An Entrance Essay?

So many, many things are going on right now.  I've just been letting you guys hang out there, without an update saying "Why yes, yes I am alive."  

So.. Here I am, alive, and busy as I've ever remembered being busy in a long long while.  

The new job is awesome. I love it.  Filling out papers, filing them, moving the things you filed, emailing people and instant messaging them.  It's a dream job for this teenager stuck in a grown up's life! Lol. 

Also, I'm trying to get registered back in college, to finish my degree (gasp, I know, shocking right?)

So here's the latest and greatest... My entrance/application essay..

The prompt:

Describe a goal or challenge in your past that required perseverance and determination to accomplish.

The (my) Response::

Many statistics show that a majority of the U.S. population is morbidly obese.. I am not exempt from that statistic. My father was raised in the south where most meals were fried and entrees were accompanied by gravy. This style of cooking transcended the generations and was a staple in my childhood nutrition. That was one of many factors that led to my “weight issue” beginning in childhood. Though it was never hindered me it was always something I found disheartening and isolated me from my peers.

When I became a mother, I felt a much stronger desire to be healthy for my kids. I had a desire for them to have healthy eating and exercising habits. So in 2012 I made a resolution, like most people, to lose weight and become healthy.

To become healthy I decided a long term goal, to be at an average weight for my height according to the Body Mass Index (BMI) standards. I broke down that goal into small, reachable goals, tasks and guidelines to assist in that. I knew that I had to measure my caloric intake, increase the amount of water I drank and most importantly increase my amount of aerobic activity. Utilizing only these three guidelines I met my first goal of losing ten percent of my original weight.

While I have not yet met my long term goal, I have maintained my first small goal. I am also utilizing those same guidelines, with modifications and additions continually, to reach my next goal of twenty percent of my original weight. This is not something that will happen overnight, or something that can be conquered easily. This requires daily discipline, with long term gratification that will greatly improve my life, as well as those around me.

A Little Peak

So many, many things going on, and so very little time to post.

In my last post, I talked about starting over in May (as if it were January). And I did good for like, a day.  Then I got some FANTASTIC news, and totally crapped out on my eating healthy and drinking only water.

I was offered (and promptly accepted) a position in a office setting.  I've worked three days, and I'm pretty happy with position, and the new opportunities that will (hopefully) be coming with it.

However, it also came with a 40 minute drive to and from work. I don't mind the drive, I did a drive that took the same amount of time when I was pregnant with T, for a job I didn't like nearly as much as I'm already liking this position.  And the drive gives me time to clear my head between home and work, and vice versa. So when I'm home I'm (even more so) fully present.

With the stressed that accompanies a new job, plus new hours/routines for said job has made giving up caffeine a near impossible, and dangerous, task. So this has been postponed, but will still remain a goal for one month in 2012.

I've also attempted to start FLYing. This is a housekeeping concept I found online, FLYlady.net.  The system (from what I understand) is based on routines. Creating routines, and doing what needs to be done rightnow and not procrastinating.  Also focusing on spending a limited time (15 minutes in most cases) focusing on a chore/room/area that needs to be decluttered/cleaned. And being satisified with what was done within the time constraints. The biggest thing I'm struggling with is the concept that imperfect housework still blesses your family. I'm kinda a perfectionist, hard to tell, I know, but 'tis true.

Just a glimpse into what's happening around here.

Ma-nuary

You've probably heard of Christmas in July, right?
What about New Years in May?
No?
Well you can now say yes! Because I'm instigating it now. I need a revamp, a new jump start, for the summer of 2012. I've been through some rough patches in the last 6ish weeks, but no longer will I let that effect my health.

For the entire month of May I will be drinking just water. It's a nice cleanse from all that I've been hydrating with.  Diet colas, coffee, tea, juice, milk will all be off limits for May.

I'm also going to start doing Zumba for at least 20 minutes a day. I need the cardio/endurance work out.  I realized, while catching up with an awesome friend, that I would one day like to become a runner. There are a few things I need to work on first (like bladder wall strengthening).

I'm also jumping back on the #TwitterDiet (when I can catch the chats, and daily check in) band wagon. And I'll be logging my caloric in take with MyFitnessPal (TeresasTalking).


See?! It's just like January, only in May!!


Teresa


Ps-  Some Before Pictures.

      

I do realize these are horrible pictures, but

they're real, and only mildly edited.

I'll take some update pictures on May 31st.