35 days left….Making Me a Priority….

To ensure good health:  Eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.

~William Londen~

It’s hard to believe, but tomorrow we will only have 35 days left in our 100 day JOLT challenge.  At first, it seemed like I was biting off more than I could chew, putting my personal struggle with weight loss out there for all to see.  But, as each day passed, and I kept my promise, it is truly becoming not a challenge, but rather the way we live.  And, a big thank you to you, the reader, for keeping Kelly honest.  It really did help to know that I would be reporting back to you with the results.

Here’s the update.  My sister and her husband are visiting from Canada.  In the past, this would mean high caloric meals, treats, and no exercise as we entertained our guests.  But, this time, things were different.  My 10,000 steps were knocked out early in the day before we went to see the sights.  Or, if I knew we would be walking a fair bit, they would be incorporated into the day.  I did have a few treats, but for the most part, we ate healthy, and always counted our calories.  And, even with the company and the change in routine, I lost weight.

Was I perfect?  Nope.  But did I make myself enough of a priority for success?  Yes I did.  And I think that is the key.  It’s not about being so driven that you don’t have time for anything else in your life.  It’s about re-shifting what you place value in, and making you and your health a priority.

Eating:  Pretty good, and I like that I can have a treat here and there, counting the calories to make sure I don’t completely fall off the wagon.

Exercise:  I am a faithful step counter.  I need, in the next 35 days,  to put more focus on strength training.

Emotions:  Honestly, May is not an easy month for me.  Stephen’s birthday, Mother’s day, and just the feeling of summer bring a sense of melancholy, a feeling of longing for things lost.  This year, although less jagged from the passage of time, still hurts.  But, I did not feel the need to dip the emotions in chocolate sauce.  I did not push down those feelings with food.  Rather, I felt stronger by exercising and keeping my commitment.  I am replacing the need for food with the need to feel I am living well, because when I live life well, I feel Stephen smiling. 

I’ve got a way to go, but inches, pounds and just plain ole baggage is coming off this grateful girl…..one pound at a time.

35 days left….my husband and I plan on finishing strong!

Hope you are taking steps towards your goals each and every day…

Kelly

 

48 Days…The Scale May Lie, But the Pants Speak the Truth..

Look to your health — and value it next to a good conscience; for health is … a blessing that money cannot buy.

~Izaak Walton~

Well, we are past the half way mark and still going strong.  For 52 days now, in our 100 Day JOLT Challenge, we’ve been moving more, eating healthier, and keeping our eye on the prize. Some days have been easy, and others….not so much.  But with each day, I think we are getting closer to making this more than a challenge; it is becoming the way we live.  That is a big thing right there folks.

But, as with any changes, you are going to have setbacks.  The title of this blog is one of them.  I worked out.  I counted calories and I measured calories expended with my Bodybugg.  I can see by my results I am becoming more fit, and need to work a little harder to get that burn. I’ve put the work in.  So, I stepped on the scale, fully expecting the two-pound weight loss that my Bodybugg had forecasted for me…..only to find that the number had not changed.  Not even by 0.1 of a pound.

Let me tell you what happened next.

I stepped off, resent the digital scale, stepped back on.  No change.  Stepped off, reset, stepped on.  No change.  Stepped off, cursed a little, questioned the validity of the number, wondered about the battery life of the scale, stepped on.  No change.

Walked away from the scale, paced slightly, reviewed over the previous week’s eating and exercise, walked back to the scale and gave it one more chance to rectify this situation.  No freaking change.

Look, I will be honest.  I think the scale is a downright dirty liar.  Sitting there quietly, with its digital display mocking me.

Okay, maybe not.  But it’s tough to put in the work and see no progress.  It’s difficult to have your hard work questioned.

So, I went to the real test.  The pants in the closet.  I have a section….you know what I’m talking about. The wanna be section….I tried on a pair of summer shorts that I really loved, but have not worn for some time.  And….zip, button, no problem. A little less junk in the trunk…they fit!  In your face scales!

My point in this rant?  Sometimes, when we are making big shifts in the way we live, the short-term results may not be reflective of your efforts towards long term change.  It may seem like you are getting nowhere.  But rather than buy into that, trust in yourself.  Look around for another method for measuring success.  Don’t let it derail you.

We have 48 days left, and no matter what the scales say this week, I know I am keeping the promise I made to myself and it feels good.

Now, click on the video and dance with me.  Best workout song ever.

Kelly

The Grateful Mother

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I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me.  They have clung to me all my life.  ~Abraham Lincoln~ For you fellow mothers out there, tomorrow is the day designed just for you by….who? It’s interesting, as I have often believed that this is yet another holiday designed by the retail gods to get [...]

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60 Days Left…Moment By Moment Change

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‎Transformation is not five minutes from now; it’s a present activity. In this moment you can make a different choice, and it’s these small choices and successes that build up over time to help cultivate a healthy self-image and self-esteem. ~Jillian Michaels~ Okay, we are 40 days in, 60 days left to our 100 day [...]

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The Gardenia Bush

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All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France~ I told them I was worried about them moving the Gardenia bush.  I stood behind Stephen and Brady on the bright Saturday morning [...]

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71 days….When the Week Kicks Your…

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Problems are messages. ~Shakti Gawain~ Some days are good, and others are not.  It is the balance of life.  I understand that.  But for all the miles I have traveled, and all the lessons I have learned, it never ceases to surprise me when a day sucks me into a deep funk. That seemed to be [...]

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77 Days Left..Measuring Success..

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Energy and persistence conquer all things. ~Benjamin Franklin~ 77 days left, means 23 days in.  According to Stephen Covey, it takes about 21 days to make a habit.  So, if that is the truth, we should be well on the way towards a healthy life that comes more naturally. I have to say, the journey [...]

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85 Days-What Challenges Me Changes Me…

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If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you. ~Fred Devito~ Okay, 85 days left in our 100 day challenge.  And, I am learning so much. We are still super committed to the 100 day challenge, but let’s just say we have made peace with the fact that we may not enjoy every moment. In [...]

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Day 93-Love Thyself

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Clear your mind of can’t. -Samuel Johnson Hitting the first week mark of the 100 day JOLT challenge, and we are still going strong. It feels good to have set a goal, and even better to have shared it with you all.  Putting it out there makes it real for me, and makes me accountable.  That’s [...]

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The 100 Day JOLT Challenge….

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Accept challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory. ~George S. Patton~   It is 100 days until the 4th of July.  Some people would think that would be a statement of dread on my part.  After all, it is the anniversary of Stephen’s passing.  And, I will be honest.  It will be a [...]

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