What I have learned over the past few years...

is the quick fixes do not work for me. I am finding that making lifestyle changes, sustainable changes is what I need to do.

I mean how many times are we bombarded by the claims of various products that "you can lose 10 pounds in 7 days" "lose 20 inches in 10 days" "lose 30 pounds in 30 days" "lose weight without exercising" "lose weight while eating your favorite foods"....

I have fallen for many of these claims in the past and many times actually lost weight but would always gain it back....and more. So, I ended up poorer and fatter. In 2007, when I finally hit my critical mass point, I knew that I couldn't just look for a quick fix. I needed to figure out how to change things in my lifestyle in order to first lose weight but more importantly be healthy and sustain my weight loss.

Now, it has not always been easy but I am definitely more focused on real food and trying to find the right combination of macro nutrients is right for me...of course, that is also something that seems to change over time as well. I am more focused on the impact of certain foods on my body. For example, eggs and soy are two things that had to be eliminated from my diet as they seem to be inflammatory to me. The one thing that has not changed over the years is that I am sticking with real foods and not looking for a quick fix.

This has meant that my losses have not been quick but my blood work has been great. My losses have not been quick but I am strong and getting stronger. My losses have not been quick but I have learned a lot about my body and my health. My losses have not been quick but I have been able to accomplish things that I never thought I would. My losses have not been quick but I am losing fat and gaining/maintain muscle.

It is not always easy and I do get frustrated but I am not giving up and not giving in no matter how tempting the claims may appear....even those that are "clinically proven"...I am in this for the long run...my lifetime....

Rambling thoughts on a Sunday evening....

So, things continue to go well. My attitude about life in general seems to be holding. I realized that climbing that mountain was a big thing for me and I definitely feel like I no longer am living with a chip on my shoulder. I no longer feel ashamed of how unhealthy I was at one point in my life. I will not be going back to that lifestyle because I really like my new lifestyle and feel good about things.

What have I been up to? Well, I hit 1,000,000 steps in two months on my fitbit. I started using the fitbit on July 28th and this was my achievement the morning of August 28th. When you consider that most of my cardio is done in the gym and gym cardio machines do not register well on the fitbit, I am really happy with the progress. In addition, I had a goal of 15,000 steps every day in August. I missed one day, which was the day after the climb up Mount Bierstadt. I am good with that.

I went back to the Manitou Incline on Labor Day. I climbed by myself. The last time I went, I only went to the bail out (about 2/3rds the way up) as I felt like I was so much slower than others and I didn't want them to wait for me. This time, I made it to the top. It was my second time at the top but this time it was HOT HOT HOT. I sweated so much but it was worth it.

The incline in background from the town of Manitou Springs

The starting point

At the false summit

 

What remains after the false summit

Sweaty and happy and at the top

I am still working out with my trainer and feel like I am seeing some results. It feels good to lift weights. I would like to lift heavier and will need to talk to him about that but overall it is a good workout. Oh, I also won this 8-week weight loss thing with my nutritionist. I think that my new attitude helped a lot as well as the fact that I loved the workout challenges she gave us. It was probably good that we sent in our food logs each week as well. It is kind of nice to accomplish something like this. I have joined other "contests" but always end up stressing myself out and never finish...so even though I officially "won", I feel like the weight loss and the fact that I stuck with it were prizes that cannot be equaled. Thanks, Fuel for Life, for the motivation and accountability you gave me over the past couple of months.

Triathlon training is something I am likely going to start doing. While I thought about trying to do one in Florida or California later this year, I am not sure I want to travel to my first triathlon so instead I am going to train and do my own at the gym as an indoor triathlon. It is kind of a crazy idea but it is something that I think will be motivating to me. I will then do an outdoor triathlon around here next summer.

I am also planning on a couple of half marathons next year but right now I am a little nervous about running outside. I am running on the treadmill at the gym but I worry about my ankle/foot outdoors. I will need to get over this soon and start training.

Today was the first Sunday of NFL games. It also made it easy to do food prep as I watched or listened to the games. I used a lot of things from my garden. I am ready for lunches this week.

Wednesday is the September 11th stair climb. It is an event I did last year and the same charity that I did the stair climb in Green Bay this summer. This climb is 10 times around the Red Rocks amphitheater and equals the steps of 110 floors. It is not a timed event...it is a memorial. It is a time to show that we have not forgotten.

I guess that is enough rambling thoughts for one post. Hope everyone is well!

A Climb up a Mountain

Well, the day finally came. This week a friend and I went to Mount Bierstadt to climb. It was the first time either one of us would attempt such a thing.  I was nervous to say the least. All kinds of crazy thoughts would run through my head but most of all I didn't want to fail. To me, at that time, failure meant not making it to the summit. I have struggled all year with injuries and failing to complete events. I did not want this to be another time I failed this year...especially going with a friend. It is one thing if you can't finish on your own but to have a friend turn back because of you, well, that would have been too much for me to handle....or so I thought.

The day started out bright and early...okay not too bright but definitely early.

We got to the trailhead just after 6:00 a.m. There were a few other cars in the parking lot already, which made us happy as we were not sure how isolated the trail would be on a midweek day in the late summer. We prepped and got on our way.

We climbed and climbed. The first portion was through some sage brush and really wasn't that bad with the exception of crossing a cold creek. As we were a little afraid of slipping on rocks, we actually removed our shoes and socks and waded through it. Not sure it was the smartest thing to do but definitely better than risking wet shoes by slipping off a rock.

The day warmed as the sun rose and we approached the barren landscape of the trail. It was a beautiful day and we definitely had more layers than necessary..but at least we were prepared.

I was happy how my ankle was doing. I felt it on some of the steeper portions of the path but all in all, it was doing well.

At just below 13,000 feet, we ran into the talus field (I learned this new word after the hike and reviewing what we did). It was a lot of loose falling rocks and gravel.

It was during this portion that we started to meet people who were descending. I became a bit more anxious as I watched people slip and slide through the rock and gravel. We had made it a bit more than halfway through the first portion of the rock field, when I finally spoke up and told my friend that it was not a smart option to continue and risk injuring my ankle again. Of course, I felt horrible about it.

Looking at my Garmin, we were at about 13,550 feet. We had made it quite a distance but here I was wanting to turn around and head back down. The long way down gave me lots of times to lament about "giving up" and "failing". I put many positive posts about it on FaceBook and in texts to friends but really I felt like a failure.

So, here is where the real "climb up a mountain" was for me. After we ate lunch at a great restaurant in Georgetown and got back home, I actually went to circuit class that night. I had previously thought I would be going to the gym with a great tale of accomplishment and victory. I found myself only telling a couple of people about the hike and the words "but I didn't make it to the summit" were how the story started. I did muster enough strength and energy to do the cardio circuit class but was careful about what my intensity was. The trainer was one of the people I told about the hike so he helped me with suggestions about slowing down and such.

That night, I had a restless night sleep, feeling I disappointed my friend and myself. It wasn't until I was driving to the gym at 5:30 the next morning that I was struck by the fact that I had done something that I should be proud of and that even by getting up and going to the gym, I was doing something that should make me proud.

Yes, it is true that I did not summit the mountain peak but I did take on the challenge. Not only did I have the desire to climb a mountain, I actually made the plans to do it. I made it to the trailhead and started the climb without reservation. I climbed to 13,550 feet, which is not something easy to do. I made a decision to turn back NOT because I didn't think I could finish but because I didn't want to reinjury my ankle and set my training back again. I know I will reach the mountain peak some day. It just wasn't going to be that day.

Compared to the unhealthy place I was just a few short years ago, I think this is pretty incredible. I am proud of the changes that I have made in my life. I also now realize that I do not have live in shame of where I was at one point in my life but I can be proud of what I am accomplishing now. Maybe I can now start living without this chip on my shoulder...the one that makes me feel like I have so much to prove to people who underestimate me....like the guy in front of me in the weight circuit who lowers the weight on the squat machine after he is done to try to "help" me when I really squat heavier weights than he does...like the smirks (real or imaginary) of others in the cardio portion of class when I just can't get to the intensity I need to...like being handed a 18 pound kettlebell to push press by my trainer when I really want the 35 pound one...

I really do not have anything to prove. I am truly doing this all for me. I am okay with the fact that I went out to do a 14er and ended up only doing a 13.5er....I am more than okay. I am proud that I got as far as I did. I went out to climb a mountain....and conquered so much more.

It was only 20 seconds....so what's the big deal?

This past weekend was the Step Up for Cancer at the local soccer stadium. I did this event last year as well. It is basically 1,765 steps or so up and down all around the stadium and raises money for various cancer organizations. 

Last year we did this event shortly after doing the Mile High stair climb and in the middle of my half marathon training. I felt like my cardio conditioning was much better last year than it was this year when I committed to the event.

This year I have struggled with injuries after the fall at Red Rocks and more recently the sprained ankle. Having been cleared from physical therapy and no longer needing to wear the brace, I was excited to do the event this weekend. I knew however that I had to take it easy so that my ankle would be okay. I certainly did not want to hurt it again or prolong the injury. 

So, I knew I would just take it slow and so I did. It was hot but not as hot as last year. It was loud. There were lots of inspiring people. I just started to do the steps. I knew I could have done it faster, especially the down portions, but I just wanted to keep to my plan so that I would come through the event without issue. I would like to say that I didn't care what my time would be but it would be a lie.

In the second half of the stadium, I knew I could push it a little more so I jogged on some of the flat areas but I still took care on the steps.

In the end, my time was 20 seconds FASTER than last year. With the care I took with the steps, I was quite pleased with that. I am still slow but I was faster than last year. I am learning to compare my current to my past and not to others. 

So to me, 20 seconds is a big deal. An even bigger deal is that I was more concerned how I did compared to how I did last year and not to how others did. The biggest deal is that I was able to do this walk in support and love for my one and only sister, who I hope will stay strong as she goes through the medical procedures that she has to go through. Cancer certainly does suck.

Catching up on things...

Let's see what to say. 

1. I have upped my step goal to 15,000. I am running again. On the treadmill for now. The ankle is feeling stronger but I keep being told to take it slow so I am trying.  Still loving my Fitbit. It is keeping me honest about my activity.

2. Yesterday I hit over 26,000 steps. I did this with a three mile walk with a pup in the morning and a long 6 mile walk in the heat of the afternoon. The walk was through the hills in the neighborhood behind us. It felt good...but hot. AND that was my rest day.

3. I went to Wisconsin in July and did a stair climb at Lambeau Field. It was HOT HOT HOT. I was still wearing my air cast so it was hard....esp. the down. So I really only did 80% of the climb but I am still glad I did it. 

4. I spent a lot of time talking to one of my older brothers about running and such when I was back in Wisconsin. It was interesting to have this change in our relationship.

5. My workouts are going well. Tomorrow I have my second personal training session. I can't wait to lift heavy things. I am hoping that it will lead to so good results over the next 90 days. I will be keeping up my cardio workouts. I am really into tabatas these days.

6. I have been eating a lot of kale of late....and my finger nails are so much healthier. It is quite amazing. They are smooth and strong. I think kale will need to stay as a big part of my diet.

7. I am caffeine free for almost two months. It is not as hard as it sounds. I found some good decaf coffees and love an iced decaf Americano every now and then.

8. A friend and I have taken her four year fishing a couple of times. I love how relaxing it is to just cast the little poles out into the pond. We are catching little fish and releasing them but it is fun. I consider it one of my peaceful mind exercises.

9. I am thinking of trying yoga or Pilates again. I just don't know when but it may be a good idea to try to cut down on stress in my life.

10. I can't believe that summer is almost over. Our garden isn't doing great but I made a batch of pesto this morning and it is amazing how much better it tastes with just pick basil.

11. So my friend (the same one mentioned in #8) and I are planning on doing a 14er in a couple of weeks. I am nervous about it but we will see how it goes. If we do, you can bet there will be a blog post about it!

12. I won't be doing a half marathon this year but I plan on being ready next spring. I would like to do the Cellcom Green Bay marathon in May.

13. Another stair climb this coming weekend for "Step up for Cancer." It has special meaning to me this year because of a recent diagnosis of a family member. I am ready for it.

14. The next stair climb will be on September 11th as a memorial for the firefighters lost on that fateful day. It is an important and moving event to attend.

15. Some blogs I have been reading lately:

http://tomnikkola.com/

http://healthylivinghowto.com/

http://www.optimalfitnesshub.com/blog/

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz2b9pPpz5f

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/

http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/

Activity tracking

As I wrote in my last blog, I recently got a Fitbit to track my activity levels. The nice thing about it is that it is getting me to get movement in when I otherwise would not. I have been taking a mid day walk on the loop around the office. I have also been taking a nice walk at night. The one thing about the Fitbit is that it does not track my steps very well on the machines at the gym. Right now I am only cleared for the Precor AMT machine and the bike (sprained foot/ankle) so there is very little impact. I am on the Precor for over 5 miles at a shot and only get about 3,500 steps, which is not close to what it should be. BUT it is okay. The key to the use of the Fitbit is to track my activity outside of the gym.

I have my target at 10,000, which I have surpassed all but the first day of using the Fitbit. In fact, this long weekend I have been getting over 20,000 steps. It has included some very long walks with the dogs. 

Because of my ankle/foot issues, I have not been able to hike as I am sticking to even terrain and still a bit leery of traversing uneven terrain. Once I am cleared to not use the air cast, I hope to get some hiking in again.

The long weekend is coming to an end. Although we did not get away at all, it was still a good weekend. I travel this coming week and I am trying to figure out how I will keep active on the travel days but I will figure it out. I want to keep it up.

10,000 steps and progress on attitude adjustment

So, I am on a mission to get at least 10,000 steps a day right now....which isn't too bad but a bit annoying with the air cast on. My first day I didn't quite make it, finishing with just over 9,800 steps. Saturday was a better day. I had over 13,000 steps (13,676 to be exact). Today I am over 12,500 (12,601 to be exact) and that was with having my fitbit off to charge while I got ready for the day. All in all, I am very happy about this. By the way, I bought a fitbit. It helps me track my steps and my sleep pattern. I am very happy with it so far.

As far as my attitude adjustment, that is going better too. I have been working out with the hand bike at the gym. Not that most exciting thing but it is what I need to do right now. I started physical therapy on my ankle. I hate every minute of the exercises but I am doing them anyway because I need to. I want my ankle and foot to be stronger and this will get me there.

One thing I did that I maybe should have thought about again before doing was a stair climb this weekend. BUT I needed to do it. I did not do the whole thing but I did well over 75% of it and I feel good about it. The stair climb was at Mile High football stadium and you walk the steps all around the lower bowl of the stadium. In one end of the stadium, climbers went to the top for a few aisles. I skipped that part. The down was the hardest part on my foot/ankle and I didn't think it would be wise to be up high and struggling to walk down. Plus I promised my husband I would take it easy. 

So, even though it was a bit embarrassing to ignore the instructions from the volunteers and just continue on the lower bowl, I got through it. It was still a good workout and I am satisfied that completed the event as best I could at the time. I allowed people to tell me that I did a good job. I avoided sinking into the depressed idea that I didn't do it all so I failed. Yep, I am working on that attitude!