Realizing a Healthy You

Jumping Back on the Bandwagon

2009-11-18T19:48:00.003-05:00

I'm slowly finding my way back to exercise and eating properly again. Man, I think I did more than fall off the bandwagon. I'm sure I jumped head first into cake, donuts, candy, and soda. I knew I had to get back on track when I found those same aches and pains that had gone away when I started exercising creeping back up and making their way back into my life. Since I've beaten that unhealthy dragon down once before, I know that I can do it again. I'm going to keep telling myself that I can do this over and over again so that hopefully it will stick this time around.

Motivation and Willpower

2009-11-08T09:42:00.003-05:00

Every time I slack off from exercising or eating the way I should I blame it on a lack of motivation and I search to find that motivation that got me to wanting to get healthier. Sometimes I find it and other times I don't. I often sit and wonder what keeps a person motivated to continue to work out and eat right. What gives them that drive and heart not to give up even though temptations surround them. I thought I had found that motivation, but it seems to come and go.

Maybe it's not just about being motivated, but having the willingness to stick through regardless of what is put in front of me. Just because there's cake and donuts at a party doesn't mean that I have to eat them. Although I am motivated not to eat them, my willpower just goes right out the window and I break down sometimes. So, how do I keep my willpower strong and not give in. In the past, it's been something that has clicked in my head, so maybe having willpower is something that clicks in your head and you just get it. Whatever it is, I think it needs to click in my head again.

Better Late Than Never

2009-10-03T10:29:00.002-04:00

Well the hot summer days have basically ended. Throughout my exercise and eat healthy journey I have found many excuses to backslide, especially throughout the summer. First it was that I was rewarding myself for doing such a good job. Then it turned into I don't have the time since school is out and the kids are home. After that it became that healthy food was just too expensive now. Finally my excuse now is that school is back in and with homework, I just can't seem to find the time to exercise. But the fact is that all these are just reasons to become the person I set out to change in January and I really don't want to go back to being her anymore.

So, here I go again on my quest to leave that bandwagon full of sweets and non exercise behind me. All I can really say is that it's better late than never to back into shape.

Where's My Fire

2009-07-27T12:00:00.002-04:00

Why can't I seem to have that same fire and intensity that I started out exercising with all year long? I seem to have lost it somewhere and I'm having a hard time getting it back. Although I kept it longer than usual, I have found myself slacking off from exercising as much as I use to and sneaking in some candy more than I use to. It's like I decided to take a break one weekend and it has lasted a month. I do seem to bounce back for a few days, but then I'm right back to eating junk and sitting on the couch. I guess it's going to take me slowly easing back into my routine again instead of trying to jump head first. I'm sure I can do it. I just need whatever motivation that got me going in the beginning to kick start me again.

Vacation Eating Blues

2009-07-09T19:06:00.003-04:00

Do you ever get the vacation eating blues? I get vacation eating blues every vacation because eating healthy while away can be difficult, because I don't have immediate access to the healthy foods that normally invade my refrigerator. Any time I'm on vacation I make every attempt possible to eat healthy, but it doesn't work out all the time. Every now and then I'll pull up to some fast food restaurant that doesn't have a thing healthy for me to choose. When this happens, I just try to eat less. My motto is less is always best.

Some of the things that I try to do while away on vacation to minimize gaining all that extra weight include ordering a grilled chicken sandwich instead of a double cheese burger and occasionally removing the bread and only eating the chicken. I'll also order apples or mandarin oranges instead of fries or onion rings. Instead of grabbing a soft drink, I'll get a cup of ice water, which does double duty in keeping me healthy and saving me money as well.

I've finally learned that no matter where you are, you can always come up with creative ways to eat healthier, even while on vacation.

The Small Changes

2009-06-19T23:03:00.004-04:00

Well, I just got back in town from a conference in DC and I actually learned some new ways of healthy eating. One day of the conference I got to listen to a Certified Holistic Health Counselor who advocates organic foods, fruits, vegetables, exercise, and good health as a way not only to cleanse your body physically, but as a way to do away with emotional stress as well and make you a happier person. A number of the things that that health counselor had to say stuck with me enough to bring home and start trying to see if my mood will be better and my disposition brighter by following her advice.

I'm incorporating more fiber, fruits, and green vegetables into my meals instead of just one or two pieces of fruit a day. I'm also going to actually eat a good breakfast now instead of just grabbing a cup of coffee. Instead of eating while standing and on the run, I'm going to sit down at the table with my kids, a glass of water, and a healthy dish, and eat instead of devour my meal. Hopefully these small changes will lead to bigger and better changes in my life and health down the road.

If It Ain't Broke Don't Fix It

2009-06-02T20:07:00.004-04:00

Have you ever heard the saying if it ain't broke don't fix it? Well I think that statement rings true. I would say that I've been doing considerably well with exercising and eating better, but sometimes I find myself trying to pick apart my routines or saying to myself that I'm not doing enough and I need to do more. I'm not giving myself credit for the exercise that I am doing and the unhealthy food that I have cut down on. I'm finding out that it is possible to beat yourself down in a negative way and that's just what I've been doing.

Although I have eaten a chocolate bar here or there and haven't worked out as much as I started out in the beginning, I still believe that I'm headed in the right direction. I haven't totally fallen off the bandwagon and I haven't gained anymore weight, so why am I being so tough on myself. Nothing's even broken in my routine because I'm still seeing results, so I really don't need to be trying to fix something by throwing an extra workout into my routine or trying to cut out even more calories than I already do. I'm going to continue to keep it steady. It's been 6 months since I started this journey and I'm definitely in better shape physically, mentally, and emotionally than when I started in January and that is all that counts.

Enjoying a Beautiful Day

2009-05-23T09:31:00.004-04:00

With spring in the air and summer just around the corner, these have been great days to get out and walk and stay in shape, but I sadly report that I don't think that I've been utilizing this great weather like I should. I still sit in my house by the window riding my exercise bike as if it were snowing outside and I was stuck in the house. I see neighbors walking their dogs and children playing outside, but why am I still inside looking out at a great day instead of being a part of it.

I've become accustomed to just hopping on my exercise bike and not allowing myself the opportunity to get outside and enjoy a beatiful day while I exercise. In an effort to get out of this routine, I'm thinking about getting a bicycle that I can ride around the neighborhood with the kids. That way I'll still get to enjoy riding a bike as well as enjoy the day with the kids.

Getting Too Comfortable in Backsliding

2009-05-14T20:08:00.003-04:00

Lately I've been finding myself slowing straying away from eating properly. I still exercise on a regular basis, but my eating is sliding back into my old routines of an abundance of sugar and sweets. I use to have my days were I would take off and enjoy ice cream or chocolate and then revert back to my healthy eating, but now I've gone from a couple of days of taking a break to a week off. I know that it's okay to back slide every once in a while and that there are going to be numerous times that I don't stick to my plan, but I feel like I'm in a little rut now and I'm not sure how to get back into my routine.

I know that there must be something that I can do to get back into the mood of eating properly. It's as if the taste of ice cream, chocolate, and cakes just won't leave my thoughts or my tongue. I need to know how to get back on track, because I was doing so well before. I don't even know where I began to fall back into my old routine, but I do know that I am starting to become comfortable in it once again and that can be dangerous to my success. I know that I have not completely lost my battle and that I can recover, so I am going to get back on my track to success. I may not know how right now, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Whole Body Transformation

2009-05-07T19:15:00.004-04:00

Last Friday I went to Columbus for some mental rejuvenation to go along with my body workout. Since January I have been working out and eating healthier and I'm seeing the results with the added energy, but I hadn't really had a mental workout yet. Well, when I found out that Joel Osteen would be speaking in Columbus, I knew I had to get there. I have watched him on television and his messages of God and hope are nothing short of inspirational.

When I arrived in Columbus, I had no idea what I was in for. The whole event was amazing. Whatever problems or worries I had going in, all disappeared by the end of the sermon. If you have ever seen Joel on television, that is nothing compared to hearing him speak in person. I walked out of that event on Friday with renewed hope, strength, and trust. All negative thinking was gone and replaced with brand new positive thinking. I was glad that I had taken time out of my daily physical workout to get a mental and spiritual workout as well. Now I'm feeling more complete in my whole body transformation.

Too Hot to Walk

2009-04-29T22:32:00.003-04:00

Summer is just around the corner and it is really getting hot outside. I was trying to wait until summer so that I could start walking around the park, but it has thus far been way too hot for me. Although my husband thinks that walking around the park in scorching heat and breaking an enormous sweat is good for me. I think it will only make me pass out. So, I've decided to stick to my bike riding inside the house until the weather cools down enough for me to comfortably walk.

Sometimes, late in the day when the sun goes down, I'll walk, but most of the time it's just about as hot in the evening as it was in the afternoon. Even wearing a hat, carrying a jug of water, and having a sweat rag don't seem to prepare me for the heat that I encounter while at the park. If it is this hot now, I can only imagine how it's going to be later once summer hits. I guess I could try getting up at 6 a.m. before work when it's not too bad outside to walk, but then again, I would like to be able to function properly at work, and getting up at 6 a.m., wouldn't allow me to do that. I'm sure I'll come up with some way to incorporate more walking into my daily routine. If you have any suggestions, please send them my way.

Daydreaming to Help My Fitness Goals

2009-04-23T21:28:00.002-04:00

Have you ever daydreamed about how you were going to look after accomplishing your exercise and weight loss goals? Sometimes I'll sit and think about months down the road what outfit I'll be wearing, how my hair will be fixed, and what size I will be. It gives me the motivation I need to keep on working out so that I will accomplish that goal.

Daydreaming about achieving my goals is a healthy way for me to stay in the game and not give up. If I can see myself in good shape in the future, then it seems more real to me and I feel like it's not that far away and that I can achieve those goals that I set for myself.

Sometimes I do catch myself daydreaming about what I don't want to look like months down the road. This seems to happen whenever I skip exercising for a while or fall off the band wagon and start back to my old unhealthy ways of eating. However, I can say that those kind of nightmarish daydreams also kick me into high gear and typically I'm back on the right road the very next day. So I say daydream away because they might just provide you with the right amount of inspiration that you need to keep making the right choices.

My Body is Functional

2009-04-14T19:56:00.002-04:00

Do you ever get those days where your body just seems like it's going to collapse? You know those days where every part of your body just feels like it's falling apart. Well, I've had a few of those days recently. I know I'm not overexercising myself, because I'm doing my normal routine, but these past couple of days just riding my exercise bike felt like my legs were about to fall off and walking around the park felt like I was pulling 100 lbs of weight behind me.

Maybe all of this is just in my head; some other excuse to keep me from having to work out. If my body were truly falling apart, then I'm sure I wouldn't be sitting here writing about it, but I'd be in the hospital somewhere. Plus, aside from these past few days, I had been feeling great, almost 10 years younger. So I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I was probably just having a few bad days, which I'm sure I'll continue to have from time to time. The key is to know how to quickly rebound and rise out of it, which I have, and now I'm continuing to do a good job.

Kick Tired Out the Door

2009-04-07T21:34:00.002-04:00

Today I'm tired and I really don't feel like exercising. I had a long day at work and after that I went out shopping for Easter and didn't make it home until after 8 p.m., so all I want to do is crawl up on the couch and take a nap, but I'm not going to do that. Even though I'm tired and I can think of a million reasons not to exercise tonight, I'm going to ignore those excuses and just do it.

I'm sure that after I'm finished exercising tonight, I'll be ten times happier than if I would have put it off until tomorrow. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and do it no matter how much you don't want to. Only you know if you'll pick up the ball tomorrow and continue exercising and 9 times out of 10 if I slack off one day simply because I'm tired then I'll probably end up trying to slack off tomorrow as well.

Through the tiredness, I am going to find that little bit of energy left inside of me to continue my journey, especially since I've been doing pretty good so far.

Exercise That Frustration Away

2009-04-01T21:05:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I'll find myself getting frustrated or mad at exercising and seeing slow results or at something somebody did or said to me. I have found that exercising can help me better deal with my anger and frustration. When I get frustrated over slow results from exercising, to deal with it, I work out more, instead of quitting, and by the end of my workout, I feel a lot better.

There are times when my husband frustrates me, and aside from praying for the strength not to knock him upside the head, I hop on my exercise bike and go to town. This helps me get out all that anger and frustration in a positive way while getting in shape as well.

I can't count the number of times that I have exercised my frustration and anger away and avoided having meltdowns or unnecessary showdowns. So, I say when you need to, just exercise that frustration away. In the end you'll be happier and healthier for doing so.

It's Okay to Try Something New

2009-03-23T21:55:00.005-04:00

Everything doesn't work for everybody. Have you ever gotten into a routine of exercising never to see any results in the passing months? I use to do that and just give up, because nothing was happening to my body or at least nothing that I could see. I would always wonder why Sally down the street had lost all this weight when we started exercising at the same time and I had picked up a few pounds.

Well, I had to come to realize that what works for Sally might not work for me. Maybe I needed to step up my cardio from a back breaking 15 minutes to 30 - 45 minutes, as well as add in some conditioning every other day to turn some of this flab into muscle. I could also cut out those late, late night snacks. After much thought, I decided to give my new routine a try, and guess what, I started to see results. I couldn't believe what a few additions and subtractions from my old exercise routine and eating habits made.

Instead of giving up, I'm glad that I tried doing things another way and realizing that it's alright to try something new if what I'm doing right now isn't working. Now when Sally down the street sees me, I know she's probably thinking to herself what I'm doing different.

Food, Shelter, & Exercise

2009-03-16T20:30:00.003-04:00

Maybe I've been going about this exercise thing in the wrong way. I simply think of it as something extra to do in my day that I can live without doing. On days that I'm really busy, I'll even consider the mere fact that I have to exercise a burden, and negotiate with myself to leave it out of my routine for that day and add it to tomorrow's list of chores.

Recently I've been trying to think of exercise not as a chore, but as kind of a necessity. Just think about it, exercise is just as important as having a place to live and food to eat. If I didn't get any exercise at all, but continued to eat every day, eventually I would get to the point of being severely overweight and unhealthy, which could lead to death. So with this, I've decided that getting my exercise in as scheduled is important not only to my health, but to my life as well.

In putting exercising in the same class as food and shelter, I'm more inclined to get my bottom moving and keep up with my routine without questioning why I need to exercise today. Besides, if I can walk in the kitchen to eat a snack, then I can walk to my exercise bike and take a ride.

Being a Multitasker Exerciser

2009-03-10T20:41:00.004-04:00

Do you ever get bored while exercising? Sometimes I'll get bored right in the middle of exercising and just decide to stop. It doesn't matter if I'm walking or riding my exercise bike, if I get bored and there's nothing around to stimulate my mind, then it takes everything that I have in me to keep exercising. I know that's not a good reason to give up for the day since I'm not tired or worn out from pushing myself to the limit, but I just can't help myself.

Although recently, I have learned to start scheduling riding my bike around my favorite television programs, long talks on the phone with family and friends, reading or listening to music. This way my mind doesn't find the time to get bored, I'm happier that I'm continuing my exercise routine, and time flies by. Usually, before I know it, I've surpassed the inital time that I had intended on exercising, which is always a good thing. I now consider myself to be a multitasker exerciser.

Getting Creative in Exercising

2009-03-05T18:58:00.004-05:00

I use to think that just because I didn't have the extra money for gym memberships or to buy exercise equipment, that I would have to wait to exercise until I did have the money. Now, I think that was just a way of putting off exercising, because lately I've found plenty of ways to get into shape without all the bells and whistles of going to a gym.

Aside from burning calories scrubbing down the house, my daughter taught me that I can walk or run all around the house to get into shape. Recently, while watching her run back and forth from one wall in the kitchen to the other, I came to the conclusion that if I can't make it outside or to a mall to walk, that I can get my walking done at home.

Before realizing that her running in the house could be beneficial to me and her, I almost disciplined her, because I was always told no running in the house. After making sure that there was nothing in her way to break or to make her fall, I sat back and watched as she happily ran from one wall to the next giggling loudly. Not only was she having fun, but she unknowingly was getting in a workout and wearing herself down at the same time. I wouldn't say 15 - 20 minutes after her run, she was laying down to take a nap.

I found that I can speed walk from one wall of my house to the other and get in some exercise. From my daughter I learned that it's not about what exercise equipment or gym memberships you don't have, but it's about getting creative in finding ways to exercise that you might not have thought of before.

Laughter Can be a Key to Success

2009-02-28T08:59:00.002-05:00

In exercising and eating healthy, it is known that there are going to be successes and setbacks as with everything in life, but I believe that it's how you deal with the setbacks that will help you to continue your track to success.

In previous years, if I wasn't progressing in my fitness goals as I thought I should be, then I would start cursing and give up, like I didn't have the rest of the day to accomplish my tasks or tomorrow wasn't right around the corner. Then even when the next day came, I was still thinking about what I hadn't accomplished yesterday which would sabotage my goals for the present day. I was turning a minor setback into something huge.

I knew that I had to come up with some way to turn my setbacks around into something that would work for me instead of work against me. I noticed that any time I ate too late at night or grabbed a soda when I should have grabbed the water standing beside of it, that I would get really angry and disappointed with myself.

It wasn't until I decided to give myself a break and realize that setbacks are going to occur that I found a much needed tool to my success - laughter. Instead of getting mad for breaking down and eating a second helping of dinner, I'm going to laugh because I didn't get a third, which probably would have happened in the past. Instead of getting mad because I missed exercising for one day, I'm going to laugh because I use to not exercise at all, and missing one day is better than how I use to be. I've learned from laughing at my setbacks that they are not really that bad, especially compared to what they use to be, which only helps keep me moving forward toward my fitness goals.

Throw the Scale Away

2009-02-23T19:37:00.002-05:00

I don't care if you toss your scale out the window, throw it down the stairs, or give it to your neighbor's dog to play with, just whatever you do, get it out of your house for you and your family's sanity and to successfully accomplish your weight loss goals. I made a critical decision at the beginning of my journey to avoid looking at the scale. I threw out my scale a long time ago and decided not to buy another one.

In the past, my attempts to get into shape failed because I would weigh in on a daily basis, like I was miraculously going to lose 20 lbs in two days. When the scale didn't read what I wanted it to, I would get frustrated and just quit working out althogether. It became evident that I didn't need a scale in my life when I started to constantly think about watching it rock back and forth from one number to the next as if it were playing games with me until it would stop on a number it knew I didn't want it to land on.

Since I've thrown my scale away, I've been happier and gained all of my sanity back. Instead of measuring my success by what the scale says, I decided to measure it by what I seen throughout my journey. I didn't need a scale to let me know that I was making progress. I knew it by my energy level rising and my clothes fitting better. I know that I would not have made it this far if I were glaring at the scale every day.

I do often wonder what the scale would say today, but then I think, do I really want all the drama that comes with having a scale in my life. I happily concluded that I do not.

The "If I Ever" List

2009-02-19T18:49:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I'll think to myself am I working out enough or am I doing too much. There are times that I wonder if I am exercising myself to death, and then I think 15 minutes on the bike isn't actually killing me. To ensure that I don't ever over exercise, I developed a list of things that if I ever caught myself doing, then I know it's time to turn it down a notch and reevaluate my mindset and my exercise goals.

As far as under exercising goes, I believe that as long as I'm getting some type of workout in throughout the week that I'm right on the track to achieving the healthy goals that I set for myself. So, here goes my "If I Ever" list.

1. If I ever go workout at the gym on a Monday and my family finds me at that same gym on Friday because I never came home to sleep, eat, or go to work, then I might be overdoing it.

2. If my feet ever become entwined with the pedals on my exercise bike, then I might be overdoing it.

3. If I ever answer my home phone, "Ketwan's Gym, can I help you," then I might be overdoing it.

4. If I ever start dreaming about exercising every night and constantly think about it at work, then I might be overdoing it.

5. If I ever arrive at the gym two hours before it opens and leave two hours after it has closed, then I might be overdoing it.

6. If I ever turn down going to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner to go workout, then I might be overdoing it.

7. And if I ever get a portable potty to sit in the living room beside my exercise bike, then I just might be overdoing it.

I know that it can be really easy to slip into a mindset of I have to exercise all the time for as long as I possibly can. I have realized that time away from thinking about exercise and working out is important to my success so that my mind stays refreshed and my body functioning properly. Besides, since I'm just getting started in my fitness journey, I highly doubt you'll ever catch me doing something from my "If I Ever" list.

Taking Time to Celebrate

2009-02-15T11:56:00.004-05:00

You know, you can’t expect to eat healthy 24 hours a day. Sometimes it’s nice to have something sweet every once in a while. I have to remember just not to overdo it, which was my problem before. So, that being said, yesterday was Valentine’s Day and with it came the temptations to gobble down a box of chocolates or a bag of candy. I decided early in the week that I was going to maintain control and that I would just stray away a little from my usual fruit and vegetable snacks.

The day before Valentine’s Day, I decided to try strawberries dipped in chocolate to celebrate the occasion of course. I figured that nothing was wrong with having a little chocolate with my fruit, besides, I was still eating healthy. So, I headed down to Edible Arrangements and ordered 4 strawberries dipped in chocolate. I barely made it to the car before I tried one.

On paper, I can’t describe the sensation that ran through my body when the mixture of strawberries and chocolate hit my tongue, because there are no words to describe. That was probably about the best 4 strawberries I have ever had, and I didn't feel guilty afterwards. That's the point that I was trying to make it to, where I could eat sweets in moderation and be happy while I'm doing it, and I had made it, so this was definitely not just a Valentine's Day celebration to me, but it was a time to celebrate tackling one of my goals.

A Household Affair

2009-02-11T19:27:00.004-05:00

One great thing that came out of exercising and eating more healthy is that I found some willing participants in my kids. Had I known beforehand that my kids would follow my example, then I would have started exercising and eating better years ago.

Sometimes when I start riding my exercise bike, my son will see me and automatically start running in place beside of me or get his 5 lb weights that we got him in Christmas 2007 that he hadn't touched since the day after Christmas and start lifting them. My daughter will get on the floor and attempt to do push ups. Seeing them exercising and having fun makes me want to try even harder at accomplishing my goals.

I've also found that my kids started following some of my healthy eating habits. On occasion, instead of asking for candy and chips for snacks, they'll ask for grapes, apples, or a yogurt. At times my daughter and I even end up battling for the last yogurt, in which she always looks at me with those big brown eyes and gets me to give in.

I know I can't hope for my kids to want fruits and vegetables on a daily basis or exercise every night, but I sure am glad that they see me making a good change and want to join in and make it a household affair.

Being Bored is Not a Good Reason to Run to the Refrigerator

2009-02-07T10:16:00.005-05:00

Sometimes I'll just be sitting at home relaxing and just start thinking about food; what I can eat, how can my husband can cook it, and how it will taste once it's done. I'll catch myself and try to get my attention elsewhere. If I don't feel like running the streets, then I'll exercise, try to find a good movie on TV, clean the house, start washing clothes or doing the dishes to keep my mind busy and away from food thoughts, because I know I'm not hungry, I'm just bored. If I have errands to run outside of the house, then I'll make it a point to leave right when my mind starts combining thoughts of food and boredom.

I found out that sometimes I have to keep my mind busy in addition to my body, because when it slows down for too long, it becomes bored and susceptible to being overcomed by prohibited food thoughts. My prohibited foods are all those foods that I use to eat in excess that I vowed to cut back on in my daily eating because they weren't benefitting me in any way.

I finally figured out that eating simply because I'm bored is not a good reason to eat, so I decided why not try eating for the right reasons, because I'm hungry, starving, or about to pass out from the lack of food. This way, not only will I benefit physically from this change, but mentally as well because my mind is being worked out. And then there are the financial benefits of saving money from not having to go to the grocery store as often. If you didn't know, bored eating can be really expensive.

So now when I'm bored, you won't find me breaking my neck to get to the refrigerator, but you might just see me walking in the park or catching a movie at the cinema.