Tundra Mom infomercial

When you wake up in the morning, do you think, "I don't want to get up." Is this thought then followed by all the things you should do?

Well here is the workout for you.

INTRODUCING:
The Don't Get Out of Bed Tone Up

No special equipment, clothing or time needed!!!

This is how it's done:
Throw back your covers. Look at the clock. While still in your pajamas and on your bed,
Do 20 crunches, 20 side crunches on both sides, 20 bottom raises, as many push ups as you can endure, a 20 second superman hold it pose on your stomach. Whenever you are tempted to stop, look at the clock and realize you've only been working out for 2 minutes or less!!!

Then get out of bed do as many squats as you can. Then do some tricep dips on the side of your bed.

(Change these exercises to any that you like or know or can endure better!)

Look at the clock again. You have just received a free four minute workout.

Make your bed and go get your coffee with a spring in your step!

But wait there's more.
You have built your confidence, changed your heart rate, built a muscle or two and fit in a real life workout that you can do anywhere without leaving the comfort of your bed without breaking a sweat.

This is the way I started today.

I knew a man in college that started each morning with push ups and he was very very fit. My grandparents just turned 90, they worked out every morning together in their back yard with basic equipment.

I want to be like that too. So here's to the Don't Get Out of Your Bed Tone Up!

Did you know?

Since October, I've lost 50 pounds. Today there was a party on the scale. I am below my driver's license weight!!! I remember choosing that weight when Weston was a baby. As I stood in the DMV, I thought, "That would be wonderful to weigh that again someday!" So I wrote it down- so much for use as an identification card! It also says that I'm blond... :) strange.

I am still losing, but for the first time in a long time, it's like I'm free. For so long, I was trapped in my body. In October, I was praying and begging for help and at the bottom of the barrel.

Then friends told me about a diet- a very extreme & weird diet. It was working for them. These women had always struggled with their weight. I was unsure seemed kind of strange as this is not your typical, "diet and exercise" change of pace.

However, these dear friends mailed me all the supplies for the diet and I felt there was nothing left to do but try it.

So I did it. Some joke it is my starvation diet, so be it. It works for me. Sometimes it's a bummer to not eat, but it's much nicer than the unhealthy future this mid-30's girl had coming.

I have some to lose still but a "normal" weight on that blasted, hated BMI chart is not far from here (12 pounds away!) Can you believe that though? I will have lost 62 pounds to get to this "normal" weight.

I'm proud of myself! I can't believe it. I am mostly thankful and grateful.

My weight will continue to be a battle for my life, of that I'm certain, but at least I'm starting the horrible battle from this number on the scale and this pant size! :)

This round of the diet ends in 13 days (but who's counting?!-ME)

What will I do next? I will do the maintenance phase of the diet diligently to stabilize my weight and possibly run a half marathon, May 1st, as a kick of to the new healthy me! I am thinking through it not quite committed to the idea yet.

It seems good to fight and kill old Becca by beating her against the pavement for several hundred miles of training. It will be easier to to beat myself up, um, I mean, run, now that I have the equivalent of a bag bag of cement off my back! :)

I attached a picture of myself it was 10 pounds ago Becca, but an improvement.

Health Challenge is going well.

If you are interested in reading about how it's going, check out my other blog-

click here

Health Challenge Update

I’ve printed my journal pages, written my goals, printed out the points chart and taken my before picture; it’s all neatly hole punched and in my journal.

How are you doing? If you haven't signed up, you have 2 more days to sign up to play- fun, prizes, and health all rolled into one! Is there a better way to ring in the new year?

How to Earn points in the Health Challenge

1point- daily change	5 points-- organization	10 points- 20 points
Daily for filling in change journal	Get your journal	5 points for reaching your goal for 1 week.
Daily for 7 hours slept	Writing your goals	20 points for reaching your goal for 1 month.
Daily for 64 oz of water you drink	Writing a plan about how to reach your goals
Daily for reaching your healthy eating goals	Take a before picture
Per 10 minutes of exercise	Measure yourself and weigh yourself
For emailing me your points or writing them in the comments on my blog (or every other day)
At least 6 points available per day	25 points available- one time only	Big points for reaching goals over time-

My Goals for the Health Challenge

Goal	Motivation	Plan	Due Date
Do Romans study daily- Use Women of the Harvest Email	I know that true change only comes from the Lord and that I need Him to help me in every aspect of my life.	Put study by my bed, along with my Bible and pen. Do the study when I wake up, while I’m snug in my bed (my favorite time of the day)	March 1
Run 2 mile-s 5 days a week	I have tried to increase my mileage too drastically in December; I need to enjoy exercise again, so I’m reducing back to what I enjoy. It makes me happy to run.	Run after homeschool and lunch before Peter goes to work- Lay out clothes, socks and shoes in the treadmill room.	March 1
Eat 24 Weight Watcher points per day	I need to reduce my points to keep losing. I want to lose a total of 41 more pounds in the next year, so this will help. I want to reduce 3 more pants sizes so that I can buy cute clothes more easily	Record points after each meal, prepare food that meets those points requirements. Drink at least 64 ounces of water.	March 1
Do 15 mens push ups	It is a great core workout and something that I can do world wide. I would like to have nicer looking arms	After running and stretching get down and do men’s push ups until my exhaustion point. Stretch arms. Record how many I did on my journal	March 1
Do 15 min Target Specifics DVD 3 times a week	This is a great DVD that incorporates yoga, Pilates and strength exercises. I really enjoy it and it makes me feel strong, but also flexible and tall. I need to stretch more	Do with the children in the afternoon around 4 oclock after cleaning the house. Use VHS or MP3 player	March 1

Health Challenge- info

We have 6 people signed up for the Health Challenge. Today, I emailed some goal setting forms to the participants. If you are interested in participating, please let me know via comments or email.

It's gonna be great. I have to say I need the motivation right now---the dead of winter is on us and I need a game like the Health Challenge to get me motivated again. :)

Click the heading to read the articles below.
Notice these are all from Good Housekeeping- I love their site and honestly I have a cold and this is about as good as I can do for the day! ;)

Diet-
COOL! A tool to compare diets and to help you find one that is a fit for you.
It gives you an overview of 15 popular diets, a success story for most and what type of person the diet fits best. It also gives a link for each diet about where to learn more. My fave on the list? Weight Watchers :)
Strength Training at home
A complete workouts for home or travel!
Activity Calorie Counter--
I have found knowing how many calories I burn when I run, is a good reality check about what goes into my mouth. :)
Motivation-
I don't know about you but reading about real people who lost weight is enough to get me on the treadmill. Last week I read many success stories, that is what made me think of this Challenge.
Importance of sleep-
many articles about sleep, menopause and sleep, importance of sleep, napping,
Emotional Eating
a great piece about not turning to food when life gets you down.

2010 Health Challenge

It looks like the Tundra Mom Health Challenge is going to work out. So far we have 5 people signed up. If you would like to be a part of the Challenge, please let me know on or before December 31.

Men and women are welcome. There are no health goals too big or too small to join, just a way to have fun together and a chance to win a gift certificate.

Please don't think, "I'm too out of shape for that" or "I don't have time for that." I have transformed from a couch potato to a runner in the last three months and I've lost 23 pounds.

I did it by joining two online groups. One woman and I have been writing daily to keep one another accountable and the other is a group of runners and racers, in which I am the rookie!!!

I would have given up three separate times if not for these people.

We'll start January 1 and end on March 1.

If you are signed up start brainstorming and listing your health goals.

1. Start a list of goals.
   
2. Include after each the motivation for the goal.
3. Include a plan for how to reach that goal.
4. Be brave take your before picture and measurements- those will be big point winners during week one.
   

Remember to be reasonable, specific and measurable.
Instead of saying, "I want to be fit," define your goal more, like this:

• For me one aspect of "being fit" might be, "Do 15 men's push ups."
• This is reasonable because now I can do 12 women's push ups.
• Then add a timetable- "I want to do 15 men's push ups by March 1."
• My motivation listed maybe: I want to build muscle. I'd like my arms to look nice in that orange dress I bought. Finally, push ups are cheap- no equipment needed- just my big fat body to lift!!!
• Then add a plan- "I will do two sets of men's push ups every other day to my exhaustion point. I will stretch after each session so that I don't get sore. I will record my progress on my journal and try to beat my previous week's number."

I know all of you know these things, but goal setting is important because then you have something to aim for and know if you are coming close to your target.

It is also important to be reasonable because if our goals are too ambitious, then we'll be discouraged.

Here is an article to help us think through our goals.

I'll define the point system for the Challenge this week and also post articles here that are interesting, inspiring, or helpful.

I will not let my blog be only about the Challenge. I'll keep you informed about my family, ministry, and my various strange musings from my love of recycled jars to my broken heart about the poor!

2010 Tundra Mom Health Challenge...

"Research studies conducted in the UK and elsewhere have repeatedly found that individuals who embark on regimens to lose weight by dieting and/or exercise do considerably better if they join a group of their peers who are trying to achieve the same goals. This is especially true for women who repeatedly reported improved adherence and motivation when they were part of a weight-loss group." www.health24.com

After my morning grumps and reading a great magazine- the "Off the Couch" edition of Oxygen magazine that I got for Christmas-

I am thinking about starting the
2010 Tundra Mom Health Challenge.

Wouldn't it be cool to help encourage one another to meet our goals for health?

I want to organize a group to encourage one another with a little healthy competition.
I've never seen Biggest Loser, but I don't want my health challenge to be only about weight loss. I was thinking I could make up a points system, so that it's not all about how many pounds we lose, but a broader goal of health!

I will keep track of points for the members and report on who's leading the race towards health each week. Then at the end of the committed time, I will provide $$$ gift card to the store of the winners choice.

Maybe it could be like this-
First organize-
5 points for getting a notebook journal of choice
Then add these things to your journal-
5 points for identifying you personal goals
5 points for writing a plan to reach your goals
5 points for taking a "before" picture (which will NOT be posted, eek gads!)
5 points for measuring yourself/and or weighing yourself- if necessary for your goals.
5 points for scheduling "rewards" for yourself as you reach mini goals.
Then reaching goals by daily change
1 pt per day for filling your change journal daily
1 pt per day for at least 7 hours slept
1 pt per day for drinking at least 64 oz of water
1 pt per day for meeting your healthy eating goals
1 point per 10 minutes of exercise
5 points for maintaining your change goal for one week
20 points for maintaining your change goal for a month

Something like that- I have to think it over a bit, if anyone is interested.

Would you be interested? Think about it, eat the rest of your Christmas treats, and then we can commit towards a healthier 2010 together! Let me know what you think via comments or individually via email- mongoliamatters@gmail.com.

November Running Review

Accomplishments in November running:

• This month I met my goal to and ran 48 miles!
  
• I run an average of three miles per run now, increasing from an average of two miles each last month.
  
• I did my first 10K distance this month. On Thanksgiving, I ran a second 10 K (6.2 miles). That is the farthest I have ever run. It feels good to be getting in shape.
• I ran outside in the cold yesterday, and found I really prefer treadmill running at least for now.
• I got my first book about running. I love used books from amazon- it cost .46 cents. I am using it to get training ideas and improve my form.
  
• I joined a running group online and have been encouraged by other runners.
• I have taken 30 seconds off of my mile time and can run at a faster pace now. I can run 2 miles at a 12 minute pace and can comfortably run 6 at a 12:30 pace.
  
• I am getting stronger, I lost a pant size and four more pounds!

Goals for December-

• Add more structure to my training by adding a hill workout, speed workout and long run weekly. This should help me over time be able to run faster. I am still quite slow. If I wanted to run with a partner someday, I need to improve my times. So I will continue to work on that.
  
• Add more distance by running one more day a week
  
• My goal for December is to run 60 miles.
  

Thanks for reading and cheering me on to do better.

On the way back from UB last week, I read an article in Time magazine that said people do not generally lose weight by exercise alone. The diet must be altered. So Peter and I also started Weight Watchers this week.

It is surprisingly easy to do here. I thought it would be more difficult. I find it a balanced diet and I am really able to eat whatever I want, just in much smaller portions. So we are measuring and I'm recording all my food for the day in a notebook.

I must admit, I was still eating too much even though I was eating less than before. A healthy dose of reality is a good thing. :)

Sorry...

Sorry about yesterdays blunt and raw post. I had written something nicer, but for some reason couldn't publish it and was getting annoyed so I just published what I could--- the bare facts and my annoyance! Sorry.

I am doing fine. My side isn't hurting as badly as it hurt before. I am not worried. I will write some US doctors to get a second opinion and some help with medications.

I did have a good time in UB regardless of the run around and typical waiting that pervades Mongolia. I am used to waiting and I wouldn't have minded to wait all day as long as I got what a came for-- a diagnoses and some piece of mind. I did receive those things. I found out my appendix was not about to rupture and that I didn't have a tumor. :) You remember Kindergarten Cop? "IT'S NOT A TUMOR!" I also found out the rest of my guts are ok, so that is comforting! :)

What fun did I have? I took two baths and two showers! I walked alone in the quiet of my own thoughts through the capital of UB. I didn't find a turkey but I did find sweet potatoes! That is a first. I ate at a restaurant and had a nice meal. I watched a movie, all the way through, without interruptions. I shopped for toys. I got Sierra a cute gift for her birthday. It is a foldable doll house with all the furniture and a small family that goes inside. I even read part of a novel.
So that is the other side of the story.