Weekly report # 5.

We did light strength training to our walks twice this week. Really adds a new dimension. Feeling good, and Kristel said my butt looks smaller. Thank you Kristel for the encouragement!

Women's Clothing Sizes

Why are clothing sizes for women so weird? I've had shirts in SMLX, dresses and pants in 10-18, by even sizes only, or 14W-18W, (and is that W for Wide Load?)

Underpants are half the size of pants, so if my pants are a 10, (I wish!) my undies are a 5--and it took me 40 years to figure that out! Bras are by measurement around and cup size, so they are like 28AA to 52E. Shoes are 5-13, and socks are based on shoe size but they come in a range like 9-11, or 7-10, and often fit badly. And why do shoes start at 5?

Junior Sizes are 1-15, by odd sizes and are a narrower waist cut than misses or women's. So some very cute clothes are not going to fit the mature woman.
Then there is the problem of things that are sized 14/16, for example. Are they going to be too big or too small?

And then you get all that figured out and then you go to certain stores (like Bonworth) where everything is cut large, so a medium is a L-XL in any other company.
And lets not even go into swimsuits! And Petites! And what if my torso is petite but my legs are long, or the other way around?

Men's sizes are a much simpler system, but I'll go into that another day.

Dress picture from: Hasslefree Clip Art

Walking Alone and Running Up Stairs

Last night Reg couldn't walk with me because he had homework to finish, so I walked alone. I popped in "A Closer Walk" (Leslie Sansone Christian DVD), a two-miler I haven't done before. It was energetic but not too hard, and she had some new elements I hadn't seen before. I enjoyed it. Then Reg finished up, so we talked through the last few minutes of my workout, the cooldown and stretch.

When I got to Dr. Preston's office today, I ran up the flight of stairs to the second floor. I wasn't even winded when I got to the top. I used to go up three flights at the children's hospital when Chim was in there, and I could hardly make it. (That's the closest I can get to Mitch backwards!)

Endorphins

Yesterday we did a brisk 2-miler and I loved it! I was having fun, practically dancing, smiling and feeling actual joy. In a workout! Then it dawned on me: this is the endorphin rush, or "runner's high" that I've heard so much about. I don't think I ever experienced that before. It also helps that the workouts are fun.

What I Hate About Being Fat! #4--Weighing in!

When I weigh on a scale in public I wonder what others may be thinking. Yeah, that lady needs to get on a scale! Look at the size of her butt!

Okay, I know they are probably not thinking of me at all; it's just self-consciousness talking, but it is still uncomfortable. I weigh in on a public scale anyway, at the gym, because I don't keep a scale at home. I used to weigh at work, but the gym scale is electronic and hopefully more consistent. Balance scales are harder to get just right. The gym scale is also a tiny bit more private.

You know what I hate? When I go to the doctor's office and they tell me to weigh on the way in to the examination room. So there I am, holding my purse, coat, book or magazine, maybe a grandchild's hand, and I'm supposed to weigh? So do I set the stuff all down while the nurse waits? Or ask if I can go to an exam room first and then come back to the scale?

Progress Report: Week 4

That makes us 1/3 of the way through the initial 12-week program. We didn't miss a day, though on Wednesday we walked our whole 2 miles around the parking lot at my work instead of indoors with the DVD.
That's because my car broke down, and we had to wait for Mitch to come fix it. We couldn't walk later because we were attending a Cub Scout "banquet".

I have followed my food plan for 30 days. I want a chip like they give out in AA that has a big 30 on it. You fasten it to your keytag as a reminder to keep it up.
Hmmm...a stop at Genesis Books might be in order this week.

Passing a Zero!

I weighed in yesterday at 189.6. It's always exciting to pass a zero on the way down.

Cholesterol Levels

My actual cholesterol numbers:

• Total: 226. Normal is 0-200
• Triglycerides: 229. Normal is 0-150
• HDL: 36. Normal is 45-65
• LDL: 144 Normal is 0-130.

I also have low absolute lymphocytes: 1.10. Normal is 1.2-2.8.

I have my work cut out for me. Exercise more. Eat not just less, but right.

Reward Time!

Reg got me a new dress as a reward for my first 10 days of success. I wore it Sunday and Jo said she can see I've lost a little weight. Yippee!

Left: Marie and me playing Helicopter. Above: Modeling for the camera. Excited by my progress but I still have a way to go, as you can plainly see.

What I Hate About Being Fat! #3--High Cholesterol

Today I'm definitely in caterpillar stage. My doctor's office called and said my cholesterol levels are really high. I can't remember the actual numbers, but she wants to put me on medication, Zocor I think. I want to look up the side effects first, but I also want to consider six months of diet and exercise and then get retested. I couldn't believe how much it had gone up over the last 18 months. I don't eat a lot of cholesterol-rich foods, but adding so much weight has surely contributed. My HDL was low, LDL high, but the total triglycerides was off the wall. I need to research it all and see what it all means.

She's going to mail me the report, so I can look up the actual number.

Caterpillar found at http://www.wildbritart.com/gallery/mini-beasts

3-week progress report

We are 25% of the way through the initial 12-week training period.

Small changes:

• I lost 5 pounds so far.
• Reg. says I look a little more toned. I'm starting to see a waistline again.
  
• I am walking more energetically at work
• Reg is standing up straighter.
  

First 3-miler!

Whew! We made it through the first 3-mile walk, using Leslie Sansone's Super Fat Burning DVD. This one, like all 3-milers, uses weights, but we did it without the weights as she recommends for week 2 of the program.

Hot, sweaty, tired, red-faced, but happy! We made it! Thank you Leslie!

Next week we repeat week 2. I'm looking forward to another 3-miler, as long as it is a week away!

What I Hate About Being Fat! #2

What I hate about being fat is when I get a notice about my Class Reunion for 30 years and the first thing I think of is whether I want them to see how fat I have gotten. Especially ex-boyfriends! Can I be slim enough by then to want to go?

Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis: (noun)
1. a) a change of physical form, structure, or substance, especially by a supernatural means.
b) striking alteration in appearance, character, or circumstances.
2. a marked and more or less abrupt change in the form or structure of an animal (as a butterfly
or a frog) occurring subsequent to birth or hatching.
3. my reason for a butterfly theme in my blogs.

(1,2 from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition, c2000)

Butterfly from http://butterflywebsite.com/clipart/

Workout with a Headache

I've had a killer headache all day and I am scheduled for a two-mile workout. Can I do it? I did.

Like a fictional drug addict who said "I never took a pill I didn't have a pain for" (Michael Palmer, The First Patient) , I never quit an exercise program I didn't have a medical excuse for. A headache, or cramps, or sore legs, or whatever. I don't mean serious medical things, but small things that I let become obstacles. So I did the two-miler, and I feel sweaty but less pain in my head, for a little while at least. Worth it? You bet!

Better Balance

I did one hour of "Yoga for the Young at Heart". (an easier class than the regular one the gym offers, and one hour later than the other, which I really like.) I can tell you my balance is way better than it was before I started walking. Not perfect yet, but the difference is incredible.

Our one mile was so easy. Two weeks ago it was so hard. What a miracle the body really is. God is gracious to encourage change.

Today's Weight

190.4 pounds
Lost 1.2 pounds in 5 days. I always weigh on the same scale at the local gym.

Blood Pressure Drop

After 2-3 weeks of yoga once or twice a week, my blood pressure dropped about 20 points (systolic).
After 2 more weeks of walking, without dropping the yoga, I dropped 30 more points. It is now 100/68. My doctor was delighted! I was on the verge of BP meds, and now it is perfect. I wish I could write to Leslie Sansone and tell her!

Character names

Since this is a publicly searchable blog, I am changing names of family and friends for their protection. Those who know us well can probably recognize us, but to those who don't, we are just anonymous people from someplace in the US with an all-too common issue.

What I Hate About Being Fat!

Leslie says that many exercise books say we should start with feeling good about ourselves as we are. Love ourselves, then improve ourselves. For me, that breeds complacency. If I'm okay the way I am, why change?

I do love myself, that's why I am doing this. But I had to recognize the reasons I needed to do this in order to gear myself up for it. I started writing in my journal every time I noticed a reason I hate being fat. I'll start sharing them in here, one by one.

Today:

I hate being fat because I weigh more than Reg. and he can't pick me up any more! If we married today, he sure couldn't carry me across the threshold.

Today's Workout

We did Leslie's Heart-Healthy walk. It's a 2-miler in 35 minutes, including cool-down.

One reviewer said this is for beginners, maybe people who had heart surgery. I guess he/she never had heart surgery! This one was brisk, and really made me sweat, but I did fine. Got through it and could still talk. I am glad we waited for the 3rd week to do it.

I'm glad Reginald works out with me. It's more fun to have a partner and adds consistency and accountability. Which is also the reason for this blog; it also adds accountability.

I am excited at the way God leads us to what we need at just the right time. When I am ready to grow and change, He provides the next step. No pun intended.

Valentine's Day Dance

We went dancing on V-Day. We both love to dance but after about one fast dance we were feeling pain in our legs. A slow dance and we were out of step. It's been too long since we danced.

We sort of looked at each other and said "This has got to change!" I knew I was out of shape but I've been sort of ignoring it, and the weight I was gaining. So this was the catalyst. I want to dance again and enjoy it!

Beginning (sort of)

I am two weeks into my mission of getting back in shape. Since I will be 50 in a little less than two years, I have adopted as my motto "Fit by 50!"

I am taking a two-part approach to this:

1) making careful food choices, balance portions and types of food.

2) exercise. My husband and I are working together to do Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds. The basic program is a 6-week program, but we are doing each week twice to make it more feasible. Her program is a low-impact aerobic program, based on simple walking movements with arm movements added, and eventually resistance exercises added as well. Leslie is upbeat and easy to follow, so we enjoy her so far.

We just finished our 2nd week, and found the two-mile Saturday workout to be quite a bit easier than we expected. Our first week, we actually walked two miles on Saturday since it was a nice day, but I think the combination of movements on the dvd was a better workout and not so tiring because of the variety.

On the other hand, you can't stop and talk to neighbors while you are in front of the TV, so it's a tradeoff.