30 Miles in January!

I walked 30 Miles in January--if you count December 31, the day I started!

It has really helped me to keep a monthly calendar up and put a star on each day I walk. Sometimes it's late evening, and I can't bear to let the day go by without a blue star, so I put in a mile. I am getting where I prefer to try to walk earlier.

I skip Sundays, and I count yoga as a walking day, but don't count the miles that day, but with the help of the 2-mile walks I've started, I managed to get to 30 days by the 30th!

Backache Blues, Yoga, and Breathlessness

I woke up with a backache this morning, but I went to yoga anyway. The stretching helped--at least I can move now! I just need to ice it and make sure I sit properly today.


I did lose 0.4 pound. Probably because I skipped breakfast. I am determined to keep going but I could really use a breakthrough about now.


My chest feels congested, making me run out of breath a lot easier when I exercise, and when I was lying on my back in yoga it made me cough. So not a good day, but I will persist, and with God's help I will prevail!

What I Hate About Being Fat--Poor Health

I went to the doctor on Monday and my blood pressure was 163/80. That's obviously too high. I had to have blood drawn, and the tourniquet really hurt. It never hurt so much before I gained weight, but I guess they really have to put the pressure on to get through the fat and reach a vein.

Other health effects, both physically and emotionally, are low self-esteem, high cholesterol, pain and fatigue.

If you had to carry around a 50-60 pound bag of wheat or lard all the time, wouldn't you get tired? Every chore is more difficult; every movement taking more energy. It affects every action, making it harder to get up and get moving and lose the weight. But with God's help, I will prevail.

Progress?

20 miles! I've been able to do three 2-mile walks in the last week, and feel pretty good. And I did the whole hour of yoga today without as much fatigue. So I know I'm making progress.

But alas, I've gained a pound, making me currently 201. I'll blame it on muscle building. Anthony asked if I've done measurements, but I haven't. I figure when my clothes get looser I will know it.

Old Rules

Rules that worked for me 25 years ago: (and I am trying again)

1) When I'm eating, do nothing else. Sit at the table and eat. Food is kind of boring all by itself so it tends to limit the amount of time I mindlessly stuff it in.

2) Don't snitch as I cook. I'm a good enough cook to assume it will taste good without nibbling the batter, the soup, the sauce...a meal before the meal!

3) If I don't like it, don't eat any more of it. I discovered I didn't really like the taste of a few foods I took for granted.

4) Take up just the amount I think I will eat and evaluate my actual hunger before I go for seconds.

5) Exercise every day except Sunday, and record it.

 6) Don't eat just because food is there. Do eat if I'm hungry, so I feel good and my blood sugar is up enough.

These work but the hardest for me is #1. Nothing enhances a good book like chocolate...

The dreaded 00

I never in my life dreamed I would weigh 200 pounds! I remember when I absolutely wouldn't allow myself to go over 150! and then 175...
And now here I am at 200. To be fair to myself, I did eat breakfast before I headed to the gym for weigh-in, but still...maybe if I'd skipped the milk I'd still be at 199.xx
The good news is that I made it all the way through my yoga today, and I got tired but I didn't even feel close to collapsing.
I considered walking two miles yesterday but I started late so I ended up doing one. I did do one! Persistence will pay off. I am determined.

10 Miles

I've logged ten miles and it is still not easy. I should be doing 2-mile walks now, but I've been in so much pain lately I am stuck at one for a little while. I am persistent in doing at least one mile a day.

Double Disappointment!

I went to the gym for my weigh-in and I've gained back four pounds! After a week of exercise!
The second disappointment was that I didn't make it all the way through yoga class. I was going strong and then, whoosh, all my energy ran away. Kaput! gone! I didn't even try to force myself to finish; I just rested for several minutes. I lay there prone on the mat until I figured I could at least wiggle my toes and then gradually come back to life. Such is my life right now, but maybe next time will be better.

Mile Marker 5

I just finished mile 5. I could count it as 181 or so, but I am being honest with myself and starting clear over. If I was walking on roads, I'd be about halfway to Salt Lake City.

Church Ball

I decided, about 20 years ago, to play on my church ladies softball team. I don't really like softball, but I would give it one last chance. I don't remember the reasons behind that decision, but I hated the first practice, spending it getting corrected repeatedly by teammates. I never went back; leaving in tears was not a positive outcome for me.

Mom said they were trying to help, but how is public humiliation supposed to help? Not one woman came to me and quietly offered private practice sessions to teach me how to do it. They were probably relieved that such a poor player did not return. Was the game more important than the individual, even to these good women?

Was softball a bad decision for me? Or was it a good decision, to firm up my decision not to waste my time on sports?

Recently my eye doctor confirmed that a minor astigmatism creates poor depth perception for me. Not enough to keep me from driving and seeing large objects, but definitely enough to make a speeding tennis ball or softball turn invisible to me. I did okay at volleyball, kickball, and dodgeball, because the ball is big. I also loved soccer, and maybe that's why I totally enjoyed crab soccer, with its giant ball.

All that time, it was not that I was klutzy and non-athletic, it was a vision problem! I wonder what else in my life I lack the vision to see? What is right in front of me, but I just can't see it due to lack of faith, lack of insight, selfishness or stubbornness? What kind of experience will it take to open my eyes to other things I need to know?