Saturday, July 31, 2010
Too, too hot for the big dam bridge. decided to do an exercise show on fit tv. the dude's name is gilad. today's show was probably not that difficult for non fluffy people. however for me, it required holding on to the husband for stability. we did things with and without weights. now gilad got down on the floor for part of it. I have one of those exercise ball deals in my closet. It has been there for about 7 years. I assume it will blow up. I think I read somewhere if you can't get to the floor you should use a ball to lean on????? Does anybody know???? Am all out of breathe. I want to take a class so bad but am horribly afraid my lack of rhythm and coordination will even be more evident. How do you become so fluid and artful in movement? I still clunk around. Will it ever happen??????
Worked this am. After work went to a big ladies store. I hate that place. Was going to get a couple of shirts. But I decided right then and there I am NEVER going to buy anything in there again. If I have to wear holes in the clothes I have, then I will. The next outfit I buy will NOT have a "Catherine's" price tag on it.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Ya'll I have loose jeans. in the leg area. I thought it was just the bag out after wearing them a while. But they are loose. At least I hope they are. I have been wearing the same jeans since Bill Clinton went to the White House, the first time.
Tomorrow I am going to the movies. I am NOT going to have popcorn and coke. I usually have a tub of corn with extra butter and a huge coke. NOT TOMORROW. I think I will put some grapes in a baggy and take in a bottle of water. Tonight we had hamburgers and I ate a cupcake.
At work the little gym sent out a notice about two FREE classes for August; Body Sculpting and Spinning. I asked April about Spinning. She said it is a bike, high up in the air, you are leaned over it and pedaling. We don't know what Body Sculpting is. I emailed the gym master and asked if a beginner with only 46 days of exercise history could do the spinning class. Will see what she says on Monday.
Tomorrow evening I am going back to the scene of the crime...The Big Dam Bridge. Can I make it all the way across? I think I hear my sister's voice screaming from St. Louis, she is saying I can do it.LOL
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Something I have always wanted to wear are boots. Funky, snazzy, pointy toe boots! Generally speaking boots are not fluffy people friendly. While in El Do I went to Shelley's Shoes on the square and found these two awesome boots. No, I didn't get them because I can't wear them YET! If you have never been to Shelley's you owe it to yourself to go. She has so many cute and eclectic things. I think the pink leather ($125) ones are to die for. The psych colorful pair are actually rubber rain boots ($40). My goal is to be able to buy and wear these in December.
Have been on exercise hiatus for two days. I am telling you the 1 hour walk and the Big Dam Bridge wore me out. Back to work tomorrow!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Sweat is running down my back into my pants down my leg and into my socks. I am about to pass totally out.
I go down to Lake Willastein in Maumelle. Going to walk the 1.1 mile portion of the track around the lake. Start out strong even tho the sun is blaring its 95 degree self. The city evidently thinks these goose or geese or whatever the crap they are supposed to be are an enhancement to the scenery. THEY ARE NOT. They are little squawking, pooping, annoying creatures. One section of the track was covered with poop. Not to mention it stinks to high heaven. I hold my breathe and get on with it.
Am walking into the full sun and start to lag, drink water and anticipate the shady part of the track. Some old geezer on a bike passes me. I go thru the shady part and get to the last 1/3 of the track only to find the city of Maumelle has barricaded the bridge which connects the two track sides that I want!!! I stopped and watched some other people to see if they would ignore the barricade. The goody two shoes that they are, they did not... they walked on. I wanted so bad to go over the barricade. I mean the bridge looked fine to me. But I was afraid it would break or something so I trudged on. Now I have to take an alternate path that makes the walk twice as long. I drink all of my water, and am one step away from filling my bottle up in the lake and drinking it.
It is at this point I know how people in the desert see mirages, I thought I saw my car 3 times. When I meet people on the track everybody feels obligated to say something to me. Like how's it going? hot ain't it? Now here's deal, when you see a fluffy woman trying to suck the last drop out of a water bottle that has collapsed from the pressure it is not likely she can respond to your banter.
All total, I walked for 1 solid hour. I finally get back to the car and tell my husband the saga and he says "well that's great! you got in some extra walking!" (insert your own answer here. I will let you imagine what I told him)
Monday, July 26, 2010
It's 8:39. I am in my hotel room. In 45 minutes I have to meet Sister and Niece in the lobby. I will have to crawl down there because right now people, I CAN BARELY LIFT MY FINGERS TO TYPE THIS BLOG POST. My legs hurt, my face hurts, my butt hurts, my arms hurt, basically it is a full body hurt going on here.
Sister just called my room. She has just come from the hotel workout room. She is informing me what they have down there. She is also telling me I made her sound AWFUL on yesterday's post. Somehow that makes it all worth it.LOL
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Well I slept with my cell phone in my hand because I didn't want to miss hearing the alarm for the 7:00 Big Dam Bridge workout with the St. Louis trainer nazi AKA my sister, Sherri. I wasn't about to be the one who wimped out, because I knew she would be the one banging on my door telling me to get it in gear! The alarm goes off and I sneak tippy toe into the living room and was estatic I didn't hear any sounds of life from the guest room. THE SISTER OVERSLEPT. Yippie Ki Yeah! No Big Dam Bridge workout!
Then she woke up.
And we strap on our smiley faces and tennis shoes and leave for the Big Dam Bridge. People, my sister does not have an "off" switch. She literally hits the ground running. I hit the ground, then stop, and think about how I am going to run, when I am going to run, and even if I am going to run!
We get to the bridge to which she informs me it is not a steep incline at all. I have to object here. I mean come on, I am practically going to be walking horizontally.
We start the walk. I am carrying my water bottle and my camera. I had already given Sister my car keys to carry for me. She says in 5 minutes we will stop and check my pulse. It has to be 20 beats per 10 seconds otherwise I am not burning fat. I thought this meant we would actually STOP. Oh no, trainer nazi meant we slow down and check our pulse while still going!!!!! My 1st check was at 18. "Ah Hah" she says. "This means you have to go faster!" Faster, crap I was already dragging and begging for mercy. I decide to lighten the load and gave Sister my water bottle to carry.
Second check was at 19. You guessed it, I have to go faster! We were fast approaching the middle way point where I might add they have nifty little benches, not that my butt got to sit on one. We paused for 3 seconds and then she commanded I had to keep going to the end of the flag line they had on the bridge. I had to lighten again, so I gave her my camera to carry. I would like to interject at this point I wanted to throw my sister off the Big Dam Bridge.
I trudge on. By this time she is carrying my car keys, my water bottle, and my camera. She is also walking, more like sprinting, backwards, watching me, telling me to pick up the pace, and TALKING ON THE PHONE. When the last flag is visible to me I wanted to turn around. NO NO She said, I have to go all the way to the flag. I have to be lined right up with the stinking flag. I then surmised the walk down the incline would be a piece of cake. But heck no. Sister says I have to walk even faster because now we are going down hill!!! I am now thinking Sister missed her calling as a drill sargeant in the Marines.
We get all the way off the bridge and I am thinking collapse time but oh no no no. Sister says we have to walk along the path by the river and then walk back up that. I am telling you this woman does not know the meaning of the word STOP. She's blathering on about heart rate and what I need to be doing and what if she lived here and we could do this every day. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
To put it lightly, if Sister lived in Little Rock and did the workout with me everyday...I would have already lost 50 lbs. I would be dead, but thinner. The scary thing is I know she is going to be calling me about this week's workout. I already hear her voice in my head saying "Faster, Faster, Faster." She's already planning my next weekend's walk all the way across the Big Dam Bridge. AGH!!!!!
P.S. I love you, Sister!
So we take my sister and niece and daughter out to eat mexican food. I was good and got the quesadia as planned. Then I said "Why don't we show ya'll the Big Dam Bridge, since I have blogged about it and all". So we go down there and the next thing I know my sister is saying "oh yeah we can come back here early in the morning and walk this thing, get the heart rate up, ya ya ya ya." THE WOMAN IS PLANNING A MARATHON ON THE BIG DAM BRIDGE ON SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:00 AM!!!!!" I said are you mental? I wasn't planning to walk this thing this weekend, I just wanted to show it to you. Well then she started telling me how we are going to check my heart rate while walking the Big Dam Bridge and how my heart rate has to be 25 beats per 10 seconds or some such CRAP. PEOPLE, I AM GOING TO BE ON THE BIG DAM BRIDGE AT 7:00 AM TOMORROW! I can assure you tomorrow's posting is going to be a doozy!
I am also going with her to El Do tomorrow evening to see our parents. Well then she starts saying "Oh yeah, the hotel has a treadmill we want to be sure and use that." I wouldn't be at all surprised if she didn't whip out a coach's whistle from her pocket. THE GYM VIRGIN IS STRESSING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, July 24, 2010
More and more things are amazing me. Used to I would circle a parking lot, sometimes up to 15 minutes trying to get a parking spot close to the store. Now I have started parking out away from the store and using that as an extra walking time. I have decided every little bit helps.
Today I planted flowers and cleaned the casa. My dear sister and my sweet niece are coming down tonight from St. Louis. April is coming over too! I have a chilled fruit tray and dip for when they get here. Somehow fruit tastes better now. I am not saying I eat totally healthy now, far from it. But I am starting to pay more attention to what I eat. I still have a love affair with ice cream. Every night I do have a bowl of ice cream. And this weekend we are going to eat mexican food. But instead of my usual chimichanga, I think I will order a quesadia or maybe taco salad. I don't know. All I really know for sure is this exercise thing has surprised the crap out of me.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
But today I have on a shirt that was too tight before. It is a summer sweater. And before it showed the rolls in the tummy area. I even thought about tossing it. Now it goes down pretty smoothly. I am definitely shocked.
Short day at gym. 22 minutes and 4.58 miles on bike. Then short walk downtown.
That's all folks!
Later!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Just got back from the workout. Goal for month two is 45 minutes each day. Today I did 2 minutes on the ellip, 15 minutes (3 miles) on the bike, two weight machines (30 reps each) and then I went to the track. Now the track is actually, much to my surprise, a floor of the building which they have taped off to resemble a track. It is really pretty cool because it twists and turns and you don't get bored. It is 1/20th of a mile around. I did 5 rounds. How much is that? Is that a mile? Is that part of a mile? I HATE NUMBERS AND ESPECIALLY DESPISE FRACTIONS. Somebody please do the math and let me know. Anyways all in all it was 45 minutes. I am so tired......
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Turns out the building I work in has a track! Who knew? Certainly not me. I have not seen said track but plan to do this on Tuesday. Keshia said she walks the straight stretches and runs the curves. How many curves are in a track? 2? 4? Guess I will find out. Today's agenda is washing my car.
First month's numbers are in:
Lost: 3 lbs
Gained: Energy and determination
Pictures are posted for the 1st month.
I didn't take a picture on June 15th, because quite frankly, I never thought I would even do this for more than a week. When I went thru all my photos, turns out I don't have that many. When you are extra fluffy, you don't tend to have photos around to remind you of that fact. And if by chance something got snapped by mistake, well then you always destroy that evidence. And there are never, ever any full body pictures. They just don't exist. So the "before" pic is from a couple of years ago. I actually thought I looked good that day. I am really baring my soul here. You can see the all over problem, stomach, hips, bust area is awful. Do you know I once even thought of asking a plastic surgeon if he could do an industrial strength tummy tuck, boob reduction, and all over lipo!!!!
But enough of all that! Let's concentrate on the July 15th first month of working out picture! TADA!!!! You will notice the smile! The I can conquer the world stance!!! Plus this tee shirt I have on was quite tight when I got it in April.
It's the simple stuff I didn't realize I had such a problem with. For instance, before June 15th, I could not even walk around the grocery store without wanting to sit down. Seriously, how pathetic is that! Yesterday, I cleaned the casa, prepared a roast dinner, went to the grocery, unloaded the grocery (typically husband does this), put away the grocery, and took 3 humongo bags to the trash. This doesn't sound like a lot of progress, but to me it is HUGE! Also I have these black legging things I use for the workout, now I know they are stretchy, but I may have to take the waist seam up in them. Guess I will break out the old sewing machine. Used to sew professionally and haven't had the machine out more than once or twice in 10 years.
I also went to Shape.com and registered on their site for additional tips and ideas. When funds are available, I want to subscribe to this mag.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
No gym today! April and I are about to go out walking. I have another problem. My ankles stay swelled up. All the freaking time. It is really getting to be a problem. They go down after I have been home a while. What is the deal?
Tonight's meal: egg white veggie omelette. yum yum. had a tomato on the side. Lunch was chicken salad and baked chips.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Went to gym at lunch today. BFF Keshia made me. I didn't want to go. She just raved about the treadmill so I thought why not. I set the treadmill with my real weight, selected calorie burner program, and was off to a wonderful start on a level path at 1.5 mph. I thought this isn't so bad. Look I can walk without holding on to anything. Aren't I just something. It was a peaceful, tranquil two minutes before all you know what broke loose!
The level path all of sudden went into the rocket launch mode and began to incline until I thought I would fall backwards. In addition, the mph jumped up to 4.0!!!!! DO YOU REALIZE HOW FREAKING FAST THAT IS FOR THE GYM VIRGIN??? I tried to hold on for dear life but the rails on this thing were too wide. All I could do was grab onto the cup holder, prayed I didn't break a nail, and hope for the best; all the time muttering "I am going to get Keshia for this!"
After that trauma, I went back to my old pal, recumbent bike for another 15 minutes.
Then I took my sweaty, hobbling self back to the locker room to assess the damage and question for the umpteenth time do I really want to do this? What do I care about the fitness hype? AGH!!!!!!!!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Went to an estate sale. They had a vintage 1950's bike. had flat tires. Husband said he could replace tires, would paint it lime green or orange or whatever I wanted. Decided the $ 15 price tag was to much so I put a $ 5 bid on it and WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I didn't get the bike. Why oh Why did I let $ 10 keep me from my dream wheels??????????????????????????
Mowing update...have mowed before and usually had to rest 1/2 way thru. But today, I mowed until it was done...no breaks!!!!
Today's exercise....I am mowing the yard. Yes with a push NOT self propelled mower thank you very much. Now granted my yard is small. But it is the mowing that counts!
Also I ate 2 cookies and drank a coke this morning. Of course I drink a coke every morning. Yesterday I did not drink a coke. Does coke make you retain fluids? I don't know that I can give up coca cola. Surely 1 coke a day cannot do much damage. Surely?
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Got some feedback on FB that said I should hire a trainer. Welllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll, I probably will have to veto that idea because it is so expensive to do that here. Now there is an onsite trainer at the Big Gym I might could check out her rates. Maybe since she works for the company it is a better deal. I will check that out. I hadn't event thought of that idea until now. Thanks FB people!
You should know, I wasn't going to tell you this, But yesterday when the 9:20 lunch crowd had their omelette extravangaza meal....................I INHALED. Now you know. I inhaled every stinking aroma of that food that I could. I inhaled all the way down to my toes. and it was goooooooooooooooooooooooood. I wish I had a an air freshner that was omelette scented. I would spray that all over the place.
Today I am going to do some fitTV stuff. Found some salsa dancing. I don't know that I am salsa material. But hey, it is my living room and I can dance if I want to.
Later!
Friday, July 9, 2010
I have a workout buddy!!!! My BFF Keshia from work is going to the gym too! It would be sweet if I got off work when she does. But oh well to that.
Today's excitement: did the usual recumbent bike a thon, then did leg press 20 reps, then some torture machine that reminds me of a gyn visit. It is a contortion where you set down, there is this weight thing that you put your legs on either side of and then you push the weights apart using your legs. Let me just say it is a good thing these machines come with pictures of what you are supposed to do because, honestly, I have no clue! Did 20 reps with that.
Then did another leg deal. In this you are sitting like you are in a high chair. Your feet go under this weight deal and you lift this weight up. A bar thing comes down in front of you which is where the high chair part comes in. Did 20 reps there as well.
Today, the 9:20 lunch crowd had omelettes, sausage, hash browns, and toast. I told them I hated them all! This as I ate a cheeze stick and drank water. All their food comes from the grill downstairs. Why is it that good food is always served up fresh and piping hot AND salads at the grill are prepackaged, stale, and about as appealing as beef jerky??? Why can't they have all kinds of greens, fresh tomatos, cucumbers, carrot shreds, onions, bell peppers, radishes, real croutons, and a nice vinegarette??? Why can't they have a soup bar? Why are all the healthy things so hard to get???
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Did you hear that? That was the sound of my scales going head first into the dumpster. They lured me back in. Got me to weigh again. You know the rest of that story. Anytime I tell someone I am doing a 1 year workout marathon, they immediately say "How much have you lost?" Boy, do I need a snappy come back to that one. I guess I could say oh it's not about the weight loss, it's about the experience itself, finding out who I really am ya ya ya. What a load that is.
Well, I am walking again. Now up to 1 1/2 miles. This is real,outside, in the elements walking not that namby pamby treadmill simulated walking stuff. This is real walking, with real people skating past me, with real dogs pooping on the walking trail, and with real bikers in spandex/helmets zooming past so fast I literally spin around and go the other direction. This is not for the faint of heart that's for sure!
FYI, today at work, the I-am-going-to-eat-lunch-at-9:30 am-crowd was at it even earlier today - 9:12 am. Today's sampling was meatloaf, potatos, gravy, and macaroni. And just so you know, this group's biggest person is a whooping size 6. Again, I ask you world, WHERE IS THE JUSTICE? I am a size XYZ and having a 4 ounce cup of yogurt, a banana, and a 1/2 of a celery stalk.
Speaking of sizes, when I know you better I am going to tell the tale of the tape on myself. I plan to post a 1 month picture on July 15th and then every month thereafter.
Later!
Monday, July 5, 2010
So on Sunday morning, I found myself thinking about the workout for Tuesday! Now, this really scares me. Could I possibly be looking forward to the workout? Have I crossed over to the dark side? And what if what I have always thought of as the dark side AKA exercise, is really the BRIGHT SIDE? What if it turns out I really like working out? This is MIND BOGGLING! What if it is not about how I look but how my body performs?
Here is what occurred to me. I was basing my day on what I was going to have for supper that night. In that, if we were having something crappy for supper, then I was in a bad mood pretty much the whole day. What if, I pondered, I start to look at food as a fuel and NOT as a focal point of the entire day???? What if I based my day on other things?
This led me to thinking what if I spent 30 minutes of my lunch hour at work in the gym? What if I ate a protein thing at morning break, then eat some fruit after the workout at noon, and then eat another protein at the afternoon break? My current behavior is to eat lunch I bring OR go down to the grill and get a hamburger and fries. What if I change my whole way of thinking about FOOD??? I am telling you this really scares me. I mean my whole 53 years has been about food in one form or another. WHAT IF I NO LONGER DEFINE MYSELF BY FOOD????????????????????????
I am able to tell a difference in my energy levels. I want to MOVE. This is so freaking me out. I have never had a MOVE mentality. Well at least not in terms of exercise. I have always been a perfectionist. Somehow this whole exercise thing has in some ways loosed me from that. My son told me yesterday not to compare myself with others. I think that is another thing I have always done whether consciously or unconsciously. I never thought exercise would have this kind of ripple effect.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Exercising at lunch at work is just like 9th grade P.E. class used to be back in the day (The day in this instance is 1971). You get all cute with hair and makeup, then you had to go to P.E. put on stinky clothes, get hot and sweaty AND then go back to afternoon classes. Do I need to tell you how much I hated P.E.? I didn't think so. All my friends were basketball players and I was like why do you like that? What am I missing here???
I have decided I am going to have to come up with a line of workout clothes for me and any other fluffy counterparts that are out there. Don't tell me to go to Just My Size.com. I have and those models are the size I aspire to be!!!!! I want real workout clothes, in vibrant colors, that just scream I am a Gym Virgin! I am on the hunt for a very light weight gym type bag that I can have monogrammed to say Gym Virgin. It has to have pockets on the outside, will sling across my body, and be waterproof.
One other thing, at my work people start bringing in food at 9:35 am. I mean heavy duty food like barbeque, burgers, chicken, etc. It is unbelievable! It is more than I can take when I stare down at my Yoplait yogurt in its tinsy ounce container. Where's the barbeque smelling yogurt?????????AGH!!!!!!
Did not go to gym. I am telling you the muscle I have pulled from that darn ellip hurts like all get out. I just did walking today.
The gym virgin is going to celebrate the 4th. See you on Tuesday, July 6th. Be ready to make up for lost time!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Day started off good. Was thinking about the gym at 8:00 am and planning my lunch out routine. Then I got some negative news and BAM the day went down hill. But anyways, the 2 minutes from the ellip yesterday has given me aches in places I didn't know I had!
Did 2 more minutes on ellip again today. Did you know you have to set the ellip for 5minutes as that is the lowest it will go? Maybe I will be at 5 minutes in a few weeks, but definitely not now. Went from there to leg press. Did 35 reps on varying weights. Started at 3 and went to 5. Pretty heady stuff. Then I went to my old pal, the recumbent bike for 9 minutes. Also walked 1/2 mile after work. Although the scales are not my friend, turns out the pants I wear to work can now come off WITHOUT unzipping them. I am too paranoid to consider that a victory. Did that happen before and I just didn't know it? That's the way my mind works.
Went into locker room only to find a woman in the buff, parading around, going to the shower. Kids, I am not this evolved. This embarrasses me. Let me tell you a little story. In 1999, I started to college. I was 40 something. One class I took involved going to DC for legislative affairs etc. Me and 30 twenty somethings. We shared rooms. One day I walked into the hotel room to find two people who WERE NOT PAYING FOR THAT ROOM in the bed having sex. I told them quite calmly, that since their names were not on the register for that room I would suggest they vacate immediately. They had to slink out of the bed, wrapped in the sheets, and out into the hall. Didn't even faze me. That experience was not as bad to me as today's nude review in the locker room!
Next topic:
Today's menu was egg whites and 2 thin wheat toasts, turkey with lettuce/mustard, cookie 100 cal pack, 6 oz pepsi, tea, 6 crackers with peanut butter 2 tablespoons.
You know doing all this plus doing a debt diet is just about to take all the joy right out of my life. YES I AM IN A VERY BAD MOOD. Come on endorphins!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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