Summer has come and gone...it is now near the end of September.  I must confess that I did not do well this summer on exercising 3 days a week.  I am still doing well on doing 20 sit-ups and push-ups each weekday morning and being more active, but I don't seem to be able to get up and get out the door to walk.  I need you help!  What do you do to inspire yourself to put on your shoes and make it out the door.  I am fine exercising if I just make it that far.  I am going to back way down and set my goal at 1 weekday of 20 minutes of exercise and see if that helps.  Maybe I can handle that-we'll see. Any great words of inspiration or holding me accountable would be appreciated.  I've only got 3 more months of this year to make this exercise thing a habit.

June already!  Sorry for not posting in May.  May was all about survival with one daughter graduating from college and the end of the school year.  We've been out for a week now, so I can think about adding new goals.  For June, I will be making sure that I exercise 20 minutes 3 days a week and continuing with 10 minutes the other days.  My plan is to be in the habit of regular exercise by the time school begins again so I will continue with it.

Wow!  Three followers now-thanks, Caroline, for joining Abby, Maureen, and I on this journey.  I am wondering how the three of you are doing?  Have you been able to set and make some goals?  As you can see, I have been rather up and down.
We are now mid-way through April!  So far the 10 minutes of exercise is helping increase my steps.  One day this week I actually made it to over 10,000 steps.  I was very excited! I wish I were up to doing that everyday, but usually I am anywhere from 7,000-9,000.  The 10 minutes has at least brought me up some.
Any suggestions for a goal for May?

April's goal: 10 minutes each weekday set aside for exercise.  I didn't even realize that yesterday was a day that needed to be done, I have failed already.  Ok, so I am failing forward...today, I did my 10 minutes and am ready for the rest of the day.  I am on spring break this week and hope I can get myself kind of in the habit before the business of next week.
My goals so far: 6 cups of water, 8,000 steps, and 10 minutes of exercise.

What an up and down month March has been!  I have not at all been consistent with my exercise and am realizing the need for a better plan to get my steps in each day.  Even with teaching and feeling like I walk all day, I am only averaging between 6,000-7,000 steps each day without planned exercise.  I was discouraged this morning to look and realize that I am still in the low-active lifestyle category. :(  So...I am thinking that April's goal must have something to do with a plan to exercise each day.  Knowing that I do better starting small, I am thinking about only adding 5-10 minutes of exercise each week day.
On the upside, when I got on the scales this morning, I realized that I have lost 11 pounds this school year!  I guess drinking water, cutting out candy bars (most of the time), being 90% caffeine free, and only drinking my Dr. Pepper on the weekends (yes, I've slipped up a few times) has paid off!  I have also included 20 sit-ups and 20 push-ups to my morning routine and am enjoying a flatter (note: I did not say flat) stomach.

Oops! I didn't realize it had been so long since I had been on to update. This week has been very busy, but I am proud to say that I made it to 8,000 each day this week!!!!! Whew! As my little ladies would say, "That's a victory!".

It's almost the end of February and time to set another goal. Since I didn't do so well this month, I think it will be a small increase. I don't feel like I have really made taking 8,000 steps a habit and need to continue trying. So, my goal will either be to increase my water by 2 cups a day or my steps by just 1,000. I haven't decided yet and think I will let my girls vote again. :)

I have found that it is easier to just worry about increasing my steps and not finding time to exercise. Instead of working to find 30 minutes to exercise, I take 5 minutes here or there and jog in place. I know it would be better to have time set aside to walk or run, but I will work on that. It is neat to see my step count rise just be adding these spurts of exercise.

How are you doing? Have you learned anything from your goal setting? I would love it if you would share. I need all the inspiration I can get!!

Sadly, I must confess that this week has not been a good one in the area of increasing my steps.  I have had the worst sinus infection that I have had in a long time and pretty much came home and went to bed every day this week.  I averaged between 5,000-6,000 steps each day, but never made it to 8,0000.  Oh well, next week will be new and fresh and, hopefully, I will be feeling like new since I finally gave in and got some medicine. Here's to a new week!

Wow!  My little ladies are tough.  I had them vote yesterday on my goal for  February-they decided that I need to increase my steps to 8,000. :)  So...I'm keeping the water drinking goal (32oz) and increasing my steps to 8,000-during the week. I'm still not quite up to that on the weekend, but 5 days a week I will be taking 8,000 steps.  Today was day1 and I finally made it to 8,000 about 6:00pm.  I am trying to get all of my steps in my six-thirty because Vicki told me that you need to excercise at least 3 hours before bedtime so it doesn't keep you up.  My bedtime is between 9:00-9:30 (ideally), so 6:30 is my cut-off time.  Stay tuned and I'll let you know how I'm doing.....

This week I have averaged about 6,400 steps a day.  Not too bad when I'm at school during the week-a different story when I'm home doing school work or cleaning house on the weekend.  I've really got to have a plan for being active Saturday and Sunday. 
I've been successful with the water this week-drinking at least 32 oz a day, usually more.  I had planned to increase that to 64 oz in February, but am wondering if my next goal should be something to do with the number of steps I take-like increasing them to 8,000 a day.  What do you think?  What should be the next goal? 
How are you doing?  I've heard from a couple of you that you are getting more active and drinking more water and that is great!!  Please feel free to leave a comment.  It's encouraging to know that others are on this road to healthy living as well.

I've registered 9,060 steps so far today!!!!!  Over 5,000 of them at school again.  I've never been so excited about how many steps I've taken in one day. :)  It's actually fun seeing how many I can get.  I'm determined to make it to 10,000 at least once this week (that's 5 miles!!). 
This weekend I was not nearly so good.  :(  Let's just say that I took it easy!  I only averaged about 2,400 steps each day.  So....I definitely need to work on my weekend plans if I'm going to be hanging out at home.  Something to work on-for March.  I'm building up, but not really holding myself accountable for the exercise until then.
The water intake is still going well.  My little ladies at school  are really helping!  I'm not sure I would be doing nearly so well if they didn't ask me everyday.
How are you doing?  Feel free to share words of advice, encouragement, and let me know how you are doing on your quest to live healthier.  Are you drinking 32 oz of water this month or are you working on something else? What is working for you?  I would love to hear!

6,400 steps yesterday!  Over 5,000 at school.  Who knows how I will get that many today around the house, but we will see.  I plan to be home today cleaning, so it will be interesting to see how many steps that is.  I'm trying NOT to do anything more than I would normally do so I can truly see how active (or inactive) I am.
So far this week has been successfully in drinking my 32 oz. of water-thanks in part to my little ladies at school. :)  Have a great day and enjoy drinking refreshing water!

I got my pedometer today so we will see how that goes.  Vicki tells me that I should wear it for 3 days and then average the number of steps I take to see how active I am.  10,000 steps equals about 5 miles and would mean I am an active person.  HUM!  Not thinking I take quite that many-and can I pick the 3 days that I average?  With tomorrow being Friday, I'm thinking I need to wait until next week to begin.  I teach and walk around all during the day, but what will I do to walk on Sat. and Sun.?  Mall?  I guess the good thing is that I am thinking about how I can walk more on those days and that is the point I think-trying to think about and be more active.
I'm doing ok on my water drinking.  So far I think I have only missed 2 days of drinking 32 oz and I did drink some water those days.  I have a secret to accomplishing that (and probably anything else)-I told a child.  24 little girls in fact and boy do they hold me accountable.  I told my class about my water goal and they ask me everyday how much I have had.  I guess I will be sticking to that goal.  I'll have to think about telling them my goals when I get to excercise! :)

The Wimps Road to Healthy Living

1/16/2012 Ok, so it's only taken my 2 weeks to start a blog that I was going to start Jan. 1.  I admit it-I'm a wimp.  But I'm a wimp who really does want to live healthy.  I know myself all too well and know that after years of trying to get healthy, I will not do it all at one time.  So...I came up with the idea of changing one thing about my life each month this year.  I figure if it takes a month to make a habit, then I will change one thing a month and by the end of the year, I will have developed 12 new healthy habits!  Anyone want to join?????
Ok, so my first change is to drink 32 oz. of water a day.  I know, I told you I am a wimp, but if I try the needed 64 oz right off the bat, I won't stick to it.  That will be next month.  I have already failed a couple of days, but that's ok, I've done it most days and I'm not quitting!
My friend, Vicki, who is a personal trainer, told me that I need to get a pedometer to see how many steps I'm taking, so that's on my list.  I plan to check my walking and make a plan for month 3 (I have to build up to it).
Let me know if you are in and we can encourage each other.  Who knows?  Maybe we will even WANT to make more than 1 change one of these months (ok, so I won't push it).