Balancing Act (30 Days of Truth Challenge--Day 5)

Day 5 asks What is something in life that keeps you balanced?

Ha!  Balance?  I'm not sure I know the meaning of that word.

But...when things get a little crazy in my life and I'm feelings out of sorts or out of control, there are some things that I rely on to make things feel a wee bit saner.

1.  My Husband (He's very good at letting me vent and taking whatever crap I'm dishing out!)
2.  A Hot Bath (I turn off the lights, play some music and escape from the world for a while)
3.  Coffee (Usually a nice way to unwind.  A conversation over coffee is always nice.)
4.  A Good Book (Or a terrible one...letting my mind wander in another world can make this world seem right again)
5.  Quality Time at My Makeup Desk (When I feel beautiful...everything else just feels better)

What are some things that you do to keep life in balance? 

Dancing Queen (GBE2 Topic: Dancing)

I decided about a month ago that I needed to get serious about losing some weight.

Not because I'm fat...I mean, of course I am quite a large woman...but I'm pretty darn fabulous all the same.

I am smart enough, however, to realize that all this excess poundage is hurting my health.  My blood pressure is elevated, I'm often tired, and it's quite evident that if one of my kids were to take off on me--well, it's doubtful that I'd catch up to them.

Throughout my life, I've tried about eleventy-seven bajillion different ways to lighten my load--with various degrees of success.  I really don't want to say that this time is different, but it feels different this time.  I feel more committed...more invested in the outcome this time.  After reading Beth's awesome review of the Fit Bit, I splurged and picked one up.  (Her review pretty much says it all...it's a fantastic little gadget and I love, love , love mine.)

Everything was falling into place.  I was tracking what I eat and my activity level.  I had a goal and new found sense of accountability for my actions.  I just needed some form of exercise.

But what?

I hate exercise.  I hate sports.  And anyone who reads my blog regularly already knows how I feel about nature.  I thought about joining a gym, but the idea of my fat behind exercising in public--grunting and sweating among the masses--caused me a great deal of anxiety.  I knew that I needed to do something.  I was not going to burn enough calories by just existing.  My days aren't really all that busy and hey, I sleep for a living. 

I decided to dance.

I've been playing Dance Central.  It is a video game for the Kinect, which is an attachment for the Xbox 360.  The player mirrors the dancer on the screen and tries to emulate the moves as best as they can.  There are varying degrees of difficulty and ways to progress within the game. 

I have no rhythm whatsoever.  I am so NOT a dancer.  Honestly, I have trouble moving my upper and lower extremities at the same time without falling over!  But I was determined.  At first, I was very frustrated.  But Jeff kept encouraging me--telling me that it didn't matter how well I performed at the game as long as I was moving and burning calories.  It's been about a month now and, after considerable practice, I can perform about an hour's worth of dance routines properly. 

More importantly, I'm being physically active and burning calories for an hour everyday.

I'm down about thirteen pounds so far.  My first goal is twenty-three pounds--to make my weight a nice round, even number....and to see if I can actually achieve it.  Then, I'll keep going and create a new goal.

I'm having a lot of fun with this.  Everyday, before the kids get home from school, I throw on my rattiest clothes and hit the dance floor (aka my living room).

I'm sure I look like a total fool.  But I really don't care.

Because for that hour, I'm a dancing queen.

Goals For the New Year

New Year's resolutions.

Every year I make them.  And every year I break them.  I'm not quite sure as to why I even make them anymore.  Maybe it's tradition.  Maybe it's just the idea of starting fresh in the new year....a brand new me that I can mold and shape into something more desirable. 

Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment.

Whatever the reason, I have set some goals for myself in 2012. 

1.  Be More Organized:  This is primarily directed towards the healthcare of my family.  We were without health insurance for quite some time, and I've fallen out of the habit of making appointments and staying on top of which child needs to be seen on which day and for what reason.  I envy those kinds of moms....you know the ones I'm talking about....the ones with the color coded day planners or the ones with every detail of the day strategically entered into their smartphones. I am not that mom.  I am not going to try and be that mom.  But I am going to attempt a better system of coordinating health care for my family.  I even bought a planner...if only I could remember where I put it.

2.  Take Better Care of Myself:  I could say that I'm going to lose weight.  And I'll probably try.  I usually do.  I'll be really good for a little while until I break down and eat one of my "trigger foods" (tacos or toast...perhaps?) and then all hell breaks loose.  I'm not going to depress myself with a goal that I've been trying and failing to attain for the majority of my life.  Instead, I'm going to focus more specifically on something I actually believe I can change. 

I'm awful at taking medications. 

There are two medications that I'm supposed to take daily.  They aren't for horrifying health conditions but they are for conditions that, if not treated, can lead to bigger problems down the road.  I'm honestly a child when it comes to taking pills...if someone doesn't hound me relentlessly--I won't take them.  If anyone can think of a way to help me with this goal....I am VERY open to suggestions. 

This goal will also involve using my CPAP machine every night and drinking more water than coffee and soda. 

Overall, I think these small changes are attainable and--combined--could achieve big results.

3.  Be More Organized:  Are you sensing a theme here?  This goal of better organization is aimed at my makeup collection.  I have a very nice setup for my stash--at least I think that I do.  But more often than not, that setup looks as though it has thrown up on itself.  I usually have to call my daughter in to look at my vanity area--"with a fresh pair of eyes"--to find whatever item I'm currently searching for.  I cleaned and organized the area this morning....only time will tell if I can keep it that way.

4.  Read More/Write More:  I've read two books in the last two weeks....so that's a great start on this goal.  I read tons of blogs and articles online every day but I'm thinking more along the lines of getting away from the screen and having some quiet moments with a good book.  I've been slacking on both of my blogs...mostly due to school (which is almost over--woohoo!).  I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head.  If only I could stop being a slacker long enough to get them written down. :-)



Most of these resolutions will probably be broken before I even start. 

But that's what's so great about resolutions--I can try again next year!

Have you made any resolutions for the new year?