success and failure

Last week, I only lifted my weights and did my crunches three out of five nights. With two nights of jumping rope.

And one night of speed walking a theme park, for good measure. I'm amazed at how much we accomplished in just three hours at Disney.

This week, I won't lie, I have not yet exercised. I won't make excuses. I could find the time if I tried. Though Monday night I gave blood, and they advised no strenuous activity for a few days, and today is the first day I'm feeling better after being completely exhausted from the blood letting.

However... I weighed myself at Publix last night... 231! Down two pounds from last week, and six total since November 5th. Yay!

jumping rope

Just finished my second night in a row of jumping rope. Good gravy that's exhausting! Last night I jumped roughly 220 times. Tonight, I jumped roughly 210 times.

I. Am. Beat.

But I'm trying to force motivation down my throat.

the truth is hideous

Renee has been very honest about her weight over on her blog. I will be honest, too. Even though the truth is frightening and ugly.

I don't own a scale, so when I weigh myself, I have to haul my fat ass onto the very public scale in the lobby of my local Publix. It can be humiliating if people are around, so I don't do it often. But I will try to do so once a month. I take my measurements more regularly, though, so I'll have to start journaling them on here.

On Saturday, November 5th, I weighed in at 237.

That is unbelievable. I don't think I look like what 237 should look like.

Tonight, I weighed myself again. I weighed in at 233.

I'm down 4 pounds in just over 5 weeks. I'll take it. Especially since I haven't really been trying, just ever so slightly increasing my exercising.

I'm trying to get my thinking turned around, and then once the holidays are over, I'm kicking it into top gear.

Hips: 46.25"
Waist: 42.5"
R Thigh: 26.5" (down .5)
L Thigh: 26.5" (down .5)
R Calf: 18.5"
L Calf: 18.5"
R Biceps: 14"
L Biceps: 14"
Bust: 44.5"

there's an app for that

Last night, I downloaded the Livestrong app for my iPad. I set up an account, and entered everything I consumed yesterday. The good news: it was under 2,000 calories for the entire day. The bad news: my exercise routine burns less than 100 calories per day. It's an approximation, as I couldn't figure out how to properly name my exercises to get their calories to turn up. So I called my crunches "stretches" and my dumbells something else.

I'm going to try to be good about tracking my comestibles. But this is a rough, rough time of year to start this! I came to work today and was given a tin of cookies. COOKIES!!!!

Ugh.

I think I'm going to give up hard liquor. I'll still allow myself wine and beer, but in moderation. I've already cut back on those. Giving up a martini, though, will be a challenge, as my husband makes a fabulous martini, and I do so love to drink.

Weeks 4&5: Nov 27 - Dec 7

Week 4 was a partial success. I think I missed one night.

Week 5 was not very successful. I think I missed two nights.

Life has been a bit chaotic, and I didn't make meeting my goal a priority.

Space Coast Half Marathon

It is finished. Four half marathons completed in 2011.

Week 4: Nov 20-24

Week 4 Success! Five nights of weights, crunches, and squats!

Tomorrow morning, I'll be completing my fourth half marathon of 2011. Goal met!

Week 3: Nov 13-17

Week 3 was a success! Five nights of lifting my dumbells.

Sunday, we did something like 6 hours of yard work. As a result, I could hardly move on Monday. It's made lifting my little weights really challenging. I've been so sore and tired all week.

The crunches/push ups were less successful this week. I only managed two out of five nights for those. See also: sore and exhausted. Next week I won't allow myself to make excuses, and I'll begin a five night a week goal for those, too.

I've not run or jumped rope at all this week. Other than the 7 miles I got in last Friday.

I have a half marathon on the 27th. That will be my fourth half this year. Hallelujah, I will meet that stupid goal.

Part of the journey to living a more active life is getting my brain engaged. Obviously I'm having a hard time convincing my brain that I need to be more active. It's a work in progress.

But I feel a little healthier this week, so there's that.

Week 2: Nov 6-10

Week two was slightly less successful than week one, in that I did not meet my goal. I missed Wednesday night's weights and crunches. However, I walked Epcot that night, which proved exhausting.

Tuesday night I jumped rope. So there's that.

Friday morning, I walked 7 miles with a friend who is just not up for running yet.

jumping rope

In 2003, leading up to my wedding, I lost many inches (but very few pounds) by lifting my dumbells, doing crunches, and jumping rope. If memory serves, I jumped rope 500 jumps nearly every night.

Tonight was night one of adding jump rope back into my routine.

Last week I did 5 nights of weights and crunches, as my goal dictates.

I'm at 2 nights so far this week, and will get that done tonight, too. I tend to do that just before bed. I've added push ups to my routine. It's exhausting. But I need to do it.

And I'll be adding rope jumping to the routine.

I only jumped 200 jumps tonight, and it nearly killed me. I'll try to increase my number each week until I hit 500 again.

Week 1: Oct 31 - Nov 3

For the purposes of this new journey, a week shall encompass 5 days, Sunday through Thursday.

My goal: lift weights and do various squats and crunches 5 nights out of 7. I assume I won't do Friday and Saturday nights, as those tend to be too social to end in exercise.

Week 1: success! Five successive nights of weights and squats and crunches. Preceded by a half marathon.

Need to get running and jumping rope back into the mix.