Monday, September 30, 2013

Got Sidetracked By Food Poisoning

Greetings and Salutations,
     Sorry to be late. I was just about killed by food poisoning Saturday night while out of town. Was too weak to drive back home until today. Came home, changed clothes and went straight to work. I am gonna take one more day off to fully recover and start up Wednesday! Hope you are having a great week and back on tract for me ASAP! Hey atleast I lost a few more pounds! That bathing suit will look a tiny bit better!

Tootles :)
Heather

Friday, September 27, 2013

Nothing Like Self Sabotage...Day #5

Greetings and Salutations,
     Well hells bells. How could I even continue to be under the delusion that I can go to bed at 1120 and get up at the ass crack of dawn with energy to exercise? Oh, I'm human-- note to self I need to fix that :) I guess it was a necessary evil as I was talking with my sister and it really was a great, thought provoking conversation.
     Part of the reason I have been blogging about my physical efforts this week was to increase my accountability and I feel I achieved that goal. I definitely have felt the positive push of knowing I have to report my activity or lack there of. I plan to do this again next week.
     I love the routine I have chosen for myself and I will stick with it. I will revisit the break I took Wed and see if I need to do that again. Maybe 4 days a week is the sweet spot to stay and feel balanced. That is the center of my journey- balance. I want what ever it is that I do to have the maximum amount of balance possible. That is through a never ending array of choices that either have a positive or negative consequence to the harmony I seek.
     My sleep pattern is a great small example. When I don't get as close to 8 hours of sleep as possible, other parts of my "balance" suffer. I don't get up on time. I don't exercise in the morning when I feel my best. I don't feel my best because I am tired. And on and on goes the domino effect. My decision(s) to step away from what works and lack of focus costs me. The closer I stay to that line, the more balanced I am and that equates to the happier I feel. The more energy I have. Its that simple. And yet at the same time its that difficult.
     I will blog again Sunday and see how I start the week out, hopefully well organized and on the right foot. I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy what ever activities you chose to participate in! Cheers!

Tootles :)
Heather

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Day 4 Total Success

Greetings and Salutations,
     Well, here I am at Day #4 and I have no longer have any guilt about taking a break yesterday even if I didn't originally plan it. Often things have a way working out on their own if you let them. My arm hurts less today. I got 7hr 44mins sleep and only hit the snooze x1. I feel rested. I did 30 mins hard time in the pool. 15 minutes continuous before a 1-2 min break. Did freestyle x2 laps (not in a row) each 15 minute segment. Finished in the pool with x2 laps continuous freestyle. I will end each session with freestyle and add laps as my stamina increases. I am swimming breast stroke, with just my arms no legs, and with just legs no arms. I can feel different muscle groups being activated when I do this.
     I came home, and popped in my yoga video. I gotta say I have only done this one once or twice and I wasn't thrilled to do it this morning. Once I got started I realized that hey, I really do like this routine and hey, I really do like the sound of this dudes voice.http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/AM-and-PM-Yoga-7074?gclid=CI6uydiL6bkCFVNo7AodDEoAxA I guess it is a testament that it takes a few times, even once, for you to get acclimated to something new. This is why I always try to try things more than once. It is our natural proclivity to be resistant to new experiences. Unfamiliar experiences innately raise anxiety in us because we like predictability as humans. Some people have mastered this better than others. I believe it gives you an edge in life to be aware of this and always challenge yourself. Even for as open minded and aware of this I am and my willingness to try things, I get into my comfort zone as well.
     I followed up yoga with the next natural thing- meditation. 5 minutes in a variation of supported fish. (I do this without the props). http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/663. I feel ready for the day and have reinforced how great it feels to do yoga. I can incorporate yoga at home to meet my stretch and inner peace needs that yoga provides for me without going to a studio. I have practiced enough in a class that I know how to make the poses work for me and my ability. I really feel fantastic! Even Murphy has been getting into the action with me this week!

Tootles :)
Heather

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Physical Challenge Day 3

Greetings and Salutations,
     Well, I was a bad girl. I went to bed at 1030 and absolutely could not get up this morning at 0500 or 0600 or even 0700. I crawled out of bed at 0715 and did the walk of shame into the den and blogged about day 2. I will have to say that after 8hrs 30mins of sleep I feel more rested today than the past 2 days. I am an 8 hour sleep girl and when I short cut that, even to 7 hours I feel the difference. Silly I know but it is the way I am today. Oh well, moving forward I decided maybe it wasn't such a bad thing to give my body a rest. My right forearm hurts bad enough that I can't use the stapler at work without major pain. The last thing I need is tendinitis in any arm, let alone my dominant one. I have to listen to my body and not injure myself.
     So I decided to utilize this time to catch up on my blogging and give myself permission to rest. That is something I struggle with but starting to see some improvement. And after all, this is a journey and you plan one thing and other things happen. It is what you do with the unplanned things that really count. Wouldn't it be a boring life if everything you planned to do you did 100% of the time without fail? Then we would be a robot and not human. I'll gladly take the failures with successes and the long and winding road that is before me.
     I will report that I do miss the morning swim I slept through and will be happy to get into the pool come Friday. Overall I feel good about the choices I have made this week and I am grateful I can do these things in the morning when I feel my best before work. Tonight I have to get out my weekly blog as I am tardy with that again!

Tootles :)
Heather

Tuesday Day 2

Greetings and Salutations
     Well, I got 7 hours 30 minutes of sleep. A bit slow to wake up and seriously considering I am always gonna feel old and chronically tired! After a quick pity-party and more oxygen to my brain (Ok, and coffee I admit) I was feeling pretty good. While I can sleep though the fan being off, it does make me aware of my slacker status when I wake up (hitting the snooze for the billionth time) and know I should be up. So glad I thought to reset that timer! It has been a silly source of frustration for months! What an easy fix!
     One "note to self" as I was getting ready to go biking- maybe hold off on the second cup of coffee :)  I got to Hampton Park and on my bike by 0720. Made a mental note to leave the house earlier so I can be poised and ready to roll when it is light enough to feel comfortable on the road. I want to maximize my time so I can get back home without jamming myself to hurry to eat, shower, and get out the door.
     A note about biking. I really love it. I love the wind, I love Hampton Park, and I love to listen to music and think about things while I am on the road. It is such an unexpected joy I have discovered for myself. I do wish I had friends that bike. Like all things, it is better with a partner. When I bike with a friend I feel like I could go 100 miles. Ok, maybe 15 but you know what I'm sayin'.
     I forgot to do yoga and decided instead of cramming it in because it was on the "list" I would move forward and be sure to do it Friday. I had a nice breakfast and got ready for work with just enough time. I hope after several weeks of this consistently I will increase my energy even more.
     I look forward to a full overhaul of my diet, but that is in the coming weeks. I am actually amazed at how excited I am getting because for the longest time food in general has been my kryptonite. Not so much as a weight issue but because I don't particularly like to cook for myself. Eating healthy takes alot more effort than eating the crap I do. I eat a ton of processed and canned food. Planning meals has been very unappealing to me. Thinking about food in general has been a pain in my pa-too-ka. Anyway, much more thoughts on that to come!

Tootles :)
Heather

Monday, September 23, 2013

Monday Morning Day 1 of Challenge

Greetings and Salutations
     Well here is the skinny: Up at 0504 (hit the snooze once but I got up before it went off). Tip of the day: When in doubt reset programmable timers. So far my timer I have connected to my fan to make the room less cozy when it is time to wake up works now that I cleared the history and started over. Sweet! I was in the water and swimming by 0610 and swam for a full 30 minutes. My nose clip worked perfect. The chlorine was really giving me headaches and hurting my nasal passages (my allergies keeps my nose/sinuses inflamed) Swim cap worked good too. Hair wasn't totally soaked and best of all not in my way. Overall I felt really great in the water. Breaks were few and minimal. I'm sticking mostly with breast stroke as freestyle is a bit much for me but I did do it 3 laps one at a time. I'll get there.
     Then I changed clothes and played tennis for 45 minutes. I lost 6 balls over the wall and was supposed to have access to a gate that opened onto the field. Not so much this time. I hate I lost that many balls. I will have to go back to other court so when I pitch one over the fence I can easily retrieve it! I have to admit that I am wiped out from swimming and that it took way more out of me then I thought it would. I gave it my all on the court but I could tell there wasn't as much as there usually is to give. I'm gonna highly consider more time in the pool first before I layer tennis behind it. I mean after all,  today was 3rd time in a pool in years and 3rd time ever to swim for exercise not recreation. Its gonna take this chick a second to get her body caught up with her mind!
     I slept 7 hours and need to get to bed now! Tomorrow's agenda is yoga (at home) and biking. Good night!

Tootles :)
Heather

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Sunday Evening Prep Time

Greetings and Salutations
     So I have made lunches and dinners for the week. I have 5 salads prepped and ready to go. I have 5 containers with small handful of nuts and 2 squares of dark chocolate (staves off sweet tooth to feed it just a touch) 5 containers with small amount of granola to mix with Greek yogurt. Last of my grapes (2 containers). I have salad chopped for eating at home as well. I have coffee in the filters (5) in an air tight container ready to be popped into coffee maker. I have things set out for breakfast in morning to save time and be as efficient as possible. I have brushed my teeth and washed/toned/and moisturized face.
     These are the things that make me feel organized and ready for the week. That make me feel like I am stepping out on the right foot. It makes me feel good about myself. I am ready for bed on time. Cooking and prep took about 2 hours of my evening including the clean up.
     Now I am going to read and decompress and get ready for my week. I am excited about my personal challenges even though it makes me kinda nervous to put it out there like I have. My curiosity is too much. I want see the amount of push I get by being accountable to someone, even if it is just cyber space-- the blogosphere I guess more correctly put. I thank anyone that follows me along the week!

Tootles :)
Heather
   

Day #3 Pool Day A Bust

Greetings and Salutations
     Well, I trotted off to the pool yesterday around 3p only to find the doors locked. Closed until Monday Boo! So I changed gears (and clothes) and went biking at Hampton Park instead. Ended up biking 11.5 miles (goal was 10). Second half after a break was much slower than usual but I stuck with it and did it!
     Monday I will be excited to purchase a swim pass for the year. I feel like I am investing in myself. Plus the cost is only $12.30 a month when you divide it out (only $6.15 if you are a city resident). That is low cost entertainment!
       So here is the activity line up this week and we shall see how it all unfolds. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday-- in the pool at 6am. Swim for 30 minutes (goal- 1 hour). At 7am on the courts to play tennis on the backboard and practice my serve for an hour.
     Tuesday, Thursday, and the weekend day of my choice-- Yoga at home for half an hour, followed by biking for an hour and hoping to exceed my 10 mile baseline. 15 miles in the same amount of time I do 10 miles now is my goal.
     This is the week of goals I have set for myself and I'm excited to see how I do. I feel really charged up and ready to take on the week! But first I need to get my butt to the grocery store so I can make lunches and dinners for the week! Gotta have fuel for all this activity! Food is the next major change I will work on, but after I make this week look like my life without thinking about it. Slow and steady makes the lifestyle changes permanent! I have to admit I am actually excited about the food journey before me and what great changes in food choices are ahead of me! Have a fantastic week!

Tootles :)
Heather

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Day #2 In The Pool

Greetings and Salutations
     Well I wasn't sure it was gonna happen yesterday morning. I hit the snooze a million times. No good excuse other than mental exhaustion-- I was pooped! After a good talk and scolding of myself to myself, I managed to get out of bed at 0720. I closed my eyes while standing in the bathroom and forced myself to put my suit on. After that, it was easy. I was in the pool by 0755 and I swam for 25 minutes with fewer breaks this time. I lucked up and bought some rocking goggles and I can't tell you the difference they made. I was MUCH more comfortable. I paid for a single visit again as I wanted to really feel if this was something that I am willing to take on as part of my lifestyle. Once I got into the water and started swimming I got the feeling I was hoping for. This is something that really feels good and I like it. The pool is closed Friday so it will wait until Monday, and I will join for the year. I felt really good about myself knowing that I didn't cave to the million excuses I could have thought of to not go. First and foremost that I got out of bed hours later than my intention. I bought a swim cap and nose clip last night and look forward to seeing how it feels all together in the water next swim.

Tootles :)
Heather

Monday, September 16, 2013

First Pool Day

Greetings and Salutations
     So this morning I find myself hitting the snooze way more times that I promised myself I would the night before. If only I could harness the good intentions, thoughts, and determination I have for myself for the next day I would have NO problems with attaining any of my goals. Harness it one day I will. I will mark off this morning as an overall success. I went to the pool and swam for 30 minutes this morning. I hauled my carcass out of bed at 0545, messed around on Facebook, and had a cup of coffee until 0630. I was in the water by 0645. I need goggles. The pool is open at 0600 and I need to be there when it opens. My intention is Monday-Wednesday-Friday and I can mix in 30 minutes of working on my tennis serve. Wish they had a backboard and I think I will find out if one can be donated. My new bathing suit worked great (bought it specifically with lap swimming in mind) and I love it. Looking forward to actually loving it with me in it very soon. I have a new whiteboard week planner and I have some lofty goals to accomplish this week. Today it was: blog (I posted my Monday night blog a day early) tennis and swim. I was so concentrating on getting out of the house and to the pool that I didn't think about bringing my racket. Next time!

Tootles :)
Heather