Resolutions or challenges?
So its almost the end of 2011. I don't make resolutions, because I don't want to disappoint myself if I forget or worse its something that I really wanted to do, but fail. I mean resolutions in theory are something you do over the year right? While a challenge is a short term type of thing.
This year I've opted to do a challenge. 30 days of hot yoga. Even if I'm unable to do 30 classes, I feel its a worthy challenge and one that will benefit me regardless of how many classes I'm able to get to. In past years I've done things such as 5k St Patty's day, or multiple 5 K's over the year. All of which I achieved. This being a daily will be a bit harder to work the timing with all the other things in my life.
So perhaps making a challenge will help you start the new year off right. Here are some ideas in case you're have trouble thinking of one or two.
1) adding 1 exercise class a week for the month and making sure you attend.
2) taking 5 - 20 minute walks every week for 1 month.
3) try doing water walking 2 days a week if you have trouble with walking on pavement.
4) make one meal a week fish if you are not regularly eating fish,
5) Start each dinner with a small cup of vegetable soup or broth, to help fill your stomach and reduce evening calories.
6) pre- plan your dinner menus for 2 weeks, so you can eat healthier.
There's a ton of ideas that may be appropriate for you. These are just a few that came to mind. For more ideas to a healthier you, you might check out this page from Oprahs magazine last year her feel good challenge- http://www.oprah.com/health/January-2011-Feel-Good-Challenge-O-Magazine/2
so whether its a challenge or a resolution you make, think a bit ahead for a healthier new year.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Steps and calories
The week of Christmas before and after are rather interesting days when it comes to exercise. Usually the few days before hand, you get busy, buying food, presents, and preparing for the big event, whether its Christmas eve or day or day after.
My daughter Miss P. flew in from London late Monday night. We then started a week trying to keep exercise in our day, as well as getting ready for the holidays, and for her to meet up with old friends. She is used to 6 hours a day of exercise from dance and body conditioning. Obviously we aren't going to do that here, but she does require some maintenance.
She told me she does not like yoga, so I took her to Hot Yoga and there she discovered its not so bad,- her first class was a fusion class, followed by a Hatha class, and then tonight we did a power sculpt class. All of which she excels at while I struggle but that's to be expected...with our difference in age and physique. But it does leave this mother a little jealous that she can no longer function as a young adult. Argh, the natural process of aging needs to be slowed down for sure.
So then I've been so busy, trying to run around and get things done, I wasn't checking my body media but I was wearing it. After shopping trips, and I wish it would record yoga better as and activity, because the movements aren't more athletic i don't get much credit for it, But it does make my calorie burn go up, so I guess its the trade off. I plugged in my media today and was fascinated to find that Christmas eve and Christmas day, had large numbers for both steps, and calorie burns. I did not expect this at all! Christmas eve, I spent preparing the meal for Christmas day- we had at that time a count of 18 coming for the family meal. I made a low fat lasagna- using chicken and turkey sausage, cottage cheese, low fat mozzarella. It turned out delicious and no one knew it was lower calorie than me. Christmas eve my immediate family of Miss P and Mr G always have enchiladas, fresh fruit salad, and either black beans or rice (we are not Hispanic- we just like Mexican food alot). This year again, using 2% cheese, and lower fat turkey my meal was healthier. You can't go wrong with fresh fruit. I always look for the fruits we don't usually have like pineapple, kiwis, pomegranate, fuyu persimmons. They are treat anytime but extra special all together. My daughter made cookies for gift boxes, a tiramisu from scratch, and a traditional cranberry cake we serve with a hard sauce for Christmas day desert..
I found that while we were busy spending all this time in the kitchen I managed over 14000 steps.
Christmas day, after opening presents and my daughter made us breakfast of panatone bread french toast, left over fresh fruit and some bacon. It was delicious! We then had to start on the re-arranging of furniture to figure out how to seat 19 people for sit down dinner. Mr G and I spent the time doing this, finding and adding table leaves, searching through our home to find adequate seating, dressing the tables, etc. My steps again over 14000 and calories burn up to 3400.
My calorie burn minimum is 2050 but lately even on days that are light activity I've been burning more in 2300-2500 level. Pretty cool for sure.
I'm seeing small changes in my body, these days. I've never been comfortable with it, too much ridicule when I was young from someone who was important in my life. Consequently I don't have a body that I love, but one I'm struggling to. I can tell you more things I hate about my body than I love but my most hated are my upper arms. I have those kinds of upper arms that although muscular, encompass as much fat as they possibly can squeeze into them. Mini little ham hocks they are like. When I focus on lifting weights or doing kettle bells I can tolerate them, however I try to wear longer sleeves for anything besides yoga, because I hate them so. Having had melanoma a few years ago, I wear long sleeves more than most anyways. So now you know, my arms are my kryptonite.
So as my year comes to a close, I've been wearing my body media since late April. When I started wearing it and until just 2 months ago, I had severe chronic anemia, unable to do 8000 steps at the time, or if I did one day the next required a day of rest. so I was averaging about 3-4000 steps at the time. I'm thrilled that my steps have increased not just to 8000 but more often over that. My weight loss isn't as satisfactory, but you can't have everything at one time can you? I have 4 more months to reach more of my weight loss goal, which as I've been healthier the last two months, it should be easier to achieve it.
My daughter Miss P. flew in from London late Monday night. We then started a week trying to keep exercise in our day, as well as getting ready for the holidays, and for her to meet up with old friends. She is used to 6 hours a day of exercise from dance and body conditioning. Obviously we aren't going to do that here, but she does require some maintenance.
She told me she does not like yoga, so I took her to Hot Yoga and there she discovered its not so bad,- her first class was a fusion class, followed by a Hatha class, and then tonight we did a power sculpt class. All of which she excels at while I struggle but that's to be expected...with our difference in age and physique. But it does leave this mother a little jealous that she can no longer function as a young adult. Argh, the natural process of aging needs to be slowed down for sure.
So then I've been so busy, trying to run around and get things done, I wasn't checking my body media but I was wearing it. After shopping trips, and I wish it would record yoga better as and activity, because the movements aren't more athletic i don't get much credit for it, But it does make my calorie burn go up, so I guess its the trade off. I plugged in my media today and was fascinated to find that Christmas eve and Christmas day, had large numbers for both steps, and calorie burns. I did not expect this at all! Christmas eve, I spent preparing the meal for Christmas day- we had at that time a count of 18 coming for the family meal. I made a low fat lasagna- using chicken and turkey sausage, cottage cheese, low fat mozzarella. It turned out delicious and no one knew it was lower calorie than me. Christmas eve my immediate family of Miss P and Mr G always have enchiladas, fresh fruit salad, and either black beans or rice (we are not Hispanic- we just like Mexican food alot). This year again, using 2% cheese, and lower fat turkey my meal was healthier. You can't go wrong with fresh fruit. I always look for the fruits we don't usually have like pineapple, kiwis, pomegranate, fuyu persimmons. They are treat anytime but extra special all together. My daughter made cookies for gift boxes, a tiramisu from scratch, and a traditional cranberry cake we serve with a hard sauce for Christmas day desert..
I found that while we were busy spending all this time in the kitchen I managed over 14000 steps.
Christmas day, after opening presents and my daughter made us breakfast of panatone bread french toast, left over fresh fruit and some bacon. It was delicious! We then had to start on the re-arranging of furniture to figure out how to seat 19 people for sit down dinner. Mr G and I spent the time doing this, finding and adding table leaves, searching through our home to find adequate seating, dressing the tables, etc. My steps again over 14000 and calories burn up to 3400.
My calorie burn minimum is 2050 but lately even on days that are light activity I've been burning more in 2300-2500 level. Pretty cool for sure.
I'm seeing small changes in my body, these days. I've never been comfortable with it, too much ridicule when I was young from someone who was important in my life. Consequently I don't have a body that I love, but one I'm struggling to. I can tell you more things I hate about my body than I love but my most hated are my upper arms. I have those kinds of upper arms that although muscular, encompass as much fat as they possibly can squeeze into them. Mini little ham hocks they are like. When I focus on lifting weights or doing kettle bells I can tolerate them, however I try to wear longer sleeves for anything besides yoga, because I hate them so. Having had melanoma a few years ago, I wear long sleeves more than most anyways. So now you know, my arms are my kryptonite.
So as my year comes to a close, I've been wearing my body media since late April. When I started wearing it and until just 2 months ago, I had severe chronic anemia, unable to do 8000 steps at the time, or if I did one day the next required a day of rest. so I was averaging about 3-4000 steps at the time. I'm thrilled that my steps have increased not just to 8000 but more often over that. My weight loss isn't as satisfactory, but you can't have everything at one time can you? I have 4 more months to reach more of my weight loss goal, which as I've been healthier the last two months, it should be easier to achieve it.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
A surprise for me!
OK, yes I am bragging and tooting my own horn. I went to a training this weekend for Zumba Toning. It's pretty intense. 8 hours of working out, which admittedly doesn't always feel like your "working" out and other times its like can we stop now? included with class time and thinking. by hour 7 my feet hurt, too much impact for them, and my knee hurt, where I have small tear in a ligament. They are both still kind of sore, especially my knee. I wear a brace during workouts to help protect and remind me to be careful. I took it off half way because it got sweaty and hot... dumb dumb dumb...all I can say. 3 days later, its' still nagging me.
So wearing the body media device you get a pretty good idea of what your doing. I had just short of 4000 calories burned that day. Isn't that awesome? BUT the best part, is I weighed this morning, and I'm at my lowest weight in 4 1/2 years. Woot woot! I'm so excited. I finally broke through a plateau I've been stuck at, gaining and losing but never going below that one number. Yippee yes I said it, Yippee!
So wearing the body media device you get a pretty good idea of what your doing. I had just short of 4000 calories burned that day. Isn't that awesome? BUT the best part, is I weighed this morning, and I'm at my lowest weight in 4 1/2 years. Woot woot! I'm so excited. I finally broke through a plateau I've been stuck at, gaining and losing but never going below that one number. Yippee yes I said it, Yippee!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Its December!
Oh its December and so much is happening. First I've got a new job with the sno-valley Ymca teaching Zumba gold to start, and hopefully a bit more as time goes by and we see how the Y develops. I am so excited to have this opportunity to work in the Y and with the community.
Second on my list is that my daughter will be home for Christmas from London England. She'll be back the 19th hopefully barring weather etc. It's a long flight but so excited for her return.
Third - I've recently started taking HoT Yoga. I didn't think I would like it, didn't think I could stand the heat mostly. I'm not up the whole time that's for sure, BUT and this is big, I LOVE the way I feel when the class is over. The toxins just feel like they melt out of you. I think knowing that its only going to be 60 minutes help. My first class was 90 minutes and I laid on the floor probably 40 of those trying to adjust, when I would get light headed in the standing poses. I want my hubs and daughter to go with me for this. I'm determined to get him to a zumba class one of these days as well.
Fourth, I'm taking a Zumba Toning Training this coming Saturday. I'm so jazzed. I love working with weights. That's how I damaged my shoulder 4 years ago lifting 160lbs but it doesn't change things I still love the feel of holding weights, and the burn you get. I look forward to taking this training and then being able to take the Gold toning training. I already do light weight circuit type training with my a couple of my gals, so this will be more fun for them! Hurray!!
Fifth, I had this big realization today as I was carrying cat litter in. The boxes weigh 25 lbs each. I had two, one in each hand. As I was carrying them and feeling how much they weighed me down, it came to me that this is the amount of weight the doctor told me I needed to lose this year, by mid April- was the goal he set. I need to work harder at this that's for sure. I still have 40 of those to go. I had an excuse at not being able to do much while i was so severely anemic, but I no longer am(fingers crossed). It's not that I don't exercise I do, I do Zumba almost everyday, and now have started the yoga, which isn't so much for weight loss as more of a mind body connection. but I need to actual monitor my food intake better. I eat a ton of veggies and salad, and I use lemon juice for dressing not a fat laden dressing. But I'm not careful about making sure I eat regularly or get enough calories which can make just as many problems as eating too many. So now is the time to work on that before the new year actually.
Do any of you follow weight watchers? I got a notice their points plus program has new changes. I guess they are still ironing out the program with the changes. my actual favorite plan was the one they did that included the quick start program about 14 years ago. I wish to this day I still had that yellow quick start book. I lost 40 pounds doing that particular program, and wish I could go back to that program. I don't know where that book is, but I know I had it when I moved to this house. The hunt is on, if it worked once it can work again.
Alright then , I know how busy the holidays get, between shopping, visiting , and cooking too much.
Second on my list is that my daughter will be home for Christmas from London England. She'll be back the 19th hopefully barring weather etc. It's a long flight but so excited for her return.
Third - I've recently started taking HoT Yoga. I didn't think I would like it, didn't think I could stand the heat mostly. I'm not up the whole time that's for sure, BUT and this is big, I LOVE the way I feel when the class is over. The toxins just feel like they melt out of you. I think knowing that its only going to be 60 minutes help. My first class was 90 minutes and I laid on the floor probably 40 of those trying to adjust, when I would get light headed in the standing poses. I want my hubs and daughter to go with me for this. I'm determined to get him to a zumba class one of these days as well.
Fourth, I'm taking a Zumba Toning Training this coming Saturday. I'm so jazzed. I love working with weights. That's how I damaged my shoulder 4 years ago lifting 160lbs but it doesn't change things I still love the feel of holding weights, and the burn you get. I look forward to taking this training and then being able to take the Gold toning training. I already do light weight circuit type training with my a couple of my gals, so this will be more fun for them! Hurray!!
Fifth, I had this big realization today as I was carrying cat litter in. The boxes weigh 25 lbs each. I had two, one in each hand. As I was carrying them and feeling how much they weighed me down, it came to me that this is the amount of weight the doctor told me I needed to lose this year, by mid April- was the goal he set. I need to work harder at this that's for sure. I still have 40 of those to go. I had an excuse at not being able to do much while i was so severely anemic, but I no longer am(fingers crossed). It's not that I don't exercise I do, I do Zumba almost everyday, and now have started the yoga, which isn't so much for weight loss as more of a mind body connection. but I need to actual monitor my food intake better. I eat a ton of veggies and salad, and I use lemon juice for dressing not a fat laden dressing. But I'm not careful about making sure I eat regularly or get enough calories which can make just as many problems as eating too many. So now is the time to work on that before the new year actually.
Do any of you follow weight watchers? I got a notice their points plus program has new changes. I guess they are still ironing out the program with the changes. my actual favorite plan was the one they did that included the quick start program about 14 years ago. I wish to this day I still had that yellow quick start book. I lost 40 pounds doing that particular program, and wish I could go back to that program. I don't know where that book is, but I know I had it when I moved to this house. The hunt is on, if it worked once it can work again.
Alright then , I know how busy the holidays get, between shopping, visiting , and cooking too much.
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