Ugh

Let me say it again....ugh....UGH!!!!!

People: Cookies are NOT a food group. I have to be reminded of that. Well, I've been reminding myself of that as I'm eating the cookies. I spent the last 3 days baking: Russian Tea Cakes, Raspberry Tea Cookies & Cut Out Cookies with frosting. All 3 are very delicious. Yesterday was an all cookie day. Monday was some raw cookie dough, warm cut outs out of the oven, cut outs after they were frosted.....I wish they didn't taste so damn good!!! Please note that the only reason I have so many cookies is because they are to be gifts & something to take when I go to someone's house, so I'm not empty handed. I don't want to seem ungrateful.

I've been eating way too many carbs. I'm not one of those people who omits carbs, I just don't usually eat the refined ones. Lately, it's all I seem to consume. I have a perpetual headache, I can't keep my eyes open & my mood hasn't been so great but it's what I can afford. I'm really going to have to sit down & figure out a more cost effective way to eat better on such a tight budget. Any tips would be welcome & much appreciated!!!

I know my eating is affecting my mood. I don't want to do anything, even more so than before. On Monday, I cancelled the Y with my friend because I just didn't feel like going, then I changed my mind & decided to go after I read an e-mail I got. I got my Eat Clean Diet Newsletter. The subject was: 10 Surprising Reasons to Get to the Gym. Although I included the link, I'm going to post the reasons, just in case you don't have time to surf the interweb.

1. Decrease your risk of heart disease through exercise by increasing blood flow around the heart and raising your level of HDL (or “good”) cholesterol. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for North American women, so get active to avoid becoming a statistic!

2. Exercise boosts your immune system response by producing cells that attack bacteria, so you don’t have to fear cold and flu season.

3. Endorphins produced by physical activity have been shown to effectively improve your mood and decrease incidences of depression. Exercise is important not only for your physical health, but also for your mental wellbeing!

4. Your lung capacity can increase with regular exercise, so workouts are important if you suffer from breathing difficulties or conditions such as asthma.

5. Ladies, listen up – exercise can reduce your risk of breast cancer by up to 60%! Since many breast tumors thrive on estrogen, and estrogen can be stored in body fat, reducing the amount of fat your body stores will help protect you.

6. Exercise alleviates menstrual cramps, so hop on the treadmill next time you’re feeling discomfort.

7. A combination of exercise, proper nutrition and hydration helps improve digestive health and keeps things moving in the right direction. So if you work out regularly and follow the Eat-Clean Diet® principles your colon will thank you!

8. Regular strength training promotes more efficient transportation of calcium through your system, which means stronger bones and a decreased risk of osteoporosis!

9. Reduce your likelihood of developing joint pain with some cardio: aerobic exercise can thicken cartilage in your joints, which then acts as a cushion to prevent pain from wear and tear.

10. Last but not least, and a cause very dear to me – exercise can reduce your risk of diabetes. Exercise causes the body to process glucose faster, which lowers blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity, so people with type 2 diabetes can benefit from a regular exercise routine.

Reason #3 is why I changed my mind. I struggled through my "run", but did it. A little later on I asked my friend Ashley to remind me about how good I feel & how my mood is after I go should I say I want to cancel. There really are a lot of health benefits to exercising. Now for the eating.....

I'm really excited to be starting WW again. I need the structure & figure since I'm not working, I can really devote the time. Jay asked if I was starting the first of the year. I can't wait that long. My start day will be 12/27. I just can't wait!!! I will be sharing my journey with you, did you think I wouldn't?

Now, I gotta go grab a cookie.....

;)