Well hi there!

There goes another few months! I feel frustrated at my inability to get this healthy lifestyle junk under control. Every few months I feel a small wave of determination and get trying again. But that wave doesn't carry me very far. Like maybe 48 hours. I feel like I know all the basics of what will make me successful, but somehow I just can't break my habits for good. It is extremely frustrating.

Perhaps, though, I have been asking too much of myself. Setting my calorie goal at 1200, training for a half marathon, that sort of stuff. It's just not sustainable on a daily basis. I don't know. I keep thinking that things will be easier soon. Spring is coming soon so it will be warm enough to get out and exercise, summer is coming soon so our schedules will finally be flexible, fall is coming so my older kids will finally be in school and I'll have some freedom. That sort of thing. But in all reality, the future is never, ever easier. It's just different.

The truth is that I really don't like how I am right now. Physically, socially, spiritually, intellectually, you name it. And I'm not sure where to start. And I'm not sure what is most important. Or what will get me the most bang for my buck. But maybe what I need to do is just do something. Start doing something, and do it well, and don't give up, and commit to it. So, at the risk of sounding redundant (you know, like every other post on this blog), here are a couple of things I want to start doing.  I want to do them regularly, and I want to do them well.

 -Get up at 5:30 and review my goals and get myself mentally set for the day.
 -Run for at least 45 minutes four times per week.
-Find a quiet time before bedtime to study my scriptures for at least 30 minutes each day.
-Write down what I eat.
-Write on my chipper ship blog every day.
-Go to the grocery store only once a week when possible.

So I am going to start here and see if I can get really good at these things. Maybe this is too much to get good at right now. But maybe not!

It's been a while!

Well, it has been a while since my last post, and in all honesty, since I have thought seriously about improving myself and how to do that. Recently, however, with my church's General Conference and with other church lessons and topics of discussion, I have felt a strong desire to begin again! I have a number of things I'd like to work on, but today I am back to focusing on the same old problem that I have struggled with for as long as I can remember--how to change my habits so that I can keep my body healthy. Specifically, I want to focus on how I can gain and use the spiritual strength required to make such a change. Old habits die hard, and this old habit always hangs on for dear life. I feel like I have always controlled every physical appetite remarkably well--except the desire to eat whatever I want whenever I want. I have somehow always felt like this is the one area where I can do whatever I want without negative spiritual consequences. But I am beginning to realize that this is simply not true. It does have spiritual consequences! Letting my body be in control of my spirit, even in this one area, seems to spread out and find little cracks in my resolve in other areas. I am beginning to see that if I don't solve this problem now, the problem will only continue to spread and get worse in not only this, but other areas of my life. And so I have decided to get serious. I want to make a healthy living plan for myself and then focus hard on nourishing my spirit with sincere prayer, scripture study, and a peaceful home atmosphere so that it can have the strength necessary to override my physical desires. Also I will study my Savior's atonement and try to understand the enabling power of the atonement, and then continually ask my Heavenly Father and Savior to strengthen me as I try to change. I have faith in a loving Heavenly Father, and in a Savior who knows how to help me in my struggles, and who is willing and able to help me carry my burdens. I know that as I strive to better follow their commandments, including caring well for my physical body, that they will bless me and strengthen me and help me be successful when otherwise, on my own, I could not. And so without further ado, here is draft number one of my healthy living plan: Food: In regards to food intake, I will abide by principles in the Word of Wisdom in that I will focus on fruits, vegetables, and wholesome grains, with sparing servings of meat as well. I will avoid "treats" such as sugary things, desserts, or items high in fat (such as fried foods), unless in the case of a celebration or a family home evening treat once a week, and in those cases, I will only have one appropriately-sized serving. I will increase the amount of water I drink each day with a goal of a half gallon of water each day. I will keep my meal servings to an appropriate size and wait until I am certain that I am still hungry before taking additional servings. When I do so, I will start with a glass of water, then next have a serving of the healthiest item served in the meal, and then if I am still legitimately hungry, I will have a serving of something else. Exercise: I will continue to work on weight lifting with Michael and strive to do that 3 times per week. In addition, I will go for a run at last 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes each time. I will also strive to plan and involve my family in activities that help us be physically active together. For each hour I allow my children to watch screen time during the week, I will strive to also spend an hour doing something active with them. Okay, so there is my plan! I will work hard to follow it, and petition my Heavenly Father and Savior for help as I struggle to keep it. I feel a great sense of hope and joy as I embark on this journey once again, for this time I feel like I am finally approaching it from the right direction!