Beep, beep, beep

These last couple of weeks I’ve been feeling like a trash truck backing up. As it reverses it makes a sound to warn you that it is moving in the “wrong” direction. I had 2 weeks of gains. I gained 3 pounds in those 2 weeks. I was not sure why, but I knew something had to be wrong. So I took some time and got honest with myself and looked at my intake and output. I was exercising as usual, but I had definitely picked up some eating habits and food choices I needed to put back in line. So I spent this last week being very diligent and deliberant when choosing my meals, snacks, etc. I was careful about when I ate, how often I ate and what I ate. I reassessed my output to see if it was possible to go to another level of movement. My exercise “program” is very well mapped, so I knew I had to do something to shift into a higher gear. So I upped the intensity of my water exercising. I talked with Hope and readjusted by upping the weight with my strength training. I have now added my playground routine to my weekly program on Saturday.

My playground routine encompasses working on the upper arms, thighs and abdomens. I walked to the school playground a block and a half away. I went to the slide for my thigh work. It is a step up routine. It worked well except for the school has mulch as the floor base. That is wonderful for the kids as they fall off the slide, but not so good for me who is balance challenged. I then went to the monkey bars. I know it will be hard for many of you to imagine, but I was wicked on the monkey bars as a 5th grader. Well, 25 years ago when I developed Mixed Connective Tissue Disorder I no longer had the strength in my hands to hold my weight. I discovered this at a water park on top of a T-A-L-L tower with a bar attacked to a line that ran slanting down. You are suppose to step off the tower, slide down the line and ½ way down let go and drop in the water. Well, I stepped off the tower and within a few inches couldn’t hold on and dropped. It was a long way down and a long swim to the side. Much to my disappointment, my hands do not hold my lighter weight any better today. So the monkey bar routine was eliminated. Then I moved to the love of my childhood—swings. This is the one that will work the abs. I had some difficulty with my hands while pumping, but managed to work it well enough to feel the burn in the abs. This is good because the abs is my main focus at this point. So I pumped for about 15 minutes. I then walked around the school. As I got to the front of the school I zeroed in on some steps. I walked up to them and discovered the height was good and the ground was solid. Therefore I found the replacement for the side and its mulch foundation. I don’t have to look like a drunken sailor while I work on my thighs. I will have to think of something else for the upper arms. Maybe I can use the ankle/wrist weights Laura gave me for Christmas. I walked around the school twice (about a mile). It sure felt good.

As much as exercising feels good I still have times I don’t feel like exercising. I remind myself of all the health and emotional benefits I will experience. However, let’s face it, that doesn’t always work or we would always exercise. So what is the solution you ask? I get naked and jump up and down in front of my full-length mirror. That little trick always seems to get me moving. Not really! I do think through where I have been and where I want to go. It seems to be motivation enough to get me out the door, in the car and to the YMCA for another session of endorphin stimulation. A little muscle burn and heavy breathing go a long way to feeling healthy.

This week I started the Walk across Kansas challenge. There are 6 of us in dispatch as a team. It links good eating with movement. It challenges each member to move more. It takes 2 hours and 30 minutes a week to make it across Kansas in 8 weeks. It challenges you to eat 5 cups of fruits and vegetables a day. Well, eating has never been a challenge for me, but eating fruits and vegetables instead of “convenient junk” has been. I have found some vegetables I used to never eat are actually fairly good. I have had no problem getting 5 cups of fruit and vegetables in. A couple of days I got more than the 5 cups. Now, bear in mind my special situation with also needing 60-70 grams of protein a day because of my surgery. Top it with a much smaller stomach than normal and you will see it can be a challenge. I certainly have found I enjoy some of these fruits and vegetable more than I used to enjoy candy. Sweet bell peppers are the biggest example. I eat one a day and thoroughly enjoy it! Anyway, I have been doing very well with this challenge and I am glad I got involved. Now there are a few members of my team and a few members of a competing team I know who have a vivid creativity level of what can be considered fruit and vegetables. Last I knew spinach and avocado dip, salsa with cheese for nachos, cheeseburger potato soup and pumpkin bars do not constitute vegetables or fruit. As you can see, being healthy can be fun. Create a support network and go for it. If I hadn’t had gastric bypass surgery I doubt I would have ever gotten involved in this challenge or the Route 66 challenge I’ve talked about in prior posts. I am in Oklahoma with that challenge.

I once again want to take this space to thank those of you that have been such a great support to me. Your encouragement, comments, challenges and prayers are much appreciated. You will never know what that comment, notice, prayer or smile mean to me and my progress. I don’t always see the progress. I was asked today in my Bible study group, who by the way is very important to me in many avenues of my life. The friendships I have developed and the closeness we are gaining have been such a comfort to me daily. Anyway, I was asked what I see when I look in the mirror. I said I rarely look in the mirror. It has never been a big draw to me and still isn’t. I guess the things that influence my acknowledgement of the changes are when I look at my hands, my arms, my knees and when I look down and can actually see my feet. When I fold my arms and it isn’t strained. When I reach to scratch my back and can reach an area I forgot existed. All of those things are the things I use to measure. So it feels good when someone lets me know there is a noticeable difference. So thank you all for your support and encouragement, even when you don’t realize you have given, you give abundantly.

By the way, I lost 3 ½ pounds this week and I am just a few pounds from that “day at the spa”. Massage, manicure, pedicure and possible facial-----here I come!!!

Beep, beep beep, watch out world I’m shifting gears!


Breaking a habit starts with courage,
ends with discipline,
and is fueled by desire.
~Mac Anderson~