Christmas Parties

Christmas is only six days away.  Are you ready? Have you been to a Christmas Party or two?

I went to a party last night.  I ate before I went so I wouldn't over eat.  That worked out but I ended up having a few drinks that well made up for the calories I didn't eat. At least I didn't eat and drink.

I met a gal the other day that said she was going to wait to plan her 30 pound weight loss until the after New Year's because she knew she would be over-indulging over the next couple weeks.  Why do we do that?  Its not like we've never had this kind of food before or we've never had alcohol earlier in the year.  Traditions have made us feel we spend the year deprived of turkey, ham and all the trimmings.  Would it be less of a big deal if we made those holiday favorites a couple times throughout the year? If we made a plan to get together with friends and family more than once a year would that lessen the anxiety and the desire to over-indulge?

We had three parties at our house this year - Super Bowl, Memorial Day and Labor Day.  We invited just about the same people each time and varied our menu for the time of year. By the third party I barely ate.  The snacks were favorites, the alcohol flowed but it just didn't seem that important. In the past, even though I ate before my Christmas party, I would have snacked there anyway. I did have a lemon square, dessert, but the rest of it just wasn't that appealing.

For New Year's resolutions maybe we should vow to spend more time with the folks that mean the most to us and focus less on the food that's served.  Time goes by so fast and we are all so busy.  Sometimes its just nice to slow down and show your love to someone instead to something.

Holiday Struggles

New Year's will be here before we know it. What does that mean?  Resolutions? Do you make them every January? How long to you keep them?  One month? One week? One hour?

I quit making resolutions.  I'm tired of not keeping them.  Instead of waiting to make a promise to myself once a year, blowing it, hating myself, and then trying the next year, I tossed resolutions out the window.  The only resolution I ever made constantly is to lose weight.  Since I keep trying all year long, over and over again, what's the point in a resolution? And, since I keep failing, what's the point.

Well, no more! It's time to get healthy and quit beating up myself.  Stop the madness and get on a realistic program.  I'm not perfect and, no, I'm still not constant, but I'm working on it.  I joined the gym, but I could be mall walking or jogging outside. I do TurboJam and TurboFire, but I could be using my Wii Fit. There are options - no set rules - except one...you need to watch what you eat.  That is where I am weakest.

I love to cook  and I love to eat.  I just have to be careful what I cook and how much I am eating.  Sounds simple, huh? Could be.  I ask you to follow my blogs, make comments, and hold me accountable.  If you like, I will do the same for you.  We are all on the same journey...to live life to the fullest.  Who wants to do that with diabetes, high cholesterol, aching joints? Not me!

Somebody's Watching Me

Remember that peroniod song from the great Michael Jackson? How do you feel when someone is watching what you do? Does it make you uncomfortable or accountable?

I'm hoping that those of you who read my blog will sign up to follow me. Hold me accountable. Even though I love what I'm doing it doesn't keep me from finding excuses not to exercise and eat right. I'm too tired, I'm too busy, I don't feel good... I could think of a dozen more. I workout with a friend from work at lunch for various reasons: it gets it out of the way for the day, it relieves the stress from work and she holds me accountable.  Oh, some days I just have to bow out because I do have too much work, but on lazy days I go.  She's waiting on me.

I'd love to hear from you.  Comment on my blog.  If you are trying to truck along with me, let me know. Let's hold one another accountable and do our very best to feel good, improve our health and look our best.  There is one of you! And it has to last a lifetime.

Let's do this together

I have found a new way to lose weight!

How many times have you said that?  I know I have a hundred times.  I've tried a hundred ways.  Some worked, for awhile, some didn't.  I don't believe there is a magic cure for everyone; we are all different. But I think I have found what will work for me, my last search. Oh, I'm no spring chicken - in my late forties - and I don't aspire to wear a size 5 and have a 20 inch waist.  I know my body type and what is right for me - that is not.  I want to be healthy, in the best shape I can be in and enjoy life. If you're at this point too then go on this journey with me.

Let me give you a bit of my background. I was raised in far west Texas by a mom who offered food to everyone all the time. I started struggling with my weight in elementary school. I remember asking a boy to like me (you remember those notes - "circle yes or no") and he told me I was fat. That was forth grade and I have struggled every since.

I've done liquid diets (the one from 1977 - disgusting!), Weight Watchers (4 times), grapefruit diets, lived in the gym and ate like a body builder, protein diets, low-carb diets, fat-free diets...I could go on. You've probably been there too.  I even went back to college to get a second bachelor's degree  - physical education - so I could learn how the body worked to figure out what exercises were best and how the body burned calories. I was an aerobics instructor and a personal trainer for awhile too.

I came to realize a few things in all my endeavours:
I am not built like a Victoria's Secret model - no matter how thin I become,
It's a lot of work to have a body-builder's body (I'm am way too lazy),
I need to have fun - if I'm to stick to anything.

So a friend gave me her TurboJam collection. Tons of fun!  I love to dance, wiggling it here and there - and TurboJam is a bit dancy and alot of calorie burn. I did that for a while (still do some days) and found a friend doing TurboFire.  Wow!  Now that's a work out!  Still a bit dancy but serious calorie burning. I do them at home so no one sees my lovely, un-matching, ill-fitting workout wear. I joined the gym closest to my work.  I got a couple of the other gals there to join to and we go at lunch - accountability.  So if I don't feel like doing a workout at home I will, definitely, get one at work.

Of course there is the issue of what to eat.  I have discovered two things. Skip fast food and life is much better all around.  That was the first.  The Second - Shakeology! This drink is packed so full of good nutrition you can't help but want to eat better. It curbs my sugar cravings and helps me feel full.  There are 2 flavors and dozens of recipes. 

So, if you're tired of yo-yo dieting and feeling tired and sluggish, join me! I'll post periodic picks and you can send me yours!