Okay, not so many days between blogs this time. So, let's see. Since my blog last Saturday, what have I done? Since Friday and Sundays are usually my days off from exercising, didn't do any of that. My guy wanted to make spaghetti Sunday, so yes, I had pasta. I figure if I am in this for the long haul, then I will relax a bit on weekends with the diet. If I want something, I'll have it, I'll just keep it in control portion-wise. Monday I didn't make it to the track.....let myself think something else was more important...turned out it definitely was not....lesson learned. Yesterday I was literally on my way out the door, half way through the front door actually, when my phone rang and it was someone wanting to come pick up something they had bought from me. Well, they live far enough away that I couldn't put them off till later, but they were going to be there a bit too soon for me to have time to get to the track and do my thing and get home. So, since I couldn't go, I decided to get out and do some yardwork instead. Not as intense, but at least I was doing something instead of sitting while I was waiting on them to show up. Today I finally made it back to the track. And, yeah!, I did a half mile again. I walked my two laps, ran my 6 laps (1/2 mile), and then upped the number of laps I ran between walking a lap for the rest of the two miles. I am feeling the progress and it inspires me. I can see being able to run the whole mile without stopping to walk just around the corner. I WILL get there!
Tomorrow is my biggest loser class. I will try to pay better attention at weigh-in and get a definite number so I can update my stats here.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
A Personal Best......So Far
Here it is two and a half weeks since my last blog. Shame on me!
Well, my next session of biggest loser is underway. I cannot share the exact numbers from weigh-ins as I don't remember them. What I can say is that the first weigh-in was less than two pounds more than my final weigh-in last session (which was first week in June). Considering the travels and hit-and-miss with my diet and exercise, not too shabby. I know that the second week I was down....I think just a little less than two pounds. Last week I was down, but was chatting and didn't pay attention to the numbers to get an exact number, but Vera made the comment that I was down two pounds....so about that. So...I am losing again. The problem with the numbers is I now have a good scale at home and get on it often and then get the numbers mixed with the one at my official weigh-in. It seems their scale is almost two pounds more than mine. Anyway....downward progress is always good. I just need to pay better attention next time to get a real number to start working with.
Meanwhile, I acheived a personal best this weekend. Anyone that has read my blogs knows I hit the indoor track and walk/run. I am now up to doing 2 laps of running for every one lap of walking. However, I try to do more than two the first time around. I have done as many as four laps at one time on my first round. But getting back on track this week I was doing three laps for my first round. Well, Saturday morning I don't know what possessed me, but once I started my first round, I kept going and made six laps.....that is half a mile. Now I know for everyone else that is running, half a mile is nothing. But for me, running half a mile without stopping to walk is a personal best since I was 25 years old (23 years ago). It definitely helped in the motivation department! When I first started adding running to my walks, my thought was would I ever be able to run a mile without stopping to walk. Well.....I am half way there! Now I don't expect to necessarily be able to do it again tomorrow, but we'll see. Some days just seem to work better than others, while some days it takes everything I have to make it around the next corner of that darn track.
Well, my next session of biggest loser is underway. I cannot share the exact numbers from weigh-ins as I don't remember them. What I can say is that the first weigh-in was less than two pounds more than my final weigh-in last session (which was first week in June). Considering the travels and hit-and-miss with my diet and exercise, not too shabby. I know that the second week I was down....I think just a little less than two pounds. Last week I was down, but was chatting and didn't pay attention to the numbers to get an exact number, but Vera made the comment that I was down two pounds....so about that. So...I am losing again. The problem with the numbers is I now have a good scale at home and get on it often and then get the numbers mixed with the one at my official weigh-in. It seems their scale is almost two pounds more than mine. Anyway....downward progress is always good. I just need to pay better attention next time to get a real number to start working with.
Meanwhile, I acheived a personal best this weekend. Anyone that has read my blogs knows I hit the indoor track and walk/run. I am now up to doing 2 laps of running for every one lap of walking. However, I try to do more than two the first time around. I have done as many as four laps at one time on my first round. But getting back on track this week I was doing three laps for my first round. Well, Saturday morning I don't know what possessed me, but once I started my first round, I kept going and made six laps.....that is half a mile. Now I know for everyone else that is running, half a mile is nothing. But for me, running half a mile without stopping to walk is a personal best since I was 25 years old (23 years ago). It definitely helped in the motivation department! When I first started adding running to my walks, my thought was would I ever be able to run a mile without stopping to walk. Well.....I am half way there! Now I don't expect to necessarily be able to do it again tomorrow, but we'll see. Some days just seem to work better than others, while some days it takes everything I have to make it around the next corner of that darn track.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Yeah, it's been awhile again between posts. I really need to get better at this.
I still haven't gotten back into full routine yet for losing weight. I have been hitting the track, just not as often as I should be. I also haven't gotten myself back on track with my eating. I'll use my birthday as part of an excuse. No one should have to diet around their birthday when people are suprising them with cakes and ice creams, after all. And then this past weekend I was out-of-town. (My sweetie is visiting family in Ohio for two weeks...had a high school reunion this past weekend and a wedding next weekend. Unfortunately, work prevented me from being able to go the two weeks with him, so I went up this past weekend for the reunion and had a great time!) Okay, so the excuses aren't so great.
For my birthday, my daughter got me a really nice scale. So now I'm on the scale all the time and it is amazing how quickly my weight can change in just hours. I know I need to back off from it, but it's still a new toy...lol. I've also been on it a lot to be sure I am not gaining a lot back during this "bad" time of mine. The next biggest loser session at the fitness center starts next week, and I have paid my registration. Guess that means I'm committed to another 10 weeks of real effort to get some more pounds off. Got a week and two days till the first weigh-in, but I'm going to try to start getting back on track this week. Going to be a crazy week with work....I'm sure starting Wednesday I'll be putting in some long hours and working through the weekend. But hopefully it will only be a week of the long extra hours for now. More will come in a couple weeks, and then more in September. It is all too easy to not exercise and to eat poorly in those conditions with the people I will have around me, but I have to make a promise to myself to not let it get in my way.
I still haven't gotten back into full routine yet for losing weight. I have been hitting the track, just not as often as I should be. I also haven't gotten myself back on track with my eating. I'll use my birthday as part of an excuse. No one should have to diet around their birthday when people are suprising them with cakes and ice creams, after all. And then this past weekend I was out-of-town. (My sweetie is visiting family in Ohio for two weeks...had a high school reunion this past weekend and a wedding next weekend. Unfortunately, work prevented me from being able to go the two weeks with him, so I went up this past weekend for the reunion and had a great time!) Okay, so the excuses aren't so great.
For my birthday, my daughter got me a really nice scale. So now I'm on the scale all the time and it is amazing how quickly my weight can change in just hours. I know I need to back off from it, but it's still a new toy...lol. I've also been on it a lot to be sure I am not gaining a lot back during this "bad" time of mine. The next biggest loser session at the fitness center starts next week, and I have paid my registration. Guess that means I'm committed to another 10 weeks of real effort to get some more pounds off. Got a week and two days till the first weigh-in, but I'm going to try to start getting back on track this week. Going to be a crazy week with work....I'm sure starting Wednesday I'll be putting in some long hours and working through the weekend. But hopefully it will only be a week of the long extra hours for now. More will come in a couple weeks, and then more in September. It is all too easy to not exercise and to eat poorly in those conditions with the people I will have around me, but I have to make a promise to myself to not let it get in my way.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Back at it again
Okay, it's time to get things back on track here, including my blogging. First, I have to say, I had a FABULOUS vacation visiting my son and his wife in Germany. I don't have the words to share what I felt. I have lived in Germany myself, twice when my dad was stationed there, and once when my ex-husband was stationed there. The first time I was too young to remember much. The second time I was in high school and graduated while there. Because I was in the band, I got to travel a lot, but didn't realize just how lucky I was, because, afterall, it was how I spent my high school years. The last time I lived there as an adult, but in our early years of marriage and therefore, money was tight most of the time and/or he could never get time away from work, so we simply lived there rather than take advantage of our opportunities. I must say, however, that there is difference that I think is quite huge. The last time I lived there was 1982-1985. My son was born there and we experienced our first VCR while there. There was so much around me that I wasn't even aware of. However, times are SO very different now! With computers and gps systems, there's no excuse to not know what is nearby or how to get there. Just as a "for instance", we drove by one of the places I had once lived, and in route, Steve pointed out a building and asked what it was. I didn't know. When we got home that night I looked on the internet and discovered it was a summer palace for past royalty. I had no idea! Thanks to the internet, my daughter-in-law was able to do searches to find things for us to get out to explore that were near enough to not cost a lot of travel money. What a whole new way to discover your surroundings!
The other thing that really struck me was odd. I grew up a military brat, then was a military wife, so until recent years, have spent my whole life on the move. Until moving to Tucson, I had never lived more than 3 1/2 years in one place, averaging about 2 1/2 years per location. Home for me has always been where ever I was. My family refers to Florida as "home" because it is where both my parents come from (my dad originally from NY). But Florida has never called to me. Actually, no PLACE ever has. Tucson was my ex's last duty assignment, this is where we were when the divorce took place, my son was in high school and I had a good job, so wasn't emotionally prepared to uproot, so this is where I am now. Well, for the first time in my life, a place called out to me. While in Germany I felt a calling like I have never felt before. I felt that I should be there, NEED to be there, just for a year or two. I stood outside and looked around and felt safer, healthier, greener, and that it was calling to me, whispering in my ear. I have NEVER felt anything like that before. When it was time to go, I felt a real resolve that I would find my way back.
Now, back to reality. I did some checking on NAF jobs and they are only available to family members stationed in the area. I checked on Civil Service jobs, and in order to transfer you have to already be on "career track", which I believe means you have to already be at least three years employed. That would involved getting a new job, relocating, and hoping that in three years I could transfer. Sad thing of that is I don't know that I would still feel the urge to be there in three years. I am starting to sense other obligations coming my way that may not allow it at that time. I know it's now or never. So I started checking some other employment routes. I find job postings if I am willing to go back to my pre-kindergarten teaching. But to do the kind of work I do now would require me to be fluent in the German language. I know enough to get me around, but certainly nothing even close to enough to work in. I have one other thing I want to check on, but I am not holding my breath. I think with each day that passes, I realize it is simply a wishlist dream. If it doesn't happen now, it won't be able to happen later. But I guess that is how life goes.
Beyond all that, the reason I have this blog, the weight issue. Well, when I first arrived at my son's home, I got on their scale. And while I was there, the most I was ever up was three pounds, but that didn't stay. We were there for almost three weeks. I had given myself permission to enjoy food. I took my running shoes, but in truth never did any running. However, we walked ALOT! On days we didn't go anywhere, Steve and I took a half hour walk. But at least every other day we went somewhere, and on those days we walked for hours. One of the great joys of the country. We would usually park somewhere in the altstadt (old city) and then just set out on foot. I had in my mind three foods I definitely wanted while I was there. And, I found all three...lol. One of them was a cake, and I was afraid I wouldn't find it and was afraid to use the word I remembered it being called as I wasn't confident it was correct. But anytime we passed a bakery, I walked in to see, and found it.....in the little town next to where the kids live! When I asked her to say it for me, I was pretty darn close on what it was called, only had one letter in the long word wrong. Not too bad....lol. After all, we do remember the important things, right?
Since being back, I have tried to get back on track. The first week I hit the track a couple times to do my running/walking. Considering I hadn't run in a month, I was pleased with how I did. This past week, I didn't go but twice. I picked up a summer cold and was just miserable with sinus pain and trying to breathe. But got back there yesterday. I'm still not back on routine, but hopefully this week will be. I haven't been great with my food. I have to get my mind back in the game and get control of myself again. The last session of the biggest loser contest ended the week I left and the next session doesn't start until August. So I haven't had accountablity for weigh-ins. And not having a great scale at home, I'm not sure exactly where I stand. The home scale doesn't show much difference, but it has never been very accurate compared to my weigh-ins. I guess I should go stop by the fitness center and weigh in on that scale.
The other thing that really struck me was odd. I grew up a military brat, then was a military wife, so until recent years, have spent my whole life on the move. Until moving to Tucson, I had never lived more than 3 1/2 years in one place, averaging about 2 1/2 years per location. Home for me has always been where ever I was. My family refers to Florida as "home" because it is where both my parents come from (my dad originally from NY). But Florida has never called to me. Actually, no PLACE ever has. Tucson was my ex's last duty assignment, this is where we were when the divorce took place, my son was in high school and I had a good job, so wasn't emotionally prepared to uproot, so this is where I am now. Well, for the first time in my life, a place called out to me. While in Germany I felt a calling like I have never felt before. I felt that I should be there, NEED to be there, just for a year or two. I stood outside and looked around and felt safer, healthier, greener, and that it was calling to me, whispering in my ear. I have NEVER felt anything like that before. When it was time to go, I felt a real resolve that I would find my way back.
Now, back to reality. I did some checking on NAF jobs and they are only available to family members stationed in the area. I checked on Civil Service jobs, and in order to transfer you have to already be on "career track", which I believe means you have to already be at least three years employed. That would involved getting a new job, relocating, and hoping that in three years I could transfer. Sad thing of that is I don't know that I would still feel the urge to be there in three years. I am starting to sense other obligations coming my way that may not allow it at that time. I know it's now or never. So I started checking some other employment routes. I find job postings if I am willing to go back to my pre-kindergarten teaching. But to do the kind of work I do now would require me to be fluent in the German language. I know enough to get me around, but certainly nothing even close to enough to work in. I have one other thing I want to check on, but I am not holding my breath. I think with each day that passes, I realize it is simply a wishlist dream. If it doesn't happen now, it won't be able to happen later. But I guess that is how life goes.
Beyond all that, the reason I have this blog, the weight issue. Well, when I first arrived at my son's home, I got on their scale. And while I was there, the most I was ever up was three pounds, but that didn't stay. We were there for almost three weeks. I had given myself permission to enjoy food. I took my running shoes, but in truth never did any running. However, we walked ALOT! On days we didn't go anywhere, Steve and I took a half hour walk. But at least every other day we went somewhere, and on those days we walked for hours. One of the great joys of the country. We would usually park somewhere in the altstadt (old city) and then just set out on foot. I had in my mind three foods I definitely wanted while I was there. And, I found all three...lol. One of them was a cake, and I was afraid I wouldn't find it and was afraid to use the word I remembered it being called as I wasn't confident it was correct. But anytime we passed a bakery, I walked in to see, and found it.....in the little town next to where the kids live! When I asked her to say it for me, I was pretty darn close on what it was called, only had one letter in the long word wrong. Not too bad....lol. After all, we do remember the important things, right?
Since being back, I have tried to get back on track. The first week I hit the track a couple times to do my running/walking. Considering I hadn't run in a month, I was pleased with how I did. This past week, I didn't go but twice. I picked up a summer cold and was just miserable with sinus pain and trying to breathe. But got back there yesterday. I'm still not back on routine, but hopefully this week will be. I haven't been great with my food. I have to get my mind back in the game and get control of myself again. The last session of the biggest loser contest ended the week I left and the next session doesn't start until August. So I haven't had accountablity for weigh-ins. And not having a great scale at home, I'm not sure exactly where I stand. The home scale doesn't show much difference, but it has never been very accurate compared to my weigh-ins. I guess I should go stop by the fitness center and weigh in on that scale.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
False Advertising? I need your opinion.
Hello everyone. I am back from my travels and will talk a bit about that ahead, but I have something I need your opinions on first, as I'm not sure what I should think. As those of you know that have read my blog in the past, I have been involved with a fitness club that has had a "Biggest Loser" program going since January. There have been two sessions so far. The first session ended in April and I won for my class. The second session ended in June. Well, I came home and went to their web site to see what was happening and what I may want to sign up for this time around and found my "before" and "after" pictures being used to help promote their programs. Okay, I'm sure that in something I signed I gave them the rights to use my pics, so that in itself is no big deal. However, when I saw the pictures, I was astounded at the false advertising. To be sure it wasn't just my opinion, I asked a few of my friends, some of which also have attended these sessions, and they agreed with me. So just now I saved the pics from the web site so that I could put them here with my story, and guess what? They saved to my computer in original form, not the form they use on their web site. So I want to paste the way it saved here and ask you to click on the link to their page and see the way they have it posted and ask you to please tell me what you think. I have been told that these pics are also on their door in a flyer format, so I will have to go by there while I am out today and see just how it looks there. In the meantime, I feel like this is false advertisement, at least on their web page. My fiance wants to call his friend at the newspaper about it, but I'm not sure I want to do that. I know if I do something like that, I obviously will be done with the fitness center, and I'm not sure how I feel about that yet, either. We have all seen ads for places with before and after pictures of their sucessful clients and want to believe what we see. But this just shows how easily false things can be. I think the real before and after pictures would be fine on their own. However, the way they used them sure does show what should be a much larger loss than what they stated I lost. Please share your thoughts with me, pro or con. I really do want some objective feedback with this. Thanks to anyone/everyone that takes a moment to do this.
Here are the true before and after pics as they should be (the way they saved to my computer). Okay, the pics posted at the top of the blog, but there they are. Now please, compare that to the squished and stretched versions located at the bottom of the page on this link.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Old Man and His Beard
Do you remember the story of the old man and his beard? Short version is there was an old man that had grown his beard all his life. He was known for this and people came from all over to see him and his beard. One day, quite innocently, someone asked him if he slept with his beard under or over the covers. Having never thought about it before, the old man found he could not get comfortable either way and eventually had to cut it off in order to get a good night's sleep.
Well, I currently feel like that old man. On Saturdays, Steve goes with me to the track to do his walk while I do my thing. This past Saturday, quite innocently (seriously, he meant nothing beyond poking fun at me), he asked me if I could feel my butt jiggle when I ran. At that moment I simply laughed at him about it. However, on Monday while I was running I suddenly remembered his question. All of a sudden I realized that yes, I could feel it jiggling. All of a sudden nothing felt right, but I finished my run/walk. Next afternoon I went in and part way through same thing happen. When I thought of it, I felt like I was having a hard time running. Yesterday was national running day, and I had planned to push myself a bit more. But, there I was again. Shortly after starting, it suddenly popped back into my head. Yes, I could feel my butt jiggle as I ran. Suddenly I felt that I couldn't get my stride right. I was SO tempted to stop before I had completed my usual routine. I felt like I was having to work harder than normal to do what should be natural at this point. I was feeling drained physically too soon. No matter how I tried to distract myself, I kept feeling my butt muscles (and fat). I actually was feeling sore across my butt from the jiggling. Okay, what is wrong with me? This HAS to be all in my head, right? I've been doing this for months without a problem before. Why is this creating such a situation for me? And, of course, it's not like I can just say "don't think about it". Once it has popped into my mind, it seems to be all consuming while I'm running. Has anyone else had something like this happen? If so, how did you overcome it. I am finding that I am not looking forward to the track anymore, and in fact would welcome any excuse I can come up with right now to not go back anytime soon.
On another note, tonight is weigh-in. I may be in trouble this week. I have been being a bit "bad" everyday with my food. Sunday evening at dinner I had a homemade biscuit and serving of pasta with corn in it. Considering I am doing low carb, that was three no-no's in one meal. BAD, BAD, BAD. Otherwise I have just done some stupid little something somewhere in my day each day. Last time I was reaching this point, I was ending the first session of the biggest loser contest and so was able to take a week "off" between ending that one and starting the next. I think it really helped me get back on track because I had to lose what I had gained that week and I did it and kept going. So I am thinking this means it's time for a little "off" time so I can recommit. Problem is, I will have plenty of "off" time starting next week when I go on vacation. Knowing that, why couldn't I just stay good for another week?
Okay, I've got to get it together. I've got to overcome this running issue and get control again with my food. I want to be of the right mindset so that while on vacation I won't let it all go and come back to large weight gain. I know I won't be on top of my exercise and food, after all, when will I get a chance again for real German food? But I do want to stay in control about my choices and hopefully keep at least some exercise happening. There is actually a bit of fear happening here. I don't want to have to work to re-lose the same pounds over again. I want to feel the resolve I felt a few weeks ago of knowing I had developed great new habits and would not let them fall aside again. I still have four days before we start our trip, so hopefully I can get out of this funk and back on track before I leave. And I WILL pack my running shoes!
Well, I currently feel like that old man. On Saturdays, Steve goes with me to the track to do his walk while I do my thing. This past Saturday, quite innocently (seriously, he meant nothing beyond poking fun at me), he asked me if I could feel my butt jiggle when I ran. At that moment I simply laughed at him about it. However, on Monday while I was running I suddenly remembered his question. All of a sudden I realized that yes, I could feel it jiggling. All of a sudden nothing felt right, but I finished my run/walk. Next afternoon I went in and part way through same thing happen. When I thought of it, I felt like I was having a hard time running. Yesterday was national running day, and I had planned to push myself a bit more. But, there I was again. Shortly after starting, it suddenly popped back into my head. Yes, I could feel my butt jiggle as I ran. Suddenly I felt that I couldn't get my stride right. I was SO tempted to stop before I had completed my usual routine. I felt like I was having to work harder than normal to do what should be natural at this point. I was feeling drained physically too soon. No matter how I tried to distract myself, I kept feeling my butt muscles (and fat). I actually was feeling sore across my butt from the jiggling. Okay, what is wrong with me? This HAS to be all in my head, right? I've been doing this for months without a problem before. Why is this creating such a situation for me? And, of course, it's not like I can just say "don't think about it". Once it has popped into my mind, it seems to be all consuming while I'm running. Has anyone else had something like this happen? If so, how did you overcome it. I am finding that I am not looking forward to the track anymore, and in fact would welcome any excuse I can come up with right now to not go back anytime soon.
On another note, tonight is weigh-in. I may be in trouble this week. I have been being a bit "bad" everyday with my food. Sunday evening at dinner I had a homemade biscuit and serving of pasta with corn in it. Considering I am doing low carb, that was three no-no's in one meal. BAD, BAD, BAD. Otherwise I have just done some stupid little something somewhere in my day each day. Last time I was reaching this point, I was ending the first session of the biggest loser contest and so was able to take a week "off" between ending that one and starting the next. I think it really helped me get back on track because I had to lose what I had gained that week and I did it and kept going. So I am thinking this means it's time for a little "off" time so I can recommit. Problem is, I will have plenty of "off" time starting next week when I go on vacation. Knowing that, why couldn't I just stay good for another week?
Okay, I've got to get it together. I've got to overcome this running issue and get control again with my food. I want to be of the right mindset so that while on vacation I won't let it all go and come back to large weight gain. I know I won't be on top of my exercise and food, after all, when will I get a chance again for real German food? But I do want to stay in control about my choices and hopefully keep at least some exercise happening. There is actually a bit of fear happening here. I don't want to have to work to re-lose the same pounds over again. I want to feel the resolve I felt a few weeks ago of knowing I had developed great new habits and would not let them fall aside again. I still have four days before we start our trip, so hopefully I can get out of this funk and back on track before I leave. And I WILL pack my running shoes!
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