Mental and Physical Re-Set

I am again re-setting my fitness goals. I am not apologizing for the gaps--this is just life, right? This whole journey is about making long-term lifestyle changes; not JUST working to lose some weight, but working to be a healthier person overall. I've changed the header of the blog to reflect this. What started out as a 90-day challenge has definitely morphed into something greater than that, which was the whole idea from the beginning. And life will cause periods of inactivity or over-eating or sickness, or any one of a thousand things that can get you off track. I will be glad to re-set as many times as I need to to keep heading toward the goals.

It's been a tough year for getting in shape. I've been sick a LOT, which has been quite frustrating. And then March--well--that was a wash in the name of high end eating and eating. It wasn't intentional to cluster so much high end dining all together, but that's just how it worked out. I can't say I regret that part--food and food experiences can be amazing, and Jason and I have been to Poole's Diner, Chef and the Farmer, The Boiler Room, Beasley's Chicken and Waffles, Mother Earth Brewing Company, and The Oakleaf, all during the month of March, in addition to a few trips to our local pub and out for good local sushi. Whew! April has been about getting back to cookingand eating at home, but we've been really off-schedule, which affects everything. Here's some of what's happening right now:

• You'll see that I've posted all of the pretty things from walks that I've taken since my last post. I like having those recorded here for posterity, and they make the blog way prettier than all my words do.
• I am back to the farmers market every weekend for fresh veggies. Yay for Spring! It makes such a difference in how I think about food, and how I cook and eat to have this wealth of local produce and meat available to me!
• We took the kids for a hike yesterday for the first time in a couple of weeks--we ALL needed it, and it was glorious to be in the woods! Hiking on the weekend really motivates me to keep moving during the week!
• The boys have started swimming lessons. I am giving that a little bit of time to see how it goes, but it sure would be cool if I could swim laps while they have their lessons. Something I am considering.
• This week is Make-It-To-Your-Classes week. I am seriously going to try to get them all in. I have been slack about that the past month because of some relentless stuffiness that MUST be allergies, even though I've never had them before. I can't let whatever it is stop me, though--I am starting to feel gross and sluggish again, and I DO NOT LIKE IT ONE BIT!

Here's what I have realized: I have to track. And the emphasis there should be on the word, "I." Some people don't need to do it. Some people HATE doing it. Some find it DE-motivational instead of stimulating. But for me, tracking brings discipline. For me, if i don't track my workouts and my eating choices, then I somehow don't feel like I am getting credit for them. This may go back to my childhood and my need to get points for all my right answers. I don't know. What I do know is that, when I am actively tracking everything, the self-inflicted accountability keeps me motivated, and it makes me not want to mess it up. So prepare to be re-inundated with everything. I will never meet my goals if I don't record my actions.

With all the craziness of the past few months, I've re-gained some weight. My goal is to get that back off, get headed back in the right direction toward the weight I want to be, and most importantly, to get to a place where I feel strong and healthy!