Wine and Stacy’s Pita Chips are not my healthiest choices. But lately, I haven’t effing cared.
Okay, that’s not actually true. I have cared. I’ve cared an awful lot. Just not about making good choices where my health and fitness are concerned.
I’ve cared about my family. I’ve cared about getting my daughter ready for college. I’ve cared about my business. I’ve cared about my personal development.
But not about making healthy choices.
Until now.
(Or at least now as in the new now.)
Now is the new black.
I do care about my health. I do care about my fitness. I started to put my money where my mouth was last week with a concerted effort to get out and walk every day. I strapped on my FitBit every morning and made sure things happened that were related to moving more. I logged steps. Every day.
I’d wake up and make sure I hit 1,000 steps before sitting down to check my email. Every time I got up to do anything, I made a deal with myself that I had to log another 500 before I could return to my desk. I watched Netflix on the treadmill. I walked around the lake by my house.
I made an effort and realized that, “Oh yeah… this again.” This means making good choices, consciously, and as often as I can.
It’s time to care about this. I feel like as school begins, it’s yet another new era to first adjust to, and then respond to. Like an adult. Like I actually know how to do.
Yes, there’s a lot of emotional shit going on right now, what with my first-born daughter now safely settled at her new home for the next nine months and all that it entails.
But it’s time for me to start doing what is needed.
Yes it takes effort. Yes it’s complicated at times.
But now is as good a time as any, don’t you think?
Katrina says
Back to school is always a reset for me. My summer was consumed with work travel, house showings, and spending time with Hope while she was home from university. Now that one of those activities settles out…I need to fit in fitness again. Raising my FitBit in solidarity!
Kimberly says
work it, work it!
heidig says
You can do it Cathy!
Lynne Gillis says
You got this!
Gemma says
Jewish New Year is in the Fall. Always feels like more of an authentic New Year than one in the middle of winter.
Leslie says
Yes, yes and yes. I’m also ‘back to the drawing board’ with my own health right now. (After getting some answers to what’s been plaguing me for a few years now.) So it’s definitely time to refocus on all of that for me as well! Holla if you need an accountability buddy!! 🙂
Cheri Andrews says
Yes, now is as good a time as any. And I’m by your side, working on my health too. Because I gave up on caring about my health for the entire summer. Now I’m back to focusing on me!
amy o' says
thank you Cathy, as PWOKs, we don’t have the start of school thing and we are not Jewish, but I love the fact that the New Year is in the Fall – I’m right there with you on this “now is a good a time as any” for sure! my replacement Fitbit is arriving tonight and I can’t wait!
Honoré says
Agreed! Indeed! And I have all the confidence that you can do it. As for me, I am re-engaging with MMEW Jumpstart in Sept with a focus on meal planning and prep!
Cheers~
Honoré says
Indeed you and we can! I plan to re-engage with MMEW Jumpstart. My focus is meal planning & prep! I find when I do that, I do better.
Cheers~
Lida says
I love your mini goals to get to the ultimate goal of the day! You’re a trooper!
Beth says
We are living similar lives in different states. I just sent my 1st born (son) to college. I struggle with so many of the same things you seem to. I just started walking again and then thought I’d do a couch to 5k program. Think I hurt my hip somehow so I decided to walk 5 miles last night. On the home stretch I fell and skidded… all over. I fortunately only had some surface abrasions, a skinned up palm but possibly sprained left wrist (I’m left handed). Good news is that I don’t feel the pain in my left hip! So be careful out there, this healthy stuff is dangerous! Thanks for sharing your realities. Many of us are in the same boat. We’ve got to keep navigating our way through maze! It helps to know you’re not alone.
Michelle t says
Yes, now is a good time. You got this. Michelle t
Jacquie says
Wine and chips aren’t healthy choices?? Crap, wish I would have known that last night! And yup, kids going back to school is a good time to restart just about anything. Good luck!
Marcie L says
Here’s to new routines! And/or revisiting old ones 🙂
Susanna says
Just discovered Joseph’s Lavash flat bread — it’s very low carb and is great toasted to make chips. I also use it for flat bread pizza and wraps. Be good shouldn’t mean giving up what you love.
bdaiss says
I never get the “restarts” in January or spring like I’m supposed to (spring cleaning? Pshaw.). I get them in the fall. I’m also trying to force myself to make better choices. So I jumped off the deep end into the crazy pool and signed up for a half marathon. That’s in about a month. I know I can walk it. But I’m determined to train like a mother%$&#@* and run as much as I can. That ought to jump start something…
Nancy says
Now is a good time! Since having kids my year always seems to start fresh in September. I just picture the year that way – flat June-August then and then upward towards December then a slow downward march to June again. Even though they are grown and out of the house I still picture September as a fresh new start.
So I’ll join you in getting up and moving more!
Karen says
Go Cathy Go!!! As long as you are doing your part no matter how small on a daily basis, continue to enjoy life – a glass of wine sounds good to me! Cheers!!
Kim Woods says
I like to think of Back To School as a fresh start for everyone then have New Years as a check in to see how I’m doing on my previously stated goals. At least you are making an effort, moms of all shapes and sizes have their hands full so a little wine, social media and a walk sounds pretty balanced to me 😉
Maureen says
Very good advice on how to get those extra steps in. Before I hurt my knee and achilles tendon, getting 10k steps wasn’t hard. Now hitting 2k takes effort but I know those small bits add up.
Come on cooler weather!
Lynn Herrick says
Just do it! The key is to not stop when things get busy, emotional, rough, etc. Keep moving and keep eating well. Then you don’t have to keep going back – you just continue.
Laurel says
I’m sure you’ve talked about this before, but which FitBit do you use? I’ve been thinking about getting one, so I’m just curious. 🙂
Cathy says
I have the Flex. Love it.
Laurel says
Thanks, Cathy! 🙂
Elle says
For me, I know it’s a daily choice – sometimes hourly. 😉 I’ve gone down from an 18 to a 10 since January, working out, making strict eating changes (thanks to dr’s orders). I’ve watched you on your journey. I know you’ve got this. 🙂 We need to remember not to be hard on ourselves. Sometimes we need a breather, a break from the hard work. Just keep plugging along. It’s a life change. I have to keep telling myself that. I know you know this, though. I’m making this song my new mantra 😉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PCkvCPvDXk because even though I’ve been thin before (and getting there again!) I’ve always had a JLo type of booty, even when it wasn’t cool (hello, 1980’s). I gotta love me for who I am! 🙂
Kathy Jo Camacho says
It will work, if you will work it.
And I’m so there with you! Today is a new day to start over again. I will start to make some much better choices and I have got to get moving – again.
Kate says
One idea that made no sense at all to me was self-forgiveness. Even once I finally sat up and heard it (like really heard it), it took several years to begin to wear through my suck-it-up mentality. This summer I learned about self-compassion– thinking: “I love myself and I accept myself even though I don’t understand myself.” All those “myselfs” still make me squirm like crazy but you know what? It’s a pause, a space of a moment…and peace seeps in. (And the same, using “you,” works absolute miracles when in say it in my head while super mad at someone!) I’m sure I’m late to the party on this one but sharing in case that helps! Love you Cathy!!
Madeline St Onge says
Cathy you got this girl, you can do it 😉
Jules says
It is a great time to refocus on you and your health. You have done an awesome job of focussing on Aidan and getting her off to college. Now since life is changed up anyways it a wonderful time to think about YOU now. And trust me, there is nothing like a long walk for a private cry or to work through stuff in your head (like missing your daughter). Walking makes as much or more impact on my mental health than my physical. And if my head is in the right space the rest follows more easily. I have recently been working through ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy) An interesting take-away from that is accepting all thoughts that come into my head as just strings of words. Not something to examined, analysed or acted upon. So instead of thinking `I want some chips/cookies/ice cream” and following that with a mental debate/battle regarding the wisdom of that thought, mentally yelling at myself (no wonder you are fat, you are hopeless at sticking to an eating plan etc) I am learning to observe that thought and accept it, not try to change it. I am not sure if I have explained that clearly, it took a while for me to understand it. The bottom line is mentally beating ourselves up is exhausting and accepting that we sometimes think of things that aren’t helpful and not dwelling on them is liberating. I mean, sometimes I think I will punch the next person who comes into my office and asks me to do something in a ridiculous time frame but I don’t hit them and I don’t spend hours dwelling on how bad/typical/hopeless it was that I had that thought the way I do when I think about eating a package of Oreos or a pint of ice cream. Anyway. Go Cathy! Move that awesome body that made and birthed those amazing children of yours. Make heathly choices about what to support and nourish that incredible being that is you!!!
Audrey V says
yup, drinking me some red wine tonight, and easing up on the ol’ diet as I feel sorry for myself after sending my first son to college, I know it’s a new phase, but I’m only going in to the new phase kicking and screaming, we need to go easy on ourselves as we navigate these new waters
Andrea A says
Know exactly where you are- I sent my baby (youngest of 3) to school (12 hours away!) last fall. I’ve always used the start of the school year to reset, but last year I decided to set several goals for the semester- 16 weeks- I got a lot done. More than I think I would have if I hadn’t written it down with the dates. And because I put things like reading a certain number of books on the list, not just exercise and food, I had some stuff to share when Christmas break came.
Caroline says
Goodness I can’t remember how many times I have started again. Made that commitment to live the healthy life I dream of. To loose half my body weight, yes that’s how much I need to loose, and let the thin girl out. This battle has been going on for 24 years and I’m not even 40 yet. Each time I make the new start speech to myself I feel that this time it will work. This time I can do it. It’ll be different this time. I set a goal. 2 pounds a week, that’s all. Easy right? Man it’s hard, I guess that’s why it’s called the battle of the bulge. Battles aren’t easy. Cathy I wish you well on your journey. I may commit to join you. Again