I don't run. I wog. Which - roughly translated - means I walk for a bit, then jog until my fatassma kicks in, then proceed to walk till I catch my breath, then jog till my breath becomes short and wheezey.
All I have to say is: In a matter of seven short weeks, I have gone from walking 1.5 miles in 28 minutes in the morning to wogging 1.5 miles in 23 minutes. And today was the first day that as I wogged along my preset loop around campus, I held my head high, and kept a stunning pace. In about two more weeks, I think I'll be confident enough to start the Couch to 5K running program. The excitement is overwhelming!
Also, in those seven short weeks, I've dropped 6 pounds, and lost two inches off my belly, and one inch off my hips and ass. :-D
Go me!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Cranky Pants
I have my cranky pants on today. I'm not sure if it's the two extra hours of sleep I unintentionally gave myself, or the lack of exercise I did this morning, or the crippling panic about my NCE coming up on Saturday, but SOMETHING has put me in a mood. I'm cranky. I want to hide under the covers until this crankiness passes, because I hate it.
I thought to myself, I could go for a walk, that would lift my spirits, because exercise releases endorphins and endophins make you happy! But really, I just want to sit around in my apartment wearing my sweats and eating cheese. Which just frustrates me.
On a lighter note, two people I love very very much have joined me on myfitnesspal! Well, actually, one already was a member, so that doesn't really count. Anyway, it's exciting! I kind of like having real people out in cyberspace with me. AND I'm wishing them the best of luck with their fitness journeys.
T0tally lame post I know, but I don't care, I'm cranky.
I thought to myself, I could go for a walk, that would lift my spirits, because exercise releases endorphins and endophins make you happy! But really, I just want to sit around in my apartment wearing my sweats and eating cheese. Which just frustrates me.
On a lighter note, two people I love very very much have joined me on myfitnesspal! Well, actually, one already was a member, so that doesn't really count. Anyway, it's exciting! I kind of like having real people out in cyberspace with me. AND I'm wishing them the best of luck with their fitness journeys.
T0tally lame post I know, but I don't care, I'm cranky.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Enchanted Moment
My alarm clock buzzed its ever so vexatious sound bright and early this morning. My hand slammed down on the snooze button as its natural reaction. I groaned, I rolled over, I pretended that I needed more sleep for my busy day of bumming around the house.
Fify-six minutes and seven snoozes later, I tossed the covers off and made my way to the kitchen for a glass of water. As my hand gripped the refridgerator door handle, my eyes fell upon my exercise chart. There was a big dash through yesterday's box, because I convinced myself that my feet could use a rest from my morning walks. Today's box remained untouched.
I took a sip of the cold water in my hand, staring at the box. I glanced over the rest of the chart - walked four days last week, walked three days so far this week...All the empty boxes seemed to be egging me on. "Fill us, fill us with minutes of exercise," they chanted in sing-songy voices.
I headed back to my room and changed in to my walking clothes. I scrolled through my Zune menu for my upbeat playlist and hit play as I headed out the door. My feet slapped against the pavement as I did my best to raise my heart rate quickly. My breath ran off ahead of me with every exhale - lingering momentarily, as if to incite me. It was fridgid. My eyes watered. My fingers felt frozen.
I came upon my half-way marker. The morning sun danced across the dewy grass, and reached up and kissed my face. I could feel my heart pumping and my muscles working. I didn't feel tired and wiped out, I felt alive.
Upon returning home I took a moment to embrace the smile on my face. Fitness and I had shared an enchanted moment, something we have not shared in some time.
Fify-six minutes and seven snoozes later, I tossed the covers off and made my way to the kitchen for a glass of water. As my hand gripped the refridgerator door handle, my eyes fell upon my exercise chart. There was a big dash through yesterday's box, because I convinced myself that my feet could use a rest from my morning walks. Today's box remained untouched.
I took a sip of the cold water in my hand, staring at the box. I glanced over the rest of the chart - walked four days last week, walked three days so far this week...All the empty boxes seemed to be egging me on. "Fill us, fill us with minutes of exercise," they chanted in sing-songy voices.
I headed back to my room and changed in to my walking clothes. I scrolled through my Zune menu for my upbeat playlist and hit play as I headed out the door. My feet slapped against the pavement as I did my best to raise my heart rate quickly. My breath ran off ahead of me with every exhale - lingering momentarily, as if to incite me. It was fridgid. My eyes watered. My fingers felt frozen.
I came upon my half-way marker. The morning sun danced across the dewy grass, and reached up and kissed my face. I could feel my heart pumping and my muscles working. I didn't feel tired and wiped out, I felt alive.
Upon returning home I took a moment to embrace the smile on my face. Fitness and I had shared an enchanted moment, something we have not shared in some time.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Quick mental dump
When I started this blog, my intention was to contemplate life and find balance. I have quickly discovered that this process is not always blog-worthy. SO I'm now just using it as a place to empty my head.
Four days ago I joined MyFitnessPal.com because I'm tired of feeling fat.
I did fairly well at the begining of the year to uphold my promise to myself to fall in love with Fitness again. I was doing yoga about three times a week, I had cut out fast food from my diet, and I started cooking lighter meals. Just as Fitness and I were starting to feel that spark in our relationship again, Laziness dropped by unannounced. And it brought its friends Food Cravings and Mental Block. In a matter of what felt like minutes, I had retreated back to my previously bad relationship with Laziness.
Then, one weekend, I was walking Race for the Cure, and I bumped in to Fitness. It commented on my cute pink running shoes and pointed out the 55+ aged cancer survivor that jogged past me. The lightbulb came on...again. I'm 24! I should be out having fun with Fitness, not couped up inside with Laziness! I hemmed and hawed over how I was going to try and get back together with Fitness, and decided that I needed visuals. I needed to see how much I ate on a piece of paper, I needed to see how often and how long I exercised on a chart, and I needed to see what others were up to.
My goal is to run the untimed 5K Race for the Cure next year. Sorry laziness, it’s over between you and me.
Four days ago I joined MyFitnessPal.com because I'm tired of feeling fat.
I did fairly well at the begining of the year to uphold my promise to myself to fall in love with Fitness again. I was doing yoga about three times a week, I had cut out fast food from my diet, and I started cooking lighter meals. Just as Fitness and I were starting to feel that spark in our relationship again, Laziness dropped by unannounced. And it brought its friends Food Cravings and Mental Block. In a matter of what felt like minutes, I had retreated back to my previously bad relationship with Laziness.
Then, one weekend, I was walking Race for the Cure, and I bumped in to Fitness. It commented on my cute pink running shoes and pointed out the 55+ aged cancer survivor that jogged past me. The lightbulb came on...again. I'm 24! I should be out having fun with Fitness, not couped up inside with Laziness! I hemmed and hawed over how I was going to try and get back together with Fitness, and decided that I needed visuals. I needed to see how much I ate on a piece of paper, I needed to see how often and how long I exercised on a chart, and I needed to see what others were up to.
My goal is to run the untimed 5K Race for the Cure next year. Sorry laziness, it’s over between you and me.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Emptying my head.
I am masquarading as a responsible adult. I am very uncertain of my future, and very uneasy about it. I am totally rocking out to Moztart right now. I am excited to go to China! I am scared that I will run out of money, get frustrated by the language barrier, or be quarenteened for having the swine flu. I am frustrated by the non-actions of someone, and frustrated that I give a shit about it. I am flattered by the actions of someone else, and nervous about what may come of it. I am wondering if the man in my dreams is turning out to not be the man of my dreams and the man I never dreamed about is actually the man I've always dreamed of. I am chosing to not over-think it, take it all at face value, and move on day by day. I am in dire need of a nap. I am wanting to rid my life of toxic people. I am doing nothing towards this hazardous waste depositing. I am worried that my cat is dying. I am procrastinating doing my homework because I don't want to do it. I am ready for school to be over...about four weeks ago.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Classic Rewind
Classical music makes my soul dance.
I haven't taken the time to sit back and enjoy the complexities, and intricate simplicities of a classical piece since my sister and I saw the Nutcracker during the 2007 Christmas season.
We got a new PA system in my office the other day. The receptionists have chosen classical music to play over the speakers. I am overjoyed! It's as if they knew my mind needed to quiet down, and knew the remedy.
I just wish I paid more attention to the composers during fifth grade music class, then I could at least name the people that move me.
I haven't taken the time to sit back and enjoy the complexities, and intricate simplicities of a classical piece since my sister and I saw the Nutcracker during the 2007 Christmas season.
We got a new PA system in my office the other day. The receptionists have chosen classical music to play over the speakers. I am overjoyed! It's as if they knew my mind needed to quiet down, and knew the remedy.
I just wish I paid more attention to the composers during fifth grade music class, then I could at least name the people that move me.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Oh Zen...
Things I find Zen-ful:
My thursday night yoga class
Walking to work in the morning
Visualizing myself on a beach
Getting lost in an art project
Things I don't find Zen-ful:
Looking around my dirty apartment - getting overwhelmed
Sitting at work with nothing to do
Arguing with my family
Feeling overbooked
Every now and then I forget my resolution. I forget that I'm trying to simplify my life and maintain a Zen mindset. I get lost in the hussle and bussle of summer events, forgetting to take two seconds to just breathe and reset. This is why I love my thursday night yoga class. It forces me to be in the moment for an hour, as opposed to furture thinking or ruminating about past conversations.
I believe I have too much on my plate right now, it's hard to keep it steady. A couple of weeks ago, we made a roles and contexts map for a class project. We were asked to identify our different roles, and what contexts they fall under. Then we had to map out connections, strains, and provide adjectives or descriptors to define how we fill that role, or what that role brings out in us. On my map, the only strain I noticed was my determination to be independent yet desire for intimacy. Seemed simple enough at the time.
Over that last week or so, I've noticed that I completely underestimated my roles. Or more accurately, I completely underestimated what these roles demand of me. I'm not just a sister, I'm a maid of honor. I'm not just a student, I'm a graduate student in the home stretch. I'm not just an intern, I'm an applicant for a full-time job. I'm not just a friend, I'm a future roommate with 6 weeks to get ready to move. I'm not just a volunteer for 4H, I'm an adult staff member, committee member, and training director.
Suddenly, my simple "To Do List" has become a "Shit that needs to get done in order to keep my job, raise my grades, keep my boss happy, assist my sister, and organize my personal life List." It would be nice if a week was 9 days long.
My thursday night yoga class
Walking to work in the morning
Visualizing myself on a beach
Getting lost in an art project
Things I don't find Zen-ful:
Looking around my dirty apartment - getting overwhelmed
Sitting at work with nothing to do
Arguing with my family
Feeling overbooked
Every now and then I forget my resolution. I forget that I'm trying to simplify my life and maintain a Zen mindset. I get lost in the hussle and bussle of summer events, forgetting to take two seconds to just breathe and reset. This is why I love my thursday night yoga class. It forces me to be in the moment for an hour, as opposed to furture thinking or ruminating about past conversations.
I believe I have too much on my plate right now, it's hard to keep it steady. A couple of weeks ago, we made a roles and contexts map for a class project. We were asked to identify our different roles, and what contexts they fall under. Then we had to map out connections, strains, and provide adjectives or descriptors to define how we fill that role, or what that role brings out in us. On my map, the only strain I noticed was my determination to be independent yet desire for intimacy. Seemed simple enough at the time.
Over that last week or so, I've noticed that I completely underestimated my roles. Or more accurately, I completely underestimated what these roles demand of me. I'm not just a sister, I'm a maid of honor. I'm not just a student, I'm a graduate student in the home stretch. I'm not just an intern, I'm an applicant for a full-time job. I'm not just a friend, I'm a future roommate with 6 weeks to get ready to move. I'm not just a volunteer for 4H, I'm an adult staff member, committee member, and training director.
Suddenly, my simple "To Do List" has become a "Shit that needs to get done in order to keep my job, raise my grades, keep my boss happy, assist my sister, and organize my personal life List." It would be nice if a week was 9 days long.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)