"Change is a present action not a future event!" A weight loss journey.

"Change is a present action, not a future event!" ---Jillian Michaels
You want to see a difference in something, then start now. Stop thinking about it, stop dreaming about it and JUST DO IT (thanks NIKE). My journey with weight loss and I call it a journey because to stay in shape will be a consistent non stop journey. It never ends. 

That's an interesting thought! Doing something we have never done!  Is sitting on the couch at night complaining about our body and eating donuts, chocolate, chips, pizza or ice cream getting us where we want to be? Is thinking about getting up and doing that exercise video or popping it in and watching it going to burn the calories? Are the excuses, "I am too tired," "I will do it tomorrow," "what's the point, I will never reach my goals anyway" getting you results?  They probably are getting results, but probably not in the direction you hoped for.

Here is a popular excuse, "I CAN'T DO IT!" One phrase I strongly discourage my daughter from saying.  There is no can't.  We are capable of so much more than we can imagine.  Not only our bodies but anything, especially if God is involved in your life.  I CAN learn to run.  That is one phrase I keep repeating as I board the treadmill and click on the couch to 5k app.  It would be difficult for me to count the number of times I have said "one day" I will learn to run.  Did I do anything to accomplish that, no!!! Now I am.  I am on week 5 of 8 on the couch to 5k program/app.  I am loving it.  The feeling of overcoming something I thought I could not do is an amazing and powerful feeling. I am GOING to run a 5k in June with my husband.  For fun and because guess what, I CAN DO IT!  I am excited to do it. 

This goal goes along with my goal I started last year.  To get off my butt, stop feeling sorry for myself, stop watching the scale going in the wrong direction and DO SOMETHING.  It started with Jillian Michaels and her 30 day shred.  I did that for a few days a week, then I started logging calories on myfitnesspal app and got some cardio in on off days.  Simple things, like cutting our acre and a half of grass with a walk behind mower, walking with a friend, taking the kids to the bike trail, anything but sitting on the couch or around the house. I refuse to let my husband buy a ride on mower, since I accomplish two things buy mowing, the grass gets cut and I burn an excellent amount of calories (WIN WIN)!  But my goal was only half reached when I lost my 15 lbs.  My goal is to be healthy, to keep it off.  Getting it off is only HALF the battle.  March will mark a year and not only have I kept my 15 lbs off I have lost 7 additional pounds. I feel great, I have more energy and I love my clothes (the ones that aren't too big) everything looks better on, when you are in shape.  I will keep that weight off, I will continue to work out and keep logging my calories to keep myself in check.   It's about making better decisions, setting a better example and getting IT DONE!  

Something extra that keeps me going is using my workout time to praise God.  I pray, something about exhausting exercise lets my emotions over-flow. You have seen the Biggest Loser, right? The emotional breakdowns they have.  It doesn't exactly happen like that for me, but I do find I can clear my mind and speak freely with God when I am running on the treadmill.  I find some of my best praise and worship and prayer happens when I am cleaning the house or exercising. 

Can you do it??? ABSOLUTELY!!! I LOVE when people ask someone who lost weight, "How did you do it?" GUESS WHAT??? There is NO SECRET??  As much as we would all like the EASY way out, there isn't one.  Stop eating poorly, start exercising and get it done!!  ANYONE can do it. One of the many things Jillian says on her videos that makes me laugh, "There is no modification for this particular exercise, I have 400 lb people who do this move and live to tell"  I also saw recently on the biggest loser the contestants ran a 5k!! If 300-400 lb people can run a 5k than you better believe you and I can do it! 

It's almost February, almost a month since you made those weight loss commitments, don't give up now!  Stop saying you can't do it and DO IT! 

Home improvement, not house improvement

The dreaded ironing...or.....

As I started to think I have not been on here in...well let's just say...quite awhile... I was pondering about the title of my blog.  I named it home improvement Mom and Wife.  I am glad I chose "HOME" improvement instead of "HOUSE" improvement.  The word house, to me, means an empty vessel.  It is an object of boards, bricks, shingles, paint, etc.  But the word home means something totally different, "home is where the heart is," "home is where you can let your hair down," "home is where your family is." These cliches come to mind.  We have not been doing much house improving lately.  I am back to school, taking 3 classes.  I am trying to keep my house and home in order and raise 2 kids and try to support my husband however I can.  As I was sweeping the floor it's 60' here in Michigan.  The snow is melting and the dogs are a muddy mess.  I decided to mop to make the floor look nice (at least to give the dogs a blank canvas for their muddy paw art).  Then I cleaned the bathrooms and dusted, wiped the counters in the kitchen and emptied the dishwasher.  Then it was onto the last task I had set aside a few days...ironing.  I do not enjoy ironing, in fact, I do not know many people who do.  It is tedious and something to be put off.  When thinking about it like this, it was putting me in a bad mood.  My mind drifts as I do the most mundane chores, run on the treadmill, let's just say I cannot shut it off.  I started thinking how handsome my husband would look in his freshly ironed shirt.  Then I thought of how hard he works for us.  He wasn't always an ironed-shirt wearing guy.  He used to own a landscaping company.  His idea of dressing up was a sweater and khakis.  He chose to use his degree and start a different career after having a family. If he can learn to (at least tolerate) wearing suits and ties, then the least I can do is learn to enjoy ironing.  I use the word "enjoy" somewhat loosely here.  I can enjoy it through thinking of how much more handsome he looks in a ironed shirt versus a wrinkled shirt.  I can also use the opportunity to pray for my husband.  I am ironing a "work" shirt, so what I perfect opportunity to pray for my husband and his work.  As I was finishing up ironing his shirts, I realized, this is not so bad.  I can take a few moments out of my day to pray for my other half, my team mate in life and the one who works so hard to provide for myself and our children. 

It seems it's all about mindset.  I can go into a task dreading it, or I can find the joy in it.  I can give everything I do my all and honor God, or I can grumble and be miserable.  I choose to pray for my husband in this task from now on and find the joy, YES, the JOY in IRONING! How ironic!