Holy Cow!!!
I have been increasing my steps per day...gave up pretty quickly on the Couch to 5K...couldn't take the pain of the shin splints. So, now, I am getting at LEAST 10,000 steps per day. I am using the Fitbit. Have you guys seen this thing? I LOVE it. Highly recommended. I do not think it is counting my calories burned correctly, but it does monitor my steps pretty accurately. Love. Love. Love. And, if you have a fitbit, you can "sync" with your friends who have one. A little friendly competition? If you have a fitbit, please join me on fitbit.com!
Short post...I am off to finish off my 10,000 steps!
What is your excuse?
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
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| Today is brought to you by: My Nemesis!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9faYaGdLS4 |
So....Today, I attempted to do Week 1 Day 2 (W1D2) of the Couch to 5K. Annnndddd....my nemesis returned!!! SHIN SPLINTS. I am so aggravated. I could only complete 1/2 of the run. Good thing: my breathing was completely fine. I could have run forever, I think...if only my legs didn't feel like they were going to EXPLODE!
So, I am currently researching shin splint taping (again) and icing down the front of my legs. Might be time for new shoes, too. I will try again!
Ooooooh...my neme neme...my neme nemesis! (I encourage you to listen to the song. It is quite catchy. Maybe I will add it to my running play list. ;) )
What is your excuse today?
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Goodbye August and hello September!
I did a fairly decent job of sticking with my healthy eating plan...until the last week. I am going to start over. As my good friend recently told me, every time you put food into your mouth, you have to make a conscious decision. So, there you go. That is what I am doing. Looking for FUEL for my body...not just comfort.
I do have to say that I have begun craving fruit. I LOVE that. So, I am keeping fruit stocked in my fridge. Sam's Club has had amazing fruit this year!
The best part about the small changes I have made are that I am seeing a difference in what my children are eating. On a recent, unexpected road trip, I stopped at a food mart so the boys could pick out snacks for the long drive. Guess what they chose? Pretzels, grapes and pistachios. What???? Totally their choice. I in no way encouraged, persuaded, etc. I did tell them how proud I was of their healthy choices. :)
So, today, I started the Couch to 5K program. Have you heard of this? I did about the first three weeks a couple of years ago. I decided that my health needs a healthy kick in the butt, so why not a program of tortuous running? I am sure it will get better...I am just a lot heavier than I was the last time I did it. My legs were like lead! But, I will keep trying...as long as I can walk tomorrow. :) If you want to read about the program, you can find information about it here. I HIGHLY recommend you download the app to your iphone, ipod, etc. You can play your favorite music and the app will tell you when to run, walk, etc. It is very helpful. :)
After making it through my first running day, I was extra motivated today. So, I took my boys out for a walk/run. Well...I walked...they rode a bike and a scooter. :) Good day.
What are your fitness goals over the next week? Here are mine:
1. Complete the first week of Couch to 5K (1 day down, 2 to go!)
2. Follow a healthy eating plan 4/7 days
3. Begin stretching or doing some light yoga 3/7 days. My legs are TIGHT!
Have a healthy week!
I did a fairly decent job of sticking with my healthy eating plan...until the last week. I am going to start over. As my good friend recently told me, every time you put food into your mouth, you have to make a conscious decision. So, there you go. That is what I am doing. Looking for FUEL for my body...not just comfort.
I do have to say that I have begun craving fruit. I LOVE that. So, I am keeping fruit stocked in my fridge. Sam's Club has had amazing fruit this year!
The best part about the small changes I have made are that I am seeing a difference in what my children are eating. On a recent, unexpected road trip, I stopped at a food mart so the boys could pick out snacks for the long drive. Guess what they chose? Pretzels, grapes and pistachios. What???? Totally their choice. I in no way encouraged, persuaded, etc. I did tell them how proud I was of their healthy choices. :)
So, today, I started the Couch to 5K program. Have you heard of this? I did about the first three weeks a couple of years ago. I decided that my health needs a healthy kick in the butt, so why not a program of tortuous running? I am sure it will get better...I am just a lot heavier than I was the last time I did it. My legs were like lead! But, I will keep trying...as long as I can walk tomorrow. :) If you want to read about the program, you can find information about it here. I HIGHLY recommend you download the app to your iphone, ipod, etc. You can play your favorite music and the app will tell you when to run, walk, etc. It is very helpful. :)
After making it through my first running day, I was extra motivated today. So, I took my boys out for a walk/run. Well...I walked...they rode a bike and a scooter. :) Good day.
What are your fitness goals over the next week? Here are mine:
1. Complete the first week of Couch to 5K (1 day down, 2 to go!)
2. Follow a healthy eating plan 4/7 days
3. Begin stretching or doing some light yoga 3/7 days. My legs are TIGHT!
Have a healthy week!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Well...August is definitely in full swing! Can't believe my boys go back to school next Thursday! Wow. So much for all of my summer plans.
Here is a trivia challenge for you....why does my weight go down after I eat out, but when I stick strictly to my diet, I lose nothing? I have yet to figure this out. If anyone reading has any bright ideas, I am all ears!!! Does anyone else have this problem?
I did manage to get in a 45 minute walk tonight. Didn't go near as far as I wanted (only 2.5 miles), but there were some small hills involved. :) I am thinking that I would have walked a greater "distance" on a treadmill, but I just do not want to go to the gym. I am going to have to get over that.
My goal for the upcoming week:
1. Stick to my diet 5/7 days
2. Go to the store to buy healthy snacks (i.e., fruit)
3. Walk a minimum of 30 minutes 4/7 days.
What are your fitness and/or health goals for the next week? Make some! We all have to start somewhere. Or start OVER for the 1000th time.
Here is a recent family pic...
I love it for many reasons....It has my beloved family. It is on my favorite campus (University of Missouri). And, I am in the BACK! sigh.
This is our first time having pictures taken by this photographer. I think she did an excellent job. Her business name is Lollipop Photography and you can find her at the website here.
Make your health goals with me! What is your excuse?
Here is a trivia challenge for you....why does my weight go down after I eat out, but when I stick strictly to my diet, I lose nothing? I have yet to figure this out. If anyone reading has any bright ideas, I am all ears!!! Does anyone else have this problem?
I did manage to get in a 45 minute walk tonight. Didn't go near as far as I wanted (only 2.5 miles), but there were some small hills involved. :) I am thinking that I would have walked a greater "distance" on a treadmill, but I just do not want to go to the gym. I am going to have to get over that.
My goal for the upcoming week:
1. Stick to my diet 5/7 days
2. Go to the store to buy healthy snacks (i.e., fruit)
3. Walk a minimum of 30 minutes 4/7 days.
What are your fitness and/or health goals for the next week? Make some! We all have to start somewhere. Or start OVER for the 1000th time.
Here is a recent family pic...
This is our first time having pictures taken by this photographer. I think she did an excellent job. Her business name is Lollipop Photography and you can find her at the website here.
Make your health goals with me! What is your excuse?
Friday, August 3, 2012
Well...hello there August. How did you get here so quickly?
Yea...busy mom...busy wife...busy life.... heard it before, used it as an excuse. I REALLY need to get out of the excuse pattern thing... That is the whole reason I started a "weight loss" blog...or "fitness blog", or whatever this is. Maybe just an attempt to take my personal struggles a little more public...hoping to find some similar souls who struggle daily with weight and the feelings of inadequacy that sometimes come with it. I want to scream in frustration. I don't remember a day past 10 years old where my self-esteem regarding my body hasn't been in the toilet. Being 36 now, that is just...well...sad. Yet, here I sit not doing a whole lot about it.
The good thing about sitting, is that I have done a lot of self-reflection and self-analyzing...which honestly, that can be good and bad. My summer has been very rocky with lots of health issues which has limited my attempts at being active. No, that is not another excuse, but life's funny way of sabotaging my efforts of making myself better. I am getting over it...
I did participate in the Columbia Slim Down Challenge. While I didn't lose the weight that I pledged to lose, I DID lose about 6 pounds, so I am focusing on the positive there. I will take it. I have also joined a fun and easy-to-use weight loss/fitness/nutrition web site called My Fitness Pal. You can find it here. My awesome friend, Kenna is "partnered" with me on this site, and she sends me encouraging messages frequently. It is amazing to see my motivation change when I have cheerleaders! My whole life the whole "weight" thing was very private and not discussed...at least it seemed this way. Being overweight is a negative and almost shameful thing. Now, please know that no one in my family has ever said they were ashamed of me because of my weight. I most likely internalized all of those feelings, and that is how it feels. (See...this is where that self-reflection thing really sucks.)
Anyway, you should check out My Fitness Pal. There are apps, so it is very portable. I really like it so far. If you do try it, my nickname is "JacqueJo"...partner up and we can keep each other motivated! I am finding I like cheerleaders! If it is something that I honestly talk with others about, it doesn't seem so shameful. Why has it taken me 36 years to figure this out?
Now for some fun pictures. My wonderful husband and I celebrated 10 years of marriage yesterday. <3 Here is a picture from back in the day.
This is in 1991. I was 15 years old and I think this was 4th of July weekend...right before my husband left for the Navy...for EIGHT years. Needless to say, our dating relationship didn't last that long at this point. But I was blessed enough that we crossed paths again several years later and the rest is history.
Two main reasons for posting this picture...well three.
1. I LOVE this picture.
2. In honor of our 10 years of marriage.
3. As a reminder that, yes...I wasn't always "fat". Although to be entirely honest, I really felt completely obese in this picture, as that is how I saw myself. I bet I weighed a whopping 120. Egads! But you can see my poor body image. It is the 4th of JULY...in Missouri...and I am wearing a SWEATSHIRT and have my arms crossed over my body... Totally hiding.
This crap is so psychological.
My pledge to MYSELF:
1. continue on My Fitness Pal, or at a bare minimum, log what I am eating everyday to keep track of what is going in my mouth.
2. Begin walking again on a regular basis, with a goal of at least 3 x / week or 9 miles / week.
3. Stick to my "exchange program" of 5 starches, 5 meats (protein), 4 fruits, 2 veggies, and 2 milks per day.
Ok. Extremely long post over. Had to catch up from my self-reflection. :)
No more excuses!!!
Yea...busy mom...busy wife...busy life.... heard it before, used it as an excuse. I REALLY need to get out of the excuse pattern thing... That is the whole reason I started a "weight loss" blog...or "fitness blog", or whatever this is. Maybe just an attempt to take my personal struggles a little more public...hoping to find some similar souls who struggle daily with weight and the feelings of inadequacy that sometimes come with it. I want to scream in frustration. I don't remember a day past 10 years old where my self-esteem regarding my body hasn't been in the toilet. Being 36 now, that is just...well...sad. Yet, here I sit not doing a whole lot about it.
The good thing about sitting, is that I have done a lot of self-reflection and self-analyzing...which honestly, that can be good and bad. My summer has been very rocky with lots of health issues which has limited my attempts at being active. No, that is not another excuse, but life's funny way of sabotaging my efforts of making myself better. I am getting over it...
I did participate in the Columbia Slim Down Challenge. While I didn't lose the weight that I pledged to lose, I DID lose about 6 pounds, so I am focusing on the positive there. I will take it. I have also joined a fun and easy-to-use weight loss/fitness/nutrition web site called My Fitness Pal. You can find it here. My awesome friend, Kenna is "partnered" with me on this site, and she sends me encouraging messages frequently. It is amazing to see my motivation change when I have cheerleaders! My whole life the whole "weight" thing was very private and not discussed...at least it seemed this way. Being overweight is a negative and almost shameful thing. Now, please know that no one in my family has ever said they were ashamed of me because of my weight. I most likely internalized all of those feelings, and that is how it feels. (See...this is where that self-reflection thing really sucks.)
Anyway, you should check out My Fitness Pal. There are apps, so it is very portable. I really like it so far. If you do try it, my nickname is "JacqueJo"...partner up and we can keep each other motivated! I am finding I like cheerleaders! If it is something that I honestly talk with others about, it doesn't seem so shameful. Why has it taken me 36 years to figure this out?
Now for some fun pictures. My wonderful husband and I celebrated 10 years of marriage yesterday. <3 Here is a picture from back in the day.
Two main reasons for posting this picture...well three.
1. I LOVE this picture.
2. In honor of our 10 years of marriage.
3. As a reminder that, yes...I wasn't always "fat". Although to be entirely honest, I really felt completely obese in this picture, as that is how I saw myself. I bet I weighed a whopping 120. Egads! But you can see my poor body image. It is the 4th of JULY...in Missouri...and I am wearing a SWEATSHIRT and have my arms crossed over my body... Totally hiding.
This crap is so psychological.
My pledge to MYSELF:
1. continue on My Fitness Pal, or at a bare minimum, log what I am eating everyday to keep track of what is going in my mouth.
2. Begin walking again on a regular basis, with a goal of at least 3 x / week or 9 miles / week.
3. Stick to my "exchange program" of 5 starches, 5 meats (protein), 4 fruits, 2 veggies, and 2 milks per day.
Ok. Extremely long post over. Had to catch up from my self-reflection. :)
No more excuses!!!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Exercising with a purple ankle
In an attempt to get active before I can start walking again, I took some time this afternoon to do some simple leg raises while laying on the floor. Unfortunately, for some reason my laptop isn't letting me download/upload pictures. I probably have another stinking virus. This is actually the third time I have tried to complete a blog post...It can be done!
Anyway...simple workout requiring very little space and just a few minutes:
3 sets of 10 of the following:
1. straight leg raises--lay on back; straighten knee and lift leg at least 12" off of floor
2. side leg raises--lay on side; lift leg on top with a straight knee (great for hips)
3. side leg raises--lay on side; lift bottom leg a few inches off of floor (great inner thigh exercise)
In addition, I am using my time of not being able to walk or vigorously exercise to make sure I stretch my hamstrings. SO important! Did you know that tight hamstrings can change the position of your pelvis and cause low back pain? total craziness... More can be read about tight hamstrings here.
Or...the best. Get yourself an awesome trainer, like the trainer I worked with, Amber. They can stretch those hamstrings! I sweat the worst during stretching!
On a side and very sad note, I am very sad to hear about the passing of little baby Avery from Avery's Bucket List. I had been following her story for a few weeks, and was shocked and sad when her dad blogged about her death. I know Avery touched many lives in her short time here. If you pray, send her family a prayer for comfort and peace. <3
In an attempt to get active before I can start walking again, I took some time this afternoon to do some simple leg raises while laying on the floor. Unfortunately, for some reason my laptop isn't letting me download/upload pictures. I probably have another stinking virus. This is actually the third time I have tried to complete a blog post...It can be done!
Anyway...simple workout requiring very little space and just a few minutes:
3 sets of 10 of the following:
1. straight leg raises--lay on back; straighten knee and lift leg at least 12" off of floor
2. side leg raises--lay on side; lift leg on top with a straight knee (great for hips)
3. side leg raises--lay on side; lift bottom leg a few inches off of floor (great inner thigh exercise)
In addition, I am using my time of not being able to walk or vigorously exercise to make sure I stretch my hamstrings. SO important! Did you know that tight hamstrings can change the position of your pelvis and cause low back pain? total craziness... More can be read about tight hamstrings here.
Or...the best. Get yourself an awesome trainer, like the trainer I worked with, Amber. They can stretch those hamstrings! I sweat the worst during stretching!
On a side and very sad note, I am very sad to hear about the passing of little baby Avery from Avery's Bucket List. I had been following her story for a few weeks, and was shocked and sad when her dad blogged about her death. I know Avery touched many lives in her short time here. If you pray, send her family a prayer for comfort and peace. <3
Friday, April 27, 2012
How to exercise on crutches (Part 2)
So, who knew? I googled my above title, and actually came up with some exercise tips for those who use crutches. So...here you go!
Crutches #1
Crutches #2
How to lose weight on crutches
So, I guess I have my next mild exercises ready to go! Stay tuned!
So, who knew? I googled my above title, and actually came up with some exercise tips for those who use crutches. So...here you go!
Crutches #1
Crutches #2
How to lose weight on crutches
So, I guess I have my next mild exercises ready to go! Stay tuned!
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