All or nothing

 

 

Well, it’s been forever D Lister’s !!! It’s not that I have not wanted to write but after such a long hiatus it was like “Where do I begin?”

 

This last year or so has been a blur. My physical healthiness journey has become stagnant for the most part. The only good thing is I have at least stayed within the same 10 pounds up or down a few here and there. I will do good for a few weeks with my eating and then it goes to crap again. I feel like I’m stuck in an all or nothing cycle.  I think its time to go shopping for a new man in my life and resume the hot dates with Gym.

 

As I sit here writing this, sick as a dog, unable to sleep from coughing, I find myself pondering where I’m at. The career side of things is going great. I have been at my new job almost 8 months and although very  high stress….I LOVE IT!

 

Here lies the problem. Clearly the at home workouts are not working( or happening these days). I’m exhausted at the end of the day when I get home which also means I don’t feel like a workout. I suck at dedication to my at home workouts and feel like I need the structure of a Gym again. But in making this financial commitment again I have to USE it! So pretty much this leaves getting up at the crack of dawn to head to the gym. Can’t say I love that idea either but it seems like a better alternative before I’m so tired from work to get some activity in.

 

Ironically (or not) all my hard work in changing my lifestyle in a healthy way with regards to clean eating and workouts seemed to cease when I moved back into the work force….and quit blogging. In addition to setting up some hot dates with Gym I need to write. It holds me accountable …to ME!

 

So for the short version here are my plans/goals for the next few weeks…

• Find a gym
• Get back to clean eating

 

What do you do to keep balance in your life between work and play, children and health?

 

Time to start over and hit the reset button!

 

Starting weight 192

 

Peace, Love and Happy Blogging

M

40!!!

Whoohooo...I have now surpassed the 40 pounds lost mark!!! Official loss 40.8 lbs :)

That is all..Happy Sunday everyone!


Peace, Love and Happy Blogging
M

Starting over…well not really

 

 

Ah …where to begin?

 

For those of you who have followed me and my progress you know all to well things just STOPPED in February. I got back into the work force and had to go train for a month out of town bringing things to a screeching halt, for the most part, in my healthiness journey.  I was thrown into the work version of MTV’s Real World stuck staying in a house with several other people I didn’t know. I “didn’t want to work out in front of people I didn’t know”, REALLY?!?!? What a lame excuse! Needless to say and very clear from my lack of post, things did  not pick back up once I got home.

 

While I haven't been working out I have at least still be somewhat watching what I ate. This thankfully has at least prevented me from gaining all the weight I lost back…and I have even lost 3lbs. Seriously though 3 pounds over 7.5 months is not progress to me but feels more like chance, or luck. Regardless though it was not a gain so I’ll take it!

 

While I have been trying to motivate to get back at it the excuses just kept pilling up along side the I’ll start tomorrow, next week, when xyz settles down …the list went on. Last weekend I had a reality check! Leave it to a candid picture, not posed or properly lighted with no makeup on and a bad hair did day to put things into perspective. I saw this picture and immediately thought “MAN AM I FILLING THAT CHAIR OUT!”

 

 

Now to be fare here’s a picture in the same outfit (standing up) with makeup and a proper hair did day. (LOL)

 

           

 

Anyways …with  no further adieu, this prompted me to hit the reset button. I called Monday and made an appointment with the weight loss clinic I went to back in December for Tuesday night after work. I started actually tracking again Monday as well and even managed to work out yesterday morning (and plan to this morning after I finish this post). My clinic visit went well, I had not gained and was still down 13 lbs from my December visit. Had I continued with the “plan” instead of coming to a halt in February though I very well could be at goal now. Ten of those thirteen pounds happened between my December visit and the end of January.

 

I also found a new “toy” last weekend though for the bargain price of $9.99, and we all know I LOVE a bargain. (this normally retails for around $60-70)

 

 

 

It may not be much but for  now its as close to gym equipment as I can get …at home anyways. I will also be pulling out the at home workout DVD’s.

 

My goals for  now are to

• track, ON PAPER, every day as well as on My Fitness Pal
• stay within my calorie goal’s each day
• work out a minimum 20 minuets a day for at least 4 days a week (hopefully more than 20)

 

What have all of you been doing lately? Are you at goal, closer to goal, on track, off…

 

Join me and let’s get this party started again!!!!

 

Current weight- 185.4

Total loss to date- 39 lbs

 

Game ON!!!

 

Peace, Love and Happy Blogging

M

Here, there and everything inbetween...

Wow...Reall? Has it been this long? It's hard to believe that this little blog that I so loved has been untouched in months, MONTHS! Do I want to abandon it or delete it, no, but life has taken priority lately.

So much has changed in my life in the past few months. The short version...I have moved, gotten a great job and fallen in love. The weight loss side of my life has fallen to the wayside. While I haven't given up on that side of my journey it has deffinatly not been a priority lately. While I have not gained any weight back this still needs to change if I'm ever going to get to goal. While I have not been working out I have still been (somewhat) maintaining my eating.

What have I been doing then you ask, ok maybe you didnt ask but I'll tell ya. Well the biggest factor is my new job. I have been in school the past couple years so this has taken some getting used to. While as any job can be stressful I truely love my new job. I am working for a durable medical supply company and I feel like I get to actually help people. This is right up my alley, although it's not what I was going to school for it is in the medical field. Along with the new job came a new home. My job is about an hour from where I was living as is my new home. It felt so great to get out of that horrible depressing house I was living in.

With the new job and new home life is good. Depression has burried itself in a deep dark hole hopefuly never to be found again. I have found self confidence again, and self love. This has lead me to another love as well. Yep, you guessed it I finally ventured back into the dating world! God sent me the most wonderful man to share all the new wonderful things in my life. (His name is Josh)

I will now try and restrain myself from not gushing all my lovey dovey feelings all over this post...lol. He really is amazing though, I have never been treated so well. I could not ask for better!

Now that everything is setteling down though it's time to get back to business! It's time to get my healthy lifestyle shoe's back on. While I have not gained any, I also have not lost. Am I ok with this? Well yes and no. Part of me is content where I am but another part of me misses seeing the progress. What I dont miss is all the effort it took to get that progress, but that is the nature of the beast. If you want change you have to work at it. It's time to get back to "work".

For a while I was having great success doing at home workouts but I have gotten in the bad habbit of just not doing any at all. I'm considering re-joining a gym. While the at home workouts were doign the job I always missed the gym. I missed the elliptical, I missed the bike. (Shocking I know) I still havent made an official decision but I'm deffinatly leaning twards gym time again. I need some hot dates with Gym I think to kick things off again, at least till I get back in the habbit.

Another thing I need to get back on track is my eating habbits. While my eating has not been terible along with a new relationship comes lots of yummy date nights. Can I make good food choices on these dates, well sure. Have I been, no. It's time to set some goals again and get busy!

Right now here's the plan...

• Get back on "plan" with my eating
• Get off my arse and get my sweat on at least a few times a week!!!!
• Write/blog more, it helps keep me accountable
• Continue to enjoy this crazy little thing called Love

So all my blogger friends...how are you, what have you been up to lately?


Peace, Love and Happy Blogging
M

Crazy little thing called love...

 

Update coming soon....

Peace, Love and Happy Blogging

M

Strategies for a Positive Point of View {Guest Post}

 

 

 

Strategies for a Positive Point of View

Our attitude determines so much about our daily lives. Much of what we accomplish throughout the day and how we feel about what we've accomplished depends on how positive we are feeling. Our thoughts and emotions affect every aspect of our life. It seems today that so much of our daily life is consumed by speed and stress, that it can be difficult to maintain a positive and uplifted mood. However, there are a lot of things to be gained from slowing down, stepping back, and maintaining a positive outlook on your life. As cliché as it may sound, positive thinking is the key to success and happiness. Maintaining a positive overall point of view can be a huge challenge in today's world. These three things can help keep you positive throughout each and every day. Our lives are stressful and busy, it is important to find ways to slow down and be positive.

Help Others Out

The simple act of helping others helps us to feel joy. There is a certain amount of perspective we can gain from recognizing someone in need in ways that we can help. Whether you are volunteering your time or simply acting when you see someone in need in your everyday situation, these positive actions help to make us more positive people. While oftentimes a positive mindset is discussed in the opposite order—if we think positively, positive things will happen—the equation works both ways. If you do positive things, you will think positively. Offer to help a neighbor with their groceries, volunteer your time at a homeless shelter, or lead a children's sports group. Any of these things can help you remain optimistic and positive in your daily endeavors.

Get Back to the Basics

Take a step back and slow down your day every now and then. Find something that can reconnect you with the basics in life. Take a bath, read, walk your dog, listen to your favorite band. Slow down just long enough to realize all of the great things you can do with your time. Some of the simplest things are the ones that provide us with the most pleasure and positivity. If you are constantly racing around doing things you don't necessarily like or even realize you do like, you're going to develop a negative outlook on your days. The constant go of our modern lives can be deadening in many ways. Slow the pace and learn to appreciate the things you enjoy. Relaxation is an important step in maintaining a positive point of view on your life and the things around you.

Listen to Your Inner Voice

This is one of the most important aspects of remaining positive in your efforts and actions throughout your days. Your inner voice is an aspect of yourself that likely goes unnoticed too often. Many of us suffer from a negative inner voice. If our heads are constantly telling us something that is negative, it will be extremely difficult to remain positive or even happy. First, you have to listen and recognize your own inner voice. What are you saying in your head? How are the phrases worded? If you notice that you are constantly thinking and saying things in a negative way, work to alter your inner voice. Change those negative thoughts into positive ones. If you are able to train your inner voice to create positive things, you will be able to remain positive more easily. The trick is listening.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.

 

 

Peace, Love and Happy Blogging

M

Friends, What’s love got to do with it? {guest post}

 

 

Can Your Best Friend Benefit Your Health and Well Being?

"Friends, how many of us have them?"—this may be a lyric of a 1980's one hit wonder, but hip-hop group Whodini definitely touched on a subject that can transition today —everyone needs at least one best friend. While best friends are great because they keep the boredom away and help you develop your social skills, best friends can actually promote over all better health. That’s right. Some studies suggest that having a best friend can directly improve the way our body functions. In some cases, having a best friend can even prevent illnesses. That said, to learn why you should probably organize a "friendship appreciation day" to personally thank your bestie for keeping you sane and healthy for all these years, continue reading below.

Lowers Stress Hormones Levels

A recent study suggested that having a best friend near whenever an "unpleasant" or "unfortunate" event occurs can actually slow the rate at which cortisol is released into our bodies. Cortisol is a hormone that typically excretes when we’re stressed. While having cortisol in our bodies is natural, having an excess amount can have potentially damaging, long term effects. For example, too much cortisol can lead to weight gain since it's what makes us crave sugary and salty foods. Cortisol is also linked to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases. It's also known to weaken your immunity, making you more likely to catch the common cold and other illnesses.

Releases Endorphins

Studies also show that having a good laugh fest with your best bud can help release endorphins—the same "feel-good" endorphins that are released when we eat chocolate, minus the added calories. The more endorphins our body releases the more euphoric and happy state we are in, which means you can feel happy even on the roughest days. Not only that, but smiling/ laughing actually helps you maintain a youthful appearance since it helps keep your skin's elasticity supple which means fewer fine lines and wrinkles.

Aid is Longevity

Lastly, those that don't have a best friend typically die much quicker than those with a strong group of close friends since a study suggests that a "lack of friends" can have the same harmful effects of smoking 15 cigarettes daily or being an alcoholic. Other studies have noted that cancer patients lived longer if they had the emotional support they needed from family and friends.

So go and nurture your friendship(s) to make sure that the most important people in your life are there to stay.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online courses.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7@gmail.com.

 

 

Peace, Love and Happy Blogging

M