Weighed in on Monday ... I was down 2 more pounds for a total of 20 lbs!!! I was so excited to see that number on the scale. On Thursday morning I am getting measured and having my body fat tested. I figured it would help to use several measuring tools instead of just the scale. I have noticed a difference in my clothes but I figured it would be fun to see where I am in regards to inches on my body!! Stay tuned...
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
A Different Measuring Tool
About a year ago I was traveling for work. I boarded a plane and sat in my seat. I tried to buckle the seat belt but I couldn't. I was mortified. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't buckle the seat belt. I had to ask for an extension. I was so embarrassed, I had never had to ask for an extension before. I had let myself get to this low point. I had allowed myself to gain that much weight.
I had only had to ask for an extension once but once was enough. I continued to struggle with buckling seat belts on airplanes and I could never get the tray tables down either. There was never any room.
I haven't flown since last spring and since the beginning of June I have lost 18 pounds. This past week I was traveling via plane. I was on and off airplanes all week and not once did I struggle to buckle a seat belt. I was also able to use my tray table.
I was thrilled when this happened and I felt great. It may seem like a strange way to measure...but I saw progress!!!
I had only had to ask for an extension once but once was enough. I continued to struggle with buckling seat belts on airplanes and I could never get the tray tables down either. There was never any room.
I haven't flown since last spring and since the beginning of June I have lost 18 pounds. This past week I was traveling via plane. I was on and off airplanes all week and not once did I struggle to buckle a seat belt. I was also able to use my tray table.
I was thrilled when this happened and I felt great. It may seem like a strange way to measure...but I saw progress!!!
Sunday, September 7, 2014
I lit the match
When I changed the theme of my blog I knew I had to get the fire back. I needed to make my workouts a routine. And I knew I had to do this one step at a time. I could not just jump ahead to a finish line and hope the results would be different. I was killing myself and kidding myself thinking if I just continued to do what I was doing I would get the results I wanted.
I started things off slow. Getting the workouts in when I could during the day. And that was going well but some days a workout just did not happen. Well two weeks ago I decided to kick it up a notch. I wanted to get my workouts done and not have any excuses. I started to workout in the morning. I made an agreement with a co worker. We would meet at the gym in the morning before work. We don't have to workout together, or even talk to each other (ha ha Cheryl) we just have to hold each other accountable to be there. As a result I have worked out 8 days in a row. In just a week I have felt so much better. Although I hate the sound of my alarm in the morning, I love completing the workouts and not having to worry about them.
The fire still isn't lit but I have struck the match!
I started things off slow. Getting the workouts in when I could during the day. And that was going well but some days a workout just did not happen. Well two weeks ago I decided to kick it up a notch. I wanted to get my workouts done and not have any excuses. I started to workout in the morning. I made an agreement with a co worker. We would meet at the gym in the morning before work. We don't have to workout together, or even talk to each other (ha ha Cheryl) we just have to hold each other accountable to be there. As a result I have worked out 8 days in a row. In just a week I have felt so much better. Although I hate the sound of my alarm in the morning, I love completing the workouts and not having to worry about them.
The fire still isn't lit but I have struck the match!
Monday, September 1, 2014
A little rain never stopped anyone...
What's my favorite workout? Well that is an easy answer, that would be swimming! So what is my favorite race? That would be an open water swim AKA The Escape from the Judge! It is a mile long swim in Skaneateles Lake in Skaneateles, NY. The organizers take you out about a mile and have you swim back in to shore. You have two options to get out to the start line. Your first option would be a school bus which takes you to the Country Club and you jump off the docks to swim to the start line. The second option would be to take a boat ride to the start line and jump off the boat. The boat is called the Judge, hence the Escape from the Judge!
I love this race because it is fun and stress free. All you have to do is swim! In the end yesterday was fun and stress free but it didn't start like that. The day before the organizers of this race hosted a triathlon. However, they had to cancel the swim portion due to rough water conditions. So I became nervous that it could be rough for our swim too. Then I checked the weather report and the weather service was calling for thunderstorms!! I was fearing the worst. The worst being that my favorite race could be cancelled.
Sunday morning the air was warm and there was rain but there was no sign of thunder or lightning. The water was wavy but I didn't see it as being rough water conditions so the race must go on ... and it did! I was lucky enough to get onto the Judge and be taken to the start line by boat. Jumping off the boat is always so much fun. I swam to the start line and waited for the horn to sound the start of the race.
I felt great the entire way! I quickly got into a rhythm, moved out of the pack of swimmers and just kept swimming ... "just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. I had a coach once who said she sang the alphabet at the start of open water swims to get into a rhythm. I do one of two things and sometimes both to pass the time. I put the states in alphabetical order and for some reason there are three states I always forget; Montana, Nebraska and Nevada! The other thing I do is ... "A my name is Alice, my husbands name is Al; we come from Alabama and we sell Apples". I do this through the whole alphabet. Or to the best of my ability, I get stuck on Q, U, X, Y & Z. I know you find this strange but it passes the time and before you know it you are half way there!
So I finished the race in 44 minutes but I think I could have been seconds faster if I hadn't slipped When you get out of the water you have to run to the finish line. The grass can be slippery due to the rain and I found out it is true. Right before I crossed the finish line I slipped and landed on all fours. I had to crawl across the finish line in order for my time to be recorded!! Just call me grace! Either way it was a great time.
The sad part of this whole story is that it is the last year of the Escape from the Judge and the triathlon they host on Saturday. After 10 years the organizers are ready to call it quits. I will miss this race as it is my favorite. My dad will also miss this race because he comes up to visit every year and watch the race. He has a tradition of going to the Skaneateles Bakery in the morning for a cup of coffee and a doughnut and heading back to the finish line to watch everyone finish. I think he likes the fact that I am done with this race in less than an hour!! Rain or shine we were there for six years!!
I think I will have to find another open water swim. I know there are ones in Lake George ... maybe 3 miles next year!!!
I love this race because it is fun and stress free. All you have to do is swim! In the end yesterday was fun and stress free but it didn't start like that. The day before the organizers of this race hosted a triathlon. However, they had to cancel the swim portion due to rough water conditions. So I became nervous that it could be rough for our swim too. Then I checked the weather report and the weather service was calling for thunderstorms!! I was fearing the worst. The worst being that my favorite race could be cancelled.
Sunday morning the air was warm and there was rain but there was no sign of thunder or lightning. The water was wavy but I didn't see it as being rough water conditions so the race must go on ... and it did! I was lucky enough to get onto the Judge and be taken to the start line by boat. Jumping off the boat is always so much fun. I swam to the start line and waited for the horn to sound the start of the race.
I felt great the entire way! I quickly got into a rhythm, moved out of the pack of swimmers and just kept swimming ... "just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming. I had a coach once who said she sang the alphabet at the start of open water swims to get into a rhythm. I do one of two things and sometimes both to pass the time. I put the states in alphabetical order and for some reason there are three states I always forget; Montana, Nebraska and Nevada! The other thing I do is ... "A my name is Alice, my husbands name is Al; we come from Alabama and we sell Apples". I do this through the whole alphabet. Or to the best of my ability, I get stuck on Q, U, X, Y & Z. I know you find this strange but it passes the time and before you know it you are half way there!
So I finished the race in 44 minutes but I think I could have been seconds faster if I hadn't slipped When you get out of the water you have to run to the finish line. The grass can be slippery due to the rain and I found out it is true. Right before I crossed the finish line I slipped and landed on all fours. I had to crawl across the finish line in order for my time to be recorded!! Just call me grace! Either way it was a great time.
The sad part of this whole story is that it is the last year of the Escape from the Judge and the triathlon they host on Saturday. After 10 years the organizers are ready to call it quits. I will miss this race as it is my favorite. My dad will also miss this race because he comes up to visit every year and watch the race. He has a tradition of going to the Skaneateles Bakery in the morning for a cup of coffee and a doughnut and heading back to the finish line to watch everyone finish. I think he likes the fact that I am done with this race in less than an hour!! Rain or shine we were there for six years!!
I think I will have to find another open water swim. I know there are ones in Lake George ... maybe 3 miles next year!!!
Monday, August 25, 2014
The best laid plans...
I went to bed early on Sunday; woke up early so I didn't have to rush on Monday. I packed my swim bag and headed out to the pool. Entered the gym and walked into the locker room. So far it seemed like it was going to be a great day. I grabbed my goggles and swim cap and headed to the pool. I got to the pool entrance and the door was locked and the pool deck was dark. YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME???? I thought I had read the schedule correctly but obviously not!! With school about to start all the schedules are changing and I was off. With today's schedule the morning was the only opportunity I had to workout and I missed it.
Do I get partial credit for trying? I applaud myself for the going to bed early and waking up early ... That is huge for me! I do know the pool is closed tomorrow so we will try a run. Lets hope the trails aren't closed tomorrow!!
Do I get partial credit for trying? I applaud myself for the going to bed early and waking up early ... That is huge for me! I do know the pool is closed tomorrow so we will try a run. Lets hope the trails aren't closed tomorrow!!
Sunday, August 24, 2014
Reflections
You're exercising, you're eating right and the scale is starting to move in the right direction. You are feeling better and actually starting to feel good about yourself. Then it happens ... your walking down a street, you see a reflection of yourself in a window and you don't like what you see. In fact you hate it. You try to put it behind you and continue to move forward but it happens again. You see a video of yourself or a picture and all hell breaks lose!! One step forward and two steps back.
Your self esteem drops and you begin to doubt yourself all over again. So what is one to do??
Stop looking in mirrors ... maybe?
No you pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward...and maybe put the mirrors away!
The pool is calling my name ... early morning tomorrow!!
The pool is calling my name ... early morning tomorrow!!
Thursday, August 14, 2014
The Best of Luck and updates
I know it has been almost three weeks since I have written. Life has been a bit busy but I am moving along.
Before I go any further, I want to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to my friend Maureen Kenyon. Maureen is up in Canada right now getting ready to participate in the Mont Tremblant Ironman! I am so excited for her and want her to know that I am cheering really loud for her and know that she will be awesome!! The hard work is done, trust your training, keep smiling and have fun!! And just think when you are done you can have several plates of food :-)
As an update from my end ... I am starting to get into a rhythm with my workouts. I have been swimming and running. I will admit my bike is collecting some dust but in time I will get back on it. Everyone knows when faced with a choice I am in the pool first before I get on my bike.
The scale has been moving too. I am down 16.5 pounds (if my scale isn't lying). When the scale goes down I always question my scale; if it goes up I trust it. However, for the last two months it has been going down. I have been feeling better. The IBS seems to be controlled for right now and acid reflux hasn't bothered me at all even when traveling.
Still moving forward ... one day at a time!
Have a great race Maureen!!!
Before I go any further, I want to give a BIG SHOUT OUT to my friend Maureen Kenyon. Maureen is up in Canada right now getting ready to participate in the Mont Tremblant Ironman! I am so excited for her and want her to know that I am cheering really loud for her and know that she will be awesome!! The hard work is done, trust your training, keep smiling and have fun!! And just think when you are done you can have several plates of food :-)
As an update from my end ... I am starting to get into a rhythm with my workouts. I have been swimming and running. I will admit my bike is collecting some dust but in time I will get back on it. Everyone knows when faced with a choice I am in the pool first before I get on my bike.
The scale has been moving too. I am down 16.5 pounds (if my scale isn't lying). When the scale goes down I always question my scale; if it goes up I trust it. However, for the last two months it has been going down. I have been feeling better. The IBS seems to be controlled for right now and acid reflux hasn't bothered me at all even when traveling.
Still moving forward ... one day at a time!
Have a great race Maureen!!!
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