2013

Happy New Year!

Well, it has been nearly another month since I last posted. Sadly, not much has changed. Take it as you wish, but this is just not a good time of year for me. The darkness especially just throws me for a loop. And the cold. I hate coming home from work in the dark and cold - it gives me no motivation to leave the house again. Plus, with the holidays and some other things going on, I haven't been very focused.

And the scale reflects that. At the end of September, I was down to 166.6; 27 pounds lost since January 2012. My scale quit working in October, my consistency went to the wayside, and we were dealing with some other things that took all of my focus. A few weeks ago, I caved and got a new scale. Imagine my despair when I saw 7 pounds had been gained back. How can it take so long to lose the weight, and it is so easy to gain it back. So frustrating. I am determined to get back on track. Over the holidays the numbers fluctuated from 171 (in the days after I was sick last week) to 175 (the day after I got my appetite back!). This morning, I weighed in at 173.8. Still 20 pounds down from a year ago.

I am not sure what my long-term goals are for this year. There are a few things in limbo for me and my family, and only our God knows where they will lead at this point. Of course a year ago, I never would have said I was going to run a half-marathon in the past year, and I did! I will continue to strive for both physical and emotional health.

To get back on track, we made a trip to the YMCA yesterday. Yes, we! Even Chad is willing to start working out. It was odd to see him in the Wellness Center with me, but I also very much enjoyed it being a family outing. I truly hope that can become part of our weekly schedule. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical (distance was 2.25 miles), followed by some ab exercises. I haven't done ab/core strengthening in a long time! My upper ab muscles can feel it today!

With that as my jump start, I am still all about the short-term plans and goals. In this first month of the new year, I would like to:


.build consistency by working out a minimum of 3 times per week.

.lose at least half of what I gained back. (goal for Feb. 1, 2013 is 170.3)

.clean up my diet. Over the last two months, a lot of the food I was eating regularly when I lost the weight had become boring. I switched a lot of things up, but I don't think they were all the best substitutes, especially when my exercise had become scarce at the same time.


Following the KISS (keep it short and simple) strategy to start the new year on the right foot. May the year ahead be a great one for us all!