When you started your health and fitness journey, did you think you were doing it just for you? I sure did. I had NO idea how my journey would affect other people.

I wrote about a family member who is in very poor health. Check it out at Fuel To My Fire.

Please know that this man has struggled with drug addiction since he was a teenager. He's 48 years old today. He has broken his back 2 times and just a short time ago, he was still on narcotics, hospitalized and bed bound. His pain was unmanageable and frankly he just did not want to live anymore.

As previously reported, I told you that he was inspired by my weight loss and fitness journey, especially all of the running and half marathons. He told me that he wants to train and try to do a 5k with me.

Well he called me today to give me a report on his progress. Since the first of June, this near bed bound man, is walking a 1/2 mile. He says, he has to stop some times, but feels that he's getting stronger every day. He also told me that his pain is very manageable now, without the use of drugs. He sound very happy and encouraged. He said that every day he tries to improve his distance. How cool as that.

So not such a big deal. Half mile, geez that's nothing. But here's the thing I learned today. Not only is he dealing with the things I mentioned above, but he also suffers from COPD and he's seeing his doctor next week for physical therapy on his weak heart.

So that 1/2 mile is a miracle!!

Bless him Lord!!

He inspires me!!!

Keep focused!

No Joke - It Works!!

OK I have to report! Last week, I decided after much anguish, that I would give up coffee.  I know.....I know for some of us, this is like giving up a limb. Anyway, I did it and of course I suffered with withdrawal from the caffeine. I tell you, within a couple of days, my heartburn (Acid Reflex) was calming down. I had very little pain.

After one week, I am almost pain free! I wake up in the morning with no throat pain at all. Now during the day, I may eat something that flares it up again, but it's so minor compared to what I was dealing with before. Now the fun part is, I get to eliminate the other foods that don't agree with my body. Joy!

The other thing is.  Prior to giving up coffee. No matter how much I exercised or tried to eat right, I could not get my blood pressure lower than 130's over 80's.

Last week I was well under that!!

My best blood pressure was 120/54 ~ NORMAL!!

So exciting!!

Making a difference in my food and exercise is really making a difference in my life!! So measurable!

Now my plan is to keep tracking the BP and show my doctor the results. Maybe if I can keep it down, I will be able to get off of the blood pressure meds. Woo Hoo!!

So excited!!

How about you. Are you making a difference in your heath and fitness?

Keep focused!!

Fear and Excuses!

Every time I go to the next level with my health and fitness I have fear and I want to make excuses as to why I should stay right where I am. These fears and excuses have kept me stuck a lot of times in my life. I have learned to overcome some of them, but for some, I have my heels dug in deep and I'm not willing to take a chance.

Example: I've been doing some things, for a long time, that are harmful to my body. These things I've grown to love and honestly I can't see living without them. I just don't want to give them up. My heels are dug in!

But you see, these things are harmful to my body. And some of these things, when given up, cause great pain of withdrawal. It takes me down for a couple of days.

But the thing I need to learn is....if I'm willing to give them up, then something new will replace it and it will be even better than what I've been hanging on to....

First thing I need to do.....

GIVE UP COFFEE!!! I know killer, right? My fear is, if I give it up, first off I will have terrible withdrawals...which I'm experiencing right now. I stopped drinking coffee on Monday and yesterday I went home from work with a raging headache and nausea. Had to drive home with one eye open because I would have gotten sick otherwise. So here my fear was realized. I knew I was going to get sick and I did. But here's the deal, already today, I feel better and I don't have pain from acid reflex! That was the reason why I needed to quit coffee, I've been having a lot of pain with acid reflex and coffee is the thing that I do most that causes this to happen.

So even though I was fearful and frankly I just did not want to give it up, but because I did, I'm already feeling the benefits from this decision!! Less pain in my throat!

The other thing I need to focus on. I want to get my blood pressure down. I want it in the normal range so I can get off the meds. Right now I take two pills for blood pressure. (I used to take 3 and was able to get off one, once I started losing weight and exercising). Anyway, the reason why I'm not pushing too hard is I don't really want to get off of one of my pills. It's a water pill and it helps me keep off about 2 pounds. HOW DUMB IS THAT? I don't want to make better choices for myself and get off these drugs because I'm fearful of gaining 2 pounds!!! See stupid fear and excuses. And they don't even make sense!

So now that I've confessed that last one, I feel like a load has been taken off my shoulders. I AM READY to over come these fears and excuses and I will to get this done.


NO MORE FEAR...NO MORE EXCUSES!!!

I've got other things that I need to change to go to the next level. Every day I am more and more willing to take a chance! Every day I do the right thing, I feel better!!!

One thing I've learned is...You don't know how bad you feel until you feel good!!

I guess I've lived with this acid reflex for a long time. I did not know that was what it was, until I got my diet cleaned up while doing the 17 Day Diet. Those months I felt great and did not have the pain in the my throat from the acid reflex. The minute I went back to most of my old diet, the symptoms started right back up and I've been suffering ever since. Now it is increasing and it's really uncomfortable.

I have super motivation to get this under control and I am truly willing to do what I have to do.

So bye bye coffee and a whole list of other things that are bad for me. I'm ready for excellent health!!

How about you....Do you have fears and excuses?

Keep focused!!!!

Get to it!

Sorry I don't know where I found this, but I really like it!

Believe....Persist....Fulfill your belief!!!


Get to it today....reach for your goals....make stuff happen....YOU CAN DO IT!!

Keep focused!!

Still Working It....

Even though I have not been around much, I am still quite focused on my journey!! Now it's not only about weight loss....it's about the total package! For me, it's just not good enough to get my body fit and healthy. No it's about all aspects of my life.

• My walk with the Lord....Am I praying, reading my Bible, going to church, serving Him? I can say yes to all these things!
• My home....Is it clean and organized? Yes it is!
• My yard....Is it done? Yes...with the help of a yard service. I really can't do it all!!
• My work...Is my desk manageable? Yes and all of the projects that I was procrastinating on...are done!

Not only is all of the above done, but I'm still working hard on my health and fitness. I'm at the gym or exercising at home at least 5 days per week or more! Still eating healthy and I've got my focus on!

I heard some where....that if you can just focus on the moment and not get distracted by other things you can accomplish a lot. I've put that into motion and I find it's true. 

When I'm at work, I work! I don't think about my worries, or home, or going to the grocery store. I just focus there. Boy you cannot believe the stuff I can get done!

Same thing at home. I allot a certain amount of time for house stuff and then I focus and before you know it, my task is done and I even have a little extra time for more! 

Just like when I'm in the gym. I am not thinking about what I'm going to eat next, or about the skinny woman next to me or, I don't even think about going home. I'm focused on my task...putting my all into it. And I always leave with a great work out!

Now because of this focus and with not having so much hanging over my head, I am finding time to do crafts, read, garden, spend time with friends and family....I am having a lot of fun!

Anyway, that's what I'm up to! I am enjoying life!

Next up.....Going deeper into understanding food!

How about you...What are you up to?

Keep focused!

Another one in the books!

On Saturday I completed my 3rd 1/2 marathon in a month. It was the best one EVER!! The weather was perfect...not too hot...not too cold! No rain, which was a blessing! The event was organized wonderfully....they had lots of vendors there, lots of volunteers and lots of food. They had water and sports drink about every two miles, which is awesome. Even had Gu packets available which was great for energy! My Hubby came with me and he walked the race....and I ran it. My pace is super slow....or lets just say, his stride is bigger than mine!

I ran the entire 13.1 miles without stopping. This course had a lot of gradual hills, a couple of monster hills, and about 3/4 miles of gravel....which is hard to run on. I felt like I was running without shoes! Other than that, it was awesome!! I finished the race without any pain ~ Unfortunately I can't say I was pain free on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. My quads were really talking to me. Anyway, I had a great time!!

I asked my Hubby if he had fun.....and he kind of said yes...and then I asked him what would have been better. He said if he could have talked to me it would have been better. He said I was no fun because he said he tried to talk to me, but I was too focused and did not pay any attention to him. I felt bad about that!!

Anyway, I finished this race in 3 hours and 23 minutes and I shaved off 8 minutes from my last race at 3 hrs 32 minutes. I was really excited about that. Another bonus - - So fun crossing the finishing line with my sweet Hubby!!

Next up....5k run with my Hubby and Daughter on July 4th!!

How are you doing?

Keep focused!!

Fuel to my Fire!!!

You just never know how you impact people. So you're thinking.....nobody cares, nobody is watching anyway, so why does it matter. Well I just found out that people do care, they are watching and what I do matters!!

I have a family member who has really struggled with life. I mean really!!!! He is in very poor health, close to being bed bound and is addicted to pain medication. At one point he was in the hospital and I was telling him....You know you can be and should be your own health advocate. You see, until then, all the answers were in what the doctors told him and in the pills they prescribed, which lead to dependency and addiction! Never did he try to get better on his own or try to do anything for himself. He always relied on what he was told, even when he knew, some of the stuff they wanted him to do,  was not good for him.

I had the awesome opportunity of seeing this relative this weekend. I have to tell you, that I was not really looking forward to it. Most of the time when I see this person or talk to them on the phone, he's drugged out of his mind. Usually our conversations are about nothing and I get to listen to the whole thing with his slurring words and ramblings. Saturday, I saw a new man!! He's totally off of his pain meds. He was bright eyed and interested. He had packed on a few pounds and looked really good. He was happy and engaging. Wow who is this man?

I had told him that I was now looking at the real person and not some drugged up person. I had my relative back. He said something back that was amazing. He said, "I don't know where this came from, but  just one day, I decided that I needed to be my own health advocate. I decided to take my life back! "Well I know where he got that!!  Anyway, with his doctor's help he got off of the narcotics, found a pain management group, is eating better and exercising!!!

Wow!

Today, he called me and wanted to share with me his experience he had with his pain management class. He said he told them of what I was doing with my health. Told them that I've lost a lot of weight and that I'm now able to run 1/2 marathons. He told the group that my progress has so inspired him, that he now wanted to do more with his life. He said, that for 3 days now, he's been able to do more than he ever thought he could do. Said he was feeling great!!! He's inspired and now is even considering walking a 5k with ME!

Honestly Friends, I had totally written this man off. He was dead man walking as far as I was concerned. Before he took control of his health, he was totally lost, unable to move, in terrible pain and truly drug crazed!!!!

Oh my goodness. Now he wants to live and wants to do 5k's. Never dreamed he would be in this place!! Never!!! EVER!!!

It's amazing!!


A miracle!!!

This has sooooo lit a fire in me!!

Now I know the impact I had on myself, now others. There is no way, I would ever go back to how I was before. This fuels me to keep pushing and reaching for my next goals. I'm on fire!!

How about you?

Keep focused!!!

4 Days and Counting........

Just 4 more days to my next 1/2 Marathon.....

Can't believe it's here already! Can't say I'm as prepared as my first one. That first 1/2 Marathon was  a dream for me. I was totally ready, physically & mentally! I had tons of support. I was fueled and rested and the weather was perfect! Could not have been better!!!

This one....not so much! Physically, I'm still recovering from a sore knee. Probably not smart running two 1/2 Marathons in a weeks time. Thankfully it's been 3 weeks from the last race and I've rested, stretched and iced this thing a lot. So it's better! I was able to run 6 miles last Sunday with no problems, but it was not the mileage I had hoped to get in. I did not really want to push it! Mentally....I'm working on this.....Seems the momentum is building and I'm starting to get excited! Support...still got that for which I am thankful. But the weather....supposed to rain. That really dampens my spirits. Pun intended :-P

After this event....It's time to refocus and set some new goals.....

• 5k Run on 4th of July. Want to beat my 44 minute time!
• Get back to regular weight lifting and cardio
• Bike to work 2 days per week (18 miles round trip)
• Row classes in September
• Train for 1/2 Marathon in October

Just some things to do to keep me out of trouble!

Hope you are doing well!! Are you focused!?!?!?!?!

Are you like me?

If you are like me....just 2 and 1/2 short years ago, you would be feeling like you were about three minutes from being bed bound. Back then, I was 274 pounds. Which is heavy, OK fat, but not as big as some other people. But for me, at 5'4"...274 pounds was unbearable. Every day I felt like I was getting closer and closer to being bed bound. My body hurt....I'd get weird ailments and pains that were unexplainable and sometimes untreatable. It was hard for me to move....I could not squat, bend over, walk very far ~ let alone run, my body just was not functioning as it should....I truly feel, if I did not get control of my health, I would be chained to my bed forever! Is that where you are today?

If you are like how I used to be, I challenge you today, to make a difference in your life. The way I was headed...the way you are headed will only lead to misery and maybe even death. I was on a one-way train heading for my final days of life.....even before I actually got to live some life. How devastating is that!!!!

I never knew.......

That by changing my life and keeping my focus on good health and fitness how WONDERFUL life can be! The things I've been able to do since losing 74 pounds has been amazing!! No longer are days of watching TV and eating junk food considered a good day. Never do I desire to stay in bed and not face the day.

NO WAY!!

Now the days just don't seem long enough! I want to do so many things....

Biking, running ~ 5k's 10k's and half marathons, strength building, camping, boating, golfing, playing with my grandkids, entertaining family and friends, traveling, exploring and on and on!

The other day, I decided I wanted to try to learn to golf. So Hubby and I went to the driving range. I was able to hit 105 golf balls, fairly straight and about 100 yards. Not bad for my first time. Then we got to go to the putting place (mound.....holes - I don't know what you call them). Anyway, I'm standing there with balls everywhere ~ practicing and I happen to look up and take in my surroundings. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny May day. The air was crisp and scented with flowers. I looked around and realized that the place was just beautiful. The breeze was warm. And all I could think about was how free I felt. Free to be silly missing my shot, free to try, free to be successful in getting in a good shot, free to be just like everyone else. Free to just have fun!

It was amazing!!!

So if you are where I was 2 and 1/2 years ago.....start today to change your life...make small changes toward good health. Surround yourself with your health and fitness team. Set goals and focus every day on achieving your health and fitness goals. Because life is worth living!!! Don't waste it!!!

You can do it!! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!

Keep focused!