Scheduling the New Plan

I have been MIA. I'm sorry. I have been complacent and comfortable with having my "healthy lifestyle" switch to cruise control and coast without being accountable and working hard.

But that is not why I started this blog. I have heard from several of you about how you share the same struggle as me and need encouragement and accountability as well. I want us all to be healthy and successful in this journey. I don't want to let myself, my husband, or you all down! Let's do this!

So....how do I restart?

My husband and I took out our calendar and wrote in the days and times we are going to exercise. It will take some sacrifice such as having to workout after a long work day or having to make a simple meal that will be ready when we are done working out. But we have a plan. A solid plan.

Every Wednesday we workout when Matthew gets home from work. We do cardio and weights at our gym. Every Thursday when I got home from work, we do something "lighter" such as stretching or yoga to help with toning. Then, each of us have to find two days to workout on our own: 1 day of weights and cardio, the other "lighter" like walks, stretching, yoga or pilates. Mine will be Monday and Tuesdays. THEN every Saturday I don't work, we will sleep in a little and then plan a fun exercise date such as hiking or longs runs.

We planned all this last week and started our new adventure into health with a hike to Rattlesnake Ridge. We fueled up and took healthy snacks (blueberries, Gatorade, sandwiches and saltines with low-fat peanut butter). It was a good hike and I didn't pause as much as I thought I would. The view was amazing, as always and we enjoyed our picnic lunch at the top.

Then we hiked up a half mile and stood in the exact place where Matthew knelt down two years earlier and asked me to marry him. It was a wonderful way to top off our new exercise adventure.  After putting in the hard work, the end, the view and the conquering makes it all worthwhile.

We went to the gym on Wednesday as planned, but didn't do Thursday as it was fourth of July and we had some celebrating after I got off work.

Saturday.

Oh Saturday.

I thought it would be super fun to do some running down at Chamber's Bay since we had never been before. It was warm out, but I thought we could drink water and there would be enough shade. The time we were able to go was after Matthew got off work, around 4pm. What a mistake.

We walked down the first big hill to go to the bathroom, stretch and get some water. Then we were to run/jog a mile, walk 1/2 mile, and run/jog the rest. 0.8 miles in, I am already over heating and exhausted. If I were a car, I would have broke down in smoke and made you pull me over to the side of the road and die. Then we came to the first hill. Correction, mountain side. Those aren't hills people, they are mountains for HIKING. We hadn't gone a mile so Matthew made us "run" up the hill. I think I was making as much progress as someone running up the down escalator. I literally felt as if I wasn't going anywhere. Somehow, I think Matthew physically pushed me part of the way, we made it to a flat spot where my Iphone chirped "one mile" and I stopped. Thankfully, we were at the hills and were able to walk/hike up the rest of the horrible, mean, grueling hills. At the top, it was a half mile so we (I) began to run/weakly jog the rest of the way. It was so hot and I was so tired, but somehow we made it to the car.

It was terrible. I had a headache the rest of the day and was so hot. So, Duh lesson number 1, do NOT exercise in the MIDDLE of a summer day! It will just set you up for failure.

Next time we do that, we are going DOWN those hills in the evening on a cool day. And hopefully I will be more in shape to CONQUER them, instead of having the course conquer me.

So, here I am, starting yet again. But each time I start, I have new lessons, new ideas, new motivation. And I am never going back and restarting from where I was months ago. No, I make healthier and healthier choices that I can still fall back on, even when I have a rough moment...or month.

So on to my new adventure of exercising, and of course counting calories and eating healthy. The one major goal I have is this (and now I have to do it since I am telling you all and already agreed with my husband). September we will hike Mt. Si. I have been so intimidated by this hike as it is 4 miles UP with an elevation gain of 3,150 feet. I am going to work out and be strong so come September, I will stand on the top of that mountain and say, "...." uh...something profound I am sure.

So hold me accountable. Mt. Si, here I come!