I Think I See the Light

Every one of my posts should start out with a Cat Stevens-inspired title, yes? Today, I have started with aforementioned title because it's rings true. I have been trudging through a seemingly endless tunnel; the Tunnel of Infertility, Disordered Eating and Depression. If I had seen the sign ahead of time for that one, I would have avoided it and taken a detour!

Now I am emerging at the other end of the tunnel. I am looking behind me, and saying, "holy shit, that was long as hell!" and I'm also looking ahead, breathing a sigh of relief, and eagerly seeking a change of scenery.

On this journey, I have doubled back many times. I've had some high points, including running a half-marathon, starting an amazing job that I am still loving, getting to a healthy weight, lots of psychical and fitness "firsts". I have also had many low points; ending a very traumatic chapter of employment that caused a great deal of anxiety, stress, and self-doubt, retreating into myself and withdrawing from family and friends, developing disordered eating and loosing too much weight, becoming infertile and struggling with it every damn day. and gaining back all the weight (the loss of which was in part the cause of said infertility).

With the support of my love, many friends and family, some professional help, and lots of ugly, tough work I've been putting in, I have been rebuilding my life. To move forward, on, up, out, past, ahead- choose your descriptor, that's where I'm headed.

Currently, this is going to involve working on some other life goals and passions that do not involve having children. After 2 rounds of hormone treatments and attempts at pregnancy, and after nearly 2.5 years without a period, I just CANNOT continue to devote the time, energy, and mental/physical  anguish I have been spending on trying to make my period appear. It's not here, it might never come back, and I need to let go of it, for now at least. So this is going to be a break from the goal of "starting a family", and focusing on the awesome, funny, weird framily I already have, spread around the city, the state, and the country.

Mike and I sat down yesterday, and plotted out exciting things that gave me energy and enthusiasm (sorely lacking as of late). I can't remember all the things, but it is essentially a list of dreams and goals for the next year and beyond. Things we can dive into wholeheartedly, things that will move us forward, as well as expanding our minds and hearts, some individual goals, some shared.

Exciting things we plan to do in the next 6-12 Months:

• West Coast(ish) trip: Sara & Wes, Erin & Ali, Paul & Lauren, Angela & Mike; we're coming!
• Pay down the mortgage so PMI is gone
• Run a 5k (again)
• Take a trip to Greece
• Hike a chunk of the Appalachian Trail this summer: Libby? Mary? Erin? 
• Pare down the garden outside, and make the part we have left low-maintenance
• Do some upgrades to the basement (re-tile, add door) to ensure it is rent-able long-term
• Gym 3x per week
• Hit the $50,000k mark for retirement savings
• Finish the Rolling Hills disc course under par (that's a Mike goal. Mine is just to finish without an uncountable number above par)

These are all value-driven goals. My foundation was in a shambles, and in re-building I have been able to examine what exactly was under all that other stuff! I've sorted out some pretty simple core areas of importance that I hope I can live by: 

• Happiness and enjoyment 
• Being a regular person, not aspiring to be a perfect, flawless fictional character of myself
• Presence and authenticity
• Getting re-involved in community activities that I love
• Connecting with family and friends (even when times are hard)
• Building up to a more healthy lifestyle, a middle ground between where I was and where I am

A huge, unending hug of THANKS! goes out to everyone who has lent a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, love from across the miles, advice I needed to hear, patience and understanding when I needed it most, and a kick in the pants, even when I didn't want one! 

Wandering towards The Middle Way

I have never been one to traverse the elusive "Middle Way", no matter what the topic is. I like black and white. I like defined and delineated. I thrive on planning, clear direction, and goal setting. Many times, professionally and otherwise, this mindset is an asset. However, it has contributed to a lot of pain and heartache in my personal life. 

Being physically active and eating healthfully without being crazed; Still working on it every. damn. day.

Let me illustrate: For me, “I think I’ll go out for a run” is two quick steps from “and why don’t I just train for my first Marathon!” I have this quirky all-or-nothing mentality that has caused me a lot of trouble, anxiety, and needless stress.

Looking back at where I was a year ago, in May 2013, I can see more clearly than ever the un-healthiness of the “Healthiest I’ve Ever Been” status I’d achieved. I was at my lowest weight - a weight that left me feeling cold even in the heat of summer, and having very low-energy, even for daily activities. I was physically active for at least an hour most days- to the point of it interfering with other life stuff.  I consistently tracked every calorie that went into my body, and rated each and every thing on this self-imposed scaled of whether or not it was a “good” food or a “bad” food. Of course, I was not allowed to let any “bad foods” enter my system.  I had essentially turned being thin and fit into a religion, one to which I was an enthusiastic convert, diving headfirst into orthodoxy.

Now, I’m reformed my worship. I’m still practicing in the temple of Fitness, but I am fitting it in to my life where it belongs. It’s a component of a well-rounded, happy me; it’s not all-consuming, it is not ME. Throughout the last year since my "turning point", even within all these struggles with food, nutrition, feelings, cravings, sadness, and exercise, I have been building a more resilient self. Deconstructing the tough, hardened, rigid self I had created and taking pieces to form a flexible, adaptable, authentic me.

What this looks like for me: the ability to exercise frequently or even participate in races without having to train for the Olympics. The ability to eat healthfully and nourish my body without going on a Whole 30, Paleo-inspiried elimination diet. The ability to get to a place of fitness where I feel comfortable, energetic and active without feeling like I’ll be PERFECT if I just loose those last 2 lbs.

I’ve been working hard at this elusive destination- this Middle Way of health/fitness. I’m moving towards it. Heck, I guess that being on the path to the Middle Way essentially means I am already traveling the Middle Way. Now if I could only quantify where the true Middle is? ;) Just kiddin'.

In the midst of all this flailing about, there is a LOT to be proud of:

• I continue to flail. I fall and fail on a weekly basis, but I get back up. Each time, I am a bit better at picking myself up, I fall a little less far, and I can rebound more quickly.

• I’m consistently making it to the gym several times a week- I have successfully cultivated a Gym Habit- that’s a big deal!

• I’m still un-packing my eating issues. Overall, I am more relaxed with eating what sounds good to me, without a lot of restriction.

• I've continued to take whatever action is available to get my elusive menstrual period back ,and most days, I can stop myself from flipping out that I haven't had it in more than 1.5 years. Most days.

• I am working, with the support of counselors, through a lot of the emotional issues that put me in this mindset in the first place. Counseling is painful, terribly slow, and helpful. Also, sometimes it’s the worst.

• I am falling back in love with exercise, for the simple pleasure of it. I have continued to run 2-3 times a week for fun, I am getting back in to yoga, and I’m thinking about a 10k race here in a few weeks.

• I’d still REALLY love to become a Spinning Instructor, and I’m planning on registering for a certification course for the end of June. 

The gift of honest self-reflection is priceless. It's a gift that I try to give myself in the toughest times, because a little stumble on the path does not equal a back-breaking tumble down the hill of the Middle Way. As the amazing Cat Stevens would say, ♫ There's so much left to know, and I'm on the road to find out ♫ 

The Well-worn Road of Health and Fitness

Hi friends,

I have had a tough couple of months here, although I think I am turning a corner, finally.

This has been such a year of Highs and Lows. On the High side, I've learned and thought a LOT (too much!) about healthy eating, clean eating, Paleo eating, high-fat low-carb eating. I've hit some great physical benchmarks- completing my first and second Half Marathons, finishing 12 (will be 13) races in a year, loosing over 30 lbs, squatting more than my body weight. I've developed a regular gym habit, which I've sustained for over a year.

I have also struggled with a lot  of Lows this year. Over the past 12 months I have struggled with loosing my period (in February of 2013) and going through a series of tests & doctor visits to try to figure out what is going on, Getting down past my "Goal Weight" to a place that was not very healthy or realistic for me to maintain, a very tough transition of leaving a job at an organization I thought I'd be with for the next 5 years, intentionally having to gain weight back (and then some) in an attempt to regulate my period, and trying to make the transition to this new, great job as a normal, functioning employee who feels valued and respected. On top of all of that, I'm feeling ready and excited and even anxious to start a family with my hubs, yet I cannot do so because of the lack of a menstrual cycle.

The past 5 months, particularly, have been pretty low. Feeling like I have lost a lot of the physical progress I made due to intentional weight gain and then emotional eating. At first, I was gaining weight back to be at a body fat % where my period might return. Now I am definitely in a safe zone there, and probably heading back into the overweight category without successfully regaining my period. This has been a huge blow to my self-confidence and self-esteem. I'm now in the process, with the help of a counselor, of building my self-esteem back up.

I have learned some truly life-changing thing about myself in the past 12 months:

• I have huge issues with  burying feelings that I can't manage and "dealing with them" through emotional eating. This "coping" mechanisms has been super destructive to my life in the past several years. 
• I withdraw from friends and family when experience severe emotional distress, rather than reaching out, which is silly!
• I have really missed music and  involvement in the Jewish community, two things I gradually, unintentionally stepped away from. I don't know how I became so disconnected from them, but I need them as a emotional and spiritual outlet.

While these two things are hard truths to bear, they will help inform my focuses for next year:

• Reach out, connect, and put myself out there
• Open myself back up to exercise- I can still have exercise goals without heading down a Disordered Eating pathway again.
• Accept what comes next- if I get my period back, great! If not, we'll continue down the adoption path
• My body is capable of amazing things- Running farther than I ever thought possible, lifting heavy things, and functioning on high efficiency when I treat it well

The summary of all this craziness is this: I can't and WILL NOT let fear and anxiety run my life any more. The best way for me to respect myself is to treat myself well. Fuel my body with whole, nutritious foods (with some treats in there too!), Get out and be active most days, and Continue to build and grow my awareness of myself and others.

Thanks to everyone who has supported me on this roller coaster of a ride! I'm looking forward to 2014 and renewing my commitment to this fulfilling journey I have started.

Reflections on my Fittest Year (so far!)

Sept 7th, 2013 marked what I consider to be my 1 year Fit-i-versary:
On Sept 7th, 2012, I had my first fitness assessment at my gym. I had just joined the previous week, and I had barely begun my journey towards health and fitness.

Looking back, 2012 me would have been shocked by many of the things 2013 me has accomplished: 

• Picking up running & ENJOYING it
• Completing 9 fitness events/races including a 5k in under 26 minutes
• Finishing my first Whole30
• Hiking 13 miles in one day on the Appalachian Trail
• Loosing over 25 lbs (& maintaining!)
• Squatting 125 lbs

Even the fact that I've fit in a workout 4-6 days a week EVERY SINGLE WEEK for a year just blew the socks off my 2012 self. I've achieved lots of the short and long term goals that I set, and even knocked some things off of my 2013 "Bucket List".

Ringing in a new 'year'

I celebrated my Fit-i-versary of Sept 7th in a way I feel was very appropriate- giving a bit of my time to some truly inspiration athletes trying to achieve some of their own amazing goals. I spent the wee-early hours of Saturday morning at Run Woodstock, a weekend-long series of running events here in S.E. Michigan. I wanted to be a part of this awesome weekend, and I decided to volunteer as a Aide Station "Roadie" on the 50 K/50 Mile/100 K/100 Mile course. To see these incredible folks giving 125% effort was SO inspiring. 

Let me paint a quick picture:

I woke up, got dressed, made some oatmeal, and headed out the door around 4:40am on Saturday. I drove 40 minutes to get to Hell Creek Ranch, near Pinckney, Michigan, where the Run Woodstock weekend was being held. It was still dark when I arrived around 5:20am, and I could see lots and lots of stars in the sky! I parked, checked in, and drove with a new volunteer buddy to Gracie's Aide Station, where we'd be spending the next 6 hours helping race participants. It was really neat to see the runners, most outfitted with headlamps, trucking down the trails. At this point (6am), the 100 Milers and 100 K'ers had been going since 4pm!!! the previous evening, and the 50 Mile/50 K folks were just starting. 

Over the next 6 hours, I saw runners in elite form, and others who looked like this task was quite a challenge for them. I saw runners who looked amazingly unfazed by an 100 mile distance, and others who stumbled to the aide station and could not take another step. I saw a pencil-thin woman with a knee-gash get bandaged up and continue on the trail. I saw a father encourage his son, despondent by the distance he had yet to run, that he could and would finish. Many of the runners seemed to be over 40, if not over 50, which was an awesome surprise. 

I was really thankful to have had this experience, and to support fellow athletes in this way as I myself celebrated quite a year. As I drove home around noon, I spent some time reflecting on the key fitness lessons I've learned over the past 12 months.

Lessons from a year of Fit Living

Get Moving, and Keep Moving

It really is true- If you can make it to the gym, or to the start of your workout for the day, whatever it is, you're 90% there! Getting out 4-6 days a week and being active has been key for me; not only has it helped me to move to a healthy weight, but it's also been a stress-reliever, and allowed me to compete in 9 fitness events so far this year, a huge source of pride and accomplishment. If I feel like shit tomorrow, I'll still go to the gym. If I only do 30 minutes of cardio, no problem. 9 times out of 10, once I start my workout I feel better and I'm able to knock out a kickass session, whether that's 30 minutes or 90 minutes!

Eat to Fuel movement, not Move to justify Eating!

When you're looking to loose weight, you do need to create a calorie deficit somehow. This usually involves eating less calories than your body needs. Now that I am where I want and need to be, weight-wise, I have realized that I need to switch my mentality from working out so I can burn "enough" calories to one of "eating enough to fuel the awesome things I want to do". True athletes eat LOTS- enough so they can power through their practices, games, and events. There's no reason why it should be different for us everyday athletes; we need enough fuel to power our bodies and recover for another hard workout tomorrow!

It's all about Feeling Good

The biggest thing I've learned this year is that health and fitness are all about feeling good. Eat what makes you feel good. Occasionally, this could mean taking time for a cookie or a special treat. Most often, this means eating whole foods, saying no to processed junk, and eating until you're full; not less, and definitely not more. 

I learned that the same thing goes with weight- the weight you feel physically good at is better than the one where you look like a supermodel and can't make it through the day because you have no energy. In February, once I hit my goal weight, I just kept loosing weight. If I'm feeling and looking great at 110lbs, wouldn't 105 be AMAZING? I got down to 105 and found out that the answer is No; for me 105 or even 108lbs was not a sustainable weight. When I hit 106lbs and 17.5% bodyfat, I felt a little leaf, about to be knocked over by the wind. I was cold all.the.time, and I didn't really have enough energy to fuel myself. By all accounts, women can get down to 12% bodyfat and still be in a healthy range, but for me, this is not the case. I looked fit, I looked skinny, and I did not feel good. It wasn't worth it, and it took me some time to recognize those feelings.

I'm now at about 110-112 lbs, which is just fine with me. Not sure what my bodyfat % is, and I'm not sure that I care to know right now. I am learning to trust myself and my body. I have the knowledge and skills to make good food choices, to move and exercise in a way that will keep me at a healthy weight for me.

In Conclusion..

Lots of good things achieved, but I'm not done yet! This weekend, I'm headed to the Kensington Challenge for my first 15k, October 5th I have a "practice" Half Marathon at the Heroes on Hines race, all to prep for a MAJOR challenge- the Detroit Free Press Half Marathon on October 20th! I'd still like to take the Spin Instructor Certification this year- there's a class coming up in November so stay tuned for that! Thanks for your support and encouragement through my journey so far!

A Recharge- Vacation in North Carolina

Last Thursday was my last day with the nonprofit I've worked for for over 2.5 years. The past week has been a time of reflection, thinking about the future, and hope for brighter employment to come. 

Luckily, all of this emo reflection took place on a very well-timed family vacation. Last week, my parents and I packed up to head to Lake Nantahala, NC, to meet most of my dad's side of the family for a week-long stay in the hills of Western North Carolina. 

I woke every morning, around 7am, to this sight

Lake Nantahala, in Topton, NC

and retired each evening after watching the sun set over Lake Nantahala

Sunset on Lake Nantahala

Each day, I was able to hike, kayak, walk, or swim

Myself and my mom and dad on the Forney Creek Trail, near Clingman's Dome

Hiked on the Appalachian Trail for the first time ever!

Tellico Gap

I saw amazing views

The view from the firetower at the top of Wesser Bald on the AT

 Got to spend much needed and well-appreciated time with my family

me and my dad at the top of Wesser Bald!

 Even got to see a few sights!

The Biltmore House in Asheville, NC

Gardens, of course, were involved

Gardens @ Biltmore

somehow snuck in a Farmers Market visit 

Western North Carolina Farmers Market in Asheville, NC

Check Great Smoky Mountains National Park off of my list!

What a nice Visitors Ctr!

 Highest point in the Smokies

Clingman's Dome- 6,642 ft.

Even fit in a (Historic) farm visit

 more mountain views

It was amazing to spend time for relaxation and just being. I was able to truly appreciate the muscles and fitness level I've cultivated over the last year. That's the true value of the nearly-30 lbs I've lost. It's not really the number on the scale, or even the # on the side of the weights I lift: 

My success was evident every day on my vacation. 

Kayaking for a hour without tiring. 

Hiking 13.4 miles in one afternoon on the Appalachian Trail and keeping up with my dad and my cousin, both inspirational outdoorsy-types. 

Spontaneous breaking into a trail run because I felt like running. 

Walking the Clingman's Dome trail like it was no big deal (it's a damn steep little trail to the top!) 

When people ask about my weight loss and my new "trim figure" (their words, not mine!), these are the accomplishments that truly indicate the lifestyle change I've achieved.
They are both the proof of and the reward for my hard work.

How Whole30 Changed the Way I Eat

It's been over 2 months since I completed my first-ever Whole30 program. Time flies! Today I'm taking a look back to where I started my Whole30, where I ended on January 30th, where I am now in terms of eating habits, and where I'd like to be.

As a reminder, Whole30 is essentially a 30 day commitment to eliminate inflammatory and unhealthy foods from your diet. This includes getting rid of gluten and all grains, beans and legumes, soy and dairy, as well as added sugar and alcohol. Bascially a BIG focus on meat protein, vegetables and fruit.

Jan 1st, 2013- Started Whole30
I started my Whole 30 experience on January 1st, 2013. I had a definite sugar addition, I was still eating a lot of gluten and dairy, and not REALLY connecting the gross feelings I had after eating them with the foods themselves.

I was eating what I thought was a lot of vegetables, but still filling in with a lot of bread products, which was again causing irritation and inflammation.

Jan 30th, 2013- Post Whole30 Results
The best result of Whole30, for me, was that it really helped me to identify foods that cause inflammation in my body. I can objectively look at foods like pizza or big chunks of bread, and know the feelings of discomfort I will experience after eating them. That's powerful, to have reconnected with those signals my body is sending.

I chose to willing divorce several parts of Whole30 that don't currently fit into my lifestyle. One was complete elimination of dairy- I still wanted to have limited dairy in my life. The other part was the amount of meat I was eating. When you're on Whole 30, you eat a LOT of meat! It's expensive, and as a former vegetarian who wants to source as much of my meat in a local, organic way I didn't feel like it was really necessary for me to eat THAT much meat.

April 8th, 2013- 2 months post Whole30
The biggest part of Whole30 that I've carried on with me is saying no to inflammatory foods like dairy and gluten products. While I have re-introduced limited dairy into my diet (greek yogurt and cottage cheese), and will occasionally have tofu, beans, or lentils, I have stayed away from other dairy products, and have been eating a lot less grains and gluten. This has resulted in a lighter, happier me! 

I can consider before I eat tofu and beans and decide if it's worth the gas I'll experience later. I've only had pizza once since I finished Whole30- it used to be a go-to junk food for me and I'd eat it at least once a week. Now that I can associate it with (TMI, sorry) staying in the bathroom for an hour afterwards, it doesn't seem that appealing!

The biggest dietary struggle I've continued to wrestle with post-Whole30 is eliminating wheat and added sugars. For me, these two are often linked into the mostly unnecessary foods we call baked goods. I've been able to avoid other grains pretty successfully (making hamburgers with no bun, taco salads vs. a burrito, haven't had pasta in 3 months), but when I get stressed, I still want to chow down on a cookie. Or two! Not only do I think I might be sensitive to gluten products, but for me, things made of wheat or other grains often represent empty calories. There are foods made with whole grains that can be really good for you, but when you're eating conservatively to maintain your weight & fitness level, a 170 calorie tortilla is just hard to fit into your day. Same with a burger bun, or 2oz of pasta that is 220 calories!

The future- Incorporating Whole30 into my diet
My strategy lately has been to make sure I'm bringing enough whole foods to work for lunch and snacks, so I don't turn to filler foods I don't need. I've also taken to carrying around a few oranges, Picky Bars, or Kind bars, so I have a less-processed snack option available if I start to get hungry. Mostly, I've been able to find that I don't need that piece of toast, that roll, or that bagel. If you don't really need it, why eat it?

• Limited dairy I've added into my diet has been working well for me so far- no real issues. 
• Minus the baked goods debacle, I'm pretty successful at avoiding wheat and grains, although I'd like to be a bit more vigilant about it. 
• I have beans or tofu 1-2 times a week, and that has been a good balance. 
• My sugar intake has picked up- only in the dessert area. Otherwise, I am really good at screening out unnecessary sugars from my diet. 
• LOTS more fruits and veggies, which has been AWESOME!

I plan to continue on eating in these ways, since the limited re-introduction of these products has worked for me.

Overall, I've been able to incorporate a lot of what I learned during my Whole30 into my day-to-day living, and I've benefited from it. I'll continue to do so, and I'm happy with that!

Day 15- Whole30 reflections at my Halfway Mark

I have been a bit of a Whole30 rollercoaster for the past several days. I had a few days (Days 11 & 12) where I was angry at the Whole30 program, and myself. I asked myself "Why did I decide to do this stupid Whole30 thing anyway!?" . Whole30 is tough in that way- it's an intense change from the Standard American Diet, even for those of us who were already eating a lot more healthily. Since it's a self-imposed diet & lifestyle change for me, at times it can feel ridiculous.

Om nom nom. Bacon!! and a Carrot-orange-ginger Juice

I quickly found out that I was also starting my period on Day 11, which that explains the over-emotional reaction as well as the 3 minute mini-breakdown I had where I whined to my hubs, "Whyyy-ah? Why can't I just have some breaad-ah?". He reminded me that I'm doing a really great job, and that I would be upset with myself if I "cheated" now. Thanks, man! :)

Other than that little break in confidence, and the occasional nightmare in which I consume non-Whole30 compliant foods and wake up thinking that I really ate those things, I have been feeling really great. I mean REALLY GREAT! You feel great when you regularly eat bacon for breakfast, I've found ;)

It's hard to describe the changes and improvements I've been seeing, because I think the main change that I see is the absence of certain symptoms of the foods I'm not currently eating; of stomach issues, irritation, or inflammation. The important thing to note about this change is that I do not have any (known) allergies, but despite that, I have definitely noticed these Things I am no longer feeling in my body: (These are not particularly gross but TMI warning if you can't handle normal human body functions):

• No more uncomfortably full feeling I would get at least 4-5 times a week after a meal
• No more need to run to the bathroom after eating cheese or dairy products
• No more inflated-stomach feeling I get when I eat most grains (esp. gluten)
• No more 3-4pm energy crash 

Other positive effects I am noticing:

Awesome Salad- Roasted Beets, Butternut Squash and Kale!

• More steady energy throughout the day
• More recognition of sugar cravings AS sugar cravings when they happen, and being able to re-direct them (sometimes!)
• Little-to-no bloating/water retention while on my period. Usually my weigh goes up by 1-3lbs while on my period, so I just stopped weighing myself for that week. I happened to weigh myself today, and I am down 1lb from my weight as of 2 days ago. That's the opposite of a typical period week for me!
• Feeling that my body is able to actually utilize the calories I am feeding it, rather than just storing them

It's Day 15 of the Whole30 Program, and I am feeling glad that I committed to this challenge. 
Here are my goals for my next 15 days of my first Whole30 program:

1. Continue to reduce my sugar intake, even though it's all from fruit
2. Make 2 new crockpot recipes per week 
3. Find two new breakfast options that are still "breakfast-y"
4. Cook something with turkey (roasted turkey, turkey burger, etc)

Thanks for reading! If you've done Whole30 before, please comment on this post and share your thoughts! If you're interested in knowing more about my Whole30 experience, send me a message!

My Health and Fitness Bucket List for 2013

I'm not always one for hard-core New Year's Resolutions, but I do love a good list! Here are some activities and things I'd like to Try, Do, Maintain, Learn about, or Grow in for 2013. I've already signed up for 2 of my 12 fitness events for 2013- a strong start to a new year!

I like to share- it keeps us all more accountable!

Let's shake on it.

Cheers to a Happy, Healthy, and AWESOME 2013!

What do you resolve for 2013?

Part 3 of Design your Perfect Fitness Routine- SMART Goal Setting

We've covered Components of a Successful Workout Plan and Figuring out your Starting Stats. Now it's time for some goal setting! We'll talk in Part 4 about the specific strategies to get to these goals, but I think it's good to go ahead and throw some numbers out to start with.

I find that if you're confused about where to start goal setting, a good place to look for inspiration is some of your fitness stats you've been gathering. In my goal setting process, I started with some of my most alarming measurements (Hello '31% Body Fat percentage' and 'Overweight' on the BMI scale!), and felt like I could do the most improving there.
What stats jump out for you?

Next, you'll be formulating goals around those points for change. This is the time to start looking up BMI calculators, Body Fat % charts, and other indicators if you haven't yet. These are merely starting points or guides- it's definitely a good idea to talk to your doctor, get their opinions and thoughts. But if you're WAY off of the chart, I figure that's a good place to start chipping away at a fitness goal, right?

I've shared some of my goals for the next 3-6 months as examples below. Your goals could look vastly different, depending on your motivation for working out. If your goal is weight loss, you might have more specific goals around that. If your goal is building strength, you might create more goals around specific strength indicators (sit-ups, pull ups, bench press, etc). Since my goals are a balance of strength building and changing my body composition aka less fat & more muscle, you'll see that I have different types of goals.

I've shared some of my broader workout goals for the year, but here are my specific SMART Goals for the next 6 months:

Specific: Hit and Maintain Goal Weight of 115 lbs
Measureable: Will weigh-in each Friday between lunch and dinner
Attainable: This is an average of 1 lb/week weight loss, which is healthy and do-able
Relevant: This would get me to a BMI of 22.5. For my height, 95 -128 lbs is a healthy range, so 115 is right in the middle of that!
Time-bound: by January 15th, 2013

Specific: Reduce Body Fat percentage from 31% to 25%
Measureable: Starting number from 9/7/12 - follow up test on 12/7/12
Attainable: Not sure how quickly this number will change- we'll see!
Relevant: A healthy Body Fat % for my age is between 22.1-25.3%, so 25% is totally do-able and healthy
Time-bound: Will schedule another test 6 months from original date (3/7/13)

Specific: Increase upper body strength
Measureable: Starting/ending weights- started w/ 8lbs dumbell curls, goal= 15 lbs, from 24 to 35 push-ups
Attainable: Not sure how quickly this number will change- we'll see!
Relevant: Push-ups and curls are two good measures of upper body strength
Time-bound: Will do the Grip Test again on 12/5/12 and 3/7/13 to track progress

In Part 4, we'll talk about how to set up your Fitness Routine to meet the goals you've set. In the mean time, start sketching out your goals.

As you're setting goals, remember:

A healthy weight loss goal will be broken down into a loss of .5-2 lbs per week. Less is fine, of course, and more is possible, but if you're loosing weight using drastic, unhealthy methods, it's less likely that you'll be able to maintain that weight loss.

You're just you! It doesn't matter if someone else that is your height and weight and age and gender can do bicep curls with 25 lbs dumbells. If you're starting out using 2 pounders, a) It's ok! and b) you're not going to change over night.

Slow and steady progress is the easiest to implement and maintain.

- Good luck!