I did it!

This afternoon, after eating a relatively small portion of chicken fried rice and a strawberry banana smoothie, I went in and signed up for my gym membership, and I coerced two other people (L1 and RORO) into doing it too! So right now as it stands here is the group of accountability: L1, RORO, Keys, Nye, and myself. So the way this works is that you show up and check in with someone else there, to make sure you show up. Then you are free to work out as you please. That way, no matter what day you go, there will always be someone there to motivate you A) to show up and B) to work out with if you want to.

I've decided that I'm going to try to do the JM 30DS at the gym, maybe a little slower but with heavier weights, and then some extra cardio. We'll see how that works for now. Eventually I'd like to take some instructor led classes just to vary things.

Can I just say how excited I am about this? Most of the time on my way home, I'm thinking about how this or that went wrong, or how I can do this better or pay that bill sooner, but here lately, I just blast my Zune, Pandora, CD, or radio with my song of the day and just imagine myself working out and even though I'm not actually doing it, I feel better. I am looking forward to putting all that thinking into action and getting my fitness on!

So tired...

In general, of all the BS floating around. First of all, I'm feeling like I'm second picking for people, which means that they'd rather do other things than hang out , or that I'm just not important to hang out with. I'm also tired of being at home, because I have no time for myself, at all. Yet if I'm not at home, I get the once over...where have you been, why are you late, etc. I am exhausted right now. I also haven't slept in a few days.

Other things are work related: A) two people who are friends (one really good and the other more of an acquaintance) have resigned from my PT job, and as one of my coworkers so adequately put it, I feel like everyone is starting to jump ship... The other has to do with the other job: People are failing to understand the scope of my job, and it's really starting to grate on my nerves.

Right now, I just want to go to the gym and do some serious working out, till I'm so sore, sweaty, and tired that I drag my feet to my car. Because seriously, that's how mad I am right now. And it's not at someone specifically, but rather at everything piling up right now. I just need some time with me, my headphones, and some Jillian Michaels.

And...I'M BACK!

Hahahhahaha....you thought it was over! Surprise! With the start of a new year comes the inevitable list of resolutions. Over the holidays I got up to 162, and my weights been fluctuating between 160-164 for about six months now. However I am pleased to report that weighing in this morning I was down to 157, so the portion control and stair climbing at work (four flights of stairs) have been working. I'm also slowly cutting down my soda intake.

I am starting a combination of gym time and video work outs on February 1st. I have wrangled a commitment from commitment-shy L1 that she will go 3 to 4 times a week for Feb and the first week of March. I also have a friend, whom we shall call Keys, that has stated she will also work out with me. So even if they show up only two or three days a week, I will still have someone to keep me accountable, if nothing else, for at least showing up.

I've also been watching the Biggest Loser, and can I just say Jillian is mean! I had never watched the show before, and I only knew of her through the work out videos I have of hers, but I don't know that I wouldn't cry if she was yelling at me...

I want to get fit, in part because of health issues (cholesterol and high blood sugar) as well as for looks. Another reason? I am falling in love with the ocean and with beaches. I would love to go back to Grand Cayman and swim with dolphins and stingrays, and I would like to go snorkeling. I would like to not hold back L1 when we take snorkeling excursions because she can swim and I can't. I really would love to learn how to swim but I have a phobia....of bathing suits.

I am not wildly out of shape. I could definitely use some toning, but I am self conscious of parts of my body, so bathing suites....yeah. So anyways, I have to learn how to swim before my next vacation, which will hopefully be soon!!!!

Motivational pic of the day!

A New Start

The last few weeks have been a time of transition, change, and growth. My parents came to visit and then left. I had a birthday. I started my final semester of my bachelor's degree. Perhaps most importantly, though, is that I left a job that was no longer appropriate and came to a job that keeps me busy, engaged, and is technically a promotion. I work for higher education, so it was an internal transfer. It is like breathing fresh air. For a long time I have felt stifled, and my self-confidence has suffered. For a long time, I have let my work validate who I am as a person, and it was just recently after a spat of negative events that I realized how inappropriate it was. That is when the real push to expand and seek new opportunities began. I know that I am more than just an employee: I am a young woman, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, a student, a friend, etc. There are so many things and people that define who I am, and I was doing myself a disservice but allowing one place to influence me so heavily.

I worked out again last night, starting over, Day One Level One. Even if I can't do all three levels in 30 days, I am going to aim for at least one level every two weeks. I am starting off with modified versions again. I would say wish me luck, but I need to hold myself accountable too. Cheers! To a better me!
 

Finishing...

I saw this on a friend's facebook page and decided to steal it. I need all the motivation I can get!

meh

I ended up working out only that one time last week, and it took me a while to get motivated this week. On Thursday  I did a level one workout, thinking that because I hadn't worked out in over a week I would be really sore, but instead, I woke up yesterday morning feeling normal. So last night I did a level two work out. The good news? I certainly feel more than I did yesterday morning. The meh news is that I'm not really sore. So I'm going to do level two for a few more days (total hopefully of 5 times) and then I'm going to give level three a go. Depending on how I feel, I think I might go get a different video and work out with different programs to continue the muscle confusion. Wish me luck (and continued motivation)!

Time to get back on it!

I only worked out once last week. Various things occurred that reduced my motivation. I know it sounds like an excuse and I can't really say it isn't. I have to get back on the wagon this week, and get back into the routine.