lynnde43’s BodyBlog

I am off to a good start though my meals haven’t been exactly two hours apart, but I will work on it.  I’m boiling the chicken breast  now for the week.  The fruit has been washed and cut and is in the fridge and ready to go.  On Monday, I will have to replenish the water for the week as well.  It’s easier and cheaper to buy it by the gallon and refill my 20 ounce bottles.

I went to the Y this morning and ran 13 laps on the track.  One mile is 19 laps.  I warmed up for four, ran nine and cooled down for two.  I meant to run the full 19 laps, so I could get that mile in, but for some reason my mind was focused on the number 13.  Afterwards, I did some upper body work with the weights.  I kept it light, and felt good after my workout was completed.  I started on the stairmaster, I did five minutes!!  OMG, how tough!!  The tension was set to high, and I tried to get it to ease up some…five minutes was enough.  I will not be doing the stair master anytime in the near future.  I have stairs here at home, so I can climb those if the desire strikes.  I got in a good 30 minute workout, and I’m happy with that.  Tomorrow, I will fit in 30 minutes of exercise here at home, and will also work the abs.

I plan to post at least once a week on my blog.  If I post more than that, GREAT!  If not, I am fine with that.  I do like to post, because it keeps me motivated and helps me to reflect on what I’m doing, how I’m doing and where I’m going with my workouts. I also like to read posts by others who are in the same boat as me, trying to be better.  Not only physically, but mentally as well.  Twenty one days to make a habit……

I’ve been thinking about this all day, what am I going to do to make this work?  How am I going to fit in all the exercise and how in the world am I going to eat all the food that I need to eat when I’m working such crazy hours.  This is what I have come up with for now with a little help from my family….

I am going to go to the gym (YMCA) at least twice a week, during the weekdays and once on the weekends.  Not everyday, I want to start back slow, so I don’t burn out.  I will walk at home on the days that I’m not going to the gym, and my walking will probably be done to a video.  I might even walk with the kids around the neighborhood.

Food???  I have to start cooking and preparing food on Saturdays.  I need to get in as much preparation as possible.  Boiling the chicken ahead of time, getting all fruits and vegetables cut and divided into containers for the week, so all I will have to do is "grab and go!"  The weekends are usually reserved for laundry and grocery shopping anyways.  I will also be keeping boiled eggs and cut up cheese in the fridge for afternoon treats, along with bananas and apples instead of chips and cookies.  I will be asking my daughters to help me with this as well.  Having all of this preparation done for the week will help on the weeknights when I get home, tired from the long day of working with kids that have taxed my patience to the max and I don’t feel like cooking a nutritious dinner.  I enjoy a cheat meal of pizza…and so do the kids, so we are going to continue to have our pizza every friday night.  It’s also a nice break from cooking and if we want we can always toss more vegetables on top of that pie!
I have decided not to count calories.  I just don’t have the time for counting calories right now.  I am going to eat all three meals with snacks in between.  I’ll keep a cooler in the car and ready to go at all times, including Saturdays when we are out and about…like going to the store, library or who knows.  Having a cooler filled with low calorie nutritious foods is a big part of this plan.  I am going to keep my meals simple…like oatmeal or fruit smoothies for weekday mornings.  Weekends will include bigger breakfasts, and some pancakes or waffles for Sunday mornings.  This is the plan right now, it is easy to follow…I just have to make sure all my preparation gets done on Saturdays.  I also have to make sure and keep a grocery list on the refrigerator, so when I get ready to go shopping on Saturday, I won’t forget anything that we are out of.

I also plan to eat more beans and peas (dried lentils) that can be put over in the crock pot so we can eat as soon as I get home from work.  I love my crock pot and it has been a life safer on many a night in the past.  I should be able to whip up some very nutritious meals!

The rest of my plan includes, posting at least once a week and sticking to only one website.  Bodybuilding is my website of choice for now…and I even plan on making some videos to post on you tube.  I will have that done within the next couple of weeks.  So…this is the plan.

At home today with a sick child, so what better time to re-evaluate and re-connect with goals.  How long this time is in the back of my mind…I want to make permanent changes.  And is now the time to really do this?  There is still a lot of stress hanging over my head, but not as much as in the last six months or four years.

We are in our own townhome, I have a job, the kids are in school and we have the weekends together.  I have not fit in any exercise at all..none, zilch, nada!  And chasing kids around a playground or a classroom simply does not count.  Yes, it’s movement, but not "steady state!"

I miss exercising, I miss the feel I get from exercising….the one drawback are my work hours.  I’m at work by 7am and usually don’t get home until 6pm.  There’s dinner, the kids, time for me…and it doesn’t all fit very well together.  My weekends are busy with grocery shopping, laundry and trying to fit some time in for the kids.  They love going to the library and so do I.  It’s a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

I have my membership to the YMCA and I love going to the Y, drawback…it’s on the other side of town.  It would be great if I could stop in for a 30 minute workout on may way home from work.  For me, it’s all about balance, between home, family and taking care of myself.

And then there’s this aching pain in my left hip that radiates to my knee, and all the way down to my foot, like it’s a pinched nerve.  This is on ongoing condition. My back has even gone out on me.  I went to the ER to be told it was a ‘muscle spasm’ like football players get.  Excuse me?  I don’t play football.  I’ve gone to the chiropractor, and I’ve been told there is a lot of muscle tension in my back and start of osterperiosis.  I can walk, and feel fine when I am walking…for how long?  Another reason to be lifting those weights, build up the strength in those lower back  muscles.

I’m drinking diet sodas again, specifically Mt. Dew.  Water would be so much cheaper, and better for me.  Right now, it’s my vice along with my morning consumption of caffeinated coffee.   It’s probably the caffeine that does the most damage but I’m just not ready to give it up.  I am ready to work on drinking more water.

My will power, and dedication are there.  The next step is to make a plan, but making a plan that I can live with and a plan that will fit in with my current lifestyle.  Dedication is one thing, but following the plan is simply something entirely different. I am going to work on my plan today, and when I figure it out…I will post it.  Hopefully, getting it out there for everyone to see, will help keep my motivation up and the resolve to follow through…strong.