Clutter house = cluttered body

I was listen to Jillian Michaels'  latest podcast today. In it she talked about making your home a sanctuary and how various parts of your home reflect you - or should. The part that really struck home with me today was how if you kitchen is a mess, if it is cluttered and disorganized it is reflective of how you feel-think-act towards your health. Wow. Anyone who knows me in "real life" knows that I am a slob. I don't mean to be, I don't want to be, I am getting help to be different, but this is my reality at least for now. And my kitchen is very often a DISASTER. Right now it is certainly not awesome-ness but in general it is far better than it has been in the past and certainly above and beyond when it has been the worst. In  the last month it has been not too bad. And in the last month I have been focusing more and more on my health, my fitness, my weight loss, my need for a clean and organized mind/body/life. 

When I focus on me I notice the chaos around me. I care. I want to be different. When I focus on everyone/thing else, I see the chaos, but I don't care. I mean I care if it is approaching health hazard state, but I am so worn down and tired and overwhelmed by everything that I just can't seem to find the... I don't the whatever to deal with the chaos.

You hear over and over again how its important - especially for women - to make yourself a priority when you are trying to be fit and healthy. Mom needs to put herself first sometimes because she will be happier and that will make her a better, stronger, happier mother. And if you are a mother (or woman or caregiver of any kind) that advice tends to go in one ear and out the other. But in this last month or so I have put myself, well not necessarily first, but at least not last. And as I move "me" up the priority list I am happier, I do feel better, I am a better wife and mother. And I am positive that when I get to be #1 on the list I will have the clean and organized kitchen to prove it. I'll even post pictures.

Rested yesterday, 4 more miles today including speed/C25K training.

45 days until Christmas

There is only 45 days left until Christmas! Lorrie posted on her blog that she wants to give herself the gift f health for the holidays. I want to give that gift to myself and my family too! She is challenge herself and others to do something for their health everyday and take a picture on Christmas day to show off how they have contributed to their health. I am going to join her. So today I am going to moderate my urge to binge, eat a great big salad, and start my journey of 1,111.11 miles with a C25K workout with the boys after school. 

New Challenge - Goals

With a little over a week until my birthday I am deep in thought of how to make 2011 (and my 33rd year) my best one ever. I have been loving my walk/runs C25K training, but it is super hard to get out with the boys until I get my jogging stroller... (I am pretty sure Dad will be getting it for me for my birthday) - BUT in order to really deserve such a wonderful (and way too expensive present) I have to really do my running/training. So I am going to "announce" my goals for the next year

1. Complete (and eventually run) a 5K every month that I can find one I can afford to enter - I am hoping to do one on Thanksgiving and one in Seneca Falls in December so far.

2. Run/Jog/Walk 1,111.11 miles by 11/11/11. I didn't think I could do over hundred thousand miles in a year... That means I need to do a little more than 3.044 miles a day - every day, no exceptions between 11/11/10 and 11/11/11. This should be fun!

Power of Prose

259.8 - yeah, I don't know what's up with that...
W2D2 - 1.91 miles (a whole 1/10 of a mile further than Monday!)

So I follow a couple blogs, including one written by one of my best friends from high school. Have you ever read someone - some writer that seems to write about using a hammer (or some other banal thing) and have it always be complete and utter poetry? My friend writes like this. I can smell the jasmine scented air and feel the moist heat of the far east when I read her words. A "mommy" blog that I read, the writer does the same. Absolute poetry, thick with metaphor, every sentence like some kind of meditation.

People that can write with such evocative imagery... they are on my list of people I wish I could be like. Who is on yours?

I love running!

257.6
C25K W2D1

I want to go again - right now! I loved my run this morning. Took L'il Girl with me and improved my speed and distance today. I had a little trouble going for 90 seconds sometimes - especially coming back up the hill but... All in all, a great run and I can't wait to go again.

One month until my birthday

It is only one month until my birthday. I will be 33 and over 250lbs - still. Last year I wrote a blog post on Sparkpeople about how I did not want to make the same birthday vow to eat better and workout and be in better shape... and I will make exactly that same vow this year. It is depressing. I know that organization and planning is the key to changing my life and I haven't been able to get it together. I am bored and unhappy and unmotivated and I hate feeling like this!


I am upset with myself that I never really seemed to find my stride with this year. I didn't find an exercise program I could stick with and my eats have been totally all over the place. 

I feel like running is the way to go for me, so I am going to concentrate on my C25K and add in some strength training 2 days a week - probably ChaLEAN Extreme because it targets the whole body... And today I am going to go on a long walk/jog with my boys. Probably in their stroller for most of it (the baby for the whole thing) and just try to have some fun and enjoy the bright crisp fall day. I live in such a beautiful area and I feel like I never take advantage of it. So I am going to dedicate at least one day a week to taking a long hike/walk with the boys. Get some fresh air and sunshine (or at least as much sunshine as is possible in Western New York...) I feel good about that idea. I feel like this will help me reconnect and feel better about myself too. Maybe I can even get a jogging stroller and take the boys running with me all the time - with some really good warm clothes and one of those insulating wind block things!

Insomnia

---
C25K W1D2

Haven't done the run yet, but I will. Had some sleep problems last night - both the boys and me, so I did not get up as early as I would have liked to (10AM). So I am going to leave 45 minutes early to pick up the boys and run along the road in front of the Heron Hill Winery (about 3 miles away from me, but too far for me to run to - for now :) ) park the car at the lookout and have some beautiful scenery to go along with my run. Then I will go get the boys and even though I got a late start I will have accomplished what I needed to today!

Couch to 5K - W1D1

250.8
C25K

Inspired by Lorie from the token fat girl I have restarted my Couch to 5K program. I like the feeling of accomplishment finishing a run gives me, and just the few weeks I was doing it last spring/summer I was rapidly able to improve my speed and distance and I look forward to completing the program (and the "runner's high" everyone talks about). I have the same respect for runners that I do dancers - something I have not been able to get my body to do in the past, but I am trying to get better.

And it looks like I will need to find a better way to store my Crockpot yogurt overnight for the winter - the last 2 batches of my yogurt (made from the Crockpot Ladies' Blog) have not set enough because the kitchen got so cold overnight. I am going to invest in some heavy bath towels and store the crock in the oven overnight from now on.