Finally.

I got up and out this morning. I went 1.7 miles at a brisk walk. It felt really good. Gods and Goddesses willing, I will be back out again tomorrow, for another short brisk walk. I felt good all day. Except the students were so awful that my co-teacher made a test for them to take tomorrow. Yikes.

2 mile run

yesterday. Hope to go again tonight as I missed this morning, but its the boy's bday so doubtful. I'll be at 6 weeks on Wed so can start some light strength training then (though not abdominal specific until 3 mos I think).

Elliptical, how do I love thee,

Did 60 minutes on the elliptical. SO FUN! I love it, it's like all the good parts of running but you can just go and go! I did 5.3 miles.

Now, according to the machine, I worked off somewhere around 780 calories. That makes the elliptical the exception to my big "working out won't help you lose weight!" rule. Because 800 calories in a hour? That will help you lose weight, regardless of dietary changes. Unless you are really putting in some serious food.

Anyhoodle, I like it so much, Chris and I are talking about selling our treadmill to play it again and trading it in for one.

4 Mile Fast Walk

Plus strength routine. I only did worked out three times this week! So, not as good a week as last week was. Well, I did the strength routine four times. Still, not a good week!

Two more

Couldn't quite get er done this morning, so I went tonight. Its so nice that its cool outside and I have options!

Did ten minutes on the treadmill yesterday and apparently my ankle wasn't ready for it, so I hurt it again. Got off and tried the elliptical, but I don't like the machines at my work gym, so I switched to the bike and did that for thirty minutes. It really wasn't my best day, I was pretty cranky about it.

Fat Dog

Fat dog and I did 2 again this morning, in 26 minutes. Good progress, feels great to be out there. Still taking it easy.

2

I didn't post again last week but I did 2 on Monday, walked the first mile and real slow jog the second mile. We had our leadership conference all week and then drove to vegas this weekend for Garth Brooks show, so nothing else last week.

However, I started this week off on a good note. I did 2 miles after I dropped Kailey at the bus and was home in time to get ready for work and take Jake. I did a real slow jog the whole way and it took me 28 minutes, so 14 min miles. I feel pretty good. My goal is to continue this in the mornings (although its damn hard when its still dark and cold out at 7am!). I'm going to stick to 2 miles until I get it down to 10 or 11 min miles, then add a half mile until I get to 3, with the goal being to do 3 miles in 30 minutes. Only then will I focus on longer distances.

As for strength training, I'm going to buy either a medicine ball or a bosu. These were critical tools in the core training I did with my trainer a couple years ago, and they can be done at home in front of the TV. But again, not gonna worry about that for another couple weeks.

On the health front - my goal has been to add more fiber to my diet, starting with breakfast. So I've been trying to eat fiber one, which tastes like poop, or oatmeal. And, I'm drinking a 24 oz decaf ice tea once or twice a day, and limiting myself to one diet soda (that's not new, but its what I do).

Elliptical

Did 3.1 miles on the elliptical at the gym. Will do a slow two mile walk with the dog here in a few minutes, plus my strength exercises.

This was the first time I have ever done a full workout on the elliptical. The only other time I went on that machine was five minutes one time, and that was just to fulfill an assignment from my therapist that I try something new at the gym.

But I must say I really liked it. At first, I thought it was going to be pure misery, because I could feel right away that my quads were working harder than they typically do when I am doing my regular, shuffling little jogging, but once I warmed up I was good. I had planned to do 30 minutes, not setting a distance because it was a new machine for me, but by the end I was enjoying myself so much I decided to go ahead and do 3.1 miles, which only took me another four minutes. I really liked it! No pressure on my hip at all, and very little on my ankle and I think that may have been caused by my tendency to be picking up my feet and going on my toes on the machine, which I think you are not supposed to do, it looks to me like you are supposed to keep your feet flat, so I suppose that is just something I will get better at over time.

And what a workout it is! Geez, I had it only on level 2 and my heart rate was right up there where it usually is when running and I really felt like I got a good workout! Chris usually puts that damn thing up to like level eight or something!

Anyways, certainly a really good alternative to running while an injury heals or just to take a break, or for when I have to be at the gym and not outside.

In other health goal news, my latest thing is trying to dilute my "water" even more than I typically do. I keep reading that artificial sweeteners, when used too much, tend to trigger cravings for sugar, and my goal right now is to have as many sugar free days as possible. So, I typically use one of those little "water bottle" packets of Crystal Light in a one quart water bottle, but now I am diluting it even further and using one of those little packets to half a gallon of water, so just one packet per day, if I drink my full two quarts of water a day, which is what I always try to do. I will be keeping sugar free days on my exercise log, so we'll see how I do. I'm not willing to swear it off entirely, since I think a life without chocolate isn't much of a life at all, but at the same time, I know that it contributes mightily to my not being able to lose more weight and also to just me feeling miserable.

I'm thinking my first 5K of the year will be in March, a suburb near here does a St. Patrick's day 5K, so I think I'll do that.

I had a good week y'all

Today did four mile fast walk. It was windy and cold. Glad I decided to walk instead of run, since running in the wind is just way more awful than walking in it. Anyhoodle, my total mileage for the week was 16.2 miles, half of it walking and the other half running.

Good week!

3.1

Today at work on treadmill. 4R/1W.

I am removing these insoles, they are making my right ankle hurt. I hope I can take them back. Stupid money wasting running!

2 Miles at work just now

Done

I walked 3.37. The weather is so nice. I felt really fatigued the first 1/2 mile or so but then I perked up. I'll start running again as soon as I feel like it. I did walk at a pretty good clip today, so felt pretty good about that. I don't feel strong enough to do any strength training right now though. Going to have to think some more about how I will fit that in to my schedule.

4 mile walk

Did a fast four mile walk just now with the dog. It is fucking windy and cold out there!! But I took today off and one of my cardinal rules is never let a day off go by without getting my exercise in, since it is always so iffy on the days that I work, but I just did not want to run! Honestly, I'm a bit sore and tired from my exertions over the weekend. So, I decided to walk. I do love walking, I'll tell you.

Sandy, I am so right there with you, sometimes that darn dog is the only thing that gets me out there since he is so good at making me feel awful for not getting him his exercise.

Missy, good for you for getting out there! Looking forward to reading about it.

Gonna go

Marianne I hope I didn't offend you with the question about the insoles.
Sandy I'm sorry Sophie is fat but I'm glad it motivated you!
I'm letting my breakfast settle before I go out for 3 miles. I'm not running, and I'm not even trying to walk real fast. I'm just making sure I go. I'm sore from yesterday but it's not too bad. I was really, really tired last night.
I think the best way for me to train for the warrior dash is to find a place with a rock wall that I can climb. That will train me for climbing the cargo net, the hay bales and the wall, and also for rappelling. I had better build some strength before I even try that, so I'm going to do Marianne's strength building routine. Marianne are planks the ones where you hold yourself up with your forearms and toes?

its Official: My Dog is FAT

I took her to the vet yesterday and they confirmed that yes, this is cause for concern. She weighs 18.7 pounds and should weigh 13-15. So really she's obese. My reason for mentioning this is that she was my inspiration to go today for the first time since my surgery. I mean I have taken her on walks here and there, about a mile or so. But today was the first I'd qualify as exercise. I was just going to ride my bike with her to make sure she got enough exercise, but then I thought, hey, I'm feeling well enough, I'll try it. So I went two miles and did a real slow jog for about a third of it and walked at a decent pace the rest. It felt good to be out there again and I was real careful not to overdo it. I'm feeling ok this evening and just a bit sore in my abs and around my scar. So, should be good to slowly build from here. I'm not going to integrate any strength training until I'm 6 weeks out. I'm 3.5 weeks out now.

Jesus Christ with B.O.

Marianne did you take the regular insoles out of your shoes before you put the new ones in?
I needed a few things from the store so I decided I would walk there, that way I can get two things done at once. I measured the distance on the gmaps pedometer and round trip it was just over 4 miles. I was just going to walk, not even speed walk, so I thought that was ok. Here's the sequence of events:
Walked there with no trouble. Beautiful day! Music on my iPod! Walking path down Old Spanish Trail!
Realized in the checkout line that I forgot deodorant and I stink to high heavens.
Forgot to pick up the prescription I dropped off when I got there and didn't have my FSA card anyway.
Bought way too much stuff and the backpack was too heavy. (8.4 lbs, I weighed it when I got home.)
Got home and found out I mapped it wrong. It was actually 5 1/2 miles. I'm such a moron. But I went!!!

3.1

4 minutes running to 1 minute walking, on treadmill. So, almost back to where I was before the "December of Nothing", which is how it shall henceforth be known, on the treadmill. Before December I was just running on that damn thing, no walking. I haven't run outside yet at all, not since November 27th. Goodness. I've walked outside since then, but not done my usual 2/2 intervals outside. The weather this month has been too terrible to do it, really really cold (like below zero cold in the morning) and also icy. So, treadmill running it has been. But that's okay, since I think treadmill running was a good way to get back on track after the December of Nothing.

I got new insoles for my shoes. They are called Montrail enduro-soles. I was initially concerned because they push my heel up in my shoe and it felt different and I was concerned that they might cause heel blisters, but I figured if they did I would take them back and demand my money back. But they didn't. So, we'll see how it goes. I did also calculate today that my shoes have 250 miles on them. So my shoes are still good.

Also, I was reading the penguin blog and this cracked me up:

I tried to run too fast [someone told me that anything slower than a 7 minute pace was jogging, and I didn't want to be a jogger]

It cracked me up, because it's amazing to me the things someone can say to you, no matter how foolish or random, and how they stick with you! I remember hearing at some point that the average person walks four miles per hour. I spent years thinking that if I wasn't walking four miles per hour, I might as well not be doing anything, since I was walking even slower than the "average" person. HA!

Did 3.1 today, but did not go at all from Tuesday until today. So, only got three in this week. Oh well. Five days of the strength routine, though, so did better with that. As of today, I am replacing my crunches with "planks", doing twenty of those. I don't feel that the crunches were effective and the PT taught me the planks, so I'll do those for my abs.

Going out right now to get some insoles, which I am convinced are the answer to my hip problems. I think the injury is healed, but the stupid bursa is still aggravated, and still causing me a little bit of pain, and I figure maybe some insoles will help prevent the injury from happening again? I don't know.

Anyways, plan to go again tomorrow. I did find myself this week falling into the old "if I can't do everything I'm not doing anything", specifically with doing 3.1 miles. It was a rough week at work, so it was hard to take a lunch break, but really that isn't an excuse and I need to keep in mind that if I can just get down there and only do two miles, that is okay, I don't have to do some certain mileage.

Don't let me get me!!!

I still haven't done anything! Other than commit myself to do the Warrior Dash. I am eating like a sow, smoking, drinking sugary soda, and sitting on my fat ass!!! I'm so frustrated with myself. I still think it's the restraint with money and also the drama with stupid Vince. Today I am telling him to take a hike. A long walk off a short pier. Make like a tree and leave. I already have a date with a different guy this weekend. He's from somewhere tropical and has a funny (like jamaican) accent. One of my friends told me the best way to get over a man is to get under a man. Hahahahah!!! I have no plans on sleeping with this guy. Having sex way too early is part of my problem. Anyway that is not what this blog is about. I just wanted both of you to know that I haven't given up, I am still struggling with myself daily to get out there and do SOMETHING. If I can bring myself to do it, I am going to ask the secretary at my school what time she goes to the workout room every day. I know she goes because I see her heading over there and she is the only one on campus with a key.
So, that's where I am. Neither of you have posted so I'm thinking you might not be doing so well either. Post and let's hear about it.

I wanna be in

Ok, I convinced myself to read the blog for the first time in months. I've gained 9 lbs since my last post. I am having a horrible time with my eating and even though I am aware of the stressors behind my difficulties, the knowledge doesn't seem to make a difference.
Marianne it's funny you talked about adding strength training. I was thinking the same thing. A friend invited me to do the Warrior Dash with her and her friends. I would really like to do it, but I read the description and it is very intimidating. You have to pull yourself over a wall, drag yourself on your elbows in the mud underneath barbed wire, climb up cargo nets and mountains of hay bales, rappel down a short cliff, etc. If I want to drag myself up or down or through any barriers, I better not be such a heavy self. And, I better have muscles all over, not just in my lower body. I was thinking about trying to fit Curves into my budget, but after reading Marianne's post, I think there is no reason I can't do the strength training without a gym. Especially if the workout room at my work has weights, which I think it does. It looks like the course is 10k, so training for the running part would not be difficult. The biggest obstacle is the $50 fee and the cost of traveling to Florence. Sad. The event is on April 30 so if I get going, I have 3 whole months to train.
I would love to do the 1/2 in Vegas. I think by then I can probably afford the race and the trip.

Here we go....

Ok, since at least one person is in, I'll keep using the blog.

Did 5K yesterday and today, 3 minutes running to 2 minutes walking, on treadmill. Weather no good at all for outside, so I've been treadmilling it. Last week total mileage was 11 miles, four of it just walking, the others doing intervals.

Did strength training today as well. My strength training for this month is:

30 crunches

30 hip flexor things (I don't know what they are called, my physical therapist taught me them, you put a belt around your knees and then push out for five seconds)

30 "clams" per leg, for my weak ass muscles.

I am starting the strength stuff VERY slow, as you can see, but that has always worked well for me, starting out really really slow and then figuring out what I want to do. So, I will develop a daily strength routine each month and then just log when I complete it, with the goal of doing it every day. We'll see how it goes, I'm not that optimistic to be honest.

My goals for 2011

Okay, here are my fitness goals for 2011:

1. Do a minimum of two 5K races.

2. Do a minimum of two 10K races.

3. Incorporate strength training into my routine, focusing on core and butt muscles.

4. Beat my half marathon time in Vegas on December 4th.

Now, I am more than happy to attempt these goals on my own, but my question is.....

Who is with me?