The Journey

The Challenge is nearly over and it is a bittersweet feeling!   This has been a journey of self-discovery for me as much as anything.  I feel so much better as far as endurance in exercise and with my overall health as a result of regular exercise and increasing my water intake.  I sleep better, am more focused on work and enjoy the small things in life more.  I love exercising outside but have found that listening to the MP3 player or an I pod really helps me stay focused and motivated.    think about nutrition in a more healthy way and have gained a better understanding of what I need to have a healthy body. I have found some life-long learning and intend to continue and perfect my exercise and nutrition routine for a long time.  I really would love to start all over again from the beginning!

The Flu!

I think my feeling of being out of balance was a precursor to the flu.  I came down with the flu Monday afternoon. I hadn't felt well all day at work and thought that going to the gym would help me feel better. I went to the gym after work and got 45 minutes of cardio in, but it was a huge struggle. After leaving the gym, I  felt worse and worse and ended up with all of the full blown flu symptoms within an hour of arriving home. The fatigue and achiness that came with the flu were pretty intense.  I wasn't able to go to work, log my diet or to work out for two days and don't want to know what this will do to my progress in the Challenge.  I wasn't able to eat a whole lot of anything except some liquids and a little cottage cheese.  I plan to get back on track tomorrow and am looking forward to the nutrition class and the education benefits being in this program gives me.

Balance

I still have problems finding balance after taking on the Challenge.   It seems like a complete juggling act in my already hectic life and some things are left undone to accompish other duties.   Don't know if anyone else feels this way or if any one has a solution.  The holiday threw another curve ball and added another set of challenges that included the exercise goal and food journaling.

Classtime

We had a class today with Marlene where we could talk about our fear, expectations and goals.  It was good to have a group session where we could all speak out about what was on our mind and find common ground.  I learned new ideas about long-term success, short-term success, expectations, frustrationsand attitude.  I found it helpful to know that I need to put my fears and thoughts into the daily food log to understand how thoughts and fears play into my success. It was also interesting to know that we all have the same basic fears and frustrations.

Hurdles

One of my biggest hurdles is getting enough sleep, I can't manage to get more than about 6 hours of sleep each night.  I am working on getting my life organized to be able to incorporate the sleep I need into my schedule.  I can see how water is beneficial with the amount exercise we do each day, but that is another hurdle for me.  I have set a goal to try to get more water into my day, but it is another hurdle I need to work on.

Challenge

I think the biggest thing that is holding me back is my own fear as far as exercise and endurance is concerned.  I have found that my time in the gym has shown how strong I actually am and that I can push myself further than I have tried to before.

A Week of Firsts

This morning was my first official workout with the trainer.  I found I was stronger in some areas than I thought I was and found some new learning opportunities with new exercises.  I first thought one hour wouldn't be hard enough, but I found out that I was wrong!  Water intake is key for me, helping me to stay focused and energized.   Making time for cardio after working all day will definitely take planning and preparation.  Looking forward to our first nutrition class this week!

Baby Steps

Had an early morning visit with my trainer at the Wellness Center.  What a great opportunity to have access to the machines and to have a trainer who will be helping me along the way.  I felt enthusiastic and eager to learn more after our first session.  I felt clumsy and awkward on some of the equipment I hadn't used before, but I am sure with time I will become more familiar with it.   It was my daughters birthday today so we took the family out for dinner.  Having the thought in the back of my mind that I need to maintain a food log and turn the log in each week kept me focused on chosing the right food and drink along with being mindful of portion size.   At this point for me it is baby steps--one thing at a time and taking it slow.  Small changes and thinking things through will add up in the long run.  I look forward to the Weigh to Health classes that start next week for additional learning!