I'm So Bad!!!

After nearly a year of making great choices - this past few weeks have been extremely challenging!

After sporting events, holiday parties at work, going away parties, neighborhood get together, entertaining.... seems like an old friend has come home for a visit.

That old friend is CARBS! ARGH. I thought I had broken up with you for good. How did you find me? I think it started with Chips and Salsa at a recent Bulls event. Last item was a pumpkin cake - to die for! You are wicked and evil. I'm so bad.

I'M SO BAD!!

After sharing with my son my recent food issues - he sent me this link - to Amy Schumer moment to the right. Hey - what's she doing inside my head for inspiration! Guess this means I'm not alone here. Had to share with my besties! My  girl friend said "Do we sound like that?" then paused and said "maybe yes!"

United Center Outtings and Spinning :)

This past week was highly eventful - and I tried my best to behave. But every now and then... :)

For work I attended two events at the United Center - a Bulls game and a Blackhawks game.

Such fun.

While I started the evenings eating the raw veggies and avoiding all carbs and alcohol. You know that didn't last too long. Great time out and fun - without too much overage in the calorie department. It was somewhat shocking at the end of the day to log all those calories and find out in 5 weeks I would gain 10 pounds :( if all my days were like that.

It was a great reminder that just a year ago - all my days were like that! I was on an upward trajectory.

No more - Change = Choice!

Holding Steady - Holiday Presents Come Early!

This past week was a bit of a come down after the super active week last week. I made it to the club twice, got in my steps, and spent most of my spare time cleaning in preparation for the holidays. Cleaning - dang, it should be done every few months or so :)

This week I'm getting excited, and a bit panicked, about participating in the Jingle Bell Run/Walk Supporting the Arthritis Foundation - coming up later this week in Chicago. I hope the weather holds. I signed up for a 10k. Let's see if I can run more of it this time! Anyway it will be a good workout. I should be moving faster just to stay warm. 

Should be easier given the weight loss and strength I've gained this year - just worry a tad about those pesky bunions!

Here's a quick before and after shot of me with Lina from Five Seasons! In the shot on the right I had lost 16 pounds; on the right I'm down 95 pounds. Can I lost 100 pounds in a year? Maybe - coming pretty darn close!

80 Pound Difference - Left to Right! Wow 2015 Down is Good

OK onto the numbers for the week...

My Active Holiday

Did you have a good Thanksgiving Holiday? I took off to spend the week near Snow Canyon State Park in Utah. It was a very very A-C-T-I-V-E vacation! 

And I loved every minute of it. Even when I wiped out on my bike going off road in the sand - it was fun! Doing things I had never done or rarely done. Challenging myself. Feeling strong. 

Thanksgiving Day Hike - 2015

It was the perfect way to celebrate the year. 

This shot above was from our last hike of the week. Scrambling up and over the sandstone to watch the sunrise into the canyon. Breathtaking (multiple meanings :) )




Onto the numbers for the week...

Triathlete (Sort of!)

About a year ago when I met the folks at Five Seasons Health Club, they asked me what I wanted to accomplish in a year. What was my goal? I didn't have anything in mind - other than sticking with the program. At the end of the year I I wanted to do something that would challenge me, but I didn't want to "train" for an event. 

So I searched for some physical activity in which to participate - challenging, interesting, something I didn't have to turn my life over to make work.

Then while on vacation and meeting a truly amazing group of women who have achieved so much and transformed their lived. I was inspired. 

Teresa, Patty, Michelle - Green Valley, Utah 

Earlier this week it dawned on me that I had already been training. Duh! This whole year has been just that - 2/week trainer session and multiple weekly cardio. I was in pretty good shape! I could create my own challenge event. Why not? 

Thus the New Leaf Triathlon was born. I decided that in one day I would complete the activities of a Sprint Distance event - a 750-meter swim, a 20 milometer bike, and a 5K run. Albeit not in that order nor back to back. 

Getting ready for Challenge Day!

This past week was one where I was getting mentally and more physically prepared for my challenge week ahead. One specific goal I've set for myself which I hope to achieve

 in the next few days.

What is that?

Hum.. next blog will tell.

OK for now just a hint photo as to my personal challenge ahead... and the weekly numbers below.

I'm happily OVERWEIGHT!

... can that be right? How can someone be happy to be overweight? Perspective baby! It's all about perspective!

Choose the term - overweight or obese. I think obese is a subset of overweight. All obese people are overweight, but not all overweight people are obese. 

I was one of them - coming in at (probably more than) 257# on a 5'2.5" frame... that's Very Severely Obese. Having looked at the scale from on high - getting into the range of being "overweight" would be a major accomplishment! And so happy to say that as of this week, I've lost 93 pounds! That's since last December (approx 10.5 months) I'm overweight and I'm ecstatic! 

Next step - hit 100 pound loss and then it's on to "normal."

One of the excellent impacts of working out and eating right - is being a much smaller size person. I have blogged before about getting into a new size of clothing. For the inquisitive male reader of my blog - this is for you :)

Numbers don't lie

No More!

Weekly updates have been MIA for some time. I have continued to log my meals every day as well as exercise. I know that there have been a few high calorie days and too many low exercise days. The net of which has been less weight loss over the past month. 

On the positive side - I have been happy to avoid the daily temptations of sweets and carbs presented at work. Also I stopped getting plus sized clothing catalogs sent to my house - Yeah, shopping in real stores is no longer an issue!

Too Much Food At Work - Everyday

OK onto the numbers for this week...

One Thing I Don't Want to Give-up

Yesterday my trainer learned that I have one can of diet coke a day. He was SHOCKED that I wasn't going soda pop free! 

I've largely given up added sugar, added salt, breads, rice, potatoes, pasta, cheese, oatmeal, cookies, cakes, fried foods, fast food, wine, martinis, junk food.... My gosh I'm eating tofu for breakfast! 

So despite his arguments about the impact of evil soda, I'm not giving it up (yet?) 

It's been a busy week and I reached a new milestone! Major non-scale victory.

Drum roll.... the great news is that inspired by the charity bike ride I supported last week, I was determined to set a new record on my bike. Sunday I headed out at 7:15AM and rode for nearly 3 hours! I covered just over 30 miles! It was a nice ride through the Cook Country Forest Preserves. I was so happy to have gone so much further than ever before and to feel exceptional during the ride and after the ride! 

Weekend ride - Putting on Miles!

Whoo Hoo - I'm a biker chick :) I love my bike!

Inspired Ride

This past weekend I supported my son by crewing for "Cycle for the Cause" - a three day bike ride from Boston to New York. That's one hell of a ride. 

Late last year I had thoughts of doing the ride myself, then I realized that I would have to dedicate myself to training fairly exclusively on my bike. I didn't know at the time that I would later be doing just that - anyhow, I signed up to be crew. It was a great choice. 

Just think of getting up at 5AM every day for Day 1 - ride 116 miles over 9.5 hours, Day 2 repeat ride 80 miles over 6.5 hours, then Day 3 - go 72 miles, riding for 6 hours. That's some serious work!

2015 Cycle for the Cause - Route and Miles

Flying High - On Life and Literally!

This past weekend I did something I never thought I would do - Hang Gliding!


To my surprise - it was a wonderful experience and one I was glad to share with my daughter. (Her idea to go!)

So here I am - flying high!! 


More photos of the day and the numbers for the week...

Surviving Restaurants and Room Service

I'm challenged to say make healthy choices with all the treats and deliciousness that is surrounding me this week!  It's true that sticking to a healthy diet while eating in restaurants is not so easy, but it can be done.

The downside of business travel - eating out all the time. 

So there are a few ground rules I've given myself:

1) Check the potential calories before ordering. This helps me eliminate some options or determine just how much I can eat. 

City Walking.... Weekly Summary

For the past few days I've been working in Dublin. I brought my work out wear and have taken several long walks through the city - despite doctor warnings about taking too long of walks. It's pretty fun to explore someplace new. Lots to see, many paths to take.

The biggest challenge is not getting hit by the cars and so many bicyclists!

I have been pretty good about following my nutrition plan. However, one night we ended up at a french restaurant where I was determined to order food that I would have never eaten before. Laid before me was a trio of Irish game - including venison, duck, and quail. That's the photo below. It was divine! Luckily had gone for a 5 mile walk earlier in the day so I could indulge in this treat and still be under my calorie limit. (I did not log before I ate :) WOW did not know duck confit was so calorific.)

Treating myself to a french meal in Dublin. 

Entering the Final Stretch...

In racing it's in the final stretch where the story unfolds. Will the one in the lead stay strong and cross over to victory? Will the apparent leader get complacent and be surpassed and suffer the agony of defeat? How will it end?

As the summer comes to a close, I'm already thinking through to the end of the year. This was my year of turning over a new leaf. I want to finish strong and continue on the trajectory for a long time into my future.... a full and bright, highly active one :)

The path ahead is not free from challenge. My weight loss has slowed down. My eating habits, while good, are no longer perfect. My travel schedule is picking up (I will be out 16 of the next 20 days.) 

It's not excuses - it's life. This is a marathon. Not a time for setbacks or rationalizing. Time to buckle down and keep getting it done!

I do know that year-end is an artificial finish line. As they say in the Matrix Movie "there is no spoon"....

Change is Not Easy

Many years ago a mentor told me that if a person was able to achieve a significant change themselves - they would be better at leading others through change. Moreover that through change people would discover something new about themselves.

Maybe this year of turning over a new leaf is making me a different person in addition to the physical changes I'm experiencing. Maybe by losing 100 pounds I'm discovering a new me. 

Hum... something to ponder over wine :)

Move more - Lose More: Weekly Summary

The past few weeks my progress has come in strength and power, reduction in inches but not in weigh loss. This week I tested the notion of busting through a plateau by doing two things.

Teresa in Colorado, Circa late '80's
Adding to the List - Another Hiking/Camping Trip

First off I know that I'm not trying to lose vanity pounds - I'm about 40-50 pounds overweight. Plus I know that I haven't been eating over my nutrition plan - hitting 1200 calories per day regularly. Although I had not been having salads every day for lunch, I haven't been straying far from the plan.

It's that evil exercise I need to change up. And this past week was just perfect to test that theory. So #1 plateau busting plan action item: in addition to shoveling wood chips for 11 hours over two days - I rode my bike further and further each day.  By the end of the week I was hitting 16 miles a day. Working it!

Strength and Endurance - Weekly Summary

When I turned over a new leaf to make healthy choices in my life - one of the key considerations was that I wanted to be "fit" - that being stronger and more able. This past weekend I saw for myself just how far I have come towards achieving that goal.

I love to garden and every year I get a load of free wood chips and spread them around the yard. I'm not alone in this effort - it's a family affair. I have typically taken the role of "Job Site Manager" directing wheelbarrows of chips all around and then raking them into place. I have relied on others for the muscle to do the "real work." This usually takes us 3 days to get it all done. 

Not this year. If I had any concerns over my weight loss slowing down and that I wasn't making progress, this past weekend was a big thumbs up and "Go Girl." 

Home workout Challenge - 1 truckload of wood ships in two days

12 Mile Bike Ride - Weekly Summary

Ride Ataxia - July, 2015

Every now and then something exceptional happens. 

Today's Non-Scale Victory - completing a 12 mile bike ride in support of good cause.  Perfect weather, awesome location, and a great group to ride together. I surprised myself. Plus I didn't even mind about wearing those silly bike shorts and shirt (well not too much!)

Here is a shot of me crossing the line at the end of the race! I had lost track of the distance and was surprised to be at the end - I thought there were a few more miles to go. That was such a great feeling; to not be exhausted. 

Everyone was in such great spirits and I met really great people. Lots of inspiration around each turn.  Many people have challenges in their lives, that I can work to overcome my issues with weight is a blessing. 

Biking - part of my new routine. Never would have guessed that. 

What I need from you to help me be successful...

They say that change is hard and the having a strong support network is critical to sustained life choice adjustments. 

After trying many diets and exercise programs or having them thrust upon me (by parents or loved ones) I'm taking steps to ask for and get the support I need.  As you can see by the picture to the right, I've had a long history of being over weight. Even at this age (6-7 years old) I was being told what to eat. 

Chubbie Girl - circa 6-7 years old

Now much older (and maybe wiser) I'm in charge of my destiny. A step I took last year was to apply to the "Be a Loser" contest at Five Seasons Club. It was challenging to go into a room and discuss how I arrived at being morbidly obese and what I was willing to do to turn a new leaf. One of the key questions asked was "Do you have a support network?" The answer is yes!

Do you have someone in your life who is looking to make a big change and you might be asking yourself 'How do I support someone on a diet or who needs to lose weight?" Are you looking to help those around you be better supporters? Well here's my guide (Part 1) to what I'm looking for in my support network. 

Applications being accepted online :)  This is just my perspective - it might not be right for everyone.  

7 Months - 70 pounds!

6 Months - 60 pound weight loss
You Can Do It!

Last December I turned over a new leaf to make healthy choices in my life, for life. In January 2015, I started with the "Be A Loser" program at Five Seasons Club.  Since then I have been on a journey - eating right, moving it to lose it.

The result has been a loss of over 70 pounds. That's ~60 pounds since January 2, 2015! YEAH! 

I use an App that tracks activity and weight. The chart at the right is my trajectory since the first of the year. My current weight is down 3 more pounds since I snapped this photo - but you can see DOWN IS GOOD!

So lucky that I haven't really plateaued yet - but it feels like more work now for every pound lost. 

Let me put this in context:

Diamonds are a Girls Best Friend...

Teresa's New Ride - July 2015

.... and I'm not talking gemstones! Its the brand of my new bike! Super excited to be riding again.

There was a time when I biked 10 miles to work each day. 

Sadly, I haven't riden a bike in over 25 years - that was until this week!  Friends helped me pull my son's 15 yr old bike out of the corner of the garage, fix it up, and take it for a ride.

Pleasantly, I remembered how to ride :)

RideATAXIA : http://rideataxia.org/

After 4 days of riding 4-5 miles each day, besides having a sore butt, I had the desire to get a better bike and really start riding again. That is good because a few months ago I signed up to participate in a charity ride later in July. 

Today was the day - this baby followed me home! After texting riding buddies I decked this gem out just enough. I bought a pair of those super flattering bike shorts too. 

Wow - when did bikes get so complicated and so expensive? Luckily I'd been saving up to treat myself mid-year through my commitment to turning over a new leaf. I guess this was it!

Rack, Comfort Seat, Water Bottle clip - Good to go!

Another way to get out there and get moving. Plus after the bunion issue - this was Doctor Recommended :) 

Maybe I'll see you on the trails!

Teresa Marie

Whoopsie - Weekly Update

I have been absent minded in posting my weekly summaries - so here are a whole bunch!

New Habit: my typical lunch.
Greens and protein

Good news - last few weeks I have continued to go down in weight. Last week, I logged a 4 pound loss! My total average is tracking to just over 2#/week so that is great news. 

I had an odd train of thought the other day - a friend was rationalizing for me that my weight loss should slow down because I've already lost nearly 70 pounds. Well that might be true - then again, I'm still obese and have a long way to go. Should it really be slowing down at this point? I hope not.

Exercise - will you ever be my friend?

I got up early this morning and stepped on the scale in my own home, This whole year I have only been using the scale at Five Seasons. It was good news. I should have a good weigh in later this week. Can it be that I've lost nearly 70 pounds since December 2014???

So the secret to success - eat right and move more!

Sweating Hands -
Great workout

I've been eating right and I've been exercising wrong. Well to be totally honest, I haven't been exercising wrong, perhaps not enough lately to meet my year end goal.  

The exercises that were once working to elevate my heart rate are no longer sufficient. When I was over 250# a leisurely walk would put me into near cardiac arrest. The thought of walking 10K steps a day seemed like a marathon. Now I can walk for hours and miles at a slow pace without breaking a sweat. I average over 10K steps a day, near 13-14K and on a busy day can be over 25K steps!

The Butt Meter

Does this donut make my butt look big?

The answer is probably - yes! Especially if like I used to do, there can never be just one donut :O 

One thing my grandmother said is 'what you eat in private shows up in public.' She knew that when I visited her I would sneak cookies, homemade rolls, cake and other sweets out of the kitchen. My father would take to weighing me at the beginning of a visit to Grandmas and before we left to return home. That didn't help at all! 

The Art of Sideways Sitting

As this blog indicates I've been thinking about butts. It ranges from I'm working my butt off at the office or FiveSeasons or I'm kicking butt or wondering will my butt fit in that chair / space; on the airplane. Essentially - do I have the biggest butt in the room? 

Big changes ahead....

It's been a great week! I decided to hit it again and as a result I feel so much better and the numbers show that. The elliptical is becoming less challenging. This week I was listening to music and working out on the elliptical when my trainer came up along side and said hello.   This I learned later because according to him, I didn't even notice that he was there and just kept on moving it! Now that is focused :)

The big change this week is saying adios to my trainer. Good-bye and a big THANK YOU for supporting me this far in my new leaf journey.  Here is a two-up photo with side-by-side of our first week working out and the last one. Note - smiling faces, we were a good team.  I'm going to assume that he's not happy to be leaving me - but proud of the success. Also note - Goodbye Double Chin! Five Seasons and my trainers have helped me drop 53 pounds so far this year - and it shows. 

Teresa's New Leaf - 5 Month Progress

Working It Out!

In my last blog I mentioned that I didn't feel as though I was working up to my potential with respect to exercise. This week I hit it nearly every day! As a result I lost 0.5 pounds! Whoo Hoo - down is good. A big part of the workout this week was gardening. Gardening Is Exercise! 

I hired a 17 year old High School boy to help me in the garden this past weekend. He showed up on time and said he was ready to work for 4 hours.  After showing him around and providing an overview of all the areas to weed - we both started to work side by side.  He was not working very fast and needed coaching on what was a weed versus a flower - but that was my expectation for a first day on the job. 

It's a highly repetitive job - find  a week, bend over and pull it out, place it in a bucket. Move to next spot, pull out another weed. Full bucket? Walk over and empty bucket in refuse bag. Repeat. Over and over again. 

He asked lots of questions about how long I was going to work outside that day. I said 5-8 hours. He had signed up for 4 hours that day too.  He started slow and then slowed down! After 45 minutes he called it a day - he thought it was too much hard work. OK gardening isn't for everyone - I get that. But what he was complaining about was the physical work. He said it was too hard for him. I said no worries, paid him for the hour and sent him on his way. I feel kind of sorry for him in that for the rest of his life he might recall that one day where an obese senior citizen outpaced him. 

This is that the day in the garden looking like -  26 thousand steps and nearly no rest time the entire day.  This is a new record in terms of steps. And more amazingly - not a single sore muscle the next day! 

Full day of gardening! 

One big step backwards....

I admit to being set back in the past few weeks.

I have continued to lose weight; around 1 - 2 pounds per week. So I'm not complaining about that. I can feel myself not giving it my 100% and I'm rationalizing as to why that is OK. I can no longer say that the number is what the number is - that's I've given it my all. As a result, I'm feeling a bit blue by it all.

Here are the two things that are holding me back right now.

Summer Gardening Feet - Bunions ARGH!

BUNIONS! Over the past two months, with the arrival of sandal weather, I noticed the bump on my foot. After completing a few 10ks my foot was a tad sore and swollen. So wanting to be better safe than sorry, I made an appointment with my podiatrist. The good news is that I don't need surgery and can arrest the progress of (bad news) I have a mild bunion. As a result I was given very stringent guidelines for footwear, exercising, and stretching.  I'd guess that 60--70% of my shoes are no longer appropriate. For exercise I've been advised to not take long walks or run - until I lose more weight and find shoes that provide the best support. ARGH - so I've been asked to do cardio on an elliptical, stationary bike (reclined), or swimming. The first is ok (but I don't have at home), the second is challenging to get my heart rate up, the latter - OMG, me in a swimsuit....

I've also missed several sessions with my trainer - he's had a few holidays and I had some conflicts. I need to get better at rescheduling or getting an alternate trainer. There shouldn't be any excuse for not getting in two workouts a week. Maybe I should plan a POWER week and leverage all the cancelled sessions to workout every single day...

10K by the Bay

Springtime '15 - SanFancisco Bay Trail

Business travel this week takes me out to the San Francisco Bay area. I noticed that the hotel was steps away from the San Francisco Bay Trail.  I made a plan to take a long walk at least two days while I'm here. After sitting on a plane for more than 4 hours - I was ready to take a walk. 

Within an hour of landing I was out on the trail!

I was pleasantly surprised. The portion of the trail that I walked was covered in wild flowers and just bursting with not only color but also aromas. Someone did such a nice job planning it all to look effortless. I'll place more pictures of the great plants on my garden blog. 

Love that eucalyptus! I decided not to time myself but rather just to walk until I desired to turn around. The voice in my head kept asking what was beyond the next turn. One of the benefits of a beautiful day and an unknown trail. As a result - I walked just over 6.3 miles on this walk. That put me at 8.1 miles for the day. 

Great day for a 10K by the Bay! Musing that months ago I would have only walked outside or for a few 100 feet along the trail. Habits they are a changing!

10K by the Bay - May, 2015

Excellent Day!

Teresa Marie

One-derland - 58 pounds in 6 months

So happy this morning to have the scale dip below the 200 mark! I was at the health club with my trainer and was shocked to be under 200 - as I'd weighed in just a few days ago at 202. We usually one weigh in once a week - I guess we just had a feeling that today would be the day.

One-derland; aka <200# May, 2015

He gave me a high-five and I then turned to all the people working out and shouted 199!!! The other trainers gave me high fives - the men looked at me as if to say "what you're proud of that?" and in response I gave them the look that said 'HELL YES!" I've been working hard for this!
I'm almost halfway to my goal. I need to evaluate if the goal is realistic. I picked it because that weight will put me cleanly into the "average" BMI range. My weight loss has started to slow down - maybe because for the past month I've been a tad more focused on work and on my regime. None the less - I'm on track to have a great year turning over a new leaf!

Getting in Shape for Gardening Season

One of my goals at the beginning of the year was to get in shape for gardening season. Around my house, gardening is like a full contact sport nearly 7 months of the year. The past two years I was not able to garden because of injury - so this year the to-do list seems extra long. Here is the link to my garden blog.

It started in earnest this past weekend with the delivery of our first truckload of wood chips. Need a good workout - I highly recommend shoveling and spreading these

Gardening is Exercise! Spring 2015

babies around the yard as an excellent cardio and upper body routine :)

Just a Suggestion - Gardening

When it comes to gardening I can work all day and not complain. I can talk about it for hours and I'm happy to give you advice for your garden (when you ask.) A few weeks ago Five Season's Club asked for my advice. I'm happy to say they were pleased with the input and will be looking to update along the lines of some of my suggestions. 

What do you think?

CURRENT WEST ENTRYWAY:

Current Five Seasons West Entryway - Spring 2015

POTENTIAL REPLANTING:

One potential design - shade garden

I put forward planting concepts for several areas. A bit of a longer term plan. Can't help it - sometimes I just see possibilities :)  Sort of like the club did with me! 

As far as my week went - let's just say I was INERT! 10K on Sunday, workout on Monday, then  after taking Tuesday as my day off, I proceeded to injure myself on Wednesday and have not exercised since. Still some pain and restricted movement. I'm sure MTM will push through that with me tonight. None-the-less, still lost two pounds for no good logical reason.

Have a great day - and if you like to garden, check out my garden Blog (link to the right) Teresa's Garden Song. 

Have a great day - time to get over to the club!

Indoor Skydiving!

Horseshoe Canyon Sunset - 2014

My daughter is a daredevil and a great inspiration for me.  Last year we went hiking in Arizona where we went to the edge of Horseshoe Canyon - the photo on the right. I was so nervous and scared; I hate heights. Just seeing her sit with her feet dangling over the side made me nauseous. 

What my daughter really wanted to do on this vacation was go horseback riding and/or skydiving. Neither of which would ever be on my bucket list. I could always fall back on the reason being that I did not meet the weight requirements set by the service providers. 

Well, having lose over 50 pounds - I can't use that logic anymore.  Hence - Mom took the leap of faith to have an adventure. This past week we went indoor skydiving in Chicago! 

Teresa Marie - Flying!

Indoor Skydiving - ifly Chicago

Can I use this to cross skydiving off my daughters bucket-list? Not sure, but my trainer says that when I'm ready to really jump out of a plane - he'll be there with me. I'll need that support!

Have a great day!

Teresa Marie

Beautiful Day for a 10K !

Today was an exciting day - on the one hand because I did my first 10K, on the other hand because I reaffirmed my commitment to turning over a new leaf. 

The 10K was at the Morton Arboretum which is about 50 minutes from my house. The projections for the day included chilly temperatures and lots of rain. The thought of now going passed through my head many times - especially as everyone that was going with me backed out one by one.  Then it occurred to me that my desire to do this 10K was my choice, me decision, my goal, my journey. So I got up at dawn and got out to the site. I arrived early enough to eat my tofu/yogurt in the car :) I watched many people eagerly stretch out and prep for their run! Young, old, tall, short, lean, fat, and me - obese. Really what was I doing here - there was no way I was going to "run", all I wanted to do was finish. 

I started out walking as fast as I could, then something amazing happened. I decided to jog. Yes, jog as much as I could.  Why the H### not? I've lost weight, I've been training, I'm capable! I was jogging! The people along the pathway cheering were motivational. The other people who were alternating between fast walking and jogging were inspirational too. 

Busy Day - Cleaning is Great Exercise! Week 14 Summary

Since I've turned over a new leaf I'm getting spoiled - every week this year (so far) has resulted in some weight loss. Thanks to Five Season's Be A Loser Program - making good choices is having results for me!

Yesterday the weather was so nice it spurred me into action - spring cleaning. When I went to bed on Friday night I made a list of all the things I wanted to get done on Saturday - one of them was exercise. However, I never did take a break to "exercise" as I decided that all the running around, lifting laundry, bending to clean under things, etc. was a workout! I was moving continuously from 7:30AM until I sat down for dinner at 5PM.  My busiest day ever!

The more blue the more action
- over 10 hours Active!

New today in steps-
without taking a walk!

Shaking my Chronic Aches and Pains

Today is a good day because I feel like I am finally shaking all my weight-induced aches and pains! Also I woke up this morning thinking how nice it is to be pain-free (OK maybe pain light) from my lingering Plantar fasciitis and bad hip. It makes me laugh that each workout I have with my trainer, he starts by saying something like "what hurts today?"

Have you ever mapped your aches and pains and assigned a potential cause? Below is my chart - I'm noticing now that I've left left knee off the list... sad little sign post of what carrying extra weight and being inert can impact.