Phase 2 / Workout 23 & 24 - From the evening to the morning

J.S. and I did another dusk walk on Wednesday and discussed our schedules. She has a regular Thursday evening appointment and rain was forecast for Thursday evening this week so we arranged to walk in the morning instead of the evening.

The sun was bright and warm. We had been used to shade on most of our triangle route but there was none and the sun was rising higher in the sky instead of setting as is common to our evening walks. I noticed a lot of shade across the busy street that borders our triangle so we walked there and counted steps. Instead of finishing our first triangle lap, we crossed the street and walked down the other side.

When we got to the corner, we noticed the intersecting street had many very large and gorgeous trees with leaves that had just begun to bud. They provided moderate shade for us to walk comfortably without risking overheating. Our total step count for these two new streets was 540. We walked 2 round trips (that's 2,160) plus our steps before and after. J.S. went 2,810 steps and I added steps after leaving her in front of her door so I went above 3,000.

My ankle looks really good. It is smaller than it has been in a year (although it has not matched my other ankle since the initial injury in my teens). Maybe the extra weight was really pushing my ankle to the edge. I heard that losing just one pound takes many pounds of weight off the legs. Maybe my ankle is saying "Thank you!" or "Whew!"


Neighbor #4 "D.P." called to follow-up so she can walk with us.

I weighed myself and the loss continues! I have reached the 10 lbs. down mark after shedding two more since last week's weigh-in. Can I keep this going? Stay tuned and...

Do something beautiful for your heart today.

~ Cheryl ~

Phase 2 / Workout 22 - At dusk we walk!

DC was very hot today. Yes, it's early April and maybe nature is apologizing for the groundhog's bad behavior but we've been enjoying a generous taste of summer. If they call it "Indian Summer" when it gets warm in the late fall, what do we call it when we get early heat: "Caribbean Spring"? Look at me. I've coined a term!


Because of the heat, my neighbor "J.S." and I agreed to wait until sunset for our walk. There was this delightful breeze. She suggested going 6 laps around the triangle for the first time. Her max has been 5 laps until today. We also walked a little faster than we usually do. I suggested that we walk early in the morning on really hot days. She is a senior so I am wise if I gauge my level of caution to hers.


My total steps were 2,250 in about a half hour.


Do something beautiful for your heart today.


~ Cheryl ~

Phase 2 / Workout 21 - Giving Thanks on Easter - Big Workout & No Pain

I walked by myself on Easter evening while listening to my iPod. I didn't invite my neighbors because it was a holiday and most were probably with their families. Not that they weren't available, I just chose not to ask. In the future, I will plan holidays in advance. Maybe they would have loved to go for one of our walks especially after a big holiday meal and have their family members come, too. Now there's a new family tradition I don't see anywhere on my block.


The podcast I was listening to, www.dailyaudiobible.com (April 4th, 2010 installment) was great. It included special holiday music and childrens' stories in their own words and recorded in their own voices in addition to the regular adult reader. I thought I would stop walking at 7 or 8 laps around my triangle but the stories were so good (especially the last one), I just kept going. I completed 10 laps easily and my ankle didn't hurt at all!


My steps totaled 3,300 in 30 minutes. I pumped my arms for about 2,000 of those steps. I will have to blog about the choreography of my arms in case someone else wants to try it. The arm work takes my intensity way up no matter how quickly I walk.


I walk faster when I walk alone and that's OK because I have been losing weight while doing nothing more than walking slowly with my neighbor(s) for exercise during the last few weeks.


Do something beautiful for your heart today.


~ Cheryl ~

Phase 2 / Workout 15 thru 20 - Big News after not having blogged in a while

I have continued to connect with my neighbor "J.S." who is motivated to walk even if I am not available. I love that. She saw that I walk after she goes home. If I am unavailable, she'll start without me and I'll catch up with her. I walk her home (we enjoy talking) and then I go back for more laps if my ankle and schedule allow. I also do my arm pumps when I walk by myself.


Two more neighbors expressed an interest in walking with us. That's a total of five! We may have to use Twitter to coordinate our walking schedule. I'm dreaming. I may be the youngest among the walkers, so we'll probably use a telephone tree.


I have been taking plastic bags and rubber gloves to pick up trash as I walk. Surprisingly, I've found that all the bending really gives me a workout that is more intense than walking. Its not that much trash. I love my triangle and it is looking much better without the empty beer bottles, candy wrappers and fast food containers.


Last Saturday, I took advantage of a 50% off sale at my favorite women's store on-line. I had never done that before. They offered free shipping to any of their locations. When I went to pick up my items, I dove into the clearance rack as I usually do. The staff was wonderful in assisting me with putting together beautiful clothing combinations. The savings were even greater than half. But this is not a blog about bargains. The reason I am sharing this is:


I have begun to fit into smaller clothing! I can now wear one size smaller that I have been wearing (and last year almost out-grew). I haven't even tried it in years! This, added to so many people noticing my body change, helped a lot considering the pounds have not been coming off the way I hoped or expected since the beginning of my journey. But wait...


My trusted friend and I went to the scale today and (drum-roll - symbol crash) I am down 8 pounds! 


The plateau has given way and I am finally losing some significant weight. She and I talked about the fact that the metabolism change (and the noticeable loss of low density fat replaced by higher density muscle) I have clearly been experiencing set up the momentum that has now begun to manifest when I step on the scale. She and I think the same when we go to the scale. She says something and I was just about to say the same thing.


Although I have not blogged in a while, my walks have been at least five laps around the triangle or up and down my block in front of the house. Today, I walked 8 laps around the triangle. I entered my walking totals for each day on www.startwalkingnow.org. Anyone can track their activity and nutrition on that site.


Do something beautiful for your heart today.


~ Cheryl ~

Phase 2 / Workouts 13 & 14 - The women keep walking!

With the exception of Friday, at least one neighbor and I have walked daily since Monday.

Thursday was supposed to be the first day of rain but it was clear and bright until just before sunset. My 13th walk was my most productive yet: 3700 steps.


We had rain forecast for the entire weekend. But, I found a pocket of time Saturday evening and neighbor #2 was available. I walked with her and returned to the triangle after she went home (she did more than 20 minutes). I continued for another 15 or so. I estimate that I walked 2800 steps though.


My ankle started to experience intermittent pain in my 7th lap. After making slight adjustments and finding it returned, I went home after 8 laps. I did not push myself to do 10.


This is me patting myself on my back.


Do something beautiful for your heart today.


~ Cheryl ~

Phase 2 / Workout 12 - And then there were three!

Three happy ladies walking around the 300 step triangle at the end of our block seemed to delay the sunset. Oh, but it is setting later every evening. Since the equinox is approaching in less than two weeks, we're getting an extra three minutes of daylight with each passing day.


The menfolk have taken notice too as they gather briefly to chat for a few moments on their way out to late errands in their cars or into their homes for the night, they called out encouraging greetings to us. 


We have a really good neighborhood. Most of the people care about one another. We have one lady who "lives" on her porch from Spring til Autumn as long as it is good weather. She is the heart of our neighborhood watch. Although she was not out today (it is still Winter-time), her son drove past us during our walk and cheered for us.


Another man (stranger) was wandering about the neighborhood asking about a room for rent. If only he had been traveling in a straight line! He approached me four times (looping in and out of my walking path) with his thinly veiled come-ons. Clearly not my type, but handsome, he didn't seem to recognize my value because he didn't approach me the right way.


Walking together with neighbors is not a new thing on our block. It just is for me. Other neighbors have done this in the past. Our new walker (walker #3) lapped us (walker #2 and me) but engaged in conversation (with #2) so I took off at the end to boost my intensity without leaving them alone. I walked them back to the block and returned to the triangle alone for a total of 10 laps! 


Wow. Counting my steps today: 3700 in less than 50 minutes.


Do something beautiful for your heart today.


~ Cheryl ~

Phase 2 / Workout 11 - Walking gets funner when the sun is still up

My walking buddy met me again. She's a senior and told me about her friend who was on the phone with her when it was time for us to walk. She is a walker too who was proud of her friend for starting a walking program. I thought she was talking about a peer but she explained that this walker friend was over 80 years old and could out-walk her. 
I'm not worthy!


We did a bit more than 15 minutes because we were both up to it. I walked her home and did another 25 minutes by myself. My total recorded time is 40 minutes for today but I went a little longer. My total steps: 3,000!


We started about one half hour before sunset and a few neighbors saw us. One, another senior neighbor, was looking through her window and called my walking buddy to find out if she could join us. YES! Of course! I envisioned more people joining me. It makes sense for social reasons and safety reasons.


So, tomorrow there will be three of us walking or more.


Do something beautiful for your heart today.


~ Cheryl ~