10000 Steps

Socked in by the snow

By Alicia

As I write this, the frozen snow is is throwing itself up against the window, sounding like handful after handful of sand on the glass. It's nine o' clock in the evening and I just got done shoveling the driveway for the fourth time. Today. Within the last 10 hours, to be exact.

We are in day one of a two-day snowstorm and we have a total of a foot of snow on the ground -- a rare event for this part of Ohio. February is traditionally the worst winter weather month of the season, and this one has been true to form. The first week and a half we had bitter cold, sub zero temperatures that made your car engine very reluctant to turn on over in the morning. And now, mid-month, we have near blizzard-like conditions and 24- hour steady snowfall.

Keep in mind, though, it's conditions like these that make for a spring and summer filled with less pesky bugs. The more cold we experience, the more bugs are killed off. A tradeoff I can live with.

Since I've not been able to walk much due to the weather, I have been doing some aerobics here and there. My work schedule still has made it cantankerously hard to get my daily five miles in. I've been able to do weights though, since I have a machine at home, but alas, the aerobic part remains elusive. As you can tell, the promise of getting up really, really early to walk went over like a lead balloon.

Today is the official two-month kickoff to my 40th birthday. That's right, in a mere 60 days, I will be the big 4-0. I plan to celebrate in style; I plan to celebrate with friends and family; and I also plan to celebrate with a 15 pound weight loss between now and then. That's going to be my birthday gift to myself. As much as I've screwed around with exercise and diets these past 8 months, I think I've finally landed on a motivating factor that'll get me going -- my 40th. (Otherwise known as vanity -- but isn't that everybody's weakness in one form or another?)

Hey, whatever it takes!

Shussing but no walking

By Alicia

Don't write me off for dead yet! I'm still here, just not writing...or walking much. :0(

This going-back-to-work-fulltime thing has really thrown a wrench into my workout schedule. I'm still trying to finagle all the pieces into place, but I think I've finally landed on a solution on how to squeeze in the walking time. I'm not crazy about it, but it's going to have to do for now. I'm going to have to walk VERY early in the mornings, like 3:45 am early. It's either that or walk in the evenings, and I really don't like to do that because it's so easy to push it aside with other activities.

I'm up at 4:30 am most of the time anyway, so getting up earlier shouldn't be that hard, right? Oh, how I kid myself. I'm also going to start wearing my pedometer to work because I walk a heck of a lot for a job that's classified as sit-down. I will start that Monday and I'll let you know what the numbers are.

In the meantime, I do have some good news to report as far as other exercise is concerned. My son joined the ski club and every Thursday they are shussing down the hills at Mad River Mountain. So, we (meaning hubby, daughter and myself) have been meeting him at the slopes and skiing during the same time. Last night, I skied for 2 1/2 hours. Granted, I was on the bunny hill the entire time (yes, I'm such the wimpy beginner) but I really enjoyed the entire evening. And now since I'm a bit more ski savvy and know certain things like turning and stopping, I'll be on the 'grownup's' hill next week.

I keep telling myself 'new year, new habits'. I just hope I don't run out of year before my habits take hold!

Back to the grind...

By Alicia

Ashley, I hope you are feeling better! It sounds like a whopper of a cold you've got there! Keep drinking those fluids!

After spending about a week of recovery from my little detox experiment (which left me with clearer thinking but incredibly tired), I started back to work. Yes, I still have my writing business, but I made a huge discovery recently: I like the writing more than the business. Not that I don't have business, it's just I don't like aggressively going after new business. Nor do I like the plain old business stuff there is to running a business.

So, I've started temping at a company here in town. I am on my second week and it has been grueling.  I am learning an entirely new process in a part of business that I've never been in before. The work is not hard, but the environment is more than hectic, less than frantic, but not always. You hit the ground running at 7:00 am and don't stop unless you really, really have to pee. Lunch is grabbed and eaten at the desk. After that,  you keep running until 3:00.

The best way to describe what I do is this: imagine walking into a paper blizzard and being told that you have to guide each snowflake into its proper place before it hits the ground. It's something like that. Careful not to make a mistake , however, because it can have some international repercussions. There were a few ruffled feathers at the Canadian-U.S. border today because I had trouble figuring out my math while faxing papers on the fly.

I've been up at 4:00 or 4:15 am each morning, but unfortunately, not to work out. It's just me getting used to the work schedule again. Interestingly, I've found out that if I don't work out in the morning, I am totally spent by the time 3:00 rolls around. It still doesn't make any sense to me, but it must be the same adage as money: it takes money to make money; the same hold true for energy. It takes energy to make energy.

With that in mind, I will be arriving at the Wellness Center tomorrow morning to start walking again. I just can't keep spending my evenings watching reruns of "Charmed" and ignoring the dinner dishes while I languish on the couch. The lack of exercise and new job equal a huge energy drain. I got to plug the leak somehow, or I will officially become a twice-baked couch potato in no time!

Trying to be healthy made me a wee bit sick..

By Alicia

Just a short entry today. I'm still wiped out by my latest effort at becoming more healthy. I tried a detox diet a few days ago, and boy did I ever detox! Too much, too fast! I spent the better part of two days in bed, just sleeping off the effects; even today I'm only operating at 70%.

I lost five pounds, but this was definitely not worth it.

Needless to say, no walking. Hopefully by tomorrow I will be my old chipper self again.

Back to the diet drawing board....

Queen size mattress and attitude to match

By Alicia

I was not a good girl today! I totally and completely blew off my walking workout. And it's not like I slept in or anything. I was up at 4:00 this morning but I was writing, not walking. And once I get started on writing, the whole world could self-destruct and I wouldn't notice until my computer lost power.

I did, however, get some decent physcial activity in. I am in the middle of an early spring cleaning and I managed to drag a queen size box spring, a queen size mattress, and a twin mattress up from the basement and out to the curb. All by myself. Well, almost. I was really struggling to move the queen size mattress from the front door to the front yard. It was heavy and really wobbly and I just couldn't get it to budge. It kept toppling over and I kept grunting and pushing, sounding  like a pig in labor, hoping something would happen in terms of movement.

I really must have made a sorry impression because the neighbor across the street -- the one whom I've only seen a handful of times and has always ignored my 'hello's" in the nine years I've lived here -- stopped walking his dog and came across the way to help with my immobile mattress. He said one sentence -- "Need help with that?" and that was it. He helped me push it to where it needed to go and then he was gone. Guess he's just not much for conversation. But I'm sure glad his actions talk louder than his words. Without his help, I'd still be out there, trying to shove that thing across the lawn.

Okay, for tomorrow, no messing around. New chart, fresh start, maybe even a new diet?!?  Yes,  I am trying a new one, but I'm going to keep it a secret until I know for sure it is working...

A New Year, A New Beginning

By Alicia

It's a quiet, gray afternoon here in Ohio. Even with the balmy temperature of 48 degrees, the skies hold the same grim look they always do in winter -- hunkered down in flannel clouds, a sense of depressed determination and solidness. I have been wishing for snow to cheer things up. Hopefully by the end of the week, we will see some of that white stuff.

I'm ready to go again full speed ahead in my walking. While I've managed to average two to three miles each day during the holidays, it doesn't take the place of the good ol' five miler every morning. I signed up at the Wellness Center to participate in their newest exercise event. For the next 8 weeks, I will have to log 60 minutes of aerobic physical activity each day. At the end of the time frame, those with the most minutes get to win prizes like workout equipment and athletic gear. Fun! And besides, logging those minutes will be a breeze when I count the time I put in for walking five miles.

While I am solidly semi-vegetarian, I'm also redoing the diet thing. Yes, I know, you've been down that path with me so many times before. Charts, rewards, a dietician, supplements. I think I've done it all. I'm not sure what the answer is.

Maybe just slowing down and listening to myself more often. Maybe not trying as hard. Maybe coming to terms with what is really behind the weight gain. Maybe just doing it my way, with sincerity, acceptance, and respect for myself. I don't know. This is just one of those deals  I guess I'll have to do over each morning, just like it's my first day of never trying it before.

I am happy, though, that it is the new year. I like fresh starts, new beginings, do-overs.  The infectious energy of something new is always worth waiting for.

So, here's to wishing everyone a healthy and happy new year! May the excitement of this brand new time be with us throughout the rest of 2007!

Off to the woods

by Alicia

Golly, how time flies through the holidays! Not much walking, but lots of running back and forth. I was able to clock in 2.5 miles a day nonetheless, just by being so busy.

Hope everyone had a good Christmas! We had hoped for snow, but got warm weather and rain instead. The skiing will have to wait until further notice!

I'm packing up the family to go a cabin in the woods to spend the new year. We, along with friends and other family, fill up theses three days with the two 'H''s: hiking and hot-tubbing. We play board games and sit in front of the fire and just talk. And, of course, eat. Hopefully, we will do enough hiking to offset any extreme caloric intakes.

I'm bringing my pedometer to see just how much we cover during our hikes. It'll be interesting.

I won't be back until Monday of the new year, so until then, Happy New Year everyone! Please have a safe and enjoyable time.

Till then, cheers! 

A litte Tai Chi with my Christmas Cookies

By Alicia

I have to admit that I haven't walked -- as in on a track or treadmill --  in the past few days. However, I have been doing a lot of walking getting Christmas shopping done, running up and down the stairs for laundry, wrapping presents, and other assorted domestic duties.

The running up and down the stairs thing plays more into my level of fitness than I had previously given it credit for. I counted the times I ran the stairs within the first half hour of waking up and it was no less than five. It's a good thing we don't live in a ranch-style house because I would probably weigh the equivalent of a bull elephant.

I've started doing Tai Chi in the morning and walking later in the day. For whatever reason, I haven't enjoyed being outdoors at dark 'o'clock in the morning even though the weather has been great, and haven't found any fun in walking at the gym. Must mean it's  time to mix it up a bit again. I practiced Tai Chi before and I like the way it makes me feel--energetic but in a subtle way.

My weight thing hasn't fluctuated a bit, which honestly confounds me because after the cookie baking session at my sister's last Saturday, I should weigh at least two pounds heavier. Not counting calories, I ate that much in net weight of cookies alone. Mmmmm...so good! Nothing like warm-n-fresh from the oven cookies! So hard to resist....

Speaking of cookies, I've got a few more boxes to get ready for the mail. 'Tis better to give away than to receive, at least when it comes to cookies and my diet!

Delightful December Day

By Alicia

Yeah! It was sunny today! And warm! Right around 50 degress - odd but welcome weather for Ohio this time of year.

I walked the dog this morning once around the block since the old guy can't make it more than that without getting winded and tired. I never thought I would see the day where I would have more stamina than a dog, but he's 13 years old and not in the best of health.

(He likes to carry his rawhide stick around in his mouth -- looks like he's smoking.)

After walking Ollie -- which was more of a stop-n-go-n-stop, rather than a walk -- I finished off three miles outside. The sun felt good on my skin and the breeze was just right. Asked me what month it was and I would have told you March, not December.

My weight has dropped two more pounds since I last blogged. Again, no major changes in the diet -- just sticking with the vegetarian thing, and incorporating more water and walnuts in the diet. My scale at home is always 3 to 5 pounds off from the scale at the Wellness facility, so I will have to weigh in tomorrow morning and see what the official number is.

That's about all I have for this blog entry. I'm elbow-deep -- like everyone else --  in shopping, wrapping, cookie baking, planning for another birthday party (this time for my son), and getting Christmas cards sent. Phew! There's always something to do, it seems. Well, gotta keep on keeping on...

Talk to you guys later!

P.S. Almost forgot -- I bought the new CD by Fergie (from the Black Eyed Peas). It totally rocks and I highly recommend you buy it. You can listen to a snippet of it here:
http://www.napster.com/view/artist/index.html?id=12120642. It really keeps you moving when you are walking!

Brrrr....

By Alicia

Okay. It's officially cold here. The temperature was 13 degrees this morning when I walked. I didn't walk long because my eyes kept watering and I almost slipped again. Time to take the 10, 000 steps indoors on the treadmill.

At our first house, we had a pot-bellied wood burning stove. That thing put out an immense amout of heat in a relatively small area and was messy. I hated it and swore never to have another wood-burning appliance again.

Never say never. After enjoying the fireplace at my in-laws over the years and REALLY enjoying the fireplace we had at a cabin we stayed at last year, I've decided I want a fireplace again. A real one.

However, they cost a few more pennies than what we've got to spare. So, Rob and I promised each other to have a real fireplace in our next house but for now, this is what we have to settle for:

As corny as it sounds, I absolutely love the fact I can watch a fire on my tv, complete with fire crackling sounds. I've read by it, fell asleep by it, and even have written fiction by it. Except for the warmth and the occasional getting up from the couch to poke at the logs, it's pretty close to the real thing.

Okay, I'm going outside again to finish my steps. Altthough it's only 24 degrees,  the sun just peeked out and the wind has died down a little, so I'm going to take advantage of it while it lasts.

Trying to order egg rolls over the snoring

By Alicia

I know I've been gone for a while but I'm finally feeling better to the point I can do my five miles again. The crud is clearing and my energy is returning from what has turned out to be a lingering cold.

It's 5:46 am as I write this and it is cold (very cold -- 28 degrees!) and dark outside but I think I'm going to walk anyway. It's too late for me to go to the gym and to be honest, I like playing the mind game with myself that I'm burning more calories just trying to keep myself warm.

Besides, I can carry a cup of coffee with me as a walk around the block. At the gym, they frown upon anything but water passing the lips of those who exercise. If I do bring in coffee, it gets me the same dirty look as when I wear my KISS concert T-shirt to work out in. Like they've never seen Gene Simmon's tongue before?

Throughout my cold, I kept to my vegetarian ways except for yesterday, when my appetite returned with a vengence and I absolutely, positively had to have a chicken sandwhich from Burger King. I have no idea what that craving meant, but I indulged (wiped the mayo off with a napkin, didn't have any fries) and I have to say I felt pretty content afterwards. I mentally gave thanks to the chicken who gave its life for me so I could satisfy a protein craving which no soy product was going to fulfill.

Because I've been eating lighter meals at dinner time, I've been waking up hungry as soon as my eyes pop open. I've even been dreaming about food -- which brings me to this dream I simply must tell you about.

Yesterday morning, I dreamt I was in Singapore. (I've never been there, but the signs were all conveniently spelled out in English, so I knew where I was in my dreamscape.) I was sitting with some very nice strangers at a table that had all sorts of Asian delicacies, steaming and golden and all noodle-ly, spread out in a buffet style. 

Problem was, most of it looked like it had octopus tentacles sticking out of it or a squid eyeball peeking up from underneath or some sort of fish / crustacean connection that prompted either waves of nausea or disappointment every time I looked at it.

I was really hungry and wanted to eat, but wouldn't go near those buffet items with a 10-foot chopstick.  In desperation, I kept looking around and finally spied a half-eaten egg roll on someone else's plate. I was estatic! I asked the gentleman if he had ordered it at the cash register. Smiling, he nodded yes. 

I ran up to the register and started telling the gentleman standing behind it that I would like to order three egg rolls, please. However, every time I opened my mouth, a noise similiar to a student driver grinding stickshift gears would start up and subsequently drown out my words.

I attempted several times to place my eggroll order, but couldn't get any further than "I'd like three..." before the hideous grinding screeched everything else out of earshot. The man behind the register, apparently deaf to this metallic auditory assault, soon became impatient. He folded his arms across his white apron and asked, "Would you just please order?"

I opened my mouth again thinking if I spoke really fast, I could get my order out before the mysterious metal gnashing began. No such luck.

The man behind the register gave up. He threw his hands up in the air, gave an exasperated look, shoved his white paper hat firmly down on his head, and walked away.

I got so mad that I went behind the register to look for the machinery person who was keeping me from ordering my egg rolls. That's when I woke up and realized that the sound was not just in my dream.

It was coming from right next to me. My husband had snored me out of my egg rolls.

I'm seriously thinking about ordering Chinese for tonight's dinner and putting my own fortune into his fortune cookie.

Something along the lines of “Laugh and the world laughs with you, snore and you sleep alone.”

It's our Pizza Anniversary

By Alicia

I think I caught a cold from Schmoe! Actually, my daughter brought it home first from play practice and then she passed it around. It's not been a good year for us and those colds. But sometimes, that's the way it works. Some years you don't get sick a lot, other years...well, just go ahead and buy some stock in Lysol, Kleenex, and NyQuil.

Sniffles aside, I felt better when I walked today. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that it is COLD outside and the wind is gusting up to 40 mph. Pretty much clears the sinuses when you walk into that kind of breeze. I didn't walk my full five miles because although my head was clear, my legs felt like lead. Just wasn't in me today to finish.

Can you belive it is December 1st? By the way, today is my and my husband's 16th wedding anniversary! Whoohoo! Our special plans for this evening will include: dinner from Donato's pizza, eaten on the run as we drive our daughter to the play she is in (Scrooge). The rest of the weekend will be devoted to attending three more play productions. Ah, yes the romantic life an old married couple! I should have known the 16th anniversary would be the Pizza Anniversary.

Everybody have a good weekend!

An Indian's Summer's Day Stroll

By Alicia

After last week's tip off to the start of the holiday season, I haven't walked at all these past few days. However, I did get out and walk this morning in the sun and unusually warm weather. It was gorgeous -- a late November day with 62 degrees as the temperature. An "Indian Summer" day, as we call it around here, although I have no clue as to why.

I did gain 2 pounds this week as a result of all my thanksgivings (namely, thank you for that yuimmy slice of pumpkin pie, thank you for that second helping of those delicious sweet potatoes, and, oh, thank you so much for that really big helping of stuffing with gravy - mmmmmm!), but I'm not too worried about it. I picked back up on my weight lifting a couple of days ago and I'm ready to go back to walking as an everyday thing again.

We, as a family, are signing up to the Holiday Run at Sharon Woods. While it says 'run', we are going to walk, since the only running we can all sustain for any amount of time is just running to the bathroom. I am very excited by this -- any time I can get the whole family involved, exercise is even better.

Speaking of running, I have to go pick up a kid or two at choir practice. See you later!

One T-Day down, one to go

By Alicia

Thanksgiving season is in full swing at our house. Sunday we hosted a Thanksgiving feast for my side of the family, as well as a birthday celebration for my oldest sister. As much work as these gatherings are, I don't mind them because it throws me into a serious cleaning mode the few days before it. It also means my husband takes on a pivotal role in cooking and doing dishes because he loves to throw a party -- any party, even a Thanksgiving type of event party. I just love the fact that he does all the dishes as well as cook the turkey.

We host Thanksgiving again on the real Turkey Day for Rob's side of the family. The bird is defrosting in the fridge as we speak and tomorrow will be it's last day as a 16 pound cold block-o-meat taking up precious shelf space in the fridge.

It should go without mentioning that I dropped the vegetarian act for Sunday's feast, but only for 2 small pieces of my mom's kielbasa. I don't like sausage, but Mom has this way of cooking it that makes it taste unbelievable as well as have an appealing consistency. I totally pigged out on the greean bean casserole and sweet potatoes and homemade bread, not really interested in anything else. 

I've lost 3 pounds in the past 3 weeks without tryinng at all. I think it's because since I've started concentrating on gearing up my business, I've haven't taken the time to eat. What's also true is that I haven't been as hungry or tired either. The negative side of things is that I haven't been walking my five miles a day due to time constraints, but I haven't been totally not exercising, either. I still work out with weights every other day as well as average around 2  miles of walking.

Alrighty then, it's 10:30 pm as I write this. Time for some shut-eye!

A Short Note

By Alicia

Busy, busy, busy these days. Marketing to the local business around town to convince them they need my writing services. Working on the current clients' requests. Getting ready for not one but TWO Thanksgivings to be held at our house, beginning this Sunday. Big, big Ohio State vs. Michigan tomoroow, so pre-game party is mandatory -- but at least it's not at our house. It's at our in-laws.

I did not walk Wednesday but I walked yesterday and today; I also lifted weights. Weight has not fluctuated down at all, but has remained steady.

Will write more later!

My Nana: a model and a hero at 92

By Alicia

I'm back from Pittsburgh and it was a nice little trip. I went in to see my precious Nana who is getting ready to turn 93 in a few short months. Up until the year before last, she lived on her own, drove her own car, and was involved in about 6 quadzillion clubs and ladies' auxillary groups. Then she started getting frustrated with her body not wanting to do what her mind was telling it. So, wanting to take care of business her way before things spun out of control, she said (commanded, really, like Moses parting the Red Sea) she was going to sell her car and move to an independent living facility. And she did.

And now she's living in a beautiful apartment with a gorgeous view of the river; she's head of the social activities program there, and she just got done being a model! As in, a model for a photo shoot! A photographer needed photo stock with a senior citizen for an ad he was assigned. Now, the details of the rest of the story are a little fuzzy, but somehow Nana ended up being the model at this photo shoot. Unbelievable. If anyone were to ask me to list my heroes,  she'd be at the top.

I didn't finish my walking this morning, but I did get a good three miles in. I decided to lift weights instead of finish my walk, since I seemed to tire easily this morning. Not to worry though, since I will finish the rest of my distance later today. It's cool and overcast here in Ohio, and if it were just a little foggy, it would be perfect weather.

As far as diet is concerned, the veggie thing is still going strong. I do feel so much better without the meat! While the veggie bacon leaves a lot to be desired, I'm not missing anything else.  Weight loss, well, that's still an issue, but the scale has been slowing creeping downward all by itself. I don't know if it has anything to do with giving up meat (and not gorging on candy), but a slight trend has emerged. I'll keep you guys updated, of course!

Have a great rest of the day, everyone!

My New Second Nose

by Alicia

I walked this morning after dropping off the kids at school. It was cool and foggy and just a bit misty. Perfect weather. I really enjoyed being outdoors and exercising.

(WARNING: GROSS SUBJECT MATTER AHEAD) As if the weigh-in from heck wasn't bad enough, I have one last trick from my Halloween indulgence to deal with: the world's biggest zit on my chin. It is so big, it actually casts its own shadow.  It's like a mutant second nose or something.

Short of smoothing it over with wood putty, no make up in the world is going to cover it up like I want to. So, I guess I'll have to deal with it and wait patiently through conversations where people's eyes keep drifting back to that ENORMOUS MUTANT THING on my chin. Hate that.

Not much else to report today. Me and my new nose are going to do some more housework. Blog at you later!

And Now The Tricks From Halloween...

by Alicia

Okay, I knew the chickens were coming home to roost someday soon after eating all that candy. And today the whole friggin' flock was sitting with me on the scale as I weighed myself.

Let's just say I gained a few pounds and leave it at that. No more than five, but no less than five either. All that chocolate was just not worth it. Whoa! What was that I just said? Not worth the chocolate??? A little glimmer of responsibility in all that darkness of calories? Maybe there's hope after all.

I have officially decided not to run the 3k I signed up for. The nice thing about it is that they do have a walking part of the race but I don't think I'll be doing that, either. From the looks of it, I'll be in Pittsburgh that morning, visiting family. So much for my first race -- but I can't say that I'm too disappointed. I'm proud of my self that I even signed up for one. There will be other races -- ones that I will be completely ready for.

I walked two miles today, and will be heading out the door shortly to finish off my other three, more if I can squeeze it in. I have to head off the creeping mass of chocolate around my midsection and thighs.

Changing subjects, I'm still doing okay camping out in vegetarian territory. One major drawback is the lack of good, tasty salads at fast foods places. When I'm in a hurry, I end up getting french fries (always the small size) instead of the iceberg lettuce salads because those just taste like pesticide covered cardboard to me. I have to learn to pack some healthy munchies in advance of me taking off in the car, so I don't resort to another version of bad food, even if it is meat-free.

Gotta run, er walk. See ya later!

Still walking but very little running

By Alicia

This is my Friday post, obviously a day late. Friday itself flew by, another crazy day getting the business "t''s crossed and "i"'s dotted.The business is all slowly coming together: I updated my website portfolio, opened a business checking account, sent in my application to the Chamber of Commerce and got to see my oversized announcement postcards that I designed. They turned pretty well, I must say, because when I showed my mother-in-law one of them, she couldn't believe that I had completely authored them. What can I say? Vista Print makes me look good.

As of tomorrow, I will be a week away from the 3k race. I am soooo not ready. I'm not sure if I'm going to run it or not. Untill I got my new shoes, my body just wasn't cooperating in the needed amount of  running. Yes, I know, I should have gotten my shoes earlier, but it was really hard to bite the bullet on that amount of moulah. It's not that I am procrastinating on one of my dreams here, it's just that I can only focus -- really focus -- on one thing at a time. The running had to take a benchwarming position so the new business could get the attention it needed.

I'm gonig to take a jog tomorrow morning to see how I feel and then I'll determine whether I'll be running in the race. I hope it's not too cold, because like Jesse, my lungs tend to rebel when exercising in the cold.

We'll see!

The Uninteresting Blog Entry

By Alicia

Welcome back Ashley! You took a vacation and came back 5 pounds lighter? That's what I call a great vacation! If all it takes is eating loads and loads of BBQ and biscuits, well then honey, sign me up!

I honestly do not have anything interesting to report tonight, so I'll just do a quick Q & A session with myself:

• Did I do my 10000 steps yesterday and today? Yep, sure did.

• Do I still love my new shoes? Yes, more than ever. They are definitely in the number 1 slot as the love of my life this week, pushing my husband and tofu barbeque ribs into the number 2 and 3 spots, respectively.

• Have I lost any weight? Sadly, no. On the bright side, I haven't gained any either which is suprising considering the vast quantities of garbage I consumed recently.

• Have I had any Cheez-it crackers for breakfast recently? No, I haven't. I finally learned the golden-orange rule of Cheez-Its: no crackers in the house, no crackers in the mouth.

• Am I still doing the vegetarian thing? Yes and I gotta say I have noticeably more energy since I quite eating meat every day. I kid you not. This step was so easy to transition into and keep up with, it's really no problem at all. When I fix dinner for the family, I have the same thing they are having, just not the meat. Extra servings of vegetables and salad are what I reach for, although it is bit difficult resisting the extra helpings of bread and pasta.

Well, that's it for now. I have another 4:30 am workout scheduled for tomorrow, so I better hit the hay early!

Lazy Monday

By Alicia

After the Halloween party yesterday, I couldn't wait for bedtime to arrive. I managed to make it to somewhere around the 9:30 hour before being physically unable to keep my eyelids up. I crawled into bed and sank into the sheets where, apparently, I didn't move until the alarm went off at 4:30.

I turned it off and went back to sleep. About five minutes later, it was 6:45 and my husband was checking me for a pulse. Whew! Can we say tired?

All of this is just a long way of me saying I didn't get my 10,000 steps in. I did, however, get a new pair of running shoes. Wahoo! I also got some new socks and some sort of energy sport gel that I want to try. All in all, I spent a total of $140 on myself today. I couldn't believe it. The only time I've ever spent that kind of money is grocery shopping.

It's worth it though! My ankles have finally stopped hurting. My arches no longer feel like they are caving in. And I seem to have more energy. I know you are only supposed to wear them for running, but I couldn't resist putting the shoes on tonight to run a few errands. Ohhhh, so heavenly. Like soft cushy toilet paper for the feet, only with great support for the ankles.

Tomorrow morning I'll try them out on the treadmill at the Watson Wellness Center. Can't wait to see how they feel!

P.S.
I'll provide weigh in details on my next blog entry. I've been skirting the issue of weighing myself today because of all the junk I ate the past few days. It's going to take me to Wednesday just to build up enough courage to get on that scale!

All treats, no tricks!

By Alicia

I'm eating french fries as I sit here and type this. I"ve also had two cupcakes (1 big, 1 miniature), 2 doughnuts (the boxed cinnamon sugar variety), and four slices of Donatos pizza today.  Can you tell we had a Halloween party for the kids?

I so totally fell off the diet wagon today and honestly, it felt just fine. No scrapes or bumps from this fall, no way sir. I gleefully and wholeheartedly jumped off the self-control cart and landed right smack in the middle of Candyland.

Nonetheless, I also reached and went beyond my 10,000 steps today. I started logging my steps this mornning when I got up around 2:30. I had awakened from a dream that solved a question about my son's medical condition. I jumped up and ran to the computer to research it, and sure enough, it was right on the nose. I also correlated my theory with a few passages from books.

All this took me till right around 3:45 am.I attempted to lay back down for awhile, but sleep was not forthcoming, So I puttered and read and generally tinkered around the house until about 9:00 am when I decided I really needed to finish cleaning for the party.

And I cleaned and decorated and assembled, etc., never sitting down until I paused to put on dark socks to match my witch's costume. By that time, I had hit my 5 mile mark with many flights of stairs and pushing of heavy items sandwiched in those numbers.

Needless to say, I'm tired, full, and still busy clearing the remnants of frosting from the corners of my mouth. Some days, it is what it is and today was one of those days.

Yum.

Nano-second Update

By Alicia

Another quick post. Super busy these past few days...

I've already done my 10,000 steps for today and so far, the vegetarian thing has been going well, too. Just find it a little difficult to resist pepperoni for some reason!

I'll be back later to finish the blog!

Falling Off The Veggie Wagon and Onto a Plateful of Chicken Roll Ups

By Alicia

Only got to walk two miles again today -- my workout was cut short and the rest of the day was so crazy busy, I never got a chance to catch up.

It's 11:16 pm in Ohio as I type this and I'm still awake enough to go outside and finish my steps, but I've got a slumber party going on downstairs and my husband is already in bed. Someone's got to be alert and upright for chaos control! However, if I'm smart, I'll take a tip from Schmoe and finish my steps in front of TV.

Last night was the first night I fell off the vegetarian wagon. In my last posting, I said I was going to bed due to pulling an all-nighter...well, that never happened. I started working on one writing project, then the phone rang, and then one thing after another kept coming down the pike. Before I knew it, dinner time had arrived, complete with Rob hankering for something off of Applebee's Grill.

So we went to Applebee's. By this time, I calculated I had been up for 36 hours straight.  I was thoroughly tired, terribly cranky, and really hungry. I took one look at the menu and said "Screw the veggies. I want meat." And meat I had. The Oriental Chicken Roll Up, to be exact. I only ate half of it though because I inhaled the fries that came with it.

Up till then I had been good about my diet. In fact, with starting up my own business and still maintaining the domestic goddess duties, there's been little time to eat anyway. Even so, there's a lot to be said for getting your shuteye.

Seems to correlate with the ability to keep other parts of your face shut, too.

I just noticed it got awfully quiet downstairs. With kids, that can't mean anything good. Gotta go check out the party -- blog at you later!

Too Tired To Walk...Or Write

By Alicia

Here's the Cliff Notes' version of the past 24 hours:

Yesterday: up at 5:30 am, walked two miles.

Cooked, cleaned, did laundry, grocery shopped, schlepped children to and fro, 8:30am - 9:45 pm

Began working on client presentation for Thursday, finishing portfolio, answering business emails, trying to get business web site up and running, creating business brochure for self, finalizing business cards: 10:00 pm - 5:15 am.

Yep. Up all night. 

I'm now going to bed. This is the only walking that will happen today: from my office to the bedroom -- and I'll consider it sleepwalking at this point.

Zzzzzz....

P.S. Diet's been good. No meat.

Weight loss, but no walking.

By Alicia

Monday Morning Weigh-In / October 16, 2006
205 lbs.

Weight Loss Since Last Week:
2 pound

Total Weight Loss Since I Became Serious About The Program (September 25, 2006):
7 pounds

Whoo-hoo! Alright!  We are starting to see some progress here. Not only did I beat my goal of a 1 pound weight loss, but I went the extra mile and lost another one, too!

On the heels of that, I did not walk today. I slept in this morning, not getting up until 6:30. However, I did pretty well with the diet, no meat and only one slice of the chocolate torte I made for dessert tonight. I had also made baked ziti with meatballs for dinner and I just about had to wring out my shirt from my drooling.   I really, really like Italian food, so this was the first true moment of testing the vegetarian commitment.

I am happy to report I passed with flying colors, having a huge dinner plate of organic baby greens with some pasta thrown on top. I had a big plate of same said salad for lunch, too, just with vegetarian parmesean chicken sliced into it. (Thank you, Ashley, for the tip!  ~P.S. I'll need all the resources you can point me to on this new lifestyle change.)

Nonetheless, I really could have used the walk. I'm in the throes of starting up my own writing business and today, for whatever reason, I felt totally conflicted and washed over with depression regarding it. A walk would have helped clear my head, but instead I lay down on my bed and just felt blue and totally  'stoopid' for a while.

Then the mail came, bringing with it some business collateral a client wanted me to look over. After that,  I got a phone call from the local advertising agency in town. They wanted to set up an appointment to look over my portfolio and discuss freelancing options with me. All this before I have set up my website, printed out the final version of my business cards, and before I have even officially begun the business. And why am I depressed again?

Well, gotta get to bed. I actually plan on a 4:30 workout tomorrow morning, but it won't happen if I don't make in between the sheets by 10:00 pm.

See you later!

Psychic Sunday

By Alicia

No running or walking today. I was out of the house by 9:00 am and didn't get back home until 7:30 this evening. One day a year, I volunteer to help out my friend C. with her business, which means I sit for eight hours making appointments and taking money. What she does is participate in a New Age Expo that features all sorts of things like spirituality, readings, crystals, and the like. While I don't always agree with what people are offering there, I do love seeing the Tibetan monks each year create their beautiful artworks. They always seem to be quietly and deeply content in what they are doing.

I'm keeping on track with the vegetarian thing -- mostly. I slipped up today by eating a few pepperonis off the kids' pizza. Again, a "I'm really hungry and forgot the no-meat pledge" thing. However I did have my first tofu sandwhich today and as gross as it sounds, it was actually pretty good. A little Tahini sauce, some great homemade bread, and it was as good if not better than any Subway sandwich I've tried.

A little bacon would've gone well with it, too. I'll have to see if they have a tofu version of that.

But for now, I think it's Miller time.

Have a good rest of the evening, everyone!~

29 days and counting...

By Alicia

It's interesting to see the changes that have happened since we all started blogging four months ago. (Can you believe it has been four months?)  Ashley has decided to turn in her lease on the corporate cubicle; Jesse's starting to run laps and try out for the armed forces; and Schmoe has produced a music video. In addition, we've all lost weight and inches. Amazing stuff, really, to see four people's lives unfold right before your very eyes.

There are 29 days left until the 3k race. I ran Thursday and today, but today I switched the routine out, since the other one just didn't feel like it was progressing fast enough for me. I covered 8 laps at the outdoor track today and I mixed up my walking  / running intervals just to keep it interesting. Half a lap running, half a lap walking, and I was pretty well out of breath at the end of my 2 miles. I'm still hitting the 10,000 mark each day on steps and I'm starting to see results like I did at the beginning of the program.

I would like to catch up with Jesse's endurance of running 5 continous laps without peeing my pants from exertion, but that may have to wait for another few rounds of training or when I get a job that involves a lot walking, whichever comes first.

Friday, October 13, I decided to go vegetarian, at least up until the race. This decision came after reading that athletes who don't eat meat have better endurance than those who do. So far, with the exception of eating a hot dog because I was really hungry and forgot about the vegetarian thing, going without meat has been a lot easier than going with out chocolate.

Everyboday have a good rest of the weekend and I will blog at you later!

How many calories does 'playing catch up' burn?

By Alicia

Monday Morning Weigh-In / October 9, 2006
207 lbs.

Weight Loss Since Last Week:
0 pound

Total Weight Loss Since I Started Acting Like A Grown-up About This Whole Thing (September 25, 2006):
5 pounds

Sorry, guys, for the lapse. I'm trying to catch up here. I've actually been exercising, just haven't been blogging about it. I've been hitting my 10,000 steps each day, but every other day I've been throwing in the running. I'm now up to running 3 minutes straight at a time. Doesn't sound like much, but that is huge for me.

I'm at a stall on the weight loss. That means one thing: get a little more friendly with the green things in my life...and I wish I was talking about Kermit the Frog. He's way more interesting than having to face 3 salads a day.

So, as of today, I'm aiming for one pound loss this week, to be witnessed on the scale on Monday, October 16. Y'all heard me say it here, so I'm expecting you to hold me to it!

Last weekend was the weekend I was supposed to walk the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in New York City. This was the little event I alluded to in my first post. My walking buddy, J., and myself had pledged to raise $1500 each for the event. We also were to participate in the 2 day walking marathon: 26.2 miles one day and 13 miles the next.

All was not to be, however. It's that old saying: if want to made God laugh, tell him your plans. Life has a way of prioritizing things differently than you expect and that's what derailed both J. and myself. The needs of children and family come first, period. Perhaps another time.

Which is why I signed up for that wee little race in November. No fund raising, no 13 - 15 mile walks for four hours on the weekends, just my 10,000 steps a day plus the running. Much easier to swallow.

And finally, just as everyone thought they were safe from those exercise haikus, the poetry torture continues. I'm moving onto limericks:

10k Limerick

Four people went walking each day

And blogged about what they had to say

"Ten thousand steps and more!"

"And weight loss galore!"

Said those bloggers who went walking each day.

Exercise Haiku, Part Two

By Alicia

Exercise Haiku, Part Two

Muddy running shoes

Greet another day's journey

Of ten thousand steps.

Does anyone notice a difference in their endurance when exercising at different times of the day? For example, if I exercise first thing in the morning, I can get a pretty good workout. However, when I try to do the same exercise in the afternoon, it's like I've been a couch potato/4-pack-a-day unfiltered cigarette smoker for my entire life -- which, in those instances, my life feels 80 years old. Just wondering if any of my fellow walkers/dieters/bloggers had any similar experiences.

It is gorgeous here in Ohio. Fall is my absolute favorite season and I continually marvel at the changing panoramic landscape shouldered against the bluest of skies.

If the weather were a fruit, it would be a watermelon;  a big juicy, crisp slice of one with a satisfying, mild and sweet taste.

I read Ashley's post earlier regarding other people who are going through the same trials and tribulations regarding exercising and losing weight. While I haven't yet gone through all the links yet, it's nice to know that there are others in the same boat, trying to get to the same goal: health.

Hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the weekend (without traffic jams, I hope!) and I'll write at you guys tomorrow~

An Exercise Haiku Just For You

By Alicia

Exercise Haiku

Much walking is the

remedy to the problem

of my greedy tongue.

I just got back from dinner with three former co-workers. We had a marvelously relaxed dinner at Bravo's that lasted over three hours.

Shall we say the word of the day? Scrumptious! I had a Romano-crusted chicken and pecan salad with bread and Italian butter followed by a small sampling of the dessert trio: a little cheesecake, a little tiramisu (a delicate, silken delicious delight of the tongue!) and a little creme brulee. Of course, I had a cappucino to accompany such wonderful treats.

I have not a clue as to the caloric content of what I just ate, nor do I care a whit. I saved up all day for this meal, restricting my intake to healthy, low cal items like salad and veggies. Okay, I did throw in a few handfuls of Goldfish crackers, but other than that, I was very good.

Exercise, on the other hand, did not garner as much respect from me as the diet. I slept in this morning, thinking I was going to get my five miles in later on in the day, but than plan unravelled as the weather turned foul and my work started to pile up. Needless to say, my numbers were far below the 10,000 steps. Tomorrow I'll be at the gym at dark o'clock (translate: 5:00 am) to be sure and not let that happen again. Gotta get that 3k training in!

Embarrassed? Nope, just exercising...

By Alicia

Monday Morning Weigh-In / October 2, 2006
207 lbs.

Weight Loss Since Last Week:
1 pound

Total Weight Loss Since I Started Acting Like A Grown-up About This Whole Thing (September 25, 2006):
5 pounds

Not bad on the weight loss situation, considering I ate everything Saturday night except the chair I was sitting on.

I just got back from my 10,000 steps with the 3k training tucked into its folds. Training was a bit different today and a little intimidating, although by slowing down my pace to 'barely-jogging' speed, I was able to get through it relatively pain-free. It went like this:

• Walked 4 miles for a warm up. (Didn't mean to warm up quite that much, but I got to chatting on the cell phone with Mom and the laps just flew by.)
• Ran 2 minutes, walked 4 minutes, repeated 5 times.
• Ended up covering 5.25 miles on the track

Took me a while to do it, though. As my daughter would say, "Slow much?"  I know my Nana could definitely outpace me with her wheelie walker. Oh well, gotta start somewhere.

I get red in the face when I work out. I mean REALLY red. After exercising, it's not uncommon to have strangers stare at me from their cars, neighbors do double glances before waving, and the postman ask "Are you alright?" when he drops off a package. I had been home 45 minutes after my jogging and my face was still red to the point my neighbor assumed I was morbidly embarrassed about something. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Did something silly happen?"

"Nope," I said. "Just exercising."

She replied with that "Oh" that people say when they really don't understand but don't care enough to pursue the line inquiry.

The diet thing...well, not so good the past two days. I stayed off the chromium just to see if there was a difference. Believe me, there is. My sugar cravings shot right back up to pre-supplement level. I actually had a big heaping spoonful of brown sugar straight out of the bag after dinner last night.
It stopped my hiccups, but left me wanting to polish off the rest of that wickedly sweet stuff right then and there. I almost had to call Rob in for an intervention, but I managed to divert my attention to other things, like the kids' homework, before I became mentally unhinged and swalled the bag whole.

Who knew 4th grade math would be my saving grace from a diabetic coma? Go figure.

The Fall Season, Ohio Style

By Alicia

Yesterday was a happening kind of day here. First off, Ohio State beat Iowa in college football. Normally, that wouldn't lift an eyebrow anywhere, but here, deep in the heart of Buckeye Country, it's always news. We Ohioans live and die by the Ohio State University football program. The game aired at 8:00 pm last night and from that point on for the next four hours, a hush fell over the local scenery and you could count the cars on both hands that passed by on the normally bustling, busy city streets. Kinda odd, kinda cool.

Secondly, I started my training for the 3k marathon. I covered a total of 5 miles, and it worked like this:

• walked 1 mile for a warm up
• ran 1 minute, rested 1 minute; repeated 10 times
• wasn't sure of how much territory I covered during that time -- I didn't wear my pedometer so I guestimated about a mile, maybe a little less
• Walked another 2 miles to bring it up toa total of 4
• Went home because the track was filling up with junior football league players and I had to keep dodging stray footballs
• Convinced my husband to walk around the block with me for another mile, bringing the total to 5 miles

Then, we went apple picking. Walking up and down the rows of Jonathons, Idareds, Red Delicious and Golden Delicious apple trees took another hour or so, but it was so much fun and so pleasant outside, you really didn't notice that you were walking. After filling up my jean jacket with Red Delicious and carrying it back to the register, my daughter and I walked past the pond and the barns to feed four beautiful Haflingers a few fall treats.

I'd like to say being surrounded by all those apples enticed me to stay on my diet, but that was not the case. While I was good most of the day (morning: oatmeal and one egg, lunch: broccoli with cheese; afternoon snack, some crackers and a handful of peanuts), once dinnertime came, I was ravenous with a capital R. It was real hunger, not 'I'm bored' or 'I'm stressed" or 'I'm emotionally distraught' faux hunger. No, this was the genuine, no-doubt-about-it empty stomach situation. My mother-in-law kindly fixed enough dinner for family and a few friends last night, so I came prepared to eat whatever was in front of me.

And I did! Everyone swore they saw sparks fly off my dinner plate from my fork hitting it so hard and so  fast. Not surprisingly, my stomach still feels full today and I haven't had much to eat. I've walked 3 miles today, so I need to finish up my last 2 tonight. Tomorrow will be another round of training for the 3K.  I just hope I won't need a wheelbarrow to carry my stomach around the track.

Turning Down The Chocolate Lust Dial

By Alicia

Got up this morning and walked around the block in front of my house, watching the skies gradually lighten as the minutes ticked by. It was so quiet, just a few determined crickets doing their best to chirp through the nippy air. Did you know that you can figure out the temperature by listening to a cricket? I've tried it a couple of times and it is actually fairly accurate. Here's a link on how to do it.

I walked my 10,000 steps Wednesday and the amazing thing is, I didn't even have to go outside to do it. Believe it or not, that was me cleaning and putting away laundry all day. If I did that every day at that intensity, I would not have a weight problem at all. No wonder every good housecleaning person I know is skinny.

Oh, speaking of skinny, I'm losing weight! Yeah! Nothing dramatic, but I have to start posting it here because I'm afraid I'm going to forget, gain it back, lose it again, and then think it's something new all over.

Starting weight as of September 25, 2006:
212 lbs.

Today, September 29, 2006
208

The secret seems to be getting a handle on my blood sugar, which then turns down the Chocolate Lust Dial from "fierce" to "maybe later" on my cravings. I started taking a vitamin that has chromium in it, a mineral that helps insulin do its job. Placebo effect or not, I think it works. I seem to have a little bit more energy, too, always a good thing.

This morning I was thinking I really wanted to incorporate more running in my walking. So I decided to sign up for a 3K run. It's a charity event (good thing) and it's not until November (even better thing) so I can train properly for it. I mean, I'm losing a toenail and all over this exercise, so I'd like to show something for it! Here's a schedule I found for first-time walkers turning into runners. It goes right along with Greg Isaac's advice on intervals while walking your steps.

Greg's comment on this being a second 100-day time frame  helped me get motivated again. I'm all about do-overs, as every knows. I just wish dieting and exercising felt as good as chocolate and sleeping in!

I'd Like A Salad Please, With A Side Of Pizza

By Alicia Adams

I just read Greg Isaacs's post and I didn't realize that we are going into our second 100-day session for this exercise program! Wow! Congratulations to all of us! Cool!

I like the comments about targeting hills and doing short interval bursts while walking. While I'm not as enthusiastic (ahem) about the hill thing, I will try incorporating more intervals more often into the walking. I've already done that, but only with slow jogging. I'll have to try it with faster walking--as long as I don't get tangled up in feet again. I may have to revert to trying those hills if that's the case.

Speaking of walking, I walked Sunday but didn't get to finish my 10,000 steps. It was a 'house purge' day where Rob re-organized all of our CD's, DVD's, and games and I spent almost the whole day cleaning out my office, otherwise known as Land O' Plenty Paper That Really, Really Needs To Be Filed. It was a huge accomplishment to tackle that task. I have two more binders of information to hole punch and file and then I'll be finished!

Yesterday I didn't walk due to the fact I completely lost track of time. I've been creating a website for a friend of mine who needs it up and running by this Friday (aaghh!) and I spent several hours creating not one but two websites, hoping that one of them will tickle his fancy ( and work as well)! It's been a while since I've designed websites, but after the wheels creaked and squealed in my head for the first few hours, it came a little easier.

Diet has been going pretty well, believe it or not. Although I haven't experienced any massive weight loss yet, I have been feeling a little more energetic. Basically, I have a large salad twice a day with some sort of protein thrown into it (chicken, turkey, etc.). Today I was really hungy and indulged in a hamburger on top of my salad (cut up into pieces, of course) and I have to say that was pretty tasty, although probably nowhere near low fat.

I think this type of eating could be a good long term strategy.  Although I have found myself, when really hungy, suddenly having visions of an entire pepperoni pizza on top of my salad bowl.

Well, one can always dream...

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World, But I'm Done Pouting Now

By Alicia

Yes, a second entry. I started my other entry on Tuesday but didn't get back to it until today, so here I am, creating one just for this Friday, September 22.

Okay, I think I'm  done with my month-long hissy fit.

Ever since I took off those weeks to recuperate my ankles, I gradually grew more pouty and less willing to exercise. I was mad that my ankles hurt. I was mad that I had to take time off. I was mad that I hadn't had a real weight loss since starting.

And then I was mad and resentful at the fact that I had to face the 10,000 steps program once again and not just blow it off like all the other quad-zillion diet and exercise programs I've tried. Ever since the kids went back to school and I've started more writing projects to bring in more income, there just has not been time in the day to turn around twice. And to get up early to go walking, when I'm mad at the program anyway? Right. That had about as much of a chance of succes as a candy bar surviving Halloween.

But then I realized something.  I'm still a chunky monkey.

So, that makes me mad and fat...but now I'm refusing to do anything about it. Wow, that's teaching me a lesson! Yeah, that's right, I showed myself who the boss was. Sat down on the couch, watched TV for an hour, and ate a Hershey bar just to make sure we were all on the same page.

Not really, but that's what I felt like.

So, I got my sorry, self-pitying arse up out of bed this morning at 4:00 and walked 3.5 miles at the Wellness Center. It's amazing how fast my 'tude left. I feel great now. And I'm gonna do it again tomorrow.

And by the way, thank you to my fellow walkers for the words of encouragement.

They really helped!

Do Over Monday, as reported on Friday...

By Alicia

"Do Over Monday" was a good way to start this whole 10,000 step program over again. On Sunday, I stocked up on Organic Food Bars (Belgium Chocolate Chip flavor). The Vitamin Shoppe was having a sale, so I thought I'd try one. After the first bite, I knew I had hit on something really, really good. I actually sat there in my car, in traffic, and licked the wrapper clean after I had finished off the bar. And then I called the Customer Service number on the wrapper just to tell them how good their product was. They already knew, I guess, because they were pretty non-excited about the whole phone call.

I have been trying to eat healthier which is hard due to my schedule. I grab what I can and go, which means junk food most of the time since I don't eat the original fast food -- fruit. However, these bars are 75% raw, no trans fats, and all organic. Tasty, too, since that's usually the one thing left out when you get all the other stuff I just mentioned.

So, the diet is going pretty. I know I can't live on the bars alone, so I'm striving to increase my intake of greens and lean proteins and see how that goes.

More later...

P.S.
Love the chart, Ashley!

It's Not So Fine To Be A Bovine

By Alicia

Today is the first day in a week that I feel human. As in, I'm human and I can breathe through both sides of my nose again.

This cold turned out to be a little bit more than just an average run of the mill cold. In between doing only the essentials of keeping the household running, I sneezed alot, blew my nose even more, and most of all, slept. I even ran a fever, of all things. In fact I didn't recognize it until the lady at the grocery store check out asked me if I was sunburned because my face was a cheery pink color. I just thought Aldi's was a little on the warm side.

I walked yesterday for the first time in days. I started out grudgingly, because I was still feeling pretty crappy. But, about five minutes into the walk, I began to feel markedly more energetic and...how can I phrase this...less clogged up in the head area. That, in turn, led me to do some serious thinking about this whole business of walking and not being very faithful in the dieting area.

I started this blog in June. It's now September and I've lost and gained the same five to ten pounds several times. Although my walking time (up until these last few weeks) and distance have improved pretty well, I'm still skirting around the issue of diet and weight.

I was happy just to blow it off and maybe return to it one day, but yesterday I saw a picture of myself.

Let me tell you, reality is harsh. All I could say was 'Wow.'  And not 'wow' in a good way.

I really don't feel on the inside what I look like on the outside. Inside, I feel and think like I'm still a single digit pants size and 125 pounds on the scale. Outside....hmmmmm. Not so much.

Right after that ego blow, I came across this statement: "70 to 80 percent of your weight loss will come through diet."  Okay, I get it.

And this time, I REALLY get it. Not another blog entry of 'Oh, ha ha. I better shape up because I'm supposed since I'm blogging about it! Tee Hee, silly old me!'

No, this is a deep gut feeling of: 'Holy sh*t! That person in the picture is me?? When did I change species and become a bovine?  Hang a bell on me and call me out to pasture, why don't ya? Sheesh!!! Let's do something about that, shall we?"

Looking back over my entries, I'm seeing a pattern of failing to steadily focus on my goal for even 48 hours. I get overwhelmed pretty easily -- or I let myself get that way, at least. So, just like an addict, I'm going to take this one day at time, one hour at a time, one minute at time, and one step at a time.

I'm still finalizing the last details of how I'm going to do all this, but I've chosen Monday, Sept. 18 as  "Do Over" day; a day to mark the beginning of another beginning.

This time, I'm going to get it right.

And to prove it, I'm posting a picture of myself. This is a recent shot of my husband and myself renewing our wedding vows in Las Vegas. This was the best picture I could find, since I don't have the courage to show you the picture that shocked me into turning my thinking around.

It's Snot A Cold, It's Just The Start Of School

By Alicia

Sickness comes on horseback but departs on foot.  ~Dutch Proverb

Last week I started walking again...for about one day. School started and right on time, as usual, we all caught the obligatory head cold that is the opening signal for the germy season. My son and my husband came down with it last week; yesterday and today is myself and my daughter's turn.

We've also been taking turns rotating from one household screen to another. I, on the computer, get up occasionally to feed and water my daughter. In those moments, she gets up from the television and wanders over to the computer to look at Pokemon characters while I assemble her latest kitchen request.

We both look like raccoons, with those dark circles under our eyes. Fits of sneezing and the subsequent blowing of our noses is pretty much the only sounds in the house, besides the monotone background blathering of the TV. Life in the petrie dish is not pretty.

Due to the demands of the sick last week, and the lack of energy so far this week, there has been only feeble attempts at walking. Nothing more than 2 miles a day. On the bright side, my ankles are 100% better and I have to say that I miss getting out and doing the 5 miles like I was used to.

Well, I suppose that's one of the good reason why there is this thing called 'night': it wipes the slate clean for the next day so we can try again.

Plus,  I can only walk so far in a straight line after taking NyQuil.

You Are What You Run In

By Alicia

“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” Anonymous

Yet another walking blog where I can say I haven't done much walking. My ankles are feeling much better and are beginning to resemble their old selves again.

WARNING -- GROSS PART OF BLOG AHEAD: Remember when I said I was a little scared of my toenails taking leave of my feet due to the stress of running, blah, blah, blah? Much my to horror, the nail on my second toe, left foot, has turned black and blue. Really black. And deep, purplish blue. The corresponding toe on my right foot has suffered some awful color configurations as well, but nothing like my leftie, which is my 'strike' foot. Thanks to my cheapskate sense of shoe choice, one of my worst fears is slowing materializing before my eyes.

So here's the final tally regarding my bargain shoe shopping: 1.) almost one full week of walking missed due to sore, swollen ankles  2.) toes turning unnatural shades of black and indigo, possibly indicating future nail loss 3.) without actually walking, the degree of writing difficulty exponentially increases when trying to blog about walking. All that for my $18.00 shoes.

FYI, Consumer Reports did a comparison on walking and running shoes and New Balance was the brand voted by both men and women as the best overall shoes to strap on your feet.

Hey, a quick call out to Schmoe, who apparently is not only a walker and baseball fanatic but a music video producer as well. Talented guy! Check out his latest blog where he dishes a few tantalizing details about his new video project. Congrats Schmoe!

A Quickie, Nothing More

By Alicia

Holy Toledo, fellow walkers! It's Friday!  Wednesday totally swept by me in a mad rush and I did not make it to Typepad to hen-peck my way through another exercise blog. Which, actually,  is not a loss in of itself and I'll tell you why.

I was doing so good there, getting my five miles in every morning just like a good former Catholic school girl should, but lo and behold, Tuesday I wake up and my ankles are no longer my own.

Both of them. Huge, swollen, elephant ankles and feet had replaced my own. They had somehow tremendously increased in size overnight, with each of them sporting a double chin, if ankles could have chins.

Then I tried to walk.

Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, and ouch.

Let's just say it's a good thing that stairs have banisters. Because I was giving all the banisters in the house  a shine with my hands that they hadn't seen in a long, long time. I finally flexed and stretched my ankles around enough so that I could do a medium hop-shuffle, getting me from the couch to the kitchen and to whereever else I needed to go.

Why all this all of the sudden? I had been playing around with my gait and speed when I was walking / jogging, but nothing that should have brought this on. Then I remembered the sale.

Wal-Mart had a sale on running shoes. Well, they called them running shoes and they looked like running shoes, but after a few days of exercising in them, my ankles are calling it quits instead of rejoicing in the new running shoes. Guess that's what you get when you go crazy over a $18.00 pair of nifty sneakers. Serves me right.

So, I'm gonna have have a little crow pie while I remember my one blog where I advised everyone to 'make sure to get proper running shoes', and then I'm going out to get myself a new pair of real, genu-wine, running shoes.

As soon my ankles stop hurting.

Showing The Treadmill Some Love

By Alicia

"Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very fast." Thomas Jefferson

I slept in Sunday morning until 9:00 and oh boy, did it feel good! As you all know, I worked out Friday, took a day off Saturday (walked only 1.75 miles) but made it in Sunday when the Wellness Center opened up at 11:00. I walked / jogged 5 miles, cutting a good 2 minutes off my last time (86:10 minutes). Still incredibly slow, I know, but for whatever reason, I can't seem to walk quickly in a coordinated way. In other words, when I walk at speeds above 3.5 miles per hour, I have to break into a jog otherwise my legs and feet get all tangled up.

Breaking into a jog is not the hard part. That hard part is that once I start, I have to up my speed to 4.3 or 4.5 miles per hour -- something my legs can handle, but my lungs can't. I've tried jogging at lower speeds, but my knees end up hurting like I've been whacking at them with a ball ping hammer.

The guy on the treadmill next to me had a unique way of addressing the cardio / speed thing. It was the strangest exercise methodology I have seen yet in the gym and it took all the gumption I had not to stare directly at him. First off, let me say that there was like 6 or 7 other treadmills open and he had to pick the one beside me. Nice. I already had some lady choose the treadmill on my other side. A total of three people in the guym and they're all next to me. Weird how that works.

Anyway, this guy climbs on the treadmill, completely skips first and second gear, and starts running in third, say around 8 miles per hour. I'm thinking, 'Wow, I wish I could do that." Then I see the guy lean forward on the treadmill, with his arms spread out, like he's going to hug someone. I'm thinking to myself, he looks like he's getting ready to take off and fly to Cincinnati or something. Watching him out of the corner of my eye, he leans completely forward, chest up against the display console of the treadmill, and proceeds to wrap his arms around it. And he's still running all willy-nilly.

To recap: grown man, running on the treadmill like his arse is on fire, with arms wrapped completely around the console as if he wants to rest his head upon the motherly bosom of the electronic display. I couldn't have imagined a more bizarre showcasing of running if someone had paid me.

He continued to run like that for the next 15 minutes or so, alternating between hugging the console and supporting his body weight on the side bars of the treadmill, like it was a medical walker of sorts. Then he finished, giving the console one last hug for the road, sweat and all, and walked away looking as if had just completed the Boston Marathon in record time.

At that point, I realized my mouth was hanging open, so I quickly shut it and continued to jog. I looked at the console and side bars on my treadmill. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't bring myself to do that. I might as well get a hospital bed with wheels and lie halfway down on it, with my legs kicking out so I could run myself around the track.

Actually, that doesn't sound too bad...Nah. No. Can't do it.

Gotta walk / jog honestly and without support.

Hmmmmm...

Maybe just a shopping cart...?

Cue "Chariots of Fire" Theme Music, Please

By Alicia

Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states.

~Carol Welch

Headed out the door this morning at 4:15 am and drove to the Wellness Center. I met up briefly with my usual workout partner (J.) and her new 'person-apprenticing-to-be-thin' student. J. is teaching her how to swim, which is really cool, since this gal (I call her T.) has been terrified of water since the age of four.  I watched T. show off her newly minted courage and swimming technique the other morning. Although I was witnessing a 25 year old kindergarten teacher cautiously and somewhat clumsily paddle through the water, it was just about as cute as Christmas to see her beam with pride. Made me feel all happy and renewed about the exercise thing.

I did my five miles in 88 minutes this morning, burned around 600 calories, and honestly enjoyed myself. I didn't push it hard --I half jogged, half walked the 10,000 steps-- but I did manage to find that old groove again when running. You know, that great feeling when your pace is steady and easy, your breath is comfortable and regular, and your whole body is happy to cooperate with the exercise thing that's going on. 

I got a few dirty looks from people who seem more interested in keeping track of my time on the treadmill than in their own exercise routine. (You can only sign up for a 1/2 hour at a time on the machines.) However, I put my name down for the full 80 minutes. Screw them and their clock counting. There was plenty of open spots on the equipment this morning.

J. asked if I wanted to do a 5k walk on Saturday. Sounds great...I've always wanted to be a part of something officially athletic...but too short of notice for my schedule.  I am still lit up by the idea, though, and will look on the web to see if there are any other 5k's coming up soon in the area.

It would be a great way of setting motivating, achievable short term goals that have a nice little reward (t-shirt, key chain...heck, I'll even settle for the piece of paper that has my race number on it.)

Wouldn't that be cool? Just imagine: li'l ol' chubby me, crossing a finish line in an athletic event. Miracles do exist!

Walking With Buddha

By Alicia

“Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.” ~Buddha

Sometimes you have to decide on what to endure. For the past few days, I've decided not to endure walking.

I'm not trying to be flippant. It's just that, like Jesse, other more important things take priority. Since getting home Saturday, these past few days have been a blizzard of activity: unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, writing thank you notes, and getting the kids ready for school -- one of which absolutely, positively, HATES school. Today is Day 2 and I've already gotten the "I don't feel good"  or "I have a headache" phrase. Trying to get him out the door on time is a lot like trying to nail Jell-o to a tree.

I actually had a 4:30 workout scheduled this morning, but was so tired when the alarm went off at 4:00 am, I text messaged my workout partner, apologizing for wimping out on her since I forgot how early this time of the morning can be. I'm going to go to bed earlier tonight and try and make on time tomorrow morning.

I also need a new pedometer. I have a love / hate relationship with my current one and right now I don't want anything to do with it. It lost of all of its sexy appeal after popping off my waist no less than seven times while on vacation. Now I'm mad at it and am doing my best at giving it the silent treatment, along with the 'you need to sit in the corner in that gym bag and just think about what you've done' treatment. So, while I have been very active running up and down the stairs and walking a lot in general, I don't have a clue as to how many steps I've taken. I do know this, though, my feet have been sore every evening since being home, and that's a pretty good sign I've done at least 5 miles.

By the end of this week, I should have a new pedometer and have settled back into a predictable routine of walking again. As Buddha also said,  "Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence."

The Vacation and Food Chronicles, Continued

By Alicia

I am writing this on a laptop as we travel westward on I-76 in Pennsylvania, heading towards PIttsburgh. The beauty of having a techie husband is that he has taken care of my blogging / web  needs for this vacation of ours. For example, as soon as I am done with this post, I will put it on the 10K Steps website with no more fuss than hitting my 'Enter' key. And I as we drive by the cows, the green fields, and the cell phone towers, my blog entry will upload to the website. Ain' t life grand?

If one measures success in terms of chocolate, then my day today was a complete victory. Presently, I have no less than 20 pounds of assorted chocolate on top and around my feet, shoved next the air conditioning vents. It was the only place in the car where we could rest assured that it wouldn't melt on our way to the hotel.