2 ½ Weeks Later

So it has been 2 and a half weeks since the new year now and I thought I would post an update about my resolution. Well I have lost 3 which isn’t bad considering I actually started on the 5th instead of the 1st and was only diligent about exercising for 1 entire week out of the entire period.

Luckily I have been better about watching what I eat. I did fall back on my old habit of counting calories. It really is the best way to watch intake and keeps me from eating out as often since it is impossible to know how many calories are in foods at restaurants and fast food places. I do have a couple of resources for finding out calories for both what I cook and what I eat out, though it is much easier to find calorie counters for vegetable than the local Chinese restaurant. But, I reserve eating at those places on my built in “off” day each week. I mean I am only human and need some indulgence occasionally. So on that day I eat whatever I want without counting one single calorie. And what usually ends up happening is my stomach can’t hold as much as it used to by the time that day rolls around so I’m still not packing on as much as I once would have.

I did find charts to track calories eaten in a day and weekly exercise on my computer so all I had to do was adjusted the spreadsheets a little and not create them all from scratch. Whew, what a relief. It has been a long time since I have created a spreadsheet and left to my own devices I might never have done which would have seriously hindered tracking the progress of my new year’s resolution. Not that writing it down by any means insures I’ll do well but it can’t hurt.

So next week I NEED to get back to exercising. At first this week I used my husband’s hurt back as an excuse because I didn’t want to exercise alone. What a crock, really I just wanted to stay in bed nice and comfy. Then The bitter cold that came through our area dumping several inches of snow and dropping us in the sub-zero temperatures kept me from getting out of bed until I absolutely had to. But I am going to rededicate myself to being more fit, being healthier and having more energy come Monday.

Anyone else that might be experiencing a backslide in their commitment to their new year’s resolution to exercise and eat well can feel free to comment and we can commiserate, share advice or support each other’s efforts. Here’s to not giving up on being a better person!

Dressing for the Outdoors

So, it is the New Year and I promised myself I would eat better and lose the extra weight I have been carrying around for far too long. As everyone knows, the biggest step is getting active, something I have not been great about for some time. Now here is the rub, the hubby and I are still working out the new budget in our new residence and aren’t sure a monthly gym expense will fit into it. So I am left with the daunting task of exercising at home or the even less attractive option of going outside. Normally this would not be an issue if it weren’t the middle of winter and snowing like crazy outside my window as I type this. You see I absolutely hate being cold. So I need to make sure I am dressed appropriately for the weather if I am going to be out in it. As with almost everything I research, I turned to the internet. While I was looking for information on how to stay warm as I am getting some much-needed exercise I came across this informative article on dressing for the outdoors.

From what this article says, apparently layering is the name of the game. This particular article recommends three layers: a base layer, mid layer and outer shell. Now clearly some materials are better than others. Your regular everyday cotton t-shirt simply won’t do as the base layer since it doesn’t help wick moisture away from your body. Moisture and warmth are the biggest factors when dressing for the outdoors. It’s an interesting combination as usually one; warmth, leads to the other; moisture. But too much moisture, especially if it is winter, is a bad thing. Mind you, layers aren’t just for winter they really are the best policy year round, you simply have to change the weight and thickness of the materials. Now the mid layer is what provides your warmth along with wicking moisture away from the base layer. This normally consists of a fleece jacket or vest during warmer weather. Lastly, there is the outer shell that gives you protection from the elements so it needs to be wind and waterproof. It also needs to be a breathable material or else you run into the excessive moisture issue again. So now, I just need to stock on the appropriate undershirts, fleece jackets and outerwear and I am all ready to take a nice brisk walk or jog in the snow.