Get up.....RIGHT NOW!.......DOOOOOO IT!

....but I'm comfortable, it's cold, I don't feel like it, it's hard, I don't want to, why bother, what difference will it make?
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT DIFFERENCE IT WILL MAKE!

• You only need to get up and moving to get that physiology in motion and keep it going
• It sets a pattern for the rest of the day
• You will be burning calories and building strength regardless of what you think
• Even if you don't see it on the scale, maybe even see a gain, your health WILL benefit from moving your body
• YOU WILL FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF!! Every time you beat one of your challenges, a personal hurdle, you will feel more confident, you will be stronger and braver about moving to the next one.  Before you know it you will be asking, 'Okay! What's next? Whaddya got?!'

There is so much to be said for just taking one simple small ACTION!  That is the key here.  Do something, anything, but get up off your ass and do SOMETHING!  It won't and SHOULDN'T happen overnight, but slowly, with steady and consistent small changes in your behaviour, you will begin to see a difference and you will probably begin to feel a difference long before you see it.  Grab on to that feeling and run with it!

I think of Abby from 'The Biggest Loser' Season 8.  She was in a wonderful marriage, had a beautiful little girl, and a brand new 2 week old baby boy.  In the blink of an eye, her husband, daughter and baby boy were taken from her in an automobile crash.  Her entire world as she knew it had changed in an instant.  How heartbreaking and horrifying!  But this wonderful and beautiful gal knew she had to find a reason to get out of bed each and every day after this.  She had to justify to herself why she was still here, there had to be a reason.  She wouldn't waste this life.  So she continued to get up everyday, one day at a time, one step at a time.  I can't even imagine doing this, the pain would be so overwhelming, I think I might just curl up and die.  But Abby continued each day.  She eventually became a contestant on The Biggest Loser where she worked hard, but found additionally a lot of love and support.  After the show, she continued to pay it forward and shares her experience with others.  She is now engaged again and continues to give back everyday of her life.  What an amazing woman!

I don't like to take away from my own or anyone else's pain.  The pain we each feel may not be as tragic as Abby's above, but it is real to us.  And we each have our own obstacles to overcome.  But, I look at her and ask myself, 'If she was able to get herself up each day after such an unbelievable loss, couldn't I get up as well?  Couldn't I face a little challenge?  And be grateful I don't have this heartwrenching ache in the pit of my gut?'  What an inspiration she is!

DONE! Today's goal 20 minutes on the Elliptical at the highest resistance, go for a 400 calorie burn. At about the 300 calorie burn mark I started getting barfy, uck! My muscles were burning in my thighs, and I was feeling beat-up.  Wow! I've gotten so out of shape with this injury....WAIT A MINUTE!! Could I even do this last year at this time?!  Don't beat yourself up people, don't compare yourself to others, just do what you can do!  Set a goal, then once you meet it, see if you can add just a little bit more before stopping for the day.  I am a step counter, 1 to 100 and then restart.  I've gotten pretty good at equating distances and counts.  So when you're walking, see if you can add maybe 10 more steps, or if doing weights, see if you can add just 1 more rep, etc.  You get the idea.  Today, I pushed through the nausea, but lowered my speed just a tad, I got to my 400 calorie burn at 19 minutes and decided to go at least 1 more minute on a low resistance for a cool down period, I did this for another 2 minutes and was able to get rid of the burning and the nausea.  The calf felt great today using the Elliptical instead of running, so this is a very doable option while I'm on the mend and taking is easier on my running.

A Few Last Notes:

• A large part of my motivation today was this very blog, which is why I started it, for myself and others.  I want to encourage each of you to just try, don't give up on yourselves, YOU have to believe in yourself!  Before looking at me or at anyone else and saying the 'yeah buts...', 'yeah, but, you're a runner', 'yeah but I weigh a LOT more than you', etc, It is important that you NEVER compare yourself to anyone else! GOT IT?! I am not kidding, do not even allow it to creep in there.  I guarantee you that you yourself have a gift that they don't have, so don't lose sleep over that.
• Get your butt to your Doctor before you start anything EVER! NO JOKE! Really do this, it also helps eliminate excuses if you try to say, I can't....my health won't allow it! Are you kidding?! Your health is BEGGING for it!
• I've read alot and searched for things that can motivate me personally.  What works for one, may not work for another.  I have purged more self-help than I kept and it is important not to get so caught up in everyone else's advice that you get overwhelmed by the conflicting information. Find what works for you, then purge the rest! Even if it is only one sentence that you take away from an entire book.  If it works for you, Keep It! Forget the rest and move on.
• Just get out there and take baby bites out of your big goal.  I've read (and this worked for me, but maybe not for you), it is good to set at least one short term smaller goal and one larger long term goal.  I find that I do much better if I have a goal (i.e. race) that I'm working specifically toward and training for.
• Whatever you decide works best for you, just stick with it.  If you hate it, find something else, but don't quit, just keep moving forward.  Set that short term goal today, a five minute walk, then try to add 10 more steps.  If that feels good maybe 10 more.  Throw on the IPOD with some of your favorite books, songs, whatever keeps your interest.  This is YOU time!  Make it fun!
• Don't let someone else discourage you.  Alot of people will try to tell you what you should be doing.  I was told I would need to get out of my comfort zone, work on speed training, do this, do that.  I kept doing what I was doing and it worked for me.  Then I began reading and finding out I was doing everything exactly right!  What people don't realize is that at a heavier weight, EVERYTHING is out of my comfort zone, everything is a push and a struggle, everything is a hard workout!  I won't allow that to be taken from me, and I am very proud!  Don't let someone even 10 years younger try to tell you what to do, if you're a woman, a man can't tell you about your physiology (unless he is a trained professional, but even then.....lol). I am a 51 year old 190+ pound (who had gotten to almost 250 lbs at one point) peri-menopausal woman!  I don't need to compare myself to or even try to keep up with a 25 year old male elite runner!  Don't you try to either!
• Don't take everything away from yourself all at once!  You are setting yourself up to fail!  If you think you can't have or do anything fun and that all you ever get to do is work out, then that becomes no fun at all.  You become angry, sad, wonder how you could have ever let it get this bad, wonder why even bother...etc.  Then the rebellion and binging begins.  Start small.  Just shave 500 calories a day, this is 1 lb a week.  Yes I know, weeks to lose a lb or 2 and 5 minutes to put it all back on.  But, just do it anyway.  At least you are doing something! And by adding activity to this, you are hedging your bets.  I personally had cut out all refined and processed sugar for several months and then all cravings for it went away.  Once I started back on it, was I ever in trouble! A little nibble now and then didn't seem to work for me, they were more of a trigger for me.  I may be one of those people that just is not able to have the sweet treats.  But there are ways around it, healthy ways.  More on that at another time.
• Don't weigh youself every day!! Pick one day, preferably in the morning before you eat and after you go to the bathroom.  Weigh in the same time and way each time to keep it as consistent as possible.  Don't wear clothes, if you do, wear the exact same thing each time!

I have included under my 'Entertainment' a link to Todd Lange's 5k101.  I found his program to be extremely user friendly and it was free!  All you need is an IPOD.  He is also on facebook and is very supportive if you have any problems downloading the program or anything else.  If you're interested in trying running or even walking fast, I highly recommend his program. (Remember:  Doctor first!)

NOW:  GET UP AND MOVE!!