Wooooooo Endorphins.

WOW! This is fun.

I have been in SUPERDUPERHAPPYMODE since I got home from my walk. It's kind of insane.

When I got to the top of my last hill, everything suddenly popped with color, and it felt like I wasn't even in Tallahassee anymore but some other place where Autumn actually happens and cool weather is the norm and people have fires and awesome hats and snow.

Yayyyyyy.

Walk was a little wobbly tonight, and was pretty tough. I'm regularly taking about 48 minutes to walk 3 miles...so, a 16 minute mile. Which is fine...I've heard that the pace doesn't matter so much as the distance, so I'm ok with that.

I used my inhaler before I went on my walk tonight, and it helped SO SO MUCH. I can actually breathe for what seems like and may be the first time in years. Also, I've been feeling like I'm getting a cold, and the inhaler can help with that, too.

Tomorrow is definitely just a walk. Also, I'm going to look and see what kind of workout routines Comcast has on demand...I feel like the Slim in 6 is SO concentrated on the legs, especially the quads, and I'd like to find some more arm and ab stuff.

This is week 5 of this stuff, by the way. I haven't been full force every week...but I have been working out more than I was before, which I suppose counts for something. So...we'll see if I get results at some point.

One thing about me is that I feel like I have to keep pushing myself to do that next step, the next level, the next degree. I'm already trying to figure out 4 or 5 miles, when I haven't been doing 3 miles for long enough yet. I'm so afraid of plateauing, that I feel like doing the same routine for more than a few days is like stalling. I have to remember that I wasn't doing ANYTHING before...I was sitting on my ass. So, even walking a couple of days a week is better. And it's not like I'm walking around the block...I'm walking 3 MILES. Every time, except when I'm sick. So, it's got to work at some point. I just have to keep at it. Keep keep keep at it.

A note about food...the Green Giant is my new BFF. I love the steam-in-bag frozen vegetables...they now have combinations like the healthy heart combo, which has carrots, snap peas and barley...and the weight loss combo, which has edamame, black beans, carrots and green beans. Dude, those are GOOD. They're so easy, and they're like complete meals for vegetarians. I try to add something like a chik'n patty or some cottage cheese for protein, especially after my walk...but I am loving how easy and yummy these things are. I haven't had one yet that I didn't like. Way to make dinner awesome, Green Giant.

Ok, enough crazy manic rambling for tonight. : ) Later!

Some notes...

Ok.

Just back from my walk, and I have a few notes. Ya know, for myself.

- After several days' rest, Slim in 6 should probably be done before walking. I have had shin splints in the past, and it seems that jumping right back into walking after not doing anything for a few days aggravates those again. I think it's better to do the stretches and stuff that come with the Slim in 6, instead of taking it easy by just walking.

- I have asthma. I got inhalers last week for said asthma. I need to use them. I might even want to find a way to take the rescue inhaler with me on my walk...I had a very difficult time breathing tonight, like I just couldn't get a full breath.

- Really, really need a walking/running playlist. I keep having to skip to the next song, which is annoying. It really just means finding more music...I only have enough walking songs right now for a single walk, they have to have a certain cadence to work properly.

It really is getting easier. I just have to stick with it. I'm not getting weird mid-stomach or side cramps like I was at some point, and the hills are easier. At some point, I'm going to have to make my walk longer...3 miles will be too easy at some point, I know. I'll drive around sometime in the next few days and figure out how to extend it to 4 and even 5 miles.

OH! Also, I'm thinking about doing the FSU Ballroom Dancing Club on Sunday nights. I've done a semester of it before, and it's so much fun! That would definitely take the place of Sunday exercise...and, since I haven't done Sunday exercise for the last few weeks, that's even better! Hahaha.

Ok, done for now. Later!

Oh, Monday.

Sooo, it's Monday.

I was not so good last week. I think I only exercised like twice or three times. It was a weird week...I was really tired all week, because my sleep schedule was messed up, and I wasn't feeling all that great.

Today is not a whole lot better...I woke up at 6 this morning due to a giant storm, and I'm having massive cramps due to that time of the month. But, I am full of determination to work my ass off, literally, this week. It is a brand new week.

I have actually lost some weight, which I'm happy about. I'm down to 177, even during that time of the month, so likely 176 or even 175 when I'm back to normal. Not a WHOLE lot of progress...but to be that weight during my high flux of the month is a very good thing. Usually I've been hitting 181 or so.

This is what usually happens...I'll work out a lot, and see no progress, and then I'll lose a bunch of weight when I stop working out so much. This just means that I need to kick my ass into gear this week to keep from going into the full no-workout slump. Today is a little iffy...I might just go for my walk this afternoon, to get myself into gear. It's looking like my schedule for the week is going to be as follows:

- Monday - walk 3 miles
- Tuesday - Slim in 6, walk 3 miles
- Wednesday - walk 3 miles
- Thursday - nothing, since I hang out with my sister
- Friday - Slim in 6, walk 3 miles
- Saturday - walk 3 miles.

This will let me work out for 5 days this week, which is what I need to do. The weather is cooling down a bit, finally, so I'll really enjoy my walk. I think I'll give it a few weeks before integrating some other workout ideas into my plan. I really am enjoying what I'm doing right now, and that's what I was looking for. With the cooler weather comes more energy to get outside and do stuff...so, I'll feel like playing around with my bike, maybe going and walking at the park, stuff like that. Maybe not so much with the swimming...but that's fine, I can still do that on hot days. I think I'll only do one or two days a week of the extraneous stuff, and go from there. If it turns out to be really easy to take my bike in my car, I'll do that more often...stuff like that.

Ok, off to work and be productive. : ) Later!

Housekeeping

Do you ever go through your closet and just take everything to Goodwill and start over?

Yeah, me neither. But I SHOULD. And that's what I'm doing with this blog. Mostly.

I got tired of looking back at old entries where I was just whining about making no progress. That's not helpful. I kept the most recent entries, although they're boring...also the oldest ones, and some that had good observations. But I deleted a whole bunch just now.

I don't like the feeling of failing over and over again. That SUCKS. I know that this blog is supposed to chronicle my struggle with my weight and my attempts to change it...and it still does...I just got rid of some of the more negative stuff, because that doesn't help anything.

I'm also not saying that everything from here on out will be positive, or particularly interesting. Just like you always have clothes in your closet that looked AWESOME in the store, but then you pull them out later and wonder what you were thinking...that's the way some entries are always going to be. But, there are also the clothes that continue to fit great and look amazing for years after you buy them, and entries like that are the ones that will remain here.

Not much progress to report on the weight front, although I did measure my waist, hips and thighs to see if anything had changed yet. It hasn't. I am resting today...maybe I'll go walk around a store or the dog park or something for a little cardio, but my body HURTS. I need a break. It will only be a break of like one day...I am NOT flagging in my determination...but I'm feeling a little run down. I've been busting my ass for the last couple of days.

Ok, later. Here's to new starts...real ones, not those ugly-Christmas-sweater ones. : )

Rough

Blaaaarrgghh, today was rough.

Yesterday, I had a hard time getting started, but once I did, I was golden.

Today, it was crappy from the very beginning right through to the end. No euphoria, no running...just fighting through it every step of the way.

I have a bit of a dilemma...I really feel like I should rest tomorrow, I feel like my body does better with it after I've rested for a day or so. But then, I may have my sister with me in the afternoon on Thursday, which means I won't be able to do it then.

I did most of my whole workout today. I did a modified version of the Slim in 6 thing...I feel like it's a little light on the arms, so some days I'll give over some of the leg stuff for some arms and abs, which is what I did today. I don't know what this will mean for how I feel about it tomorrow...I still feel like I need to do my whole workout, but that might not be best.

Either way, I got a compliment today that made me feel quite a bit better about this whole thing. Ryan, an attorney at my office, told me a couple of times that my face looks thinner. Also, I've been wearing size 12 jeans. Now, these are new jeans that haven't been properly washed yet, and they're a new style from my usual jeans...but still, it feels nice to be able to wear 12's after a long time of wearing 13's-14's. I plan to try on some of my older 12's tomorrow, and see if there's any difference in those, too. If so, I really will feel good.

I really cannot wait until it gets cooler. I sweat SO much. I know that's good, because it means that I'm drinking enough water, and it's cleansing me of toxins...but still. It's a LOT of sweat. I'll be happy to feel the cooler air on my skin in a month or two. : )

Ok, yawning too much to continue. Good night.

Grindstone

I am fighting to keep my determination.

I skipped a whole 2 days this weekend...and felt just AWFUL about it. To be fair, there was a thunderstorm right when I was supposed to exercise yesterday, and I really did bust my ass doing housework all day. So, I suppose that counts for something. But still...no excuses.

I got back into it today, and it was both better and worse than usual. Better, because it seemed just a bit easier once I got into it, such that I even ran a couple of times. Worse, because it was just really difficult to get started, and the Slim in 6 was a BITCH today. I did it, though. The whole damn thing, Slim in 6 and 3 mile walk/run.

I am increasing gradually the number of days per week that I exercise. Last week was 4, the week before was 3, and this week will be 5. During the weekdays this week, I'm going to try alternating between Slim in 6/walking and just walking...this will give me a chance to rest my sore legs while still exercising, and I can do this every day instead of resting in between.

I'm trying to get my stamina up before starting any other exercise regimen. Once I can do this workout without any problems, I will move on to other things. I think this is mostly working for me right now...I feel GREAT after I get done...it's just on the days when I don't do my workout that I feel like it's not doing a damn thing for me. I know, logically, that it's going to take time for the results to show, and for me to really get into the swing of working out...but it just feels so much like I'm running in place.

I guess this is why my determination flagged a little today. I have a plan to exercise almost every day this week, though, so that should make me feel better. I've also gotten some excellent food for myself this week...I have a bunch of frozen vegetables, some fake chicken, yogurt, low fat string cheese, lots of healthy type stuff. As long as I can manage a healthy lunch, I should be fine.

It WILL work soon. It WILL. This is only week 3...even by week 6 I may not see any difference, especially with my somewhat slow start. I just have to keep going.

I have never experienced the endorphin rushes that people talk about while exercising. I don't know why, I guess it's just that I feel like I'm torturing myself when I'm putting my body through that. I HAVE found something that does give me an endorphin rush, though...my music. When it gets to certain songs when I'm walking, I get that tingly feeling all over that I think is an endorphin rush. This is definitely motivation to find good walking songs and make a real walking playlist instead of just the "favorites" playlist I use now.

Ok, I think that's mostly it for tonight. I've had fresh black-eyed peas and homemade rosemary-onion bread for dinner, which makes me very happy. Maybe a teeny bit of light tiramisu ice cream later? Mayyyyybe. : )

Less Wobbly

Well, today was better.

Over the weekend, I went to my grandmother's house, where I had to perform hard manual farm labor for a number of hours on Sunday. I'm counting this as a workout, even though I ultimately gained a couple of pounds while I was there due to the massive amounts of meat consumed. Couldn't help it.

Today started out a little bit off...Slim in 6 seemed REALLY hard today...but then my walk was super easy. I had a smoothie and some hard boiled eggs for dinner...I think that, in the future, I should avoid eating eggs both for breakfast and for dinner, no matter how yummy it is. I do not need to have a heart attack tomorrow.

When the colder weather gets here, I think I'll go back to eating cheerios and oatmeal for a while. That's way better than an egg and cheese bagel, which is what I'm having every day right now. Maybe I'll switch to a cream cheese bagel...that's got to be better than egg and cheese, right?

I got a new book, called "If I am so smart, then why can't I lose weight?" It says a lot of good things, and it's made me feel good today. The author apparently used to be heavier, and worked out for 6 weeks without seeing a single pound of difference. She kept at it, though, and in 6 months she had lost 70 pounds! That both depresses and excites me...6 weeks with no change sounds AWFUL, but then to have such a huge change after 6 months...that would be wonderful, if only I can stick with it. She also says that her minimum is 3 days a week, and that you need to set an absolute baseline, or the minimum per week you're allowed to do. My minimum, I think, is either the Slim in 6 or my walk, for a minimum of 45 minutes, at least 4 days a week.

My determination hasn't let up, and that's good. The book says to think of exercise as a reward for my body, and I'm really trying to do that...it doesn't quite feel like it, though. It really feels more like torture.

Ok, I'm falling asleep. I definitely find myself getting tired earlier at night, but I'm not sure how much I like that. Ha.

Later!

Wobbly

Well, it's been a...week.

I have only exercised 3 days out of the last 5. I meant to be much better than that...but Wednesday I felt like it was better for me to rest for a day, since I hadn't gotten much sleep and I HURT, and then yesterday I was with people all afternoon.

Monday and Tuesday I alternated between Slim in 6 and walking, but today I did both in one day. I'm going to pay for that tomorrow, I know. I only walked about 2 miles instead of 3...my legs were 9 different kinds of wobbly. It is getting a tad bit easier, though...and I'm sure it will be even easier next week.

I'm going to try to exercise while I'm down south with my grandmother this weekend. I think that I might be able to go out walking/running before everyone gets up, around 7-7:30. If I can't, I won't beat myself up about it...I'll definitely pick it back up when I return...but I would like to get something in while I'm there.

I need to get better protein to eat when I get home. Tonight I got a smoothie with protein powder and a cheese quesadilla...but I definitely cannot get that every night. Maybe some eggs or some milk. I don't know.

Ok, off to bed. Leaving early in the morning.