Year 2, Day 3: Sore Arms

My arms are aching today.

Not surprising since today I worked on my arms.

I am taking my husband's advice and focusing on different muscle groups each day. So, abs are Monday and Thursday, legs are Tuesday and Friday, arms are Wednesday and Saturday.

I know there are ways to work all your muscles in one work out and do them every day, but since I am starting from 0 - I gotta agree with Steve.

Start off slow, make sure I have technique down and when my muscles are stronger than I can try other types of work outs.

Working my arms is different than my abs and legs. I use my legs every day so the soreness from workouts is from pushing myself. My ab work outs are also from pushing myself, but I have also "played around" with ab exercises a lot more through out the years (I admit it, I want a flat tummy).

My shoulders? My arms? Well, other than using them because I have too, I don't really use them at all. I have always been weaker in my arms, but today's workout made me realize just how bad.

My left side is weaker than my right side. My left side starting hurting (pain? soreness? incorrect movements?) sooner than my right. Actually my right never started hurting...just tired from doing the exercises. My left side hurt. I stopped. Pain means "STOP" in muscle language.

I think the next time I do my arms, I will have to do even less, go even slower....if I gain nothing else from this journey, I will gain the ability to go slow and steady.

Happy Walking!

Year 2, Day 2: 5 Gratitudes for Friday, 48

1. Waking up two days in a row (on time) to get my strength training in. It is hard to wake up earlier in the morning. It is hard to exercise earlier in the morning. But it is soooo worth it. I like how my day starts, I like that I am doing something that is hard for me.

2. A quiet Thanksgiving. We spent it alone - just the 5 of us. We watched "Planes, Trains & Automobiles" - the best Thanksgiving movie. We played Uno for the family championship belt. S won for the 3rd year in a row (I have a feeling she is getting a bit of help). It was wonderful - start to finish.

3. Discovering that Deseret Book has a free bookshelf e-reader app for the computer and iPad. I downloaded and also got 8 free books! So very cool! I have started "A History of Joseph Smith, by his mother" (or something like that). A very interesting read so far.

4. That a month or so ago the DeMilles were giving away free downloads to some of their seminars & stuff. I have been listening to Oliver DeMille (author of "A Thomas Jefferson Education" and my mind is being opened to the possibilities of learning - for myself and for the children. I have read "A Thomas Jefferson Education" and perused some of his other books, but listening to him is where it all comes together.

5. K giving a part of the lesson/message the sister missionaries wanted to share with our family. K did a great job talking about the Book of Mormon, asking questions and giving some of her insights. She is an amazing young woman.

Year 2, Day 1: YES!!!!

I love the first day of a new goal - it is 100% success and 0% guilt.  It is the best day of the whole journey....it is full of hope.

I started with my abs this morning.

I forced myself to go slow, focusing on technique instead of speed. Hopefully this will pay off in the long run. Since I have a history of petering out fairly quickly...I have to think "cross country" not "sprint".

My abs are a bit sore, but I am guessing I will feel it more tomorrow (and hopefully the days and weeks to come).

Happy Thanksgiving! (And Happy Walking!)

The End of a Year

This time last year, I posted about my new blog and my new goal of walking. You can read it here.

A recent picture of myself...trying out a scarf....not sure I like it. 

I thought I should do the same for the coming year. I have been talking about my goals for the new year a lot this week, but....I still wanted something....I don't know, final?

One year ago, I weighed 145 lbs.

Today, I weigh 142 lbs.

I lost 3 pounds over a 12 months period.

I honestly do not know if I should be happy or sad; encouraged or discouraged; or any other  opposite feelings that I can not think of at the moment.

I am going with happy and encouraged.

I lost weight.

I feel lighter. I feel better. I sleep better. I have more energy. I have accomplished my goal of walking for a year (with a slight adjustment of a few dance, swim and Kung Fu days). I have found an area where I am lacking and have chosen to tackle it this next year. I am also aware that my eating habits need to change (although I have not come to the same dedication/determination to actually change). I think I am a good example to my children - we certainly have fun playing together....because lets face it, all forms of exercise is just playing to children. :)

If I lose 3 more pounds next year that will be six pounds lighter than I was at the beginning of 2013 and three pounds lighter than I am right now. Sure I want to lose around 15 lbs, but sometimes it is okay to be slow and steady....at least, I hope so in this case!

I know I have said this a lot lately, but I really am nervous about starting strength training. I have never been physically strong, so I think it will be extremely hard. I do have my P.E. teacher in my head - encouraging me and telling me I can do it. The only time I have ever worked hard at strength training was the year I took Mr. Winkfield's class - he had a great way of inspiring his students to do their best....even when their best was bench pressing the weighted bar.

Here is hoping I don't let him down!

Happy Walking!

Day 370: More Details

So, after a lot of pondering, I think the best course of action is for me to do strength training first thing in the morning.

I am making this decision on several things:

1 - I tend to get my work outs in when I schedule them first thing in the morning.

2 - If I get up early enough (before 6:30am), I tend to be the only one up. I can send children back to bed and I can kick the cat outside....hopefully the husband will not be waking up extra early too often.

#2 is important because I tend to be kind of shy when I first start something. I don't want my husband or children watching me while I am attempting to work out. Walking, dancing, bike riding...those kinds of things are different. Probably because I feel somewhat confident and/or enjoy those items. Strength training? not so much.

3 - I am using my very old Tony Little tapes. Yeah, he is quirky, but he works. I don't like all of the exercises, but I think that is because I don't really like strength training so I never committed myself. Regardless of liking it or not, I am doing strength training this time.

4 - I am giving myself 3 months using the Tony Little tapes. If I don't see results or really hate the exercises than I will start looking for something else. I know from the past that I do really well working out with someone or using a video.

I am sure things will change as the year progresses. Last year I was excited to start and a little hopeful of proving my doctor wrong (he said a brisk walk, 30 minutes each day is all I would need for the rest of my life...more on that tomorrow). This year, I am nervous (maybe scared?). Nervous because it is out of my comfort zone...but so needed as I learned yesterday.

Happy Walking....hmm...maybe next year will be Happy Strength Training? Hmmm...

Day 367-369: Strength Training Here I Come!

At Kung Fu tonight, I grappled against my husband. Not only is he bigger than me, but he is strong and solid. Truly a dwarf if I have ever seen one.

When Steve chose to, I could knock him off of me and roll him over. When Steve chose to, I was stuck with absolutely  nothing I could do to make him budge....in fact, the harder I tried, all I did was wear myself out.

This taught me two things:

1 - I never, ever, ever, ever want to end up on the floor when fighting someone. A quick punch to the nose, throat or groin and then running for my life is my best bet. I am not Black Widow.

2 - I really need to strength train and build my muscles....it might give me a sporting chance against someone closer to my size.

I know I said awhile back that I was thinking about doing strength training this next year. I was also thinking about flexibility or a different cardio. Yeah, tonight showed me that I absolutely need to focus on strength training.

Again, because I am starting from less than zero, I am not going to do anything fancy - no cross training, no PX90 (or whatever the heck it is called). I am also not going to a gym - I don't want to pay money and I can not afford the time it would take to drive. Strength training with the children is probably not going to happen (unless they volunteer to be my weights).

I think my best bet is to do it first thing in the morning.

I am excited, but also nervous. I have never been a very strong person. In high school, I could barely bench press the weighted bar....sad & pathetic. I have always shied away from weights because I didn't want to look bulky.

Yes, I understand that isn't really possible.

I will officially begin on Thanksgiving morning (same as my walking journey from last year). I will keep you posted!

Happy Walking!

Day 366: 5 Gratitudes for Friday, 47

1. Being able to help & serve (in a small way) to those who were affected by the tornados that hit the mid-west. One of the tornados touched down and hit a town about an hour from us. Since my children remembered how scared & worried they were during the tornado warnings; then how relieved they felt after it missed us, they really wanted to help those families who were not as a lucky (because let's face it, there is no rhyme or reason to where a tornado touches down). So, Tuesday we gathered food, non-food items, clothing and blankets for those who needed it most. I was amazed and humbled how freely my children gave of their own belongings.

2. Dinner with good friends - I mentioned this last night, but it is still worth mentioning again. I will miss my friends when they move, but I am glad for the last couple of years with them. And I am especially glad we could hang out last night.

3. Reconnecting with a dear friend from high school. I got an email from her earlier this week....and it came at the perfect time. Such a pick-me-up. Oh, how I wish to see her again someday.

4. Steve coming in to save my daughter's day. The friends I mentioned moving? Well, one of them has a daughter that is the same age as my daughter. My daughter wanted to make matching necklaces for her friend as a going away present. K is very talented. She makes beautiful necklaces, but....this particular necklace just wasn't working. Not sure why, but K had a lot of technical difficulties. We got one of the necklaces done, but not the other one. Last Saturday was a going away party and K was devastated that she didn't have this gift done in time. Steve, the knight in shining armor, the super hero, took K to the store to buy matching bracelets (charm bracelets). Sometimes it is a good thing to have a dad that spoils.

5. Z reading. I am so excited that he is reading. He is reading without fighting me. He is reading almost 30 minutes a day (or a little more). He, once a week, goes to the library to read to a dog. Such a great program! Z is reading. Love it!!!!

Happy Walking!