Day 5 in a Row

Made it the fifth day in a row. 17 minutes on the treadmill with signifiant pain during hte last five minutes. Remaining 23 minutes on the bike. Still plugging away.....

and again today....

Yesterday I did a better job of eating than I have been. And this morning I went to the Y -- 16 minutes on the treadmill, 29 on the bike. Only got to 2.7 mph though. Slow but steady.

I Went to The YMCA

and I made it 15 minutes on the treadmill and was still breathing at the end. 25 on the bike. Sweat. Nothing funny or eventful happened.

A Comedy of Errors

I got up, picked up Kari, and then it all began. We got to the Y and I dropped my keys but didn't know it. I then went to the bathroom and had a very large ... what word should I use here .... turd? piece of crap? portion of a bowel movement? stuck half way in and half way out. Now I don't usually talk about poop, even though many famous bloggers spend hours of time talking about it, but this was an unusual situation. What to do what to do? Fifteen minutes later I had not made any progress and Kari was thinking about coming back in to check on me. Not being able to lodge it, I finally decided to go about my routine and did so, with surprisingly minimal discomfort.

In the shower I dropped my soap, my pants fell into the water, and afterwards we discovered I had no keys. Since we have only one key to the van and Bart is out of town, thus leaving my office locked, it wasn't looking to be a good day. Kari OFFERED to go in and try to find them, and finally checked at the desk where they were, but I'm sure the guy back there was thinking (as Kari tried to determine if they were my keys or not) "why doesn't she get her fat butt in here and look for her own keys."

While I doing an inappropriate post anyway, you'd be pleased to know that Dominyk was obsessing about his "ball sack" last night and would not stop talking about all the aspects of it. In addition, he wanted to sleep with his new toy gun. Since I was letting him sleep with me, you can imagine how our our pillow talk went. "Mom, my ball sack itches, and it's hanging weird. It really itches. Like a lot. Ooooh mom, it itches, my ball sack really itches." "Dominyk, go put the gun in your room. I am NOT sleeping with a gun."

Sigh.

Biggest Loser Numbers

10.5 pounds off since Wednesday. I'm not sure why, but I'll take it. It could be water weight, or medication, or a messed up scale but all I know is that last WEdnesday the scale was 10.5 pounds higher than it was last week. So I'm taking it as a victory and feeling like one of those 500 pound men on the biggest loser.

Except for the part where I'm not a man and I don't weigh quite 500 pounds, though a recent picture of me that I saw on Leon's girlfriend's Facebook would lead you to believe that I do.

Went back to the Y this morning by 5 (though we refuse to go stand in line at the door with the others) and managed to spend 13 minutes on the treadmill, though my speed is low. Just adding one minute per day seems really gradual, but it works.

This weeks fitness challenge is to drink at least 32 ounces of water a day. This is half of what we are supposed to drink, but I thought we'd start it off slow.

Everything we read tells us to drink more water and it works. Plain and simple.

Who is in?

Day Three

Up to 12 minutes on the treadmill and 28 on the bike... not able to get as much air as I would like, so it's slow going, but I'm doing SOMETHING.

Waiting for a few of you to join me in committing to movement until Monday -- a little more each day. Interested?

It Works

Yesterday was the best day emotionally that I have had in a while. As I mentioned yesterday the formula that works for me to keep sane is exercising, showering, and blogging before the kids get up. That means I have to be at the Y by around 5 a.m.

I did that yesterday and had more energy and was less tired all day than I've been in weeks. And the funny thing is, I barely had what you would call a workout. If you look back two years to July of 2008 this was the kind of workout I was having. Today I barely drug myself through 11 minutes on the treadmill at a HIGH of 2.5 mph, had back pain, couldn't breath well, etc. I finished the 40 minutes on the bike.

But it helps me to remember that after two months of going to the Y, I had only achieved being on the treadmill for 28 minutes and had not necessarily been going that fast.

If anyone would like to join me, this is your fitness challenge from now until Monday. Move today and then move tomorrow more than you did today. I am intending to add one minute to my treadmill time each day. It's not much, but that is what I"m going to do. If you are in REALLY bad shape, like I was a couple years ago, start by taking an extra trip up and down the stairs, or walking out to get the mail. Then add something each day until Monday.

THe key for me is setting a very small reachable goal and then attaining it. So choose something you can do and get 'er done. Don't start out TOO energetic to where you don't have time or energy to add to it, but do something today and then do a tiny bit more tomorrow.

Monday I"ll post a challenge for the next week. At least that's the plan, Stan. (Anyone out there named Stan?)

What a Month Can Do

A month. One stupid little month of not paying attention, eating what I wanted, and nearly zero exercise and I have gained 16 pounds. I am completely out of shape, barely making 10 slow minutes on the treadmill this morning (having to finish the 45 minutes on the bike). My back hurts, I"m out of breath, and I'm incredibly angry with myself.

But this morning I did it. I was up at 4:40, and at the Y by 5:00 and now I"m home and showered. It's the best way ever to start my day and even though for a few days, maybe even a couple weeks, I'll feel tired, once I'm used to it and back in the zone it will help me immensely.

But grrrrrrr....................... am I mad at me.