Another lightbulb moment....

Recently I've had another huge lightbulb moment in my life. I've had a few over the years. Read about them here!

But this time it was about exercise and nutrition. It took a long time to admit, but I am officially getting older and that meant big changes for my body. My metabolism is not what it used to be. But I was gung ho to prove that none of that mattered. I could get back to the weight I wanted, if I just worked hard. So I hit the gym...hard...ignoring the signs my body gave me that I was overdoing it. I changed my diet and cut out things I loved. (I was MISERABLE!) I became a little obsessed about it all....but still....none of it worked.

And then one day...I got on the floor to do some stretches and ab work and when I stood up pain radiated through my body. And I knew. It was the last straw. That was five months ago and my back is still not right. It might not ever be. It's a chronic condition I've lived with for many years and I know how to handle it. I shouldn't have let myself ignore it.

So I kind of woke up. I had to accept one thing in my life that I might not ever be able to change. And it sucks. Big time. It sucks to work hard and see zero results. It sucks to know I can't push harder because of where I'll end up. It sucks to know I might be stuck like this forever..in a body I'm not really all that happy with.

But I refuse to sacrifice my happiness (I like to eat delicious food! Not all the time, not every day, but on occasion. I know how to use moderation. I refuse to eliminate things from my life completely.) I refuse to do things I know will lead to me being unable to enjoy activities with my kids because I'm in too much pain.

So here I am...doing what I can to stay healthy and happy. I'm trying my best, and that's all any of us can do.

Have you had a fitness/dieting/nutrition lightbulb moment?

New Year, New You???

Every year, media tells us we need to become a different person in the new year. If that's what you want...then go for it! Give it all you've got and don't stop until you're reached your goal! But I'm pretty happy with who I am. :)

Of course, there are some things I'd like to strengthen though.

Health and fitness always seems to be everyone's top resolution. Which sometimes only lasts for like a month...two tops. I've been making gradual changes for years, and I'm pretty happy with where I am. I came to a realization within the last year that I was unwilling to accept at first. But I am now better off because of it (Getting old SUCKS! But it's inevitable).

One change I have made is to accept life and not punish myself with food. I did a restrictive diet earlier this year because I was in a very desperate place. But it made me miserable. I woke up and now I do my best to plan out a healthy diet. I follow the moderation rule and have no qualms with splurging and eating things that make me happy. On occasion. I refuse to call it "cheating". I think the term "cheat day" is awful and no one should use it. It implies guilt. Cheating is not a positive term.

So this year I plan to nourish this plan for moderation and well-balanced diet and life :)

I plan to do find ways to work within my limitations when it comes to exercise. I can't be the person I need and want to be if I'm laid up on the couch because I'm in pain.

I will cultivate the relationships in my life, spend more time with the people that raise me up, who love and support me, and give less time-including my mental time- to the ones who don't.

Continue to plan fun family events and cherish the time I have with my kids, but no longer let others make me feel guilty for spending adult time with my husband and friends. My kids are important, but I need adult time too. I am a better parent because of it.

And of course, I have big plans for my career! If things go well, this will be another stellar year for me!

Happy 2015!

What do you do for exercise??

One of my 2010 New year's resolutions was to get in better shape...tone, lose a few pounds, etc.. Hubby and me joined a gym on Jan. 2nd.

I had tried in the past to exercise at home- various DVD's(pilates and Dancing with the Stars Cardio Dance) but as much as I did enjoy them, it was easy to skip it, especially when I was trying to do pilates and my son thought it a great thing...he could climb over me and under me and try to slide off of me. So yeah...it didn't work so well. Plus, the cost of joining a gym would be a huge motivator for us. If we were paying for something every month we would be far less likely to let the money go to waste. The gym we joined, Fitness 19, was extremely affordable, even with paying for childcare for our son.

So we went almost every day during the week. Hubby was on midnight shift then and we went as soon as our daughter got on the bus. After that we'd come home and he'd go to sleep. It worked real well for a while, but then hubby switched shifts-back to days- and it started to be hard for him to find time to go. I still went and was well on my way to meeting the goals I had set.

But it started to get really boring. The gym we'd joined was pretty small and offered no classes. Many of the machines I liked to use were often taken and most days I left having not done all I wanted to do.

Then a new gym opened close to us- a World Gym. Brand spanking new and HUGE!!!! We switched and got an awesome pre-sale price (how could you not join for $8.99 per person per month??? They have every machine under the sun, several variations of each machine too. And they have classes!! I am in love with Zumba!!! I was just going Tuesday and Thursday mornings, but I'm trying to go Monday and Wednesday afternoons as well!

Hubby is determined to get back on the horse for 2011 and we have made some changes to our weekly routine. He should be able to go at least 3-4 nights a week, plus his days off, which change week to week.