Monday, January 2, 2012

My Journey To A Healthier Me

I mentioned that one of my goals for 2012 is to get my jiggly wiggly self in shape. That includes dropping a few pounds. Now, I'm not a huge person and I don't have a specific goal weight in mind. How I feel is more important than an actual number. I'm going about this in the way that has worked well for me in the past and a way I know I can stick to with a little determination.

First, I've gotta get moving. I've chosen to do Zumba as my main workout for now. It's a fun dance based workout for those who aren't familiar with it. I love to dance so it's a great choice for me. I purchased Zumba 2 for Wii which allows me a lot of flexibility. I can just pop it in and shake it around my living room whenever I have time. There's no trying to find the time to go to the gym. I can also choose the length and intensity of the workout. This way I can start slowly at a pace I can keep up with so I don't get discouraged. Once I have that mastered, I can move up. And, if I have trouble with a move and look a little silly, well there are no judgemental strangers around to see. :-)

In addition to my main workout, I dance around the house all the time. I dance in the kitchen while cooking. I dance around my bedroom while I get ready. I grab the kids and we have a mini dance party in the living room. Whenever and wherever I can. Having some great music on hand makes this much easier and more fun.

Obviously all the dancing in the world isn't going to benefit me if I'm stuffing myself like a pig all the time. But, I don't do diets. The only diet I have ever been able to stick to for more than a short span was the Gestational Diabetes diet and that one I HAD to stick to. Fear for your unborn children is a great motivator. Aside from that, I'm not a dieter. I find most diet plans to be too restrictive which makes the temptation to cave harder to resist. My will power sucks sometimes.

I personally believe that moderation is key. I try my best to make healthier food choices but I don't deny myself somethig I really want either. For example, last night at dinner the sides were homemade mac & cheese and a veggie mix. Instead of denying myself the mac & cheese (as if that would happen) I took a smaller portion of that and a larger portion of the veggies. Not so hard right? If we go to our favorite pizza buffet, it's not so hard to replace a slice or two with a salad. Making changes like that are much easier for me than sticking to some strict diet plan that leaves me feeling unsatisfied. When it comes to desserts and sweets, although I do enjoy them, they aren't something I eat every day, I can't. But, if I get a craving for a cupcake, I'm going to have A cupcake. If I want a brownie, I will have A brownie. Allowing myself to have these things in moderation makes it easy for me not to go overboard and eat enough sweets to feed a small village.

* Disclaimer*  Obviously, this is just what I know works for me. I'm in no way an expert nor am I attempting to give anyone else advice.*

Now, are you ready for some brutal honesty? That's right, a woman is about to reveal her actual weight. I currently weigh in at 139 lbs at 5'5".  As I said, not huge. But also not in shape. I'm going to post pics of my current body shape and that's taking a lot of nerve for me. So be nice!




So, now that you've all seen my before pics, I have to work really hard so I can show you some amazing after pics, right? Wish me luck!

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