Friday Five: Favorite Power Ballads
Any child of the 80s remembers the power ballads and hair bands, and here is my list of favorite power ballads. And if some of these don't fit your definition of power ballad, then make your own list. ;)
1. Journey, "Faithfully" (one of my favorite songs of all time)
2. Foreigner, "I Want to Know What Love Is"
3. Firehouse, "When I Look Into Your Eyes"
4. REO Speedwagon, "Keep on Loving You"
5. Bad English, "When I See You Smile"
Honorable Mentions: "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon, "I'll Be There for You" by Bon Jovi, "Open Arms" by Journey
Now, my July goals...
July starting weight: 189.8
July ending weight: 188.4
LOSS of 1.4 pounds for the month
That is less than stellar. I'm not gonna lie, I'm disappointed. BUT at least I didn't gain, and I didn't stay the same. I am just frustrated, I guess.
Fitness/Health goals:
1. Burn at least 2500 calories a week. DONE. 3662 calories burned. How did I burn that many and not lose more weight?? And that only includes last Wednesday until this Tuesday. Goal 100% met for the month.
2. Run 2 miles 3 times a week. DONE. I finally pushed past the 2 mile barrier and ran 3 miles on Tuesday. Goal 100% met for the month.
3. Stay within my calorie range 6 of 7 days. For the month, I did not do well with this, but I did do well with this the last week.
4. Strength train at least 2 times a week. DONE. I finally had a week where I did this twice! Overall, however, this was the only week I achieved the goal.
Personal goals:
1. Read 3 books. 2/3 COMPLETE. I read The Time Traveler's Wife and Better Runs, but I did NOT finish the book on worry. Sigh.
2. Memorize 3 Scripture passages. FAIL. I really dropped the ball on this one. There is no excuse.
3. Organize the bookshelves. DONE. I finished this project, and I'm so glad it's done! It was not fun moving all the books around, but I'm glad they are all organized now.
4. Organize the closets, particularly the master bedroom closet. DONE.
This month was really a mixed bag, and it was a difficult month. I battled varying illnesses for the first 3 weeks, and I struggled with being depressed over my lack of a job, but I am glad that I was able to accomplish some of my goals. I wish I had done better. I only met half of my fitness goals and half of my personal goals, and I need to work on that. Perhaps I just had too many goals. Maybe I'll narrow it down to 6 goals or fewer for August. I'll post those goals on Monday.
I'd love to hear what your favorite power ballads are or what your goals for August are!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Tyranny of the Scale
(First, welcome to any visitor's from Annie's Blog! I'm honored that you stopped by.)
Tomorrow's the end of the month. Where in the world did July go?? I'm not gonna lie, I am not looking forward to tomorrow. Wanna know why? End of the month weigh-in. I took a peek at the scale yesterday, and it was not exciting news. I am afraid of getting on that scale tomorrow and seeing 1) a gain or 2) the same weight I started with this month. Neither of those possibilities is ideal to me at all, and I do not like that all of a sudden, after months of feeling freedom from the scale and its power to sway my emotions, I am dreading a weigh-in.
When I first started this weight loss journey, I weighed myself every day, sometimes multiple times a day. I was obsessed with seeing the number on that scale go down, and if it did, then my day was blissful! Seeing a loss was as good as eating a piece of chocolate, so great was the boost in my mood. But if I didn't see a loss, my day was ruined (and I weighed first thing in the morning, so that's a lot of ruined hours). I went through the whole day feeling miserable and analyzing everything I had done the previous day, trying to figure out why I had gained weight. It was torturous!
So back in January, I decided to scale back with my weigh ins (excuse the horrendous pun). I started out by going a week between weigh-ins, and then I tried 2 weeks, and it was great! I lost weight, I felt better about myself, and I wasn't constantly think about that little number on the scale! The early months of the year continued in this way, and yet here I find myself revisiting old territory.
I have to remember that I am MORE than a number on the scale. I am a daughter of the Most High God, and He DELIGHTS in me! ME. Just as I am. God is far more concerned with how I am doing in my relationship with him than how I am doing with weight loss. And yet if I make an idol out of the scale, then that too affects my relationship with God. One thing I never counted on is just how spiritual this whole journey is, and every time I allow negativity and apathy and gluttony to reign, I am letting the enemy win and showing that I don't believe that God is who He says He is. I want to believe. I choose God's truth over the power of the scale. I choose to be thankful for who I am BEYOND what the scale says, for all I've been given that has nothing to do with what I weigh. I choose to be grateful for a husband who found me beautiful at 261 pounds and finds me beautiful today.
One of my favorite verses is Galatians 5:1 which says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." I will not be a slave to the scale. I choose freedom. What about you?
Tomorrow's the end of the month. Where in the world did July go?? I'm not gonna lie, I am not looking forward to tomorrow. Wanna know why? End of the month weigh-in. I took a peek at the scale yesterday, and it was not exciting news. I am afraid of getting on that scale tomorrow and seeing 1) a gain or 2) the same weight I started with this month. Neither of those possibilities is ideal to me at all, and I do not like that all of a sudden, after months of feeling freedom from the scale and its power to sway my emotions, I am dreading a weigh-in.
When I first started this weight loss journey, I weighed myself every day, sometimes multiple times a day. I was obsessed with seeing the number on that scale go down, and if it did, then my day was blissful! Seeing a loss was as good as eating a piece of chocolate, so great was the boost in my mood. But if I didn't see a loss, my day was ruined (and I weighed first thing in the morning, so that's a lot of ruined hours). I went through the whole day feeling miserable and analyzing everything I had done the previous day, trying to figure out why I had gained weight. It was torturous!
So back in January, I decided to scale back with my weigh ins (excuse the horrendous pun). I started out by going a week between weigh-ins, and then I tried 2 weeks, and it was great! I lost weight, I felt better about myself, and I wasn't constantly think about that little number on the scale! The early months of the year continued in this way, and yet here I find myself revisiting old territory.
I have to remember that I am MORE than a number on the scale. I am a daughter of the Most High God, and He DELIGHTS in me! ME. Just as I am. God is far more concerned with how I am doing in my relationship with him than how I am doing with weight loss. And yet if I make an idol out of the scale, then that too affects my relationship with God. One thing I never counted on is just how spiritual this whole journey is, and every time I allow negativity and apathy and gluttony to reign, I am letting the enemy win and showing that I don't believe that God is who He says He is. I want to believe. I choose God's truth over the power of the scale. I choose to be thankful for who I am BEYOND what the scale says, for all I've been given that has nothing to do with what I weigh. I choose to be grateful for a husband who found me beautiful at 261 pounds and finds me beautiful today.
One of my favorite verses is Galatians 5:1 which says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." I will not be a slave to the scale. I choose freedom. What about you?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Couch to 5k: Hope for the Novice Runner
I have had a few people recently ask me what training plan I used to run a 5k, and I realized I hadn't actually devoted a post to this, so here you go. Forgive me if this is duplicate information for some of you, but I wanted to share it in case someone reading this is thinking about running and trying to figure out how to get started.
I used a plan called Couch to 5k (it's also often called C25k). The plan is nine weeks long and assumes that you've done little to no running before starting. I was definitely in the no running category. The plan is easy to follow in that it is broken into three sessions a week, so you're not running every day and feeling overwhelmed. The plan also makes use of run/walk intervals until the walking times decrease gradually and then are eliminated altogether. At the end of the nine weeks, the plan calls for running 30 minutes or 3 miles, thus making one prepared for a 5k race. The plan begins very gently, with 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes. Some people find this very easy, others find it difficult. The first week wasn't terrible for me, but it definitely was challenging because I seriously had done very little running EVER in my life. In fact, every week was challenging for me, but some more than others.
The great thing about the plan is that you can cater it to your needs. For example, when I did week 4, I realized that the end of the week was harder than the beginning was, and that was the first time I'd experienced that, so I opted to repeat that week. That ended up being a good decision, and it allowed me to really gear up for the weeks after that, which get progressively harder due to the increased running time and shortened walking breaks. Theoretically, you could even begin the plan in week 3 or 4 if you already have been running some, and if you want to run more than what the plan recommends on one day, that is also a possibility.
The plan also gives you the option of running either for distance or for time. So on day 1 of week 5, you could either job a 1/2 mile and walk a 1/4 mile or jog for 5 minutes and walk for 3, which could end up being greater or less than the distance proposed depending on your pace. I started out running by the time because it was easier to measure and I didn't want to get caught up on my pace, but around week 7, I think, I started running for the distance, since with my slower pace I knew I couldn't run a full 5k in 30 minutes. I started measuring the distance of my runs and even tacked on extra distance in week 8 so that I ended up being able to finish the plan in 9 weeks though I had repeated a week early on.
Obviously, I highly recommend this plan. I never thought I would be able to run any kind of distance at all, but I followed the plan, persevered, and I ran in my first race! If you're thinking about giving running a shot, definitely check out the plan!
I used a plan called Couch to 5k (it's also often called C25k). The plan is nine weeks long and assumes that you've done little to no running before starting. I was definitely in the no running category. The plan is easy to follow in that it is broken into three sessions a week, so you're not running every day and feeling overwhelmed. The plan also makes use of run/walk intervals until the walking times decrease gradually and then are eliminated altogether. At the end of the nine weeks, the plan calls for running 30 minutes or 3 miles, thus making one prepared for a 5k race. The plan begins very gently, with 60 seconds of running and 90 seconds of walking for 20 minutes. Some people find this very easy, others find it difficult. The first week wasn't terrible for me, but it definitely was challenging because I seriously had done very little running EVER in my life. In fact, every week was challenging for me, but some more than others.
The great thing about the plan is that you can cater it to your needs. For example, when I did week 4, I realized that the end of the week was harder than the beginning was, and that was the first time I'd experienced that, so I opted to repeat that week. That ended up being a good decision, and it allowed me to really gear up for the weeks after that, which get progressively harder due to the increased running time and shortened walking breaks. Theoretically, you could even begin the plan in week 3 or 4 if you already have been running some, and if you want to run more than what the plan recommends on one day, that is also a possibility.
The plan also gives you the option of running either for distance or for time. So on day 1 of week 5, you could either job a 1/2 mile and walk a 1/4 mile or jog for 5 minutes and walk for 3, which could end up being greater or less than the distance proposed depending on your pace. I started out running by the time because it was easier to measure and I didn't want to get caught up on my pace, but around week 7, I think, I started running for the distance, since with my slower pace I knew I couldn't run a full 5k in 30 minutes. I started measuring the distance of my runs and even tacked on extra distance in week 8 so that I ended up being able to finish the plan in 9 weeks though I had repeated a week early on.
Obviously, I highly recommend this plan. I never thought I would be able to run any kind of distance at all, but I followed the plan, persevered, and I ran in my first race! If you're thinking about giving running a shot, definitely check out the plan!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Going the Distance
(I have that song by Cake in my head, thus the title of the post.)
Today was the big day, the 3 mile run. Since running the 5k in May, I have only run that same distance a handful of times, and I hadn't run it at ALL in July. You all know about my 2 mile rut, and I was determined to break out of it, so I told you and myself that this week would be the week I would run 3 miles. Though I originally planned the run for Monday, the shuffling of workouts over the weekend caused me to push it back to today. So I got up this morning, had a little YoPlus Blackberry Pomegranate yogurt (SO good), and went outside to check the weather. It was only in the low seventies and cloudy, but the humidity covered me like a blanket the minute I walked outside, so I opted for the gym instead.
I was relieved to see that my favorite treadmill was free (does anyone else have favorite gym equipment? Tell me I'm not alone in this.), so I climbed on, got my running playlist started, and began. I walked for a quarter mile then started running. I ran at a slow pace for many (5.1 mph/11:45 min.) but a very manageable pace for me, and I started playing the "How long can I go without looking at the clock?" game. I think the longest I lasted was 1 minute and 25 seconds, so not great. I then decided to play an episode of The Office in the hopes that would help pass the time more quickly, so I tried to watch "Casino Night" while running, which really didn't work too well because I don't like looking down while running, so I contented myself with listening to the dialogue. It helped somewhat, but I still was clock watching the whole time. When I hit the 2 mile point, I was both happy but also dismayed because I was already feeling tired and wanting to quit. Honestly, one of the only things that kept me going was the fact that I knew if I didn't finish, I would have to come here and blog about it, and I wasn't about to blog a failed run when I KNEW I could do it. Still, it seemed to take forever to hit 2.5 miles, and I wondered if I had it in me to get to 3. Then I started to pretend that I was in a race, and I asked myself, "Would you quit a race with only .5 mile to go?" NO! The refrain of Philippians 4:13 went through my head. Quitting was not an option. I had to do it.
So I did! I even ended up running an extra one-tenth of a mile to make it a 5k distance, with a time of 36:30. Then I cooled down by walking for 10 minutes. When I finished, I was sweaty, hot, and tired, but I was also THRILLED because I pushed through it. I didn't let my fear hold me back. I didn't let my negative attitude convince me I couldn't do it. I was victorious! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! And so can you. :)
And now, sweaty proof of my workout. Please ignore the fact that I have the world's largest forehead:
Have you pushed yourself today? Or are you letting fear stand in the way?
Today was the big day, the 3 mile run. Since running the 5k in May, I have only run that same distance a handful of times, and I hadn't run it at ALL in July. You all know about my 2 mile rut, and I was determined to break out of it, so I told you and myself that this week would be the week I would run 3 miles. Though I originally planned the run for Monday, the shuffling of workouts over the weekend caused me to push it back to today. So I got up this morning, had a little YoPlus Blackberry Pomegranate yogurt (SO good), and went outside to check the weather. It was only in the low seventies and cloudy, but the humidity covered me like a blanket the minute I walked outside, so I opted for the gym instead.
I was relieved to see that my favorite treadmill was free (does anyone else have favorite gym equipment? Tell me I'm not alone in this.), so I climbed on, got my running playlist started, and began. I walked for a quarter mile then started running. I ran at a slow pace for many (5.1 mph/11:45 min.) but a very manageable pace for me, and I started playing the "How long can I go without looking at the clock?" game. I think the longest I lasted was 1 minute and 25 seconds, so not great. I then decided to play an episode of The Office in the hopes that would help pass the time more quickly, so I tried to watch "Casino Night" while running, which really didn't work too well because I don't like looking down while running, so I contented myself with listening to the dialogue. It helped somewhat, but I still was clock watching the whole time. When I hit the 2 mile point, I was both happy but also dismayed because I was already feeling tired and wanting to quit. Honestly, one of the only things that kept me going was the fact that I knew if I didn't finish, I would have to come here and blog about it, and I wasn't about to blog a failed run when I KNEW I could do it. Still, it seemed to take forever to hit 2.5 miles, and I wondered if I had it in me to get to 3. Then I started to pretend that I was in a race, and I asked myself, "Would you quit a race with only .5 mile to go?" NO! The refrain of Philippians 4:13 went through my head. Quitting was not an option. I had to do it.
So I did! I even ended up running an extra one-tenth of a mile to make it a 5k distance, with a time of 36:30. Then I cooled down by walking for 10 minutes. When I finished, I was sweaty, hot, and tired, but I was also THRILLED because I pushed through it. I didn't let my fear hold me back. I didn't let my negative attitude convince me I couldn't do it. I was victorious! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! And so can you. :)
And now, sweaty proof of my workout. Please ignore the fact that I have the world's largest forehead:
Have you pushed yourself today? Or are you letting fear stand in the way?
Monday, July 27, 2009
Ramblings and Free Stuff!
I'm experimenting with a new blog look. Thoughts?
This post is going to be all over the place because, well, I feel like being all over the place.
First, the weekend. Things didn't go as planned with my workouts. On Friday I was still really sore from my strength training on Wednesday, and I also just felt tired in general, so I scratched my workout, opting to rest my body when it tells me it needs it. Hubby and I went swimming Friday after he got off work, and we were out there for over an hour. While it wasn't a strenuous workout by any means, we were active in the water and didn't just stand in the pool the whole time, so that's better than nothing, right?
I was supposed to run 2.5 miles and walk 2 miles on Saturday, and I was planning to do this. Until I went out to my car and it didn't start, that is. Turns out my battery, which I just got TWO YEARS ago, was dead! So hubby and I went to WalMart to get it checked out, and we spent about two hours there. We had some things to buy, so at least we were able to multitask, but I definitely would have preferred not buying a new battery. Oh well, I am glad it was nothing worse than that. Anyway, the gym where I workout closes at noon on Saturdays, so that meant no treadmill for me, and it was too hot for my liking to do my run. I ended up doing 30 minutes of strength training, and while I only burned minimal calories, I felt good about making my body stronger. Here it is Monday and I've already gotten in my two strength training sessions, something I haven't done all month! That's a victory!
Even though I always have this mental dread attached to strength training, I love how it makes me feel. When I am lifting weights, I feel empowered and strong, not weak and flabby. And the fact that my muscles are sore the next day (and sometimes the day after that) tells me that I worked hard and am changing my body. So while it's still not as exciting for me as cardio, I am trying to appreciate the benefits of weights and to work at incorporating them every week so I can really see the results!
Since I didn't get in my run on Saturday, I decided to try it on Sunday. It was only 82 degrees outside, so I thought I would be fine with an outdoor run, but it was BRUTAL. The humidity was miserable, and it was all I could do to push myself to get 2 miles, and I ended up taking 2 walking breaks totaling 3.5 minutes. I ended up with 2.3 miles overall, which is a little shy of what I wanted, but I am proud of myself for not quitting but sticking with it! I am going for 3 miles on Tuesday, and I AM going to finish it!
I am still thinking through my post from last Thursday, and I am trying to figure out what my goals for next month will be. Right now, I am thinking about weighing twice a month, once on the 15th and once on the last day of the month. That way I can still check in to see that I am not gaining, but I won't be so fixated on the number. I am sick of thinking about numbers! I have also considered just weighing at the end of the month, but I'm not sure I can do that just yet. I do know I'm not ready to give up on my goal, though!
Now, free stuff! Have you guys heard about SwagBucks.com? It's a search engine that rewards you for searching! You can randomly win "swagbucks" while searching for things that you would use Google for, and after you accumulate a certain amount of SwagBucks, you can redeem them for things like gift cards, music, t-shirts, and other things. You can also earn SwagBucks by referring friends, which means that for the first 100 bucks your friend earns, you also earn! If you want to join, just click on the image below to get started or click on the graphic in the left column of my page!
Also, if you haven't already heard, SparkPeople.com is a FREE weight loss website, and I have SparkPeople to thank for helping me lose the weight. It is full of wonderful articles and tips on fitness, motivation, and weight loss, and when you sign up the site will calculate a calorie range for your food, and you can track your eating and your exercising using the site. It has been an invaluable resource for me, and I can't believe that it's all FREE! So click on the graphic on the left side of my page or visit Sparkpeople.com to sign up! And once you join, look me up! My username is Erin1022!
I hope you have a happy Monday!
This post is going to be all over the place because, well, I feel like being all over the place.
First, the weekend. Things didn't go as planned with my workouts. On Friday I was still really sore from my strength training on Wednesday, and I also just felt tired in general, so I scratched my workout, opting to rest my body when it tells me it needs it. Hubby and I went swimming Friday after he got off work, and we were out there for over an hour. While it wasn't a strenuous workout by any means, we were active in the water and didn't just stand in the pool the whole time, so that's better than nothing, right?
I was supposed to run 2.5 miles and walk 2 miles on Saturday, and I was planning to do this. Until I went out to my car and it didn't start, that is. Turns out my battery, which I just got TWO YEARS ago, was dead! So hubby and I went to WalMart to get it checked out, and we spent about two hours there. We had some things to buy, so at least we were able to multitask, but I definitely would have preferred not buying a new battery. Oh well, I am glad it was nothing worse than that. Anyway, the gym where I workout closes at noon on Saturdays, so that meant no treadmill for me, and it was too hot for my liking to do my run. I ended up doing 30 minutes of strength training, and while I only burned minimal calories, I felt good about making my body stronger. Here it is Monday and I've already gotten in my two strength training sessions, something I haven't done all month! That's a victory!
Even though I always have this mental dread attached to strength training, I love how it makes me feel. When I am lifting weights, I feel empowered and strong, not weak and flabby. And the fact that my muscles are sore the next day (and sometimes the day after that) tells me that I worked hard and am changing my body. So while it's still not as exciting for me as cardio, I am trying to appreciate the benefits of weights and to work at incorporating them every week so I can really see the results!
Since I didn't get in my run on Saturday, I decided to try it on Sunday. It was only 82 degrees outside, so I thought I would be fine with an outdoor run, but it was BRUTAL. The humidity was miserable, and it was all I could do to push myself to get 2 miles, and I ended up taking 2 walking breaks totaling 3.5 minutes. I ended up with 2.3 miles overall, which is a little shy of what I wanted, but I am proud of myself for not quitting but sticking with it! I am going for 3 miles on Tuesday, and I AM going to finish it!
I am still thinking through my post from last Thursday, and I am trying to figure out what my goals for next month will be. Right now, I am thinking about weighing twice a month, once on the 15th and once on the last day of the month. That way I can still check in to see that I am not gaining, but I won't be so fixated on the number. I am sick of thinking about numbers! I have also considered just weighing at the end of the month, but I'm not sure I can do that just yet. I do know I'm not ready to give up on my goal, though!
Now, free stuff! Have you guys heard about SwagBucks.com? It's a search engine that rewards you for searching! You can randomly win "swagbucks" while searching for things that you would use Google for, and after you accumulate a certain amount of SwagBucks, you can redeem them for things like gift cards, music, t-shirts, and other things. You can also earn SwagBucks by referring friends, which means that for the first 100 bucks your friend earns, you also earn! If you want to join, just click on the image below to get started or click on the graphic in the left column of my page!
Also, if you haven't already heard, SparkPeople.com is a FREE weight loss website, and I have SparkPeople to thank for helping me lose the weight. It is full of wonderful articles and tips on fitness, motivation, and weight loss, and when you sign up the site will calculate a calorie range for your food, and you can track your eating and your exercising using the site. It has been an invaluable resource for me, and I can't believe that it's all FREE! So click on the graphic on the left side of my page or visit Sparkpeople.com to sign up! And once you join, look me up! My username is Erin1022!
I hope you have a happy Monday!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Friday Five: Childhood Books
Before I get to this week's Friday Five, I wanted to thank all of you who read and comment on my blog, especially yesterday's post. I really appreciate it and love reading the wisdom you all have to share. Thanks! :)
I thought I'd continue with the childhood theme and talk about childhood books. All of these I recall with fondness, and all of these were read by me multiple times when I was a child.
1. The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I loved loved LOVED this book in the fourth grade! My teacher read it to us a chapter at a time, and I was enthralled from the beginning. And when she finished reading it, I had to have my own copy, which I read over and over.
2. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. I still have my copy of this book that I ordered from the Scholastic catalog (I loved getting those things!). I instantly fell in love with Anne and read all of the books in the series. L.M. Montgomery became a favorite writer after I read this book, and I soon amassed quite the collection of her works. The Emily of New Moon series rivaled the Anne books as my favorites.
3. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. I remember poring over the poems in this book, delighted by the rhyme and the whimsy (although I'm pretty sure I didn't know what "whimsy" was at the time.) I also love A Light in the Attic.
4. The Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary. I don't remember which I liked best, but I devoured all of the books about Ramona, as well as the Henry Huggins series. And what's not to love about a character who has a sister called "Beezus"?
5. The Anastasia series by Lois Lowry. I related so much to Anastasia. I loved that she wore glasses, as I started wearing them in the first grade and they were the bane of my existence. I also read the books in the series about her brother Sam.
Honorable mentions: Aesop's Fables, Where the Wild Things Are (there's a movie based on this book coming out in October!), The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, The Baby-sitters Club series (I think I owned almost all of the books in this series), The Little Princess.
What are some of your favorites?
I thought I'd continue with the childhood theme and talk about childhood books. All of these I recall with fondness, and all of these were read by me multiple times when I was a child.
1. The Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. I loved loved LOVED this book in the fourth grade! My teacher read it to us a chapter at a time, and I was enthralled from the beginning. And when she finished reading it, I had to have my own copy, which I read over and over.
2. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. I still have my copy of this book that I ordered from the Scholastic catalog (I loved getting those things!). I instantly fell in love with Anne and read all of the books in the series. L.M. Montgomery became a favorite writer after I read this book, and I soon amassed quite the collection of her works. The Emily of New Moon series rivaled the Anne books as my favorites.
3. Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. I remember poring over the poems in this book, delighted by the rhyme and the whimsy (although I'm pretty sure I didn't know what "whimsy" was at the time.) I also love A Light in the Attic.
4. The Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary. I don't remember which I liked best, but I devoured all of the books about Ramona, as well as the Henry Huggins series. And what's not to love about a character who has a sister called "Beezus"?
5. The Anastasia series by Lois Lowry. I related so much to Anastasia. I loved that she wore glasses, as I started wearing them in the first grade and they were the bane of my existence. I also read the books in the series about her brother Sam.
Honorable mentions: Aesop's Fables, Where the Wild Things Are (there's a movie based on this book coming out in October!), The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, The Baby-sitters Club series (I think I owned almost all of the books in this series), The Little Princess.
What are some of your favorites?
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Rethinking the Finish Line
(I know this is long, but this is the edited version. Bear with me.)
Ever since that fateful day in January of 2008 when I decided to lose weight, my goal has been to lose 100 pounds. A weight loss of 100 pounds would put me at 161, about the weight that I was at my lowest during my senior year of high school. I liked the idea of losing 100 pounds, I liked the idea of going back to that weight that I had only experienced for a short amount of time before college life and the freshman fifteen (or twenty) caught up to me. I also figured that if I were 161, then I could be in a size 12, a size I have always aspired to. I never considered losing less than 100 pounds. After all, according to BMI charts, even that goal weight was technically still "overweight" for my height, so how could I stop if I weighed more than that?
Fast forward 18 months, and I have lost 72 pounds. I have to admit that the slow rate of weight loss I have experienced, especially since 2009 began, has frustrated me. I tend to lose 1.2-1.6 pounds in a good week. And whereas in the first year I averaged about a 5 pound weight loss each month, now I'm fortunate to lose 3 pounds in a month.
All of this serves to preface the thoughts I've been having lately. I'm not so sure anymore that losing 100 pounds is going to happen. Nor am I sure that I want it to happen. And the reason for that is a change in perspective. I have to confess that while healthy concerns were a motivating factor for my wanting to shed the excess pounds, more than that I just wanted to be able to buy clothes in a smaller size and feel better about my body. I was sick of shopping in postage-stamp-sized plus size sections, sick of being embarrassed to go shopping with friends who were smaller than I, sick of not being able to shop clearance racks. And weight loss was the way to fix that problem. So I set out on my journey.
Well, I'm no longer plus-sized. I haven't shopped at Lane Bryant in months, and I've moved out of the plus size sections in other stores. I still don't have much luck at clearance racks, but I'm okay with that because I have so many more options now. But I've come to realize that what's even more important than the clothes is my health. If I want to live a long and healthy life with my husband, I had to lose the weight to prevent myself from developing diabetes (which runs in my family) or high blood pressure or heart disease and the myriad other problems that are connected to being obese or overweight. I know I'm not even guaranteed tomorrow, but I also know that I want to do all I can to ensure that I am a good steward with the body I have been given, and a life of soda and junk food, apathy and laziness, wasn't cutting it. My goals now are more about cultivating healthy habits, like exercising and eating right, and less about clothes.
So if my goal is to be healthy, haven't I achieved that? My blood pressure is excellent, as is my blood sugar. The only lingering problem I'm working on is my cholesterol, which is borderline high. I exercise 5-6 days a week, and most of those days I love it. I work on limiting my food portions and choosing healthy foods. I drink 64-80 ounces of water a day. I educate myself about health and wellness. Is this not healthy?
Ultimately, it seems that the reason I want to get to that goal weight is more about vanity than health. Since starting, I've had my sights set on being a size 12, but what is so magical about that number? For a lot of people that number is still too high! For me it represents something I never quite attained (even at 160 in high school I was mostly a size 14), but maybe I wasn't meant to attain it. What if I did get to 161 and wasn't a size 12? Would I be a failure? Of course not! So what if I don't get to 161 at all? What if I get to 175? Am I a failure? I suppose that depends on how you look at things. If I were to measure success solely by achieving my original goal, then yes, I would be a failure. But if I measure success based on all the good changes that have taken place over the last 18 months, I've already won!
I guess what I'm trying to figure out is if I really and truly would be happy where I am or maybe 10 pounds lighter, or if I am only thinking this way because I am tired of thinking about losing weight and would like to be maintaining. How much of my desire to make it to 100 pounds lost is about pride? What if I don't get there? What will people think? What will you, my readers, think? What will I think? Will I find the same pride in saying I have lost 75 pounds or 82 pounds or whatever? I honestly don't know. That certainly doesn't sound as good as 100. And yet as a Christian I can't escape the nagging thought that I shouldn't even care what others think as long as I'm pleasing God, and so my ultimate goal should be to do all things for His glory.
I don't want this to sound like I'm giving up or that I'm going to go crazy and eat whatever I want and stop exercising. I want to keep up the habits I've established, but I'm not sure about that 100 pounds anymore.
If you've made it this far, bless you. And if you have any words of wisdom for me, I'd be more than happy to read them.
Ever since that fateful day in January of 2008 when I decided to lose weight, my goal has been to lose 100 pounds. A weight loss of 100 pounds would put me at 161, about the weight that I was at my lowest during my senior year of high school. I liked the idea of losing 100 pounds, I liked the idea of going back to that weight that I had only experienced for a short amount of time before college life and the freshman fifteen (or twenty) caught up to me. I also figured that if I were 161, then I could be in a size 12, a size I have always aspired to. I never considered losing less than 100 pounds. After all, according to BMI charts, even that goal weight was technically still "overweight" for my height, so how could I stop if I weighed more than that?
Fast forward 18 months, and I have lost 72 pounds. I have to admit that the slow rate of weight loss I have experienced, especially since 2009 began, has frustrated me. I tend to lose 1.2-1.6 pounds in a good week. And whereas in the first year I averaged about a 5 pound weight loss each month, now I'm fortunate to lose 3 pounds in a month.
All of this serves to preface the thoughts I've been having lately. I'm not so sure anymore that losing 100 pounds is going to happen. Nor am I sure that I want it to happen. And the reason for that is a change in perspective. I have to confess that while healthy concerns were a motivating factor for my wanting to shed the excess pounds, more than that I just wanted to be able to buy clothes in a smaller size and feel better about my body. I was sick of shopping in postage-stamp-sized plus size sections, sick of being embarrassed to go shopping with friends who were smaller than I, sick of not being able to shop clearance racks. And weight loss was the way to fix that problem. So I set out on my journey.
Well, I'm no longer plus-sized. I haven't shopped at Lane Bryant in months, and I've moved out of the plus size sections in other stores. I still don't have much luck at clearance racks, but I'm okay with that because I have so many more options now. But I've come to realize that what's even more important than the clothes is my health. If I want to live a long and healthy life with my husband, I had to lose the weight to prevent myself from developing diabetes (which runs in my family) or high blood pressure or heart disease and the myriad other problems that are connected to being obese or overweight. I know I'm not even guaranteed tomorrow, but I also know that I want to do all I can to ensure that I am a good steward with the body I have been given, and a life of soda and junk food, apathy and laziness, wasn't cutting it. My goals now are more about cultivating healthy habits, like exercising and eating right, and less about clothes.
So if my goal is to be healthy, haven't I achieved that? My blood pressure is excellent, as is my blood sugar. The only lingering problem I'm working on is my cholesterol, which is borderline high. I exercise 5-6 days a week, and most of those days I love it. I work on limiting my food portions and choosing healthy foods. I drink 64-80 ounces of water a day. I educate myself about health and wellness. Is this not healthy?
Ultimately, it seems that the reason I want to get to that goal weight is more about vanity than health. Since starting, I've had my sights set on being a size 12, but what is so magical about that number? For a lot of people that number is still too high! For me it represents something I never quite attained (even at 160 in high school I was mostly a size 14), but maybe I wasn't meant to attain it. What if I did get to 161 and wasn't a size 12? Would I be a failure? Of course not! So what if I don't get to 161 at all? What if I get to 175? Am I a failure? I suppose that depends on how you look at things. If I were to measure success solely by achieving my original goal, then yes, I would be a failure. But if I measure success based on all the good changes that have taken place over the last 18 months, I've already won!
I guess what I'm trying to figure out is if I really and truly would be happy where I am or maybe 10 pounds lighter, or if I am only thinking this way because I am tired of thinking about losing weight and would like to be maintaining. How much of my desire to make it to 100 pounds lost is about pride? What if I don't get there? What will people think? What will you, my readers, think? What will I think? Will I find the same pride in saying I have lost 75 pounds or 82 pounds or whatever? I honestly don't know. That certainly doesn't sound as good as 100. And yet as a Christian I can't escape the nagging thought that I shouldn't even care what others think as long as I'm pleasing God, and so my ultimate goal should be to do all things for His glory.
I don't want this to sound like I'm giving up or that I'm going to go crazy and eat whatever I want and stop exercising. I want to keep up the habits I've established, but I'm not sure about that 100 pounds anymore.
If you've made it this far, bless you. And if you have any words of wisdom for me, I'd be more than happy to read them.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
July Goals Checkup: Week 3
July starting weight: 189.8
Last week's weight: 187.8
Current weight: 189
GAIN of 1.2 pounds
What in the world?? I am almost back to where I started in June! That is not acceptable! I have to think that this is because I haven't been as diligent about tracking my food, and I think that has caused me to indulge more than I normally would. How frustrating! I really want to get away from tracking every bite that goes in my mouth, but how can I when it obviously leads to poor results? Am I doomed to counting calories forever? Is that the only way I will be able to control myself? How depressing. That 75 pounds lost goal (186.4) seems even more out of reach now.
And now the part where I ramble about my goals:
Fitness/Health goals:
1. Burn at least 2500 calories a week. DONE. 3049 calories burned. Well at least that shows I wasn't being lazy all week. I worked out HARD this week, and yet the scale mocks me.
2. Run 2 miles 3 times a week. DONE. I ran on Friday (2.6 miles), Monday (2.3 miles), and Tuesday (2.3 miles). I don't like running on back-to-back days, but when I realized I'd only run twice since last Wednesday, I knew I had to do it. I am definitely going to do a light walking or biking workout today.
3. Stay within my calorie range 6 of 7 days. I tracked somewhat, but I really don't know how I did on this. I originally was thinking that I did this 5 out of 7 days, but after the weight gain I'm thinking I must have done worse than that. Sigh
4. Strength train at least 2 times a week. FAIL. I didn't do this at ALL. I have got to get with the program! Tuesday night I said to my husband, "I need to figure out some kind of incentive to make me strength train." He said, "How about, you'll get toned?" Ha, so right, and yet why isn't that motivating enough for me?? I toyed with the idea of pledging to post what would surely be a horrible picture of myself in a bathing suit if I didn't do it, but I'm not sure I want to subject the Internet with that kind of image. :)
Personal goals:
1. Read 3 books. IN PROGRESS. I finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife and am reading a book called Better Runs. I have really dropped the ball with the book on worry, and I think it's because I know I need to face the truths in the book about fear and worry, but it will be uncomfortable, and I'm a wimp. Sad, right? But this week, I will finish that book! I promise!
2. Memorize 3 Scripture passages. NOT DONE. I'm working on this, but I'm not sure I'll have 3 memorized by the end of the month.
3. Organize the bookshelves. DONE. I finished this project, and I'm so glad it's done! It was not fun moving all the books around, but I'm glad they are all organized now.
4. Organize the closets, particularly the master bedroom closet. DONE. I finished the master bedroom, which was my main desire. I plan to tackle the coat closet this week and maybe the linen closets in both bathrooms.
I wrote most of this post on Tuesday night and was going to simply update it with my weight on Wednesday morning, and now my whole view of the week has changed because of the weight gain. I clearly dropped the ball and need to pick it back up and get in the game. I am going back to tracking all of my food. In the hopes of combating my lack of strength training, I am going to make a fitness schedule. I used to do this all the time, but then I quit once I started C25k. Maybe that's part of the problem. On the days when I don't run, I just sort of wing it, and if I do that, strength training is not the first thing on my list of activities. So here's my tentative plan:
Wed.: 20 minutes of strength training followed by 3-4 mile walk. (I may do one mile before my strength training to warm up and get my heart rate elevated.)
Thurs.: 2 mile run, 2 mile walk
Fri.: 20 minutes of strength training and biking or elliptical. I want to do more cross straining, so I'm going to try and do things besides walking and running.
Sat.: 2.5 mile run, 2 mile walk
Sun.: OFF
Mon.: 3 mile run. I am DETERMINED to do this!! I have to get out of the 2 mile range and into the 3 mile range and beyond!
Tues.: Stability ball and pilates workouts or rest day if needed.
We'll see how having a plan works. How are you doing with your goals?
Last week's weight: 187.8
Current weight: 189
GAIN of 1.2 pounds
What in the world?? I am almost back to where I started in June! That is not acceptable! I have to think that this is because I haven't been as diligent about tracking my food, and I think that has caused me to indulge more than I normally would. How frustrating! I really want to get away from tracking every bite that goes in my mouth, but how can I when it obviously leads to poor results? Am I doomed to counting calories forever? Is that the only way I will be able to control myself? How depressing. That 75 pounds lost goal (186.4) seems even more out of reach now.
And now the part where I ramble about my goals:
Fitness/Health goals:
1. Burn at least 2500 calories a week. DONE. 3049 calories burned. Well at least that shows I wasn't being lazy all week. I worked out HARD this week, and yet the scale mocks me.
2. Run 2 miles 3 times a week. DONE. I ran on Friday (2.6 miles), Monday (2.3 miles), and Tuesday (2.3 miles). I don't like running on back-to-back days, but when I realized I'd only run twice since last Wednesday, I knew I had to do it. I am definitely going to do a light walking or biking workout today.
3. Stay within my calorie range 6 of 7 days. I tracked somewhat, but I really don't know how I did on this. I originally was thinking that I did this 5 out of 7 days, but after the weight gain I'm thinking I must have done worse than that. Sigh
4. Strength train at least 2 times a week. FAIL. I didn't do this at ALL. I have got to get with the program! Tuesday night I said to my husband, "I need to figure out some kind of incentive to make me strength train." He said, "How about, you'll get toned?" Ha, so right, and yet why isn't that motivating enough for me?? I toyed with the idea of pledging to post what would surely be a horrible picture of myself in a bathing suit if I didn't do it, but I'm not sure I want to subject the Internet with that kind of image. :)
Personal goals:
1. Read 3 books. IN PROGRESS. I finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife and am reading a book called Better Runs. I have really dropped the ball with the book on worry, and I think it's because I know I need to face the truths in the book about fear and worry, but it will be uncomfortable, and I'm a wimp. Sad, right? But this week, I will finish that book! I promise!
2. Memorize 3 Scripture passages. NOT DONE. I'm working on this, but I'm not sure I'll have 3 memorized by the end of the month.
3. Organize the bookshelves. DONE. I finished this project, and I'm so glad it's done! It was not fun moving all the books around, but I'm glad they are all organized now.
4. Organize the closets, particularly the master bedroom closet. DONE. I finished the master bedroom, which was my main desire. I plan to tackle the coat closet this week and maybe the linen closets in both bathrooms.
I wrote most of this post on Tuesday night and was going to simply update it with my weight on Wednesday morning, and now my whole view of the week has changed because of the weight gain. I clearly dropped the ball and need to pick it back up and get in the game. I am going back to tracking all of my food. In the hopes of combating my lack of strength training, I am going to make a fitness schedule. I used to do this all the time, but then I quit once I started C25k. Maybe that's part of the problem. On the days when I don't run, I just sort of wing it, and if I do that, strength training is not the first thing on my list of activities. So here's my tentative plan:
Wed.: 20 minutes of strength training followed by 3-4 mile walk. (I may do one mile before my strength training to warm up and get my heart rate elevated.)
Thurs.: 2 mile run, 2 mile walk
Fri.: 20 minutes of strength training and biking or elliptical. I want to do more cross straining, so I'm going to try and do things besides walking and running.
Sat.: 2.5 mile run, 2 mile walk
Sun.: OFF
Mon.: 3 mile run. I am DETERMINED to do this!! I have to get out of the 2 mile range and into the 3 mile range and beyond!
Tues.: Stability ball and pilates workouts or rest day if needed.
We'll see how having a plan works. How are you doing with your goals?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
And I Ran, I Ran So Far Away...
(Okay, so the title doesn't exactly apply to my post, but it's close enough, and I couldn't resist. Bonus points if you can name the artist and song the title references.)
In my previous post about my running frustrations, several people recommended increasing my distance. At first I thought, "How am I going to increase my distance when I already feel like dying??" But then I decided that the idea might have some merit, as perhaps I just needed to run a bit more to get past "The Wall" and get into the running groove or whatever the cool runners call it. Perhaps I was stuck in a rut and my body was frustrated by running the same, tired distance on the same, tired path around my apartment complex. And it wasn't like things were exactly working my way, so I thought I would give it a shot. I was never going to be able to run farther if I didn't try, right?
So Friday I set out for a park near my house, determined just to push past my usual 2.3 miles, even if I only ended up running 2.4 or 2.5 miles. The loop at the park is 1.3 miles in length, so I told myself I would aim to run 2 full laps and be satisfied. The weather was gorgeous for a July afternoon, but still a little hot for my liking: mid-70s and sunny (I prefer to run in temps under 60 degrees, but obviously those conditions are in short supply in the summer). Still, I wasn't about to run on the "dreadmill" if I didn't absolutely have to, so I set out. I warmed up with a 5-minute walk, a practice I developed during Couch to 5k that I have stuck with, though sometimes I will shorten the walk by a few minutes. When 5 minutes had elapsed I steeled myself and started running. The one thing I have struggled with in outdoors running is my pace. I have a hard time regulating my pace and keeping it at a steady, tolerable pace. I'll find myself either speeding up or slowing down intermittently, but that day I focused on maintaining a constant, bearable pace. I wasn't going to break any land-speed records, but that didn't matter as much as just finishing.
As I ran, I was reminded of my C25k days of running in this park. I thought about the times when running just 8 minutes seemed daunting, how I never thought I'd be able to run 20 minutes straight, much less finish a 5k. But whereas then I was completely unsure about what I could do because I hadn't done it before, I had no reason to feel the same qualms in the present. I ran 8 minutes, then 20, then 25, then 30, then a 5k. I could do it. So why did I insist on having this mental block that I couldn't do it again and again? Like all fears, my fear of not being able to run any more than 2 miles was illogical and unfounded. It would be one thing if I didn't WANT to run more than 2 miles, but I really did/do. So if I want to, and I know I can, the only thing stopping me is ME! I just have to do it!
I'm not sure these thoughts were quite as coherent as I was running, but I knew I couldn't stop that run until had run farther than my previous run. But as I finished the first loop, I already felt the fatigue setting in. I didn't want to run another lap. Looking out at the trail, it seemed to span on forever. Then I looked at my watch and realized I had finished the first 1.3 miles in 14:46, which meant I could be done with the whole thing in 30 minutes. Knowing that made it seem possible. I was halfway done! Despite the sweat, despite the heat, I knew I had to finish. The last quarter mile seemed as though it would never end, but finally, I was done! I finished 2.6 miles in 30:09, which gave me an average pace of 11:36. Though I was slightly exhausted, I felt amazing! I had gotten past "The Wall!" I walked another two laps, then headed home and took my dog out and walked another half mile or so. All in all that day I logged over 6 miles and burned 980 calories, a personal record!
And to think I almost took a nap instead. :)
In my previous post about my running frustrations, several people recommended increasing my distance. At first I thought, "How am I going to increase my distance when I already feel like dying??" But then I decided that the idea might have some merit, as perhaps I just needed to run a bit more to get past "The Wall" and get into the running groove or whatever the cool runners call it. Perhaps I was stuck in a rut and my body was frustrated by running the same, tired distance on the same, tired path around my apartment complex. And it wasn't like things were exactly working my way, so I thought I would give it a shot. I was never going to be able to run farther if I didn't try, right?
So Friday I set out for a park near my house, determined just to push past my usual 2.3 miles, even if I only ended up running 2.4 or 2.5 miles. The loop at the park is 1.3 miles in length, so I told myself I would aim to run 2 full laps and be satisfied. The weather was gorgeous for a July afternoon, but still a little hot for my liking: mid-70s and sunny (I prefer to run in temps under 60 degrees, but obviously those conditions are in short supply in the summer). Still, I wasn't about to run on the "dreadmill" if I didn't absolutely have to, so I set out. I warmed up with a 5-minute walk, a practice I developed during Couch to 5k that I have stuck with, though sometimes I will shorten the walk by a few minutes. When 5 minutes had elapsed I steeled myself and started running. The one thing I have struggled with in outdoors running is my pace. I have a hard time regulating my pace and keeping it at a steady, tolerable pace. I'll find myself either speeding up or slowing down intermittently, but that day I focused on maintaining a constant, bearable pace. I wasn't going to break any land-speed records, but that didn't matter as much as just finishing.
As I ran, I was reminded of my C25k days of running in this park. I thought about the times when running just 8 minutes seemed daunting, how I never thought I'd be able to run 20 minutes straight, much less finish a 5k. But whereas then I was completely unsure about what I could do because I hadn't done it before, I had no reason to feel the same qualms in the present. I ran 8 minutes, then 20, then 25, then 30, then a 5k. I could do it. So why did I insist on having this mental block that I couldn't do it again and again? Like all fears, my fear of not being able to run any more than 2 miles was illogical and unfounded. It would be one thing if I didn't WANT to run more than 2 miles, but I really did/do. So if I want to, and I know I can, the only thing stopping me is ME! I just have to do it!
I'm not sure these thoughts were quite as coherent as I was running, but I knew I couldn't stop that run until had run farther than my previous run. But as I finished the first loop, I already felt the fatigue setting in. I didn't want to run another lap. Looking out at the trail, it seemed to span on forever. Then I looked at my watch and realized I had finished the first 1.3 miles in 14:46, which meant I could be done with the whole thing in 30 minutes. Knowing that made it seem possible. I was halfway done! Despite the sweat, despite the heat, I knew I had to finish. The last quarter mile seemed as though it would never end, but finally, I was done! I finished 2.6 miles in 30:09, which gave me an average pace of 11:36. Though I was slightly exhausted, I felt amazing! I had gotten past "The Wall!" I walked another two laps, then headed home and took my dog out and walked another half mile or so. All in all that day I logged over 6 miles and burned 980 calories, a personal record!
And to think I almost took a nap instead. :)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday Five: Scripture
There is nothing so effective at guiding, comforting, encouraging, enlightening, strengthening, and convicting as Scripture. I turn to it often when I am in search of wisdom or peace or hope, so I thought I would share with you 5 of my favorite passages.
1. Isaiah 61:10: "I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."
2. Psalm 73:25-26: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
3. Colossians 1:15-20: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."
4. Psalm 145. I love this entire Psalm, but here are a few verses from it: "The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." (verses 14-19)
5. Philippians 3:7-11: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
What are some of your favorite verses?
1. Isaiah 61:10: "I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."
2. Psalm 73:25-26: "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
3. Colossians 1:15-20: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross."
4. Psalm 145. I love this entire Psalm, but here are a few verses from it: "The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." (verses 14-19)
5. Philippians 3:7-11: "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
What are some of your favorite verses?
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Confessions of a Conflicted Runner
I run 3 times a week. I completed a 5k with a respectable fair time. I have shoes I wear just for running. I read about running, I research running, I've even dreamed about running.
But I don't know if I can really call myself a runner in the "live to run" sense of the word. Here's the thing: I kind of hate running while I'm doing it. I LOVE how I feel after a challenging run, and I love how many calories I burn from running, but during the actual process I often find myself thinking, "When will this be OVER??" Running is HARD. I still find completing 2 miles to be difficult, and I've only managed 3 miles a handful of times. Shouldn't such a small distance be a piece of cake now? Others write of going on long and "easy" runs, and I don't even know what that feels like. I don't have "easy" runs. I have hot, sweaty, interminable runs. I would love to be able to run longer distances because I feel like I am not progressing, and I would love to do a half marathon, but I just don't know if I am cut out for that kind of running.
Maybe I am just a wimp and need to push myself more. Maybe I just need to be in better shape and keep working on my endurance. Maybe I need to sign up for another race because the most fun I had while running was doing the 5k back in May. Maybe I need to content myself with my 2 mile runs and walking.
I love the idea of running. I love the feeling of pride and accomplishment that comes with running. I guess what it comes down to is that I feel like an impostor when I'm running, like I'm just a pretender among a group of legitimate pavement pounders.
Are there any others who feel this way about running? Am I being silly? Any advice?
But I don't know if I can really call myself a runner in the "live to run" sense of the word. Here's the thing: I kind of hate running while I'm doing it. I LOVE how I feel after a challenging run, and I love how many calories I burn from running, but during the actual process I often find myself thinking, "When will this be OVER??" Running is HARD. I still find completing 2 miles to be difficult, and I've only managed 3 miles a handful of times. Shouldn't such a small distance be a piece of cake now? Others write of going on long and "easy" runs, and I don't even know what that feels like. I don't have "easy" runs. I have hot, sweaty, interminable runs. I would love to be able to run longer distances because I feel like I am not progressing, and I would love to do a half marathon, but I just don't know if I am cut out for that kind of running.
Maybe I am just a wimp and need to push myself more. Maybe I just need to be in better shape and keep working on my endurance. Maybe I need to sign up for another race because the most fun I had while running was doing the 5k back in May. Maybe I need to content myself with my 2 mile runs and walking.
I love the idea of running. I love the feeling of pride and accomplishment that comes with running. I guess what it comes down to is that I feel like an impostor when I'm running, like I'm just a pretender among a group of legitimate pavement pounders.
Are there any others who feel this way about running? Am I being silly? Any advice?
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
July Goals Checkup: Week 2
July starting weight: 189.8
Last week's weight: 188.6
Current weight: 187.8
LOSS of .8 pounds
Not great, but it's not a gain, so I'll take it. I really didn't know what to expect this week on the scale, so I'm always relieved when I haven't gained.
Here's a report on my goals for this month.
Fitness/Health goals:
1. Burn at least 2500 calories a week. DONE. 2821 calories burned.
2. Run 2 miles 3 times a week. DONE. But just barely. I did my last run on Tuesday afternoon in the sun and humidity, which was idiotic, and had I not made this goal, I wouldn't have finished, but I ended up logging 4 miles (2 running, 2 walking).
3. Stay within my calorie range 6 of 7 days. I have no idea if I did this or not, to be honest. I wasn't very diligent with tracking. I'm trying to do a better job of just listening to my body, but it's hard.
4. Strength train at least 2 times a week. 50% done. I only strength trained once.
Personal goals:
1. Read 3 books. IN PROGRESS. Currently STILL reading the book about worry (I haven't picked it up nearly often enough) and have started rereading The Time Traveler's Wife as well.
2. Memorize 3 Scripture passages. NOT DONE. I kept thinking about doing this, but I haven't actually done it. That means I have to really step it up the next 2 weeks!
3. Organize the bookshelves. IN PROGRESS. I have finished cataloging all the books, so the next task is to figure out how to categorize them and then shelve them accordingly, which will be rather tiresome. (And as Stephen said, then we'll move and all of them will end up in boxes. Ha.)
4. Organize the closets, particularly the master bedroom closet. IN PROGRESS. I am almost finished with the master bedroom closet. All that remains is to go through all of my shoes and weed out ones I haven't worn in a year or more. I'm hoping that will free up some room. The next closet I tackle will be our coat closet.
All in all, not a perfect week but not a terrible week either. I don't know what my problem with strength training is, but I just haven't gotten into a routine with it at all. I think part of the problem is that by the time I have done cardio, I am so wiped that the thought of doing anything else tires me. But I also tried doing strength training first, and then my cardio session was only so-so. I guess the only remaining possibility is to have days dedicated solely to strength training, but I don't really love that idea either because I love my cardio. Perhaps I could do a quick 10 or 15 minutes (like a quick run) as a warm up and then try strength training after that. I think that is what I will try this week. Does anyone else have suggestions about how to make strength training a regular part of my fitness routine? I know it is essential, but I just have this mental block about it for some reason.
Last week's weight: 188.6
Current weight: 187.8
LOSS of .8 pounds
Not great, but it's not a gain, so I'll take it. I really didn't know what to expect this week on the scale, so I'm always relieved when I haven't gained.
Here's a report on my goals for this month.
Fitness/Health goals:
1. Burn at least 2500 calories a week. DONE. 2821 calories burned.
2. Run 2 miles 3 times a week. DONE. But just barely. I did my last run on Tuesday afternoon in the sun and humidity, which was idiotic, and had I not made this goal, I wouldn't have finished, but I ended up logging 4 miles (2 running, 2 walking).
3. Stay within my calorie range 6 of 7 days. I have no idea if I did this or not, to be honest. I wasn't very diligent with tracking. I'm trying to do a better job of just listening to my body, but it's hard.
4. Strength train at least 2 times a week. 50% done. I only strength trained once.
Personal goals:
1. Read 3 books. IN PROGRESS. Currently STILL reading the book about worry (I haven't picked it up nearly often enough) and have started rereading The Time Traveler's Wife as well.
2. Memorize 3 Scripture passages. NOT DONE. I kept thinking about doing this, but I haven't actually done it. That means I have to really step it up the next 2 weeks!
3. Organize the bookshelves. IN PROGRESS. I have finished cataloging all the books, so the next task is to figure out how to categorize them and then shelve them accordingly, which will be rather tiresome. (And as Stephen said, then we'll move and all of them will end up in boxes. Ha.)
4. Organize the closets, particularly the master bedroom closet. IN PROGRESS. I am almost finished with the master bedroom closet. All that remains is to go through all of my shoes and weed out ones I haven't worn in a year or more. I'm hoping that will free up some room. The next closet I tackle will be our coat closet.
All in all, not a perfect week but not a terrible week either. I don't know what my problem with strength training is, but I just haven't gotten into a routine with it at all. I think part of the problem is that by the time I have done cardio, I am so wiped that the thought of doing anything else tires me. But I also tried doing strength training first, and then my cardio session was only so-so. I guess the only remaining possibility is to have days dedicated solely to strength training, but I don't really love that idea either because I love my cardio. Perhaps I could do a quick 10 or 15 minutes (like a quick run) as a warm up and then try strength training after that. I think that is what I will try this week. Does anyone else have suggestions about how to make strength training a regular part of my fitness routine? I know it is essential, but I just have this mental block about it for some reason.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Motivation Is Just a Closet Away
Well, my goal of organizing the bedroom closet has taken on new urgency after this weekend. I had the privilege of seeing one of my dear friends, Lindsay, and she brought with her a gift: 2 garbage bags full of size 14 clothes! She has lost a fabulous 40 pounds and can no longer wear them, so she's saved them for me. Isn't that awesome?? I wear a size 16 now and have been waiting to get into a smaller size, and so I was super excited to see what she had given me. After our time together, I went back home and promptly opened the bags to explore my "new" wardrobe. Inside I found about 15 (FIFTEEN!) pairs of pants, 8 skirts, 2 dresses, 2 jackets, a winter coat, and a few shirts. I was beyond excited!
Then the doubt crept in. Would any of these things fit? Would I ever even get into a size 14? I've been a size 16 since February, and it seems like I'll never get my waist to shrink any further. Still, I decided to forgo the negativity and worry and just try some things on before deciding I was destined to be a size 16 forever. I chose a very pretty patterned skirt as my first garment, gently pulled it on, waiting for the moment when it would get stuck around my thighs and not go any further, but lo and behold, I kept pulling, and IT FIT! It is definitely a little snug in the waist region, but I can live with that. Still, even with that success, I didn't let myself get too excited. After all, it was just ONE skirt. It's not like that meant everything would fit. But I tried on all the skirts, and they ALL fit! The pants were a different story, as all but 2 of them were much too tight to wear in public, but I was able to zip and button each pair. I have a feeling that within a few months' time I'll be able to wear them, which will be be perfect, since fall will be coming and I'll need pants to wear, and I'll have a closet full of pants to choose from!
This promise of a new closet full of clothes has definitely inspired and motivated me, and I am determined to give it my all in the next few months so I can get into those pants. Here's hoping my stubborn waistline will cooperate and allow me to say goodbye to another size!
Now I'm off to make room for all this stuff in the closet!
Then the doubt crept in. Would any of these things fit? Would I ever even get into a size 14? I've been a size 16 since February, and it seems like I'll never get my waist to shrink any further. Still, I decided to forgo the negativity and worry and just try some things on before deciding I was destined to be a size 16 forever. I chose a very pretty patterned skirt as my first garment, gently pulled it on, waiting for the moment when it would get stuck around my thighs and not go any further, but lo and behold, I kept pulling, and IT FIT! It is definitely a little snug in the waist region, but I can live with that. Still, even with that success, I didn't let myself get too excited. After all, it was just ONE skirt. It's not like that meant everything would fit. But I tried on all the skirts, and they ALL fit! The pants were a different story, as all but 2 of them were much too tight to wear in public, but I was able to zip and button each pair. I have a feeling that within a few months' time I'll be able to wear them, which will be be perfect, since fall will be coming and I'll need pants to wear, and I'll have a closet full of pants to choose from!
This promise of a new closet full of clothes has definitely inspired and motivated me, and I am determined to give it my all in the next few months so I can get into those pants. Here's hoping my stubborn waistline will cooperate and allow me to say goodbye to another size!
Now I'm off to make room for all this stuff in the closet!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Friday Five: Blogs that Make Me Laugh
I am sure there are many more blogs that evoke laughter, but here are 5 that never fail to crack me up.
1. The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks. Users send in pictures of incorrect signage, often with hilarious or ridiculous results.
2. Apostrophe Catastrophes. This blog features grammar gaffes involving one of the most abused punctuation marks--the apostrophe--but also will post other abuses of grammar.
3. Passive Aggressive Notes. I just recently found this blog (I think I read about it from someone's Twitter post, but I don't remember whose), and it's hysterical. The tagline on the blog says it all: "Painfully polite and hilariously hostile writings from shared spaces the world over."
4. Stuff Christians Like. This blog is a take on the Stuff White People Like blog, and not only is it funny, it is often painfully on-target.
5. BooMama. If you haven't read this blog, you're missing out. Boo Mama writes of her love of the South, bacon, TV, and God (not exactly in that order) with humor and honesty. Click here for an explanation of the blog's name.
I need help from my readers to find more funny blogs! What are some funny blogs you love?
1. The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks. Users send in pictures of incorrect signage, often with hilarious or ridiculous results.
2. Apostrophe Catastrophes. This blog features grammar gaffes involving one of the most abused punctuation marks--the apostrophe--but also will post other abuses of grammar.
3. Passive Aggressive Notes. I just recently found this blog (I think I read about it from someone's Twitter post, but I don't remember whose), and it's hysterical. The tagline on the blog says it all: "Painfully polite and hilariously hostile writings from shared spaces the world over."
4. Stuff Christians Like. This blog is a take on the Stuff White People Like blog, and not only is it funny, it is often painfully on-target.
5. BooMama. If you haven't read this blog, you're missing out. Boo Mama writes of her love of the South, bacon, TV, and God (not exactly in that order) with humor and honesty. Click here for an explanation of the blog's name.
I need help from my readers to find more funny blogs! What are some funny blogs you love?
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
July Goals Checkup: Week 1
July starting weight: 189.8
Current weight: 188.6
LOSS of 1.2 pounds
I'll just keep it short and sweet. Week 1 was a huge failure. I didn't meet any of my 8 goals, and though I could blame that all on being sick, I wasn't so sick I couldn't have read some or memorized Scripture, so that doesn't get me completely off the hook. On the positive side, week 2 has to be better, right?? Here's hoping!
I'm not even going to post the list of goals to review because I didn't do any of them, but next week expect better things! I am feeling almost 100% better, so I have NO excuses not to give everything 100%.
I'm pretty certain the weight loss is a result of sickness and nothing else because I didn't track any food while I was sick, and I am sure I went over my calorie range several days. Why is it that when I'm sick, all I want is junk food?? Does this happen to anyone else?
What about you? How are you doing with your goals?
Current weight: 188.6
LOSS of 1.2 pounds
I'll just keep it short and sweet. Week 1 was a huge failure. I didn't meet any of my 8 goals, and though I could blame that all on being sick, I wasn't so sick I couldn't have read some or memorized Scripture, so that doesn't get me completely off the hook. On the positive side, week 2 has to be better, right?? Here's hoping!
I'm not even going to post the list of goals to review because I didn't do any of them, but next week expect better things! I am feeling almost 100% better, so I have NO excuses not to give everything 100%.
I'm pretty certain the weight loss is a result of sickness and nothing else because I didn't track any food while I was sick, and I am sure I went over my calorie range several days. Why is it that when I'm sick, all I want is junk food?? Does this happen to anyone else?
What about you? How are you doing with your goals?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The 5 Minute Trick
Last night I worked out for the first time since last Monday. Why? The week went something like this:
Monday: worked out for an hour despite sniffles and scratchy throat
Tuesday: sore throat and stuffy nose and poor sleep
Wednesday: mild fever plus sore throat and stuffy/runny nose and poor sleep
Thursday: sore throat, stuffy/runny nose, cough, and poor sleep
Friday: sore throat, stuffy nose, cough, and ear infection
Saturday: all of the above, only less severe
Sunday: recovering, but lacking energy
Fun times, huh? I haven't had a cold like that in a long time, much less an ear infection. The ear infection is still lingering, but I'm taking an antibiotic for it and hope it will clear up soon.
I can't believe I just spent this much space on my health. Moving on!
I felt pretty good on Monday, so I decided to ease back into things with a 30 minute walk after dinner. The weather was pleasant, the sun was still out, and walking outside felt so good that I ended up exercising for 45 minutes instead of 30, and I felt refreshed and energized (which ended up being slightly unfortunate since I was nowhere near ready to go to bed at a decent hour).
I find that I am often able to talk myself into more exercise if I start out with the expectation of a reasonable but not overwhelming amount of time (like 30 minutes). I know I am committing to exercise for at least that minimum amount of time, but I also leave open the possibility that I could do more. Last night, for example, after the first lap around the apartment complex with my dog, who loves to run and thus motivated me to run a bit, I decided I could manage 35 minutes. Then the 35 minute mark rolled around, and I decided that 40 minutes would be good. Then 40 minutes passed, and I thought, "What's 5 more minutes?" Honestly, anything can be endured for 5 more minutes, and that thought is what got me through a lot of the rough sessions during my Couch to 5k training. When I am dreading a workout, especially if it involves running, I can often use the 5 minute trick to survive, and I end up pushing myself and being more pleased with the results than I would have been had I not gone those extra 5, 10, or 15 minutes. Obviously, I don't always have the time for an endless amount of 5 minute tricks during a workout (like this morning when I only had time for 35 minutes), but I can always spare at least 5 more minutes.
What tricks do you use to motivate yourself during a workout?
Monday: worked out for an hour despite sniffles and scratchy throat
Tuesday: sore throat and stuffy nose and poor sleep
Wednesday: mild fever plus sore throat and stuffy/runny nose and poor sleep
Thursday: sore throat, stuffy/runny nose, cough, and poor sleep
Friday: sore throat, stuffy nose, cough, and ear infection
Saturday: all of the above, only less severe
Sunday: recovering, but lacking energy
Fun times, huh? I haven't had a cold like that in a long time, much less an ear infection. The ear infection is still lingering, but I'm taking an antibiotic for it and hope it will clear up soon.
I can't believe I just spent this much space on my health. Moving on!
I felt pretty good on Monday, so I decided to ease back into things with a 30 minute walk after dinner. The weather was pleasant, the sun was still out, and walking outside felt so good that I ended up exercising for 45 minutes instead of 30, and I felt refreshed and energized (which ended up being slightly unfortunate since I was nowhere near ready to go to bed at a decent hour).
I find that I am often able to talk myself into more exercise if I start out with the expectation of a reasonable but not overwhelming amount of time (like 30 minutes). I know I am committing to exercise for at least that minimum amount of time, but I also leave open the possibility that I could do more. Last night, for example, after the first lap around the apartment complex with my dog, who loves to run and thus motivated me to run a bit, I decided I could manage 35 minutes. Then the 35 minute mark rolled around, and I decided that 40 minutes would be good. Then 40 minutes passed, and I thought, "What's 5 more minutes?" Honestly, anything can be endured for 5 more minutes, and that thought is what got me through a lot of the rough sessions during my Couch to 5k training. When I am dreading a workout, especially if it involves running, I can often use the 5 minute trick to survive, and I end up pushing myself and being more pleased with the results than I would have been had I not gone those extra 5, 10, or 15 minutes. Obviously, I don't always have the time for an endless amount of 5 minute tricks during a workout (like this morning when I only had time for 35 minutes), but I can always spare at least 5 more minutes.
What tricks do you use to motivate yourself during a workout?
Monday, July 6, 2009
Looking Back to Move Forward
Though this blog is only a little over two years old, I have actually been a blogger for over four years. Most of my early blogging was done on Xanga, and even when I decided that I preferred Blogger to Xanga, I posted entries in both places for a long time before finally posting solely to this site. Even now, I haven't had the heart to delete my Xanga because it was so foundational for me and contains many important memories and connections to people, so I have been in the process of shifting all of my old Xanga posts from there to here. This will take quite some time, as in the early days of blogging I would often post multiple times a day (usually very silly things, to be honest), and my blogging in general was much more frequent than it is now. You'll notice the archives on here increasing as I continue to add posts, and I wanted to share with you a few snippets I came across today as I was adding posts from 2005.
One of my earliest posts, in February of 2005, in which I blog about trying to be healthy:
Being healthy is stinkin' hard! Especially when you don't like eating healthy food. The only veggies I like are broccoli, corn, carrots, and potatoes, and I can only take so much of those. Did you know that the FDA recommends 3-4 servings of veggies a DAY? Who are they kidding?? Who eats that many veggies, except animals? Does anyone reading this post, b/c if you do, I wanna hear about it. Now, if they considered french fries veggies, I'd be in good shape! And really, they should, b/c french fries are potatoes, right? Absolutely!
Haha, I don't think that particular experiment in healthy living lasted long.
One from the end of March 2005, in which I blog about frustrating shopping trips and ice cream:
The human mind is a funny thing; I went shopping this weekend and was depressed by how fat I looked in everything I tried on. But instead of going out and exercising, what did I do? I went and got some ice cream. Even as I was paying for the ice cream, part of me was screaming, "What are you doing? This is the very thing that's made you fat, and here you are getting more?! Stop it!" But I can't. And then I feel guilty and apathetic, but nothing changes. I'm still me, and that's what I have to live with, only sometimes I'd just rather not.
Just reading that makes me sad for how I felt back then.
A post from July 2005 in which I blog about the spiritual aspect of weight issues after yet another unsuccessful shopping trip:
I struggle with being angry at God because it seems like so many other people can eat whatever they want and not really have to worry about gaining weight, whereas I look at food and it immediately latches onto my thighs. But I know that's wrong. I just read in Isaiah that I have no right to quarrel with my Maker. He certainly knows what He's doing. I just hate my body sometimes. A lot of the time, actually. I hate how I always feel like the fattest person in the room; I hate feeling dread whenever I simply walk past a bathing suit display; I hate having to constantly think about what I'm eating is causing me to gain. Most of all, I think I hate how I'm too lazy to change it, and how that must displease my Lord. Jesus, help me help myself.
So much about these entries seems foreign to me now, and yet so much of it still rings very true. I am no longer drowning in self-pity about my weight but am actively working to change myself for the better, but I still fight a constant battle with food and laziness and longing. I think I always will. But I know that I am the better for having struggled, and I am glad that I can look back on these entries and see how far I've come instead of realizing that nothing has changed.
Where were you four years ago? Are you proud of the person you've become?
One of my earliest posts, in February of 2005, in which I blog about trying to be healthy:
Being healthy is stinkin' hard! Especially when you don't like eating healthy food. The only veggies I like are broccoli, corn, carrots, and potatoes, and I can only take so much of those. Did you know that the FDA recommends 3-4 servings of veggies a DAY? Who are they kidding?? Who eats that many veggies, except animals? Does anyone reading this post, b/c if you do, I wanna hear about it. Now, if they considered french fries veggies, I'd be in good shape! And really, they should, b/c french fries are potatoes, right? Absolutely!
Haha, I don't think that particular experiment in healthy living lasted long.
One from the end of March 2005, in which I blog about frustrating shopping trips and ice cream:
The human mind is a funny thing; I went shopping this weekend and was depressed by how fat I looked in everything I tried on. But instead of going out and exercising, what did I do? I went and got some ice cream. Even as I was paying for the ice cream, part of me was screaming, "What are you doing? This is the very thing that's made you fat, and here you are getting more?! Stop it!" But I can't. And then I feel guilty and apathetic, but nothing changes. I'm still me, and that's what I have to live with, only sometimes I'd just rather not.
Just reading that makes me sad for how I felt back then.
A post from July 2005 in which I blog about the spiritual aspect of weight issues after yet another unsuccessful shopping trip:
I struggle with being angry at God because it seems like so many other people can eat whatever they want and not really have to worry about gaining weight, whereas I look at food and it immediately latches onto my thighs. But I know that's wrong. I just read in Isaiah that I have no right to quarrel with my Maker. He certainly knows what He's doing. I just hate my body sometimes. A lot of the time, actually. I hate how I always feel like the fattest person in the room; I hate feeling dread whenever I simply walk past a bathing suit display; I hate having to constantly think about what I'm eating is causing me to gain. Most of all, I think I hate how I'm too lazy to change it, and how that must displease my Lord. Jesus, help me help myself.
So much about these entries seems foreign to me now, and yet so much of it still rings very true. I am no longer drowning in self-pity about my weight but am actively working to change myself for the better, but I still fight a constant battle with food and laziness and longing. I think I always will. But I know that I am the better for having struggled, and I am glad that I can look back on these entries and see how far I've come instead of realizing that nothing has changed.
Where were you four years ago? Are you proud of the person you've become?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Friday Five: Memorable Childhood Movies
Well, July has been quite interesting so far. I've had a nasty cold/sinus thing since Monday evening, and therefore I have not gotten a decent night's sleep since Sunday evening. On the positive side, Stephen's parents came to visit on Wednesday, and we've had a great time shopping, watching movies, and playing Yahtzee. (I won! Woohoo! I enjoy winning.)
Anywho, this will be a quick Friday Five, so here ya go: 5 movies I watched multiple times during my childhood (which I will define as spanning from age 5-12. I can't remember much from any age prior to 5). The films are listed in chronological order, beginning with the earliest release. Obviously, since I wasn't born until 1981, I saw some of these years after they originally came out.
1. The Great Muppet Caper (1981) and The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984). Yes, these are two separate films, but I couldn't pick just one of them! I loved the muppets and adored these movies. Total classics.
2. The Tale of the Bunny Picnic (1986). Does anyone else remember this? Technically it's not really a movie because it is only an hour long and was aired on HBO, but still, I remember watching it so much I'm sure I wore out the VHS tape! I believe it's one of the few films in which a dog plays the nemesis.
3. Beauty and the Beast (1991). Oh my word, I thought Belle was me captured in animation! I just loved that she was a bookworm and cared about being smart and was loyal to her father and looked with distaste upon Gaston even though he was brawny and attractive. I remember many an afternoon when I would dance around the living room singing, "Little town, it's a quiet village. Every day, like the one before..."
4. Aladdin. I knew every word of this movie and especially enjoyed acting out "One Jump Ahead" and "Friend Like Me," and of course, "A Whole New World." I've gotta say, they just don't make Disney movies like they used to.
5. Free Willy (1993). What can I say? This girl was one huge whale lover after seeing that movie. Plus, the boy in the lead role was HOT. (When I looked this movie up on IMDB, I saw that it has increased in popularity by 266%. Could that be because Michael Jackson contributed songs on the soundtrack?)
Honorable Mentions: The Care Bears Movie (Who can defeat the "Care Bear Stare?"); The NeverEnding Story (what's not to love in a movie featuring a flying doglike dragon creature?); Snoopy Come Home (How sad is this movie?? I don't know why it was my favorite Peanuts movie, but it was.)
What movies did you watch over and over when you were a kid?
Anywho, this will be a quick Friday Five, so here ya go: 5 movies I watched multiple times during my childhood (which I will define as spanning from age 5-12. I can't remember much from any age prior to 5). The films are listed in chronological order, beginning with the earliest release. Obviously, since I wasn't born until 1981, I saw some of these years after they originally came out.
1. The Great Muppet Caper (1981) and The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984). Yes, these are two separate films, but I couldn't pick just one of them! I loved the muppets and adored these movies. Total classics.
2. The Tale of the Bunny Picnic (1986). Does anyone else remember this? Technically it's not really a movie because it is only an hour long and was aired on HBO, but still, I remember watching it so much I'm sure I wore out the VHS tape! I believe it's one of the few films in which a dog plays the nemesis.
3. Beauty and the Beast (1991). Oh my word, I thought Belle was me captured in animation! I just loved that she was a bookworm and cared about being smart and was loyal to her father and looked with distaste upon Gaston even though he was brawny and attractive. I remember many an afternoon when I would dance around the living room singing, "Little town, it's a quiet village. Every day, like the one before..."
4. Aladdin. I knew every word of this movie and especially enjoyed acting out "One Jump Ahead" and "Friend Like Me," and of course, "A Whole New World." I've gotta say, they just don't make Disney movies like they used to.
5. Free Willy (1993). What can I say? This girl was one huge whale lover after seeing that movie. Plus, the boy in the lead role was HOT. (When I looked this movie up on IMDB, I saw that it has increased in popularity by 266%. Could that be because Michael Jackson contributed songs on the soundtrack?)
Honorable Mentions: The Care Bears Movie (Who can defeat the "Care Bear Stare?"); The NeverEnding Story (what's not to love in a movie featuring a flying doglike dragon creature?); Snoopy Come Home (How sad is this movie?? I don't know why it was my favorite Peanuts movie, but it was.)
What movies did you watch over and over when you were a kid?
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
July Goals
I know these posts about goals are not the most interesting to read (okay, they're the least interesting to read), but I truly believe that without goals, I flounder. Goals help me stay focused, they help me form a plan of attack, they motivate me. I encourage you to make them, whether they are fitness-oriented or otherwise.
With that said, here are my goals for July. Since the month is starting on a Wednesday, I'm going to make Wednesdays my day for weekly check-ins.
Fitness/Health goals:
1. Burn at least 2500 calories a week. I like having a target to aim for, and I think 2500 is good because there will definitely be weeks I exceed that and weeks where it will be the perfect amount for lighter activity days.
2. Run 2 miles 3 times a week. I really want to get into a more regular running schedule (more on that in a future post), and setting this very low mileage goal will hopefully help me do that. If it goes well the first week, I will increase the mileage by .25 mile the next week.
3. Stay within my calorie range 6 of 7 days. Even after 18 months of losing weight, this remains one of the hardest things for me to do, so I feel like I need to keep it on the list indefinitely.
4. Strength train at least 2 times a week. I did well with this last month, but I need to keep in on my radar to make sure it truly becomes a habit.
Personal goals:
1. Read 3 books. This number has worked well for me, so I'm sticking with it. I would like one of the books to be poetry, but that is the only stipulation I'm making this month.
2. Memorize 3 Scripture passages. My Scripture memory has really fallen off since the beginning of the year, so I want to revive that practice again as it's so instrumental to my walk with Christ.
3. Organize the bookshelves. This will be a big project, as I am planning to first catalogue all the books, divide them into categories, and then re-shelve them using some system I haven't quite figured out yet.
4. Organize the closets, particularly the master bedroom closet. This closet is a mess, and I will give my husband credit by saying that his side is immaculate, whereas my side? Not so much. I'm hoping that by cleaning it out I will unearth valuable antiques or lost money. (Of course I guess I would have needed to possess such things in the first place, so scratch that.)
My goals for this month are double the amount they were last month, so I definitely am being more ambitious. Hopefully that won't end up kicking me in the pants but will turn out well!
What are your goals for July? Any book recommendations for me? Any favorite Bible verses I should memorize?
With that said, here are my goals for July. Since the month is starting on a Wednesday, I'm going to make Wednesdays my day for weekly check-ins.
Fitness/Health goals:
1. Burn at least 2500 calories a week. I like having a target to aim for, and I think 2500 is good because there will definitely be weeks I exceed that and weeks where it will be the perfect amount for lighter activity days.
2. Run 2 miles 3 times a week. I really want to get into a more regular running schedule (more on that in a future post), and setting this very low mileage goal will hopefully help me do that. If it goes well the first week, I will increase the mileage by .25 mile the next week.
3. Stay within my calorie range 6 of 7 days. Even after 18 months of losing weight, this remains one of the hardest things for me to do, so I feel like I need to keep it on the list indefinitely.
4. Strength train at least 2 times a week. I did well with this last month, but I need to keep in on my radar to make sure it truly becomes a habit.
Personal goals:
1. Read 3 books. This number has worked well for me, so I'm sticking with it. I would like one of the books to be poetry, but that is the only stipulation I'm making this month.
2. Memorize 3 Scripture passages. My Scripture memory has really fallen off since the beginning of the year, so I want to revive that practice again as it's so instrumental to my walk with Christ.
3. Organize the bookshelves. This will be a big project, as I am planning to first catalogue all the books, divide them into categories, and then re-shelve them using some system I haven't quite figured out yet.
4. Organize the closets, particularly the master bedroom closet. This closet is a mess, and I will give my husband credit by saying that his side is immaculate, whereas my side? Not so much. I'm hoping that by cleaning it out I will unearth valuable antiques or lost money. (Of course I guess I would have needed to possess such things in the first place, so scratch that.)
My goals for this month are double the amount they were last month, so I definitely am being more ambitious. Hopefully that won't end up kicking me in the pants but will turn out well!
What are your goals for July? Any book recommendations for me? Any favorite Bible verses I should memorize?
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