What is your "cost" of being happy and healthy?

Since it's Friday and I haven't blogged in a while...I'll use the opportunity to ramble some thoughts on my mind and heart today!

- Friday weigh-in: 183.5; the 170's are getting sooo close!
- My size 14 pants are starting to get loose! If I can only slice off the pooch of a stomach I have, I know there is a six-pack of abs waiting to be freed!!
- Is it just me, but when I work on my abs, my stomach seems to stick out even farther?
- I ran out of my BioTools that I took last month just to see if it would work for me. While on the BioTools, I felt good, no complaints. But let me tell you, I am about a week off of the product and I can SO feel it...I now have achy knees (and my exercise regimen did not change). So, I am definitely adding that back in to my late afternoon regimen. It's a product suggested for baby boomers, but every person I know younger than that age group who takes it, has had super-positive results to get rid of that overall achy feeling.


The big thing on my mind is...what is the "cost" of being happy and healthy? So many people I run into and share my health and weight loss journey with seem extremely apprehensive to take control of their own lives and get healthy. For some, it's a matter of cost, which is understandable...but what is the alternative?? Staying unhealthy and miserable when there is a pathway to health and happiness?? At what point in a person's life did he/she say there is a financial cap on wellness? Given the cost of prescription drugs, doctor's visits, hospital stays, etc...I think the $8 or so I spend on my daily regimen is SO worth it.

I hear often "I'm not giving up my morning St@rbucks"! Coming from the same people who complain about their energy levels, their digestive issues, their money issues and their time crunches! Hmmm, let's look at this from a macro standpoint...you intentionally drive out of your way to your local St@rbucks and wait in a long line with the other energy-drained, time-drained people (seems like a time waste to me). Then you order a $6 triple-shot froo-froo drink (with whip of course, oh and an apple danish since you need the "fruit") and you then wonder why your digestive tract is a disaster AND you have a severe headache/sugar crash in a few hours. This leads to another St@rbucks run a few hours later to get you back up...cha-ching...another $6. Let's repeat this scenario at least 4 days a week...that adds up to about $48/week not counting anything else you do for sustenance. Or you could substitute this scenario for fast food runs (like I used to do 2x a day). I could keep this scenario going on and on, but I won't; I think you get it! Again, there are healthier, cost-effective options that save you time!

My Latest Results!

Well! Amazing what a little change-up can do for a gal! I needed to put pride aside and listen to others' suggestions and guess what...they were right!!

Here are my results from May 2012:
Weight loss: 8.5 pounds
Inch loss: 5.5 inches

My overall results today from March 2011:
Weight loss: 23 pounds (8.72%)
Inch loss: 29.75 (10.9%)

Here is what I changed:
- I added in a Meal Replacement Shake before my morning workout
- I switched from spinning 3 days a week to running (I run about 10 miles total per week)
- I started tracking my calories and exercise on "My Fitness Pal" and found I was severely under-eating previously

Using the current tools I have, it is estimated I will hit my weight loss goal by January 3, 2013. Finish line is in sight!!

Time to Git 'R Done!

Counting down until June 1st when I am launching into the "Git 'R Done" mode. This mode is going to be my break the plateau time! I'm tired of still being far away from my goal, so I'm going to be on point with my nutrition/exercise/regimen. I'm going to add at least 1 run day into my schedule since it's been light so early in the morning. I'm sticking with my Spin and Group Power classes Tuesday through Friday. I've had a suggestion from one of my teammates to get more food into my system before my morning workout. So, I'll be adding in a meal replacement shake at about 4:45 am before heading to the gym.

Catching Up

In the absence of the overload of extra activities I've participated in over the years, I now have had time to do a whole lot of self-development (and it's been MARvelous)! I have a subscription to Success magazine and I had left the magazines by the wayside when I had no time to read. Each magazine has an audio CD with interviews by top people in the fields of marketing/business/leadership development/etc... I am getting caught up on all the audio now (better late than never). There is so much to learn in those CDs that carry over into personal development and I'll use those in my future posts.

I'm gearing up for the Memorial Day Meltdown starting June 1. This is going to be the time that I break through that plateau! Every day that I don't move closer to my goals is a day wasted since we have no idea how long we have on this Earth. I was NOT meant to be in the body that I am currently in and I am SO ready to leave it in the dust.

Some Movement on the Scale

All the little changes in exercises and nutrition are starting to move in the positive direction. I was surprised when I jumped on the scale yesterday to see I had a 5 pound loss in 1 week. The scale hasn't moved for weeks and weeks (and weeks)  and then all of a sudden, 5 pounds. Hmmm!  I've upped my weights a bit at Group Power (my biceps are getting much stronger and more defined).

May 5 Weigh In: 183.5

My daily regimen:
-Pre-AM workout: Rehydrate + Arginine Extreme cocktail with Catalyst (on Spin mornings I take O2 Gold)
- Post-AM workout: Rehydrate and MNS-3 first color packet with ThermoPlus
- Breakfast: Meal Replacement Shake (I add in a banana and a little bit of peanut butter)
- Post-breakfast: bottom two MNS-3 color packets
- Pre-lunch: last MNS-3 color packet
- Rehydrate throughout the day along with 1 gallon of water

Is It "Go" Time?

Where has the springtime gone? The temperatures are starting to rise and the a/c is on already! Summer is right around the corner! Yesterday I had a great phone call with one of my college sorority sisters; with the advent of electronic communications, it was a welcomed change to actually hear someone's voice! She's had her products for a while and finally decided now was her "go time" to get healthy.

Along this journey I have found not everyone is ready to "go", even when they think they are. Over the past year I have helped a lot of people (probably 50+) get on product and work out their health goals; but I would honestly say I have maybe 2-3 people who followed the plan and got their expected results within the 24 days. Those results weren't all necessarily huge weight loss, but for some it was simply to get out of that rut/feeling "blah"; increasing their energy; getting out of that "sickness-spin"; toning up;  and weight loss was an added bonus for them. The majority of people stopped taking product since they weren't seeing results fast enough; or they quit their journey because they weren't ready to commit to a change in their nutrition and exercise lifestyle. It's so easy to stick with what is comfortable; it's stepping towards the "uncomfortable and hard" that is the challenge. Think about how many people in your close circles choose the "easy"? And when you step out from that and make a change, are they the first to tear you down to bring you back to the "comfortable" with them?

Looking at my own situation, I've spent the last 10+ years in a moderately sedentary lifestyle with bad nutrition choices. It's to be expected that my weight is not going to drop off quickly. I think when I started this journey a year ago, I had high expectations that the weight would drop quickly. With life getting in the way and honestly, not giving 80%+ focused-effort on what I need to do, my weight loss isn't spectacular; but my energy levels are great and my clothes fit better.

I recently started reading "The Slight Edge" by Jeff Olson and it has helped me to have a shift in my thinking. The basis of the book is that small changes over time will compound into big success. With that thought, instead of looking at a specific weight loss number by a certain date; I have to look at what I need to do on a daily basis to reach that goal. Small lifestyle changes and daily actions will get me there much quicker than fixating on the ultimate goal (and the negativity/self-doubt that comes with not hitting that goal by the goal time).

Tieing this back to my conversation with my college buddy, we set a 90-day plan that takes her up to a race she plans on running. Her weekly goals are about a 2-3-pound loss; with the emphasis to not deviate/lose hope if she doesn't hit that goal every week (since this journey is a marathon, not a sprint). After having this conversation with her yesterday, it has given me renewed energy to kick-up my focus and travel alongside her in this journey. Today I am going to work out my 90-day plan and really think through what I need to do on a daily basis to get there. Those little daily changes will include less sitting, more push-ups/sit-ups and jump-roping, any getting back on the wagon with my running. It will also include less "sneaking" of the stuff I know is bad for me.

Measurements!

It's been a while since I've taken my measurements, so here are my current results:

Down 13 pounds from March 2010
Down 21.75 inches from March of 2010

Given that I am on a regular work-out schedule every weekday morning, I'm not overly happy with my weight results given 1 year's time (it's still a loss though). I fault most of it on my workplace where I sit for 8 hours at a time. No doubt I am also building a lot of muscle, but given I have a lot to weight to lose, I would think the pounds would be falling off of me quicker. In the past, my weight loss success has been through a strict low-carb lifestyle and running; and truly, I do not want to go back to that for the sake of dropping pounds since I know it doesn't work in the long time. I just have to keep doing what I am doing and hope that at some point, my body will agree to release the extra weight. My clothes do fit SO much better and I'm down 2 pant sizes.

My daily regimen:

- Catalyst
- MNS-3
- ThermoPlus
- Spark
- Rehydrate
- Meal Replacement Shake (breakfast)

"Experimenting" with:
- Arginine Extreme (to see if it gives me a cardio and muscle kick during my morning workout))
- Joint ProMotion (to see if I can get rid of the cracking in my knees)

Given my post from yesterday, I had to snag this picture from a friend's Facebook post this morning.

Fits my thoughts to a "T"...and I wish I could put this right in front of the faces of people around me. I'm not an especially religious person, but all these thoughts that are coming up during Easter weekend makes it intriguing. I think I'll go out for a run today and give thanks that I have 2 functioning legs, lungs and a heart.

Good Friday Thoughts

You think life is going along swimmingly; then you have those defining moments in your life that hit you like a ton of bricks. It's been a very long time since I've blogged about my journey. My journey has not ended, it continues on with peaks and valleys. Here's to continuing down the path!

One of my blog followers (my biggest fan) left this worldly earth the Saturday before Christmas. Words cannot express my sadness over losing my father, although his passing was not unexpected. Fourteen months prior, my mother passed away and fourteen months prior to that, my only nephew passed away. It makes one contemplate the cycle of life and what our legacy will be when we are gone. Reminiscing about my teenage years, which was the last major amount of time I spent living with my parents, I am grateful to have had parents who had so much trust in me and let me flourish in whatever venture I participated in.

My parents were both very social in our hometown and in their new hometowns in Florida and New Mexico; they cherished their friendships through their associations (Elks, church, choir; and yes, the local bars too). As my parents hit their peaks and valleys in life, those friends stood by them. As sickness started to take over their lives the past few years, they began to retreat and became more home-bound. It's incredible to see how quickly vibrant people can be pulled down due to sickness. The outgoing and social parents I knew so well had disappeared so quickly. I know it wasn't the way Mom and Dad wanted to live, but when you are in a deep dark hole, it's impossible to see any ray of hope.

Mom's unexpected passing in October 2010 left a void in everyone's heart; Dad's void was especially deep. Mom was the homemaker; I don't think Dad ever had to think about what he was going to wear since Mom always set his clothes out! Dad had to learn how to cook and fend for himself; all the while, very ill himself. I cannot imagine mourning the loss of your high school sweetheart while recovering from your own illness. Dad lived in physical and emotional pain every day and I am thankful he is no longer in that pain.

As I continue down my journey, I hold those memories of my parents and my nephew close to my heart. I use them to push me harder and keep me focused. I run because my Mom, Dad and Andrew can't. I get up for the 0530 class at the gym because my Mom, Dad and Andrew can't. It may be an odd (almost macabre) view; but I have to turn what has been such a negative in my life, into a positive. I know they would not want their deaths to destroy my life. I have to live on as a legacy of my family.

Writing this has brought up a lot of emotion today on this Good Friday. I wish everyone who is still reading my blog, peace and happiness.