Woo-hoo! Back to the Steps!

Back to the basics people! When you need that kick in the pants, there's no getting over on the Bisbee steps! Had a great walk today and we finished a little under 2 hours.

I am starting the preparation for the big change up to my exercise routine. I've made the decision to add a serious weight lifting regimen to target my "flabbiness". My goal is to lose a lot of the fat in my upper arms and rediscover my abdominals. Hah!

I found a great journal to use at Barnes & Noble (I assume you can find them in other locales and online)...it's called Body Minder Workout & Exercise Journal. It gives you enough pages for 13 weeks of journaling all aspects of your workout: cardio, strength training, dietary notes, water intake, goals, notes, supplement regimen. I am also using 2 books to develop my workout: The Body Sculpting Bible for Women and 101 Workouts for Women. I am opting for the Advanced 14 Day program in the Body Scultping book. This workout program is for someone who is using a gym setting (the book also has workouts for people who just have a home gym or a few weights at home). The regimen I am doing calls for at least 20 minutes of cardio and abdominals 6 days a week and then a weights workout in the evening.

I am excited, but I know there will be a lot of soreness! Tomorrow morning I'm walking the steps as a warm up!

No More 18s and 20s!!

Seriously, where has the summer (and now fall) gone??!! Very exciting news to post, I have cleaned out my closet of all my size 20 and size 18 pants. Seriously, and I hate to be judgmental, no woman should be in those sizes! I think even when I was in the military the smallest size I ever was was a very tight 10. I've always fluctuated in the 12-14 sizes in high school and college. Even in those sizes (which some say is the "average American woman"), I always felt larger than my friends. Maybe it's my bone structure (not an excuse, but a reality); I always felt big!

I posted this closet cleaning news on Facebook yesterday and also posted a blurb about not "settling". Back in May, I decided to not settle on where I had ended up in life. Not to settle for being overweight and unhealthy. I think so many people "settle" and then say that they can't get healthy...blame it on the genetics, blame it on their family situation, blame it on money, etc...

Getting healthy is simply making the DECISION to not settle and starting with one foot in front of the other. You cannot get to that goal without movement; it's not going to come to you as you sit in front of the television or computer. We all want to reach that goal as fast as we can and some times it takes a lot longer than we want. Weight loss in particular can be frustrating since it can be 2 steps forward, 1 step back...but it's still movement forward from where you started!

I look back on where I was back in May; I had set my goal of losing 75 pounds (that is still my goal). As with every normal human being, life gets in the way. My goal has never been derailed...has it been slower than I have liked?...of course; but I am still moving forward from where I was!

From my Facebook post yesterday, I have received a handful of direct messages from people asking how I am doing it (losing weight and pant sizes). There's no secret or magic pills...it's hard work...surround yourself with supportive people...make good nutrition choices...exercise...and supplement where you need support (whether it's energy and/or appetite control). Just keep moving forward!!!