This class saved our butts and started our marriage off on the right foot. We knew we had a hole to dig out of, so we followed steps and slowly but surely dug ourselves out. I wont' spill too many beans because I really think if you're interested then you should take the course, but the first main step was to establish an emergency account with about 3 months worth of total income brought into the house. This step took us about a year to complete and then another 6 months once I got on AD (since our income increased, the stash had to increase again). Then we slowly paid off the vehicles and credit cards. The final beast were my unpreventable student loans. The AF didn't pay for my schooling, and I didn't have parents that were in a position to help out much either. I knew this when I started my degree in 2008. I knew I was on my own, and would be responsible for my own education. On one hand I was very envious of many of my friends that had parents/family funding their college. I feel like they took it for granted the amazing gift they were receiving. Then on the other hand, I feel sort of empowered taking it on myself. I had to learn to budget at an early age, to resist blowing my loan returns every semester and really gained the feeling of independence knowing that I can provide for myself without anyone's help.
Fast forward 3.5 years later, and today we made the final payment to the student loan company. We have no mortgage, car payments, credit card debt or student loans anymore. We're finally debt free and it feels amazing. I encourage you to reevaluate your financial books. You don't have to live in a perpetual state of debt. Growing up, I thought a car payment/credit card payments were something you always had. Not true.
Not sure how long this state will last, given that we're both looking at future educational programs that we'll surely have to take loans out for, but for now....we'll enjoy it while it lasts.
Wow! 31 miles!!!?? What a goal and that's awesome!
ReplyDeleteSo I'll share with you something I learned a few months ago that changed my weight loss life. I never lost the last 5lbs of baby weight after Milan before getting pregnant again and even then I was about 15-20 lbs away from my "ideal" body weight from college/working and marriage. After I had Camly, with help, I figured out that my running long distances was not helping with my weight loss like I thought it would because I was burning my muscle mass. So I committed to do intense weight training and for cardio instead of just running I would incorporate short bursts of intensity by sprinting off and on and doing no more than 20-30 minutes. I did that for 8 weeks and in that time I lost all of Camly's baby weight, Milan's baby weight and got back to my high school weight. Even better was that I was toned.
I'm not telling you this because I think you should stop your long distance goals. I'm telling you this because as a woman you should not be so hard on yourself when it comes to your weight. If your top goal is to run that ultra marathon then make that your goal and put the scale away. However, if your top goal is to lose some lb's just remember with long distance running it's going to be trickier to lose the weight. Just don't be so hard on yourself when it comes to that scale;) I'm sure adding in the strength training will help a bunch too. Muscle=metabolism! (I think it's much more complicated than that equation but from a person that doesn't study nutrition/exercise that's my basic equation)
Lindsey you're so right! I think that's why Jillian Michaels DVDs worked so well for me. My mom runs maybe 15-20 miles a week and can't shed numbers on the scale to save her life!
DeleteI like to follow this facebook page because it educates me on fat loss and not just weight loss. It also has taught me how hormones have such a factor on fat loss and how males and females do not lose the same way. It's really interesting and I enjoy learning this stuff. http://www.metaboliceffect.com/
ReplyDeleteWTH?! Computer is doing weird crap and publishing my comments on the wrong post. Sorry. But I think you understand where they are supposed to go.
ReplyDelete