MindBody: One Month Analysis

I really can't believe that I am 4 weeks into my MindBody FX program...which means I haven't done too well in my "staying conscious" goal LOL or else it means that my small changes have been going smoothly.

First & foremost I am very proud of my physical exercise progress. I have met my goal of 5 minutes 26/28 days, and most of those days I exceeded the goal by doing 20,30 or 45 minutes of exercise. I have been going to the LRC for the elliptical, treadmill or water aerobics, I have done Wii Fit or Sports on other days and also taken advantage of some of the warmer days by taking Dexter for a walk in the stroller. All of these activities fit well into the life I want of daily healthy habits.

From the beginning I have done pretty well with doing a daily meditation. I have both an AM & PM one available thru MindBody but I also have a hypnosis weight one from Marc Savard (a hypnotist from my home town who now has a show in Vegas), as well as a relaxation one & a few others I have yet to try. The easiest time for me to do this is right before bed, its still too difficult to do it in the morning with Dexter's shrieks in the background. The last two weeks I've also added in daily affirmations. Apparently these are best done outloud in front of a mirror...which I do about 20% of the time. But doing well with this area and hoping to continue to build on my success.

My affirmations right now are:

1. I build habits that bring me health & happiness.

2. I am passionate about fitness.

3. I enjoy exercising daily and being active.

4. I choose foods that bring me energy & vitality.

5. I love every part of my body.

6. My body absorbs nutrition & releases the rest.

7. I am successfully moving towards my fitness goals.

Within my sessions I have been really great at sharing (no surprise there ha ha) and getting the most from my coach. I'm actually quite sad that I am 1/3 of the way through as I'm worried I won't have the 'realizations/break-through' and large steps of progress I crave.

Wow, that in itself was a realization. I had an emotional reaction which is a sign to pay attention, feel the emotion and then decide how to proceed. I think I feel as though I have worked on the "easy" things so far & haven't truly challenged myself enough. The big payoff will come when I am better equipped to make healthy food choices more often (like 80% of the time).

I am just thinking, that I need to come up with some thing or things I can do for myself as a 'treat' when I feel like having a treat. Any ideas? They need to be quick & free.

Continuing Challenges:

1) Sleep Habits: Dexter has fairly routinely been awaking at 7:40am -give or take 30 minutes. Currently Tyler & I take turns waking up with him. A healthy habit would be to get 8 hours of solid sleep, so hitting the hay by 11-11:30pm each night & then getting up with or before dexter. In fact, ideally I'd like to do a morning meditation before he awakes. This is something to work towards in the upcoming weeks.

2) Water Consumption: Most of my fluids should be pure water &/or herbal tea. Both are hydrating & calorie free. On average I probably drink 2-3 glasses a day, quite short of the standard, though admittedly an improvement from a month ago! Again, a work in progress.

3) Food Habits: ideally I would like to be making healthful food choices 80% of the time. This means less sweets & treats, more veggies, more pre-planned meals (less last minute snacks) & more fresh foods. My successes over the last month is that most of my grains are whole grains - breads, pastas, rice & even perogies. I also feel as though I've been more conscious of when I reach for treats & thus been doing it less often. To be honest, less often means 2-3 times a day versus 6-8 times a day. That's probably a shocking figure for most, but I've come by my weight honestly. I have "earned" every pound on my body.

Which leads me to a scary part of this analysis...my weight. I am going to tell u exactly how much I way and I'd appreciate some discretion. I mean, I am fully aware that this is a public blog, but for the most part I'm sure only my friends and family read it (in small numbers). Being honest should hopefully be cathardic but it may also open me up to ridicule.

When I started this program, I weighed in at about 275lbs. This is my highest weight, including when I was pregnant with Dexter. (When pregnant, I started at about 270, dropped to 260 & was about 277 when he was born). This number can be SO overwhelming as even with dropping 100lbs, I'd weigh in at 170 which more most would be way above target weight. The lowest I've weighed in my adult life is about 170 or so when I graduated high school. I think I was a size 14 and it was the best I felt about my body, I felt truly beautiful for the most part (still a little self-conscious about my thighs). For me, 170lbs is my first target weight. I could do most of the things I want to at that weight. When I get there, I may re-evaluate (at 5'6 my BMI would still be higher than recommended) but its a large & important first step.

Everyone has a different weight journey, but I'd really like to impart the following wisdom onto other people:

Please appreciate & be grateful for the body you have now, as it could be someone else's "far away dream".

I am not entirely happy to be tipping the scales towards 300, nor am I happy to weigh as much as a heavyweight UFC contender without the muscle mass...but I am grateful I don't have further to go. I am grateful I have the opportunity to makes changes at 28 then at 38,48,58 or 68 and still have lots of life to enjoy at a healthy weight. I am grateful that I have full use of my body parts and don't have the additional challenge of a physical handicap.

I believe that it is only when you fully accept & appreciate your body for what it is now, that you can realize the possibilities of what it can be tomorrow. I am happy to be healthy & whole.

:-)
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