A few more reasons to run...

I would choose this view over staring at the tv any day of the week...

The Cornfields by Dawn's Early Light

Who doesn't smile to see a hugemongous sunflower?

Sunflowers...as far as the eye can see

It's in the budget

DH and I listened to Dave Ramsey's "Total Money Makeover" as we were driving home from vacation-- as we've not been nearly as dedicated as we once were. We needed our motivational fires lit...again. (Huh-- this seems to be a recurring theme in my life these days!) DH and I decided together that we want to thrive, and it seems like all we have done the last few months is survive.

Dave Ramsey's whole thing is making a budget, and he loves to say that most people feel like they've gotten a raise when they get on a budget-- when every dollar has a job. He also says that the first step in controlling your money is learning to control the person that you see in the mirror.  "I want it now!" is what the red faced toddler says-- and the grownup who should know better, but who isn't willing to deny gratification for a little while.

It's dawned on me that financial responsibility has a lot of similarities to physical responsibility. (Hmmm... physical and fiscal-- those sound an awful lot alike.) If I want to thrive (which is really what the Pudgy Parson is about), then I need to learn to deal with that person in mirror.  And if budgeting helps my wallet, then I have to believe that budgeting is going to help my waist too-- which is exactly the idea behind weight watchers.  I can budget my points each day, so that I know what my limits are.  I get extra points for exercise, and splurging on treats quickly dwindles my surplus.  It's all about budgeting.  Thinking of it this way makes it seem managable.  I know exactly where my money and my calories are going-- and it helps me be in control of my environment.  Feeling out of control also makes the Pudgy Parson feel a little mean-- which is definitely not a good thing!

Look out, wallet! Look out, waist (and hips and thighs and sticky-outy girl parts), the Pudgy Parson is on a budget!

Starting from scratch

Well, I do exaggerate a little...but not much, because that's exactly what it felt like.  I went running today...and by that, I mean, jalking-- at best.  It wasn't pretty.  Oh, I knew my endurance would flag some, but nothing like what it did.

Several months ago, I was awfully proud of myself for graduating out of the couch-to-5k program (otherwise referred to as "The Lovely British Lady that Lives in my Iphone").  She took me to where I was comfortably running 30+ mins.  But having done that, it was time to take the next step and work with "Ease into 10k".  So I deleted the nice lady from my iphone as I pursued bigger dreams.  But now that I have spent the last several weeks sitting on my ever expanding behind, I need her back.  I apologized to the nice lady (and to my body), and put her back on my iphone.   And without snarking at me, the lovely lady helped me start again.

On the upside, I felt better after finishing the jalk.  And my doggie was pretty happy too. (It's been too hot to leave them outside, but she is an energetic dog-- so the jalk gave her an outlet too.)

There's a half marathon I want to run on Nov 3 called "Conquer the Mountain."  Well, let's be honest here.  If the Pudgy Parson makes it that far, there will already have been a considerable amount of conquering.  But, a gal always needs a goal.

Calling the Pudgy Parson

The Pudgy Parson has left the building!   And hasn't been sighted for some six weeks...it's like she's vamooshed, and definitely not because she has shrunk so much as to be a mere sliver of her old self.

The Pudgy Parson is about healthy living, about making good choices, about making time for what is important.  And that person hasn't been anywhere to be seen lately.   Oh, there's been something living in her body, but it's a grouchy, tired, road-worn, bad choice making, non-exercising person.  Clearly, the heart and soul of the Pudgy Parson has been displaced.

But she's coming back.  Because today I stepped on the scale, and just how badly I've been behaving. After a week at the beach, which was preceeded by six weeks of more or less living out of a suitcase (i.e. not exercising and grabbing fast food), the scale read a number that I couldn't believe. I really thought the ten pound cat had snuck up on the scale with me (as she does sometimes).  I thought the scale was lying.  There is no way that huge number was accurate.

Except that it probably was.  I've not only gained what I'd worked so hard to lose, but a few pounds besides.

Today starts the second half of a year.  It's like New Years, 2.0.  And my life is settling down a little.  And there are new things on my horizon. And I'm tired of feeling so... blah.  I can do better than this, and I want better for me than what I'm doing.   I preached from 2 Corinthians 2 this morning and The Message translation phrases Paul's words this way:  Don't let your good intentions grow stale.

Um, hello! Pudgy Parson... are you out there? I'm ready for a do-over!