You don't care what I'd do with $640 million if I won it. I'm going to tell you anyway.
5 Healthy Things I'd Do With My Lottery Winnings:
1. Quit my job, so I'd have lots more time for exercise and active pursuits. (And also because DUH, I'm pretty sure in Lottery 101 they teach you that the first thing you're supposed to do after you've verified that you have in fact won is Quit.Your.Job.)
2. Hire a triathlon coach. I'm pretty sure I could make a lot more progress toward my goals if I had somoeone bossing me around 24/7 like it's their job. Because, well, it would be their job.
3. Hire a personal chef to prepare super healthy foods for my family. I love my husband's cooking, but I don't think he'd mind giving up that responsibility to someone else.
4. Buy a bike. I'm probably going to want to do this at some point even if I don't win the lottery, because I imagine it's difficult to complete the cycling portion of a triathlon without one.
5. Buy a new house with its own swimming pool large enough for lap swimming. That way I can't use inconvenient "hours of operation" as an excuse not to go to the pool, and I don't have to be self-conscious about better swimmers watching me flail around like a whale in shallow water!!
5 UNhealthy Things I'd Do With My Lottery Winnings:
1. Celebrate with copious amounts of cake.
2. Celebrate with copious amounts of alcohol.
3. Go on vacation, where I will celebrate with even more food and booze.
4. Hire someone to watch my kids during the day so the hubs and I can catch up on all the sleep we've lost since becoming parents 6.5 years ago. (Sleep is actually healthy...but I'd be happy to get TOO MUCH of it for a little while!!!)
5. Buy a bakery, so I can continue to celebrate with cake for many years to come.
Hmmm....it's possible that it would be healthier for me not to win....but I'm buying a few tickets anyway!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Not My Best Work {Weekly Summary}
Weight: 217 lbs.
Weekly Change: -1
Overall Change: -2 from "starting weight" of 219
Next goal weight: 214
BMI: 31.1 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: Forgot to measure, but probably still 39 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 18/20 (depends on the day)
Total Workouts: 1
Total Running Time: 3 minutes
Total Running Distance: 1/4 mile
Longest Single Run: 3 min/.25 mile
Progress on Training Plan(s): I'm currently in Week 2 of this Couch to 5K program .
Total Flights of Stairs: 74
Status of Busted Toe: The broken part continues to grow out, slowly but surely, and the discolored area continues to spread. I really hope that part IS going to heal eventually!!
Last Week's Goal(s): Fell short on both of my exercise goals. I only had one workout (but it was great!), and I only climbed 74 flights of stairs. I did reach my blog goal though, when I posted a photo of the gimpy toe on Wordless Wednesday.
Next Event Goal: Still not ready to choose a specific event, so sticking with the vague goal to be in 5K shape by this summer. I'm starting to look into some races, so I really need to get my butt in gear so I can set some attainable goals!
Next Week's Goals: Okay, AGAIN I am aiming for just TWO workouts. I think I'm going to punish myself somehow if I can't manage this. And since I failed to reach 100 flights of stairs, I'll repeat that as my weekly goal as well. This week I'll set a third exercise goal, to keep up with my crunches and push ups. I started that little challenge last week, did three days, then missed two days, then got back into it yesterday. My goal for this week is to miss no more than one day in a row (if I have to miss any). My blog goal for this week is to start working ahead on some posts for future weeks, so that I'm not always trying to get a whole post written from start to finish every day.
Analysis: Eh, it was an off week. I'll spare you the litany of excuses, but basically there were a bunch of small obstacles that individually were not too terrible, but when piled on top of each other really slowed me down. Assuming I don't catch my son's stomach virus, I'm optimistic that this will be a much better week! Oh, and on the bright side, my one workout included a short run, and it felt great! I can't wait to do it again!
Weekly Change: -1
Overall Change: -2 from "starting weight" of 219
Next goal weight: 214
BMI: 31.1 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: Forgot to measure, but probably still 39 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 18/20 (depends on the day)
Total Workouts: 1
Total Running Time: 3 minutes
Total Running Distance: 1/4 mile
Longest Single Run: 3 min/.25 mile
Progress on Training Plan(s): I'm currently in Week 2 of this Couch to 5K program .
Total Flights of Stairs: 74
Status of Busted Toe: The broken part continues to grow out, slowly but surely, and the discolored area continues to spread. I really hope that part IS going to heal eventually!!
Last Week's Goal(s): Fell short on both of my exercise goals. I only had one workout (but it was great!), and I only climbed 74 flights of stairs. I did reach my blog goal though, when I posted a photo of the gimpy toe on Wordless Wednesday.
Next Event Goal: Still not ready to choose a specific event, so sticking with the vague goal to be in 5K shape by this summer. I'm starting to look into some races, so I really need to get my butt in gear so I can set some attainable goals!
Next Week's Goals: Okay, AGAIN I am aiming for just TWO workouts. I think I'm going to punish myself somehow if I can't manage this. And since I failed to reach 100 flights of stairs, I'll repeat that as my weekly goal as well. This week I'll set a third exercise goal, to keep up with my crunches and push ups. I started that little challenge last week, did three days, then missed two days, then got back into it yesterday. My goal for this week is to miss no more than one day in a row (if I have to miss any). My blog goal for this week is to start working ahead on some posts for future weeks, so that I'm not always trying to get a whole post written from start to finish every day.
Analysis: Eh, it was an off week. I'll spare you the litany of excuses, but basically there were a bunch of small obstacles that individually were not too terrible, but when piled on top of each other really slowed me down. Assuming I don't catch my son's stomach virus, I'm optimistic that this will be a much better week! Oh, and on the bright side, my one workout included a short run, and it felt great! I can't wait to do it again!
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Gone Running, Back Later {Inspiration of the Week}
"You either ran today, or you didn't."
That's the tagline of one of my favorite Facebook pages. I love it because the message is so simple and true, and there is no judgement in it. You are free to feel however you want about whichever option is your reality on any given day.
Some days the line induces guilt, as I realize my excuses are lame and don't really matter. Other days I am confident that my reasons for not running are legitimate, but then I'm reminded that the end result is still the same: a day that I didn't run is a day that I didn't run, regardless of the reason. And of course there are days when I DID run, and when I see that quote I feel proud of myself! Still other days, the line is a reminder that the day is not yet over, and I still must choose what kind of day it's going to be. There's a lot of possible meaning in that short little sentence!
The Facebook page is called "I *heart* to run," and I think I found it via a friend who is also a runner. Everyday it posts inspirational quotes and pictures, and nearly all of them resonate with me to some degree. I'm tempted to post their quotes all over the walls of my basement where my treadmill is, to help me keep going when I struggle.
There is more to the page than inspirational quotes, too! Each day they give away a "Gone Running" sign, and they also have a link to their website that is an online fundraising platform. See their "About" section for more info.
If you're a runner and you're not already a fan of "I *heart* to run", I suggest you become one ASAP!
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with "I *heart* to run" in any way. I'm simply one of many FB fans who appreciate the ways the page speaks to us, and I want to share that inspiration with any of my friends who haven't been exposed to it yet!
NOTE: The name of the page actually uses a "less than" symbol and a 3 to make the heart, but when I type that here, it gets all screwed up due to html. I am not savvy enough to know how to work around that problem, so I'm just replacing it with *heart*. If you click the link to the FB page, you will see the title correctly written. :)
That's the tagline of one of my favorite Facebook pages. I love it because the message is so simple and true, and there is no judgement in it. You are free to feel however you want about whichever option is your reality on any given day.
Some days the line induces guilt, as I realize my excuses are lame and don't really matter. Other days I am confident that my reasons for not running are legitimate, but then I'm reminded that the end result is still the same: a day that I didn't run is a day that I didn't run, regardless of the reason. And of course there are days when I DID run, and when I see that quote I feel proud of myself! Still other days, the line is a reminder that the day is not yet over, and I still must choose what kind of day it's going to be. There's a lot of possible meaning in that short little sentence!
The Facebook page is called "I *heart* to run," and I think I found it via a friend who is also a runner. Everyday it posts inspirational quotes and pictures, and nearly all of them resonate with me to some degree. I'm tempted to post their quotes all over the walls of my basement where my treadmill is, to help me keep going when I struggle.
There is more to the page than inspirational quotes, too! Each day they give away a "Gone Running" sign, and they also have a link to their website that is an online fundraising platform. See their "About" section for more info.
If you're a runner and you're not already a fan of "I *heart* to run", I suggest you become one ASAP!
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with "I *heart* to run" in any way. I'm simply one of many FB fans who appreciate the ways the page speaks to us, and I want to share that inspiration with any of my friends who haven't been exposed to it yet!
NOTE: The name of the page actually uses a "less than" symbol and a 3 to make the heart, but when I type that here, it gets all screwed up due to html. I am not savvy enough to know how to work around that problem, so I'm just replacing it with *heart*. If you click the link to the FB page, you will see the title correctly written. :)
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Feeling Crunchy {Tuesday Tips}
Since my running is getting off to a very slow start, and I'm not yet ready to get back in the pool, I'm looking for other ways to get myself moving and getting fit. The stair climbing challenge is helping me battle my laziness and is giving my legs a great workout! Now I need something to help with my upper body and my core.
I've seen some mentions on message boards about various sit up and push up challenges, and decided to give those a shot. I'm going to start out with just one of each, and add one more each day until I build up to a specific number. I think the goals will be 200 sit ups and 100 push ups daily, because a lot of challenges have those numbers as their goals. Actually, I might increase my sit ups by 2 each day, so I can arrive at both goals at the same time. I hope that won't be too difficult to keep track of -- I'll have to write it on a calendar or something.
The reason I'm posting this in "Tuesday Tips" is that I'm curious how people do sit ups these days. As I recall, over the years, various "experts" have taught different ways to do them, because some ways are not as good for your back or your neck, and some are more effective than others, etc. And for a while there, wasn't everyone calling them crunches instead of sit ups? Or are those two distinct moves? The last time I was doing crunches regularly, I was doing them on an exercise ball, which was challenging but not painful. I liked that method and will probably try that again, unless I learn a good reason to do something different.
How do you do sit ups or crunches, and why? Is there a "right" way to do them, or is it a matter of preference? Thanks for your insight!
I've seen some mentions on message boards about various sit up and push up challenges, and decided to give those a shot. I'm going to start out with just one of each, and add one more each day until I build up to a specific number. I think the goals will be 200 sit ups and 100 push ups daily, because a lot of challenges have those numbers as their goals. Actually, I might increase my sit ups by 2 each day, so I can arrive at both goals at the same time. I hope that won't be too difficult to keep track of -- I'll have to write it on a calendar or something.
The reason I'm posting this in "Tuesday Tips" is that I'm curious how people do sit ups these days. As I recall, over the years, various "experts" have taught different ways to do them, because some ways are not as good for your back or your neck, and some are more effective than others, etc. And for a while there, wasn't everyone calling them crunches instead of sit ups? Or are those two distinct moves? The last time I was doing crunches regularly, I was doing them on an exercise ball, which was challenging but not painful. I liked that method and will probably try that again, unless I learn a good reason to do something different.
How do you do sit ups or crunches, and why? Is there a "right" way to do them, or is it a matter of preference? Thanks for your insight!
Monday, March 19, 2012
Mediocrity at its Best {Weekly Summary}
Weight: 218 lbs.
Weekly Change: -3
Overall Change: -1 from "starting weight" of 219
Next goal weight: 214
BMI: 31.3 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: 39 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 18/20 (depends on the day)
Total Workouts: 1
Total Running Time: N/A
Total Running Distance: N/A
Longest Single Run: N/A
Progress on Training Plan(s): I've completed Week 1 of this Couch to 5K program .
Total Flights of Stairs: 90
Status of Busted Toe: Made some visible progress! The detached portion moved far enough that I could safely clip it off without leaving too much tender flesh exposed. Meanwhile, the discolored area under the nail is getting larger. I have no idea if that is a bad sign or a normal part of the healing process. It hurts when I'm on my feet too much, but it's starting to look a lot better. I'm thinking of posting a pic this week.
Last Week's Goal(s): Half and half: I only worked out once, but I increased my number of flights of stairs from 72 to 90 (the goal was just 80). I don't mind batting .500 when my one hit is a solid one like that. :) Oh, and I did achieve my one non-exercise goal as well, which was to keep up my frequent blogging. I even came up with a structure to help me write more often. Yay!
Next Event Goal: Still not ready to choose a specific event, so sticking with the vague goal to be in 5K shape by this summer.
Next Week's Goals: Looks like once again I need to aim for two workouts. As usual, I'm having trouble finding the time to walk/run, so I need to start incorporating some of my fitness DVD's so I can be doing some kind of exercise when when I can't walk/run. I'm going to up the ante in my stair climbing challenge as well, and aim for 10 more flights for a total of 100! I might as well choose another blog goal too: this week, I'd like to publish at least one post that includes pictures.
Analysis: As expected, the 2 lbs I gained last week turned out to be temporary bloat, and I was happy to see it disappear. I hope the additional pound lost was for real though...only time will tell. I'm a little frustrated with myself for only doing one workout, especially when Saturday was such a gorgeous day! I did manage to get out and play with my kids and enjoy the sunshine, but I really should have made the time for a walk/run as well. I climbed a whole lotta stairs, and I'm pretty pleased about that. Oh, and I did something else good for my health too, when I went to the dentist. Overall, it was a decent week, but it still leaves plenty of room for improvement!
Weekly Change: -3
Overall Change: -1 from "starting weight" of 219
Next goal weight: 214
BMI: 31.3 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: 39 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 18/20 (depends on the day)
Total Workouts: 1
Total Running Time: N/A
Total Running Distance: N/A
Longest Single Run: N/A
Progress on Training Plan(s): I've completed Week 1 of this Couch to 5K program .
Total Flights of Stairs: 90
Status of Busted Toe: Made some visible progress! The detached portion moved far enough that I could safely clip it off without leaving too much tender flesh exposed. Meanwhile, the discolored area under the nail is getting larger. I have no idea if that is a bad sign or a normal part of the healing process. It hurts when I'm on my feet too much, but it's starting to look a lot better. I'm thinking of posting a pic this week.
Last Week's Goal(s): Half and half: I only worked out once, but I increased my number of flights of stairs from 72 to 90 (the goal was just 80). I don't mind batting .500 when my one hit is a solid one like that. :) Oh, and I did achieve my one non-exercise goal as well, which was to keep up my frequent blogging. I even came up with a structure to help me write more often. Yay!
Next Event Goal: Still not ready to choose a specific event, so sticking with the vague goal to be in 5K shape by this summer.
Next Week's Goals: Looks like once again I need to aim for two workouts. As usual, I'm having trouble finding the time to walk/run, so I need to start incorporating some of my fitness DVD's so I can be doing some kind of exercise when when I can't walk/run. I'm going to up the ante in my stair climbing challenge as well, and aim for 10 more flights for a total of 100! I might as well choose another blog goal too: this week, I'd like to publish at least one post that includes pictures.
Analysis: As expected, the 2 lbs I gained last week turned out to be temporary bloat, and I was happy to see it disappear. I hope the additional pound lost was for real though...only time will tell. I'm a little frustrated with myself for only doing one workout, especially when Saturday was such a gorgeous day! I did manage to get out and play with my kids and enjoy the sunshine, but I really should have made the time for a walk/run as well. I climbed a whole lotta stairs, and I'm pretty pleased about that. Oh, and I did something else good for my health too, when I went to the dentist. Overall, it was a decent week, but it still leaves plenty of room for improvement!
Friday, March 16, 2012
My Corniest Obsession {Friday FOOD}
Life has been rough ever since I gave up late night desserts. My sweet tooth is very angry at me, and I must confess that sometimes I placate it by cramming cookies or something into my mouth at 8:55 (I set 9pm as the official cut-off for dessert). Breaking a bad habit can be an ugly process.
My saving grace on these long, hungry nights has been microwave popcorn, in little individual 100-calorie bags of perfection. We buy them in bulk at Costco. (We have four sons...pretty soon we'll be buying everything in bulk at Costco!) Each bag is just the right size for a light, reasonably healthy late-night snack. I eat it almost every night, and though it doesn't satisfy my craving for something sugary, it does keep me from ransacking the kitchen for junky alternatives.
In an ideal world, I'd eat something REALLY healthy at night, like veggies or fruit. I'm happy to snack on those during the day, but at night they are the last things I want. So right now, popcorn is my best friend!
What are your favorite semi-healthy snacks?
My saving grace on these long, hungry nights has been microwave popcorn, in little individual 100-calorie bags of perfection. We buy them in bulk at Costco. (We have four sons...pretty soon we'll be buying everything in bulk at Costco!) Each bag is just the right size for a light, reasonably healthy late-night snack. I eat it almost every night, and though it doesn't satisfy my craving for something sugary, it does keep me from ransacking the kitchen for junky alternatives.
In an ideal world, I'd eat something REALLY healthy at night, like veggies or fruit. I'm happy to snack on those during the day, but at night they are the last things I want. So right now, popcorn is my best friend!
What are your favorite semi-healthy snacks?
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Memory Lane {Inspiration of the Week}
Yesterday I told you my inspiration posts would be interesting because they wouldn't be about me. Today I'm going to kick things off by writing about....me. Yep, I'm a big ol' liar and cannot be trusted.
The thing is, I have lots of ideas for this theme, because I'm always seeing or hearing something that inspires me, but the biggest thing motivating me this week is this very blog. A few days ago, I read back through the first year or so of posts, and got caught up in my own story. I remembered what each success and failure felt like, and became reacquainted with my drive to keep pushing onward, keep overcoming obstacles, keep making dreams come true.
I'm just an ordinary person; my story isn't too remarkable. But as time goes by and circumstances change, sometimes we lose little bits of ourselves along the way. It can be nice to rediscover the best parts of ourselves and revisit lessons we have learned so we can apply them again and again.
Here are some of my favorite old posts that are inspiring me today:
To Dream the Improbable Dream
An Olympic Spirit
The Heart of a Winner
Where It All Began
Head First
Head Games
Sweet Success
So Good, it's SCARY
These posts get me all pumped up and eager to race again! This is just the boost I need when I'm about to start running again any day now!!
The thing is, I have lots of ideas for this theme, because I'm always seeing or hearing something that inspires me, but the biggest thing motivating me this week is this very blog. A few days ago, I read back through the first year or so of posts, and got caught up in my own story. I remembered what each success and failure felt like, and became reacquainted with my drive to keep pushing onward, keep overcoming obstacles, keep making dreams come true.
I'm just an ordinary person; my story isn't too remarkable. But as time goes by and circumstances change, sometimes we lose little bits of ourselves along the way. It can be nice to rediscover the best parts of ourselves and revisit lessons we have learned so we can apply them again and again.
Here are some of my favorite old posts that are inspiring me today:
To Dream the Improbable Dream
An Olympic Spirit
The Heart of a Winner
Where It All Began
Head First
Head Games
Sweet Success
So Good, it's SCARY
These posts get me all pumped up and eager to race again! This is just the boost I need when I'm about to start running again any day now!!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Ch-Ch-Changes
Change is afoot here at Might As Well Tri!
As I'm gearing up to fully embrace the active lifestyle again, I'm starting to rely on this blog as a motivating factor. The more I write, the more I want to do things so that I'll have even more topics to cover! In order to keep that momentum going, I'm going to create a little more structure here so it will be easier for me to organize my thoughts.
Basically, I'm going to assign a topic or theme to each day of the week (and in some cases it will be multiple themes that will rotate according to circumstances or my mood). Then, any time I think of something I'd like to write about, I'll figure out which theme fits best, and create a post in that format for that day.
Now, I'm a little rebellious by nature, and sometimes I enjoy having structure in place just so I can deviate from it. If I ever have a post that I'm dying to publish, but it doesn't fit into any of my established themes, I'm just going to post it anyway. I also might blend categories together, or mix up the days, or make any other changes that strike my fancy in the moment. The idea isn't to limit my creativity, but rather to help me sharpen up some of my ramblings. I like to color both inside and outside the lines.
Here are my planned themes:
MONDAY: Summary of the previous week (I have already started this. In addition, once I resume racing, I will probably post race reports on Mondays as well.)
TUESDAY: Tuesday Tips (I've tried this feature before and appreciated the helpful feedback I received. This time I will occasionally give tips of my own in addition to asking for advice.)
WEDNESDAY: Wordless/Wordy Wednesdays (Bloggers have been using the Wordless Wednesday theme for years, and I think it's pretty cool. It will be a challenge for me, as I'm much better expressing myself with LOTS AND LOTS OF WORDS (shocking, I know) than with little to none. I'm not sure if I'll be any good at taking and posting the pictures, but I will do my best. And since it will probably make me a little twitchy trying to express myself without words, I'll post the occasional WORDY post to balance it all out. Anytime I find that I have a whole lot to say on a topic, I'll save that post for a Wednesday.)
THURSDAY: Inspiration of the Week (Here I will share quotes, songs, stories, people, etc. that inspire me. These might end up being the most interesting posts of all, because they will rarely be about me. ;-) )
FRIDAY: Funny/Food/Five Things (I'm a little indecisive about what I want to post on Fridays, but I know it needs to be entertaining. No one wants to read boring or serious stuff while they're watching the clock and getting psyched up to start the weekend!! I love to eat and I love to laugh, so it makes sense to include both of those general ideas on Fridays. I also like the idea of posting fun lists of five things...and those five things could overlap with the food, the funny stuff, or any of the other categories I cover. Or really any random topic at all. The sky's the limit! This is the theme I am both most excited and most doubtful about. Though I love to read little lists, I'm not sure if I'll be clever enough to come up with good ones of my own. If not, then I guess be on the lookout for even more jokes and recipes.)
SATURDAY: Saturday Shopper (Just like Tuesday Tips, I've tried this feature before and appreciated the feedback, so I'll introduce it again, and this time add some of my own suggestions in addition to asking for recommendations.)
SUNDAY: Spirituality (Don't worry, this isn't going to morph from a fitness blog into a religion blog. In fact, most of the time I will probably take Sunday off from blogging...you know, day of rest and all that. But I do consider my spiritual health to be just as important, if not more so, than my physical, emotional, and mental health, so to the extent that I have any faith-based thoughts to share, I will publish those posts on Sundays.)
As always, I appreciate your comments and welcome your questions. Though I write primarily for myself, the whole point of making it public is to connect with other people who might relate to me in some way. If any of this new structure fails to resonate with my readers, I'd like to know so I can determine whether it's worthwhile to continue. And on the flip side, if any particular feature is incredibly popular with you, I might try to focus more of my energy in that area. So please keep me posted on what you like or don't like! Thanks!
As I'm gearing up to fully embrace the active lifestyle again, I'm starting to rely on this blog as a motivating factor. The more I write, the more I want to do things so that I'll have even more topics to cover! In order to keep that momentum going, I'm going to create a little more structure here so it will be easier for me to organize my thoughts.
Basically, I'm going to assign a topic or theme to each day of the week (and in some cases it will be multiple themes that will rotate according to circumstances or my mood). Then, any time I think of something I'd like to write about, I'll figure out which theme fits best, and create a post in that format for that day.
Now, I'm a little rebellious by nature, and sometimes I enjoy having structure in place just so I can deviate from it. If I ever have a post that I'm dying to publish, but it doesn't fit into any of my established themes, I'm just going to post it anyway. I also might blend categories together, or mix up the days, or make any other changes that strike my fancy in the moment. The idea isn't to limit my creativity, but rather to help me sharpen up some of my ramblings. I like to color both inside and outside the lines.
Here are my planned themes:
MONDAY: Summary of the previous week (I have already started this. In addition, once I resume racing, I will probably post race reports on Mondays as well.)
TUESDAY: Tuesday Tips (I've tried this feature before and appreciated the helpful feedback I received. This time I will occasionally give tips of my own in addition to asking for advice.)
WEDNESDAY: Wordless/Wordy Wednesdays (Bloggers have been using the Wordless Wednesday theme for years, and I think it's pretty cool. It will be a challenge for me, as I'm much better expressing myself with LOTS AND LOTS OF WORDS (shocking, I know) than with little to none. I'm not sure if I'll be any good at taking and posting the pictures, but I will do my best. And since it will probably make me a little twitchy trying to express myself without words, I'll post the occasional WORDY post to balance it all out. Anytime I find that I have a whole lot to say on a topic, I'll save that post for a Wednesday.)
THURSDAY: Inspiration of the Week (Here I will share quotes, songs, stories, people, etc. that inspire me. These might end up being the most interesting posts of all, because they will rarely be about me. ;-) )
FRIDAY: Funny/Food/Five Things (I'm a little indecisive about what I want to post on Fridays, but I know it needs to be entertaining. No one wants to read boring or serious stuff while they're watching the clock and getting psyched up to start the weekend!! I love to eat and I love to laugh, so it makes sense to include both of those general ideas on Fridays. I also like the idea of posting fun lists of five things...and those five things could overlap with the food, the funny stuff, or any of the other categories I cover. Or really any random topic at all. The sky's the limit! This is the theme I am both most excited and most doubtful about. Though I love to read little lists, I'm not sure if I'll be clever enough to come up with good ones of my own. If not, then I guess be on the lookout for even more jokes and recipes.)
SATURDAY: Saturday Shopper (Just like Tuesday Tips, I've tried this feature before and appreciated the feedback, so I'll introduce it again, and this time add some of my own suggestions in addition to asking for recommendations.)
SUNDAY: Spirituality (Don't worry, this isn't going to morph from a fitness blog into a religion blog. In fact, most of the time I will probably take Sunday off from blogging...you know, day of rest and all that. But I do consider my spiritual health to be just as important, if not more so, than my physical, emotional, and mental health, so to the extent that I have any faith-based thoughts to share, I will publish those posts on Sundays.)
As always, I appreciate your comments and welcome your questions. Though I write primarily for myself, the whole point of making it public is to connect with other people who might relate to me in some way. If any of this new structure fails to resonate with my readers, I'd like to know so I can determine whether it's worthwhile to continue. And on the flip side, if any particular feature is incredibly popular with you, I might try to focus more of my energy in that area. So please keep me posted on what you like or don't like! Thanks!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Pearly Whites (Tuesday Tips: Preventive Care)
As part of my "big picture" approach to health, I'm patting myself on the back for going to the dentist this morning.
Most people probably think going to the dentist is no big deal, but not too long ago I actually went nine whole years without going!! I never did like the experience much, and didn't know how to go about finding a dentist once I moved to the DC area, so I just...didn't go. Oops?
What finally motivated me to start getting my teeth cleaned again was parenthood. We had started taking the kids to the dentist regularly, and I felt like a giant hypocrite insisting that they endure something I was unwilling to endure myself. So I discovered a very friendly dentist who is an active member of our church community, and got my dental health back on track. Luckily my years away hadn't done any damage. I did have to get some old fillings replaced (and will need to replace them all eventually), but otherwise my teeth have been in great shape. I missed one dental appointment last summer when my baby was still new and working around his eating/sleeping schedule was next-to-impossible, but today I resumed my twice-yearly appointments.
Now that my teeth have been taken care of for the time being, I can move on to several other appointments I'd like to make this year in order to improve or maintain my health. I need to find a general practioner I can go to for ordinary ailments (like if I were to get bronchitis again or something), and I also really need to see a dermatologist. I want to be more proactive about various types of preventive care, in the hopes of avoiding treatments in the future!
What types of preventive care do you do or recommend?
Most people probably think going to the dentist is no big deal, but not too long ago I actually went nine whole years without going!! I never did like the experience much, and didn't know how to go about finding a dentist once I moved to the DC area, so I just...didn't go. Oops?
What finally motivated me to start getting my teeth cleaned again was parenthood. We had started taking the kids to the dentist regularly, and I felt like a giant hypocrite insisting that they endure something I was unwilling to endure myself. So I discovered a very friendly dentist who is an active member of our church community, and got my dental health back on track. Luckily my years away hadn't done any damage. I did have to get some old fillings replaced (and will need to replace them all eventually), but otherwise my teeth have been in great shape. I missed one dental appointment last summer when my baby was still new and working around his eating/sleeping schedule was next-to-impossible, but today I resumed my twice-yearly appointments.
Now that my teeth have been taken care of for the time being, I can move on to several other appointments I'd like to make this year in order to improve or maintain my health. I need to find a general practioner I can go to for ordinary ailments (like if I were to get bronchitis again or something), and I also really need to see a dermatologist. I want to be more proactive about various types of preventive care, in the hopes of avoiding treatments in the future!
What types of preventive care do you do or recommend?
Monday, March 12, 2012
Bad Two, Good Two (Weekly Summary)
Weight: 221 lbs.
Weekly Change: +2
Overall Change: +2
Next goal weight: 214
BMI: 31.7 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: 39.25 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 20
Total Workouts: 2
Total Running Time: N/A
Total Running Distance: N/A
Longest Single Run: N/A
Progress on Training Plan(s): I've done 2 days of Week 1 of this Couch to 5K program .
Total Flights of Stairs: 72
Status of Busted Toe: Still healing very slowly. I'm paranoid that the huge broken section will catch on something and rip completely off. *shudder* (not much change from last week)
Last Week's Goal(s): Success! I did my minimum of one workout, and then doubled my goal by doing a second workout! And I increased my flights of stairs by 27, which is quite a bit more than 5. Of course, that was pretty easy to do since the first week of the stair challenge was not a full seven days!
Next Event Goal: As I mentioned last week, I'm not selecting a particular event until I'm ready, so my current vague goal is just to be in 5K shape by this summer.
Next Week's Goals: After successfully completing two workouts in a week, I'm tempted to get ambitious and shoot for three this time, but I'm going to exercise a little self-restraint. I need to be building confidence by setting and achieving small goals, and build slowly from there. So this week my goal will be simply to match last week's two workouts (though one of them should be running, busted toe permitting). My stair challenge goal will be to add 8 more flights for a nice, round 80. A third goal I'd like to add is to keep the momentum going with this blog. I've started posting more and I love it! Even though I haven't been getting much feedback, writing frequently is still helpful to me because it keeps health and fitness issues on my mind. I'm more likely to make an effort at good habits if I'm thinking about them, so I'm forcing myself to stay mindful by writing! I have a lot of ideas for more topics to cover and features to try out, and I don't want to get too distracted by March Madness!! I need to spend at least as much time blogging this week as I do filling out and following my brackets. :)
Analysis: Yes, I gained 2 lbs this week, but I'm not going to dwell on that. I'm pretty sure it's just temporary bloat and not a true gain, so I'm not going to worry about it unless/until the extra weight is still there at the end of this week as well. Meanwhile, I'm going to focus on the more important "2" from last week, which is the number of workouts! I'm proud of myself for getting moving, and hoping these were the first steps of a long journey and not just another false start! One source of motivation right now is the gorgeous early spring weather -- the warm air and sunshine make me want to get outside and be active! Yesterday I tossed my 3-year-old in the stroller and went for a brisk walk outside, and it felt amazing! I'm not sure I would have been as driven to hop on the treadmill...
Weekly Change: +2
Overall Change: +2
Next goal weight: 214
BMI: 31.7 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: 39.25 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 20
Total Workouts: 2
Total Running Time: N/A
Total Running Distance: N/A
Longest Single Run: N/A
Progress on Training Plan(s): I've done 2 days of Week 1 of this Couch to 5K program .
Total Flights of Stairs: 72
Status of Busted Toe: Still healing very slowly. I'm paranoid that the huge broken section will catch on something and rip completely off. *shudder* (not much change from last week)
Last Week's Goal(s): Success! I did my minimum of one workout, and then doubled my goal by doing a second workout! And I increased my flights of stairs by 27, which is quite a bit more than 5. Of course, that was pretty easy to do since the first week of the stair challenge was not a full seven days!
Next Event Goal: As I mentioned last week, I'm not selecting a particular event until I'm ready, so my current vague goal is just to be in 5K shape by this summer.
Next Week's Goals: After successfully completing two workouts in a week, I'm tempted to get ambitious and shoot for three this time, but I'm going to exercise a little self-restraint. I need to be building confidence by setting and achieving small goals, and build slowly from there. So this week my goal will be simply to match last week's two workouts (though one of them should be running, busted toe permitting). My stair challenge goal will be to add 8 more flights for a nice, round 80. A third goal I'd like to add is to keep the momentum going with this blog. I've started posting more and I love it! Even though I haven't been getting much feedback, writing frequently is still helpful to me because it keeps health and fitness issues on my mind. I'm more likely to make an effort at good habits if I'm thinking about them, so I'm forcing myself to stay mindful by writing! I have a lot of ideas for more topics to cover and features to try out, and I don't want to get too distracted by March Madness!! I need to spend at least as much time blogging this week as I do filling out and following my brackets. :)
Analysis: Yes, I gained 2 lbs this week, but I'm not going to dwell on that. I'm pretty sure it's just temporary bloat and not a true gain, so I'm not going to worry about it unless/until the extra weight is still there at the end of this week as well. Meanwhile, I'm going to focus on the more important "2" from last week, which is the number of workouts! I'm proud of myself for getting moving, and hoping these were the first steps of a long journey and not just another false start! One source of motivation right now is the gorgeous early spring weather -- the warm air and sunshine make me want to get outside and be active! Yesterday I tossed my 3-year-old in the stroller and went for a brisk walk outside, and it felt amazing! I'm not sure I would have been as driven to hop on the treadmill...
Friday, March 9, 2012
What I Kneed
Runner's World Magazine posted this funny photo on Facebook this week. It really struck a nerve with me (hardy har har), because I'd already been thinking of posting about my poor knees. I only wish I were feeling the aches of distance running! Instead, my knees are just suffering from having way too much weight on them.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has done tests on how obesity negatively affects the knees. Most of those tests were done on the "morbidly" obese (BMI greater than 45), and I don't fall into that category. However, simple logic tells me that ANY extra weight on a joint is going to cause extra strain on that joint as well.
Right now, my knees don't bother me when I just walk around. I've only noticed pain lately because I've been going up and down stairs more, and THAT is when they hurt. It's not a severe pain, but rather a frequent reminder that there is work to be done. I'd like to be climbing stairs with ease well into old age. In order to have healthy knees then, I need to take care of them now.
The good news is that the journey has begun once again -- I got on the treadmill last night! Maybe I can break out of the vicious cycle of laziness, and start a new, more benevolent cycle, wherein the stair climbing reminds me that I need to walk/run, and the walking/running leads to weight loss and stronger knees, in turn leading to easier trips up and down the stairs. Doesn't that sound nice?
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has done tests on how obesity negatively affects the knees. Most of those tests were done on the "morbidly" obese (BMI greater than 45), and I don't fall into that category. However, simple logic tells me that ANY extra weight on a joint is going to cause extra strain on that joint as well.
Right now, my knees don't bother me when I just walk around. I've only noticed pain lately because I've been going up and down stairs more, and THAT is when they hurt. It's not a severe pain, but rather a frequent reminder that there is work to be done. I'd like to be climbing stairs with ease well into old age. In order to have healthy knees then, I need to take care of them now.
The good news is that the journey has begun once again -- I got on the treadmill last night! Maybe I can break out of the vicious cycle of laziness, and start a new, more benevolent cycle, wherein the stair climbing reminds me that I need to walk/run, and the walking/running leads to weight loss and stronger knees, in turn leading to easier trips up and down the stairs. Doesn't that sound nice?
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Destination Unknown
Right now, thousands of people are registering to run the Marine Corps Marathon this coming October. I envy them -- not because I want to run a marathon myself, but because I wish I had enough confidence in myself to know what I should be capable of accomplishing by the fall.
When I started running again in August, I assumed that I was on a one-way road to fitness again, and that surely I'd be in racing form sometime before winter hit. I hadn't picked out a specific race, but I did have a few in mind, and became increasingly discouraged as each one came and went without my participation. You see, even though I started running, I didn't manage to keep running, which is sort of essential to the whole "being in shape to race" thing.
Once I was ready to put my false start behind me and begin moving forward again, I decided that even though the fall was a bust, SURELY I'd be ready to race by the SPRING. That sounds perfectly reasonable, right? I even had a dream race all picked out! In a few weeks, that race will be run...without me. To say I'm disappointed about failing to meet this particular goal would be an understatement.
Now, it's possible my busted toe would have derailed my training for the Bridge Run anyway. And it was also possible all along that I might not have been able to afford the trip. Plus, dwelling on the disappointment is not going to help me meet any future goals. So once again I am putting a temporary failure behind me in order to move forward to my next success, but I'm taking a lesson with me as well.
From now on, until I have overcome all my issues with scheduling and energy and motivation, and have actually resumed running at least three times per week, I'm not going to focus on any particular event goal. Everything I'm aiming for will be conditional and vague. I trust that I will know when I am truly ready to commit to firmer goals.
So here is what I'm looking at in the big picture: IF I'm running consistently by the end of spring, THEN I hope to be able to complete a 5K sometime this summer. IF I complete a 5K this summer, THEN I hope to tackle a 10K in the fall or early winter. And IF I manage to resume swimming and start cycling sometime in the first half of the year, THEN I might attempt a sprint tri in early fall, but let's be real -- it probably won't happen until next spring.
As soon as I'm confident enough to make any of those goals more specific, you will be the first to know!
{Oh, and naturally if a miracle occurs and I make much faster progress than I'm expecting, I'm open to moving this whole timeline up. But, you know, pigs will be flying and the Mayans will be proven right, etc...}
When I started running again in August, I assumed that I was on a one-way road to fitness again, and that surely I'd be in racing form sometime before winter hit. I hadn't picked out a specific race, but I did have a few in mind, and became increasingly discouraged as each one came and went without my participation. You see, even though I started running, I didn't manage to keep running, which is sort of essential to the whole "being in shape to race" thing.
Once I was ready to put my false start behind me and begin moving forward again, I decided that even though the fall was a bust, SURELY I'd be ready to race by the SPRING. That sounds perfectly reasonable, right? I even had a dream race all picked out! In a few weeks, that race will be run...without me. To say I'm disappointed about failing to meet this particular goal would be an understatement.
Now, it's possible my busted toe would have derailed my training for the Bridge Run anyway. And it was also possible all along that I might not have been able to afford the trip. Plus, dwelling on the disappointment is not going to help me meet any future goals. So once again I am putting a temporary failure behind me in order to move forward to my next success, but I'm taking a lesson with me as well.
From now on, until I have overcome all my issues with scheduling and energy and motivation, and have actually resumed running at least three times per week, I'm not going to focus on any particular event goal. Everything I'm aiming for will be conditional and vague. I trust that I will know when I am truly ready to commit to firmer goals.
So here is what I'm looking at in the big picture: IF I'm running consistently by the end of spring, THEN I hope to be able to complete a 5K sometime this summer. IF I complete a 5K this summer, THEN I hope to tackle a 10K in the fall or early winter. And IF I manage to resume swimming and start cycling sometime in the first half of the year, THEN I might attempt a sprint tri in early fall, but let's be real -- it probably won't happen until next spring.
As soon as I'm confident enough to make any of those goals more specific, you will be the first to know!
{Oh, and naturally if a miracle occurs and I make much faster progress than I'm expecting, I'm open to moving this whole timeline up. But, you know, pigs will be flying and the Mayans will be proven right, etc...}
Monday, March 5, 2012
Second Verse, Same as the First (Weekly summary)
Weight: 219 lbs.
Weekly Change: None
Overall Change: None
Next goal weight: 214
BMI: 31.4 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: 39 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 20
Total Workouts: 0
Total Running Time: 0
Total Running Distance: 0
Longest Single Run: N/A
Progress on Training Plan(s): Still trying to start this Couch to 5K program again.
Total Flights of Stairs: 45
Status of Busted Toe: Still healing very slowly. I'm paranoid that the huge broken section will catch on something and rip completely off. *shudder*
Last Week's Goal(s): Well I only had one goal (to do one walking workout), and I didn't meet it, so I didn't get off to the best start. However, participating in the Take the Stairs Challenge definitely helped me get moving more when I'm not fully engaged in a workout. I've already started taking extra trips up and down the stairs in my home!
Next Event Goal: None yet, though my post about goals should be coming this week!
Next Week's Goals: If at first you don't succeed, yadda yadda. My goal for this week once again will be to do JUST ONE walking workout. I'd love to do more, but I will be satisfied with one. My secondary goal will be to walk 5 more flights of stairs than last week. I would aim for a bigger increase than that, but I'm not yet sure what is reasonable to expect.
Analysis: I'm a little surprised that I didn't meet my goal for the week, because I felt pretty motivated and excited about getting started. I lost track of how many times I almost squeezed in a walk, before getting distracted by a child or another urgent task. On the bright side, I got a lot of other important things accomplished last week (like registering my kids for the next school year, and filing our taxes), so it wasn't simply laziness that kept me from exercising. Life is always full of responsibilities, and parenting is all about meeting other people's pressing needs. My natural inclination is to sacrifice myself for the people who depend on me, and I won't be ashamed of that because I believe it's what I should do. However, I do need to work on not completely neglecting myself either. After all, I'm no good to my family if I am not healthy enough to take care of them properly! So my challenge, as always, is making my health a higher priority than it usually is.
Weekly Change: None
Overall Change: None
Next goal weight: 214
BMI: 31.4 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: 39 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 20
Total Workouts: 0
Total Running Time: 0
Total Running Distance: 0
Longest Single Run: N/A
Progress on Training Plan(s): Still trying to start this Couch to 5K program again.
Total Flights of Stairs: 45
Status of Busted Toe: Still healing very slowly. I'm paranoid that the huge broken section will catch on something and rip completely off. *shudder*
Last Week's Goal(s): Well I only had one goal (to do one walking workout), and I didn't meet it, so I didn't get off to the best start. However, participating in the Take the Stairs Challenge definitely helped me get moving more when I'm not fully engaged in a workout. I've already started taking extra trips up and down the stairs in my home!
Next Event Goal: None yet, though my post about goals should be coming this week!
Next Week's Goals: If at first you don't succeed, yadda yadda. My goal for this week once again will be to do JUST ONE walking workout. I'd love to do more, but I will be satisfied with one. My secondary goal will be to walk 5 more flights of stairs than last week. I would aim for a bigger increase than that, but I'm not yet sure what is reasonable to expect.
Analysis: I'm a little surprised that I didn't meet my goal for the week, because I felt pretty motivated and excited about getting started. I lost track of how many times I almost squeezed in a walk, before getting distracted by a child or another urgent task. On the bright side, I got a lot of other important things accomplished last week (like registering my kids for the next school year, and filing our taxes), so it wasn't simply laziness that kept me from exercising. Life is always full of responsibilities, and parenting is all about meeting other people's pressing needs. My natural inclination is to sacrifice myself for the people who depend on me, and I won't be ashamed of that because I believe it's what I should do. However, I do need to work on not completely neglecting myself either. After all, I'm no good to my family if I am not healthy enough to take care of them properly! So my challenge, as always, is making my health a higher priority than it usually is.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Step by Step
In the battle of April vs. Inertia, this week I have launched an assault that hopefully will get some momentum building on my side. I've decided to participate in a "Take the Stairs Challenge" at work, in which I will log the number of flights of stairs I climb each day. This will make me eligible to win prizes and such, but the prize I'm really aiming for is a new state of mind.
During my typical work day, I don't really go anywhere, so I'm trying to park on a different floor in the garage to add some more stairs there, and I might skip the elevator to my office in the mornings too. Today I actually left the building briefly at lunch time, and managed to rack up MANY more flights than usual, and boy did I feel the burn (in my lungs more than in my legs). That's definitely atypical for me though.
The place I plan to make the most changes is at home. I live on a three-level house, but do most of my living on the main level. The upstairs is where my two oldest kids sleep, and the basement holds the playroom and my neglected treadmill. I've gotten into the lazy habit of only going up or down the stairs if I absolutely have to. It's a habit I legitimately developed while I was hugely pregnant, and legitimately continued while I was recovering from my c-section, but now have no legitimate excuse to continue any further. I need to get in the healthier habit of GETTING OFF MY ASS, if you'll pardon my crassness.
I figure if I force myself to take several extra trips upstairs or down to the basement each day while I'm participating in this challenge, I can shift my state of mind from indulging the sedentary lifestyle to embracing the more active one. In my experience, exercise begets more exercise, so the more I'm moving all around my house, the more I'll want to keep doing so. And if I'm going down to the basement anyway, I might as well hop on the treadmill for a bit while I'm there, right?
During my typical work day, I don't really go anywhere, so I'm trying to park on a different floor in the garage to add some more stairs there, and I might skip the elevator to my office in the mornings too. Today I actually left the building briefly at lunch time, and managed to rack up MANY more flights than usual, and boy did I feel the burn (in my lungs more than in my legs). That's definitely atypical for me though.
The place I plan to make the most changes is at home. I live on a three-level house, but do most of my living on the main level. The upstairs is where my two oldest kids sleep, and the basement holds the playroom and my neglected treadmill. I've gotten into the lazy habit of only going up or down the stairs if I absolutely have to. It's a habit I legitimately developed while I was hugely pregnant, and legitimately continued while I was recovering from my c-section, but now have no legitimate excuse to continue any further. I need to get in the healthier habit of GETTING OFF MY ASS, if you'll pardon my crassness.
I figure if I force myself to take several extra trips upstairs or down to the basement each day while I'm participating in this challenge, I can shift my state of mind from indulging the sedentary lifestyle to embracing the more active one. In my experience, exercise begets more exercise, so the more I'm moving all around my house, the more I'll want to keep doing so. And if I'm going down to the basement anyway, I might as well hop on the treadmill for a bit while I'm there, right?
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