Changing Expectations

I've done better and not as well as I could have hoped, if that makes any sense.  I had lost 5 pounds from Jan to mid-June (approx. 22 weeks), mainly by eating better and with sporadic exercise.  With my exercise plan in place (and food changes), I have now lost an additional 7 pounds in approx. 10 weeks.  So I'm doing better, but I'd hoped to have been further along by now.  Thus, the changing expectations.

My friend Robbin and her husband went on the same diet; in an equal amount of time, he'd lost all the weight he'd wanted to and she hadn't lost nearly as much.  Vive la difference between men and women of a certain age, especially (i.e., my age).  I can't seem to break the 3/4 of a pound a week average, so I'm going to embrace it.  I hope to lose 3 pounds in the next four + weeks, then shoot for 5 pounds each in the next two ten-week segments.  That would mean that by spring break of next year (!!) I'll be at the weight I'd hoped to be at by the start of classes.  Yikes. 

Even as I write that, I wonder if it means I've "given up" or if that's just facing reality.  I will definitely try to eat even better, watch my slumps more closely, and try to find new ways to exercise to keep up the momentum.  But school does mean more sedentary time, less time outside with changing weather, and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas--foodie holidays that I'm just not ignoring.  I know I'll enjoy the bounty, so to speak, and while I'll try to be wise, this isn't the time to expect even more drastic weight loss.

While I have the "wait till spring" attitude usefully in place to avoid disappointment, I'll also be pleasantly surprised (and, in some way, inspired to do more) if I can meet my goal earlier.

At least I lost a pound on vacation!!  ;)

Stamina

So the scale shows no iota of movement given my treks across OR and WA.  I'm not surprised, since I didn't feel like I'd lost weight (and I know the last few days were not the best in terms of what I was eating), but I'm also a bit disappointed.  I'm also facing the back-in-Cinti-and-my-old-routine-blues.  It's Cinti, but it's also the same ol', same ol' that has me feeling a bit tired of it all.  I've got to get my head into the isn't-this-exciting-and-good to be back to the old routine kind of feeling.  Bleh. 

I also have to acknowledge that the scale is not everything.  That the fact that I didn't lose the entire amount of pounds that I wanted to isn't bad, it's just what they call A START.  I have months ahead of me to lose the weight it took months to gain, but . . .

. . . I realize I have a lot of other ideas piled on the weight loss idea:  if I lose weight, I will look great, do great, attract great people (read: men), and so on.  My life will magically change.  I know that's not true, but I also think that there are more things than just my weight that I'm hoping to change and that these other things need to be approached directly so that not so much is tied up with a number on a scale. 

My work is only starting . . . .

Last Three Days

If I've gained weight, it's the habit I've fallen into of having a microbrew (gosh, those NW beers are good!) while awaiting my dinner, and then having a glass of wine with or after dinner. Yikes!!

But I have tried to eat relatively smartly. Of course, there was the dinner when I asked for fries and got a pizza pan full--literally. Luckily, I was able to share some with dinner mates (who probably thought I was a bit looney).

Day before yesterday, a drive up to Mt. Constitution with drop-dead gorgeous views of the San Juan and gulf islands. A "little" walk of 2.3 miles each way ended up taking an hour each direction, with multiple switch-backs and elevation changes from the top of the mountain to another summit facing a different direction. The walk was worth it, though at times I wondered if I could literally climb back up on anything less than all fours. Cliff walks, an "enchanted" forest (almost no sound, moss on everything, pine needled paths, and deer who cleverly posed for pictures; I almost expected prince charming to assist me thither), and sunlit views that stunned after the deep woods. I walked and jogged the paths, trying to make up for time lsot on the uphill sections by carefully running the downhill or flat sections. Fanny packs with water bottles are a pain when jogging, btw.

Yesterday, a three-hour tour with the professor and Cookie, father and son, married couple, and boyfriend/girlfriend. Unlike the crew from Gilligan's Island, we kayakers returned safely; no Orcas spotted, but lots of curious and playful seals (BIG guys), some cormorants, kelp, etc. I'm glad I opted for 3 instead of 6 hours; Strangely, my arms were less sore than my legs. Sitting in the kayak was not the most comfortable for some reason and my leg was screaming in pain by the time I got out. I avoided the jelly fish, but soaked my gym shoes as I leapt out the of the boat for joy at getting back to shore. For the most part, it was pleasant, great views, and lovely weather.

Today, a 40 minute run/walk (20/20) around the hotel--a nicely landscaped business park and condominium development; a reminder that running is not so difficult when the road is flat and the weather cool and dry. I don't even sweat all that much!!

It will be interesting to see what awaits on the scale. I have a feeling I will break even; there was too much food and drink involved to hope for a loss, but I certainly didn't get flabby on this trip despite the hours in the car.

p.s., by hours, I especially mean the rush hour traffic around Seattle all the way down through Tacoma that really sucked and made me remember how paltry our rush hour is in terms of time and intensity. I really don't think I could live in an area where I'd waste so much time sitting in a car to or from my employment.

Winding Down

I don't know if it's the vacation mode finally setting in, but yesterday wasn't the best food-wise or exercise-wise An ice cream cone and bag of white popcorn, a movie, walking around Victoria in the rain and so not particularly active. Today, over to Orcas and walking in Moran State Park and Mt. Constitution. Tomorrow, hopefully, kayaking. Heading back on Thursday. My clothes are somewhat loose but I'm afraid that's due more to worn clothes than lost weight. We'll see when I get home, but I'm promising myself today and tomorrow is about activity and eating well. We'll see . . . .

Counteracting the good food

Catching up on activities during the first part of my vacation--can't list them where I usually do as my iPad is a bit funky for certain kinds of sites.

My friend Robbin was a wonderful hostess along with her hubby Pete, which included two nights out to eat--one to a great pizza place where I've gotten hooked on taco pizza (tastes even better than it sounds) and another to an equally great Mexican restaurant. Needless to say, I was glad Robbin corralled me into the long challenging walks we took. Hard to believe, but Oregon is even hillier than Cincinnati (oh yeah, there are those mountains in OR). Three walks in three days.

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I got my fill of hikes--on beaches, on trails, to lighthouses, on more beaches, in town, along the OR and WA coast (great beaches, including Rockaway and Ruby) in Olympic National Park and a fantastic rain forest, and in Victoria B.C. I am officially tired. I am so tired that it is 8:20 p.m. and I am staying in my room, deciding what to do tomorrow and Tuesday, and then heading to bed. I've been up since 6:00 a.m. when I went for a run/walk in downtown Victoria. That and ambling around a castle (complete with Rockwood tiles around the fireplace) and the grounds have me ready for a good night's sleep.

Tomorrow it's Buchart Gardens (more walking), the ride to San Juan Island, and then two days on Orcas where I hope to do some kayaking. I will be very ready to head toward Portland on Thursday. I will need a vacation from my vacation.

I have no idea what my weight is and I'm not sure I want to know. I've tried to eat well and have kept drinking and carousing to a minimum (that's willpower + the lack of opportunity). I'm looking forward to my weekly walks with the HHC!

I can post!

Finally! I couldn't post earlier until I updated the editor at blogger. And now, I realize, I have nothing to say. Hah! I do plan to blog along the way; it is Vacation Day #1 and I am in the air somewhere between Salt Lake City and Portland. Weighed myself this a.m. and was off to a grand start, the needle finally moving. Let's see if I can keep it down after ten days . . .

Incorporating Life

In two days, I'm off for the northwest--Oregon, Washington, B.C. Temps on Victoria get down into the upper 40s in the evening. I'll be doing a fair amount of driving. So how to plan exercise? How to plan eating well? After thinking I might just get there and "wing it," I realized I wasn't up for that. Ferries get booked ahead of time (I checked; they do) and I have reservations on the islands. I have to be sure I get to where I am reserved to be. Hotels exist, but they are expensive and the less expensive seem to fill quickly. So I want to be flexible but not panicked that I will be somewhere I don't want to be paying more than I want to pay, or unable to get where I want to go. And so I have planned most nights and will show up when I need to. That much structure helps me feel less anxious--it's the in-between that's still up in the air.

I'll bring a swimsuit and something I can go kayaking in; I'll bring running wear; I'll bring something I can hike in. I also have to bring "dress up" stuff just in case. In other words, I won't exactly be packing light. But I want to be able to keep active and not have this turn into a driving and eating vacation. Ten days of that just won't cut it. I'm already at a major plateau, I can keep working at it and hope that when I return I'll be another pound lighter or at worst that I won't have lost--or gained--anything, or I can give up and come back a few pounds heavier. The latter is not an option right now. I can't let it be. I have worked hard enough at this that I'm determined I won't lose momentum.

So I need to welcome life and figure out how to live while incorporating very new habits. I guess it's like anything else--one step at a time . . . .