Mark 9:38-43, 45

[from the first reading at mass this weekend]

At that time, John said to Jesus,
"Teacher, we saw someone driving out demons in your name,
and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow us."

Jesus replied, "Do not prevent him.
There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name
who can at the same time speak ill of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea."

The Wagon

I tell my son regularly that every time he quits smoking is a good day.  Even though he's picked it up again every time, he's still doing his body good every day that he doesn't smoke.

Well, I've started giving myself the same advice.  I was doing so well with my diet and exercise March through July.  In August, I started slacking.  In September, I DIDN'T exercise or eat well more than I DID.  Time to get back on the wagon.

In looking back at what worked for me, it was all in the planning and tracking.  Planning my meals and my workouts and then tracking the results.  Not just tracking pounds lost...but calories eaten, calories burned, steps taken, miles traveled, reps completed.  I was eating, breathing, dreaming, talking health and fitness so much more during those months that I was seeing positive results.  I need to get back to that.  Not only do I have a lot more weight to lose, I have some of those pounds to lose AGAIN!

So, I spent the morning coming up with a plan, both for my workouts and my diet.  I'll spend tomorrow afternoon shopping for the foods I'll need to make it happen.  It's probably a silly short-coming of mine, but I like starting things on 'the first'.  Monday happens to be October 1st.  Lucky me!  Though I plan to eat better and get a 2.5 mile walk in tomorrow.

So, here's the plan...

MENU
Breakfast - Shakeology
Lunch - salad with tuna and at least 3 servings of vegetables
Dinner - chicken or fish and veggies
Snacks - boiled egg, yogurt, or fruit
**notice no processed foods and low carbs

EXERCISE
Les Mills Pump - weight workout 3x every week
Les Mills Pump - hard-core abs 3x every week
45 minute walk every day (2.5 - 3 miles) - I want to get back to hitting 10,000 steps every day.

WATER
No less than 3 cups in the morning, 3 cups in the afternoon, and 3 cups in the evening.  More when I'm working out.

My goal is to focus on the activities one day at a time.  No need to stress myself out about menus and workouts that are days away; I just need to accomplish my menu/workout each day.  I'll have the entire week in the back of my head though, as that's how often I'll weigh myself.  And because the eventual results are what keep me motivated, I'll continue to picture significant success for each month.  But because I'm a planner, I've already created somewhat generic calendar/plans for October, November, and December.

GOALS
Daily:
     10,000 steps
     1200 - 1400 calorie in-take
     9 - 12 cups of water
     350 calories burned during workouts
Weekly:
     1 - 2 pound loss
Monthly:
     5 - 8 pound loss

Seven Word Status

 

Time to get back on the wagon!

Seven Word Status

Home from Relay for Life Leadership Summit!

Just so you know...

Take Our Bread (hymn)

Take our bread, we ask You.
Take our hearts, we love You.
Take our lives, oh Father, we are Yours.
We are Yours.

Yours as we stand at the table You set.
Yours as we eat the bread our hearts can't forget.
We are the signs of Your life with us yet.
We are Yours.  We are Yours.

Refrain

Your holy people stand washed in Your blood.
Spirit filled, yet hungry, we await Your food.
Poor though we are, we have brought ourselves to you...
We are Yours.  We are Yours.

Refrain


We sang this at mass this morning.  My favorite line is, "we are Yours."  Lucky me, we got to sing that line several times.  I've included a YouTube video of the hymn.  Enjoy!

Seven Word Status

Got my 10,000 steps in by 4pm!

 

James 2:1-5

[from the second reading at mass this weekend]

My brothers and sisters, show no partiality
as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.
For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes
comes into your assembly,
and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,
and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes
and say, "Sit here, please, "
while you say to the poor one, "Stand there, " or "Sit at my feet, "
have you not made distinctions among yourselves
and become judges with evil designs?

Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.
Did not God choose those who are poor in the world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom
that he promised to those who love him?

Seven Word Status

It's officially football season!  Let's go COLTS!  (and Air Force and Big Ten football!)

My SECOND 5k

Heartland 5k, post-race

I ran/walked my second 5k yesterday morning, the Heartland Half-Marathon/5k in Jasper.  I had four goals, pretty much the same as the goals for my Catfish 5k in June.

1. Run the first mile.  FAIL - I started off too fast to keep running for a whole mile.
2. Run at least half of the race.  FAIL, I think.  But my walking pace was faster.
3. Run through the finish line.  SUCCESS - I'm pretty sure I ran the last half mile.
4. Improve on my 43:07 time from the Catfish 5k.  SUCCESS, barely.  Finished in 43:00.  ***UPDATE***  We got the official results today.  I actually finished in 42:51.  Woohoo!

I never felt comfortable during this race.  Could have been the rain.  Could have been the 0500 wake-up.  Could have been the fact that I think my running shoes are hurting my feet (even though I've only had them a month, I'm definitely replacing them!).  Who knows?!  But before it started, I couldn't wait for it to be over.  And several times during the run I wondered if I'd even finish in the 40's.  I wouldn't have been at all surprised to find out that I was a good ten minutes over my previous finish.

But once I finished...AND found out that I had bettered my time...I was on cloud 9!  And I definitely plan to do another one in the future.  Not sure if I'll find another one in the local area before winter.  But that won't keep me from training.

***UPDATE***
Okay, since I initially posted this, I've been invited to run three more 5k's this fall.  Not sure that I'll do them all, but I want to do at least one!

1. The first one was actually an advertisement in the goody bag I received at the Heartland 5k for the First Annual Purdue Boilermakers Half-Marathon and 5k.  It's in West Layfayette on October 20th at 8am.  I think Stephanie and I are seriously looking to do this one...since she's a Purdue grad and all.  The only thing is, it's pretty far north for me.  But we'll work it out.  Just waiting on the go ahead from Steph before signing up for this one.
2. Then I got word about running with the Scouts on Sept 15th.  That one is only two weeks away.  But it's much more local, at the Martin State Forest at 8am.  I need to decide on this one pretty soon.
3. Then I got word about the Dubois County Humane Society 5k in Jasper on September 29th at 7am.  What is it with Jasper doing their runs so darn early in the morning?!  I have until the 15th to decide if I'm doing this one.

Let me know if you're at all interested in running with me/us.  I'd love to have some company...at least at the beginning and the end.  I promise not to hold you back during those middle three miles.  : )

Psalm 15:1-5

[the psalm from mass this weekend]

One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;

who thinks the truth in his heart

and slanders not with his tongue.

One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Who harms not his fellow man,

nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

by whom the reprobate is despised,

while he honors those who fear the LORD.

One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Who lends not his money at usury

and accepts no bribe against the innocent.

Whoever does these things

shall never be disturbed.

One who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

Sept 1st Update

Okay, I feel like I've been working hard, but the scales are definitely not showing it.  And I'll tell you why...because my diet has been crap!

I've been slacking on my water intake.
I've been eating fast-food.
I haven't been cooking as much as I should.
I've allowed too many processed foods back into my menus.
...I could go on and on.

Time to recommit!

My current weight and measurements:
WEIGHT:  210.6 lbs (same as last month, still more than post-Reset...which is NOT good!)
NECK:  15" (same as last month)
BICEP:  12.5" (loss of 0.5")
FOREARM:  10.25" (same as last month)
CHEST:  46" (same as last month)
WAIST:  43" (gain of 0.5")
HIPS:  47.5 (loss of 0.5")
THIGH:  28" (same as last month)
CALF:  16" (same as last month)

Now I give myself a bit of a break because I've been doing a weight-lifting program.  So hopefully I've been building muscle.  And of course, muscle weighs more than fat.  Not to mention, I've increased my calorie intake due to the weight-lifting.  So, it took me a little bit of time to figure out exactly what I should be eating to keep from being hungry without overeating.

LES MILLS PUMP
So, I've been doing Les Mills Pump for four weeks now and I LOVE IT!!!  The workout I've done the most these last couple/few weeks is Pump & Burn.  Tomorrow I graduate to Pump & Shred.  I haven't even watched it yet.  But I'm sure it's more intense.  AND it's 15 minutes longer!  So, I'll definitely be stepping it up this month.  But I say, BRING IT ON!

WALKING/RUNNING

I have a 5k tomorrow morning...probably in the rain.  My second one ever.  I have to admit, I'm more looking forward to it being over than I am looking forward to the event itself.  I have the same goals as before...run the first mile, run more than half, and run through the finish line.  I was going to shoot for bettering my time.  But the weight-lifting has really affected my running and the rain isn't going to help either.  Outside of that, I intend to continue running and walking regularly.  It's worked for me thus far; I don't intend to give it up any time soon.

THE 17 DAY DIET

When I did my first Monthly Challenge with Jayme, she suggested that we read "The 17 Day Diet".  For whatever reason, I missed that step of the challenge.  Well, I decided it's about time I check it out.  It reminds me a lot of the Reset.  But whereas the Reset was very strict as to what I should eat for every meal, the 17DD gives me a list of foods that are appropriate for each 17 day cycle.  And there are four 17 day cycles.  So far, I find it intriguing.  Also I intend to commit to drinking more water again.  I've REALLY been slacking on my water.  And that is never a good thing, especially when dieting...and DEFINITELY when lifting.




So, that's my plan for September.  Lifting, walking/running, eating cleaner, and increasing my water intake.  It's going to take a bit of self-discipline...which is what I struggle with.  But I have a mission.  I have a goal.  And I am NOT ready to settle yet.

Seven Word Status

Recommitting to eating clean

and drinking water!