DAY 142 Oh Boy, A New Challenge!

Hello Journal & Friends,

 I enjoy the movie The Wizard of Oz. I watch it every year. The music, the artistry, the creativity, the special effects for the time, the munchkins, the horse of a different color, the message, Toto... the fun! 

Remember when the four of them...Dorothy, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow... went walking through a field of red poppies? They got side-tracked from their main mission. They slowly became tired, sleepy, and lay down for a rest. Forgotten was the urgency of their journey.

I feel like that happened to me, and I only just realized it yesterday. I was so focused on mastering the "regulation of intake"... that is to say, counting calories so I didn't stuff my face, that I forgot to ask WHY I wanted to stuff my face. Even though I didn't, I WANTED to. Asking WHY is the core of my method. To change INSIDE, to learn to handle life differently without substituting food for feelings. 

Face your stuff, 
don't stuff your face.


I'm back on track now. Still counting calories, but trying to be aware of what's going on inside, too. Sheesh, it's easy to get off that Yellow Brick Road!

 Another thing I realized... at first I was having a hard time drumming up fresh energy for the New Year. Maybe it's cuz I didn't STOP my program for the holidays. So there wasn't anything new and fresh, a new start or anything...just more of the same. But... it's a New Year soon, a fresh new beginning. So...

Since the last challenge I participated in helped me so much, I jumped on the new one just started by South Beach Steve (HERE).   It's called "The Perfect 10" Challenge. And again, I get to pick my own goals... yay!!!! (Hurry and join, it starts January 1st)

In the last challenge (Countdown to Christmas), my goals were about exercise. That helped me tremendously, so I am going with that again.


But it can't be just more of the same... nope, I want it right at the edge, right outside my comfort zone. Hard, yet doable. Something I must WORK for, and yet not so hard as to set me up for failure. That's a fine balance, eh? After much thought, here is what I came up with...

My goal for The Perfect 10 Challenge:
To exercise 6 days per week. 


Here is how I broke that down:

1. Exercise with my Richard Simmons DVD's 3 days out of each week.

2. Exercise on my mini-trampoline 4 days out of each week.

3. As I get stronger, lengthen the time spent on each mini-tramp session (sorry, can't predict that ahead, will just play it by ear).

I will leave it open as to which days I get what done. That will be my needed flexibility, to conform to schedules and physical condition.  

By the way, for those of you who, like me, are not too strong yet, or have balance problems... I have a stabilizer bar to hold on to when on my mini-tramp, that is connected right to the wall (hubby made it, and it swings away to fold flush with the wall when not in use. 


Also, you don't need to jump too high to get the benefits of your lymphatic system being stimulated. My feet never even leave the mat!! I just do a gentle, rhythmic bounce. But believe me, all my muscles let me know, asking hey, whaddaya doing??? I can't do it very long yet, but want to improve that in the next 10 weeks.

And my mini-tramp is not a lightweight cheapie. It is the heavy duty model made for larger folks... called "folding, hard-bounce for people over 300 lbs".  Quality built, and I never feel unsafe. And have NEVER yet had a spring break, and I've had it several years! I got mine from Needak (HERE). Not cheap, but very durable and safe. Instead of me going on and on about the benefits of rebounding, I'll just put the link here for anyone interested (HERE, a great read!).  Just count this as a freebie Friday Favorite! ha ha ha.

As per the challenge, I will be reporting in each Friday on my progress. Did I mention there is a PRIZE???!!! Well, a random drawing at the end, and anyone completing the challenge will be in the drawing. I looked up the prize on the Interblogosphere... cool!! I would LOVE to win those. Curious?? Ha ha ha ... gotta go see South Beach Steve to find out (HERE). Tee hee hee hee

I NEEDED something to liven me up, to give energy and enthusiasm. To propel me into the new year, and Steve's challenge was perfect! 

Since it'll be a new year soon, I decided on another change. I have a chart in my sidebar called the Weekly Shrink. Starting January 1st, I am changing it into the Monthly Shrink. I'll still post a Monday weigh in, but only update the Shrink the first of each month. 

By the way, I love the main message of the Wizard of Oz: You've been able to do it all along. For a long time, I didn't really believe that. Oh, I would get all revved up and try in spurts, only to fizzle out and fail. And with such heart-wrenching failure, over and over, it got harder each time to muster up the gumption to even start again.


This time I am not letting anything, not even Flying Monkeys, stop me!

From Dr Phil's book: "You have within you everything you will ever need to be, do and have anything and everything you will ever want and need."

My verse for today: "Taste and see that the Lord is good."

My quote for today: "A plan without action is a daydream. Action without a plan is a nightmare."

Enjoy the Journey,

Loretta

=^..^=