Do you remember Steve Martin in The Jerk? When he saw his name in the phone book, he got all excited because he "was somebody". Today I feel like that! I finally signed up at the gym. I am somebody! I'm a member. They even took my picture to have on file.
I have been talking about signing up for the gym for well over a year. My recent swimming lessons at this same center got me going in that direction. My swimming instructor teaches water aerobics, and you have to be a member to participate. There are, other water classes that are separate, but the one she teaches is a member's only class. There are several classes like that. Ones that really are an incentive to become a member. So I signed up today and even used the recumbent bicycle. I cycled for fifteen minutes and went two miles. I thought since I was new, that I had better take it slow. I tried the elliptical machine for only two or three strides before I realized that it hurt my knees so bad I couldn't continue. I then walked the indoor track four laps, which is only 1/4 mile, but since I have swim class tonight, I didn't want to overdo it.
Recently I started taking Green Tea Extract, the one I am using is Mega T and it is supposed to help rev up your metabolism. I thought it would make me jittery like those old No Doze pills did, but this is very different. I have been feeling energetic, but not manic. I do have a bit of a caffeine sensitivity, so I make sure I take them pretty early during the day.
So I'm off to my 12th swimming lesson tonight and probably will do water aerobics tomorrow. The reason for these changes...I am not happy at all with the numbers on my scale and I am going to try harder to get more movement in. I'm taking it easy, but not too easy.
Nobody can do my exercises for me, so give me an "Atta Girl" and join me if you want.
We'll talk soon.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Hey, Hey, Hey it's italics day...
Hey ya'll, it's me again. Have you ever wondered what makes us what (notice I didn't say who) we are? Have you ever wondered what has happened in our lives that makes us either think of food as a treat, or something we deserve because we have been through so much.
As you know by now, many of us share the same traits. We are intelligent (we know we are overweight) and we are apparently motivated (weight loss and fitness are never far from our minds). We educate ourselves on solutions to the problems we face, using tools such as the internet and books and magazines. But some of us, (if this doesn't apply to you, don't get all braggy and know-it-all on me) still don't do the things that we need to do to lose weight. I still weigh over 190 pounds and am not quite 5'4". I like the way I feel for the remainder of my day after recovering from a workout. I like not having acid reflux from eating the wrong foods. Shoot, I'm even learning to swim at the ripe old age of 57. All this being said, I still find myself wanting to put 2 teaspoons of sugar and a generous splash (almost 1/4 of a cup if I'm using a big mug) of milk in my coffee and settling down with my latest book and chowing down on 2 English muffins with butter and jam. I do this, knowing that black coffee and one muffin with a piece of fruit would probably be better for me.
At Thursday's swimming class, we practiced motivating through the water using our legs only. We quickly found that I don't move through the water without using my arms. My instructor is stumped by this. At first she thought I needed to kick more from my hips and very patiently helped me improve that technique. Then we thought it was perhaps the kick board that was keeping me stationary, so I kept my arms at my sides and tried to kick my way down the lap lane. She is stumped and at the risk of working me too hard in the pool, she said I was probably one of those swimmers that would have to power myself through the water with my arms. She is being so sweet about this. But I know what is wrong. I have little strength in my legs. My legs are going through the motions, but I'm not achieving my goal of propelling myself forward.
So that is where I am right now, I'm going through the motions but I'm not getting anywhere. Am I ready to actually start doing the work that I need to do to get healthy? I have to be honest with myself, I really don't know if I am.
That's if from me today. Let's go and have some coffee and at least think about it. Love ya!
As you know by now, many of us share the same traits. We are intelligent (we know we are overweight) and we are apparently motivated (weight loss and fitness are never far from our minds). We educate ourselves on solutions to the problems we face, using tools such as the internet and books and magazines. But some of us, (if this doesn't apply to you, don't get all braggy and know-it-all on me) still don't do the things that we need to do to lose weight. I still weigh over 190 pounds and am not quite 5'4". I like the way I feel for the remainder of my day after recovering from a workout. I like not having acid reflux from eating the wrong foods. Shoot, I'm even learning to swim at the ripe old age of 57. All this being said, I still find myself wanting to put 2 teaspoons of sugar and a generous splash (almost 1/4 of a cup if I'm using a big mug) of milk in my coffee and settling down with my latest book and chowing down on 2 English muffins with butter and jam. I do this, knowing that black coffee and one muffin with a piece of fruit would probably be better for me.
At Thursday's swimming class, we practiced motivating through the water using our legs only. We quickly found that I don't move through the water without using my arms. My instructor is stumped by this. At first she thought I needed to kick more from my hips and very patiently helped me improve that technique. Then we thought it was perhaps the kick board that was keeping me stationary, so I kept my arms at my sides and tried to kick my way down the lap lane. She is stumped and at the risk of working me too hard in the pool, she said I was probably one of those swimmers that would have to power myself through the water with my arms. She is being so sweet about this. But I know what is wrong. I have little strength in my legs. My legs are going through the motions, but I'm not achieving my goal of propelling myself forward.
So that is where I am right now, I'm going through the motions but I'm not getting anywhere. Am I ready to actually start doing the work that I need to do to get healthy? I have to be honest with myself, I really don't know if I am.
That's if from me today. Let's go and have some coffee and at least think about it. Love ya!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Back to the old grind...
...or there's no place like home. I'm back from vacation and while I loved seeing my sister and had a bunch of fun with her, I was ready to come back home. Home to my darling hubby, home to my usual routine and home to step on the scales and see how much I gained. Well, I was up a few pounds, but nothing I can't bounce back from.
I finished my first round of swimming lessons and have signed up for eight more. We will have the same instructor, so she already knows our confidence levels. I can still get a little wonky and flail about and can't remember how to "right" myself, but for the most part I am quite proud of my progress. After "playing" in their pool with me and accessing my newly acquired skills, my sisters stationed themselves on opposite sides of the pool and had me swim from one of them to the other, until I was in the deep end. So, for the most part of our pool day, I swam in eight feet of water. I was completely unafraid and had a blast.
Now, since their pool is surrounded by beautiful, lush tropical plants...
I wasn't surprised to find the next day my allergies were acting up. I didn't let a few sniffles and snorts slow me down any. We had lots of fun going out to eat, doing art, shopping and visiting a wonderful art museum. Shucks, we even went to the shore and watched the surfers.
But, as they say all good things do come to an end, so I'm back here in the South, in my home city, sometimes called Big Lick. I'm getting back in the groove, ready to start back on my treadmill and continue my swimming.
That's all for me, hope everone else is having a blast. So let's get ready for the new week, planning our meals, our snacks and even our treats. That way we are in control. Now I'm sure I'm the only one out there with control issues, but that's another post for another day.
Take care and we'll talk soon.
I finished my first round of swimming lessons and have signed up for eight more. We will have the same instructor, so she already knows our confidence levels. I can still get a little wonky and flail about and can't remember how to "right" myself, but for the most part I am quite proud of my progress. After "playing" in their pool with me and accessing my newly acquired skills, my sisters stationed themselves on opposite sides of the pool and had me swim from one of them to the other, until I was in the deep end. So, for the most part of our pool day, I swam in eight feet of water. I was completely unafraid and had a blast.
Now, since their pool is surrounded by beautiful, lush tropical plants...
I wasn't surprised to find the next day my allergies were acting up. I didn't let a few sniffles and snorts slow me down any. We had lots of fun going out to eat, doing art, shopping and visiting a wonderful art museum. Shucks, we even went to the shore and watched the surfers.
But, as they say all good things do come to an end, so I'm back here in the South, in my home city, sometimes called Big Lick. I'm getting back in the groove, ready to start back on my treadmill and continue my swimming.
That's all for me, hope everone else is having a blast. So let's get ready for the new week, planning our meals, our snacks and even our treats. That way we are in control. Now I'm sure I'm the only one out there with control issues, but that's another post for another day.
Take care and we'll talk soon.
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