Week 28 of Maintenance...7 months already??!!
116.6 at the meeting
111.2 clean weight at home
And week #3 of the winter challenge is in the books...so far, so good!
I'm racking up the miles BIG TIME since I slowed the pace down and added in more walking. I still aim to do at least one speed workout a week and one longer run. This week's speed and long runs were really good!
I did 3.1 miles at an average 8:47 pace...splits of 9:05, 8:34 (5k pace mile), and 8:47 last mile...all faster than I expected to run. Then I ran 6.25 miles yesterday, very easy 10:25 pace but still faster than I expected for running that easy...thought I would be well into the 11's and possibly 12's for the effort level I was at.
I think this month might set a new mileage record EVER! Won't know til it's finished and I add it all up = )
I have been having Christmas treats here and there but trying to "eat consciously" and be careful about the other foods I'm eating. So far, it's working.
Of course with weighing and checking my body fat percentage every night, I will know right away if it stops working. Then the challenge will be to make changes when I really want to keep eating the treats, even just "here and there".
Another happy-happy discovery was deciding to run on the treadmill like I run outside. I usually run a mile over to the park, get a drink of water, then run another mile or so, get another drink, run another mile or so, etc etc til I finish the miles I'd planned to run.
So on Thursday, I ran 10 minutes on the treadmill, then got off and got a drink and fed the dogs breakfast, then ran another 10 minutes, got a drink, checked the outside temperature so I'd know what clothes to put on after my shower, then ran another 10 minutes. I wanted to run another 10 minutes after that but I didn't have time.
I asked our WW leader, Kim, whether the ActiveLink gives a benefit for doing your exercise all in one shot or if you get the same credit when you break it up. She said you still get credit and it can also work more to your advantage because it spreads your activity out over several hours (possibly) rather than just one hour in the morning and then nothing for the rest of the day.
Except for me I almost always manage to walk the dogs at least a little every day before sunset so it wouldn't just be in the morning...but whatever = )
Anyhow, that gives me great optimism for the Winter Challenge, knowing I can run in my street clothes, doing 10 minutes here and there (the amount that's easy to do without having to have a distraction other than the math/fractions/percentages I do in my head) all through the day if I want, if the weather is nasty outside.
I should get a 2nd treadmill to put next to our existing one so I can be running and walking with Piper if we can't go outside to run/walk! hahahahaha
And I was reminded this week of another MAJOR-thankful-to-God aspect of my weight struggle. I am susceptible to depression...which has been quite severe in the past. Many years ago a friend told me about St. Johns Wort...an herb which works just as well as prescription anti-depressants for some people...which I tried and discovered that I am one of those people!
I try to remember to take it every day but forget sometimes...and sometimes I forget multiple days in a row. Sometimes Petey sees the signs of depression creeping in before I'm aware of them and will remind me to take it..."have you taken your St Johns today?" Thanks, Babe!
So over the weekend, I found myself wanting to eat and eat and eat...there are no Christmas treats in the house but I was just not satisfied with anything I was eating...never feeling "ah...I'm satisfied and full and ready to quit eating until the next meal or snack time".
Then the self-destructive thoughts started...and I still didn't catch on. Until some of the thoughts were shockingly violent and then I thought "what is going on with me!!!!" And then it dawned on me...whoa...I need St Johns!!
So I'm happy to report that I've remembered to take it every day since, feel much better, don't want to eat everything in sight and am thanking God that an herb you can buy off the shelf is so powerful in helping me! I actually thanked Him for the man that discovered it and did the research to help so many people = ))
And thankful to be reminded that at least some part of my over-eating/weight-struggle is tied to my emotions and they can be improved simply by remembering to take St Johns... which is prominently placed in several locations around the house!
On to other things...the next assignment in the Success Journal is to write my success story. I've been thinking about it all week and am just about ready to put pen to paper and then I'll share with you.
And now I'm gonna go do some more crafts...or maybe work on my jigsaw puzzle...
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Better late than never! hahaha
Week 27 of Maintenance...2nd week of the Winter Challenge completed!
117.0 at the meeting
112.0 clean weight at home
Another interesting week in the books. Or in the database...whatever!
Betsy is doing fine...I'm avoiding most trigger foods, testing out a few, having a few very minor reactions, learning what I can and can't handle.
The other problem has been non-existent (YA-HOOOO!!) so I'm not sure what's up with that but I'm very thankful!
I did have an excruciatingly painful episode of another kind on Friday the 7th. This has happened twice before in the past and, again, so very thankful that it's short-lived when it does happen.
While running that Friday morning, and in the middle of a speed interval, I ran through some leaves, stepped on a rock or pine cone or twig under the leaves, turned my foot inward and felt OUCH!
I stopped, wiggled it around, took some easy steps, then ran the mile to home. I could feel it and figured it would be tender and somewhat bruised for a few days. Met up with friends for the afternoon and we went shopping. I could still feel the soreness when I would step a certain way but otherwise didn't think about it.
When we got back from shopping, my friend Lauren and I went across the street to pick tangerines from the neighbor's tree (he gave us permission!) and I stepped just ever so slightly funny in a low spot in his yard.
We got in the car and Lauren started driving us to her house (she's a GREAT driver and doesn't mind so I have her drive when we're together!). I could feel my foot/heel/ankle throbbing and swelling in my shoe as we drove...I knew what was coming since it had happened twice before.
The best I can figure...I have some small bone in the area under the ankle bone (that sticks out on the side of the foot) that somehow gets slightly dislocated when I twist/turn my foot/ankle. And then it somehow manages to slip back into place on it's own...
...but until it does, I CANNOT PUT ANY WEIGHT ON THAT FOOT! After dropping Lauren off, I very gingerly walked around to the driver's side and shakily started driving home. The pain level was high and became intense by the time I got home.
It was all I could do to force myself to push on the brake and then after a few miles, I could not even do that. I started using my left foot to drive and managed to make it home safely. Poor Petey, he was on the phone with me the whole time (I was using hands-free!) and it was awful for him listening to me groaning and crying without being able to help.
So...home...yep...could not put even a tippy-toe down on the ground...so I hopped into the house on one foot and called The World's Greatest Neighbor to come over and feed the dogs and gather a few things for me to be on my own. Thankfully, again, Shari's husband has had both knees operated on recently and had a walker I could borrow...making it much easier for me to hop around the house!
I mostly laid in bed with ice on my ankle for the rest of the evening and into the night. When I would wake up during the night, I would move my foot just a little to see if it was any better. Along about 4am, I moved my foot and the pain was greatly reduced! I tested it out by resting my toes on the floor...ok! Then my foot...still ok! Then I stood on that foot...amazingly ok! Then I carefully walked to the bathroom...yep, that little bone must've moved back into place...amazing!
Now the purple bruise and swelling hung around for several days and the "sore" feeling lasted longer (I can still feel it today, very slightly) but I was back to running on Tuesday and ran 5 miles just a week later.
This is exactly how it happened the other two times also...twist my ankle in the morning...sore but ok...slightly twist it again a few hours later...BAM! can't put any weight on it! Then 12 or so hours later BAM BAM! I can walk on it again! If anyone has another idea of what's going on besides a dislocated bone, I'd love to hear it!
So anyhow, I'm going to try to get a walker of my own in case this happens again, which I'm pretty sure it will...but I'm going to be even more careful now about instances where I might turn my ankle!
Now, on to more interesting things...I promised to share with you the Success Handbook's worksheets. The first one is: List 10 strengths or qualities that can help you achieve your goals. I've only come up with 5...
#1 - I'm very well educated in healthy eating and an active lifestyle. After this many years reading and researching ways to maintain a healthy weight, I could write a book!
#2 - I LOVE being active! Running, walking, gardening, yard work, ping pong, badminton, Wii...especially anything outside and moving!
#3 - I know lots of ways to make healthy, good-tasting food...taking higher calorie foods and making them lower calorie but still yummy...at least I think so...hahahaha
#4 - I've managed to maintain good general health and slightly above average metabolism in spite of struggling with weight gain. Even at my heaviest I didn't have high blood pressure or diabetes or aching knees or sleep apnea...which I'm sure I would have developed if I hadn't been able to lose the weight!
#5 - I really enjoy keeping journals and lists and things...tracking weight, body fat, foods, etc. And I use these numbers for motivation and determination...motivation earlier to get back down to the weight where I SHOULD be and now determination to STAY there...even through this dreaded winter season = )
For example...after weighing myself last night and recording my weight, body fat, physique rating and visceral fat level, I checked what I weighed exactly one year ago. 10 pounds heavier, 13% higher body fat, a visceral fat level of 5 compared to 2 last night (1 is the lowest!)
That makes me determined to keep doing what I know I need to do...eating my healthy foods, limiting holiday goodies, running on the treadmill if I can't run outside, keep moving even on cold days when I'd really rather sit on the couch and read!
I guess maybe #6 might be the "strength in numbers" thing...some of the ladies from my Weight Watchers meeting have created a Facebook group and it's been FABULOUS so far!! Just knowing that I can share successes and failures, get encouragement, have accountability...it's a great support system = ))
The next assignment is to write my success story...that one will take ALOT of thought although I probably already know exactly what I think equals success for me.
Stay-tuned!
117.0 at the meeting
112.0 clean weight at home
Another interesting week in the books. Or in the database...whatever!
Betsy is doing fine...I'm avoiding most trigger foods, testing out a few, having a few very minor reactions, learning what I can and can't handle.
The other problem has been non-existent (YA-HOOOO!!) so I'm not sure what's up with that but I'm very thankful!
I did have an excruciatingly painful episode of another kind on Friday the 7th. This has happened twice before in the past and, again, so very thankful that it's short-lived when it does happen.
While running that Friday morning, and in the middle of a speed interval, I ran through some leaves, stepped on a rock or pine cone or twig under the leaves, turned my foot inward and felt OUCH!
I stopped, wiggled it around, took some easy steps, then ran the mile to home. I could feel it and figured it would be tender and somewhat bruised for a few days. Met up with friends for the afternoon and we went shopping. I could still feel the soreness when I would step a certain way but otherwise didn't think about it.
When we got back from shopping, my friend Lauren and I went across the street to pick tangerines from the neighbor's tree (he gave us permission!) and I stepped just ever so slightly funny in a low spot in his yard.
We got in the car and Lauren started driving us to her house (she's a GREAT driver and doesn't mind so I have her drive when we're together!). I could feel my foot/heel/ankle throbbing and swelling in my shoe as we drove...I knew what was coming since it had happened twice before.
The best I can figure...I have some small bone in the area under the ankle bone (that sticks out on the side of the foot) that somehow gets slightly dislocated when I twist/turn my foot/ankle. And then it somehow manages to slip back into place on it's own...
...but until it does, I CANNOT PUT ANY WEIGHT ON THAT FOOT! After dropping Lauren off, I very gingerly walked around to the driver's side and shakily started driving home. The pain level was high and became intense by the time I got home.
It was all I could do to force myself to push on the brake and then after a few miles, I could not even do that. I started using my left foot to drive and managed to make it home safely. Poor Petey, he was on the phone with me the whole time (I was using hands-free!) and it was awful for him listening to me groaning and crying without being able to help.
So...home...yep...could not put even a tippy-toe down on the ground...so I hopped into the house on one foot and called The World's Greatest Neighbor to come over and feed the dogs and gather a few things for me to be on my own. Thankfully, again, Shari's husband has had both knees operated on recently and had a walker I could borrow...making it much easier for me to hop around the house!
I mostly laid in bed with ice on my ankle for the rest of the evening and into the night. When I would wake up during the night, I would move my foot just a little to see if it was any better. Along about 4am, I moved my foot and the pain was greatly reduced! I tested it out by resting my toes on the floor...ok! Then my foot...still ok! Then I stood on that foot...amazingly ok! Then I carefully walked to the bathroom...yep, that little bone must've moved back into place...amazing!
Now the purple bruise and swelling hung around for several days and the "sore" feeling lasted longer (I can still feel it today, very slightly) but I was back to running on Tuesday and ran 5 miles just a week later.
This is exactly how it happened the other two times also...twist my ankle in the morning...sore but ok...slightly twist it again a few hours later...BAM! can't put any weight on it! Then 12 or so hours later BAM BAM! I can walk on it again! If anyone has another idea of what's going on besides a dislocated bone, I'd love to hear it!
So anyhow, I'm going to try to get a walker of my own in case this happens again, which I'm pretty sure it will...but I'm going to be even more careful now about instances where I might turn my ankle!
Now, on to more interesting things...I promised to share with you the Success Handbook's worksheets. The first one is: List 10 strengths or qualities that can help you achieve your goals. I've only come up with 5...
#1 - I'm very well educated in healthy eating and an active lifestyle. After this many years reading and researching ways to maintain a healthy weight, I could write a book!
#2 - I LOVE being active! Running, walking, gardening, yard work, ping pong, badminton, Wii...especially anything outside and moving!
#3 - I know lots of ways to make healthy, good-tasting food...taking higher calorie foods and making them lower calorie but still yummy...at least I think so...hahahaha
#4 - I've managed to maintain good general health and slightly above average metabolism in spite of struggling with weight gain. Even at my heaviest I didn't have high blood pressure or diabetes or aching knees or sleep apnea...which I'm sure I would have developed if I hadn't been able to lose the weight!
#5 - I really enjoy keeping journals and lists and things...tracking weight, body fat, foods, etc. And I use these numbers for motivation and determination...motivation earlier to get back down to the weight where I SHOULD be and now determination to STAY there...even through this dreaded winter season = )
For example...after weighing myself last night and recording my weight, body fat, physique rating and visceral fat level, I checked what I weighed exactly one year ago. 10 pounds heavier, 13% higher body fat, a visceral fat level of 5 compared to 2 last night (1 is the lowest!)
That makes me determined to keep doing what I know I need to do...eating my healthy foods, limiting holiday goodies, running on the treadmill if I can't run outside, keep moving even on cold days when I'd really rather sit on the couch and read!
I guess maybe #6 might be the "strength in numbers" thing...some of the ladies from my Weight Watchers meeting have created a Facebook group and it's been FABULOUS so far!! Just knowing that I can share successes and failures, get encouragement, have accountability...it's a great support system = ))
The next assignment is to write my success story...that one will take ALOT of thought although I probably already know exactly what I think equals success for me.
Stay-tuned!
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