Shelby Stidham » Thoughts

Goals.

sjcstidham — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:37:33 +0000

Don't let your goals restrict you, let them free you!

For me, goals are an important part of becoming healthy. A lot of times people do not set goals because when they do, they are unrealistic and therefore quite difficult to achieve. Then when they are unable to reach their goal by their pre-determined date, they are upset and feel as if they have not accomplished anything, even if they have. When setting personal goals, it is important to realistic with yourself; can you physically do the things you are saying? Do you have the time that is required in order to achieve these goals?

I have been an unrealistic goal-setter in my past and I have learned from those mistakes.

Sometimes you are alone in your efforts, but don't give up!

Recently I did a self-evaluation of my life, which is partially reflected in my post about “Doing the Right Thing” and the rough week I had. I asked myself the tough questions like:

What do you want to do with your life? Are you living up to your potential?What do you need to do to be at peace with yourself? How can you change your day-to-day actions to make yourself a happier person?

Asking these questions of yourself is easy. Answering them honestly is the tough part. But I did it, and that led me to setting 5 new goals for myself. I put a time frame on achieving some of these goals while others are a work in progress, meaning, I want reach these goals but I will not punish myself if it takes me longer to do so.

Here are my goals:

1. Do at least 45 minutes of cardio five days a week.

2. Incorporate strength training and weights into my work outs at least 3 days a week.

3. Lose 25 pounds before January 1, 2011.

4. Do something nice for someone else at least every day.

5. When focusing on a negative aspect about myself, say something positive about myself, TO myself.

In order to lose 25 pounds I will have to go back to basics and count my daily calorie intake and track my exercise. A lot of people find counting calories to be a negative thing, complaining that it makes you focus on what you are eating more than you ought to. I believe, however, it is not that much different than counting Weight Watcher’s Points, and that if it helps me succeed in losing weight and become more aware of what I am putting into my body, then more power to me! As long as any of my tools to losing weight do not cause an obsession or body image problem, I believe I should use those tools, regardless of if they work for a fellow blogger or not. You have to do what is right and most successful for you! When you learn that and stop trying to imitate others, you succeed big!

I am fully capable of reaching these goals and I intend to put as much work into achieving them as I put into working at my job and blogging… if not more!

What are some of your goals and what do you do to help keep yourself motivated? What are some tools you use to achieve your goals?

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Nerve Wracking

sjcstidham — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:00:33 +0000

Matt & I in 2008.. just a few months before our wedding

As I briefly mentioned in my post last night, today my husband is having throat surgery. I won’t go into specifics but the bottom line is the poor guy isn’t going to be able to comfortably swallow or eat his favorite foods (burritos, lemon pepper chicken, pizza… such a guy!) for a few days, even weeks :( I feel bad for him! I am just keeping my fingers crossed that the surgery goes perfect, that he doesn’t have much post-surgery discomfort, that he heals quickly, and that the problem doesn’t return in the future. Is that so much to ask?

Needless to say, today will be nerve wracking, primarily because of Matt’s surgery. Although it is out-patient surgery that requires only two days off of work, I am still pretty nervous. Surgery is serious, no matter what kind! With that said, please wish us luck!

On a less serious note, I am having my MRI tomorrow morning, before Matt’s surgery. About two weeks ago, while training for the 1/2 marathon Matt and I are scheduled to run at the end of August, I hurt my knee. No pop, no snap, no swelling; just pain. It went away after three days of ice and heat but then it came back when I (stupidly) tried to run. And it pretty much hurts like heck when I do any real walking. I decided to come to terms with the fact that I would not be able to run the half marathon. I also realized I probably wouldn’t be ready anyway, as I am carrying 15 extra pounds and haven’t properly been training. With that out of the way (thinking I would still run it was a sad weight on my shoulders!), I decided to be proactive, to bite the bullet and just go to the doctor. He did a few in-office tests and ultimately decided he thought I had a torn meniscus in my right knee. The only was to find out? An MRI, of course. Oh and just so you know, those suckers run around $250… with insurance. Yeah. So I am really keeping my fingers crossed for good news and a helpful solution. The doctor (he’s actually a PAC) I go to with injuries like these is perfect for it because he’s part of the local running club and has run over 12 marathons. I feel safe in that I truly believe he is choosing what is best for me as an athlete and as someone who wants to be a runner. I don’t feel that his decisions are fueled by prescription company kickbacks or anything like that. It’s purely for my good, which I greatly appreciate.

Enough of that! Here’s something light-hearted for today, since the occasion definitely calls for it! (And because I know how much you guys want to hear dumb stuff about me :D)

10 Random Facts (Secrets) About Me:

I used to play volleyball; I played on a traveling competitive team in my early years (I chose this sport because I was tall, it seemed easy, and we got cool matching jackets with our name embroidered on them that made me feel special)
I smile at cars when they cut me off or go really slow in front of me (and I give them the bird under my dash where they can’t see)
I have re-watched the entire Sex and the City series nearly five times (and I sometimes steal lines from the show and pass them off as my own to people who I know didn’t watch)
Every once in a while I wake up in the middle of the night talking complete non-sense (and in the morning, I laugh at myself, then secretly spend hours wondering what I was dreaming about to make me say such weird things)
I pierced my lip to be different (and ultimately ended up taking it out to fit in)
I tell people I got a 4.0 my last semester of college (I got straight A’s, but I got one A- so I actually got a 3.9 something)
I hate Jersey Shore (I like Jersey Shore and somewhat admire Snooki for her “who cares what other people think about me” attitude)
I get tons of compliments on my perfume (and I try to escape answering “who makes it” because I like that I don’t know many people who wear it)
I love the feeling of new, fresh sheets (but I hate washing out the smell of Matt and his cologne)
I really like Fred Armisen, he is one of my favorite cast members on SNL (but I lost respect for him when I found out he is a Scientologist.. and I feel bad about that)

Hope everyone has a good Monday!

What are some of your fun facts/secrets?

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Bike Shopping

sjcstidham — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 03:37:08 +0000

Vintage Monkey on Bicycle, Photo via Google Images

I am thinking of buying a new bike.

My current bike is a hand-me-down bike from my mother-in-law. There’s nothing wrong with it, except it looks like it was born the same year as me and it is currently under construction. Funny story about that.

See, my bike has had a punctured tire for a year. But right around the time I busted the tire, we joined a new gym and I started taking a cross-fit class. I was working out every morning or evening and didn’t really have much time to do bike rides or outdoor runs. Essentially, I didn’t care the bike was busted until recently, when I needed it. Isn’t that how it always goes?

Now that we are no longer members of our gym, we purchased an elliptical (which I will proudly post about.. WHEN WE GET IT!), we already have a home weight set and machine. Fixing my bike was creating a new form of cardio, so I could alternate between running days and biking days, and use the elliptical on the really low-impact work out days. I asked my husband to fix it and he was putting it at the bottom of his to-do list, so I fixed it myself. (This is where we insert the “yada, yada, yada”) And now the bike’s chain is off, parts may or may not be missing, and it definitely could be unrepairable. Oops. That definitely wasn’t my intention! But nonetheless, I’ve been hankering to get my hands and butt on my bike so I could get some exercise! This knee injury has got me bummed and since walking is even out of the question, I’m left to elliptical or ride a bike. Now if I could do one of those!

Anyway, I have been told to start looking at bikes. Since I’ve ridden the same bike the last couple of years, I don’t know much about what to expect from the “bike market” out there. Let me start with the things I know I want from a bike:

Multi-terrain capabilities. Meaning, I want to be able to take it to the trails if I can, but mostly I will do street riding. Still, I want it to be capable of both settings.
Comfortable OR Removable seat. My current bike has a comfortable seat so I could part it out if my “new” bike doesn’t; however, it would be nice to get a comfortable seat, as I plan on doing long rides.
Adjustable seat height. I am a tall girl, so having a seat that can easily (that’s key) change height is a plus. Actually it’s a must.
Front and Back linear pull breaks. Yes, I use brakes and I’m scared/not pro enough to not have them. I have them on my rollerblades, too, because I’m kind of clutzy.
Sweet looks. My current bike is greenish gray and she isn’t much to look at. I’m looking for a looker. I mean, hey, why not?

Because I do not know that much about bikes, I can only read a lot of reviews and tell more knowledgeable people what I want and what I will use it for. Now that I’ve told you guys what I want and what I’ll use it for (long bike rides on paved streets, very occasional off-road rides), let me tell you what I’d like to learn more about.

Gears. Most of the bikes I’ve looked at are 18-speed or 21-speed bikes. If I am going to be doing mostly street-riding, how many speeds would be ideal/enough for my riding needs? Any help is greatly appreciated. :)

Since I was a bit in the dark about the gears on a bike, I did some quick research:

Think of gears as nearly the same thing as speed. The more common speeds found on newer bikes are 1, 3, 18, 21, 24, or 27 speeds.

Lower numbers equal low gears, and higher numbers equal high gears. Seems obvious, right :)

Shifting means going from one gear to another gear. You shift gears by sliding the shifter on the handlebars, which shifts the chain onto a different sized ring.

Downshifting means going to a lower gear, and upshifting means going to a higher gear. Still simple, right? :)

The basic jist about shifting gears is as follows:

If you’re going uphill and it’s too difficult, shift down.
If your legs are spinning the pedals way too quickly, then shift up.

The lower the gear, shorter distance for each spin of the pedals, which makes it easier to pedal. The higher the gear, the longer distance for each spin of the pedals, thus creating more difficulty and resistance in pedaling.

I always wondered why it felt tougher to upshift but never put enough thought into it. Glad I finally did :)

With all of that said, here are a few bikes I am considering. Keep in mind, my price range is probably capped at $200 to $250, as I just spent a pretty penny on a shinin’ new elliptical :)

26" Titania Women's Aluminum Mountain Bike

Specs on this bike:

21-speed Shimano gearing system
Aluminum frame and suspension front fork
Alloy handle, crank, hubs, and rims
Plush two-tone MTB style seat with alloy seat post and quick release

26" Women's Schwinn Aluminum Comp All Terrain Bike

Specs on this bike:

Lightweight hydro-formed aluminum frame with SR Suntour suspension fork
21 speeds with Shimano EZ Fire trigger shifters for easy gear changes
Alloy linear pull brakes stop precisely
Alloy rims are strong and lightweight
Schwinn mountain saddle

Huffy Ladies' Savannah Road Bike

Specs on this bike:

Deep Red Hybrid frame
Black suspension fork for a smooth, comfortable ride
Alloy front and rear linear pull brakes for good control
Suspension seat post provide comfort even on long rides
700C wheels and alloy rims for strength without extra weight
Adjustable top load 2-bolt handlebar stem for riding support
18-speed Shimano Revo twist shifters provide easy shifting
Convenient rear rack for carrying needs
Padded comfort saddle feels great even on long rides
Alloy quick-release seat post for easy adjustment

Ahh, so those are my choices so far! It’s sort of stressful but as important to me as buying a car :) Except, I guess you can take a bike back but not a car!

If anyone has any suggestions on what I should look for or brands that you prefer, please let me know!

Oh and P.S., I just want to look cooler than this lady on my new bike. Is that too much to ask? :)

Woman with Bicycle in 1890s, Photo from Wikipedia

33.

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Doing the Right Thing

sjcstidham — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 19:44:36 +0000

My "Do the Right Thing" Inspiration!

Making the best choices in everyday life, when it comes to helping out someone who dropped their papers in the hallway, to skipping the scone and eating the oatmeal, calling your grandma instead of texting your friend, choosing an hour of exercise over an hour of TV, and so forth. This is what my husband calls “Doing the Right Thing” and he has made it a personal challenge to always try to Do the Right Thing. So when I started writing this blog, specifically about losing my extra weight, eating right, and trying to become a healthy person and runner, I thought it would be fitting to have my slogan be “Trying to Do the Right Thing.”

Some days are harder than others. When we get into funks, it can be hard to pull out. A family issue, a physical injury, a bad day at work, a fight with a significant other; these are all things that can spawn a funk and make it hard to choose to Do the Right Thing.

The last week I admit I have NOT done the right thing. Not even close. Since I hurt my knee I have moped around and been unhappy. Granted, other things in my life have also taken affect on my mood, I could have been happier. I could have looked at life another way. But I didn’t. I want to admit that. The last week I haven’t exercised at all, I have eaten horribly (which has made me feel sick and icky), and I haven’t been myself. I am admitting that now.

But I’m here to start fresh. Tomorrow is a new day and tomorrow I will Do the Right Thing. This is my life and I only get one. If I let one bad day turn into a week of bad days, before I know it several months will have passed me by and I will not be the person I want to be, I will merely be wading in a pool of unhappiness.

And so I am choosing to alter my attitude and outlook. I will not let my funkadelic week affect the future. I’m over it! And onto doing the right thing.

Today the Skinny Runner introduced Hillary, and I went to her blog and read about her. She’s a runner who eats healthy (how I strive to be) and is positive. She has a quote on her blog that I really like, reading: “Your thoughts turn into actions. Your actions turn into habits. Your habits turn into your character. Your character is your destiny.” This quote really meant something to me! It’s so true. Except, I don’t believe in destiny, per se, so I changed the quote to fit my life :) So here’s my “Do the Right Thing” quote of the day, and this quote will jumpstart my attitude and future! Screw last week. It’s all about THIS COMING WEEK, BABY :)

Your thoughts turn into actions.
Your actions turn into habits.
Your habits turn into your character.
Your character is who you are.

What do you do when you get into a funk? Do you have any inspiring quotes?

Oh, and hey, GO WIN YOURSELF A BONDI BAND :)

Oh and one more thing before I go.

I’d like to say thank you to my dedicated readers. Some of you are my friends, yet I don’t know all of you on a personal level but I’d like to think that through the commenting & blogging process we are becoming friends. So thank you to MY (new & old) FRIENDS and their dedication to ME and THIS BLOG :) I appreciate each and every reader!

Happy Friday, peepers.

Fun updates to come tonight :)

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Problem Areas: They Aren’t Just Physical!

sjcstidham — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:00:22 +0000

Sad Breakfast Pastry (via Google Images)

I don’t know if it’s all those late night infomercials for thigh masters or shake weights, or if it’s tabloids with photoshopped famous people, but something out there has made us associate the words “problem areas” with our bodies. While it’s true we do have areas on our bodies that we are unhappy with and therefore deem problems, it’s also true that most of those “problems” on our bodies start, or at some point grow bigger, from our heads! As women, we tend to over-analyze ourselves, compare ourselves to other women, and often times make things out to be far worse than they actually are. With that said, I would like to address three of my most daunting, terrible, and exhausting MENTAL problem areas when it comes to my fitness & health.

1. Stopping When I’m Full.
2. Late Night Eating.
3. Letting Go of Guilt When I Slip.

Those 3 things are perhaps the 3 biggest hindrances to my weight loss/achieving my weight goal and those 3 things are also the biggest cause of self-punishment over anything else in my life. Isn’t that sad? Sometimes when I don’t make the right choice, I punish myself over and over for it, which only causes me to snow-ball on bad choices. In writing this blog, and in reading other blogs from women similar to myself, I have found that not only are there ways to make our “problem areas” better, but also to not go mental when I make a mistake! Because eating right, exercising, and trying to lose weight while also trying to do everything else in our lives… well, that can be stressful. But it doesn’t ALWAYS have to be stressful, or a self-conflict.

In order to help myself get over my 3 mental problem areas, I first want to be honest with myself and you all.

1. Often times when I am eating a big dinner, I do not stop and ask myself if I am full. Sometimes the motion of eating can be calming after a hectic day and stopping mid-meal to ask myself “Do you really need the rest?” or “Are you full?” seems hard to do. Here are some tips for myself (and for anyone with this problem!) to stopping when I’m full.

-Cut your meal in half before you even start eating. Chances are, you’ll be full after just half anyway, especially when dining out at a restaurant. And if you’re eating out, ask for a box with your food (or even ask for the restaurant to bring half already boxed up) and save the rest for another whole meal.

-Try to eat more slowly. I know when I am super hungry, part of the reason I can’t stop when I am full is because I am inhaling my food! Like a pig! If you eat more slowly, you are able to gauge your fullness quicker on in the meal. If you think you’re getting full, wait a couple of minutes for your food to settle.

-Serve yourself less than you normally would if you know you have control issues. On the days I’ve missed my afternoon snack or eaten a super light lunch, I usually serve myself a smaller dinner portion because I know that I’m more hungry than normal and that I will devour whatever is in front of me, no matter what the size. Giving myself less to start with often helps.

2. I developed a bad habit eating late at night when my husband was working the night shift at his job two years ago. He would leave around 8 or 9pm and I would be afraid to sleep in our apartment by myself so I would stay up watching DVDs and munching until quite late at night. Pretty soon my body starting acting hungry at all hours, thus developing a nasty habit. It’s been a hard thing to kick and I KNOW this is one bad habit that, once kicked, will completely show results right away. Even though I justify breaking the rules and ignoring the tips, here are some good ways to avoid night snacking (and some of these techniques apply to the problem known as “Mindlessly Munching” as well!):

-Brush your teeth after your last meal. Don’t know what the specialists say about that (I’m sure they say somethin’!) but it just tends to work. Having minty fresh chompers curbs your hunger, or maybe you’re like me and just too lazy to get up and brush them again? Either way it works.. when you actually do it ;)

-If you get the urge to eat and it’s past your “set time” (for me it’s 8pm), trying drinking a big glass of water, iced tea, having a glass of warm diet cocoa, etc.

-Wait 10 minutes, find another activity to occupy your mind, and see if the urge to eat passes. Most of the time its more of our mind wanting than our body needing, so if you can un-focus on food, you can usually move past it.

3. This may not be my worst problem, but when it does happen, it happens, in a baaaad way. If I do good ALL day and then get my arm twisted (eh, ahem, yeah) into eating a huge cup of ice cream with crunched up cookies, a la McFlurry status, then I will literally hate myself in my head. But once I stop and think about it, having a slip isn’t half as bad as constantly beating myself up and punishing myself. I still battle with this when it occurs but now what I tell myself is this:

-As long as I’m exercising and active, it’s okay to eat something less than desirable every once in a while. It won’t kill me as long as it’s not a habit!

-Another way to overcome this is to allow yourself a minute or two to be frustrated and then moving on. I know sometimes when I slip a lot of my frustration comes from knowing that I am going to be mad at myself. It’s emotional. But trying to completely restrict your feelings can often lead to a worsened mental state and perhaps more binging on bad food! So let yourself be disappointed if you need that, but only for a minute, and move on.

-Tomorrow is a new day! It’s okay to eat something bad when I want it.

-Focus your mad & guilt energy on something positive: I slipped today but it’s okay because tomorrow is a new day and I am excited about ___________. If you can shift your energy onto something else you won’t feel so guilty.

While these aren’t absolute answers or bottom-line solutions to my issues, I’ve found that the above remedies tend to be a general consensus amongst fellow women & foodie/health bloggers. Moreover, I’ve found that when my heads on straight and I stick to my guns, these things really do work!

Now it’s just a matter of following through!

What are YOUR “problem areas” and what do you do to help yourself overcome them?

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