Running…

A brief bragging moment…

September 2009, it was a HUGE effort to walk around the parking lot.  I was very, VERY out of shape.  I was in bad shape, very unhealthy.

Fast forward to today, February 2011.  I jogged for the ENTIRE 30 minutes I was on the treadmill.  That is the first time I have run the entire time.  No walking to catch my breath, just solid, consistent jogging.  I ran 2.3 miles in 30 minutes.

I’ll have a lot more to say about it later, because I feel AMAZING!  AWESOME!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!  and a little bit (LOT) proud.

I’m starting to believe I might actually become a runner.  YAY me!

Another Shot of Complete Honesty

This was a good week. I tracked everything I ate. I went to the gym six days. I logged 13+ miles. So what was the result on the scale? I gained .8 pounds. Yep.

Well, there are all kinds of things they tell you in WW to help keep going when it seems like the scale has betrayed you.

• What good you do this week, you may not see on the scale until next week.
• It could be right before that magical time of the month.
• You could just be retaining fluid from recently having too much salt.

There are all kinds of theories, suggestions, other ways to encourage you when the scale doesn’t go in the right direction. But many, many times, if I will just be honest with myself, I know exactly what happened.

I knew this week would be tough as I worked hard to get really engaged in the new Points Plus program. I tracked everything I ate – which is HUGE. I stopped assuming that I could keep up with it in my head. I even stayed within my points, but I still gained.

Frustrated for a minute because I gained, I reminded myself to be honest – at least with myself.  I know what happened. I treated myself to some chocolate chip cookie dough – several nights this last week. YUM. AND I counted the cost (Points Plus).  But seriously?!!

The WW system is about balance. I can’t use half of my point allotment with junk and expect to have the desired results. I tried it; it doesn’t work. You can’t follow the law (points) without taking into account the spirit (healthy choice guidelines).

Well, what’s done is done. I’m not going to beat myself up. I made significant progress this week. I made positive changes. It will pay off.

I Deserve It

There are more times than not that I sit down after an incredibly stressful day and think to myself, I deserve the big bowl of Mexican cheese dip. I deserve the brownie dripping with rich, creamy chocolate icing. Or what about the greasy slice of pizza dripping with that amazing melted mozzarella cheese – extra cheese at that?

It makes sense, doesn’t it? I have worked hard, been stressed, and certainly deserve to treat myself with an incredibly tasty reward. Don’t you agree?

Let’s look at a different, yet parallel scenario. I overheard a conversation with a man whose doctor had discovered a spot on his lung. Fortunately, it wasn’t cancer; but it certainly caused a scare.

This man was not a regular, habitual smoker; but he did enjoy a cigar every now and again. His doctor cautioned him against continuing the cigar habit because the next time, the concern may not be “just a spot.”

The man continues to smoke his cigars. First, he’s convincing himself that one “every now and then” isn’t going to hurt anything. And second, he tells himself (and everyone around him) that he deserves it. After a long, stressful day, he deserves to sit down and relax with a single cigar.

The cigar could cause him to have LUNG CANCER! But he DESERVES his treat, his moment of relaxation.

It sounds silly when you are talking about cancer and cigars, but isn’t it the same thing when talking about overeating and heart disease, diabetes, and all the other problems brought on by obesity.

The choice is clear. I’m going to die someday, but it’s not going to be because I chose food over my health.

What do I want?

What do I want? I want doughnuts, chips, pizza, and chocolate. I want cheese dip, nachos, and milk shakes. I want to eat what I want, when I want it. But I also want to be THIN. THIN. THIN. OK, I’ll say the “correct” words – I want to be HEALTHY.

Seriously? The truth is I want to be beautiful – on the OUTSIDE!!

I want people to notice me, to say to themselves, “she looks good!” I’m not talking about the people who know me and comment that I look good compared to what I used to look like. I want to be stunning. Seriously, who doesn’t?

I want to realize the dream of that insecure little girl inside me who wants to be beautiful.

OK, now that I’ve had my selfish rant, what do I really, REALLY want? Well, that’s it. I want to be beautiful. But do I want it more than the instant gratification of that mouthful of food?

Most of the time, the answer is yes. I just have to keep remembering my target and make it my primary focus.

And don’t anybody get all worried about my getting too focused on the exterior. I know what’s important. I’ve got my head on straight. But let’s be honest, who doesn’t think about being beautiful, amazingly, stunningly beautiful, every now and then?