Saturday was a rest day for me. I went to the movies with my sister and that was about all I did. Rest days are good, they prevent burn out, recharge the batteries. Always take a rest day, it will keep you motivated.
Sunday, I biked a little over 6 miles, AKA a 10K. I wanted to do a full 10 miles but traffic started to pick up and that can be quite dangerous on these rural roads. So I cut it short at just 2 full loops around my route. I've noticed that I am able to recover much faster than when I started exercising. It's a good sign that I am gaining strength and gaining health.
Monday I rolled out of bed at 6:00, got dressed and jumped on my bike (well, I didn't actually jump on it that would have been painful). We finally got some rain here, apparently sometime early in the morning. Everything looked greener and more alive, the plants stretched toward the sky like they were asking for more. The smell of the rain still hung in the air and the water sprayed from my tires. There was a crisp, cool undertone to the air making breathing much easier. The rain made me feel more alive and I pushed hard.
Today I am going to get on the Wii Fit. The plan is to do some cardio then switch to yoga. I think part of the problem with my knee was a lack of flexibility, adding yoga a few days a week should help with that.
I plan to get back to walking this week, gently testing the knee to make sure that it's healthy before moving forward. I'll keep working on giving my body the fuels that it needs to work harder and become stronger. Are you guys still out there? Are you reading? Are you exercising? Talk to me and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
And The Heat Goes On...
(Friday's blog...I saved it as a draft and forgot to go back and post it.)
Well, we are in the midst of another heat wave here in Virginia. The high temperature on Wednesday was 104, now that's hot. Still nursing my knee I have been hitting the bike not the pavement and it seems to be helping. My knee is coming along nicely, still some pain at the end of the evening but I am no longer hobbling around like I'm 100.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I biked a 5K, my fastest time was 16:30, about a 12 mph pace. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. The plan for today is to do some swimming and try to work my arms and upper body a bit while giving my legs some rest. I can't tell you how nice it is to have access to a swimming pool. It's great exercise, low impact and it tones the whole body. If there is anyway for you to get in a pool then do it. Take a water aerobics class or better yet take some swimming lessons, they aren't just for kids you know.
I seem to still be struggling with eating the proper diet but that has always been a challenge for me. I can say that I have reached 6.5 lbs of weight loss which is great, we want to keep that going in the right direction. You know I have tried some of the big diets out there and I have had success with them, brief though it may have been. That success came in the form of rapid weight loss in, on one program I lost 70 lbs. in 7 months. Now I feel that I am a bit frustrated because the weight loss is slow. I'm trying not to put so much emphasis on weight but it's hard not to as the numbers are right there on the scale. I'm also trying to see this as a positive, the weight is coming off slow but, it is coming off the right way, for good. Yeah, that's what it is.
I'm going to keep plugging along one step at a time, one pound at a time. I'll keep blogging, running, walking, biking, swimming, Wiiing so...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Well, we are in the midst of another heat wave here in Virginia. The high temperature on Wednesday was 104, now that's hot. Still nursing my knee I have been hitting the bike not the pavement and it seems to be helping. My knee is coming along nicely, still some pain at the end of the evening but I am no longer hobbling around like I'm 100.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I biked a 5K, my fastest time was 16:30, about a 12 mph pace. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. The plan for today is to do some swimming and try to work my arms and upper body a bit while giving my legs some rest. I can't tell you how nice it is to have access to a swimming pool. It's great exercise, low impact and it tones the whole body. If there is anyway for you to get in a pool then do it. Take a water aerobics class or better yet take some swimming lessons, they aren't just for kids you know.
I seem to still be struggling with eating the proper diet but that has always been a challenge for me. I can say that I have reached 6.5 lbs of weight loss which is great, we want to keep that going in the right direction. You know I have tried some of the big diets out there and I have had success with them, brief though it may have been. That success came in the form of rapid weight loss in, on one program I lost 70 lbs. in 7 months. Now I feel that I am a bit frustrated because the weight loss is slow. I'm trying not to put so much emphasis on weight but it's hard not to as the numbers are right there on the scale. I'm also trying to see this as a positive, the weight is coming off slow but, it is coming off the right way, for good. Yeah, that's what it is.
I'm going to keep plugging along one step at a time, one pound at a time. I'll keep blogging, running, walking, biking, swimming, Wiiing so...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Monday, July 5, 2010
OK, So I Think I Need to Try a New Strategy
Well, I seem to have gotten over the anger that consumed me for a couple of days. I tried running again on Sunday but it seems that I am only capable of a penguin-like shuffle. It appears that it is going to take a little longer than 2 days for my knee to heal. So in the meantime there will be no running. I have refocused on the original goal of preparing for a 10K in October so that is what I will do.
I took a rest day today and tomorrow I am getting back on the bike. It's great for the cardiovascular system, burns calories, strengthens the muscles and is low impact. That's the plan now, bike it a couple of weeks, continue swimming and perhaps in another week I'll start walking again, nice and easy, no pushing it. I am also ready to start focusing on what I am eating, following the guidelines I was given by the dietitian.
Here's the basic idea: I'm doing pretty good with breakfast and lunch but when it comes to dinner I am just throwing in the towel. I'm not sure if the breakdown comes from being really hungry come 7:00 when I get home from work or if I just get tired of thinking about what I am going to put in my mouth. Regardless of what the hang up is I am determined to get past it and I think good planning is the way to do it.
Another thing that I plan to make a habit is a food diary. Now I have tried to do this in the past and I have been very unsuccessful, most likely it's because I overcomplicated it. I bought day planners and would write down what I was planning to eat for the day, an estimated calorie count, etc. Well, I think that was a recipe for failure. I went to Target and bought a small notebook (I think it only cost $1.50 or something) with lined pages and now I am writing things down as I eat them. If you're wondering, I am not working without a plan, there is some planning going on in the morning when I pack lunch for the day, yes you should pack your lunch (money and calorie saver).
There it is. I'm still moving forward, stronger and healthier each day. I haven't allowed a knee injury to slow me down, knock me off track or give me an excuse to quit. I'm exercising, are you? Tell me about it and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
I took a rest day today and tomorrow I am getting back on the bike. It's great for the cardiovascular system, burns calories, strengthens the muscles and is low impact. That's the plan now, bike it a couple of weeks, continue swimming and perhaps in another week I'll start walking again, nice and easy, no pushing it. I am also ready to start focusing on what I am eating, following the guidelines I was given by the dietitian.
Here's the basic idea: I'm doing pretty good with breakfast and lunch but when it comes to dinner I am just throwing in the towel. I'm not sure if the breakdown comes from being really hungry come 7:00 when I get home from work or if I just get tired of thinking about what I am going to put in my mouth. Regardless of what the hang up is I am determined to get past it and I think good planning is the way to do it.
Another thing that I plan to make a habit is a food diary. Now I have tried to do this in the past and I have been very unsuccessful, most likely it's because I overcomplicated it. I bought day planners and would write down what I was planning to eat for the day, an estimated calorie count, etc. Well, I think that was a recipe for failure. I went to Target and bought a small notebook (I think it only cost $1.50 or something) with lined pages and now I am writing things down as I eat them. If you're wondering, I am not working without a plan, there is some planning going on in the morning when I pack lunch for the day, yes you should pack your lunch (money and calorie saver).
There it is. I'm still moving forward, stronger and healthier each day. I haven't allowed a knee injury to slow me down, knock me off track or give me an excuse to quit. I'm exercising, are you? Tell me about it and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Everyone Likes a Quickie
It's almost 9:00 p.m. here and I have to get up at 5:00 tomorrow morning so I'll make this really quick.
Today is Day 1 of Week 3 of the interval training program. I did 2 miles with 10 intervals of running for a total of 9 minutes of running. Let's take a moment to celebrate...OK, that's long enough, I'm tired. I have never run that far in my life, I'm proud of that.
OK, now for the bad news. My knee is not improving, actually, it's getting worse. I am now faced with the tough decision of what to do to undo the damage that my classic push-yourself-too-hard rookie move has caused. Knowing that scaling back is the only way to get my knee healthy, I have no other choice.
Here is the game plan: cross train tomorrow as scheduled, rest Saturday, revert to Week 1 running for Sunday, take some Motrin, ice it, elevate it, not necessarily in that order. There it is. I'm not happy about it and I am really trying not to allow myself to feel defeated. What I can promise you is this, I will not revert to my old habit of holding down the couch (even though I am mighty good at it), rather, I will just take the intensity down a couple of notches allowing my body to do it's job and heal itself.
That's really all I can say right now, I'm frustrated and I'm trying really hard not to let profanity sneak it's way in.
Don't worry, this won't stop me, I'm still on my mission, it's just going to take a little longer so...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Today is Day 1 of Week 3 of the interval training program. I did 2 miles with 10 intervals of running for a total of 9 minutes of running. Let's take a moment to celebrate...OK, that's long enough, I'm tired. I have never run that far in my life, I'm proud of that.
OK, now for the bad news. My knee is not improving, actually, it's getting worse. I am now faced with the tough decision of what to do to undo the damage that my classic push-yourself-too-hard rookie move has caused. Knowing that scaling back is the only way to get my knee healthy, I have no other choice.
Here is the game plan: cross train tomorrow as scheduled, rest Saturday, revert to Week 1 running for Sunday, take some Motrin, ice it, elevate it, not necessarily in that order. There it is. I'm not happy about it and I am really trying not to allow myself to feel defeated. What I can promise you is this, I will not revert to my old habit of holding down the couch (even though I am mighty good at it), rather, I will just take the intensity down a couple of notches allowing my body to do it's job and heal itself.
That's really all I can say right now, I'm frustrated and I'm trying really hard not to let profanity sneak it's way in.
Don't worry, this won't stop me, I'm still on my mission, it's just going to take a little longer so...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
and That Makes 8
Yesterday was Day 5 of Week 2, my last running day for the week. The heat wave continued and it was 79 degrees at 6:00, I didn't even bother to check the humidity level, I didn't want to know. My knees are still hurting, the right more than the left and I've been told that it's probably because I need to stretch my legs more after jogging. I'll work on that. Not only did I have the oppressive heat to deal with, there was a pit bull running loose. Now, you might recall that a couple of weeks ago there was a rottweiler I had to contend with, I don't know which is worse. The rott was bigger but the pit bulls have those massive jaws. It turned out OK but I had to walk backwards for part of my walk because every time I turned around it started following me again.
So the walking backwards meant that I had a longer interval of walking and I didn't think that I would be able to fit in 9 running intervals. (I am not about to try running backwards, I am not that coordinated.) Well to make up for the extra walking I decided to increase my running intervals from 45 to 60 seconds. As it turned out I did get all 9 in and I finished with a total of 8 minutes of running. That's right, 8. Look at me go.
Today was my easy walk day and I took it really easy. I walked for 34 minutes, the goal is 30 - 60, but I didn't want to push it any farther because of the knee pain. Tomorrow I get to rest. Now I know I've said it before but, YEA REST DAY! I'm going to give my legs a well deserved break so I can go at it again Thursday when I move up to 2 miles.
In case you were wondering, I did go to the dietitian today, more on that tomorrow, I have to go get ready for bed now. So, I haven't heard from you, what are you doing to make yourself healthier? Report back, that's an order and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
So the walking backwards meant that I had a longer interval of walking and I didn't think that I would be able to fit in 9 running intervals. (I am not about to try running backwards, I am not that coordinated.) Well to make up for the extra walking I decided to increase my running intervals from 45 to 60 seconds. As it turned out I did get all 9 in and I finished with a total of 8 minutes of running. That's right, 8. Look at me go.
Today was my easy walk day and I took it really easy. I walked for 34 minutes, the goal is 30 - 60, but I didn't want to push it any farther because of the knee pain. Tomorrow I get to rest. Now I know I've said it before but, YEA REST DAY! I'm going to give my legs a well deserved break so I can go at it again Thursday when I move up to 2 miles.
In case you were wondering, I did go to the dietitian today, more on that tomorrow, I have to go get ready for bed now. So, I haven't heard from you, what are you doing to make yourself healthier? Report back, that's an order and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
A Brief Hiatus From Blogging but Not From Exercising
OK, I know it's been a few days since I blogged, my apologies. I could tell you that I have been busy, that I have been tired from running, that it was my husband's birthday Friday and we had plans, or that Virginia is in the middle of a heat wave and it was over 100 degrees, but I won't.
Well, Wednesday was a rest day, yea rest. I kinda poo-poo'd the idea of rest days at the beginning of this thinking that they were holding me back. Now I realize that the rest days keep me going. The pain, as my sister warned me, has moved from my shins to my knees. If not for resting, I think I would be laid up injured and whining about losing momentum and so forth. On to Thursday.
I started Week 2 of my interval training program on Thursday. The distance for this week is 1 3/4 miles. Now I still have to warm up for 5 minutes at the beginning and cool down for 5 minutes at the end with intervals of running and walking in the middle. Because of the pains in my shins, I decided to keep the running time at 45 seconds. By adding the extra 1/4 mile I was able to do 2 more intervals making that, if you were paying attention last week, a total of 9. I'll even do the math for you...that adds up to 6 minutes and 45 seconds of running and when you add in the extra 15 seconds I did on one interval, I ran a total of 7 minutes. Did you hear me? I RAN A TOTAL OF SEVEN MINUTES!!! I never even did that in high school, I walked the mile, I didn't run. You might be thinking that I am getting a little carried away but believe me this is quite an accomplishment. I used to tell people that I wouldn't run if something was chasing me and I meant it.
So, Friday was my cross training day (and my Honey Bunny's birthday) for the week and I went swimming, this time I even remembered to take my goggles and nose clip. You know despite the embarrassment that it would cause me I am quite tempted to get my husband to take a picture of me with all that gear on because I know it is a sight to behold. Anyway, I swam a few laps probably not as many as I should have but I did swim them. I always marvel at the number of muscles that you engage when you propel your body through water. I am also amazed that I forget every time how tired it makes me. It's fun though and it's a good kind of tired.
Saturday was Day 3 of Week 2 of training and that meant it was time to run again. The alarm clock started singing at 5:30 a.m. Yes, that is insanely early for a Saturday, believe me I know. However, as I mentioned, we are in the midst of a heat wave and 6:00 - 7:30 a.m. is the only time I can run without dropping from a heat stroke. Now I might have slept in for another hour but we had plans for later in the morning so 5:30 it was. Saturday was a repeat of Thursday, I managed to run a total of 7 minutes. I am still walking for 2 - 3 minutes between eash interval which I think I can start to narrow down because I am really beginning to recover faster. The reason I haven't is that I read that I need to maintain speed and distance until the shin splints disappear, having already broken the distance rule I felt I should leave well enough alone.
With running completed for the day you'd think I would take it easy...ha! As part of my birthday gift to my hubby, I took him back to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. (If you've never been, you owe it to yourself to go, it's really cool.) I have to tell you that my husband is one of those folks who likes to read everything he can get his hands on and that includes every sign, every plaque, at every exhibit. You might be wondering what that has to do with exercise...well, that equates to 5 hours of walking/standing on a very hard surface. (I'm not complaining, I was happy to do it.) This would normally make my legs tired but after running earlier in the day I was in agony by the time we left.
A good night's sleep and day of rest (OK, I went back to the pool and bobbed around today, hey it's hot here) seems to be all I needed to set me right. Tomorrow will be Day 5 of Week 2 and I will once again pound some pavement, my last day of running for the week. I am looking forward to it. I never thought I would say that but, it's true. I love that I am getting stronger and healthier, I can feel it. Now I just have to get that eating thing under control. I'm a work in progress, what can I say. Well, I'm going to the dietitian on Tuesday, that's what I can say. More on that later.
I can tell you that I will be more diligent and not take such a long blogging break again, I can tell you that I will keep moving despite the pain and the heat, I can tell you that I will listen to the dietitian with an open mind and really try to eat healthier. Now, tell me something. What did you do this week to make yourself healthier. Did you eat some fruit for dessert? Did you get on your Wii Fit? Did you pack healthy snacks to take with you for the day? Did you walk or run? Keep me posted, I hope you know that your comments keep me going. Are you still there?
Do something healthy for yourself and for those who love you and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Well, Wednesday was a rest day, yea rest. I kinda poo-poo'd the idea of rest days at the beginning of this thinking that they were holding me back. Now I realize that the rest days keep me going. The pain, as my sister warned me, has moved from my shins to my knees. If not for resting, I think I would be laid up injured and whining about losing momentum and so forth. On to Thursday.
I started Week 2 of my interval training program on Thursday. The distance for this week is 1 3/4 miles. Now I still have to warm up for 5 minutes at the beginning and cool down for 5 minutes at the end with intervals of running and walking in the middle. Because of the pains in my shins, I decided to keep the running time at 45 seconds. By adding the extra 1/4 mile I was able to do 2 more intervals making that, if you were paying attention last week, a total of 9. I'll even do the math for you...that adds up to 6 minutes and 45 seconds of running and when you add in the extra 15 seconds I did on one interval, I ran a total of 7 minutes. Did you hear me? I RAN A TOTAL OF SEVEN MINUTES!!! I never even did that in high school, I walked the mile, I didn't run. You might be thinking that I am getting a little carried away but believe me this is quite an accomplishment. I used to tell people that I wouldn't run if something was chasing me and I meant it.
So, Friday was my cross training day (and my Honey Bunny's birthday) for the week and I went swimming, this time I even remembered to take my goggles and nose clip. You know despite the embarrassment that it would cause me I am quite tempted to get my husband to take a picture of me with all that gear on because I know it is a sight to behold. Anyway, I swam a few laps probably not as many as I should have but I did swim them. I always marvel at the number of muscles that you engage when you propel your body through water. I am also amazed that I forget every time how tired it makes me. It's fun though and it's a good kind of tired.
Saturday was Day 3 of Week 2 of training and that meant it was time to run again. The alarm clock started singing at 5:30 a.m. Yes, that is insanely early for a Saturday, believe me I know. However, as I mentioned, we are in the midst of a heat wave and 6:00 - 7:30 a.m. is the only time I can run without dropping from a heat stroke. Now I might have slept in for another hour but we had plans for later in the morning so 5:30 it was. Saturday was a repeat of Thursday, I managed to run a total of 7 minutes. I am still walking for 2 - 3 minutes between eash interval which I think I can start to narrow down because I am really beginning to recover faster. The reason I haven't is that I read that I need to maintain speed and distance until the shin splints disappear, having already broken the distance rule I felt I should leave well enough alone.
With running completed for the day you'd think I would take it easy...ha! As part of my birthday gift to my hubby, I took him back to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. (If you've never been, you owe it to yourself to go, it's really cool.) I have to tell you that my husband is one of those folks who likes to read everything he can get his hands on and that includes every sign, every plaque, at every exhibit. You might be wondering what that has to do with exercise...well, that equates to 5 hours of walking/standing on a very hard surface. (I'm not complaining, I was happy to do it.) This would normally make my legs tired but after running earlier in the day I was in agony by the time we left.
A good night's sleep and day of rest (OK, I went back to the pool and bobbed around today, hey it's hot here) seems to be all I needed to set me right. Tomorrow will be Day 5 of Week 2 and I will once again pound some pavement, my last day of running for the week. I am looking forward to it. I never thought I would say that but, it's true. I love that I am getting stronger and healthier, I can feel it. Now I just have to get that eating thing under control. I'm a work in progress, what can I say. Well, I'm going to the dietitian on Tuesday, that's what I can say. More on that later.
I can tell you that I will be more diligent and not take such a long blogging break again, I can tell you that I will keep moving despite the pain and the heat, I can tell you that I will listen to the dietitian with an open mind and really try to eat healthier. Now, tell me something. What did you do this week to make yourself healthier. Did you eat some fruit for dessert? Did you get on your Wii Fit? Did you pack healthy snacks to take with you for the day? Did you walk or run? Keep me posted, I hope you know that your comments keep me going. Are you still there?
Do something healthy for yourself and for those who love you and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
So Am I a Habitual Offender Now?
Alright, sorry it's been since Saturday. Sunday was a rest day and boy did I rest. I was a couch potato. I needed it too. The only drawback was that I snacked more than I should have. However, I am still down 4 pounds for the week. Yea me!
Monday was another running day, my third and final for the week and it took everything I had to finish it. It's my understanding that when runners increase their speed or distance too quickly it causes shin splints. Not that I am calling myself a runner but, I do have shin splints. I am following the experts' directions, stretching, icing (not chocolate, just frozen water), elevating, you know the story. Rest is supposed to be the biggest help and with a day of easy walking (today) and another day of rest (tomorrow) I should move along just fine.
Now my big sister (I call her my big sister because she is older and because it's funny as she is the runt of the litter) says that when she started running she had a roving pain. It would move from shin to hip and so on but always got better and eventually went away.
So, tomorrow will bring me to the end of Week 1 of my training program and I have made it through relatively unscathed. If you've been keeping count you'll also realize that today is day 22. Remember, 21 days to make something a habit. Well, I can tell you that it feels like exercise is now habit, part of the daily routine. So much so that the other day I put on my running shoes to go to work rather than my work shoes. It feels good to know that I have found a way to fit exercise into my life. My muscles feel stronger, the soreness is rare now. I can breathe easier, yes, in that short amount of time you can improve the power of your lungs and heart. I sleep better, I just lapse into a coma when my head hits the pillow. I am happy that despite all odds I am still at it.
There it is, I have a new habit and it's a good one. I am making positive changes in my life and for my life. A little change in perspective is all it takes. I can't believe that these little milestones and accomplishments can be so motivating but they really are. While some habits need to be broken, I have developed one that I hope I will keep at for the rest of my life. Let's recap, that's 22 days, and 4 pounds down. I've only begun to fight, have faith and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
Monday was another running day, my third and final for the week and it took everything I had to finish it. It's my understanding that when runners increase their speed or distance too quickly it causes shin splints. Not that I am calling myself a runner but, I do have shin splints. I am following the experts' directions, stretching, icing (not chocolate, just frozen water), elevating, you know the story. Rest is supposed to be the biggest help and with a day of easy walking (today) and another day of rest (tomorrow) I should move along just fine.
Now my big sister (I call her my big sister because she is older and because it's funny as she is the runt of the litter) says that when she started running she had a roving pain. It would move from shin to hip and so on but always got better and eventually went away.
So, tomorrow will bring me to the end of Week 1 of my training program and I have made it through relatively unscathed. If you've been keeping count you'll also realize that today is day 22. Remember, 21 days to make something a habit. Well, I can tell you that it feels like exercise is now habit, part of the daily routine. So much so that the other day I put on my running shoes to go to work rather than my work shoes. It feels good to know that I have found a way to fit exercise into my life. My muscles feel stronger, the soreness is rare now. I can breathe easier, yes, in that short amount of time you can improve the power of your lungs and heart. I sleep better, I just lapse into a coma when my head hits the pillow. I am happy that despite all odds I am still at it.
There it is, I have a new habit and it's a good one. I am making positive changes in my life and for my life. A little change in perspective is all it takes. I can't believe that these little milestones and accomplishments can be so motivating but they really are. While some habits need to be broken, I have developed one that I hope I will keep at for the rest of my life. Let's recap, that's 22 days, and 4 pounds down. I've only begun to fight, have faith and...
Don't Pity the Fat Girl.
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