I want to write a good post, I really do

I had a plan for a thoughtful post tonight, based around a really kind and sweet comment I received yesterday (thank you Rebecca!).<br /><br />I had an exhausting two days sitting in a training class where I was bored out of my mind. For some reason, that just wore me out and now I just want to sleep.<br /><br />In addition, my lower back and is killing me, and it's because of a new exercise I tried yesterday. The inch worm. It looked simple in the book. Just stand up, feet flat on the floor, shoulder width, and bend over from your waist. Put your palms flat on the floor in front of your feet. Don't bend your knees. Walk out your hands (right, left, right, etc.), until you're in a full pushup position but walk your hands out even further out i front of you, then walk your hands back until you're bent at the waist again. Sounds really easy, right? <br /><br />The guy in the video isn't really doing it correctly because he's bending his knees, they're suppose to be straight, but you get the idea. I only did six reps but thought I was going to die. It's suppose to be for your abs, so I must have been doing it wrong because it's my back that hurts.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kLP8ECOfxNE" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />My lower back is in total agony from this exercise. I just want to curl up in a ball and cry. I guess I pulled something or used a muscle I didn't know I had back there. Anyway, I don't think I like this exercise. <br /><br />I'm going to do some stretches, take a couple aspirin and go to bed. Thoughtful post tomorrow. :)

I want to write a good post, I really do

I had a plan for a thoughtful post tonight, based around a really kind and sweet comment I received yesterday (thank you Rebecca!). I had an...

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Drawing Inspiration From Places Other Than the Scale

With the <a href="http://www.kittanningpaper.com/2010/11/09/obit-clara-mabel-clawson-shelocta/12010">death of my grandmother last November</a>, it became very apparent to me that life is so short, and the importance of living a healthy lifestyle is absolutely essential to a long <b>AND</b> happy life. <br /><br />My grandmother suffered from many illnesses, including diabetes, Parkinson's, and ultimately cancer.  She was on countless medications.  Aside from all of the illnesses she dealt with, obesity was probably the single disease that she could have controlled on her own that may have helped eliminate some of her other medical issues, but we will never know.  I can remember as a child and into my adult years always having the 'weight' conversation with my grandma.  I think I had a special connection with her because of it.  I'm the youngest of her only three granddaughters, and the only one who has dealt with being overweight.  She, too, seemed to struggled with it for most of her life.  There was a period of time where she joined <a href="http://www.tops.org/default.aspx">TOPS - Take Off Pounds Sensibly</a>.  Grandma seemed rather successful with this, though I currently do not have the photos to share of her moments of triumph, receiving awards and trophies for reaching her weight loss goals.  Still, like so many of us do, life and food got the best of her, and she put that weight back on.   <br /><br />After spending the last few days of her life by her side in the hospital, I knew that I had to stop going down the self-sabotaging road I was headed.  While there are days when I think otherwise, I'm still a young woman at a fresh 27 years of age, and I still have time to change my life for the better. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvclhriP3EUoWKtkI30FNDiKKfIg4bYgSxd_Nxj36hKjlmrumDtMKH6K1y8sAkBRXf99ras-vy-JtbPW_avtDApNCWRWEI35YFq5mfNTTD8Nt72D1TeNRZF5XLQaziY68wXheTre_TKE/s1600/exercise-busy-schedule.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZvclhriP3EUoWKtkI30FNDiKKfIg4bYgSxd_Nxj36hKjlmrumDtMKH6K1y8sAkBRXf99ras-vy-JtbPW_avtDApNCWRWEI35YFq5mfNTTD8Nt72D1TeNRZF5XLQaziY68wXheTre_TKE/s320/exercise-busy-schedule.bmp" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of <a href="http://promotehealth.info/?p=277">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />After my final visit with Grandma, I made the drive back from Pittsburgh with a heavy heart, but knowing that it was finally time to change my life.  That week, I signed up for a membership at the local gym.  I am proud to say that I have been going to that gym every single week for at least 4 days/week since I signed up.   And while my progress isn't showing on the scale, it's important to count successes elsewhere.<br /><br />Though despite all I shared above, that's not to say that I still do not have days like these:  <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY1_zS7lJOpUdSgKIqnnv4MbsDIRIeLE-qIasrMh4WH8ZR8cAkoXPO2CuH69by769MDoC2XfbKETATT6jvbmjxjkiW1ic5Bpjui7d7BN33yISEVIbEv3FL6__Q-q4AgC8c1d2D56bVuw/s1600/exercise-cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQY1_zS7lJOpUdSgKIqnnv4MbsDIRIeLE-qIasrMh4WH8ZR8cAkoXPO2CuH69by769MDoC2XfbKETATT6jvbmjxjkiW1ic5Bpjui7d7BN33yISEVIbEv3FL6__Q-q4AgC8c1d2D56bVuw/s320/exercise-cartoon.jpg" width="221" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of <a href="http://carharttsandcoachbags.wordpress.com/2011/02/02/there-are-lots-of-cartoons-in-this-post-because-exercising-is-funny-to-me/">here</a>.</td></tr></tbody></table>Still, we must keep on keepin' on... because as they say: <span class="messageBody"> </span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><blockquote><blockquote><i><span class="messageBody">"When it is darkest, you can see the stars....."</span></i></blockquote></blockquote></div>

Inspiration Success Drawing Inspiration From Places Other Than the Scale

With the death of my grandmother last November , it became very apparent to me that life is so short, and the importance of living a healthy...

Read more »