Mandy's Monthly: March 2010 Challenge - A Stronger, Healthier Me

I've had to rewrite and retitle this post several times.  More on that in a minute......

First, thanks to all of you who sent me one-year blog anniversary wishes from my last post!  And thank you to those of you who were brave enough to send me your numbers so I can call you.  I've had the pleasure of hearing some of your charming voices.  Others, I've had to leave messages.  And some I have yet to call.  It may take me up to a week to get everyone as I just remembered I have a guest coming into town tomorrow (and I have a guest room to clean and laundry to do)!  So if I don't catch you this week, I'll be dialing your digits soon enough! 

And now....Welcome to Mandy's Monthly, a new segment that I'm introducing on this blog.   My plan is to create a challenge for myself every month and then talk about it here. 

My challenge for March 2010 is to be A Stronger, Healthier Mandy. So, how will I achieve that?

Honestly, I'm not off to a very good start at being healthy since I spent the greater part of March 1 and the first half of March 2 dealing with a stomach virus.  Yes, the first two days of March were extremely fun times that included me hugging the porcelain goddess for hours on end with leakage coming out of all holes. 

Then just after midnight on March 2, I stumbled into the bathroom for a third time with the sensation to blow chunks.  Somehow I blacked out, ran into the wall, tripped over our floor heater and hit my head on the cabinets.  The end result was my body sprawled out across the floor.  I don't remember quite how it happened.  I just recall Kirk standing over me with great concern, asking me if I was okay and trying to lift my arms.  (Reminds me of my drunken college days, except the booze made me more limber back then.....)  I'm still feeling soreness in my body two days later from this incident.  Kind of like someone kicked the crap out of me but I don't remember how exactly it happened.

So, originally, my goal was to be A Stronger, "Slimmer" Mandy in March.  However, throwing up, falling down and losing all water in my body is not what I had in mind to reach that achievement.  Therefore, I reserve the right to change my challenge and my title.  I now intend to be A Stronger, "Healthier" Mandy instead. 

But enough about my ailment which is on the mend now, thankfully.  Back to my challenge...

Well, while basketball fans are gearing up for the March Madness games, I intend to be training for my first, ever 5k race. I'm nervous and excited over thoughts of completeing 3.1 miles in front of other people and not the privacy of my treadmill with me singing along to Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself" and "White Wedding" tunes.

Running (or walking/jogging) a race is something I've considered doing for awhile now. I just finally put my dream into effect by actually signing up for a race. The race begins on March 20th at 7:30 a.m.  My dad is going to do the race with me.  And probably Kirk too.

Since that still leaves me with a week and a half of nothing to train for at the end of the month, I'm making this a two-for challenge. Because I've let myself become chubby during and after my daughter Vivian's birth over two years ago, I've been working hard to slim down since October 2009.   I've lost thirteen pounds so far and I'd like to lose about another seven pounds by the end of April. (But not via any more stomach viruses, please!!)

Therefore, when I'm not jogging or preparing for the race, I intend to do the Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred almost every day for the month of March.  I have to say "almost" since I skipped it on March 1 and 2 due to my intestinal issues.  Funny, I feel like I did complete her workout on those days,  after all the aches and bruises I have after my nasty fall a night ago.  Oh, if only a video camera had captured those magical moments....  But seriously, going forward, I will be my own personal trainer and not allow myself to miss a workout..... unless another serious virus arises or my death bed is upon me.

Jillian's workout is only twenty minutes and there are three different levels -- beginner, intermediate and advanced. So if I'm feeling a bit sluggish or need rest, then I'll do her beginner's workout at a moderate speed.   And NO, I get nothing for mentioning Jillian Michaels or that show she's on...what is it? The Biggest Loser? I've never even watched an entire episode of that reality series. I really don't watch much television at all. I have only heard of her through friends. Then I spotted her workout DVD for just nine bucks during a shopping trip recently. That's how she was chosen.

Anyway, not only do I hope that her concept works-- that I really do shred myself in 30 days-- but I also want to commit to doing something daily like that. It's a great way to kick off this "Mandy's Monthly" segment -- by actually doing something nearly every day for a whole month.

Overall though, this monthly segment is going to be about what I have achieved at the end of every month. In addition, I will talk about what I've learned (if anything) and any obstacles I encounter along the way.  We all have our bad days (ahem, vomitting on March 1 and 2) or our bad weeks. Life gets crazy. But in a month's time, I believe you can do amazing things with focus, determination and hard work.  And by laughing at yourself too.

I'm going to prove that to you (and to my own often cynical, skeptical self). Stay tuned for my progress report later this month. 



"Keep on beginning and failing. Each time you fail, start all over again and you will grow stronger until you have accomplished a purpose - not the one you began with perhaps, but one you'll be glad to remember." --Anne Sullivan (teacher of Helen Keller)