A Hard Struggle- Slowly Learning!

I am embarrassed to say that my blogging skills are lacking---I read other people's blogs all the time and am inspired by them. My situation this summer has been extremely discouraging. Although I hate math I think I am a numbers person--like how much do I weigh, how many calories is that?, etc.. etc... SO after the wedding bust of gaining weight back to my starting weight of 238 lbs. I was so discouraged that I just about quit everything. After lots of personal struggle I have decided to try things again. Throughout this past month I am refusing to weigh in except once a month. It is just overwhelming how much I have to lose. So today is the 28th and I weighed in at 224 lbs. I have really just concentrated on three things--MORE water than I can ever imagine drinking at school because I spent time living in the potty (but I'll figure that out by fall) Second--NO sugar--I mean none--I got really bad headaches at first but I have done really well the last two weeks. Third- Exercise everyday. That's it and so far it is working to help me shed some pounds and get more healthy.
I have also totally de-junked my house. I have a full crawl space under my house that has been cleaned out and all the bedrooms but mine. We have hauled off 40 trash bags and two completely full van loads of stuff to the D.I. I want to put my house up for sell in August and I think we will reach that goal. Just getting things better organized and cleaned up has helped me sleep better at night. I fight fatigue all day with Fibromyalia but the meds seem to help some. Still it is the one thing I wish I could change is how incredibly tired I am all the time. This has been a great summer of personal discovery for me. Lot's of time to think and plan.
Had fun going to Logan, Utah and Bear Lake with my son--definitely the high point of my summer vacation so far.

Marathon Week Begins!! Accept the Challenge

After the Wedding--I weighed in and had a total crying melt down. I was right back up to 232 lbs. I was so upset I have not blogged forever. Last week I got really motivated and walked a total of 18.5 miles throughout the week with a pretty constant total of 10,000 steps a day. I found out LOT's of things about myself--

1. I walk much much better when I have a book tape to listen to--and I have now found a holder for my cd player etc. However I really think that an i-pod would be great too. I will just have to decide to get one when I lose the first thirty pounds or something.
2. Socks make all the difference and shoes. I need a new pair. Anyone have suggestions on brands and types.
3. If I get up to walk before noon I do SO much more throughout the day--to the "early bird gets the worm" people this is a no "duh" moment but to someone like me who stays up reading all night--it has been a struggle.
   
4. I would really really like a walking partner that would be a similar speed to me.
5. I bought a reflective vest for 10.00 at wal-mart because yesterday evening I was almost hit by a car. I am a big target but they totally didn't see me.

SO this week-June 21- June 26 I am trying to walk a marathon in the week which is a little more each day for a total of 26.2 miles. I think that I am off to a good start with 3.8 and 3.5 miles yesterday and today .
Favorite Places to walk-- in the morning- around my Dad's neighborhood because it is a little uphill but doesn't have any curbs to fall over so I can concentrate on my book tape. Evening the high school track. In the middle of the day the fastest place to walk is Lowe's. It is air conditioned and I am never tempted to buy food there --and pretty much nothing else either. I don't stop to browse so I keep up a pretty good pace. I tried walking around in Wal- Mart but then I just want to buy stuff and that is NOT a good idea.
Really want to find some good trails in our mountains but I don't know where to look.

I challenge everyone to join me on this marathon week--walk 26.2 miles and then on Saturday spend 26.2 dollars on something just for yourself.

First Day of Summer

Since school got out on Friday I have been to three different movies- Prince of Persia, Letters from Juliet, and Shrek 3--at each and every one I have NOT had popcorn. YEAH-- I just took healthier choices in my purse.

Today we had a cookout at Grandpa Hunt's house and everyone came-that is, Jeff, Jen & Daniel, Cami & Shaun, and I ( or is it me?)
I walked 10,000 steps and I am feeling more rested from the stress of school and ready to go.
I also made another change in my purchasing today--I bought desserts I do not like. I bought two tennis rackets and some balls instead of another novel. I use to love walking the two blocks to the courts when I was a kid and hitting the balls around so I thought it would be just one more thing I could add to my more active lifestyle.
Tomorrow I conquer my yard and my dogs! Behavior I mean.
Summer is 88 days long---hopefully I can lose- 10 more pounds before school starts.

My Son's Graduation from Lehi High School

This is at the Evening In Excellence where Jeff is receiving a scholarship for $19,000 to Utah State University. Yeah Jeff!











These are just a few pictures of the graduation which takes place at BYU Marriot's Center. It was great to have both girls and my Dad there. Today is also the last full day of school for my students. I took off just a half day to go to graduation. It was lots of fun to see many of the students that I had taught at Lehi Elementary graduate today. With the end of school and the stress of moving my classroom I have not done very good on my healthy eating plan. I have been able to get in plenty of steps. On Wednesday I got 12,500 steps and I felt like my legs/feet were just bloody stumps. Today I got about 8,500 steps. Still my weight has at least not gone up. Yeah!! I really wanted to be under 220 by Jennifer's Wedding on June 12th. I will have to just buckle down and really watch what I eat. Today I finish my 23rd year of teaching--that is exactly how many years my Mom taught before she retired from Blackfoot School District. I will probably teach another 10 years because I really don't have a lot in retirement--spent it all just living! Oh well, it has been totally worth it to help my kids and family have a fun life. Onto the adventure of the SUMMER!!!!! I think I am more excited for summer this year more than EVER before.

Best Snack Food!

I love to snack. It seems I am like a smoker who always has to have things in their mouth. I have been told that it means something about my psychological past--who cares. Anyways, instead of buttered popcorn at the movies or other things like cheese or ice cream I have found a really tasty solution---it is so good it is almost like "crack" to me---just kidding--I don't even know what that tastes like. This cereal is SO good--that I put it in baggies to eat dry. It is called Kashi Go Lean Crisp Toasted Berry Crumble. I also like it in my morning yogurt. Give it a try! Much better than candy.
BEST Walking Day ever yesterday-10,686 steps or 3.62 miles. Yeah another 5K walked. I have been told by a doctor that for the first two months if I can walk 10,000 steps a day and keep a calorie count of 1700 calories a day--I will meet my goal weight. After that I should be strong enough to do more weights or other things. SO that has been my new plan. Sometimes just for fun I like to visualize myself in different clothes next summer. YEAH!

Moving, Grading and Teaching STRESS

Wish List--a person to workout with.
a Walky Dog thing that I found online that you put on the bike to walk your dog with--it will be fun. Food Prep help!!! I need protein and vegis and NO more pigging out on candy.

Today I am wondering why I even started a fitness program while teaching 30 sixth graders. I have so much to do and I am moving my classroom to a new room and teaching a new grade next year. I am so swamped and I have a hard time fitting fitness and meal planning into my daily routine. I need to get organized. I am so tired all of the time. Still 225 pounds. I did do a 5K walk on Saturday with my dog Max. Then I did NOTHING on Sunday and on Monday 5385 steps. Today it is an inside day because of rain and I am going crazy.

I hope to be more joyful about fitness tomorrow.

ONE MONTH STAT's

I am not sure anyone is really reading this blog but it really doesn't matter because I am doing it for myself--to help me be accountable for my own actions and goals.
Here are some facts about my one month progress on the goal to lose--100 pounds in 1 year!!!!
Weight: started- 238
first month-225
Mile walking time- 26 Minutes
first month- 21 Minutes
Water drank per day- 8-10 oz.
first month- 32 oz average
Caloric Intake- 2200 per day
first month-1600 per day
Other Points: My knee feels better after injections. Still very tired all the time. Fibromyalgia still a problem for me. Really want to create my own walking club.

Ten DAYS Left!!! WAHOO

Today marks almost the end of school! In ten school days it will be all over!! I can hardly wait. I think I am more ready for it all to be done than the kids are. My son, Jeff, will graduate in exactly two weeks. Then I will have no more kids at home or in the public school system anymore. I will enter the ranks of the empty nesters. Although I will really miss all my family next year I will cherish a little more quiet time and time to take a fitness class or something else for myself. I am sort of looking forward to it.

I am back to walking with a pedometer and trying for the elusive 10,000 steps a day. I am wanting to make a music walking mix cd so if anyone has a list of great walking music please list some ideas in the comments. I am also interested in more ideas for a food plan. I do really really well at school where my ability to get food is minimal---but sometimes in the evenings. I have problems.
Here's to keeping on!!!!

Day at the Doctors- Discouraged

Yesterday I had a substitute at school and went to the doctor for three reasons:
1. Kidney Infection- got some medication
2. Knee Pain- got some shots and pain pills-- felt better right after but is killing me now.
3. Fibromyalgia- I went to a specialist in this area and got some better information and medications. I got lyrica with a stronger dosage, celebrex, and a pill that helps me sleep better. Hopefully this will help with the overall pain and especially fatigue. I am so tired all of the time. So the doctor told me not to walk for three days-to keep it up and ice it...I guess because they drew water off the knee and the shots and everything---but my substitute was awful so I am back at school and it is really hurting. I just want a whole new knee.

I am really not doing well on the diet/ eating plan or the exercises this week. I think I am going to bag this whole idea. I have lots to do at home and with moving my classroom and grade level stuff for the end of the year. I just need to focus on other things besides what to eat and the time to work out. I just want to sleep after school instead of walk.

So this will probably be my last blog. I wrote this blog so that I would have a record of my progress and be more accountable. At the end of it I thought I would print it out and but it in a binder for my relatives some day who might need help with weight loss. But I think I am not a good role model for this type of plan. I know I have gained weight this week.

Here is my food log for a typical day:
Breakfast- Yoplait Light Yogurt-100 Calories
Fruit Naturals- Red Grapefruit- 60 Calories - costco- very yummy
Nutri-Grain Bar- Raspberry- 130 Calories
Water- 2 Glasses- one warm one cold

Snack- Kashi Cereal- dry- 3/4 cup Go Lean Crisp Toasted Berry Crumble- this is like "crack" to me--so yummy I have to measure it out so I don't eat the whole box- 160 calories

Lunch- Often school lunch which has portion control - 350
Subway sandwich--six inch club on wheat without cheese is 310 calories/ water

Snack- Apple- 80 calories

Dinner- chicken/ fish-- vegetables- water- 400

Snack-- Multigrain Cheerios- 120 calories

Total Calories-- 1370 a day---

Eating!

My walking program is going pretty well and I am keeping a food log of what I eat. I read a book about Food swapping that makes total sense to me. Also I got turned onto the cereal Kashi Go Lean Crisp Toasted Berry Crumble--and it is totally like CRACK to me--seriously--I try to measure out just a 1/2 cup and then I find myself eating almost the whole box. WAY better than chips and chocolate. I like eating it dry without milk. SO amazing!! I am on my third box. WATCH out it is SO tasty. Going to the doctor on Wednesday at 12:30 to find out more about my pain issues.

Rain and SNOW go away!

This is Suppose to be SPRING!! Really bad weather here. I did manage to walk a LOT of steps with my pedometer this week 10,400 being my best day. Today I mowed the front lawn in between rain and also used to the wii to do my exercises with. Water amounts are getting better. Disappointed about the scale--it doesn't seem to be moving like say--the people on the Biggest Loser who drop 12 pounds in one week. Then again I am not working out five hours a day with a trainer and have a special diet. I still have to work and do other jobs. Oh well.

This week's positives--my son went to his Senior Prom and had a good time.
My daughter and I shopped for wedding cakes. My other daughter got her wisdom teeth out and I am sure will be feeling better soon! My Dad made these amazing vases and bowls on his pottery wheel and is completing a sculpture that I really like of a mom and her baby.

Have you noticed that is all about other people??? I know I know I need to get my own life. I am really proud of them though. I will have my week someday too. Today's Weigh in- 225 lbs. Started at 238 on April 9th- today is May 1st. That's three weeks--so it is about 4 lbs a week. It seems like so little but I am still going to keep blogging even if nobody but me reads it.

Extreme Weather/Funk!/ Teenagers

TO Parents of Teenagers and Young Adults out there---I commend you!! If you have survived the worry, the what ifs, the constant planning and replanning, the laundry, the homework, the friend changes, etc-----and there has been NO blood letting or lynching--congratulations! Sometimes I wake up look outside, think about all there is to do and I think--"just crawl back into the covers"-

I read an article about a woman with 8 children. She gets $1,500 for each child from welfare for their clothing and housing needs. She gets medical medicare for their needs. She also receives food stamps. In addition they all get a free breakfast and lunch at school. SHE makes way more money than me!!! What am I doing as a single Mom struggling to teach 30 sixth graders everyday and take care or a house, etc. Trying to send two kids to college because by working they don't qualify for government grants--WHAT am I thinking??? Our government is broken--I'm a woman without a country.
Well---can you see that I am in a FUNK?? I only walked 3,000 steps as the howling wind and sleet really discouraged me--IT IS suppose to be SPRING!! It snowed a foot in the mountains. Finally I went to my favorite new website--www.1000awesomethings.com and smiled!!! Check it out.

Sneakers and Jeepers--I finally drink WATER!

So for three days now I have been much better at water. I bought a sipper/cooler water bottle. I used Katie's idea for Sunrise Orange Crystal Light add in mix--it tastes much better. I am confused by all the different information on water--Here is what I have read:
1. Drink one half your body weight. Which for me is 110 oz.
2. Drink warm/ hot water as it is better for your digestion
3. If you add any thing to the water it is now a food and cannot be counted as water.
4. Drink 64 oz. of water before lunch. Otherwise it messes up your metabolism
5. Finally do not drink bottled water as there is no FDA regulations on it so it is poison.

SO confused by weight loss crap. SO-- here is what I do--I come to school get 32 ounces out of our water cooler and drink it before lunch. Then another 32 ounces at lunch and drink it before I leave the school for the day. I mix things with it sometimes and still count it as water that is good for me.
I also read a book about walking with a pedometer and found out these stats that were helpful:
Biking- 30 minutes= 2877 steps
Yard Work/ Mowing-30 minutes=2,910
Swimming= 3,300
Golf=956
Basketball=2730
Tennis= 2276
Soccer=2493
Aerobics=2564 *All of these are for 30 minutes of activity.

I know I need to mix things up with the walking that I already do or I get bored. The book is called Pedometer Walking Stepping your Way to Health. By Mark Fenton.

Still looking for a new pair of sneakers to walk in---NEED SUGGESTIONS!!! Brooks ???

Max and I out for Sunday Morning Walk

Today I took Max my fat little Beagle dog who is almost a year old out for a morning stroll. I walked from my house to my Dad's house which is 2.6 miles away. After the first mile Max just sat down and refused to go any further. So I sat down and played with him for a minute. I think he was bored of walking and just wanted to play. Listening to a book on CD was the only thing that made me not hear my knees and ankles yelling at me to stop. So I just kept on trekking. I have no idea how marathon runners get to a point where they can't hear all the complaining from their body.
Today's weekly weigh in--227 pounds. That's down three pounds from last week and a total of 11 pounds lost. Just 89 more to go!!! Goals for next week: Walk 10,000 steps/ day. Learn more about a weight lifting program or possibility. I know nothing about that topic. DRINK more water---still averaging about four glasses a day---really really hate it.

Here are some Photos

This is Camille goofing around before the race! She was so encouraging!


Me, fixing breakfast!
Jazz Bear started out the race! Go Jazz!!
After the race with Camille and I wearing our new shirts. Yeah!

First 2K Fun Run- Cookie Chaser

This morning Camille, my daughter, woke me up early to go to Riverton, Utah where we walked the 2K Cookie Chaser fun run. It was a fundraiser for the Girl's Scouts. As a former Girl Scout myself I thought it would be a good starting place. There were lots of mothers there with strollers and I felt like I fit in with that group. The highlight was being with the Jazz Bear. Getting my picture taken, pulling his tail, and getting a high five from him. It must have been hot to run in that outfit. I was really nervous that I would not be able to complete the race before they closed it up. Instead I was not last place and improved my mile time from 26 minutes for one mile to 20 minutes for a 2K which is a little longer. SO I am improving. Plus later in the day I went over to the school track and walked another mile so that my total steps for the day was 7500. Next week I was hoping to increase my walking steps to 10,000 but I think that 8,000 would be a better goal. On May 15th I am scheduled to try a 5K for the Law School Fun Run at the University of Utah. I need to pick up the pace to get to that point. I am using the C25K plan- which is Couch to 5K plan online. I hope to post a few photos here.

Something Crazy this way comes

So I got my new pedometer and pedometer leash today---no more dropping it all the time. YEAH! I am shooting for 7,000 steps a day. BUT I think I was a little crazy today after the school band and choir concert because I signed myself and my daughter Camille up for a 2K fun Run on Saturday April 24. IN the Freaking MORNING!!! What was I thinking???? Plus I paid money to do that??? What has got into me??? I love sleeping in on Saturday's but I thought--hey, lets see if I can finish a 2K before I try a 5K and they close up the race because I am the only one out there walking. This might still happen but there is less distance to go and people are doing the 5 K after us so there is hope that the race might still be open for me. It is a fundraiser for the Girls Scouts of America---it is called the Cookie Chase--- I hope I can actually do it. I hope so. I didn't even ask my daughter beforehand---I figure she will run a 2K for a cookie--heck if she goes with me--she can have my cookie too!!! If any one else wants to join us it is in Riverton, Utah by the library at the city park. Wish me luck!!! Hope you had a fun Earth Day and took a minute to be thankful for our beautiful planet.

ME and the Wii

On Sunday my future son-in-law brought over his wii for us to try for a week or so. He has wii fit and EA sports and wii resort--also a balance board. It also has a leg attachment. SO--I had fun playing the Wii Resort games. So did my children. I definitely think that it is a fun way to exercise and I need diversity. If I just walk everyday or do one thing---I get WAY too bored. I think that the reason I was thinner as a child was because I biked, swam, climbed trees, ran, etc. I didn't just do one sport everyday as a chore--being active was a way of life. In addition, we had a big garden and I ate a lot of vegetables and whole fruit. We seldom had soda pop in our home and our town didn't have a lot of fast food restaurants then. Just some thoughts---not necessarily all of the problem but a small part of it.

One solution that seems to be working for me in order to control my portion sizes is to use snack sized baggies for my lunch and breakfast items. It is easier to count calories that way. I got a new pedometer today with a safety leash so I don't keep dropping it. My goal this week has been 7,000 steps a day. Last week was 5,000 steps a day. A friend of mine offered to bring me some workout videos tomorrow so that will help switch things up a bit too. I really really like swimming and water aerobics and I hope to find a class to take when school gets out.

Mostly I have been overwhelmed by the support I have got from my friends and family. My kids have been super supportive. It makes all the difference.

Mondays!

Usually I hate teaching on Mondays because the kids are not in their routine and often tired. I also dislike our early out teacher meetings because the whole time I thinking about how much I could be getting done in my classroom instead of being in the meeting. Today I tried to be invested in the meeting and forget about my classroom. It works better to "LIM"--live in the moment. I am not very good at that technique but I will improve on it. I worry and plan too much sometimes.
Today I ran over my pedometer with my van because it dropped off my belt as I was getting into the van. I forgot my water jug and my lunch at home. Not off to the best start. I am finding that I look at labels on food now and ask myself if I am hungry or just bored. So many times I think I am just nervous and so I eat to calm my nerves. Some people bite their fingernails I eat!!!

I think weight loss is 90% a mental battle to do what is right for your body. TO eat and exercise so that the body feels good-- I am my own worse enemy.

Saturdays are AMAZING!

I absolutely LOVE Saturdays. No lesson plans just the whole day in front of you waiting for you to enjoy it. Today I went to the University Mall. I walked my 6,880 steps there/ or 3.2 miles. My right knee really started to hurt but it was fun to have something to look at while walking. Then my sweet daughter met me at a restaurant and I had a fun meal eating with Jen and Daniel. Both such agreeable and fun loving people to be around. Very positive feedback on my weight loss goals. We talked some about the Wii being used for exercise and bought the EA Active Game for Wii. Has anyone out there found that the wii is helpful for weight loss. I would love to hear your stories or comments. I think it might be really good for rainy days or just to mix things up so I don't get bored working out.

Weigh in Today: I went to the instacare place to use their scale again--as I do not use one at home. It just frustrates me to weigh every day. SO today's weight was 230. That is a really good beginning and MOTIVATES me to do more. YEAH!!

BLAH! Help Needed

The past two days have been really hard mentally for me. I don't want to eat good foods or walk. I just want to stay home and read in my warm cozy bed. I think that the whole weight loss/ healthy living thing is such an emotional issue. When I was younger I was really thin. I remember as a junior in High School I could not give blood for the Red Cross because I was too thin. Finally my freshman year in college I weighed barely enough. SO what the heck happened?

When I look in the mirror I do not even recognize my own body! Sometimes I think-who is that person??? I understand that life happened and there is the slowing and aging metabolism, the knee injuries, three pregnancies, and working full time as a single mom. BUT-- still, there are others who do the same thing as I do and they are healthy. Why am I such a weakling slacker. I LOVE food. I LOVE the smell and taste of homemade bread. I like sugar!! I have to learn to have more will power. NEED suggestions of what to do for the mental battle in weight loss.
Fitness- I bought Reebok easy toner shoes and they are really, really comfortable. They also work out my legs and it hurts after four days of walking more than I normally do. Each day this week I have walked over the 6,000 (three miles). The shoes were really expensive and yet I can wear them all day with my orthodics and still feel good. I think that they look better than the sketchers version of toner shoes. I also came across a website that was really interesting called the C25K---it has been around for a long time but it is new to me. Basically it is a plan to take a couch potato like me from my state into the physical shape needed to do a 5K race. It has an interesting workout schedule. What I like about it is that you would be motivated to workout to prepare for the upcoming race. Right now I walk so slow that the race sponsors would close up the race and go home before I could ever finish! Has anyone completed the C25K. If so please let me know how it worked out for you.

In a side note---ONLY 30 days left of the school year!!! YEAH!!! Sixth Graders can be a challenge this time of year.

I am a WATER HATER

A great day for walking outside. I was able to get in 6,000 plus steps everyday this week. Which is more than the week #1 plan of 5,000. Next week I planned on biking to and from school each day--however, I think the weather is going to be bad--so I will just move the walking steps up from 5,000 to 7,000. I think a gradual increase is best.

The calories are doing pretty good---I love candy and that has been my hardest battle.
I watched the show Biggest Loser today and found out that there is a ranch outside of St. George. I went to their website and printed off a daily schedule at the camp. Around six to seven hours of exercise a DAY!! The cost is WAY too expensive for me--but it might work to create something like that this summer after my teaching is over.

Stumbling blocks:--( I HATE WATER! Seriously hate drinking it. I have tried to add flavor packets, vitamin water, etc. it is All GROSS!!! I have to come up with an idea.

Thanks for reading and all your support!

OH MY WORD!

This morning my daughter made me toast on bread that looked like BARK--I was seriously worried about getting splinters!!! SO much chewing and roughage. Where is my wonder white bread??? Here is a quote that helps me though, "The whiter the bread the sooner your dead!"

Today I walked 6,000 steps on my pedometer. Drank 8 glasses of water. Worked on my sleeping routines! I think I need to move my TV out of my bedroom.

I will have to work on the food preparation this week to help with this goal. The hardest thing is putting your knowledge about food to a real life setting---I know what to do--but forcing myself to eat like that is so hard!!!! I love comfort food.

I wish someone would just come over go through my cupboards and plan out my meals with foods I will actually eat and yet are healthy. Something that doesn't take HOURS to cook.

Day One!

Today is the last weekend of Spring Break! I found a great tool for my wellness--www.myfitnesspal.com. It is a free tool where you put in the foods you eat and it finds the calories, protein, carbs, etc. It keeps a food and exercise log for you. I used it to plan out my meals for the next several days. Very user friendly!!

The Challenge Begins!!

Hi! These are my beginning photos on this Journey to Fitness. Hopefully down the road I will see some differences in the photographs.
Today begins a new personal challenge for me. I invite all of you to join in this experiment. My goal is to lose 100 pounds in 1 year. I have tried so many diets before and they have all failed. I have really evaluated myself this time and have come up with a more reasonable plan of action for me. I have several stumbling blocks that I had to identify and deal with . Some of these roadblocks to my journey for wellness are:
1. I get BORED exercising and hate to sweat.
2. I have had three knee surgeries, have heel spurs in both feet, varicose veins, and have sprained both ankles multiple times and have some ligament damage. I have a right shoulder and neck with pinched nerves and other issues. Right Shoulder had surgery on it; but still hurts.
3. I was diagnosed with Fibermyalgia and depression and take meds for both issues.
4. I am very shy and have few adult friends to work out with and to do exercise with.
5. I hate drinking water and drink about 60 ounces of Diet Coke everyday instead.
6. I am a very POOR sleeper. I seldom sleep more than 3-4 hours at a time. I wake up in pain, wake up to pee, and wake up to take care of a Beagle dog.
7. Hate being in PAIN! Low threshold I guess. Seriously a Wimp!

I also have some POSITIVE points in my favor about this weight loss plan.
Here are a few:
1. My three children have all been very supportive and helpful.
2. My doctor has evaluated me and given me correct medication and I have started those now.
3. I have read many books and articles about wellness and nutrition before coming up with my personal plan this time. SO I feel better educated about what to eat and when.
4. I am at a much better place emotionally than I have been on other diets.
5. I recently purchased some new supportive tennis shoes that will help with foot issues.
6. If I reach my goal next year---
BIG REWARD- I have promised myself that I can go on a trip of my choice for Spring Break next year at this time. Every week that I reach my fitness goals I am going to put some money into the fund. I have made detailed plans of three possible trips--one to Hawaii on a cruise, two, to Alaska on a Cruise, or the Gulf of Mexico to a resort on the beach. A trip to Maine to see the lighthouses there and maybe ride a train down the eastern seaboard would be amazing too. I have never ridden on a passenger train. I would LOVE all of those choices and it motivates me!!!!

MY BEGINNING STATS: April 8, 2010---
Weight: 238 lbs-
Height: 5 ft 4 inches
Walked a Mile: 26 Minutes- able to walk without stopping but could not run at all.
Waist: 45 inches
Hips: 49 inches
Bust: 47 inches
Calves: 16 inches
Thigh: 23 inches
Shoe Size: 8m

Week #1- Challenge--walk 5,000 steps - six days a week on pedometer, 64 ounces of water daily , blog three times a week, sleep-7 hours a night. Weigh in - Saturdays-(Measure every month.)
Week #2- Challenge- bike 2 miles a day/ five days - 64 ounces water daily, cut back Diet Coke to one can a day, just write down what I eat every day. Continue to work on sleep.
Week #3- Challenge- Go to water aerobics 4 days- use cords with DVD- three days. Log Food Choices - work on 1800 calories a day. Keep Drinking!!
Week #4- Challenge- Work Out with a Wii three days and Walk a 5 K/ three miles two days this week. Make a Food Menu Plan for the week- 1500 calories a day- WATER! Buy a new clothing item!! Take a photo! Weight Loss--I hope 8 to 10 pounds lost this month.

Well that's the plan for the first MONTH-- that's all I will post today!! I would appreciate any suggestions or supportive ideas you have!! I am just going to make this fun and take BABY steps . I know that with support I can do this! I want to be healthy!

About ME: I am a 47 year old single mother of three young adult children. I have taught elementary school for 23 years. Hobbies include: Reading, writing, watching TV and movies, going on adventures with my children. As a child I was thin and fit--in sixth grade I won a Presidential Fitness award. I use to enjoy camping, hiking, and other activities. I gained my weight after marriage and after each pregnancy. Knee and Leg pain contributed this problem. Also extreme fatigue and depression and a divorce were additional problems.