DAY 18

I wanted to express how much I have enjoyed keeping this blog; it has been a very useful tool to me in helping me stay on target.  I would encourage anyone seeking to make a positive change of any kind to keep a record and set some realistic goals; you will be surprised at how helpful your record can be.

OK.  So here's what I did for exercise today:

I ran for 20 minutes on the treadmill.  One thing I like to do on a treadmill is increase my speed at certain time increments.   To keep it a bit more  interesting, I will start increasing my speed 5 minutes into the workout by one notch.  When I get to the last 5 minutes, I increase the speed by one notch every minute.  On the last minute I crank it up to a full on sprint.  It makes the time go by faster and it helps me finish strong.

Let's be honest--running on a treadmill can be down right boring!  I keep wanting to bring my ipod, but I need new headphones and haven't had a chance to research what kind will work best for me (I am a huge researcher and never want to buy anything unless I feel like I'm getting the absolute best deal for something amazing).

Anyway, onto the rest of my workout.  I lifted weights for about 20 minutes doing 3 sets of bicep curls, lunges with weights in each hand, and shoulder resistance.  It was a good workout.

Eating:

2 egg whites
string cheese
orange
vegetable soup
carrots with spinach dip
string cheese
granola bar
pistachios
small bowl of multigrain cheerios with no milk
granola bar

It wasn't my best eating day.  I didn't get as many vegetables or fiber in as I would have liked.  One of the reasons it didn't go all that well was because we were almost completely out of food!  I went to the store around 2, but it was a challenge trying to eat healthy without much food around the house!

Tip for success:

Sometimes staying motivated is really hard when you are trying to change a health habit.  In my health behavior change and theory class in college, I learned that having rewards is essential to changing habits.  It is very important to have rewards for yourself when you accomplish your objectives on the way to your bigger goals.  If you don't have a lot of money, reward yourself with time to do something you enjoy--like reading a book.

Right now my reward for reaching my goal by October 15th to lose 20 pounds will be to buy a new outfit for our family pictures.  I really love shopping--especially when I'm at a size that I feel good about. I will need a new reward to keep me on track for my December goal after I've successfully reached my October objective.  I plan to post all about my rewards on this blog; it is a big deal to achieve a goal and it should be celebrated!

Just remember to reward yourself as often as you need to (perhaps monthly is good for some people but others may need weekly rewards or even daily rewards).  Also, do not reward yourself with a sugary treat if you are trying to lose weight--make it something different that will help you achieve your goals.