August of 2010 was my last post? Really? Hmm. Well, let's see if I can get back to it.

Got my frame of mind back to the idea of getting healthier and losing weight. Never have sincerely got myself back to that for more than a couple days at a time in the last couple years. So...let's see if I can put together more than a couple days.

This time around, not strictly doing the carb thing as before. Just trying to make sure each food decision is a smarter one. Not depriving myself, just looking for the smartest version. Been one week now of making that my new thought process and I'm down 5.6 pounds. Now mind you, it's the same 5.6 pounds I've lost time and time again, so nothing to impress anyone. But it's the jumpstart I needed to get it going.

Smarter choices. Like last week when I had a craving for my spinich dip. I left work, went to Trader Joe's and found the dip I wanted. Then I stood there saying to myself......."Okay, Lauri, you know to enjoy this you need chips, so what are you going to do about it?" So what I did was to bypass the chips that I would have normally grabbed, and instead found some soy and flax seed chips. They were perfect with the dip, and the scale was down the next morning. My other huge discovery thanks to a friend....Ezekiel bread.

Okay, enough for now, it's time for work. Hopefully it won't be another year before I am back here. One foot in front of the other, one day at a time. Hopefully, here I go again!

Is Anyone Still Out There?

Wow...it has been almost a year since I last blogged. So here I am, confession time. I never did really get back at the running or workouts. Over the last 10 months I have been hit and miss about exercise and my eating. I was doing okay at maintaining, so I got lazy about it all. And then there was a pound here, a pound there gained, and I started thinking I really should do something about it. Funny, just thinking doesn't get the job done. Instead, I never did DO anything about it. Instead I traveled with friends, ate whatever I wanted, and watched as the dust gathered on my exercise machines. In fact, I seem to have actually lost my membership card for the indoor track I was using last year. (I did stop by there to renew when it was time, and actually did use the track that day. Hmmm.....one day in how many? Not very effective!) So as work switches out of its summer schedule, reality sets in. I had gained about 5 pounds during the winter and spring, and just during the summer added 15 pounds to that. All that hard work. All those hours at the track. Gone. Swish!! Just like that. So here I am. Once again facing the reality of having lost control. Once again staring in the face of my lifelong battle and struggling with all my food addictions. But.........
As of two weeks ago, I got back on plan with my diet. While I know some don't approve, I know what works for me. I have cut out carbs. Once I sincerely do that, I stop getting cravings and only feel hungry when it is truly necessary to fuel my body. I am back to drinking massive amounts of water again. Okay, not massive, but a minimum of 64 oz a day, some days much more. Since my weigh-in on August 10, I have lost 8.4 pounds. So far so good. But now it's time to add the exercise back to the program. Yesterday I went out with Steve on his walk (he does a mile and a half every day) and ran spurts during our walk. I almost managed a quarter of a mile in one shot, but fell a bit short. But it's okay. That was the first running I've done in awhile. The one thing I have been fairly good about is on Sundays I usually go for a hike in the desert. It use to be a group thing last year, but now it's just me. And that's not a bad thing. It gives me a chance to really get into my own head. (Although, one Sunday I was out there alone and managed to startle a snake in my path. I was surprised at just how fast I can move in reverse!) However......I have a hiking partner headed across country. My folks will be here next month and my Mom is looking forward to hiking with me. I can't wait! It's always a great motivator to have someone else involved. It will be our "mommy and me" time. As she starts getting use to the desert and temps start to go down some, I know we can push each other to do more. And, it's time to start hitting the track again. I am going to make a real effort to do that at least three times during the week this week. There are other workouts to do and places to do them, but I don't want to be unrealistic about I know I will do at this point. I've spent the last two weeks getting the food under control, now I will start with getting the habit of stopping on the way home to use the track back into my habits. Once step at a time, right?
Sad thing is, I need to take down my "lost 35 pounds" badge. But just for now! I will be there again. I WILL!

Back at it again......and it felt SOO good!

I finally did it. I finally ran again. Not as good as before this all happen, but at least back to it. When I first started running I had this amazing feeling.....this body memory thing.....an "oh yeah" moment of this is what I've been missing.

I walked two laps, ran three, walked one, ran two, walked one, ran one, and then continued the rest of the two miles alternating a walk lap with a run lap. A long way away from doing a complete mile without stopping, but a start. I knew I would have to build back up again, but I don't think it will take too long. I won't be able to hit the track today because I have a work-related class this afternoon. But that is a good thing as I need to build up slow on this ankle again. I think skipping a day between for now will be a good idea. I have to remember patience is necessary to do this right. But at least I am back at it again!!!!

Half a Month Later

Goodness! It's been half a month since I last blogged. Okay, so some catch-up. I started my physical therapy and it has really helped. You know, they say the older you get the slower you heal. Well, guess I am officially "older", because it sure seems to be taking a long time to heal this ankle! My therapist didn't want to release me to start running again yet. She did finally agree this week to let me hit the track to start walking my two miles. She told me to try it, see how it all felt the next day. She said that IF I felt no pain at all, I could start putting small spurts of running into the walking, but that she would really rather I'd wait for one more week. Well, I hit the track the next day (Thursday) and did my two miles walking. Admittedly, yes, I did feel it in my ankle the next day. Okay, so she knows what she is talking about. No running yet. Friday instead of hitting the track, I walked in the mall while on a movie date. Didn't do any real walking yesterday, but was on my feet all day as I was redoing a closet and going through stuff. Didn't finally sit down until about 7:30 pm. After sitting for a bit I could feel my ankle throbbing, so put some ice on it. Later today we are going to the park for a music festival, so I will be walking there. Thinking I will try to stop at the track after work tomorrow. I am caught between not wanting to over-do and delay the healing and getting back to working out. I feel like my body is ready to start loosing weight again. I had felt like I was at a plateau, but last week, even without exercising, I got on the scale and saw the lowest number I have seen in years and years. I won't have any "official" weigh-ins right now. This session of "biggest loser" has ended and I have not signed up for anything more. The price as increased each session to the point that it will now cost for one month what I originally paid for 12 weeks. Time to look around for something different. Besides, it wasn't being very effective for me this last time anyway. So, once I get the "all clear" from my therapist, I will find something else to help motiviate me. For now, I am just thrilled to not be gaining during this down time. And, to be completely honest, I have not exactly been on track with my food plan, either. (Which is what surprises me about the loss and convinces me my body is ready to lose again.)
We'll see how this week goes.

Feeling better justified about my injury

It's been awhile since I wrote last. I've been a bit embarassed. I was afraid I was being a "wiennie". Since my fall, I haven't been able to get back to anything. I went to my biggest loser session last week.....and dang it, their workout included going outside for a run. I had been waiting on that since I was now able to go the distance. But, I was still having issues with my ankle, so they had me stay inside and ride the stationary bike. I then tried to keep up somewhat with the class when they came back inside to workout. Was able to do the upper body part, but not the lunges and such. Then I was hurting from it the next day. This past Saturday I went out with Steve to walk, tried running about 10 - 15 feet to see how it would feel, and it was not good. I was sore afterwards. Walking has been okay, but while just sitting, such as at my desk at work, I would get pains, and it has still been swelling every day. So okay, I finally broke down and went to the doctor yesterday. Guess I did some real damage. From what he saw on the xrays, no breaks. He is having a radioligist confirm that today. Assuming the xrays are clear, he has put me on "contrast bath" treatments, a splint, told me to stay off it when possible, and wants me in physical thearapy for four weeks to re-strengthen the muscles. And this is all 2 and a half weeks after it happen. So, I guess I still won't be hitting the track for a bit. Can't do the workout at biggest loser this week as he wants me off my feet as much as possible. This is SOOO frustrating! I had just achieved a goal, and now I am so afraid of where I will have to start again to get back to it. My biggest fear, although probably completely unfounded, is not being able to run again. So many people have been telling me how once they had this kind of injury it was never the same and they couldn't do the same things they had done before. I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT!!

Improving

Here it is Wednesday morning. I haven't been able to run/walk since the fall on Saturday. My ankle is finally looking better. The swelling wasn't as bad yesterday and it doesn't hurt to walk on it. I've almost got full range of motion with it, but it's still tight when I bend it forward into the position it would be when I run. I think my knee is actually going to hold me back longer than my ankle. It's still a bit swollen and the skin still feels tight with much motion. Part of the wound is still open. My arm is better, finally all closed up, but still sensitive to put any pressure on. My back has improved each day, just after sitting at my desk all day at work I can feel it, but not nearly as bad as the first day or two. So all in all, everything is better, but I'm frustrated because I had finally reached a goal and then I'm dead in the water. I am thinking I may go to the track after work tonight to at least walk some and maybe test out how things feel if I try to run. I have weigh-in tomorrow night and I know I am probably in trouble since I haven't worked out since last week's weigh-in.

Leave it to me.....miss graceful

I called my mom this morning and told her she should have at least given me the middle name of "Grace"....cause that's about as close as I would come to having any! This weekend is a working weekend for me, so this morning instead of waiting for the track to open to run, I decided to hit the dead end road by the house like I do sometimes. So out I went on my merry way, feeling good about not using work as an excuse to not do it. Well, about half way back I somehow stepped wrong, twisted my ankle, and down I went. Fortunately, Steve had his cell phone on so I was able to call him to come get me. Man oh man! If I do something, I do it right! Even after having ice on it most of the day, my ankle still looks like there is an egg under the skin right on the ankle. The knee on my other leg took the brunt of the fall and the skin is tore up. Ripped the skin on my forearm pretty good as well. That was the obvious damage. I finally made my way in to work, and now that I am back home I have come to realize I must have twisted my back as well. I feel like I have been beat. How sad what can come from taking one step wrong. I just want everything to heal quickly so I don't have to miss too many days of exercise.

Meanwhile, I did hit the track Wednesday and did my mile plus a lap before I started walking between sets of running laps. Thursday was biggest loser workout, but I only went for the weigh-in, didn't stay for the workout. Decided I wanted to be a good friend that night instead. Anyway, I was up 0.8 pounds from the week before. So see, I need to heal quickly because I need to work a little harder this week.