Boot Camp Challenge Day 26-Back to Basics

  • Good morning, troops! As we get the week started I want to talk about getting back to basics and taking a closer look at the mind-body connection.

    What part of your body plays the biggest role in getting fit? I'll give you a hint-it isn't your mouth. :

    Your brain is your control center. Your body doesn't care if you started eating "people chow" as long as it gets the nutrients it needs. Your brain is what recognizes the need for a healthy diet and exercise to improve your way of life.

    So, if your brain knows what your body needs why is it still so hard? Why does your brain get in the way and lead you astray as you journey to health and fitness?

    Changing the brain is the most difficult part of getting healthy. You have to work at it constantly, reexamine your attitudes, reinforce healthy thinking and dump the negative thought patterns. Phewww. That's a lot of work.

    So where do we start? The best thing is, we already have! We are all taking steps to get our brains in shape. But we can help it along!

    Set goals! Be they large or be they small, goals are your destination. Tell your brain where you want it to be, how you want it to act.

    Decided on a process. Like a road map for your brain, a process is HOW you will reach your goal. Eating fewer calories, exercising 3 times a week, maximizing your activity on a daily basis...these are examples of processes you can use to achieve your goals.

    Ditch the diet! A diet is a short term solution to a long term problem. You have to ask yourself, "Can I do this for the rest of my life?", and if the answer is NO, then something is wrong!

    Change the terminology. You need to change how your brain perceives what you are doing. You don't just want to lose WEIGHT, you want to lose FAT. Your goal isn't WEIGHT LOSS, but WEIGHT CONTROL. Don't tell yourself you MUST eat something healthy...but that you CAN eat something healthy! Your pasts attempts are not FAILURES, they are PRACTICE RUNS! Instead of considering the CONSEQUENCES if you don't do something, focus on the REWARDS if you do!

    Be proactive. Sitting on your butt thinking, "I have no willpower" will give you a sore butt and little else. Telling yourself you NEED to exercise burns precious few calories!

    State your incentive. Just why is it important for you to have a healthier lifestyle or lose fat? What will change for you? You need to be clear on this issue. Clear and REALISTIC. Life doesn't get perfect just because you get thin. It may get better, but not perfect! You need a mental picture of what you want to achieve in your life that goes beyond the scale.

    My MIL sent me a belated BD gift - a beautiful cherry cheval mirror! I couldn't help but be struck by the timing! So I am going to assemble my new mirror and work on my mirror magic!

    Don't forget to post activity minutes. Our goal this week is 2000 minutes! I didn't get any scheduled activity yesterday. But today is a different day....different story.

    I will be concentrating on the trinity this week...back to basics, indeed! Have a great day or I'll make you drop and give me 20!
  • Franny, your mirror sounds lovely! Perfect timing, indeed.

    I'm feeling very butch today. Just had a great workout, and I've got my timer set for 15 minutes. I'm allowed 15 min on the computer, then I have to go and do something PRODUCTIVE for 15 min before I can come back for another 15.
    I feel IN CONTROL!!

    Lizzie... I like that... "God doesn't make junk."

    Ummm, Nikki? Did you get out your moisturizer yesterday? Neither did I.

    Harmony, congrats on the pound!!

    Rowan, you're so squeaky clean! Could you come and wash my face for me, please?

    Gotta run... timer just went off...

    love to all of you...
  • Well Franny, Sunday is my day off from exercise ... the gym is closed and I usually do my food shopping, ironing, etc to get ready for the week. But I did do my usually 45 minutes on the treadmill before work this a.m. and will post later with my gym times ...

    Also want to thank you for the amount of time you must spend trying to think of ways to inspire us into exercise ... we really appreciate it (and being held accountable ... gotta beat 2000 this week) ...

    Ellis I THOUGHT about it ... maybe tonight before bed ... (no, make that tomorrow morning ... how likely am I to take care of my face when all I want to do is sleep???)

    Bye ladies ...
  • I didn't want to leave you guys with the impression that I spend a ton of time on my face! I am basically a very low maintainance kind of gal! I use the Oil of Olay daily facial cloths (or whatevery they are called) and moisturizer! That is the extent of my "primping!" I am loath to spend a lot of money on stuff like that...I even cut the facial cloths in half!

    Makeup is a 5 minute kind of deal, too. I work with a girl that always looks great...very natural yet put together, if you know what I mean. So I asked her what she uses. So now I am a convert to "Bare Escentuals"...very natural looking, very fast...can't get better than that!

    Kathy, I can relate to not knowing how to apply makeup. I think that particular gene is missing from me! Plus, I don't particularly like to shop, don't own dozens of pairs of shoes, and don't nag my DH! Help! Something is wrong with me! : Okay, I'm over it now...I'll just have to cope somehow!

    I started my new weight lifting routine today...wish me luck! I want to get strong...really strong!
  • Good luck with the weights, Franny!

    I forgot to give my workout time... I guess it was about 45 minutes. Weights and some cardio. Including 2 WHOLE minutes of running on the treadmill. I was up to 15 minutes running in the spring. If I can get back up to 10 minutes, I'll be delighted.
  • Hi, Everybody!!

    Sarge , yesterday I did only 15 minutes of walking, but

    I'm back on track today with a 45 minute very brisk walk, and

    15 minutes of weights. Sorry I am late today in reporting...very

    busy morning.

    Thanks for all your efforts, Franny. This Boot Camp keeps

    me moving, and honest about my exercise!! I love

    reading what you write each day, it's so inspiring!

    Talk later,

    ~Sharon
  • Reporting gym time ... 45 minutes cardio, 20 minutes weights ...

    Ellis, you're doing great!!!

    Franny, I'm hopeless with the makeup/skin care ... don't even know where to begin ... thinking of buying a book by Bobbi Brown or someone ... everytime I try I end up looking like a circus clown!!

    Goodnight !!
  • Great job, ladies!!!

    I did 40 minute brisk walk yesterday.

    Today I did 35 minutes on the elliptical cross trainer, 7 minutes on abs.

    Let's keep it going!
  • Pvt. Lizzie reporting: Very late but not A.W.O.L.

    Exercise times. Yesterday 20 min. walk.
    Today: 40 min. walk & 30 min at Curves

    Sgt. Frannie - Been thinking about what you said about changes and choices. I think there is a word that should no longer be a part of our vocabulary. CHEAT It seems to me that the best word is choice. We have to make good choices. The word cheat brings up negative thoughts, and makes us somehow like illegal aliens to this new lifetime commitment. Cheat brings up feelings of guilt. And none of us need to feel anymore guilt. We need to be positive about ourselves and our goals.

    Any comments?

    Tomorrow will be a challenge as I will be going out to dinner for my Birthday. I will make good choices, and be deliberate about what I will and will not eat. So if I choose something not OP I can live with it. We also plan to see that new movie with Robert Duvall and Michael Caine. Secondhand Lions. And the toughest will be no popcorn. I can't sabotage myself, as I have lost what I gained on vacation and another lb. too.

    See you tomorrow at camp on the beach. Lizzie
  • Franny, your words of wisdom and messages of inspiration just keep getting better and better!! I love reading what you write, you sure do get a person thinking! Thank you for all of the time and effort you have been putting into our Boot Camp!! I appreciate it more than you know!

    Lizzie, I couldn't agree more with what you are saying about the word "cheat". I too have grown to really dislike that word. If we all think of this as a new WOL rather than diet (another word that I have grown to dislike), then the word cheat doesn't really make sense or fit in....after all, can you really cheat at life? We make choices, good or sometimes not so good, but non-the-less, we consciously chose to do or eat something.

    Imaxin, love your avatar! Is that new, or did I just not notice it before? Are those your kitties?? Very pretty!

    All of you ladies inspire me with your exercise!! Today at work I took 2 20 minute breaks to walk, for a total of 40 minutes walking. I wore my pedometer to work, and with these two walks and my normal day at work, I put on just over 9000 steps. Not too bad for a couch potato, eh?