Exercise, an ever changing adventure

We had a hard workout with Shan'tel last night. We are going later now--finished at 9:20 pm. Then I couldn't sleep--stared at the ceiling until after 1:00 in the morning. It's interesting that when I swim I don't get the same effect. But with any exercise other than swimming it kills my sleep if I do it within an hour of bedtime. I have read that I am not alone in having this problem. I hope it goes away.

I am certainly enjoying finally fitting into some more of my clothes, but my abs are a huge problem. It seems I gain first in my tummy and lose last in my tummy...but I am thankful that I don't have a worse health problem so I shouldn't complain.

I am coming a bit closer to doing a push up, but I would be a lot better if I could lose more weight. But walking that ball with my hands is the worse torture I could imagine for the gym until Shan'tel had me do those leg lifts where the weight is on top of your ankles. WOW does that hurt. Our routine for the weights is changing, getting more interesting, and a lot harder. Sometimes I am not sure my body will cooperate, but it finally does make an effort--imperfect as it is.

Good luck to all.

Exercise as a new way of life.

I think today is the half way point--WOW ! From now on we are on the down hill slope to a new way of living. I think I have finally settled in on a personal exercise routine.

I plan most of my exercise at home because if I have to go somewhere alone, I find excuses. But if somebody is game for exercising with me, I love it. I like to be with others. I think that is why the gym is so enjoyable--we see others in the Challenge working their hardest and it is not so hard when there is company. I really look forward to training with Shan'tel and my daughters and other Challenge members at the gym.

Exercising is definitely a new routine for me as I suspect it is for many of us. But we're all in this Challenge together, so good luck everybody !!

What a day !!

Bonnie and I went to the mall to walk today for our exercise. Somehow the time goes faster when we can see what is in the shops and do a bit of people watching. Two hours seemed like 15 minutes. Of course, my husband would not agree--he finds mall walking just short of waterboarding.

And, if I figured correctly, tomorrow is half way on the Challenge. It has gone fast--I am amazed at how fast. And I do feel a lot better, my clothes fit better, and I have learned quite a bit about getting and staying in shape. Especially about the importance of weight training.

Like they say on "Red Green Show"--"Remember, we're all in this together." So good luck everybody !

Nearly half way.

Had another good workout tonight with Shan'tel. Doing the hand walking on the ball was a bit easier tonight, but still a huge challenge. My blood pressure is testing at about 20 points lower than when we started, but it is still high. I hope to have it normal by the end of the Challenge.

I am looking forward to seeing everybody in the morning at Mindy's food class. It was great seeing folks at the gym tonight. Everybody seems to be making a lot of progress. I believe Sunday is the half way point. Good luck to all.

Workouts

Workouts are getting harder--especially when you start out tired. Bonnie and I did a hard swim the day before training with Shan'tel. Swimming must really tire muscles because I didn't do much impressing Shan'tel last night. From now on, I am going to swim when I have a day to recover before I meet Shan'tel for training. But all around, I do feel a lot stronger and can almost find my waist.

I was also happy Shan'tel told us that we can do abs every day. I sure need to, I wasn't sure I even had abs left when this Challenge started. Now they are starting to perhaps work--I'm not entirely sure. But I think I have abs. I can do crunches better than I did when we started, but that doesn't say a lot.

But the real killer for me is walking that ball with my hands. That is the hardest thing I do--and it kills my wrists. Obviously, that must be the thing I need most.

Anyway, I am surely grateful I was chosen to be a part of this struggle. Incidentally, I couldn't get on twitter last night. The site said that it was completely overloaded.

The days are ticking away pretty fast.

I just went in the kitchen where my husband's peach pie was calling my name. I am going to try to make it through the day without giving in to it. I tried to give it to my grandsons this morning--no luck. I wish I had their appetite--I would be skinny. It seems just the smell goes straight to my abs, and it doesn't really taste as good as my horrible, fat picture on the refrigerator looks bad. (My husband asked why in the world did I put that picture out for everybody to see.)

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to gain weight and how hard it is to lose it? Silly question. One thing is for sure, the scales don't miss a thing and they are without mercy! I should have sent that pie to work with my husband.

But on the bright side, I am down 44 pounds from my heaviest a few

Have a wonderful day, may you be delivered from temptation !

Good class this morning

I enjoyed Mindy's class this morning. We got to hear practical ways people are dealing with the guide lines and information we have been given. It was extremely helpful to hear how some of us are coping with children who are picky eaters, husbands addicted to all the wrong foods, etc....people who could not possibly care less about calories, proteins, fats, and carbohydrate counting. The recipes will undoubtedly be a real help as we sometimes feel like this is an impossible struggle on the home front.

As far as coping mechanisms go, I have found that if--after eating my final meal for the day--I do very careful flossing, then brush my teeth, then carefully rinse my teeth and gums with a water pick, I have no desire to contaminate my mouth with food again before bed. The procedure is just too involved to repeat again at bed time.

My worst food weakness is after 5:00 pm when my husband is home and ready for dinner and ice cream with fudge sauce. But it is easier to resist if I think about the brushing my teeth again routine. So Good luck everybody !

Another great workout

Just finished our workout with Shan'tel. It's getting tougher--new exercises, more weight, and more reps. No rest for the weary for sure. But today for the first time in literally years, I felt like I have a waist, not the one I want, but at least I found a place that seems to shrink in a little around my middle. I think I am getting a little fitter than I was. I have never been able to do a push-up, but my goal is to be able to do one by the end of the program.

Brittany and Brenda, and Betty and Michele were there tonight working so hard at the gym. It is really encouraging to me to see other participants working out. I don't exactly know why it encourages me so, but it does.

Good luck everybody!

Pilates DVD

Today was good. I managed to both get in my exercise and stay on my diet. The world is good--at least today. One day at a time does it--today we are one third of the way to our 100 days if I counted right.

I really like to exercise at home when I don't have a trainer. I have found that a good peppy beat on my CD player does wonders for my heart rate. And stairs are my hardest challenge--they really exhaust me. So I am working on that at home when I can't get to the gym.

I also got a Pilates DVD at Costco that I can actually do, wonder of wonders. I usually end up watching those super fit ladies do their thing and wishing I had saved my money. I noticed today the Pilates DVD are all gone, but they have Yoga and Tai Chi. I haven't tried the yoga yet--the last yoga class I attended left me feeling like my body was made wrong.

We work with Shan'tel again tomorrow. I can hardly wait. I feel very spoiled with all this attention. Before you know it, we will be back exercising on our own, but with our better bodies. I have a lot of fat clothes clogging up my closet. I would get rid of them, but unfortunately, they still fit. But they are getting looser--I think I have been buying my clothes too tight--otherwise they wouldn't still fit me--think?? Anyway, I feel skinnier even if my clothes do still fit.

Good luck everybody. See you in the gym or Friday morning.

Killer ball

We just finished another great workout with Shan'tel. I am tired, good tired. I am getting stronger and that is very exciting to me. Shan'tel keeps the challenges coming and varied, so there is no danger getting complacent.

Have you seen some of the things they think up to do on that big round ball? Believe me, I found out tonight it can be a real challenge. I have had one of those balls at home for years, but tonight I was given a whole new way of thinking and exercising with it, and it is one difficult, killer exercise. Undoubtedly exactly what I need.

I sure get energised when I go to the gym and see our fellow challengers working so hard. I love working out in the gym, but I keep thinking how much easier it will be when I shed all this excess baggage around my middle.

Good luck everybody!!!

This week we will be 1/3 of the way through the Challenge--half way on the 28th. I have really enjoyed it, and it has made me very aware of how important exercise and careful food plans are to my health. I really feel better than I have for a long time. I feel very lucky to have my clothes fitting so much better--all because I got chosen for this Challenge.

I read that fitness is 80 percent diet and 20 percent exercise. The article said it is absolutely imperative that we control what we put into our bodies if we want the best body we can have. I have noticed Julianne eating raw veggies, not junk food, in the gym--well, I cannot imagine anyone being more fit or energetic than Julianne. I'm taking a cue from her.

So I am beginning this part of the journey with renewed resolution to be the fittest person I can be come my 70th birthday in June. Good luck, everybody. Thanks for your encouragement and help. Thanks for your smiling, sweaty faces that encourage me in the gym.

Struggles

Well, I now have more empathy for folks with health problems to deal with. My knees have started acting up. I am not sure what triggers it, but if anybody knows what makes knees hurt when you go down stairs I would like to know.

I had a struggle today with some apple strudel. Mindy said we are better off eating something if it is about to drive us crazy. Well, it was. I was trying to help Bonnie man her Rhino Rock fence booth at the South Town Lawn and Garden show, but I wasn't much use in the booth. So I left the booth and found that crazy apple strudel and it bothered me until I bought it and ate every morsel. It was delicious! But Mindy was right. I got over the craving, but I'll probably regret it when I step on the scales.

I hope everybody has a great week-end and can stay focused on our challenge. I am sure trying, but sometimes I just fall off the bandwagon. So good luck everybody.

No TV snacks

Just finished the workout with Shan'tel tonight. Great work out.

I am still adjusting my food. I think the worst thing I do is eat late at night. So that is my new challenge: Quit eating after 6:00 pm. Tonight I got my husband his favorite chocolate ice cream with fudge sauce while he watched TV, and I had NONE. Not even one little taste of the residue on the ice cream scoop. Like they say, one day at a time...one hour at a time for me.

I keep seeing the Winters and the Bawdens at the gym--and sometimes Brittany. I feel so encouraged when I see them there. They all work so hard. Thank you so much for inspiring me to work hard.

Great exercise class today

I just got home from Alicia's exercise class at the hospital. She really did a great job tailoring the class to our needs. Everyone participated, even the men. We all learned every single step she taught. She had us take turns being on the front line. My knees are none the worse for wear, but I am tired--good tired. My sweatband was wet when I finished the class. Everyone seemed to have a good time, I sure did. I could do this class every week and I would gladly make the effort to find the time to be there. I really enjoyed the class, so thank you Alicia. And would you believe, our trainer, Shan'tel, was there participating in the class. She is one dedicated trainer. Thank you Shan'tel.

Hard work but worth it.

Just had another great workout with Shan'tel. Workouts are getting more challenging and I am really tired after tonight, tired, but good tired. I have always, before the Challenge, hated weights. Now I look forward to finishing the aerobic part so I can see if I have progressed on the weights.

I have sure learned that if I want to lose weight I have, HAVE to plan my meals and not graze in the kitchen. If I plan I am OK, if I don't I am a disaster in the kitchen. Oh well. Sometimes I feel like Oprah--I know what to do, that is not the problem.

Saw Matt, Brittany, Christi and Jeff tonight. They are all going great!! And, of course, our Tickled Pink team. It feels so good to see so many there.

Our wonderful trainer, Shan'tel

I can't say enough about how much I appreciate our trainer, Shan'tel Christensen. She is a jewel. She moniters us ever so closely to keep us in our heart zone. She very carefully encourages and compliments all the while with our heart rate uppermost in her mind. She backs us off when our rate gets too high. Her total concentration makes me feel like Bonnie and I are the most important people in the world when we workout with her.

This program is for sure a challenge, but I feel stronger already. It makes me happy when I see other participants working so hard in the gym--it is like we have a special bond with being in this program. Additionally, I also look forward to reading everybody's blogs before I post.

Thank you Traci for scheduling a beginner class for us this Saturday. I am looking forward to it.

So Good luck to everybody !! I am proud to be part of this group !

Julianne's kale recipe

Julianna's kale recipe

Somebody (I wish I could remember who) said that Julianna tosses kale with olive oil and bakes it in the oven and eats it like chips. I would love to have a bit more information on that. According to what I have read, kale is one of the superfoods and also is known to halve the incidence of macular degeneration as people age. It is pretty good if you steam it until it turns bright green then toss it with some balsamic vinegar. I would really like an additional way to prepare it that was tasty. My husband won't touch it the way I prepare it.

cabbage soup

A big help today has been this cabbage soup:

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
1 head cabbage, shredded
1 can of green beans, or frozen is also better, I think
1 can sweet corn, I also prefer frozen
1 can beans, pinto, etc. which I make ahead and freeze in small portions

Simmer over medium heat until tender.

1 cup = 125 calories, 26.4 carbs, 8.3 g fiber, 6.4 g protein

I try to make a big pot full and refrigerate to have on hand. It helps to fill the non-starchy part of my plate without having to make a salad. It is also quite filling and nutritious. You can put all kinds of flavorings in it, or it is quite to my taste without any other seasonings than the vegetables blending together. Most people with an open mind like it, but you might have trouble with a meat and potatoes husband like mine, or a teenager.