Back to old routine

Today I did an hour on the elliptical machine at the gym. It had been about a week since I spent an hour on the elliptical, so I'm a tad sore, but not bad. Since I'm off work today, I took a Rice Diet class on cooking, which was fun.

Today and Monday are university holidays, so I'm looking forward to a nice, long weekend.

A Different Route

This morning I set out for the gym, but I had a gut feeling that I wouldn't last an hour on the elliptical today, so I turned the other way and headed for the cross-country trail at Duke. It's a 5 km (3.1 mi) trail near Duke Forest, and walking it would take me a little over an hour. Once commited, I knew I'd want to finish the thing, and I did. It was COLD (about 35 degrees), so I walked fast. :-) It felt good to complete the trail. Although most of it is wooded, it also goes around part of the Duke Golf Course. Here is one of the views:

I took my iPod with me, but opted not to suit up today, so I could listen to the sounds of nature and other joggers/walkers.

In other news, there's no news on my car today. I hope to get an estimate on the damage tomorrow.

Off normal routine

I've gotten a little off track with the exercise routine this holiday season, but I've still gotten some in every day except Saturday and Monday (Christmas Day). I was on my way to workout on Saturday when I was in a car accident, and while I wasn't really hurt physically (just a little sore), my car is pretty bad. I had it towed to the body shop today, and hope to know the damage by the end of the week. I hope it's not totaled.

Meanwhile, today I've done 20 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes of walking. George wants to go work out tonight, so maybe I'll go with him and get some more exercise.

Today's workout

This morning, I did an hour and 20 minutes on the elliptical. Felt good, but I've been a little tired for the rest of the day. I'll probably take a nap when I get home. :)

Morning at the gym

I spent 75 minutes on the elliptical machine at the gym this morning. Favorites tunes on the iPod this morning included Natalie Cole's "This Will Be (an Everlasting Love)" and Elton John's "Honky Cat."

Morning at the gym

I did 65 minutes on the elliptical this morning, and played a little bit with the resistance and the crossramp to jazz up the workout a little bit. I've come to enjoy my early morning workouts a lot, though sometimes I enjoy the end of the workout most! Love the way I feel when I'm done! I often enjoy the workout itself, especially when I'm feeling strong....or stressed.

I'm thankful to be on the Rice Diet during this holiday season. It's been challenging, as there have been numerous tempations. I've learned a lot about myself, including the fact that I have more willpower than I thought.

Past two days

Yesterday, I spent 65 minutes on the elliptical, this morning I did another 60 minutes. I'm still a little sore from Saturday's 5K, but my leg muscles are feeling a little better.

I just found the official results to Saturday's race, and I finished in 52 minutes, 12 seconds, the last of time officially timed people. (The race also had a recreational division, with no chip timing). *sigh* I need to remember that I did have fun running with Steph and being out on a beautiful morning around all the people (many in reindeer antlers and one person in a Santa suit!)!

Yesterday I started reading the book, No Need for Speed: A Beginner's Guide to the Joy of Running, by John Bingham. Although I bought the book last week while Christmas shopping, yesterday was a good one to start reading it. Although I had a fun time overall running the Reindeer Romp on Saturday, I'm still a little discouraged about running slower than the last 5K. The book has been encouraging so far, though, and has some helpful tips as well.

John Bingham is a columnist for Runner's World magazine who started running at 43 as an overweight couch potato, and he shares his journey and insights now. Through his writing, he tries to encourage people to take it one step at a time, to have fun with it, and not worry about being at the back of the pack. It's helped me a lot in keepin' on with the 5Ks, since I'm seriously in the back of the pack right now.

Sunday morning workout

This morning I did a pretty vigorous 65 minutes on the elliptical machine at the gym. Favorites on the iPod playlist this morning included Electric Light Orchestra's "A Fifth of Beethoven" and Bob Segar's "Old Time Rock & Roll."

At the Rice Diet checkin today, I asked the nurse to check my resting heart rate to see if it's gone down with all the exercise I've been doing. When I last had it checked back in August, it was 70. This morning it was 60.

Reindeer Romp 5K Report

I participated in the Reindeer Romp 5K this morning, and had a great time! My buddy Steph went with me, and was sweet enough to run along with me, eventhough she probably could've run faster. Since proceeds from the race were going to Girls on the Run of the Triangle, a lot of girls were out to run/walk to 5K (3.1 mi) course, and that was fun to see.

We finished the race in about 52 minutes, slower than I'd hoped, but it was still a good feeling. We "jogged" all but 8 minutes of it, which was an accomplishment. I put joggged in quotes because it was different from walking for me, but some people walk faster than I jog at times. One day I want to jog the whole 5K, at whatever pace!

Oh, by the way!

I forgot to mention that I did the treadmill "Fit Test" at the gym a few days ago, and scored a 34, "above average" for this particular rest. Making progress!

Morning workout

I did 65 minutes on the elliptical this morning, with the resistance up a notch. I'm a little sore right now.

When I got home, I realized I was without the new iPod! I rushed back to the gym, and it wasn't there. A lady came over and said she'd turned it in at the front desk. I was thankful and relieved! Favorites on the playlist this morning included "Mockingbird" sung by Carly Simon and James Taylor, and the Pointer Sisters' "Boogie Oogie Oogie," a fun workout song! :-)

Today's workout

This morning I did an hour on the elliptical. Glad to report that theh iPod is working normally again! Yay! Plugged it up to my computer yesterday to recharge, and after I unplugged it, it was working normally again. Go figure!

The weather here is lovely this week, highs in the 60s! I'll be getting some walks around the Quad in during the workday, which will help.

The Reindeer Romp is coming up on Saturday! I've been looking forward to this next 5K!

Back to normal exercise routine

I was back to 65 minutes on the elliptical this morning, felt good to get back on track.

Eventhough I'm doing something important for my health in exercising an hour every day, lately I've been thinking about other things I could be doing with the hour, like cleaning, writing Christmas cards, reading, things that I feel like I'm not having enough time for. It's all about setting priorities though, I guess. The important things will get done, the rest I need to try not to worry about.

Unfortunately, my new iPod is on the blink. It just spans through the songs now without stopping to play, and nothing I push or poke seems to help. Hmmm, any iPod gurus out there with suggestions?

Short workout

I did 15 minutes on the treadmill this morning, and that was it. Feeling tired this morning, so I decided to take it a little easier. I still plan to do some walking on my breaks here at work today.

Weekend workouts

Saturday, Sunday, and today, I did 65 minutes on the elliptical. Favorite workout tunes on the iPod included Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move," and Chicago's "Alive Again."

I had a wonderful manicure and pedicure on Saturday! Only downside was that the lady who worked on my nails asked me when my due date was. No, I'm not expecting a baby. :-/

Morning workout

I did 65 minutes on the elliptical this morning. Favorite songs heard on the new iPod this morning included Chicago's "Make Me Smile," Carole King's "I Feel the Earth Move," and the Beach Boy's "Catch a Wave."

Each day this workweek, I've taken two 15 minute walk breaks around the Quad, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Today, I may break the trend. It's COLD outside today! Brrr! The high is supposed to be in the high 30's to maybe 40 degrees. Have I said brrrr yet?! I wish I had some gloves with me. That would help.

Next 5K-the Reindeer Romp!

I'm signed up for my next 5K! Yay! It's the Reindeer Romp in Cary, NC, on December 16. Proceeds will go to Girls on the Run of the Triangle. The description on Active.com says the course is relatively flat, so I've signed up for the competive division. I'll get a timing chip for my shoe. This being said, I know I'll be near the back of the pack finishing, but am hoping to beat 50 minutes.

Putting the elliptical to music

It's been a treat to have my own music to listen to while on the elliptical machine at the gym. The music on the gym's stereo system is rarely what I like, and it's hard to block it out. (I'd often wish they'd turn the music off altogether!) Today's favorites on the new iPod playlist included Cat Stevens' (aka Yusuf Islam) "Morning Has Broken," Paul Simon's "Kodachrome," and Christina Aguilera's "Fighter." I know, I know, I'm as surprised as anyone about the the Christina Aguilera song, but it sounded great on the elliptical machine! :)

I did another 75 minutes on the elliptical this morning. I feel a little less sore, but more tired. I may need to get to bed earlier, or cut down on the minutes temporarily to let my body rest and get used to the increased exercise.

In Rice Diet news, they have a new set of scales at the Rice House today. We have to type in an access code, and the scales send our weight to the computer. Going high tech.

More elliptical

Spent another 75 minutes on the elliptical this morning. I'm still a little sore, but am sure that will change in time. I'd like to work up to 90 minutes of exercise in the mornng before breakfast. It's almost too cold for me to walk outside during work these days.

Favorites on the new iPod playlist this morning included "Disco Inferno," the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun," and "Surfin' Safari" by the Beach Boys.

The morning after

I survived my birthday rather well! I don't feel 43, whatever that's supposed to feel like. I certainly feel stronger and more healthy than I did a year ago!

Thanks to my sister and her family, I'm a proud owner of a new iPod since last night! It's very cute! Thanks for my uncle and brother-in-law, I have a long list of 1700+ tunes already on it, and have had a fun time exploring the list! It's a pretty eclectic roundup, but it's brought me several smiles already!

This morning I spent 75 minutes on the elliptical, and my body is feeling it now. Having the music to listen to really helped keep me going for a little extra! Fun songs of the morning workout included Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and Sheryl Crow's "All I Want to Do."

I'm still learning about the iPod, and look forward to learning more about playlists and such. If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it! (Wondering if there's an iPods for Dummies book out there! :-) )

I've taken a 30 minute walk at work this morning, to help me get on a roll of doing an hour and a half of exercise during the work week. This is something I've just started trying to do in the past week.

Monday morning workout

Did 65 minutes on the elliptical this morning, and 5 minutes on the treadmill. Felt strong this morning, so I put a little extra push on my elliptical workout.

Today is my birthday, and since Mom and Dad are still in town, they're meeting me at the Rice House for dinner. I'm missing going out to dinner, but it's not about the food, right?

Still going

This morning I did another 60 minutes on the elliptical at the gym. Today was the first time I've beat the gym opening employee there in the AM, so it was kinda interesting to see the lights coming on.

Weight Milestone

I've lost 50.2 lbs on the Rice Diet! I'm psyched to have made this mini-goal before my birthday on Monday. :)

I did the cross-country trail before breakfast this morning. I jogged a little more of it then last time, including a half mile stretch without stopping, and a couple of hills. I finished about 3 minutes faster than the last time I did the trail and watched the clock. I've come to appreciate every little bit of progress!

More exercise

I got to the gym a little earlier than usual this morning, and much to my surprise, all 6 of the elliptical machines I like were taken. (The nerve!) I did the treadmill for 5 minutes, then hopped on the elliptical for an hour when one in my line of view opened up.

I'll try my best to walk during my work breaks today. It promises to be rainy at times as the cold front works its way through, but it should still be pretty moderate for part of today, so I'll give it a shot.

More elliptical, and shopping

I did anther 60 minutes on the elliptical this morning. Plan to do some walking today on breaks from work. The temperatures are supposed to be moderate here for one more day, then a cold front starts coming through overnight. Brrr! I've been getting spoiled!

Mom took me shopping at Talbot's last night, and I got two new pairs of pants, both size 22! Woohoo! The jeans that are being replaced were size 28! :-D

Gym

Did 60 minutes on the elliptical this morning.

The early morning crowd at the gym seems to be changing. I miss some of the regulars from before Thanksgiving, and there are some new faces. I guess the holidays do different things to different people.

My A1c is down to 6.1, and my total cholesterol is down to 147. Glad for the improving numbers. :)

Today's workout

I worked out 45 minutes on the eliptical this morning at the gym, and then walked 20 minutes around the West Campus Quad. (Beautiful morning here in Durham, especially for late November!)

Back to my normal schedule

It's back to work today after my Thanksgiving break, so I was back to the gym this morning for a 65 minute workout on the elliptical. George and I decided not to do the Turkey Trot on Saturday, expecially with trying to make the mid-day footbal game between Duke and UNC. (Duke lost by one!)

Morning walk

This morning I needed to shake things up a little, so I walked the trails at Croasdaile Farm area for the first time. It was a great change of paces, and pretty scenic! I did 50 minutes before heading to the Rice House for breakfast. I enjoyed the pond, which included several geese. The only drawback was dodging a landmine field of goose poop in one section! But other than that, it was a lovely walk, and a great way to start the day. The pictures here were taken with my cell phone.


Yesterday, I didn't get to the gym until late afternoon, and only made it for 15 minutes. Late day workouts just don't do it for me anymore. I love being able to get my workout in first thing in the day!

Today's Workout

This morning, I walked once around Duke's East Campus Wall (35 minutes), then did 15 minutes on the elliptical at MetroSport with George. (Afterward, we got in the pool for a while until I had to go to the Rice Diet for lunch.) Not the hour I usually do, but I enjoyed the change of pace and scenery. Tomorrow, George and I are thinking about doing a Turkey Trot 5K over at the Duke cross country trail.

Morning walk

This morning, since the gyms are closed for Thanksgiving, I walked the cross country trail (5K long) near the golf course at Duke. The ground was still wet, and it was cloudy and cool, but it was still a nice morning to be out. The course is fairly hilly, so it was a great workout for me this morning. ( I finished the course in 65 minutes.) There were a few others out and about on the trail too, so it was nice not to be doing it all alone. There was a tree down in the trail from the recent storms, so it lent a woodsy atmosphere to my walk. The mile and kilometer marker signs are also a wonderful touch and helped keep me going. Since I have the rest of the week off, I may go back to the trail again before the week's out.

I missed being able to watch "The Biggest Loser" last night. It was prempted by a Madonna show. I passed on that, as I'm not really a Madonna fan.

Today I'll be eating lunch at the Rice House. George will be eating with me, which is very nice of him! Afterward, we'll be going to visit his family in Cary for a bit. His parents are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at their home this year.


Happy Thanksgiving, all!

More treadmill

Yesterday I did 8 minutes on the treadmill, this morning I did 10 minutes on the treadmill. Feel good about mixing things up a bit, adding more treadmill time. Still did an hour on the elliptical this morning.

Different schedule

Yesterday I didn't work out until the afternoon (an hour on the elliptical), because I had to take my car in yesterday morning, and didn't get done with that until 10:00. I'm at the Rice House for breakfast now, and haven't worked out yet, but will be going to the gym before I get home. It's cold, windy, and cloudy today, and rain is expected. Once I get home, that may well be it. Nice day to read and nap. Ahhh, vacaion!

I'm 50% of the way toward the silver medal now for the President's Challenge. Bit by bit.

Next week I'll have blood work at the Rice House. Good motivation for an extra push!

The Wall

Yesterday I finally met Denise, and she, Tayler, and I went around the East Campus Wall twice! It was a great workout for me, and it took us just under an hour. The two of them were heading around for a third time (wow!) when I left for lunch at the Rice House.

Haven't been to work out yet today, was up late last night with company. I'm tired, but the party was fun!

More elliptical

I did another hour an the elliptical this morning, felt good. Yesterday I walked during both my work breaks, fun to walk around the quad and enjoy the season. I really enjoy fall in North Carolina!

Big exercise day yesterday!

Between my 1-hour cardio, 2 15-minute walks at work, and a run/walk session with Tayler last night, I got in 2 hours of exercise yesterday! Holy Cow! I was a little stiff and sore this morning, so I cut my AM workout to 30 minutes on the elliptical to give my body a rest. I'll continue to walk on my breaks at work today to fill out the hour of exercise I like to get.

Today's workouts

Did an hour on the elliptical this morning. Hoping to run/walk with Tayler this evening, if the rain holds until after we're done. We're talking about doing the Turket Trot 5K in Apex on Saturday. She seems like she'll be a good race buddy, whether or not we run the same pace.

I finished up the President's Challenge Bronze Medal with the morning workout, and with that am 45% of the way toward the Silver Medal. Going to keep on going!

Another hour on the elliptical

Another hour on the elliptical, and it felt pretty strong too. Ended up chatting a little with a "new" lady next to me named Teresa. Not sure if I've seen her there before. Anyway, she works at Duke too, on the medical side of things. She was encouraging about how long I'd been on the elliptical this morning. That was sweet. :) It helped having someone to chat with this morning, as I was a little tired and appreciated the distraction of chatting . I feel more energized now, even without caffeine.

I'm 99% of the way toward the bronze medal for the President's Challenge! Only 129 points to go. If I do my normal thing tomorrow, that should nail the bronze and send me toward the silver.

I ordered the sountrack CD from "The Biggest Loser" from Amazon this afternoon. I'm pretty excited about getting some new "Pump it up!" music to listen to!

Weekend workouts

Saturday morning, I merely did 30 minutes on the elliptical. I was just plain tired, but I felt like I needed to do something in the exercise realm. I'd hoped to get some more exercise after I'd gotten some rest, but it didn't happen. Ah, well, some days are like that!

Yesterday, I felt a little stronger and more determined, and got in a full hour of cardio on the elliptical. This morning, I lasted 65 minutes.

I'm thinking about doing a 5K in Apex this weekend, one of a number of "Turkey Trots" in the area. Hoping Tayler, Denise, and I can do it together.

Friday workouts

I got to the gym a little earlier than usual this morning, and it felt good to get a jump on my workout! There weren't as many people there this morning...a pattern I've noticed on Fridays. Did 65 minutes on the elliptical.

Got my lab results back at the Rice House this morning, and my A1c (a 3-month average of blood sugars) is down to 6.4! (When I was in the hospital, it was 10.9.) My blood pressure has been lower than usual the past couple of days, 88/58.

I walked for 20 minutes around campus today, what a beautiful day to get outside! I love fall weather!

Afternoon Walk

I just got back from a 20-minute walk around the quad here on campus. It's a lovely afternoon here in Durham, a little warmer than usual, and oh, so nice! On my walk, I noticed a HUGE spider and its acompanying web on a bush. Here's a picture of it, using my camera phone!

New happenings

Last night I met with a lady named Tayler, who I met through Craigslist.org for Raleigh/Durham. She'd posted that she was looking to get back into running, and was looking for other women to train with for 5Ks. I responded and we met last evening. She was very nice, and we had a good workout, walking and running in the East Campus area. It was fun to talk with her, since we seem to be on the same page.

Yesterday at work I took a 15-minute walk break, which felt great! Then Tayler and I walked/jogged for about 30 minutes last night. With my 30-minute early morning workout too, I was a little sore this morning. Even so, I was back to 60 minutes on the elliptical this morning. It was good for getting the muscles going, but I'm definitely tired now. It's a good tired, though.

Luckily, the scales were good to me this morning, after all that exercise. :)

I'm 86% of the way towards the Bronze Medal for the President's Challenge. If all goes well, I should complete that within the coming week! Then on to the Silver Medal!

Today's game plan

This morning, I only did 30 minutes on the elliptical, partly because I'm a little tired this morning, and partly because I'm meeting two new running buddies this evening over near East Campus. Nice to shake things up a bit, and meet new people in the process!

Rice Diet Progress

As of this morning, I've lost 42.4 lbs since I've started the Rice Diet. Feeling pretty good about that! I'm thankful to still be able to go to the Rice House for my meals (except for workday lunches, which they pack for me), the daily medical check-ins (weight, fasting blood sugars, blood pressure), and the bi-weekly bloodwork. It's all helping me stay on track!

More elliptical

I did the elliptical for an hour this morning, felt good to accomplish that. Things have gotten busier at the gym during my early morning workouts. Must be the weather (colder) and time change (darker earlier in the evenings).

I went to vote after working out, but before I went home to get ready for the day. Nice having that behind me too!

Tomorrow evening, I'm meeting a couple of new women who seem to be at the same place that I am in terms of running. Tayler is from Chapel Hill and Denise lives in Raleigh. We're planning to run/walk, unless the weather's still icky. Either way, it'll be fun to meet them!

Weekend workouts

Saturday morning, I worked out for a hard 70 minutes, starting with a 5-minute warmup on the treadmill, followed with a hard 65-minute workout on the elliptical. I really pushed myself, and felt it the rest of the weekend! Both yesterday and this morning, I did 30-minute workouts each. I think I'll be back to my normal workout hour in the morning.

Mom and I had a fun shopping spree Saturday afternoon at the Streets at Southpoint, which resulted in two tops and a pair of pants in the next smaller size down! That was exciting!

Saturday night, George and I went to the Duke-NC Central basketball game. Talk about a high level of fitness! Those kids on the court are in great shape! It was fun to see both teams in action.

What a difference a day makes

This morning I changed my exercise routine a bit, starting with 15 minutes on the treadmill, then 45 minutes on the elliptical. It felt good to change things up. I think I'd like to work up to a least 30 minutes on the treadmill and see how that goes. I look forward to running outside more, too!

At breakfast at the Rice House, I thought about sitting by myself this morning after yesterday's inspection of my choices, but I sat down with a group of people out of habit! Well, when my food arrived, one of the ladies nearby said, "I always enjoy seeing what you have for your meals, it gives me ideas!" She even had a good idea for me, mixing pineapple (one of our fruit choices) in with my mixture. I left the Rice House feeling better today. :-)

Last night I went to a meeting where they ordered pizza at the end. I didn't know that was going to happen, but I was strong, and we left soon after. I do miss pizza a lot!

Exercise and diet

Two mornings in a row of 65 minutes on the elliptical, and I can tell I'm getting stronger. Can also tell I need to shake things up a bit with the machines. I like the elliptical a lot, especially the calories I burn while I'm on it, but it's time for a change of pace, at least for a bit.

My meals at the Rice House are a topic of conversation, I was reminded this morning. Typically, I have rice (brown if available, or white) with my standard mix-ins of low-sodium tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, onions, and bran. (Depending on the meal, I have my one or two servings of fruits/vegetables too.) This morning, a lady sitting near me asked what I was doing (and pointing to my rice and add-ons), and as I explained it she rolled her eyes, and the lady across from me reminded her that I was the one they were talking about. She replied, "Oh yes, you were the one we were talking about!" This isn't the first time fellow Ricers have looked at my concoction in some form of disbelief, nor is it the first time I've learned my food options have been talked about, but it still catches me off guard a bit. Everything I'm adding to my rice is ON the Rice Diet, and it's tasty and filling to me! And I try to be discreet and not make a production out of my mixings, but I do sit up tall and hold my head high....nothing to be embarassed about, and I've stuck with the Rice Diet! Okay, so maybe my concoction is a little different looking, but not gross. :) Perhaps this is just more "real world" practice for me, since there will surely be times when I have to eat differently from other people after I'm not eating at the Rice House anymore. I may get odd looks, but as long as I don't make a production out of it and stay positive, my health (present and future) is more important than others' opinions.

Time Change

It's interesting to see the changes in outside light during my morning workouts at the gym. It's nice to see more pretty morning light while I'm at the gym. :) Of course, I miss the light as I'm leaving work, and I find I'm ready for bed earlier. I'll adjust soon.

I received my first Carolina Godiva Track Club newsletter, was interesting to read through it. Learned about some area road races I didn't know about before.

I'm down a little over 41 lbs since starting the Rice Diet. I'm excited about my progress!

Happy Halloween!

A new 5K possibility

I've just found a 5K on December 16 that might be a good possibility, the Reindeer Romp 5K in Cary, NC, not far away from Durham. Perhaps this will give me a litle kick in the tail to keep training, including speed and resistance.

More exercise

This morning I did 65 minutes on the elliptical. Nothing new, really, except that the gym seemed a little more humid this morning. Wonder what was up with that.

Spoke with the doctor at the Rice House this morning, and he was encouraging, told me to keep doing what I'm doing. My blood sugar numbers continue to look good for the most part. The pre-breakfast numbers are the highest, in the 1-teens. The other numbers are in the 80-99 range. The Metformin (oral medication for diabetes) is working well.

Same song, different verse.....

This morning, I spent another hour on the elliptical. I'm trying to work a little more on speed. The "steps per minute" display helps me keep track, as I try to stay above a certain level. I've also upped the resistance a little bit.

At the Rice House, I had blood drawn for labwork this morning. Looking forward to seeing the results tomorrow.

Back on track

This weekend I had shorter workouts, partly due to time and weariness. I knew I'd get back on track today, so I didn't get stressed about it, and got some much needed rest. This morning I was back to my full hour workout. Yay! I still need to work on getting to bed earlier, would like to be in bed around 10:00. It's hard to do, but I can tell my body needs the rest.

I've earned 10,331 points toward the President's Challenge bronze medal, 51% of the way there! I've been working on this since October 3.

Another morning at the gym

It was another hour on the elliptical this morning. I took it a litte easy this morning, as I was feeling tired. I haven't been getting to sleep early enough this week, around 11:00 every night. I can't keep doing that! Sleep is pretty key.

I did "meet" someone at the gym this morning. I actually see her there often, one of the numerous skinny, really, really fit people in there nearly every morning! This morning, as she was getting on the elliptical next to me, she said, "You're doing really well in here with that! You're up to, what, 45 minutes?" I really appreciated her encouragement, and we had a nice little chat about the different machines and stuff. You never know where encouragement will come from. It reminded me to be encouraging too.

Another workout down

I spent another hour on the elliptical this morning. I'm feeling stronger during my workouts, even on the intervals program, which increases the resistance as it changes the focus of various leg muscle groups.

Last evening, I treated myself to a manicure AND a pedicure, in celebration of getting off the insulin. It felt great!

Keep on keepin' on

I'm still getting up in the AM to exercise for an hour. It's almost second nature now. When I'm on the elliptical (which is almost always), it helps me to set little mini-goals with the various numbers on the dashboard. Sometimes I set a mini-goal for time, other times number of strides, miles, or calories. Every little bit helps, especially with an hour of exercise.

I keep thinking I need to get on the treadmill, but a little voice inside me says to stay with the elliptical (for now) since it's fun for me and less jolting to the joints, especially while I still have a lot of weight to lose.

With this morning's workout added in, I'm 42% of the way to the President's Challenge Bronze Medal. Bit by bit!

Updated 5K Results

The Autism Ribbon Run results were posted sometime today. Interesting, they give a chip time, which must be when my shoe (where the timing chip is attached) crosses the start line and later crosses the finish line, and also a gun time. My chip time is 50:09, but my gun time is 50:42 (race starting time to finish line crossing). I'd positioned myself near the back of the starting pack, since I knew I'd be getting to a relatively slow start. The results tell me I had a 16 minute/19 second pace per mile overall. This is something I can work on!

I finished 346th out of 355 people. The winning time was 14 minutes, 48 seconds. The fastest female in my age group finished in 22 minutes, 50 seconds.

Another 5K Completed!

I "ran" in the Autism Ribbon Run in Raleigh on Saturday, and am psyched that I shaved 6 munutes off my time!! My unofficial time was 50:45. They provided timing chips for official timing, but the results haven't been posted on the website yet.

Today, after talking to the doctor at the Rice House, I'm trying oral medications rather than insulin! I'm hopeful that the metformin will be effective, but there's always a chance I'll have to go back on the insulin. Crossing my fingers! This is a pretty big day for me, and I feel a little like I'm on vacation, getting a break from taking the insulin injections.

What's My Pace?

I just discovered a training calculator on the Runner's World Magazine website that will do various calculations based on data you put into the blanks. It's just what I was looking for! I was able to plug in my last 5K race time and it calculated that I averaged 18 minutes and 15 seconds per mile in the Cary Road Race. For where I was in April, fitness-wise, that's good! This will help me with training, especially when I get on the treadmill (which has been hardly ever, but I need to use the treadmill to my advantage!). This may even be motivation to get on the treadmill and work on a faster pace. The elliptical doesn't let me know what my pace per mile is.

In Less Than 24 Hours!

My next 5K is in less than 24 hours! Yippee! Bless his heart, George is going to pre-register me this afternoon when he gets off work. We both have a meeting this evening at ERUUF which prevents me from getting over to Raleigh and back in time for the meeting. I could register before the race in the morning, but being registered ahead of time will help me feel less stressed.

I did another 65 minutes on the elliptical this morning, but went a little more slowly, taking it easy before tomorrow's race.

Countdown

Just 2 more days until my next 5K (the Autism Ribbon Run in Raleigh)! Wow! Part of me can't wait for the finish line, to see how I do compared to last April's Cary Road Race. Part of me is looking forward to the road race experience again, to being in better shape for this one. This will be my first time to use a timing chip.

This morning I did 60 minutes on the elliptical.

Another morning workout

This morning I spent another 65 minutes on the elliptical machine. There are some "new" people getting on the ellipticals in my normal spot, so I've had to relocate to another area of the gym. Today I worked out next to a lady, very fit and skinny, who's in the gym nearly every day that I am. She surprised me today by asking me about my new shoes, if I liked them, and where I bought them. I gave an honest, but good report. I also told her about my falling arches, and the orthotics I'm trying out. She asked if I'd seen a podiatrist, and I told her the doctor had suggested I'd try out the over-the-counter orthotics first, but that he'd refer me to a podiatrist if needed. It was a fun little conversation to have with her, and a welcome distraction from the exercise.

Back on Track

This morning's exercise session went well, back to 65 minutes on the elliptical. Between 20 and 30 minutes down I had to do a little mental coaxing to push through the wall, but my body didn't complain much, and I felt great after I finished.

At the Rice House, I had blood drawn for labwork this morning. I got good news at check-in: the doctor left a message for me in the computer to stop taking my blood pressure medicine, as well as my bedtime insulin dose! Woohoo!

I've decided to do the Autism Ribbon Run 5K on Saturday morning in Raleigh, as George and I are meeting friends at the NC State Fair on Sunday afternoon.

Progress

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I'm working toward the bronze medal of the President's Challenge. As of this morning, I'm 18% there, with 3719 points. I need 20,000 points in all.

I did two cardio workouts (totalling 1 hour and 45 minutes) on Saturday, and I must admit I'm paying for it a little. Yesterday's workout was only 40 minutes and this morning's workout was 30 minutes. I'm sure I'll get back up to hour-long workouts soon, but feel the need to listen to my body. When I do two workouts in the future, I'll be more careful.

One of the websites I enjoy, Hungry Girl, mentioned an a potentially helpful website in their email blast this morning. The website is Healthy Dining Finder. I did a search for restaurants on their list within 20 miles of my zip code. The only one that came up was Arby's! I wouldn't really consider Arby's to be a healthy restaurant. Sure, some choices will be better than others there, but still, probably not a place I'll "spend" my calories for now. The site is still in its trial version, so I'll check back later.

Another 5K Race

There's another 5K road race I'm thinking about, this one in Durham. It's the Duke DPT (Doctor of PhysicalTherapy) 5K, run around the Duke campus on Sunday afternoon, Octover 15. I'd thought about doing one next Saturday morning, the 14th, in Raleigh. However, I have football tickets to the Duke-Florida State game for Saturday afternoon, and my ERUUF Covenant Group is planning to serve at the soup kitchen for dinner that evening. I'm thinking I might like to spread my weekend activities out a little bit!

Extra workout

Last night I did an extra workout at the Fitness Center, 15 minutes of cardio, then 20 minutes of strength training. It felt good to have the variety. I was back in the gym this morning for another hour of cardio.

It appears that I have falling arches, according to the New Balance shoe salesman, and the Rice Diet doctor tends to agree. The doctor suggests over-the-counter arch supports for now, to see if they work. I had this same problem in college, when I ran a lot.

Even with the extra workout last night, my weight was the same this morning. Three days in a row, it's been the same! I asked the doctor about it, and he said not to fret about it. My blood sugars are looking good, and the doctor even suggested taking my bedtime dose down to 4 units, as well as all three pre-meal doses. (My morning dose had been 5 units for a while, with 4 units before the other meals.) I'll have more bloodwork done next week to see how my A1c and lipids are doing.

New running shoes

Well, I had a good appointment with the dietician yesterday. We talked a lot about reading food labels, and the importance of my needing good tools when I finish going to the Rice House: food scales, measuring cups and spoons, things like that.

Last evening I went to the New Balance store and got a new pair of New Balance running shoes. Of course, they felt great this morning at the gym! I did another 65 minutes on the elliptical this morning. Talking with one of my new gym acquaintances really helped a lot at the end. Unfortunately, the scales didn't reward my efforts this morning, as I weighed the same as yesterday.

After buying the shoes last evening, I was tempted to cheat at a Mexican restaurant called Moe's, next door to the shoe place. I stood firm, though, and went to a nail salon across the parking lot instead. I have pretty, polished fingernails today. :-)

I got an email today from my Junior League committee chair, and our first committee meeting will be next week at a local restaurant called Nana's, which I hear is very good. I don't know that it's very Rice Diet-friendly. :-( I've got the number, and plan to call and inquire about the menu ahead of time, so I don't have to come across as making a fuss in front of the group.

Stretch

This morning, I stretched a little and stayed on the elliptical for 65 minutes. I had a nice loss at weigh-in at the Rice House this morning, so it was nice to get the positive reinforcement. ;-)

Today I have an appointment with a registered dietician. The appointment was made before I started the Rice Diet. I was going to cancel, but decided it could be helpful to go ahead and plug in with a dietician, and have someone to return to later for nutritional advice. I won't be eating at the Rice House for the rest of my life, and I'll need sound advice!

President's Council on Physical Fitness

Okay, I've decided to try something a little "hokey" to help me stay motivated! Remember the President's Council on Physical Fitness? I never participated in that as a kid, though at some point I remember hearing about it. Well, now they have "programs" for adults. I've decided to work on the middle-of-the-road program, Presidential Champions. I'll keep an activity log online, based on my exercise, and earn points along the way. (Of course, it depends on people being honest with their activity log.) The bronze award takes 20,000 points. I just logged this morning's 60 minute workout and earned my first 522 points. We'll see how it goes!

Another reason to keep on keepin' on

Last week, I read an article on the internet about new guideline for exercise and reducing risks of cancer. The lastest research says we shoud do "dedicated" exercise (not just the usual day-to-day activity) for at least 30 minutes, at least 5 days a week. 45-60 minutes is even better, the article says. It also mentions diet and weight. I'm certainly eating the right foods these days, but still have a long way to go with the weight. Here's the article URL.

Today starts my 3rd month on the Rice Diet. Wow. It's amazing how much better I feel!

More weekend exercise

I continue to get up every morning to exercise for an hour. Even with hard workouts, I feel like I get on with my job and other responsibilities okay. It's a great feeling to have that accomplishment under my belt every morning.

Yesterday after supper, I walked on the Duke cross country trail for 3o minutes. It's in Duke Forest, and part of it goes along the Duke golf course. It's quite beautiful, lots of trees and woodland sounds. There were a number of athletes out, mostly runners and bikers whizzing by. I felt a little too bashful to try jogging among the fit company around me, but in time, I will. There are some good hills on this trail, so it's a nice workout. The whole thing is 5K, which is a distance I'm trying to improve on. I would LOVE to be able to jog the whole thing some day. I WILL run the whole thing one day.

Maybe a 5K in my near future?

I was just looking at information on the Autism Ribbon Run in Raleigh on October 14, and I think it might be a good thing to do. I'd decided to wait until I'd lost more weight and could jog for longer periods of time, but I need the proverbial carrot dangling in front of me. This looks like a good one. I think this will help me stay focused with the exercise and stay on course with the weight loss. The only downside is missing the morning check-in at the Rice Diet, but this seems like a good cause.

Meanwhile, I did the elliptical machine for an hour before work this morning. The morning workout seems to be working for me now.

Progress!

I exercised again this morning, the elliptical for 63 minutes. At weigh-in this morning, I found I'd hit the 30 lbs lost mark! I'm psyched to reach that goal!

Last night I got to bed early, in fact I got to bed so early that I forgot to check my blood sugars and take my night-time insulin. Still, my fasting blood glucose this morning was only 107. I was glad for that. I had blood drawn for lab work this morning, am looking forward to seeing what my numbers are.

More exercise

Yesterday, I did the elliptical for 45 minutes before breakfast, and the stationary bike for 30 minutes after supper. This morning, I spent another 45 minutes on the elliptical. I'm hoping the consistency will pay off.

Morning Gym Crowd

Well, I've exercised every morning for a week now, and I must admit it's getting a little easier. It's also been interesting. I'm beginning to notice some early morning regulars there with me. I'm the most overweight person I've seen there in the early morning. Most of the other regulars are very thin and very fit. I wonder if this is a good sign for me. ;-)

Changing Standards

I've been thinking about my next 5K. While the goal of my first race of the year was to finish, I find myself wanting to do much better in the next one. I want to be able to run (okay, jog right now) the whole thing! I can't run a mile yet, much less 3. Yet I want to be able to mark my progress in other ways besides the scales and the Fitness Test mode on the treadmill.

I found a run/walk coming up soon that's a little closer than Raleigh. Only catch is that it's free if you're going to walk, but $20 if you're going to run. What if I know I want to do a combination of running and walking?!

My next 5K?

I've found a 5K race I think I can do next. It's on October 14 in downtown Raleigh, and seems to be a flat course. It's called the Autism Ribbon Run, and it'll be run in the City Market area. I'm going to study the registration info and route a little more tonight.

Twice a day.....

Yesterday, I made it to the gym twice, for cardio in the morning and strength training (upper body) at night. Last night, I did some cardio first, doing the fitness test on the LifeFitness treadmill. I scored a 32, Above Average! An improvement over last time! :-) My upper body isn't as sore as I expected it to be from last night's weight training, so I wonder if I need to take things up a notch. Probably so.

I got my hour of cardio in before breakfast this morning, but have a 2-hour Group meeting tonight, so I don't know it I'll make it back to the gym my my second workout of the day. Would like to.

I enjoyed looking through my new Runner's World issue last night. I was intrigued by the ads for various races (usually marathons). Makes me want to go to become a better runner and go to some of these races!

More exercise!

I exercised for an hour on the elliptical before church this morning, and plan to head back to the gym tonight to do some strength training.

At check-in this morning, the nurse told me that the doctor had left a message for me in the system to double my exercise efforts! Whew! Can I exercise TWO hours a day?! That would be an incredible investment of time, but I bet it would have amazing results. The doctor who left the message is out of town, but will likely be back tomorrow. Perhaps i can talk with him later this week about this.

Meanwhile, I went to Banes and Noble this afternoon, and bought a copy of the magazine Runner's World. I figure the magazine will provide some good tips and help give me some focus for all my exercise!

Morning workout

I exercised a whole hour this morning before breakfast, since George and I have plans tonight to go to a public stargazing put on by the Duke Physics Department. It felt good to complete my workout before breakfast, in case I don't make it back to the gym this evening. I was down another six tenths of a pound this morning, yippee! This afternoon I have a follow-up appointment with my primary care physician, and I'm looking forward to seeing her this time. I think she'll be pleased with my progress. I was down another six tenths of a pound this morning at my daily weigh-in. Sometimes I wish we didn't have to weigh in EVERY day with the Rice Diet, but it's good accountability.

I spent the whole hour on the elliptical, and increased the resistance to make it a more challenging workout. I'm a little sore now, just enough soreness to feel good.

I've been on a mission lately, looking for healthy choices on local restaurant menus online as I look forward to eating away from the Rice House. I hope to be eating at the Rice House for a while longer, and I'll be cooking more at home. However, I miss the convenience and fun of being able to eat out with friends. Asian restaurants like Neo-China look like my best bet so far, as they offer steamed vegetables and steamed rice without sodium-high things like soy sauce and MSG added. At other places, I may have to be a "difficult" customer and special order some things. I do find grilled salmon on a number of menus, and some places have healthy sides. I think the salmon will be a yummy choice as well.

Latest workouts

Last night, I did the elliptical for 15 minutes, all I could take at the time, so I got on the indoor track there at the Duke Fitness Center, and alternated walking and jogging each lap for another 15 minutes. Sometimes I have to give myself permission to change things up! It felt good to jog again, although when I caught myself in the reflection of the windows, I didn't really like the way I looked running. I'll have to block that image out of my head for now, and do it anyway.

Adding some jogging to my workout has me thinking, what's a reasonable goal for being prepared for my next 5K. How prepared do I want to be? For starters, I want to improve last April's 5K time. I would love to be able to jog 3.1 miles on the treadmill to get a better idea of my time. I'll have to work on to that, though. I can do 3.1 miles on the elliptical in less than 45 minutes.

I got up early this morning and did 45 minutes on the elliptical, which felt great. I'm a little tired, but can still function well. I plan to get more exercise this evening.

Short workout last night

Last night, I worked out for 15 minutes and decided to call it a night. It was getting late, and I wanted to get home in time to call a friend on the phone and catch up. As I got off the elliptical machine, I felt a little guilty, but decided that wouldn't do me any good! I deserve and need to keep in touch with friends!

I need to keep working on this whole thing of keeping up with relationships, taking time for cleaning and errands, getting enough rest and even enough waking time for myself. I need to stay focused with the diet and exercise too. This morning, one of the nurses at the Rice House and I were talking about it all, and how I'm the only client there who's working and dealing with more day-to-day issues of being at home and at work. No one else is working, and nearly everyone else is staying in a hotel room, which is cleaned by someone else on a regular basis. Of course, they still have to deal with some things I do, like dirty laundry, and some things I don't, like being away from their home base. That can be stressful, but it can be liberating too. Perhaps I'm getting a head start on dealing with taking better care of myself in my home base environment.

My phone call ended up being a wise choice. The gal I called had run in her first half marathon over Labor Day Weekend, the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in Virginia Beach. She said it was really hard, but that she's really proud of herself--as well she should be! It has me wondering if I can do it too. Perhaps this could be part of my newest motivation to keep on keepin' on. I need to find some shorter goals, though. When is my next 5K?

Another fitness test

I did the fitness test on the treadmill again last night at the gym, and posted a score of 31. This is still average, but better than the last time, when I scored 30. I'll take any gain, at least when it comes to becoming better fit! :-)

Payoff

I worked out twice yesterday, and was looking forward to a payoff this morning, but alas, I was up one tenth of a pound. After yesterday's 2.7 lb loss, I can understand that my body may be adjusting, but STILL!

I was pretty tired this morning, so I turned off the alarm and slept in a little rather than heading to the gym for an pre-breakfast workout. after breakfast, I rested some more! I needed some rest. :-> George and I are going to work out this evening, instead.

Week's hard work paying off

After being consistent with my diet and exercise this week, I finally saw a decet weight drop this morning, 2.7 lbs down from yesterday morning! I'd been hovering around a particular weight, up and down a few tenths of a pound, though I knew I was going the right things. It probably helped that I had another pre-check-in workout this morning. Now I'm down 24.2 lbs since August 8.

Another morning workout

This morning, I managed to get up early enough to work out before breakfast! I took less insulin before bed last night, and I think the extra exercise helped. I also worked out last night, but not unitl after I spent about an hour cleaning my apartment.

Can I keep up the exercise pace?

Yesterday I worked before work AND after my Junior League meeting, and while I felt okay at work, I was exhausted by the time I got home from everything last night around 10 PM. I tried to get up early this morning, but I needed SLEEP! :-P I would love to continue exercising twice a day, but the logistics...need to work on that. Perhaps I can shoot for two workouts a few days a week for now, and build up from that.

I'm down 22.4 lbs now, and will try a little less insulin before bedtime at the doctor's suggestion. This morning I had blood drawn for bloodwork at the clinic, can't wait to see the results tomorrow.

Morning workout

I got up early enough to work out for 35 minutes at the gym this morning. I feel a little tired, but not nearly as tired as I felt back in the spring, the first time I tried it. And I feel like I've already accomplished something today!

This morning at check-in, I was back down to 21.5 lbs down, after a gain yesterday. Funny how the body fluctuates. My fasting blood sugar reading was 91 this morning, glad to see that.

I also worked out for 45 minutes last night. I feel like just about all I do is exercise! I wonder how I'll balance things out in time. For starters, I'm not watching nearly the TV I used to. I taped 2 episodes of "Judging Amy" sometime last week, and last night I just finished watching the first one on the tape. I think this is a good sign, especially since I'm so accustomed to eating while I watch TV. Breaking that habit has felt a little awkward, but it's a good one to break.

Busy weekend

The Labor Day weekend was a good one, but busy! I wish I could have today to stay in bed to read, rest, and generally be a bit lazy. But alas, I'm back at work, and will stick with my exercise routine this evening. I worked out twice yesterday, and am a bit sore this morning.

I ended my first month of the Rice Diet down 21.5 lbs! That was fun news. Will be jazzed to be down 25 pounds, hopefully soon! Yesterday I had my first vegetable in a month-steamed broccoli, and it was yummy, eventhough I added pepper only.

I've signed up for an online course through Barnes and Noble's B&N University called Simplify Your Life Now. The course book looks interesting, and assignments start today.

Weekend plans

George and I have had a pretty busy weekend. Last night we went to the Duke-Richmond football game. The evening weather was delightful, but Duke lost 13-0, a dissappointing start.

Today we went to Lake Crabtree in Cary, for Phil's 30th birthday party/cookout. It was a pretty day, and the food looked yummy! I took my Rice Diet lunch, which tasted fine, but I'm still feeling deprived of the hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato salad.

I have managed to exercise this weekend some this weekend, but not as much as usual. I missed working out on Friday altogether, but got in for 30 minutes yesterday. I'll work out more this evening.

On the positive side, my hard work with the Rice Diet is paying off. I've lost 20.9 lbs so far, and the end of my first month is tomorrow. That's very encouraging, but I still have a long way to go.

Back down again

After gaining 7/10 of a lb yesterday, I was down 1.8 lbs this morning. The exciting news is that I'm now down 19.9 lbs in all!

Last night's exercise was a little off, did 16 minutes on the elliptical, 15 minutes on the treadmill, and 2 minutes on this little Cybex machine I'd never done before. I was longing for some time in the hot tub, and since the Duke Fitness Center closes at 9 PM, I decided to cut my workout short and go for "dessert." While calorie burning is key, stress reduction plays a part in healthier living as well. :-)

State of change

This morning I got on the scales, and had gained .7 lbs back! Yuck! Stayed on the Rice Diet, to boot. I did eat oatmeal instead of rice yesterday morning (a choice on the plan), and only exercised 35 minutes instead of my usual 60 minutes. I'm wearing heavier clothes this morning, as well. Still, I like to see forward (=downward) progress!

Meanwhile, my blood sugars and blood pressure are holding steady, which is a good sign.

Late workout

I didn't get to the gym until 9:30 last night! Work duties called, and while I would usually just stay a little late, I had to make it to the Rice House before 6:00. Soooo, I left and had supper there, and returned to work until about 8:45, hence the late start to my workout. *sigh* I decided to hang tough and spend an hour on the treadmill, and it paid off with a 1.7 lb loss! Now I'm down 18.8 lbs since I started the Rice Diet barely three weeks ago!

I checked in with the doctor this morning, since I dropped my bedtime insulin last night. He said to continue on with that dosage if my pre-meal blood sugars stay the same today as yesterday. But if they're lower, I can drop my bedtime insulin down again.



This is a picture of the Rice House, where I have my meals (except for lunch during the work week). There's another building for medical check-ups and stuff like that.

Progress in some areas

Last night I only got 15 minutes of exercise in, and this morning I stayed the same as yesterday, weight-wise. *sigh* I didn't eat anything differently, except a variety of the fruit choices. The smaller amount of insulin before each meal is going well, though, and tonight before bed, I'm going to try 3 units less of insulin (got the doctor's approval this morning).

Still on the move

I did an hour on the elliptical machine both Friday and yesterday, feel like I'm making progress. Lost 3.4 lbs in the past week, 17.1 in all. The pounds are coming off a little more slowly now, but the steady progress is good. I'm hoping to be down 20 lbs by this time next week, as that will mark a month on the Rice Diet.

People are starting to tell I've lost weight. :-)

Changing up the workout

Last night I did 50 minutes on the elliptical, and 25 minutes on strength training. It felt a little odd to break away from cardio, but my upper body got a good workout too for a change. I need to do that more often. I'm a little sore today.

My weight loss is up to 16.1 lbs! Yay! My lab work came back, and my total cholesterol is down 15 points in two weeks, to 163. Very happy about that too. My triglycerides are down 70 points, probably due in part to the exercising I've been doing.

Big workout on the elliptical

Last night, I spent a whole hour on the elliptical, with an interesting twist. I did a couple of different programmmed workouts, the "weight loss interval" for 30 minutes, and then programmed intervals for another 30 minutes. It felt great to let the machine control the settings and spice up my workout, leaving me to focus on the workout itself.

Afterward, George and I spent some time in the pool and hot tub. The hot tub felt especially good after that workout.

Finally at the next mini-goal

5 lb. increments are a my mini-goals at the moment, and I was excited when the scales revealed that I'm down 15.2 lbs this morning! This program is really working for me!

Last night I did only did 30 minutes on the treadmill, but increased the speed. This evening I hope to go for a longer time. Although the treadmill is a little boring to me, I do like the fact that it keeps me going at a constant speed (unless I change it). I hope to get a good personal music source going soon.

Becoming more fit

Last night, I spent 50 minutes on the treadmill. I did the machine's Fitness Test for the first 5 minutes, and it gave me a score of 30-average. I was happy to see that progress, especially with the weight I'm still carrying. When I did the same test in February, I was below average.

This morning at check-in, Iwas down 14.3 lbs. Bit by bit!

Finally hit one hour

Yesterday I lasted a whole hour on the elliptical machine! It felt great, and I treated myself to some time in the hot tub afterward. This morning at the Rice House, I hadn't lost any more weight at check-in, and I was surprised by that. Hopefully the scales will show a dip tomorrow.

More elliptical work

Wednesday night I spent 50 minutes on the elliptical, and last night was another 35 minutes. I've felt tired before I exercised, but feel a different kind of tired afterward. It's a good feeling, and helps me keep going. I've lost 12.6 lbs so far with the Rice Diet. Exercise is a big part of losing weight and helping my diabetes. I'm down to 5 units before each meal (down from 60 units after the hospital) and 15 units at bedtime (down from 45).

Two big steps for me will be getting off of insulin, and fitting into the next clothes size down.

Addendum: Tonight I did 45 minutes on the elliptical. Can feel my stamina coming back, which is exciting. Time to find another 5K to walk/run.

Keeping on keeping on

Last night, I spent 40 minutes on the elliptical again. This morning I'd only lost .4 lbs since yesterday, was a little disappointed about that, but I need to be patient with my body.

This morning I went to see Dr. Blackford, and she was pleased with my progress. I'll be calling her back weekly with my blood sugars to keep monitoring that.

Before the appointment, I went to Dick's to try to buy some more workout shorts that would fit me now, but they didn't have anything big enough. :-( That's one thing I'm looking forward to when I've lost more weight--have an easier time buying clothes.

Mixing it up

Last night at the gym, I did 10 minutes of walking, 20 minutes on the elliptical, then 10 more minutes of walking. I'm still sore, but feeling stronger.

Tonight, I did 40 minutes on the elliptical machine before supper. People are amazed that I can last that long on it, but for some reason, I can get on it and go.

I've lost 7.9 lbs so far this week. George says he can tell I'm looking trimmer.

More exercise

Last night I returned to the Fitness Center, and spend 40 minutes on the elliptical! Yay! This morning, I'd lost more weight, now down a total of 7 lbs since Tuesday. There's something to this Rice Diet Program. Never thought I'd be a vegan!

Getting back on track

After 4 days in the hospital, I'm finally getting back on track. I joined the Rice Diet Program 2 days ago, and have lost 5.4 lbs! My blood pressure and blood sugars have gone down too, and I'm exercising again. Last night I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, and it felt great!

Under the weather

I went for a short walk last Saturday to make three times exercising last week, but haven't worked out at all this week. Boy, can I feel it! I've been trying to get over a cough that has been dragging on and on.

Good workout last night

Last night I went to the gym and did 30 minutes of strength training (back and biceps) with Heather, then did 21 minutes of cardio, split between the elliptical and the treadmill. She wanted me to do 25 minutes, but I opted with my plan to add one minute to each cardio workout.

I must admit, I was rushing a little to get to the store and home in time to see a show I thought was coming on at 8:30, but it was on at 9:30 instead. The show "America's Got Talent" is just a big talent show, and I'm interested in the talents other "normal" people have, and what they do with them. This one little girl, Taylor, was one of two acts that made it to the next round. According to her story, she taught herself how to yodel from an instruction manual and tape. She has an amazing stage presence-confident without being cocky, that I'd wish for my own child.

Weekend walking

Friday evening, I went to the gym and stayed on the elliptical for 18 minutes. (Had leg cramps in the middle of the night, no fun!) Yesterday, George and I went to the outdoor track at Duke Fitness Center, and walked for 20 minutes. Feel good about increasing my cardio, bit by bit.

Under the radar

This week I've been under the exercise radar. :-( The first part of the week, I was active outside, eventhough I wasn't at the gym. This last half of the week, I've been recovering from the first part of the week.

Eventhough being outside felt pretty good (though very hot!), I've missed the gym workouts, and look forward to getting back into the routine.

Weekend workout

Saturday, George and I went to the gym and worked out. I did 17 minutes on the treadmill. Decided to try adding one minute to my cardio each time, and see how that works with increasing my endurance. I'm still walking. At some point, I want to add jogging back into the mix. When should that be? Perhaps when I hit 30 minutes? Or when I can walk a 5K (3.1 miles)? Hmmmm....

Yesterday, George, Steph, and I joined several friends at Emerald Point, a water park in Greensboro. We had a lot of fun there, and I'm a little sore from that.

Ouch!

Worked on my legs and shoulders at the gym last night, and I'm a bit sore today! I should probably do more strength training! One of the exercises Heather showed me last night looked so simple, but was tough for me! I got on one of the steps heading upstairs, and on the balls of my feet, tried going up on my toes, then letting my heels go below the step. The was an unexpected balancing challenge for me! I need to keep working on that. My calves were really burning by the end, too.

Getting to the gym more often

Tonight will be my second time to the gym this week. :-) I read something on the internet this week about suggestions for getting to the gym more often, and one of the tips that hit home with me was signing up for classes--aerobics, spinning, whatever you're interested in. The article also suggested planning your trips to the gym at least a week in advance, if not a month in advance, and put them on your schedule. That really hit home with me, so I'm going to do that this weekend. Good timing, with Saturday being July 1.

Cardio

Last night I stayed 16 minutes on the elliptical, one mile. That's the longest stretch I've had in a little while. Was proud of myself for getting out the door after 8:30 PM to go work out. Also had to go grocery shopping, which I did after working out. Also had some cleaning to do. Gosh, getting everything in can be draining.

Saturday workout

George and I went to the gym together Saturday evening, which was nice. I did some cardio before hitting the hot tub and pool. I was a little sore yesterday, more sore than I should've been, as I didn't do THAT much cardio. I am working back up to 30 minutes at a time.

I want to work out at least threee times this week.

Wanting to work out more

Last night I had another strength training session, so I'm a little sore today! Talked with Heather about how to get to the gym more. She suggested lunch time (not really feasible) and right after work, as in having my workout clothes in the car and working out before I go home. Not there's an interesting possibility. Part of my problem lately is that I'm so wiped out after work that, once I get home, it's hard for me to get back out again, especially for a hard workout at the gym. I need to change the way I think about that. I want a body that's in better shape and in better health.

Back to the Gym

Went to the Fitness Center yesterday and did some cardio before getting into the pool and hot tub. Felt great to get back over there. Would love to get three gym visits in this week.

Small world

Last night I had dinner at Elmo's Diner with a new acquaintance named Tina. We met through Exercise Friends, and decided to meet in person to get to know each other a little better. It turns out we have similar goals, as she'd like to work up to a marathon as well. She lives here in Durham too, so we're planning to stay in touch, and maybe even walk together some. Maybe we can walk/run in some local races together too!

Weekend update

I had a good workout last night at Capital Fitness in Chapel Hill. Would've preferred exercising closer to home, but the one nearby was closed. This morning I stopped and signed up for another personal trainer session with Heather on Wednesday.

More trips to the gym

Having been posting here as much, but have been going to the gym a little more. Last night I did 20 minutes on the elliptical, then did some reps on a machine called the Butt Blaster (gotta love that!), then some crunches on the core ball. Feel a little sore, but a good sore, this morning. George went with me, and we did the pool and hot tub afterward. All fun.

PT session

Last night I had a trainer session with Heather, the first one in about a month. I'm sore today! Whew! Felt good, though!

Crazy schedule

I know, I know! I've been quiet here of late. My schedule after work has been bizzarly (is that spelled right? looks wierd!) busy. On nights when I don't have to be somewhere, I find myself wanting to "nest" a bit, even with the "longer" days. Part of the nesting, though, includes spring cleaning, which I've done a little.

I did get back to the Fitness Center over the weekend. Eventhough it was a short workout, it was some exercise, nonetheless. I look forward to exercising again tomorrow night, as a meeting I thought I had is actually 2 weeks away! What a relief, as I had a meeting last night, another meeting tonight, and am meeting Nanako for dinner on Thursday!

Trainer session

Last night I worked with Heather, and we concentrated on my back and biceps, since my legs were still a little sore. Also did 7 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. Trying to simulate walking more.

Hot Tub

Last night I wnt to the Fitness Center, but pampered myself in the pool and hot tub instead of working out. I was very sore, but am feeling much better today. Tonight, it's back to working out.

The Cary Road Race!

Here are pictures of George and me at the beginning of the Cary Road Race on Saturday, April 8! I've been working toward this for so long, that Race Day was a little bittersweet. George and I got there early, so we had a chance to walk around a little, chat with some other racers, and watch some of the 10K, which started earlier.

The race, itself, was challenging for me, and I wish I could've been more ready. I'm glad I did it, though! Some of the other racers were very encouraging, too. I like the camraderie.

Now I'm looking forward to my next race!

Tomorrow's the day!

The Cary Road Race is tomorrow! Yippee! Unfortuately, there about an 80% chance of rain tomorrow. Ick! I'm going anyway.

Strength Training

Last night I had a strength training session with Heather, did upper body, so I'm a bit sore today. Didn't do any cardio afterwards, as it was getting toward 8:00 and I hadn't had supper yet. Had to rush home from work as it was and rush to the gym. Lots of rushing these days. Tonight I have one meeting, tomorrow night I have two. Getting harder these days to find time to exercise, clean house, shop for groceries or anything else, and to just relax.

Back on the elliptical

Did 30 minutes on the elliptical last night, felt great to get back on it for a good stretch! :-) I can't work out tonight (another meeting), but have another personal trainer appointment tomorrow night.

Had an hour-long massage on Saturday, thanks to Mom. It felt wonderful!

Back to the gym, and the scales

I finally made it back to the gym, and got on the elliptical for 10 minutes. It was a wimpy workout, but getting back to the gym was the big hurdle. Now I feel like I can get back into the swing! Only thing is, I have meetings every night NEXT week! (That was part of my problem LAST week!) That worries me, as I'm still participating in the Cary Road Race on April 8.

In other sorta bad news, I've regained 4 lbs, but am still down 15. Need to chip away at the pounds again!

OK, a little off-topic!

In the absence of the normal exercise this week, I decided to explore my "power color" in the last post! (Perhaps I should get a running outfit in teal!) Discovered a cute website called Blogthings , where you can take funky little quizzes and add the results to your blog. One Blogthing I tried earlier told me that the Brady I'm most like is Jan. Interesting choice, which I can see in some ways, but not in others.

Meanwhile, I missed the men's basketball game last night that ended Duke's run for the season. The Duke women's basketball team is still in the running, though.

Okay, more exercise and 5K training is planned for the weekend. Stay tuned!

What's Your Power Color?

Your Power Color Is Teal

At Your Highest: You feel accomplished and optimistic about the future. At Your Lowest: You feel in a slump and lack creativity. In Love: You tend to be many people's ideal partner. How You're Attractive: You make people feel confident and accepted. Your Eternal Question: "What Impression Am I Giving?"

What's" Your Power Color?

Last night

Had a session with Heather last night, worked on lower body and shoulders. I'm a little sore and especially tired this morning.

Fun website

Today I learned about a new exercise tracker, this one on AARP's website! Go figure that one! Looks cute, though, and you don't have to be a card-carrying AARP member to sign up and use it. The tracker simulates Route 66, and uses exercise minutes to send you down the road. The URL is http://aarp.getfitonroute66.com

Weekend update

Saturday: 32 min. on elliptical
Sunday: 10 min on treadmill, 5 min. on arm cardio thing, 11 min. on elliptical, then pool and hot tub :-)

New weight loss total: 19 lbs! Yippee!

Short Workout

Last night I only worked out on the elliptical for 10 minutes, then did some walking laps in the pool, followed by some R & R in the hot tub. It felt good to relax for a change of pace, but won't be sidetracked. Back at it this weekend!

Strength training and cardio

Last night I had another personal trainer session with Heather. We worked on triceps and chest muscles. I warmed up on the elliptical for 5 minutes beforehand, and did another 40 minutes afterward. I'm a little sore today, but feel like I'm making progress!

Fitness Center

Last night I went to the Duke Fitness Center and did 50 minutes on the elliptical. I'm a little sore and tired this morning, but my legs got a great workout! Mom joined me there last night and got on the elliptical next to me. She went for 20+ minutes, the longest she's ever stayed on that machine. :-)

Weekend workouts

Friday night, George and I went to the gym together. I did 30 minutes on the treadmill, including some jogging! I also did about 5 minutes of weights (upper body, dumb bells)On the scales, I've lost another lb., for a total of 17!

This morning I worked out before church, 40 minutes on the elliptical.

Wednesday workout

I did 31 minutes on the elliptical last night. Had that 1-minute push at the end, which was kinda fun. Trying to get extra minutes in for the National Body Challenge, which ends this Saturday, and the Duke on the Move challenge, which goes through the end of the month.

Monday workout

Last night I did 30 minutes on the elliptical. I was tired, so at first I thought, "I'll do 10 minutes, and that will be better than nothing." 10 stretched to 15, 20, then 30 minutes. Sometimes I just have to get over the wall.

Weekend workouts

Saturday I did 45 minutes on the elliptical, this time using one of the crosstrainer programs. It was an interesting workout, including one setting that focused on my gluteals and calves--didn't know that was possible! :-) This crosstrainer setting had me peddling backwards as well, which added another bit of spice to my workout! Felt a little uncoordinated going backward, but hopefully it'll get easier in time.

Yesterday, I did 35 minutes on the elliptical, nothing fancy. Lost another pound though, so now I'm down 16. :-)

Friday PM workout

Last night I spent 50 min. on the elliptical for 3.24 miles. Felt good to get above the 5K mark I'll be doing in about a month at the Cary Road Race. Of course, the elliptical is one thing and the open road is another. :-) Looking forward to being able to do some of my training outside soon.

Tuesday night workout

Last night's workout was a little bit disjointed, but it worked out okay! I warmed up on the elliptical for 5 min. in anticiptation for my strength training session with Heather, but when I couldn't find her at 7, I got back on the elliptical and had been going for 6 min. when she showed up, so I stopped and we worked on lower body for half an hour. Then I got BACK on the elliptical for a 30 min. workout.

I'm a little sore this morning, but not too bad!

I weighed last night, and while I was up a tad from the last time I'd weighed (while sick with a virus), I'm still down 4 lbs for the month of Feb, and down 15 lbs since I started.

Last night

Last night I did 30 minutes on the elliptical. Tonight I have my personal trainer session with Heather, making it 4 days in a row that I've exercised! Tomorrow night I have Junior League, so that'll be a night of "rest." :-)

Weekend workouts

Saturday I did 35 min. on the elliptical, and last night, I did 1.7 mi on the treadmill. I'm a little sore this morining, but it feels good to be back in the swing of things with the exercise!

Kara has come up with an exercise plan for me to get ready for the 5K in April. I'm going to try to follow that and see how it goes!

Workout last night

Had a trainer session with Heather last night, worked on chest and triceps. My arms are sore this morning! Only did 15 minutes of cardio (the elliptical for .95 miles), was especially tired after being in charge of a reception and award ceremony at work yesterday morning. (It went well, but I was beat! Slept well last night!)

Someone gave me a tip about another exercise-related wesbite, the President's Challenge at http://www.presidentschallenge.org It's not just for kids anymore! :-) Once I finish the National Body Challenge and Duke's exercise challenge, perhaps I'll plug into that one.

Thanks, Lisa, for the info on the fit test! Nice to know I'm above rock bottom (now), and on my way up!

Different gym

Last night I went to the Capital Fitness in Chapel Hill, since the pool at the one close to home is down. I ran into a co-worker there, and that was a treat. (I don't get to see her often because her shift starts at 8 PM.)

I spent 14 minutes on two different elliptical machines (trying out different brands), then 16 minutes on the treadmill. Spent the first 5 minutes on the treadmill doing a 5-minute "Fit Test," which flashed that my level was "Below Average." Was a little discouraged by that, considering my hard work so far, but I still have a way to go, I know! (The competitive person in me wondered if that was the lowest level, or if anyone could get something lower than "Below Average." That rating isn't sitting very well with me!) Will be interested to do that little test again in a few months and see if there's an improvement.

Mixing things up

Last night, George and I went to the Fitness Center. I did 10 minutes on the treadmill for .49 miles, 5 minutes on the recumbant cross trainer, then 15 minutes on the elliptical for .98 miles. Right now, the elliptical is still my favorite.

I'm enjoying watching the Winter Olympics, and it makes me want to get back in good enough shape to ski again. (Lisa, hope you all are having a fun time this weekend! Bet your hard work is paying off!)

Speeding up a little

I did 30 minutes on the elliptical last night, tried to pick up the pace a little and logged 2.11 miles. Bit by bit!

Had a nice time chatting in the hot tub with a pediatric dentist and a couple of retired librarians. Always interesting to see who I meet at the Fitness Center. At most other gyms I've joined, I've just gone to work out and gone home. I wonder why there's a different sense of being social (without it being a pick-up place) there. Maybe "sense of community" is a better way of putting it. One thing the Fitness Center does is that everyone's membership badge is clip-on (rather than keychain swipe) and has a photo and first name in bigger letters.

**Note to Lisa: the dentist went to Duke too, class on '79. She said your name was familiar, as she roomed (in Bassett) with an ADPi. (She was a Kappa.) Fun to make connections.

Last night at the gym

Last night I had a PT session with Heather. We worked legs and shoulders, good workout! One new machine she had me use was called the Butt Buster--pretty funny! It also did a number on my quads and hamstrings, so I need to revisit that machine. :-) Afterward, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical for 1.96 miles. Felt good to get an hour's worth of exercise in. Ran into Stephanie from church there, was fun to see someone from ERUUF in another context.

I was a little worried toward the end of last week, that I was losing my motivation a little. I decided that part of it was likely the setback of being sick, and that I probably just needed to work through it. The workouts on Sunday and yesterday have helped me feel like I'm getting back into the swing of things.

Last night, after my workout, I watched last week's episode of The Biggest Loser, which I'd taped but haven't had time to watch. To me, it's very interesting to watch the workouts and see their reactions throughout. Although it feels a bit voyueristic, it's an interesting slice of human nature. This particular episode seemed a little more grounded, not quite as much "drama." I liked seeing the one couple finishing the triathalon together, quite an accomplishment!

Yesterday's workout

Went to the Fitness Center, and spent 30 minutes on the elliptical (doing the weight loss program) for 1.93 miles, and then a little over 14 minutes on the rowing machine for 2000 meters. The rowing machine was a different machine for me, one I hadn't done in maybe 5 years! Was fun getting a slightly different workout.

Afterward, I enjoyed the pool and hot tub. :-) I also weighed in, and was glad to see I weighed the same as last week! Odd that I should feel that way, but my last weigh-in (and big loss) was partly due to being sick, and I didn't exercise as much this past week as I worked on getting my energy level back. I have higher hopes for this week.

I also had my blood pressure and resting heart rate checked when I got to the Fitness Center yesterday, and both numbers are going down. That's encouraging, and it'll be nice to have those numbers to take when I have my next doctor's appointment. Last time I went, Dr. Blackford asked if I was checking my blood pressure. The machines in the drug and grocery stores can be a little inaccurate, so.....I'll be able to take a copy of the log at the Fitness Center when I go to the doctor for checkups.

In other news.....

No workout last evening, so I'll be heading for the gym after work today.

Meanwhile, I had a Junior League meeting last night, and another JL event this morning before work! Our chapter has a Community Advisory Board, and this morning there was a breakfast meeting for our Junior League leadership and this board. I was asked to present one of the Training & Education Committee modules the committee has created for the group assembled this morning. I was there at 7:30, was presenting there at 7:50, and was expected at work back at the library at 8:30, where I was first on the agenda for a meeting. I made it, just barely, and still managed to sidestep all the pastries at both places.

I learned more about the 2006 North Carolina Festival of the Book this morning. It will be held at Duke and the surrounding area in April, and it looks like it'll be interesting! See http://www.ncbook.org for more info.

Speaking of more info, Hungry Girl is a neat site for food tips and diet suggestions: http://www.hungry-girl.com/

Back to the gym

I met up with Heather at the gym last night, but we decided to pass on an all-out work-out since I was still feeling a little puny. I did do 20 minutes on the elliptical machine, to ease back into things. Even with the light workout, I slept well last night, went to sleep during the Duke-Carolina game, in fact! Was glad to learn of the outcome when I woke up. :-)

Sick

I've been sick since Friday, so no new exercise to report. I did weight on Saturday, though, and am down 16.8 lbs! I must be up front and admit that some of that is probably dehydration, so I'm expecting some fluctuation when I'm better. Can't wait to exercise again, though!

Last night's water aerobics class, and compliments

The water aerobics class last night was fun! It was a little odd to have a good workout and not sweat. The class was a combination of cardio and strength training. The hot tub felt like heaven afterward. George and I both hope to go back to the class.

Yesterday, two co-workers asked me (in different conversations) if I'd gotten new glasses (yes, several months ago), and this morning another co-worker asked if I'd gotten a hair cut (yes, in early January). Makes me wonder if they see a difference in the shape of my face, and it's translated to noticing the other things about me. Obviously, the change right now is pretty slight, but it's there. Hmmmm.....

Water Aerobics!

George and I are planning to do a water aerobics class tonight at the Fitness Center! It starts at 6:15, so I hope we can both get there in time! Never done water aerobics, but lots of people swear by it.

No workout to report last night. Had a Junior League meeting, then went home to watch the Duke-Boston College basketball game on TV. Does watching Duke basketball count as exercise?! Perhaps it will during March Madness, when I tend to jump up and down with the Cameron Crazies during close games! (I can add arm movements this time for a little jumping jack action!)

Mid-week update

Last night I did 17 minutes on the elliptical, then a 30-minute strength training session with Paula, as Heather was sick. We did upper body stuff. A little sore today!

Right after work, I had an appt with Kara at the Fitness Center, got acquainted with the weight machines there. They're very nice! Also, Kara encouraged me to keep track of times and mileage on my cardio and email her. She's going to give me suggestions on how to set my cardio goals for my road race(s). That will be a big help!

This morning I started keep track of what I eat. This will be a surprise, I think!

Lots of exercise yesterday!

Last night at the gym, I did 5 min on the treadmill, then 45 minutes on the elliptical. Added to my 10 minute walk around the Quad, that's an hour of exercise yesterday! I wish I always had time for that! :-)

George joined Capital Fitness last night, will be good to exercsie together more when we can.

Today is rather windy, so I didn't make it out for a lunchtime walk. I do have a PT session with Heather tonight, though.

Weekend workout

Saturday George and I went to the Fitness Center, and I got on the elliptical for 33 minutes, doing the Weight Loss Interval program on there. My heartrate got up to 142, with an average of 132, both within my heartrate range for working out. It was fun going to the gym with George, to boot.

In more good news, I've lost 2 more pounds, for a total of 11! Mandy, a co-worker, asked me this morning if I'd lost weight. She said it looks like more than 11 lbs. :-) Compliments out of the blue are always encouraging.

I just went to fill up my water bottle here at work this morning, and the water cooler is empty! Arrrgghh! I hope the water guy comes today!

My group on the National Body Challenge has logging 2023 minutes of exercise and lost 41 pounds as a group! Fun to see those big numbers!

I walked 10 minutes during lunch today, as it was such a pretty day. Good for clearing the head.

Lots of health-related websites out there!

Sister Lisa pointed me toward the site for FitDay at www.fitday.com. Nice tracker for food, activity, weight and food goals, etc. Also, it's still FREE! I used to do the ediets site, but now I think they are a pay-only site. Most of Weight Watcher's online tools are subscrption-based as well.

In terms of running, Cool Running at www.coolrunning.com has some good tips on running, at least from where I sit (or walk!). It has a free online running log, but it's not comprehensive in terms of activities I'm doing right now.

The dietician who taught my nutrition class the other night recommended http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for the new food pyramid. For general medical stuff, I like to start with WebMD at www.webmd.com.

What are your favorites?

PT session last night/water intake

Had a good workout with Paula last night, working mostly on lower body and abs. We didn't use any weight machines last night, but used other things around the gym, which was refreshing! One thing we worked a good bit on was balance. I'm realizing that a lot of balance has to do with muscles in your torso and legs. I need to work on all of those, so I feel like a spaz while doing balance-related things! (Is everyone in the gym watching me teeter-totter?!) I'm a little sore today, but not too bad. Can tell I worked out!

Yesterday at work, I drank a Diet Dr Pepper to start, then drank water for the rest of the day, and that seemed to go okay. (Didn't start snoring at my desk, at least!) Will try that again today. It helps having the little Crystal Light On the Go packets to flavor up the water.

Exercise/Nutrition

Last night I got to the gym at 10 PM!! Was thankful to be part of a gym still open that late, but I only spent 20 minutes on the crosstrainer. Better than nothing, but I am eager to return to longer and/or more intense work outs. I have a personal trainer session tonight at 7, which should help point me in the right direction again!

Last night's nutrition class was pretty good. Of course, I was tired (after work) and hungry (had an early lunch) and distracted (another meeting to attend afterward, and a presentation to give there), but that's life!

I'm looking forward to getting back to the Fitness Center to work out.

Nutrition Class

I have a nutrition class this evening at the Fitness Center, from 5-6:30. Hope it will be informative! Kara will be teaching, and she seems to know her stuff.

At 7:00, I have to go to the Junior League board meeting to do a presentation. Busy evening. I want to go exercise afterward.

Tomorrow night I have my PT session, this time with Paula. Heather was all booked up. Looking forward to an evening free to exercise.

Another lunch walk

Walked 20 minutes around the quad at a pretty good clip.

Weekend exercise, plus this Monday morning

This weekend wasn't a stellar one when it came to exercise. I did 22 minutes on the crosstrainer Friday night, and that was it!

Saturday was busy with a Mary Kay conference call, then a Mary Kay class of 5 teens! Saturday night, George and I went out to eat, then to Larry and Carlee's for games. It was good to catch up with Melanie, who's been getting up at 5 AM 5 days a week to get her workout in. That's really impressed me, so.....

This morning I got up at 5:20, and actually got to the gym for a 40 minute workout! I was a little sluggish, never did hit my target heartrate, but it was good to get in and get my workout done, especially since George and I are meeting our Covenant Group at ERUUF tonight for painting. I must admit, I am tired already, and it's not even 10 AM! I'm used to getting ready for bed after my workout, so maybe it's just something to get used to here.

Ahhh, another walk around the Quad

Finally able to make it out for a walk around the quad again this afternoon, had been a few days. 18 minutes this time. Hope to make it to the gym this evening, too.

Missed exercise yesterday

No workout yesteday, due to a Mary Kay appointment last night. I'm determined to exercise today!!

Next week I have a nutrition class scheduled at the Fitness Center, hope it'll be helpful!!

Scheduling exercise

I didn't go to the gym last night, decided to count the 30-minute walk at lunch as my exercise.

My latest concern is making time for exercise, especially since I want to increase my endurance and strength. I don't have the time, this week anyway, to spend a couple hours at the gym every day. Other than my workout on Monday, I haven't been back to the gym, except for my meeting with Kara last evening. (No exercise, just talking.) It's kinda frustrating. I hope that, after this week, things will slow down a bit in terms of other meetings. I do have to schedule another meeting with Kara, and then there's the PT session with Heather.

I've been thinking about getting up earlier in the morning to go exercise, but that would be hard for me! Would it be worth it? Maybe! Something to think about.

Lunchtime walk--whew!

I walked for 30 minutes today over lunch, with a group sponsored by the Live for Life Office (employee health office) and their current program, Duke on the Move. Duke employees can register and submit minutes spent exercising, and for every 100 minutes, your name goes in a drawing for prizes.

Since I've been exercising a good bit, I thought it would be pretty easy, but I was huffin' and a-puffin' pretty quickly, as we walked through the Duke Gardens. The leader was going at a pretty fast clip, and there are some small hills. I was thinking about signing up to be a walking group leader on another day (Tuesdays and Thursdays already have a leader meeting at Duke South), like Wednesday, but I fear I wouldn't be fast enough. Too, my lunchtime walks have been around the Quad, and not particularly challenging, I can see now. Is making some effort enough? I guess it depends!

Have posted these minutes to NBC, but will wait on posting to Duke on the Move until I see what kind of exercise I do this evening, if any. I have my appointment with Karla at 5:30.