February | 2014 | It's Time To Lose Weight

Back to the treadmill, to walking indoors, light weight training and whatever else I can manage. I’ve been able to keep up workouts for a couple of days a week. Work is less stressful so I am feeling better at the end of a day. Coming home and strapping on tennis shoes doesn’t feel like such a chore. That’s the good part.

Why does it take so long to get in shape and so little time to lose any benefits once exercising stops? I know it takes weeks to build up the good feelings from exercise. Each time I begin I want to stop. I hate the feeling of tiring myself out. Muscles fatigue and total exhaustion always go with the start of an exercise plan. I need to push myself through this point. I start down the path with every intention to work my way towards that feeling of euphoria when exercise takes you over the top. I’ve never gotten there so I am hoping I recognize it if/when it happens.

Back to food journal entries on a regular basis, reading the Jillian Michaels emails with some intention of trying to follow the wisdom of her advice; back to weigh ins and treadmill routines. Back to committing myself to making my life better. I have wasted a year trying to talk myself into doing this – now I have to do it.

Life is short. Health is precious. I need to place a value on those words and make it part of my everyday thinking and living the life I should. I have been my own worst enemy in the battle of weight loss. I’ve allowed myself too many excuses, too many ways to opt-out of making changes. IT’s up to me and only me. If I don’t work my way back to healthier habits, it’s just not going to happen. I’ve proven that time and time again.

I’m trying to work my way back…

After the long month of holidays followed by surgery for my husband and then my dog, it has been pretty stressful. On top of everything else, I had been searching for a new job. The job interviews and the anxiety of waiting to hear the response had pushed me to the edge of my stress limit. But I’m over the other side – I started my new job today.

I admit that I don’t handle stress very well. Once I stop keeping a food journal it was all down hill. I hit the bottom when I realized that I was making donuts. I don’t know how I thought being gluten-free donuts were somehow going to make it better. Vicious cycle now full circle.

I spent the day moving – emptying boxes, climbing up and down putting away items in a far too high overhead cabinet, and going between the old office and the new one. It’s a full ten minute walk each way which I made at least three times roundtrip. Now I need to keep that momentum up every day. I’ve enlisted a friend to walk with me. Now we need to keep each other on track.

I’m looking forward to finally having a job that provides me with intellectual stimulation without the undue stress that I’ve put up with for the last ten years. Having to work at a job that creates an unhealthy atmosphere and doing the least challenging tasks was a nightmare for me. Having a new boss that encourages his staff to continue to grow and get better and not just be a follower is a breath of fresh air. There are far too many bosses who are hung up on power and control. Doing things their way is more important than doing it the right way or even a better way.

It’s a new beginning for me. Less stress, more exercise, and healthy eating are my goals.