Hurray! I got my first dollar vote of confidence today! We had a meeting at work and the first person to arrive told me she received my e-mail (the one about the American Heart Association's Heart Walk - the one that probably led you to this blog). She was holding her purse and pulled out a dollar! I was so happy! Now my fund-raising total no longer has to read $0. Thanks A.T.! It means so much to me.
My exercise start time was a couple of hours earlier than yesterday's and my efficiency almost doubled compared to yesterday's results. I pushed myself. I had no detrimental distractions and my bottle was at the ready next to me. I kept my newly activated cell phone and my game within easy reach but I didn't touch them. Thankfully, the phone did not ring and I decided to wait to play with my toys.
The TV was on but that didn't slow me down. I like finding a fun, uplifting show and give myself permission to watch it while I ride my bike. The Biggest Loser returns next week and it seems right that I should be exercising while I watch. I have done that before during previous seasons.
The news came on during my ride. They ran a story about a scientifically observed connection between thigh size and heart health. Of course, they were talking about muscle mass in the thigh as opposed to the stuff that's a moment on the lips....
That's one thing I know I have going for me... not to boast but I remember being a teen when those Dr. Scholl's wooden exercise sandals were as popular as Crocs are today (of course we only wore them when we weren't wearing our Candie's). I remember I had two pairs of them and they came with a pamphlet of exercises. I learned each one and did them religiously. I did other types of exercises throughout my teen years and my legs were (and remain) very strong. I am certain that I would be much heavier if my legs were weaker and had less muscle.
My official results for Day 4:
Time: 20 min.
Average Speed 14.5
Distance 4.7
Calories 128
Average Heart Rate 129
Watts: 68
Level: 5 (I have been training at level 5 since day 1)
Let's talk about a delicate matter: perspiration. We women are so careful about these things. To put it bluntly, this evening, I was glowing intensely - like a UFO maybe. I was misty - similar to a typhoon.
I don't have this exercise habit that should have been a part of my life since I finished high school and no longer attended physical education classes.
I was a good student academically. For some, thinking they will not have to do math or science anymore is a big perk to no longer being in school. For me, the only thing I must've felt glad thinking I didn't have to do anymore was exercise because the culture didn't celebrate it at the time. I couldn't understand how people who went to gyms regularly or ran every morning figured out that they needed to do that.
Now, for me it's about finding a way to become like one of those people whether or not I understand. Well, I can say I understand a little better now than I did then.
I've done more exercise in the past (more than one hour at a time) but I am building a habit right now and I don't want to become overwhelmed. Although this is one-day-at-a-time, it will be one day after the next and the day after that onward indefinitely. I am still learning to grasp this concept.
I did push myself today because I am going to be on stage tomorrow. I needed the cardio-pulmonary benefit so I wouldn't struggle with breath control during my performance. And it isn't like I don't exercise at all. I'll write about what else I've been doing in a future post.
If you're reading this blog and want to respond, please do. I invite your comments at CherylsMakingPaces@gmail.com. I am also posting tweets on http://twitter.com/CherylsTraining. I had a lot of strangers following me within minutes of registering so I deleted them and protected my tweets (having read their screen names, I am sure I didn't want to be associated with them). If you want to follow, please tweet something that will introduce yourself or make me recognize you.
If you want to make a "single dollar vote of confidence" for my heart fitness endeavor, it will benefit the American Heart Association. You can donate at my page on the Heart Walk site. http://startgreaterwashington.org/
To find me once you reach that site, look in the lower right and you will see the Pace Makers Team listed as the top team. Click on that to open our team page. Then scroll to the bottom where you will see and click on my name to go to my page.
When I was nearly finished writing today's entry, I discovered a $25 vote of confidence from someone else on my Heart Walk site! I've never met her in person and she's almost halfway around the world from where I am. Thanks L.W.! What a wonderful surprise!
I'm not sure what could've made today any better... unless you...
Do something beautiful for your heart today.
~ Cheryl ~
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