Doing Better...Little Steps

Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Little disappointed in myself today. Decided I needed to get out and get my W1D2 done before it rains, calling for thunderstorms. Sidenote and fyi - don't be using a treadmill when they predict thunderstorms. The other day I was on the treadmill, it was just spitting when I went down and within 5 minutes the power went out...not fun! Thankfully I was only walking, if I'd been running I could have seriously hurt myself. Hubby said all he could picture was me going over the top of it and flipping over on to the couch and sitting there in the dark.

Anyway... I started out doing a warm up walk in the driveway, did some stretching and set up my phone for music and the C25K program (I love my iPhone!). Started off well, got 3 runs in, for me it's more like a jog, which works out to about 10 minutes of the 30 minutes total. After the second run my right calf muscles started screaming. I thought it's just me, I just need to push through but after the third run it was feeling worse so I stopped the program and walked the rest of the way home. I still got in the 3kms I was aiming for but I would have rather done it at a run/walk instead of most of it done at a walk. I was still moving but not happy with myself. But exercise is exercise, right??? Tomorrow I think I will try to workout on the Total Gym for some strength training.

I've decided that to help me stay focused and more accountable I'm sharing my food and fitness tracker. I've also joined "Walk a Marathon in 30 Days" at MapMyRun. So far so good!

I for some reason stepped on the scale today, I did that on Monday as a starting point, 247.6. Today, 246 even. It was a good feeling. It shows that when you get up and move, even a little more than normal and you make better - not great, but better - food choices, these small steps make a big difference. Though today didn't go well, I'm still focused and feeling good overall.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LOOZINITNOW 5/5/2010 1:26PM

You are doing great! Keep pushing! Report Inappropriate Comment

XTMONT 5/5/2010 1:18PM

Keep it up! It's worth the work! Report Inappropriate Comment

IMLOSINIT4GOOD 5/5/2010 12:54PM

I wouldn't count today as a loss! You still got out there, and you did you best. Sometimes you body makes a point to tell you it needs to slow down, but you're already committed to getting back up tomorrow and making it count. GOOD FOR YOU!!! I share my tracker too, for that same reason. Just the idea that someone could be analyzing what I eat is enough to keep me a little more accountable even if it is just all in my head... Its weird but it works :P I'd off the best of luck to you, but you've already got all the tools you need. So to you a and a Big cause, you know you can! Report Inappropriate Comment

MORGANLAFEE 5/5/2010 12:51PM

Hang in there and keep making the small steps. Report Inappropriate Comment

MORGANLAFEE 5/5/2010 12:51PM

Hang in there and keep making the small steps. Report Inappropriate Comment

Lazy Day

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

Well, never got out for that walk I wanted to yesterday. Shortly after posting my blog I got a call from the nephew's school to come get him yet again for another day suspension. So my walk was just not doable, I won't show him a "good time" in any form. I got my work out in so I am still happy with my accomplishments for the day.

Today, I've gone for a nice relaxing just over 2K walk. It was more to just get out and move/stretch the muscles than to really work out. It was also to test out the route for hills and such as tomorrow it will be the route I take for the second day of C25K. It's fairly flat, quiet - I was passed by 1 car the entire time, and not many people around to stare. I know it shouldn't matter what others think, but it's a hard habit to break. And I will break it, one step at a time.

I haven't really gotten much accomplished today. Not sure really where the time went. I made one batch of Gardener's soap but that's been about it next to the regular dishes and vacuuming. I've been sitting on the deck, soaking up the sun and warmth. Seeing as the rest of the week is a bit crazy, maybe it's good that I took some down time to do nothing and come to think about it - think about nothing for a change.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MEGANC1988 5/4/2010 5:03PM

Enjoy your down time! Report Inappropriate Comment

Back and Fighting

Monday, May 03, 2010

So many things have happened over the last couple of months that have made me stand back and look at how I deal with things and certain people in my life.
Now having dug my way out from under most of the avalanche of emotions and negative actions (surprisingly I've only gained back 8 lbs), I'm ready to get back to this journey and see where it takes me.
I cannot change yesterday but I can make better choices today. Everyday I need to make a point to remind myself that I deserve to be healthy, I deserve to be happy. It's a starting point.
The 5K walk I did yesterday was the refresh and refocus I needed. I made a few decisions on some personal issues which I've been trying to avoid but have been stressing over instead which has helped to really clear my head and help me start to make good choices rather than negative thoughts/choices which have smothered me for the last few months.

Today I completed week 1 day 1 of the C25K run program. And I'm halfway done my to-do list for today. Farmers' Market starts in 3 weeks (May 22) which has been another big morale booster for me. I am so looking forward to going back!

Time to finish my to-do list and maybe get out for a walk before everyone gets home from school seeing as I have a PTA meeting tonight so won't be able to after dinner.

Enjoy the day!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LOOZINITNOW 5/3/2010 6:04PM

I'm happy to see that you are recommitted! Report Inappropriate Comment

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Sunday, January 24, 2010

I think I had the worst sleep last night. No, actually I know I did. Hubby has been complaining about our mattress bothering his back and crappy sleeps - I now fully understand the explanation I got when I was little of why my grandparents slept in separate twin beds. So yesterday while at the in-laws he mentions it and that he wants to borrow a blow up bed from our nephew to see if that's any better. Well they send home 2 twin air mattresses. He blew them up and took the mattress off the bed and said lets try these. Not a good night's sleep. Firstly I'm no longer a dead to the world sleeper, I woke to every little move he made and spent most of the night feeling like I was falling off the bed. It reminded me of his water bed when we first got together and I hated that thing! Came out to the couch at 5am to try and sleep only to lay there. There was no going back to sleep. Once I'm up, I'm up. Hopefully I can get through the day. I'm going to go downstairs shortly and exercise, cause I feel the sour mood I'm in from lack of good sleep. Hopefully exercise will improve it.

Weigh in was Friday, 238! Down 12 lbs from when I starting in November. It's been slow, especially having those 3 weeks of not loosing, but I've learned so much about how I handle things and how my body reacts to them. Yes, its been alot more stress with the 18 yr old being back home. Him and his dad keep butting heads (I say to much testosterone in the house..LOL) and of course the other two are at that age and are starting to give attitude and test their limits. Things came to a head yesterday while visiting the in-laws. DS told his grandmother he wants to go back to university in the fall. When she asked what he was going to do in the mean time - "hang out cause there isn't any jobs available WORTH my time and I won't learn anything at them anyway" was the response. Even she told him to get off his lazy butt and get a job. He was not impressed. He was even less impressed when I told her that if he wasn't working in another month I had a couple of jobs lined up for him with some of my custom home builders where he would be doing some grunt work for them. He's done it before and he didn't like it. He liked the money (they paid him extremely well considering he was a grunt) but he hated how hard he had to work to earn it. His grandfather told him to suck it up (lol), monies money and he needs a job to survive not learn at right now. It was refreshing to have them hear it from DS for a change. We always get the your to hard on him story. Now they got to hear what we hear daily. Mom asked how we stand for it and Dad said he'd have thrown his butt out weeks ago and then they went into remember when stories about DH's siblings.

I finally had two good work out days where my legs weren't killing me after. I found the secret is I have to Turbo Jam to really loosen up before I get on the treadmill. Even doing 20 minutes of stretching didn't seem to help much. So on weekends where I don't have alot of me time I will do the 20 minute routine of TJ and 35 minutes of intervals. During the week I'll do the Cardio Party routines which are 45 minutes and either 45 minutes of intervals or on alternate days the C25K program. I'm hoping this week will be smoother and I'll have time to get to the gym in the afternoons for some strength training.
Friday night I dropped off the boys at the local high school for some family fitness fun night thing. It was nice to see the oldest working on some basketball drills with his younger brother and best was he didn't loose his patience with him.
The dad of a friend of my 12yr old DS has been put in charge of it. It's free through the town, they pay the school for the gym time so it's great cause there is nothing for these kids to do otherwise in town. Not alone there is no real fitness centers as such in this town, we have to go to the next town over which is only 10 minutes but still in the winter it makes a hugh difference. So I was talking to him afterwards while we waited for the boys and he told me the exercise equipment was usable during that time too and he would really like for the families to come out take advantage of this time. He wants to have nights where parents are involved with the kids or at the least using the equipment while watching their kids play as it's all on the stage in the gym. So next week, I will be going out and using the equipment, he's going to "drag" his wife (she doesn't want to go cause she doesn't want to be the only woman there) and he's hoping word will spread and we'll get a fitness group going while the kids play. His wife is making notices to be sent home with the kids from the various schools in town. So we'll see what happens. Right now it's not really organized on this is what we are doing tonight, the kids get to pick since there are so few of them. But it's 2 hours long so they can play a few different things and get lots of exercise. I told him even if his wife doesn't show, I'll be there and I'll work out for a half hour to loosen up and then help out on the floor for the rest of the night. If nothing else, our families will have fun and be fitter from it.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SHELBYBEAR 1/28/2010 2:38PM

That would be great to have something at the HS. Our Y is also about a 10 minute drive and then you have to park in the college lot and walk 1/4 mi to the door with the wind and rain/snow blowing off the lake into your face--the walk is great when the weather is good but come winter? We have a -5 to -10 wind chill right now. Not to mention the cost....Great setting that up! Report Inappropriate Comment

DETERMINEDANGI 1/24/2010 10:29AM

Sorry you had a horrible night sleep! Congratulations on the loss though!! WAY TO GO!! And how awesome that they are setting that up at the HS gym! It would be so cool to have something like that around here, free and family oriented. Let me know how it works out! (no pun intended lol) Talk to you soon, Angi Report Inappropriate Comment

Things

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Firstly, hubby's back is alot better. Now if I could just get him to do the stretches and exercises on his own rather than me having to suggest and go downstairs with him. I just want him to show some initiative for his own health not rely on me to tell him to do it. He needs to want his back healthy and strong for himself, not just for us.

Otherwise, this has been a great few days! Monday we went to the movies (love airmiles!). We got there early and DD had to get some supplies for a school project so we left the car and walked across to the other mall to go to the dollar store. Silly me forgot my inhaler at home and the cold air from the walk triggered an asthma attack. I've called in for another inhaler so I'll have one to carry in my purse.
Now usually I hate going to the movies. The seats are not meant for my big ole' butt. They usually are tight and pinch, squeeze and in general I feel almost stuck in them. So I was prepared for a good movie that I probably wouldn't fully enjoy. I WAS WRONG! Just loosing the inches that I have has made a hugh difference. The seats were still touching my sides, but there was no squeeze or pinched feeling and I was able to be comfortable the entire movie. I did cheat a little, I had two handfuls of popcorn and I drank my large (their regular) size pop which were part of our tickets. That won't happen again, next time it is just the movie on the tickets and I'll sneak in my water bottle. And if I eat right before we leave, I won't be wanting to snack. The theater was dead. There was us with the 2 kids and 2 younger girls were there to watch the movie. So the kids went to sit where they wanted and left hubby and I alone. It was nice to have some alone time, it's been a long time since we were at the movies alone.

Then yesterday hubby and I went out to Boston Pizza for lunch. Now those that have gone to BP and had the $9.00 bundle meal know how much food there is - or isn't on your plate. I made pretty good food choices (garden salad less the dressing ((I don't like dressing anyway unless it's a cesar salad), garlic toast which I didn't eat, and a pasta dish that I ate half of) and stuck to just water with lemon to drink. Best part, I felt comfortable in the booth seats! My belly wasn't rubbing against the table. There was room to move!! It felt so good to be able to slide in and out of the seat without feeling like I was an elephant trying to get in/out of a clown car. And even though the portions were smaller than the regular meals, I still brought home food which the kids argued over and devoured in seconds when they got home from school.

I've also gotten in all my workouts so far this week. I took a good slip and pulled a muscle yesterday morning while out playing with the dogs. It was slipperier than it looked. I can't wait till spring!

Today is a more relaxed day. My leg is still pretty tender and I'm just going to be studying with hopefully getting an hour in on the treadmill later, even if I don't do my full speed/incline routine. I'll just adjust it when I need to to accommodate this blasted leg. Any exercise is better than none.

Off to study and try to get these medical terms to sink in...

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SHELBYBEAR 1/20/2010 12:26PM

We went to the movie Friday night and I had the same wonderful experience! It was so nice to be able to sit in the seat and have a little wiggle room. YOu are doing great! Keep it up!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

LOOZINITNOW 1/20/2010 11:17AM

Sounds like you had a wonderful day! I love the feeling of never having to worry about booths or movie seats again! I know how the leg feels. I am treadmilling today...no incline and no intervals though! It's better than yesterday but tender. You do the same. Take it easy! Report Inappropriate Comment

TEEKAY25 1/20/2010 10:38AM

Even losing inches is a great motivator! Great job. Report Inappropriate Comment