Motivationally Motivated, but not Really Motivated Enough to Stick to My Second Goal and it Caused a Small Fail

          **Note** All my weight was lost using Weight Watchers points plus. I have not and will not use Smart Points **Note**

        It is hard to believe that I am already in week four.  Seems like no time at all. Then it seems like forever and an eternity.  Last week I wanted to get up at 6am and exercise. That way it would be over with and I would not have to worry all day. I am not a morning person so that was a fail.

           I did manage to exercise every day as planned. On Wednesday after hitting the snooze button for like the zillionth time. I was trying to figure out how I could be sick. So that I could get out of exercise. Then I had this moment. I realized that I was almost halfway to my goal and if I didn't exercise, it would be par for the course. I always give up right about that moment.

          So I got up and..............

                                

                                            

                                            ..............took these precious girls out.

             If I didn't take care of them first. They would cry. And I know I don't like the feeling of having to go to the bathroom and being hungry. So in the morning they are my first priority.

             On Friday I had a lot of lemons to zest for a desert that I was making for a party.  That took a lot of energy and even though I think that lemon zesting should be considered an upper body strength training workout. I didn't use that as an excuse not to exercise. I would have before.

       On Saturday, I ate many good things. So grateful that my Weight Watchers points reset on Sunday. And I get to start all over.   Getting to start all over and not beating yourself up for you shortcomings, is fabulous. (And by the way, so are those Lemon Brownies)

(Update) This lady I know from Spark People. She goes by the user name of Eelpie. Has the best quote, Guilt burns zero calories. That was just like my Aha! moment. I add, that guilt does burn a lot of energy. And not good energy, it just sucks the life out of you. (Thanks Eelpie)

**Note: Don't began any exercise or diet program. Or make any health goals without first consulting your doctor.



           

New Goals, Exercise!

        I made it to my third week. And the past two weeks I have exercised as planned! Yeah! Despite last weeks dip in motivation. My favorite motivational quote.

People often say Motivation doesn't last. Well neither do

showers and that is why they are recommended daily. 

~Zig Ziglar

        So this week I have a new goal. I wanted to get up at 6 am every day and exercise. That way I have the rest of the day to do the things I need too and exercise will be over. Today I did not. I just kept hitting the snooze button. I did exercise in the morning. A lot sooner than I did last Monday. Last Monday I exercised at 5 pm. So I consider that a small victory. Thankfully that tomorrow is a brand new day with no mistakes in it. (that came from Anne of Green Gables, I am not sure who said it)

              So do you ever jusr have one of "those" days? That was my morning. First I did not get up when I wanted. Then when I went to take this precious little lady out......

 

 

     The grass murderers, I mean landscapers were outside.  They were outside killing I mean trimming the bushes. And sweet Olivia doesn't like strangers, AT ALL. Strangers with power saws, fuhgedaboudit!

 

           Well at least I exercised. And the day is beginning to look up. Let's see what the rest of this week brings. Being hopeful is fabulous.

 



**Note: Don't began any exercise or diet program. Or make any health goals without first consulting your doctor.

Where is My Motivation?

         Last week I did well. I exercised like I planned, five days and at least thirty minutes. I got my little prize for exercising.  It was a tube of mascara. I figured I would tell you. I know that you all were waiting with baited breath. I felt my motivation waning, but I still exercised. 

         This week, I cannot find my motivation.  I cannot talk myself out of exercise. I am not sick enough to cancel a hair appointment.  It is just that the zippity has gone out of my doo dah.

         Well it is past 4pm and I still haven't found my motivation. Must find my motivation. Where did it go?

         I finally found my motivation and exercised. I wish that I loved it, but I don't. I do feel better for doing it. And at least it is over with today.        

**Note: Don't began any exercise or diet program. Or make any goals without first consulting your doctor.

Please Don't Let Me Become THAT Person

          If you have read my blog, Before and After. You know that I have reached my goal weight. (Yeah Me!) And now I am in maintenance. Even though I have done this, I am attempting to stay humble. (Wait is saying that you are trying to stay humble actually the opposite of humble? I wonder) I don't want to become THAT person. You know THAT person. The one that has lost their weight and they have suddenly become so arrogant. They know everything there is to know about weight loss. And they have no sympathy for anyone else that is in the same place they were in just months ago. You know, THAT person.

        I certainly don't want to become THAT person because I didn't reach my goals by myself. I would not be where I am, without Spark People and Weight Watchers. And my loving family. These tools have been invaluable. Before I found them. I tried all sorts of fads and pills. My wallet became skinnier before I did. Common sense healthy eating is what works. And every bodies common sense approach to healthy eating is different. If you aren't sure where to start. Go to a board certified Registered Dietitian.

          THAT person forgets where they were just a couple months ago. They forget how hard it was to make it to goal. And then they post annoying things on Facebook. THAT person doesn't realize that you catch more flies with honey. Although I still can't figure out why I want to catch flies, but I digress.

          So if you see me becoming THAT person. Please feel free to tell me. I think love and inspiration are the way to go. I want to be a motivator and not an instigator. Because being a motivator is most Fabulous.       


**Note: Don't began any exercise or diet program. Or make any goals without first consulting your doctor.

Before and After!

**Note** My weight was lost on the old Points Plus system. I have not (and will not) be using Smart Points**Note**

This is my before picture. Before Weight Watchers, before I got serious with Spark People.



Before at 143 pounds. These pictures were taken in between August 2013 and February 2014.

Taken this morning June 4, 2014

You all can see why it was important to lose weight. Being an apple shape can put me at a greater risk of weight related diseases.

The weight was lost with Spark People and Weight Watchers. No diet pills or potions. Or fad diets. Just good old fashioned hard work.

**Note: Don't began any exercise or diet program. Or make any goals without first consulting your doctor.



Motivation and New Goals!

     **Note** All my weight was lost using Points Plus. I have not and will not. Use Smart Points. **Note**

     **IMPORTANT NOTE** Exercise is wonderful, but before you start any program. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR. This is my journey. Just make sure that you are healthy enough to exercise before you start any program.

    I have no motivation to exercise. I try to get involved in an exercise program and I just cannot stick to it. I am so jealous of those people that love exercise. Maybe they got my exercise loving genes? And I got their carbohydrate loving genes? On the subject of carbs, I love them and not giving them up, ever. I digress.

    So far with Spark People and Weight Watchers. I have lost 40 pounds. The first 20 with Spark People took a while, because I kept falling off the wagon. I could have saved myself a lot of disappointment. If I hadn't fallen off the wagon. The last 20 with Weight Watchers were all lost in 2014. Both are very good programs in their own right. And it [isn't] Spark Peoples fault that I kept falling off the wagon. Ok there is no use in beating myself up over what is in the past.

     I have started on a new path in my weight loss journey and that is maintenance. Those people that are in maintenance tell me that keeping the weight off is as hard as losing it. I can believe that. If you relax and stop tracking your food. Then it would be easy to start gaining it back. I know that I must track my food for the rest of my life. Whether through Spark or Weight Watchers. I need that feature to keep me accountable.

     So where is my motivation to exercise? I know, it is good for you. It can help prevent disease. It will help you feel better. A pound of muscle takes up a lot less room than a pound of fat. It is a misnomer that muscle weighs less than fat. What happens is fat is like a container of feathers. Muscle is like a piece of steel. You are going to need a lot of feathers to get to add up to a pound. A pound of steel would take up a lot less space. And that is what I want to do. I want to turn my feathers into steel. And yet that is still not enough motivation.

     I like to get prizes. When I was little. I liked earning the chance to pick out of the treasure box. I was always so proud of my little doo dad. I have fond memories of earning VBS bucks and getting to spend them at the little shop in the church basement. And that is how I am going motivate myself to exercise. The prize will be cheap but fabulous.

     My goal is to exercise, five days a week for thirty minutes a day. Every week that I do that. I will give myself a little inexpensive and yet totes fabu prize. And when I continue for six weeks. I get a bigger prize at the end. I have no idea what that will be.  The ultimate prize is a dress from a website called Mod Cloth. The way that fat collects around my tummy. Makes me a plus size at Mod Cloth. I want to be able to buy any of their dresses. And not be disappointed that I have to send it back. That might be a while from now. Maybe at twelve weeks or more. Or maybe six weeks, I hope, I hope.

    And for every six week period of exercise. I get one week of rest. And there are rules. To miss a day of exercise, I have to be sick enough to cancel a hair appointment. The salon I go to, I usually make my hair appointments at least two months in advance. Don't even ask about making a Saturday appointment. I have made those three or four months in advance. And to get another can be difficult. Which is why I don't like to cancel them.

    So I will do that. I will be back every week to share my progress. And the pictures of my cheap but fabulous prize. You don't have to spend a lot of money to be fabulous. 

One of my Favorite Things

     This is what I have always wanted to do with my blog. I have always wanted to review items and give my real honest opinion. You can trust me. I cannot promote a product that I don't believe in. That goes against my moral code.

    It is a toilet cleaning product. Even though scrubbing the toilet bowl is so not fabulous. This item makes cleaning the bowl so much easier. And less time consuming. It makes cleaning so quick and easy. I was so pleased with it that I had to write a blog and tell everyone.

    My favorite thing is the Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Brush toilet bowl cleaner. The heavy duty scrubbing pads are so flexible and get under the rim.  They obliterate that nasty scaly stuff. That builds up in a toilet bowl. Especially the gunk under the rim. I find that the rim is the hardest thing to reach with those other reusable  toilet bowl brushes. And you can discard the brush when you are done. (please follow package directions as to how to discard the brush)  That is another reason that I like it so much. The old reusable brush is just gross and well, ::shudders:: I am grossed out thinking about those nasty reusable brushes.

  http://www.scrubbingbubbles.com/Products/Pages/fresh-brush.aspx