Easter Love

Here we are at Easter. Do you remember those days?

 From Christ in Poetry by Thomas Curtis Clark and Hazel Davis Clark
               
I had to memorize a speech to be recited on Easter Sunday. In front of everyone. In my itchy, frilly, cute dress. Yes, there were meltdowns, but it made for some nice memories and a commitment to my spiritual future.

Now I have a question for you. Where's the candy? Remove it from the house, your desk, your purse. It's trouble for chocoholics. We just can't stop. Even when we know it will spike our blood sugars, make us hyper, make us irritable, cause tummy upset, we still can't stop. And no, don't hit the after-Easter markdown bins. Who needs a stockpile of chocolate in the house, even if it's in the freezer?

Instead, let's enjoy the holiday. After all, Easter is truly about love, more than any other day. Save those calories for a great meal with your family. It will give you more fulfillment than chocolate ever could.

Back in the Swing

It has been too long since I posted. This is a great outlet, so I need to take advantage of it. Sometimes we let life get in the way of everything, especially doing things for ourselves. We are worthy; we deserve to be healthy. I also struggled with some dietary changes that were a major problem for me.  I hadn't been writing, watching my diet, or working out.  That was not good and I knew better. At the end of last year, I knew that I had to make a change and not let life get in the way again, so I started my journey again. I've lost almost ten pounds since the re-start. Here's the plan:

I am using My Fitness Pal extensively. It is the best way for me to record my intake and exercise. This is a must for weight loss. If you remain in denial about what you're putting in your body, you won't be successful. My Fitness Pal syncs across my devices, so no matter what I use to journal, it's all there. Also, make your journal visible to your friends. That is one more step in the accountability ladder.

My Fitness Pal also provides that community support. Support is also an important tool in successful weight loss and one of the reasons the Weight Watchers program is so successful. I tried to recruit some of my friends and family, but they weren't ready to commit to it. The wonderful thing about MFP is there is always someone else who needs support, encouragement, accountability. I was fortunate enough to already have  several committed friends on the site and I have recently found more. Members post on the forums when they are looking for new weight loss buddies and it's simple to contact them.

I also have a Fitbit. I needed some way to really track how many calories I burn during workouts and this little gadget does the trick. It also monitors my sleep and records how many times I'm "awake". I knew that I moved around, coughed and sputtered without fully waking up and this tells me how much. The Fitbit also keeps track of my steps and stairs and the activities that I normally don't count, i.e., housework, gardening, etc. It syncs with My Fitness Pal and adds activity calories to my available total for the day.

I found an inexpensive gym and joined. I had cancelled my previous gym membership and this one had a great deal and similar amenities. Plus there are Zumba classes every day! I mix classes with my at-home workouts. I have to have a little Jillian or Jeanette in my life too! Also, there is an app Nike Training Club, that has free workouts. I print the gym schedule and post it on my desk along with a personal workout schedule. There it is staring me in the face all day!

There it is in black and white. The plan to once again take charge of my health. As usual, I'm promising myself that I'll keep working. After all, I'm worth it.