Less Is More: Exercise

Monday, July 4, 2011

Exercise

It seems fitting to continue this blog for my newest adventure, which is to lose weight and get fit. I've gained almost twenty-five pounds in the last two years, and it's about time those pounds came off. Too many reasons: it's time to get past the reasons.

I'm at that age when I can blame my intransigent weight on pre-menopause, on slowing down, on whatever. But it still doesn't get the pounds off. So I've started an exercise regime and eating less and better. Here's where I'll record that to keep me motivated. Hopefully something more interesting than mere numbers will emerge. And if that's all that emerges, but I'm getting in shape, so be it.

Ideal Exercise Schedule for the next twelve weeks (until I start teaching again--then I'll have to reconsider what and when). To be modified as other things come up, new opportunities for exercises emerge, etc. GOAL: One hour minimum of exercise a day, with option for a day off.

Sunday: Long run/walk
Monday: Strength Training
Tuesday: Run (early); exercise tape of some kind later
Wednesday: Pilates (early); long group walk
Thursday: Strength Training
Friday: Run (early); yoga
Saturday: Day "off" (& housework)

So far worked out last two weeks doing about five of these nine in each week (last two weeks in June). I'll keep an exercise diary posted to keep myself honest. It's amazing how I can go days without exercising, but once I'm in the grove, it feels wrong to miss even one day. I think even on my day "off" I'll have to do some mild exercises just to feel like I'm not turning back into a lump.

One big plus: I am starting to feel more energized; last week I felt like a slug and every exercise was a chore to get myself to complete. I try to find a reason: arthritis a factor? is it my age? blah, blah. IT'S BECAUSE I'M CARRYING AROUND 20 EXTRA POUNDS AND HAVEN'T EXERCISED THIS MUCH IN MONTHS!!. Yikes.

So what I have to admit is I have to work up to the ability to really go full tilt. It will take me awhile to lose the weight. I will have to earn the thin, fit, and strong body I want back. I've had it! I want it back!!

Here's to momentum . . . .

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THE COUNTDOWN

YET ANOTHER SUMMER
May 2013: Gained a bit in the last couple months since my Dad was ill and passed away. Continuing to exercise, trying to do better with what I'm eating. Feeling good that I should probably be able to get the best weight I've been at for awhile by the end of the summer. Every summer is a net "gain" in terms of my losses. I'm expecting this summer to be another positive one.

THE NEW COUNTDOWN
October 2, 2012: When I wrote the Countdown on July 1, 2011, I said I had 20 pounds to go, having already lost 5. I am now down a total of 22 pounds, with 5 pounds to go to the ideal weight I said I wanted to be at. I've seen that weight, but I've stabilized about 5 pounds higher. I'd like to start a new countdown to get down to the weight and then stabilize for the academic year, seeing if next summer should mean tackling yet another weight loss and exercise regime effort.

Losing weight takes concentration and energy--things I am in short supply of during the academic year. It's something I have to admit and realize that until all my better behaviors become natural and reflexive, I have to expend a lot of energy in the efforts to lose weight. I'm hoping that energy is less intense to keep it off, but I know last academic year saw an increase, so I have to be diligent enough not to gain from this point.

As of this month, I will be reminding myself to exercise 6 days a week (a day off after a long run if desired) and to keep my eating minimal, fresh, and accompanied by plenty of fluids. So the vow: back to Sunday weigh-ins starting Oct 7 (first Sunday in October); by Thanksgiving and the 10K I want to run, I want to have lost the 5 pounds and keep my weight there. 7 weeks, 5 pounds. And we're off!!!

(BTW, below is the countdown for exercise for the first summer I worked on this program; the exercises and commentary for the second summer (2012) is integrated into the blog itself.)

The Initial Countdown:
July 1, 2011: 20 pounds to go to get to a weight I haven't been at in many years. Four years ago I was about 15 pounds lighter, but over the course of a crazy year started putting on the pounds till I hit an all-time high this past year. I already lost 5 pounds since January, but that was roller-coaster style and I hadn't committed to a good diet and exercise plan. So now, it's on to T-20; at that point, I'll consider if 3-4 more pounds might be good, but hey, I'll be happy there for awhile.

7/09: T-1!

7/11: T-3!! hot diggity; haven't seen that number in awhile ;)

7/12: T-4 and counting!

7/18: If sweating counted, I'd be T-6, but the final tally will be probably T-5 or so. Hopefully . . . .

7/31: Nice way to end July: T-6!! Yay!!

8/9: no . . . movement . . . of the dang . . . needle--BUT clothes are fitting me that haven't for awhile!

8/28: this T-stuff seems too obtuse; I'm not sure I'm even writing it correctly. Suffice it to say that in addition to the 5 pounds I lost from Jan to June, I have now lost an additional 7 pounds: I am down a dozen pounds from my highest point. Yay!

9/9: Now down 2 more pounds, so down 14 pounds from highest and have lost 9 pounds on my summer sojourn. Will be working to make it 10 before school starts up again.

9/18: Granted, this was right after a run, but I officially could say I lost 10 pounds as of this a.m. since I began this summer odyssey. Whoo-whoo!!! Now to keep it here!!!

9/24: Another pound; granted, some of these weigh-ins are after exercise, but these are weights I haven't seen in over two years, so I am VERY glad to see them and know I'm heading in the right direction!! (Down 11 + 5)

10/9: The weight loss has slowed considerably and continues to be up and down by a pound or two each day. This morning, after a sick week, down 12 + 5.

Sept 3, 2012: Should update this now that I'm recording in summer 2012 (actually, at its end). Here are the raw numbers: last summer, had already lost 5 + lost an additional 10 (I never did really settle into that 12 number); gained back 5 over the course of the academic year, though I was fluctuating between 2-5 depending on time of month, etc. Now have lost another 12 (the wobbly numbers). So from the all-time high, at the lowest over these last few days, I have lost a net of approximately 22 pounds.

9/4/12: make that 24 pounds!

October 2011 Exercise (Second Half)

Oct. 16--70 min.--35 min running/35 min walking, mixed
Oct. 17--75 min.--yoga class
Oct. 18-21: boo hiss! Mainly walking to and from and around campus. Not enough!! Boo hiss!
Oct.22--1 hr balance ball video. Ouch!
Oct 23--1/2 hr cardio/strength training
Oct 24--~45 min walk/run
Oct 25--Only the walk to and from the car! Put on exercise clothes later and got distracted ;(
Oct 26--75 min yoga. Helping that flexibility today! And 40 min walk. Tired.
Oct 27--?
Oct 28--40 min cardio/flexibility video
Oct 29--housework for almost 2hrs
Oct. 30--45 min brisk wak
Oct. 31--

October 2011 Exercise (First Half)

Oct. 1--celebrate with p.j. day
Oct. 2--1 hr 25 min. walking, running, cking out the 5K route plus other loops around Sharon Woods. Gorgeous cool day!
Oct. 3--7w/20r/5w/8r/8w/17r! Total=20w,45r
Oct. 4--rest day (trying a 5K training schedule)
Oct. 5--75 min yoga
Oct. 6--getting sick
Oct. 7--sick--didn't do anything!
Oct. 8--1 hr bike ride
Oct. 9--still sick; minor stretches on balance ball
Oct 10--1/2 hour walk/run (hard! still not feeling well)
Oct. 11--15-20 min. walk
Oct. 12--40 min balance ball workout (upper/lower body) (meeting--no yoga today)
Oct. 13--nada--it just ain't happenin' on Tu/Th (not much, anyway)
Oct. 14--1 hr brisk walk (because I promised Mic I would!)
Oct. 15--1 hr. strength training video

September 2011 Exercise (Second Half)

9/16: Group walk 1 hr. Last group walk for awhile! Our HHC will reconvene next summer; thank you to my lady friends for helping to jump-start my exercise regime this summer!!
9/17: No formal exercise, but cleaned garage, lifting and rearranging boxes, approx. 2+ hours.
9/18: Run45/walk27 (7 walk/20 run/5 walk/8 run/10 walk/17 run/5 walk) My left knee was hurting after the 8; thought I'd have to walk the rest of the way. Final 17 run felt good. Will ice.
9/19: Full day out and about from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
9/20: Cardio/strength tape--1 hr.; 1/2 hr brisk walk
9/21: Yoga class 1 hr 15 min
9/22: 20 min walk--that's it!
9/23: Balance ball 1 hr. Feel better! But overall, feeling sluggish and sore this week :( Biking in my near future--bike is fixed and ready to roll.
9/24: Run/walk; lost track of time! Either 30 or 40 min run, 10 minute walk (5/30-40/5). Felt good!
9/25: Pilates, 30 min
9/26: Run/walk: 7 min walk/32 min run/5 min walk
9/27: Work day--walk to/from/around campus
9/28: Yoga class (1.25 hr)
9/29: Three-four hours of intense cleaning in 23-yr-old #3 son's apt.
9/30: 40 min. upper and lower body exercise (balance ball)

September 2011 Exercise (First Half)

Great to see that I can add the third month of my exercise schedule. Trying to figure out what I will be able to do once classes start.
September 1: 30 min pilates video + 20 min exercise ball video for abs + lower back
9/2: Group walk (great to be back!): 1 hr 20 min
9/3: Strength training video--60 min
9/4: Housework! (putting pictures up, lugging in boxes of knick knacks, etc.)
9/5: Run/walk: 8 walk/30 run/10 walk (found out that the 30 min. covered approx. 3 miles); will do exercise ball work later!!
9/6: Step aerobics/strength video--1 hr.
9/7: Group walk--at least 75 min . . . in the rain!
9/8: New pilates video--35 min.--harder, faster, but person is rather obnoxious; will be sending back to Netflix.
9/9: Run/walk: 8 walk/45 run/15walk (longest run in years!)
9/10: Tai chi video
9/11: run/walk (I'm now officially running more than I am walking): 5 walk / 40 run with one stop to see that I'm running at a pathetically slow rate / 10 walk
9/12: Yoga class (75 min)
9/13: walk/run (felt like I was walking/running through mud; ran about 25 min; walked about 40, though briskly--at times)
9/14: nada
9/15: Balance ball 1 hr workout (whew!)
NOTE TO SELF: 13/15 days, I've worked out. Good for me!! (mental pat on back) Now keep it up once classes start again!!

August 2011 Exercise Diary

Monday, 8/1: 75 min. exercise ball routine + stretching. New video, hard workout, good that it's tapping muscles I haven't been exercising.
Tuesday, 8/2: 1.5 hour brisk walk & therapy session w/Joyce!
Wednesday, 8/3: so far, out of commission; cold/flu/?--drinking tea and staying in my jammies
Thursday 8/4: ditto, except I finally got to Kroger to get cold remedies, diet soda, and chicken soup.
Friday 8/5: nada--almost felt worse today
Saturday 8/6: finally, a 30 minute workout video; exhausting! but a start . . . .
Sunday 8/7: today's exercise will mean only 4 days of the last 7; seems awful until I remember that it's still better than 6
months ago when I could go weeks without any serious exercise. Progress is realizing that your bad weeks are better than many previous weeks combined!

Monday 8/8: 15 walk/10 run/ 20 walk. Feeling okay. Maybe it's my decongestant!
Tuesday 8/9: 1 hr+ brisk 3/4 group walk. Feeling better!!
Wednesday 8/10: Aaack. The exercise ball--60 grueling min.
Thursday 8/11: 8 walk/22 run/12 walk/ 8 run/ 5 walk. What a difference cool weather makes; felt the glute workout from yesterday!
Friday 8/12: Busy day--but no exercise!
Saturday 8/13: Strength training, 60 min.
Sunday 8/14: 8 walk/20 run/2 walk/5 run/5 walk/10 run/10 walk--finally got to 35 running; now to string it all together ;)

My exercise diary was recorded in my blogs while on my vacation from 8/16-8/26. On 8/27, She Rested. Now for the rest of August:

8/28: 65 minutes: 10 walk/20 run/15 walk/10 run/10 walk.
8/29: Exercise ball (that video is hard!!)--40 min
8/30: 55 min. Run/walk: 10 walk/20 run/10 walk/10 run/5 walk

July 2011 Exercise Diary (second half)

7/17: Sunday The longest streak of not exercising since I began--day 3, and the last day!!! (does it count that I wasn't feeling good but I did walk around Kroger for an hour?)
7/18: Monday--group walk; 4.25 miles and over an hour. Yay!
7/19: Tuesday--cardio/step 1hr+ (yikes! it's a toughie!)
7/20: Wednesday--HOT long run/walk: 15 walk/15 run/10 walk/10 run/ 25 walk. Heart rate up to 210/min+ Yuk.
7/21: Thursday-- up at 4:30 to be at the airport by 6, so no early morning exercise. Walk around downtown Boston--about 1.5 hours!
7/22: Friday--30 min walk/run--6 a.m. and HOT, HOT, HOT!! But the Boston Public Gardens are cool ;)
7/23: Saturday--20 min walk looking for an open Starbucks this morning ;)

7/24: Sunday--40 min walk/run through Beacon Hill, Boston Common, and the Boston Gardens.
7/25: Monday--strength yoga--60 min.
7/26: Tuesday--50 min run/walk (15 walk/15 run/10 walk/10 run/5 walk)--felt stronger as I tend to when I'm not running every day.
7/27: Wednesday--group walk Loveland Bike Trail--about 90 minutes!
7/28: Thursday--"Integrated Strength Training" tape; 40 min.
7/29: Friday--strength/weight tape; 60 min. Standing, clapping, bopping 2.5 hrs to Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
7/30: Saturday--walk 1 hr (with Kirsten!)
7/31: Sunday--will include since it's the last day of July! No formal exercise, but stood in 90 degree temps working the "Beat the Dealer" booth for the American Legion in Anderson for 5 hours!! Fun, but tiring!

July 2011 Exercise Diary (first half)

7/1: Friday: run/walk (20 minute run/30 minute brisk walk)
7/2: Saturday: walking (~2 miles /moderate); pilates

7/3: Sunday: strength training; housework
7/4: Monday: 1/2 hr cardio video; run/walk (10/20)
7/5: Tuesday: 1 hr brisk group walk (Woodland Mound); 1/2 hour walk/run (8/22--really tired after the earlier walk--I need to remember that as it gets hotter in the day, I get more sluggish!)
7/6: Wednesday: strength training (45 min)
7/7: Thursday: pilates (~30 min)
7/8: Friday: fitness workout (45 min)
7/9: Saturday (early morning--a bit humid, but not too hot): 1 hr 10 min (15 min brisk walk, 15 min run, 15 min brisk walk, 10 min run, 15 min brisk-moderate walk--so far, have run the furthest that I have in awhile; mostly flat or slightly downhill, but some moderate uphills. I save the steep hills for the brisk walk for now, comforting myself that if I were in Chicago, it would ALL be flat!!)

7/10: Sunday--wow, no exercise--busy day: movie dad with dad, dinner out with Andrew, misc. in between. Good day.
7/11: Monday--yoga for athletes (1 hr.) (heat index expected at 104 today!)
7/12: Tuesday--group walk (Eden Park) + short run at Loveland Bike Trail. Beautiful day, though getting warmer!
7/13: Wednesday--run/walk: 1 hr 12 min (15 min walk; 21 min run; 7 min walk; 19 min run; 10 min walk--longest single and combined runs so far!!)
7/14: Thursday--strength training (45 min)
7/15: Friday--trip to Paris--cleaned house in a.m., picked blueberries, but no exercise.
7/16: Saturday--nada! but up until 2 a.m. (does a long day qualify as exercise--7 a.m. - 2 a.m.?)

FAVORITE EXERCISE VIDEOS

Whether online, on cassette or DVD, or in person, what I look for is variety and moves that are careful where form is paramount. I found I don't like Jazzercise or sloppy movements that seem to think that all that counts is hopping around for an hour. I'm sure it burns calories, but I like the emphasis on mind and body and being always aware of what the body is doing. I feel that control carries over into the rest of my life.

That control and attention to mind/body started when I was a teen in Chicago watching Lilias! This great lady of yoga, Lilias Folan, lives and practices in the Cincinnati area, and I was very pleased to take one class with her, and would like to take more. Her yoga is mindful, calm, considerate of self and others, and humane. I recommend her highly and she's on daily in this area at 6:30 a.m. and again in early evening. I have found as I have gotten into more intense exercises that I have drifted away from these programs, but I'd like to view her tapes which may be more comprehensive, if only because they are longer (I found her in-person class more intense).

Another yoga leader I enjoy on tape is Rodney Yee. His Yoga for Athletes is a great workout and set in what looks like Hawaii. I LOVE the meditation at the end, and have it set to watch after some of my other tapes, like my Pilates for Dummies tape with Michelle Dozois that I'm still challenged by, especially the very last exercise!

I found tapes by Susan Powter and love her "Stop the Insanity" approach--crazy diets and exercise are out, mindfulness is very in. Building Strength and Lean, Strong, and Healthy videos are both good; I like the first for weight work and the second for overall exercise--it helped to learn the moves in the first as I found the second, coming to it cold, hard to follow. She could talk a little less, but I still like her and her upbeat attitude and the range of people who work with her, some of whom have lost a lot a weight, as she has (over 100 pounds).

A model turned exercise leader that I appreciate for her bubbly Barbie Doll looks (I know, that sounds strange, but I wouldn't mind having her figure) and for the (mostly) careful exercises is Kathy Ireland and her Total Fitness Workout tape. Filmed somewhere in the SW, I also like some of the people who exercise with her; an African American woman who puts a little jazz into the moves is good to follow. The three parts are good, with the first cardio and the second different body focuses (upper and lower)--in a pinch, I do one, when I have time (75 min) I do all three. I've tried Cindy Crawford tapes which were awful.

I've also gotten on Netflix and tried streaming exercise videos. One that I liked when I didn't have access to my tape player and needed strength training was "The Trainer's Edge: Integrated Strength Training" with Jeffrey Scott. Forty-minute rather intense workout. All-over body work--not bad!

Less Is More

Monday, July 4, 2011

Exercise

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