Getting healthy is not an easy road!

I'm finding that getting healthy is just not as easy as it sounds. There are constantly temptations surrounding us!! To make matters worse, I'm an emotional eater so I turn to food when I'm feeling bad. I struggle wtih this and sometimes I am strong, and other times I totally give in.

I'm pleased to say that I've been working out on a more regular basis and logging in daily to the woman's tracker at http://www.womenshealth.gov/activity/. I've been hitting my weekly goal for my workouts.

Now, for the hard part.... the eating!!! I have to work at making better food choices. A few friends and I have decided to do a 6 week challenge and I'd like to share that with you as well. This is a 6 week diet transition. Check it out and see if you are interested in joining us.


In some ways, changing your diet is similar to making a successful resolution in that it's conceptual at first. Your long-range goal should just be to eat well. As your healthy eating behavior becomes a habit, you will find the other intangibles (such as weight loss, energy gained, etc.) falling into place. The easiest way to accomplish this is a gradual transition from food choices that don't help to food choices that do. By making this transition gradually over six weeks, we've found it to be the easiest diet program ever recommended.
Working in a 6-week cycle, you can train (or trick, if you will) your body into craving more nutritious foods. This cycle is easier if you're exercising because your body will crave the proper nutrients to re-build its broken down tissue.
Week 1Eliminate the junk from your diet. That's it, just junk; no potato chips, candy, ice cream, etc. Other than this you may eat whatever you like... and here's the kicker: you may cheat on this twice, and that means for TWO WHOLE DAYS YOU CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU LIKE AND STILL SUCCEED!

Today is the day we start - are you ready??

Today I want you to consider a few new things to try:

1) Keep a food journal. This is a really good way to see what you are putting in your mouth. Write it down ( I have a cute notebook that I use) and be honest about you - you will be the only one that sees it. If you eat 3 M&M's - write it down. It makes you stop and think about what you are eating and if you really want it.

2) Weigh and measure today. You need to know where you started and in 6 weeks - you will want to know how much your body has changed. If you want to take this a step further. Take a picture of yourself - front, back and from the side. Sometimes, you can really see the difference in pictures. Measure your chest, waist, tummy pooch, each thigh and arm. Put all this in your journal on day one. We'll measure again at the end of the 6 weeks. Also, we are only going to weigh every 2 weeks. - I am addicted to the scale and I am going to put it away and only weigh every 2 weeks. Weight flucuates so much with water and other things that we don't want to get discouraged and quit.

3) Do some form of exercise everyday. Even if it is just a quick walk around the block. Do it everyday.
a) put on music and dance around the house
b) play HORSE with your kids, tag, frisbee
c) swim a few laps in a pool
d) do an exercise video
e) do " commercial cardio" - during the commercials of the TV show you are watching - do pushups, situps, jog in place, walk laps around the house

The idea is to get moving and get the blood flowing and the calories burning.
There really is no easy way to lose weight. You just have to eat less, eat healthier and exercise more.

So, let's see where this takes us. Feel free to post comments or about your successes or struggles. I would love to help you.


So what do you think??? Do you think you want to join me??

I gained weight over this past week instead of losing it and I think this is EXACTLY what I am needing. Please join me!!

I'll check in with you within the next week.

Hugs,
Marsha

WOMAN'S ACTIVITY TRACKER

Can you believe that 19,406 people and 1,263 teams participated in the 2008 WOMAN Challenge!?!


If you enjoyed the Woman's Challenge and are sad that it is over, all you need to do is go to http://www.womenshealth.gov/activity/ to sign up for the WOMAN ACTIVITY TRACKER.


Use your log-in information from the WOMAN Challenge to log into the WOMAN Activity Tracker! I am still heading the Turbo Addicts team so you can again be a member of my team. Something new to this challenge is that you will earn "rewards" along the way.


The WOMAN Activity Tracker is a free program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health. The program encourages women and girls to walk 10,000 steps or get 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day over a 44-week period. All women and girls (ages 9 and up) are welcome to take part in the program. If you took part in the 2008 WOMAN Challenge, you can use your log-in information from the WOMAN Challenge to log into the WOMAN Activity Tracker!


Is WOMAN Activity Tracker the same as the WOMAN Challenge?


No, the WOMAN Challenge is an 8-week, annual program that begins on Mother's Day and also kicks off National Women's Health Week. This year, the WOMAN Challenge ended on July 5, 2008. The WOMAN Activity Tracker is a 44-week program that allows women and girls to keep track of their daily activities throughout the rest of the year. This year, the WOMAN Activity Tracker starts on July 6, 2008. Both the WOMAN Challenge and the WOMAN Activity Tracker are programs that promote daily physical activity.


2,725 people and 263 teams are participating in the WOMAN Activity Tracker!


If you are interested in joining me just go to the site above and sign up and let's get healthy together. I will again be coming here to help you in anyway that I can. Let's get healthy together.

The challenge is officially over

WEll, the challenge is officially over as of the 5th of July.Have you updated your activity log? How did you do? I could've done better, and wish I had done better... but I am happy that I did the challenge. I did the best I could with being sick. I'll do better next time. The key is that I never gave up.

I have decided to sign up to continue on this challenge. Will you join me?

I hope that this challenge has helped you to move around a little more or to be more aware of what you are eating. The best part of a challenge is the things that you have willingly changed to improve yourself or your lifestyle.

I hope you will join me on the continuing Woman's tracker... just go to http://www.womenshealth.gov/woman to sign up to continue.

Good luck on your journey to a better lifestyle and thanks for joining me the past 8 weeks!