Where do I go from Here?

This past week has made me realize how important it is for me to live a healthier lifestyle.  I have maintained the weight that I lost this last year (going up and down a couple of pounds here and there), but nothing drastic.

I am sending lots of prayers to my friends that are battling various forms of cancer, various forms of infertility and various forms of other illnesses.  Of course not all of these could be necessarily be prevented by living a healthier lifestyle, but I am sure that it would be helpful.

This past week I also had a doctors appointment.  You can follow that blog here but the medicine that I took didn't work as well.  Part of the reason that it didn't work correctly (even though it was a higher dose) was because of stress, being sick, but also for not taking care of my body!  Between the eye opener of health risks (none of my own)... and the fact that I want to start a family.. I need to get back on track!

Today I did 3 miles at our neighborhood park!  I can't wait to get back on the #temt twitter wagon.  I also love the motivation from various hashtags on instagram too.

Are you keeping up with your goals?  How do you stay on track?

Back to School and Back on Track

This summer has been so very relaxing!  If you know me.. you know that I don't sit well.  This summer was an exception and I think I sat a little too well!

Where I spent most of my summer

I had grand intentions of losing those last 10 pounds this summer.  I thought about it, I talked about it.. and I did NOTHING!  I made the excuse.. it is too hot (well.. it was) Oh, I will go to the gym later.  So instead of losing those 10 pounds, I gained about 7 back this summer (I do have to admit.. some of that was from new medicine I am on)

I have been inspired this summer by several people, but one of the main ones is Weight Off my Shoulders  and she had mentioned a DietBet.  I hopped over to Dietbetter.com and decided that this will be the jump start that I need.

I have decided to participate in the 28 day challenge for the Runkeeper Game.  Tomorrow is my official weigh in.  In the 28 days I will have to lose 4% to win (the weight I gained this summer)  I don't know if I am completely ready to go back to school, but I do know that I am ready to be back on a schedule that is not just sitting on my couch!

Have you participated in a DietBet?

Why I Run

                                                                    

I am a runner and have been dedicated to it six days a week, fifty two weeks out of the year for thirty one years. Four days a week I wake at 4:15 am so I can run before I go to school. I am a morning person and the hour goes by quickly and serves multiple purposes. Not only do I get in my exercise but it also allows me to think. What I mean by think is review and plan what I’ll do with my students that day, reflect on my life, or think about what I need to do at home.

No matter where I am the shoes come out and off I go. If you’re on vacation what a great way to see a new city or surrounding area. One of my most memorable runs was on the beach in South Carolina. The sun was rising and it was truly magical. I also will never forget running on Bay Street in Charleston pasted so many historical homes.

The bottom line is it doesn’t matter if your fast or slow or somewhere in between, what time of day you choose, or what you’re wearing. What matters is you’re out there. You are doing something for you. You need to take care of you. Yes, your job is important but so is your well being. So get some shoes and go. Take it slow, set small goals and most importantly don’t give up.



By JoAnn Jacobs 

Joining the Team

While I may be a late arrival I'm really happy to be a part of the team.  It's funny from the mid 90's until about two years ago I was a very active person. I couldn't imagine not exercising. It was a huge part of who I was and it always brought a smile to my face. But some where along the line the excitement started to drop.  Instead of working out because I wanted to I was working out because I had to. I was getting tired and miserable and my body just didn't want to do it any more.  So I slowly dropped things from my workout schedule. First I started skipping bike rides, then runs, and finally I quit swimming altogether. The toll on my body, as you can imagine wasn't pretty but my brain was desperate for the break.  But here I am two years later in the worst shape I've been in a very long time and it's time I change this. So with that in mind I am officially joining this team.  I am very thankful for having a team to keep me motivated and hopefully I can do the same for you.

Off to get outside and enjoy the sunshine!

K

#TEMTChallenge

I have absolutely loved reading all of the posts that have been written on this blog, but as I said in my introductory blog I am in a rut and I need a little bit of motivation.

I loved Joan's blog about her Love Hate Relationship with her FitBit Flex  I too have a Fitbit and love it, but I have become very complacent this summer (which really means that by the time I do get up.. it is way to stinking hot for me to get out of my house to go for a walk)  But, here in a few weeks I will be clothes shopping for the new school year.. and I need to get back on track!

Although you can  follow people on fitbit, I need something a little bit more accountable.  Here are my thoughts.

I have a separate instagram account that I have set for private for weight loss.  It has pictures of my journey along with motivation and my weekly goals.

After chatting with Joan we talked about sharing our daily steps.  I think for me I am going to try to go with one main goal a week that I can easily keep track of.  I plan to share it on Monday and then give updates along the way.  Not only do I use fitbit, but I also use RunKeeper.  I would love to say that I am going to at least 10000 steps a day, but then I sometimes feel defeated when I don't get that. 

Some goals I might have for the #temtchallenge

-Walk/jog/run ______ miles in a week (runkeeper is great for this.. and it will increase my fitbit steps)

-Make a gym class (I know I enjoy these.. and I always feel so much better after.. so I need to get my rear in gear!)

What goals might you have?  Are you up for an accountability challenge?  Would you like to connect through fitbit, runkeeper or loseit?

Dream Big- Passion of Learning

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=476523735735740&set=a.437354599652654.103338.432327346822046&type=1&theater

It was an honour to have Angela Maiers cross post and feature this "conversation" on her blog. Many thanks to her for her encouragement in sharing my passion to learn!

Why is it that we are often our own greatest obstacle to overcome?

I love being a dreamer.  Of imagining a world of possibilities that will shape and guide me.

So then, what does it mean to dream big ... I mean really?

I hear these words all the time... and yet I am not sure if I really understand what they mean. Or is it I don't value enough my own desires to actualize them?  

That is exactly what it was ... until now.

This new year I have taken more than one step into uncharted territory.

Going back to school as a full time student after twenty years was no small feat. No small challenge but in many respects offered the incentive to really dream big.

I have long been looking for a passion that could rival both being a teacher as well as mother and wife.  I knew that while I could utterly feel fulfilled in these roles I really felt I owed it to who I am to explore who I hope to become.  Envisioning the future isn't only for the young, but probably most especially, for the young at heart.

Here is where the footsteps of my quest have taken me...

I have found my passion in one of the most unlikeliest of places. I can't give myself any more credit that the simple fact that I stumbled upon it.  Hiding in the shadows of my existence, it has become a part of me without me even knowing it was happening.  I have been immersed in this culture and life for years now, but only recently could I see it calling to me with fresh eyes. I know that to dream big is to follow in the direction I am being led.

My passion is the martial art of Muay Thai. The word Muay is derived from the Sanskrit Mavya which means "to bind together". Those simple words completely encompass how I feel when I am training. I am bound to the learning in a way I never thought was possible.  The confidence I feel is only matched by the competence I gain from each new training session.  It consumes many of my waking thoughts and, for the first time, I revel in knowing that this learning is a part of who I am.  It has empowered me as a learner and given me a focus that compliments every other aspect of my life.  Muay Thai has been an amazing teacher ... combining humility, assurance, skill, tenacity, and intelligence as part of the curriculum.  My own teachers, each and every kru (sensei), continue to offer me the challenge I need to grow in my skill, understanding, and learning.  Most importantly, they instil in me the confidence to continue on.

I have never looked back and now truly understand what passion and fire feels like as it burns inside of me. I know that my journey has only just begun ... mastery may very well be a minute speck in the far distance, but with discipline and passion as my compass, I know I am headed in the right direction.  Someday mastery might very well intersect my future.

"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." ~Bruce Lee

And so continues my passion and desire to learn... 

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Introduction

I was so excited when Joan added me to this blog.  I have blogged about my weight loss on my own blog, but glad to use this as a resource.

A little back story. Hi, I am Andrea (@akbusybee) I have been a special education teacher (in a LIFE- Living in a Functional Environment k-5) for 11 years. Next year I am changing positions to our campus Instructional Technology Specialist.  In January my husband and I sat down and wrote some goals.  These goals included ones that were job based, financial based... and for me weight based.  Being married to an Executive Chef makes it hard sometimes to stay on track with food (especially when he sends out those gosh dog cheesecakes!)

Anyway, I started my journey in January weighing in at 220 pounds... I am now down to 195.  I have never been one to be self conscious about my weight.. but it sure has been nice to be a smaller size!

Photo on the left March 2012/Photo on the right June 2013

So, this summer I have pretty much maintained.  My goal was to be down another 15 pounds by the time school starts, but that is a VERY unreasonable goal (and although I am competitive.. I want to do this the right way)

Things I have done to get this far:
Accountability Buddy-I have a friend that she and I text everything that we eat and when we work out.  We both go through stages where we fall off the wagon (and that is kind of where I am right now)
Accountability Group- I am excited to use this platform as another way to keep my self accountable (see a trend here) I also participate in a group on facebook.
Changing my eating habits- Hi, I am Andrea and I am fast food aholic!  In the past when I have tried to lose weight I give up fast food and sodas.. and then about a week later I was back to eating it.  This time around I still have fast food.. not as often and only kid meals.  I also stop eating after 8pm.

Here is where I need help!
I have a fitbit, a gym membership, and the need to lose the rest of the weight.... but I can not get the motivation this summer!  What do you do to change it up (and get yourself out of the house)?  I am a summer traveler and always going, and this is the first summer that I have slowed down.  How do you keep yourself accountable?

I look forward to learning from this group and connecting with others!

My Love Hate Relationship with my Fitbit Flex

Here's what I've got today at 1:30 p.m. 

I'm a little hesitant to jump on the bandwagon with new gadgets, so I waited awhile before buying the FitBit Flex. And no, this is not an advertisement. I just want to share some insights into how my own awareness and behavior have shifted since this device arrived last weekend.

• First off, I am driving my husband absolutely nuts ;-) Dancing around the kitchen, doing laps in our very small apartment, all so I can meet my steps goal. Come on, now! I know you'd be doing the same thing at 9:30 p.m. if it said you needed just 18% more to reach your daily goal ;)

• Second, it's made me realize that when I am not active doing Zumba or boot(y) camp or kickboxing, I am not that active when school is not in session. Granted, I have been doing quite a bit of writing work this summer, and even when I stand up while on my computer, I'm not really moving that much! Ugh.. must get a treadmill desk ;-)

• Third, I've grown appreciative of short little activity boosts of 15 minutes to get my juices flowing. In fact, I'm about to go over to my Wii and do some JustDance3. In the past, I would have an all or nothing mentality about exercise. If I didn't have an hour to sweat like crazy, then it didn't count. I am seeing, through my graphs, how wrong that attitude is.

Well, I'd keep rambling here, but by the looks of things on my graph, it's time to get movin'! What are you doing to be sure that you are active enough to ensure your good health? 

Let's Get Movin'! The Group Support of #Temt

A #temt walk in San Diego at #iste13

I know..it can be a bit irritating to hear people boast about their workouts, but if I annoy just one person each day to make a move back to health, then it will be worth it! I know that reading about someone else's run has gotten me off my butt on more than one occasion.

This blog was born out of a Twitter conversation several years ago. Fellow educators shared my plight: during the summer many of us are more active and seem to be able to take care of ourselves, but when school begins, the best laid plans fall apart. We agreed to use the hashtag #temt on Twitter to record our workouts and ask for support from others! We also planned to share this blog space to inspire others to get moving!

If you'd like to tell your story and become a contributor on this blog, just leave a comment or say hi to me on Twitter: @flourishingkids.  If you've written here before, please jump back in and share. I promise to chime in more regularly and work to keep us all a bit more motivated on our journey to health.  If we're going to be the best for others, we need to be in our best physical health!