Well, so much for wanting to post a new blog every two or three days! :D I'll still be trying, but now I've added it to my online to-do list. (Btw... if you are a list-maker, I highly recommend RememberTheMilk.com. It's a free online service that can text you or email when a task is due. You can mark things as complete and view them later. You can postpone, add due dates, repeat tasks, and more! And no... they aren't paying me. :D )
1. My weight last night was 220.5, a healthy weight loss since my last post. I don't remember if I posted this but my first goal is to reach 200lbs by Feb. 28th. At this rate, I have a little over 20lbs to go to reach my goal. I think I can do it. I've worked out every day except for New Year's Eve, and I'm excited about the changes I'm seeing in my body. I've already lost a half inch in my waist, which means that I can tighten my belt a whole new notch! Also, from the library, I borrowed a few books on sustainable weight loss and weight loss with faith as a factor.
2. I checked out a bunch more books about bipolar disorder, specifically about kids and the effects of medication on bipolar kids. I'm eager to see if anything applies to our difficulties with Topher, or if I need to keep searching. I would LOVE to find something written by a Christian author who actually specializes in Bipolar Disorder, so if you happen to know of or come across anything like that, please, leave a comment.
3. I have noticed that when I exercise, I have more patience for the rest of the day, and I think I'm more consistent. This is paying off, in more ways than one. Topher had purposely ripped a hole in his pants, and the next day, colored on the pair we replaced them with. So we set up a chart for him to work off his pants ($12): he got anywhere from a nickel to a dollar for doing small chores around the house. He would run upstairs and grab something for me and get a nickel. He would stand with me and spend an hour drying and putting away dishes (when our dishwasher broke), and got a dollar. He went outside and brought in the recycling bins, 50 cents; raked the yard, 75 cents; picked up all his brother's blocks, a dime. We had done this when he took a pair of scissors to his shirt, and we've had good success. He has been much more respectful toward his clothes. We got him about halfway through his pants chart in about three months, so I made a concentrated effort this Winter Break to find chores for him to do. We did this, and it showed us a few things. 1) Topher is ready for more chores around the house. We need to find something else for him to do regularly. 2) When Topher is busy doing chores, he is not busy getting into trouble. 3) When I am thinking of chores for him to do, I am less likely to yell and more likely to simply give him something else to do. 4) Topher and I like each other better when we're working together toward a common goal.
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A New Focus
Hi. It's been a while, I know. Sorry. :D I'm going to be making it a point to blog at least two times a week from now on. But I have a twist: I'm changing my focus. More specifically, I'm giving myself a focus. I am on a quest to take control of my own health. This means that I am 1) taking control of my weight, 2) taking control of my mental health, and 3) taking control of my parenting skills.
My biggest (or at least, most visible) goal, is to lose weight. At my highest, I weighed 235. I have lost about 13 pounds this year, and I am wanting to boost that loss. I have bought several aerobic walking videos, and will be using EA Sports Active and More Workouts, and Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus to help me work out. These incorporate aerobics, anaerobics, and strength training (resistance training) to help me burn calories and get fit. My first goal is to lose 10% of my body weight by the end of February. That means that I will be down to 200 pounds even on February 28th. My favorite goal in this arena is to lose 50 pounds by my birthday, so that on May 30th, I will weigh 175. This will put me just outside my healthy weight range. My target weight is 145.
My next goal is a little less visible. I want to take control of my mental health. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about three years ago, and so was my oldest son about a year ago. I want to find out more about this disease and how I can treat it without medication -- and if that is possible for me. My physical goal will help in this goal, because being at a healthy weight will make doses lower, and being physically fit will improve mental function in many other ways. My goal right now is to read two books: Bipolar Child and Bipolar Handbook, and to see if there are any actionable items in those books.
My third goal is to work on my parenting. I find myself tired and stressed out at the end of the day, and praying that I won't have to take the kiddos out anywhere. I need to get control of my parenting skills so that I actually enjoy being around my sons more often. I don't like watching the clock for bedtime so that I can get something done. This isn't how life should be, and I'm not going to let myself accept it any longer. I am starting by reading Parenting From the Heights.
So in the future my posts will look something like this (the following is a real example):
1) I have worked out for at least 50 minutes for three days in a row now. My weight tonight at 9:40pm was 222.4, down 1.1 lbs from yesterday. I don't want to lose quite so quickly: my goal is 2.6 lbs a week. This will help me lose the weight healthily. I want to be making lifestyle changes, not just momentary ones. I want to keep this weight off, so I will take my time and do it right. After walking, I feel energized and ready to go. My brain feels fired up, and my core temperature is much higher, keeping me warmed up and ready to do other things around the house, instead of going back to bed.
2) I checked out Bipolar Child and Bipolar Handbook from the library, and have started reading Bipolar Child. It's interesting how many of these qualities I see in my own memories of my childhood, as well as in my oldest son. Poor baby. But I comfort myself that by my taking control of my mental health now, I am also taking control of his, and will be able to teach him, and help him grow in a way that will be pleasing to God.
3) I started reading Parenting From the Heights, and am enjoying what I read. I want to focus on the other two books right now, because they are library books and must go back, but I am excited to really get into the meat of PftH. Today I felt much calmer, and was able to pick my battles more readily and to win all the ones I chose. Yay!
I hope that I will be an encouragement to someone, and if I am, please let me know by leaving a comment!!
My biggest (or at least, most visible) goal, is to lose weight. At my highest, I weighed 235. I have lost about 13 pounds this year, and I am wanting to boost that loss. I have bought several aerobic walking videos, and will be using EA Sports Active and More Workouts, and Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus to help me work out. These incorporate aerobics, anaerobics, and strength training (resistance training) to help me burn calories and get fit. My first goal is to lose 10% of my body weight by the end of February. That means that I will be down to 200 pounds even on February 28th. My favorite goal in this arena is to lose 50 pounds by my birthday, so that on May 30th, I will weigh 175. This will put me just outside my healthy weight range. My target weight is 145.
My next goal is a little less visible. I want to take control of my mental health. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about three years ago, and so was my oldest son about a year ago. I want to find out more about this disease and how I can treat it without medication -- and if that is possible for me. My physical goal will help in this goal, because being at a healthy weight will make doses lower, and being physically fit will improve mental function in many other ways. My goal right now is to read two books: Bipolar Child and Bipolar Handbook, and to see if there are any actionable items in those books.
My third goal is to work on my parenting. I find myself tired and stressed out at the end of the day, and praying that I won't have to take the kiddos out anywhere. I need to get control of my parenting skills so that I actually enjoy being around my sons more often. I don't like watching the clock for bedtime so that I can get something done. This isn't how life should be, and I'm not going to let myself accept it any longer. I am starting by reading Parenting From the Heights.
So in the future my posts will look something like this (the following is a real example):
1) I have worked out for at least 50 minutes for three days in a row now. My weight tonight at 9:40pm was 222.4, down 1.1 lbs from yesterday. I don't want to lose quite so quickly: my goal is 2.6 lbs a week. This will help me lose the weight healthily. I want to be making lifestyle changes, not just momentary ones. I want to keep this weight off, so I will take my time and do it right. After walking, I feel energized and ready to go. My brain feels fired up, and my core temperature is much higher, keeping me warmed up and ready to do other things around the house, instead of going back to bed.
2) I checked out Bipolar Child and Bipolar Handbook from the library, and have started reading Bipolar Child. It's interesting how many of these qualities I see in my own memories of my childhood, as well as in my oldest son. Poor baby. But I comfort myself that by my taking control of my mental health now, I am also taking control of his, and will be able to teach him, and help him grow in a way that will be pleasing to God.
3) I started reading Parenting From the Heights, and am enjoying what I read. I want to focus on the other two books right now, because they are library books and must go back, but I am excited to really get into the meat of PftH. Today I felt much calmer, and was able to pick my battles more readily and to win all the ones I chose. Yay!
I hope that I will be an encouragement to someone, and if I am, please let me know by leaving a comment!!
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