One factor I hadn't planned on using in my weight loss plan was catching the flu; however, it has proven strangely effective, at least in the short term. Within 12 hours I went from 158 pounds to 151 pounds by simply retching my way through the evening. I know...such a lovely image...and now I am a bit light-headed and tired and dehydrated. Basically it gave me lots of sympathy for anyone who struggles with bulimia -what a horrible trade-off in strength and health in order to lose weight! I can't image how hard it would be to live day after day tempted to lose weight quickly that way (which also saps your strength and self esteem at the same time).
I'd much rather keep going with healthy eating and exercise, which help me lose weight while gaining self esteem, a nice additive. I'm not going to post this 151 as a true 151 weigh in until it lasts till Christmas, since all the eating I will do until then will likely restore my strength and a few pounds that the flu prematurely ripped away from my frame. I'd rather be a 151 with strength and health, than post a 151 that is merely a weak, dehydrated, fake. But sometime soon I will surely get there (especially with the salted and buttered popcorn Nate is handing me while I type this and he edits my grammar).
For family members needing Christmas ideas though, my size Large running pants are way too baggy now and I would love to slip into some Mediums! Much love and I had better go drink some more Gatorade to rehydrate!
Friday, December 14, 2007
Sunday, December 02, 2007
An accomplishment!
I've constantly worked out 5 days a week since mid-October which is starting to make my clothes a bit baggy and my arms look stronger. I also think I've lost a couple pounds putting me in the 150s no matter when I weigh in, night or day! My goal is to loose a few more pounds by Christmas which would put me down at 155 pounds (which I haven't been since Christmas 2003 - 4 years ago).
I am finding it much easier to run now that I weigh less. This time last year I tried running about 2 miles when I weighed around 190 pounds. It was much harder then it is now. Last night it was 60 degrees at 8pm at night. I had to get out and run since this sort of weather only happens one a month in Dec and Jan and NOT at all in Feb here in the Midwest. I just ran all around the neighborhood with all the brick houses lit up with Christmas lights.
I had fun just running without a watch or a time limit. I ended up running lots of hills and through lots of wind which blew the leaves around. The sky looked threatening, almost like a summer thunder storm might start. I think the wind made folks think it must be cold and nasty out because I didn't see many cars or people out at all. We went from an ice storm warning in the morning to a 60 degree windy night, and no one took the time to walk out side to check and enjoy it.
One hour later I made my way back home. My heal hurt a bit but I felt fantastic and so much faster then I have been in a LONG time. I'm guessing I was running under a 10 minute mile at parts. I need to sign up for a 5k soon to check my time. But I don't want to push to hard to fast and aggrevate my heal.
Here are my workouts the last six weeks that have led to my success.
Starting October 21st, 2007
Week One: 2.5 hours Weight Lifting, 1.5 hour cardio, workedout 5 days
Week Two: 2 hours Weight Lifting, 3 hours cardio/Yoga, worked out 5 days
Week Three: 3.5 hours Weight Lifting, 3.5 hours Cardio (ran,swam,yoga), worked out 7 days
Week Four: 5 hours cardio, worked out 5 days
Week Five: 1.75 hours Weight Lifting, 3.5 hours Cardio, worked out 5 days
Week Six: 2 hours Weight Lifting, 1.5 hours Cardio, worked out 4 days
Week Seven: I'm in now.
That's a total of 31 days of working out in the last six weeks!
I am finding it much easier to run now that I weigh less. This time last year I tried running about 2 miles when I weighed around 190 pounds. It was much harder then it is now. Last night it was 60 degrees at 8pm at night. I had to get out and run since this sort of weather only happens one a month in Dec and Jan and NOT at all in Feb here in the Midwest. I just ran all around the neighborhood with all the brick houses lit up with Christmas lights.
I had fun just running without a watch or a time limit. I ended up running lots of hills and through lots of wind which blew the leaves around. The sky looked threatening, almost like a summer thunder storm might start. I think the wind made folks think it must be cold and nasty out because I didn't see many cars or people out at all. We went from an ice storm warning in the morning to a 60 degree windy night, and no one took the time to walk out side to check and enjoy it.
One hour later I made my way back home. My heal hurt a bit but I felt fantastic and so much faster then I have been in a LONG time. I'm guessing I was running under a 10 minute mile at parts. I need to sign up for a 5k soon to check my time. But I don't want to push to hard to fast and aggrevate my heal.
Here are my workouts the last six weeks that have led to my success.
Starting October 21st, 2007
Week One: 2.5 hours Weight Lifting, 1.5 hour cardio, workedout 5 days
Week Two: 2 hours Weight Lifting, 3 hours cardio/Yoga, worked out 5 days
Week Three: 3.5 hours Weight Lifting, 3.5 hours Cardio (ran,swam,yoga), worked out 7 days
Week Four: 5 hours cardio, worked out 5 days
Week Five: 1.75 hours Weight Lifting, 3.5 hours Cardio, worked out 5 days
Week Six: 2 hours Weight Lifting, 1.5 hours Cardio, worked out 4 days
Week Seven: I'm in now.
That's a total of 31 days of working out in the last six weeks!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
The rumblings of change
Day after day I get up and workout hard, and eat less, and stay focused. And so far I weigh and look about the same as I did one month ago when I started this workout routine. However, underneath the surface I can tell I'm stronger. I can do twice as many push ups, stretch twice as far (and for those who know me you know that means now I can almost touch my nose to my toes), and am starting to at least feel the muscles under the surface.
I've read that fitness and overall weight loss is an up and down journey. The most important change occurs when I start to form a habit. If I can lock into a new healthy habit then the results will be evident throughout my life, and may not really show up for awhile. Just like if I developed an unhealthy habit, which could lead me to creeping weight gain and a slow decline in overall health. Any change takes time. Right now I'm setting the foundations with healthy habits so that I am growing healthy under the surface, which will slowly become evident on the surface as well.
So far my new healthy habit that I hope to practice now and therefore keep for a lifetime, is working out in the mornings before my family is awake. This gives me a way to relieve stress and get my heart rate up before I meet the needs of the day. Another healthy habit I am working on right now is eating smaller portions and eating healthy (whole grains, fruits, veggies and lean meat). I read the book, "Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy" by Dr. Willett from the Harvard School of Medicine. And I've adopted the food pyramid created by the Doctors of Harvard as the guiding tool for my healthy eating. See below.
So I've started at the base of the pyramid and am focusing on the stuff at there. Daily exercise and weight control, then eating whole wheat and healthy fat and then on up in moderation.Another healthy habit I am working on includes exploring emotional healing for myself and my family through some great recovery tools and by joining a women's support group. It has helped me risk more in my relationships and is helping me draw on God in a more intimate way, which feeds every area of my life. Now if I could engage this sort of healthy processing of emotions on a daily basis through great communication with myself, God, and others, I would be on my way to healthy living on a whole other scale!
Slowly but surely the pounds are dripping off. But more importantly slowly but surely I'm become a different person, a healthier one, and who wouldn't be proud of that!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
A Perfect Week
I did all my early morning workouts this week, except on Friday the DVD player quit on me so I went running instead. My weight swung high the first week (when I was sick) and is now back down to around 160 so I haven't lost any weight. But I am feeling stronger. This program has lots of upper body weight training, yoga, and pushups and pullups. so my arms are definately getting stronger. I think I might go swimming today, my day of rest. I've also had lost of fun video chatting with my brother Eddie as we workout. It always helps to have a friend urging you out of bed in the morning!
Friday, November 02, 2007
From Sweet Dreams to Kempo X
I've learned the hard way that I need to be on the alarm clock side of the bed, or else I sleep in.
Let's just say my husband hits snooze and somehow an hour later I'm late for work and have missed my workout. I was on the alarm clock side this morning, and even then I got up a 1/2 hour late. I made my workout but wasn't able to ride the bus into work. I'm trying to get up earlier in the morning so that I can both work out and ride the bus into work.
The day I'm able to do this will be a miracle and I will post it here, because it will require me getting up at 5:30am, working out for 1 hour, then showering, then walking to the bus stop at 7am, then riding the bus from 7:20 to 7:40am, and arriving to work early! Wouldn't that be fantastic. I would be a healthy, earthly-friendly, early-bird worker. In my dreams ;-)
Well, actually it is my sweet dreams that keep me from this dream of becoming a better morning person. That and the interrupted dreams that my son still gives me at night, with the waking up and needing attention, or delayed dreams due to needing to debrief with Nate or clean the house until 10 or 11pm. To make this work I need to get to bed closer to 9pm, than 11pm. It is a lifestyle change and it will take time. It also involves the compliance of my great husband since for some reason I can't fall asleep without him next to me. So either we both become morning birds, or neither of us do, unfortunately. For right now I'm happy if I just get the workout in, get no shower, and drive my car to work, getting there a bit late. I know it's not really close to my final goal - but its a start.
Kempo X was fun this morning. Lots of shouting though, which I was afraid might wake my guys so I kept it quiet. I tried to Skype my brother so that we could work out together, but I couldn't reach him. My heart rate got up there even though it didn't feel that hard. It was fun and I've been thirsty for most of the rest of the day. I think I will try to make it to the gym to go swimming. I can see why my brother likes it - very close to boxing or karate. I like Yoga better. Maybe a gender bias there.
Let's just say my husband hits snooze and somehow an hour later I'm late for work and have missed my workout. I was on the alarm clock side this morning, and even then I got up a 1/2 hour late. I made my workout but wasn't able to ride the bus into work. I'm trying to get up earlier in the morning so that I can both work out and ride the bus into work.
The day I'm able to do this will be a miracle and I will post it here, because it will require me getting up at 5:30am, working out for 1 hour, then showering, then walking to the bus stop at 7am, then riding the bus from 7:20 to 7:40am, and arriving to work early! Wouldn't that be fantastic. I would be a healthy, earthly-friendly, early-bird worker. In my dreams ;-)
Well, actually it is my sweet dreams that keep me from this dream of becoming a better morning person. That and the interrupted dreams that my son still gives me at night, with the waking up and needing attention, or delayed dreams due to needing to debrief with Nate or clean the house until 10 or 11pm. To make this work I need to get to bed closer to 9pm, than 11pm. It is a lifestyle change and it will take time. It also involves the compliance of my great husband since for some reason I can't fall asleep without him next to me. So either we both become morning birds, or neither of us do, unfortunately. For right now I'm happy if I just get the workout in, get no shower, and drive my car to work, getting there a bit late. I know it's not really close to my final goal - but its a start.
Kempo X was fun this morning. Lots of shouting though, which I was afraid might wake my guys so I kept it quiet. I tried to Skype my brother so that we could work out together, but I couldn't reach him. My heart rate got up there even though it didn't feel that hard. It was fun and I've been thirsty for most of the rest of the day. I think I will try to make it to the gym to go swimming. I can see why my brother likes it - very close to boxing or karate. I like Yoga better. Maybe a gender bias there.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Over the river and through the cold
to a house full of cough and fitness videos we go! Kleenex's and cough medicine are all over our house as well as used airline tickets from two trips in the last 5 days. No wonder it was difficult for me to keep my perfect streak going. So after pridefully challenging my brothers onto perfection, I got sick with a head cold, went on a weekend trip to St. Louis and had an 18 hour travel and work day to Baltimore in the last week. Since last Wednesday I've only done two of the 7 workouts.
I did Chest & Back on Monday and Yoga X (the whole 90 minutes) on Halloween night. I did do 20 minutes of the Plyometrics video before my son asked for my attention (and my legs were so sore just from the warm up that I fear what the whole DVD will do to me). I also ran 1.5 miles while pushing Lincoln in his stroller last Thursday (which was a feet since I did have a head cold).
I'm back on track and feel strong. That Yoga workout was intense and was way harder then any class I've ever taken. I was amazed at how far I could stretch at the end. I was able to hug each one of my legs when they were stretched out straight.
I did Chest & Back on Monday and Yoga X (the whole 90 minutes) on Halloween night. I did do 20 minutes of the Plyometrics video before my son asked for my attention (and my legs were so sore just from the warm up that I fear what the whole DVD will do to me). I also ran 1.5 miles while pushing Lincoln in his stroller last Thursday (which was a feet since I did have a head cold).
I'm back on track and feel strong. That Yoga workout was intense and was way harder then any class I've ever taken. I was amazed at how far I could stretch at the end. I was able to hug each one of my legs when they were stretched out straight.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
The Lone Workout
Talked to my brothers tonight and we are all on day three of these P90X workout routine. We were all staring at another massive arm weight lifting work out and NOT wanting to do it. Both brothers said to me on the phone that they were going to call it a rest day because their body needed the rest and that I should just take it easy to.
How could I pass up this chance to rub it in their faces by still doing the workout!
So at 9pm I put in the DVD, grabbed my heavier weights and went to town on 1 hr of shoulder, back, bicep, and tricep lifting. Yes, I am now to tired to even use the mouse on the desk, which might be a problem when I go to work tomorrow. But it least I still have my pride and no I haven't caved already on this program. Unlike some slackers I know who owe me a make up workout sometime in the future!
This program is fun and energizing. It is a great lift to be doing something completely different with my exercise routine. Now I just need to get the diet part right and I should have successful first 30 days. My fingers are getting too tired to type now though due to the arm fatigue so I better go to bed. At least I can go to bed without feeling guilty, unlike some slackers I know who caved on day three of 90!!!!! So sad.
How could I pass up this chance to rub it in their faces by still doing the workout!
So at 9pm I put in the DVD, grabbed my heavier weights and went to town on 1 hr of shoulder, back, bicep, and tricep lifting. Yes, I am now to tired to even use the mouse on the desk, which might be a problem when I go to work tomorrow. But it least I still have my pride and no I haven't caved already on this program. Unlike some slackers I know who owe me a make up workout sometime in the future!
This program is fun and energizing. It is a great lift to be doing something completely different with my exercise routine. Now I just need to get the diet part right and I should have successful first 30 days. My fingers are getting too tired to type now though due to the arm fatigue so I better go to bed. At least I can go to bed without feeling guilty, unlike some slackers I know who caved on day three of 90!!!!! So sad.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Second day of PS 90X
I'm on my second day of PS 90X. I've done two 1 hr workouts - chest and back on Sunday, and Cardio this morning. I was skeptical that the Cardio would work me out as good as a good old-fashioned run would. But since my brother made me a nifty schedule I'm sticking to it. And the Cardio work out got my heart rate to my running heart rate, can you believe that. And I was inside out the rain the whole time.
My arm and back muscles are really sore from the workout on Sunday and I'm feeling relaxed after my Cardio workout this morning. I have to thank my brothers for doing this with me, because I would have slept in this morning if I didn't know my brothers were up working out.
I'd like to thank everyone who is reading my blog as well. I hear rumors that lots of folks in my family and some close friends are checking in on my and reading up on how I'm doing each day. Please leave a comment of encouragement if you have the time. It will be as if you are another one of my mentors holding me accountable to my commitment to get fit.
Now its a quick wipe down with a towel and a clothing change and I'm off to work.
My arm and back muscles are really sore from the workout on Sunday and I'm feeling relaxed after my Cardio workout this morning. I have to thank my brothers for doing this with me, because I would have slept in this morning if I didn't know my brothers were up working out.
I'd like to thank everyone who is reading my blog as well. I hear rumors that lots of folks in my family and some close friends are checking in on my and reading up on how I'm doing each day. Please leave a comment of encouragement if you have the time. It will be as if you are another one of my mentors holding me accountable to my commitment to get fit.
Now its a quick wipe down with a towel and a clothing change and I'm off to work.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Drum roll please
I weighed in at 159 pounds, which means I've lost 7 pounds in two months. Now I need to set my sights on the 140s! I weighed 148 on my wedding day, so that would be a nice milestone to reach again. It is a big deal that I'm out of the 160s actually since I have been in the 160s for the last 4 years, with only one short exception. I hope to retrain my body to never think that is a good equalization point.
My brother has also challenged me to a 90 day intensive work out program called PS90X. I took the before photos today which were humbling. I plan to do this and am buying the weights needed. I hope this will push my body onto an even lower level.
Attached is the only before photo I'm willing to share on-line.
I call this one my "game face." Bring it on little bro. I ain't scared of your stinking 1 hour a day workout program.
I think it should push my weight down in the 140s before Christmas, which would be awesome because at this time last year I was in the 190s! 50 pounds in one year is awesome especially when I think about what a year it has been, of becoming a new Mom and struggling with my thyroid not working. Way to go me!
Oh and the YMCA gave me a T-shirt, book on the YMCA and a water bottle for working out so much in the month of September and tracking my workouts on their computer. Yeah for me! I think I ended up finishing 7th in their month-long competition. Rock on!!!
My brother has also challenged me to a 90 day intensive work out program called PS90X. I took the before photos today which were humbling. I plan to do this and am buying the weights needed. I hope this will push my body onto an even lower level.
Attached is the only before photo I'm willing to share on-line.
I call this one my "game face." Bring it on little bro. I ain't scared of your stinking 1 hour a day workout program.
I think it should push my weight down in the 140s before Christmas, which would be awesome because at this time last year I was in the 190s! 50 pounds in one year is awesome especially when I think about what a year it has been, of becoming a new Mom and struggling with my thyroid not working. Way to go me!
Oh and the YMCA gave me a T-shirt, book on the YMCA and a water bottle for working out so much in the month of September and tracking my workouts on their computer. Yeah for me! I think I ended up finishing 7th in their month-long competition. Rock on!!!
Biggest Loser Weigh In
I'm heading to my favorite gym that has my favorite scale so that I can do my monthly weigh in. Here is the history to this below.
Aug. 13th at 166 pounds
Sept. 15th at 164.5
I'm hoping for below or around 160 today.
Aug. 13th at 166 pounds
Sept. 15th at 164.5
I'm hoping for below or around 160 today.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
I'm winning.
I'm currently winning around four battles.
One is with my heal pain (slowly but surely it is going away after lots of money spent on painful deep tissue massage on my left leg).
Secondly, I'm winning in the battle to get my body to loose weight again. I lost 2 pounds this week and am down to 162.5!
Third, I'm winning in a contest at my YMCA for working out the most in September and logging in my activity on a computer at the gym. Actually I am in fourth place is the YMCA contest. I was quite surprised to see my name listed "#4. Sarah Woodward" on the contest poster next to the computer earlier this week. I've already one a T-shirt, yippee! And now my name is on a poster!!! How is that for motivation. Not sure what I win if anything if I stay in the top 5 or actually win the whole thing. But it doesn't matter. I know I feel great working out each morning. This morning I swam 15 laps and I just feel so relaxed now. Tomorrow I will attend the 1 1/2 hour yoga class that kicks my butt into shape. I'd love to keep this up and if I kept losing weight at this pace I would be down to at least 145 by Christmas.
Fourthly, I'm eating healthier to. This morning I had my Grape Nuts, blueberries and soy milk. For lunch a sauteed eggplant, squash, apple and red pepper in some salsa. It was super yummy and I only ate about a cup of it. I might skip dinner or have a smoothly. It is the combination of eating way less and exercising every day without fail that is finally leading to the weight loss. That and taking my thyroid medicine faithfully.
All this exercise has really helped me keep my cool at work too. It has been stressful the last few weeks but since I workout before coming in in the morning I feel relatively relaxed no matter what comes my way.
Feels good to be a winner! I know my real motivation too. It will be good to always be active for this little guy.
One is with my heal pain (slowly but surely it is going away after lots of money spent on painful deep tissue massage on my left leg).
Secondly, I'm winning in the battle to get my body to loose weight again. I lost 2 pounds this week and am down to 162.5!
Third, I'm winning in a contest at my YMCA for working out the most in September and logging in my activity on a computer at the gym. Actually I am in fourth place is the YMCA contest. I was quite surprised to see my name listed "#4. Sarah Woodward" on the contest poster next to the computer earlier this week. I've already one a T-shirt, yippee! And now my name is on a poster!!! How is that for motivation. Not sure what I win if anything if I stay in the top 5 or actually win the whole thing. But it doesn't matter. I know I feel great working out each morning. This morning I swam 15 laps and I just feel so relaxed now. Tomorrow I will attend the 1 1/2 hour yoga class that kicks my butt into shape. I'd love to keep this up and if I kept losing weight at this pace I would be down to at least 145 by Christmas.
Fourthly, I'm eating healthier to. This morning I had my Grape Nuts, blueberries and soy milk. For lunch a sauteed eggplant, squash, apple and red pepper in some salsa. It was super yummy and I only ate about a cup of it. I might skip dinner or have a smoothly. It is the combination of eating way less and exercising every day without fail that is finally leading to the weight loss. That and taking my thyroid medicine faithfully.
All this exercise has really helped me keep my cool at work too. It has been stressful the last few weeks but since I workout before coming in in the morning I feel relatively relaxed no matter what comes my way.
Feels good to be a winner! I know my real motivation too. It will be good to always be active for this little guy.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
The Health Account
"I weighed in at the gym yesterday, Aug. 13th at 166 pounds. I'll weigh in again in one month, around Sept. 15th. If I keep swimming everyday until then, and eat smaller portions, I should shed some pounds."
Okay. So I went back to the exact same scale today, on 9/15 and I weight 164.5! Now that is only a loss of 1.5 pounds but I am starting to feel some success in other areas as well. The past two weeks I've gotten up and to the gym by 6:30am where I have either swam or circuit trained or run on the elliptical for 30 minutes. So the 1.5 pounds I lost was definitely just in the last two weeks. Another big up is that I found a massage therapist who can make my heel feel better by rubbing my calf muscles really hard, like so hard I cry. He did this on Thursday and the next morning I got up and ran 2 miles and felt great. I guess all along my heel was really related to my calf muscles being all bound up. Now it will take some regular massage and I should be healed!
So I feel hopeful, energized and jazzed about my fitness right now. And I really think I can make it back into the 150s by Christmas. Which would be wonderful. After that I'll have the 140s in sight.
I'm also reading a really good book I got at the library about health called: "50 Simple Ways to Life a Longer Life." I like reading stuff like this about how to really make my life a healthy one. Some tips I've picked up are: eat a low-calorie diet, eat fish, drink tea (black, green, and white hot tea specifically), exercise and eat fruits and veggies, volunteer, and let go of stress.
One paragraph really go me jazzed as it listed all the benefits of regular exercise:
1) it strengthens the heart
2) reduces risk of heart attacks and strokes
3) lowers blood pressure
4) prevents arterial plaque buildup
5) strengthens bones
6) lessens your changes for osteoporosis
7) lessens chance for Type 2 diabetes
8) reduces your changes of getting breast, prostate, and colon cancer
9) fights stress and anxiety
10) lessens depression
11) gives you superior memory and thinking skills
12) lowers your risk for Alzheimer's disease
13) improves self-esteem
14) helps you get a good night's sleep
15) helps you maintain an ideal body weight
All these benefits and the "American College of Sports Medicine reports that" only "3 to 5 workouts weekly, of 30 to 60 minutes each, deliver the vast majority of health benefits." Even just walking that amount delivers some of the benefits above. And the more you put into it the more of the benefits you get.
One fitness nut for 90 years has been Jack La Lanne and he puts it this way, "Your health account is like your bank account. The more you put in, the more you can take out. The only way you can hurt the body is don't use it." listen to some of his inspiration videos...http://www.jacklalanne.com/multimed.html
Thanks Jack! I think I will invest in that account. It pays good dividends.
Okay. So I went back to the exact same scale today, on 9/15 and I weight 164.5! Now that is only a loss of 1.5 pounds but I am starting to feel some success in other areas as well. The past two weeks I've gotten up and to the gym by 6:30am where I have either swam or circuit trained or run on the elliptical for 30 minutes. So the 1.5 pounds I lost was definitely just in the last two weeks. Another big up is that I found a massage therapist who can make my heel feel better by rubbing my calf muscles really hard, like so hard I cry. He did this on Thursday and the next morning I got up and ran 2 miles and felt great. I guess all along my heel was really related to my calf muscles being all bound up. Now it will take some regular massage and I should be healed!
So I feel hopeful, energized and jazzed about my fitness right now. And I really think I can make it back into the 150s by Christmas. Which would be wonderful. After that I'll have the 140s in sight.
I'm also reading a really good book I got at the library about health called: "50 Simple Ways to Life a Longer Life." I like reading stuff like this about how to really make my life a healthy one. Some tips I've picked up are: eat a low-calorie diet, eat fish, drink tea (black, green, and white hot tea specifically), exercise and eat fruits and veggies, volunteer, and let go of stress.
One paragraph really go me jazzed as it listed all the benefits of regular exercise:
1) it strengthens the heart
2) reduces risk of heart attacks and strokes
3) lowers blood pressure
4) prevents arterial plaque buildup
5) strengthens bones
6) lessens your changes for osteoporosis
7) lessens chance for Type 2 diabetes
8) reduces your changes of getting breast, prostate, and colon cancer
9) fights stress and anxiety
10) lessens depression
11) gives you superior memory and thinking skills
12) lowers your risk for Alzheimer's disease
13) improves self-esteem
14) helps you get a good night's sleep
15) helps you maintain an ideal body weight
All these benefits and the "American College of Sports Medicine reports that" only "3 to 5 workouts weekly, of 30 to 60 minutes each, deliver the vast majority of health benefits." Even just walking that amount delivers some of the benefits above. And the more you put into it the more of the benefits you get.
One fitness nut for 90 years has been Jack La Lanne and he puts it this way, "Your health account is like your bank account. The more you put in, the more you can take out. The only way you can hurt the body is don't use it." listen to some of his inspiration videos...http://www.jacklalanne.com/multimed.html
Thanks Jack! I think I will invest in that account. It pays good dividends.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Heal Injury
Not sure if I'm moaned and groaned about my endless heal injury which has left me just swimming this summer. I miss running. I miss how easy it is to just get out the door and run, without having to plan a drive to the gym. All the doctors and friends who have given me ideas on how to fix this, haven't fixed it yet. I'm so tired of it aching whenever I push myself. So today I went and bought brand new running shoes just in case I get better and perhaps to help it get better. I ran one mile on the treadmill before my heal started to hurt. i'm pouting.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Two Days and 30 laps down...
I don't want to jinx anything here so I'll just say that I've made it to the gym two days in a row for a 15 lap freestyle swim. All thanks to the care giving of my husband who has either brought our son to the pool, or watched him at home. I hope to keep this streak of swimming everyday going as long as possible.
I took my brother's advice and stopped weighing myself every day. I weighed in at the gym yesterday, Aug. 13th at 166 pounds. I'll weigh in again in one month, around Sept. 15th. If I keep swimming everyday until then, and eat smaller portions, I should shed some pounds.
I took my brother's advice and stopped weighing myself every day. I weighed in at the gym yesterday, Aug. 13th at 166 pounds. I'll weigh in again in one month, around Sept. 15th. If I keep swimming everyday until then, and eat smaller portions, I should shed some pounds.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Come and Get the Mommy!!!!
I had a rest day after my great swim. Then I made it the gym last night with baby in tow. I went straight to the elliptical trainer and got in a 1/2 hour of exercise.
I went to check on my baby at the YMCA child care and he was a total mess, sobbing in the child care providers arms. I told them to come and get me right away if he cries!!! I swear these people think that Mommys don't want to see their crying babies. Don't they know that we are instinctually built to want to hold our babies when we cry - its part of the evolutionary process. Jeez!
When I dropped him off they reassured me that, "Don't worry we will only come and get you after he cries for 10 minutes straight. We won't bother you." I gently explained that I am the type of Mommy that wants to be "bothered" by my crying baby. "Come and get me right away, I don't want him to cry for 10 minutes." I don't think I was listened to. It is time for me to get pushy. Next time I go in there I'm going to say to at least two of the workers, "If he cries I want to know about it. If you can't get him to stop crying quickly, he needs to nurse and unless you are willing to nurse him you better come and get me RIGHT AWAY! - or I will complain to your boss." The "I will complain to your boss" part is the only new addition. Hopefully it will get my point across more fully.
It took me a whole nursing session right there in the child care area to calm him down. It makes it hard for me to feel motivated to go the gym when it causes "harm" to my baby every time. But in this heat going to the gym is my only option.
Today, I'm going to go swimming on my way home from work so that I don't have to subject my son to child care again. Argh!!!!
I went to check on my baby at the YMCA child care and he was a total mess, sobbing in the child care providers arms. I told them to come and get me right away if he cries!!! I swear these people think that Mommys don't want to see their crying babies. Don't they know that we are instinctually built to want to hold our babies when we cry - its part of the evolutionary process. Jeez!
When I dropped him off they reassured me that, "Don't worry we will only come and get you after he cries for 10 minutes straight. We won't bother you." I gently explained that I am the type of Mommy that wants to be "bothered" by my crying baby. "Come and get me right away, I don't want him to cry for 10 minutes." I don't think I was listened to. It is time for me to get pushy. Next time I go in there I'm going to say to at least two of the workers, "If he cries I want to know about it. If you can't get him to stop crying quickly, he needs to nurse and unless you are willing to nurse him you better come and get me RIGHT AWAY! - or I will complain to your boss." The "I will complain to your boss" part is the only new addition. Hopefully it will get my point across more fully.
It took me a whole nursing session right there in the child care area to calm him down. It makes it hard for me to feel motivated to go the gym when it causes "harm" to my baby every time. But in this heat going to the gym is my only option.
Today, I'm going to go swimming on my way home from work so that I don't have to subject my son to child care again. Argh!!!!
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Good Swim
I took a rest day yesterday. And swam 15 laps today in the pool. I tried a new breathing technique where I waited three or four strokes between breaths. I usually breath every other stroke. Waiting to breathe really pushed me and made the workout feel much harder. I'm bummed that my foot doesn't seem to be getting any better, just a lingering soreness in the heal, which means I should NOT be running. But it looks like my renewed effort to eat less and exercise this week may have lost me a few pounds. It's hard to say though because our home scale varies by 5 pounds every day I way in. I don't think its very good. I'll have to do weigh ins at the gym. I'm shooting for 150 or lower, I'm still around 168. This is the exact weight I was at when I got pregnant in Dec of 2005. So NOT BAD for having a 9 pound baby just last September. But I have my hyper-thyroid to thank for most of my weight loss. I want to be a better starting weight for the next pregnancy, which is NOT right around the corner, to any family members that may be wondering!
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Heat Equals Sweat Equals I'm Awesome!
So it is 95 degrees here with 53% humidity, which makes it feel well over 100 degrees F. After a brief excursion outside into the heat with my 11 month old son (we played in the hose water), I opted to exercise at the gym.
My foot is still not healed enough to allow me to run, so I got on the eliptical for 30 minutes and then pushed myself through a 30 minute circuit training workout. The gym was somewhat warm, or maybe I'm just out of shape, but with my IPOD cranking I was just drippin' sweat everywhere.
I really felt like I pushed myself even though I'm "injured." And this workout reminded me NOT to buy into the fallacy that if one part of you is sort of hurt, you might as well not exercise at all.
I was motivated to get out the door and exercise again after watch the footage of the Ironman Tri on T.V. today. People were finishing who had only one leg, or were 76 years old. I thought, ummm, I think I can exercise a bit, if they can do that.
What a lazy butt I have been!!!!
It felt good to get out the door, in the gym, and pushing myself again. Now I just need to plan a schedule to make this a normal routine! Wish me luck.
And here is a picture of the cutest boy in the world, my son.
My foot is still not healed enough to allow me to run, so I got on the eliptical for 30 minutes and then pushed myself through a 30 minute circuit training workout. The gym was somewhat warm, or maybe I'm just out of shape, but with my IPOD cranking I was just drippin' sweat everywhere.
I really felt like I pushed myself even though I'm "injured." And this workout reminded me NOT to buy into the fallacy that if one part of you is sort of hurt, you might as well not exercise at all.
I was motivated to get out the door and exercise again after watch the footage of the Ironman Tri on T.V. today. People were finishing who had only one leg, or were 76 years old. I thought, ummm, I think I can exercise a bit, if they can do that.
What a lazy butt I have been!!!!
It felt good to get out the door, in the gym, and pushing myself again. Now I just need to plan a schedule to make this a normal routine! Wish me luck.
And here is a picture of the cutest boy in the world, my son.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Swimming
So my brother is on me to post again, and sometimes I wonder how often folks even read this thing. BUT since I love my brother Eddie, and he cares about how I'm doing, I will post something. I hurt my foot and I'm pouting. I can't run until it heals really good. So I've taken up swimming again. This past week I've gone swimming only twice but they were great workouts because I went with my friends who are teenagers. They liked to keep racing and beating me in 25 yard sprints. This isn't something I usually do. I usually just go slowly across the pool completing about 15 laps. Which according to a calorie calculator burns around 200 calories (like running 2 miles would). It makes me feel great. But yesterday I think I did around 12 laps, with a lots of sprint laps thrown in there. I then picked up my son from the YMCA daycare and got him in the pool with us. It was lots of fun introducing him to kicking, blowing bubbles and splashing.
Enough talking. I'm up early so I'm going to head to the gym to lift a few weights before work. Love you bro! Sarah
Enough talking. I'm up early so I'm going to head to the gym to lift a few weights before work. Love you bro! Sarah
Saturday, June 23, 2007
My Virtual Trainer
I'm doing a trial run of the Runner's World Personal Trainer and its giving me weight workouts and cardio workouts on every other day. It's good because it is getting me to do different weight lifting and stomach strengthening exercises, and getting me out the door to the gym. It isn't good in that its inflexible and if I get creative with my workout there is no easy way to note what I did that varied from what is asked me to do. But so far its fun and effective. Today I need to run 45 minutes on a treadmill, and if since I will be traveling tomorrow I should do that work as well if I have time.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
New Motivation
I ran the Sactuary of Hope 5k this past Sunday. It was a trail run Challenge Course which markets itself as the hilliest 5k in the nation. I ran it in around 52 minutes with a very friendly 58-year-old women as my pace partner the whole way. Her name was Jan and she kept turning back to this 29-year-old and holding out her hand to help me up the steep hills. The hills were constant up and down, severe grade, over slippery grass, mud and bark trail. But that really is no excuse to be in the shape I am in. Having a very nice but older runner drag me through the course, made me realize that I'm only young once. I should push myself further in my training, and get back it much better shape. I haven't been able to walk up and down our stairs without howling in pain the last few days. This has been a humbling experience, but I'm ready for more and that is a good thing!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)