Tuesday, July 31, 2007

A Fish Story

My dad loves to fish. It is one of his favorite things to do. Just the process of getting his poles out and the motor tuned up so he can launch his boat. He used to fish in bass tournaments and thoroughly enjoyed watching all the boats rev there engines and then blast off to the fishermen's favorite or even secret fishing place; the "big one" to catch!

I can hear him talking about the wonderful lures that he would be putting onto each of his five, yes I said, five fishing poles. If one didn't work then he would quickly switch to another one because for sure a Rappala, crank bait or silver do-dad widget was going to do the trick! (What ever happened to a good ole' worm I wonder :)

I sometimes think of the foods that I am tempted with as my own personal bait. It is as if society or many people around me are just trying to bait me into the pizza, beer of course, ice cream, candy, etc. However, I ran across a quote, not sure from whom, that states:

"The taste of the bait aint' worth the pain of the hook".

I'm sure this is very true to the fish when he is being reeled in by the fisherman to spend the next few hours in a live well or perhaps and worse yet ending up on someones plate! I don't want to think of how many hourse and what type of pain I will have to put into the gym or out on the road running for one fleeting taste of food that won't be worth the eventual sting of the gym! For me, I want to carefully look over the tangling hook and determine if this is worth ingesting or better yet something that should be "spit out"!

Sorry dad but I'm rooting for the fish!

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

I Did It

I did, yes I did it, I really, really did (happy dance inserted here)

Yesterday was my run day and in the continuation of my c25K training I was to walk for five minutes, jog for 28 minutes and then cool down with a 5 minute walk.

I started out feeling a bit apprehensive since my Sunday run was certainly not stellar, good but not great. However, as I got into about minute 16 or so I started feeling rather strong. I had a good beat going and my music was pumping. I had increased my speed from 4.8 to 4.9 thinking it wouldn't be that big of a difference to my body and it would help in the stamina area.

As I approached the 28 minute marker I glanced down at the screen and it showed that I had completed about 2.5 miles. Now the 5K is 3.1 miles. I started thinking that if I were running this race for real I wouldn't be stopping at the 2.5 mile point and just walking it in. What would I do, I would pickup the pace, I would see the finish line, I would cross it with all the might I could summon into my legs. So with that being said, I increased my speed and started to pretend to be in that race. As I got closer to the 3.1 marker I increased my speed again and "sprinted" across that finish line.

I cannot tell you how happy I felt and still feel. It is a huge accomplishment for me. One that in my wildest dreams I could NEVER have imagined contemplating yet doing and here I did it. I completed the 5K in 36 minutes and 24 seconds and that includes my 5 minute walking warmup. So I know that come race day I will have a great run.

Norman Vincent Peale wrote:

"Formulate and stamp indelibly on your mind a mental picture of yourself succeeding. Hold the picture tanaciously. Never permit it to fade. Your mind will seek to develop the picture...Do not build up obstacles in your imagination."

As I continue my training up to race day I will envision myself crossing the finishing line, running easily with great breathing control and strong legs. I will paint a picture of the sights, sounds and feelings that I will have of all the glory and pride that will be in completing this goal.

What picture have you painted of yourself today?

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Excuses

Today I started to think about all the things that could cause us to not finalize our goal. It really is amazing the excuses that we can use.

1. I'm too tired
2. Not enough time
3. Too old
4. Not fit enough

The list really can go on and on. In fact, as a little lesson, why don't you write down your top three and then set them aside for later.

Mine are or could tend to be:

1. I'm too tired
2. Not enough time
3. This process is taking way too long

In looking at these excuses I have a choice to find a work around or just give up. You have that choice too. Any one of us to find some reason to not spend a good hour of time sweating our tushies off at the gym and then packing every single piece of food that enters our bodies. After all it is work and takes some planning.

"People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them." George Bernard Shaw

If we look at this quote we can easily see that we have to create the time to go to the gym or get our physical time in we can't let our lives be happenstance. We will never achieve our goals if we are using excuses for not getting there.

So, take your three reasons that you listed at the top and now, tell me what circumstance YOU will make so your circumstance is one that you want.

Monday, July 23, 2007

My C25K Journey


I mentioned earlier that I was completing a C25K (Couch to 5K) running program. You can find this on cool runnings .com if you are interested.
Running is hard and I will start by saying I'm not a runner. Never have proclaimed to be one or found it as something that interested me. However, my PT suggested that I try the program as a new avenue of fitness. I have a love/hate relationship for it at this point. You see, one run can make you feel like you are the best runner life has to offer and the next run can make you feel like you will cough up a lung or erp one if you know what I mean :)

Yesterday I went to a "real" running store and purchased a "real" pair of running shoes. I'm hoping this will help with my performance as well. How fun, to be fit by "real" runners and to be part of this "club" now :) Above is a picture of my new shoes.

I'm starting the 8th week of the program and will run for 28 minutes with a five minute walk warm-up and a five minute walk cool down. Yesterday I ran with a friend who has trained for half marathons before and she is darn good. Her pace is faster than mine so I struggle to even keep up with her which in all honesty I cannot. However, I'm happy about this because I have a goal which is too keep up with her. We will be running our first race on August 11th and I'm confident that she will do great. My goal is to just complete the 5K (3.1 miles) jogging the entire way.
I found a quote by George Patton that will be my motto until the race and perhaps afterwards as well:

"Human beings are made up of flesh and blood, and a miracle fiber called courage."

I know this is something I can do and the courage is what will pull me through to the end.

Friday, July 20, 2007

The Outcome

I'm sure everyone is sitting at their computers with baited breath wondering how my WW weigh in went last night, right? Well I'm happy to say I was down one pound. Now, I will say that for a small moment I was a bit depressed. I mean, after all, I gained 1.6 the week before. I was thinking, “Why can’t it at least be the same amount I gained last week, there for my two weeks will be a wash” But in the end it is what it is and let me remind you all again, The Scale Does Lie! (http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/weight/scale.htm)

So after my meeting I continued on with my running program. I’m planning on running in a 5K race on August 11th. I’ve been working the C25K program and had to run 25 minutes continously. I was able to complete this task with a little help from Axel Rose and Steven Tyler, Let's face it, who could run slowly to “Dude Looks like a Lady” or "Paradise City"? I finished 2.5 miles in 35 minutes and that isn’t half bad considering I shaved off about 5 minutes from my previous time running the same distance.

However, this morning came my great awakening. My dearest friend reminded me last night or asked me “Who says you have to complete this goal within a certain time frame? He has asked this question before but I guess until yesterday it never really dawned on me, that it was only me that was putting the pressure on me to achieve this WW goal within a certain amount of time. Therefore, I have thrown out the window, the idea that I must reach this goal by next week or the week after or even the week after. If it doesn’t come for five more months then that is okay too. I know what I’m doing is healthy and I’m in the best shape of my life right now and I can only get better if I continue on the path that I am now.

Then, I ran across this quote from W Edwards Deming which really sums up how I feel today.

“We should work on our process, not the outcome of our processes”

So with that being said, it will be my process that I will continue to work on and let the outcome fall where it may and when it so chooses.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

A little update

I have not written for about a week and to be honest I’ve been struggling. I’m sure most people don’t know and I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve been a bit discouraged. Last week at my WW meeting I actually gained 1.6 lbs. Now, I will tell you that no one gets fat from eating right and exercising, both of which I do consistently. My average calories are anywhere from 1500- 1700 per day and a normal workout session burns between 500-700 calories. Thank goodness for heart rate monitors, if you don’t have one, get one.

Anyways, during the last week I have been struggling with what to do, the thoughts of giving up have been daily and strong but I know that something is happening within my body and as I talked about before, the number on the scale is just such a small piece of the puzzle or part of the picture. However, I’m a self confessing scale-aholic and no matter what I know logically, emotionally that number does matter.

So, with this hump to overcome, I’ve searched for a few quotes on discouragement and found a couple that I felt was appropriate for me to remember and perhaps you as well.

Failure is an EVENT, never a person. (William D. Brown)

This is big for me, because I’m quick to say I’m a failure at this; forgetting that at this point I’ve lost almost 30 lbs and over 32 inches.

"Every great work, every great accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding to the vision, and often just before the big achievement comes apparent failure and discouragement." (Florence Scovel Shinn)

I think this is a wonderful. It reminds me that I do have a vision and that I need to hold firm to it that this small blip could really be the sign of a great thing to come.

So with this off my chest now, I’m on to bigger and better things. I’ll be checking in later to let you know how things have went.

Until then, eat well and exercise hard. Enjoy your life and this journey you are on.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

The Crow and the Pitcher

A crow was terribly thirsty and came upon a pitcher which had once been full of water. However, when he put his beak into the pitcher, found that only a very little amount of water was left and he could not reach far enough to get it. He tried and tried and was going to give up in despair.
Then a thought came to him and he took a small pebble and dropped it into the pitcher, then he took another pebble and dropped it into the pitcher. It didn't seem if anything was happening but he continued on dropping small pebbles into that pitcher. At last he saw the water mount up near him and he was able to quench his thirst.

We are all so much like that little thirsty crow. We see something that we want and probably need and expect to be able to have an immediate gratification. However, this process takes time and little by little changes occur within us. Most of the times the changes are unseen to us and start on the inside before the outside appearance is even noticeable. Nevertheless, if we continue to make small changes, before long we will be able to quench our wants and needs.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Actions Speak Louder than Words

How many times have we heard this saying or others such as “Talk is cheap”, “The proof is in the pudding”

You see, we know what we are supposed to do, but the truth is many people don’t DO what they know. Knowing really isn’t enough; we have to take action to make the knowledge worth it.

We know that eating the right foods and moving our bodies daily will improve so many aspects of our life. We will have better health on the inside, improving blood pressure levels, lower cholesterol, fighting off cancers by giving our bodies the food and fuel it needs to protect us. We also have a better outlook on life as exercise releases the good feeling endorphin hormones. This in turn helps us cope with stress, manage our jobs and have healthier and happier relationships with family and friends.

However, knowing all these things and actually putting an action plan into place is a key element! Start today by putting into places an action that will move you closer to your ultimate goal. Show those around you without words where your true heart and passion lies in your own journey.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Looking at the clouds

Lie on your back, look up at the clouds and figure out what they look like? Imagine the fire breathing dinosaur, the horse running freely or a quiet mountain. I like to do this sometimes; it is really fun with your children they have great imaginations and are never afraid to “see something” that we struggle to.

Albert Einstein, a man of great imagination, wrote several quotes regarding imagination.

“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere”
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions”
“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand”

In our journey to a healthy and fit lifestyle we are so quick to take out the imagination of it all. We feel we are destined to remain a certain size, shape or look. We don’t imagine that we could be strong enough or fit enough to run a race, lift a certain amount of weight, and eat a different food. By limiting ourselves we are taking out any possibilities of great things to come. If we take the time to imagine how we ultimately want to be we can put a process in place to take us there.

What do you see in your clouds?

Sunday, July 8, 2007

You can't change the past

It is funny how most people reminisce about the past, beat themselves up for the past. Hold grudges on people from past occurrences. I long for things I should have done, could have done, never did and funnier yet things that never even happened. Why can't I accept the here and now be proud of where I am and look at the future?

We can look at this phenomenon two ways. The past can definitely motivate you. You can also be optimistic about it and take the lessons learned from it an move on.

As I looked for two quotes regarding the future, I found two that seemed to almost fit together. Edmund Burke wrote " You can never plan your future by the past" and Alan Kay says "The best way to predict the future is to invent it"

It is so motivating to know that things that I've done in the past that have kept me from reaching my fitness goals can just be written off. I can choose to not live this way and further and that my future is completely in my own hands. I can invent it, as Kay states. I can reinvent habits and invent a new body and lifestyle.

Are you looking forward or living in the past?

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Inadequacy

“Raise your hands if you’re Sure!” Sorry, but I’m kinda, sorta, raising one hand and looking around to see if anyone else is too. I’m a perfectionist and can’t stand the fact that I might not measure up to someone or something. I don’t like to be the center of attention and would far prefer to be in the background. I would make a great Supporting Actress.

I came across this quote from Maryanne Williamson which was used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 Inaugural speech as well as in the recent movie Akeelah and the Bee.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and famous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around. you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Wow, is this not really powerful. This is telling us that we need to let our light shine. We need to be proud of who we are the talents and gifts that God gave us. We should be proud of our accomplishments and our transitions to healthy and active lifestyles. We should want to help other people have this same feeling too.
I think the next time I hear the Sure commercial I’ll be heaving my hands into the air with vigor, heartiness and satisfaction.