[RavenToy]

Hi folks.

Welcome to the thread, LB. Glad to see new faces.

This has to be a bit of a flyby, gotta get ready to go to the office job. Hopefully I won't have to deal with this too much longer.

I feel like I might actually be able to join back into the thread with something positive to say again. I think I'm going to start walking in the mornings again. I know I need to take it slow because the repeated action does aggravate my hip joints somewhat, but it's getting better.

I'm very much back to trimming again, I listened to my body, took it very slow, took lots of breaks, lots of stretching and moving inbetween horses, and managed to do FOURTEEN trims this weekend! Go me! Talk about a whole body workout! Pulled shoes off four horses, one of them 'navicular'. We're on a roll. My back is sore, but no more than I would expect if I hadn't torn it up almost 6 weeks ago. It's no more sore than my legs, arms, shoulders... feet. .. . . . eyelashes...

I'm going to Vermont in September to train with one of the more widely known barefooters in the world. He travels everywhere giving seminars, and this will count as one of my mentorships towards certification. I'm trying to line up another required class and one more mentorship before I leave, if possible. Money, I need more money. Don't we all?

I need about 50 more horses before I can quit my desk job. I have slowly grown it up to about 23 horses right now, so hopefully it will keep growing!

So right now I'm just kind of eating what's in the house because I'm frantically trying to get caught up with rent and board and horse feed. Oh, and car registration and I need to get all the lights fixed. It never stops. This weekend I have about 8 horses to trim and a 3 month old foal to start working with. Ought to be fun! Jolly, it's one of the Egyptians! He's a doll! But anyway, that means I can do some shopping again for more healthy fare. Water needs to go up... do you know how hard it is to stay hydrated when you're trimming horses in nearly 100 degree temps!? I can literally drink two gallons and not have to go pee. Ok, maybe that was TMI.

Ok, so my back to basics!! Get back to healthier food, try to increase water, and start walking again, even if it's only for 10 minutes in the morning! Hold me to it, ladies!

[Roxymom]

Good Morning!

Way to go Legal! Sounds like you got a good workout!

Raven - Glad things are starting to get back to normal for you.

I got my walk in yesterday but didn't get to the gym. I had planned on doing yard work, but we had a down pour right before I was going to start. So I get to do the yard work this evening. I really need to work on my journaling. I haven't been writing down my food for he last several days. I've been really busy, but need to make time to do it. My arm is feeling a little better so maybe the rest has done some good.

Have a great day!

[jollygirl]

Hi all. Real quick fly by post. After much struggling and inner arguing, I did go out and have a nice run this morning. It was hard. I almost decided to just lay around on the couch again. But I am trying.

Have a good one all. I will try to post more later.

[redballoon]

Hi people. Sorry I haven't been writing here. Been too busy on my other thread, the 21-day challenge. Nice to see some newcomers and hear from Raven again. Good going on all the work you're doing.

jolly, you really sound to be struggling but still sticking with it. I just wish I could hear where things were getting easier for you. You sound a lot like me. You have great persistence but then you totally sabotage your efforts. Don't mind me if I'm wrong. I just get that feeling from what you write. I am dealing with this, and I'm getting sick of it. It's like, I see the effort and feel it! but I choose to close my eyes at the sloth, the overindulgence. And of course, why not, that isn't effort. It's done with the greatest of ease and usually pleasure. Damn it all. I was reading about the different body types and though I always though I had a lot of mesomorph in me I'm now thinking, heck no, I'm an endomorph all the way. And, the prognosis for them is not good. We've got to really, really work at losing weight and there is no room for inconsistency. In other words, as far as I'm concerned, that means there's no room for life.

I'm reminded of the saying that nothing that isn't worth having doesn't take a lot of effort. And for some, it means all the more effort. I think of having this great, lean, strong body that I have always coveted. And I think, is it worth the effort, now that I am realized what that means for me, for my body type. I would have to say YES, but in saying so, I am going to have to commit to the effort and never, ever look to the people for whom it comes easier. The question is, do I want this body, not do I like this kind of body in others? If I want it, I'm going to have to do the work necessary for me, even if it's not fair. ****, life's not fair, right? Ok, just my thoughts now. I have really been trying to eat well and get to the gym and I have been but I'm not seeing the results quickly enough and thus I am constantly in danger of giving up or giving in to old habits. Persistence is what's needed. Persistence and patience. ...

LegallyBrunette, hello there! Glad to have you onboard and great going on the exercise! Keep it up! Roxymom, glad to hear you're exercising. Even a walk is good. Don't do what I do and sit around like a bump on a log unless I can get to the gym and go all out. It's NOT all or nothing in the exercise area. Every little bit helps. Apple, hello! Yes, don't you wish you could see and feel how great you can be just for a second at least. If I could feel and see where I've never been before maybe I could imagine it better. People always talk about visualizations but I can never seem to do it. I've never had the body I want and even if I look at pictures in a magazine of the body I would like to have, I can't see myself getting there. This stupid voice of doubt creeps in. It's like, sure, I have an imagination and can see it but the voice kills the feeling. I have no faith. But, that said, I have been better than where I am now and little changes, very little, are giving me back some hope. My butt looks a bit shapelier, the fat is leaving and I can see the line to my midsection (notice I don't say waist) a little better. Ah, sigh. Can I keep at it long enough for good things to continue?......

[jollygirl]

Good morning all. Raven, glad to hear you are trimming again. Egyptians are the best. I saw the best car window cling the other night that said "Put your ^$$ on some class - ride an Arabian" I wish I knew where they got it. But anyway, I am glad you are doing better. Good luck reaching your goal number.

Red, I wish the struggle would get easier too. But I still struggle. and most days I succeed in making the right decision - at least as far as exercising goes. I missed 2 days, out of the past how many weeks??? I exercise EVERY DAY! Even when my intensity isnt what it should be, or if I skip the dreaded weights, I exercise. because it makes me feel better. Yes, I don't succeed as much as I should with food choices, but I also have been a stress eater since I was 12. That's 23 years of bad habits I am trying to erase. It is not going to happen overnight. Yes, I know that eating doesn't solve anything. And yes, I know better things to do when I am stressed. But it is a long term habit. I do what I can. That's all you can do.

After a brief struggle, I did get to the gym this morning. Just did the bike so I could finish a book I was reading. I figure 40 minutes on the exercise bike burns more calories than 40 minutes on the couch.

Have a great day all.

[Roxymom]

Good Morning! Quick post this morning. I'm getting ready to leave for a few days. Won't be back until Tuesday. We are going to visit DH's parents in southern Oklahoma. I love going to see them. My MIL spoils me so much!

Hope everyone has a great week! I'll check back in on Tuesday.

[jollygirl]

Have a good trip, Rox. OK. So now I have the song from the musical streaming through my head. Greaaaaat.

Hey, Legal. I may have to steal an idea from your signature, and put up a tracker for short term goals instead. Might be easier to look at little goals then big.

Have a great night all.

[LegallyBrunette]

jolly, I've found that looking at the smaller goal helps me feel better with each pound, like I accomplished a great feat!! It's also why I switched my goal weight from my BIG goal of 130ish to a smaller goal of 199!

[jollygirl]

I do like that. Kind of with running - if I have a big hill to go up, instead of looking at the top of the hill and feeling really overwhelmed, I look at where my feet are. Focusing on putting one foot in front of the other, it is just step by step - no hill. As soon as I make the time, I will change my signature.

For a multitude of reasons, today has not been a great day. I need to sit down and do some serious journaling, to find the learning experience out of all this, and how to move forward.

Have a great day all.

[LegallyBrunette]

jollygirl, I hope that through journaling you can figure out some things! I know that usually helps me!! (But I'm a big journal person, I carry mine with me EVERYWHERE!) I hope your evening gets better!

[Apple Blossom]

Well, I stayed off the scale for 1 week, and nothing happened. At least I didn't gain weight. When DH travels I am better at dieting and he has a trip coming up. Maybe I can get my act together then. Mean while I'll TRY to be good. Later!

[LegallyBrunette]

Apple, I'm the same way! I'm far better at dieting when my DH is not around...imagine that

Today I went to the gym for the 3rd day in a row!! I'm so proud of myself!! That's 3 hours of cardio in 3 days!! Woo Hoo! A month ago I couldn't have walked around the block without throwing a hissy fit, now look at me go!

[jollygirl]

Hi all. Journaling did help, actually. I was able to work through all the emotions, mainly negative, I was feeling. So I stopped feeling like I was standing on the edge of the abyss. Hopefully now I can move forward.

Have a great day all.

[LegallyBrunette]

Good to hear jolly!!

Today was awesome, an hour of cardio!! I'm hoping for 90 minutes tomorrow... purely because I have nothing else to do I finished Harry Potter!! One of my motivations to exercise was that I could only read the book at the gym and so I kept it in my locker at the gym...and I've done at least an hour of cardio every day this week!! (Although I did cheat and finish it today sitting in the whirlpool

Now I need a new motivation... perhaps a new book...

[jollygirl]

Way to go, Legal. I do that sometimes too - use the reading material as motivation.

Today will be hard to find the motivation. Mid 90's for temp, and 94% humidity. My joints have been aching too, so running is not going to happen today. Hopefully, get to the gym and maybe try some swimming.

Have a great day all.