Your Worth in 3 Digits: The Tyranny of the Scale

I often catch myself thinking those crazy thoughts of my earlier years, like: oh, if I could just lose 10 more pounds, or being thin is everything, or ...even crazier, well, at least with this clear liquid diet, courtesy of my recent bout with diverticulitis, I will lose a few pounds.

Now, when you look at being ill and equate it with the win of losing weight, something just aint right! Many other women have admitted to me that they actually like that when they are sick, at least they lose weight.

I've been working on a healthy body image and relationship with food pretty much my whole life. I have grown to appreciate food as "nurturing" and "nourishing" and not the evil I need to avoid in order to lose weight.

Still, though, when I find myself at the doctor's office, as I did last Sunday after being up all night in pain, I whispered to the nurse as I stepped reluctantly on the scale, "Please, don't tell me."

Now, she laughed and seemed to understand as I said that I often obsess on the number, but of course, my little pea brain did not stop. As the doctor came in to talk and examine me, my eyes took a glance at the paper on the folder, zeroing in on the number, the dreaded number that would tell me what a fatty I still was, despite my pretty intense efforts to eat healthy and work out regularly. I LOOKED! Although the number was definitely not on my list of favorite weights to be, I found myself challenging what it meant. I thought, hmm, this is interesting, as I seem to be in my smallest size clothes right now.

I got home and looked at a couple of recent pictures that I took while getting some sunshine in my backyard. I noted the growing definition of my ab muscles and the strength of my shoulders. I was able to appreciate that all of this picture happened to add up to the weight on that scale. And somehow, some way, I was liberated..at least for the moment.

Of course, that didn't stop me from jumping on my WiiFit board several days later to weigh myself. Damn, I thought, at least I'm down 5 lbs from that dreaded dr. office scale. So much for my liberation.

I'm going to take a big risk here, and share that pic of me and share the weight from that scale, because I think that many healthy, fit women like me will never see those numbers we hear about on the celebrity pages. I will probably never weigh in the 130's again, and for once, that is ok. If you are fit and healthy, it doesn't matter so much what that scale says.

If this is what 150 lbs. looks like, then hey, I'll take it.

So how do you stop the madness of judging your worth by the scale?

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... 

At DangerDynamite! we aim to produce world class media, making you feel confident in your business' image. From Graphic Design and Web Design, to Business Solutions and Brand Management, here you will find everything you need to put your best foot forward and be the rock star of your industry -- whatever it may be. You can contact them at: design@dangerdynamite.com