Well, here I sit with the results of my first 7 days on the Body By Vi challenge but first I would like to discuss what my weeks consisted of.
Diet
My diet was very simple. A fruity Shape shake in the morning, a snack of 14 almonds before lunch, and then a lunch of a different fruity shake or my favorite - chocolate banana! My dinners varied from night to night. I had kebobs of beef and veggies, chicken fajitas, chicken souvlaki, or the tried and true chicken breast with veggies. I did try very hard to watch my carbs as I tend to be a little bit of a "carb whore". YES, I admit it.. I LOVE carbs!!! There was the night I ate at Chili's and over indulged in tortillas on the aforementioned fajitas but I tried to balance it out the next day. I did also have a bag of 94% fat free popcorn whilest watching a movie- GASP! I know right? Overall I am trying to balance it all. If my body wants a carb.. I give it a carb- a SMART carb.
Workout
I made it back to the gym for the first time Monday, since my broken ankle, and found that it felt right. I did 30 minutes on the arc trainer which netted 1.5 miles and over 360 calories burned. I also did the circuit training and focused on my arms- followed by the ab machine. I decided to alternate days so I stayed home on Tuesday. Wednesday I went back to do the same thing I did on Monday but challenged myself to last 40 minutes and 2 miles this time. I netted over 430 calories burned before moving on to circuit and abs again. Alas, Thursday was a day at rest and spent with my son and his BFF. I returned to the gym today, Friday, to finish my workouts for the week ( I am taking it easy) and I felt the pain in the ankle at the 30 minute mark. I honored my body and stopped at 1.5 miles and 340 calories burned. I did not work on arms today but managed to limp to the ab machine and do those before returning home to elevate my ankle.
Results
Since I know some of you skipped all that babble to get to this... I shall divulge the information. I will say I am embarassed at the beginning numbers but its all good.. they are a thing of the past.
6-17 6-24
weight 198 191.5
chest 45 44
waist 42 41
hips 44 1/4 43 1/4
Bi 12 12
Leg 22 1/4 21
(quad)
As you can see I can no real waist.. never had. I anticipate those numbers all dropping but staying the same. I am the sqaure shape they talk about in swim wear magazines.
Body by Vi is helping me watch the calories while meeting my other needs. I am not starving myself of much needed vitamins or nutrients on this diet. I do know these numbers will balance out as the first week you lose alot of water weight but these are great numbers none the less.
Keep watching as I melt away- the healthy way!
About Me
- *Me
- Tampa Bay Area, Florida
- I am a mother, teacher, photographer, and traveler on the road to happiness. A third year teacher, and grad student, trying to juggle my career whilest maintaining familial bliss and attempting to find my way back to a whopping 40lb weight loss I achieved when I had nowhere else I needed to be but the gym.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Sunday, June 19, 2011
My New Journey to Weight Loss
Throughout my weight loss journey I have tried many different things. Some have worked and some have not. My biggest issue has and will always been consistency. I tend to be the type of person that slacks in the diet area when I am getting towards my goal which causes the downward spiral back to where I started. You have to remember that I have been battling my weight most of my life. Anyone that has known me for any length of time can recollect one or more of my attempts at weight loss. I would like to take the time to discuss some of them in the following paragraph(s).
It all started in high school when my dad and I both started Jenny Craig. My dad did incredibly well as did I. I was working out via a 7th period class being offered at my school as well as dancing my weekends away at an all ages night club. I reached a size 4! Did you hear that?? A size 4. Alas, I slowly went off of the diet and kept the weight off well. I often, in jest, blame my affinity for the rave scene for helping me gain weight as I wore extremely large pants that were never going to fit me- so I thought. Think about it, a size 4 girl wearing mens size 36 pants with a belt. When or at what point will you begin to notice you are gaining weight? I actually did not begin to gain the bulk of that weight back til we moved to Virginia and I was no longer clubbing several nights a week. The lack of the 8 hour dance nights and the winters helped me gain a significant amount of weight. The time span for all of this was 1991- 1994 Fast forward to 1999. I moved back to Florida and my dad and I began a new weight loss plan- a modified Atkins diet. Once again, I did well. I am not sure if it was because I started hitting the clubs dancing the night away again or the diet. I lost about 45 pounds and felt pretty good about myself. It was, however, short lived as I began to eat carbs and moved out of my parents house and ordered alot pf pizza.
I met my husband in 2003. after a bad break up, and had lost some unhealthy weight that quickly came back once I reached the " I gotta man" stage of my life. Come on ladies, You know what I am talking about. ( being comfortable enough and happy enough to eat!) I was pregnant with Corbin in July of 2003 and began to eat for 2...3.. maybe 4. Hell, I ate for a whole family. I kept thinking that I would probably only have 1 child so I was gonna do it with style. I reached my highest weight in April 2004- 259 pounds. (Holy Crap.. right!?) Since the birth of Corbin I have been struggling to get down to a healthy weight. It is important for my life, and his life, to be healthy and to portray a healthy lifestyle. In 2009 I tried the Medi weight loss for a week and felt my body reach levels I was not comfortable with. It was what I refer to as a near death experience that woke me up. I realized then that I did not hate myself enough to endure that torture and I began working out 5x weekly and following Weight Watchers. I lost 40 pounds and kept it off for a year and a half. Alas, I graduated and found a full time job that changed the way and ability I had to work out. I gained about half of that back as a result of balancing work and recently breaking my ankle.
So now, as of Saturday, with the help of a dear friend I have begun to follow the Body by Vi challenge. I feel that it is a great combination of several of my past experiences. It is like the a la carte of my diet past- if you will. I am replacing two meals with healthy vitamin filled shakes, having small snacks, and eating a healthy meal for dinner. I am not eliminating any whole food group, I am not lowering my caloric intake to an unhealthy number, I am not taking any metabolic boosting drugs aside from natural vitamins, and I am heading back to the gym. I am truly very excited to begin this journey and I will be keeping you all up to date on my outcomes. I hope you all will follow along and give me feedback.
I thank everyone in my life for being part of my pitfalls and my highs. Understand that I do not claim to have the answer to my weight issues. I do, however, feel that I can offer some of you some insight as I have tried a lot. In addition, I hope to learn from you as well. There are many people in my life, such as my friend Pat, that are on a similar journey that I have taken ideas from and will continue to lean on.
If you like what you read as my journey continues and wish to get involved in the Body by Vi challenge, feel free to ask me.
You can visit my link as well....http://www.heatherschuster.bodybyvi.com/
It all started in high school when my dad and I both started Jenny Craig. My dad did incredibly well as did I. I was working out via a 7th period class being offered at my school as well as dancing my weekends away at an all ages night club. I reached a size 4! Did you hear that?? A size 4. Alas, I slowly went off of the diet and kept the weight off well. I often, in jest, blame my affinity for the rave scene for helping me gain weight as I wore extremely large pants that were never going to fit me- so I thought. Think about it, a size 4 girl wearing mens size 36 pants with a belt. When or at what point will you begin to notice you are gaining weight? I actually did not begin to gain the bulk of that weight back til we moved to Virginia and I was no longer clubbing several nights a week. The lack of the 8 hour dance nights and the winters helped me gain a significant amount of weight. The time span for all of this was 1991- 1994 Fast forward to 1999. I moved back to Florida and my dad and I began a new weight loss plan- a modified Atkins diet. Once again, I did well. I am not sure if it was because I started hitting the clubs dancing the night away again or the diet. I lost about 45 pounds and felt pretty good about myself. It was, however, short lived as I began to eat carbs and moved out of my parents house and ordered alot pf pizza.
I met my husband in 2003. after a bad break up, and had lost some unhealthy weight that quickly came back once I reached the " I gotta man" stage of my life. Come on ladies, You know what I am talking about. ( being comfortable enough and happy enough to eat!) I was pregnant with Corbin in July of 2003 and began to eat for 2...3.. maybe 4. Hell, I ate for a whole family. I kept thinking that I would probably only have 1 child so I was gonna do it with style. I reached my highest weight in April 2004- 259 pounds. (Holy Crap.. right!?) Since the birth of Corbin I have been struggling to get down to a healthy weight. It is important for my life, and his life, to be healthy and to portray a healthy lifestyle. In 2009 I tried the Medi weight loss for a week and felt my body reach levels I was not comfortable with. It was what I refer to as a near death experience that woke me up. I realized then that I did not hate myself enough to endure that torture and I began working out 5x weekly and following Weight Watchers. I lost 40 pounds and kept it off for a year and a half. Alas, I graduated and found a full time job that changed the way and ability I had to work out. I gained about half of that back as a result of balancing work and recently breaking my ankle.
So now, as of Saturday, with the help of a dear friend I have begun to follow the Body by Vi challenge. I feel that it is a great combination of several of my past experiences. It is like the a la carte of my diet past- if you will. I am replacing two meals with healthy vitamin filled shakes, having small snacks, and eating a healthy meal for dinner. I am not eliminating any whole food group, I am not lowering my caloric intake to an unhealthy number, I am not taking any metabolic boosting drugs aside from natural vitamins, and I am heading back to the gym. I am truly very excited to begin this journey and I will be keeping you all up to date on my outcomes. I hope you all will follow along and give me feedback.
I thank everyone in my life for being part of my pitfalls and my highs. Understand that I do not claim to have the answer to my weight issues. I do, however, feel that I can offer some of you some insight as I have tried a lot. In addition, I hope to learn from you as well. There are many people in my life, such as my friend Pat, that are on a similar journey that I have taken ideas from and will continue to lean on.
If you like what you read as my journey continues and wish to get involved in the Body by Vi challenge, feel free to ask me.
You can visit my link as well....http://www.heatherschuster.bod
Thursday, June 16, 2011
How do you Remember?
It has happened again! I have been inspired to think about some things as a result of reading Pat's blog.
http://road2warriordash.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/never-forget/#comment-129
Pat wrote about one's need to de-clutter. We all do it. Take a walk down memory lane by looking through collections we, as adults, realize don't hold the value we believed them to once hold. We sell them realizing they will make someone happy but now feel a void. We look through boxes of old photos, playbills, awards, etc. and wonder if the memory itself is enough to stand the test of time or the article is needed to retain that time in our life for evermore.
I am a Class A pack rat! I have various boxes that contain memorabilia from the various stages of my life. I do sort them periodically if not frequently to try and down size. I always seem to retain more than I intended. However, this blog is not about our need to reevaluate our clutter or whether Hoarders should schedule an intervention in the name of our friends and family. It is about using a memory, article from the past, to recall an especially great or challenging moment in our life. We do this in an effort to continue to propel ourselves in the direction we wish to travel in our life. Perhaps we want to achieve academic status like we did in high school and our honor society sash reminds us. Maybe we have our first speeding ticket or school referral to remind us of a time we were reckless in an effort to not repeat that time of our life. For Pat, it is his Warrior Dash t-shirt, medal, and wooly horn hat. Regardless of his many future attempts to de-clutter his room, house, or life, those items will remain. He will use them as anchor to a time, a memory, within his past that will help to propel him in a positive direction.
Now, this is my blog so I will share with you my anchor. Reading Pat's blog reminded me of my first 5k. If you have been paying attention thus far you are aware of my first 5k being my last to date as a result of an injury. Incidentally, I too have my medal from my first 5k ... its currently hanging on my wall unit so I had to, and continue to, look at everyday for the last 9 weeks. I looked at it everyday as I sat without the ability to walk without aid from an injury sustained at that race. I heard many people tell me, " That is why I don't run- injuries" and " I bet you wont run another race." Boy! are they wrong! I fully intend to run again. I look at that medal and say. " Damn girl, you did it! You finished?" I also say," You did it WITH and ON a broken ankle. I got your IronGirl right here!"
In closing, like Pat, I will forever cherish that medal and all that it means to me. It's a reminder of a time I might have been a little crazy by running on an injured ankle BUT it is also the time I ran and finished my first 5k. I say first because there will be more. This is the first of many medals to come. I will finish what I started- a healthy hobby that cleanses the spirit and relaxes the mind. A hobby I thought I would NEVER do but did Big!
Thanks again Pat for the inspiration... We are gonna run together real soon!
http://road2warriordash.wordpress.com/2011/06/16/never-forget/#comment-129
Pat wrote about one's need to de-clutter. We all do it. Take a walk down memory lane by looking through collections we, as adults, realize don't hold the value we believed them to once hold. We sell them realizing they will make someone happy but now feel a void. We look through boxes of old photos, playbills, awards, etc. and wonder if the memory itself is enough to stand the test of time or the article is needed to retain that time in our life for evermore.
I am a Class A pack rat! I have various boxes that contain memorabilia from the various stages of my life. I do sort them periodically if not frequently to try and down size. I always seem to retain more than I intended. However, this blog is not about our need to reevaluate our clutter or whether Hoarders should schedule an intervention in the name of our friends and family. It is about using a memory, article from the past, to recall an especially great or challenging moment in our life. We do this in an effort to continue to propel ourselves in the direction we wish to travel in our life. Perhaps we want to achieve academic status like we did in high school and our honor society sash reminds us. Maybe we have our first speeding ticket or school referral to remind us of a time we were reckless in an effort to not repeat that time of our life. For Pat, it is his Warrior Dash t-shirt, medal, and wooly horn hat. Regardless of his many future attempts to de-clutter his room, house, or life, those items will remain. He will use them as anchor to a time, a memory, within his past that will help to propel him in a positive direction.
Now, this is my blog so I will share with you my anchor. Reading Pat's blog reminded me of my first 5k. If you have been paying attention thus far you are aware of my first 5k being my last to date as a result of an injury. Incidentally, I too have my medal from my first 5k ... its currently hanging on my wall unit so I had to, and continue to, look at everyday for the last 9 weeks. I looked at it everyday as I sat without the ability to walk without aid from an injury sustained at that race. I heard many people tell me, " That is why I don't run- injuries" and " I bet you wont run another race." Boy! are they wrong! I fully intend to run again. I look at that medal and say. " Damn girl, you did it! You finished?" I also say," You did it WITH and ON a broken ankle. I got your IronGirl right here!"
In closing, like Pat, I will forever cherish that medal and all that it means to me. It's a reminder of a time I might have been a little crazy by running on an injured ankle BUT it is also the time I ran and finished my first 5k. I say first because there will be more. This is the first of many medals to come. I will finish what I started- a healthy hobby that cleanses the spirit and relaxes the mind. A hobby I thought I would NEVER do but did Big!
Thanks again Pat for the inspiration... We are gonna run together real soon!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
How Ridicule becomes Inspiration
Sometimes I feel like a perpetual lost puppy in my own life. It is as if I keep traveling the same road over and over again with no internal GPS. No GPS to keep me from making the same wrong turn or making that change in my direction just reroutes me back to where I began. My car sometimes tells me to go the wrong way, as I need to upgrade my maps, but I have to foresight to know this because I have gone to the place I am heading again. I have been there enough times to know the general direction but am still not familiar enough to travel without the aide of my GPS.
I often feel like this about my weight loss. I KNOW what needs to be done. I have done it so many times. I have taken so many different routes because, just as when I travel somewhere I have not been in a while, that last route was too long, not scenic enough, or maybe had to much traffic or potholes. Whether Jenny Craig in High School, Atkins in my early 20's, Medi Weightloss, or Weight Watchers I have found a way to get part of the way to my destination and then lose my footing. This story, my story, is no different than anyone elses. I have done diet alone, diet with exercise, weight training, etc. The only difference is that this past time I was determined to change it all around. So determined, in fact, that I pushed myself to do something I abhored- running. People around me were losing weight with my assistance yet I remained stagnant. Then... I received a sign in the form of a broken bone. SLOW DOWN! TAKE A BREAK! I got that message loud and clear.
Fast forward 2 weeks from the injury and I sat here a flabby frustrated fool pissed off at the world, myself, the race. I sat in my house angry that I was unable to work out, drive, get off the couch, be pain free. It was in that time I decided to begin a relationship that was long over due. I started attending church. I began to realize my calling, teaching, as well as my need to love myself as I am and to be who God wants me to be. Now, understand that I am not saying God wants me to be fat but he DOES want me to be happy and love myself as he does. So with this knowledge and general feeling of goodwill I began to reminisce about why I felt the way I did for all these years and why I struggled so hard with believing I could overcome the obstacle of my weight. It wasn't until I began teaching that I felt open enough to share the ridicule of my youth with my students as a means to get them to keep the hurtful words to themselves. This realization of the way my tormentors affected me was brought to fruition when I read my friend Pat's blog
http://www.road2warriordash.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/whats-in-a-name/
I was the child called many names in elementary school. Most of which came from the mouth of a boy I was smitten with. Growing up, I was very chubby. I remember weighing 115 pounds in 5th grade. I was called Bubbles, Fatso, UFO- Unidentified Fat Object, Chubby, etc. These were names from kiddos the same age as me. I also received torment from my half sister, whom lived with me for a short time, in the way of words and jokes at my expense. Being called "Tub-o-lard" cuts... real deep. Some of you are probably saying, " ahh get over it, it was 25 years ago" I bet most of you are fit and never had this issue. Names, nice or mean, stick especially when you are a child and your life is all about being with friends, being liked, feeling good about your place in the social dynamic that is school and your neighborhood. Those names have carried through my life. At 36, I still see that chubby little girl being picked on and I still hear those words in my head when I do not meet a goal. The difference today is that I no longer wish to use it as a means to devalue myself or my mission.
I will continue to blog as well as read Pat's blog. I encourage you to follow him as well. I will also post my Vi Challenge site so you can follow that if you wish. In the end, I ask that you all think about the words you are using when speaking to others and about others- especially if you have children. We are living in a society where the average person believes the only way to lift themselves up is to step on another person. This is untrue and has lasting effects on those it is done to. Also, if you are not a church goer or dogmatic at all. I encourage you to find some word or feeling to follow whether religious or philosophical in nature. If you are living in this world free of any peace and you are trying to survive by yourself amongst the reality tv, the sensationalized media, and generally narcissistic society PLEASE find an escape before you are consumed by the negativity. Life is too short to live tethered to drama of yesterday or today... live your life unleashed!
With all the babbling aside. I would like to thank Pat for continuing his journey while I was sidelined as he and his story of ridicule reawakened my spirit. I have decided to jump start my weight loss with the Body by Vi challenge. I think shedding the flab that has accumulated while being "man down" will be helpful in getting back out and active again.
http://www.heatherschuster.bodybyvi.com/
Also, a special thanks to Pastor Q at GFC Eastlake for your series on living life unleashed!!
I often feel like this about my weight loss. I KNOW what needs to be done. I have done it so many times. I have taken so many different routes because, just as when I travel somewhere I have not been in a while, that last route was too long, not scenic enough, or maybe had to much traffic or potholes. Whether Jenny Craig in High School, Atkins in my early 20's, Medi Weightloss, or Weight Watchers I have found a way to get part of the way to my destination and then lose my footing. This story, my story, is no different than anyone elses. I have done diet alone, diet with exercise, weight training, etc. The only difference is that this past time I was determined to change it all around. So determined, in fact, that I pushed myself to do something I abhored- running. People around me were losing weight with my assistance yet I remained stagnant. Then... I received a sign in the form of a broken bone. SLOW DOWN! TAKE A BREAK! I got that message loud and clear.
Fast forward 2 weeks from the injury and I sat here a flabby frustrated fool pissed off at the world, myself, the race. I sat in my house angry that I was unable to work out, drive, get off the couch, be pain free. It was in that time I decided to begin a relationship that was long over due. I started attending church. I began to realize my calling, teaching, as well as my need to love myself as I am and to be who God wants me to be. Now, understand that I am not saying God wants me to be fat but he DOES want me to be happy and love myself as he does. So with this knowledge and general feeling of goodwill I began to reminisce about why I felt the way I did for all these years and why I struggled so hard with believing I could overcome the obstacle of my weight. It wasn't until I began teaching that I felt open enough to share the ridicule of my youth with my students as a means to get them to keep the hurtful words to themselves. This realization of the way my tormentors affected me was brought to fruition when I read my friend Pat's blog
http://www.road2warriordash.wordpress.com/2011/06/10/whats-in-a-name/
I was the child called many names in elementary school. Most of which came from the mouth of a boy I was smitten with. Growing up, I was very chubby. I remember weighing 115 pounds in 5th grade. I was called Bubbles, Fatso, UFO- Unidentified Fat Object, Chubby, etc. These were names from kiddos the same age as me. I also received torment from my half sister, whom lived with me for a short time, in the way of words and jokes at my expense. Being called "Tub-o-lard" cuts... real deep. Some of you are probably saying, " ahh get over it, it was 25 years ago" I bet most of you are fit and never had this issue. Names, nice or mean, stick especially when you are a child and your life is all about being with friends, being liked, feeling good about your place in the social dynamic that is school and your neighborhood. Those names have carried through my life. At 36, I still see that chubby little girl being picked on and I still hear those words in my head when I do not meet a goal. The difference today is that I no longer wish to use it as a means to devalue myself or my mission.
I will continue to blog as well as read Pat's blog. I encourage you to follow him as well. I will also post my Vi Challenge site so you can follow that if you wish. In the end, I ask that you all think about the words you are using when speaking to others and about others- especially if you have children. We are living in a society where the average person believes the only way to lift themselves up is to step on another person. This is untrue and has lasting effects on those it is done to. Also, if you are not a church goer or dogmatic at all. I encourage you to find some word or feeling to follow whether religious or philosophical in nature. If you are living in this world free of any peace and you are trying to survive by yourself amongst the reality tv, the sensationalized media, and generally narcissistic society PLEASE find an escape before you are consumed by the negativity. Life is too short to live tethered to drama of yesterday or today... live your life unleashed!
With all the babbling aside. I would like to thank Pat for continuing his journey while I was sidelined as he and his story of ridicule reawakened my spirit. I have decided to jump start my weight loss with the Body by Vi challenge. I think shedding the flab that has accumulated while being "man down" will be helpful in getting back out and active again.
http://www.heatherschuster.bodybyvi.com/
Also, a special thanks to Pastor Q at GFC Eastlake for your series on living life unleashed!!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Took a little "Me Time"
Hello Readers! So sorry I have not been writing as of late. It has been a little shy of two months since I last blogged. However, if we are being honest, I am sure none of you were sitting on the edge of your seats stressing my absence nor were you fiending for my witty diatribes. I had to take a little "Me Time". I wanted to find something else to lose myself in as I was having a very hard time dealing with the lose of the use of my left leg. I am happy to say that I did find something else to think about in the lapse of time since my last blog. One of those things was and remain very positive whilest the other was negative but turned out to be positive.
Let's start with the negative to positive. Over the last month and a half I have been losing hair and sleep- but not weight. I was in danger of losing my position as classroom teacher due to budgetary cuts in our wonderful state and the district with which I work. It is definitely no fun being one of the last ones hired as, in my field, we are the first to be fired or laid off. Alas, all is well as I am still gainfully employed and even moreso I am going to be teaching fourth grade. YAY! I am gonna rock those writing lessons as I love to write. I know, I know you are shocked right! :0)
My second activity over the last month and a half has been my new relationship status. Please don't get all reality TV on me and assume that I am either getting divorced or cheating on my husband- I am not. I am, however, creating a new and woderful relationship with God. I was never quite sure of my belief system nor what culture I most identified with. I consistantly found myself on the side of Eastern philosophy which led me to study Hinduism and Buddhism. I love both of those ideologies. As someone that is not really into folowing ritual or dogma for the sake of following it, I found myself wanting to keep on searching. I like the freedom of being able to have my own practice and not feeling tied down to any specific process for honoring or worshipping my God. I began going to a contemporary Christian church on Easter and continue to attend. I had an amazing experience a few weeks ago where I physically felt the presence of God next to me. I am not sure what that meant or means nor am I positive that I have found my way completely but I am no longer feel alone- that is for sure.
Okay, enough touchy feely stuff. If you are still reading- Wow YOU really like me! I am still nursing this ankle situation. The last two days of packing up and cleaning my classroom for Summer took a toll on me. I am no longer in a boot but I am far from being able to run again. I have gained 11 pounds and I am NOT happy about that. I plan on getting into my neighbors pool to exercise as well as starting to bike on a stationary bike at Y next week. These two activities plus some weights 3x a week and a good diet should get me back where I want to be. It will be slow going BUT I do believe I will have some people rooting for me as well as a support system I did not have before this happened. So... keep on reading. Heather is back!!!
Let's start with the negative to positive. Over the last month and a half I have been losing hair and sleep- but not weight. I was in danger of losing my position as classroom teacher due to budgetary cuts in our wonderful state and the district with which I work. It is definitely no fun being one of the last ones hired as, in my field, we are the first to be fired or laid off. Alas, all is well as I am still gainfully employed and even moreso I am going to be teaching fourth grade. YAY! I am gonna rock those writing lessons as I love to write. I know, I know you are shocked right! :0)
My second activity over the last month and a half has been my new relationship status. Please don't get all reality TV on me and assume that I am either getting divorced or cheating on my husband- I am not. I am, however, creating a new and woderful relationship with God. I was never quite sure of my belief system nor what culture I most identified with. I consistantly found myself on the side of Eastern philosophy which led me to study Hinduism and Buddhism. I love both of those ideologies. As someone that is not really into folowing ritual or dogma for the sake of following it, I found myself wanting to keep on searching. I like the freedom of being able to have my own practice and not feeling tied down to any specific process for honoring or worshipping my God. I began going to a contemporary Christian church on Easter and continue to attend. I had an amazing experience a few weeks ago where I physically felt the presence of God next to me. I am not sure what that meant or means nor am I positive that I have found my way completely but I am no longer feel alone- that is for sure.
Okay, enough touchy feely stuff. If you are still reading- Wow YOU really like me! I am still nursing this ankle situation. The last two days of packing up and cleaning my classroom for Summer took a toll on me. I am no longer in a boot but I am far from being able to run again. I have gained 11 pounds and I am NOT happy about that. I plan on getting into my neighbors pool to exercise as well as starting to bike on a stationary bike at Y next week. These two activities plus some weights 3x a week and a good diet should get me back where I want to be. It will be slow going BUT I do believe I will have some people rooting for me as well as a support system I did not have before this happened. So... keep on reading. Heather is back!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)