Somebody's Watching Me

I have been blogging, commenting on Facebook and Tweeting in hopes that someone would listen.  A few dedicated friends commented and watched my homemade YouTube videos but I doubted anyone was really paying attention to my weight loss efforts. Then I get the biggest surprise - people are noticing what I say.  Now what do I do?

Well, my first thought was - accountability.  I have been having a hard time being consistent. I do have lunch-time workout partners but with work stress sometimes working out just isn't appealing.  I'd love an after work partner but everyone has family or church commitments. Its easier to make yourself get in gear when you have someone else pushing you.

Then I received a couple of emails from friends I haven't spoke to in awhile.  They were interested in what I was doing! One had many questions about how my program was going.  What do I say? I told the truth, of course.  I've been blogging about my struggles so its no secret I have a hard time being dedicated to my workouts and healthy eating. But I just figured no one was really paying much attention.  Then here I was with two people asking me about my daily trials.

In the end I know it up to me.  I can't make the responsibility someone else's to get my act together.  I have to want it and want to put the effort out.  It's great sharing my triumphs and my failures with family and friends who support me and encourage me.  Knowing that others want to get healthy and need help too gives me the strength to push ahead. Let's keep the momentum going!

How's Your New Year's Resolution Going?

The ball dropped and 2010 ended.  We all made New Year's resolutions.  How's it going?  Are you keeping them?

I swore I wouldn't make one this year and I didn't, exactly.  I have the same one every year, a standing resolution.  It never changes whether I do or not.  What could it be you ask?  Probably the same as yours if you're reading this...to lose weight.

How am I doing you ask? Well, it depends on how you measure it.  If I got on a scale (horrible five letter word) I weight the same as January 1.  Have I been working on it you ask? Sure, but not the way you think.

I refuse to go on a fad diet, an overly strict diet - that leaves out things I know I will never live without - or one that costs a small fortune. So, what am I doing?  Well, for starters, I drink Shakeology everyday.  It has tons of vitamins and minerals and really great ingredients.  It gives me a ton of energy and, yes, makes me regular.  An important benefit to anyone's digestive system.

I've also been trying to eat healthier.  I'm not perfect but I'm trying.  I still have a weakness for pizza and Mexican food I just try not to have it too often.  I'm trying to incorporate more veggies and fruits.  Key word here - trying.  I try everyday.

I exercise too.  Oh, the plan is six days a week.  Do I make it?  Some weeks.  The other weeks you ask? Twice or three times.  Just depends.  I'm working on scheduling it in my day but some days I just don't feel like it.

So what keeps me trying?  Wanting to be better.  Better health, better with my schedule, a better body.  It'll happen.  I have faith I will accomplish my goals this year.  I just completed a 30 day challenge that helped me to see my goals and how to reach them.  Well worth the 5-10 minutes a day I spent.

If you're interested in taking the challenge too, free of charge, just ask me and I'll send you the link.

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.