Last year I joined a gym for the first time since I was 18.  I started working with a personal trainer but it was actually just once a month to check in and update my routine.  I was surprised to find that this was all I needed to lose weight.  I lost 20 pounds in 5 months.  That is 1 pound a week.  My original goal was to lose 25 lbs but I lost steam around the holidays.  I stopped meeting regularly with the trainer and just sort of did my own thing.  I am now up about 4 lbs and realize I need to do something before I gain any more weight back.  But I just DON’T want to work out.  I admit, I am being lazy.  Very very lazy. 

Last night I forced myself to get on a treadmill and once I was there I felt great.  That’s one of the most important lessons I learned last year.  When you don’t feel like working out FORCE yourself to get there and you will be happy once you arrive.  While I was walking I had a lot of time to think and I hope I came up with a solution to getting back on track.

This is my formula for getting my motivation back.

What worked last time?

Last time I told myself that I would give the workout and diet 2 months.  I HAD to do it for 2 months and if I wasn’t happy with the results then I could quit.  Well, of course I was happy because I had lost 8 lbs so I continued doing it.

What is my motivation now?

After I lost the 20 lbs I pulled down my box of skinny clothes from my closet.  There were a bunch of cute clothes in there I didn’t even know I had.  They were 2 and 3 sizes smaller than what I had been wearing before and they actually fit me!  I was so excited it was like going on a shopping spree.  Now that I’ve gained a few back the jeans are a little tight on me and there are a couple of things I can’t wear at all.  I can physically get them on but they are just a little too tight to be comfortable in them.  I really want to fit in these clothes again because I can’t afford to buy new ones.

Okay but how am I going to make sure I stay motivated?

I work really well with lists, because I love to cross things out once they are done.  Last time the trainer would make a calendar for me and what I was supposed to do on every day.  She would change up my routine every week to keep my body guessing.  So, last night I came home and made up a calendar.  I listed two months worth of exercise so that every day I can feel great about myself when I get to cross one off.

• Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I have 45 minutes of cardio.  Stepping up the intensity each week.
• Tuesday’s I will do strength training in my very own home.  Things like push ups, dips, sit ups, squats, lunges, and step ups.
• Thursday’s I do yoga which will also work my muscles.
• Saturday and Sunday I rest but hopefully still stay active on those days.

As far as my diet goes I already try to eat healthy most of the time.  I am just going to step it up a little.  Go back to not buying any unhealthy foods at the grocery store.  Focus on eating a small healthy meal 5 times a day and no more late night snacking.  It’s important for me to remember to take it one day at a time.  It helps to know that it’s not like I will NEVER be able to eat ice cream again.   Just not today.

What do you do to stay motivated?

Photo Credit: Flickr

Another something to think about on this election eve.
Happy voting!

There’s been a lot of talk lately from the McCain campaign that Obama is going to “Raise your taxes” and “spread the wealth around”. He has even called it another form of welfare.
Now, I don’t care who you vote for (okay that’s a lie because I really want to see a good President in office.) But if you are going to vote for McCain I just want your reasons to be based on facts and not lies or misrepresentation.
McCain may call taking money from the wealthy and giving it to the poor welfare but how is his welfare any different? McCain will take money from the poor and give it to the rich, that is called corporate welfare. It has been going on for a long time in this country, too long. It’s time we get a president that is going to do something about it.
I also wanted to share that I currently recieve e-mails from both Obama and McCain’s campaign. About 99% of the e-mails I get from Obama’s campaign are about OBAMA and what HE is going to do for this country. However, 99% of the e-mails I get from McCain are not about McCain and what he is going to do. I find that scary.
My point for writing this post is to share with you the Obama Tax calculator. All you do is put in your yearly income and it tells you how much money you will get back in taxes with Obama’s plan as compared to McCain’s.

Okay, I know, abortion is a hot topic and I don’t really want to get into all that here. I just want to talk about my reasons for refusing to vote for someone based on their views on abortion.

1. Abortion is legal. The supreme court ruled that it is legal and that is what it has been for over 30 years. No matter what my beliefs on the issue are, in our law books, it is legal.

2. No president since Roe V. Wade has been able to make abortion illegal.

3. Both parties have turned it into a game to garner more votes. If you are pro-life you must vote for a Republican, and if you are pro-choice you have to vote for the Democrat. They have essential narrowed every election down to this ONE issue. I refuse to play that game.

There was a time where I based all my voting decisions on what the candidate’s stance on abortion was. Well, that got me nowhere. So, this time I am voting based on the million other issues that matter. Like our national security, emergency preparedness and aide, health care, our collapsing economy, and education.

Well the “Do Good Project” didn’t make it to the top 25 but this one did!  This sounds like a great cause.  Of course the Mayans of Guatemala are a people close to my heart and I think this sounds like a great way to help educate these young people who have so little.