Wow, that's a lot of cliches in one headline!
If you have been following my blog, you may (or may not) have noticed that it has been some time since I have submitted a post. For a multitude of reasons, I feel very, very bad about this.
When I am "in the zone" as they say, I swear I'm in it for life. "I will never go back to my old ways," I tell myself. Well, as you may have guessed by now, I have been "out of the zone" and have had quite a hard time repositioning. And there is a true trickle down effect of this. When not on top of one's game, it can be tempting to drop off the radar entirely, which is exactly what I have done.
I talked this through with Caren, and she, with her usual wisdom, insight and caring manner, told me that I am not unusual, and that in fact, it happens to all of us at some time or another. She gave me permission to accept that I didn't fail, but rather, that I have a great opportunity to work myself back into a healther mental, physical and emotional state. She also said that I don't have to be back where I was tomorrow -- that I can take time and get there gradually. And of course, there were absolutely new judgment calls; only support and encouragement.
So, although I haven't gotten completely back to where I am proud of my recent record, I am doing better each day and I have stopped beating myself up so badly. It's all about health, and hitting myself with the guilt stick I have found out, is just not healthy!
I have posted a reminder on my calendar each week to make sure I blog -- whether I feel great or lousy -- to remind me that I have nothing to be ashamed of as long as I am continuing to work on taking care of the body God gave me.
So with that, I will sign off and say, "Talk to you next week."
Betsy
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Gotta Love it When a Plan Comes Together
I had a "Eureka!" moment recently.
I am taken back to my days as a child when I would often hear "the moral of the story is . . ." And the one that applies to my life right now is, "slow and steady wins the race."
In diets of yesteryear, the minute I would go off track, I would be done. It would take weeks, months and even years to get back on the program. I had a defeatist attitude at the very slightest of slip-ups. But those days are gone.
Thanks to the guidance and eduction from Caren Meyer, I have overcome that barrier to success. I am now no longer on "the D-word" but rather on a mission to create a healthy lifestyle which has weight loss as a benefit, not the end-all-be-all goal.
It could be that I am approaching the Big Five-OH, but I now find that I really mean it rather than just saying it: I WANT TO BE HEALTHY! I want to be like my 80-year-old mom was - dancing on the Casino Riverboat with her 85-year-old "just friend." I want to follow that up, just like Mom, with a four-mile walk the next morning. And then, like Mom, I want to put on my really, really cute clothes and take on my social engagements. She set the example for how I want to live in my later years, and to be able to do that, I need to take care of myself RIGHT NOW.
So even though I have my ocassional bad days (and recently, a very bad weekend), I know that I can and will get right back on track. It may not sound like a big deal, but coming to the conclusion that I am not sunk after a slip-up has been a huge transition for me, resulting in continued success. And not only am I getting right back on track, I find that the continuity has me gaining strength physically as well as mentally. My workouts are getting longer and gaining intensity, my commitment is definitely stronger, and my fear of "messing up" has transitioned into a blip on the radar rather than a complete system failure.
So, thank you, Caren Meyer, for doing in six weeks what I have not been able to accomplish in a lifetime. You are the best!
Until next time,
Betsy
I am taken back to my days as a child when I would often hear "the moral of the story is . . ." And the one that applies to my life right now is, "slow and steady wins the race."
In diets of yesteryear, the minute I would go off track, I would be done. It would take weeks, months and even years to get back on the program. I had a defeatist attitude at the very slightest of slip-ups. But those days are gone.
Thanks to the guidance and eduction from Caren Meyer, I have overcome that barrier to success. I am now no longer on "the D-word" but rather on a mission to create a healthy lifestyle which has weight loss as a benefit, not the end-all-be-all goal.
It could be that I am approaching the Big Five-OH, but I now find that I really mean it rather than just saying it: I WANT TO BE HEALTHY! I want to be like my 80-year-old mom was - dancing on the Casino Riverboat with her 85-year-old "just friend." I want to follow that up, just like Mom, with a four-mile walk the next morning. And then, like Mom, I want to put on my really, really cute clothes and take on my social engagements. She set the example for how I want to live in my later years, and to be able to do that, I need to take care of myself RIGHT NOW.
So even though I have my ocassional bad days (and recently, a very bad weekend), I know that I can and will get right back on track. It may not sound like a big deal, but coming to the conclusion that I am not sunk after a slip-up has been a huge transition for me, resulting in continued success. And not only am I getting right back on track, I find that the continuity has me gaining strength physically as well as mentally. My workouts are getting longer and gaining intensity, my commitment is definitely stronger, and my fear of "messing up" has transitioned into a blip on the radar rather than a complete system failure.
So, thank you, Caren Meyer, for doing in six weeks what I have not been able to accomplish in a lifetime. You are the best!
Until next time,
Betsy
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Give Me a Break!
As you know, I have been keeping a workout calendar. I was so focussed on not "messing up" my calendar that I ultimately ended up burning myself out.
I had a nice long talk with Caren and she told me that I needed a break. "But I can't," I strongly announced. "I am on a roll." But Caren helped me see that I could do other good things for my body without necessarily hitting the gym. Although I pride myself on being a big picture thinker, I was definitely missing the mark on this one.
So, taking Caren's usual great advice, I downloaded a meditation app on my iPhone. I have never meditated, formally that is, until now, and I must say, "Wow, now I know what I have been missing." It was such a wonderful experience, and it helped me not feel guilty about not working out for a few days.
I have now rejuvenated myself, am back to looking forward to working out rather than dreading it, and I feel so much better. Lesson Learned: Sometimes you need to take a step sideways (not backward) to take two steps forward.
I had a nice long talk with Caren and she told me that I needed a break. "But I can't," I strongly announced. "I am on a roll." But Caren helped me see that I could do other good things for my body without necessarily hitting the gym. Although I pride myself on being a big picture thinker, I was definitely missing the mark on this one.
So, taking Caren's usual great advice, I downloaded a meditation app on my iPhone. I have never meditated, formally that is, until now, and I must say, "Wow, now I know what I have been missing." It was such a wonderful experience, and it helped me not feel guilty about not working out for a few days.
I have now rejuvenated myself, am back to looking forward to working out rather than dreading it, and I feel so much better. Lesson Learned: Sometimes you need to take a step sideways (not backward) to take two steps forward.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Why I Buck the Trend and Love Monday Mornings
Since January 3rd, I have been working out every week day without exception. I take Saturdays and Sundays off. As I mentioned in a previous post, I keep a calendar and mark what I do each day, even it it is an off day. I have to say, this is the longest I have ever kept up an exercise commitment and it's working for me.
I also try to kick up the intensity of my workouts ever few weeks (thanks to the challenges that are issued by my workout partner-slash-18-year-old football player son). I also give credit to Caren for inspiring me to do that as well. So it stands to reason that today, knowing that I will have a consultation call with Caren tonight, I increased the level on my exercise bike to Level 4. It may not sound like much, but on my interval training bike, Level 4 kinda kicks glute.
I have noticed that after taking a couple of days off on the weekends, I have an extra dose of energy on Monday mornings. Today was no exception, which felt really good since I was a little concerned about Level 4. When I start my weeks off feeling this great, it just confirms to me that exercising is not just about physical health, but emotional health as well. I have come to absolutely love Monday mornings because I feel so accomplished by 6:00 am! It just makes the rest of the day go accordingly. I admit, by Friday morning I am pretty much dragging and by Friday night I can hardly keep my eyes open past 8:30 pm, but I know that I will be fully recharged by Monday and that keeps me going.
On a side note, I want to wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day and a special smooch on the cheek to my wonderful husband, as tomorrow we will celebrate our five year anniversary. It's going to be a great week!
Until next time,
Betsy~
I also try to kick up the intensity of my workouts ever few weeks (thanks to the challenges that are issued by my workout partner-slash-18-year-old football player son). I also give credit to Caren for inspiring me to do that as well. So it stands to reason that today, knowing that I will have a consultation call with Caren tonight, I increased the level on my exercise bike to Level 4. It may not sound like much, but on my interval training bike, Level 4 kinda kicks glute.
I have noticed that after taking a couple of days off on the weekends, I have an extra dose of energy on Monday mornings. Today was no exception, which felt really good since I was a little concerned about Level 4. When I start my weeks off feeling this great, it just confirms to me that exercising is not just about physical health, but emotional health as well. I have come to absolutely love Monday mornings because I feel so accomplished by 6:00 am! It just makes the rest of the day go accordingly. I admit, by Friday morning I am pretty much dragging and by Friday night I can hardly keep my eyes open past 8:30 pm, but I know that I will be fully recharged by Monday and that keeps me going.
On a side note, I want to wish you a very Happy Valentine's Day and a special smooch on the cheek to my wonderful husband, as tomorrow we will celebrate our five year anniversary. It's going to be a great week!
Until next time,
Betsy~
Monday, January 31, 2011
Going Green
I had a great call last week with my health coach, Caren Meyer. This girl knows her stuff!
I have to say, the information I get from her is great. Having done just about every health/diet/exercise fad known to man, I thought I pretty much knew it all -- I just lacked the discpline to act upon my knowledge. But, as it turns out, I'm not so smart after all.
That's what I love about working with Caren. She is able to teach me new things and challenge me in ways that I could not/would not challenge myself. And she does it in such a caring, yet "no excuses" way.
We had a long talk about the power of eating leafy greens. I never really put much emphasis on this part of my diet, even though I have heard it a bazillion times. But after talking to Caren, I realized how although it really isn't rocket science, it is a critical part of being healthy.
I have never been much of a veggie lover, although like anything else, with an open mind and a little bit of trial and error, you can become whatever you want to be. Veggie "lover" might still be a bit strong, but veggie "liker" probably fits the bill. So yesterday, for the first time in my life, I found myself buying kale and bok choy. Unbelievable, yet true!
I spent my Sunday afternoon in the kitchen cutting up fresh veggies so that my morning routine is easy with regard to packing a healthy lunch. I start my new job tomorrow, ("Ice Storm of the Decade" permitting), so I really don't know how my day will shape up. But I will be prepared for a healthy day.
On another note:
I made my goal of working out EVERY week day in the month of January. I have totally shocked myself with this one. So today I start my next challenge: Writing everything down EVERY week day during the month of February, building upon my exercise goals, not replacing them. I just got back from the gym, and I feel great. I feel like if I can put together both the exercise and the healthy food element, I will finally achieve a level of health and fitness that to be honest, I never really thought I would achieve.
Food diary challenge? Sure, bring it on!
I have to say, the information I get from her is great. Having done just about every health/diet/exercise fad known to man, I thought I pretty much knew it all -- I just lacked the discpline to act upon my knowledge. But, as it turns out, I'm not so smart after all.
That's what I love about working with Caren. She is able to teach me new things and challenge me in ways that I could not/would not challenge myself. And she does it in such a caring, yet "no excuses" way.
We had a long talk about the power of eating leafy greens. I never really put much emphasis on this part of my diet, even though I have heard it a bazillion times. But after talking to Caren, I realized how although it really isn't rocket science, it is a critical part of being healthy.
I have never been much of a veggie lover, although like anything else, with an open mind and a little bit of trial and error, you can become whatever you want to be. Veggie "lover" might still be a bit strong, but veggie "liker" probably fits the bill. So yesterday, for the first time in my life, I found myself buying kale and bok choy. Unbelievable, yet true!
I spent my Sunday afternoon in the kitchen cutting up fresh veggies so that my morning routine is easy with regard to packing a healthy lunch. I start my new job tomorrow, ("Ice Storm of the Decade" permitting), so I really don't know how my day will shape up. But I will be prepared for a healthy day.
On another note:
I made my goal of working out EVERY week day in the month of January. I have totally shocked myself with this one. So today I start my next challenge: Writing everything down EVERY week day during the month of February, building upon my exercise goals, not replacing them. I just got back from the gym, and I feel great. I feel like if I can put together both the exercise and the healthy food element, I will finally achieve a level of health and fitness that to be honest, I never really thought I would achieve.
Food diary challenge? Sure, bring it on!
Friday, January 21, 2011
It's the Little Things That Can Make the Biggest Difference
A good friend of mine suggested to me that I keep a small pocket calendar nearby, and on every single day, write down what I did with regard to exercise. He made a big point of telling me that if I did nothing that day, I needed to write that down as well.
I am AMAZED at how well this little, easy, fast exercise is helping me!
For three solid weeks now, I have kept this calendar. My goal was to exercise every single week day, with weekends being optional. The first two weeks were pretty easy, as I had the "This is my year" adrenaline buzz that often accompanies the changing of the calendar. But this week was a little more difficult for many reasons.
I am in the midst of changing jobs, my routine is off a bit because of snow days, I had a couple of nights when I didn't sleep particularly well, and on and on and on. Previously, I would have felt completely justified in giving myself a pass for any one of these reasons. But, not now. I just couldn't take the thought of messing up my "perfect little calendar." How silly, but how incredibly effective.
So here it is, the end of week three, and I have worked out (cardio and weights) 15 out of the last 15 weekdays! I can say with near 100% certainty that this has never happened before. (I must admit, I get additional inspiration from my 18-year-old son who works out with me every morning and finds excuses "lame.")
They say it takes 21 days for something to become a habit, and I have to say I agree. So I have decided to take my health and weight loss goals in 21-day chunks. I think I have a good handle on the workouts now, so next week I am going to tackle my next big goal - consistently writing down every bite I take. This is no easy feat for me, so it will certainly be a challenge. But I'm up for it, and I think combining that with my consistent workouts will definitely help me get to being my Best Bets.
Have a great day and please drop me a comment if you are reading this blog.
Betsy
I am AMAZED at how well this little, easy, fast exercise is helping me!
For three solid weeks now, I have kept this calendar. My goal was to exercise every single week day, with weekends being optional. The first two weeks were pretty easy, as I had the "This is my year" adrenaline buzz that often accompanies the changing of the calendar. But this week was a little more difficult for many reasons.
I am in the midst of changing jobs, my routine is off a bit because of snow days, I had a couple of nights when I didn't sleep particularly well, and on and on and on. Previously, I would have felt completely justified in giving myself a pass for any one of these reasons. But, not now. I just couldn't take the thought of messing up my "perfect little calendar." How silly, but how incredibly effective.
So here it is, the end of week three, and I have worked out (cardio and weights) 15 out of the last 15 weekdays! I can say with near 100% certainty that this has never happened before. (I must admit, I get additional inspiration from my 18-year-old son who works out with me every morning and finds excuses "lame.")
They say it takes 21 days for something to become a habit, and I have to say I agree. So I have decided to take my health and weight loss goals in 21-day chunks. I think I have a good handle on the workouts now, so next week I am going to tackle my next big goal - consistently writing down every bite I take. This is no easy feat for me, so it will certainly be a challenge. But I'm up for it, and I think combining that with my consistent workouts will definitely help me get to being my Best Bets.
Have a great day and please drop me a comment if you are reading this blog.
Betsy
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Please allow me to introduce myself . . .
Wow, I am so excited to finally start my health blog!
My goal in this blog is to help others and build a community of like-minded men and women who know that to truly get the most out of their lives, they must treat their bodies well. I want to share my triumphs, but also share my challenges and speed bumps. My belief is that the more you share with others, the more you can learn about yourself, and ultimately find the success you are looking for.
I plan to keep my posts short, sweet and to the point, blogging with frequency rather than length. I hope my brief but honest and thoughtful insights will be of great value to others as I progress toward a healthier lifestyle.
It is important to me to share that I have just begun working with an amazing health coach, Caren Meyer. With her knowledge, support and inspiration, I feel that I am finally going to meet the fitness and nutrition goals that have eluded me for the better part of my - lets just say - less than fifty years. I can't tell you how excited I am to have her on my side to help me become the "Best Bets" I can be. (Many people in my life refer to me as "Bets" so why not let my new community of blog readers do the same?)
So for now I will close, but I hope that you will feel free to comment on my posts and let me get to know you as well.
Until next time,
~Bets
My goal in this blog is to help others and build a community of like-minded men and women who know that to truly get the most out of their lives, they must treat their bodies well. I want to share my triumphs, but also share my challenges and speed bumps. My belief is that the more you share with others, the more you can learn about yourself, and ultimately find the success you are looking for.
I plan to keep my posts short, sweet and to the point, blogging with frequency rather than length. I hope my brief but honest and thoughtful insights will be of great value to others as I progress toward a healthier lifestyle.
It is important to me to share that I have just begun working with an amazing health coach, Caren Meyer. With her knowledge, support and inspiration, I feel that I am finally going to meet the fitness and nutrition goals that have eluded me for the better part of my - lets just say - less than fifty years. I can't tell you how excited I am to have her on my side to help me become the "Best Bets" I can be. (Many people in my life refer to me as "Bets" so why not let my new community of blog readers do the same?)
So for now I will close, but I hope that you will feel free to comment on my posts and let me get to know you as well.
Until next time,
~Bets
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