...this time?
If you have read any of my posts in the past, you know there is a plan. So here it is - I will work on adding one new good habit every three weeks. For three weeks I will focus on the new habit until it is established, and then I will continue that habit while I work on developing another new habit. I'll probably take periodic breaks from adding a new habit here and there, but this process is cumulative.
The first new habit to work on? Walking for an hour (7 am - 8 am) EVERY DAY for 3 weeks. I am one week down on this habit, and it is going well. In two weeks I will add another new habit and keep on trucking.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
This morning's walk brought to you by...
Soft Cell's Tainted Love
I am not one to just listen to music. If I have anything to do that requires concentration (except house cleaning*) I prefer it to be quiet. I won't hear anything when I concentrate, so ambient music is a waste on me. I do like to listen to music when I walk. It's been about a year since I've exercised listening to music so I am enjoying hearing songs I have heard in a while, such as the one listed above.
*the best cleaning music for me is Gregorian Chants. Why, I don't know but I can clean for hours listening to the right CD.
I am not one to just listen to music. If I have anything to do that requires concentration (except house cleaning*) I prefer it to be quiet. I won't hear anything when I concentrate, so ambient music is a waste on me. I do like to listen to music when I walk. It's been about a year since I've exercised listening to music so I am enjoying hearing songs I have heard in a while, such as the one listed above.
*the best cleaning music for me is Gregorian Chants. Why, I don't know but I can clean for hours listening to the right CD.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Walking IS easy
So for the moment that's what I will call the blog. It's the only consistent exercise I usually can manage, and most of all I enjoy it. So there.
I guess I have to change my name from Round Runner to something else. Waddling Walker?
I guess I have to change my name from Round Runner to something else. Waddling Walker?
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Rename the blog?
Better living through chemical intervention
I have tired to get into running several times in my life, but it wasn't possible until I wen on a 60 mg dose of Cymbalta. My exercise drive shot up and my interest in running bloomed. Unfortunately after about 18 months I couldn't sleep well at night so I dropped my dose down to 30 mg. My mood is great, but my exercise drive, particularly my drive to run is totally shot. On the up side I sleep like the dead again and I can concentrate while at work.
This makes me wonder about how much of my personality and likes/abilities are totally dependent on my brain chemistry. Which ultimately, I guess is all of them. Duh! Part of the reason I haven't been keeping my blog up to date is that I feel a bit like a fraud posting under the current title. So I think I will change the name to reflect my current state of exercise/being.
Any suggestions?
I have tired to get into running several times in my life, but it wasn't possible until I wen on a 60 mg dose of Cymbalta. My exercise drive shot up and my interest in running bloomed. Unfortunately after about 18 months I couldn't sleep well at night so I dropped my dose down to 30 mg. My mood is great, but my exercise drive, particularly my drive to run is totally shot. On the up side I sleep like the dead again and I can concentrate while at work.
This makes me wonder about how much of my personality and likes/abilities are totally dependent on my brain chemistry. Which ultimately, I guess is all of them. Duh! Part of the reason I haven't been keeping my blog up to date is that I feel a bit like a fraud posting under the current title. So I think I will change the name to reflect my current state of exercise/being.
Any suggestions?
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Aborted experiment
Intermittent Fasting
I should know better by now. Anytime I read about a weight loss plan that involves little effort it either doesn't' work, or what you actually have to do is so unpleasant as to be not worth the results. I tried intermittent fasting today, which is where you don't eat for 24 hours and then eat normally for a few days and then fast again. I stopped eating after 6 pm last night and was supposed to eat dinner tonight after 6 pm, skipping breakfast and lunch. I ate lunch at about 1:10. I wasn't so hungry that I had to eat, but my head felt very fuzzy and pro-headache like. I've come to the conclusion that I can fast if I have to, but I don't think I'll take it up recreationally.
I should know better by now. Anytime I read about a weight loss plan that involves little effort it either doesn't' work, or what you actually have to do is so unpleasant as to be not worth the results. I tried intermittent fasting today, which is where you don't eat for 24 hours and then eat normally for a few days and then fast again. I stopped eating after 6 pm last night and was supposed to eat dinner tonight after 6 pm, skipping breakfast and lunch. I ate lunch at about 1:10. I wasn't so hungry that I had to eat, but my head felt very fuzzy and pro-headache like. I've come to the conclusion that I can fast if I have to, but I don't think I'll take it up recreationally.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Lurching Forward
My March 30th post was very Yay Me! Since then I've had fits and starts. The up side is that I am quilting up a storm - I have a baby quilt due Friday (an out of town friend will be visiting with said bebe and it would be nice to give her the quilt in person) and I will get the binding done tonight and get it washed and dried. Woot! The down side is that I've hit the treadmill once so far this week. I seem to be having better luck (?) if you can call it that exercising in the evening than in the morning. This is entirely contrary to my past decade of experience. I guess I will do what ever has to be done. I am finding that I feel better if I don't rush about in the morning trying to fit in everything I do and exercise too before getting to work. Now I just have to make sure that the exercise happens when I get home. Step 1, meet step 2.
Note to self - remember that this health thing is forever, so keep trying.
Note to self - remember that this health thing is forever, so keep trying.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Proud of me
That's something we don't say to ourselves often enough. I got up at 5:30 am this morning, ate breakfast, doodled around and then walked at between 2.8 and 3.0 mph on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I did my foot pre-hab exercises and my ab routine. I'm up about 1/2 pound from my last weigh in, but I know why. As the Cymbalta levels fall in my system the random munchiness is rising. I'm eating more even when I am not hungry. I got fat for really valid reasons, and now I have to work on some of them with less chemical assistance. In the face of other preferences, I got up and did what needed to be done. Yay me!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Better living through modern chemistry
My tale of woe
After the birth of Little Runner I developed debilitating Endomeitriosis. Since I had bad cramps all my life I thought I knew what Endomeitriosis was and how bad it felt. Boy was I wrong. I actually got to the point where I remember explicitly thinking, "If this doesn't get better (soon) I don't think I want to hang around like this." Most of my problems seemed to stem from implantation near my sciatic nerve that gave me chronic pain all the time, no matter what position I want in, sitting, standing, or laying down. It got so bad that for weeks at a time I couldn't actually stand up because bad things happened. This of course was very disruptive to my ability to work.
It took about 9 months for everything to get to that point, and then another 9 months for me to fully figure out what the actual problem was and get it treated. Ultimately I had 4 operations to deal with individual physical issues, crossing each potential pain source off until there was just one left. The only useful pain relieving course for me is taking the pill continuously with no breaks. I fully thought that once I had fixed the pain issue all of my built up psych issues would evaporate. No dice. I don't know why I didn't make the connection that chronic pain is often coupled with depression. After spending the first 2 years of Little Runner's life being hair-trigger cranky, yelling like a drill sergeant on crack, and starting to get a bit slappy with the boy, I decided that I needed some serious help. Hello Cymbalta!
Reality is all in your head...
Within 3 days of starting the drug I was able to got to the gym every day for 5 days straight. The last vestiges of discomfort left my feet and lower legs (apparently a known effect of Cymbalta) and I started to unwind and relax and get some control over my reactions to my amazing, funny, totally annoying and exasperating child. Fitness was on the menu again, which was great since over the preceding 24 months I had gained almost 60 lbs!
Fast forward year later I am down 35 lbs (Yay!) and on to the next phase of whatever my brain/body has in store for me. After about 6 weeks of really crappy sleep I talked with my doctor and decided to cut my Cymbalta dosage in half. I'm about 10 days into it and I feel very good, and thankfully I am sleeping much better again. I can also deeply concentrate again, which is a total blessing. I've been on Cymbalta for almost 2 years now, and during that entire time I haven't quilted, which is one of my historic passions. But I have been passionate about fitness and exercise. And as my attention span has gotten better and my ability to concentrate came back my drive to exercise has fallen by the wayside.
This, of course, deeply concerns me. It also makes me think about personality, preferences, and brain chemistry. It's kind of scary that taking a pill every morning can essentially change my ability to enjoy the things I used to enjoy, and enhance my ability to do things that have historically been difficult. Now, given the choice between quilting and not wanting to kill myself, I'll take the latter. But if I can find a way to have quilting, good moods and limited yelling and snappiness, and running that would be the best mix.
So I am going to work on it the hard way. Tomorrow morning I'm going to get up and hit the treadmill for a brisk walk like I used to almost every morning. And I'm going to build up from there. I'll get back to tracking my diet and see if I can't get back on my fitness wagon. This is all for the long haul. If I have to figure out new ways to do things that work for me with the way my brain is now, so be it. All I have is a lifetime to get it right, however long that may be.
After the birth of Little Runner I developed debilitating Endomeitriosis. Since I had bad cramps all my life I thought I knew what Endomeitriosis was and how bad it felt. Boy was I wrong. I actually got to the point where I remember explicitly thinking, "If this doesn't get better (soon) I don't think I want to hang around like this." Most of my problems seemed to stem from implantation near my sciatic nerve that gave me chronic pain all the time, no matter what position I want in, sitting, standing, or laying down. It got so bad that for weeks at a time I couldn't actually stand up because bad things happened. This of course was very disruptive to my ability to work.
It took about 9 months for everything to get to that point, and then another 9 months for me to fully figure out what the actual problem was and get it treated. Ultimately I had 4 operations to deal with individual physical issues, crossing each potential pain source off until there was just one left. The only useful pain relieving course for me is taking the pill continuously with no breaks. I fully thought that once I had fixed the pain issue all of my built up psych issues would evaporate. No dice. I don't know why I didn't make the connection that chronic pain is often coupled with depression. After spending the first 2 years of Little Runner's life being hair-trigger cranky, yelling like a drill sergeant on crack, and starting to get a bit slappy with the boy, I decided that I needed some serious help. Hello Cymbalta!
Reality is all in your head...
Within 3 days of starting the drug I was able to got to the gym every day for 5 days straight. The last vestiges of discomfort left my feet and lower legs (apparently a known effect of Cymbalta) and I started to unwind and relax and get some control over my reactions to my amazing, funny, totally annoying and exasperating child. Fitness was on the menu again, which was great since over the preceding 24 months I had gained almost 60 lbs!
Fast forward year later I am down 35 lbs (Yay!) and on to the next phase of whatever my brain/body has in store for me. After about 6 weeks of really crappy sleep I talked with my doctor and decided to cut my Cymbalta dosage in half. I'm about 10 days into it and I feel very good, and thankfully I am sleeping much better again. I can also deeply concentrate again, which is a total blessing. I've been on Cymbalta for almost 2 years now, and during that entire time I haven't quilted, which is one of my historic passions. But I have been passionate about fitness and exercise. And as my attention span has gotten better and my ability to concentrate came back my drive to exercise has fallen by the wayside.
This, of course, deeply concerns me. It also makes me think about personality, preferences, and brain chemistry. It's kind of scary that taking a pill every morning can essentially change my ability to enjoy the things I used to enjoy, and enhance my ability to do things that have historically been difficult. Now, given the choice between quilting and not wanting to kill myself, I'll take the latter. But if I can find a way to have quilting, good moods and limited yelling and snappiness, and running that would be the best mix.
So I am going to work on it the hard way. Tomorrow morning I'm going to get up and hit the treadmill for a brisk walk like I used to almost every morning. And I'm going to build up from there. I'll get back to tracking my diet and see if I can't get back on my fitness wagon. This is all for the long haul. If I have to figure out new ways to do things that work for me with the way my brain is now, so be it. All I have is a lifetime to get it right, however long that may be.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Silence
Camping
Round Hiker and Little Runner took off this morning to go camping in Canyonlands. The silence is deafening, but in a good way. Before I moved in with Round Hiker (11 years ago!) I had many silent evenings just reading or doing something that coincidentally did not have sound accompaniment. I occasionally feel like a bad mother because I don't shepard Little Runner through the musical world very much. His favorite song so far is Christina Aguilera's Candyman. I forget sometimes how equally important being quiet is. Too bad LR's 4 year old nature makes silence the enemy. I feel so much more peaceful when I have some good stretches of silence in my day.
Round Hiker and Little Runner took off this morning to go camping in Canyonlands. The silence is deafening, but in a good way. Before I moved in with Round Hiker (11 years ago!) I had many silent evenings just reading or doing something that coincidentally did not have sound accompaniment. I occasionally feel like a bad mother because I don't shepard Little Runner through the musical world very much. His favorite song so far is Christina Aguilera's Candyman. I forget sometimes how equally important being quiet is. Too bad LR's 4 year old nature makes silence the enemy. I feel so much more peaceful when I have some good stretches of silence in my day.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
We interrupt this training schedule...
For the Flu!
Gah! Day 11 after getting the flu and I am at about 85% of normal. I've done a total of 20 minutes of walking on the treadmill since getting sick. I've even managed to pull a muscle in my neck, but I think it will be totally fine in a day or two from now. This was the worst contagious illness I've in years, at least in terms of how long I felt crappy. I had waves of sweat inducing fever for days. A tip for those of you who get sick like this in the future - the only comfortable clothes and night-clothes I found to wear when you keep breaking into a sweat is moisture wicking workout wear. Yay for chemically altered polyester!
Monday Morning
I will get back on the treadmill for a brisk 30 minute walk. If that goes well enough I will get back to C25K week 2, redux.
Gah! Day 11 after getting the flu and I am at about 85% of normal. I've done a total of 20 minutes of walking on the treadmill since getting sick. I've even managed to pull a muscle in my neck, but I think it will be totally fine in a day or two from now. This was the worst contagious illness I've in years, at least in terms of how long I felt crappy. I had waves of sweat inducing fever for days. A tip for those of you who get sick like this in the future - the only comfortable clothes and night-clothes I found to wear when you keep breaking into a sweat is moisture wicking workout wear. Yay for chemically altered polyester!
Monday Morning
I will get back on the treadmill for a brisk 30 minute walk. If that goes well enough I will get back to C25K week 2, redux.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Progress
C25K
Week 2 day one is in the bag! 90 Seconds of running followed by 2 minutes of walking for 20 minutes. It totals 7 1/2 minutes of running, which is not that much but is way better than none. I'll do this again on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. And then I move onto week 3 which is more running for longer periods of time. I'm so glad this is working out!
Week 2 day one is in the bag! 90 Seconds of running followed by 2 minutes of walking for 20 minutes. It totals 7 1/2 minutes of running, which is not that much but is way better than none. I'll do this again on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. And then I move onto week 3 which is more running for longer periods of time. I'm so glad this is working out!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
One Week Down
C25K week one is toast!
I've decided to stretch C25Kout just a little this time instead of interminably. The plan is designed for 3 running workouts a week. I'd rather do it every other day, which will have me going 3 times some weeks and 4 times others. That's one change. The other is that I will be doing at least 4 workouts for each "week" rather than 3. Overall this will add 8 workouts to the plan (assuming I don't have to slow down further) taking it to a 10 week plan. This is just a minor precaution on my part to keep me from going to fast and hurting my feet (again). So far my feet feel perfectly fine, but I can definitely tell that the foot exercises and calf stretches are necessary for them to stay that way.
My grandiose plan
I am hoping/planning to run a 5K on May 21st in SLC. That's the day before my 39th birthday, which falls on a Sunday this year. A friend from work (Hi Adriana) said she run it with me, which is awesome! If I can manage a 5K in May I hope to do a 10 K in November in Hawaii. That would be super awesome! As we all probably know by now my plans tend to get dashed on a regular basis, but this one feels pretty solid.
I've decided to stretch C25Kout just a little this time instead of interminably. The plan is designed for 3 running workouts a week. I'd rather do it every other day, which will have me going 3 times some weeks and 4 times others. That's one change. The other is that I will be doing at least 4 workouts for each "week" rather than 3. Overall this will add 8 workouts to the plan (assuming I don't have to slow down further) taking it to a 10 week plan. This is just a minor precaution on my part to keep me from going to fast and hurting my feet (again). So far my feet feel perfectly fine, but I can definitely tell that the foot exercises and calf stretches are necessary for them to stay that way.
My grandiose plan
I am hoping/planning to run a 5K on May 21st in SLC. That's the day before my 39th birthday, which falls on a Sunday this year. A friend from work (Hi Adriana) said she run it with me, which is awesome! If I can manage a 5K in May I hope to do a 10 K in November in Hawaii. That would be super awesome! As we all probably know by now my plans tend to get dashed on a regular basis, but this one feels pretty solid.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Prehab
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| By perpetualplum |
I'm going to have to deal with my physical limitations. A light bulb totally went off over my head when I read on another runner's blog that you can either do prehab or rehab. I have had several over-use injuries over the years (Metatarsalgia, Achilles Tendinitis, Patellofemoral pain syndrome, IT band tightness). I could wait until my running aggravates each one of these conditions, or I can can accept that I need to work on the muscle weakness and tightness issues preemptively and perhaps even get rid of the problems. So I have been doing my rehab exercises in the morning after I walk or run and it seems to be working. I've done C25K week 1 day 2 and my feet feel fine. I was a bit worried after day 1 when my foot was a tad tender, but foam rolling my very tight calf muscles seems to have done the trick.
Bodies are complicated!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Couch to 5K!
I have begun!
The best laid plans often go awry. I've been trying to loose about 3 lbs before I started to run again, and my body is stubbornly plodding along in a weight-loss plateau at 203 lbs. The weather is getting nicer and nicer and I've been itching to run, so this morning I decided to just go ahead and start. If I wait for the perfect conditions I'll never get back to running.
I did the Couch to 5K week one workout, which is warm up and then run for 1 minute and walk for 1 1/2 minutes for 20 minutes. I think I did a total of 7 minutes of running. I did preemptively use my inhaler, but I'm glad that I wasn't sucking wind on this level. That last time I started I couldn't run for a full minute so I hacked it don to 30 seconds and counted each one down desperately until I could walk again. I'm not going to be fanatically about following the time line of the training plan. At least at the beginning I'm planning on spending more time than a week at each level - possibly even doubling the time to two weeks per level. I want to avoid foot injuries this summer - they suck!
Inspiration
I bought this necklace at the Winter Outdoor Retailer Show from Tarma. This is my goal for this year, and I really like wearing it as a reminder around my neck. By December I want to have registered and run in at least one 5K race. Ideally, I'd like to run in one is SLC, and one in Hawaii when Round Hiker and I go there this November. The journey of 3.1 miles starts with 7 minutes of running, apparently.
The best laid plans often go awry. I've been trying to loose about 3 lbs before I started to run again, and my body is stubbornly plodding along in a weight-loss plateau at 203 lbs. The weather is getting nicer and nicer and I've been itching to run, so this morning I decided to just go ahead and start. If I wait for the perfect conditions I'll never get back to running.
I did the Couch to 5K week one workout, which is warm up and then run for 1 minute and walk for 1 1/2 minutes for 20 minutes. I think I did a total of 7 minutes of running. I did preemptively use my inhaler, but I'm glad that I wasn't sucking wind on this level. That last time I started I couldn't run for a full minute so I hacked it don to 30 seconds and counted each one down desperately until I could walk again. I'm not going to be fanatically about following the time line of the training plan. At least at the beginning I'm planning on spending more time than a week at each level - possibly even doubling the time to two weeks per level. I want to avoid foot injuries this summer - they suck!
Inspiration
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Would you do it anyway?
An epiphany
So I am at week two of working out 6-7 days a week and twice on weekdays, meeting my eating and calorie burning targets and losing a total of .2 lbs. On one level this makes me totally feel grrrrrr. On another level, I don't care because I have finally figured something out. I would do what I am doing anyway, even if I never loose another pound.
I feel fantastic. I have zero foot pain for the first time in about 11 years (or more). I fit into the very outer edge of "normal" sized clothes, but that means that I can shop pretty much where ever I want, and even find plenty of things on sale/clearance that fit me and look good on me. Due to the fantastic feel of my feet I'd stick with the minimalist / barefoot shoes even if I never ran a step again. It doesn't hurt that many of the shoes fit right in with my sense of style. I actually enjoy yoga and weight-lifting, so adding them to my routine has increased my sense of well-being quite a bit. I have noticed that I just plain feel better when I walk on the treadmill every day that I can. Even counting calories has other benefits for me. I've pretty much sworn to only eat out no more than once a week for dinner and once a week for lunch. Fitting those meals into my calorie budget encourages me not to eat out more often than that, which has great benefits for my bank balance, which also makes me happy.
I've heard the idea that the trick to long-term weight loss was to "find activities you enjoy". Okay, that seems pretty duh, but for me there seems to be a big distinction between finding something I enjoy, and finding something I enjoy enough that I would do it even if I didn't loose weight as a result.
So I am at week two of working out 6-7 days a week and twice on weekdays, meeting my eating and calorie burning targets and losing a total of .2 lbs. On one level this makes me totally feel grrrrrr. On another level, I don't care because I have finally figured something out. I would do what I am doing anyway, even if I never loose another pound.
I feel fantastic. I have zero foot pain for the first time in about 11 years (or more). I fit into the very outer edge of "normal" sized clothes, but that means that I can shop pretty much where ever I want, and even find plenty of things on sale/clearance that fit me and look good on me. Due to the fantastic feel of my feet I'd stick with the minimalist / barefoot shoes even if I never ran a step again. It doesn't hurt that many of the shoes fit right in with my sense of style. I actually enjoy yoga and weight-lifting, so adding them to my routine has increased my sense of well-being quite a bit. I have noticed that I just plain feel better when I walk on the treadmill every day that I can. Even counting calories has other benefits for me. I've pretty much sworn to only eat out no more than once a week for dinner and once a week for lunch. Fitting those meals into my calorie budget encourages me not to eat out more often than that, which has great benefits for my bank balance, which also makes me happy.
I've heard the idea that the trick to long-term weight loss was to "find activities you enjoy". Okay, that seems pretty duh, but for me there seems to be a big distinction between finding something I enjoy, and finding something I enjoy enough that I would do it even if I didn't loose weight as a result.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Outdoor Retailer Winter Market show report
Everybody and their dog...
...is getting into barefoot / minimalist style shoes. Yay! You know you have become a mainstream trend when Dr. Scholl's is redesigning their line to include minimalist shoes. They were giving them away at the show, and like a propper mooch I grabbed a pair in size 10. They felt pretty good, except that the toe box is a bit narrower than I have gotten used to, so after walking on the Salt Palace floor for about 30 minutes I swapped them out for a pair of size 11s. The 11s are a bit too long, but my toes felt much better. Were I to speculate, I'd bet that traditional shoe manufactures may have a difficult time widening the toe box on their minimalist shoes enough for people like me. The average women's foot is 3 1/4 inches wide while the average woman's shoe is 3 inches wide. And then everyone acts all shocked when we end up with foot problems.
I got to stop by Terra Plana and take a gander at the next few season's VIVOBAREFOOT styles and I suspect I will be spending more money to buy 2 - 4 pair of shoes this year. I can't get over how comfortable their shoes are. They have some Mary Janes coming out next fall with an adjustable forefoot strap that I drool over. I did gripe about their US online customer support, so we shall see if it improves at all. I have my doubts, but you never know!
There is a new shoe company coming on line this August who where showing their wares at the show - Stem Footwear. I got to try on a pair of their shoes, and they felt great. Too bad all their sample sizes were men's 9.5 otherwise I would have done my darndest to try to promote a pair of shows then and there. I was particularly attracted to the lucious dark plum color of the shoes. Their website doesn't have actual photos of the shoes up, just drawings like this:
The shoes were very very light feeling on my foot, and the sole was incredibly flexible. The styling is plain enough, or the colors are sober enough that I would happily wear these shoes to work. They are planning to have shoes available for sale starting sometime in August, so I look forward to seeing this company again at the Summer Market show.
Camper also had a booth (relatively near Dr. Scholls) and I finally got to fondle some of the shoes from their Peu line. Like the Dr. Scholl's shoes I worry that their shoe last (the original design shape that their shoes start from) is too narrow in the toe box for me (as shown in the image on the left). I do want to try the pair on the right though, if the one local retailer in SLC has them in my size:
I got to stop by Terra Plana and take a gander at the next few season's VIVOBAREFOOT styles and I suspect I will be spending more money to buy 2 - 4 pair of shoes this year. I can't get over how comfortable their shoes are. They have some Mary Janes coming out next fall with an adjustable forefoot strap that I drool over. I did gripe about their US online customer support, so we shall see if it improves at all. I have my doubts, but you never know!
There is a new shoe company coming on line this August who where showing their wares at the show - Stem Footwear. I got to try on a pair of their shoes, and they felt great. Too bad all their sample sizes were men's 9.5 otherwise I would have done my darndest to try to promote a pair of shows then and there. I was particularly attracted to the lucious dark plum color of the shoes. Their website doesn't have actual photos of the shoes up, just drawings like this:
The shoes were very very light feeling on my foot, and the sole was incredibly flexible. The styling is plain enough, or the colors are sober enough that I would happily wear these shoes to work. They are planning to have shoes available for sale starting sometime in August, so I look forward to seeing this company again at the Summer Market show.
Camper also had a booth (relatively near Dr. Scholls) and I finally got to fondle some of the shoes from their Peu line. Like the Dr. Scholl's shoes I worry that their shoe last (the original design shape that their shoes start from) is too narrow in the toe box for me (as shown in the image on the left). I do want to try the pair on the right though, if the one local retailer in SLC has them in my size:
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Changing Light
Energized!
Now that December 22nd (and the shortest day of the year) has passed I feel my spirits and energy level slowly lifting as the days gradually get longer. I brought my yoga gear (clothes, mat, DVD) to work today and will do 1/2 hour session in my office this afternoon before I leave work. It amazes me that 3 weeks ago I could barely make myself consistently walk on the treadmill and now I cheerfully contemplate regularly doing 2 workouts a day 5 days a week (walk/lift or walk/yoga).
Feet
I am thrilled that my feet are feeling the best they have in years, just months after I sought medical attention for Achilles tendinitis. I'm still doing my heel lifts every day after I walk on the treadmill, as well as stretching my calf muscles. I've added some IT band exercises and stretches to help avoid the hip and knee pain I have been prone to in the past. Some of those exercises were on my rehab list from 2005 when I had an issue with pain at the bottom of my kneecap from excessively pronating while rollerblading every morning in the summer. I will also add the rest of those knee exercises to my morning routine. Apparently I need a lot of attention to detail and preventive maintenance on my hip/knee/foot structures to keep my athletic aspirations from dooming me to a life of joint pain. But the time sure seems worth it as my feet feel fantastic and nothing else hurts. I realize that this post is just begging the universe to screw with me, but I have hope that just this once it won't notice.
Now that December 22nd (and the shortest day of the year) has passed I feel my spirits and energy level slowly lifting as the days gradually get longer. I brought my yoga gear (clothes, mat, DVD) to work today and will do 1/2 hour session in my office this afternoon before I leave work. It amazes me that 3 weeks ago I could barely make myself consistently walk on the treadmill and now I cheerfully contemplate regularly doing 2 workouts a day 5 days a week (walk/lift or walk/yoga).
Feet
I am thrilled that my feet are feeling the best they have in years, just months after I sought medical attention for Achilles tendinitis. I'm still doing my heel lifts every day after I walk on the treadmill, as well as stretching my calf muscles. I've added some IT band exercises and stretches to help avoid the hip and knee pain I have been prone to in the past. Some of those exercises were on my rehab list from 2005 when I had an issue with pain at the bottom of my kneecap from excessively pronating while rollerblading every morning in the summer. I will also add the rest of those knee exercises to my morning routine. Apparently I need a lot of attention to detail and preventive maintenance on my hip/knee/foot structures to keep my athletic aspirations from dooming me to a life of joint pain. But the time sure seems worth it as my feet feel fantastic and nothing else hurts. I realize that this post is just begging the universe to screw with me, but I have hope that just this once it won't notice.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Back in the Saddle
Progress
As of Monday morning I have lost 4 of the 9 lbs I plumped up since Thanksgiving, making me just 5 lbs up over all. I'm trying to stay positive and not get too worked up over my weight fluctuation, and it does help that I am moving back in the right direction.
D'oh!
I have been struggling with adding my kettle bell workouts back into my routine. I really like walking on the treadmill every morning, and am eagerly awaiting the time when I can bring some running back int the mix (2.8 lbs to go!) I keep meaning to add my weight workouts in in the evening, but it just never seems to happen. As I was falling asleep last night I had a minor brainstorm. Why not take my minimal equipment in to my office and do an after lunch workout MWF? I would get the weights done, and not have the fear of Little Runner running behind me while I swing a weight around. Brilliant! So I that's what I did today, and I had my first 20 minute kettle bell workout in ages. We'll see if I am up to doing it again on Thursday or Friday. This should help accelerate my fitness and will hopefully help keep me for screwing up my feet or knees when I get back to running again. I just can't believe how long it took me to think of this idea.
As of Monday morning I have lost 4 of the 9 lbs I plumped up since Thanksgiving, making me just 5 lbs up over all. I'm trying to stay positive and not get too worked up over my weight fluctuation, and it does help that I am moving back in the right direction.
D'oh!
I have been struggling with adding my kettle bell workouts back into my routine. I really like walking on the treadmill every morning, and am eagerly awaiting the time when I can bring some running back int the mix (2.8 lbs to go!) I keep meaning to add my weight workouts in in the evening, but it just never seems to happen. As I was falling asleep last night I had a minor brainstorm. Why not take my minimal equipment in to my office and do an after lunch workout MWF? I would get the weights done, and not have the fear of Little Runner running behind me while I swing a weight around. Brilliant! So I that's what I did today, and I had my first 20 minute kettle bell workout in ages. We'll see if I am up to doing it again on Thursday or Friday. This should help accelerate my fitness and will hopefully help keep me for screwing up my feet or knees when I get back to running again. I just can't believe how long it took me to think of this idea.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Reality is a slap in the face
2nd Christmas
So my holidays are finally over, with the close of 2nd Christmas. This year we went to my Dad and step-mother's house at the end of the 1st week in January and met up with my brother, his wife and their two children. Little Runner was ecstatic. I was mixed, at least on the issue of food. I got fat for a reason, and my parents, particularly my father, is one of them. Meat and cream three meals a day is the goal for my dad. We had fantastic quiche for breakfast, or bacon and eggs, or sausage gravy. We had prime rib for dinner (okay that was at my request, but it was FANTASTIC), or ate out, or picked at the leftovers from the deli trays from the big family and neighbors get-together. And my lovely SIL made homemade chocolate chip cookies. Oh, and I got a great box of Drost (local to CO) chocolates. GAH.
As a result of holiday abandon and general laxness since November I am up 9 lbs since my low just before Thanksgiving. I don't think I can keep writing my weight-gain off to water weight. Maybe 2 lbs of it is due to my excessive love of salty foods, but the rest is just plain old habits re-asserting themselves. Mindless eating, opportunistic eating, and over indulging in available sweets.
Control
It seems that as soon as I perceive myself to be in a situation where I have little control over my food environment I give myself permission to go hog-wild. I think this is an offshoot of my historic all-or-nothing approach to dieting and exercise. Ether I was perfect, or I was perfectly horrid. I'm back in my environment again, and I need to regain my balance and sense of control. The Outdoor Retailer show will start next week and we will have house guests. This is usually a time where I tend to over-indulge, but I need to keep one thing in mind: Tiburon! On that Saturday Round Hiker and I will formally celebrate our 10th year anniversary (which was December 30th) at our favorite outrageously expensive restaurant. I definitely will not be limiting myself that night, so I have to be good the rest of the week!
So my holidays are finally over, with the close of 2nd Christmas. This year we went to my Dad and step-mother's house at the end of the 1st week in January and met up with my brother, his wife and their two children. Little Runner was ecstatic. I was mixed, at least on the issue of food. I got fat for a reason, and my parents, particularly my father, is one of them. Meat and cream three meals a day is the goal for my dad. We had fantastic quiche for breakfast, or bacon and eggs, or sausage gravy. We had prime rib for dinner (okay that was at my request, but it was FANTASTIC), or ate out, or picked at the leftovers from the deli trays from the big family and neighbors get-together. And my lovely SIL made homemade chocolate chip cookies. Oh, and I got a great box of Drost (local to CO) chocolates. GAH.
As a result of holiday abandon and general laxness since November I am up 9 lbs since my low just before Thanksgiving. I don't think I can keep writing my weight-gain off to water weight. Maybe 2 lbs of it is due to my excessive love of salty foods, but the rest is just plain old habits re-asserting themselves. Mindless eating, opportunistic eating, and over indulging in available sweets.
Control
It seems that as soon as I perceive myself to be in a situation where I have little control over my food environment I give myself permission to go hog-wild. I think this is an offshoot of my historic all-or-nothing approach to dieting and exercise. Ether I was perfect, or I was perfectly horrid. I'm back in my environment again, and I need to regain my balance and sense of control. The Outdoor Retailer show will start next week and we will have house guests. This is usually a time where I tend to over-indulge, but I need to keep one thing in mind: Tiburon! On that Saturday Round Hiker and I will formally celebrate our 10th year anniversary (which was December 30th) at our favorite outrageously expensive restaurant. I definitely will not be limiting myself that night, so I have to be good the rest of the week!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Walking pace tied to health assessment
Faster than 2.25 mph
According to this MSNBC article walking faster is a sign of good health. "Those who walked 1 meter per second (about 2.25 mph) or faster consistently lived longer than others of their age and sex who walked more slowly, the study showed."
I find this factoid very interesting because before I went on Cymbalta Round Hiker complained that I walked too slow. I often felt like I was and 80 year old woman trying to walk through water. I literally could not walk quickly. I would try and not be able to move my legs and feet faster than an amble. Now I walk at 2.7-2.8 mph on the treadmill in the mornings, and I find that my regular walking pace is probably between 2.3 and 2.5 mph. Still far slower than Round Hiker's 3-3.5 mph normal walking pace, but better than my 1.5ish mph crawl before. Hopefully this increased walking pace is a good indicator of my overall health. That would be sweet!
According to this MSNBC article walking faster is a sign of good health. "Those who walked 1 meter per second (about 2.25 mph) or faster consistently lived longer than others of their age and sex who walked more slowly, the study showed."
I find this factoid very interesting because before I went on Cymbalta Round Hiker complained that I walked too slow. I often felt like I was and 80 year old woman trying to walk through water. I literally could not walk quickly. I would try and not be able to move my legs and feet faster than an amble. Now I walk at 2.7-2.8 mph on the treadmill in the mornings, and I find that my regular walking pace is probably between 2.3 and 2.5 mph. Still far slower than Round Hiker's 3-3.5 mph normal walking pace, but better than my 1.5ish mph crawl before. Hopefully this increased walking pace is a good indicator of my overall health. That would be sweet!
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