15,000 Minutes

I can still make the 15,000 minutes for the year and I won't have to exercise for an hour a day!!!

So I took a break, that's an understatement, but over the past couple weeks I've been walking here and there. I woke up on Saturday morning doing hard math to see if I can get to 15,000 minutes for the year. I thought I only had 5,000. I figured I would have to do about an hour a day for the rest of the year to make it up, but that's doable.

Today, I went walking for an hour. When I got on the computer this morning, I proudly punched in 60 minutes for today and 180 minutes for the 4 walks (I did more) that I did in the last month.

Turns out that I have 5650 minutes so far this year. So, that means that I can do about an hour 6 days a week for the rest of the year. That is even more doable.

I love to walk. I really do. I love how my body feels when I walk. I love to be able to have that time to myself to muse about life. I love waking up with the sounds of life waking up. I love knowing that I did something good for me for the day. I love not only how my body feels when I walk (lean, slim, fit), I also love feeling my body. I love being aware of my body when I walk.

The other thing I love to do. I love eating fruit in the morning. Sometimes I feel like I need something heavier. Sometimes I want a little bacon or some meat. Most times though, I like eating fruit. I feel clean and healthy when I eat fruit. And, once again, I like the feeling of doing something good for me. My body practically explodes with joy when I walk in the morning and eat fruit. It is so happy, it oozes out into my day. That is, perhaps, the best side effect.

World Awakening

BBB W6: 360/300

I just love seeing the woman on the ticker run forward. She's at 40% today. Truly amazing and wonderful!!!

I love walking in the morning outside. Did I ever tell you guys that? It's crisp. The birds are beautiful. There's dew on the grass giving it a very earthy smell. Flowers are out and they smell wonderful. The squirrels are busy running on the wires. It's pretty industrious.

On the second half of my walk, I walk on a main street. The city wakes up. Stores start opening. One or two cars pass by. The buses start going. People are walking around a little. Cars are starting to trickle onto the college campus and into parking lots. People are getting their morning coffee. There must be at least 4 coffee shops on the 25-30 minute stretch that I walk.

It's amazing to witness the world waking up. I love it!!!

Trusting My Body, Trusting Myself

BBB W6: 195/300

I did get 400 minutes last week!!! I went for a walk in the morning.

This week so far I'm at 195 and it feels great:-)

I haven't weighed in 2 weeks at WW. I've been weighing on my scale at home. It now reads 248lbs. My weight is going down rapidly and I'm loving it.

I got some guidance to eat more fruit, vegetables, and lean meat, less starches, sugar, and fat. I'm going to follow that guidance. I eat fruit and veggies (grape tomatoes) all morning long and I love it. I eat apples, grapes, strawberries, and the newly discovered blackberries. I also have a veggie snack in the afternoon so I don't end up feeling ravenous and wanting to eat everything in sight when I get home.

I haven't been paying close attention to (read worrying about) what I eat. I've just been eating what I want to in a given moment. I am following my body's guidance and trusting it.

Honestly, I feel a bit wobbly without the constant tracking, but every week the scale goes down. I feel absolutely wonderful that I am finally learning to trust myself. That trust has amazing consequences.

300 Minute Goal Met

BBB W5: 345/300

YIPPPPEEEEEEEE!!!!!

I did it. I've exceeded my goal for the week. It's been 4 weeks in the making. I may even make it to 400 minutes this week! That would be so cool.

I love meeting my goals.

I love my morning walks.

This morning I was walking along when I noticed that it was overcast. The rain held up until I reached a spot with an overhang. Then it started sprinkling. I stood and watched. I asked what I should do and my brain out of fear (which sounded like reason) said, "Head home."

I've been doing some inside work to do the thing that feels good. I couldn't figure out exactly what would feel good so I went for the thing that would bring relief. I said I was going to head home and in that moment the clouds opened up and a deluge came down.

I said to myself, "Guess I'll wait."

When it finished up, I walked to the corner I wanted to walk to today and headed back home. The clouds and rain were ahead of me. If I'd headed home, I'd have been soaked and there was no cover in that direction except for trees.

Moral of the story: Ask for what you want, not how you think it should happen. What I really wanted was to stay dry. That could happen in a myriad of ways. I always tell my business owners and clients this and I get frustrated when they tell us how to do something.

Adding interest to the story, I woke up promptly this morning which put me ahead of schedule which afforded me the extra moments of watching the rain.

Life is so beautiful:-)

Visit to the Gym

BBB W5: 285/300

I just might make 300 minutes this week. I am looking forward to doing so.

I am so grateful for my gym membership. This morning it was misting. I turned around to go back into the house for a hoodie and remembered that I have a wonderful membership at the YMCA. The gym is a block away from my house. I call it across the street because it feels as though I just have to cross the street to get there.

I walked around the track with the weights as I intended to around the neighborhood. I was reacquainted with my boot camp buddies. Those folks kick butt and they look so good. You could tell the new folks too. Even though they look trim, they're the ones that do hand over heads instead of jumping jacks after the first stair drill. They have the look of, "What the hell did I get myself into? I thought I was fit."

Love that class:-) It gives me something to shoot for. I will know that I've arrived when I'm able to make it through that class.

Over 1000 Minutes

BBB W5: 225/300

I'm over 1000 minutes!!!!!

I accidentally typed 10,000. That's going to be so cool when it happens!

I did a morning walk today and yesterday. I love walking around the neighborhood in the morning. The birds were in rare for this morning. I swear I heard them chirping, "We're a team," and, "I'm so pretty." Just lovely. I love my neighborhood. I'm very fortunate to live in a cottage house for below local apartment rates in an affluent neighborhood. It's fun, fun, fun!!! I love it!

Getting Back in the Groove

BBB W3: 210/300

It feels great to get back into the groove of things. It feels great to exercise and move my body. I love walking outside. When I walk outside, I feel like I own the neighborhood. I really enjoy that feeling. Best of all, I love it when I keep my commitments to myself.

I would really like to get a 90 minute walk in this evening. That'll just be twice around the lake. If I don't it won't be a biggie, but I would love to do it so that I can meet my 300 minute commitment for the week. It would be a big win for me.

Challenge!

BBB W1: 60/300, 1/35 ST, --*, 0 stairs

The Burn Baby Burn challenge has begun.

I've been working with allergies for about 10 days not. Finally, this weekend I succumbed. I did my first workout for BBB today and it was great as expected. Because of the pollen, I'm breathing heavier than usual and there's a bit of wheezing. I'm going to start taking Advair again. I'm going to have to watch it.

This is usually the time of year when things get sketchy. First, I'm dealing with the pollen and I don't feel 100%. Second, I lose interest. I've added the strength training and I'm working on running the laps to take care of the boredom issue.

I'm going to find a tiny notebook and take it to my workouts to keep track of the weights I'm lifting and the circuit I'm running. This morning I did 15lbs on tricep and bicep curls, 30lbs on overhead press, fly, and row, and 50lbs on the chest press. If I remember correctly. Tomorrow, I'm going to attempt 4 laps around the track, or 1 lap out of every 10 laps.

I didn't weigh in this weekend. I'm not sure where I'm going with this. This year is about forming healthy habits. When I set up the challenges, I said I would like to:

• Lose at least 50lbs
  
• Wear 38DD or smaller bra
  
• Be able to shop at regular stores
  
• Run a 5K
  
• Hold the camel pose for 30 seconds

I'm down 13lbs and at 1lb/week I'll lose 50lbs for the year.

My bra is on the second hook and my boobs aren't overflowing from the cup. So my breasts are getting smaller.

I'm down to size 18/20 from 22-28.

I can run 3 times around the track and by the end of this challenge I'll be able to run 10 times around.

I don't know where I am on the camel pose, but I discovered the elongator during the last challenge.

Wow!!!! When I put it like that, I am making progress. I am getting healthier, fitter, and smaller.

Cool, anyway, as I was saying, I'm not really sure what I'm going to do about weigh ins. I don't think I have to do much about it. I might just shift to weighing in at the gym on Friday morning without all the build up and fandango of the WW weigh in. I don't constantly check in on all the other "would likes", why do I feel like I have to constantly check in on the weight. It throws me off and I lose focus.

We'll see.

She's Running Off The Ticker!

B2B W13: 170/250, ***, 0 stairs

WOOHOOO! I DID IT!!!

I exercised 3300 minutes in the past 13 weeks! (3320 so far) That's 165 miles at 3mph.

I had tons of fun too. I pushed my body. My hair was soaking everyday. I love the Y. I'm well on my way to my goal for the year of 15K minutes. I'm going to be able to run a 5 at the end of the year too. Right now I can do 3 laps around the track. In 13 more weeks, I'll be able to do 10.

I am soooooooooooooo proud of myself:-D

Burn Baby Burn

B2B W12: 250/250, -*****, 10 stairs

Today I ran around the track FOUR times!!! I did one whole and two 1 1/2 laps. I tried to do 2 in a row, but I'm not ready...YET :-D

I feel like Christmas. I've been itching to reveal, no unveil, no present, oooh, so excited....I've been itching to unveil - yes, that sounds right - the next challenge.

The next challenge is called Burn Baby Burn. The purpose of the challenge is to kick my metabolism into high gear. I want my body to be an efficient fat burning machine. To that end, I'm kicking up my cardio intensity and adding strength training to the routine.

The Challenge will run from April 6th to July 5th. It's going to get me through Memorial and Independence day holidays. I'm looking forward to that. Memorial day I'm usually in Miami with family. This year DBF and I are contemplating a cruise. It's going to be fun:-)

Burn Baby Burn Challenge

• Exercise 3900 minutes (includes strength training)
  
• Complete 35 30-minute strength training workouts
  
• Increase running to 10 track laps
  
• Eat on plan every day

Eating on plan means I:

• Eat within my points
  
• Drink at least 48 oz of water
  
• Eat at least 6 servings of fruit and vegetables

I'm going to take the stairs as much as possible. I'll be accruing them during this challenge for use in the next challenge.

Everyone is free to join. Let me know in the comments if you're game so we can keep in touch and cheer each other on.

The next challenge you ask?

Yes, I'm already thinking about the 3rd quarter challenge. That challenge is going to be dedicated to eating optimally, if I don't accidentally do it during this one:-) I'm thinking that I'm going to use the stairs accrued during Burn Baby Burn for a Stairs to Starch program in Heading to the Beach (South Beach, that is).

Why don't I do that now you ask?

Well, I want to win. I already have enough changes going on in this challenge. I'm upping my exercise goal from 3300 minutes to 3900 minutes. I'm introducing strength training. And I'm starting the running program early. I think that's enough.

Food is going to require concentrated effort to move from healthy choices to optimal eating. Right now, I'm comfortable with my food. I am upping the fruit and veggie intake from 5 to 6, but I do that now anyway. I am still changing my food lexicon and the way I view food. I'm still consciously choosing healthy, wholesome foods. I would like, during this challenge, for that choice to be unconscious. In other words, I want the healthy choices habit installed completely before I start letting go of the training wheels.

The Heading to the Beach challenge will be a precursor to taking off the tracking training wheels. I've said all along that I want to develop a healthy lifestyle. This year is about transitioning to that. It's all about making healthy choices and being active. The weight will melt of as a result of making healthy choices and being active. I'm thinking beyond that point. I have no intention of tracking every morsel I eat or obsessing over what food I'm eating for the rest of my life.

Being healthy will become like driving a car for me. Sure I pay attention to signals and sounds when I'm driving, but I can also talk on the phone, listen to the radio, or speak to a passenger (sometimes all at the same time) while driving because driving itself is an installed habit.

I Love Exercise

B2B W12: 130/250, -***, 4 stairs

Look at how close that 3030 is to that 3300! I'm over 20% to my goal for the year. I am stoked and so excited! I can do it!!!! You can do it too:-)

Can I just tell you that I love it when my day starts with exercise. It means that I not only exercise, I'm already 2-3 cups of water in. I take my vitamins. I enjoy my fruit for breakfast. I just love clicking off all those icons in WW. I already have my activity points logged for the day. Not to mention, I feel energized and joyful and expectant and ready to have fun and bask in the day. It's all money after the exercise.

I LOVE IT!!!

Fun Fun Fun Run Run Run

B2B W11: 295/250, ******, 15 stairs

Life is wonderful. Ran 3 laps on the track. Thinking about how I'm going to progress to 10. I was hoping that I could do 2 in a row. Maybe I'll try that next week sometime. I'm just having so much fun with it. Why didn't I think of this sooner?

Check out the stars!!!

Less Than 500 Minutes To Go

B2B W11: 235/250, *****, 12 stairs

And more than 2 weeks to do it in!!! That means that I'll definitely surpass my goal.

My food is very good. I started eating just fruit in the morning and that's worked out really well. During the day at work, my food choices are very healthy and wholesome. I bring my breakfast (fruit) and snacks (fruit, veggies, cheese). I go out to lunch everyday. I eat well there. Then I go home in the evening. I want to start eating cleaner in the evening.

By the time I'm done with work, I've surpassed my veggie goal for the day. In the evening, I don't go on a spree, but I don't eat the healthiest, wholesomist (should be a word) food either. At the end of the work day I feel mentally exhausted. I often just want to take a nap or at the very least sit in a chair and sip a cup of tea. Duh!!! Why don't I just do that? I just want to have 30 minutes of silence.

DBF, who's an extrovert, works at home all day. He picks me up. From the moment he picks me up, bless his heart, he starts talking. Just at the moment I don't want to talk. TO ANYBODY.

The reason this is important is that while I don't eat when I'm not hungry. The mood I'm in when I'm hungry sometimes dictates the food that I choose to eat. I am working myself out of that habit. However, on the other end, I really would like some Calgon time when I get home. It will help me to make more nourishing food choices. I LOVE making nourishing food choices.

I am finding that as I choose healthy, wholesome food, my points automatically come into alignment. This is what I want. At some point, I'm going to take off the points training wheels and just eat the foods I choose to eat. I want to choose those nourishing foods. The other reason I want to develop the healthy eating habit is that I don't want to obsess about what I'm putting into my mouth for the rest of my life. I'm re-wiring my subconscious. I want nourishing eating, healthy habits, and activity to be infused into who I am.

The Next Challenge

B2B W11: 185/250, ****, 9 stairs

My veggie of the week is cherry tomatoes, actually I think they're grape tomatoes. They're great. I'm having them for my mid-afternoon snack instead of baby carrots. Very tasty:-)

In other news, I ran around the track 3 times again today. YAY!

I'm thinking about the next challenge. The minute challenge is 3900 over 13 weeks or 5 1-hour workouts per week. Originally, I was going to do Body for Life, but the program doesn't thrill me. It's just too complicated. I think the challenge is going to be to be able to run around the track 10 times in a workout and do 35 30-minute strength training workouts. The 3900 minute goal will stand, but it's a given. Also a given, is staying on plan with my food which has been excellent lately.

The objective of this challenge was to inculcate the habits of eating healthy and moving. I'm very pleased with the results. I still convince myself to get out of bed and to the gym some mornings, but I motivate myself with the feeling that I know I would have when I'm done, energized and invigorated. I'm choosing tasty, healthy food. Better than that, I am actually beginning to see healthy foods as filling. That's huge because I feel satisfied.

The purpose of the next challenge is to turn my body into an energetic, smoldering, efficient fat burning machine. By the end of the challenge, I want to feel highly energized and vital. I want to be able to keep up with my niece and nephew (right now just looking at them exhausts me). I'll be adding strength training to the routine, and I'm going to up my intensity on my cardio.

Best of all, I'm going to have some serious FUN!!!

The Elongator

B2B W11: 125/250, ***, 6 stairs

Today, I discovered the ELONGATOR. This is a phenomenal machine. I was contemplating beginning yoga during this quarter's challenge because my body was screaming for some stretching. I was going kind of batty trying to figure out where to put it. Would I stop going to WW meetings and just do the online program so I could do hot yoga on Saturday morning? Could I take a class in the evening?

Well, when I went to my meeting on Saturday, I realized that I need the support of the meeting for now. I want to get those stars and hurrahs. I want to see what other people look like when they get their 10%. I like the ideas that I get from the meetings. One week someone said that they text themselves bravos and inspirational messages and when they feel like eating a house they look at the text. It's really good for me.

I considered going to the meeting, then going to hot yoga, but the timing was off. I also enjoy going to the gym on Saturday mornings with DBF.

And hell, saying that I'm going to do anything resembling exercise in the evening at this point is setting myself up for failure.

So today, I decided to tryout the contraption that I first saw in the ladies' locker room. It was SOOOOOOOOOOOO good. It was just what I wanted and needed. Five to ten minutes of stretching that feels like I elongated my spine and my muscles. Now, I feel tall and lean (even if I am only 5'4" and weigh 258lbs :-).

Oh, and I did 65 minutes on the elliptical, incline 6 intensity 5. Here's looking at you Tony!

Victories!!!

B2B W10: 375/250, ******, 15 stairs

I RAN AROUND THE TRACK TODAY!!!

TWICE!!!

My pace for 45 minutes was 3.2 mph! For comparison, I usually do 2.9 mph.

I passed the Navy couple!

I didn't want to go to the gym and almost didn't. I even let myself out of it. Then, I thought about how energized and invigorated I feel when I go and I got dressed and got out of the house...IN THE RAIN!!!

I walked down the block and across the street. I ran up the stairs. I did a spectacular workout. I feel energized and invigorated.

Setting a small, easily achievable goal and meeting it is the best thing you can do for yourself on your weight loss journey. I have proven it true for myself. In the first weeks of this challenge I was so excited just to meet my goal. I proved to myself that I can indeed do it. I stopped beating myself up for failing because I was succeeding.

Today, I'm moving from not beating myself up to actually championing myself. I want to be my best coach. I am often my best critic. I tend to see my job as identifying my flaws and punishing myself for them before anyone else has the chance. I do this so I don't get blindsided. That is shifting in me. The best part is that every aspect of my life is benifitting from this new attitude.

Be your own best coach.

In other news, I'm rethinking what I'm going to do for the next challenge. Stay tuned.

Less Than 750 Minutes To Go

B2B W10: 330/250, *****, 12 stairs

I am soooooooooo excited. I feel so psyched just for meeting this goal. I didn't really think I was capable of meeting goals anymore. Shocking and sad to say, but I actually felt that way. Now I'm almost 80% to my first goal of the year.

Wow!

Food is still healthy and wholesome. I'm liking the 2 fruit in the morning. By the time I leave work, I've had 6 servings of fruit and veggies. I have 2 in the morning, 2 for lunch, and 2 for a mid-afternoon snacks. You would think I would have the mentality of oh, it's done. I won't lie. I partially do, but mostly, I want more healthy food!!!!

Exercise is great. I am pushing my intensity on the elliptical. I think of the Anti-Jared and Brandi and Lyn and KK and Diana and Jared and Pasta Queen and all the other wonderful, supportive bloggers. I imagine that the row of ellipticals and bikes and treadmills are filled with us. I think that I could be peddling alongside any one of you and I want to give my all. I also set mini-targets and I get psyched to hit them. Today I ellipticalled at 4 mph on 10/4/4/4 intervals. I burned 555 calories. Next week I want to try intervals at resistance 5. The machine automatically programs the level 10 at resistance 8. One day I will be able to do that.

This Monday I had lunch with a friend of mine and I realized that I view my life as one obligation after another. No matter how beneficial, or enjoyable the activity is at the moment, I tend to view it as an obligation. That goes for my job, my food choices, exercise, church, cooking, and so on. Everything, all of a sudden, has become a chore, rather than a joy. When I had the realization, I decided to change my perspective. And in that moment, just like that I switched. My life is filled with joy. JOY-FILLED!!!

The Anti-Jared Strikes Again

B2B W9: 265/250, ******, 8 stairs

Tony is amazing. If you are serious about losing weight, read his blog. He has no excuses.

This morning the alarm went off at 5:15am and I hit snooze until 5:35. I wrestled with whether or not to go to the gym and decided against. I wanted to cuddle and be held and sleep some more. And I go to the gym every day. And I've met my goal for the week. And I'm tired. And I deserve a break.

Then I read the Anti-Jared. He had a similar experience at 5:43 this morning. Go ahead, go over and read it. I'll be here when you get back.

His post made me realize again that this is not something I'm doing for the short term to lose weight. Exercising in the morning is a habit I am building for my life. It's like getting up and taking a shower, or going to work. If I treated my job the way I treat my health, I would be fired by now.

Imagine...Wakati, your job responsibilities are to eat healthy, wholesome food and exercise every day. First 6 weeks on the job, everything is wonderful. Week 7, I get some negative, constructive feedback and I say oh, to hell with this, I'm just going to do what I want now. Monday, I eat healthy but don't exercise. Tuesday is a good day, I exercise AND eat healthy. Wednesday, I exercise half-heartedly and I almost eat healthy. Thursday, I have a stellar day. Friday the same. Saturday, by some fluke, I get amazing feedback for something I did during my 6-week perfect stint.

Week 8 I decide to "get back on track". I struggle and get more negative, but constructive feedback. Should have seen it coming based on my performance last week. Week 9. This job is a chore, don't I deserve a raise yet.

Imagine if I treated my job like that. Why do I treat my health that way?

I'll be at the gym this evening. DBF should be ecstatic. He loves the sauna. I think I'll spend some time in there myself. It'll be my treat at the end of an invigorating workout. That'll be my decompression this Friday.

Progress Not Perfection

B2B W9: 265/250, *****, 8 stairs

Yesterday, I sought food for comfort. I did not eat beyond full. I stayed within points. I made healthy, wholesome choices. I had the comfort food while talking to friends about the situation. However, in the essence of full disclosure, I wanted to say that I did, in a way, turn to food. I am getting better. As they say in OA, "Progress not perfection." However, I did seek comfort in it.

On a happy note, I'm over my goal for the week, but I need to make up some minutes this week so I'll meet the goal for the challenge. I'm so excited about finishing up the first challenge for the year. I learned a lot this quarter about myself and my relationship with food. I love exercise. After drinking water it is the easiest part of a healthy lifestyle for me. I just love how my body feels when I exercise. I feel lean, sensuous, and invigorated. I feel energized. It's an easy win.

BTW, look at that chick go!

Sweatin' to the Trini

B2B W9: 220/250, ****, 5 stairs

Great workout this morning. I burned over 600 calories (603, to be exact) and I worked the elliptical at 4 mph for the first time. I did it at 4 and 10 incline intervals at level 4 resistance. I am so stoked. When I started at the beginning of the year I would do 45 minutes at a flat 2 incline level 1 resistance SLOOOOOOOOWLY. It would kick my butt. Today, I was going to the beat. I loved it!

My food is very good so far this week - very healthy and wholesome. I am finding sustainable with my food and I'm enjoying it. I'm still working on reframing how I see healthy food and I'm changing what I choose to eat. On Saturday at dinner, for example, I chose salad (which was scrumptious), instead of soup. I imagine when I'm eating veggies that they're cleaning up my blood and helping me to be lean and strong.