18,050

That's how many steps I ended up with today. 

:O)

That's cool since my 6 miles equalled 12000 so I added 4000 more!  So, I decided to join the October Abs Challenge.

Tomorrow's day 1 and it runs M-F only, weekends off.

Yay - good luck gals!

Heel... Toe.... Heel.... Toe.... Day 13 of 21

What do *you* think about when you are out jogging or walking?  Me?  I have to make a conscious effort to remember to go heel, toe, heel, toe in my steps.  Otherwise, I just slam my feet down on the ground.  Clomp clomp clomp clomp (like a horse or cow, I suppose).  And that just absolutely makes my legs ache.

Thought of the run:  holey moley there were a lot of rodents (I mean, squirrels) out this morning!!  Busy little critters gathering their staples for fall/winter.

Temp:  mid-40s (45, to be exact)
Semi-sunny, sorta windy.  I forgot my hat and gloves.  It was not bright enough to need sunglasses the whole time, but I'm glad I had them for the few legs that I needed them.  At one point, I actually got warm enough in that 45 degrees to take off my long-sleeve t-shirt.  Then I got cold, so back on it went LOL!!  Thank goodness for layering.

Second thought of the day:  1 minute does not go fast enough and 2 minutes blows by.  Can you tell I was doing 1:2 splits??  LOL!!  Yeah, for you non-runners (or at least used to my lingo) that means I jogged 1, walked 2 minute rotations. 

My iPod was distracting me again today.  I almost forgot to start jogging a couple of times LOL!!

My reward for going the full 6 miles today??  Richard, baby!!  Went to see "Nights in Rodanthe".  Ohhhh la la.  Yeah, I found a theater that if you go to the very first showing of the morning, it's $5 bucks.  That was sure motivation to get my run done, showered and out to the theater!!  The movie was "ok" and I am not disappointed that I went, but it's not something I will put on my Christmas list.  Not an over and over and over again to-be-watched flick.  In my opinion anyway.  Not like Pretty Woman or Walk the Line that I can watch once a week, if not more LOL!!

NSV of the morning:  I did not have ANYTHING during the movie.  Nada.  Zero.  Zip.  Zilch.

Then.  I wanted to go to a burger joint or something on the way home, but I didn't do it!  I came home and had an egg/sausage/cheese sandwich on a bagel.  That's my favorite Sunday breakfast.  Sure, it's more my lunch time now, but it's ok.  OH.  I *did* have a handful (we're talking SIX [6]) peanut M&Ms waiting for the bus to come for the ride home.

So there you have it.  I survived 6 miles.  And, I've got things to do now, so will check with you later.

Day 12 of 21

Today's exercise was not brought to me by jogging 5-6 miles this morning.  I slept "wrong" and my back, shoulder, neck are wacked.  I didn't think the jarring would be good for things.

I did do over 15 min of house cleaning (aka sweeping, doing the floors, vacuuming and tub/toilet) so I know that counts for something.

Then spending the day stretching things out so hopefully the kinks will be gone tomorrow.

If things feel better inside the bod tomorrow, I'll do the wog.

It's been V-E-R-Y interesting today.  One of the things with our Commit to Be Fit program this year, is bonus questions and this week's bonus question is to pay attention to the food labels and write out what we eat for one day and then include the calories, fat, carbs and protein.

I haven't paid attention to THOSE numbers since I did the Curves "diet" a couple of years ago.  I'm sorry, but figuring out all those numbers on a daily basis would drive me crazier than figuring out WW points LOL!!

So.  I decided to go on Spark.com (www.sparkpeople.com) and see what is "normal" for my stats.

Until I "changed my goals", they told me I should be in the following ranges:
Calories 1720-2070
Carbs 222-320
Fat 44-77
Protein 60-172

So far today, I am at the following numbers:
1348, 149, 66.5 and 36

So really, everything is falling into place "within the norms/ok" except I would want to watch my fat for the rest of the day (LOL) and increase my protein, huh??

I say before I changed my goals, because I went back to the goal page and told it I want to be at my goal weight (170) by the end of year 2009 and this is how it changed my numbers:
Calories 1600-1950
Carbs 208-301
Fat 41-72
Protein 60-162

..... interesting, huh?  I wonder why telling it I wanted to lose the 78 lbs in 15 months did that?  Probably because that means I "should" lose xx amount of weight per week that way?  OIY!!

Anyway.  I just found it interesting.  Back later.

Day 11 of 21

Well.  Amazing.  I've made it half-way through this mini exercise-challenge of ours.

Just as planned, it rained all night and a good majority of the day today.  I went for a 15 min walk at work today, so finished off the work-week strong. 

Plan is to still get out and go jogging/walking tomorrow morning.  Sigh.  Even in the rain.  I am not afraid of being cold and I am not even opposed to being wet.  It's the winter time when there is ICE on the road that I refuse to be out there jogging, friends. 

I walk year-round because I take the bus to work at least half the time.  So that's not the issue.  But, I don't need to be out there running bad enough to be doing it on ice.  I've fallen enough times just walking.  Not gonna do it.  No ifs, ands or buts LOL!!

Let's see.  What else. 

Answers:

The Commit to Be Fit program at work.  We did the first one in 2005 right after I had started at this job.  That is when we did the walking program where the goal was to walk 1 million steps in a year.  I did that and I just kept logging my steps.

Then we had one similar to what we are doing now, where you get points for the water you drink, adding fruits, veggies, fiber to your diet, we get a 1/2 point per 15 min of exercise.  This year, they have added blood checks for diabetics, vitamins, doctor check-ups, weigh-ins, etc. 

Each week they ask a bonus question and that helps. 

That's all I know.  Other than I feel like I was run over by a truck this week (over 100 new requests for Starbucks - closing locations).  That's not new information.  They plan to close around 600 stores in the first half of their 2009 fiscal year.  Well, I think their fiscal year runs Oct - Sept, so that's why they nailed me this week!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Commit to Be Fit

We're now in week 2 of the challenge at work.

Week 1 stats put my team (dubbed "Snickerdoodles") in 2nd place.  We were only trailing by about 4 points, if I remember correctly, too!!

It's funny - we got to pick our team names.  We have things like Chocolate Mousse, Chocoholics, etc.  OMG you can tell what we were all thinking naming our teams.

I logged 11870 steps today.

Saturday is supposed to be 6 miles.  Unless I decide to do the 5-miler again.  I have been doing each mile number two weeks in a row up until now before moving on, remember?  Tough call.  I'd like to do 6 miles, then 7, 8 and so on only doing each 1 week now.  There's supposed to be a 30 degree change in temps this weekend.  Brrrr!!  Good thing my hunny bought me my fleece pants and long sleeve t-shirt.  Add a hat and gloves and I should be warm enough, if not HOT out there running.  Note to self:  have a tank or t-shirt on underneath it so I can take the layers off as I warm up.

Yeah, our weather is changing quickly here and I won't be able to be out on the streets until spring for running unless the roads are clear of snow/ice.  I refuse to even *try* to run on that <stuff>!!

And.... the treadmill just doesn't sound exciting to me, I'm sorry.

So anyway.  I have the course(s) mapped for both 5 and 6 miles, so we'll see how it goes weather-wise before I decide.  I feel it's going to be in the rain though, so that may determine what's happening.  LOL!!  I haven't stayed inside and done a video in a while, so if I bail all is not lost.

Anyway. TGIF tomorrow and happy weekend!

Day 10 of 21

Today's exercise brought to me by 55+ minutes worth of walking.

I am taking the bus to work 4 days a week this month so I got up and left earlier to walk further to the bus (make sense?).  Meaning:  instead of walking only 2 blocks to the bus (like less than 5 minutes) I walked almost 25 minutes to catch the bus.

At work, I ate between my calls/work at my desk today (I do this when I don't have "stinky lunch" that would be offensive) and then went outside for a 20 min walk.  This almost got me because it was trying to start raining.

Let's see.  Answers:

1.)  I weigh when I feel like it now, basically.  More than likely will continue twice a month at the present.  Mid month and end/start of month.
2.)  I measure at the end of the month.  This is what I might change to the 2nd-3rd week so it's not sitting on TOM week.

If you don't take measurements, this is one thing that I stand firm on.  Start now, even if you have lost 5-1000 lbs already.  Sometimes along the journey, the scale won't move and the inches will be going away.  As a veteran (survivor?) of two 8-week plateaus on this journey, this is what kept my sanity.

Thanks for the comments about my consistency and being an inspiration.  You all are an inspiration to me too!!  Like they always said at the WW meetings:  if you are having a good week, the meeting needs you.  If you are having a "bad" week, you need the meeting.

There have been several times when I find myself drifting out to sea that you all have thrown me the line to reel me in, remember?  We're all here together!!

OH.  Ugh.  My doctor's office called and rescheduled my appointment.  He's got a meeting or something on the day I was supposed to go so now I am pushed out another 1-2 weeks.  Hey, it's another couple of weeks to lose a few more pounds, but I need to see him!  LOL!!

Anyway.  Hope you are all having a great week - I'll try to get by and visit more of you tonight.

12,501

:O)

That's how many steps I logged today.  I went out for another 40 minutes' worth of walking, so I am "good" for today's exercise LOL!!

In September, I logged a total of 311,239 steps (155 miles) which was an average of 10374 per day.  Not too shabby at all <wink>

Remember my goal to hit 10 million total steps logged this year?  I *only* have to do approx 6800 a day now for the next three months.

My October goals are:

I need to switch my measuring day to the 2-3rd week of the month though, because like I said last night, weighing at the end of the month puts TOM here and I know that skews the number(s) somewhat.  So, I'll pick a day between PMS and TOM and measure.

As far as weighing goes, I'll probably continue to use the 15th and end of the month.  Maybe.  We'll see.

OK.  With September being over, have you looked at where you are at now for the year?  How you would like to progress for the rest of this year?

I'm at roughly 10 lbs gone for the year right now.  I could still lose 5-15 lbs this year and I will be happy.  I'd be happier with more, but it's not about speed in releasing weight, it's about getting and being healthier.

I have a question:  when you run your races and get "medals" do you keep them for your own "trophy" or donate them back out?  I got my new Runner's World magazine today and there's a place you can donate them that will give them to people with life-threatening diseases, etc as a pick-me-up.

If you are interested, check it out at:   www.medals4mettle.org or www.runnersworld.com/giving

Eh, I haven't gotten any medals for Bloomsday (we only get a t-shirt for finishing the race), but may have to see after the RnR Seattle 1/2 Marathon.

Day 9 of 21

Sub-titled:  IF anyone from EP is monitoring this post, I think it is WACKED that I had to "sign in" about 4 times just now to be able to add this post.

LOL.

Anyway.  Today's exercise brought to me by 35+ minutes of walking.  It's still early yet and TOMs gone <enough> that I might just do something more tonight.

Back later.  Happy Thursday to everyone!

Things *not* to do on day 2 of TOM!!

Ugh!

Sub-titled:  Why the *hell* did I weigh and measure today?!?!

Yeah, it wasn't pretty, but the only thing I can say is it will make the next one better hopefully LOL!!

UP 2.2 lbs since I weighed last, which is a total of 3.4 this month since stopping WW.  Oh.  And an increase (plus) of 4 inches.  I *know* that is wrong.  WAY wrong.  Other than the normal TOM bloat, I do not feel like I have gained lbs or inches and  my clothes do not feel it.

REMEMBER:  I knew I would and planned for up to a 5 lb gain to get the numbers out of my head!!  NO there is nothing wrong with counting points, calories, etc but when you get too focused on the numbers of "the game" like I was, you have to get them OUT.  Out.Of.Your.Head.

So.  I didn't do as horribly as I expected this month and now I am done.  I was trying to keep track of the foods I eat still in some semblance of a journal and when I wasn't physically writing out the points values of everything still, I found myself mentally calculating them.  Even for exercise.  So.  I quit exercising as much too, so I could get out of that realm.

I know this is why I needed to gain some weight.  I knew I wouldn't let myself go over 5 lbs.  I am a scale ho, I have been looking more than I have been reporting on my chart and in my blog.  Look at my blog, it's empty except for the exercise challenge.  It'll get back to "normal" Kelly-blog style in October.  Promise.

Anyway.  It's really been quiet at work this past couple of weeks for me and it has literally exploded the past few days, so I am going to be dog-paddling fast to stay afloat the next two weeks before I go see hunny.

Hunny is busy packing and moving stuff to the new place and I can't wait to see it.

DS isn't afraid to take Driver's Ed (I don't think) per se.  I think he is just exercising his smarts.  The class is 2-3 hrs a day, 3 days a week for 4-6 weeks after school, so he's probably worried about how it would mesh with homework (and social life LOL).  So, he wants to wait until next summer to take the class.

Fine.  I can deal with that.  And, I am not trying to push him into anything, I just want him AWARE of what the rules (aka laws) are.  In Washington, they have to have their permit for 6 months before they can get a license.  So, no matter when he takes driver's ed, the permit has to have been in place.  I told him that again the other night:  you may as well get the permit and start the clock ticking.  Take driver's ed when you are comfortable.  They can renew it twice (so at this point, he'd be cleared until he's 18 LOL and out of my house). 

The thought of car insurance on a teen boy scares the crap out of me, but fortunately, he gets decent grades.

So, we'll get the permit, take driver's ed and go from there.

I have finally been able to get around to a handful of the EP pages tonight and check on some of you.  I will get around to more over the rest of the week and through the weekend.  I know that is part of why I have been quieter because it puts me in a funk when I can't check on my friends!!

OK - have a great rest of the week!!

Day 8 of 21

How's everyone doing this week?  I feel like I have lost my eye-sight not being able to visit your pages and see what's going on with you all.  Grrrrr.... maybe I will try tonight LOL!!

Today's exercise brought to me by 30 min of walking.  Not sure if I will attempt anything more like a video or my stepper.  You know the drill:  TOM visiting = not much (if any) exercise LOL!!

Have a great Wednesday!