It all started with a blister ... I was two days into stepping things up... I was doing 4 miles a day ~ increasing both speed and incline as I went... when I noticed a big blister forming on my heel. The week before ~ I read someone else's blog and they too were suffering from a blister... and I told them "try some other activity while it heals!!" so ~ here I was, facing the same dilemma.
My solution... at first... was to walk slower on a level incline - that way, there would be less friction on the heel (that was covered with band-aid AND moleskin) and I'd still be moving... that lasted one day...
but then...
I did have to get to my tanning sessions (headed to Mexico the end of this month!!)... and... there is that book I've been meaning to read.... not to mention the magazines piling up on my table... and what better time to do all this, then when I'm letting my blister heal??
so ~ just like that ~ I went from exercising 5 times a week to two...
I was actually expecting to be up in lbs this week... so in an attempt to get re-motivated, this past Wednesday, I stepped on the scale and it read 168! huh?? I lost another lb??? But... then the official weigh-in day came (that would be today)...and I'm *still* "officially" at 169. So... no weight loss; but no weight gain..."officially".... and I'm not going to get upset about that either ~ I actually "feel" heavy this week, so I'm just happy the scale stayed in the 60's...
Update on Everest: Since I've been slacking on recording my progress... it may look like I've done alot this week... but I'm just catching up on reporting it... last I reported, I had just left Camp III at 24,500 ft and made it 288 up the trail; as of today ~ I'm now at 25,865... which means I'm climbing the Geneva spur and crossing the Yellow Band... and...only 135 ft away from Camp IV... which sits at the base of the Death Zone... and that's where things get tricky... I decided awhile back... that once I entered the Death Zone - I'd cut my calories burned in 1/2 so that I'd have to work harder to reach the summit... to mimic the struggles real climbers face in the Death zone. So... I'm closing in... slowly but surely...
So... I've always said to myself that I'll never be a slave to the scale... but I'm soooo excited about dropping into the 60's, that I can't help but step on the scale each day to see if today is the day I drop into the 60's.... (normally I only weigh in every 10 days)
and guess what?!?!?
today just might be that day!!!!
since I know that the scales can play games with you... I'm going to weigh again tomorrow to see if it's true...
Here's another article on portion control I found interesting and thought I'd share... (nothing like finding reinforcing evidence for your battle plans, right?!?!?!!)
The article compares the portion sizes in France vs. America and found:
32% of american adults are obese compared to 11 % of french adults
when served larger portions, we eat more
french portions were smaller by an ave of 25%
one reason smaller portions seemed to satisfy the french more may be that despite eating less, they spend more time eating it
prolonging mealtime makes less food seem like more, because the body has had time to achieve satiation
So... instead of taking time to smell the flowers... we should take time to smell the cheese...
I just ran across this article titled "You call that health food?" and reading thru it ~ it reminded me of why I don't diet... I get sooo frustrated (and actually alittle pissed off) when I think I'm eating "healthy" and then someone points out "yeah, but... it's loaded with sugar... or... sodium... or.... whatever...."
It's true! a company can market something to make it sound healthy... but really...
*sigh*
so that's why for me ~ it's portion control... combined with attempts to eat more veges... fruit... fish... and just get more active... over the years I've noticed that I don't have room for dessert any more... I never had that problem in the past?? but the reason now?? GIGANTIC PORTIONS!!! "gotta get our money's worth, right?"
well.... no more. I wanna have room for dessert from now on...
Another lb. bites the dust!!! So that means... I'm teetering on the brink of leaving the 70's and heading into the 60's.... way cool!!!
I can't remember the last time I weighed in the 60's...? Looking back at some of my notes from my previous, failed attempts - I think it was around 2000 !! Eight years, huh?? uffda...
AND!
I made it into Camp III (at 24,500 ft) yesterday on my Everest climb... and am now headed up the South Col where Camp IV sits just below the death zone at 26,000 ft... I "left" camp and am now at 24,788 ft and climbing...
OH! and I have $30 bucks in my Harley Fund... I put $1 for each day I workout, and $5 for the 5 lbs I've lost!!
It can be reassuring sometimes to read something that supports your weight loss plans... I've been saying I'm taking it slow-n-steady this time... one day at a time... and sometimes I feel like ~ maybe I'm not taking this thing seriously enough ~ although I know I have no reason to think this! I'm making progress !!! but you know how those ol' doubts that can lurk around in the back of the brain sometimes...
but then I read this:
Think marathon, not sprint
What's in it for you: If you try to change too many diet habits at once, you won't give your body and mind enough time to adjust and it'll be more difficult to make the changes stick. Don't worry about every little bite, or feel guilty when you eat too much or have a so-called "forbidden" food. It'll take all the fun out of eating and that's a recipe for failure.
How to do it: Cut yourself some slack. Set one small, realistic goal at a time and pace yourself. This week, simply eat more green veges. Next week, eat more beans. Over time, each small change will become a lifelong habit. Plan out your meals and snacks. Don't waste calories on things you don't love. Make every calorie count, enjoy each bite and remember to fit in regular exercise - - the other half of the healthy eating and living equation.
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There are some other tips too in the article I read - if you're interested... but that one... summed it all up for me; that's EXACTLY the philosophy I've adopted for this journey... and it felt good to have someone else validate that...
I discovered a "new" feature on my treadmill the other day... it automatically stops after 100 minutes.
This past week, I've been battling a sore back (a herniated disc in the lower back) so I've had to take things slow... and one of the blogs I read last week told of someone walking 4 miles that day!! and I thought WOW!! and then I thought... "wonder if I could do that..?"
so three days ago, I got on the treadmill - and - going at a slow pace - was approaching 100 minutes and 4 miles... only it hit 100 minutes first and stopped! No warning either!! There I was... walking along, minding my own business... and BAM!! I literally walk into the console because the belt stopped... AND IT WAS ONLY 4 DOTS AWAY FROM 4 MILES!!!!
So today... my goal was to walk 4 miles UNDER 100 minutes... I wanted to beat the clock this time... (but I still have to go somewhat slow on account of that damn disc...)
so I set out... and I'm doing good... my personal trainer (my cat Cleo) walks into the room and curls up on her usual chair by the door to monitor the human's progress... (and it should be noted that she had to tear herself away from basking in the sunshine in the other room to do this too)... and I'm watching the clock and my speed, and I'm on track to beat the clock this time...
about 85 minutes into this, Cleo jumps up on the weight bench next to me, looking alittle irritated... tail twitching alittle... ears turned back alittle... and I get this sharp little "meow" from her (my cats are very talkative)... which sounded like "aren't you done YET?? you're cutting into my nap time!!" and I smile and tell her... "soon, gato.... very soon..."
and guess what!! I beat the clock with less than 5 minutes to spare!!! yea!!! me!!! AND... I don't think I aggrevated my back in the process... (but time will tell on that one so... I'm off to the heating pad after this just in case...)
and I was thinking about this C25k thing... I think I can safely start it after going a week with no pain in my disc... think that's a safe amount of time..? Hmmm... we'll see...
You know how we love to use acronyms... and eventually, I can figure out most of them; but there's been one that I keep running across that I can't quite figure out... "C25k program" ... txlass keeps talking about it.... TatumsMom is "back" on it...
I finally had to google it ~ and it's the "Couch-to-5k" running program... which I'm sooo glad I googled because it's exactly what I'd like to do next !!! I've been working out a month now, and am thinking of how I can take it to the next level. I know that means increased workout times - or speed on the treadmill - or weights, etc... but I'm also getting inspired by all of the talk on the EP blogs of people running races... and I would love to get back into running... but I worry about my knees...
But looking over this program, I'm thinking... this just might be the thing to ease me and my knees back into running!!
so thank you ladies for talking about C25k !! I think I need to give it a whirl ~
have heating pad... will run race.... (my new mantra...)
I would like for this back pain to go away now!! as I'm very sick of it!!!!
I am managing to squeak out some time on the treadmill (sans the Ben Gay so my cats will leave me alone) ~ but at a slow pace... but that's ok! my goal is simply to get moving...
so... I last reported that I was 1,717 ft away from Camp III... I've gone 907 ft since then... so... that puts me at 23,690 ft on 'ze mountain ~ or 810 ft away from Camp III (or 5,338 ft away from the summit)
I just realized today - that I've been blogging now for a month... man... time flies when you're having fun!!
On the surface it might not look as if I have much to show for it - but I also went into this first month knowing I wouldn't lose a ton of weight - my goal was simply to get moving - that's it - so I'm pretty happy with how it went...
I did record losing 4 lbs... I think most - if not all - of that is water... but I'll take it !! and it hasn't crept back on yet!!
my biggest concern was that my knees and back would put a quick halt to my efforts - but they DIDN'T !!!! (although - my back is still trying to sideline me...)
I worked out 18 of the 30 past days...
I actually feel lighter !! It might just only be my new outlook on things that make me feel lighter - but that counts too!!
Slow and steady is working!! I never thought it would...
I actually ate some fruit this month - and even a vege !!! who'da thought??!?!
I'm still excited about working out... way cool !
Today ~ although not scheduled ~ I'm resting on account of my back still hurting. I can pick it up again tomorrow...
I decided awhile back... that once I entered the Death Zone - I'd cut my calories burned in 1/2 so that I'd have to work harder to reach the summit... to mimic the struggles real climbers face in the Death zone. So... I'm closing in... slowly but surely...
