Ok ya'll. I need your prayers. I feel like such a wuss for writing this. I knew this whole trying to lose weight thing would have ups and downs. I just didn't expect them so early on. I know I've only been at this for a few weeks, but I'm struggling. I'm really wanting to cheat and be lazy. I know that gets me nowhere. And I know this weather doesn't help either. I'm thankful for the snow we got. It is beautiful and God answered my prayers that we would get *some* snow. But the downside to that is that it's so blah outside. Even though the snow is gorgeous to look at, it keeps the motivation factor on the low side. It's like, all I want to do is just snuggle up and sleep. I saw this on someone's FB status today and I thought it was cute...."
I think I'd like to try this whole hibernating thing...Eat whatever I want. Sleep til Spring. Wake up skinny." Don't I wish it were that easy!
I decided to take a full "rest" day yesterday. I kept up with my points but maybe did have a few extra. :/ I have gotten on the treadmill almost everyday since I started...even if it was just to walk. But yesterday I couldn't ramp up enough motivation to get on it. Maybe it's because I am sleepy. At least one of my children wakes me up every night for something. Plus, add in my own waking up for whatever reason and you have a restless night's sleep. AND, three of my four youngin's and David have been sick this week so that has kinda worn on me too. I know this low time is an opportunity for the evil one to wear on me. To make me think I can't do this. To tempt me. I don't need that. So, if you don't mind, please say a prayer for me today. Pray for strength, motivation and my desire for healthiness to be restored. Those sweet treats are reeeeeally calling out my name and the thought of going in the cold garage to get on the dreadmill (haha Sara B.) is not sounding tooo hot right now.
Thank you sweet friends! :)
2 comments:
A couple of suggestions:
1. Keep a rigid schedule. Pick a time during the day when it's most likely to be convenient to go do your thing. Working out is best in the morning before you eat or have coffee. Last night's dinner will have been digested, so working out then will be most effective for burning calories. Whenever you decide to do it, prepare for it in advance and don't let anything keep you from getting out there. You'll develop a habit, and skipping it will become harder. Ever notice how if you are late brushing your teeth in the morning, your mouth starts feeling more and more gross. Same rule here. It's easier to get over the lethargy if you have an appointment and can't tell yourself you'll do it later over and over.
2. Rest days don't necessarily mean you don't do any activity. Rest days are a good opportunity to focus on stretching. The more flexible you are, the more of the muscle you use. The more muscle you use, the more calories you burn. It's more important than people give it credit for. When you get up in the mornings, your joints and muscles can be a little stiff, so move around a lot before you stretch. I like doing circles with as many as my joints as I can first. That gets your heart rate up too. After a few resolutions, you can feel your joint start to loosen up. That point is when you want to start stretching. Oh, and stretching should be a pre-workout ritual. You should be stretching DURING a workout because your muscles need to be warmed up first. The warmer they are, the more pliable they are.
If you take the meditation and spiritual crap out of Yoga, it's a useful practice. Find ways to stretch each muscle, or look some Yoga poses up online. You'll notice that some stretching positions will work other muscle groups at the same time.
3. Start moving differently. I do some things that you would laugh at if you ever saw it. For instance: I put my shoes and socks on while standing on one foot. Keeping my balance make me use some of the "quick-fire" muscles that aren't typically used during an average work out. Another good thing to do is to take enormous steps while walking through the house. Make them large enough that you can feel your muscle stretch as you take each step. It combines stretching with exercises like lunges. The main thing I had to get over was feeling ridiculous; but who is going to notice, right?
4. Get on the floor and wrestle with the kids. It's good exercise, and it keeps them occupied while you're getting healthy.
I guess the key is to just find ways to push your body when you normally wouldn't. Stretch when your putting dishes in the dishwasher, lunge toward the stack of clothes after you fold each article. Squat all the way to the floor every time you pick up a toy or something. Lift the entire mattress to put the sheets on instead of tucking them in. Just change the way you move to make yourself work a little harder while you are doing things you would ordinarily do anyway.
All of this makes sense to me, and I'm trying to incorporate it in my life as well. I think we just condition ourselves to find the easiest way to do things, and in the long run, it costs us.
Praying for you...
You can do it!!! Think of how good you'll feel when your dreadmill workout is over! Can you eat a sugar free pudding as a sweet treat? I find afternoons are the hardest to resist the food temptations! I try to keep busy...fold laundry, play outside with the kids. (hard to do when it's so cold!). But hang in there! YOU CAN DO IT!! God will give you the strength! And remember that just because you have a bad day or two, just pick up where you left off! We all have days like that and use the freshness of the next day to start again! I'm proud of you for what you're doing! Hang in there and know lots of prayers are coming your way from NC!!!
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