Personal Best: 30- Day Plank Challenge

Yay! Today I did it! I met my goal of hold a plank for two minutes:

I'm so excited! This just goes to show what happens when I stay consistent and persistent when working on a goal.

Another 30-minute run

Lol! I have to laugh when I say, another 30-minute run, like it's no big deal.  It's a big deal for me.  I am still amazed at my progress.  I have a lot of self-doubt creeping in and my 5K date creeps up.  I'm doing my best to stay in the moment and enjoy the journey.

Week Six, Day Three

Today’s workout was 15-min run, 3-min walk, and 10-min run.  Not sure what happened this morning but I didn’t finish my first run.   I started my walk break early and told myself I would just tack on the remaining five minutes to my second run.  Well, everything went fine.  I added the remaining five minute to my last run only to discover after I’m home that I owe myself an additional five minutes! WTH?  I don’t think I had another five minutes left in me anyhow so I will be repeating this workout on Saturday.

The perfectionist in me is so disappointed in myself.  I ran for 20 minutes on Monday so I don’t know why this workout was so hard.  I’m thinking maybe my pace was too fast or maybe not.  I know I’m notorious for self-sabotage!  I’m trying so hard not to beat myself up.  I have to remind myself that I have come a long way, to be very grateful for the progress I’ve made.  Some workouts will be like this.  I know my opportunity is getting enough rest.  I stayed up late watching the Olympics when I should have been in bed sleeping. 

Oh well, Saturday I will do better.  I will not give up! I have to remember to take this one day at a time, one workout at a time.  I have 65 days before the 5K.  One “bad” workout is not going to break me.  I can do this!

July Challenge Check-in/Day 18 - Last Chance Workout

Okay, I have to admit I'm not happy right now! I just stepped off the scale. With all the exercising I've been doing, you would think I've lost some weight. Nada! I know it's my food intake. Although I am making healthy choices (sans the trip to Dairy Queen), I need to focus on portion control.

The truth is I resent the whole measuring and counting thing. I have a HUGE mental hang up about it. I judge myself as a pathetic loser with no self control. Unlike a number of individuals I've encountered on my weight loss journey, I have not been on a lot of diets. The only diet I've tried is Medifast. I had much success on Medifast. I tried it for a month and lost 25 pounds.

Anyhow, I do not want to diet! I really want to learn to simply make healthy choices and watch my portions. I know I am capable of doing so. I just need to do it on a more consistent basis until it becomes habit. This is why, intellectually, I know I need to find a healthy eating plan and stick with it.

I decided last night that this is going to be my challenge next month. I'm going to find some diet or healthy eating plan to follow.

Fitness is Learning - Self Discipline

Self Discipline


Self Discipline is when you tell yourself to do something and you don’t talk back. ~source unknown


What do I think of when I think self discipline? I think focus. I am always impressed with those individuals who workout on a regular basis. I can think of a few individuals who go to the gym – no matter what. I don’t know about you but I often envy those individuals who have the self discipline to reach their goals. They make up their minds to do something and like the Nike commercials say -- just do it.

When I was working out with Kimberly, I would go to the gym every Monday and Wednesday at 4:30. Without fail, there were always the same individuals at the gym. Even on those days I worked out on my own, the same individuals were there working out. What focus! What self discipline! When I started going to the gym on the regular, I felt self conscious.

For this term, I have decided to find out how to develop self discipline. Can it be taught? If so, how?

First, I think it is important to understand the meaning of self discipline. Here’s a definition from dictionary.com: discipline and training of oneself, usually for improvement.

Reading through a number of web sites, I came across some information I could relate to and apply in my life. Four key ingredients to self discipline.

• Self control
• Motivation
• Persistence
• Goals

For me, self control entails having a plan and sticking to it. I also think portion control and training plan.

Motivation. This comes from reading various blogs and articles, socializing with all my fitness friends online, positive self-talk, and meditation.

Persistence. My training schedule. I have to stick to a specific workout schedule when it comes to exercise.

Goals. I need to do some more work in this area. In one of the courses I teach, I discuss S.M.A.R.T. goals. I need to apply this goal-setting technique to my fitness and weight loss goals.

The next term I will be researching is "mind over matter." I will be posting what I've learned in a few days.