My Journey Through Life

I think I figured it out, it is the dressing...I put oil and balsamic vinegar on my salad tonight and it was good...just had to share my breakthrough!!!

As I witness the close of another year (where do they go?) I feel a peace and certainty that 2010 will be a good year. Not that 2009 was bad, but I have the right frame of mind to really change the things about myself that I want to change. It will be easy for me to change because I believe that I can do it. My husband and I are both going to work toward better health and fitness, it is always easier when we are doing it together. I guess he just went out to shovel snow... we didn't get much, but when you live in town, you have to have your sidewalks cleaned off! I am starting my resolutions a day early, cleaning the dining room table off. I just have to get working on Lauri's wedding album, now that the table is clear, I think I can begin! I have been thinking about Feng Shui and how the clutter in my house probably adds to the clutter in my mind and life. I am just so disorganized. I have the right mindset, I want to change and it will be easy for me to change... Thank yo...

No walking today, but I forgot to mention that I did 30 minutes with Leslie Sansone yesterday! I started listening to Wayne Dyer's "Excuses Begone" book. It is really speaking to me, I feel so inspired to stop making excuses and just do what I need and want to do. I also bought Tao Te Ching and started reading it. I will get back into doing Yoga and I will start meditating. It is great exercise and helps to calm me. Maybe I will start tonight!!

Good morning! Only four days left in 2009, then the big push to lose this weight and get healthy will really begin!! I have been doing better with exercise, but my diet has been horrible! It is so easy to let go and say, its the holidays, I can eat what I want. I don't think my heart and arteries really care what time of year it is. There are roadblocks that I am coming up against that I didn't really face in previous attempts to lose weight. Salads just don't appeal to me anymore. I really have to struggle to get through a salad...I think it is the dressing I used to eat at least one apple a day, sometimes two...I have a hard time doing that now. I think it is the kind of apples I have, sometimes they are just too sour. What is the problem? Have my taste buds changed? I will have to work to overcome this obstacles! Off to work now!

Merry Christmas to all!!!!

Work yesterday pretty much sucked. I had a project I was working on and the people I was working with didn't deliver which in turn reflected negatively on me. I ended up really bummed out at the end of the day. I decided that I had two choices: 1. sit around and wallow in self-pity and let it ruin my holiday or 2. Suck it up, forget about it and strive to do better in 2010. I chose option 2! Had to get up and get to work early yesterday and today, so no walking. I am beat tonight, especially after all the lovely holiday travelers increased my 2 hour ride home to 3.5 hours!!! All I want to do is eat cookies and sleep...well, maybe a cup of coffee!!! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!!

The radio started talking to me at 6am. I really didn't want to get up yet, mostly cause I know how cold it is. One round of snoozing...then I was up and walking with Leslie Sansone. My trips to the gym will be later in the day, I don't want to go out into the frozen tundra that early in the morning. On the other hand, that is a great way to wake up!! You don't have to worry about not being awake enough to do your workout, the blast of fridgid air opens the eyes quickly!! And now...upstairs to the scale to see if there is any improvement. Even if there isn't, I won't mind cause I just feel better knowing that I worked out 5 of the past 7 days!!!

Yesterday my exercise was shoveling snow. It is amazing how you use different muscles that you didn't know you had! I don't feel too bad, but my legs were sore this morning. I really need to get my Christmas shopping done, I really should try to get out and get it done today as there really isn't any other time to do it. Tomorrow is weigh in, we will see if my exercise helped!!

When I woke up today, I knew where I was...at home...warm in my bed...while snow covered everything outside! It is beautiful, especially since I don't have to go anywhere. Everyone is advising against travel. I will go out in a bit and measure the snowfall. It is still coming down and doesn't look like it wants to stop any time soon. It has been a long time since I have seen this much snow at one time. As long as it stays cold, we will have a white Christmas!

This morning I woke up in a hotel room and really couldn't remember where I was. I stay away for work frequently, but I was in such a deep sleep, I just didn't know where I was! I disappointed myself by not making my way to the exercise room for a workout. I guess one day off won't hurt as long as I get back to it tomorrow. I had intentions of working out tonight, maybe I still will. Some people don't like to work out late in the evening, but it helps me sleep better. We are supposed to get snow tonight...may not be working tomorrow if it hits us. I have to get my Christmas shopping done!! I have to get my house cleaned!!! At least that is one thing I can work on if I don't work tomorrow....hopefully...unless I just curl up with a cup of hot chocolate and my DH instead...that sounds like more fun than cleaning!!

I did it, I walked 2 miles with the Leslie DVD. I dont' have a lot of energy in the morning, but she really motivates you and I was determined to finish. I feel so happy that I am taking action to be in better health!

I woke up this morning around 7am to the sound of Christmas Carols on the radio. I don't have to go to work till later today, so I had the luxury of sleeping in. Decided to by-pass the gym for the quicker alternative of walking with Leslie Sansone on DVD. I don't have to put as many clothes on and I don't have to go out in the cold! I like walking inside, I can still get a good workout without leaving the house. I also like to have a variety of workouts in my routine. Walking is what my big focus is right now. I know that I have osteporosis, I don't know if that is why my hips hurt sometimes when I am laying on my side or if it is just the burden of an extra 50 pounds or so. We will find that out together, dear reader if you continue with me on my journey to good health. Have a wonderful day, whether you are in the frozen tundra of the North or basking in the warmth of a Southern Climate!

Made it to the gym...that's two days in a row!! Walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes, and I challenged myself, ended up doing 1.57 miles. I want to build up to being able to do 1 mile in 15 minutes, that is my next goal.

DH has a meeting to go to this afternoon so I am going to take the opportunity to go to the gym again. I have just over 5 months left on my membership, I want to get my money's worth. I also have to finish decorating our tree, I can't believe Christmas is so close. Maybe I will do some shopping today, too.

I did it! I got myself out the door and to the gym. 15 minutes on the treadmill was all I could take...no, no, not like that...there were to women on the two treadmills next to me and they were talking to loudly that I couldn't hear the news that I was trying to watch. I rarely watch the news so I like my time at the gym to be my catch up on what's going on in the world time. I moved on to an elliptical machine with a blissfully quiet man next to me! Between the two machines I managed 2.28 miles in 30 minutes. After a stop to deposit some checks at the bank, I came home to a nice bowl of honey nut cheerios for breakfast. Working from home today will pose a challenge to not snack all day, but when I start the day off well, it helps me keep on track, especially now that I have you, dear reader to follow me on my journey!

well, I am about to take my first step. I joined the Gym last spring and have barely gotten there. I have been lucky to get there one day a week. I don't expect to go everyday, but to get my money's worth, I need to go more than I have. Until I am retired and have no place to go, I won't join a gym again. It just isn't worth it. We have equipment here at home and I can walk outside or with a video of Leslie Sansone. For the next four months, I need to go at least a couple days a week. That is going to do two things: Help me lose my one pound a week Get me conditioned to do the 'big walk' Here I go...

Well...maybe not sick, but I sure do feel tired all too often. I just can't stay on track with my eating or exercise program. It doesn't seem to matter to me that my life and health depend on it! I get so aggravated with myself! I was inspired by, of all things, watching the movie Julie and Julia. Her statement in the movie that she never finishes anything and needs a deadline is so true of me. I have all these great intentions, but I never finish. When I have a project at work, I finish it because I have to. When it comes to my personal life, there is nothing holding me accountable for finishing, so I don't. I got to thinking, if I did what Julie did, set a time line and got myself into the habit of writing everyday, maybe I could actually complete my goal. So here is my plan, please follow me on my journey to see if I can be successful. If no one follows me, I am sure to fail... I need to lose 50 pounds and a good rate of weight loss is 1 pound per week, so...I will add a...