challenge life | month two: work thy booty off daily

going back to my monthly challenge in life, let's recap how I've done so far.

the list:

1. no fast food and cook meals at home
2. exercise daily
3. spend more time reconnecting with chris
4. take more pictures
5. explore more unique and local places to eat and be entertained
6. write more poetry
7. do volunteer work
8. spend more time outside
9. bake
10. finish decorating tha crib
11. no tv
12. dress up

the results: horrible. absolute disaster. unproductive. and completely unsuccessful. reconnecting with chris isn't a light switch I can turn on and off. not with his mind somewhere else. work is the ultimate culprit. he is to blame for chris's disengagement to life. and work is something I simply cannot control. the best I can do is keep myself busy to preoccupy my mind in order to avoid negative and depressing thoughts about my relationship.

which leads me to month two: exercise daily.

I was having trouble choosing which challenge I wanted to complete this month. I really wanted to become an at home cook, but then I realized there's a lot going on this month (birthdays, valentine's day, superbowl, my dad's first paycheck, puppysitting payment) that will make it hard for me to achieve that. then I thought why not spend the month dressing up - I just bought some cute outfits and would love to wear them. then I thought why not finish decorating our house so that we can feel like we live in a home.

what ultimately influenced me to make a decision is a comment I received from chris's dad over the weekend.

"so, Alicia, what do you like to do for exercise?" he asks me this EVERY time I see him.

"I don't."

"you know, being a sedentary is much worse than being overweight."

gee. thanks. ass.

it's not that I am a couch potato. it's that after working 8-10 hours a day, driving 2 hours a day, and sleeping maybe 5 hours a night, once I get home from work, I relax for maybe 2 hours (either watching tv or napping). eat dinner. watch a game. then go to bed.

I am not doing this challenge to admit that his dad is right. nor am I doing it to please his dad. I am doing this because I have been unhappy with my health and weight and I have been wanting to change it for some time. and exercising will be a wonderful way to distract me from my relationship.

the goals:

• to flatten down my stomach
• to tone the rest of my body 
• to gain muscle
• to be at a healthy weight*

the conditions:

• must spend at least 30 minutes exercising for first 2 weeks of the month
• must spend at least 60 minutes exercising for the second 2 weeks of the month
• vary my exercise routines between yoga, Wii fit, pilates, dance workouts, & running or biking**
• keep track daily of weight progress
• keep frequent track of appearance
• eat healthier by cutting out excessive snacking

I will start tomorrow by revealing my weight gasp! and showing pictures of my unflattering parts. hopefully you won't be too grossed out. I truly believe I have the ability to succeed this month. at least I'm totally motivated now.




*healthy weight is determined by  either (1) my Wii Fit profile - currently, I am classified as "underweight" and would like to be at "normal weight" and/or (2) being at the weight that will allow me to donate blood (110-125 lbs) but this may have to be combined with the eating at home challenge.
**running or biking will be me joining chris in his routine.