One Word: Blah.

Wow, this week could not have been worse.  It’s right before my period and I gained, like, 10 pounds.  I know they will soon come off, but the fact that they showed up at all threw me off and made me depressed and unmotivated this whole week.  It also gave me the hugest cravings I have had in a while.  The other night, I downed a personal pan pizza, a cheeseburger, fries, and a bowl of ice cream with cookie crumbles… in about 30 minutes.  Can I hear an “oink, oink”?  These cravings consumed all my thoughts until I could eat what I wanted and it sucked that I succumbed to them.  However, yesterday my cravings went away and that has been a relief to me BUT since I was so terrible this week regarding my diet, that made me so depressed that I didn’t stop eating everything that came in sight.  It’s been such a battle!

Tonight, though, I became so disgusted with myself and my lack of willpower that I resolved to do the things that make me feel happy and balanced and to get back on track to my search of being nutritious, healthy, and fit.  So, tomorrow, I am waking up early to do Turbo Jam (cardio & weights), and then heading out to the park to get in some reading and writing.  After that, I plan on going to the grocery store to pick up some healthy snacks.  I’m getting back on track… yay!

I heave a happy sigh and say good night!

It’s All Up To You

If you have read my very first post, then you will know that my current fitness status (crazy, exercise-obsessed girl) didn’t come easily and is still a work in progress.  It took me about a year to get to this place that I am at; and “this place” is my ability to exercise for a long time without getting tired, fitting into sizes 3-5 (compared to when I started which was nearing the sizes 7-9 arena), loving exercise, and eating healthy.  And this all came out because of my determination to succeed and my discipline to keep on keeping on - it wasn’t easy!

However, if you talk to people that know me, you would think that I got here by some magic formula.  Now that I am starting on a journey towards teaching my own exercise, I’m getting comments like, “You have to make me skinny like you” or “Teach me how to run” (seriously?!) or “Help me exercise.”  The last comment is fine to make but the implication is that it is up to ME to help YOU lose weight and be healthy.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to help someone become fit but I’m just not the type of person that will coddle and fuss over someone if they don’t want to do it.  I’m sorry, folks, but that is not how it goes.  It starts with you and it ends with you.  If you want to lose weight, fit into those size 5 jeans again, or just feel better about yourself physically, YOU have got to be the one to get your ass out there and do the work.  YOU have to take responsibility for YOURSELF.  Forget about dieting, using pills, or those “quick fix” workouts - there is no secret to getting into shape, all it is is making the decision to do it AND STICKING TO IT!  I’d like to say this just one more time:

THERE IS NO SECRET TO GETTING INTO SHAPE, IT IS MAKING A DECISION AND STICKING TO IT.

I know you can do it because I did it.  Me, Miss Start-something-and-never-finish-it, did it.  I lost 15 pounds and dropped 2 pants sizes because I didn’t quit.  People will always make the excuse that they don’t have time to exercise but will still complain about how fat or out-of-shape they are.  Hey, if you have time to complain, you have time to exercise; if you have time to watch tv, you have time to exercise; if you have time to surf the web after you get home, you have time to exercise.  Maybe you feel like you don’t have the energy, then start small.  No need to begin jumping rope or sprinting - take a walk.  Gradually increase your speed until you start jogging.  If you get home after dark, do squats.  Buy a home-exercise video (I highly recommend Turbo Jam).  There are ways to get into shape if you just think about it. 

Really, becoming fit is all up to you.  There is no way around it, it’s hard work.  But it can be fun, just find what it is you like to do and DO IT!  If you remember just one thing, remember this:

YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION AND JUST DO IT.

Happy exercising all.      

Exercising with a Partner

I usually like to exercise alone.  But recently, I have realized that I like to exercise with someone who is on the same fitness level or a little higher than I so that I can challenge myself to keep up with them.  Mind you, I wouldn’t want to exercise with someone who is a lot stronger, faster, and has more endurance than me because I can imagine the frustration on their part for having to slow down for me and the frustration with myself that I am holding them back.  Working out with someone who is on the same level as you, though, motivates you to try harder.  There’s something about having someone by your side while you’re exercising that gives you more energy and more determination to work harder.  It must be the competitive nature inside of all of us.

So, find yourself a partner who is on the same fitness level as you and find an exercise to do together.  You will have the pleasure of each other’s company and someone to compete against.  Good exercising!

Staying Motivated To Exercise

How does one stay motivated to exercise?  How does one become motivated to exercise?  I think one important thing is having an end-goal in mind.  Is it losing weight?  Is it training for something?  Is it to just get you off your butt?  Think of something that you would like to accomplish with your workout and do it!  That’s another thing - at some point you have to stop thinking and just exercise because if you think long enough, you are going to think your way right out of doing it.  I came across an article by Jennifer Murray today that gives some tips which may be helpful in motivating you to work out.  I found it on www.suite101.com.  I hope it helps!  Article:

1.  Keep an Exercise Journal

Keeping a log of how long your workout lasts, the amount of weights lifted or the distance covered is helpful in setting goals. With every workout, push little harder to do just a bit more than the last workout. A strong motivator is setting a pre-workout goal and then meeting that goal.

2.  Vary Workout Routines

Performing the same workout day after day, week after week is bound to get boring. With such a wide variety of activities available to choose from, there’s no reason to do the same workout all the time. Mastering a new workout routine is exciting, so changing up an exercise routine every couple of weeks will keep your motivation level high.

3.  Find a Workout Buddy

Being held accountable is a strong motivator. Find a like-minded friend as a workout buddy to have someone who will not let you off the hook just because you don’t feel like working out. Also, you can hold your buddy accountable when they’re struggling to fit exercise into their daily schedule.

4.  Determine Your Why

The are many benefits to working out regularly, including improved mood, weight management, better sleep, stronger immune system, increased energy, decreased stress, plus numerous other benefits. What are your reasons for wanting to exercise? Write down all of the benefits you experience from exercising regularly and place your list in an area that you can look at it every day. Frequently reminding yourself of the reasons you want to exercise will keep you motivated to stick to your workout.

5.  Reward Yourself Often

Set a goal to work out a certain number of days per week. Each and every time you meet your weekly goal, reward yourself by buying something small and inexpensive that you’ve been wanting. Another way to reward yourself is to schedule a couple hours of “you” time away from the demands of every day life, where you can do any activity that you enjoy.