overeating

Italian and Mexican food -- the two cuisines I'm most likely to overeat. What I really need is a way to delude myself that the chicken chimichanga I just inhaled isn't really that bad for me...
and for other people to post so that I'm not just talking to myself, because whoa, that's a symptom I haven't experienced yet... heh.

and... stupid question... does anyone know how to access older postsecret posts? I haven't read it in a while but I can't seem to figure out how to get to the ones from the last few weeks.. unless they don't keep an archive? Just curious.

glug glug

I am on my fourth glass of water today, and I feel like I could float away. Of course it also breaks up the monotony of sitting at my desk, as I have to get up and walk across the office to the restroom every hour or so. The whole "balance" goal is going to be a gift, I think, as I taper off the drug dosage. It gives me lots of things to keep track of and think about... my eating habits, meal planning, water consumption, walk-tracking, time management... hopefully that sort of tasking will help me boot my brain on track when it occasionally stalls and drifts into the ditch... which it has been doing periodically all afternoon. Thankfully just an hour left to the workday and then nothing on tap for this evening. I might watch a movie, read, sleep... sleep... sleep.... something like that. Heck, I might even go for an actual walk and not just count the steps I take during my workday. In defense of my workday, I walked two miles on Friday between 9am and 7pm. The pedometer is both a blessing and a curse... it encourages me to give credit to non-aerobic walking. But I will get better... I'm working on it... you all inspire me to keep working on it. :)

Balance

I'm trying to be more devoted to walking... and better eating choices... and general well-being. I need to maintain balance, as the title suggests, particularly right now as I wean off an antidepressant. Because ineb told me to, I resisted the urge to go cold turkey (I ran out two days ago, so I had a headstart!) and went to pick up my prescription over lunch. I also bought a pill-splitter, so that I can reduce by 25% at a time my one-tab-a-day current dosage. Today'll be the first day at 75% which is.. what, 7.5mg? I think. Not that it matters. :) Anyway while I was there I also bought a book called Eat Smart, Walk Strong. And I hope it doesn't suck. And if it gives me any fabulous tips, I will be sure to share them with the rest of you. I chose it because it was marked down to $11, because it includes recipes and contains an integrated "diary" of what you've eaten and how much you've walked, and... because it has quizzes. Quizzes rule.

I am sad because the "show all" labels button doesn't work for me anymore. And I don't have our labels memorized...

ooh, and also! In the interest of balance and general emotional well-being... do good deeds! And then let us praise you for them, because it feels good and that IS OKAY! Blog about them, even if they're tiny. It will give us another topic. :)

Weekly review!!

I had to argue with myself to get self to gym. Self won. I hate that.

Monday- 25 min treadmill - 1.25 mi
25 min. bike - 9mi
resistance machines - arms, abs, and back
BONUS- free ten min. chair massage!!!!!

Tues. - off
Wed. cycle class 1 hr. no cute boy, still a sore tushie
Thurs.- 30 min. treadmill 1.5 mi
2 mi. on bike - knees ached from cycle class...called it a day.
Fri. - off due to massive sun burn
Sat. 50min. treadmill - 2.75 mi
15 min. bike - 5.5 mi
Sun. (to make up for no class on friday) 1 hr. fitness yoga

My goal this week...just to go five times. I am trying their lap pool this week and I am hoping to try another new class. I am sad I missed the strength class on Friday. It really works your muscles...and my muscles need all the help they can get to look pretty for those pics this summer!!!

My b-day is approaching, so I am hoping all doesn't go to hell with my hard work and eating well.

Friday Mirth

http://xkcd.com/c280.html

I had this friend in highschool, and after the first few times I loaned books to her, I started to buy her a used copy of whatever she wanted to read, so that she wouldn't destroy mine... oh, my soul hurts just thinking about those poor, devastated books...

Late Start

I've been lazy this week due to heat and rain. Just did my first walk, about 50 minutes. If I did the week 6 math right I have a hundred to go. Good thing I have few plans this weekend.

Best wishes to Harmony and Marissa for super fun this weekend in DC!

Week 6

Better late than never? Sorry for the delay. We've been busy. ;)

M 25 min
T 30 min
W 25 min
Th off
F "speed things up: after warming up, walk quickly for 2 minutes,
then slow it down for 2 minutes. Repeat 5 times."
Sat 30 min
Sun 25 min

Total 9 miles

Walking Calendar

It's at http://familycircle.com/fc/file.jhtml?item=/walk07/ahawalkrecipetips&ordersrc=rdfc0048

Anybody who has time to figure out what "month" we're on would be my hero.
It might be less complicated than my addled brain is trying to make it... but I'm tired
tonight, and confused. :)

kthxbye

Sharing some funnies.

This song/video makes me happy. Mika makes me happy. YAY!

Marissa are you out there?

Hey Marissa! I just tried emailing you through your blog and it got bounced back. Since you're a librarian I have to ask, are you by any chance attending the annual ALA conference in DC this weekend? My work will be there as a vendor and they're sending me out for the tradeshow. I'll be there Sunday and Monday nights and thought if you're planning to be there we could grab a meal or take a walk!

Let me know! That would be a lovely coincidence.

Peace out,
Harmony

(Also, I'm at 90 minutes so far this week.)

End of week without goal

I didn't keep track this weekend, but all I did was the stuff where I park a few blocks from my destination and try not to cut corners around intersections and the like. We'll round up and say it was 140 minutes this week. Yay!

Today I'm suppose to walk the entire lunch hour, but the heat index figures make it look like the kind of day where old people die if they go outside (a low of 92 seems to be in store) so I'm not sure my full walk will be happening. Maybe I'll be brave and aim for a few short breaks today instead?

I did it I did it!

My goal for this week was to make it to the gym six out of seven days. Mission accomplished. Here is my week's summative report:

Monday - 25 min. treadmill 1.25 miles
25 min. bike 9 miles
resistance machines for abs, back, arms
Tuesday- 1 hr of Cardiofunk class (think Jazzercise on crack!)
Wednesday - 1 hr. of intro to cycling (where binky met a cute boy named Brian. Brian said, "Hope to see you an some more classes." Oh you will , cute boy Brian. You will. )
Thursday - 1.5 hr walk with Jackie - 4 miles
35 min. bike at gym - 12.5 miles
Friday - 1 hr. class - Strictly Strength
15min. in steam room...not really a workout, but quite relaxing!
later that day...
1.5 hr walk with Jackie -4 miles
Saturday- begged for mercy, then went to gym
35 min. bike - 12.5 mi
25 min. treadmill - 1.25 mi
resistance machines - abs

SUNDAY- crying, tending to 1 broken toe, three blisters, 1 cracked skin spot on a toe and a completely bruised tookus from the bike seat in the cycling class.

I wanted to prove to myself it could be done. I even went into work for two days and had a dr. appt on another day...so I was impressed. (For those of you who don't know, I am a teacher and I am off for six weeks. )
Next week...back to my typical, summer break schedule of only 5 days a week. Will be at cycling class (sore tooshie is a small price to pay to see cute boy again) as well as Strictly Strength. Going to try Hiphop this week instead of cardiofunk. If it's fun, I might keep it through the fall, and drop the jazz class I signed up for!

Whew!

It's really not too hot out there, but man, is my exercise path sunny!
45 minutes. Now I get sweet tea :) Today's organic selection is green tea with spearmint and honey.

Enjoy your weekend, ladies!

Stupid Summer

I took my sadness to the wee baby. Lydia and I took her for a stroll last night. Total was around another 20 minutes. Not much, but I was tired and dehydrated, so I am counting it-- even though it involved going to a sandwich place and my dinner included a cookie. Cuz sometimes Maisie smiles at you, and it makes life a little bit easier.

I plan to do another walk on lunch, and then tonight I get to see free Grammy winning music in the park. (Yes, right about now is when you should be asking yourself why you don't visit Bloomington more often!)

Early Riser

I woke up at 6:03. I had time to get ready, go get a dozen bagels, buy milk, and get home before anyone even really noticed I was gone. And yet still, the time before I needed to leave for work evaporated, and foiled my plan to take a walk this morning. I really haven't been doing very well, y'all. I have barely been taking walks for exercise... which sucks, because I am really eager to stop taking this medicine, but I made that deal with myself... and I'm .. just... meh.

But I am still determined to fix it... one of these mornings...

in fact, I'll walk right now.
To the kitchen.
For a cup of coffee.

(meh)

Ok ok

Last night I strolled twenty minutes. I'm up to 60 minutes.

I'm not good at the heat this time of year. You'll all be eating my dust come winter. (Well, that's what I keep telling myself...)

And then...?

Okay so I know Binky went shopping, but where did everyone else go? It's quiet on here this week and I'm curious to know what's keeping you all away - too busy walking or too busy slacking?

I've done so-so this week - meaning good, but not as good as I wanted. Including this morning we've clocked 140 walking minutes. That's likely to be near our total because Phil will be around to help tomorrow morning and then I'm off to Tawas for a lovely no-boys-allowed weekend vacation.

We might exercise, but we might also just lay around watching chick flicks and painting our nails. Or taunt the regulars at the local watering hole with our new aged non-country juke box music selections and loud giggling. We shall see.

Holla back, y'all.

Binky went shopping

To reward myself for good gym behavior (I have gone every day I said I would...and even though I look at the cute trainers...I do not touch!) I went shopping!

Hawaii, meet "the girls"


http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/23_176_260/products_id/1831

Hydrating Binky

So...I've kept my goal so far this week...but it's only Monday!

I read an article this weekend (Marie Claire I believe...) that your metabolism doesn't work as well when dehydrated. As if I have f-ed up my metabolism enough in my lifetime! I started drink lots of water. I mean a lot. I feel sloshy. I pee often. I hope I can keep this up until my body gets used to it. But by then, it will be time for me to go back to work...where I never sit down and rarely drink water (I once got to afterschool tutoring - it was 3ish before I realized my propel was unopened...meaning I had not had liquids since 7 that morning).

Off to down another glass!

Woe Is Me

Oh dear.

I seem to have forsaken thee (thees?) over the last couple of weeks. Between a family visit, a spur of the moment friends visit, Relay for Life and life in general, I have been rather absent.

I'm sure you missed me desperately. ;-)

I have a confession:

I have not been walking.

And I feel ick because of it.

I'm a creature of habit, and when I can make walking a part of the irrevocable routine, I'm good to go, but you give me two weeks of pure chaos, and I seem to be back where I began.

But I'm determined to try and get going again, with y'alls help!

In other news, I bought a bike.

Having not ridden a bike in about 17 years, this is a new and exciting challenge. I can't go far, or fast, but at least I'm staying upright on the damn thing. ;-)

I'm hoping it will help break up the walking with a different exercise every once in a while.

Pretty blue, no?

Anyhoo, I'm hoping to be back in the walking rhythm with you all very soon! Great to see how wonderfully everyone is doing - very motivating!

sunny day

I intended to walk for a full hour, knowing I'm going to lose my Thursday hike, but I turned back too early and ended up spending too much of my walk in the bright bright sun, and I was tuckered out in 40 minutes flat. Hopefully I'll be brave enough to get a few brief walks in the evenings this week. But I really must protest the lack of shade in my urban setting.

In happy news, I found a new beverage: Sweet Leaf Sweet Tea. Organic iced tea, sweet and tasty. Man, I do live in the south now, don't I?

ack

I forgot to pick up the latest "Family Circle" magazine in time to post our goals today...
I'll try to get it tonight. In the meantime, I just created my account at
http://walkertracker.com/walker.php?bking126

Beginning tomorrow I'll be tracking my steps there as well, since I keep forgetting to write it down in my little book at the end of each day (and today I'm not wearing my pedometer becasue I'm wearing a cute little sundress I got for free from Melinda's aunt, and there's nowhere to clip it...)

Stay Classy, Doughtygirls!

Step-by-step.

So despite some yucky cold and sinus issues I managed to walk my little booty off last week(end). With 110 minutes yesterday alone, my week total was 270 minutes, or about 14 miles. And also, I learned that I like oatmeal.

We shall see what this week brings.

Yay, walking!

Barely

Did a 45 minute hike on the rails to trails track yesterday, so I just slightly went over 120 minutes this week. Whew!

I'm losing Thursday to some Mexican fiesta, so I'll have to sub Friday and haul ass over the weekend, but I think I can make it.

made my goal and then some

I did make it to the strength class. I am still in pain. It was an hour of torture...that good kind of torture.

Today I did 35 min on the bike for 12.5 miles and 35 min on the treadmill for 1.75 miles.

Next weeks goals:
Monday: 25-35min on treadmill then machines- arms, abs, back

Tuesday - 35min treadmill, 35 min. bike

Wednesday - 25-35min on treadmill then machines - arms, abs, back (maybe - need a day off)

Thursday - hip hop class

Friday - strength training class 9:45 - this time I won't curse as much!

Saturday - 35 min bike 35 min treadmill

Sunday - off

If I can keep with this schedule - not only will I be proud of myself...but I will be ready for Hawaii!!!

Step Tracker!

http://walkertracker.com/

Now that is cool.

Ta da!

I did it. I took a full lunchtime hike. 50 minutes! I have 40 minutes to go to reach this week's goal. I might try to talk myself into walking on lunch tomorrow too (but it's suppose to rain, so...)

Yay!

I just did an evil morning weigh in. I lost three pounds! Not only is that worthy of joy, BUT according to my pill case, today I should be bloated as hell! Yet I don't feel it! Even better excuse to go shopping, eh?

tired binky

I've been meaning to post, but it's been a crazy week already!
I worked out Saturday for about an hour before heading over to the dance recital. I danced for 2.5 min.
Sunday I didn't do much but my at home arms and abs.
Monday I went to the gym again. 30 min. on the treadmill and 10 on the bike.
Tuesday I was off - and it was wonderful! No gym, no work! comfy clothes! HEAVEN!!
Today I knew I had a graduation party so I hit hte track with coworkers - 3/4 of a mile before it got too hot. (I also climbed up to the roof - those ladder stairs must count for something!)
Tomorrow I'll do machines and the bike
Friday I am doing a strength training class for an hour
Sat. will be close to an hour of cardio.

Soon I will hit the pool, but alas, I waited too long to order the cute suit for the big knockered ladies...it is temporarily out of stock! :(

Celebrate Tiny Victories

Well. Another walkless week down. I. Am. Lazy. Oh, well.

But I DID do the 20 minutes today, so, yay! I had homework to read and rice on the stove, and so I got on the treadmill and read my article. Just enough time to finish cooking. Awesome.

And now, I am tired. And I have to get up tomorrow at a time earlier than I have in years. To bed!

New motivation.

Lola was being, for lack of a kinder way to put it, a HUGE shithead-hellion-f@*kface-a$$hole tonight. I tried calming her with a 15 minute break in her crate. It didn't work. I was frustrated and ready to cry. And the fact that I was ready to cry made me want to cry more, cuz that's lame, yo.

So I took her for a walk. We went around our usual part of the neighborhood, but sensing that our few blocks were not enough to expel her demon energy, I kept going into the undeveloped parts of the neighborhood. By the time we made it back home we'd walked 40 minutes. She's been chewing her bone, instead of me, for the entire hour since we've been back.

THANK YOU, EXERCISE!

Ignoring the fact that Bethany is on her way over with a small Dairy Queen blizzard to reward me for being such a good doggy mom, today contained a nice healthy 70 minutes, or roughly 3.5 miles, and I still love my dog.

ack, it's week 4!

And so this is the last week for which I have the pre-destined list of goals...
does anyone subscribe to Family Circle, or have a roommate/relative who does, from which we can steal the next month of goals? Otherwise I'll actually (*gasp*) have to go get the issue. ;)

M 15
T 20
W 20
Th off
F 20
Sat 20
Sun 25

total 6 miles.

And if you don't choose to use these goals (as I currently have not, because I can barely keep up with the "5-10 minutes a day" requirement with any consistency), no one will judge you. They're "more like guidelines, anyway."

(and a bonus gold star to anyone who recognizes the source of that guidelines joke)

On the road again...

Last week was a complete failure. I walked maybe an hour of the projected 100 minutes. Basically, I was lazy.

To make up for some of it, Phil and I did paddle the ENTIRE 8 miles of our Saturday kayak trip, completeing the course in just about 2 hours (nearly 1/2 the usual time). It was fun and my arms don't even feel like falling off! Yay, arms!

This week Phil is back on the road, which means Lola and I are back on track - and that track is 3 walks a day. We've already done our morning and afternoon walks and I'm hoping it's not raining later so I can walk her either before or after my ceramics class.

My personal goal for the week is 30 minutes each week day, and 30 more over the weekend for a total of 180 minutes.

I've also started keeping a food journal. So far, the amount of crap I eat is shameful so as a side goal I hope to work on that this week too. It's hard to view my bad habits as "little splurges" when they're right in print with such staggering frequency. Note to self: This requires you to stop buying the tubs of fresh mozzarella in basil and garlic and snacking on the little bite sized balls of YUM all evening long...

Let's see how I do. :)

Again with the shortness

My lunch walk was only 30 minutes. I am house-sitting and had to return a recalled book. It rained on my way back, all hot and sticky and icky and gross, so I cut my hike short and headed straight back to work.

Let's hope for a little better weather tomorrow (and for me to remember my sun block!)

Not so much

Well, I only walked 80 minutes last week. Oops. I had plenty of times when I could have walked-- as mostly all I did all week was complain about being bored. But it was hella hot and it makes me pouty. So.... this week I will try to do better. Maybe I need a punishment (for not meeting last week's challenge)? Suggestions?

ugh

I'm very bummed that I haven't been able to post more. Work doesn't allow me to post and by time I get home at night I forget to do it. Okay - so it's not that I CAN'T post, it's that when I remember to post I can't. Anyway - I haven't had much to say anyway. Last weekend I did great. I walked and walked and walked but then the week started and the craziness insued. Here are my goals for the week :

1. Walk at least 3 times for 30 minutes.
2. Keep a set of tennis shoes and socks in my car for spur of the moment walks.
3. Drink 8 glasses of water every day (I never have a problem with this but for some reason lately it's been a struggle)
4. Try and blog with you wonderful kids more often!

Well - hope you all have a great week!
/m