Baby Steps

Happy Saturday!!!!    It has been a loooong week!!!   Both jason and I have lamented about the length!    We have pondered why and I just today realized that this is the first week that I have worked a full work week in about two or three months due to a plethera of vacation days that I had to use by the end of the year!    Luckily only a few hours of work today (Saturday morning) and I'll be free as a bird until Tuesday morning!!...no work in Tuesday due to Martin Luther King day!)

This morning on the way to work I decided I needed a Pepsi.  I don't know if I accidentally hit the button for regular Pepsi versus diet...or maybe they have the wrong one hooked up.....or if i just haven't had a diet Pepsi in so long that I'm not used to it...but man it tastes so sweet.  I am actually choosing the water more often than I am the pop!  Amazing for me!!!

The weather has been nuts!!!  It was frigid cold last weekend....snowy on Tuesday....66° in Thursday and back to snow and ice forecasted for today.  Nuts I tell you!

I talk about the weather because I do plan on getting my be-hind out and running again.  Seriously...I do!!!   But well...  could and snow just make it difficult for me!  In fairness the warm day I did make it out on my bike. We rode on the canal for a while and walked at the city park too!   The ride was brutal as we were pedaling through mud which honestly feels as if you are riding in flat tires....optimum output of energy!  

The ride emphasized the need for me to get to the gym to ride an exercise bike on days when I am not running (when I start!!). That will make riding this spring (or on warm days this winter) so much more enjoyable!!   I swear...this week for sure!!!

My eating... my choices have gotten better since my sarcastic post!  That is good. There is definitely still room for improvement!!!

Here is the total caloric intake.

And of course the intake netted with my activity...see what a different an active day (Thursday) makes???

My eating has gotten better because I am keeping myself busy in the evenings with my dollhouse projects.  It's easier to it want to snack when my hands are covered in paint or glue!!! 

This week I have made a quilt rack...

and I have worked on building my new dollhouse.  

Baby steps in this journey I am on.   Fixing small problems (like the evening snacking out of boredom)!  This is all going to come together and I will start seeing results!   I know it!!! I am determined!!!

I haven't weighed myself since Thursday. On Thursday I was back at the same weight that I was at last week...so who knows.  Crossing my fingers and praying for the best for my next official weigh in!!!

Avalanche

Grrrrr. Somehow my Saturday post didn't go live!   So I guess another day where we have two posts!!

How do I want to die???

Do I want to die at the age of 50 when my hover-round that I may have to use at that point because of severe obesity, gets struck my lightening???

Do I want to die at the age of 60, after living in a nursing home for a few years all because of complications from my weight...diabetes, heart disease, burned out knees and hips...a body that can no longer stand the pressure and demands of an obese body???

But maybe....just maybe I can be 70 years old and standing on the summit of a mountain that I just hiked....and planning on hiking a thru-trip of the Appalachian trail.

Maybe...just maybe I can be 80 years old and biking the whole length C&O canal on a tandem bike with Jason!

Maybe at 90 or 100 or even plus some  I will die. We are not immortal.  But Maybe I will be the death that everyone talks about...the 100 year old lady that was out extreme skiing and died in a freak avalanche!!  

There is no guarantee as to how long we live. I think we all know that. But there are choices that we make in our life that can influence the when and how....so my question is this....

How do I want to die??

I don't want to die when my hover-round /lark/wheelchair gets struck my lightening!  I want to go out shaking my fist at the world and living life to the fullest!  

So what does that mean?  That means that right here and right now I have to make changes!!!!   Now is the time to fix the unhealthy habits in my life. Now is the time to create healthy habits that will increase the odds of a healthy long lasting active healthy life!

I have slowly been implementing these changes.

I've been tracking my food.

I've been trying to increase my water intake (and tracking it)

I've challenged myself to 2017 miles in the year 2017 in an attempt to move more.

I'm really trying!

I want to live...and with Jason in my life, all of a sudden I want to live even more! I want to grow old with him and have a fun active life!

So this weekend I made a vow.  This weekend I decided that my quest for my steps wasn't enough. I needed to step it up.  I didn't aim big.  I knew that there were two days that I would be leaving for work at 7AM and two days that I wouldn't be leaving until 9AM.  My goal?  Exercise two times!   That is two outside runs.  Optimistically I would like to get to the gym early on those 7AM days...but I set my goal at 2 days.  I want to have a victory and not yet another failure!

This morning I woke up and laid in bed.  It was dark outside.  I knew I wasn't going out to run yet.  I laid there and relaxed. And then I started to try to reason my way out of running!  The weather was probably bad!   It was dark.  Was that a pain in my side???   

Then I read a post on Facebook where some people were putting their daily goals out there.   And they were aiming for 5 times this week!  Or even more!  Yeah...I felt like a wuss!!!  I posted and declared my goals...and furthermore announced my plan to run!!   Oh yeah..as soon as I did it, I kicked myself!!!

But it motivated me to get up and get dressed!!!

And then I looked at the dollhouse I am building. I worked on the porch and bay window last night...it was taped/clamped.  I so wanted to see it.  So I sat down, dressed for my run to check it out!!

Yup..looked good! 

But then I thought about the bathroom and kitchen...the first two rooms I will tackle when it is completely done.  I wanted to see how the bathroom stuff that I have would look and get an idea of the layouts!!!

I laid paper and drew some possible kitchen cabinets on the floor..

Yup..before I knew it it was 7:45...and I had to leave the house for work at 9! (my coworkers usually like me to be showered when I arrive at work..so I was really running out of time!)

I flew...because I was NOT failing!  I stepped outside and my heart stopped!

Wet!!!  It was  raining!!!   But I kept moving and got 2.2 miles in!!!

It was rough....slow...and just not a good run...but does that surprise me?  No, my previous run was on thanksgiving day!!!  That's a lot of time and I didn't expect it to be easy!  

So this weekend was another fabulous one...we tried to stay moving and active with antique shops and looking through junk!  (And antiques).  We also spent a day at Arlington National Cemetery. We walked...no tour bus for us!!!

We saw monuments....

The changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown.....

President kennedy's grave....

President Taft's grave.....

Arlington House (General Lee's home before the civil war) .....

More monuments.....

A gorgeous amphitheater where we each took a turn and sat on the marble throne/seat.....

Row after row of graves....

And a beautiful overlook of our nations capital!  I got my steps in that day for sure!!!!

A good weekend!  The weather is supposed to be fabulous next weekend...do I smell a bike ride or a hike????

Sarcasm alert

Wow!  My weigh in was fantastic today!   I couldn't be any happier!  Seriously!  I mean, who wouldn't be happy with a point 8 pound weight gain!!  Yahoo!!!    Yes 8/10ths of a pound!  Yes there is the sarcasm!!!

Ok.  Looking at it realistically...I'm NOT happy!   I don't want any weight gain!  I can hope that it was simply an anomaly if not drinking enough water yesterday....or something super salty in my diet!  I had been showing a maintain all week long and then this morning...bam a gain!   And let's be honest...I wasn't all that happy with a maintain either!!!

I know where I can and need to cleanup my eating.   I'm doing pretty good for breakfast and lunch but then hit dinner hungry and well I just eat too much.   Still not to bad in the grand scheme of things but too much to lose weight (obviously!)

I need to kick up exercise also!!!  I am trying to pick up more steps but I need to kick it up another notch!!!  Big time!!!

Controlling

Wow I want to have something sweet!  It's killing me!!!!

Ok maybe not killing me...but anyone that has gotten sucked into a habit of eating ice cream each evening, or a cookie after each meal, or really anything sweet that becomes a habit knows.   They know that it becomes something your body really craves and wants!  Big time!!!

I'm on at least day three of no big sweet treat like that.  Yesterday we ate at a place that has a big salad/fruit:/soup/dessert bar.   (Hoss's).  I actually did pretty well with my food.   I had salad - small scoop of macaroni salad, four tortilla chips with cheese,  a half cup of soup, one yeast roll and some cottage cheese.   I really lusted after the dessert bar....bad.   I drooled at the thought of the soft serve ice cream.  But I knew that I needed to cut the sweet treat habit.  So I grabbed a bit of fruit and called that my sweet treat!    Victory!!!

Admittedly, last night I really really really wanted some ice cream, or a cookie, or something sweet!  Anything sweet really!  I did not cave though!!!!

I was thinking on Saturday morning about where I am and how my first week went.  I had some victories for sure!

**** I tracked...every bite....every day!!!

****I actually got an average of 60 ounces of water each day!  (This is huge because I was struggling with even getting in a measley single 16.9 ounce bottle down the hatch!).  

**** I was extremely cognizant of my steps and I worked to really move more!!!

So I had some great victories!!!

Now let's look at the areas for improvement....

**** While I tracked my food I wasn't exactly where I would like to be.  I made better options for sure...but there is room for improvement....and I need to get my calorie count back down!!!

Calorie chart....

**** I was cognizant of my steps and worked to add some into my routine...but I needed 38.5 miles if walking/self propelled activity.   While I did walk 57,286 steps...that only made 25.28 miles.    So I am 13.22 miles shy of my weekly goal.   I know that a trip to the gym and an hour on an exercise bike will catch me up...or in the summer when I am riding I will gain some miles!!!  So I'm not too concerned yet...but I have to fix that wee little deficit!!

So....I finally worked up the final numbers for the year!  

Hiking----180.67 miles
Bike----105.57 miles (not bad considering I only ride the last month of the year)
Running---168.41 miles .
Walking----443.50. (that was just walks...not including all the puddly steps at work and whatnot!)

Total of miles self propelled?  898.15

Soooo I have to more than double my miles for the year 2017  in order for me to reach my 2017 miles!

So on that note....accountability is important...

Please if anyone wants to join me on myfitnesspal I am mfclingan

And I amhttps://www.fitbit.com/user/5B2VZ3 on fitbit!  

Happy blogiversary to me!!!

Happy blogiversary to me!!

Yes, it has been 11 years ago today that I started this blog!  Honestly I sit back and wonder where the time has gone.   But then in the same breath I look back at the girl that started this blog.  How far I've come!

I am not really going to do a look back over the years blog.  If you want to see that you can go visit the ten year blogiversary post. (Happy blogiversary to me!!

Yes, it has been 11 years ago today that I started this blog!  Honestly I sit back and wonder where the time has gone.   But then in the same breath I look back at the girl that started this blog.  How far I've come!

I am not really going to do a look back over the years blog.  If you want to see that you can go visit the ten year blogiversary post.  If you are really rambunctious you can go back to that first post…..which was written in 2006 or maybe just visit them all!

I posted in 2007 but didn't acknowledge the year anniversary.   Or maybe read the post from 2008 where I once again didn't see any significance about the date but where I clearly was ‘restarting’ and spoke of extravagant plans!  2009 was another simple post as I wrote about going back to the gym!!  2010 and I was lamenting about how I swore I would never be over 200 pounds again...yet there I was and restarting.   2011 was the first year I didn't post on my blogiversary (or course I wasn't celebrating it yet!). But I posted in the fourth about ‘day one’.  In fairness on the sixth I wrote about the endless chest pains and the round after round of tests to try to figure out what was wrong with me and how I had been just cleared from the doctor to return to Zumba!  My blogiversary passed in 2012 without any fanfare either….I was on track...I was strong and theoretically I should have been successful….except for the ‘appointment’ I alluded to in the post….it was marriage counseling and while I'm not going to blame that, I know it affected everything!!  In 2013 I was going strong on January 5th.   I was doing great  but in that blog post I talked about the emotions.  My world was unraveling around me and it eventually pulled me away from my efforts for a better me.  2014 was another post about what I was doing to try to get myself back together and on track (weighing daily).  In 2015 I totally missed posting on my blogiversary again.  I did post on January 4th.  I was newly separated and trying to figure out which end was up   And of course 2016...which somehow got on the wrong date of January 3  even though it was posted on the correct date!  (I wrote it a few days earlier and scheduled the post) 

I actually hadn't planned on looking at each year of my posts from this day.  However I'm glad that I did.   What a journey.   A lot of ups and a lot of downs.  So many downs...I can see why jason says he doesn't like to look at pictures of me from back then...he says I just had a sad look in my eyes and the posts were underlyingly sad.  But regardless…. here I am, still ticking and pushing forward.  I am happier and emotionally in a much better place now than I have been in many of the previous years!

What struck me though...I have started over on so many years.   January is always the time to restart for so many people because of that umph that hits us all to restart and get things back on track.   And for that I am glad.   We need that push yea me round.   But this year I am going to focus on every day being my New Year!  I am going to focus on every day being my blogiversary.   If I fall down, I just have to pick myself up and start again the next day...the next hour...the next minute!!!  Waiting for the new year is not acceptable anymore!!!

So I am trucking along on the 2017 in 2017 project.  I'm not quite meeting the mark each day.   I need 5.55 miles each day….10k of steps is roughly 4.5 miles.

  But considering I'm mostly hitting that this week and I will call it a success!!!  (Bike riding should theoretically help me with those missing miles...I hope!) 

And because I'm a geek that needs to see things in black and white, I  put together a binder to keep track of my stats for this challenge 

I have also been religiously tracking my food. 

AND water….I haven't tracked water, it always seemed annoying to to...but they must have updated the app because now I can just click on the 17ounce bottle every time I finish a water bottle and it adds it right in!  Woo hoo!!  Easy peasy!  

I'm making this MY year!!!

My cats think I'm crazy

My cats think I'm crazy....and they may be right!!!!

So I challenged myself (ok I copied the idea....and challenged myself with someone else's idea) with 2017 miles in 2017.   I got a Fitbit for Christmas (gift was received in New Years Eve, just in time for the new year) which was perfect!!!  I know that 2000 steps is roughly a mile...perfect, a 10k step day would be about 5 miles...which is coincidentally almost exactly what I needed each day (ok so I need a bit over 5 miles but we will worry about that later...a nice long bike ride will eat up those bits and pieces of miles!)

On the first and second I easily got my steps in as jason and I were out and about and moving.  (10,264 and 11,985 respectively) and I didn't even have to think about it.   On the third I returned to work.  I wanted to see what an average day for me was.  An average day meaning no exercise and no going out of my way to add steps.   I only took 3575 steps...and I moved a bit more at work than normal.  Whew....I am going to have to step it up on work days!!!      Today, the fourth I was being a lazy bum and had the smaller number of steps (I was at 3k) until after work when Jason (who was recovering from a stomach bug) wanted to take a wee little walk.  All of a sudden a cold stroll around the park skyrocketed my steps and I got home and was sitting within spitting distance of my 10k step goal!!!  

After working on my dollhouse a bit, I sat back and thought about those steps.  I really don't want to get behind in my 2017 miles!   It's easy to say 'oh I'll pick up those missed miles on the bike this summer'. Or 'we will hike an extra mile or two this weekend to make up for those miles'.  It is so easy to do that!  But I don't want to procrastinate myself out of the challenge!  I don't want to get way far behind the 8 ball...aiming for only 5 miles already means that I'm running a bit shy of what I need each week!  If I get too far behind I will give up.   I know me!!! And I will give up!   

So I trotted myself over to my stair stepper...it was given to me and I've used it...ohhh about zero times!!!

I hopped on and started rolling.   3 minutes in and my legs were on FIRE!!!  I hopped off and sat down.  Man I still had 2k steps to go.   So I walked back and forth in my tiny abode to get my steps.  (And I hopped on the demon stair stepper thingy a few more times...my goal is to make it to 4 minutes on it!).   The cats just watched me pace and walk.  I could see the look of curiosity in their eyes as they watched my madness!!

I don't have many steps over 10k....in fact I came to bed to read as soon as I hit 10k....so I will most likely finish my day at 10,004 steps and that's ok....because I'm still in the game!!!!

Tomorrow's goal is to make a chart for me to track my steps/miles!

I started tracking again on myfitnesspal.  And yes...I'm doing more than logging on to hold my streak (I'm only at day four since I let the last one go!!) I am actually logging my food!  Imagine that!!!

Today was my official weigh in day...I showed a slight loss from last week...pretty much a maintain. Regardless, I have my beginning number and I am ready to rock this year and lose this weight once and for all!!!!

No failure

Day two of the new year has come and is almost gone.....

How many New Years resolutions have already been broken around the world??? Lots and lots I imagine. I think the worst part of New Years resolutions is that people set goals and within a day or two, or maybe a week or a month or however long into it  they mess up and they throw up their hands as give up.    The secret to attaining goals is to realize there will be mess-ups and faltering steps but to not throw in the towel.  Regroup and move forward!!

But let's not worry about other people's New Years resolutions. How am I doing on my 2017 goals, challenges, hopes and dreams???

Well I am doing fairly well!

Food:   Yesterday the first was excellent.  Today I'm a bit over my calories count , but I'm feeling pretty good about it because my lunch was a salad...a healthy option.  So while my calories were high it was still less than a sandwich and fries AND it was more nutritious and healthy!  Win!!!!!

Activity:   

    *No formal exercise but I'm ok with it.

     *.  2017 miles in 2017?   I'm spot on with my steps!  Why yes I am!   I know that 10k steps is roughly 5 miles and I'm sitting at over 20k steps!!!    I know I need a bit more than 5 miles a day...so that puts me spot on!!  Woohoo!

So the big news?  I have long contemplated getting a Fitbit.   I've looked but I don't make a ton of money...(hahaha I don't even make enough to survive...even though I work full time..that's why I have to live with my parents since my divorce...)...so spending the money for it has held me back. My aaaahhh-maze-Ing boyfriend got me a Fitbit for Christmas.  (I got the Alta...the one I've been looking  at most recently....).   

So I put it on my arm on Saturday night (we exchanged gifts in Saturday).  And in Sunday I was shocked to see my numbers at 9500 when we got ready to settle on the couch for the evening.  I laughed and walked the length of the rooms two times laughing saying I needed to get my!10k steps.  But eventually settled down on the couch just knowing that I wouldn't have a problem getting the at that point (after the few laps) 300 steps.  And yes...day one 10,264.    Today was over 11k!  Yay!!    I know...work days will be the tough one since I work a desk job!!!!

Ohhh...and he also gave me the money for my dollhouse lights!!!  The mini mansion (that's my name for the small house I have just remodeled)

is wired for lights..I asked for the light wire kit for my birthday and my parents supplied!  But I needed the actual lights!   I am so excited to get the money to buy!   I already knew what I wanted so it was a simple thing of logging into the site and hitting buy!   I showed Jason and he approved of my choices. 

Let's see...went into some outlets today and I used some Christmas money (thanks mom and dad) to buy some new tennis shoes...for everyday use and walking!!!!  Yay!!!

So I'm set for a bit!!

So this weekend we wanted to just get away and have a nice quiet weekend to ring in the new year and exchange our Christmas gifts. We succeeded. But we also had some fun....

We visited the Stafford Civil War Park and checked out the historic sites and followed some of the trials....their trail system is all messed up and very poorly marked but we got out and enjoyed it regardless....no big hike..just a bit of fresh air and some exercise.

We went into Fredericksburg and up to Woodbridge to hit up some stores.

We also checked out the Aquia Episcopal church....built in 1750....it's so cool looking!!!  The cap stones (the white stones) are from the same quarry that the capital building used.

And the graveyard was old and unique!!

Look at the grave stones with skill and crossbones...so neat!!!

We were checking out the church and looking in the windows. (we were there on a Sunday so no tours available...we plan on going back someday to get a weekday tour!). Jason being curious did his normal routine of trying all doors....he is always doing that and looking in books and crannies!   On the side door his eyes opened wide when the door opened at his touch!  Immediately an alarm began to sound...LOUD!!!!!  Oops!!!!    We did call the church office to apologize and let them know what happened..and which door.  And then we decided to stay until someone came...seriously...historic building..unlocked.  What if someone stumbled upon it and did damage and it somehow got pinned on us!!!  The pastor dude was nice about it when he showed up about 10 minutes later.    So yeah....we set off the alarms in a really old building!!  Oops!   Will we continue to try doors and look in nooks  and crannies??  I'm sure!! And I sure hope so because we see so many neat things that way!!  And yeah...I totally think that they should have offered us a private tour to us for our troubles!!!  Hahaha

Farewell 2016 post

I decided to focus on the positive...and not even talk about what I didn't do!!!!  

Three things I did right in 2016

1.   I took the big scary step of giving my heart to someone. After my marriage and the hurt involved it was a huge step and very difficult!!!    But I finally decided that it was better to take the leap and risk a broken heart versus never love against.  If it ended then I would treasure the happy memories!   As a result I have experienced a love like I have never experienced!  
2. Realizing that possessions only weigh me down....and starting the purge of unnecessary items from my life. (Stuff like games I will never play...books I will never again read...etc.). Slowly but surely!  (Very slowly ....a garbage bag here and there!  Either to the garbage or to goodwill!)    This has been difficult...I didn't realize how much I am tied to possessions.  I worry about getting rid of stuff...what if I need it next week???  But I have found with each purge I feel so proud of myself!  
3. Taking the plunge into a hobby that I had contemplated and dreamed about for a long time.   What fun it has been to work on dollhouses....it combines my jack of all trades master of mine mentality to crafts!!!!  To do a dollhouse you need to have a bit of knowledge in so many aspects...and the projects are usually shorter than some of these long crafts (seriously a quilt can take months...as can a cross stitch) so I don't get bored and put the project aside!!!

Three things to improve in 2017

1. Finances....savings. I need to build my savings!!!  My car repair depleted it almost totally!!!  (Have I mentioned that dollhouse stuff can be expensive??)
2. Lose weight. This is my year!!!
3. Running, biking hiking...consistency through the year in these activities will make it easier and more fun!

One word to be the word of the year!

Happy !    

I go into the year satisfied with some aspects of my life.   I am in a relationship where I am quite satisfied  happy and content.   But I am not content with my job and I would love to be living on my own again and because of that I struggle with satisfaction and happiness.  But I need to remind myself to be  satisfied and happy  where I am at right now and at each pout in my life.  That includes my current weight, my current running pace, and everything else.  I don't have to be content where I am at....but I have to be satisfied and happy!   I have to say, I want more but I am happy  with where I am at until things change!!!  I am satisfied....and therefore happy!!!

And a mantra/phrase for the new year....

I hold the keys to my satisfaction and happiness!!!!

My ace in the hole for losing weight is that Jason seems to be very interested in making a change in his diet and lifestyle also.   He had talked to me a few months back about juicing.  He wanted me to try it and in a moment of weakness I agreed.   I did make the proclamation that I didn't want to do it in then because I had a vacation upcoming ...then thanksgiving...then another vacation...then my birthday...then Christmas.  So he agreed to early January.  I kinda of forgot about it all.....and admittedly maybe hoped that he would forget (or move onto something else)!   But nope he brought it up the other week when he talked about his weight and his plans. (He doesn't need to lose much but he has his few 'vanity pounds' he wants to drop (pounds to drop not a pant size but to be under a certain number on the scales).   So it's coming...and honestly, although the fear of the taste looms big, I am somewhat interested in what kind of loss I can have that week...and of course how I will feel!!!   (I told him he better come up with really good tasting juice combinations!!). And if I feel awesome and drop mad pounds I just may commit to more juicing than a week!

I of course set the 2017 miles in 2017.....I have also joined the Hub City 100 Miler...100 miles in 100 days.   Jason and I have talked about ramping up our hiking again....and we have talked about biking the whole length of the canal.  And we have mentioned restarting the running challenge....so lots of activities for me in the new year.

I decided to focus on the positive...and not even talk about what I didn't do!!!!  

Three things I did right in 2016

1.   I took the big scary step of giving my heart to someone. After my marriage and the hurt involved it was a huge step and very difficult!!!    But I finally decided that it was better to take the leap and risk a broken heart versus never love against.  If it ended then I would treasure the happy memories!   As a result I have experienced a love like I have never experienced!  
2. Realizing that possessions only weigh me down....and starting the purge of unnecessary items from my life. (Stuff like games I will never play...books I will never again read...etc.). Slowly but surely!  (Very slowly ....a garbage bag here and there!  Either to the garbage or to goodwill!)    This has been difficult...I didn't realize how much I am tied to possessions.  I worry about getting rid of stuff...what if I need it next week???  But I have found with each purge I feel so proud of myself!  
3. Taking the plunge into a hobby that I had contemplated and dreamed about for a long time.   What fun it has been to work on dollhouses....it combines my jack of all trades master of mine mentality to crafts!!!!  To do a dollhouse you need to have a bit of knowledge in so many aspects...and the projects are usually shorter than some of these long crafts (seriously a quilt can take months...as can a cross stitch) so I don't get bored and put the project aside!!!

Three things to improve in 2017

1. Finances....savings. I need to build my savings!!!  My car repair depleted it almost totally!!!  (Have I mentioned that dollhouse stuff can be expensive??)
2. Lose weight. This is my year!!!
3. Running, biking hiking...consistency through the year in these activities will make it easier and more fun!

One word to be the word of the year!

Happy !    

I go into the year satisfied with some aspects of my life.   I am in a relationship where I am quite satisfied  happy and content.   But I am not content with my job and I would love to be living on my own again and because of that I struggle with satisfaction and happiness.  But I need to remind myself to be  satisfied and happy  where I am at right now and at each pout in my life.  That includes my current weight, my current running pace, and everything else.  I don't have to be content where I am at....but I have to be satisfied and happy!   I have to say, I want more but I am happy  with where I am at until things change!!!  I am satisfied....and therefore happy!!!

And a mantra/phrase for the new year....

I hold the keys to my satisfaction and happiness!!!!

My ace in the hole for losing weight is that Jason seems to be very interested in making a change in his diet and lifestyle also.   He had talked to me a few months back about juicing.  He wanted me to try it and in a moment of weakness I agreed.   I did make the proclamation that I didn't want to do it in then because I had a vacation upcoming ...then thanksgiving...then another vacation...then my birthday...then Christmas.  So he agreed to early January.  I kinda of forgot about it all.....and admittedly maybe hoped that he would forget (or move onto something else)!   But nope he brought it up the other week when he talked about his weight and his plans. (He doesn't need to lose much but he has his few 'vanity pounds' he wants to drop (pounds to drop not a pant size but to be under a certain number on the scales).   So it's coming...and honestly, although the fear of the taste looms big, I am somewhat interested in what kind of loss I can have that week...and of course how I will feel!!!   (I told him he better come up with really good tasting juice combinations!!). And if I feel awesome and drop mad pounds I just may commit to more juicing than a week!

I of course set the 2017 miles in 2017.....I have also joined the Hub City 100 Miler...100 miles in 100 days.   Jason and I have talked about ramping up our hiking again....and we have talked about biking the whole length of the canal.  And we have mentioned restarting the running challenge....so lots of activities for me in the new year.

Lofty or realistic??

Well I'm not feeling as crazy out of control as I was last week!   I managed to make it through the Christmas week between my Wednesday weigh ins  with a maintain.  I will take it!!!

I am splurging a bit this week....there is a cookie that my mom only makes at Christmas that she just made for me!   I've been after her to make them and she just did!  (Thank you mommy!!!)   But I'm going to try to moderate my intake.   Luckily one of mom's customers also loves these cookies so he got half the batch (apparently he doesn't share his with his family ...these cookies are that awesome!!)

This past weekend I had thoughts of popping into myfitnesspal to keep my streak alive...but I totally forgot and I lost my streak.  I was over a year of logins!   It's sad to let it go....but in a way I'm happy.  It was a total false streak!  Out of those 400 days I probably only logged 1/4 of them...maybe half!!!!   I wish I could turn that stupid streak thing off...it's pressure!!!!   I'm sure I will be logging soon enough and the streak will begin again and the pressure will mount as the streak grows.  In the meantime I'm just sitting back and enjoying not worrying about that stupid streak!!!!!

So this morning I saw someone that has challenged themselves to walking 2017 miles in the year 2017.  That's 5.52 miles a day or 168 miles a month!   That's a LOT!!!   Ok before I start talking myself out of this...they say aim for 10k steps a day.   That's roughly 5 miles right there.  Maybe I really should invest in that Fitbit to be able to count all those random steps.....hmm or just count the actual walks, hikes, runs and bike rides.

***In the summer jason and I walked a lot in the evenings it was easy for us to knock out between 3 and 6 miles in an evening.

****In the winter spring and fall  we hiked a lot...it was average for us to do 8-10 mile hikes.  

*** we have been biking and that racks up the miles fast!!  (We are talking about doing a through ride on the canal one long weekend...that's 184 miles in one weekend!!  Plus we will be riding a lot in preparation for the big ride!)

***running. There is 40-50 miles a month with simple 3-4 mile runs.

***if I walk on my lunch break there is a mile....times each day of the week gives me five miles a week....25 a month.  

Yes...this is actually doable!!!!

So I guess I have started laying out my plans for 2017!!! I may as well finish now!!!

Plans and goals for 2017

1. Propel myself 2017 miles
2. Get to my goal weight (50 pounds to lose give or take)
3. Exercise consistently to rebuild my fitness levels.