The month is going great so far. I have been getting my workout in early. My meals are good and my stomach is cooperating. I haven't had an attack in quite some time. I tried a food that's supposed to be a trigger for my self diagnosed disease. Brussels sprouts, who would have thought? So far so good. The only symptom of any kind that I might have had was just a shaky feeling about 2 hours after lunch. I don't think it was related to my stomach. It felt more like low blood sugar. I ate my afternoon snack a little early to see if it helped. The feelings went away after about 30 minutes. Not sure what it was. Maybe I didn't have enough protein yesterday. Who knows?

But other than that I have been feeling pretty good. My arms are sore from lifting weights. My legs are not being pushed as hard with the weights because I am also running. My knees are feeling good. My lungs are coming along. I love it. It makes me feel so good to accomplish my workouts in the mornings. I feel ready to attack the day.

Update on the 21 day no complaint challenge. I was doing good. Had several days under my belt but I had to move my bracelet yesterday because I was dealing with my son's college classes again. I felt like I was in Kindergarten and having to move my color down. So 21 days started over again yesterday. All I can say is that one complaint in the last 3 days is a huge accomplishment for me. It's not 21 days but it's huge.

Meetings all day today and tomorrow so let's hope the bracelet stays put.




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I am sure you all know about the research that says it takes 21 days of repetition to make something a habit. I would like to read about how to continue habits. When I am in this exercise/healthy/me, me, me mode I love the way I feel. So what if I couldn't sleep last night? When the alarm went off at 4:45, I got up. So what if I am so sore I feel like I have the flu? I did a lower body workout anyway. So what if the windchill is 22 degrees? Put on gloves, ear warmer, and go outside anyway. So what if no one else in the house wants to get out of bed? Take care of yourself anyway. But I know somewhere along the way this will all change and I will run out of steam. I won't have the motivation or desire to continue. If I did, I wouldn't be starting over again. I wouldn't be 23 pounds from my lowest. But I am and I am doing something about it.

I was challenged yesterday to a 21 day no complaint challenge. I made it through the day and lost it in the evening. I have this strange photographic memory about my stuff. I can picture where I put things and know they should be there the next time I need them. I think that's why yesterday morning upset me so much. My IPOD wasn't in it's drawer. The remote to the dvd wasn't on top of the tv, etc... So anyway, see why I needed to be challenged. I was looking through the junk drawer and surprisingly, I have an inventory in my head. I was looking for a brand new phone case I had bought. That's when I lost it and complained that I wished no one would mess with my stuff. So petty. In the challenge a complaint doesn't count against you if you can offer a solution to the problem. What I should have said was, "I wish I had put my phone case in a different place if I was worried that it might be moved," or something to that effect. Part of the challenge is to wear a bracelet on your wrist and if you complain, you move the bracelet to the other wrist as a reminder to start the 21 days over. I did great the rest of the evening and through the night. But I lost it again this morning. My DH and I have a constant battle over the alarm. He sets it knowing he isn't going to hear it or get up. I hear it, get angry that he set it again, and usually say something like, "Are you kidding me? You can't hear that!" And it's never a pleasant song or a sound. It's usually something like a freight train blaring beside his head. So I moved the bracelet. We have talked about this a lot. He says that I should say, "Good morning sweetheart, your alarm is going off." I say, "Don't set your alarm ever!" Almost 18 years of this. Definitely a habit I will have to change or I will be starting over with my 21 days every morning. 21 day no complaint experiment




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This morning's workout could have been a flop. My workout partner wouldn't get up. It was cold. My DVD cable was missing. My DVD remote was no where to be found. My IPOD???? But I also had to get a run in and thankfully I have a nice treadmill. So after giving up on Insanity for the morning I decided to hop on the treadmill. I changed shoes and socks and headed to the garage. It's about as cold in there as it is outside but there is no wind and it isn't dark so it's perfect.

I didn't have any music this morning because my kids have been messing with my stuff over Christmas break! I decided to see what I had left on my phone. Due to some crazy rules at Verizon, we lost our unlimited data when we had one of the boys phones shut off. Our parenting choice of grounding our child from his phone has been very costly. But I digress. Due to this unfortunate punishment from Verizon, I can no longer enjoy Pandora without using up all my data. So my music for my run was very interesting. I had a few ringtones, a little spanish lesson, a children's mix of multiplication and spelling words, some Kleinwood songs, and a sock hop album. I really need to get some touchscreen gloves because it was easier to listen to whatever songs came on than to take my cotton gloves off to change it. See, all signs pointing to a flop.

But I didn't let it get to me. I just sang along, worked on my spanish and my multiplication, practiced spelling my colors, and be bopped a louied(sp?). I got my HIIT workout in. I got two miles done on my treadmill. Wasn't ideal but I did it. And now I can sit and enjoy my coffee feeling good about what I did for myself this morning.







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2013 is a big year for me. I turn 40 this year. I know it's just a number and I usually don't worry too much about my age but it's out there. 9 months from now I will be 40. I have some plans for this year. I don't think they are resolutions. Nope, they are plans. I want to accomplish a few things this year. I am keeping most of them to myself. I will let you in on them as the year progresses. Of course the plans include some fitness goals, some health goals, some financial goals, and some personal goals. I will need you all as usual. I can't do it on my own.

However, I did come to the conclusion today that nobody really cares. No one cares if I get up at 4:00 a.m. to work out. No one cares if I don't. No one cares if I eat oatmeal for breakfast or eggs or nightshades. No one cares if I have cake for breakfast. No one cares if my pants are getting tighter. No one notices if they are falling off. No one cares if I am Paleo or BFLing or Cracking the Fat Loss or eating hog wild! Sure, people are supportive or not. People comment or don't. But in the end, I have to care. I have to be the one to get up in the morning and get my workout in. I have to be the one to make my lunches and ensure that they are healthy. I have to watch what I eat. I have to care. I have to make myself important. I have to have some faith in myself. No one cares that I will be 40 this year. But I do and I want to be a healthy 40 year old with at least 40 more years ahead of me. So I care.


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Looking back on all my calendars and my plans, I see that I had things pretty well mapped out for a while. But the documentation is lacking because the activity stopped. Where did the time and the motivation go? Did I tackle too much? Was it too hard? Was it out of my reach? I don't know.

Already this time, I was so sore I agreed to skip a day justifying that I would just move my rest days and it would be fine. Then I had a late night with extended family. Then another excuse. So now I have missed three days in a row, only one of them should have been a rest day. Three days...where did the time go?

I will start over tonight after basketball games and school projects, baking for Christmas parties and wrapping friends gifts. Where does the time go? I don't know but I have to find it and I have to use it for myself.


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Well for two mornings I have gotten the early to rise part down. Still working on the early to bed part. Christmas Choir concert last night, a late supper with my mom, and Insanity workout all keep me up a little later than I needed to be but I enjoyed each one. My middle child always loves being in the choir in school but has never sang in the concerts. I mean, he was standing on the risers always but rarely did we see his mouth move. Last night, he actually sang, we could hear him!

My daughter is doing the Insanity workouts with me. She doesn't enjoy sports as much as the boys so it's always a struggle finding something to keep her active. She has really gotten in to the workouts though. She wanted to quit a few times but I would start counting down how much time we had left and she would join in. Sometimes I would just get her going again by yelling, "Girl Power!" I think she enjoys that we have something to do together without the guys. She started yelling for me when she saw me struggling also. It's been a good two days. Hopefully we can keep going. I don't know about her but I am so SORE. I am also running so maybe that's why I am sore. She doesn't seem to be. Of course, I have 31 years on her and some extra weight.

Diet(WOE-way of eating) was good Monday and Tuesday.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy these early mornings. Just me, my coffee, my workout, my dog, and the quiet. This is something I can continue to do for myself. However, I am going to have to get to bed early sometime or else these early rises will catch up to me.

Hope you have a great day. The road is long and the gate is narrow, hope to see you out there.


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I only know two ways to go about this, either nothing at all, which as been my approach for the last several months, or all out, compulsive. I am back to compulsive. It's one of my quirks. I have many but that's another blog entry.

Confessions: I have gained 23 pounds in my time off. My joints hurt constantly. My sleep is erratic. My moods are extreme. My health is poor. My diet is that of a phone commercial, limited during the week but when the weekends get it, it's all free. Stress has ruled my life for months. Kids, money, job, did I mention the kids? But these are all excuses. I have chosen poorly when deciding to deal with my stress. No, I don't have it as bad as others but I am dealing with some stuff I wish I wasn't. My kids are dealing with things I wish they weren't having to deal with. I could go on and on.

Regardless, I have been working on a plan for a few days. That's my compulsive nature. I like to plan...to...the...T. I don't always start those plans and I don't always stick to them but man oh man, when I do, I am spot on.

I think I will stick to a plan for a while. I don't like where I am. I know the weight by itself isn't what is making me unhappy but I know it hurts to use my body, mentally and physically, as a coping mechanism for life. Now, some might say this plan of mine is the opposite extreme. Well, I can either make time to regain my health or I can continue to make time to lose it. Which extreme would you like me to go to? I only know two ways.


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