E-trekking

I've been wasting time online tonight because I am too exhausted to sleep. My eyes are heavy and strained and I know I should be striving for those 8 priceless hours of sleep...but I am reading.

Here are two golden nuggets I found on my exploration of the Internet and one lead to the other. Very insightful and useful information on both pages. I am now a follower of the second link because it offers many other interesting articles.

Today was a meeting day and weigh in. I have found that I need a new scale. I think I maintained my same weight from last week--neither gaining nor losing--but I can't tell because if I even vary my stance or lean in any direction I get a reading that can be as much as 20lbs off. Normally weighing 20lbs less would be rewarding, but it is just frustrating. Tomorrow is my physical and I should get a more accurate reading first thing in the morning. (Also, Zumba starts Tuesday and I am still UBER excited!)

I passed out the exercise log my walk jog class used for monitoring aerobic fitness and heart rate. We discussed set backs from the week and gave each other suggestions and encouragement for fighting our blahs. My mom-in-law brought back the bikes she had taken two weeks earlier, all fixed by my talented and capable dad-in-law. Del and I took out my bike with Arthur on the back and had an exhilarating 3.4 mile stint to celebrate.

Speaking of celebrating: Last night, because I wanted to fit in some cardio, I used the recumbent bike for my usual 30 minutes and I WAS ELATED when I hit 8 miles at level 10 in the 30 min, and maintained a strong hold in THR zone for the workout: 143! So very exciting I was giddy for hours--which I will be more cautious of in the future, because I did this at midnight and then was unable to fall asleep until 2.

Also yesterday I push mowed an acre and finished up what was too dark to cut last night this afternoon--with Arthur on my back. AND today I wrote down the actual calories of my food, instead of just the food items and coloring the square--which ensured I stayed under 1500. I feel a bit successful today. :)

This week will be a true challenge because each day has a lot of activity...riding to and fro in the car for different doctors' appointments. And my modified lifestyle will be going on the road for several days which will make fast food a temptation. Hopefully if it comes to such things I will remain disciplined and not sabotage this week's progress. I have my resistance bands and they are ready to travel!

C is for Cookie

and that's not good enough for me! Gram Crackers and baked chips have been sabotaging my efforts this week. I feel disheartened. While I am still writing down what I'm eating, it is hard to stop eating the Grams (I just love them so!) and I will instead write things like "lots o chips" or "stack of Grams". I have put in a lot of cardio this week and have increased my biking to 7 miles in 30 minutes. This has put some strain on my knees, and this is the third day I woke up with pain in my arches...I am wondering if I need a new pair of shoes. Money has been stressing me out as well. Whenever I am worried about money or panicked about bills I feel overwhelmed and want to eat junk food. I become cranky and agitated and then after I've indulged in the food, I feel guilty. It's a vicious cycle.

I am feeling slow and under motivated. Also, I think the biggest frustration comes from a lack of meal planning this week. We have not made our weekly menu or done our food shopping (mostly because of my preoccupation with other bills and expenses) and last night dinner was at a diner to pacify the kids after a big day of errands. One of those errands being a pick up--my dress is in! (It is still lovely and the goal oriented person in me is determined to look great in it by September!)

I can't really complain about the results; they are here and have been consistent. I have lost a chin and can actually feel that my face is slimmer (I can feel my cheek bones and jaw!). My bras are feeling roomier and my pants fit correctly. My legs feel stronger and I can bend and stretch further. I know that change is happening and each morning I am excited to wake up because the transformations seem to happen overnight.

Perhaps I have hit my first roadblock in an otherwise obsessive preoccupation. Just the same, my rational brain says tomorrow is a new day and after reading several blogs/articles/newsletters I know I am already doing the magic combination...(Calorie intake conscious, cardio/toning routines, Pilates/yoga for flexibility and balance). I just need to control my cravings by controlling my stress...and be patient.

Pushing forward: After talking to a friend about the benefits of weight training and toning, I went out today and got some resistance bands and a stationary ring for my yoga ball. I'm excited to use them and have taken them out of the boxes. A

step in the right direction!

Change Up

Today's workout included a 45 minute yoga restoration routine on DVR. After all the recumbent use it was nice to have a change up. Since the goal of restoration yoga is to remove stress from the body and open hip-flexers and release tightness in larger muscles it was very enjoyable. Especially Pigeon!

Using my yoga ball after the routine to do a few extra stretches and crunches also helped to lengthen all the tension I have been feeling in my legs.

The kids and I took a quick paced 10 minute walk in the neighborhood--I really felt this in my calf muscles and was excited for a long walk at this speed...then I got a blister on the back of my heel. I'll have to wear flip flops for a few days so it will be all healed up for ZUMBA!

After some pruning in the front gardens (large overgrowing trees, shrubs, and bushes got a trim), the rain heaved itself down on us in a flooding wash. So while in the garage I remembered my weight bench! 5 rotations each of 5 bench presses and 10 reverse crunches. Because of the pilates I have gotten pretty good at the reverse crunch. My arms and chest really need more attention though--I've been doing push ups but not regularly.

The diet is still going well, too. Today I used last nights roasted chicken to make an awesome chicken salad. I will definitely be making this again.

Two cups pulled chicken, shreaded in food processor (the little model),
Two carrots and two celery also shreaded in processor.
4 tbs Lime vinegerette dressing.
1/4 cup rasins.

Mix and serve. Yeilds 5, 1/2 cup servings. We used whole wheat saltines and it was delicious. The kids really liked it and wished there was more! Next time I might even try some nuts.

After dinner (Jesse's famous Chili served with rice) we went as a family--J, too!-- on a small walk down the street and back playing a fun game of tag as we went.

Sunday is the next group meeting and MiL is picking up our bikes while she is here, to have them maintanenced. I am so anxious to get on a bike outside!

Calorie Conundrum

Lately I am too active for the 1200 a day and need to do 1500 (a sentence I never thought I'd say again...too active!) I am doing well so far with a 12-1500 calorie intake (diary is on the fridge!) but each day I seem to be missing more snacks and not drinking enough water. I don't understand how this works, because I am consuming WAY less than ever. This is completely unintentional and I will have to focus more on consuming the six small meals. But, I thought I'd be more hungry. The water is a no-brainer, I need to get better about that, but the day seems to disappear before I can float away on it!

It's only day 4 with the tracker but I think it is easy enough to fit into a daily routine. I was at a cook-out the day before last and managed to remember what I was consuming instead of blindly chowing down (something about old dogs and new tricks comes to mind).

Either way, we are going to have a weekly weigh in to record the ups and downs of weightloss. (I've lost 3 inches in 3 weeks and 6lbs at two lbs a week!)

As far as activity. I am steady on. Yesterday Mil, Fil and Jesse played tennis. J said it was a good time and they will do it again. I think I might tag along next time, good cardio mix up.


ETA: Did my 20 min Pilates today because of the rain and will likely use the bike. Read this article and am reminded that my Walk Jog Coach from Hood highly recommended a heart rate monitor, too.

Locomotion!

A group of us are on a support mission: My mother and mother/father-in-law, Jesse and myself. We have had a first meeting and discussed our agendas and goals. Then MiL passed out calorie diaries and the food categories for keeping track (VERY HELPFUL).

Yesterday was a very active day. We did eventually make it to Sugarloaf. Just me and the kids and I brought Abby. We took the green path up, first time this season (the side with the stairs from the top parking lot) and I puffed like a locomotive with Arthur on my back. I thought Abby would be more of a puller, like she is with mom, but no, she always walks beside me (so I should have known she wouldn't pull me up!)

I sweat more with the walk up and back down than I have on the past 4 trips to Sugarloaf (we have gone every Sunday in a row) and more than I did with my morning bike ride. I have no idea how many calories that used but I had been following the 1200 calories and was at 921 by the walk (with the only meal left being dinner). I was lightheaded when we got home. We had vegetable stir-fry with lean pork and brown rice. I had a small helping (which was SO hard) of rice, using my MiL's chart.

After talking to "the group" about the lightheadedness I understand that yesterday was too active for 1200 (pilates, biking, and climbing) and on days like that I might need 1500.

(left 10.20.08/right 6.14.09)

Whoot!

I read that biking 5 miles in 30 minutes is a great cardio workout. The article said that 4 miles in 15 minutes would be just as great a workout. So this morning after Del went to school, Julie and I followed the 20 min Pilates DVD as a warm up (because I was a tad stiff this morning after yesterday's activities) and then I used our recumbent bike to pedal 4 miles in 15 min.

I had set the time for 30 minutes, but after 15 I was ready for an end. I think that is another "work up to it" goal. Just the same, the nice thing about the recumbent bike, other than low impact, is the read-out of statistics. My heart was in the THR and I did burn off my yogurt and blueberries from breakfast. Of course, this left me famished about an hour later so we've already had our leftover split pea soup and bread (w/mozzarella cheese).

Without burning out for my potential off day, I am looking for MORE to do, now.

Also, it occurs to me that my schedule is tentative and more of a suggestion than a rule.... So far it is working out!

ETA: I biked 15 miles after that first 15 minute attempt. I am still working up to 30 minutes, but by then I want 8 miles!

Baby-steps in Leaps and Bounds

After finding that my exercise buddy, my husband, is happier participating if there is an objective (not just a hamster on a wheel), I struck off on my own this morning. Del and I walked to the bus stop and once he was on board I continued on a walk jog. The first of hopefully many.

It is strange how I talked to myself out-loud. Telling myself when to start jogging and looking for the visual clue that I could stop again. I know that my duration will increase, but I was pretty exhilarated after just two reps of jogging. Since I have shin-splints I just want to be sure that I don't screw up my legs before Zumba.

Funny thing is, since I have started this more active trend, I can't stop moving. Active Inertia has taken hold. Throughout the day I look for more ways to move. I feel restless. Jesse said, "Sit DOWN" the other day because I was a live wire of energy. If I can maintain this high and not injure myself I think the weight will pretty much just fall off.

Letting go of sugar is a different slice of cake. Since I covet sweets I am on an uphill battle. I have read that this powerful desire dwindles as exercise increases and milestones are passed. But a spoonful of coconut is divine all the same.