It finally arrived!!!

(Note about the picture: I took one of my own, but something weird happened and it disappeared. So this is a subsitute picture from the interweb.)

I ordered Michael Thurmond’s Six Week Body Makeover last week after reading about it at The Fit Shack. I’m super excited to try it out! It was expensive (about $120) BUT you can get a full refund if you’re not satisfied after six weeks. It’s pretty cool–you take a quiz to determine your body type (you can take it for free online). I’m Type E: Ecto-Endo, which means I have a pretty high metabolism (true), but also tend to have more fat and less muscle. Basically, I’m skinny fat.

The program gives you a tailored eating plan (lots of protein for me) and exercise routine. My official start will be on Monday, May 5, which is also the day I being my marathon training program. That’s right–I registered for this year’s Marine Corps Marathon!!

I’ll be blogging about my six-week makeover journey, so stay tuned for weekly updates (and probably daily pleas for support and encouragement)…

My first 21-Day Makeover was a smashing success. I successfully developed a daily writing habit–these fingers are just itching to write! I believe that this habit is with me for the duration, which is excellent given that my life goal is to be a full-time writer.

I had a few ideas about what to do for my second 21-Day Makeover, and I was having a difficult time deciding. I thought about getting up early to give myself a block of uninterrupted writing time in the morning. Unfortunately, it’s just not fitting well with my lifestyle and work schedule right now. I think I’d like to keep that as a progressive weekly goal (check out this week’s forum for more).

I had also considered making meditation the subject of my next makeover. But to tell the truth, I just… don’t really want to. Insert important lesson here: Sometimes it’s best not to push yourself too hard when you experience resistance. I want to want to meditate, and I won’t if it’s just another chore to cross off my list. So that one’s out.

Then I saw Stephanie’s Great Walking Experiment and I knew exactly what to do. For the past, oh–I don’t know, SIX MONTHS or so, I’ve had a real resistance to exercising. Me, who has always been a dedicated runner and has competed in more 10ks than I can shake a stick at. I had to have two major surgeries last year, and I just (to be honest) got really pissed at my body. Here I’d eaten right and exercised and done everything you’re supposed to do, and I was having a double masectomy at 29. NOT FAIR.

I have a pretty decent metabolism, so there’s no real compelling reason for me to get off my kiester and move. Except that’s not true. Exercise has always been my primary stress-reliever, and anyone who’s been reading lately knows that this girl has been STRESSED. So, I’m declaring a truce in my passive-aggressive war against my body. Together, we’re going to do this walking thing, and we’re both going to feel much better. On top of the physical benefit, I think it will be very emotionally healing. So… today is Day 1!

Have you been inspired to start a 21-Day Makeover of your own? Tell me about it! And stop by to check out Love is Blonde’s 21-Day home makeover plan and give her some support too! I started a thread in the forums if you’d like to chat, or you can email me or leave a comment here.

Yesterday was Day 1 of my 21-day makeover (which will end on February 27). I’m happy to report that I did, in fact, spend one hour working on my novel. I was torn between starting a new project with an idea I’ve been playing around with for a few months or going back to one of the three, count ‘em–THREE, unfinished projects that are gathering electronic dust in my computer. The perfectionist in me wants–nay, needs–to finish those projects. The idea of them just laying around un-done really gets under my skin. But I’m more excited about working with the new idea. Ah, what to do, what to do…

In the end, I decided that–since this is my first 21-Day Makeover–choosing the idea I was more enthusiastic about would maximize my chances at success. And friends, I need to succeed. Successfully completing this makeover will boost my self-confidence and give me the drive I need to take on more challenging projects. Excercises like this will require willpower and self-discipline, which are kind of like mental muscles. To be perfectly honest, I haven’t been very self-disciplined over the past year or so and my self-discipline muscles are pretty flabby.

Last year was incredibly difficult. Last January, at my mother’s urging, I took the test for the breast cancer gene (every female relative on my mother’s side of the family has had breast cancer at least once). As my doctors predicted and I expected, I tested positive. They recommended that I undergo a double masectomy. I stuck my head in the sand and refused to discuss it.

Then, I got engaged in May. My fiance convinced me to see an oncologist. After getting a second and third opinion (I REALLY didn’t want to believe it), I decided to go forward with the surgery. I had a double masectomy on July 13 (Friday the 13th–can you believe it?) and the reconstruction in September. It was, to say the least, incredibly emotional and the recovery process was very difficult. I’m allergic to opiates, so no fancy painkillers for me–I had to take Tylenol and muscle relaxers and white-knuckle it as I adjusted to silicon implants wedged under my chest muscles. Miserable. 

During this time, I felt very very sorry for myself. I knew that I was lucky to great insurance, wonderful doctors, and access to a surgery that will prevent me from ever having to deal with the hell of breast cancer. But I also knew that I was 29 years old and having my breasts removed a few months before getting married. I knew I’d never breastfeed. I knew I was losing an integral part of my femininity. I knew that it hurt all the time and there was nothing I could do about it. I knew that it SUCKED.

This led me down a path I never want to travel again–the path of self-pity, rationalization, and self-indulgence. I felt like I DESERVED to have it easy for a while. I quit working out, started smoking the occasional cigarette and drinking more wine, stopped writing, and withdrew from my family and friends. Why? Because I’d been through a LOT, damn it, and I wanted a f*cking break for once. I just wanted to escape, to wallow in my misery–thank you very much.

Did it make me happy? No. Numb? Yes. But happy? No. Looking back, I wish I could tell six-months-ago Jen that what she actually deserved was good health, support from family and friends, and the exhiliration of pursuing a life’s dream.

Wow. I didn’t expect to write all that–I thought this would be a one-paragraph update on Day 1–but I feel good about it. I guess what I’m trying to get across is that, yeah–life sucks sometimes. And it seems like the first things we drop when life gets tough are our dreams. Don’t do that–put them first no matter what else comes your way. You won’t regret it.

(Cross-posted at BlogHer)

We’ve all heard that it takes 21 days to build a new habit. Just think–in three short weeks, you could be in the habit of exercising regularly, packing lunch instead of buying it, or blogging every day. So why not build a new habit starting today, this very minute? Here’s how to start:

1. Think about your life, your purpose, and your goals. Is there an aspect of your life with which you’re particularly dissatisfied? Are there goals that you’re especially motivated to achieve? Brainstorm and develop a list of areas where a healthy habit could help you work toward one of your life goals.
2. Refine your list. If one of your items is “get in shape”, translate it to a habit like “walk 30 minutes every day.” If one of your items is “become a lawyer”, scale it down to “register for the LSAT and study every day.” If you make your goal/habit too broad or too difficult, you won’t be motivated to continue. Your goal needs to be reasonable, measurable, and achievable.
3. Pick ONE habit to try for 21 days. That’s right, one. My big mistake in the past has been that I get overly excited and pick FIFTEEN goals because I am determined to change my life once and for all!!! And what happens? I stick with it for a few days, tops, then quit everything in a storm of shame and self-loathing. Don’t go down that path. Pick ONE reasonable, measurable, and achievable goal.
4. Create a system of accountability. Tell your significant other or a close friend about your efforts. Ask that person to check in with you periodically (in an encouraging and supportive way–it’s important that you pick the right friend here!) to see how you’re doing. Or blog about your 21-day makeover and ask your readers to hold you accountable.
5. Celebrate your success. Every time you complete a 21-day makeover, do something wonderfully nice for yourself! Then pick another goal and forge ahead–if you keep going at this pace, you’ll be exactly where you want to be before you know it.

The goal I’m working toward is to write a novel. My 21-day makeover will be to spend at least one hour every day writing. I’m counting on you to be my accountability support system! What’s your 21-day goal?

This post was featured in the Personal Development Carnival–be sure to stop by and check out the other articles. Good stuff!