FINALLY! My fitlinxx stats for January

They were doing repairs on the fitlinxx site, and I was unable to get my grand totals until yesterday...
Anyhow, I lifted more than I ever have in any given month. But I also had the fewest amount of calories burned for quite awhile too, hmmm... There IS a balance, I just need to find it.
Here's my stats:

I burned 8,659 calories. Placing me 3rd in my age group, 19th for all women, and 43rd over all.

I earned 19,655 fit points,(my most yet). Placing me 1st in my age group, 2nd for all women, and 4th over all.

I lifted 1,358,620 pounds. Placing me 1st in my age group, 1st for all women, and 1st for the whole Y! : )

One hoof in front of the other

I think this is week three of my working back at the barn. While I decided not to try to ride right away, I have been getting my butt over and working with at least two horses.

There's a lot of walking, walking in mud, walking in poop, walking in the rain and walking to pick up things which have fallen.

There's a lot of brushing - which always makes me think of Karate Kid's "Wax ON and Wax OFF". I hope my pythons will be sick again soon.

Saturday is my birthday. I'll be 39, which is my last lap around the sun before I turn the official 40. I am a little freaked out. But at least I know that if I keep going with the horse thing in the morning, I am bound to get more strong. I must remain strong if I want to live a long time. (I don't wanna die!)

The Week in Numbers

1 - number of birthdays, Mardi Gras, times I have gotten sick, trips to Austin, and mothers of mine who have cared about the foregoing.

2 - number of times that the firm I interviewed with in Austin (that I really liked) would like to see me again; number of boxes of Girl Scout cookies in the house that I really ought to just throw away; number of boxes of marzipan fruit consumed as a reward for also consuming that truly vile (yet reputedly therapeutic) ginger root tea; number of Kleenex boxes used

3 - number of miles I have run in over a week (for reference, I usually run 25-30 miles per week); number of work days missed while out sick; number of days I would still like to sleep straight

10,000,000+ - number of glasses of orange juice and bowls of chicken soup consumed in the last 9 days; number of calories in same

1 - number of races I was supposed to run this coming weekend but was told in no uncertain terms that my job is to show up and cheer for ONLY and that if I run, my friends will send me home; number of Daddies who made me pico de gallo to help my snuffy nose go away.

As you can probably tell, this has not been a banner week at Chez Lisa. Between getting sick, leaving town, getting older, and - oh yeah - there was jury duty in there somewhere too, I have probably gained weight like nobody's business. At present I feel fine, but every time I go out to run all of that nastiness lurking down in my lungs makes me feel like I'm drowning. Whatever it is, it's not letting me get enough oxygen to run so on Tuesday when I put feet to pavement for the first time in a week, I got super dizzy and had a hard time making it through our short and easy run. I have been involuntarily benched from running for the rest of the week and I feel miserable about it.

Okay. Now I'm done whining.

This week that I have gone without running has been really demoralizing. When I think about that, though, it's pretty amazing that I haven't gone a week without skipping out on this training regimen, especially when I think about how hard it was for me to get myself to the gym consistently before I started running.

Okay, New Resolve

The Scale? This morning? Pure evil.



So, Jules, I'll join you by starting a fitday.com journal today. Whoever wants to join us on fitday, drop me an email and I'll give you my user name.

It is the FIRST

of February. This is a great day to START a good habit.

This morning I had a riding lesson and got home in enough time to shower before work. This month, I am going to strive to have a lesson a week.

What are you going to start?

Quote of the day, maybe the year....

Blake(arms wrapped around Jules in the kitchen): "Hmmm...we got to get together, girl..."

Jules: "Too late, Dude, Aunt Flo came to town. Feels like you haven't touched me all month!"

Riley, our 9 yo son, casually walking by us: "That's not true!"

Blake and Jule's necks snap in response.

Riley: "I saw you guys give high fives to each other just last night!"

Cha!!!

Activity Check

After getting up at six to take my mom to the airport at the close of her visit and driving to/from Alderwood mall to spend a little time with a friend from out of state, I was pretty tired.

I tried to go to the barn, but was too exhausted and the trainer had other plans so I got a reprieve. My DH said he'd pick up my daughter after school so I laid down. It was approximately 2 in the afternoon.

It was nine pm when I woke.

This am, I got my happy butt out of bed and went to the barn. I groomed 3 horses and tacked up one. Rather than taking a lesson (which was supposed to be this morning) I went home and quickly vacuumed the house before the baby arrived. She's sleeping now, and I'm making myself be still.

I am uncomfortable, but happy that I got the barn work done. Fibromyalgia steals a lot of my energy and sometimes I just want to scream. Rather than screaming though, I'll play the drums. Once the baby wakes up, that is :-)

Reminder for New Year's Revolution

Ladies, this Saturday, Feb. 2nd, we're coming together at the Northgate mall Red Robin at noon. It's a good thing that I spoke to Jules last night, because I had it in my mind that it was actually the 9th! But alas, no, it is indeed THIS Saturday. As in, the DAY AFTER TOMMORROW. : )
Who is still in? Hope to see many of you there!
Mucho love!
Kristina

Not So Good, This Week

While last week was a success, this week has been a flop. I haven't walked. I haven't eaten breakfast. I haven't been drinking my water or taking my vitamins. My period finally started yesterday, and this morning the scale has jumped FIVE pounds in the wrong direction. Shallow as it may seem, that's perhaps the most depressing thing of all. Why do I crash after a small success? I do it over and over again.

Part of the problem is I can't sleep when my period is about to start. When I recognize that this is happening I take Benedryl, just to get some rest. Antihistamines are one of those things that deplete serotonin, and I can really feel that the day after I take one. It's an excuse, though, because if I make myself get up and walk, that yucky Benedryl hangover dissipates. If I sit and do nothing it hangs on all day.

Something else is going on, though, and I've never been able to figure it out. I sabotage myself. I don't know why. Fear of commitment, fear of success, fear that I'm not worthy? Who knows?

I'm also trying really hard not to get sick, but my throat is sore, and I don't know if I can keep a cold at bay much longer. My husband was home sick for a couple of days this week. Blech.

Anyway, just wanted to disclose that all is not rainbows and fairy dust around here, and that I'm still struggling but not giving up. I probably won't walk today. I feel like crap, and I have a busy day ahead to get through. All I feel like doing is staying in bed all day with a good book, but I have to run kids around and other stuff.

Just came back...

from the barn and am fresh out of the shower. My face is still reddish with effort and flushed with the steam heat. I feel tired, happy and that I've already got this day licked, and it isn't even NOON YET!

What are you ladies doing today?

How are you going to kick today's BUTT???

Jan inspired me...agian!

Thank you, Jan, for inspiring me. I started my fitness journal today at fitday.com. I even set a new goal for my weight loss. I might adjust things as I go, but for now, I have a direction and a plan! Here we go again!

PS, it would help me be more faithful if I could rope some of you gals into posting there, too.

Jules

Did I Mention That I Hurt?

This morning, I feel like I was hit by a Mack truck - but yesterday was fantastic. I ran my first half marathon in 2:14.50 - a full 9 minutes faster than I figured I would. After a few more ice packs, some ibuprofen and a massage, I think I'll register for another one.


I am sore (okay, REALLY sore) but happy. What a great feeling!


Update: I've called in the cavalry and gotten a massage appointment for this evening after work. And it looks like I will try to run my next half marathon in 2 weeks (!) so that a friend from my training class won't have to run it solo. I get the vague feeling that this might be a little crazy.

How's My Week Going?

I'm doing alright. I'm really kind of tired, don't know if that's because it's PMS week, or just because it does take a little extra effort to exercise and eat several small meals every day. I do know that this PMS week has been so much better than it was last month. In fact, it's only the calendar telling me it's PMS week because I don't have any other signs except for trouble sleeping.

I've walked every day except one this week. On that day I did some strength training, so I didn't blow off exercise completely.

I've lost a pound and a half since this time last week. I think that jump in the scale was just the extra tacos on Tuesday night. Ha!

So, my plan definitely deserves another week.

I feel beautiful. Me AND my muscular size 10 buttocks!!

"Girl, you got a FINE A**"

that's the real quote of the week....Kris :-)

An Apology Out of the Blue (from the wrong person)

Ladies, please tell me what you think about this.

Several years ago (5ish), I dated this guy who was, and there really is no other more polite way to say this, a shit. He was personable and good looking, but he was one of those people who thought way too well of themselves, was very judgmental of other people, and could not understand why someone might not be appreciative if he pointed out what he thought to be their flaws and then told them how they ought to go about fixing themselves.

For example, he used to routinely tell me "you'd feel better if you lost weight" (or about a dozen variations thereon) when I neither felt bad nor when my weight was the legitimate topic of conversation. When finally I had had enough of this and told him that I neither needed his commentary nor welcomed it, he couldn't understand why or how he had hurt my feelings. Then he held it against me whenever he brought it up again because he felt I was being irrational. This wasn't the only problem, but for whatever reason the whole thing dragged on WAY too long.*

*And for laughs, I'll include the last part - when I finally told him it was over and I was out, he was SO FAR offbase that he produced a ring he had purchased a few weeks prior with which he intended to propose. He just couldn't fathom that someone wouldn't want him.

If I were significantly overweight, I might be able to maybe just a teensy bit and totally grudgingly understand (if not accept) such commentary, but my BMI has never been more than 10 pounds outside of my target range. Ever. But anyway, it ended and I felt so relieved and went on to date truly wonderful men who thought and think that I am way too good for them and I didn't give this guy much thought after that.

But today at lunch I got an email from his brother in law out of state. I met the BIL several times and we got along well and he was a really nice guy and friends with the former boyfriend but I haven't heard from BIL since I left, years ago. The email said that they had gotten in a fight last year and hadn't spoken since and while he was angry, he thought about some of the things he really didn't like about my ex-boyfriend, and I came up. He said he had been thinking about it for a long time and that he couldn't shake that he owed me an apology for not standing up to his friend when he saw how I was being treated because he knew the boyfriend was being entirely an ass and that I was fine just as I was.

I told him that I appreciated the sentiment and that it wasn't his responsibility to make things better at the time, but I'm a little taken aback by the apology.

This is so coincidental after Kristina's post yesterday, but this has gotten me thinking about the effect of some of the lousy things people have said to me about my weight/figure/body:

1) I have seized on the parts of my body that I do love - like my eyes, my collarbones, my waist, my athletic build.

2) I have learned to value the parts of me that are not on the outside all the more. If someone is going to imply that they don't like how you look, you find yourself listing the other reasons why they must like you. Because I'm bright, I laugh easily, I have a really diverse range of interest, I am comfortable with who I am, and on occasion I can be witty.

3) I have learned to shrug off people who make discouraging or disparaging comments. Just reminding yourself that you are worth being loved even if people make comments like that make it so much easier to shrug off the same comments if they happen again.

4) I've learned that, no matter what the basis, the problem is seldom with me, but with whoever has made the comment. I can be angry, but I refuse to take someone else's problems personally.

5) I have learned that the people who make such comments either completely fail to realize how hurtful they're being, or they realize exactly how hurtful they're being (which heads back to number 4).

So I don't see an apology by the brother in law to be necessary. I am fine with who I am and, if anything, the ex-boyfriend's comments just made me love myself more, just as I am.

Quote of the week!

You gals are gonna love this one! Talk about fuel for the fire. Yesterday, my mother, bless her heart, asked me this;" Have you gained weight?... because your butt looks wider."
I've already worked out this morning, but it looks like tonight I'm going back. To run my ass off.

You know, half of me wants to not eat anything, or very little, because of her comment. And then the other half wants to gorge. All I know is that it made me angry, and hurt, and want to sweat like crazy at the gym.

Jennifer, how ya doin?

Hey girl, its been a couple of days since your post.

How are you feeling????

If Mr Bill can resist....

you can too - just say NO to bad food and self defeating behavior!

You may be surprised at making a new friend - YOURSELF!