Personal Development Community

well, this seems like as good a place to jump in as any. =)

so ... day 1 ... i really didn’t know i was going to end up here today but life’s funny like that. 

my husband and i are on the final week of a 60 day home work out program. we started just after Thanksgiving so we can say we are among a small group of people who actually managed to lose weight over the holidays. his success has been fabulous. i’ve had a little trouble with the math so my results have been ok, just not as dramatic as his.

today’s E’s:
Exercise: 100% on!! 47(ish) minutes of plymetric cardio, including 6 minutes of stretching plus 16(ish) minutes of ab work
Eating:  80% ... so far so good, i broke down and got a diet pepsi. i’ve already got a headache. i need to find a replacement. i also think i could have stopped a bit sooner with lunch. gotta learn to leave some on the plate.
Energy/Enthusiasm: 45% ... not a big fan of my boss today. need to find some personal focus to get “me” back

*hugs y’all*

dae

Welcome, Daeja. With 60 days of exercise accomplished you have persistence. Hopefully here you’ll find support too.

Have you taken note of any changes due to the exercise in addition to your weight loss? Sometimes other results are just as exciting (like having clothes fit better or being stronger).

Hello, Daeja and welcome to MTM.  Great accomplishment for both you and your husband.  Way to go! 

I had to laugh at your “not a big fan of my boss today.” That was hysterical, and I can well relate, although yesterday mine was more like, “not a big fan of my job today.” How funny!

Keep on rockin’ and rollin’.  You’re doing it!

hihihi -

Day 2 =

today’s E’s:
Exercise: 100% on!! 59(ish) minutes including 6 minutes of stretching. max interval cardio. this one kicks my butt every time
Eating: 100% ... so far. i’ve only had breakfast up to this point but i feel good about today. 
Energy/Enthusiasm: 75% ... feeling a little more like me. =) prolly doesnt hurt that the boss is on vaca.

Joan & Judy - thanks so much for the welcome!!

I have noticed changes other than just the drop in numbers. I can get farther into some of the videos without having to take a break than before. I can maintain better form for the exercises that I’m doing than before. And (*drum roll*) I have made it to the “back of the closet.” I’m wearing clothes that I haven’t worn in almost 5 years.  hehehe I guess the next big clothing milestone will be having to buy new clothes!!

yesterday i read a magazine article that said Fergie’s daily calorie budget is 1600. i love her with the Black Eyed Peas but her solo efforts are a little raw for my taste (too much to filter to play around the house with a 4 year old listening). She is absolutely beautiful though. I guess it is a misery loves company thing but suddenly my daily calorie budget (or even just having to have a calorie budget) didn’t seem so bad knowing that she is having to “do the math” too.

keep moving everybody!!

*hugs y’all*

hihihi - day 3!

Today’s E’s:
Exercise: 100% - todays workout was short but it is my favorite circuit. and, after 2 months, i can almost get through the whole thing! yeah!
Eatting: uh ... 85% ... it’s early yet. breakfast was on and i brought my food for the day but i didn’t do the math yet so i don’t know how it’s going to cut into my allowance (i decided i like allowance better than budget)
Energy/Enthusiasm: 70% ... my daughter started sleep walking last night. if it was just a matter of her walking through the house i don’t think i’d be worried about it but we have a set of stairs that i worry she could fall down. she’s had a stressful week so i’m hoping its not a nightly thing but i think i’ll be sleeping even more lightly than normal until i feel like she is grown out of this.

i got an email from my mom this morning and the title was Inspiration for the Day. it included lots of beautiful landscape pictures and little bit-size nuggets about relationships and personal development.  For instance, I believe you can keep on going long after you think you can’t. 

I agree with most of the comments. the only one i disagree with is: I believe that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I’m a work in progress. Even when I finally get a handle on my exercise and food issues, there are still lots of areas of personal development for me.  My daughter is my greatest teacher but one lesson i’m having a tremendous amount of difficulty with is learning to play, learning to relax.

The good news is my teacher hasn’t given up on me yet. =)

hihihi -

Today’s E’s:
Exercise: 100% ... today was max interval plyo and my legs were jello before it was done.
Eatting: 85% ... started good but its early yet. didn’t do any grocery shopping this week so we are struggling to make lunches this week. i ended up being 75 calories over my allowance yesterday which wouldn’t be bad except that i’ve been over more than under this week. the week should still show a loss because of the kick my assets workouts but i definitely need to be controlling it more.
Energy/Enthusiasm: 85% ... i hurt. i dont know what i did. my upper back, my neck. it started after chiro visit so i think i need to go back and get redone.

so i have my workout videos; i have my phone & gym/accountability apps; i have my gym membership (we go back next week) and sessions with the trainer. and now i’m adding gowearfit. i’m hoping that maybe having the right tools will help me. i want the gowearfit so that i can make sure i’m staying under my calorie allotment especially after i get closer to my goal weight.

i have to make sure that having too much information doesn’t backfire on me.  because that could happen.

hihihi -

been a bit quiet because my enthusiasm has been suffering. i’m getting better now.

E’s today:
Exercise: 75% ... i went to the gym thinking that i was going to be working with trainer but he seemed to think i wasn’t coming. i ended up only doing the treadmill. i did 14% incline at speeds of 3.2-4.2 but because it was such a short workout i’m considering it less than my best effort.
Eatting: 100% ... but it is early yet. i still need to develop a menu that i can just go to automatically instead of the mad scramble in the morning to get a rough calculation and foods prepped.
Energy/Enthusiasm: 80% ... i hurt. my neck is so stiff. it is residual from the anger-resentment-crap attitude i’ve been hanging onto for the last 2.5 weeks. i’ll be glad when the work stuff is resolved or done and then i can just get on with life.

since i forgot to post for the past few days:

Saturday - last Insanity workout.
Sunday - rest
Monday - Insanity fit test

so i’m still on track for my 100 days. =)

hihihi -

day 9 and still moving. =)

Today’s E’s:
Exercise: 100% ... i started over on the video program that i just completed and guess what? it’s not gotten any easier? it might have a little bit to do with the fact that as i get a little stronger, i work a little harder but i’m not really feeling stronger/healthier yet. at least not enuff to say that i exerted so much additional effort on the workout ...
Eatting: 75% ... i’m on track so far. today is shaping up to be a little bit slow so i think today would be a good day to work on default menus & meals ...
Enthusiasm: 100%!! ... yeah!! i feel like me again. not enuff sleep but that is par for the course.  i’m not feeling mopey & dopey & that is a bazillion times better than i’ve felt for the last 3 weeks.

have a blessed day!!

Good going! 

There is definitely something to be said for not feeling mopey and dopey.  I absolutely loved the way you chose to express that—because I could definitely relate to it without question!

hihihi -

day 10 - yeah!!

Today’s E’s:

Eatting: 75% - it’s early yet and i didn’t get my menus and meal plans done. so i have no real idea of what i’ve thrown together for the day. but i do know that most days, a lot of the healthier choices are coming more naturally when i pack my food so those numbers tend to stay low. its the additional gnoshing that puts me over my allowance.

Exercise: 100% - yeah!! cardio power & resistance. lots of jumping. i’m not good with jumping. i’m not good at jumping. but i keep trying. Mike met with trainer Eric this morning. they worked upperbody. Eric said it was good that Mike did legs on his own first time back in the gym. **NOTE TO SELF: work legs tomorrow so that when i see Eric, it is an upper body day because i really don’t want to feel crippled for the whole weekend. PS: don’t forget to stretch.**

Enthusiasm: 88% - my head is clear and i am ready to start the day but i just don’t have much for energy. shelby (dog) had seizures yesterday. Trin has recently started sleep walking. i was a light sleeper before. now it really doesnt feel like i hit that deep rejuvenating point of sleep because i was so busy listening.

so ... Jillian Michael’s is being sued because of her endorsement for some weight loss product, that looks like a combination of metabolism booster and appetite suppressant.  the strangest part for me is that 3-4 years ago when i had a membership to her website, she was all about how ineffective and unnecessary supplementation was and the path to good health was organic eatting, sweat and doing the work and math. of course, that was also before 1/3 of the Biggest Loser programming became commercials for Ziploc, Extra, and Subway.  i still love watching BL and Jillian but i wish that it could have remained what it was originally intended to be. a show about helping and motivating people who don’t know how to help themselves.

keep moving, y’all.

You’re doing great! 

Re:  Jillian Michaels and the Biggest Loser.  Money always has a way of changing these things.  Sad but true.

I have to add one more thing here—something that I feel is very important and needs to be said after my money comment above. 

Before I joined MTM, I listened to the free podcast for a little while.  I also cruised all over the internet and listened to all sorts of podcasts on iTunes before I chose MTM.  I chose MTM because of how the whole MTM experience (and Scott, Joi and Carlyn) made me FEEL.  While MTM is a business and therefore a money making venture, I felt very strongly right from the beginning that MTM was far greater than that.  I believed (and still believe) that they were in this not just to make money—but because they truly walk their talk and really, honestly in their core do what they do because it is their purpose to help folks achieve that which they feel they cannot achieve.  Those were my greatest reasons for becoming involved with MTM. 

My secondary reason was because Scott and Joi are right around my age (well, Scott is anyway), and I knew the only way I would succeed was to “hang out” with folks who weren’t 20-something and therefore don’t have a clue about what it is like to be 40 and 50-something.

Love your new picture. I’m just glad that the Biggest Loser has cut down on some of the drama from contestants being nasty. What I’ve liked about the show is that no one is asked to do anything demeaning and even those who lose the game are winners in life if they follow through on what they were taught.

hihihi -

day 12 - back in the gym - slow start - just cardio but i got my happy self there!
day 13 - gym with trainer - 30 min cardio & 30 min upperbody session with trainer
day 14 - rest!! i love my day off. =)
day 15 - gym - putzed around a little more than i meant to; only got cardio in. bad pattern developing here!!
day 16 - gym with trainer - 30 min upper body & 25 min cardio w/5 min cool down. just realized i forgot to stretch.

E’s -
Exercise - 100%
Eatting - it’s early yet and i just realized i forgot to grab part of my lunch. that may cause a problem, especially since i just got some really frustrating news. 75%
Energy / Enthusiasm - i did just get some really frustrating news and i’m more than a little bit pissy about it but i think on lots of levels i was expecting it. i think i new it was going to work out this way. so ... i guess i wait and see what God has in store for me because it must be better than what i envisioned could happen 65%

hihihi

day 17 and still moving!! yeah!!

E’s:
Exercise: 100% - the workout felt light today but i was there. i’m also a bit sore in the shoulders from working with trainer yesterday. this is the first time he has EVER managed to make me a bit sore from an upperbody workout. there have been times when i’ve felt almost crippled by the leg stuff but usually i walk away from the upperbody stuff unscathed. i think he is going to gloat.
Eatting: 75% - so far i’m still on track. yesterday i fell way off the wagon. was almost 33% over my allowance. so this morning when i got on the scale ... i lost weight. i dont get it. i really dont think my allowance is too low but fortunately i should get my gowearfit this week so i should be able to tell then.
Energy/Enthusiasm: 93% - still working out job/opportunity issues. eventually i’ll get over myself.

it’s funny. on one level, i am absolutely certain that everything will simply work out famously. God has a plan and it is so much better than anything i could come up with. but on another level, on my control freak level, i am all spun up and wrapped around the axle because i can’t do anything. i know, i know, there is a lesson here and i’m just gonna stay spun up until i learn it.  (Let go and let God.) all the knowing in the world isn’t making it any easier.

hihihi -

day 18 and i am still moving!!

E’s -
Exercise: 100% Pure Cardio - today i actually felt like i saw improvement in what i was doing. that was sweet!! i’m still no where close to the level of the people on the video but it was a lot better than when i started. yeah!!
Eatting: 85% - i never feel like i can post 100% in the morning. it is usually too early. yesterday i did finish the day at about 98% (i was only about 50 calories over my allowance) so that was fabulous. i still need to work on bringing it down to consistently be under allowance but considering how many calories i burn for working out, being close is a push at least if not a win.
Enthusiasm: 80% - i’m getting there. struggling some with not meeting some personal goals for the month but maybe they were unrealistic. too much external influence for me to continue losing sleep over not getting what i wanted to do done. so, i just need to continue to re-align my thinking and keep on working at it. and keep on believing there is a method to the madness.

sorry. nothing much to add. Trin has a cough so we were up for awhile (at least an hour) in the middle of the night. makes for a kinda sluggish day.

got my gowearfit in the mail yesterday and did config’s this morning.  it said i burned 318 calories for my exercise routine this morning. and so far today i’ve burned a total of about 1300. i think i’m gonna like my new toy. =)

have a very successful day, friends!!

hihihi -

funny how basic math never fails to elude me.  today is day 18. =)

Es -
Exercise: 100% yeah! went to the gym today. did cardio and took time to work legs. i felt like i was late there so it was a mental exercise even to make myself stay and do them.
Eating: 75% i am having an emotional eating day. i’m still under but there is definitely a lot of stuff that i didnt need to put in my mouth.
Energy/Enthusiasm: 65% i need to find ... something. i’m not liking this at all. i’m not liking that i dont have the ability to motivate myself, let alone help anybody else.

*heavy sigh* life is too short to spend this much time not having fun.

Daeja, I’m reading your posts and seeing someone who is exercising and monitoring eating and has job issues (reading somewhat between the lines) and you seem to be saying that you don’t have “energy/enthusiasm.” What are you expecting out of yourself?

Sometimes we have to just put one foot in front of the other. Other times we can dance down the road. Neither state lasts forever. You seem to be doing just fine.

Are you noticing the little changes that come from exercising? You noted that your cardio was better and that you were able to do enough to get your upper body sore.

It’s good to set goals with specific dates but as long as you see progress, don’t worry about the dates. I’ve been pursuing fitness for four years now and my enthusiasm rises and falls but I’ve learned that if I just keep doing something, my enthusiasm rises again. So don’t get discouraged. Just keep going.

Hi Daeja!

I had to comment when I read you say you needed to just give it up to God.  I have very recently started to learn how to do that. (control freak here as well).  Don’t get me wrong, still doing the work, but letting go of the stress about the unknown.  Just knowing I am going to do my best and things will work out.  I have found that a walk once a week, alone, no cell phone, helps so much!  Listen to whatever podcast you want.  Just relax and let the stress go.  It really helps with the week ahead!  Keep up the great work!!!

hihihi -

day 22 - E’s
Exercise - 100% - worked with trainer this morning and talked about food with him. we worked shoulders (i guess) - he said he wanted to help me with my posture. then i got some cardio in.
Eating - 85% - it’s early. i had cake. i’m pretty sure there is room in my allowance. but i think it has more to do with being a little bit tired. or something. but i did resist the donut!! woo hoo!! 
Enthusiasm - 65% - ugh. job is more than a little bit slow right now. time is going so slowly.

as for staying on track with 100 days challenge - so far so good. still getting up and moving. yeah!! scale not so much. about that ...

Joan, you are amazing. what am i expecting of myself? i am expecting ... a lot. prolly too much. years and years of a Pollyanna like attitude ...

i’m so used to being stress free just as part of my nature that all of the mounting symptoms of stress (from the knots in my shoulders to the less than “me” recognizable attitude to the disproportionate anger over circumstances that are out of my control and don’t even affect me) were kinda being ... discounted and ignored. i was focusing on the aspect that i felt was probably the greatest inconvenience to other people - me being out of sorts and grumpy - instead of what was really going on. 

and, if there was ever a need for a concrete example of how stress can affect weight loss and everything else, well here i am. 

you are right. there may be just the teensiest bit of job stress ... just a teensy bit ...

i am a govt contractor. i work for a very small company (less than 100 people - fabulous company!! did i mention fabulous?). the very large, very established company i’m contracted to has recently had some layoffs, to include contractors - a few peers from my company have been included in that. while i have not been layed off, i have been notified that funding for my work is consumed March 31. so i have 27 working days left. then i have some time with my company while they and i continue to look for a job for me. i wont be out on the street.

there are lots of irons in the fire. funding could change 3-4 times before my “expiry” date. there are a couple contracts that could be awarded/announced that would change circumstances for a 100s of people who are currently under the same (or more) stressful situation than i am.  i have maintained a very good working reputation and have lots of people in my network who are more than happy to help me.

never the less, for the first time in my life, despite my reputation and my work ethic, i am facing a circumstance 100s of 1000s of people before have faced - unemployment. which is not to say i have not been unemployed before. i managed to get myself fired once (learned a lot about myself then) and even volunteered for a layoff (it felt the same as being fired) previously. but those were like tornados. it hit. i was devastated. i picked myself up and moved on.

this is like a hurricane. there are weeks and weeks of build-up. plenty of time for preparation but also, plenty of time for escalating worry and stress.

while i don’t have a problem with long term projects or efforts especially when i can see progress even if it is measured in small amounts, i am very very un-good at waiting most certainly when it is coupled with unknowing. it is the feeling that i am waiting on some many other people and their circumstances and an ill-wind or a last-straw could be the very thing that changes my daughter’s living circumstance.

we like prolly more than 80% of the population are living a little too close to the edge.

i’m scared. i’m stressed out and i’m scared. which could be why i’ve been a little bit ... cranky. it could also explain the sticking point on my scale.

so today i’m celebrating the fact that despite all the life-stuff, the scale has not moved back up. it has shifted a little to the right and back some to the left, but small increments that can and have been corrected.

thank you, Joan, for helping me find perspective.

*hugs you*