Oh man oh man oh man.
Everything associated with the move to California has been a mess. My weight is just one more part of it.
I gained 20 pounds in the move, and then stopped running and gained 15 more since December.
So now I'm flirting with the edge of 200, and feeling really annoyed about it.
However, I got back on track. I got a "fitbook", which I love, as it helps me plan and keep track of my exercise and nutrition (without freaking about calories), and I've been running 3 times per week plus doing strength training once or twice a week.
I lost five pounds the first week.
I gained two the next.
And today? The scale is telling me I gained three more. Along with 2% body fat!
How is this possible?? How can a person gain two percent body fat in three days--since Friday, when last I weighed myself??
Welcome back to Frustrationland!! AGAIN!
(Sigh!)
I don't understand this. I wish I hadn't bought one of those fancy scales that gives you the body fat percentage. It's just confusing me. I might give it away and get a cheapo plain scale.
I used to have a big, glass scale we got at Brookstone, and it was simply a digital scale. But it was so huge and heavy, and you couldn't tuck it away anywhere, so I gave it away when we moved. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have it back. I tracked in the 0.1 range for weight, and as I said--it didn't do the body fat thing.
Anyway, it really makes me mad more than anything. I didn't lose 100 pounds only to regain 35 of it.
Again, not that, in the grand scheme of things, it's such a huge deal. At a size 12, I'm still way more healthy than I was at a size 20. And being able to run a 5K at an 11 minute per mile pace is pretty darn awesome too. I'm sure my cholesterol and triglycerides are doing fine, they always are when I eat lots of salmon and walnuts and all that good stuff, which I am right now. In fact, I'm actually eating disgustingly healthfully, a lot of organic, very little sugar (OK I had two...three!...cookies yesterday), and lots of "real" food. I only shop the "perimeter" of the store, where all the fresh stuff is, and rarely venture into the aisles unless I need cereal for Kent and the kids.
What I'm not doing is eating a lot of veggies, but the fitbook has a checkoff for veggies so that's helping me there.
Again, as I said, in the grand scheme of things, I'm a lot healthier than I was. I'm more fit, more active, stronger, and more capable than I was for 15 years.
However, I'm not where I was last June, and right now that's killing me. I liked being that fit; I liked being able to run 20 miles. And I liked feeling slim and small, although I must admit, my face got a little too thin. I was looking a little haggard there. Or was that the two solid weeks of packing that did it? (wink!)
I think right now what's bothering me the most is that I don't feel small like I did before. I liked that feeling. Like Kent and I weren't the same size--and frankly, for a while, we were. And right now, with my clothes the wrong size, even if they're mediums and larges (and not extra-large or 1x or 2x), I still don't feel small.
So back to the drawing board. I just finished reading a book called Real Food, by Nina Planck, and she wrote a lot of interesting things about eating real eggs and real milk and even butter, not that I want to slather all my food in a pound of butter, but certainly it's better than hydrogenated margarine.
I will keep on the pace I'm on--strength training, running, and try to add walks in where I'm not doing either. And I'm tracking my food now, so I'll be better about getting those veggies and fruits in. That's something that, frankly, I've been horrible at lately, and I know that I was eating way more of them when I was lighter. And I need to re-read YOU: On a Diet, by Dr. Oz. I did that before and it helped me to see it was all physiological.
And right now, when the scale is telling me I gained 3 pounds and 2% body fat in one weekend, I need all the help I can get to remember it's NOT the Diet Gods out to get me.
I just gotta get back in the zone of want-power; I can do this. I did it before. I will do it again.
Have fun and enjoy health!
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
5Ks and other fun stuff
Well I forgot how much fun running can be!
I know, I know. That probably sounds a lot like, "Wow, I forgot how much having a root canal with no anesthesia can be!"
But it's true. When everything "clicks", running is just...joyous. I had completely forgotten that in all the chaos of the past eight months or so.
Last week, when I was into my 2nd week of my couch-to-Bay-To-Breakers-12K program that I made up for myself, I was seriously wondering if I had completely lost my mind. I have been starting slow, doing run/walk intervals. In my past running life, that meant run 2 miles, walk a minute. My new goal was to simply run for three minutes, after which I would reward myself with 30 seconds of walking.
Oh, and that run? Yeah. It was at a 5 mph pace, which is a 12-minute mile. That's my former "I'm dilly-dallying" or "I'm running 20 miles today so I'm taking it easy" pace.(Whine!)
Was it a "taking it easy pace" last week? Heck no! It was almost an all-out, do-it-or-die sprint!
That's how fast you lose your running mojo. Three months and wham, I'm back to being a beginner.
But wait? What glimmer of hope was that? I ran a 5K one day, and 4 miles two days later.
I know, I know. I had to walk 1 1/2 minutes of every darned mile, but I did it. I put in the mileage.
Fast-forward to St. Patrick's Day. Despite it being a "Baby Gymnastics" day, I didn't dare take Karalyn to the YMCA child care center. She was still too sick. So I had to wait until Kent got home, at which time I dashed off to do a quick hour on the treadmill.
See what I mean? An hour on the treadmill. And I'm treating it like a "quick hour" running.
That's how fast the running bug bites you.
So anyway, I realized that if I intended to get everyone fed and to bed on time, I really only had about 40 minutes, plus driving time, but I thought I might be able to get a 5K out of it. I started two weeks ago with 2 minute run/30 second walk intervals; last week, I went to 3 minute run/30 second walk. Naturally, this week, I went to 4 minute run/30 second walk.
I was prepared to die on that treadmill. Last week I was seriously dying, slogging through those three minutes, watching the clock, counting each 60 seconds, thinking there had to be something wrong with my watch interval timer. I scraped through by my fingernails, and worried about what this week would bring.
So I got on the treadmill, hit the button to start my 12 min/mile pace, and went at it. 4 minutes run, 30 seconds walk.
2 miles in, I'm thinking, what's going on here? I didn't get it. I wasn't nearly as winded as I had been last week. I was flying right along, barely noticing until the timer beeped that it was time to do the walk. I seriously debated running through the intervals but decided to do it the right way. But after 2 miles, I kept thinking, "This should be harder."
I was flying! It was slow, but I had that "flying" feeling back, just like I used to get on my favorite five-mile run, the Presidential Loop in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Like the running was effortless.
Light.
Fun!
So, being the glutton for punishment that I am, I upped the speed. I thought, "I should be working harder here. I'm not nearly winded enough." (I'm such a dork!) So I bumped it up to a 10 minute 56 second-per-mile pace, with 4 minutes run/30 seconds walk.
That felt a little tougher, but even that wasn't quite enough. I did another mile, and thought, for the last tenth, I'll just bump it up to a ten-minute-per-mile pace for the last tenth.
My vanity got the best of me; after a tenth of a mile, I thought, "That was it?" and ran another tenth.
My Personal St. Patrick's Day 5K turned into a 5K-Plus-1/10th-mile run!
Time? 38:56.
No, it was definitely not blazingly fast, but better than, oh, say, three weeks ago when I wasn't running AT ALL.
But in the meantime, I discovered this visceral joy in running. It was so easy and effortless that I was watching Oprah and not even noticing the time go by. I was tempted to say that Oprah was just too distracting--and yes, medical mistakes CAN be quite distracting--but nothing is THAT distracting when you're having a hard run.
It's when it's easy that I lose myself and feel like I could run forever.
I went home afterwards, and longingly looked at the Honolulu Marathon website. I kept thinking, "I ran 20 miles. I was going to do San Francisco, but then the move from hell happened, and I never did it...I knew when I did that 20 miler that I could have definitely done six more. I nearly did then. I wish I had...but that's OK. Now, I want to do THIS marathon!"
I blurted it out to Kent. "Hon, I want to do the Honolulu Marathon. It's the one I really wanted to do. It was my first goal. I think I want to go for it this year."
His reaction?
"OK."
...Oh. OK then! We're on!
My new goal: December 13, 2009: The Honolulu Marathon. It'll give me a chance to go back to my old stomping grounds. I haven't been there since that summer of 1982. It's been so long. I want to see the old apartment complex, and walk my favorite walk from Kapiolani Park down to the Hale Koa hotel. I want to check out Ala Moana, and take the tram at Pearlridge. And I want to smell all the plumeria I can get my hands on. They're still one of my favorite flowers.
It's my goal. I am already checking out flights, and now I simply need either to reserve a room at a hostel, or find someone to go with me to split the hotel costs. Kent is willing to stay with the girls, although perhaps our parents can watch them and we can go together. It's a thought.
But this time, I'm not going to stress over whether I can go fast enough to beat 5 hours. I will train to complete it; if I break 5 hours, great. If not, I just want to finish it. It's a better goal for a marathon "virgin" anyway.
Anyway, this morning, since Kara was better and I didn't feel like I'd subject other kids to her cold, I planned to go to the Y to do weight training and then simply walk for a bit, but after almost an hour of Cybex (including a very humbling assisted-weight pullup session lasting for exactly THREE pullups), I got on the treadmill and soon was doing what I call "reverse intervals", with 2 minutes' walking and 30 seconds in an all-out sprint.
I used to do these on a six-minute-per-mile pace; the best I could scrape out was an 8-minute-per-mile pace today. It was tough, but I had a good time with it.
Tomorrow, more running on tap. I think I'll aim for another four miles. I am hopeful that I'll have another "flying" day, but if there is one thing I have found in running, it is that the days you expect to be easy rarely are; and sometimes, the days you expect to be the most impossible end up being the kind of days you live for.
Have a lovely day, and here's to an even better tomorrow...we hope!
I know, I know. That probably sounds a lot like, "Wow, I forgot how much having a root canal with no anesthesia can be!"
But it's true. When everything "clicks", running is just...joyous. I had completely forgotten that in all the chaos of the past eight months or so.
Last week, when I was into my 2nd week of my couch-to-Bay-To-Breakers-12K program that I made up for myself, I was seriously wondering if I had completely lost my mind. I have been starting slow, doing run/walk intervals. In my past running life, that meant run 2 miles, walk a minute. My new goal was to simply run for three minutes, after which I would reward myself with 30 seconds of walking.
Oh, and that run? Yeah. It was at a 5 mph pace, which is a 12-minute mile. That's my former "I'm dilly-dallying" or "I'm running 20 miles today so I'm taking it easy" pace.
Was it a "taking it easy pace" last week? Heck no! It was almost an all-out, do-it-or-die sprint!
That's how fast you lose your running mojo. Three months and wham, I'm back to being a beginner.
But wait? What glimmer of hope was that? I ran a 5K one day, and 4 miles two days later.
I know, I know. I had to walk 1 1/2 minutes of every darned mile, but I did it. I put in the mileage.
Fast-forward to St. Patrick's Day. Despite it being a "Baby Gymnastics" day, I didn't dare take Karalyn to the YMCA child care center. She was still too sick. So I had to wait until Kent got home, at which time I dashed off to do a quick hour on the treadmill.
See what I mean? An hour on the treadmill. And I'm treating it like a "quick hour" running.
That's how fast the running bug bites you.
So anyway, I realized that if I intended to get everyone fed and to bed on time, I really only had about 40 minutes, plus driving time, but I thought I might be able to get a 5K out of it. I started two weeks ago with 2 minute run/30 second walk intervals; last week, I went to 3 minute run/30 second walk. Naturally, this week, I went to 4 minute run/30 second walk.
I was prepared to die on that treadmill. Last week I was seriously dying, slogging through those three minutes, watching the clock, counting each 60 seconds, thinking there had to be something wrong with my watch interval timer. I scraped through by my fingernails, and worried about what this week would bring.
So I got on the treadmill, hit the button to start my 12 min/mile pace, and went at it. 4 minutes run, 30 seconds walk.
2 miles in, I'm thinking, what's going on here? I didn't get it. I wasn't nearly as winded as I had been last week. I was flying right along, barely noticing until the timer beeped that it was time to do the walk. I seriously debated running through the intervals but decided to do it the right way. But after 2 miles, I kept thinking, "This should be harder."
I was flying! It was slow, but I had that "flying" feeling back, just like I used to get on my favorite five-mile run, the Presidential Loop in Kennebunkport, Maine.
Like the running was effortless.
Light.
Fun!
So, being the glutton for punishment that I am, I upped the speed. I thought, "I should be working harder here. I'm not nearly winded enough." (I'm such a dork!) So I bumped it up to a 10 minute 56 second-per-mile pace, with 4 minutes run/30 seconds walk.
That felt a little tougher, but even that wasn't quite enough. I did another mile, and thought, for the last tenth, I'll just bump it up to a ten-minute-per-mile pace for the last tenth.
My vanity got the best of me; after a tenth of a mile, I thought, "That was it?" and ran another tenth.
My Personal St. Patrick's Day 5K turned into a 5K-Plus-1/10th-mile run!
Time? 38:56.
No, it was definitely not blazingly fast, but better than, oh, say, three weeks ago when I wasn't running AT ALL.
But in the meantime, I discovered this visceral joy in running. It was so easy and effortless that I was watching Oprah and not even noticing the time go by. I was tempted to say that Oprah was just too distracting--and yes, medical mistakes CAN be quite distracting--but nothing is THAT distracting when you're having a hard run.
It's when it's easy that I lose myself and feel like I could run forever.
I went home afterwards, and longingly looked at the Honolulu Marathon website. I kept thinking, "I ran 20 miles. I was going to do San Francisco, but then the move from hell happened, and I never did it...I knew when I did that 20 miler that I could have definitely done six more. I nearly did then. I wish I had...but that's OK. Now, I want to do THIS marathon!"
I blurted it out to Kent. "Hon, I want to do the Honolulu Marathon. It's the one I really wanted to do. It was my first goal. I think I want to go for it this year."
His reaction?
"OK."
...Oh. OK then! We're on!
My new goal: December 13, 2009: The Honolulu Marathon. It'll give me a chance to go back to my old stomping grounds. I haven't been there since that summer of 1982. It's been so long. I want to see the old apartment complex, and walk my favorite walk from Kapiolani Park down to the Hale Koa hotel. I want to check out Ala Moana, and take the tram at Pearlridge. And I want to smell all the plumeria I can get my hands on. They're still one of my favorite flowers.
It's my goal. I am already checking out flights, and now I simply need either to reserve a room at a hostel, or find someone to go with me to split the hotel costs. Kent is willing to stay with the girls, although perhaps our parents can watch them and we can go together. It's a thought.
But this time, I'm not going to stress over whether I can go fast enough to beat 5 hours. I will train to complete it; if I break 5 hours, great. If not, I just want to finish it. It's a better goal for a marathon "virgin" anyway.
Anyway, this morning, since Kara was better and I didn't feel like I'd subject other kids to her cold, I planned to go to the Y to do weight training and then simply walk for a bit, but after almost an hour of Cybex (including a very humbling assisted-weight pullup session lasting for exactly THREE pullups), I got on the treadmill and soon was doing what I call "reverse intervals", with 2 minutes' walking and 30 seconds in an all-out sprint.
I used to do these on a six-minute-per-mile pace; the best I could scrape out was an 8-minute-per-mile pace today. It was tough, but I had a good time with it.
Tomorrow, more running on tap. I think I'll aim for another four miles. I am hopeful that I'll have another "flying" day, but if there is one thing I have found in running, it is that the days you expect to be easy rarely are; and sometimes, the days you expect to be the most impossible end up being the kind of days you live for.
Have a lovely day, and here's to an even better tomorrow...we hope!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Question: How Did I Do It?
A couple posts ago, in response to my entry, "A Life Altered Yet Again", Tyler asked me the following question:
"I'm curious, how did you lose weight?"
I've gotten that question a lot, especially from people who knew be "before", and who hadn't seen me in a while. The usual remark is "WHOAH!" followed by, '"How did you do it?''
I wrote a reply out to Tyler, and realized that it's the same answer I always give. I may have even put this in another blog entry someplace. But it bears repeating...the things I did that made a difference for me.
HOW I DID IT:
#1, I started weighing myself daily. Knowing anybody fluctuates up to 2-3 pounds daily, it was just a "check-in" to see how I was doing. If I went up over 3 pounds, I knew I was doing something wrong. Weight Watchers tells you to NEVER do this...but it works for me.
#2, I read YOU: On a Diet by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen. It reinforced that losing weight is PHYSIOLOGICAL, not psychological OR the whims of the "Diet Gods" (whom I was convinced hated me anyway). They actually have all sorts of good stuff online now, through their website, "RealAge" (which helped me learn how to eat)...but I read the book. Old-fashioned, perhaps, but it worked for me. I re-read parts of it when I felt especially persecuted by those blasted Diet Gods...
#3, I walked. Then I jogged. Then I ran. And I decided to join a club to add the weightlifting component to work on my strength. The trainer there, a wonderful guy, told me NEVER to do the same thing two days in a row. He said your body needs time to recover, and doing things two days in a row doesn't allow it the time to recover and rebuild. So I did weights AND 30 minutes on the elliptical 3x a week, and walking/jogging 3x a week, alternating. The trainer said my walking/jogging was my "weight loss" effort, so aimed for my elliptical training heart rate to be at something like 80% of maximum to train my cardiovascular system. It worked! My cardiovascular system ended up in fabulous shape; I could out-walk and out-run my teenaged niece without huffing and puffing! The trainer was a great help and I stuck with his program for a couple months, then met with him again and started a new program...until I really got serious about running...then I ended up just running most of the time. Mistake--I should have stuck with the weights. It would have made me a stronger runner. Even though I could run half marathons and do triathlons, I was mostly strong on my legs/hips, but not so much in my core and arms.
#4, I wrote down EVERY LITTLE THING I ate and tallied the calories. When I hit 1800 calories (up to 2000) I stopped eating. Period. It only took a few days for me to start to nail down what I could do to maximize my nutrition/satiety without piling on the calories. I noticed that foods that were closest to their natural state (i.e. apple vs. juice) tended to fill me more and "cost" me less. But I did NOT play games and eat junky, tasteless food just because it was low in calories. I ate whatever I wanted, even dark chocolate (Lindt, mmm) but just "budgeted" my calories accordingly by making sure I ate lots of healthy stuff in between--like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. And I tried to make sure I ate the veggies FIRST when I had dinner, and used a lunch plate instead of one of those huge dinner plates. That helped. If you split your plate into halves, then the half into halves again (so you have two 1/4ths and one 1/2), put the veggies in the half side...and in the 1/4 portions, that's for your lean protein and whole grains. That helps a lot.
#5, Take a multivitamin and calcium, and yes, that's important for guys too. Although I got far better nutrition from the new way of eating anyway, I just wanted to be sure I was covered.
#6, I made healthier choices to lower my cholesterol. It was over 200, and I dropped it to something like 159, with excellent HDL levels, low LDL levels, and oustanding triglycerides. The exercise was a huge help too, but I made sure to eat olive oil instead of butter or margarine, whole grains (whole wheat bread, wild/brown rice mix, etc.) and I had oatmeal daily...I love oatmeal, so it wasn't a tough sell. I also ate salmon weekly if I could, and just tried to eliminate all those trans-fats (hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), both of which are in just about everything (even crackers!). I think HFCS is the spawn of the devil. :)
Incidentally, my doctor, when I went in for my checkup after telling him I wanted to take care of my cholesterol by myself (without drugs) first, nearly danced when my numbers came in. He was giddy, it was so funny! He called me a "poster child" and said that I was living proof that "diet and exercise work!"
And by the way...one more thing: I NEVER use the word "diet" except to mean "eating plan" as in, "That's part of a healthy diet." I have young, impressionable girls, and I NEVER want them to diet. Ever. It's a roller coaster that you can't get off of. I simply called it "eating healthier", and my daughter knows I eat healthy...but has never once said I was on a diet. I want it to stay that way. Diets are temporary--eating healthy is a permanent choice.
That's not to say some Oreos don't go amiss now and again...!
:)
There. The Answer to The Question. I hope it provides some insight for you, and helps you out in your weight-loss and/or maintenance efforts.
Good luck!
____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
"I'm curious, how did you lose weight?"
I've gotten that question a lot, especially from people who knew be "before", and who hadn't seen me in a while. The usual remark is "WHOAH!" followed by, '"How did you do it?''
I wrote a reply out to Tyler, and realized that it's the same answer I always give. I may have even put this in another blog entry someplace. But it bears repeating...the things I did that made a difference for me.
HOW I DID IT:
#1, I started weighing myself daily. Knowing anybody fluctuates up to 2-3 pounds daily, it was just a "check-in" to see how I was doing. If I went up over 3 pounds, I knew I was doing something wrong. Weight Watchers tells you to NEVER do this...but it works for me.
#2, I read YOU: On a Diet by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen. It reinforced that losing weight is PHYSIOLOGICAL, not psychological OR the whims of the "Diet Gods" (whom I was convinced hated me anyway). They actually have all sorts of good stuff online now, through their website, "RealAge" (which helped me learn how to eat)...but I read the book. Old-fashioned, perhaps, but it worked for me. I re-read parts of it when I felt especially persecuted by those blasted Diet Gods...
#3, I walked. Then I jogged. Then I ran. And I decided to join a club to add the weightlifting component to work on my strength. The trainer there, a wonderful guy, told me NEVER to do the same thing two days in a row. He said your body needs time to recover, and doing things two days in a row doesn't allow it the time to recover and rebuild. So I did weights AND 30 minutes on the elliptical 3x a week, and walking/jogging 3x a week, alternating. The trainer said my walking/jogging was my "weight loss" effort, so aimed for my elliptical training heart rate to be at something like 80% of maximum to train my cardiovascular system. It worked! My cardiovascular system ended up in fabulous shape; I could out-walk and out-run my teenaged niece without huffing and puffing! The trainer was a great help and I stuck with his program for a couple months, then met with him again and started a new program...until I really got serious about running...then I ended up just running most of the time. Mistake--I should have stuck with the weights. It would have made me a stronger runner. Even though I could run half marathons and do triathlons, I was mostly strong on my legs/hips, but not so much in my core and arms.
#4, I wrote down EVERY LITTLE THING I ate and tallied the calories. When I hit 1800 calories (up to 2000) I stopped eating. Period. It only took a few days for me to start to nail down what I could do to maximize my nutrition/satiety without piling on the calories. I noticed that foods that were closest to their natural state (i.e. apple vs. juice) tended to fill me more and "cost" me less. But I did NOT play games and eat junky, tasteless food just because it was low in calories. I ate whatever I wanted, even dark chocolate (Lindt, mmm) but just "budgeted" my calories accordingly by making sure I ate lots of healthy stuff in between--like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. And I tried to make sure I ate the veggies FIRST when I had dinner, and used a lunch plate instead of one of those huge dinner plates. That helped. If you split your plate into halves, then the half into halves again (so you have two 1/4ths and one 1/2), put the veggies in the half side...and in the 1/4 portions, that's for your lean protein and whole grains. That helps a lot.
#5, Take a multivitamin and calcium, and yes, that's important for guys too. Although I got far better nutrition from the new way of eating anyway, I just wanted to be sure I was covered.
#6, I made healthier choices to lower my cholesterol. It was over 200, and I dropped it to something like 159, with excellent HDL levels, low LDL levels, and oustanding triglycerides. The exercise was a huge help too, but I made sure to eat olive oil instead of butter or margarine, whole grains (whole wheat bread, wild/brown rice mix, etc.) and I had oatmeal daily...I love oatmeal, so it wasn't a tough sell. I also ate salmon weekly if I could, and just tried to eliminate all those trans-fats (hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils) and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), both of which are in just about everything (even crackers!). I think HFCS is the spawn of the devil. :)
Incidentally, my doctor, when I went in for my checkup after telling him I wanted to take care of my cholesterol by myself (without drugs) first, nearly danced when my numbers came in. He was giddy, it was so funny! He called me a "poster child" and said that I was living proof that "diet and exercise work!"
And by the way...one more thing: I NEVER use the word "diet" except to mean "eating plan" as in, "That's part of a healthy diet." I have young, impressionable girls, and I NEVER want them to diet. Ever. It's a roller coaster that you can't get off of. I simply called it "eating healthier", and my daughter knows I eat healthy...but has never once said I was on a diet. I want it to stay that way. Diets are temporary--eating healthy is a permanent choice.
That's not to say some Oreos don't go amiss now and again...!
:)
There. The Answer to The Question. I hope it provides some insight for you, and helps you out in your weight-loss and/or maintenance efforts.
Good luck!
____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Back in the Saddle...er, Treadmill...again
Here we go again!
Today was my first day back on track. Since we got here a few weeks ago, I've been checking out a bunch of fitness clubs in the area. One had great classes but the facility was really run-down and gritty. Another one had no pool, so wouldn't have worked for Maddy or ME when I am back into triathlon training. Another one had a pool, great classes, fitness focused on women, treadmills with tv screens on them...but the membership fee was $650! (You don't PAY that though...they knock it down to $480 or so through various "incentives", then you knock off $18 every month you work out...that requires a 3 year commitment at least.)
I was getting bummed but then we found the Y. WHY I didn't look before, considering we belonged to one in Maine, boggles the mind. I'll blame it on being brain-dead due to not exercising.
That same brain-dead-edness also stopped me from considering that my sister's remote control might not be programmed properly (it wasn't) until AFTER the Olympics were over...and after I programmed it properly, requiring finding appropriate codes online, I discovered SHE DOES get NBC. It didn't come in until I set the remote to find the channels automatically...and the channel did not come up when manually hitting the "up channel" button on the VCR.
So we missed the ENTIRE Olympics for nothing.
Argh!!!
Anyway, I digress.
The YMCA here is fabulous. They have the 25-yard pool (outside) and another inside for waterobics or whatever you call it. They have a nice cardio theatre and Cybex weights, and their treadmills are in the upstairs area--and they all have their own TV screens. It's called "Cardio Theatre" and it rocks!! I was bummed about not having access to my own choices on the treadmill, now that I no longer have a basement entertainment center (or a treadmill, for that matter). No problemo--I have full cable choices right at eye level, and I control them. YES!
There is a great daycare, and Kara was a real trooper for her first day there. She was there for an hour and fifteen minutes, and only called for me a couple times. She never cried, and she happily had her milky and some "cack-ows" (crackers) for snack. She was delighted to see me, though, which was gratifying!
There are also CLASSES. Did you see that? I said, there are CLASSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been missing classes since we moved to Maine. What classes? ANY classes! I'll take whatever anyone offers! YES, my home YMCA had classes, but I never tried going to them because I had my own treadmill and I was biking on my own and swimming at the Y. So I didn't bother.
NOW, however, as I'm trying to rebuild my fitness base, I'm delighted to have the option.
Why?
Here's a secret: I know how to do ab work, but unless someone's standing over me cracking the whip, I won't do it. It's a pain, I get bored, and I need the mental/verbal direction to get me going. I'll do it if it's a class, but otherwise...no.
So there are two classes I'm going to take. One is a 1x a week ("Extreme" targeting glutes and guts), and the other is a 2x a week--Pilates/Yoga! So between those, and running 3x a week, I should be doing well within the next two months. I figure it took me two months to lose it, it'll take me 2 months to get it back. I don't have any illusions that I'll be back to running 20 miles on my LSD (Long Slow Distance) runs in just two months, but being able to run 8 to 13 at a time would be wonderful.
This morning, I was so tired I was literally almost cross-eyed. Thankfully Kara slept in, so after dropping Kent & Maddy at school, I went back home and slept for a couple more hours. I was really headachy, and felt so tired that I nearly didn't go to the Y after all. Finally, though, I remembered an old piece of advice I read on RunnersWorld.com:
If you don't feel like going, just at least get dressed, and head out the door. If you get started and still don't feel like running, turn around and go home. However, chances are that you'll feel better and be glad you went.
So I did it. I got dressed, fed the baby, and then took off for the Y. I intended to hang around the babycare area at first, but they told me they'd call me if she cried for "more than ten minutes" (MY child? Miss Sunshine?), and it was best to "dash out before she sees." So off I went. I was on a treadmill in a matter of minutes, and happily settled in at an 11 min/mile pace to the tune of HGTV on my personal video screen.
I lasted two miles.
TWO MILES! How totally pathetic is that?? OH MY GOSH! I couldn't believe it! Two months, and I go from running 20 miles comfortably to feeling like my legs are made of lead in just TWO miles!!
This is COMPLETELY unacceptable!
I had to slow to a walk (15 min/mile pace), then kicked it back up to a run for a mile. After that single mile, I had to walk again, then I ran one more. I finally had enough and walked another 20 minutes, and then that was it.
FOUR MILES. How sad! Four miles used to be my "quick dash" on the treadmill. That was a non-running day. Now that was all I could manage!
I am SO not happy. But I knew this would happen.
This is the weird thing: once you get fit, you hate losing it. And it can be utterly demoralizing and depressing, and it's so easy to say, "Oh well, crud, I blew it, I might as well have another Oreo." And I've done a LITTLE of that, but I knew that I was playing around with unhealthy food for a short period of time, and that I would rapidly getting sick of eating like that...and that soon enough, I'd be back on track. I hit that point this week...and last week when I ate a lot of M&Ms while watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
So it's time to get back into it. The classes are very exciting. I know that with my single-minded focus, which I am infamous for, I will regain my fitness soon enough. I look forward to being able to fit into my clothes better, and hopefully with the glutes/gut and the pilates/yoga, I'll be even more fit than I was before.
Is there a six pack of abs in my future? I doubt that. However, I can certainly tighten things up. And a stronger stomach will make a stronger back, eliminate my back spasms, and help my running form as well. And my shirts will look nicer, too.
So here we go. Time to kick booty again. My willpower AND my WANT-POWER are up and running!! I'm up for 2x pilates/yoga, 1x glutes/gut, and 3x running per week. The other day I'll probably swim or walk or something. Or maybe I'll just take naps. LOL.
Now I just need our house to sell so we can buy one here, and we'll be good to go.
Anyone wanna buy a house in Kennebunkport, Maine? It's really pretty and a screamingly low price for Kennebunkport!
(See that TV in the pictures? That's my basement...the treadmill used to be to the right of the picture, facing the TV...it is such a gorgeous house...!)
Happy days, everyone!
____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
Today was my first day back on track. Since we got here a few weeks ago, I've been checking out a bunch of fitness clubs in the area. One had great classes but the facility was really run-down and gritty. Another one had no pool, so wouldn't have worked for Maddy or ME when I am back into triathlon training. Another one had a pool, great classes, fitness focused on women, treadmills with tv screens on them...but the membership fee was $650! (You don't PAY that though...they knock it down to $480 or so through various "incentives", then you knock off $18 every month you work out...that requires a 3 year commitment at least.)
I was getting bummed but then we found the Y. WHY I didn't look before, considering we belonged to one in Maine, boggles the mind. I'll blame it on being brain-dead due to not exercising.
That same brain-dead-edness also stopped me from considering that my sister's remote control might not be programmed properly (it wasn't) until AFTER the Olympics were over...and after I programmed it properly, requiring finding appropriate codes online, I discovered SHE DOES get NBC. It didn't come in until I set the remote to find the channels automatically...and the channel did not come up when manually hitting the "up channel" button on the VCR.
So we missed the ENTIRE Olympics for nothing.
Argh!!!
Anyway, I digress.
The YMCA here is fabulous. They have the 25-yard pool (outside) and another inside for waterobics or whatever you call it. They have a nice cardio theatre and Cybex weights, and their treadmills are in the upstairs area--and they all have their own TV screens. It's called "Cardio Theatre" and it rocks!! I was bummed about not having access to my own choices on the treadmill, now that I no longer have a basement entertainment center (or a treadmill, for that matter). No problemo--I have full cable choices right at eye level, and I control them. YES!
There is a great daycare, and Kara was a real trooper for her first day there. She was there for an hour and fifteen minutes, and only called for me a couple times. She never cried, and she happily had her milky and some "cack-ows" (crackers) for snack. She was delighted to see me, though, which was gratifying!
There are also CLASSES. Did you see that? I said, there are CLASSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been missing classes since we moved to Maine. What classes? ANY classes! I'll take whatever anyone offers! YES, my home YMCA had classes, but I never tried going to them because I had my own treadmill and I was biking on my own and swimming at the Y. So I didn't bother.
NOW, however, as I'm trying to rebuild my fitness base, I'm delighted to have the option.
Why?
Here's a secret: I know how to do ab work, but unless someone's standing over me cracking the whip, I won't do it. It's a pain, I get bored, and I need the mental/verbal direction to get me going. I'll do it if it's a class, but otherwise...no.
So there are two classes I'm going to take. One is a 1x a week ("Extreme" targeting glutes and guts), and the other is a 2x a week--Pilates/Yoga! So between those, and running 3x a week, I should be doing well within the next two months. I figure it took me two months to lose it, it'll take me 2 months to get it back. I don't have any illusions that I'll be back to running 20 miles on my LSD (Long Slow Distance) runs in just two months, but being able to run 8 to 13 at a time would be wonderful.
This morning, I was so tired I was literally almost cross-eyed. Thankfully Kara slept in, so after dropping Kent & Maddy at school, I went back home and slept for a couple more hours. I was really headachy, and felt so tired that I nearly didn't go to the Y after all. Finally, though, I remembered an old piece of advice I read on RunnersWorld.com:
If you don't feel like going, just at least get dressed, and head out the door. If you get started and still don't feel like running, turn around and go home. However, chances are that you'll feel better and be glad you went.
So I did it. I got dressed, fed the baby, and then took off for the Y. I intended to hang around the babycare area at first, but they told me they'd call me if she cried for "more than ten minutes" (MY child? Miss Sunshine?), and it was best to "dash out before she sees." So off I went. I was on a treadmill in a matter of minutes, and happily settled in at an 11 min/mile pace to the tune of HGTV on my personal video screen.
I lasted two miles.
TWO MILES! How totally pathetic is that?? OH MY GOSH! I couldn't believe it! Two months, and I go from running 20 miles comfortably to feeling like my legs are made of lead in just TWO miles!!
This is COMPLETELY unacceptable!
I had to slow to a walk (15 min/mile pace), then kicked it back up to a run for a mile. After that single mile, I had to walk again, then I ran one more. I finally had enough and walked another 20 minutes, and then that was it.
FOUR MILES. How sad! Four miles used to be my "quick dash" on the treadmill. That was a non-running day. Now that was all I could manage!
I am SO not happy. But I knew this would happen.
This is the weird thing: once you get fit, you hate losing it. And it can be utterly demoralizing and depressing, and it's so easy to say, "Oh well, crud, I blew it, I might as well have another Oreo." And I've done a LITTLE of that, but I knew that I was playing around with unhealthy food for a short period of time, and that I would rapidly getting sick of eating like that...and that soon enough, I'd be back on track. I hit that point this week...and last week when I ate a lot of M&Ms while watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
So it's time to get back into it. The classes are very exciting. I know that with my single-minded focus, which I am infamous for, I will regain my fitness soon enough. I look forward to being able to fit into my clothes better, and hopefully with the glutes/gut and the pilates/yoga, I'll be even more fit than I was before.
Is there a six pack of abs in my future? I doubt that. However, I can certainly tighten things up. And a stronger stomach will make a stronger back, eliminate my back spasms, and help my running form as well. And my shirts will look nicer, too.
So here we go. Time to kick booty again. My willpower AND my WANT-POWER are up and running!! I'm up for 2x pilates/yoga, 1x glutes/gut, and 3x running per week. The other day I'll probably swim or walk or something. Or maybe I'll just take naps. LOL.
Now I just need our house to sell so we can buy one here, and we'll be good to go.
Anyone wanna buy a house in Kennebunkport, Maine? It's really pretty and a screamingly low price for Kennebunkport!
(See that TV in the pictures? That's my basement...the treadmill used to be to the right of the picture, facing the TV...it is such a gorgeous house...!)
Happy days, everyone!
____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
Friday, September 21, 2007
On Becoming an Athlete
"Act like the person you want to be." --M.J. Ryan
Never in my life have I considered myself an athletic person. Sure, I would ride bikes, swim, skate and skateboard, and even scuba dive--but I never considered myself an athlete. To me, athletes are those people who have something like 0.2% body fat, can run a marathon in fifteen minutes, swim the English Channel on a lazy Saturday, and score perfect 10s in the Olympics.
Nope. Definitely not an athlete here.
But as the CELT Challenge Triathlon looms large in my future--just 8 days away now--I am faced with the very real notion that, when it is over, I will be considered a triathlete.
Me? Not even an athlete, but a triathlete?? That's like lumping me in with those 0.2% bodyfat Olympians that I previously mentioned!
But yet it's coming. And after the past week and months of training, I know that I'm ready.
The past couple days have been tough, though. Baby Kara has been waking up every hour or so starting just after midnight, and spending at least an hour awake between 3-4 in the morning. She cries for her "woobie" (pacifier), she gets up onto her knees, she crawls around, she stands. Sometimes she cries, sometimes she just babbles, but always, she's awake and naturally that wakes us up, too.
It has made it tough for me to be motivated to go out and move. Just last Tuesday, after a particularly trying morning when she was awake from 3 am to 6 am, I finally gave up at 6 (after four hours of sleep) and let Kent take care of her while I went to the club. I did strength training only and then came home because Kent needed to go to work.
I decided that, since I was already dressed for exercise, I would go out and do some running. When I got home, however, Kara had fallen asleep. Figures! She was out until almost 9 am.
Finally, though, I strapped her into her jogging stroller--this time with the fleece liner in, as it was fairly cool out--and took off on my run.
I decided to run to Maddy's school and back; that's 5.2 miles in all. My best distance was 4 miles at ths point, so I thought 5.2 miles was a good test.
Little did I know that, despite the lack of sleep, I certainly had my athlete hat on that day. I made the 5.2 miles and still felt fresh! I wasn't moving super fast--it was about a 12.5 minute mile pace--but I felt like I could run forever. So I passed the house on my return trip and kept going the opposite direction.
Finally, after a while, I decided the baby had been out long enough. We'd been gone for an hour and 25 minutes, and I had run the entire time. I never stopped or walked. And later, when I retraced the route in my car, I found that I had run 6.8 miles.
6.8 miles?? That's the kind of distance that marathoners do! I was completely flabbergasted.
And then I realized that, what I had done (despite being exhausted) was to put into place one of my favorite quotes, from M.J. Ryan, which is at the top of this blog:
"Act like the person you want to be."
I was lying in bed, feeling tired and miserable, and though to myself, what would I do if I were an athlete, or someone who was seriously training for a big triathlon?
I'd shake the tiredness off and just go do it. So I did.
And what a result! 6.8 miles.
Doing that run, for the first time, made me feel like an athlete. I felt like a runner, not a jogger. I realized that I had the stamina to do the kind of run that "real" runners do.
And it got me excited. If I could run almost 7 miles, then what else could I do?
That morning, I decided on my big goal for 2008:
I am going to run the Honolulu Marathon in December.
Later that momentous 6.8 mile day, I told Kent my plan. He immediately started talking about logistics (would we all go or just me, where would we stay, etc.), which pleased me to no end. He didn't say no, he didn't pooh-pooh the idea, he didn't tell me I couldn't do it. He simply started to plan ahead to 15 months from now when I line up with God knows how many other people for a 26.2 mile run around Oahu.
Maybe I'm nuts. That's a big goal, and 15 months from now I might even be living in Europe (if Kent or I get a job teaching overseas, as we are thinking of doing). But I have my goal now for the winter. Rather than maintaining my fitness, I'm going to learn how to run long-distance. I am going to become a marathoner.
I can do this.
After all, in 8 days, I'll already be a triathlete!
____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
Never in my life have I considered myself an athletic person. Sure, I would ride bikes, swim, skate and skateboard, and even scuba dive--but I never considered myself an athlete. To me, athletes are those people who have something like 0.2% body fat, can run a marathon in fifteen minutes, swim the English Channel on a lazy Saturday, and score perfect 10s in the Olympics.
Nope. Definitely not an athlete here.
But as the CELT Challenge Triathlon looms large in my future--just 8 days away now--I am faced with the very real notion that, when it is over, I will be considered a triathlete.
Me? Not even an athlete, but a triathlete?? That's like lumping me in with those 0.2% bodyfat Olympians that I previously mentioned!
But yet it's coming. And after the past week and months of training, I know that I'm ready.
The past couple days have been tough, though. Baby Kara has been waking up every hour or so starting just after midnight, and spending at least an hour awake between 3-4 in the morning. She cries for her "woobie" (pacifier), she gets up onto her knees, she crawls around, she stands. Sometimes she cries, sometimes she just babbles, but always, she's awake and naturally that wakes us up, too.
It has made it tough for me to be motivated to go out and move. Just last Tuesday, after a particularly trying morning when she was awake from 3 am to 6 am, I finally gave up at 6 (after four hours of sleep) and let Kent take care of her while I went to the club. I did strength training only and then came home because Kent needed to go to work.
I decided that, since I was already dressed for exercise, I would go out and do some running. When I got home, however, Kara had fallen asleep. Figures! She was out until almost 9 am.
Finally, though, I strapped her into her jogging stroller--this time with the fleece liner in, as it was fairly cool out--and took off on my run.
I decided to run to Maddy's school and back; that's 5.2 miles in all. My best distance was 4 miles at ths point, so I thought 5.2 miles was a good test.
Little did I know that, despite the lack of sleep, I certainly had my athlete hat on that day. I made the 5.2 miles and still felt fresh! I wasn't moving super fast--it was about a 12.5 minute mile pace--but I felt like I could run forever. So I passed the house on my return trip and kept going the opposite direction.
Finally, after a while, I decided the baby had been out long enough. We'd been gone for an hour and 25 minutes, and I had run the entire time. I never stopped or walked. And later, when I retraced the route in my car, I found that I had run 6.8 miles.
6.8 miles?? That's the kind of distance that marathoners do! I was completely flabbergasted.
And then I realized that, what I had done (despite being exhausted) was to put into place one of my favorite quotes, from M.J. Ryan, which is at the top of this blog:
"Act like the person you want to be."
I was lying in bed, feeling tired and miserable, and though to myself, what would I do if I were an athlete, or someone who was seriously training for a big triathlon?
I'd shake the tiredness off and just go do it. So I did.
And what a result! 6.8 miles.
Doing that run, for the first time, made me feel like an athlete. I felt like a runner, not a jogger. I realized that I had the stamina to do the kind of run that "real" runners do.
And it got me excited. If I could run almost 7 miles, then what else could I do?
That morning, I decided on my big goal for 2008:
I am going to run the Honolulu Marathon in December.
Later that momentous 6.8 mile day, I told Kent my plan. He immediately started talking about logistics (would we all go or just me, where would we stay, etc.), which pleased me to no end. He didn't say no, he didn't pooh-pooh the idea, he didn't tell me I couldn't do it. He simply started to plan ahead to 15 months from now when I line up with God knows how many other people for a 26.2 mile run around Oahu.
Maybe I'm nuts. That's a big goal, and 15 months from now I might even be living in Europe (if Kent or I get a job teaching overseas, as we are thinking of doing). But I have my goal now for the winter. Rather than maintaining my fitness, I'm going to learn how to run long-distance. I am going to become a marathoner.
I can do this.
After all, in 8 days, I'll already be a triathlete!
____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Having a Plan
Today, I went to the Club, completely psyched. I was finally going to do the new workout that Isaiah gave me last week, when Kent was still at GenCon. It's a combination of some of my old strength exercises with some new ones--Lat Raises, Reverse Flys, Lower Back Extensions, and Leg Extensions.
First, though, before I could do the strength work, I needed to jump on the Elliptical Trainer and do some "running". My new goal: 40 minutes, exercising at 80% of my maximum heart rate which, for a 41-year-old woman, is 143 BPM (beats per minute).
My old goal was 30 minutes on the Elliptical, and I discovered over the summer that the 30 minutes had really ramped up my stamina. In San Francisco, I was able to walk very quickly from Fisherman's Wharf, past Pier 39, and all the way to the Embarcadero Center without being winded OR having my heart pound! It's benefited my heart in other ways too; my resting heart rate has dropped from 80 BPM or higher to just under 60 BPM.
My doctor would love to see this!
Anyway, while I was on the Elliptical, I saw two different women (one older, one younger) moving abound the club, doing some exercise. I watched the two of them for a while, and pretty soon I got really impressed...with one of them.
One of the women was about 80. She was dressed in a pretty blouse, slacks, street shoes, and carried her purse. She was using the strength machines.
The other woman was much younger, probably no more than 15-16, and she was wandering around fully kitted-out in exercise gear, even down to the iPod strapped to her arm. She was also using the strength machines.
I am a firm believer in dressing the part, so at first I just grinned at the sight of the older woman as she went up to a machine, adjusted it for her settings, set her purse down and went to work.
But then I noticed the young woman. She may have been dressed for the part, but her attitude and demeanor were drastically different from the older woman. The younger woman was LITERALLY wandering around.
Whereas the older lady clearly had a goal in mind (you could see it as she purposefully went from one machine to the next and made sure to adjust the settings properly), the younger woman was simply flitting from machine to machine. There was no clear goal apparent, as she literally wandered around the club, "trying" different machines.
I can't say she was exercising on each one, because she'd do four or five reps, get up, and wander off to another.
And her expression during the entire thing was a combination of "really pissed off" and "total boredom".
When I got off the Elliptical, I needed to use one of the machines, and the younger woman was on it. By this time, I'd watched her for five or ten minutes, and I realized that all I needed to do was wait a moment and she'd be off to another machine.
Bingo. It was less than one minute from her getting on the machine until she got back off.
Meanwhile, the older lady continued to plug along!
These two demonstrated what for me has become a central theme for my exercise:
I have to have a plan.
All along I have been saying, "Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it."
Tell me what to eat (well, how many calories anyway) and I'll do it. Tell me how long of which type of exercise, and I'll do that too. Tell me how to get my baby to sleep all night so I don't have to wake up repeatedly to feed her, and I'll be your friend for life.
OK, sorry, I digress.
For me, having a plan means I need to use someone else's expertise to help guide me. I don't know enough about fitness, weights, machines, cardio and whatnot to be able to put into place a self-created plan, so I needed someone who could do it for me. When I found out that my club offered the use of a trainer to assist you in creating a fitness plan, I was completely sold.
When I found out it was Isaiah, the same nice guy who helped me buy some dumbbells at a local sports store, then spent ten minutes giving me tips and pointers, I was even more psyched.
Having Isaiah helping me has been so critical to my improvement. I give him this kind of credit because he's my "planner" guy. That's critical because if planning out my workout was up to me, I wouldn't be so focused, and frankly I might not even be going as consistently as I do now. I know this because I've done it before. I have tried going to a club with a self-created plan, but unfortunately my plan was based on what machines I liked to do and how much I could lift--not on any specific goal of improvement.
Without a plan that would help me reach my specific goals, I would end up flitting from one thing to another, with no real idea of exactly what I wanted or how to get there. Eventually I'd stop going, because I had nothing to work toward, and thus no way to measure my progress.
A study just came out that says much the same thing. If I can find a link to it, I'll post it here. It basically says that people who have a goal and a plan work harder and more consistently, and reach their goals, than people who simply go "work out" without goals in mind.
So back to Isaiah. Having a trainer is a critical part of my success. Granted, I told Isaiah what my goals were and, granted, I also am the one who did the work; however, he, as the trainer, gets the credit for my improvement because had the knowledge of the exercises and machines available, and was able to match up a plan with my goals.
I'm lucky because his expertise comes with my membership at the club. But I've learned enough to know that eventually, if I am no longer at this club or if I no longer have access to Isaiah or another trainer, I'll hire my own.
It's that important.
So here I am. A new routine, and new goals: stronger back, arms and shoulders. More stamina for my upcoming half marathon and SprintTriathlon. Upper body strength to manage the long walks/runs without fading out on proper posture (which apparently kills your ability to run).
Going into a brand-new routine means, of course, working hard all over again to learn new exercises, and then working through the soreness the next one, two and even three days later.
It's feeling like a rank amateur, a rookie, and pushing with all your might to move a 30 pound weight a few inches.
It's feeling like there's never going to be a day when you can say, "OK. I've mastered this and my body's too used to it now. It's time for a new plan."
But it's all worth it, because I've seen what it does for me. The stamina, the strength, the flexibility, and the weight loss have all been tremendous.
You gotta have a plan.
That's why, if you asked me which of the women that I watched today was the most impressive to me, I would say it was the older lady with the street shoes, slacks, pretty blouse and purse.
She came not with the proper workout gear, but with the proper attitude.
More importantly, she obviously had a clear goal in mind.
And THAT makes all the difference.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
First, though, before I could do the strength work, I needed to jump on the Elliptical Trainer and do some "running". My new goal: 40 minutes, exercising at 80% of my maximum heart rate which, for a 41-year-old woman, is 143 BPM (beats per minute).
My old goal was 30 minutes on the Elliptical, and I discovered over the summer that the 30 minutes had really ramped up my stamina. In San Francisco, I was able to walk very quickly from Fisherman's Wharf, past Pier 39, and all the way to the Embarcadero Center without being winded OR having my heart pound! It's benefited my heart in other ways too; my resting heart rate has dropped from 80 BPM or higher to just under 60 BPM.
My doctor would love to see this!
Anyway, while I was on the Elliptical, I saw two different women (one older, one younger) moving abound the club, doing some exercise. I watched the two of them for a while, and pretty soon I got really impressed...with one of them.
One of the women was about 80. She was dressed in a pretty blouse, slacks, street shoes, and carried her purse. She was using the strength machines.
The other woman was much younger, probably no more than 15-16, and she was wandering around fully kitted-out in exercise gear, even down to the iPod strapped to her arm. She was also using the strength machines.
I am a firm believer in dressing the part, so at first I just grinned at the sight of the older woman as she went up to a machine, adjusted it for her settings, set her purse down and went to work.
But then I noticed the young woman. She may have been dressed for the part, but her attitude and demeanor were drastically different from the older woman. The younger woman was LITERALLY wandering around.
Whereas the older lady clearly had a goal in mind (you could see it as she purposefully went from one machine to the next and made sure to adjust the settings properly), the younger woman was simply flitting from machine to machine. There was no clear goal apparent, as she literally wandered around the club, "trying" different machines.
I can't say she was exercising on each one, because she'd do four or five reps, get up, and wander off to another.
And her expression during the entire thing was a combination of "really pissed off" and "total boredom".
When I got off the Elliptical, I needed to use one of the machines, and the younger woman was on it. By this time, I'd watched her for five or ten minutes, and I realized that all I needed to do was wait a moment and she'd be off to another machine.
Bingo. It was less than one minute from her getting on the machine until she got back off.
Meanwhile, the older lady continued to plug along!
These two demonstrated what for me has become a central theme for my exercise:
I have to have a plan.
All along I have been saying, "Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it."
Tell me what to eat (well, how many calories anyway) and I'll do it. Tell me how long of which type of exercise, and I'll do that too. Tell me how to get my baby to sleep all night so I don't have to wake up repeatedly to feed her, and I'll be your friend for life.
OK, sorry, I digress.
For me, having a plan means I need to use someone else's expertise to help guide me. I don't know enough about fitness, weights, machines, cardio and whatnot to be able to put into place a self-created plan, so I needed someone who could do it for me. When I found out that my club offered the use of a trainer to assist you in creating a fitness plan, I was completely sold.
When I found out it was Isaiah, the same nice guy who helped me buy some dumbbells at a local sports store, then spent ten minutes giving me tips and pointers, I was even more psyched.
Having Isaiah helping me has been so critical to my improvement. I give him this kind of credit because he's my "planner" guy. That's critical because if planning out my workout was up to me, I wouldn't be so focused, and frankly I might not even be going as consistently as I do now. I know this because I've done it before. I have tried going to a club with a self-created plan, but unfortunately my plan was based on what machines I liked to do and how much I could lift--not on any specific goal of improvement.
Without a plan that would help me reach my specific goals, I would end up flitting from one thing to another, with no real idea of exactly what I wanted or how to get there. Eventually I'd stop going, because I had nothing to work toward, and thus no way to measure my progress.
A study just came out that says much the same thing. If I can find a link to it, I'll post it here. It basically says that people who have a goal and a plan work harder and more consistently, and reach their goals, than people who simply go "work out" without goals in mind.
So back to Isaiah. Having a trainer is a critical part of my success. Granted, I told Isaiah what my goals were and, granted, I also am the one who did the work; however, he, as the trainer, gets the credit for my improvement because had the knowledge of the exercises and machines available, and was able to match up a plan with my goals.
I'm lucky because his expertise comes with my membership at the club. But I've learned enough to know that eventually, if I am no longer at this club or if I no longer have access to Isaiah or another trainer, I'll hire my own.
It's that important.
So here I am. A new routine, and new goals: stronger back, arms and shoulders. More stamina for my upcoming half marathon and SprintTriathlon. Upper body strength to manage the long walks/runs without fading out on proper posture (which apparently kills your ability to run).
Going into a brand-new routine means, of course, working hard all over again to learn new exercises, and then working through the soreness the next one, two and even three days later.
It's feeling like a rank amateur, a rookie, and pushing with all your might to move a 30 pound weight a few inches.
It's feeling like there's never going to be a day when you can say, "OK. I've mastered this and my body's too used to it now. It's time for a new plan."
But it's all worth it, because I've seen what it does for me. The stamina, the strength, the flexibility, and the weight loss have all been tremendous.
You gotta have a plan.
That's why, if you asked me which of the women that I watched today was the most impressive to me, I would say it was the older lady with the street shoes, slacks, pretty blouse and purse.
She came not with the proper workout gear, but with the proper attitude.
More importantly, she obviously had a clear goal in mind.
And THAT makes all the difference.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The Freedom to Tri
I know, I know. I misspelled "Try".
Actually I didn't.
What today's blog is about is FREEDOM. We don't think about freedom, other than freedom from worry or freedom from terrorism. But there are other freedoms too, which I didn't enjoy in my previous life as a morbidly obese woman.
The joyful part of this journey into overcoming obesity is that I have gained a new measure of freedom in my life.
I have the freedom to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I do not limit myself, ever, on any foods that I eat. I learned that being free to eat whatever I want, whenever I want, means that I am not afraid of food. I do not demonize it, or put it on a pedestal. Food is food. That's all there is to it. Lettuce is not more virtuous than chocolate, and a Starbuck's Mocha is not more deadly than a cup of decaf tea. To continue to lose weight, if I have these other things, I just fit them into my day by balancing out the calories over the rest of the day or, if necessary, the rest of the week.
Oh, and one more freedom that I have about food is that I can feel comfortable eating anything in front of anyone, without wondering if people around me are judging me on what I eat and thinking unkind thoughts.
That's something that plus-sized women think about. At least, I did.
Another freedom I have is the freedom to wear pretty clothes. I am not relegated to the Women's section of Macy's which, oddly enough, is like being relegated to the back of the bus. If you want to see what I mean, go to the Macy's flagship store in Herald Square in New York. I do not think you can get any higher up or any further back in the store than the Women's section. It's on the 7th floor, and if you enter from Herald Square (as most people seem to), you have to pass through all the other departments on that floor to get to it. I wrote a whole blog yesterday about clothes, so I won't go on. But that freedom to buy clothes anywhere, and on sale, is one of the best and most unanticipated bonuses of this entire journey.
I also have the freedom to exercise without feeling uncomfortable or ungainly. I can go out and run, as I did today, and if I feel like I want to keep going, I can, without a lot of huffing and puffing (unless I'm going uphill, of course). I can push myself to go further and further, and improve, and it doesn't hurt my lungs or hurt my legs or hurt my chest. I don't get headaches and I don't feel like I'm trying to move lead. Of course, after running my first half marathon, I might feel like I'm made of lead, but that's simply because I'll be pushing myself beyond my new limits. The old obese me had such low limits that any exercise at all brought such misery. Even walking a mile with friends on the school track had me puffing so hard I thought I'd have to stop. Yet today, I ran 1.6 miles, then after a .2 mile walk, I ran another mile. Maybe that's not much to some people, but considering that before this summer, the last time I ran a mile was junior high, we have some serious breakthrough here.
Another freedom I have is the Freedom to Tri.
Ah yes. The misspelling that isn't.
"The Freedom to Tri" means that I have such health, I am going to try new adventures.
Like a Triathlon.
You may have read that blog, about my upcoming races. What this blog is about is that recovering from obesity, to me, means that I have been able to get out and do things, like the 5K I jogged and walked back in June, or the kayaking I did last weekend, or the Triathlon I'm going to run in September.
You see, this to me is the most important freedom of all. The freedom to Try (Tri). The freedom to take on new adventures. The freedom to get out and be active in all the fun ways I wanted to be before, but didn't have the health to actually do.
As I mentioned, this past weekend I actually went on a Walk-On Adventure offered by L.L.Bean. These are walk-up-and-go-as-you-are physical activities that cost $15, and run anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. L.L. Bean provides all the equipment you need, and then gives you introductory lessons, so that you can go out and actually do the things you've always wanted to try.
So I decided, in honor of my 97 pounds lost, I was going to go kayaking. Almost two years ago, when I was at my heaviest, I tried to get into a friend's kayak up at Sebago Lake. I fell out twice and never attempted it again. This time, however, I was bound and determined to get out there in a kayak.
I was nervous, sure. I explained my lack of experience, and the guides laughed and told me not to worry, these were more stable "recreational" kayaks, and that they'd get me into the kayak on the dock and then simply slide me into the water anyway--no possibility of falling over trying to get in.
So Kent took the girls to Borders, and off I went. I got my "personal floatation device" (no longer needing the largest they had), paid careful attention as they described the paddle strokes and how to turn, slow down and stop, and then it was time to get in the kayak.
No joke. They literally did slide me backwards down a ramp from the dock right into the water. And aside from a bit of a wiggle when I got in, I was very stable.
I was so excited! It felt a bit unwieldy at first, as I tried to get out of the way of the other dozen kayakers and two guides. I even bumped someone at one point, and the guide just laughed and said the kayaks came equipped with magnets and they attracted each other.
But pretty soon, I got the hang of it. When someone dodged in front of me, I quickly backstroked to stop. When we needed to wait for others, I was able to quickly "turn on a dime" to watch for them. And when the guide told us to head out toward the channel, I was off.
I wish I could convey the excitement of being out on the water in my own kayak. Half the fun was being with other people in their kayaks...sort of like biking, but not having to stick to "our lane of traffic". We meandered, we zig-zagged, some of us went faster and some slower.
Our male guide was fantastic--he knew the history of this part of the Harrasseeket River, and told us stories about the castle turret we saw, and pointed out good restaurants to try. He showed us Osprey and had us watch as one fluttered, hovering in place, before diving for something it saw in the water. He pointed out the flock of Canada Geese--not that we needed pointing, they are unbelievably noisy as they go past overhead. And he looked for but didn't see the resident Bald Eagle.
We chatted with people in boats, hanging out on the River, and ended up going into an area that was too shallow for other boats, very close to the geese. Our paddles hit bottom, but we glided on.
And the gliding was so incredible. Sure, I worked for it, paddling this side and that, but the sensation was so smooth, so sure, and so free, that I didn't mind the work I was doing. The breeze off the surface of the water kept us cool, and I had a bottle of water to drink while we were out.
Who knew that kayaks come equipped with a water bottle holder tucked between the knees?
The hour and a half we spent on the water was over too fast. We glided back to the dock, and I was able to quickly zip over to the far side of the dock and line myself up properly to help them pull us out--again, no ungainly trying to get in and out of the kayak, so no chance I could fall in.
I would love to have a kayak, but I also recognize that, as I mentioned before, half the fun of the kayaking was being out on the water with other people. I think I would enjoy solo kayaking, but if I was going to be out on my own, I think I'd almost rather do some serious rowing, like sculling.
I've always wanted to try that, too. Maybe there's someplace in Boston I can go to give it a tri...er, a try??
Have a great evening. Go out and do something!
"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." - Will Rogers
__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
Actually I didn't.
What today's blog is about is FREEDOM. We don't think about freedom, other than freedom from worry or freedom from terrorism. But there are other freedoms too, which I didn't enjoy in my previous life as a morbidly obese woman.
The joyful part of this journey into overcoming obesity is that I have gained a new measure of freedom in my life.
I have the freedom to eat whatever I want, whenever I want. I do not limit myself, ever, on any foods that I eat. I learned that being free to eat whatever I want, whenever I want, means that I am not afraid of food. I do not demonize it, or put it on a pedestal. Food is food. That's all there is to it. Lettuce is not more virtuous than chocolate, and a Starbuck's Mocha is not more deadly than a cup of decaf tea. To continue to lose weight, if I have these other things, I just fit them into my day by balancing out the calories over the rest of the day or, if necessary, the rest of the week.
Oh, and one more freedom that I have about food is that I can feel comfortable eating anything in front of anyone, without wondering if people around me are judging me on what I eat and thinking unkind thoughts.
That's something that plus-sized women think about. At least, I did.
Another freedom I have is the freedom to wear pretty clothes. I am not relegated to the Women's section of Macy's which, oddly enough, is like being relegated to the back of the bus. If you want to see what I mean, go to the Macy's flagship store in Herald Square in New York. I do not think you can get any higher up or any further back in the store than the Women's section. It's on the 7th floor, and if you enter from Herald Square (as most people seem to), you have to pass through all the other departments on that floor to get to it. I wrote a whole blog yesterday about clothes, so I won't go on. But that freedom to buy clothes anywhere, and on sale, is one of the best and most unanticipated bonuses of this entire journey.
I also have the freedom to exercise without feeling uncomfortable or ungainly. I can go out and run, as I did today, and if I feel like I want to keep going, I can, without a lot of huffing and puffing (unless I'm going uphill, of course). I can push myself to go further and further, and improve, and it doesn't hurt my lungs or hurt my legs or hurt my chest. I don't get headaches and I don't feel like I'm trying to move lead. Of course, after running my first half marathon, I might feel like I'm made of lead, but that's simply because I'll be pushing myself beyond my new limits. The old obese me had such low limits that any exercise at all brought such misery. Even walking a mile with friends on the school track had me puffing so hard I thought I'd have to stop. Yet today, I ran 1.6 miles, then after a .2 mile walk, I ran another mile. Maybe that's not much to some people, but considering that before this summer, the last time I ran a mile was junior high, we have some serious breakthrough here.
Another freedom I have is the Freedom to Tri.
Ah yes. The misspelling that isn't.
"The Freedom to Tri" means that I have such health, I am going to try new adventures.
Like a Triathlon.
You may have read that blog, about my upcoming races. What this blog is about is that recovering from obesity, to me, means that I have been able to get out and do things, like the 5K I jogged and walked back in June, or the kayaking I did last weekend, or the Triathlon I'm going to run in September.
You see, this to me is the most important freedom of all. The freedom to Try (Tri). The freedom to take on new adventures. The freedom to get out and be active in all the fun ways I wanted to be before, but didn't have the health to actually do.
As I mentioned, this past weekend I actually went on a Walk-On Adventure offered by L.L.Bean. These are walk-up-and-go-as-you-are physical activities that cost $15, and run anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours. L.L. Bean provides all the equipment you need, and then gives you introductory lessons, so that you can go out and actually do the things you've always wanted to try.
So I decided, in honor of my 97 pounds lost, I was going to go kayaking. Almost two years ago, when I was at my heaviest, I tried to get into a friend's kayak up at Sebago Lake. I fell out twice and never attempted it again. This time, however, I was bound and determined to get out there in a kayak.
I was nervous, sure. I explained my lack of experience, and the guides laughed and told me not to worry, these were more stable "recreational" kayaks, and that they'd get me into the kayak on the dock and then simply slide me into the water anyway--no possibility of falling over trying to get in.
So Kent took the girls to Borders, and off I went. I got my "personal floatation device" (no longer needing the largest they had), paid careful attention as they described the paddle strokes and how to turn, slow down and stop, and then it was time to get in the kayak.
No joke. They literally did slide me backwards down a ramp from the dock right into the water. And aside from a bit of a wiggle when I got in, I was very stable.
I was so excited! It felt a bit unwieldy at first, as I tried to get out of the way of the other dozen kayakers and two guides. I even bumped someone at one point, and the guide just laughed and said the kayaks came equipped with magnets and they attracted each other.
But pretty soon, I got the hang of it. When someone dodged in front of me, I quickly backstroked to stop. When we needed to wait for others, I was able to quickly "turn on a dime" to watch for them. And when the guide told us to head out toward the channel, I was off.
I wish I could convey the excitement of being out on the water in my own kayak. Half the fun was being with other people in their kayaks...sort of like biking, but not having to stick to "our lane of traffic". We meandered, we zig-zagged, some of us went faster and some slower.
Our male guide was fantastic--he knew the history of this part of the Harrasseeket River, and told us stories about the castle turret we saw, and pointed out good restaurants to try. He showed us Osprey and had us watch as one fluttered, hovering in place, before diving for something it saw in the water. He pointed out the flock of Canada Geese--not that we needed pointing, they are unbelievably noisy as they go past overhead. And he looked for but didn't see the resident Bald Eagle.
We chatted with people in boats, hanging out on the River, and ended up going into an area that was too shallow for other boats, very close to the geese. Our paddles hit bottom, but we glided on.
And the gliding was so incredible. Sure, I worked for it, paddling this side and that, but the sensation was so smooth, so sure, and so free, that I didn't mind the work I was doing. The breeze off the surface of the water kept us cool, and I had a bottle of water to drink while we were out.
Who knew that kayaks come equipped with a water bottle holder tucked between the knees?
The hour and a half we spent on the water was over too fast. We glided back to the dock, and I was able to quickly zip over to the far side of the dock and line myself up properly to help them pull us out--again, no ungainly trying to get in and out of the kayak, so no chance I could fall in.
I would love to have a kayak, but I also recognize that, as I mentioned before, half the fun of the kayaking was being out on the water with other people. I think I would enjoy solo kayaking, but if I was going to be out on my own, I think I'd almost rather do some serious rowing, like sculling.
I've always wanted to try that, too. Maybe there's someplace in Boston I can go to give it a tri...er, a try??
Have a great evening. Go out and do something!
"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." - Will Rogers
__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Am I out of my mind???
Well I have done it now.
I haven't written in a while. Boy did I foul this blog up. I meant to write all summer, but something about being 3,000+ miles from home with my two girls (hubby Kent was at home) meant that I did very little writing. I have been working on a book about my experiences, too, and while I did a little work on it, that's about all I did.
The rest of the time, I was walking and jogging and running up hills three times a week, and visiting with family, swimming at the River House (in Willow Creek), eating lots of veggies and fruits and generally moving my way down to a new low of 165.
I then sat at that 165 mark for three weeks. I've since moved lower, 162.5 on my last weigh-in two days ago, but considering my hubby thought I would gain weight while in California (thanks to my Mom's great cooking), I think I did OK.
So back to how I started the blog: Now I've done it. I am out of my mind.
What, pray tell, have I done?
I have signed up for not ONE but TWO big races.
On consecutive weekends.
To be held in just over six weeks.
Yup. I am signed up for the Women's Only Half Marathon in York, Maine on September 23, and I am also signed up for a Sprint Triathlon at Cape Elizabeth, Maine on September 30.
And in a small bid toward mentally preparing for those, I am signed up as a volunteer to mark numbers on triathletes (LEGS and ARMS ONLY, PEOPLE!!!) at the West Kennebunk FireMan Sprint Triathlon on August 26. The idea is that I can mark triathletes, and when they're in the water, I get to go watch how they do the swim-bike and bike-run transitions, and hopefully learn how the heck I'm going to get out of a swimsuit and into my running gear (which is also going to be my biking gear).
Good plan, eh? :D
Anyway, for those of you who don't know, a Half Marathon is just that--13 miles. And it's "walker-friendly" although if you intend to jog at all, you have to sign up as a runner, which is what I've done.
AND, for those who also don't know (as I didn't), a "Sprint Triathlon" is a short, non-Ironman-distance triathlon comprising an approximately 450 yard swim (in my case, in a swimming pool..thank God no wetsuits!), a 15-mile bike ride, and a 5K run.
I have always wanted to do a triathlon. I would LOVE to someday do the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, but I realize that I have many years to go before I can manage that...and probably it won't happen at least until the baby is in her teens. Or near enough anyway. And by then I'll be in my ... ergh ... 60s!!!!!!
Oh God. I just got depressed.
Anyway, I have always wanted to do a triathlon. When I weighed 259.6 pounds, that was a far-flung dream. But last week, I got a shot of "I-Can-Do-This" when I decided to do my little walk/jog routine from Kennebunkport all the way to my in-law's condo in Kennebunk, and did it in record (for me) time.
How far is it? It's a "nice" little 7.6 mile distance, if you go through Dock Square, which I chose to do.
I was secretly hoping I could manage it in 90 minutes. I did, however, stop several times for about 7-8 minutes to talk to people I knew along the way, and made it in 97 minutes. So if you don't count the stop times, I made it in 90. My actual speed in movement was about 12 minutes per mile...not bad, especially considering that last January, I couldn't even WALK for 30 minutes on a treadmill.
That made me so excited, I started looking around for another race. "Another" because back in June, Maddy and I did the York Hospital 5K run, and we weren't even the last ones in (although an 80-year-old man beat us quite handily).
So now that I can walk and jog with a jogging stroller for 90 minutes, and still have energy when I'm done, I suddenly start thinking "half-marathon", "marathon", and "triathlon"!
I have well and truly lost my ever-loving mind.
Still...you gotta admit. This has truly been an amazing journey.
So now here I am, and I have these two major races coming up. However, I am also actively pursuing employment. No more teaching for me! I am DONE. I turned in two applications today, one for a receptionist job that I really, really want (with an ad agency in Portland), and one for a copy editor for a magazine, which I would also like to do. I think it'd be fun.
The receptionist job looks great...reception's the main duty but I'd be a backup for the clerical, all of which is easily doable. I spent almost 10 years as a secretary so it sounds like a nice, low-stress (in terms of ability) job.
That means that it's likely that I'll be training and working full-time at the same time. At least for the next month or so. But I can do it! I already figured out how I can do my usual routine at the club, of elliptical trainer on cardio setting (143 beats per minute on the heart for 30 minutes just about kills me...but it's done wonders for my stamina) and my weight machine rounds. I can do them separately, instead of all at the same visit, and alternate them most mornings (6x per week). The amount of time I need is 30-45 minutes per day, plus another 15 to shower and dress, so if I left the house at 6ish, I could do my routine and still get to work on time, assuming it starts at 8.
Of course, the running/swimming/biking will have to be done after work, but Kent will support me. He has already said as much and added how proud of me he is.
So I am completely out of my mind. It will be interesting to see how this goes, not just exercise-wise, but time- and weight-loss-wise at the same time.
I have other news to write, but it doesn't belong on this blog. I'll add another one.
Have a great evening. And remember:
“Blessed are the flexible for they shall never be bent out of shape.” – Ancient Xterra Tribe Race Director Proverb
__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
I haven't written in a while. Boy did I foul this blog up. I meant to write all summer, but something about being 3,000+ miles from home with my two girls (hubby Kent was at home) meant that I did very little writing. I have been working on a book about my experiences, too, and while I did a little work on it, that's about all I did.
The rest of the time, I was walking and jogging and running up hills three times a week, and visiting with family, swimming at the River House (in Willow Creek), eating lots of veggies and fruits and generally moving my way down to a new low of 165.
I then sat at that 165 mark for three weeks. I've since moved lower, 162.5 on my last weigh-in two days ago, but considering my hubby thought I would gain weight while in California (thanks to my Mom's great cooking), I think I did OK.
So back to how I started the blog: Now I've done it. I am out of my mind.
What, pray tell, have I done?
I have signed up for not ONE but TWO big races.
On consecutive weekends.
To be held in just over six weeks.
Yup. I am signed up for the Women's Only Half Marathon in York, Maine on September 23, and I am also signed up for a Sprint Triathlon at Cape Elizabeth, Maine on September 30.
And in a small bid toward mentally preparing for those, I am signed up as a volunteer to mark numbers on triathletes (LEGS and ARMS ONLY, PEOPLE!!!) at the West Kennebunk FireMan Sprint Triathlon on August 26. The idea is that I can mark triathletes, and when they're in the water, I get to go watch how they do the swim-bike and bike-run transitions, and hopefully learn how the heck I'm going to get out of a swimsuit and into my running gear (which is also going to be my biking gear).
Good plan, eh? :D
Anyway, for those of you who don't know, a Half Marathon is just that--13 miles. And it's "walker-friendly" although if you intend to jog at all, you have to sign up as a runner, which is what I've done.
AND, for those who also don't know (as I didn't), a "Sprint Triathlon" is a short, non-Ironman-distance triathlon comprising an approximately 450 yard swim (in my case, in a swimming pool..thank God no wetsuits!), a 15-mile bike ride, and a 5K run.
I have always wanted to do a triathlon. I would LOVE to someday do the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, but I realize that I have many years to go before I can manage that...and probably it won't happen at least until the baby is in her teens. Or near enough anyway. And by then I'll be in my ... ergh ... 60s!!!!!!
Oh God. I just got depressed.
Anyway, I have always wanted to do a triathlon. When I weighed 259.6 pounds, that was a far-flung dream. But last week, I got a shot of "I-Can-Do-This" when I decided to do my little walk/jog routine from Kennebunkport all the way to my in-law's condo in Kennebunk, and did it in record (for me) time.
How far is it? It's a "nice" little 7.6 mile distance, if you go through Dock Square, which I chose to do.
I was secretly hoping I could manage it in 90 minutes. I did, however, stop several times for about 7-8 minutes to talk to people I knew along the way, and made it in 97 minutes. So if you don't count the stop times, I made it in 90. My actual speed in movement was about 12 minutes per mile...not bad, especially considering that last January, I couldn't even WALK for 30 minutes on a treadmill.
That made me so excited, I started looking around for another race. "Another" because back in June, Maddy and I did the York Hospital 5K run, and we weren't even the last ones in (although an 80-year-old man beat us quite handily).
So now that I can walk and jog with a jogging stroller for 90 minutes, and still have energy when I'm done, I suddenly start thinking "half-marathon", "marathon", and "triathlon"!
I have well and truly lost my ever-loving mind.
Still...you gotta admit. This has truly been an amazing journey.
So now here I am, and I have these two major races coming up. However, I am also actively pursuing employment. No more teaching for me! I am DONE. I turned in two applications today, one for a receptionist job that I really, really want (with an ad agency in Portland), and one for a copy editor for a magazine, which I would also like to do. I think it'd be fun.
The receptionist job looks great...reception's the main duty but I'd be a backup for the clerical, all of which is easily doable. I spent almost 10 years as a secretary so it sounds like a nice, low-stress (in terms of ability) job.
That means that it's likely that I'll be training and working full-time at the same time. At least for the next month or so. But I can do it! I already figured out how I can do my usual routine at the club, of elliptical trainer on cardio setting (143 beats per minute on the heart for 30 minutes just about kills me...but it's done wonders for my stamina) and my weight machine rounds. I can do them separately, instead of all at the same visit, and alternate them most mornings (6x per week). The amount of time I need is 30-45 minutes per day, plus another 15 to shower and dress, so if I left the house at 6ish, I could do my routine and still get to work on time, assuming it starts at 8.
Of course, the running/swimming/biking will have to be done after work, but Kent will support me. He has already said as much and added how proud of me he is.
So I am completely out of my mind. It will be interesting to see how this goes, not just exercise-wise, but time- and weight-loss-wise at the same time.
I have other news to write, but it doesn't belong on this blog. I'll add another one.
Have a great evening. And remember:
“Blessed are the flexible for they shall never be bent out of shape.” – Ancient Xterra Tribe Race Director Proverb
__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!
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