Friday, January 1, 2010

The First Day of Healthy

Today is the first day of 2010! WOO-HOO!!! I can't tell you how excited I am to be done with 2009. I am done with being sick and feeling unhealthy. I told myself that no matter what the weather looked like this morning when I woke up, I'd go out walking. I felt pretty crappy when I woke up - like most mornings - so keeping my promise to myself wasn't easy. But, I rolled out of bed, put some clothes on, stuck my "Survivor" hat on my head, grabbed my iPod, gloves, and scarf, and headed out the door. I drove to my all-time favorite place to walk - the cemetery here in town. I put Hootie and the Blowfish on my iPod, bundled up, and walked. It was tougher than I thought - walking in the snow. I found that it's kind of like walking in sand. But, that's a good thing, right? I walked about 25 minutes - 6-7 Hootie songs.

Walking seems to give me the time I need to think. I thought about all of the good things I wanted to do for myself this year. I thought about what I would look like and feel like next New Year's Day. It was good motivation.

Came home feeling pretty good about myself. I made a good choice for breakfast, too. I had a bowl of frosted mini-wheats (1/2 as much as I normally eat), and an orange. I'm sitting here staring at my bottle of water - it's 33.8 fl oz. I think if I drink about 3 of these each day, that'll be enough. But, I definitely need some flavor - I'm going to go search through my pantry for a Chrystal Light packet to add to the water.

I've also read the scriptures this morning - the Sunday School lesson for tomorrow is from Moses, chapter 1 - were Moses finds out that he is made in the image of God. That made me think that perhaps I should take care of this wonderful body I've been given. Ya think?

I already love this - focusing on something with family and friends. I say, the more, the merrier (and healthier). Make it a great day today everyone.

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2 comments:

  1. CindyJanuary 1, 2010 at 11:08 AM

    Go Kara! I wish we could coordinate and go walking together. Sometimes I walk through the cemetery by my house.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Kara HerronJanuary 1, 2010 at 12:27 PM

    I know, but it's just too far between houses - I've always wanted a walking partner. Kris and I are too far away too. Bummer.

    ReplyDelete

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Weight Watchers - The ABCs of Weight Loss

I read this in the Weight Watcher magazine July/August 2008, and thought there were some great suggestions here. These were all contributed by successful WW members)...

A - Ask questions (when dining out, don't be afraid to ask your server how a dish is prepared - and request it without sauce or oil).

B - Budget for snacks - you don't have to give up all of your favorite treats, just plan ahead.

C - Cancel the pity party - when you're down about your weight, remind yourself that everyone struggles.

D - Distract yourself - If you're hungry, call a friend, go for a walk, write a letter or email, etc. You'll notice that the hunger usually passes in a matter of minutes.

E - Eat slowly - put the fork down between bites, be more aware of how much you're putting in your mouth.

F - Focus on the presentation - arrange your food creatively, use a larger plate and spread your portions more artfully, it will help you feel more satisfied.

G - Give the new habits time - make a commitment to stick to your new regimen for at least 6 months, it often takes that long for revamped eating or exercise habits to feel natural.

H - Hang out with optimists - The can-do spirit is contagious.

I - Inspire yourself - brainstorm a list of activities you've been putting off because of your weight - it will provide a built-in incentive to slim down.

J - Join up - exercise with others - this often provides a sense of accountibility.

K - Keep your focus - as you lose weight, notice what you're gaining - a healthier diet, slimmer profile, or a new love of exercise.

L - Lighten up your favorite - Use cookbooks that can show you low-fat, healthier versions of your favorite dishes.

M - Make over your kitchen - get rid of trigger foods (those you often overeat) and restock your kitchen with healthy items.

N - Navigate out of your comfort zone - try a new exercise once a week.

O - Opt for the 10-minute rule - Even if you don't feel like it, get moving for at least 10 minutes.

P - Push yourself to try at least one new fruit or vegetable each week - expand your culinary repertoire in a healthy, low-calorie way.

Q - Quit the clean-plate club - stop eating once you're satisfied, and you won't eat tons of extra calories.

R - Reward yourself - if you are looking for a snack after dinner, give yourself a manicure or pedicure instead!

S - Stand up to food pushers - if a host pressures you to eat something you'd rather avoid, tell her you'll try something else on the table - compliment her, and she'll be distracted.

T - Treat your body like a temple - exercise and take care of yourself as if you were an athlete.

U - Use your lunch break wisely - spend half of your lunch break walking.

V - View sweet treats wisely - if you want to shed pounds, you can't eat sweets whenever you like. Find a low - calorie substitute that you can have every day, or limit rich desserts to once a week.

W - Write a gratitude list - each day, jot down 3 to 5 things in your life that you're grateful for.

X - Xerox your exercise moves - find exercise routines you'd like to try in books and magazines, and make copies, then refer to these when you need new moves.

Y - Yearn to accept where you are now - when you fell discouraged by your rate of progress, try to accept and appreciate yourself at your current weight. This might help you hang in there until you start losing weight again.

Z - Zero in on your body - Don't wear big baggy clothes - wearing clothes that fit well to remind yourself of your diet and fitness goals - and the slimmer body your are striving for.

GOOD LUCK!