Change is the only constant in life. Every second of every day, of every moment in your life - you're changing. No matter what, change will happen; you can't avoid it. But if you do something about it; if you take initiative... it can be the change you WANT.
I've been overweight my entire life, and at 24 now, I'm realizing that denial will only hurt me further in the long run. I've gone on diets before, and there was a point in my life (right after high school) where I was actually very set on getting fit. I wanted to join the military, as it was always my dream, but while I was within the required weight limits, I was very close to stepping out of bounds. It lasted only a few months, as I talked back and forth with recruiters and got my things in order. Unfortunately, I was denied a medical waiver for an old knee injury and never made it in. After that, I gave up and fell back into my old ways.
For a long time, I've been stuck in this sort of limbo with where my life will go. I never finished college, and have minimal job experience, and its like I've been floundering about wondering what to do next. I'm thankful to have parents who are so willing to help and support me, and though its taken quite some time, I'm finally on track to a career and life that I know I can enjoy. And now that I'm starting to get my personal life in order, I believe its time I focus not just on my career goals, but on health and fitness as well.
Again, I have a very supportive family, and their Christmas gifts this year really helped push me in the right direction. My parents got me a 2-year gym subscription to 24 Hour Fitness, and my elder sister and her fiance bought me a Fitbit One to help keep track. I mean, I've only had it for a few days, and its pretty amazing already just to see the difference between my sedentary days and more active days. It even affects the quality of my sleep (the sleep tracker is so cool!), which I always knew but didn't really "believe" until now.
Anyway, even with the Fitbit, I know I need to keep myself more accountable and thus, this venture into the forum and journal began. I know that the "21 days to form a habit" myth isn't exactly accurate, but its something to aim for. 21 days... 3 weeks... its short enough that it seems attainable, but still long enough to challenge a newbie like me to push for it. I'm making goals, short term and long term, to keep me engaged, motivated, and challenged. As it stands, these are some of the basic day-to-day/weekly goals
(In no particular order)
I feel as if these are easy changes to implement, and nothing too tedious that would discourage me if I missed it once or twice. My long term goals are a bit more ambiguous, as my overall goal is based more on physical health and fitness, rather than a specific weight. At the moment, I'm 156 lbs at 5'2 - largely overweight for my size and frame. Although I'm aiming more for increased cardiovascular health and muscle strength, and a slimmer appearance (not necessarily skinny, but less pudgy), I'd still like to drop down to a more appropriate weight. I think perhaps aiming for a 10 lb weight loss each time would be something I could do; again, like the 21 days thing, its not too far out for reach, but it still gives me something to attain.
I don't think I'll be calorie counting. I've tried it before, and it felt like I was putting restrictions on myself, which I've never been good with. I will still keep a food log, as I do believe its important to keep track of what I eat, but I'll be going more for an 'in moderation' type of approach. For certain, I will be increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables (perhaps in the smoothie variation, as I have a Magic Bullet blender that needs more use) and looking for more whole-grain types of breads and pastas, along with leaner meats and fish. Soda and juice aren't too much of an issue for me, as I rarely drink them, though cutting my coffee consumption is something to also consider.
That's about it for now. I'm not exactly sure how to lead off, but that's it for now. I'll be back tonight and tomorrow, though the "official" start is January 1st. Good luck to everyone else on their journeys!
I've been overweight my entire life, and at 24 now, I'm realizing that denial will only hurt me further in the long run. I've gone on diets before, and there was a point in my life (right after high school) where I was actually very set on getting fit. I wanted to join the military, as it was always my dream, but while I was within the required weight limits, I was very close to stepping out of bounds. It lasted only a few months, as I talked back and forth with recruiters and got my things in order. Unfortunately, I was denied a medical waiver for an old knee injury and never made it in. After that, I gave up and fell back into my old ways.
For a long time, I've been stuck in this sort of limbo with where my life will go. I never finished college, and have minimal job experience, and its like I've been floundering about wondering what to do next. I'm thankful to have parents who are so willing to help and support me, and though its taken quite some time, I'm finally on track to a career and life that I know I can enjoy. And now that I'm starting to get my personal life in order, I believe its time I focus not just on my career goals, but on health and fitness as well.
Again, I have a very supportive family, and their Christmas gifts this year really helped push me in the right direction. My parents got me a 2-year gym subscription to 24 Hour Fitness, and my elder sister and her fiance bought me a Fitbit One to help keep track. I mean, I've only had it for a few days, and its pretty amazing already just to see the difference between my sedentary days and more active days. It even affects the quality of my sleep (the sleep tracker is so cool!), which I always knew but didn't really "believe" until now.
Anyway, even with the Fitbit, I know I need to keep myself more accountable and thus, this venture into the forum and journal began. I know that the "21 days to form a habit" myth isn't exactly accurate, but its something to aim for. 21 days... 3 weeks... its short enough that it seems attainable, but still long enough to challenge a newbie like me to push for it. I'm making goals, short term and long term, to keep me engaged, motivated, and challenged. As it stands, these are some of the basic day-to-day/weekly goals
(In no particular order)
- 10,000 steps a day
- Drink 64 oz. of water a day
- Visit the gym 3-5 time a week, for a minimum of 30 min
- Eat a serving of fruit or vegetables with every meal
I feel as if these are easy changes to implement, and nothing too tedious that would discourage me if I missed it once or twice. My long term goals are a bit more ambiguous, as my overall goal is based more on physical health and fitness, rather than a specific weight. At the moment, I'm 156 lbs at 5'2 - largely overweight for my size and frame. Although I'm aiming more for increased cardiovascular health and muscle strength, and a slimmer appearance (not necessarily skinny, but less pudgy), I'd still like to drop down to a more appropriate weight. I think perhaps aiming for a 10 lb weight loss each time would be something I could do; again, like the 21 days thing, its not too far out for reach, but it still gives me something to attain.
I don't think I'll be calorie counting. I've tried it before, and it felt like I was putting restrictions on myself, which I've never been good with. I will still keep a food log, as I do believe its important to keep track of what I eat, but I'll be going more for an 'in moderation' type of approach. For certain, I will be increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables (perhaps in the smoothie variation, as I have a Magic Bullet blender that needs more use) and looking for more whole-grain types of breads and pastas, along with leaner meats and fish. Soda and juice aren't too much of an issue for me, as I rarely drink them, though cutting my coffee consumption is something to also consider.
That's about it for now. I'm not exactly sure how to lead off, but that's it for now. I'll be back tonight and tomorrow, though the "official" start is January 1st. Good luck to everyone else on their journeys!
