Award Season

Yea! I got an award from a fellow blogger. Thank you Hyla at the Bloggest Loser. Go to Hyla's site to get the code for the award. 


Hyla created this award to acknowledge the hard work that many of us have been doing and to congratulate all of the scale and non scale victories!  


Pass this onto your fellow bloggers who are working hard, everyone deserves to be recognized for their hard work!


Rules:
Post the award and a link to the blogger you received it from.
Name 3 things you have found the hardest on your journey.
Name 5 things you have enjoyed about your journey.
Pass the award on!
Notify the bloggers you have given the award to!

1. This Old Woman Says What?.
2.  I'm Losing It.
3. Losing Weight after 45 is a Bitch
4. SkinnyHollie. 
5. My Journey to Fit: A Forty-Somethings Weight Loss Journey 
6.  Katie J is on Her Way. 
7.  A Walk in the Park. 

The three things that I've found to be the hardest in my personal journey:

1. Keeping track of what I've eaten, 
2. Resisting my trigger foods, and 
3. Gaining back weight that I've lost.

Five things that I've enjoyed:

1. Blogging and the blogging network. I've made some real friends along the way. 
2. Figuring out that I can do it. I just need to figure out how to stay positive.
3. The way good, hard exercise makes you feel after you've done it. There's nothing like a good sweat.
4. Figuring out that it's OK to just be quiet.
5. Learning to live in the present.

Short and Sweet

As I write this blog, I think that everything I say makes perfect sense. But when I read back through it, I realize I wasn't always as clear as I thought I was. But then I thought, "Why should anyone care if this blog is perfectly clear or not? It's a personal blog—or journal. And when you get to read someone's personal ramblings, why care if everything is written like a novel? Hey, even some novels could stand a little more editing."

OK. I'm trying to get up the courage to go back to the gym. I have to. Exercise is the missing ingredient in my current weight loss program. The diet is OK. But I'm flabby. And I tire easily. And on and on. So I need to exercise.

I'm still on my spiritual quest. And today I'm tired. I need to let all of the reading and studying jell. The meditation is going well. Fortunately, I had a wellness class a few years ago in which I learned a lot about meditation. So much of that is still with me. It is very relaxing. More relaxing than I remember.

Well, I think this will be a short post today. When I'm tired, concentration is difficult.

This Blog Is a Personal Journal, Not a Billboard

I'd thought about it for a while and had everything figured out that I wanted to say. But now I'm drawing a blank. I started this blog almost four years ago now because I want to explore the emotional side of weight loss.

A Rough Patch
I also was going through a very rough period in my life. I was dealing with the sudden death of my husband—who was only 47 years old. He died of sudden cardiac arrest—meaning his heart just stopped. As it turns out, he'd had coronary artery disease for years, and a rupture in the plaque build up was bound to happen. Heart disease runs in his family on his mother's side. When Al died, I didn't know that.

That's Why I Did This
Anyway, those are the reasons I started this blog. Even though I've fussed it up a little in the past few weeks, my intention was for this to be a place where I journal about the emotions that stand in my way—and that I use to fall back on—when it comes to weight loss. No one but me owns this blog. This is my place to blow off steam, whine, cry, get angry, smile, and laugh.

I hope that people who come here get something out of what they read—even if they just shake their heads and say: "I'd never do that." At least they know what not to do. So I hope you enjoy what I have to say, and know that I will not compromise my personal journal for the shake of a few pennies.

Walkin' at Lunchtime
I hope to go for some kind of walk during my lunchtime today. I will report later about whether that actually happens.

Attempting to Take Up Drawing Again
I got out my pencils and drawing paper—and I was amazed that I had actually put it away in an organization fashion—and started drawing again. I used to be pretty good at it. I'm pretty rusty now. Some things are coming back. Others I need to work on. But it definitely keeps my hands busy. And that keeps me out of the kitchen.

So that's about it for now. Maybe more later.

Happy New Year

2010 begins at midnight tonight. Most folks view the coming year as a fresh start--a time to make resolutions about their lives.

My mother--good ole' country woman that she was--used to tell me, "Whatever you're doing on New Year's Eve, you'll be doing the whole year through." I'll be at my sister's enjoying some family time. Right now, I'm here writing this blog. I decided to make just a few resolutions this year. So here goes:

1. Comes to terms with my food addiciton,

2. Visit at least 10 other people's weight loss blogs a day for motivation and inspiration,

3. Workout at least four days per week--it doesn't always have to be in a gym,

4. Keep a food journal, and

5. Write in this blog at least four days per week.

So that's it. Happy New Year everybody!