6 posts tagged “fitness”
September really flew by and it was a difficult month all around. Not just the superficial scale numbers that seemed to hover around the same place, but also because of the death of DFW and all the emotions that stirred up about other relationships in my life and what I'm doing with my life. Anyway, I went off the rails in terms of my exercise routine for
about a week and also was partaking of all the yummy Kosher deli goodness that was around the office. The scale stayed stuck. But this week, it finally unstuck, thanks to getting back on the stick at the gym (I'm up to 6 miles per run now, and I've also started doing weights again) and also being a little more disciplined about going for fruit instead of more comforting types of food when I'm feeling like I want an emotional snack. So anyway, it all paid off, and this week the scale said I'd lost 6.6 lbs. That's like those crazy (and totally unrealistic & unhealthy, in terms of maintenance) "Biggest Loser" numbers, but like I said -- a lot of deli food = salty = water.
But whatever the case, I've reached the number I set for myself as my half-way goal: minus 34 lbs.
So I'm half-way to my final goal weight, which is a significant milestone, I suppose.
I wish I was feeling more excited about it or like I had someone to share it with or celebrate with (not with food or alcohol, though!). I guess it'll just have to be enough that I'm proud of myself. Yay, me.
Photo "Weighty Matters" by dogfaceboy (aka Leslie F. Miller) via Flickr.
I'm now bringing in 5.33 miles in 65 min, so I'm running just over 21 mi. each week. I think this increased pace must be somewhat attributed to watching the Olympics while at the gym. Time just flies by when watching volleyball (indoor / beach) or really just about any of the games. Then again, since I've started, I've dropped 23 lbs, so that's undoubtedly helped shave seconds off the pace, too.
At some point this week I'm going to start doing pilates again. Time to start toning up the core now that the layer of fat has diminished.
Now eight weeks have passed since I first started my new health regimen. Today, I was pleased to take measure, literally, of the last month's success. This is the only area of life where loss feels like a good thing. Every other loss aches to varying degrees, but taking control of one's health - to the extent one is able - has to be one of the most empowering feelings.
Most of July, my mother was visiting me, so we both encouraged each other along. (She lost 6 lbs while she was here, too.) It was also nice to have her doggie-sitting for me, so I could go straight to the gym from work instead of stopping at home first. The last week has taken a bit more discipline, because I'd go home, walk / feed the dog, eat dinner and then go to the gym, usually getting home around midnight. I've been sleepy all week. Maybe I'll start getting used to it, though, and my circadian rhythms will adjust. I hope.
Anyway, all the running (20 + miles/ wk) has paid off. In the past four weeks, I've shed another 10.4 lbs and lost another 5.5 inches. My BMI is down another 1.7 points. The good news, too, is that I haven't lost any muscle mass. That value held steady this month, which means nearly every ounce of that was fat (and 0.5 lb water)! Yay!
People at work - even the ones who didn't know that I was embarking on this mission - are starting to notice the results. I'd put on some weight from January - June, but now I'm more slender than when I first started at this current job last September, even. So that's nice. I feel really great. (If sleepy.)
Total weight loss: 21.2 lbs
Just starting week eight now. I'm up to 5.25 miles in 65 min, so I'm logging about 20 miles / week the past two weeks. I've also dropped another 8 lbs. in the last two weeks, so the extra running is really kicking my metabolism into gear. Hurray!
I'm at that point where I actually am looking forward to going for a run after sitting around all day at the office. On the weekend, I'm less enthused, but I'm still getting to the gym at least four days per week, which is good and leaves room to ratchet things up when I start to plateau.
I've been back in the gym for just over a month now, and I've noticed a couple of things.
1.) It's taking longer than it once did to get back to my baseline fitness level. It used to take a couple of weeks to get back into my exercise groove: jogging for about an hour between 5 - 6 miles. I guess I'm getting older.
2.) That said, I've gotten my avg. speed down to a 13 min mile. (Obviously, I'm not running marathons anytime soon.)
My first day back at the gym, I was running something over a 14 min mile, and two miles felt long. Now, 5 weeks in, I easily knock off three miles in under 40 min, so I need to set a new goal. I'm shooting for adding another mile to my regular run 3x/week. So, I'll up my work out to 4 miles in just under an hour. I should probably get more consistent about weights, too. I just hate carrying a notebook around, and to be serious about doing weights, one really has to keep track of the routine in writing in order to stay consistent and chart progress.
Sorry to any hypothetical readers that my blog seems to be turning into a record of my health. That's just where I'm at, right now. I know it's boring, but it's really primarily for myself. (Blogs are largely self-indulgent anyway, so what the hay?) Stay tuned. I might get interesting again soon (I hope).
So, for the past month, I've been trying to get back into better shape -- eating better (i.e., eating less -- about 1500 cals/day) and exercising more (walking the dog and going to the gym). I'm happy to report that my plan is working. In the past 28 days, I've shed 10.8 lbs, taken off 6.5 inches and my BMI is down 1.5 points!! I've still got a ways to go, but this is a good start.
To anyone else trying to find balance and be healthy -- keep at it! It's hard work, takes focus,planning ahead and the ability to make decisions (even bad ones) with consciousness -- but it pays off, and being healthy
and feeling in control is worth it!
Total weight-loss: 10.8 lbs
