours and burning 600 calories. Today, first workout done, took 25 minutes and burned 134 calories.
I'm on my way!
Happy New Year to everyone! May you aim for the stars and reach your goals in the process! My wish for all is a happy and healthy 2011.
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