Day #14 - Burning Calories the Old Fashioned Way

I burned a lot of calories today... I worked really hard.  I bent over, I twisted, I got on my knees, I got back up, I got on my knees again.  For 2 days straight I have been working incredibly hard remodeling a mustard color room.  Today I installed a brand new ceiling fan to replace some tacky track lighting.  I also painted all the trim, mounted all the new door hardware for 3 doors, and finished the first coat of paint on those doors.  I can't remember the last time I got up and down so many times in a day; I hate painting trim.  I feel exhausted and sore, but I also feel pride.  Pride that I'm not just laying around for another three day weekend.

It's funny, as I was working today I couldn't help but think about how easy our lives have become.  In the old days, people didn't get on their horse and buggy and ride in to town to find a Gold's Gym and hit a treadmill for an hour.  They worked! they worked hard every day.  They walked where they needed to get.  They pushed and pulled and lifted on the family farm.  They didn't have to worry about being overweight because they burned a ton of calories everyday.  Oh how soft we've become.

Tomorrow I have to finish painting the doors, the walls, and install all new outlets in order to call the project complete.  It's going to be tight but I'm going to do my best.  Sorry for the short post but I promised the family a movie tonight.  Hope you all are having a great weekend.

Stay Strong! 

Day #13 - Just Start Already!

I weighed in today.  I'm going to totally gloss over the fact that I gained back half of what I lost last week.  It's not that I'm ignoring it, but rather, I'm happy with my overall progress during the week and I know how much my weight can fluctuate since I drink so much water everyday.  I wouldn't call my eating this week great, but I wouldn't call it horrible either.  One of the things I told myself is that I won't beat myself up or carry guilt about my performance so I'm just letting it go.

Instead I want to focus on something that I did today that has me feeling great.  I started painting my daughter's room!  I've been living in this new house since July and until today I haven't done one single thing to it.  My youngest daughter lives in this hideous cave painted entirely mustard!  I'm not kidding and I have the pictures to prove it. 

Anyway, since I've been here, I've found ways to waste away all my weekends.  Most of the time it involved just laying around watching old Netflix movies and eating bad food.  This morning we got up and I was reading an article in Men's Health that was talking about procrastination and how the best way to stop procrastinating is to stop waiting for inspiration and just get started!  Once you get momentum it's amazing how you keep going.

I stood up and declared that I was going to start working on my daughter's room.  I went upstairs and began making a list of all the materials needed.  We went to Home Depot and got everything we needed (my daughter picked a bright yellow for her room, bye bye cave).  I had to stop for a while in the afternoon because the girls had basketball games, but I'm happy to say that I've cleared out the room, replaced  all the electrical switches and outlets (yes they were painted mustard as well!) and painted the ceiling (which was also a lighter version of mustard).

We have Monday off so my goal is to get the room done by the end of the weekend.  I still have to paint all the trim and doors (all mustard), walls (you guessed it), and install a ceiling fan to replace some ugly track lighting.  I promise when it's all done I'll post before and after pics.  It feels good to be doing something again!

So a recap of my progress after 2 weeks:

1. Still not smoking
2. Not great with eating, but 6 pounds lost so far and eating better quality food
3. Drinking a gallon of water every day
4. Starting to do more around the house and exercise 
5. Starting to read more as well

Stay Strong my Friends!