Can’t Catch Me!

It’s sort of amazing. When you are building momentum by making choices that make you feel good, the universe gives you little signs that you are on the right path. For example, this weekend the zombies were after me! Well, I actually didn’t know they were there. But all of a sudden, they grabbed hold of my clothing! With great gusto I wrenched myself away form them. To achieve this feat though, my clothing ripped away and hung on their undead fingers. And what I was left with…. My brand new dress size. I’m down a dress size!!!

On my walls, I have a selection of clothing that I can’t wear yet. It helps remind me there are simple rewards waiting for reaching my goals. I am now able to wear the first piece. It's a nighty that my husband bought me two years ago. I thought it was lovely, but it was just too tight around the curvy bits. I can wear it now! While my hips are still a little snug in it, there is now wiggle room in other spots. I’m a happy girl with a new pretty blue nighty!

Motivation

Freebie Friday here on the Zombieblog!

“How soon 'not now' becomes 'never'.” – Martin Luther

“Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” – Mark Victor Hansen

Today I was struck with a sudden burst of enthusiasm and motivation. I actually began to get things done around the house. I wasn’t suddenly cleaning and organizing because I had to, but because I wanted to.

I wish I could harness that feeling. It left me all to soon. I got distracted trying to solve and organizational problem. In our super tiny living room, we need a better solution for how to store the TV, game systems, DVD’s, games, remotes and controllers. There is quite a lot of equipment to store in a small space. I wasn’t happy with the solutions we had available, mainly moving the dvd shelves (which I don’t really like in the first place) under the tv. We’re actually losing DVD storage space. This is being done so that (hopefully) my computer and chair will fit in there. It’s all so frustrating.

I browsed craigslist for a while hoping the perfect entertainment center would be there. When it wasn’t I started browsing dressers as I very likely could make a long dresser work if the drawers were the proper shape. I got frustrated though. And then I got distracted again…

By now I am sure you have figured out I have completely lost my focus and my drive. I now have a bunch of cleaning in the partially done state and I am frustrated that I haven’t gotten anything finished. (I also have a gnat flying around my face I keep missing that is driving me slightly insane)

Its funny how my struggles with weight loss follow almost these exact pattern lines. I get excited and motivated and start doing it all. Then something comes along to distract me. Sometimes it’s a zombie with an awesome naughty food treat trying to slow me down so they can chomp my brains. Sometimes it is that I am so enamored with the plan I have for losing the weight that I spend so much time massaging it and tweaking it and not enough time actually enacting it that I lose momentum. I love having a plan. In fact I really don’t function without one. So why is that I am so disorganized that I can’t seem to keep myself on track with anything.

So now I need to try and pull myself back together. I need to go hang the laundry out and for heavens sake put the laundry away that is already folded. Then there are things I really want to get done, but I won’t be comfortable working on them until everything is clean. I’m a bit anal like that. So I want to work on the blanket I am designing. I want to crochet more of my flower motifs. I want to practice making a Dorset button. I want to sketch a bit more before the necklace ideas leave my brain. But all of there things require me to be able to get into the creative mindset and sort of court my muse. My muse does not like clutter. She doesn’t like mess. She doesn’t like things screwing with the energy flow if she is around. I know how to please her. I just don’t like doing the chores.

Now… if my inner goddess would come out and tell me so precisely what she needs to be happy so I could really get the weight loss journey going, that would be really nice. I might not want to do the chores either, but at least then I would know how to placate her. She will NOT be pleased if I end up as some undead boogers brain burger.

Mileage Monday

Last Monday I decided that I was going to walk three miles this week. I'm not entirely sure how I did on this goal to be honest. I walked half a mile that I counted. The rest of my walking this week was involved with moving. Now, from my front gate to my parents front gate is 1/10th of a mile. So, it really is quite possible that I walked 3 miles between all of the trips moving.

So for the coming week, I am going to be walking another three miles. This time though, I hope I can do it in a sort of trackable fashion. I am really missing going to the gym. I LIKE the elliptical and I want to get back on it. I also want to do a class or two. Though I likely won't be doing them on the same day for a while.

But here we are going into this week I'll be tackling another three weeks.

Track Goals Tuesday

Hello Again! It is day two of my unveiling my new structure. On Tuesdays I plan to re-evaluate my goals. I'll be able to determine which ones are working for me, which ones aren't and set new goals. I keep reading about setting goals and that it is important to revisit them frequently. I haven't been very good at this. Normally, I spend a great deal of time thinking up my goals and even get to the step of writing them down, but that's it. I don't tend to revisit them, and as such they fade from my mind.

So I know you're all just dying to know my goals for this week.
1st Blog at least once each day
2nd Increase walking to 3 miles for the week.
3rd Begin moving

I think I will start with those three.

MindTools.com has this to say about goal setting...

"Many people feel as if they're adrift in the world. They work hard, but they don't seem to get anywhere worthwhile.

A key reason that they feel this way is that they haven't spent enough time thinking about what they want from life, and haven't set themselves formal goals. After all, would you set out on a major journey with no real idea of your destination? Probably not!"

I can relate to this. I know from personal experience that I need a plan. I just don't function well without one. If I am trying to get something done, I need to know how and when I plan to do it. Well aren't goals the same thing? I think I have been treating my goals like destinations... "I want to loose 100lbs" or "I want to run my first 5k" They are good goals, but very lofty. We could determine these to be long term goals. But the short term goals are more like a plan of action. I find I am much more comfortable with this. Now the hard part, as it always is with me, is to get moving on them and not get stuck in the planning phase.

That's it for me right now. I'm going!

Mileage Monday

Hello Hello Hello! Glad to see you are still here. Does everyone remember when I said I would be unveiling my new blogging plan? Today is the first day of my new plan. Ta-Da! Shade your eyes, its all sparkly and new and I would hate to blind you. I'm still experimenting on whether or not Zombies can be blinded. The Jury is still out on that one.

Last week I went on a cruise. It was amazingly fun and I really needed the break from all things stressful going on at home. It really was rejuvinating. I did notice how bogged down I felt again once I got home. So I am once again reminded of how I really need to get moving and get things done. I can't just sit here and stagnate. But back to the cruise for a moment (don't I wish). As it turns out... on a cruise ship there are MIRRORS... EVERYWHERE.

I learned I have fat in places I didn't even know I had. Depressing.

But I also learned that I can look absolutely fabulous. Because I did. Oh yes! But I want to look better. I want to feel better. I've also come to realize I am going to be absolutely honest about things here. So if you don't want honesty, you don't want to be reading this blog. I've not worked out consistently in ages. AGES I tell you. I'm staying ahead of the zombies purely because they haven't the motor skills to tie their own shoelaces!

My good friend Robby runs a challenge called go the distance. I've been interested in it for a while but not really willing to commit to it just yet. But I've decided to do a personal challenge that is a bit more casual. So on Mondays I will be reporting my Mileage progress.

Small attainable goals that lead into larger ones. I'm all about that right now.

I want to WILL have walked three miles by Monday 3/14.

And remember!!!!

Y Hello There!

I did it! I made good on a promise to myself. I worked out today!

When I got myself out of bed this morning, the very first thing I did was get dressed in my gym gear since it was already right there hanging up for me. I had a breakfast shake and took care of a couple of errands around the house while my husband was out running a few errands.

By the time he got home, my motivation was sorely lacking. I felt myself slipping into that smae old rut. So I went to go find him where he was taking care of a few things. I told him I needed help. I didn't want to go and I had no energy. He told me we were going. He did it nicely. But he also didn't leave room for argument.

So I went and boiled myself two eggs and had two pieces of toast. Normally I am starving after being done with the gym. I didn't want to feel like that so I had some more substantial breakfast. We packed the gym bag and went to the gym.

Do you know? I love our Y. It's just so awesome and the energy there is wonderful. There were no classes running right at that time we wanted to do so to our favorite ellipticals we went. I am so proud of myself. I did 2.02 miles in 35 minutes! I haven't worked out in MONTHS... literally. I am so happy wiht my results.

Also. I weighed in this morning. I am a little less than one pound away from my goal for this week. Knock me over with a feather. That means with a little effort... not even extra effort. A little effort will result in my being able to reach my weekly goal within a couple of weeks. I can still hit my 12 week goal without killing myself. This is so exciting.

These are all things that before last night I wouldn't have attempted or even thought about. I just 'knew' I was so far away from my goal that there wasn't even a point in trying to reach it anymore. I 'knew' it had been so long since we went to the gym there wasn't a point in going anymore. Well last night, if nothing else, taught me I was wrong about MANY things I 'knew'.

The Knitty Gritty
Elliptical 35 minutes.
2.02 Miles
Calories burned: TBA
C25K D1 W1

Day 16 & Blog Hop

Today's Quote..
"Patience is the key to paradise."

- Turkish proverb

I lost my patience last night. I just found myself feeling very frustrated with myself and my lack of progress. We all go through that at times though don't we? But my hubby stood me back on my feet and gave me a pretty good talking to. Everything I am trying to do, I have done before. I've lost probably all the weight I need to if you add up all the times I have started and stopped. I can do this. I have just not been making the best choices for myself. I am falling victim to the zombie in charge of instant gratification. That is the one that make you feel good at the moment by falling behind you so you think you are getting away. What you then don't notice is the whole horde of them that have taken the short cute and are about to jump you and eat your brains.

Heh.. not a good zombie to hang out with.

So I have attempted to recommit myself today. I recorded all my food even though I was sure I was going to go over in calories. I haven't. Close, but I haven't gone over. I'm going to work extra hard to make sure I get all of my water in tonight and go from there. I'ld like to be able to put a little number 1 up. It would make me feel really good.

Day 10

"I have always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I have to be more specific."

- Lily Tomlin, actress

Do you mean to tell me that simply stating that I want to not end up as Zombie food isn't enough? Get more specific ey?

There is a good message there. Setting goals is important. We all need things to work towards, but being specific is important too. I tend to avoid this. I somehow feel like if I am too specific with what I want, that I will automatically fail at accomplishing it. I think it's just a fear thing. As badly as I want these healthy changes, there is definitely some fear involved. I haven't quite figured out what, or exactly what I am afraid of yet either. The major one is failing.

What if I can't do this. But I'm already not doing it, so what is there to be afraid of. It can only get better.

But in this post I want to talk about goals again. In the past I have had a hard time with following through on the goals I set. I also have had a problem with setting specific goals for myself. I also have had a problem accepting that fact, that not attaining 100% everyday does not equal success. That is a big one.

So some goals for me.. specific ones....
Lose 1lb a week.
Blog 1x a day
Drink 8 8oz glasses of water a day
10 minutes of exercising (1x a day) 3x a week

I am starting with those. I know the list of goals will grow and change. As I begin to build good habits I already have the next set of goals formulating in my head. But I am so afraid of trying to do too much and make myself burn out on doing any of it. This is my year, and I need to do this for myself.

Day 6

I missed blogging for a couple of days there, but I was away at a friends house. It was a lovely trip and I had a great deal of fun. There is this interesting phenomenon that happens when my husband, our two friends, and I are together. We have all noticed it. For some reason the four of us eat an enormous amount of food. When we're together we all eat so much more than we do otherwise. None of us understand why this happens exactly.

Also, I didn't record my food for those two days. But I am back home now, and back to recording food. So the past two days have been calorie heavy I am sure. Today wasn't light as we opted to surprise my Mom and Dad with Chinese Food. (My Dad's favorite) But I am recording and drinking enough water and realistically looking at how much I have eaten. I'm still moving forward towards my goals.

On facebook I've joined this daily health challenge thing. Each day it emails you a little task to help you get healthier. I'm going to see how it goes. I'm not going to sweat doing it every day because I have a lot on my plate right now. But I enjoy having motivators sent to me often to remind me to think healthfully. I actually felt myself considering healthy living even while I was out enjoying my time with friends over a little mid week weekend. I had two glasses of soda over the two days instead of more as our friends were kind enough to purchase a 2 liter of root-beer for us.

I'm very proud of my progress so far. I don't necessarily think I've 'lost weight' yet. But honestly, I think I can kind of feel my perceptions changing back to how they were when I was losing weight and finding success in healthy living. It makes me actually look forward to tomorrow. I think it's a good thing.

I wonder if any of the daily challenges will involve Zombie Resistance Training?

Day 3 Personal Challenge

I an avoiding doing that -thing-. You know that thing where you are excited and make a bunch of changes all at once and get over excited with promises to yourself that you make and then can't keep because you did it all at once...? Yeah, that -thing-.

So I am not doing that. I am working on several small goals and one big one.

Small goals consists of:

Journaling once a day
Drinking 64 oz of water a day
Staying within calorie range a day

My mid term goal is to drop 12 pounds in 12 weeks.

My long term goal is to build healthy habits and FEEL and BE in control of my eating.

If you notice, only one of them is directly weight loss related. I think this is important. You need things to concentrate on to work on overall health (mental and physical) to really move forward and make progress.

I think these are all reasonable. And more importantly, I am setting myself up for success. So tell me, what are your short, medium and long term goals?