Exercise

We had a beautiful day on Wednesday, so I decided there was no better time than to start working on my exercise challenge.  I wanted to include the kids, so we went for a bike ride.  My legs were burning after a mere five minutes! lol  Part of the problem is the fact that I'm using the small bicycle I used at 13, and it's a wee bit too small.  Not only are the tires too small, but the seat is as well.  Ouch!  I do believe it's time to invest in a new one.  

Days 1 and 2

Challenge #1 is changing my breakfast habits.  I don't traditionally like eating first thing in the morning and, more than anything else, don't want to get up any earlier than I have to.  I have tried taking breakfast items to work; things like bagels, yogurt and Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwiches.  The main problem, however, is that I begin my workday at 9am and tend to wait until around 10am or so before actually eating anything; which doesn't appear to be helping my metabolism.  The last two mornings I have taken time to sit down and eat a bowl of cereal before heading out.  Mind you I didn't bother to get up any earlier; that will be another challenge in and of itself. Lol They say that it takes approximately 30 days before something becomes habit, so I've got two down.  

Challenge #2 is avoiding fast food.  That is a pitfall both for lunch and dinner.  With my time divided between two homes in two cities, I find it difficult to plan meals accordingly.  It's even harder right now with the kids' demanding baseball schedules.  Thankfully my mother didn't want to fall into a habit of eating fast food every night throughout the season and has been packing healthy dinners.  Tonight was a salad, apple cinnamon muffins and fresh blueberries.  While I did not prepare myself by grocery shopping for lunch items over the weekend, I have made a conscious effort to buy sensible "fast food."  Yesterday was a veggie salad from Mancino's and today was a 6" turkey breast toasted sub with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato and no dressing with Baked Lays from Subway.

Challenge #3 is exercising.  I believe this will prove to be the hardest challenge of them all.  When I was going through my divorce, exercising was therapeutic.  The apartment complex I lived in at the time offered free memberships to the local athletic club just down the street, so I would go several times a week and use the treadmill.  Once I started dating and dividing my time between homes, I stopped.  Now, more than ever, I realize that I'm not getting any younger and it's my choice to do something about how I feel.  While by all medicals terms I'm a healthy person, I don't feel healthy or very good about myself for that matter.  It's time to focus some energy on ME.

Standing at 5' 4" and weighing 131 pounds, I wouldn't consider myself to be overweight per se, however, I most definitely consider my eating habits to be unhealthy. Finding the right balance has proved to be difficult over the past two and half years. After going through a divorce, I met the most incredible man. The only problem being that he lives 80 miles away! While that didn't stop me from falling head over heels in love, it has certainly provided its challenges; and eating right has been #1. I spend half the week in my hometown and half the week in his. On top of that, I have a very busy life raising our four children. With all of them active in sports and other extra-curricular activities, eating on the go happens quite often. I hate to admit how frequently McDonald's wins my business! Today begins my whole-hearted attempt to become a better, healthier me. Let the journey begin...