HEALTH: CONFESSIONS AND RE-COMMITTING

Well, it's that time of the year again, where motivation is peaking... And I am surely starting to feel guilty about not working out. No guilt was to be had over the winter, it was freaking cold outside and I was fine with not going anywhere, ever. 

However, now that the sun is shining and the weather is starting to be at least 50 degrees F in the morning times... It's time to get back on the stupid exercise wagon. Right now you might be thinking, yeah yeah, okay, whatever. But this is my first step, besides feeling guilty, to get my butt back out the door again.

Last year I had lost around 30 pounds, I wonder if I can do it again this year? Not that I gained all those 30 pounds back over the winter, thank goodness I did not! I did gain back 7 pounds and float between 158 and 164 pounds. This is okay with me for now because it is no 190 pounds! Which is how much I weighed when I started a "weight loss journey".  

Thank goodness this isn't how much I weigh now, but I sure feel like I look like this again! My energy is down (compared to when I was working out regularly) and it's harder to take of the weight. 

And here is one of the last times I worked out, Nov. 13, 2012. At 155 pounds. Looking at this photo kind of makes me want to cry. Not because it's a bad photo or anything, I am actually very proud of what I had accomplished... But because I had let the winter get the best of me. I haven't been diagnosed but I am pretty sure Seasonal Depression is something that affects me greatly. I let the winter get the best of me, and I know that if I would have continued working out, I may have been at my real weight goal. 

Last year was a good year for me, and my family. You see, one thing we did was get rid of all our boxed meals (that post is from when I really started getting serious!), and foods with weird ingredients. We pretty much cut out ground beef, though we still have it on occasion, and we really started buying a TON more veggies. I mean, I tried cauliflower for like, the first time last year. I was really lacking when I came to eating well. 

Then, husband deployed. I was nervous that I was going to lose everything, all the motivation to lose weight. But...

During the summer I joined in on a 12 week program to lose weight. It included a lot of weight lifting and some mixed workouts that included cardio. This was when I started thinking about doing some running. Though, I still contemplated on it for like, a month. Here are some progress photos.

I really struggled with motivation when trying to start the C25K program. But, I did end up starting it, and I was really digging it! A week after I started, I really had a big bump in the road, Shin Splints. Let me tell you guys, these are one of the most painful work out injuries that you can get! You know, besides breaking something, I suppose. If you get shin splints, try getting the "right shoes" for your feet! Seriously! Have it professionally done! A lot of good sports stores will do this for free!

In September, husband returned home from deployment and we went to Greece, guess what guys? I actually RAN while on vacation! Well, just once, but who does that?! Crazy people! I did it though, I think it was one of my proudest fitness days ever. I think that this vacation was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back. You know, it was a large break in my routine and it was hard to get back into it when we got home.

In October I created a great list of health and fitness apps that I used on a regular basis. I hoped that it would get my motivation back... but alas, since Nov. I haven't worked out, not one bit. I'm not counting walking though! 

So here I am, the end of April 2013 and I am recommitting myself. I started counting my calories over on MyFitnessPal (by the way, there's an app for your phone too! So, add me so that I have some more motivation please!) on Friday. On Monday, is when I am going to get this all going again. I am taking this weekend to do some research and make a plan for my fitness routine. I am thinking about trying out Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred again. I tried it over a year ago and got Shin Splints, of course. But I was doing it without shoes. So that was my bad. Anyway, so I am thinking about doing 30 Day Shred, 5 days a week, and running 3 days a week. I am going to break on weekends, more than likely because rest days are important. 

I know they say just to get out there and do it, but that doesn't work for me. I need a stringent plan to keep myself accountable. 

Edited to add: I just ran/walked a little over 4 miles! See what being public with this does to me?! Wooo!! Koodge and I did an awesome loop around the trails! You can check out my route here. Also, You guys might be interested in this App: http://www.charitymiles.org/. Available for Android and iPhone. It's really cool, it says that runners/walkers earn $0.25/mile, and bikers earn $0.10/mile. There's charities like The Wounded Warrior Project, The Nature Conservancy, Stand Up To Cancer, Pencils of Promise, Habitat for Humanity and many more!

How do you recommit yourself to fitness? What are your fitness goals? Do you run? What's your favorite work out? 

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