The Have and Have Nots

THE HAVE(S):

* GOALS!

        In order to successfully do anything, it's important to have goals. Most things I've read suggest small goals, but not too many, that lead to a big goal. For me, this means setting weekly goals in different facets of my life. My summer weekly goals will be set on Sundays and may vary depending on what events or situations I know will be occurring during the upcoming week. 

        

        Today, I'm setting my goals for the next week and a half. I'm going to break them into a few different categories.

             1) Nutrition:  

                  a) Record EVERYTHING on myfitnesspal.com

                  b) Brush teeth when the kids do to prevent late night munchies

                  c) Begin Sugar Detox (see info graph below)

                  d) Rejoin Weight Watchers

             2) Health:

                  a) Go to bed at early enough time to get 8 hours of sleep

                  b) Go on a daily walk

                  c) Call Physical Therapist to set up more appointments

              3) Fitness:

                   a) Continue training for RASDAK (if support from PT)

                   b) Plan which classes work into the schedule and GO TO THEM!

* REWARDS!

         Not only are goals important but rewards for reaching set goals are a necessity to keep you on track! Rewards are not just for reaching weight loss/fitness goals, but other goals for work, organization, etc. are important too. Rewards do not need to cost money, should not always include food (especially if your ultimate goal is to lose weight), nor do they need to be complicated. I love the article on Spark People about 50 Non Food Rewards. 

          I have a few rewards already in place but I wanted a visual reward and motivator. I dug out my favorite outfits that I no longer fit into and have hung them in a place to create a visual reminder. My long term goal & reward is to wear these when school resumes. I CAN & WILL DO IT!

*FAITH and SUPPORT

         

        You can do all things through Christ. (Phil. 4:13)  No matter what you are struggling with or working on it is considerably more difficult without support and faith. I'm going to dedicate a whole entry to only this category because there are so many things that I could write a book (some have) about this topic. A quick synopsis, find friends with similar goals that you can rely on to cheer you on and push you when needed. I also encourage prayer and reading scripture as a source of strength, love, and encouragement.

THE HAVE NOTS:

*SUGAR!

      

         Hi, my name is Katie and I have a sugar addiction (as do most Americans). I have decided that the best time for me to break away from the addiction will be this upcoming Monday. It's like ripping off a band-aide and just needs to be done. I found two great sites that give sugar detox instructions:

 Break Your Sugar Addiction in 10 Days  and How to Detox from Sugar in 10 Days.  I don't plan on giving it up for good but I want to know that my will power muscle is still functioning. I also feel it's a good jumping point to get back into healthy eating. Prayers for my family and anyone that runs into over those 10 days, I might be a bear...

*EXCUSES and PITY PARTIES!

        Everyone has their own list of "reasons" they cannot workout. I hear them all the time, sometimes in my own head. I'm too busy. Children. I'm too tired. I don't like it. My ______ hurts so I can't.  The flip side is that if you don't make time, when you finally have the time, your body will be in such bad shape, you won't be able much of anything. I HATE that I can't do weight lifting and boot camp type workouts (seriously) but I know that doing nothing but pout won't help either. Walking, recumbent bike, swimming are all things that can be done without putting too much strain on the body. I also know that returning to physical therapy will also set me on the right track to eventually doing burpees again!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

The countdown to the end of another school year is in sight. I'm very blessed to have had a great year surrounded by great coworkers and students! I love what I do, but I am ready for a brain break and some time to take some professional development courses. My students, despite having senioritis, took the time (with help from the school counselor) to create a binder filled with all the things they loved about this year. It was such a nice gesture, lifted some of the stress, and reminded me to be grateful for all God has given me! 

I also feel that my boys are finally adjusting to our move to Sioux Falls. I don't have to beg them on Mondays to go to school, I haven't heard them say they hate school in awhile, I see them playing with groups of friends during recess times, and chatting it up at baseball and cub scouts. It warms my heart and fills me with hope, as does finding out what's exactly wrong with my little Cooper and setting up a plan, including surgery, which will begin the healing process.

The Bad

Stress is my arch nemesis. Spring is always stressful in teaching for so many reasons. Testing usually happens in the spring months. Kids begin checking out as soon as it gets nice outside. We're all trying to fit in teaching with all the other end of the school year activities. This year I have the added "bonus" of still being in a transition mode, 6th grade graduation mass, 6th grade musical, and having an injury preventing me from my favorite exercising activities. I know this sounds crazy to most people I know, but I really miss hard core working out, whether it's boot camp, spin w/tabata, or chisel (weight lifting class). I love pushing myself mentally and physically and the feeling of accomplishment with physical exhaustion. I miss the self discipline and physical health I had not too long ago.

The Ugly

I've hit an extremely low point with my weight, and I don't mean that the pounds are low. Sadly, none of my clothes are fitting. I am constantly reminded of how much I've gained when I try to put on any of my clothes and when Timehop reminds me of how I looked last year and even the year before at this time. I desperately miss feeling fit.

The ugliest part for me was when I went to find a dress for our 6th graders graduation mass. I grabbed dress after dress and, when I looked in the changing room mirror, saw someone that I didn't recognize. A person that's not taking care of herself, lost ambition and self worth. It was a moment I will remember for it filled me with despair and left me heart broken.

Subsequent Course of Action

Over the last few months, I've tried many things to shake myself out of this alternate reality, where eating relieves stress and health takes a back seat. I'm trying to recreate the essence of optimism and the desire to give it 110% (and then some). I have tried to recreate things that have worked in the past but have truly lost all intrinsic motivation. I've made a motivational chart with different, non food related, rewards. I have created a visual with marbles and a glass jar to show pounds to lose and pounds lost. I have a gym membership. I feel as if my motivation is marooned to an island completely inaccessible.

I will push forward and look to internet sites, such as Master Motivation, to try to spark something. Creating a vision board is also in my plans. I will continue to pray for a speedy recovery with PT. I intend to push through/ get through all of these problems and to look at them as bump in the road, not a new journey of misery. It seems daunting, being in the midst of it all, but things will improve because they HAVE to improve!

More to come... after some needed sleep...