Not good enough

It's funny how three little words can have such a big impact. A year and a half ago I started using a Wii game called My Fitness Coach almost every morning for 15 minutes. It was my exercise and I made a point to carve out time for it, even getting up at 5:20am so I could fit it in before work.

I did this for a year and lost 40lbs during that time. But then something funny happened. I started looking at other people's weight loss and exercise efforts and suddenly my 15 minutes seemed like nothing, a worthless effort compared to hour(s) long workouts and long runs. What did I think 15 minutes a day would accomplish?

So last summer I pretty much stopped using the My Fitness Coach, figuring that going to the Y two or three times a week would be better anyways. And here I've sat for a year, hovering between the same three pounds.

Three little words...

Now I'm working on three new little words "consistency is key". Sure, it's only 15 little minutes but it's 15 minutes every single day, seven days a week. That adds up to almost 2 hours a week. That's a lot of exercise to cut out because it's not good enough.

Those same little words apply to what I'm eating as well. It's easy to make excuses for "treats". I worked hard today and only got a chance to drink half my hot chocolate this morning... I'll make a second mug as a treat. I'm hungry and don't feel like cooking right now... I'll order in from the restaurant next door as a treat. We're getting off the bus right beside the cupcake store... let's pick up one each as a treat. Ice cream for dessert? Okay, it'll be our treat. Before long treats are a several times a day occurrence.

Consistency is key... healthy eating means eating healthy foods pretty much all the time. There's room for treats but they should be the exception and not the norm.

Today's been a chilly and gloomy day. I exercised with the My Fitness Coach for 30 minutes instead of my usual 15 to make up for the fact that I'm not going anywhere for a walk. The farthest I've gone today is across the street to pick up antibiotics for my son (who's still feverish and has slept almost all day) and I half expected the wind to blow me even farther. I've eaten good choices today and have a healthy and low fat dinner planned for tonight too.

While I was at the drug store waiting for my son's prescription, I used the blood pressure machine and came up with these results.

I'm pleased with the results and am looking forward to seeing them go lower. According to Shoppers my blood pressure is in the optimal range and the range above it is normal. But according to the Mayo clinic, my blood pressure is in the normal range and the range above it is prehypertension. Makes me glad I'm not in Shoppers "normal range".