The beauty of the day book is that you can stay in week one if you're not ready for week two or you can skip week one and go to week two and revisit one later. It's up to you.We're not all ready for everything every day.

Give yourself permission to customize eating and exercise habits to your needs, your family and your schedule. You can DO this!

This week's homework is to increase the quality, quantity and variety of exercise you're doing. Since I didn't do squat last week, and I'm still in major overload, I'm going to focus on today's workout. I will tune out the world when I get on the stationary bike tonight. I will turn on mindless TV, a music channel instead of the news to keep my mind off external clutter. I will think about my position, body alignment, breathing and revolutions per minute. I will focus on form. I will shoot for 40 minutes at 20 mph. For variety, I'll actually get on the bike this week instead of looking at it

Tag, you're it! Start your engines and state your goals. For the week, today or a couple of days whatever you can deal with and realistically commit to. Stick to small manageable goals. They're achievable! Be realistic about where you're at and what you can accomplish. And get busy already

Curves if my main source of exercise.

Quality: I will focus more on form on the machines and make sure that I am holding in my stomach.

Quantity: I will increase by going another half time around the circuit.

Variety: I will take my kids out for a walk and scooter ride at least once this week. I put the baby in the stroller and let the older two ride their new scooters and then I get a good walk!

Kathy

I am on board with the exercise. This past week ended well for me and my treadmill. We are rekindling the relationship I had let die. Here is what I have planned for this week to improve my exercise experience.

Quality: I am going to focus this week on proper stretching before and after getting on the treadmill.

Quantity: I have been able to use the treadmill 5 out of 7 days so far. I will be trying to extend my daily walks to 40 minutes instead of 30.

Variety: The treadmill has so many different program options. I guess it is time to shake things up a bit. This week I will experiment with the program options and see what I can find to challenge me.

I have to say that we bought my dd Dance Dance Revolution for Christmas and it is great. I work up quite the sweat. The whole family gets involved. We even have some friends hooked. If you or your kids have a playstation it is well worth the $$. For an extra $20 we purchased an extra dance pad and we can play against each other. What a hoot! Although it does remind me as to why I hated going to aerobics classes. I feel like a bit of a klutz with the feet movements, but I am improving.

I am catching up on 2 weeks of homework that I have already written out but forgot to log on for accountability.
Week 1 - One of my bad eating habits was stopping for a fast food breakfast when I was short on time. Instead I have been driving a different route since the weather is okay and I have an alternative stash of oatmeal at work.

Week 2 - When I am on the eliptical trainer I will watch my posture. I am increasing the time I am on this wonderfully exhausting machine by 5 minutes! & I will do my strength training DVD twice to increase the amount. It is actually 47+ degrees today (unusual for Mich.) so I will walk 2 miles instead of the eliptical trainer.

Beth

p.s. - I LOVE THIS BOOK.

My goal, hmm I guess it would be to try & so my exercise video at least 3 times this week. Up until now I have not done it once this new year.

I don't have the daybook yet but wish all of you well that are having difficulties in your lives. Hugs to all of you!
Jill

QUOTE]Bee, two or three weeks ago, you needed a wheel chair to go thru the airport... please be more patient with yourself.[/QUOTE]

Good point Denise.

I'm having a busy week... and it won't let up until Saturday afternoon. I didn't do well on Mon or Tues but will eat really healthy today and the rest of the week. I know that eating well will make me feel better and help me cope with the stress.

Hugs to all of you that are going thru stressful times...

quote:

Originally posted by Bee:
I'm VERY frustrated that it's taking so long to recover and to see how weak I am. : (

Bee, two or three weeks ago, you needed a wheel chair to go thru the airport... please be more patient with yourself.

KD and Mary-Jo,

I know how hard it is to get going when someone close to you is ill. I just went overboard at dinner and I don't even remeber half the meal. All we can do is keep getting up and dusting ourselves off and keep moving along (even if it is several times a day). It is hard to fit in time for ourselves between hospital visits. I'm sending lots of hugs to you both.

Laurie

kd - hugs from me too! Just remember to take care of you, too. AND..you may have a couple of extra calories to burn on the bike, but you will never regret the time with your friend! THe exercise will only help with the stress!

Mel

I think I have to stay back at week one for now. The doctor just called back with lab results for me. All is normal except I am in the begining stages of Insulin resistance. I don't go back to the doctor untill Feb. 14. I need to figure out which way is up.
michelle

Sorry to hear that everyone is dealing with so much this week. I am feeling tired and grumpy but I think I need to work out anyway. I have a Spinning class in the plan for tonight but I also have a headache and a sore throat. I am hoping that I'll feel better by the time the class is supposed to start but even if not I'm going to go for the first few minutes and see if it's just an urge to slack off or if I'm really getting sick. If I just want to be lazy, by the time I get dressed and get to the gym, I'll feel like I might as well do the workout.

I had a great yoga class last night. That's the one workout I always look forward to.

The one part about the homework that is challenging me this week is the "play outside" part. I haven't figured out what I'll do yet but I will keep thinking.

Getting back to where I was before the new year, has been hard. I have to admit I didn't think that I couldn't control things, but....found out that my control isn't what I thought.

So rather than trying to change three things at a time, I'll work on one. And that one for this week is swimming. It's Tuesday, missed two days, but I will make the rest of the week. I'll stay on program, and get my sleep in.

Big hugs from me too. I'm sorry that things are so much of a struggle for both of you right now : (

I have to say, I'm not having a great day either. I had a very rough session at the gym this morning. I had two back to back sessions with clients where I had to do a fair amount of lifting and demonstarting technique on the sleds and I walked the length of the field for two hours.

After that, I decided to try to do a short workout - 10 minutes on the stair master and then 2 giant sets - squats, hamstring curls, pushups; tricep dips, glute-ham raises and situps. I could only get through 8 - 10 reps and only 2 sets. I also tried to do some pull ups and could only do one (I can usually do 6 - 7). Plus, I started to feel dizzy and light headed.

I'm VERY frustrated that it's taking so long to recover and to see how weak I am. : (

KD and Mary Jo, hugs to you both! We're here for you.

So, last night, I was working out with my trainer and I caught myself looking at the clock. I was thinking, how many more tricep exercises can he fit in to this hour? Then I heard KD's voice saying, "Count the minutes or make the minutes count." And that shamed me into re-focusing and pushing a little harder. Heard my trainer say, "There you go, you got it." I didn't look at the clock again and the rest of the hour flew by!

quote:

You don't have to do this alone. And you can stay on track even when life's doing it's darndest to derail you.

You know, I am usually a pretty tough chick!! I am the one everybody calls for support. I usually know the right things to say and I am able to handle major upsets pretty calmly.
Lately I am overwhelmed!! Right now, life is doing it's darndest to derail me! The holidays were tough, having lost my mother in law in May.
My aunt has been very sick and finally entered the hospital last weekend. She has Cihrrosis of the liver and probably does not have long to live. I am so overwhelmed with that all by itself!! I just can not believe it.
My close girlfriend has breast cancer and last weekend had a double mastectomy and now is getting ready for chemo and radiation. I am just sick over that.
My sister in law called me this morning. My brother and I don't speak, he is a very bitter person and very hard to get along with, so I just steer clear. She started in with me this morning about nonsense.
My brain is full and my heart is heavy. I ate a whole brownie cake yesterday. I know I shouldn't and I know that the cake won't make things better.
As I read the post from KD, I cried. I know how you are struggling. Emotion is big and heavy and can really be too much to carry.
That is how I am feeling right now. Like I wish I could just go somewhere alone and pretend like everything is good.
I am sorry. I don't like to be a downer and I hate to post when I don't have supportive things to say. This post just got to my heart and I needed to vent. My poor kids and my husband. Right now I am not so pleasant to be around.
This too shall pass. This is just a season I need to get through and then the sun will come out again for me.

I'm going to be a sneak and say I've already done the homework! No really! Two of the three of my January goals, which I started implementing last week, fit right in with this week's homework. I'm a woman ahead of my time!

First, I upped the total minutes per week of my cardio goal from last month, which means I am increasing the QUANTITY of my exercise. Second, I am intensifying my exercise at least 3 of my 5 exercise days a week, which means that I am increasing the QUALITY of my exercise by jogging more instead of walking, upping the weights, staying more focused and putting everything into every move.

Variety-wise, I'm already good. I think I already have a more varied workout regime than many people. My regime includes various kinds of cardio both at home and in the gym, weight training both at home and in the gym, Pilates and other core work, balance ball, ballet and many other kinds of toning. I don't do it ALL in EVERY week, of course, but I keep rotating to be sure that I'm staying varied. I do this for ME because it keeps me from being bored and also works every part of my body so I end up with better fitness overall.

I'm a day-to-dayer (as in I can't deal with a week at a time) right now due to life with a cancer patient and a fat schedule so I'm posting to create accountability. I'm going downstairs to ride the stationary bike. If I didn't post, I wouldn't do it. Who would know

I'm having fish for supper. Thanks to my Mom. Who didn't call and say I know you're not eating all your vegetables and you haven't had a decent meal in three weeks even though you're a chef and you should be cooking for me because I'm your mother and I'm old. Instead she said the fish guy gave me too much fish this morning. I'm making a casserole of layered potatoes, tomatoes, broth, herbs and the fish. I tried it last week, I'm perfecting it this week. It's really great. It will be on the counter. I'm going out.

If this is you, create accountability. It works. Seek out support when you need it. Ask for help. You don't have to do this alone. And you can stay on track even when life's doing it's darndest to derail you.

OK I did WATP 1 mile again today, this time I tried using the 2 pound weighted balls. I made it through all but the last movement with the balls.... And Since I didn't let myself skip, I now have half of my workouts in and we are only 2 days into the week!!

Laurie

today hubby and i get started in our home gym. we have the eatting in place the next step is work out. 5 X a week is what we will aim for. Vett