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Oops! I forgot to include current stats so here goes:

Age: still 37
Height: Still 5' 8"
Weight:Drumroll, please......244lbs......that's over 5% less than back in Jan.


Little by little...right? I forgot to include a butt shot...consider yourself spared (for now)!
BTW: These were taken right AFTER my run yesterday which is why I am all red and sweaty.

My First 5K!!!!

Well it has been a while. I have to say that consistency is not my gift. I do however want to give you an update as to how I am doing. I had been training off and on (like 3 weeks on, 3 months off) for a 5k since last summer. I had been following the Couch to 5K program which is set up to be a 9 week interval running program. However, in good ol' Paula fashion, it took me a bit longer. No regrets though. One day I just said "That's it. I'm signing up for a race and I'd better train seriously so that my $ doesn't go to waste!" And that is exactly what I did. This past Sunday I ran the Del Mar IronGirl 5k with my 15 yr. old daughter. I ran most of the race except for about 4 minutes at the end...we actually ran on the race track where the horses run...it was like running through mud...ugh! My goal was to complete the race in under 45 minutes and to not be the last one to cross the finish line. And guess what? I finished in 42:46 and I was right in the middle of the pack! It felt great! I immediately got back on the computer to find another race in a few months so I can keep on training.

New goal you ask? Finish under 40 min. I found a great website that you can download music from based on you desired BPM's (beats per minute). It's called Run 2 Rythmn. My current pace is at about a 14 minute mile and so now I am training towards a 12 minute mile. On this site I found some great bluegrassy sounding music to run to at the 12 min/mile pace (156bpm) and my thinking is that if I keep running to it, eventually I will run on beat, right? I tried it out today and loved it. Anyway, I'll keep you posted...I promise!

Well, here I am in ALL my glory. Front, side and back. Wow. Not the girl I used to know, that's for sure.

It would be very easy for me to allow these pictures to send me on a downward spiral of self loathing. But I am not going there because the truth is that I like who I am as a whole. I just want to be healthier. So that, combined with the fact that time is going to tick on by regardless of what I do with it, motivates me to look at these pics as the starting point of days, months, years to come rather than the end result of days, months, years past.

How about you? What helps you stay positive when those downward spirals come creeping up on you?

So....uh...now what?

Okay, so here I am in day 3 but day 3 of what? I haven't done anything different since the last time I wrote. I have thought about it. Actually, I did do some Wii Fit Boxing on Saturday (unlocked the "expert" level...Woot!) but I have a sneaking suspicion that that's not quite gonna do it. The funny thing is that if someone asked me for advice on losing weight and having a healthier lifestyle, I would know exactly what to tell them. Basic math+ quality choices= Health, right? So why is it so hard to live out? For me, it's BUSYness. I actually like going to the gym. I like running. I like how I feel what I am eating food that is good for my body. I love veggies and whole grains and trying new things. I have an inner health nut just waiting to emerge. But I go through these seasons when I simply don't have time to care and that is when I get into trouble. How about you? What are your triggers? When do you find yourself getting into trouble health wise? Let me know by leaving a comment below. Just click on the little pencil...

A Starting Place...

Today, my starting place is a startling place.

To lay some context, there are some things you need to know.

• I have been battling health/weight issues since I was in college.
• I have yo-yo'd for almost 20 years.
• I was never overweight as a child.
• For the past 5 years, no matter what I have weighed during the year, I have always weighed in at the same weight (+ or - 2 lbs) on New Years Day.
• My mother is overweight and has tremendous health issues related to adult onset diabetes (which have included over the years loss of eyesight, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer).
• My father is healthy and has lived a lifestyle that includes healthy eating and regular exercise.
• I have been married for going on 13 years and have 4 kids (7,9,11,15)
• I work in full time ministry and am plugging away at a master's degree in children and family ministry.
  

Here are my current stats:
Age: 37 years
Height: 5' 8"
Weight: 260 lbs...YIKES!

So here are my hopes with this blog. I want to live a healthier life. I want to be on this earth for a long time...long enough to fully enjoy my children grow up and have children of their own. I want to live a long life with my wonderful husband. I want to grow old with him and have an active life in retirement with him. I want to have the energy to do ministry well. I work with preteens and I know for a fact that I am at my best when I am feeling healthy. For me, this is less about appearances and more about quality of life. I want to learn to treat my body and soul like the temple that God calls it to be. So...here is my starting place. A blog. A place to journal my thoughts, track my journey, and be held accountable for my choices. I will share what I am learning, post pictures and resources I find helpful along the way. Mostly, it is my hope this this will be a place of encouragement for others who are seeking better health.

So come on, walk with me, won't you?