Getting Back on Track

This week marks my serious return to regular exercise. I am happy to report the brutal summer weather didn't do me detriment. I did not gain weight during the summer despite the inconsistency of my exercise routine.

New for the Autumn of 2010:

1. Music has become an integral part of my workouts. David Benoit has a handful of songs that are perfect for walking. They help me keep a good pace and are joyful so I like hearing again and again. My walk incorporates choreography so I'm almost dancing as I move forward. Yes, people are driving by in their cars and see me. No, I don't care.

My playlist includes: "Watermelon Man", "Jellybeans & Chocolate" from Right Here, Right Now "Why Not!" and "Jump Start" from Professional Dreamer. Benoit is a musical genious.

2. I'm walking a minimum of 45 minutes per walk at least 3 times per week. I had been averaging 25-30 minutes per walk and I was keeping pace with my neighbors (who sometimes walked faster than I did.) Ultimately, I will work my way up to an hour per walk. The music will help me get there.

Do something beautiful for your heart today.

~ Cheryl ~

Another Heart Walk

I've signed up to participate in the 2010 American Heart Association Heart Walk. Like last year, I joined the team that has the sure-fire fundraising element (this year I had to find it - last year it found me). This way I can concentrate on the fitness component.
This year, I start 20 lbs lighter than what I weighed one year ago. I am equipped with an improved metabolism and my Kangoo Jumps. They are like trampolines on the bottom of my feet. They help me get a high impact work-out without the risk of injury incurred if I worked-out in regular exercise shoes. Last night I did my first, unsupervised Kangoo work-out. I actually ran and felt great! (If you know me, you know I don't run)
I'm starting with 15 minutes per "hop" (that's what I call a Kangoo work-out) and will build up my time from there.
So, I'm back. But my blogs will be less frequent here. My goal is to blog at least once per week. I will use Twitter to post my workouts between blogs. So, combining this blog and Twitter, I will be posting as frequently if not moreso.
Thanks to everyone for your patience and support, including those who have been anonymously reading my blog.


Do something beautiful for your heart today.


~Cheryl~

Forgive me readers, it has been 3 months and 2 weeks since my last blog

I can't believe it has been that long! You will be happy to know that I write this at my lowest weight in more than a year (possibly two).

And I realized something during my time away from blogging: exercise had become a part of my daily life. I cannot remember a time in my adult life when I could say that. Now I can.

The heat did cause me to pause, but my metabolism had built some momentum so I was surprised at the lower number today when my trusted friend and I looked at the scale. I am entering my third decade of pounds lost. I have heard that it is wise to take a break but hadn't really taken one. Now I see the balance and wisdom of letting a little momentum carry me forward.

While I was not exercising (about a week or two), I was looking at myself in the mirror and condemning myself. Knowing I hadn't exercised much, I thought I might be gaining weight back but I never get on the scale everyday (or every week) and I didn't know what my weight was. How funny, I let my eyes see me as gaining weight when I was still losing.

I have kept up my accountability by walking with my neighbor(s). During a very hot stretch of days near the end of June, we started exercising to the Prevention Workout Videos. Although I got them for free after purchasing a special edition of "Prevention" dedicated to Walking, my neighbor liked them so much, I found her favorite on Amazaon for a tiny price to give to her. I think their family is using them more than I am using mine. Four generations of her family have begun exercising with her. Let's give a standing ovation to J.S.!

I have a nice little collection of these Prevention videos: "Sugar Solution Workout", "3-2-1", and "Dance Fitness". The Sugar Solution is a walking workout where the exercises have been arranged so that when you finish, you have exercised the equivalent of walking a mile and a half. That's the only one I have completed. I will write about the others after I have completed them.

To continue my accountability with my readers, I will begin texting to my Twitter page "CherylsTraining" from the walking trail (or wherever I may be exercising) as the summer progresses.

Phase 2 / Workout 25 - Another morning and the Arm Pumps are Contagious

J.S. and I did another morning walk today. She is committed to 6 laps around the triangle now (up from 5). It was very windy. We needed our hoodies today. The partly sunny sky and the much lower temperatures made our regular route viable. I even picked up trash. On the way home, I showed her the arm pumps I usually do when she isn't walking with me and she tried them.

It took me a long time to develop and master the 8-beat routine.which I can do now with ease. It was challenging enough to engage my brain but I've been doing it so long I think I am almost unconsciously doing it. My body doesn't miss any of the benefits though.


J.S. learned the moves but had trouble putting her feet with her arms. She said she could do them while watching TV. I suggested she do them seated through the commercials and wait to add them to our walking routine.


Here is a description of the "choreography": 


1.  Hands (or fists) touch or are just in front of shoulders with elbows pointed down.
2.  Right arm points straight up / Left arm points straight down
3.  Right arm bends; hand points left above head/ Left arm swings out points left
4.  Same as 2.
5.  Same as 1.
6.  Left arm points straight up / Right arm points straight down
7.  Left arm bends; hand points right above head / Right arm swings out points right
8.  Same as 2.


Repeat


Each move corresponds with one beat or step. The executed routine looks like a majorette or flag march.
When I do this, and I do it often, I don't have to walk fast to get an intense workout. I feel really good in my heart and lungs after doing it.  A few days ago, I pumped my arms on two legs of the triangle on almost every lap for 10 laps! 2/3 of my workout was with arm pumps! There was a time when I couldn't do that. Hey!


Do something beautiful for your heart today.


~ Cheryl ~

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 ~