Nationals or Bust Health Challenge: Week 1

Something very special happened last week. My sister, author Ella Sheridan, was chosen as a finalist in the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart awards. This means she will be attending an Awards Night and many events at the RWA National conference this summer in July. I was nervous enough about going to this conference, because it will be my first time there as a published author. As a "curvy girl", I've really wanted to get into better shape for it, but kept putting off the start date (we all know how that goes, right?). Now we both have a reason to hunker down and get moving, but we hate to do it alone. We're hoping you will join us! Whether you are attending RWA Nationals or not, this will be a great time to band together and focus on our health through information, encouragement, and accountability. Participate as much or as little as you like, but the more you make your voice heard, the more encouragement we can offer and the more you'll get out of this process! So let's begin:

Have A Plan!

We do it all the time with our writing. I'll write 2 scenes a day until... I'll finish plotting and start writing by... We make goals and plans so we can see our target and reach it! There's nothing more satisfying than marking a task off a list (okay, maybe that's just me) or standing at the top of a mountain looking over everything you've worked so hard to achieve. Eyes on the prize, baby! After all, you can't sell a book you haven't written. Just like the general "I'm gonna write a book someday" doesn't get anyone anywhere, so the "I'll just cut back on my eating and exercise" rarely nets any discernible results. So, yes, even you pantsters out there need a plan! We all want to lose weight to look and feel our best at National Conference in July. That's 15 weeks from today! You don't have to post your plan here, but having one will help you see what you've accomplished and what you need to work on. What you've gotten control over and what still needs more focus. I suggest 1 or 2 options: 1. Decide on a food and exercise plan, instituting it all at once. That's right, from Day 1. It might be a little overwhelming the first week or two (especially after all that Easter candy), but you'll soon settle into a groove. 2. If you need more variety, try creating a very basic plan, then adding on to it each week by introducing a new "focus". For instance, one week you can focus on adding more strength training to your exercise routine, or eating more veggies, or drinking a certain amount of water, or trying a new sport. This can keep things interesting. Seriously, I'm nobody's motivational guru -- I've failed at more diets than most people have started. So when I post, I'm preaching to the choir here. But I've always worked better in a group and with accountability. I'd love to run into each and every one of you at Nationals and pat you on the back for all you've accomplished between now and then. SO LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!!! Introduce yourself in the comments and post your plan/goals if you want to. Each Wednesday we'll have a check-in for those who want to talk about their progress, problems, or pitfalls. Offer encouragement, advice, or high-fives -- we need them all. I look forward to getting to know everyone. Invite your friends, and let's look back on these 15 weeks with pride, having found a few new friends along the way. Dani Wade