The Wagon...

I just noticed the date of the last time I posted and perhaps the title of this post alludes to the explanation. Yup..I fell off the wagon. I could disclaim that statement and say "in some ways," but the bottom line is that I didn't complete what I set out to do...in its entirety... and only made it half way through. So that's my confession...blogs are about honesty and candor...and there it is. So where do I go from here? I jump back on....

This week Bill and I professed to making exercising our priority. I've been going to the gym, walking the dogs, and he's on a bike ride as I post; his second bike ride this week. Go Bill!

Although we didn't do the no alcohol thing to the extreme I had hoped...we have both learned a lot about ourselves. I can't speak for him, but will speak for myself. I've learned about choices and how MY choices impact my healthy and non-healthy decisions. I realize (as obvious as it may sound) my choices are the one thing (among many in this world) that are in MY control.

So moving forward...a book on the Today Show has me intrigued and thinking about 'mental toughness'. It's a controversial book because of it's blunt approach, but I think I'll like it. "Die Fat or Get Tough" by Steve Siebold explains how fit people think..as opposed to those not fit. I put myself in the not fit category and am prepared for the kick in the booty. I've got my copy on order at Amazon. However, as with any book, video, pill, etc....I'm not WAITING on the book to give me some answer I already know. As I said earlier, I'm jumping back on...NOW

Emotions and choices...

Emotion and choices: the impact of one on the other is proving challenging. I've always known I respond to emotion with food and in some cases alcohol. For example, you've accomplished something you worked really hard for and the reward is a piece of cake or after sweating in the Florida heat doing yard work - sometimes a nice cold beer. Changing that cycle and/or routine is actually what is proving quite challenging. Again, I feel like I need to eat my words of "I like extremes.." because the cold turkey is chilly! Last week...case in point.

A couple of days at work were challenging and even though I came home and took the dogs for a walk (and inevitably sweated a LOT out), I STILL wanted my shoulders to relax and come down to their normal position; and for me, this typically means a glass of wine. Another day, I was so angry at a couple of different things that I didn't care what I ate; chips, chocolate, peanut butter, let's have it all! What did it matter?! Again, the relationship between the two is...is...I can't even think of the word. Frustrating, intriguing, ridiculous, manipulating.... Why when I KNOW I want to make wiser choices would this even be an issue? I can resist the temptation, or can I?!

Perhaps my dear husband described it best when I was frustrated with myself one evening. It's a routine. It's a way of thinking I've conditioned myself to and in this 30-day challenge I'm trying to change those behaviors and associations. I'd say I've done well 80% of the time, but as a perfectionist I want 100%!! I guess I wouldn't have called it a challenge if I knew it was going to be easy and I was going to be perfect at it the first time around :)

And so...I continue to try.

In Control...

Several times today I've pondered how to articulate this post. Why? Because I had two beers last night. Hear me out....

It was a choice...a conscious, thought out choice and one Bill and I made together. It wasn't a beer of boredom, it wasn't a beer because of stress, it wasn't a beer 'just because'...it was a beer I decided I wanted. This week has been worthwhile and I plan to continue my 30-days in light of last night's choice. I knew when we started this that I couldn't describe one finish line or "goal" of this challenge because I knew I'd reap several rewards along the way. This week - case in point.

It feels good to take control of what I put in my body...something I haven't been doing very well for the last few months. I took control this week and made many good choices - fewer condiments (I'm a condiment freak), even more water (I'm up to at least 2 liters a day), no soda, no splenda, and no junk food. Oh yeah, and Monday - Thursday...no alcohol. So when it came to Friday, I made a choice and still feel in control.

As for the weekend - so far so good; healthy choices ensue and I plan to improve upon them even more next week. The worst of this is...perhaps I'm not the extremist I thought I was in the beginning and that's okay by me; I'm human and happy....

Splendid!!

Splendid it was...my day, that is. But Splenda - that's really what I had on my mind today. I thought a lot about Splenda, refined sugars, and carbonated beverages. Believe it or not..I DID get some work done in between all that thinking :)

As I mentioned, I'm in love with my subscription to Women's Health and those articles are what have me thinking of making a change. I've come to notice the morning coffee with splenda promotes a headache. I always thought it was the fact that I drank 3 cups - perhaps the caffeine?! So my experiment this week is to AT LEAST remove the splenda and next week I'll try to reduce the amount of coffee - rocket science, I know, but baby steps along this challenge!

And carbonated beverages? I think giving up those is breaking my heart more than the separation with Splenda. I LOVE my diet coke, diet Mountain Dew and even flavored (carbonated) water! But an old colleague informed me - they stretch the stomach..making us feel hungrier than we actually are. And although I'm really not going to believe EVERYTHING I read or hear along the way -I trust this one (from the source) AND from personal experience! The only problem is - I still love the bubbles. So we're still kind of friends with benefits this week...

Starting Line...

Today was a breeze...Granted, I wasn't the portrait of perfect health and exercise today, but you've got to start somewhere and as it turns out - today was better than yesterday..so there's my start.

I actually really enjoy the anticipation of a personal challenge like this. I think I'm someone who likes extremes when it comes to my personal development. It's the in between that causes me to fall victim to my own wavering will power, indecision, or momentary lapses of motivation. And..it helps...that Bill is in this with me - we're in it together. We've both committed to ourselves and to each other...and as I mentioned - accountability is SERIOUS when pinky swearing with Mr. Reeves.

So where are we starting from?! From a weight stand point - I'm 5'8'', 150 pounds. My honey is 5'8'' at 175. As far as our routine, we're great about cooking at home during the week, but we love a good happy hour on Friday nights and typically a date night most Saturdays. And let's put all our cards on the table...during the week - a cocktail, beer, glass of wine (or two) seems to REALLY relax the neck muscles when the day may have seemed like it would never end. As for exercise - other than a walk to the park with the babies, a car washing, or cleaning the house - we haven't made a point to put this in our routine. So there you have it....us...

Therefore, the goal over the next 30 days is to be more deliberate in making healthier choices (and of course the non-negotiable is...no alcohol). My immediate motivation is starting to shed the "Newlywed Nine" (as I've come to affectionately call it) and secondly, our family's beach trip with both of our families at the end of August.

Life is grand and focusing in on ourselves will only make it better...stay tuned.

Sunday, July 12, 2009 - Anticipation

It was just yesterday as my husband and I were lounging around - somewhat rendered incapable of doing anything else because of an enjoyable Friday night out - that I came across an article. Lately, I've been in love with my subscription to SELF and Women's Health Magazine and often check out what they have online as well. It was an article about weight loss and the top 5 things you should be doing (or not doing)...eat breakfast, eat 6 small meals, exercise, and no alcohol. It was the 'no alcohol' thing that got me thinking (perhaps on this particular day that my head was aching from the delicious wheat beer I had enjoyed the night before). The article claimed going 4 weeks without alcohol would reveal significant weight loss (because of the decreased sugars, useless calories, damage to metabolism, etc). I read this part of the article out loud to Bill, my husband, and he put out his pinky and said, "Let's do it". Pinky swearing with my husband is like signing in blood! It doesn't matter how quick he is to extend the 'agreement,' but when he does...you know he's committed. I have to admit...for this reason I hesitated. I can't pinky swear him and let him (and ultimately myself down) if I get weak and can't 'recharge'. He reiterated to me that when he says he's going to do something...he does it (DUH...I already knew this or else I would've immediately grabbed his pinky, threw my head back and laughed and said "ok..whatever".

But instead...I thought about it. It's something I've wanted to do for awhile now - recharge - and now I have the love of my life on board. You would've thought I planned it this way, right?! So after just a few seconds of contemplation...I extend my pinky and we agree. We're going to go alcohol-free, exercise more, and eat healthier for the next 30 days (at least). We're not sure..considering it's the night before the pact begins, what all of that looks like, but we're both committed and we can't wait to see....

Bill and I have been married for 8 months and we've spent the last year celebrating...as many engaged, newly married couples do. As we approach our one-year anniversary, it's only fitting that we want to revisit the health and passion for being the best we can be...again. We're a happily married couple with an exciting social life - always something to do, always an engagement to attend, never a shortage of cocktails or good food. It's a struggle many newlyweds and 'social couples' contend with and in the next 30 days I want to share what it's like to attempt to create the balance and 'recharge'....