I have a spare...

Yesterday, I told you, I came to realization that I had to DO something NOW or else about my weight/health. Pete told me that I will probably get hate mail now for whining about being over weight when I am already slender. But the thing is this....Pete painted a beautiful picture for me tonight....After telling him I had gained 7 pounds he said..."Just think of that 7 pounds like a bowling ball, that's a lot of extra weight to have to carry around." And that's the truth. I thought about taking Lila to the bowling alley for her birthday. The kids were bowling with 5-6 pound balls. They could barely carry them. Being muscularly challenged, I too grunted when I had to pick up a ball with just my fingers. I know that 5-6 pounds isn't much...for goodness sakes I pick Lyndi up daily. I'm just saying that a person can get tired quickly having to hoist a bowling ball around. Well at least I would!
Here is my biggest problem: FAST FOOD! I came to this realization not too long ago and did well eating Lean Cuisines for a while. But then they turned up having plastic in them. I don't think that I had any that were tainted but the concern that there could be, isn't very appetizing. Plus, after being the office all day, I like to get out. Its fast and its convenient..and normally it wont poison me with plastic...of course, now we are having to watch out for peanut butter...prior to that it was spinach, onions, tomatoes....COME ON PEOPLE! CANT YOU PROCESS OUR FOODS BETTER THAN THAT!!!
So anyway, for the last two nights I have ridden with Pete on one of our cycling trainers for 30 minutes (each night). That is brutal torture. Especially for me! I have really been sedimentary since before I had my heart ablation. I never had any energy to do anything. If I did try to do something, my heart would race and I would get short of breath! What a miserable feeling. Now I KNOW I have to start doing some sort of cardio workout just to get my heart rate down. Once my fitness level improves, my heart rate will also improve.
As I mentioned yesterday, I have been feeling pretty down lately. I think most people who have a problem with their weight understand this reality and even those that don't. Depression can lead to obesity and obesity can lead to depression. Do not assume please that our worst critics are the people/catty women around us...We are an image conscious society....and our WORST critics are OURSELVES! Most husbands wouldn't dare comment on weight. Our kids, they may or may not care or even notice.
In my business, I have been shocked and amazed at the number of women that complain about their weight. Scrawny, bony women come in and you would think they were elephants. And they TRULY believe that they are overweight. One woman came in with THE MOST beautiful legs I have ever seen in my life....oh no...her legs were fat! ALMOST ALL WOMEN WORRY ABOUT THEIR OWN BODY IMAGE!! No matter how much you may try to convince someone that they are beautiful and that they shouldn't beat themselves up so much...it ain't happening! It doesn't do any good to be jealous of how someone else is built..chances are, they are sitting there wishing they looked like someone else! Its crazy!
So if I get the stink eye now over wanting to get in shape and lose 7 pounds, I say this....if anyone reading this is concerned about their own weight, I challenge you TODAY to change just a few small things RIGHT NOW! Stop drinking soft drinks. Drink more water than sweet tea (I say that because I LOVE IT!!!!) Stop late night eating/snacking. Choose to start walking or maybe even start doing Yoga for Beginners. I know its cold outside..that's why my butt hasn't been out there doing anything! And for goodness sakes, if you start a workout, don't kill yourself on the first day or even during the first week! I'm the kind of person that wants it all NOW too...but I know if I injure myself, I wont be able to workout on day 2, 3, 4....
Ok, one could argue that its all easy for me to say this stuff since I'm not in my pre-period, carb/salt craving week! I just scarfed down 4-5 Cinnabon Cinnamon rolls all by myself last week! And Pete will not let me forget that....hehehe I LOVED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM TOO! But I know that behavior like that pushes me just a little closer to that Type II diabetes that runs in my family..and that's not good. That stuff is NO JOKE. Trust me...almost everyone that ends up in the hospital and is on 20 meds has Type II diabetes. I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE!
But I am here to make my own commitment. A commitment to be healthier...to avoid developing diabetes. For goodness sakes, I am already lactose intolerant, I really don't want to have to avoid carbs and sugar the rest of my life too!
Anyway, starting off with some small changes will make a huge difference in the long run. And hopefully I will have will power when the hormones kick in this month! Those things are no joke either! But if anyone is interested, send me a note! Ill be glad to send some encouragement your way..not to be HOT after losing 30 pounds...no....to be HEALTHIER after losing 10 pounds and on the way to avoiding health problems.
My goals are to lower my heart rate by improving my cardiovascular fitness, improve my lung capacity, lose my 7 pounds and improve my MENTAL HEALTH. If you think that 7 pounds are joke...talk to me when I am feeling down and out. Depression, anxiety and stress are huge contributors to poor health and over all sense of well being. I really, really don't want to have to deal with those issues any more than I have to!