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 :)