Just to refresh memories... a friend of mine, Meg and I have decided to join the American Heart Association's Choosing To Move. We are starting Week 2 today.
I have really taken off on this! I'm going to use certain color felt pens for marking my calendar and all the great worksheets that the AHA has us to print out to keep us on task for the week. After all, accomplishments help motivate me! I shared with Meg what kind of folder I am keeping all our worksheets in and she laughed and rolled her eyes! Although I'm serious about all this, I wanted to keep some humor in it, so I bought myself a Sponge B. folder with Plankton Labs on the front...thought it was fitting " 2005 Annual Report-Building Tomorrow's Crabby Patty...Today!" Call me crazy...and shhhh ...don't tell my kids, but I'm a closet fan of Squid-ward and Mr. Crabs! ANYWAY, Meg shared a really great point that many woman do... don't buy clothes because of the thought, "When I get to be that size.." or "When I get more in shape" or any other reason, but WE NEED TO TREAT OURSELVES. Meg went shopping and bought some cute clothes and some nice sandals and went out with some friends...she carried herself differently, people noticed, couldn't put their finger on it, but knew something was different. That something was CARING for oneself!
As we moved through the week, I felt this first week was a chance just to think about 'what' we are doing, 'what' we are eating, 'when' are we exercising. I felt I did pretty good, but I didn't keep it up as I wanted to. The eating part was frustrating because I had no appetite. There are a lot of reasons for this and it doesn't help when DH is gone. I had to remember to eat and when I did-it wasn't the best. I didn't exercise daily as I wanted...only three times last week, but they were long periods. HA! Justifying coming out already!
Looking up websites keeps me motivated and I found a great one... My Pyramid I filled out my information and printed out MY amounts of different kinds of foods! Over the weekend I was thinking that it was time for a specific goal... instead of 'exercise more' it will be '30 min. a day' Then lo and behold I go to my Second Week in {Choosing To Move} and that is the focus 'Creating A Plan Of Action' with short term goals!
I will note on a personal side...my intent is to lose weight while also taking care of my heart. I have a lot. I've started lifestyle changes a few weeks before I even found the AHA program. I don't know why it's hard to say this, but I have lost 8 pounds. I guess I'm timid in stating that because I fear I will find them again...but this is not what I want my {Choosing To Move} Mondays to be about..but my 'highest' was always getting 'higher' and that has stopped and must continue to stop.
So, to let you know my short-term goal is ..to accumulate 30 min. of moderate physical activity for 5 days...and as one of my worksheets have a blank for -a 'Reward'. My reward will be one of the AHA cookbooks! What will be your short-tem goal?
You know, this is wonderful to read. I really like how you are thinking as you move thru the week. I found as I got used to walking/biking - I miss it when I can't do it. The exercise becomes it's own reward.
With diabetes, I have to keep moving to keep my blood sugar down. I don't have to worry about weight other than keeping it on. Since food can't be my treat and I am not that interested in clothes (I need to go shopping... if I was in accident, oh, the state of my undies would just be shocking) so I reward myself with... you guess it. Yarn and fiber.
Posted by: Cathy | June 12, 2006 at 12:50 PM