Health Blog Intro

One of my favorite posts is from Ralph Waldo Emerson.  It is:

That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed, but our ability to do has increased.

 As long as I can remember, I have struggled to regulate my weight.  I have tried many programs and have had varying degrees of success and failure.  Currently, I am the heaviest I have weighed, and what should be normal activities are strenuous and uncomfortable.  I don't want to continue to stress my body, mind, and spirit like this.  The purpose of this blog is for me to be publicly accountable for my health choices.  I know success won't happen overnight and that I'm relearning years of accumulated habits and tastes, but I'm determined to keep trying.  Also, I want to focus on learning healthy habits, not on weight loss.  I know that as I put sound health principles in place, weight loss will follow.

This blog will be open for comments, and I would really appreciate your words of encouragement and support.  I have such a great support system of friends and family that love me and want the best for me.  If you have tips that you want to leave, that would be great.  Keep in mind, though, that there are a myriad of different health styles that work for different people.  I will gladly apply your help/advice if it fits with my goals for what I want to try and maintain.  I don't want to try too many things, though, and end up not succeeding at any of them.


Current Health Profile:

1.  Physical Activity:

• I have been working out at Curves since April and like the circuit format of the workouts. I got into the habit of working out 3 times a week for half an hour, but over the past month, I have been traveling and have gotten into the "Lazy Summer" routine and am now starting over with creating good habits.
• To increase my daily steps, I try to take Pippin for a walk around our cute little neighborhood park.

2.  Eating Habits:

• I am a sugar-holic and sugars and carbs call to me. 
• The Curves Complete program that I'm on advocates eating 5 smaller balanced meals, pairing healthy proteins and carbs.  I go to their website and select from certain food choices.  It reminds me a lot of Weight Watchers because I get to choose what I eat, but without the points calculations.  They've done it for me on the site.  I think their approach is balanced and lifestyle-oriented instead of limited time fad diet.  I do alright at sticking to sensible eating until I get busy or don't plan my meals.
• My default setting when I am busy or don't plan is not eating much during the day and overindulging in the evenings.

Goals for this week:

1. Write down all my food and activity choices and report back nightly to this blog.
2. Transition back to eating 5 meals a day.
3. Eat whole foods whenever possible.
4. Work out three times a week.
5. Take Pippin on a daily walk

Long-term goals:

1. Learn to eat a whole-foods diet and limit sugars as much as possible.
2. Workout 4-5 times weekly, with increasing ability for length of workout and strength training.

Thanks to everybody who took time to read this today.  It means so much to me to feel secure enough in my friends and family to not worry about judgment, but know you are there for me as I keep trying to "persist in doing" that which is difficult for me to do so that my "ability to do" will increase.