Coming Alive

We finally did it...my husband and I got smart phones. It was a long time coming and it has opened up a whole new world to us! A GPS so we don't get lost, we can text and send pictures, we can Google things and most importantly, be healthier. I found two apps that I am soo excited about. One is the Nike Run app and the other is the Lose It! app.

The Nike Run app tracks your run route, speed, weather conditions, how you felt after the run, etc. Cool way to know how far you have run without knowing the route!

                  

           

The other is the Lose It! app. This has changed my life. You put in your current weight, your goal weight and how quickly you want to lose it. It tracks the calories allotted in your day to achieve this goal. You plug in everything you eat and it calculates all the calories and nutrition facts for you. It even scans bar codes for the exact food you are eating! You can also put in your exercise and how many calories that burned. This then increases your caloric allotment for the day. Basically...I was eating too much. It is really hard to stick to 1200-1300 calories! Either that or I need to exercise a lot more. Or both. Which, I think I knew this...but this app made me REALLY KNOW this and be confronted with it. It was a little discouraging at first, especially when I found out 1/4 cup of cheese is 110 calories...and 1/4 cup was really limiting myself from a usual helping. Ay ya yai! But this is a good thing. It is really helping me get real and make healthy choices that will last a lifetime.

Oh, I also made some kale chips! Just rinse and dry kale, sprinkle with olive oil and seasonings of choice and cook for 20 minutes in a 300 degree oven. Mine were a little salty, but they were pretty good! Try it!

I have been doing my weekly weight and measurements. It appears that I have lost 2 pounds...but I think the scale can fluctuate due to barometric pressure changes or how my hair is sitting. But, I'll take it! My measurements haven't really changed, but that will probably happen with more exercise.

Speaking of exercise...I am soo out of shape. I did this OLD Tae Bo tape I have which uses cardio and exercise bands. It was hard stuff.

I had to fast forward through some parts because I was so tired. This lady's face described how I felt for most of the workout.

So I decided to "take it easy" the next day and try my new Pilates tape. Easy!? EASY!!!??? I can hardly move now and I yelled at the lady once by saying, "No way! Are you kidding? I am NOT doing that. And stop making it look so easy!" and then collapsed to the mat while she smiled on.

But I am not giving up completely. Each day I get a little stronger, gain a little more endurance. The better I eat, the better I will feel, the lighter I will get, the more energy I will have. I know this...I just need to get the ball rolling first to gain momentum.

And lastly, I did something for myself. It is my 3 week vacation from work. Hallelujah! So I did what anyone would do with so much freedom. I painted my nails and I got a new haircut. I have had the same haircut for 13 years and I felt tired and boring. So I drove to Mt. Vernon and told amazing Chelsea to cut it however she saw fit. Eeek! Such power, and such great results. I feel healthy, fresh, vibrant and fun! It is an extra boost of confidence that will help me continue down this hard but oh so worth it path of healthiness. I challenge you to do or change something that will boost your confidence and help inspire you to be healthier as well!