(This is my vision board when I was living in Utah in 2005.  I got the idea from a Oprah Winfrey episode on things to do to achieve goals.  I made it to remind me of all the fun things I like to do and to remind me of all the friends and family around me.  Usually a vision board is for goals you have.  Mike and I have one in our second bedroom.  I’ll put it in a future post. )

When I was in college, I dedicated my summers to traveling.  I went and worked in Orlando for a summer at Walt Disney World.  I went to Utah and spent a summer at Brigham Young University learning the college life on campus.  I went on four different cruises to different tropical places.  I dedicated summers to dating right.  Other summers to educating myself.  So many different things!

Starting Memorial Day Weekend, I made a pact to myself that I was going to make this the “summer of fitness”.  I have been addicted to working out since about 2004, when I started taking group fitness classes.  I slipped down to my lowest weight and felt great.  I was especially excited when I found Les Mills’ Body Pump class and started to build muscle and tone out.  I have been interested in eating right and have bought almost every Fitness, Shape, Cooking Light, and Self magazines as the years have passed on.

This year was a very disappointing year on my body.  The stress from my job took a toll on me.  I gained almost 15 pounds from August until May.  I even went as far as going to my doctor about it.  I am an avid mountain biker and still raced, and was even getting faster on the bike!  Why was this happening to me??  With a lot of research and discussion, I concluded the weight gain to two things.  1. Stress.   2.Eating Right. 

(Before And After)

I can go on and on about how I concluded this, but I will spare the details.  So instead, I am going to explain how I am going to get myself back to a “comfortable” physique.  I am not going based on weight, I am going by how I felt.  Being thirty, I have to be realistic that age plays a role, but I am also going to not let it hold me back.  I still want to be healthy.  My goal is to feel “confident” by the end of the summer.  A confidence where I am not embarrassed to sit down and not use my purse to cover my stomach.  A confidence where I am not embarrassed to wear a short sleeve shirt, because I am afraid to show off my arms.  A confidence where I can stop complaining every second I put my clothes on. 

Here is the game plan.  A successful way to diet and exercise is to keep a journal, therefore I will be keeping a journal on this blog through posts:

1. Two a Day Workouts.  It doesn’t mean I go to the gym twice a day.  It means I complete at least two workouts a day. 

2,  Food Journal.  Keep a list of foods and meals eaten.  Keep healthy meals on hand.  Watch portioning.

3. Make life more fun.  Since stress is such a big factor in my life and physically makes me sick, I am going to work on at least one thing a day to relax my body.

4. Organize my life.  When I am organized, things are so much happier around my house. I love organizing and consider it a huge impact on my success in teaching, as well as my success personally.

So here it goes guys.  I send this out into the cyber world!  I will get back to you daily on one of these four subjects, or on all four of these subjects.  Wish me luck.  See you in August!