"Commit to Recommit"

What a powerful message this is. I was reading an article this morning at caloriecount.about.com and the message was recommitting to your weight lose program. Mommycarlen3 spoke about having to recommit to losing weight and how changing just one thing a month has helped her get to a healthier weight. I know she is much younger then I am, but I'm sure that recommitting myself to losing weight and becoming healthier will be the same. I also know that I will not lose weight as fast as Mommycarlen3 did because of my age, but losing anything will be a plus in my book. Thank you for the encouragement Mommycarlen3, and also for the great catch phrase, "COMMIT TO RECOMMIT", I just love that!

Teamwork

Thanks to my wonderful husband Jim, I am now able to walk AND run on my treadmill. He's my hero!!! Even better then having the treadmill fixed is that now Jim and I exercise together in the afternoons. We have the treadmill and an exercise bike and each day we switch the equipment we use. So far it's working out great, though I'm sure when we get to a longer walk/run, the person on the bike will have trouble walking when they get done. :-) We're taking it at a moderate pace for now, don't want to overdo. Wish us luck and happy exercising.

IT'S WORKING!!!!!

The treadmill that is. It's all fixed and works great. Jim did a fantastic job of fixing it and now it's all up to me. I want to be that heart healthy, in better shape, dedicated to exercising woman that I keep preaching about. NO EXCUSES NOW! It's great having the treadmill in the downstairs room because when I'm finished I can just hop in the pool to cool down. Life is good. :-)

The Parts Are Here!

My treadmill parts arrived today. My wonderful husband Jim is going to install them tomorrow morning so I should be up and running (literally) by Friday afternoon. YIPPEE!!!! My whole body needs to get into better shape, and that includes my heart. Treadmill walking or running gets your body moving and strengthens that all important muscle in your chest. A healthy heart is a happy heart! I'll have no excuses after the treadmill is repaired and all of this "I'll start tomorrow" crap will just have to stop. Sure hope I don't collapse! :-)

The Journey

My journey to 60 isn't going as good as I would like, you see I'm not doing what I need to do to change. Sure I keep saying things like "tomorrow will be different", "this time I'll make the leap to success", etc. You get the picture. Sad one that it is. I was reading a forum this morning (hence the picture to the left, not quite a self portrait "lol") and there were some really helpful hints and I'd like to share my hints with you.

• Be honest with yourself! Know who you are and who you want to be.
• Think about your relationship with the foods you eat and the exercise you do and what
  benefits you get from those relationships.
• Find someone who has similar health and fitness issues that you can relate to and create a relationship with, via in person or over the internet. Chat rooms and blogs are easy ways to do this.
  
• Remind yourself each day who you want to be and who you are now. Choose the one
  that is healthier and fitter and make your choices for the day be something that your "want to be" self is proud of.
  
• Don't give up! If you believe you can do it, YOU CAN! Give yourself time to accomplish your goal. Remember this didn't happen overnight and it won't go away overnight, but it will go away with your help.

Now if only I could practice what I preach and do all of these steps I'd be in much better shape to welcome my 60th birthday! If I don't do something soon, I'll have to change the title of my blog to "Closing in on 61". :-)

I Know, I Know...

I know, I have not only not posted for a few days, but I haven't really done a lot of exercise either. That "lack of motivation" thing has set in again and my time is not being well spent. I even signed up to monitor some blogs that are motivational, thinking they would work, but no cigar!!! I'm hoping when my treadmill gets fixed (maybe by the end of next week) that I'll get back into the swing of things. Maybe part of my problem is that I don't have a goal in mind. When I had signed up to do the Disney World 1/2 Marathon, I was motivated by the fact that I didn't want to collapse on the course or have the sweepers pick me up half way through. For those that don't know what a sweeper is, let me explain. You're walking or running the course behind the crowd a bit and apparently the organizers don't think you're moving fast enough so they send out the sweepers to sweep you into a van and take you to the finish line. This of course means no medal for all the hard work you did do. If you find yourself in the back of the pack and someone yells "the sweepers are coming, the sweepers are coming", run like the wind and don't let them catch you. Having done this race a couple of times has helped me stay motivated while training, maybe this is what I need to do, sign up for a race. Who am I trying to kid, I just need to get up and get out. Any suggestions?

Life Is Too Short

This is for my friends, old and new. Now if I could only practice what I preach! "lol"

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making
my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love .... I will.


I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.


They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful.
But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.


Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers,
or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and
compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.



I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.
So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their
hair could turn silver.




As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore.
I've even earned the right to be wrong..

So, to answer your question, I like being old. It has set me free. I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever,
but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.. And I shall eat dessert every single day(if I feel like it).