The Finish Line

From Lose it for Life Day by Day - March 1st:

I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. ~ 1 Corinthians 9:26-27A (The Message)

There is no finish line in our quest for better health. Embracing a lifelong process, performed daily with no arrival point, can be daunting. In our old life of dieting, we motivated ourselves into deprivation by focusing on the idea that it was only temporary; that when we reached our goal weight, we would be able to splurge again. We strove for that finish line -- but it backfired on us. The deprivation dam broke when we allowed ourselves that splurge. And there we were, back to old eating habits and putting on pounds again.

In this verse Paul speaks about a finish line, but it's more like a rainbow--we run hard toward it, but we never fully arrive in this life. The rainbow is still out there ahead of us, so we learn to live well one day at a time. We let go of sloppy living by surrendering daily. We run this race with everything we've got--faithfully working out spiritual keys, diligently planning our food, energetically exercising our bodies. We stay alert and in top shape so that we feel enlivened, not beaten down by deprivation.

Today, Lord I embrace this daily plan of living well, running the race with the willingness to stay in top condition.

A Missed Quiet Time is Not Good

I started off the weekend great. I was 100% on my habits Friday and then had most all my habits in Saturday before we met the realtor to look at a house.

I had planned on having soup at home after that, but we went to Jason's Deli instead. I had some of their toasted bread (Yum!) with my chili. Then I planned on having my nuts as a snack at church (I was running video), but I forgot about them. We went to out to eat Italian food for our anniversary. I ate SO much and was so stuffed when we got home. But it was SO good.

Sunday I didn't get up early enough to have my quiet time before church and I think that threw me off for the entire day. I didn't get hardly any of my habits all day. I think it is because I didn't have my quiet time. I realize now how important it is for me to have that time. I can't even recall the last time I didn't have it to know what kind of day that was. So, now I know and the next time I am running video at church, I will just get up at my regular workday time.

I think this is probably why I struggle when I am away from home. I don't get to have my normal quiet time then either and it causes me to try to fill myself with food because I didn't fill myself with the living Word of God. We will be going out of town at least once in November (and probably twice), so it will be important that I spend some quiet time with God while we are gone.

October Habits & Goals

October Healthy Habits
Journal Food & Fitness
Blog
5 Min of Quiet
Read Lose It For Life Devotional
Keep in Touch
Ready in less than 50 min
Lunchtime Treadmill
Cardio
Core
Strength
Stretch/Yoga
Produce - 5 servings
Dairy - 2 servings
Healthy Oil
Nuts
Fiber One
Whole Grain
1 Coffee+1 Tea
Alcohol~0-1
No Sugar
No Flour
No Junk Food
No Looking for Houses (except on Sunday)
No Food after 9
Organize something - a drawer, shelf, area
Enter Receipts
Tomorrow's Clothes
Photos - Work on moving photos from albums to boxes
Bedtime Routine
Bed before 11

October Goals
Be 100% on 10 habits
Miss less than 100 healthy habits total
4.5 Hours of Weight Training
Run at least 4 times for at least 10 minutes
Go to the gym at least 4 times
Do yoga at least once
Do Turbo Sculpt at least twice
Do Turbo Jam at least twice
Get the hair removed on my lip (Advice on this? I've never done it before)
Deep Pore Cleansing mask once a week
Buy a navy blue Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt (Go Cowboys!)

Fitness Friday on Saturday

I forgot that yesterday was supposed to be Fitness Friday and I posted something else that was significant to me for the day.

Anyway, this has been a good fitness week. So far this month I already have 5 hours of exercise and one of the days has been a rest day. :) I am feeling really motivated right now and I want to take advantage of that motivation and work really hard to keep my workouts diverse, get plenty of strength training, eat healthy and get my healthy habits in.

Those are my monthly goals I set for myself to the month (the items in green have been completed):

Heath & Fitness September Goals:
Be 100% on 10 (or more) (currently 100% on 25)
Miss less than 100 healthy habits total (have missed 7 so far)
4.5 Hours of Weight Training (1.2 hours so far)
Run at least 4 times
Do pilates at least once
Do yoga at least once
Do each of these machines at the gym - elliptical, arch trainer, stair mill, expresso bike, cardio wave
Do Turbo Sculpt at least once (plan on doing this today)
Do Turbo Jam at least once

It's a New Month!

September is here! Time for a new list of health habits:

Jnl Food/Fitness
Blog
5 Min of Quiet
Keep in Touch
Ready < 50 min
Lunch Treadmill (doesn't count toward regular cardio)
Cardio
Core
Strength
Stretch/Yoga
2nd Vitamin
Produce - 5
Dairy - 2
Healthy Oil
Nuts
Fiber One
Whole Grain
1 Coffee+1 Tea
Alcohol~0-1
No Sugar
No Flour
No Junk
No Work Food
No Food after 9
Clean or Fling
Enter Receipts
Clothes
Pampering
Bed Routine
Bed before 11

Heath & Fitness September Goals:
Be 100% on 10 (or more)
Miss less than 100 healthy habits total
4.5 Hours of Weight Training
Run at least 4 times
Do pilates at least once
Do yoga at least once
Do each of these machines at the gym - elliptical, arch trainer, stair mill, expresso bike, cardio wave
Do Turbo Sculpt at least once
Do Turbo Jam at least once

Family and Food Day

Today we spent the day with Butterfly, her fiance, and his daughter. We had brunch and supper with them (no lunch).

I did not do well on my healthy habits or my routines, but that is ok. We don't get to see them very often and I have every other day to work habits and routines.

Fitness Friday

Here I am on another Friday talking about Fitness. This was a fairly uneventful week this week on the fitness front. Although, Wednesday did start a new month and along with that come a new Healthy Habits Spreadsheet. This is what is on my habit list for this month:

• Journal Food & Activity
• Blog
• Keep in Touch
• Get Ready in 50 minutes or less (shower, hair, makeup, dressed, bathroom swiped and bed made)
• At least 5000 Steps
• Cardio - at least 10 minutes
• Core - at least 5 minutes
• Strength - No less than 5 minutes, but aiming for at least 10
• Stretch/Yoga - at least 5 minutes
• 2nd Vitamin
• Produce - 5 serving minimum
• Dairy - 2 serving minimum
• Healthy Oil
• Nuts - 1/2 serving to 1 serving
• Fiber One - 1/2 cup to 1 cup
• Whole Grain - at least one serving
• Limit Caffeine to 1 Coffee+1 G.Tea
• Alcohol~ 1 or fewer servings
• No Sugar
• No Flour
• No Junk - currently defined as: Popcorn, Gum, Hot Chocolate packets (but cocoa in my coffee is ok), Soda, Chips, Frozen Novelties, Fast Food, Cheezits
• No HFCS or partially hydrogenated oils
• No Food after 9 pm (beverages are ok)
• Clean or Declutter for at least 5 minutes
• Enter Receipts
• Pick out (and hopefully iron) tomorrow's clothes
• One Tax Item (Work's Fiscal year-end was 6/30, so I am working on getting stuff ready to go to the accountant who prepares the tax return)
• Pampering
• Bedtime Routine (wash, tone, moisturize face; brush & floss; moisturize hands and feet)
• Bed before 11 pm

Other monthly goals are:

• Get 4.5 hours of strength training for the month
• Be 100% on at least 10 of the above habits
• (Finally) work up to running 6.0 mph for 30 minutes (today I ran at 5.8 mph)
• Workout Diversity - Do as many different types of workouts as I can this month

Fitness Friday

Having a plan last weekend helped tremendously. I didn't stick to it perfectly, but it gave me guidance and made me mindful of my weekend choices.

This week has been fairly good. My nephew's vigil and funeral threw some abnormality into my week and Tuesday I didn't do well on my healthy habits at all (eating was overboard, no exercise at all). However, I issued myself a 2-day 100% Healthy Habit Challenge for Wednesday (100%) and Thursday (only missed 2 for 93%) which got me right back in control.

Now I am facing a three-day weekend away from home. We are leaving for Dallas this morning (a 6 hour drive) and going to a concert tonight. We'll be staying with Sugar Pop's parents tonight and tomorrow and driving home Sunday. Trips like this used to really through me off my plan sometimes for weeks at a time, but I have gotten much better at eating sensibly away from home and resuming my healthy habits immediately. I have a small spiral that I started taking on trips last April. I use it to track my healthy habits, food, exercise, and tips to myself for future trips. This has proven very helpful. I can see what stumbling blocks to watch out for and can remember things that helped me stay on track.

Do I sound like a tyrant with myself? Don't start thinking that I don't allow myself to splurge. I am all about splurges, but it is very important that I keep them controlled. Losing control leads to binging and I am NOT going down that road again. I have made a commitment to myself (and God) to not binge ever again. (Today will be 105 days binge-free.) By keeping track of my eating and exercise, avoiding potential triggers, and relying on God for my strength, I will continue to remain binge-free. Journalling so extensively keeps me honest. When I stop all the journalling, unhealthy habits start to creep in and the pounds start to creep on. Journalling is not slavery to me, it is the tool I use to ensure my freedom from being controlled by food.

The Habit of Having No Habits

When we first begin to form a habit, we are fully aware of it...until they become such a spontaneous expression of our lives that we are no longer aware of them. ~ My Utmost for His Highest

This is talking about godly habits, but it got me to thinking about my daily healthy habits. There are some things in my life that started out as a struggle to do every day, but now I just do them without thinking about it. There are still some habits that I am still aware of and have to work on doing every day, but here is a list of things that are no longer habits, but just part of my life.

Drinking at least 4 20 oz bottles of water
Journalling my food every day
Running the dishwasher every night and unloading it every morning
Making the bed every morning
Taking my vitamins
Taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work
Wearing a pedometer

Did you miss me?

Did you notice I was gone for a week? Sugar Pop and I went to Nashville for GMA Week and the Dove Awards. We had a really good time and got to listen to a LOT of Christian artists peform. Hopefully, we made some good contacts for Sugar Pops music, but only time will tell what develops on that front. The excitement of the week for me was getting to meet Mike & Jeannie from the Air1 Morning Show.

So, after a week of being away from home, eating whatever whenever, and not exercising, the scale was up 2.4 lbs. I was amazed that it wasn't more. My six week maintenance period is now officially over and I am returning to weight loss points again. My 20 year high school reunion is in 48 days and I have 8.6 lbs to lose to be back at my goal weight. Not impossible, but not a breeze either.

I am happy to be back home and back to my healthy habits and healthy eating and exercise. After a week of indulging, it feels good to return to discipline.

April Healthy Habits

Here are the Healthy Habits I will be working on this month:

1. Journal Food and Activity
2. Blog Daily
3. Keep in Touch
4. 5000 Steps per day
5. Cardio workout (at least 10 minutes)
6. Core - at least 5 minutes
7. Strength Training - at least 5 minutes
8. Stretch and/or Yoga - at least 5 minutes
9. Remember 2nd set of vitamins
10. Water - 4 bottles
11. Produce - 5 servings
12. Dairy - 2 servings
13. Healthy Oil
14. Nuts
15. Fiber One
16. Whole Grain
17. Only 1 Coffee+1 G.Tea per day for caffiene
18. Alcohol~0-1 servings
19. No Sugar
20. No Flour
21. No Junk (chips, popcorn, fast food, gum, hot chocolate, soda, cheez-its)
22. No Food or Drink from the break room
23. No Food after 9 pm - only liquids
24. Spend at least 5 minutes cleaning or flinging
25. Enter Receipts
26. Wear Sunglasses
27. Pampering
28. Lotion on Feet & Fingers before bed
29. Bedtime Routine (wash face, tone, brush, floss, bedtime meds)
30. Bed before 11

I have taken Binge-Free off the list, not because it is a habit I want to work on, but because I am making it a non-negotiable item, not merely a suggestion.

Kairos Novena

I binged Monday afternoon. I am tired of this. I do not want to beat myself up about it though. I am going to move forward. I will begin a NINE DAY KAIROS NOVENA to prepare myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually for the Kairos that begins on the 15th.

Here are my daily goals for the Novena:
1. Drink 5 bottles of water a day
2. Drop to 20 points (have been at 22)
3. Minimum 7,500 steps per day
4. Have Chai tea or milk instead of pudding for my evening snack.
5. Adjust morning and afternoon snacks to include carb/protein combination.
6. Quiet my world...less radio, less tv, less itunes...listen for the still small voice of God.
7. Cut down blog reading.
8. Get to bed before 11:00.
9. Prepare at least 9 bags for donation to the Women's Center.

I will also be aiming for 100% on my daily healthy habits. 9 days at 100% seems impossible "but with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26.

March Healthy Habits

I never posted my Healthy Habits for February. Here are my March habits (which are the same as February's):


Journal Food & Fitness
< 10 Flex
Binge Free
At Least 5000 Steps
Cardio
Core
Strength
Stretch/Yoga
2nd Vitamin
Water - at least 4 24 oz bottles
Produce - at least 5 servings
Dairy - at least 2 servings
Healthy Oil
Nuts
Fiber One
Whole Grain
Caffeine~0-1 servings
Alcohol~0-1 servings
No Sugar
No Flour
No Junk (popcorn, frozen novelties, chips, gum, hot chocolate, soda, fast food)
No Food or Drinks from the Breakroom
Spend at least 5 minutes Cleaning or Flinging
Enter Receipts & Bills
Keep in Touch
Blog
Feet & Fingers - Put lotion on feet and cuticle salve on fingers before bed
Pampering
Bed Routine - aspirin, calcium (if 2 or fewer dairy servings), wash face, use toner, brush & floss
Bed before 11:00

Some of these habits are EASY to get in (water). Others are HARD...like getting in bed before 11:00.

I've struggled today and got into the cheezits at work again. We have such junk in our breakroom. Then I ended up going to the VENDING MACHINE for some cookies. I couldn't even tell you the last time I went to the vending machine. It is definitely that "time of the month" and I just wanted to eat everything.

Tomorrow will leave nine days before the Kairos. I am going to commit to really working hard to prepare myself mentally, physically, and spiritually for the weekend. Enough of this overeating. Enough Already! Look for my Kairos Novena Plan tomorrow.

Cheez-Its

I wanted to overeat Cheez-its yesterday afternoon at work. Instead, I made this list of reasons why I shouldn't:

1. I would miss the No Breakroom Food Habit
2. I would miss the No Flour Habit
3. I would overeat and then not want supper and we are going out with friends.
4. The scale would DEFINITELY be up tomorrow from the sodium.
5. A sick coworker probably sneezed on their hands and then reached in for some chips without washing up first.
6. The bag wasn't sealed last night so a mouse or roach probably got in there and crawled around.
7. Isaiah 55:2
8. Galatians 5:1
9. If hunger is not the problem, then food is not the answer.
10. I'm allergic to Cheezits - I break out in fat.

Stability

If you lose your faith, you will probably do so gradually. In tiny increments you will get spiritually sloppy...Stability in the storm comes not from seeking a new message, but from understanding an old one...Ask God to help you become more faithful in anchoring your life in Jesus, even when there are no storms on the horizon.

This was from the Life Lessons in my bible reading today. I liked it because it stresses the importance of being consistent in our spiritual disciplines, so that we don't gradually fall away from our faith. I want to be growing in my walk with Christ, not falling away from Him. Also, it is important to work on this during the calm times of our life. By being strong in faith, when those hard times come they will be much easier to endure if we already have a strong faith.

This message can also apply to our physical life as well - to diet and exercise. It is important for me to remain to be diligent with my healthy habits. If I slack a little bit on day, it can lead to more slacking later. I need to work on making my habits such a routine in my life that when chaos occurs, I will be able to keep up my habits. I am definitely not perfect in my habits, but certain things are more natural to me. Like soda, for instance. Avoiding soda is one of my habits and it was difficult at first, but now the only time having one crosses my mind is when we go to a movie or travel and now I am comfortable with NOT having one (the last time I had a soda was October 7th).

Evil Candy Coated Fruit

It started off innocently enough on Monday afternoon. I had one piece of this chocolate covered dried fruit that was in the breakroom. I told myself that it would be fine to have piece every day. I was in my maintenance range and I had upped my points to 24 so I could fit in a little treat.

Then on Tuesday, I had lunch with a friend at a mexican food restaurant. I picked a fairly healthy thing on the menu, but then LET myself get talked into a sopapilla for dessert. The sugar and flour set me off. When I got back to lunch, I still wanted to have my one piece, but instead of one, it was one of each flavor. And then I went back for more, and then more, and then more, and then some M&Ms and then some Cheezits. I was MISERABLE by the time I got home. I had planned a healthy supper (chicken was thawed and everything), but I was too miserable to cook or eat. We picked up some chili for supper and I couldn't even eat a bowl full.

Wednesday I had lunch with my sister for my birthday. I did ok, but not as healthy as I usually eat - 1/2 a sandwich, a cup of soup and we shared a FABULOUS piece of key lime pie. The rest of the day was normal. I did not have any of the evil candied fruit.

Thursday was a normal day. Whew! Because I needed a normal day.

Friday it was cold and froggy (freezing fog). It was slick out so I stayed at the office for lunch (which I identified today as a trigger). The office manager ordered pizza, but I had some of my favorite soup in my desk drawer and had that instead. I wanted something sweet to top off lunch though. I had a cup of sugar free hot chocolate (which I haven't had in ages as it is sometimes a trigger). Then my snacks of string cheese and carrots I brought. I still wanted more. There were these chocolate covered pecans in the breakroom so I had TWO cups of those. For supper we went out with friends for my birthday and I ate WAY TOO MUCH. That was my planned splurge for the week and it was good. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been eating junk all week.

Anyway, it is time for the binging/overeating/junk food to stop. It makes me feel gross. It will make me gain weight. It is not worth it. Dinner last night was worth it, the key lime pie on my birthday was worth it, the rest of the food was just junk!

I walked on the treadmill for 50 minutes today and listened to some Julia Havey. I felt so much better, so much more in control, so ready to return to my healthy habits afterward. It has been a good day. I almost have all my healthy habits in and haven't missed anything. I am aiming for 100% today. It will be a great start in getting back to my routine. I thrive on my routine.

Healthy Habits for January 2007

Here are the Healthy Habits I am working on during January:

1. Journal Food
2. Fitness Journal - Record Exercise
3. Water - 4 bottles
4. Produce - 5 servings
5. Dairy - 2 servings
6. Healthy Oil
7. Nuts
8. Fiber One
9. Whole Grain
10. Caffeine~0-1 items
11. Alcohol~0-1 items
12. No Sugar
13. No Flour
14. No Junk (Junk ~ Popcorn, Gum, Hot Chocolate Packets, Soda, Chips, Frozen Novelties, Fast Food)
15. No Coffee (regular or decaf) at Work
16. No Elevators at Work
17. Clean or Fling - At least 5 minutes
18. Cardio - At least 10 minutes
19. Core Exercises - At least 5 minutes
20. Stretching or Yoga - At least 5 minutes
21. Strength - At least 5 minutes
22. 5000 Steps
23. 2nd dose of vitamin (I don't have any trouble remembering my morning vitamins, but do my noontime ones.
24. Keep in Touch (Call, email, write or visit a friend or family member)
25. Bed 11:00
26. Blog
27. Pampering
28. Bedtime Routine (wash face, brush and floss)
29. Use less than 10 Flex Points
30. Binge Free

Healthy Habits

I keep a list of healthy habits I am working on. Lately it has been 30 things at a time. Some of these are such habits, I really don't have to try. Others, I miss them more days than I complete them. For 2007, I will adjust them each month. For each habit I "earn" 10 cents and that money is to indulge on something just for me. The latest thing I got is a new cell phone which should arrive Monday!

Here is what I have been working on since November 5th:

Journal Food
Write in Fitness Journal
Drink Water - 4 bottles
Produce - 5 servings of fruits and/or veggies
Dairy - 2 servings
Healthy Oil
Nuts
Fiber One
Whole Grain
Caffeine~0-1 items
Alcohol~0-1 drinks
No Sugar
No Flour
No Junk - currently defined as popcorn, gum, hot chocolate in packets, soda, chips, frozen novelties, Fast Food
No coffee at work
No Elevators at work
No computer games (I can waste so much time with these)
Cardio Workout
Core Workout
Stretching or Yoga
Strength Training
5000 Steps Minimum
Remember Evening Vitamin
Keep in Touch
Bedtime 10:45 weedays/11:15 weekends
Clean or Fling - 5 minute minimum
Pampering
Bedtime Routine (wash face, brush & floss)
Use less than 10 Flex points
Binge Free