Day 30 - Mixing it Up - A New Exercise?

I had absolutely no idea what I was going to post today. I thought about trying a wordless Wednesday post but I honestly can't see myself posting without words. I am simply too verbose.

And I have a huge list of future posts planned (like tomorrow's fabulous little ditty, stay tuned for that).

But today I had nothing...

...Until I went to my inbox this morning and discovered a tip from Stephanie - just LIKE that link and you'll get cool tips too!

Ya see, she's taken over for Barb (because Barb's on vaca this week) and has been posting tips - just like Barb - daily.

And it would seem that I missed this tip on Sunday but I opened it today and was instantly inspired.

YAY.

Her tip?

Mix it Up - A new exercise or food can perk up your metabolism.

She then went on to share what you can do to spark things up...

(from Stephanie):

"Exercise - If you only do treadmill, try a bike or elliptical. 

Don’t be afraid to try a new piece of Nautilus equipment. Start at a low weight and work yourself up. 

Jump rope and hula hoops are not just for kids. 

Instead of walking a track or a setting path on a sidewalk, try an outdoor nature area, and ‘hike in the wild'.

Swimming - while we still have a little summer left.

Try a new Food- Do you love mashed potatoes, go half and half - cauliflower or celery root.

Cold gazpacho soup. Blend fresh tomatoes, seeded Cucumber, fresh peppers, onion, a clove of garlic. Dice finely, additional vegetables to add to the puree. At serving, garnish with lime or lemon wedges, Cilantro, or Basil.

Spaghetti Squash instead of pasta."

Brilliant, huh? 

(Ohhhhh, I know what you're thinkin'...It's not FRIDAY...just chilly chill, I'm working something in, today.)

So I read this tip this morning and then I went down and hopped on my beloved scale. DOWN 3.8 more pounds, WooHOO!

And I think I know why. 

I mixed it up. 

For the last two days, Maggie and I have been doing this "new" thing that involves me, her, her coaster car, a pillow, a string, some water, and a WHOLE LOT of FUN (direct quote from Mags, who is standing beside me as I write this). 

Now, I can't exactly explain this....exactly. In fact I REALLY want Gary to film us doing this crazy new thing - maybe this weekend, since we won't be able to do this once we move, BUT...

The point is, we've been mixing it up. And it's working. I know I'm burning a bunch more calories then what I'm inputting but I have no clear measure at the moment. 

Just YOU try hauling a 130 pound person up a hill and around the neighborhood. Repeatedly. 

It's fun. And tiring. And good. And we're spending quality time together. And we're LAUGHING. Oh my goodness, we are laughing. 

Just mixing it up. 

There is going to come that day when we won't be able to do this particular thing anymore. But for now, it's my new treadmill, elliptical, bike ride...and then we'll move on to the next thing. 

We'll just keep mixing it up. 

Thanks, Stephanie. 

Till next time!

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August 100 Miles Challenge Update: 

Sandi: 36.65 miles

Anna:  39.5 miles

Kathy: 49.36 miles

Steffie: 41.74 miles 

Bernie: 4.3 miles

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Remember, if you want me to track your miles for August, just shoot me a note and I will add you to the blog. If you are here already and I've got your numbers wrong, just shoot me...no, no, just let me know and I'll change it. I'm good with that. Cheers!

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Starting Weight: 306.4

Goal Weight: 150

Today's Weight: 285.6

Total Lost to Date: 20.8

8.15.12 Scale 'n' Toes

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Please always note: Any links contained within my blog posts will take you to sites that I have personally visited and consider safe to click. Whether it's a link to one of my Yahoo!Voices articles, another post in my blog, or another blog, etc., you may click each and every link with confidence!

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Week 4 - Month 1 - DONE! Disappearing Pounds and Inches

It seems surreal that I am already a month into changing my life forever. I have to say, I'm not good at it...

Yet.

We all know how hard it is to change your life for the better. Old habits are FUN and don't die as easy as we'd like.

Even if we kill them over and over and OVER again.

But I'm learning. And I still believe that this time - this weight loss journey - is different.

So let's break down this whole last week, shall we?

Oh, heck, let's do the whole month...THAT'LL be fun :)

The ONE WHOLE MONTH DONE Recap:

...I'm back...did you miss me? Ha, you didn't even know I was gone. But I had to go weigh in, take measurements, gather previous week(s) data, and grab breakfast. Okay, so let's see how this all breaks down!

Day One: 306.4 - Yikes, that's a BIG number. Scary, huh?

Week One Done: 292.6 - WOW, I was down 13.8 pounds. I also took my measurements this first week (7.20.12) and measured in at 309.5 inches total (neck, chest, waist, hips, left and right arm, left and right thigh, and left and right calves).

Week Two Done: 291.6 - Not a whole big change in the weight but still down another pound.

Week Three Done: 289 - I had made it to the 8's. YAY.

Week Four, One Month Done: 289.2 - ACCCCCKKKKK. I didn't lose this week. I gained. A whole .2 ounces.

Of course. It was a ROUGH week for me, and one that I do not wish to repeat.

BUT...

Since I'm a numbers girl, I took my monthly measurements today and GUESS WHAT?

I'm down 12.5 inches ALL over!

The only place I didn't lose was in my neck (there's an exercise for that, must get on it...). But here's the inches breakdown:

Neck: stayed the same
Chest: -3 inches
Waist: -2 inches
Hips: -2 inches
Left arm -.5 inches
Right arm -.5 inches
Left Thigh -1.5 inches (it's my fatter thigh, less dominant...)
Right Thigh -1 inches
Left Calf -1 inches
Right Calf -1 inches

Over all, in ONE WHOLE MONTH?

17.2 pounds down and 12.5 inches GONE!

That's an average of 4.3 pounds GONE per week.

THAT is something to be proud of. And I am.

The last ten days or so have not been easy for me - over all, not just with my weight loss journey. I think yesterday's issue with our refrigerator was about the last straw (after returning home with $160 worth of groceries).

The fridge is fine now, though. And so am I. After my last little stress fracture yesterday, I grabbed the kid and we went OUTSIDE to burn some calories.

You won't believe what THAT entailed (...going to have G film it soon, just for kicks and giggles). But it was so much fun AND it burned SO many calories that Mags and I are doing it again today.

Quality time with my Boo AND I'm sweating pounds.

YAY.

Oh, and remember last week's goal? To walk 10,000 steps per day. I didn't hit that either. But I have walked an average of almost 6400 steps per day since putting on my BERNdometer, and that equals out to just over 3 miles per day. Not too shabby.

Life is good. I know that. Sometimes I get caught up in the minute by minute stuff and when SO much of it is happening, those minutes tend to add up.

But then I remember.

To Breathe!

It sounds so simple. It IS so simple to say.

Turns out?

It's awfully darn easy to DO, too.

Breathe. In and out and repeat.

Till next time!

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August 100 Miles Challenge Update: 

Sandi: 32.29 miles

Anna:  24.6 miles

Kathy: 49.36 miles

Steffie: 35.97 miles 

Bernie: 4.3 miles

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Remember, if you want me to track your miles for August, just shoot me a note and I will add you to the blog. If you are here already and I've got your numbers wrong, just shoot me...no, no, just let me know and I'll change it. I'm good with that. Cheers!

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Starting Weight: 306.4

Goal Weight: 150

Today's Weight: 289.2

Total Lost to Date: 17.2

Scale 'n' Toes - 8.14.12

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Weekly Recaps:

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four (Scroll back up and read it all again, if you must)

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Please always note: Any links contained within my blog posts will take you to sites that I have personally visited and consider safe to click. Whether it's a link to one of my Yahoo!Voices articles, another post in my blog, or another blog, etc., you may click each and every link with confidence!

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Oh EM GEEEEE, I almost forgot to set a goal for this week. Let's see...

Get my steps up to 10,000 per day and stay FOCUSED, taking each moment by precious moment!

Yep, I've GOT this! 

Cheers!

Day 28 - Manic Monday - Egads

Today marks the last day of ONE WHOLE MONTH. I bring you - Manic Monday...egads...

And I'm here to tell you that for the last two weeks I have struggled mightily. Sounds RIDICUlous, doesn't it?

I can't even make it past two weeks without sliding back into old ways?

What is WRONG with me?

Well, I can tell you one thing that's wrong. And this is going to sound a bit (hang on here, for a totally made up word, one of which is the ONLY word that applies here...) ...

JUSTIFICATIONONY <-- oooh, look, I even spelled it just the way I wanted to.

But let's not get off topic.

Two weeks ago, I stopped weighing in daily. I said I was going to stop the daily scale pics and I walked away from my scale except for Saturdays (for Barb) and Tuesdays (for me).

It's not working.

I NEED to weigh myself daily to stay focused. Never mind that it makes me a tad crazy to do so. I have to do it.

Taking into consideration all the psycho (totally psycho) logical aspects of weighing oneself daily, I cannot get around it.

Add to that the simple truth that I am a food addict who still rewards goals reached WITH food - even when it's a loss on the scale...

AND that life is one big ball of CRA-CRA right now because half our house (probably more than half at this point) is packed up and ready for our move...

and the seriously stupid stress THAT'S putting on me...

PLUS the fact that I am now missing the THIRD trainer who promised me great things and then got caught up in his or her OWN life, the nerve, HA)...

And yes...

My kid is also driving me to distraction daily.

Oh, and Stephanie told me to pull up my big girl panties, too. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I don't wear them; can't stand the split butt chunk it creates - but she does make a good point...

There, I said it.

Now that I'm done whining (at least here) I'm going to get back on the scale - tomorrow - and begin weighing in daily again.

I am getting this weight off, people. One gosh darn pound at a time.

Oh, look at me go...

Till next time!

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August 100 Miles Challenge Update: 

Sandi: 27.70 miles

Anna:  24.6 miles

Kathy: 34.36 miles

Steffie: 35.97 miles 

Bernie: 4.3 miles

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Remember, if you want me to track your miles for August, just shoot me a note and I will add you to the blog. If you are here already and I've got your numbers wrong, just shoot me...no, no, just let me know and I'll change it. I'm good with that. Cheers!

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This space is now quietly reserved for scale 'n' toes, stay tuned!

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Day 27 - Funky Town Jams

NOT.

Funky Town does NOT jam.

Nor am I going to play any jams.

Do they still call them that?

ANYway...

I'm in a funk. I have been for most of this week. I have felt myself slipping down that slope into bad habits and I'm irritated with myself for doing so, which only makes it worse.

YOU know what I'm talking about.

And then long about Thursday, I caught a cold. It only lasted for two days but I'm not altogether over it because I'm still hangin' around Funky Town.

Ugh.

I can't even pretend to offer anyone an uplifting message today.

Just can't do it.

Oh, what the heck? Let's see...

I know...this sort of thing happens. And it IS a slippery slope that can then turn into a spiral that has me spinning out of control.

Gotta get some of those ice shoes...you know, the ones with the thingys that dig into the sheer face. Don't wanna sliiiiiiiiiiiiiide....

Hmmm...

Is this helping anyone?

Should I have skipped this post?

Doesn't appear to be doing ME any good.

I should go burn some calories.

Yah. That will help.

Boarding the bus outta Funky Town.

Till next time!

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August 100 Miles Challenge Update: 

Sandi: 26.25 miles

Anna:  24.6 miles

Kathy: 34.36 miles

Steffie: 35.97 miles 

Bernie: 4.3 miles

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Remember, if you want me to track your miles for August, just shoot me a note and I will add you to the blog. If you are here already and I've got your numbers wrong, just shoot me...no, no, just let me know and I'll change it. I'm good with that. Cheers!

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Maybe I Should Eat a Hot Pepper...

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