And another thing...

In 2007, I weighed over 300 lbs. I looked and felt like utter crap. For my birthday that year, my mom bought me a package of sessions with her personal trainer... and my life was transformed. Over the next 2 years, I lost over 100 lbs, became strong and fit, and really felt good about my body for the first time maybe ever.

Then, I got pregnant :)  An unexpected miracle, and probably having a lot to do with my body getting healthier, but having a baby did derail my commitment to fitness. I haven't gained back the weight I lost, but I haven't gotten to my goal, either. Plus, I no longer have the strength, the feeling of having a fit and powerful body, that I once had. I know I can get back to that place, and finally meet my goals, but it will take time and commitment.

I need to lose at least 60 more lbs. To do this, I want to commit to 30 mins of cardio daily, and strength training 2-3 days per week. I have a gym membership card and a Wii Fit, both of which have been gathering dust. I need to make use of them both. I know I can achieve my goals if I put in the time.

Flat surfaces...

... oh, how I loathe them. Perpetual clutter-collectors. If I could, I'd give every table, desk, countertop and dresser in my house an angled top so that I didn't have to constantly clean them off (or, more accurately, ignore them until the problem became ridiculously unmanageable. But since that doesn't seem to be an option given my lack of cabinetry skills, I suppose I'll have to work harder at getting them cleared off and KEEPING them that way.

So, here is the "before" photo of my dining room table. Having it posted in a public place will, I'm hoping, give me a push to clean it up so that I can take the "after" shot later today.

Here goes....

Update: 5 1/2 hours later, the table is relatively cleared:

SO much better! Yes, there is still stuff on it, but it is in manageable piles that are labeled and can be dealt with. I already dealt with my piles, so the ones that remain belong to my husband and my son. Hoping I can motivate them to get the stuff dealt with asap. Yay, I feel accomplished...

2012

I haven't kept up with this like I want to... currently a common problem in my life. However, blogging isn't nearly as important as some of the other things I fail to include in my jam-packed schedule (e.g. exercise, cleaning, dates with the hubby, etc.)

If I had to make a resolution for the new year, it would be this: schedule effectively. I make time for my family and for my schoolwork, but not for other essential things -- and they ARE essential. I need to be much more disciplined about time. Not to the point of being rigid and inflexible, but I need to get into the habit of setting aside a block of time for a specific purpose and then following through on that purpose. There's no reason I shouldn't be able to fit cleaning and fitness into my daily routine, and schedule a date night with hubby at least once a month.

As far as blogging goes, I'll continue to pop in here when time allows. I know I don't have any readers, and I haven't yet found my voice, so this goes neglected. Nevertheless, it's good to have a place where I can write with the chance that people will actually read what I am saying.

Okay, that's it for now...