Anyone have a spare air horn?

Ever since I started working out, if I ever get still for any period of time, I stiffen up...especially in my legs and especially at night. I usually stand up, hiss slightly through my teeth, and proceed to do the Godzilla across the room. It goes away in a few seconds, but I'm not quite sure what would happen should a fire break out or if I had to make some other hasty getaway. Tonight is no exception as I had forced myself to do the hateful elliptical machine this afternoon. I despise the elliptical and the feeling is evidently mutual, but I refuse to let it conquer me. Oh well, maybe I should invest in a whistle to hang around my neck to blow in case of danger. Or an air horn.

Catharsis

I started today with a cathartic few hours going through my closet and throwing out everything that was too big. It's crazy to think about the emotions that are woven into the clothes that we wear but you can take it to the bank that every garment that held a negative vibe for me (otherwise known as everything I wore last summer) came out and went into the charity bag. The day ended out in the sunshine playing football with Charlie and Skylar. There are no do overs in life and I can't get back my inactive years, but it's an awesome new world full of possibilities. That's worth every treat I've skipped and every ounce of sweat. It's going to be a great summer!

Plateau No Mo'

For two weeks I have been on a plateau.  I hit 50 pounds gone and that scale has not budged an ounce up or down in 14 days.    This week I decided I was changing that.   I reduced my calories and hit my workouts hard.   Monday Marisa and I had our memorable walk and the incident with our raccoon friend.   Tuesday Jeff and Marisa had a great group workout - the Jeff Olympics - with our Transformation group.   Wednesday Marisa wiped the floor with us in step class and then had a surprise for ab class after: new equipment.   You know you are into something when you get excited about the latest torture device.   Wednesday the new toy was gliders!  Crunches are made more challenging when you put a glider under each foot and glide your legs in and out as you crunch up.

There's so much you can do with them! You can even go Miagi style and "sand the floor" or "wax on wax off".   We did some plank exercises with them too.   Today brought with it the Jeff Olympics again. Stations, kettle bells, squat swings, boxing, treadmills with no power, and my awesome group!   Everyone lost weight this week and I finally got off of my plateau - 5 pounds gone for a total of 55!!!!

Hey Old Me, Where Ya Been?

Hey Old College Healthy Me, I see you starting to come through in the mirror!  I'm catching up to ya!

Today

Back in the day, the goal

Raccoon Run

Yesterday brought more sunny temps and another walk along the riverwalk. Got some vitamin D therapy out there in the sunshine for sure - and a much needed break from my desk!  Marisa and I walked a half a mile further than we did on Friday, and I think I could have gone even further had we had the time.    It turned out to be quite eventful too!  First we noticed that the same pair of old lady style underwear was still hanging around a pole out by the convention center - don't want to know the story behind that one - and then as we rounded the corner to head back towards work, out from the grass popped a raccoon!  "Marisa get back!" I yelled and tugged her back. Generally raccoons in the daytime aren't  a good sign and becoming rabid was not on my to-do list.  It went back into the grass but for a minute I was ready to bolt.   Marisa said, "I thought I was going to see Minter run today!"  Then she got a look on her face like, that's not a bad idea.  I looked at her and said, "Jeff's not hiding out there in the bushes with another creature to throw out and scare me to run is he?"  She laughed and said, "Don't give him any ideas."

Sunny Days

We have been blessed with two sunny and warm days down here in the south! It has been awesome to be outside in the sunshine! Friday I went for a walk on the riverwalk at lunch along the Cape Fear with two of my favorite people in the world. For years I have felt held back and encumbered but out there in the fresh air and warm breeze, I felt free and victorious. I have been hibernating for so long indoors, fearful of going out on a walk and not being able to get back, but no more! Saturday my husband and I had a picnic of grilled chicken and veggies and then I helped him stack wood and do yardwork and actually found myself enjoying it! I can't wait for spring and summer and more sunny days outside. What a difference from this time last year! I love it!

The Journey Continues

When I decided to call this a journey, I didn't know how right I was.   I'm beginning to learn what happens when the "new" wears off and the elation of initial success dwindles.   The scale hasn't moved one way or the other in 2 weeks.  I guess it's good that I haven't gained, but obviously I've reached a plateau mentally and physically.   This is where the test is...that point in time where the haze of beginners glory is done and the real work begins.   I can totally understand why people choose surgery or pills in order to lose weight because it gets it done quickly, but I've always known that that wasn't my path.   My path is to stay down in the trenches of this and fight through it every day.  Yesterday when my Transformation group went for a walk with Jeff and Marisa to warm up before round 2 of the Jeff olympics, I fell to the back of the line even though I was doing my best.  It frustrated me to no end because I suddenly felt I was back in that bad place from before.   I'm sore, tired, and bruised.  But, surprisingly, giving up is the farthest thing from my mind.  So anger and frustration may be weighing me down right now, but I'm putting on my headphones, blasting some angry Eminem, and hitting the heavy bag with everything that is in me.  It's much better option than taking my anger out on myself with a bag of Doritos, that's for sure.