The first day..

When New Year’s rolled around, I didn’t really set any goals for myself. I had no idea where we would be, what we would be doing, etc. It’s difficult to goal set when your life has been flipped upside-down. Quite honestly, I was feeling completely discouraged and just did not care.
Now, I am feeling a little more settled, so I am thinking about where I want to be by the end of the year. Just because it is not January 1st does not mean that it’s too late to set some goals for the new year. That’s the beauty of a new day, hour, or minute. You can stop. Reset. Start over. It’s never too late.

One of the main goals that I have been thinking about is my health. I have let it go completely. Heart disease runs in the family.. based on a technicality, it took me down at birth. I have heart disease. I have lived with it every day and only discovered it nearly two years ago. I have a PFO, which means I have a small hole in the upper chambers of my heart. It is really not a big deal, but it is a form of heart disease. Boo. However, I will continue fighting because I refuse to let it win. I also have chronic thyroid disease. At any point, my thyroid could just give out and stop working. Weight will become a problem, along with many other things.
My weight has been on my mind a lot. No, a number on a scale DOES NOT define you. Someone at my weight could be perfectly healthy. I am not. I am 5′ 8″. I weighed 145 shortly before getting pregnant the first time. I wanted to be closer to 135, as that is the ideal weight for my height. I weighed 135 when I got married and it was a weight that felt and looked really healthy for me.
Fast forward to now. I don’t have any muscle mass, because I have let it all go. I now weigh 165 pounds. Yes, I am sharing all of this for the world to see. I am embarrassed by it, but I want to be real. If I was strong, 5′ 8″, and 165 pounds, it wouldn’t bother me. But, I am not. I am unhealthy. I carry most of my weight in my lower half; hips, thighs, love handles, rear end. My “fat pants” have become so tight that I am in extreme pain when wearing them. Two weeks after I had Harper, I weighed in at 165 pounds, just to give you an idea of why this is so discouraging to me; and no I am not pregnant.
All of this boredom to say, it is time to set some goals.
It is time to work out- at least 5 days a week. I am not an early riser, and my evenings with my husband are sacred. So, I will be making use of baby weight. No, really. Harper is my weight. She loves to be around me when I am doing something. So, I used her as a weight. She thought it was hilarious, and I was able to get in a good workout; especially for day one. Once it warms up some more, I will take up running again, but probably on the weekends only. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday will be my run days. We live in a nice town, and it is nice to know that I won’t feel afraid to go out for a run (slow jog).
Next up: lunch. Scott used to come home for lunch every day, but that won’t be happening anymore. It is too easy for me to skip meals when he is away. Depriving your body is never good. Often, it has the opposite effect and causes your body to store more fat when you DO eat. Not good. I am going to drink HEALTHY meal replacement shakes for lunches. I will get the nutrition my body needs without eating the easy garbage that is terrible for it.
Most importantly, I am going to drink more water. I HATE water. I have been infusing it lately so that I can tolerate it more. I like lime or mint in my water the most, but peach is also really delicious. I literally NEVER used to drink water. So, I am starting off with a realistic goal. I want to start off drinking at least 40 ounces a day. That is huge for me, and my body will thank me.
Around this time last year I was starting a food overhaul and eating the autoimmune protocol because of my health. I lost 18 pounds by eating REAL food, drinking water, and never working out. It can be done. I cannot eat that strict of a diet, as the cost became astronomical. But, the best way to take care of your body is to eat real food, drink water, and be active.
I don’t want to be skinny. I want to be thinner, obviously, but I want to be strong and healthy. I want to feel good about who I am, and knowing that I am doing the best for this temple that God has given me.
Are you keeping your goals for the new year? Have you set any? Now is the time!
**Edit to add: The Dirty Thirty is my favorite quick and effective workout to do at home. No DVDs or fancy equipment needed. Scroll down until you see the image that says “The Dirty Thirty”.