Positive Thought: 7.30.2012

Daily Health Confession - 7.30.2012

Today's Date:	Monday – 7/30/2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	12:00:00 AM
Today's Wake Up Time:	09:30:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	7 – Slept great. Had pleasant dreams. Ready to get up.
Exercises:	50 Jumping Jacks, 7 Push Ups, 20 Crunches, 30 Mountain Climbers, 46 Second Plank, 25 Sit Ups, 12 Laps Running Around the House, 3 Laps Walking Cool Down, 60 Step Ups, 20 Stair Hops, 10 Lunges, 20 Counter Supported Push Ups, a few yoga stretches for legs/hips.
Feeling:	7 – Pretty good. Glad I made it the 12. Ready to go outside and do some yard work.
Breakfast:	½ can of Tuna with organic safflower mayo, organic sweet relish, organic raw sunflower seeds.
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal (ran out of Vitamin C)
Lunch:	Other ½ of my tuna.
Dinner:	Couscous Minestrone soup, 8 oz.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, 10 oz sports drink,
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercise, intense yard work (raking bramble)
Bed Time Feeling:	8 – Tired, ready for sleep. Relaxed.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	Felt great. I didn't feel as tired or strained as I usually do.
7 Push Ups	My arms are a little tired. These are getting harder rather than easier.
20 Crunches	Took elbow to opposite knee. I am feeling the burn in my abdominals and am loving it! I feel like I am getting stronger!
30 Mountain Climbers	Boring today. Was happy when they were over. Didn't feel like I got anything from them except an elevated heart rate.
46 Second Plank	Certainly feeling the burn in my core by the end of it. I have to fight to stay in alignment. I always end up looking at the stop watch around the 25 second mark.
25 Sit Ups	Switched it up today. Tucked my feet under the couch and did regular sit ups. I had to extend my arms out by and beyond my legs to get some extra leverage, but I was able to make it all the way up. It didn't so much as burn as it was just difficult to keep alignment and come up. I know my body was working hard to do this. I had to stop for rest at 15 and 20. Pushed myself to do 5 more after the 20 and was happy that I did.
12 Laps Running Around the House	My Pattern Was as Follows: 4 Run (could have done 5) 1 Walk 3 Run 1 Walk 3-4 Run (I lost count, rounded down to be sure) 1 Walk 2 Run Back in my comfort zone and it feels so good! My left knee and thigh started to act up again at the end. Really aching. I think I need new shoes. The run felt great though. My legs started to protest a little and I kept telling myself, “Shut up, I'm getting healthy.” I had to smile to myself a little with that one. I had to take a very short break after the 7th lap for water and then again after the 10th for my knee and thigh. My knee and thigh felt better once I started jogging again.
3 Laps Walking Cool Down	My knee and thigh hurt, but the cool down was good to do.
60 Step Ups	Started with my left leg leading and went medium paced. Felt bored. Walked around for a few seconds and then continued with my right leg leading. I went fast on my right leg and felt better about it.
30 Stair Hops	Kept my rhythm all the way through. Felt great.
10 Lunges	I always almost forget these, but love them once they are done. My legs need that extra stretch after the jogging, etc. It feels so good.
Yoga – Hips/Legs	My knee and thigh were still bothering me so I did a few sitting stretches. Paschimottanasana (shockingly stiff, but felt excellent), janu sirsasana, and baddha konasana. Felt great. I need to do some yoga. My muscles need a good stretching.

Positive Thought: 7.29.2012

Daily Health Confession: 7.29.2012

Today's Date:	Sunday – 7/29/2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	11:00:00 PM
Today's Wake Up Time:	09:35:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	6 – Didn't sleep very well. Woke up thinking: “I don't want to exercise.” My immediate thought afterward was: “Must mean I need to.”
Exercises:	50 Jumping Jacks, 7 push ups, 20 crunches, 30 mountain climbers, 45 second plank, 20 crunches, ¼ mile run around neighborhood, walked ¾ mile, 10 lunges, 20 counter supported push ups.
Feeling:	5 – Feeling a little nauseas and the inside of my left knee hurts connected to the bone in my left thigh aching.
Breakfast:	skipped
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal
Lunch:	½ Pub fries, ½ restaurant homemade black bean burger with avocado, tomato, lettuce, and chipotle mayo. Pickles. Garden salad (5 in. plate): garbanzo beans, beets, baby corn, spring medley (lettuce), black olives, sunflower seeds, cucumbers, mushrooms, and bleu cheese dressing.
Dinner:	Left over lunch.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Regular iced tea (unsweetened), water, strawberry lemonade, hot air popped popcorn with butter and Lawry's, peanut butter M&M's.
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercise, walked dogs, drove home from Bend.
Bed Time Feeling:	7 – Tired, comfortable.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	Started feeling nauseas by the end of these. Just wasn't feeling good in general.
7 Push Ups	Pushed through the 7 at 105*. Nothing special of note.
20 Crunches	Felt good. Started to feel better. Working my abdominals.
30 Mountain Climbers	Had no problem getting through these. Felt fine.
45 Second Plank	Workin' it! My abdominals were certainly burning by the end. Felt great!
20 Crunches	Felt good. I enjoy feeling my muscles burning.
1/3 Mile Run (Approx.)	Started jogging and by the time I hit the park I was feeling really queasy. I pushed myself (after a walking break) to jog a little further. I made it to approximately the half way point and then couldn't jog any further. The inside of my left knee started to hurt and my left thigh bone started to ache.
2/3 Mile Walk (Approx.)	Decided to walk the rest of the way back to the house. My knee and thigh continued to hurt. My stomach began to calm down. I started to badger myself about not pushing myself to keep running. I had to remind myself that I need to listen to my body, not my ego. My body said to slow down, so I did. Some movement is better than none.
10 Lunges	Did these while walking home. Wanted to make sure I remembered to do them.
20 Counter Supported Push Ups	I decided to skip the step ups and stair hops because bouncing around seemed to upset my stomach (jumping jacks, jogging). Finished off strong with my counter push ups. My arms felt great.

Daily Health Confessional - 7.28.2012

Today's Date:	Saturday – 7/28/2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	11:30:00 PM
Today's Wake Up Time:	07:00:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	6 – Tired, wanted more sleep, but could fall back asleep. Did not sleep well.
Exercises:	50 jumping jacks, 7 push ups, 20 crunches, 30 mountain climbers, 45 second plank, 20 crunches, Ran/walk 1 mile around neighborhood, 60 step ups, 20 stair hops, 10 lunges, 20 counter supported push ups.
Feeling:	7 – Wasn't my best work out. Felt a little queasy during it all. I think this is due to my eating breakfast before I exercised.
Breakfast:	Some scrambled eggs and a few pieces of wild boar sausage.
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex, 3 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal
Lunch:	Skipped
Dinner:	Wild boar roast, baby red potatoes (margarine, sour cream), carrots.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, Crystal Light, Chicken in a Bisket crackers, 2 brown sugar pop tarts
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Woke up early, Exercise, walk the dogs
Bed Time Feeling:	6 – Tired, watched some of the Olympics with H, dad and Jan (his wife).

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	Felt good... oddly, I'm not bored of them anymore.
7 Push Ups	Definitely was a struggle today, not sure why.
20 Crunches	These are really feeling good!
30 Mountain Climbers	Had to push myself to complete these. Legs felt extra tired.
45 Second Plank	My core was burning by 45 seconds! Felt great!
20 Crunches	Loving them.
1 Mile Run/Walk	This was a challenge today because we are staying at my dad's for the weekend so I don't have my normal laps. I was unaware of how far I was running and didn't have landmarks to set goals to like I do at home. I hope I ran more than I walked. I drove the car around the neighborhood along the path I took and saw that my loop was a little over 1 mile. I am glad I ran outside of my comfort zone, but I didn't feel like I got enough out of it. However, I wasn't motivated to continue going. Could be just an emotional response to the location change.
60 Step Ups	Was definitely working it today to get these done. My legs were feeling it!
20 Stair Hops	Found my rhythm around hop 6 and kept with the flow until I hit 20.
10 Lunges	These felt really nice. I think my legs need a good, deep stretch.
20 Counter Supported Push Ups	Almost forgot them! Whoops. I am loving building this strength in my arms!

Daily Health Confession: 7.27.2012

Today's Date:	Friday – 7.27.2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	11:30:00 PM
Today's Wake Up Time:	08:00:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	6 – Eyes are tired, but mind and body were wide awake. Did not get very restful sleep.
Exercises:	50 jumping jacks, 7 push ups, 20 crunches, 30 mountain climbers, 45 second plank, 20 crunches, 13 laps running around the house, 3 laps walking cool down, 60 step ups, 20 stair hops, 10 lunges, 20 counter supported push ups.
Feeling:	8 – Feeling really good. I'm glad I got my work out in before leaving for the weekend.
Breakfast:	Chocolate Muffin
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex, 3 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal
Lunch:	Subway – 6 in. tuna sandwich on honey oat bread: olives, pickles, pepperoncinis, tomatoes, cucumbers, mayo, dijon mustard, avocado, spinach.
Dinner:	Two pieces of DiGiorno Pizza; picked off the meat and ate the pieces as is. Mostly cheese with a speck of bell pepper or two.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, 10 oz. Sprite, 2 Twizlers
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercise, drove to Bend, took small walks with the dogs
Bed Time Feeling:	4 – Headache, upset stomach.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	My legs were a little heavy from yesterday, but otherwise the jumping jacks felt really good.
7 Push Ups	My arms are pretty tired, but I saw the 105* each time.
20 Crunches	Loving these.
30 Mountain Climbers	Felt great to stretch out my legs after yesterday. I can feel my abdominals contracting when I finish with these.
45 Second Plank	Kind of a struggle today – Ada (cat) and Izzie (dog) were very interested in giving me love while I was trying to stay in alignment. I can't complain.
20 Crunches	Again... loving these!
13 Laps Running Around House	My Pattern Was as Follows: Run 4 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 1 Run 3 I ran the 13th lap because when I got to the finish line I felt like one more lap. Ran it while smiling. This felt really, really good. The walking cool downs in between are offering me more rest than they used to.
3 Laps Walking Cool Down	Not sure all 3 were needed, but it felt good.
60 Step Ups	Took a breather between sets of 30. Did 30 reps on each leg as the leading leg.
20 Stair Hops	Woo! My legs were feeling the burn!! :)
10 Lunges	I remembered to do these today. Felt great getting the stretch in my hamstrings. My legs were a little weak/tired, but I saw the 10 through.
20 Counter Supported Push Ups	Still loving these. I love feeling the muscles in my arms wake up and come back to life!

Daily Health Confession: 7.26.2012

Today's Date:	Thursday – 7/26/2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	09:30:00 PM
Today's Wake Up Time:	10:30:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	5 - Thirsty, pain under my left shoulder blade, tightness in my lower stomach.
Exercises:	50 Jumping Jacks, 7 Push Ups, 20 Crunches, 30 Mountain Climbers, 45 Second Plank, 20 Crunches, 12 Laps Running Around the House, 3 Laps Walking Cool Down, 60 Step Ups, 20 Stair Hops, 20 Counter Supported Push Ups, Gardening
Feeling:	8 – Exhausted, but really, really good.
Breakfast:	Apple
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex, 3 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal
Lunch:	¾ a Tuna Fish Sandwich
Dinner:	Homemade organic mashed potatoes, quinoa – carrots, corn, peas, onion, curry powder, and cayenne pepper.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, 20 oz. Sports Drink, Strawberry Lemonade.
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercise, Prepped Small Garden Beds, Trench/Hauled Rocks, Planted Pumpkin Seeds, Laundry, cleaned kitchen and bathroom.
Bed Time Feeling:	7 – Super awake, not tired, but needing to go to sleep to prep for an early morning. Had a hard time falling asleep.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	Tried to find an alternative to this, couldn't find anything promising so I went ahead with the 50. I felt the muscles in the back of my legs working hardest. Felt pretty good.
7 Push Ups	My arms felt stronger today, 7 at 105* felt pretty good.
20 Crunches	I am enjoying the crunches. My abdominals need a lot of work and I can feel them working.
30 Mountain Climbers	Added 10 more to my routine. Felt great!
45 Second Plank	I wanted to challenge myself to hold it for 5 seconds long when I hit the 30 then the 35... on until 45 when I felt like I should stop.
20 Crunches	Extra crunches mean extra strength!
12 Laps Running Around House	My Pattern Was as Follows: Run 4 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 The outside of my right foot seems to hurt when I run a counter clockwise direction around the house. The last few days I have been running clockwise and my foot has not been hurting. I need to look into this. Otherwise, the run felt great. I think 12 is a good place for right now. I am trying to be ever vigilant about keeping my shoulders down my back and away from my ears when I am running.
3 Laps Walking Cool Down	I set the goal of only 3 and felt good after doing them.
60 Step Ups	Did these fast paced. I noticed that if I don't look down, I am able to keep my rhythm and balance better. Definitely am feeling my legs working by the 60th one.
20 Stair Hops	Without looking down, my rhythm and balance were spot on. Was tired after 20.
20 Counter Supported Push Ups	I think I am enjoying these the most. I like that I can feel my arms working in areas I know need toning. Not too much strain on the body, but still strength building.
Gardening: - Hoed two small beds - Dug trench 5 ft long, 8 inches deep, and 6 inches wide. - Hauled Rocks - Planted Pumpkin Seeds	Since I was sweaty and in expendable clothing already, I felt like going outside and doing some gardening. Spent 5 hours outside weeding with the hoe, prepping the soil, and digging a trench for a drain-off system for one of our gutters. Felt like quitting after I had the ditch dug, but after going inside and getting a drink and sitting down for a moment, I felt like I could keep going. Went outside and started to haul rocks. We have a pile of different sized rocks (2-30 lbs.) rescued from a different garden bed. Used the small – medium sized rocks for the trench. Finished the trench and ended up planting some pumpkin seeds in the just prepped garden beds. Feeling exhausted!

The new drainage river bed.

Daily Health Confession: 7.25.2012

Today's Date:	Wednesday – 7.25.2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	01:45:00 AM
Today's Wake Up Time:	09:45:00 AM – Got out of bed around 11:45AM
Wake Up Feeling:	6 – Felt like I could have stayed in bed forever. Comfortable. Had a deep sleep void of any stressful dreams. Enjoyed spending time in bed with H.
Exercises:	50 Jumping Jacks, 6 Push Ups, 20 Crunches, 20 Mountain Climbers, 40 Second Plank, 12 Laps Running Around the House, 3 Laps Walking Cool Down, 60 Step Ups (fast paced), 20 Stair Hops, 10 Lunges, 20 Counter Supported Push Ups, 20 Crunches.
Feeling:	8 – Feel hot, but great. Work outs are definitely best in the morning before the sun gets too hot. I'm proud that I am sticking with this.
Breakfast:	skipped
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex, 3 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal
Lunch:	Chips and Salsa, leftover homemade organic spanish rice.
Dinner:	Spanish rice with organic corn and organic red kidney beans in a tortilla. Had fresh organic tomatoes and organic traditional plain greek yogurt. 8 oz. Of split pea soup with goat cheese.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, Organic Strawberry Lemonade
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercise, Walked on the Beach
Bed Time Feeling:	Sick, headache, sharp pain in my left ribcage/lung whenever I inhale deeply to yawn or sneeze.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	It is time to replace this with something else. I'm bored of it. I can feel my upper calves and the outsides of my knees working – they are tired by 50.
6 Push Ups	Still at 105*, but it feels like it is getting easier. My arms were tired, but it felt good.
20 Crunches	Taking elbow to opposite knee. They feel good. I am challenging myself to keep my knees directly above my hips. This requires my abdominals to work harder.
20 Mountain Climbers	I can start adding more to my routine. My arms are getting tired before my legs and abs are. I'm feeling stronger in this exercise.
40 Second Plank	I challenged myself to hold plank longer than yesterday and succeeded. 40 seconds made my abs very aware of themselves.
12 Laps Running Around House	My Pattern Was As Follows: Run 4 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 1 Run 2 My legs felt heavy as I started to run. I had to start talking to myself positively in that first round to motivate myself to keep going. After hitting the 4th lap and then hitting the 3rd lap in the second round I began to feel more motivated naturally and could stop giving myself a pep talk. I pushed myself to run 12 laps today and I succeeded in reaching that goal. My lungs and heart feel great!
3 Laps Walking Cool Down	Took a few laps to cool down. The sun was hot and there is little wind today. The cool down was very welcome.
60 Step Ups (fast paced)	I did 30 step ups on each leg as the leading leg. Felt good. I'm not sure it is going anything for me though. I may need to replace this exercise with something else.
20 Stair Hops	I kept my balance this time and was able to get through the 20 hops pretty quickly. I can feel my leg muscles tightening up. I may want to add more to this.
20 Counter Supported Push Ups	Rather than do Wall Push-Ups, I did some using the kitchen counter. I stood about 3 feet from the counter and brought myself down slowly until my elbows reached 90*. The inside of my arms where my biceps meet my armpit area started to burn at 20. Felt great! Definitely keeping this in my routine.
20 Crunches	I forgot to add the second set of Crunches after the Mountain Climbers, so I added them here. After the whole routine, these were a lot harder than I thought they would be. The biggest challenge was keeping in alignment. Still felt good, though.

My after work out glow. Feelin' good!

Daily Health Confession: 7.24.2012

Today's Date:	Tuesday – 7/24/2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	Approx. 12:45AM
Today's Wake Up Time:	08:30:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	6 – tired, but present. Poor sleep last night. Stressful dreams, felt fear when I woke up in the early, early morning. Was able to fall back asleep.
Exercises:	50 Jumping Jacks, 6 Push Ups, 40 Crunches, 20 Mountain Climbers, 35 Second Plank, 11 Laps Running Around House, Cool Down Walking Around House, 60 Fast Step Ups, 20 Stair Hops, 10 Lunges, 40 Wall Push Ups.
Feeling:	8 – I'm proud of myself. I feel great.
Breakfast:	Banana and Bagel and Cream Cheese
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex, 3 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal
Lunch:	Taco Time – Tater Tots dipped in hot sauce, ½ of a crisp bean burrito.
Dinner:	Left overs – Shrimp ravioli in garlic and ricotta sauce. A small portion of mac n' cheese.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, Hibiscus Tea (Iced, unsweetened),
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercise, Job Interview,
Bed Time Feeling:	Been feeling independent this afternoon.Tried. Ready for sleep. Looking forward to tomorrow's exercise.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	Felt a little queasy at the end. Was ready to be done at 50.
6 Push Ups	It was a stretch to go to 6, but I was trying to go a little lower in my angle.
20 Crunches	Felt really good. I am feeling my abdominal muscles really work. Could do more.
20 Mountain Climbers	Was able to do these quickly without stopping. I think it is time to amp it up a little.
35 Second Plank	Tried to go for a little longer this time. It wasn't too much of a stretch to go to 35 rather than 30.
20 Crunches	I felt like I could do more crunches so I decided to do so. It was a good idea.
11 Laps Running Around the House	My pattern was as follows: Run 4 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 1 Run 2 I'm really proud of myself. I set a small goal when I started running to do 4 laps before resting. I reached that goal and probably could have done a fifth lap. My lungs and heart felt great during this part of the exercise. I think I may have done 3 laps on that second set, but I let my mind wander and lost count. I played it safe and said I did the two I knew I did. My feet didn't hurt after running this time.
4 Laps Walking Cool Down	I let my mind wander freely here so that I could relax and focus. My brain feels a little cluttered today.
60 Step Ups, Fast	I decided to go fast on my step ups this time because going at a walking pace was getting boring. I feel like I got more out of it today.
20 Stair Hops	Not my best day. My balance was off and I stumbled a few times, but I saw it through to the end.
10 Lunges	The lunges feel great. It's like doing walking yoga. I can feel it stretch out the tops and backs of my thighs where it gets tight from running. Love it!
40 Wall Push Ups	I have been feeling like I have needed to add something more for my arms the last few days, so I decided to start throwing in some wall push ups. These are easy to manage and aren't too straining, but allow me to do more. I stood 3 (4 inches each) tiles away from my front door and lowered down to 90*. I went for as long as I could until I felt tired in the arms; then kept going for 10 reps more. It felt good.

Positive Thought: 7.23.2012

Daily Healthy Confession: 7.23.2012

Today's Date:	Monday – 7/23/2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	12:00:00 AM
Today's Wake Up Time:	10:30:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	4 – I feel like complete ass. (Too much salt yesterday?) - Stressful dream last night.
Exercises:	50 Jumping Jacks, 7 Push Ups, 20 Crunches, 20 Mountain Climbers, 31 Second Plank, 11 Laps Running Around the House, Walking Cool Down, 60 Stair Steps, 20 Stair Hops, 10 Lunges.
Feeling:	6 – I feel OK, still not feeling very good, though. The exercise felt good.
Breakfast:	My left overs from last dine out – thai peanut on angel hair pasta with broccoli.
Supplements/Vitamins:	2 Vitex, 2 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 5 Prenatal
Lunch:	Chips and homemade organic salsa, split pea soup (about 8 oz.)
Dinner:	Dine out - Cup of clam chowder (shared with H), small tossed green salad (blue cheese dressing), Shrimp ravioli with garlic and ricotta sauce (saved ½ of the entree for left over)
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, Regular Iced Tea (Unsweetened), ¼ of a serving of Peanut Butter Mousse.
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercise, read a book, went to the beach and walked around for about 20 minutes.
Bed Time Feeling:	6 - Awake, agitated.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	Had to push myself to get started. Felt a little nauseous after I was done. Felt a little bored while doing them.
7 Push Ups	Still at 105* or so. Pushed myself to do 7. Felt good. No longer nauseous.
20 Crunches	Felt good. Took elbow to opposite knee, 20 on each side. Probably could have done more.
20 Mountain Climbers	I didn't have to stop. Felt great to go all the way through.
31 Second Plank	Lasted a second longer than before. I need to find appropriate alignment while doing this. Perhaps I should do this in front of a mirror to make sure I don't fall out of alignment.
11 Laps Running Around House	My pattern was as follows: Ran 3 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 Run 2 (I ran in the opposite direction I typically do) My lungs felt stronger, my limbs were tired. I can feel my heart working and getting stronger. I am beginning to pick up my knees and heels more while jogging. Around the 7 lap my brain started saying, “I want to stop.... I want to stop...” so I forced myself to change my thoughts to, “My body feels good... my body feels good.” This helped me complete my goal of 11 laps. While jogging my left leg, behind my knee, ached.
Cool Down – Walking Around House	Walked around the house in the opposite direction that I ran about 4-6 laps.
60 Stair Steps	30 on each leg as the leading leg. Was kind of boring. I may need to pick up the pace rather than doing this at a walking pace.
20 Stair Hops	Lost my balance at hop 8, but got back into rhythm right afterward. My right leg was more tired than the left.
10 Lunges	My knee is reaching the ground more easily. It felt good, but I was tired by the end of it.

Daily Health Confession: 7.22.2012

Today's Date:	Sunday – 7.22.2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	01:30:00 AM
Today's Wake Up Time:	08:45:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	6 – Eager for the day (seeing a good friend), ready to exercise, have purpose. My thighs were sore.
Exercises:	50 jumping jacks, 6 push ups, 20 crunches, 20 mountain climbers, 30 second plank, yoga – hip openers.
Feeling:	7 – Motivated, time to clean house, on a schedule. Thighs no longer felt sore.
Breakfast:	Skipped
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex, 3 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal
Lunch:	Dined Out - Grilled cod, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, ½ slice of hoagie bread, green salad with italian dressing. (Did not finish cod or green beans.)
Dinner:	Left over tuna made with organic safflower mayo, organic sweet relish, and organic raw sunflower seeds.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, Regular Iced Tea (unsweetened), dark chocolate, hot air popped pop corn (Butter and Lawry's All Spice)
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Visited with a friend, walked around town to antique shops, exercised, picked up house, read.
Bed Time Feeling:	6 – Active mind, tired and ready for bed.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	My muscles were tight and tired. Was ready to be done at 50. Not breathing as hard nor sweating as much as yesterday.
6 Push Ups	Still at 105* or so, but 6 felt good.
20 Crunches	Took elbow to opposite knee. I am feeling my side abdominals working. When I stood up, my lower abdominals felt very present.
20 Mountain Climbers	Felt good at 20, had to stop for a breath at 15. Probably could have done more.
30 Second Plank	Felt a little tired after the Mountain Climbers. I was ready to be done at 30 seconds.
Yoga – 25 Minutes – Hip Openers	Lead Husband in a quick practice. I would have liked to have gone running because I had the energy to do so, felt that yoga would be better in aiding my sore muscles. After yoga I no longer felt sore. Legs felt loose. I am beginning to feel more flexible in the back of my knees, evident in Uttanasana (Standing Forward Fold) and Adho Mukha Savasana (Downward Facing Dog).

Daily Health Confession: 7.21.2012

Today's Date:	Saturday – 7/21/2012
Previous Night Bed Time:	02:30:00 AM
Today's Wake Up Time:	11:30:00 AM (got out of bed around 12:15pm)
Wake Up Feeling:	5 - Tired eyes, awake body/mind, playful, loving.
Exercises:	50 jumping jacks, 6 push ups, 20 crunches, 20 mountain climbers, 30 second plank, 11 laps running around the house, cool down – walked around the house, 60 stair steps, 20 stair hops, 10 lunges, cool down – 1 lap walking around the house.
Feeling:	6.5 - Hot; sweaty; lungs feel open, but shallow to big breaths; loose.
Breakfast:	skipped
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex fruit, 3 Vitamin C, 1 Vitamin E, 6 Prenatal Vitamins.
Lunch:	¾ of a tuna sandwich, stopped when felt full.
Dinner:	Dined Out - Thai Peanut sauce, broccoli, angel hair pasta.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water, plain iced tea (unsweetened), iced organic herbal hibiscus tea (unsweetened).
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercise, painted cabinets and put second coat on drawers and shelves, some very light yoga.
Bed Time Feeling:	7 - Energized, a little sore above my knees, ready for bed.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	A little tired at the end, sweating, could feel my exterior calf and hip muscles working.
6 Push Ups	Was able to do one more than yesterday. Felt stronger and like I could have done more. Still at about 105* angle in my arms at my lowest point (consistent.)
20 Crunches	Took elbows to opposite knees. Trying to obtain better alignment that strength will allow (lifting from the abdomen rather than the shoulders). Probably could have done more.
20 Mountain Climbers	Easier than yesterday. I think I am ready to increase the number. Goal: Try to reach 20 on each side. Currently: 10 on each side.
30 Second Plank	Pretty easy, but could certainly feel my abs working to keep me in proper alignment. Keeping my heels extended past the balls of my feet helps with my overall stability and strength. It is best if I do not look at the timer.
11 Laps Running Around the House	My pattern was as follows: Run 3 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 2 Run 2 In the beginning my lungs were what stopped me from running more than 3 laps. They are building strength and stamina. My legs felt strong until about lap 7 (running). Pushed myself to complete the rest of the 10 (my goal) and finished with an 11th lap. Proud of myself for staying committed and pushing myself forward.
Small Cool Down Walking Around the House	Catching my breath. Not sure how many laps I walked. Likely between 4-6.
60 Stair Steps	Started with my left foot leading and did 30 steps. I realized I was cheating my right leg out of its full work out so I stopped after 30 and switched to my right foot leading for another 30 steps.
20 Stair Hops	Found my rhythm after about the 3rd hop. Grew tired by the 19th.
10 Lunges	Felt much stronger today and loose in my legs. Ten lunges felt good. Could probably do more if I was interested.
Cool Down Lap Walking Around the House	Drank some water and took a lap before going inside the house.

Daily Health Confession: 7.20.2012

Today's Date:	Friday - 07/20/12
Previous Night Bed Time:	02:00:00 AM
Today's Wake Up Time:	10:30:00 AM
Wake Up Feeling:	5 - Heavy, bloated, groggy, tired
Exercises:	50 Jumping Jacks, 5 Push Ups, 20 Crunches, 20 Mountain. Climbers, 30 Second Plank, 10 Laps Running Around House, Cool Down Walk in Opposite Direction, 30 Stair Steps, 20 Stair Hops, 5 Lunges. (See Table Below)
Feeling:	7.5 - Loose, awake, hungry, heavy
Breakfast:	Left Over Spaghetti – Whole Wheat Noodles, Organic Carrots, Organic Celery, Onions, Grass Fed Beef, Organic Garlic Garlic Marinara. Parmesan Cheese.
Supplements/Vitamins:	3 Vitex, 6 Pre-Natal, 1 Vitamin E, 3 Vitamin C (Taken throughout the day)
Lunch:	Chips, homemade organic salsa, sour cream
Dinner:	Homemade organic chicken enchiladas, homemade organic spanish rice (Left overs), salsa, plain greek yogurt.
Snacks/Desserts/Drinks:	Water
Daily Activity/Accomplishments:	Exercised, finished book, painted half of the drawers and the rest of the shelves, painted the inside of some cabinets.
Bed Time Feeling:	Headache

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	Felt good, fun.
5 Push Ups	I couldn't lower all the way down and come back up, had to stay at about 105* angel.
20 Crunches	I did elbow to opposite knee because I couldn't get all the way up doing them the regular way. Twenty crunches on each side. Felt great.
20 Mountain Climbers	20 was definitely my limit.
30 Second Plank	I'm really good at this one because of yoga.

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
10 Laps Around House, Running	My pattern went as follows: Run 3 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 2 Run 2 Winded, sweating, hips and leg muscles feel loose.
Cool Down, Walk in Opposite Direction	I didn't count how many I did. I stopped when I felt like doing something else. My heart rate had relaxed a bit by then.
30 Stair Steps	15 on each leg. Could have done more, but was ready to move on to the next idea.
20 Stair Hops	Fun, very rigid at first, off balance. At 15 I began to notice myself get into a rhythm. Twenty felt like my limit.
5 Lunges	Five was my limit. I need to work on this.

Confessional: The Next Morning

As I turned out the lights to go to sleep I set my alarm for 8:30 with the intention of waking up early and going to the local high school to run around their track.

This morning, 8:30 came along as did the snooze button. I eventually woke up at 10:30 feeling groggy, heavy, and bloated. Not a good start. But I can't chastise myself for this. I must move on.

I saw a “quick warm-up” exercise a friend had Pinned online the other day and decided to try it out. A little exercise is better than no exercise, right?! So after taking some time to wake up a little, I tried it out:

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
50 Jumping Jacks	Felt good, fun.
5 Push Ups	I couldn't lower all the way down and come back up, had to stay at about 105* angle.
20 Crunches	I did elbow to opposite knee because I couldn't get all the way up doing them the regular way. Twenty crunches on each side. Felt great.
20 Mountain Climbers	20 was definitely my limit.
30 Second Plank	I'm really good at this one because of yoga.

After I had my heart rate up (believe me, it was up!), I felt motivated to keep going. So I threw some yoga clothes on and my running shoes and decided to do a few laps around the house. I set the goal of 10 laps, taking the outside stretch of the backyard and driveway to add more distance to my lap. While our house isn't that big and I really have no idea how far I ran, it winded me and made me sweat. I have to admit, I hate running. I always have hated running. It has always felt purposeless for me, but I did it today because I have been craving a good jog for a while now.

I say that I have had this craving and confess that I never indulged it. But you bet your buttons I have indulged every food craving I have had since the summer began! I always had excuses, like the fact the we live on a highway so it isn't safe to go running or that it would require a track at the high school to be beneficial. I imagined that jogging around my house wouldn't do anything for me. Well, I can say, 10 laps later and it has already done something for me! I kept going:

Exercise:	Feeling/Reaction:
10 Laps Around House, Running	My pattern went as follows: Run 3 Walk 1 Run 2 Walk 1 Run 3 Walk 2 Run 2 Winded, sweating, hips and leg muscles feel loose.
Cool Down, Walk in Opposite Direction	I didn't count how many I did. I stopped when I felt like doing something else. My heart rate had relaxed a bit by then.
30 Stair Steps	15 on each leg. Could have done more, but was ready to move on to the next idea.
20 Stair Hops	Fun, very rigid at first, off balance. At 15 I began to notice myself get into a rhythm. Twenty felt like my limit.
5 Lunges	Five was my limit. I need to work on this.

While I was doing all of this I was taking note of how I felt. This is something that yoga has taught me. I am allowing myself to feel and acknowledge, become aware, of how my body feels as I do each exercise.

Today I feel: 7.5

Hungry, loose, awake, bloated, heavy.

After today, I will be posting (hopefully daily) quick template formatted Health Confessional Entry so that I can view my progress over time in an organized and straight forward way. I might also post separate entries regarding my feelings, opinions, and realizations regarding our society and healthy living. Only time will tell.

Thank you for joining me in my journey and helping me remain accountable.

My goal is to be healthy.

What is yours?

– JM

Confessional: The Beginning

I think it is time to admit something to myself.

I'm not healthy. I don't feel healthy, I don't appear to be healthy, I don't treat my body with the respect it deserves. I am not healthy.

Before I go any further, I feel it is imperative that I explain what my definition of healthy is.

You will not see me talk about my weight here. I do not know how much I weigh, nor do I care because weight, to me, is nothing but a number. It is a number that controls us; sends us into self doubting spirals of depression or offers us unrealistic goals of what “beauty” is. No. I will not talk about weight here. Nor will I talk about going on a diet, but rather, I will dedicate myself to changing my diet.

Instead, I will talk about health. Health is a feeling and it can be good or bad.

I once had a Complementary Medicine Instructor ask our class what our definition of health was by placing a notch on a scale he had drawn on the dry erase board. This scale went from “Death” to “Alive”. We each took our turns placing a notch on the scale, all ending up at the midpoint and onward toward “Alive.” Our instructor proceeded to explain to us that every moment of every day between life and death we are experiencing a state of health. Some days we feel healthier than others and some days we don't feel healthy at all. But even death is a state of health... it is the complete lack of health that creates the condition of death. This concept blew my mind.

Typically, when we think of health we automatically think of it in terms of reaching the positive, whatever that positive end goal is. We perceive ourselves as unhealthy or not healthy which in translation means: a lack of health. It means that this health does not exist. This idea is false because health always exists, we are just in a constant changing state of it.

So my definition of health can be found on a scale: 1 = “Death”......5 = “Existing”....... 10 = “Alive”. Every day, my feelings can change regarding this scale. While I hope I never feel like death, my goal is to feel alive every chance I can.

Currently, I have been merely existing. Without much reason to get up in the morning since my husband and I are on summer vacation, we simply don't. We go to bed late and wake up, eventually, around 10:30 or 11 in the morning. We have become sloth-like in nature. Playing online, surfing the internet for mindless entertainment, taking naps, and reading books on the couch. Sometimes we do yard work and sometimes we work on painting our kitchen cabinets (an on-going project we started back in June!) We eat whatever we want without thinking about what we are eating. The worst of it is, I'm a yoga instructor and I haven't done yoga in about a month and a half and I can tell.

This is our first summer vacation as adults, my husband teaches mathematics at a community college and I teach yoga there, as well. We hardly know what to do with ourselves without such structure in our lives as a job to tell us to wake up and get going. Somehow, we have to find the motivation ourselves and get back on track.

Last night I went to bed after eating homemade chicken enchiladas (which were amazing and delicious, but filled with dairy) and watching a movie, my husband and I decided to turn in (at about 2 AM). Before I went to bed I did three sun salutations. I'm not sure why I felt inspired to do them, but I did and was shocked at how stiff and weak I had become. The backs of my knees felt on fire as I did ahdo mukah savasana (downward facing dog) and uttanasana (standing forward fold). I wasn't able to hold chataranga (lowered plank) as long as I used to and I won't even get into my virabadrasanas (warriors). 

Hello, wake-up call!

To Be Cont...