Today is a new day....

Hello again! It certainly feels like I've been working on getting "it" back for years and years and years. I've recently encountered a cross-roads and really need to regroup with my total body wellness. So here goes......

Isn't it typical that when any of us sets out to get "healthy" (whatever that is for each individual) we set such high expectations. We want to lose 50 pounds in three months; we want to run a marathon with an aggressive 8-week training program; we only want to eat whole foods and serve only whole foods to our families. What happens, in my experience, is we go full force for a week or so and then crash. I can't crash again....I just can't. Just take a look at this journal and you'll see that I pooped out after 5 entries a few years ago. So I'm taking baby steps this time.

Back when I was 25, when I met my soon-to-be-husband, I was in the shape of my life. I was a fairly strict vegetarian, ran 20 miles a week in the Austin hills, and drank adult beverages only when I went out dancing with my girlfriends (and we danced a lot back then). Now, 20 years later, I am so far from being a vegetarian, I don't run anymore and glass (or two) of red wine each night is mandatory. Raising a busy and happy family is a full time job and I have little time to truly focus on a lot of those things I used to do. I miss that way of life....

Normally, when I think of the good ol' days and wishing I could get back to that hot bod, I would start to set my goals. Usually the goals I would write down would be so crazy, I was always setting myself up for failure. Goals like:

• No more dairy, wheat, legumes, or meat of any kind
• Run every day
• Reach 15000 steps each day
• Consume only fresh fruit and veggies
• No more alcohol, at all!

While all of these are great goals to work up to and live by on a daily basis, it's a bit daunting to do all at one time when you are so far away from these goals in the first place. At least it is for me. So, I've decided that doing one thing at a time is what's right for me at this stage of life and hopefully the rest will fall into place. I've taken off my activity watch too. Don't get me wrong, I love my activity watch, it was like an extra appendage for me for a long long time. I'm just not going to count my steps until I'm back on track.

First goal revolves around exercise. I've got to create a plan that is right for me, one that is enjoyable but also includes some variation so that my old body can get a jump start. I love that feeling when I run and walk for exercise, but that's not enough anymore. I've got to add in those other things like strength training and stretching.

My son loves to run those crazy 5k races and really wants to try a 10k and then a half marathon after that. So, I've got my goal......let's run a 10k in April - the Cap10k in Austin to be exact. I've run this race before and really enjoyed it. My time was 1:17. I'm not a fast runner by any definition but I was so proud to have finished. I know The Boy will love this race and I bought him a registration for his birthday (ssssshhhhh, don't tell him). We won't appreciate it, but part of his present is me training for it. I'm already on week three of a fourteen week program (we still have thirteen weeks left to the big race). I'm pushing it I know but I will get it done.

My biggest challenge with this goal is not the running part, it's the cross-training and strength training part. But I've got my gym membership and just need to push myself to get out of my comfort zone. I can do this!!!

The app that I'm using to help me with my running sessions is called ZenLabs Fitness 10K.