Earning Your Rewards

My cousin Darla has another blog and yesterday she mentioned her kids not needing to eat breakfast since they were getting donuts. I told her I was going to let that comment pass. She assured me that the kids, and not the adults, get donuts at Sunday School on the first Sunday of the month.

Still gonna let it go since they are kids and all kids love donuts, but eating habits are formed in the young.

Anyway, it brought to mind my own childhood. My mom and dad taught my 5th grade Sunday School class. Actually, Mom taught and Dad was "crowd control". He was kind of a big man and could be pretty intimidating to rowdy 10 and 11 year olds. My mom used donuts as a reward for learning the books of the Bible. You got a donut hole if you like 5 or 10 straight, a donut if you did a whole Testament and a Texas donut if you could name all the books of Bible in order without a mistake.

Texas donuts were the size of dinner plates.

Have I mentioned that I am an overachiever?

Food is often used as a reward. While I'm not necessarily against that in principle, you do have to watch it if your goal is to lose weight. Having a bowl of ice cream or a piece of cake or an extra slice of pizza because you dropped a few pounds or ran an extra mile or rode your bike today really can be counterproductive. Not in an individual case so much as the pattern you are establishing.

The opposite is true also. Food shouldn't be used when things are going well. You can't allow yourself to let up just because you've hit a wall. You can't just give up and say one of this won't hurt I'm not losing any weight anyway.

Food is the fuel for our bodies. No more no less. We can still enjoy it and have celebrations with it but you can't give it a power that it doesn't possess. It is what it is.

So look at non-food rewards for those milestones. New clothes or shoes or a massage or whatever. And when you hit the wall or a slump, as I have right now, then change something up. Add a new exercise, or push your comfort level a little on an existing routine. Surprising your body is usually the best way to get to wake up and respond.

Now go have a great day! (Hopefully easy on the donuts)

Inspiration

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/golf-videos/meet-butch-lumpkin-9477

Click here: Meet Butch Lumpkin - Golf Video Golf Channel

Find a way to watch this video (I don't think the links are working well) and I hope no one ever really complains about how hard we have it.



ANYTHING is possible if we want it bad enough and are willing to work.

Denise Austin's Thought for the Day

Some people dream about success; others wake up and work at it. You can do it!
— Denise

Part 2

I have now the confirmed the reason that I was the volleyball MANAGER for the Ole Main Lady Wildcats. I actually was not doing too badly on bumping the ball and hitting the target - until Billy came downstairs and started watching. At that moment I got hit in the face with the volleyball.

Apparently volleyball is not a spectator sport for me.

Limitations

OK, basketball on the Wii is VERY interesting. Tomorrow night, volleyball. Oy vey!

Hello!

I guess you all thought I fell off the Earth! I didn't. I did have a little mishap over the weekend that has made typing a challenge so I've been trying not to do it any more than I have to, when I'm not working, that is.

Here is my update after week one of Active's 30 Day Challenge:

1. It is a good workout. These challenge days focus more on strength training and toning but there is a little cardio mixed in. They are only about 20 minutes long so it is a mix of lots of different activities. I really do work up a sweat, though, in that short amount of time!

2. When it says the day is a Rest day, it means it. I was chided twice last week for not resting on the day I was supposed to. On one of those days I did one of the preset workouts and on the other I built a custom one. I don't know who gave EA Sports the dictionary, but their version of an "Easy" workout did not agree with mine! I worked up more of a sweat with that one than I had the previous two days!

3. The custom workout was good, but I missed some of the other tabs to select activities from so mine was not as varied as I wanted, and I only did it for about a 15 minute time span. I was supposed to be resting you know!

4. I like the journal and all the "trophies" you can earn. Got one for walking the dogs outside for an hour (the Fresh Air trophy) and have some for so many laps on the track and for building a custom workout, etc. I know they are just pretend, but I like watching the screen fill up with colors as I achieve the goals. Kind of cool.

5. There is a lot of good feedback. I've been scolded for not eating enough vegetables or drinking enough water, but it loves that I don't eat fast food and that I make working out a priority.

So, I'm looking forward to the next week to see what lies in store. Today is a rest day, and I will rest. I think I'll need it. I've been told I'm being introduced to basketball tomorrow. Can't wait to see how that works!

Everyone, GET MOVING and have a great day!

NEW TOY!

I got a new game last night and I'm very excited about it!

EA Sports launched at new Wii fitness game yesterday at 9 AM. I think Billy had me a copy just after lunch.

I'm very impressed right now and I'll keep you posted. It appears to do the one thing that I wished the Wii Fit would do - string together exercises for a routine. I'm starting with the 30 day challenge and each day (work out two days, rest one day) there is a different routine to follow - about 20 minutes worth of work. They combine cardio (running, tennis, boxing) and strength training. The game comes with a resistance band for the upper body work. There is also a journal to keep track of the number of glasses of water you drank, what other activities you participated in, servings of fruits and vegetables you ate. Not real detailed but more of a survey type format. It sets goals for that day and you get a medal for achieving the goals.

The first goal for me was a 20 minute workout to burn 98 calories. I burned 102. This morning it was 116 calories and I burned 135. Overachiever.

You are supposed to be able to design your own workout routines and I will investigate that after I work through the preset ones and see what all is available.

So I'm adding a new wrinkle to my fitness program. That usually helps wake your body up from doing the same old thing every day.

Hopefully you'll follow along on my 30 days and let's see where I end up!

Clarifications

I just reread today's post and realized it didn't make sense in a couple of places.

1. I've lost 20 pounds only since this time last year. I'm at 50 total over the two year period. That is the reference point for the 53 lost and a little rebound. The rebound was 3 pounds not 33.

2. The first sentence should say - if you have a Wii, jump on it....

3. And yes, I know that 363 days is not a full year, but let's not quibble.

Apparently I should not post while partying...

A Year in Review

Today was number 363 on the Wii. (I have to tell you, if you have one, be sure to jump on it on your birthday. The animated balance board wears a party hat and confetti falls all over. Very cute. Very festive.)

Anyway, I stopped to think about how far I've come in the last year - aside from the 20 pounds I lost. Almost exactly 20 pounds. Now, for those who follow regularly you'll note that I had actually gotten down to 53 pounds lost but I rebounded a little. The important part about that is to remind you that it happens. It happens to everyone. You will hit plateaus, brick walls and completely go in the wrong direction for a while. Don't worry. Stick with your plan. Understand that it is a part of the process. Don't let it get you down and derail you.

So, what else have I gained besides those 3 pounds? I have a high score of 635 in the soccer ball heading and I can routinely complete the advanced table tilt game. That means my balance has greatly improved. In fact, the Wii no longer asks me if I trip when I walk. That was a big bonus. I can do most of the yoga poses - without falling over. I can fairly easily jog for 30 minutes. Something I wouldn't have considered a year ago. I can do the advanced levels on most of the balance games, but sitting still in the Zen game for 3 minutes still presents a challenge.

I can also play real tennis for about an hour or ninety minutes. And actually play tennis. Not just try to hit a ball against the wall. Not going to join a league any time soon, but I'm so far ahead of where I was this time last year.

Anyway, I see progress. I see a year well spent. I see a person in the mirror that is happy with herself. I also see taking on new challenges. Continuing to push myself just a little more. I see someone who is fit and healthy.

I see me.

Definitions

In my other blog today I talked about labels. I'd like to do the same thing here but in a different context.

For this blog, I want to think about how we can allow labels to define us, or not define us. In my case, there are two important labels that can be attached to me.

I am an asthmatic and I am a diabetic.

Facts, plain and simple. But what I do with those labels, or about those labels, is what makes a difference. As an asthmatic I can qualify for handicap parking. I consider myself very fortunate, though, that I don't have to have it. And why don't I? Because I don't let it define me. Yes, it is a big part of my life and a condition that I can't ignore. The results of that could be fatal. I was very sick growing up. But my parents asked what could be done to improve the situation.

Swimming.

I started improving my lung function. Then I added aerobics (it was the 80s!) and more exercise. I kept trying to improve my lungs so I could do more. Now, will I ever run a marathon - doubtful. Don't know that I could improve to that point. But I did do a 50 mile walk once, over a 3 day period. And I walk quite a bit now as a part of my every day life. And I swim in the summers when I can. So, while I have to be vigilant and watch out for my triggers and keep my inhaler close in case of emergencies, I don't let that one label be an obstacle to my health.

Same thing for diabetes. I use it to my advantage. For years I eliminated just about anything with added sugar. No desserts. No cookies, ice cream, nothing. People looked at me like I was crazy and I heard on more than one occasion - one little bite won't hurt. Maybe not. But if I didn't make some fairly substantial changes in my lifestyle and eating habits then one bite might have been the one bite too many and my pancreas shuts down. Then I become insulin-dependent. Since I'm already insulin-resistant that doesn't sound like a good position to be in. So in that case I used the label to my advantage. Used it almost like a shield against bad eating habits. It took a while, but it has paid off.

Labels are labels. They are statements of fact. But they don't have to define us in a negative way. By themselves they don't possess that power. Only we can grant them the ability to influence our decisions - positively or negatively. Use that power wisely.