National Body Challenge Update

Just so you know I will NOT be posting my weight on this sight. That is a number best left between me and my God.

I will though be posting occasionally the types of exercise activities I have been engaging in as a way to keep myself motivated and possibly to motivate someone else to try them (or not).

Today I spent a half hour walking briskly (well just above the slow setting actually) on the treadmill, while I was reading The Conversion of Augustine written by Romano Guardini in case anyone is interested in what I am reading as well.

Then I did 1/2 hour of Yoga with a video I got from Walmart. It is called Yoga for the Core. It was very invigorating as this segment was intended to energize me rather than strengthen any one area of my body.


I am being pretty faithful to five days of exercise a week with two days free, though I do count Ballroom dancing class as an exercise day (hey you try it and then you tell me it isn't a full body workout!).

On the free days I park my car farther away and try to walk a little more quickly on my errands and things like that without intentionally doing any real exercising.

So far I feel pretty good.

I may or may not post some of the changes in my diet, but as I said before, I am really only focusing on making healthier choices without really counting calories or doing anything that would be considered dieting at this point.


Pax

Improvement Time

So I have decided that I am finally over my virus that I got at Christmas and sufficiently back to a level of well being that will permit me to begin to do something about my general state of health. In other words it is time to

GET IN SHAPE.

Mrangelmeg is always after me to go to the YMCA with him, but he goes at 9:00 at night! I did try to go with him a few times but it was disastrous. By that time in the evening the most energy I can muster is to keep my eyes open and laugh heartily at whatever we are watching on television. I am just not a high energy evening person.

Not for nothing, but I could stand to lose a few pounds (like most of us, but maybe me more than some). I am sure that my arthritic joints, especially my knees would love to be carrying around less weight. I could stand to strengthen my back which is giving me a bit of trouble again. As for my abs, I would not be surprised if someone asked me when the baby were due, that is what I think when I look at my flabby tummy.

So anyway, I did something radical yesterday. I registered for the Discovery Health National Body Challenge which offers exercise and diet tips and promises 8 weeks to a healthier you. Of course, because of my food allergies, most of the meal plans are ones that I will not be able to use, but I might be able to adapt them, but I can use the exercise planner and some of the motivational tips and other helps on the site to keep me on the right track. I have promised myself that I will keep this going for at least 8 weeks, and I will make myself accountable by keeping a record of both diet and exercise.

On the diet end I am not going to focus so much on calories as on portions. No more sitting down with a huge snack of chips or some other empty calorie snack in the afternoon. I am going to start making more intelligent choices. More fruits and vegetables and less processed foods. More lean meats and the use of my new George Foreman G5 I got for Christmas to make healthy grilled preparations.

For exercise I am going to start using the exercise equipment and videos and DVDs that I have collected over the years. Three to five mornings a week I am going to set aside some time to actually move my body. I have a nice little collection of equipment, so I shouldn't get bored or have to use anything so often I get bored. When I feel like I won't embarrass myself because I am so wimpy I might even venture out to the YMCA some morning and use the workout equipment there or take a swim or something.

Who knows, when the weather gets warmer I might even get my old bicycle overhauled and take it out on the wonderful bike trails we have here in town.

I am really committed to this, I think the only way I am going to get completely healthy is to whip this body back into some semblance of muscle tone and endurance. What I am trying to say is that I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I am declaring 2007 to be the year of the new and improved angelmeg. Here is how the pledge is worded:

I, angelmeg, challenge myself to do my best to eat healthy, whole foods
every day, to get up and omve around more, to make the time to exercise, a to
keep a log of my progress. By doing so, I'm improving the quality of my
own life and my loved one's as well.

I will keep you updated as I go along.

Pax

Resolutions I Plan to Keep

1) I plan to wake up each and every day this year, and eventually to actually get out of bed.

2) I plan to talk to each of my children as often as I can, even if they don't talk to me first, AND even if I have to chase them down and make them talk to me. (teenagers what can I say)

3) I plan to laugh.

4) I plan to breathe as deeply as I can as often as I can (hey, you get asthma and then you will understand how important this one is)

5) I plan to have completed all of the requirements for my Masters program by the end of this calendar year (if the good Lord is willing and the creak don't rise as they say around these parts.)


6) I plan to make sure that mrangelmeg knows how much I love him every day.

7) I plan to write more intentionally than I have done in the past.

8) I plan to keep learning about God through study and spiritual direction.

Pax