What's next? Personal Workout Update

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http://www.thislittlepiggywenttothegym.com/

My husband and I are in this wilderness. We have seemed to always struggle with our weight. He, obviously more than I, but nonetheless, we both have always been on this mission to lose the weight. We often have said over the last few years of marriage, "I gotta lose some/this weight". (And we really did.)

Recently we started working out at home together, with the Insanity dvd workout program. We both have eaten good. In fact, often times I tell Dave, our splurging is better than some people's diets. Needless to say, and honestly, we did not follow the Nutrition Plan to a T. However, our bodies have still transformed, our strength has definitely increased, and our endurance has seriously improved.

Don't get me wrong, we watch what we eat. We eat the right foods, and don't over indulge. And we're pretty satisfied with ourselves.

But something has happened mentally in us. Our minds & attitudes are not obsessed with the numbers on the scale.

Be honest, there are some of us who want to weigh in daily to see if what we ate yesterday has affected us...and then we plan our eating for the day, based on the number, right? Just admit it. But Dave and I are in this place of that thinking shifting. We have reached destination: satisfaction!!!!

Today is our last day of week 7, with one more week of Shaun T.'s butt kicking Insanity left. So we're now looking ahead to "what to do next?" What is our goal?

We talked and have come to the conclusion that we're happy with our weight. We have finally met the goal & most common New Year's Resolution of 'lose weight'. Weird feeling I tell ya!

It seems like a lifetime of struggling, a lifetime of always eating and working out to LOSE WEIGHT NOW! But after this season of life of being determined to lose the weight...we've finally arrived to that point of a healthy weight, healthy cardiovascular health, and contentment with reaching this goal.

Now, I'm a big proponent of goals and have seen in my own life and others' that if we are not progressing toward a goal, we are probably digressing, right? So Dave and I cannot go into cruise control with this contentment. We cannot eat what we shouldn't, miss workouts, and lose the success we have had over our bodies.


I told Dave that we now need to push our muscles and body to change, grow, and transform as much as we can. We've lost most of the cushion that hides the muscles, now let's beef up the muscle to lean out more.

So how? A new workout regimen is around the corner for us. I feel like some P90X w/ a side of Turbo for cardio & some Insanity every now & then to challenge us. The strength training of P90X is what our bodies need to grow in strength & muscle. The cardio & calorie burning of Turbo will lean us out to see even more definition. And physically prepare us for P90X2 releasing in January 2012!Finally, we're no longer at the defeated place of 'if I could just lose 5 more lbs.' We were both there most of our lives. And it has taken us time to get here (Dave - 3 years, me - 19 mos.), but we finally got here. Now we get to 'have fun' & push our bodies to the limits w/ endurance & strength training. I'm so excited!!!!

When we put our bodies in an environment

to change & adapt, it will.

This plan will work when we continue to work out daily & eat healthy foods! Ain't no Thanksgiving turkey & stuffing on the horizon going to derail me! My sights are set on seeing what this body can do! Can't wait!

Sticking TO-DO LISTS help us manage our time!

How many of you struggle with TIME-MANAGEMENT? Have you ever tried using a TO-DO LIST - consistently?

I make my to-do list every night. Last night as I sat down to write it out before bed (so that I can rest with peace), I created a 'template' that I am going to type up & print out. There are a few things that are daily to-dos for me, and then there are 4 areas in which there are items to complete daily.

I thought I'd share what I am implementing. I'll use Word to create a document with 2 columns on my worksheet for 2 days (to save paper, right). I'm practical & systematic. Here's an example of how mine will look:

TO-DO LIST for: ________________(day/date)

Morning Routine:

1. Daily devotional/quiet time (5:15 a.m. @ the start of my day)
2. Workout
3. Personal Blog time
4. Emails (personal)

Work: (Include 3 action items to reach goals)

1.  Emails
2. Add customers to FB list
3. Set appt. with prospect(s)
4. Follow up with advertising co.

Errands: (List errands that must get done today)

1. Costco (completely out of food)
2. Car Wash (Hurricane Cheerios hit the back seat!)

Chores: (List chores that must get done today)

1. Declutter kitchen counter (company coming later)
2. Clean bathrooms (see above)

Activity with kids:

1. Weed out the pumpkin patch (it's looking overgrown)
2. Read some books
3. Wrestle & tickle

Evening  Routine:

1. Start dinner (by 4:30 p.m.)
2. Dinner w/ boys & hubby
3. Clean up kitchen
4. Unwind w/ family outside
5. Bathtime
6. Bedtime (8:45/9ish)

Not sure if your day can look like this. Each of my days does not always include chores AND errands, however, most times it does. Sometimes the #1 priority & the first thing we do in the a.m. is get out of house to the park. This is a template form that I'm going to print out & use w/ blanks under the work, errands, chores, and activities areas to fill in each day according to what is priority.

Arming ourselves with a to-do list, with blanks to fill in will help us be better managers of our homes, and that's the goal, right?

If we use budget sheets to direct our money, why don't we use TO-DO lists to direct our time?  Stick to the list, control your time on the internet & phone, and you will have better days of getting more done! When we use a TO-DO LIST & have better TIME-MANAGEMENT, then our day will flow with greater peace & patience.

(The above is what I typed up for the BakersfieldMom.com blog...but I couldn't wait for them to share...so since it's mine :) I thought I'd share it with my peeps TODAY. Also, I want to add that I have always used a to-do list, all throughout my life. Only after doing Chalene Johnson's www.30daypush.com did I realize that many have no idea about the power of to-do lists, making them consistently & sticking to them. They have the power to change your life!)

Worth Reading....

Found this at the grocery store. Bought it WinCo Foods for $9.99. Saw it at Save Mart too. This is a 21 day journey type book that gives you scripture and words to encourage weight loss & self-discipline. It will challenge you and help you grow in this area. Speaks of rest, exercise, and self-control.

"We live in a world in which leisure is glorified

and consumption is commercialized." (pg. 105)

Now, many of you who know me, may remember that I am not a 'Book-Bible Study' person. My mantra was "All I need is the Word, just give me the Word"...and while that still rings true, I have embraced using this book by Elizabeth George. It's all about Life-Management. I'm using as my guide through the Bible for my morning devotional time. It's really using the Word to speak to my current focus and season in life.

Here's the topics of each chapter in the book:

Managing your Spiritual Life                             

Managing your Physical Life (Body)

Managing your Home Life

Managing your Financial Life

Managing your Social Life

Managing your Mental Life

Managing your Ministry Life

Managing your Time...and your Life

There is a reading book that goes along with this study guide. I didn't pay attention to that when I ordered this off Amazon.com. Nonetheless, I am getting a ton of good, heart-changing info out of the study guide. It totally directs you to a variety & multitude of verses that is leading me to make better decisions!

Who could use some guidance in all these areas?

Raise your hand. I do too!

It's all about going to resources OUTSIDE of yourself to change the INSIDE of yourself! Hope you find these and read them to grow along with me! Have a great day!

Exercise is the place to start!

For those of you who really struggle w/ food. Let's take our sights off the food, the calories for a bit...instead of obsessing and freaking out over the food you 'can't' eat...Let's look at what you can do that will still have a positive effect on your weight loss efforts!!!

EXERCISE!!! EXERCISE!!! EXERCISE!!!

Today, I want you stop focusing and beating yourself up over what you eat. (I'll do that for you...j/k). No really, let's put all the focus on exercise. For some of you, food really does have you in bondage and so the task of 'staring a diet plan' is daunting...And so the stress over it, makes you want to eat more - totally counter-productive.

So let's set a new goal today! Today is August 1, 2011.

It's Monday morning. No more procrastination.

Today, I want you to begin some kind of exercise. If you have not worked out for over 6 mos. or longer, I want you start walking every evening, for 15-20 min. The strategy here is to build time into your schedule for working out. Now, when you are up to a solid 5 days of 20 min. each day, I want you to bump up the time to 30 min. Then 45 min.

Once 45 min. is easier, I will then ask you to jog for a couple of minutes, then walk 5...jog for a couple min. and then walk for 5, up to 30-45 min.

Then...(you know where I'm going right)...you'll jog for 5, walk for 5, jog for 5, walk for 5, building up to 45 min. at a time.

Then the day will come and you will be jogging for about 5-7 min. and walk for 2-3 min. and so on.

The key is to always be changing it up. Putting your body in an environment to change. This will build up your cardiovascular limits, and eventually, you will be able to jog for 30-45 min.

Now if I was to say, go jog for 1/2 hour NOW...you would fall over out of breath. So that's NOT what I'm asking you to do. (Disclaimer: always check w/ your physician before starting a new exercise program.)

The goal is to commit to NO LESS than 4 days a week of walking for no less than 15 min. each time...preferably 20-30 min.

Who of you who is reading this will make this commitment TODAY????? Message me today and let's set out on your weight loss journey NOW!

What is your secret? Don't let it hold you back!

What is your secret? What is your secret re: food? What is your secret re: money? What is your secret re: your marriage?

I by no means am perfect, but I strive to be my best in my personal life, with my kids, my husband, my fitness and finances.

I live on a budget. I don't shop impulsively w/ credit cards. Groceries, utilities, mortgage payment, and personal need items are FIRST...anything else is covered when we NEED it.

My marriage is the thing that challenges me most because I can be very implusive w/ words, overly independent, and outspoken about it! I work on this daily as I pray for husband, try to be more understanding with him, and as selfless as possible in our relationship.

When it comes to my kids, my greatest challenge is making special quality time WITH them. When I go to the park w/ them, I try to play WITH them there. In the backyard, I swing WITH them. This is something that is so high priority to me, I have gotten myself on a better schedule of getting up at dark:30 a.m. to have more time with them. Today, I have something planned for Daniel that is going to bless him sooooooo much. And I am excited to make him feel so excited & happy!

My workouts are priority as well. I now get up at 5ish to workout. This has brought so much peace to me because my kids are asleep, no interruptions...and I am fitting one in DAILY, no hit or missing. I made the adjustments w/ my sleep to make this happen (by going to bed at 9ish pm). The peace in me & my home is worth going to bed earlier to start my day ahead of the game.

My food...Well, it's no secret that I have a problem w/ eating too many Fiber 1 bars (they are my Snickers), but since my 'cleanse/detox' last week, I basically kicked the habit. It's so worth getting stuff out of my diet that holds me back.

It so worth getting anything out of our LIVES that hold us back! What is the secret in your life that holds you back? Is it an unhealthy relationship with certain people who are negative, complainy, gossipy, or all drama? Is it an unhealthy relationship w/ your credit card? Food? Drugs & Alcohol? What is it that is holding you back?

Identify it & find a way to get rid of it NO MATTER WHAT! Why let some outside circumstance or habit hold you back? For once, get stubborn against the negative things in your life & take yourself to the next level of success in all areas of your life!!!

You can do it...if you want to! Let your want be the driving force to change your life for the better! You will be so glad you finally did it! Do it today!!!!