Weighty Updates

My elliptical and I have grown rather close. We spend just about every day together! It's a bit of a love/hate relationship, I have to admit.

I've been faithful to my healthy lifestyle, except for the oreos on Superbowl Sunday, but that was planned. The oreos on Monday were not. Let's just say, the oreos are now "swimming with the fishes". Anything that hinders me or heckles me gets "taken care of ". Serena's birthday cake myteriously disappeared as well.

I just can't have temptation around, I have learned. If I don't buy it, it's not there. Plain and simple. However, when there are celebrations, that stuff shows up. Instead of entertaining it, I kick it to the curb. The kids don't even notice!!

Anyway, the exercise thing....it's been working out pretty well. I have increased in speed, but not much in time. A typical workout goes something like this: I turn on some Joyce Meyer or Jon & Kate Plus Eight from the DVR in the basement. I pat Mr. Elliptical on the electronic readout thing, coaxing it to let me on gently. My goal is always the same: 30 minutes. Good speed. Go backwards a few minutes. Go a bit longer if you can. Okay, here we go. I'm at 1 minute. Boy are my legs tired from yesterday. I try to ignore the time readout and concentrate on Joyce. She's talking about joy and perseverance. "Preach it, Joyce!" I call out to no one in particular. 5 minutes: wow, only 5. Keep going, Rogers!! A diet commercial comes on. I hate those. I yell out, "I will not pay you $1 per pound of my weight loss, you crooks!" I look around. Of course no one heard that. 10 minutes and the hoodie gets tossed and the fan goes on. I watch the shadow of my ponytail on the wall beside me awhile. That hair gets a better workout than my body, I think to myself. I'm at 14 minutes 30 seconds. Oh, only 15 minutes and 30 seconds to go, I say. Then it starts. The negotiation. Well, I could stop at 15 and do 15 later. I had a really light breakfast. I should get off anyway, I have clothes in the dryer. Oh, was that the phone? I should probably get that. Joyce is almost done talking anyway.....I talk myself out of quitting at 15 minutes and decide to maybe quit at 20. Meanwhile, I try to keep my mind off the machine by talking to the TV. Wouldn't you like to be a fly on my wall? People actually say that to me a lot....
So, I finally get to 25 minutes, so I may as well keep going. I'm actually going much faster than when I started, and I'm fearing I could flip this thing right over. I'd go faster, but it makes me laugh just thinking about how ridiculous I must look. I'm breathing like a cow in labor, I'm sweating, I'm pushing myself, using words no trainer would utter.
I get to 30....finally! I've burned 265 calories! I hit 52 RPM! I can't get off, my legs are shaking! I keep going!! Yes, you heard me...I get to 33 minutes....a record! I'm so proud of me, I give myself a high five. Okay, now that did not happen.
I follow up my cardio with some free weights and stretching, and I am good to go for the whole day. One thing exercise does is keep you from doing harm to your body. Who wants to eat a ding dong after all that drama? Not me.
The water intake has been going well. I actually enjoy my water now and can't go without it. I still like candy at night for some weird reason, so I now get a handful of the kids fruit snacks to cut the edge off the craving. My ovaltine helps with the chocolate cravings, and I always have gum or a handful of nuts with me when I go somewhere.
I actually have lost some weight, and it's a healthy amount, considering I've been doing this for a month now. My pants were drooping, and my curiosity got the best of me. However, I am not a slave to my scales, so it won't happen often.
I feel better. I have more energy, and I haven't had any bouts of the blues this winter. My hip is improving, and my overall health seems better.
I'm still going and I'm not going to quit anytime soon. I will get discouraged, and oh, the things Steve could tell you, but I am no quitter!

Next on my goals: work on my abs....this could be interesting....