I believe what goes around comes around!

I’ll be up front, here. I believe in the statement “What goes around, comes around.” Meaning you get back what you put out there. I have PROOF now.

A stranger showed me a kindness today that she didn’t need to. Not even a little.

My heart rate monitor battery died about a month or so ago, and honestly, I’ve been lost without it. Today, I decided to change the battery myself so I went searching for the correct battery and a teeny-tiny screwdriver.

At my daughter’s suggestion, my first stop was Walmart’s Vision Center. I asked at the desk if they had a screwdriver for sale that would fit the tiny little screw as I showed her my HRM wrist monitor.

She smiled, and said “I have all the tools to do that, if you go buy the battery in jewelry, I’ll put it in for you.” I was SO surpised! And I got so excited! I went and bought the battery and came back.

I was chatting with her from the doorway as she was working on it, and was telling her that the HRM that she was repairing helped me lose 100 lbs. And we chatted a bit more, and she said she was struggling a bit with her weight . . . at that point, I mentioned Sparkpeople (I normally do if people are interested in more details about my weight loss) and she said she had JUST JOINED!

So I told her it was a WONDERFUL site, and (with prompting from my dear hubby–I was so excited I completely didn’t think of it) gave her my Spark screen name. I hope she visits my page, and I hope she knows that she really, REALLY made my day. She went far above and beyond anything I expected when I first set foot in WalMart (a store I normally avoid due to crowds).

So do something unexpected and kind for somebody! You could make THEIR day!

So I’ve made a decision

I’ve made a decision about the gym.   I’m keeping it.

I’ve spent the last two weeks trying to integrate exercise into my life at home, and it’s really, REALLY hard in the winter when it’s so horribly cold outside.   I struggle to work out when I share a TV with two teenagers.  Makes it hard to use my Wii or do a DVD.  So for now, the gym membership is worth it’s ‘weight’.

I may put it on hold in the summer, when it’s easier to get outside and go, but for now, it’s worth the effort to get to the gym.  I’ll revisit the issue in late Spring.

My HEALTH and well being is worth the effort.

I’ve noticed during the past month of non-regular exercise that I’m more stressed out.  Less blissed out.  Small things bother me more.  The way I see it, I’m doing the men in my life a favor by getting out and exercising, right?

NOTE:  As you probably know by now, Sparkpeople.com has changed my life.  They’re having a contest where we can win a free weekend get away (and other prizes)  in a drawing, but to get entries, we have to get people to download a chapter of the book.  If you’re not a member of Sparkpeople, I urge you to check it out with the free download.  No spam or viruses or pop-ups or anything!!  I promise!  Download here.

Today was weigh in day…

And I have now lost a grand total of 100 pounds.  ONE HUNDRED.

I’m SO happy!  It’s taken me 18 months of doing more work than I ever imagined I would ever be able to do, BUT I DID IT!

Exercise…my way

So I lost over 50 lbs using nothing but my WiiFit (original) and walking.   I started out walking 10 minutes at a time, because my level of fitness was THAT low.  I’d walk 10 minutes, come home rest & do other things for a couple hours, walk another 10 minutes and so forth.   I’d walk 30-40 minutes a day.

Last January, I was ready for something different.  Something ‘more’.  I think I was a little tired of working out by myself, honestly.  As I was shopping for a gym, I automatically ruled out any that did not offer classes.  They were that important to me.

Now during my time at the gym, I’ve taken a lot of classes.  BodyCombat (Les Mills), step, Zumba, Yoga, Spinning, Kettlebell, and Pilates just to name a few.  And I love them all.

It’s just now . . . I’m REALLY struggling with getting to the gym.  And I was going 3-4 days a week before Christmas, they’ve re-done the schedule, and to take the same classes, I’d have to go two hours one night.   I’d have to be there by 5:30pm (which is a stretch considering I get off at 5pm and it’s a 20 minute drive to the gym) *sigh*    This leaves me with issues with the kids.

So now, I’m debating.  Is a $50/month gym still a good option for me?  Would I be better off spending money on improving my DVD collection?  (Zumba would have to be my first purchase… Yoga would be my 2nd…)

They’re doing the best they can…

I read a lot on the boards and articles at Sparkpeople, and the other day I read about a woman who wanted to ‘motivate her husband’ to lose weight. There are others who want to ‘motivate’ their sister, brother, child, etc.

What we need to remember, on our journey to get fit and healthy,  is that we, AND THE OTHERS IN OUR LIFE are doing the best we can. We can’t know what’s going on within another person’s life, or head. We just can’t. (Even if we’re married to them or grew up with them, or gave birth to them…)

The best way you can motivate somebody is to be SUCCESSFUL on OUR journey. They can see it IS possible.

Just remember.  Be kind, always.  They’re doing the best they can.

When you work out to music…

When you work out to music, studies have shown you work 30% harder.  I believe it.    Below is my current ‘workout’ playlist, some old, some new, some really, really odd.  Maybe you’ll find something new that will move YOU.     And if you would, I’d LOVE some suggestions to add to my eclectic collection!

• Fire Burning    Sean Kingston
• Love Drunk    Boys Like Girls
• LoveGame    Lady GaGa
• Poker Face    Lady GaGa
• That’s Not My Name    The Ting Tings
• Boom Boom Pow    Black Eyed Peas
• I Know You Want Me   Pitbull
• I Love Rock ‘N Roll    Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
• Right Round    Flo Rida
• Gimme More    Britney Spears
• Toxic    Britney Spears
• Womanizer    Britney Spears
• Baila (From the film “Music Of The Heart”)    Jennifer Lopez
• Snap Yo Fingers    Lil Jon featuring E-40 & Sean Paul
• SexyBack    Justin Timberlake featuring Timbaland
• Sera Sera (Hips Don’t Lie)    Shakira ft Wyclef Jean
• Temperature    Sean Paul
• Fight The Power    KoRn ft Xzibit
• Gold Digger (Featuring Jamie Foxx)    Kanye West
• Love Lockdown    Kanye West
• Disturbia    Rihanna
• Just Dance    Lady GaGa & Colby O’Donis
• Pon de Replay    Rihanna
• Shawty Get Loose    Lil Mama    T-Pain & N. Kirkland
• Shut Up and Drive    Rihanna
• Fergalicious    Fergie
• Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous (Clean Version)    RuPaul
• So What    P!nk    P!nk, Shellback & M. Martin
• I’m Bad    The Last Vegas
• Let It Rock    Kevin Rudolf & Lil Wayne    K. Rudolf & D. CARTER
• 1, 2 Step (Featuring Missy Elliott)    Ciara
• Lambada    Kaoma
• I Was Made For Loving You    Kiss
• Hot N Cold    Katy Perry
• I Kissed a Girl    Katy Perry
• Hollaback Girl    Gwen Stefani
• Sk8tr Boi    Avril Lavigne
• Gimme Some Lovin    Blues Brothers
• Mustang Sally    Joe Cocker
• Work It    Missy Elliott
• Hot in Herre    Nelly
• Milkshake    Kelis
• Let’s Dance    David Bowie
• Bad    Michael Jackson
• Play That Funky Music    Wild Cherry
• You Turn Me Right Round    Dead Or Alive
• Edge Of Seventeen    Stevie Nicks
• Mustang Sally    Tom Jones
• My Humps    Black Eyed Peas
• Party Starter    Will Smith
• Switch – Mix – Hidden Track    Will Smith
• 4 Minutes (feat. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)    Madonna
• Blood Rave    Crystal
• The Cup of Life [The Official Song of the World Cup, France '98]   Ricky Martin
• Brick House    The Commodores
• Mony Mony    Billy Idol
• Kiss    Prince
• U Got the Look    Prince
• Party Up    DMX
• Grillz (Dirty)    Nelly featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp

Pretty wild mix for a 46 year old Mom of 3, huh? 

Is it possible to lose weight if you’re poor? I think so!

A work friend and I had a discussion last week that ended up getting us both frustrated.

She *wishes* she could lose weight, “but doesn’t have time” and just eats whatever is at hand, and apparently a lot of it, since I generally eat whatever is at hand, but I measure my portions and log it faithfully, our results are a lot different.  I do my best to make smarter choices (i.e. a ‘diet’ ice cream bar instead of a pint of ice cream) whenever possible.

I think you can eat *ANYTHING* as long as you watch your portions.  I’ve lost nearly 90 lbs doing that.  I don’t eat ’special food’, and I probably eat a lot less healthy than I should, but I eat well whenever I can.

Typically, I’ll have a 2 egg-white omlet with cheese & salsa for breakfast, and a bowl of whole-grain cereal (I adore Raisin Bran Extra).  That might sound like a lot, but normally, I don’t get can’t-control-it-hungry before lunch if I eat about 500 calories for breakfast.

Lunch normally is a diet frozen meal.  I try to make sure they’re somewhat low in sodium, but honestly, I buy whatever’s cheapest.  Sometimes I add a salad if I have the ingredients, or a package of frozen vegetables (if they’re on sale).  If I have them, I also enjoy a diet frozen treat.

Afternoon snack is normally an even mix of protein & carbs.  Peanut butter or hummus on whole grain bread (LOVE Sandwich Thins!) and a low-fat cheese stick.  (I always have an afternoon snack because I head to the gym right after work, and I need the energy)

Dinner is usually a portion of whatever the family eats, or if we’re all eating ‘on our own’ then I’ll have another frozen meal.  Because I eat after I work out, I normally don’t have an evening snack.

I’m not saying I’m eating great, because if I could, I’d have fresh/frozen veggies every day and clean protein.  But what I’m doing fits my life right now, I’m losing weight (almost 90 lbs so far!).  My blood pressure is normal.  My cholesterol is normal.   I’m in WAY better shape than I was when I started my journey last July.  And I’ll leave you with a photo of me from August 2006.  What I looked like BEFORE. 

What a great quote!

It is not enough to create good words.
The real value of values comes from consistently walking the talk.
~David Cottrell

Why I love yoga.

I’ve been practicing yoga regularly since January, 2009, when I joined a gym.  I was a little nervous, because I’d never tried it before.

I chose a Monday night beginner’s class, which was more balance/relaxation/tension release focused than what I was expecting.  I went for a couple weeks, and felt GOOD, so I decided to join a second class.  That is when I fell in love.   The second (Thursday night) class was a Vinyasa Flow class, and was considered ‘advanced’ (although I didn’t know that at the time…).    I finished that class, and I remember how STRONG I felt.  I could do yoga.  Not perfect, of course, not without a few modifications, but it made me feel strong.  I forget everything while I’m focusing on holding a position (asana).

Yoga is wonderful.

Yoga is the hardest wonderful I’ve ever encountered.

I encourage you to try it, if time and/or money permits.  It will help you be strong and flexible, and you’ll be amazed at how clear your mind is after a class.

For a little light reading and more information, I highly recommend Yoga Journal, either the magazine or the website.