Spark People - July 30, 2009

Well I am super proud of myself today!!
I almost convinced myself not to go to the gym and put day 1 of week two off until tomorrow, but I didn't. I took a catnap, spent some time with the hubby and felt some energy so I told him "I am going to the Gym!!" lol pretty much just like that ha ha. He was like good baby I am proud of you :) see why I love him!!! Well I knew this would be a push because I am definitely not used to running more then a minute. (I have always been a sprinter) But I did it. I had to push myself a bit harder on the last two running intervals, but I did it!!!! can't wait till Day 2 of this week. And since Friday, I have only missed Saturday and yesterday in the gym....that is a high accomplishment to this three time a weeker :) I am so happy I went to the gym, definitely beats that margarita I was craving earlier!!! 30

Once I get used to making the gym a very important meeting for myself that I have just about every day I will tackle the diet portion head on, but I have already opted for healthier options like brown rice instead of white, eating lean meats and beans for protein a good portion of the time and also drinking more water, which I have always worked on since I started spark people. I am on my way to a better, healthier,sexier, and happier me. Thank you so much for all your support especially from Cyndi and Dawn...lately you two ladies have been my saving grace along with my hubby of course :)

Spark People - July 28, 2009

Well I finished my prescribed first week of c to 5K program and I feel so good about myself! I have kept up with training. Day 2 was the hardest physically on me because I was going in between 3.5 and 4.5 but since 4.5 on the treadmill is a little bit of an uncomfortable jogging (to slow) speed, I upped it to 5.0. But for some reason I just wasn't staying loose enough and my calves and shins felt uncomfortable and I feared a shin splints and went in between 3.0 - 5.0. but I felt that 3.0 wasn't brisk enough for a brisk walk so I stayed between 3.5 - 5.0 on day three (which was today).

Today (day 3) I was at the gym at 7:15 which in its self is an accomplishment. I am glad I did go that early today because I definitely wasn't feeling the gym when I got off of work but I still may do upper body here at home. I do not normally do 2 workouts in a day, but I only had a little bit of time in the morning to go to the gym, so I did my half an hour run this morning and I am thinking about doing my upper body today because I want to do legs on my rest day. I will see how I do on that but my next goal today is to work on buying some healthy groceries for very little money, grocery game. com and couponmom.com here I come! Wish me luck. :)

This past week (week starting on Friday lol) I have pushed myself harder in my cardio then I ever have. I have also made it to the gym to do something just about everyday since starting the C to 5k program. I feel so invigorated but I can feel the slight struggle that I have had in keeping up with my program because my body isn't used to more then 3 gym days a week in well, as long as I can remember, so I feel a slight toll, but I am going to push through it because its making me stronger and I am sick of feeling like I look disgusting because I have gained almost 15 pounds in the past year. Even though I am heading into my senior year in college it was the first year I was independent from my parents having to run a household with my hubby and having smaller then I am used to pay checks coming in...so I have fallen for the freshman 15....eeaakkk. But I am working to get back on track and my hubby is supporting me all the way.

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I never knew how much I needed someone to help motivate me to work at a goal of mine, but I have always fallen through. Now I have my husband who I have included in my goal setting to an extent. I don't know why I was always kind of shy with including people in my goals, probably because I was afraid I would fail and that other person would be disappointed in me which is always the downside to my thought process. But having him involved has helped me gain motivation and also give him motivation (well to get out of bed and join me at the gym lol). But he is a certified personal trainer and I do need his expertise in this so I turned realistic and I showed him the program print out to see if he thought it was viable and he did. I also talk to him about how I am doing and how I feel about the program thus far. I search for his "I am so proud of you" speech just about every time I accomplish going to the gym because it helps me feel that accomplishment because it is a big deal....four days in one week and more to come this week big deal. He also asked me this morning my goal weight and I told him. I want to be back down to 110/111 (if I follow the healthy BMI) and asked him if he thought this was realistic and he said yes, because I was just there just about a year ago so I am happy to hear that.

Well the last thing I wanted to discuss in this super long blog entry lol is the pictures that I had above and what they are. I don't know if anyone recalls this but one of the spark people recommendations for staying motivated was to make a motivational collage of some sort. Well I only posted two of the pictures I found, but I searched for beautiful, seemingly fit pear shaped women to kind of give me an image in my head for how I want to look. I didn't want to look at things unrealistically this time so I searched for my body type in particular. I will add the remaining ones to my spark people and maybe make a poster of some sort for me to see that everyday. I want to do this to look good and feel good in my own skin. I want to build up a solid foundation to a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life. I want to avoid the diabetes that does run in my family as well as the high blood pressure. I want to do this for me, for my husband, for my current family as well as my future family. I want to be an example to my future kids that a healthy lifestyle is the way to go.

Thank you for taking your time to read this lengthy blog but I had a lot to write about :)/

Good day!!!!

Missy

Couch - 5K W1D1

spark people :)

I did my first day on the couch to 5k program. I can't believe I was able to keep up with it. I downloaded the Podcast that was recommended on the team page and it helped keep me focus. I felt so energized and so good about myself. I have always been afraid of running because of my asthma, but I talked to my father in law and he said it actually helped his daughters asthma when she started to run. Even though my asthma is not severe at all I am always afraid of triggering it. But I did it and the program seems like it supports building up to full running to help your body adjust so I am comfortable doing it. I made it day 1 and in two days it will be day two, I will just be so proud if I keep it up and meet my goal to be able to run - maybe even a 5 k - :) I just want to learn how to run and build up my lung capacity and keep my heart healthy and loose this 10-15 pounds. I am excited....I am on my way to be a runner....I want to be addicted to it :)

Make today memorable - found this on a sparkpeople.com member's blog :)

Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is just a figment of the imagination. So if you think about it, today is the only day you’re alive. Today is the day that matters the most.

Here’s how to make it memorable:

* Try something totally new. – Variety truly is the spice of life. You can see or do something a million times, but you can only see or do it for the first time once. As a result, first time experiences usually leave a reflective mark in our minds for the rest of our lives. So spice it up!

* Entertain yourself with real-world experiences. – Great memories are the product of interesting life experiences. So turn off the television (or the computer) and get outdoors. Interact with the world, appreciate nature, take notice of the simple pleasures life has to offer, and just watch as life unfolds in front of you.

* Work on something that’s meaningful to you. – Engage yourself in a meaningful personal project. Or pull the trigger on doing something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven’t yet had the resolve to do. Life is short. Today is the day to take action.

* Challenge your mind and body. – Learn a new skill. Be creative. Build something from the ground up, no matter how small. Run farther than you’ve ever run before. Push yourself to the limits!

* Concentrate on less, but give it your best. – Slow down. Pay close attention to what you’re doing. Don’t waste time juggling forgettable tasks. Instead, concentrate on a few things that really matter. Engage fully in this day.

* Say “yes” to a spontaneous opportunity. – Everything in life can’t be planned. Some of the greatest opportunities will knock on your door when you least expect them to. Be flexible, be spontaneous, and just say “yes.”

* Complete an important piece of unfinished business. – Today is a perfect day to finish what you started. Few feelings are more satisfying than the one you get after an old burden has been lifted off of your shoulders.

* Document your day. – Take lots of pictures. Keep a journal. Document your day so you can review it some other day. Many moons from now, these old photos and journal entries will ignite your recollection of great memories from the past.

* Smile, be positive, and notice what’s right. – Everything that happens in life is neither good nor bad. It just depends on your perspective. And no matter how it turns out, it always ends up just the way it should. Either you succeed or you learn something. So stay positive, appreciate the pleasant outcomes, and learn from the rest.

* Be authentic. Be true to yourself. – Judy Garland once said, “Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of somebody else.” Live by this statement. There is no such thing as living a good day in someone else’s shoes. The only shoes you can occupy are your own. If you aren’t being yourself, you aren’t truly living… you’re merely existing. And no day spent n a phony state of mere existence will ever be memorable or worthwhile.

* Actively assist someone in need. – In life, you get what you put in. When you make a positive impact on someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact on your own life. Do something that’s greater than you, something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less. I promise, it will be an extremely rewarding experience. One you’ll likely remember forever.

* Share time with a good friend and experience life together. – Pink Floyd once said, “The memories of a man in his old age are the deeds of a man in his prime.” There are few things more satisfying than recounting the greatest moments of your life with your closest friends who lived these moments alongside you.

* Make a new friend. – People are interesting creatures, and no two people are exactly alike. So meet someone new today. Find out what makes them tick. They’ll likely open your eyes to fascinating ideas and perspectives. And you never know, they just might change your life.

* Do something fun and laugh your ass off. – Some of the most memorable moments in your life will be moments spent in laughter.

* Be present. Be here now. – I purposely left this bullet for last because it perfectly encompasses all of my previous points. – Don’t let your life slip by. Instead of dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future, just practice being and living in the ‘now.’ Remember, right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. Right now is life. Don’t miss it.

Taken from "Marc and Angel Hack Life" blog,
www.marcandangel.com/2009/06/29/how-
to-make-today-memorable/