Taking Charge Of My Health

Today I became inspired to take charge of my physical health. A friend of my started this blog called, Fit-n-fine by 29: A journey to better health. Check her out at: http://classyjojo.blogspot.com.

Anyhow, I keep playing this game with myself every Sunday night. The name of this game is "Monday, I'm going to make great food choices and go workout." I know, I know, that's a long name for a game but its true. I try to convince myself that I am actually going to actively start working on my health the next day. It never works. I mean I can get the food choices thing down but the working out just never happens.

I think I have a fairly healthy opinion of my body. I'm about 177lbs, 5'9" and African American. I'm kind of endowed on the backside (I'm no Kim Kardashian) and I feel on most days that I look pretty good. On my worst days I just scowl at my tummy (which no one seems to notice but me) and that's about the extent of my I feel fat day. I would however like to be in better shape because what's bugging me is not only the game I play with myself but how often I actually think about my weight and my body. Its definitely increasing and I think that has a lot to do with these unconscious comparisons of myself and chicks in the media. I'm not yet 30 but when I see people like Halle Berry and Angela Bassett I think...I want to look hot like they do when I'm their age. If I continue on this path of being inactive...that's not likely going to happen.

So, today I am going to stop playing my little game and actually do something about it! What steps will I take:

1. I will walk 3 miles twice a day at least 4 days a week. I know that sounds like a lot to start but when I sit down and calculate how I spend my free time...guess what...there's time. Thankfully I have a very supportive husband and he is more than willing to go walking with me. This starts tomorrow morning and then I'll walk again in the evening.

2. I will prepare healthy meals in advance so that I don't have to prepare food daily. In the event that I do have to prepare food the meal preparation from start to finish cannot take more than 45 minutes.

3. Will only snack on healthy things like fruits, nuts, vegetables. No more chocolate bars and cakes for me.

4. I will do my best to increase my water intake. This is difficult for me because I am not thirsty often. Additionally, my job is so busy that I often forget to or don't adequately plan for lunch. This will change as well.

5. I will keep a log of my food choices and exercise regimen so that I can track my goals more efficiently.

6. I will have at least one day out of the week where I will indulge 1 calorie busting meal or snack.

I know that all of these things sound like a lot to do and to do them cold turkey will be quite hard. Here is the thing. It takes 28 days to break or start a new habit. If I can do these things for at least 28 days then I am good to go. Also, I've done it before. When I was planning my wedding I feel into that get in shape for the wedding crap. The problem was that it was easy for the lbs to fall off because of the stress and basically forgetting to eat. I lost a lot of weight and I tried to eat as healthy as I could and be active during this time, but it wasn't really habit forming.

Now is the time for me to refocus my energies and achieve my goals. By the time my 1 year wedding anniversary rolls around I would like to be down to 150lbs. I don't think 27lbs in 5 months is unreasonable. I'm excited to be doing this and finally making the decision to stick by my weigh loss and get in shape goals. To be back to my college weight would be amazing.

Villa Benedetta: Amalfi Coast Italy

I feel as if I have this sort of kinship with Italy. I forewarn you that this may not be the last post that has something to do with Italy. I've always wanted to travel to Italy, experience the food, the people and what appears to be a really simple and laid back way of life. While my husband and I were planning our wedding we were tossing around ideas for our honeymoon. We both wanted to go to Italy but circumstance always rears its ugly head. I found this beautiful villa that I must share with you all (lol, I say that like I have followers at the moment).

We wanted to stay at least two weeks. We envisioned ourselves shopping in the local markets for food, preparing gourmet meals daily, sitting on the balcony sipping fine Italian wine, taking walks around Amalfi and breathing in fresh coastal air.

I chose this as the first post because my husband and I have this sort of deal that we have to go to Italy before we start having children. Don't get me wrong, we both desperately want to have children but when you do have them, you have more circumstance. This goal has to be realized relatively quickly because we don't want to put off children forever. Personally, I am doing everything I can to make sure that my first bucket list item is accomplished within the next 12 months. Here are some pictures of the villa we so desire to stay in (enjoy!):

My Bucket List

Let me start by saying that to my knowledge (since my last doctor's appointment), I'm not dying. The one thing that is dying is my creative nature and spirit. My line of work does not afford me the opportunity to do many of the things that I have always hoped and dreamed. This blog will allow me to hold myself accountable making sure that I remember all the things I've ever dreamed of doing by creating a list. My hope, scratch that, my intention is to make sure that before I leave this Earth, most to all of the things on this list will be accomplished.

So many of us have dreams, yet so many of us lose those dreams or simply let them slip away due to "reality". Yes, you may want to spend 30 days experiencing the cultures of South Africa but in all honesty, most of us have to work, we have obligations. We can't leave our jobs, our children, our bills... I'm not saying that I have the solution. I'm not even saying that everything on your own personal list will be possible or that you won't have to plan for several years to do the things you want to do. What I am saying is that I am challenging myself to do as many things on my list as I possibly can. You only live once and I don't want to have any regrets. So here goes...my personal bucket list. Enjoy.