1921

I went to a junior high school concert on Monday to support a young friend. It was held at a school that proudly proclaims it was built in 1921. Looks like it, doesn't it?

The auditorium is fairly small, but wide, with a large stage and ornate trimmings that were typical at the time. 

The concert had me sitting at the edge of my seat.  Not that it was that good; it was typical junior high stuff--short and sweet, thank goodness.  No, I was sitting on the edge of my seat because the chairs are so narrow.

I think the chairs might be the original wooden seats, or at least the original metal seat brackets.  I have no idea really.  All I know is that I really had to squeeze in, and it was uncomfortable so I sort of sat sideways, which made the lady behind me happy because she couldn't see over me if I sat straight, being short herself.  She tried to move over a seat, but discovered that the inner seats were even narrower than the aisle seats we were in.

Were people smaller in 1921, or were the seats simply built for skinny junior high kids?  Well, many are not so skinny any more; I saw a few on that stage who wouldn't have fit in the seats either.  Can they go see the school nurse during school productions?

If they ever take up a collection to remodel the auditorium, I'll be sure to donate if it says "wider seats,"  especially if they have some padding or at least ergonomic tendencies. 

As if all that wasn't enough, I stepped on gum and it took ages to get it off my shoe.  And then, one of the kids' teachers was telling us how he needs to get his homework done, how many tardies he has, and other things that are not our business, right in front of his sister and some other students.  I probably ought to report her for privacy violations.  But that's off the subject; it just added to the dismay of the experience.

My friend seemed happy that I came to see her sing, and that's the important part. That's why I was there. 

When Thursday has a different opinion than Friday, whose opinion do you listen to?

Thursday was my TOPS weigh-in, and I lost a pound.  Not a lot but 4 sticks of butter, right?  Something to be happy about, and if I lose a pound every week, I'll  make my short-term goal in 15 weeks, and my long-term goal in a little over a year.  That would be something to be happy about.

Friday I went to the BIGGEST LOSER weigh-in, and it says I have gained 0.8 pounds.  How did that happen?  It's just no fair!  So, for this week, I prefer Thursday.  Definitely Thursday.

And the weekly winner of BIGGEST LOSER is my husband!  He lost 5 pounds.  He says his biggest change was paying attention to when he is full, and he stopped drinking a daily soda at work.  A 20-oz. soda has about 210 calories, so that's over 1000 calories dropped for the week right there.

Fits and Starts

I have spent the last few weeks exercising in fits and starts.  Mostly starts.  A day here and there, but no consistency.  This week I am recommitting to exercising and doing the journal work that goes with it.  It sounds like I am adding to it and making it harder but I really do better when I am keeping a record.

One thing the journal has you do for week one is notice one beautiful thing each day.  Waking up to the clap of thunder, that is beautiful. Wearing a beautiful orange lace sweater, crunching through fall leaves, dealing with a cheerful student, hearing my grandchild's voice over the phone, those are all beautiful things from this week.

A clothing ad says "Flaunt that body for up to 75% off!" Sounds like a fun diet...can I please lose 40%?

Whoo-hoooooo, the immodesty diet!

Having to flaunt my body would probably be enough to get me to hurry to get in shape!  However, I am inclined, even when I am thin, to wear very unrevealing clothing.  I prefer to keep my private parts, well, private, and to leave some things to the imagination.  Hopefully people imagine them nice and smooth and not the reality of cellulite and wrinkles.

You know weight's on your mind when you see an ad for a "huge selection of styles" of plus-size dresses and you read it as "selection of huge styles."

If you find this post inappropriate, I apologize.  I just thought it was funny! The English language has so many variations in word usage, and so many ways to misinterpret things, especially if they are not clearly written in the first place.

I perceive the elephant is very like a tree. Its massive thighs are just the size its waist should really be.

Have you ever heard the story of the blind men and the elephant?  It's told in poem form about several blind men who go to see an elephant. Each has a different impression based on the body part with which he comes in contact.  That's the reference in the title, and if you want to read it--it's really quite fun--you can follow the link I posted.

That's not what this post is really all about.  It's really about measuring.  I started, really started this time, my 12-week walking program, by measuring first thing Monday morning.

What I realized is that my thighs are exactly the size my waist was when I was in high school.  Not I realize that I can't be 16 or even 25 again, but there's really no excuse not to lose some of this.  I can at least tone up what I have.  So I am recommitting to my Integrity project, taking good care of my body, watching portions, etc.  It has taken a few weeks to get to this point, but we have to take one step at a time, and sometimes things go in fits and starts.

I refuse to be an elephant!  I am going to move forward to the new, healthy, slim me.  Just you watch!

That's such a cute jacket. I wonder what it wold look like on me. Not like it looks on her! (Shrug)

I love this! Absolutely love it!  I know that the shrug is a great style for me because it maximizes the upper body while minimizing the hips.  Good old pear shape.

What I want to know, is how will it really look on a plus size woman?  Why do they model plus size on skinny minny models?

Here's the one I wore for my son's wedding: 

Me on the left.

I'll look anywhere but at Momm...hey, Helen's over there! 

Our beautiful bride

The cute couple after the ceremony.

BIGGEST LOSER

Our company is doing a Biggest Loser contest.  Several people expressed interest in it, but it wasn't going anywhere at our campus, so I took charge of it.  I am now official team captain, and my scale resides at work for the next 8 weeks.  That will keep me from stepping on it constantly as I focus on portion control and exercise.

The team captain is supposed to weigh everyone in on Fridays, but I don't usually work Friday.  The managers are not always available at the same time, so I enlisted the receptionist.  The scale sits behind her desk and she is the weight recorder now.  She has to sit there anyway, so why not?

My scale weighed a little lower than it does at home, so I was worried that moving it was the issue, since it's a little sensitive that way.  I figured out on my way home that it's the carpet in the reception area.  It has less resistance than the floor, so the scale registers less weight. 

We could solve it by putting the scale in the bathroom, but as long as we are consistent in where we weigh, I don't suppose it matters.  Cheer me on as I go through the next 8 weeks, trying to be the BIGGEST LOSER on my team!

Sometimes my feet just run away from me.

I hate to run. I really, really hate to run.  I think it's boring, and my thighs and rear end jiggle, sometimes painfully, and I think it just increases the effect of gravity in dragging everything downward.  It probably doesn't but I can't help but think all that jiggling is just knocking cells loose so they can settle downward.  Since I am pear-shaped already, I need a boost, not a drag.

So I walk. I walk to work, and I walk home. Uphill both ways.  Literally, which means it's downhill both ways too.  Figure that one out.  Anyway, I walk, and the weather has been generally nice fall weather, and the air just the right level of crisp and cool.  The trees are beautiful, the sky blue or gray, not quite needing a sweater or just barely needing one--you get the picture.

So I've been walking three and a half months to work, and suddenly one day I felt like running, so I picked up the pace and ran a little bit.  A few days later it happened again, and I ran a little further than before.  This has happened to me three times now, and yesterday I even did part of that run uphill--and it was FUN!

The first time it happened I just wanted to keep going up the block a ways, but I had things to do so I went in the house.  How can running be fun?  I'm pretty sure if I set out to run, I'll quit before I start, but I have to walk anyway, so I guess breaking into a run for part of it isn't going to hurt.  Maybe I can jiggle those glutes away. Maybe it's really anti-gravity.  Maybe eventually I'll go around the block instead of directly home.

But for today, just for today, I'll walk to work, and run if I feel like it, but it's not going to be a requirement. That would take all the fun out of it.  And I always thought "Fun Run" was an oxymoron, a delusion, a marketing gimmick of those who gives us all the "shoulds" of fitness.

Blame the endorphins.

Did you have a nice trip? See you next fall!

Remember that old joke?  It's not so funny when you're the one falling.

As people like to say on Facebook, that awkward moment when  ....  you realize you really can't get your balance and you are going down!  ...  you're laying on the sidewalk making sure you're still intact and wondering who sees you  ...  you wonder if anyone can help you if you need it  ...  you hear a soft voice asking "are you alright?"  and you are but now you're embarrassed for staying on the sidewalk for so long  ...  the first thing you do on arriving for work is look for the first aid kit ...  you pull up your pants leg to look at your scraped knee, and you're glad you didn't have to go to the urgent care clinic because your legs are so hairy!

Walking to work is supposed to be a healthy thing, right?  I guess as long as I remember the two places the sidewalk is raised up! 

Oh boy, that hurt! I ached everywhere through the evening, but a hot bath helped some.  It was hard to find a comfortable way to sleep but I finally did and I feel much better this morning.  Ready to hit my challenges again!