Quitting time is 10 pm

For as long as I can remember I enjoy a tasty snack - salty or sweet, sometimes both, and usually late at night or early in the morning depending how you look at it.  A couple of posts ago I introduced you to my Slobberin' Sal the Snacker.  Well one way I am try to kick my snacking habit (or at least take more control of it)  is to not eat anything after ten p.m.  For a lot of people this is a super simple rule.  However, I am a late night owl who loves to veg in front of the tv with a bag of chips (not for quite awhile) or a big bowl of ice cream (I will plead the fifth to that last discretion :) .  But I do get the munchies horribly late at night which is not good.  A book I am reading points out how our bodies don't require the carbohydrates at night especially enough to fuel a marathon. And I do love a carb overload kind of snack late at night in front of my guilty tv pleasures (reality tv at its finest!).  Also I tend to wash these snacks down with a wonderful carbonated diet beverage that I like to call pop :)  Another guilty pleasure I am trying to curb.  We are roughly twenty fours away from the Lenten season and though my denomination does not encourage a sacrifice during this Holy Season I believe it is a practice that I like to participate.  I find it challenging, comforting, and an opportunity to show God my weakness and connect with the Trinity in asking for strength to kick out unhealthy habits and unholy rituals.  And my drinking pop has sadly had its moments of idolatry.  So it is time for me to let go of this bit of unhealthiness at least for the Lenten season (Hurry up Easter!).  I tried last year to give up my diet soda and sadly I was too weak in the eleventh hour.  I just clung to my chemical, caffeine, carbonated liquid.  I have tried to wean myself off to avoid the withdrawal headaches if at possible. 

Hopefully (hands clasped), these two small diet changes will work together to lessen my cravings and continue to up my energy (and the compliments :)  My hard work is actually being noticed in the real world and that is so affirming.  It boosts my confidence, increases my pride, and drives my determination to kick some of  this extra fat to the curb for good.  I am getting compliments on my appearance which is nice but an even better affirmation is hearing enthusiasm in my own voice.  For instance, today I received a call from a program with my insurance.  Since I have some medical conditions (diabetes, high BMI, and blood pressure issues) that place me in the high risk category for poor health I have to speak with a nurse that checks in with me that I am keeping a close monitor on these conditions (meeting my doctor , aware of my "stats/numbers/readings", continuing to improve my exercise and eating habits.  This was our initial "meeting" and I was pretty pumped to talk about my health.   It feels good to say why yes I just met with my doctor last week and these are my awesome results.  A perfectly good stranger is proud of my progress.  Usually, I take these kind of programs and nod my way out of the conversation like a bobble-head.  Yup, yes, sounds good, nope no questions, yep will work on that, *nod* smile "great idea" yep I 'll get back to you.  But today I had answers to share, a smile on my face, and had no problems sharing the truth.  I didn't feel ashamed, embarrassed, or shy.  This is a pretty big deal for me.  She asked how I would rate my health ( poor to excellent).  I hate one word answers - black and white scales.  Say one number or one word.  I live too much in flux to say yes I am at a level 4 or a level 9.  Because if I answer that it is in that one second I can answer but you want an average.  Interviewers want one concrete answer to write in their survey for "accurate" results and clean averages.  Well life is messy, especially mine so you will always get an on the border reply.  I don't like to be caged in and just to keep your numbers neat and tidy isn't a good enough reason for me to lie.  I answered I would say a "high good" or "the brink of very good".  But as a nurse she is reading my ailments and my weight.  That does not compute or sounds like I am in denial.  So I continued my answer "  I finally feel like I have control of my nutrition and exercise."  And explained some of my number results and she was pleased with my progress.  Is there room for improvement - always!  But I am a long way from the person who started this HealthFULL Journey who took two days of debate to share my weight on my facebook status and after I did immediately signed off and freaked out at home.  Not checking back for twenty-four hours.  Now I am excited to talk about some of my experiences on my HealthFULL (Fully Understanding Life by Living) Journey; what I feel has been successful and what didn't really work for me. 

So off to a little television watching with no snack (because quitting time  is 10 pm) and a nice giant cup of water.  There is one pop can chilling in my fridge for my Mardi Gras Hurrah!  And with my pedometer closing out at 10,036 I feel it is time to bid adieu.

May your HealthFULL Journey include many affirmations that remind you the extra efforts (big or small) really are helping to shape the best possible version of you. 'Til we meet again. . .

That first step. . .

This whole journey has been filled with first steps.  Retrying first steps. Re-doing first steps. Repeating first steps.  And the whole process after a strong first step ...baby steps.  So many times I charge gung ho down the trail.  Let's do this!  We can do it!  This feels awesome!  To quickly retreat the next day (or halfway through my own personal pep rally) thinking have I lost my mind?  I can't do this....I don't want to...this stinks....no fun! ....and blah blah blah.  Sometimes I argue with myself just put the tennis shoes on.  If nothing else happens so be it.  But at least tie the freakin' sneakers unto your feet.  So I tie my sneakers and never have I decided that was enough.  I figure once I have the shoes on my feet I might as well use them.  I work great with boundaries.  I tell myself "You just have to do one lap but should probably stop after four laps.  Or walk as much as you can in fifteen minutes."  This gives me limitations so I don't feel like I have to walk to New York and back to feel I've accomplished my task. Challenging enough to get me off the couch but not overwhelming that I feel there is no point to give up the lounging. 

Also I need something to add change to the daily work-outs.  For awhile the new DVDs from the library were great motivators.  Then my goal to cover an extra mile boosted me to walk daily.  On the new horizon I have a new pedometer.  Noticed I said new?  Yup I have tried the pedometer in my past.  But I didn't like mine it didn't motivate, actually it discouraged me.  I had purchased one with the intention of walking 10,000 steps a day as that should be my goal according to an article I read at my heaviest.  At my heaviest weight this might be shocking news.  I was not walking anywhere near 10,000 steps.  I wasn't even walking 5,000 steps a day.  I was walking in the ballpark of 2,500 steps a day.  That included work, leaving my apartment, getting ready and I barely covered a mile within a day.  That is heartbreaking. And discouraging.  I was barely covering a 1/4 of my goal.  So without much intention I began to forget my new friendship with the pedometer and let it stink into the miscellaneous drawer with much adieu.  However, now I am ready to add the pedometer into my daily routines.  My average routine consists of 5,000 steps without even trying. (Vast improvement from seven years ago).  This pedometer is actually a tool purchased by my company to encourage a healthier lifestyle.  My cost is zero dollars which makes this free!  Who doesn't love a bargain these days.  It tracks your progress online and rewards you for the different milestones you achieve with different prizes.  Ahh now some friendly competition - excellent!  I have worn my pedometer for three days.  The established goal is to walk 7,000 steps a day at least five days a week.  But in my head sits that old nagging number of 10,000.  Because once you hit 7,000 why not try for 10,000.  However you get extra points for walking 12,000 steps in a day.  So on my third day once I hit my 10,000 (which I had done the first two days!) why not try for 12,000 and I did. Hopefully you can read the 12,069 in the picture as proof I'm really doing this.  I really am onboard this time to be the healthiest I can be. 

I am not the only one "stepping" up my "A" game.  As a Valentine's Day surprise our little boy decided to take his first steps.  Five to mommy and five to daddy.  I figure if my son is going to start walking; I better push myself past that first step as well. 

May your HealthFULL Journey begin with that first step and quickly multiply.  'Til we meet again. . .