Christmas Weekend

My sister and her dog are here for Christmas weekend, so I'm taking a break from counting calories.  I'll still try to get some exercise in when I can -- we were planning to take the dogs for walks, but it is supposed to be cold and rainy so I'm not sure if that will happen.  Walking them is always an adventure.

My sister are planning to do some cooking - making dad's famous chili and mom's bierocks that we can freeze for later.  And baking crispy oatmeal cookies, with the hope of recreating the cookie we got during our drive home to Kansas for my cousin's wedding.

Hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

Wednesday Weigh-In --- 12/21/11

Minus 1 pound this week.

And today is the last day of the 21-Day No Junk Food challenge!  I'm looking forward to some M&Ms from Aa's party favors tomorrow!  And frozen yogurt from Gogo's!  And I'm definitely looking forward to downloading some new songs from amazon.com for my mp3 player.

It rained on Monday so I headed to the gym for a workout on the dreadmill and the bike. 

Yesterday, Gus & I walked around the neighborhood, back into the new subdivision and over into the subdivision next to the apartment complex.  It was chilly but bearable.

This evening, MM was feeling up to walking for the first time in a while.  She got sick after Thanksgiving and it really knocked her energy down.  So we all walked around the apartment complex because it got dark so darn early tonight. 

Definitely ready for longer days!

Weekend Warriors

Gus and I walked A LOT this weekend. 

Yesterday, we walked to Friars Creek Trail, which is just down the street about 1/2 mile.  I had some old apples that I wanted to feed the horses that are in the pasture next to the path.  And I'm "on duty" for work, so I had to take my work phone and some paper with me.  So I took my little backpack with me, which was a huge pain.  Just another reason Gus needs a doggie backpack to carry all my stuff!  I think we wound up walking and jogging 2.5+ miles.

Today, we went to Temple Lions Park.  I had been to the park once in the past, but we have never walked the path there.  Since it was pretty, I opted to try something different today.  There are two loops - the lower loop is 1.25 miles and the upper loop adds another mile.  The lower loop is pretty level and winds around the park and around the sports fields.  A serious, crazy-long hill is the start of the upper loop.  We walked up that pretty slowly but we made it to the top.  It was definitely some good cross-training for our upcoming 5Ks.  And we took a wrong turn somewhere so I would guess that we walked close to 3 miles.


Speaking of, I think I'm going to register for a Resolution Run 5K on New Year's Day!  It is dog-friendly and only about 45 minutes from Temple. 





Going home from the hospital - May 1981 & Senior Prom - April 1999



Today is the anniversary of my mom's death so I had much to think about and reflect upon during my walk today.  As I hiked up that long hill, I was reminded how blessed I am to be able to walk, even when I am breathing hard and moving at a snail's pace.  And I need to continue to get healthier and appreciate the physical abilities that I have while improving my spirit and self esteem.  My mom always encouraged me to be my best, so I need to get to being the best me I can be. 







The day of my mom's funeral -12/20/03



5K and trying to run

I went to Bryan for a meeting today and then got to have lunch with one of my college roommates!  She and her husband recently adopted a dog, a Blue Lacey named Bluebonnet.  I wanted to meet Blue so I headed over to their house after the meeting.  Blue is super sweet and so tiny compared to Gus!  My friend cooked us a healthy lunch and we discussed many things, including the 5Ks that she signed up for and is training for - one in January, one in March.  She is doing Couch to 5K.  After talking to her, I think I need to revisit the training plan and see if I can follow it.

I did go to the gym tonight because it has been raining for the last 2 days.  I decided to test myself and do intervals on the treadmill.  I was able to run 1.5 minutes at 5.0!  That reassures me that the walking/jogging that Gus and I have been doing outside has been somewhat effective! 

Hoping to get back outside this weekend!

Wednesday Weigh-In: 12/14/11

Weight loss this week:  zero, zilch, nada.

But at least it wasn't a gain.

Spent the weekend in Houston with my college roommate, Aa, for her 30th birthday party.

We started out at her mom's house on Friday night, where we put together favors for the party.  One of my roles was filling cute little gumball machines with teal, purple, and white M&Ms (and I couldn't even eat the ones I dropped on the table because of the 21 Day No Junk Food Challenge).  Luckily, M&Ms don't really have a chocolate smell like Hersheys Kisses do! 

Saturday, Aa and I had to go shopping for shoes for the party.  The dress code was "Show up in your best and make sure you wear your favorite SNEAKERS."  So two birds, one stone.  I needed new running shoes and I needed shoes for the party!  We found shoes remarkably quickly.  They worked great for the party; now, I need to test them out on the street or at the gym!

The party was held in the Reptile House at the Houston Zoo!  It was quite a hike from the parking lot to the reptile house, so sneakers were an awesome idea.

Here is a pic of Al the albino American alligator guarding the favor bags:

I drove back to Temple on Sunday after breakfast with Aa, her mom and her aunt. 

I bought Gus a doggie backpack, but it doesn't fit around his chest.  So I guess I'll return and keep my eyes peeled for another one.  REI has one that has great reviews, but it is $50+ --- I'd like to find a cheaper one first to see if Gus will even wear it before I make a big investment.

101 Days til my sister's wedding = motivation!

Wednesday Weigh-In ---12/7/11

Well, I lost 1 pound this week.  Not what I was hoping for, but a loss is a loss.

Gus and I have walked the last couple nights.  He was soooo excited when I put my workout clothes on after work yesterday that even though it was freezing outside, I opted to take him for a walk instead of going to the gym.  I need some long workout pants or tights to put under my workout clothes.  My legs were a tad cold, but keeping my hands and ears warm made the biggest difference. 

He didn't even fight his cool reflective vest or his Gentle Leader.

I finally turned my heat on last night.  I stalled as long as I could, but I gave in last night.

December Goals

Hello December!  You totally snuck up on me. 

Well, November's tiny weight loss all happened in the last couple weeks, most of which were spent not counting calories and not exercising.  Go figure. 

So for December, we are trying some new tactics. 

My sister and I challenged each other to a 21-day No Junk Food challenge.  In addition, we agreed to 12-15 workouts during the challenge period.  My goal is 15!  We started December 1st, so we will be finished in time for Christmas!  My friends LS and TP are also participating in the challenge! 

When I have successfully survived the 21-day No Junk Food challenge, my sister is going to get me a $21 amazon.com gift card, which I desperately need.  I want new music for my old school mp3 player.  I find that when I'm working out, I skip over a majority of the songs currently on my mp3 player.  It's definitely time for a refresh of my workout music.

I made a healthy crockpot potato soup yesterday.  It starts with diced potatoes, onions, chopped celery, and reduced-sodium chicken broth (or water and chicken bouillon).  After the potatoes have softened, mash them up a bit and add nonfat condensed milk and some instant potato flakes (to thicken the soup).  Warm through.  Served with cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and chives.  yum and virtually fat free (until you add the cheese and bacon!).

I also decorated my guest bedroom window for Christmas.

I think I'm going to get some more ribbon and add a few new ornaments.

Gus and I went with MM to a drive-thru Christmas display last night near Belton Lake.  Gus growled at the reindeer display.  He seemed really excited to see all the lights.

happy december!

Wednesday Weigh-In

Decided to start doing Wednesday Weigh-Ins.  I didn't expect any weight loss this week - in fact, I expected a gain due to the fact that I'd taken so much time off from counting calories and working out.

Instead, I lost 2 pounds this week.

Which brings my grand total to 25 since August.

Wish it was more, but still a big milestone!

Better get back to the office!!

I'm back

So I took a break from blogging for my trip to Kansas and it turned into a break from blogging, working out, and counting calories.  So today, I am back to all 3. 

The trip to Kansas was good!

Gus and I picked up my sister on the way through Fort Worth.  She played dj the whole way home so I didn't get to listen to the book on cd I'd bought the week before.  I do have to say that I like the new Miranda Lambert cd.  We got to Dodge City ~8 p.m. on Thursday and met Dad at Kates for supper.  A taco for me please!  yum.

Gus was super excited to see Jeb and Joker when we got to the house.  He ran around outside with them for a while, but we were all tired so we headed to bed pretty early.  Gus somehow managed to cut his gums on the door (trying to get in).  He must have thought he cut his paw, though, because he just kept licking at it. 

Dad had breakfast ready when we woke up on Friday morning.  yum.  I left Gus at home and drove to Garden to meet my friend for lunch!  After a little confusion about the restaurant location, we found a place to eat and had yummy Mexican food.  Always fun hanging out with her (and her mom and grandma!).

After a failed trip to Sams to get beef jerky supplies for dad, I went back home and hung out in the barn for a while.  Dad smoked some turkeys - yum.  I brought some back to Texas with me!!

Beth and I went to town so that I could get a tan sprayed on that afternoon.  There is not a single tanning salon in Dodge or Garden that has a spray tan booth.  So..... I had to get over my embarrassment and let a person do the spray tan (and of course, it was a petite little blonde chick).  I do have tan lines though - strapless bra and shorts.

Cammie and M (and Trooper) were at the house by the time we got back to the house.  Cammie, Beth, and I drove to town to meet some of the extended fam at the bar and for supper.  Several of us ended up back at Kates for supper.  That night, it was a cheeseburger and tots for supper. yum again.  We all went to the restaurant/bar where my cousin's rehearsal dinner was being held (at the invitation of my aunt) to hang out and socialize. 

Saturday morning, another breakfast in the barn at the house.  Cammie, Beth and I went to town - I had an appointment to get my hair cut and eyebrows waxed at noon.  When the stylist finally showed up at 12:30, she worked fast to get my hair trimmed (3-4 inches gone), eyebrows waxed, and hair straightened.  It's so nice to let someone else straighten my hair!  We ran some other errands then went home to get ready for the wedding.

The wedding was beautiful.  My cousin was beaming as she walked down the aisle.  A beautiful Kansas sunset met the newlyweds as they exited the church. 

The cake and mints were yummy.  The beer was flowing (which my family appreciated).  Dinner and dancing was fun.  And always fun to spend time with the fam!

Much of the family needed to travel home on Sunday, so we had Thanksgiving/Christmas brunch at my grandparents' house that morning.  Aunts, uncles, and cousins went their different directions.  Beth rode back to Fort Worth with my uncle so she could work on Monday.  Dad had to drive to Sherman for a Monday morning drop-off.  Cammie and M wanted to get home to work on some things.  That left me (and Gus, Jeb, and Joker) at home alone.  Weird.  I went over to my brother and sister-in-law's house for a while that evening.  We wound up going out to eat Mexican food and watching part of a movie.  I loaded my car that night and tried to get to sleep early so that Gus and I could leave early Monday morning.  It was kind of strange - I think it was the first time I had ever spent the night in my childhood home alone. 

I got to listen to my book during the long and rainy drive back to central Texas.  "Every Now and Then" by Karen Kingsbury.  Good book.  I need to go pay my library fines so I can check out some books this winter. 

Worked Tuesday and Wednesday.  Nice, quiet Thanksgiving weekend.

My uncle and sister brought me the washer and dryer that my dad found to me yesterday!! 

I'm Leaving...

but not on a jet plane.  Just in my car with Gus.  We are Kansas-bound tomorrow for my cousin's wedding.  I hope the clothes that I packed fit.  I'm sure I can make something work! 

I cleaned out my car this evening to make room for my bags, Gus' wireless fence, and Beth's stuff.  I told her to pack light so I hope she listened.  Gus and I are picking her up on the way through Fort Worth. 

I was amazed by the amount of junk I was able to clean out of my car though.  It definitely looks better!  Even had room to put the 6 1-gallon cans of Ranch Style beans that my dad requested from Sams.

Highlights of this week:

• Weighed in for Maintain, No Gain at work.  The goal is to not gain more than 2 pounds over the holidays.  Of course, that should not be a problem for me because I fully intend to lose far more than that before January.  Anyway, if we Maintain, No Gain, we are awarded 4 hours of leave!  So, as hard as it was to weigh-in in front of one of my coworkers, I did it for the time.
• Gus and I walked/jogged around the new subdivision behind the apartment complex Monday evening.  Still just trying to jog a little more each time and build up my stamina.  I think Gus is benefiting from all our exercise - his waist seems more defined.
• Our apartment complex is being painted ---- and it is being done in the strangest, most unorganized-looking fashion.  I'll be interested to see what it looks like when we get back.
• Last night and this evening have been spent cleaning and packing and organizing.  My apartment is still not going to be anywhere near spotless when I come home, but it'll be ok. 

Be back sometime next week!

Sunday funday

Oops.  I didn't write about today...

Gus and I slept late.  Then we met LS and her kids at the new trail we went to last weekend.  We walked not quite 2 miles and Gus got to play in the water at the "waterfall."

And LS's kids both got to walk him a little bit.

After lunch from Whataburger (Jr. Whataburger and small fries), I took my old school mp3 player and went to the gym for a while.

When MM got back to town from visiting her family, she wanted to go walk.  Because it was so windy, we opted to go back to the trail that we had walked at this morning.  Gus got to play in the water again!  He is so spoiled rotten.  I definitely met this goal for myself today though.

This is hanging on my door so I see it every time I go out!

"Back" At It

I wound up taking a few days off working out, which I think gave my back enough of a rest to straighten itself out somewhat.  But I got "back" to it today!

So what have I been up to?

Thursday, I went to College Station - always fun!  The reason for the visit was to talk to the Epidemiology Student Organization at the School of Rural Public Health about my career path in epidemiology.  It was a good talk - they had lots of good questions.

Then I stopped by the Association of Former Students to see the big Aggie Ring!  The guy hiding underneath the ring was surprising his girlfriend, asking her to formal.  He had sent her on a scavenger hunt and this was the last stop.  

I stopped at Freebirds for a chicken Hybird burrito - yum!

And I stopped at Blue Baker to get supper to bring back to Temple with me!  I usually get the Powder Blue sandwich, but opted for the B.B. sandwich, which is turkey, ham, and swiss on a French baguette.  It was good, but I'll go with my norm next time.  I also tried a cranberry oatmeal cookie - that was yummy!

Friday was Veteran's Day - a big thanks to all the veterans out there!  LS is a veteran so she asked me to go with her to get her free lunch at Olive Garden.  I did not get a free lunch, but I did get a delicious lunch!  I ordered the Chicken Caprese panini - it came with salad, soup, and breadsticks.  I opted for zuppa toscana soup - potato and sausage - yum.  I ended up bringing the panini and another cup of soup home with me.  I had the panini for supper and the soup for lunch on Saturday.

  Yesterday, I watched the A&M versus K-State game.  Good game.  It went to triple overtime!  Unfortunately, the Aggies ran out of time, but it was a good way to end the Big XII matchups.  I'll miss the family rivalry that goes along with the game too.

Here's crazy dog - doing his thing.  I love how his lip flaps open!

Chilly

But no chili yet.  I got all the stuff for my version of Dad's chili but haven't made it yet.  I'm looking forward to making and enjoying it this weekend!

When I went to the grocery store, I bought some zucchini and yellow squash and mushrooms, so I whipped up an easy pasta dish with lots and lots of vegetables.  Yum.

It started looking like this:

Then I added (canned) diced tomatoes with garlic, basil, and oregano

Served over cavatappi (corkscrew-shaped) pasta with Weight Watchers Four Cheese Italian blend cheese:

I ate it meatless the first night.  The second night, I added a precooked chicken breast.  Yum.

I also found a couple new flavors of Clif bars - Spiced Pumpkin Pie and Peppermint Stick.  I had the Peppermint Stick Clif bar today --- pretty good.

On a final note, Gus is finally learning to be a "real" dog.  I've always called him my air conditioner dog, because he's never been a dog to stick his head out the window in the car.  But lately, he has been enjoying the breeze making his ears and lips flap in the wind!   (I was not driving when this picture was taken!)

Exercising has been going ok this week - not great because my back is still being temperamental.  Sometimes moving helps and sometimes, it just makes things worse.  Just trying to keep a good calorie deficit!

Pain in the Back

Gus and I did not work out today, because starting last night, my back decided to remind me that it has arthritis and a herniated disc.  When my back decides to act up, I cannot even stand up straight.  I have a definite tilt to my posture.  What a mess.  I don't know what aggravated it but it was frustrating not to be able to exercise today.

We did go for a couple walks yesterday - once in the morning and once in the evening.  The morning walk took us to a different trail in town that we had not tried before.  MM, Gus and I met LS and her daughter at the trail.  It was a nice walk - wide path, relatively flat, shaded, quiet, peaceful, and with water elements.  Gus even got to play in the water at the encouragement of MM and LS.

He was nice and wet and cool when he got finished playing in the water.  And he left sandy footprints in MM's car...

In the evening, MM, Gus and I opted to walk at our normal trail.  Gus and I jogged a little bit --- it felt good at the time. 

I took laundry over to MM's apartment (oh, to have my own washer and dryer again...).  We went to Chipotle for supper - I got a steak bowl, rather than a burrito.  Saved myself the nearly 300 calories that the tortilla would have cost me.  We also stopped and got frozen yogurt.  Gogo's didn't have pumpkin fro yo, so I mixed together fat free chocolate and vanilla with Heath bar and almonds on top. 

Even though I didn't exercise, I did go to the grocery store this afternoon.  I made it out of the store for less than $100 which surprised me because this was the first time I'd shopped this month.  And I got all the fixin's for my version of my Dad's award-winning chili.  That is a project for one evening this week. 

It's only 8:30 p.m. and I'm starting to get tired.  I hope I can adjust to this time change ok.  I'm planning to get to sleep early tonight and wake up and start the week off right by heading to the gym tomorrow morning.  Advil and Biofreeze will be good friends this week, I'm afraid. 

Dreading the Time Change

So daylight savings time ends this weekend, which will shorten the already too short evenings.  We need to find a well-lit track or trail so Gus and I (and MM and LS) can keep up our outdoor training.  We can walk/jog around the perimeter of the apartment complex (it's ~0.4 mile), but that will get boring really fast.

Let's see.  I didn't post yesterday, but exercise-wise, Gus and I walked with LS at the track in the morning and walked with MM at the park in the evening!  Yesterday was a beautiful fall day --- and then a cool front moved through during the night.  It was definitely cooler today but it's supposed to be back in the 70s by this weekend.  We're loving the fall weather, especially because we know it won't last long.  It is really nice to have the windows open.  Gus spends his evenings like this:

Except when he looks like this:

This is a look I like to call the "grimace"  --- he gets it every time I put the nose part of his Gentle Leader on his face.  And he pretends to hate it, but he also gets super excited when he sees the Gentle Leader because he knows he gets to go for a walk!

Today, we took our boss to lunch at a local restaurant.  We went to BJ's Brewhouse --- so I made today a "cheat day."  I had a mini pizza with mushrooms and black olives - they have yummy pizza crust.

This evening, Gus and I walked at the park with MM.  We had to wear jackets, but it was still a nice evening for a walk.  On the drive home, we passed the pumpkin patch near our house.  Lots of pumpkins left.  MM had mentioned before that we should stop and take Gus' picture with the pumpkins so this evening, we stopped.  Gus may or may not have peed on one of the pumpkins...

Blank Slate

I try to look at each month like it is a blank slate, a new start to the next step in my journey to health.

There were no stickers on my November calendar this morning.  I plan to have a picture of this same calendar at the end of the month and the days will all blur together because of all the fall-themed stickers. 

November marks less than 5 months until my sister's wedding and 6 months until I'm 31.

And I started off November right - got up before the crack of dawn and headed to the gym to meet LS for our morning workout.  The treadmills were full so we headed for the stationary bikes.  I did 30 minutes on the bike.  She did a warmup on the bike then lifted weights.  I have found that cardio is my best bet in the mornings because it doesn't require as much thinking as strength training does.  After she left to get her kids ready for school, some eye candy came in (I'd never seen him before) and got on the bike next to mine.  Of course, I'm sure I looked lovely, seeing as all I did was brush my teeth and put in contacts and pull my hair into a ponytail before I went.  Oh well, the goal is not to pick up a man at the gym (although that would be an added bonus); the goal is to get healthy!!

So I love seeing those dogs who balance a treat on their noses and toss them up and eat them on command.  Gus will never be one of those dogs.  However, because his head is so big, I discovered that if I distract him, I can set a treat between his ears and it will balance there for a while. 

I didn't have my camera ready the first time I did it and it was perfectly spaced between both ears.  He must have good posture because it stayed balanced there for a while!  This one did not stick around quite as long. 

It was a gorgeous fall evening.  MM was not available to walk this evening so Gus and I took a walk/jog around the new subdivision being built behind our apartment complex.  Pretty low key. 

Now, I'm watching The Biggest Loser and Gus is snoozing on the kitchen floor.  The windows are open and I'm hoping the apartment will be nice and cool when we go to sleep. 

Oh, as a follow-up to the October challenge to lose 12 pounds.  I didn't meet the goal, but I did lose 7 pounds in the last 4 weeks!  Any loss is a gain!  I just have to keep going!  And I will try again.  November challenge to myself is 12 pounds!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Howl-oween!

So this is not actually a Halloween costume - it was for a Relay for Life fundraiser.  And it was supposed to be a Hawaiian shirt but we didn't get the measurements quite right and every time he sat down, he popped open the velcro at the front.  Just showing off his "manly" chest.

I think I'm just going to have to acknowledge to myself that Monday mornings are not meant for working out in my world.  I did not sleep well so that 5 a.m. alarm was way too early.  Luckily, it was too early for LS too.

But today was a beautiful fall day in central Texas, so MM walked at the park with me and Gus.  We walked about a mile.  I think the exercise is good and the socializing is even better for both of us. 

After our walk, I headed to the gym for some more cardio and strength training.

20 minutes on the treadmill, with some jogging intervals

Chest Press

Seated Row

Fly

Seated Dip

20 minutes on the stationary bike

500+ calories burned! 

I was bad and stopped to get a Diet Coke on the way home.  I am still drinking far fewer diet drinks than before but I definitely still like my pop.  I made homemade pizza again - Canadian bacon, black olives, mushrooms.  Like I've probably said before, I get stuck on a food and eat it until I get tired of it.  This few weeks, it seems to be homemade pizza.

I put my last butterfly sticker on the calendar for the month.  Each sticker represents a workout.  You'll notice that I took off that week when Gus was sick, but I think I made up for it.

Weekend

Gus and I got up early (ok - it was 8 o'clock but that's early for a Saturday) and met LS & Chili and her husband & Rocco and her daughter at the track.  It was pretty chilly yesterday morning, but we did our walk the curves, jog the straights routine.  Good way to start the day!

After I got home, my neighbor came down to borrow a short leash to walk her boyfriend's new super cute German Shepherd "puppy" that she was dog-sitting.  She was super sweet and complimented me on my weight loss.  It was nice to hear, especially from a person that I see nearly every day. 

I watched the A&M versus Mizzou football game.  Tough loss for the Aggies in overtime. 

I went to the gym during the OU versus K-State game.  I was the only one there for most of my workout.  I did more intervals on the treadmill - like the C25K program - followed by a little strength training.

• Hip Adductor 4x10x55 + pulses
• Hip Abductor 4x10x70 + pulses
• Leg Press 4x10x130
• Calf Raises 3x10x70

Ended my gym time with 20 minutes on the stationary bike.

Exceeded all my GoWear Fit goals again!!  And got a new battery for the display so it stays synced with the armband much better now!

Last night, I got frozen yogurt from Gogo's!  One of the feature flavors right now is pumpkin - yum!  And I added Heath bar pieces and pecans.

Gus wanted some.

But I didn't share.

Today was a lazy day.  I didn't work out and Gus didn't make me take him for a walk despite the fact that it was a beautiful fall day in central Texas.

I had Chipotle for lunch while I did laundry.  I should have gotten the bowl but the burrito is so much better.  There is just something about the tortilla - probably all the carbs!

Like I said, it was a gorgeous fall day in central Texas so I opened up the windows.  Gus enjoys all the fresh air!

It's Almost Friday!

It's almost Friday!! 

Exceeded all of my GoWear Fit goals again today!  Yay me!

I did get to go back to sleep this morning rather than meeting my friend at the track; thank goodness, because I went to sleep way too late last night.

But I tried to make up for it this evening.  I walked about a mile in the brisk breeze with Gus and MM. 

I was headed to the gym after that when my neighbor and her daughter walked by.  The daughter was in her Halloween costume (Bat Girl) so I knew they were probably headed to the apartment complex Halloween gathering.  I have been saying for over a year that I need to go to the activities that the complex works so hard to coordinate a couple times a month.  So I tagged along with them and went to the party.  They actually had a really good turnout tonight and I met a few more people who live in the apartment complex!  And got to see several kids in their costumes.  It was fun!

I was still in my workout clothes, so I did still go to the gym.  It's a small, locally-owned gym - but it's open 24/7 and it's close to my apartment - so it couldn't get any more convenient.  I've never had to wait for a machine and I feel safe and comfortable there.  When I got there tonight, I was the only person there, which is odd for a Thursday night (not for Friday or Saturday).  A few more people came in while I was working out - lo and behold, 3 ladies who had been at the Halloween gathering were at my gym tonight working off those calories from the snacks at the party.  :)  I think it may have been the first time I talked to somebody (besides Lacey) at the gym beyond a simple "hi, how are you?" or a smile and nod. 

I may get some more workout buddies out of it!  All the support and accountability I can get!

On another note, it feels like fall in central Texas tonight!  It just reminds me that since I'm serious about training for this 5K in February, I'm going to have to get some weather-appropriate workout gear.  Gus should be fine.  He has a really pretty fur coat! 

Two A Days

Two exercise sessions today:

1. ~1 Mile Walk with Gus & MM this morning
2. ~1 Mile Walk with Gus & MM this evening + treadmill, leg weights, and stationary bike at the gym

Nearly 10,000 steps and 1.5 hours of activity.

This evening's workout was later than usual, so I went to Subway to get supper. 

Me: Since it's $5 any regular footlong, can I get one with chicken on one half and ham on the other half?
Subway dude:  No, it has to be the same kind of meat.
Me:  You can charge me for the more expensive one.
Subway dude (with a totally straight face): They're all $5.

Fine.  So I got chicken.  He was nice enough to wrap the two halves separately so I can save one for tomorrow.

Gus and I have to get up dark and early to meet LS at the track again tomorrow.

Sorry for the boring post.  It was just a regular old Wednesday!

Meeting Goals

When the alarms (yes, that's plural) went off this morning, it was so tempting to stay in bed and get an extra 2 hours of sleep.  But I climbed out of bed and got dressed.  It's good for me to have someone who is depending on me to show up!  And she happens to be this cheerful, talkative morning person.  So she talks while we walk and I wake up.  We jogged a little bit at the track this morning.  I think Gus enjoys getting to see Chili too. 

We got home with plenty of time before I had to start getting ready for work.  I thought, "oh, I'll try another workout on the On Demand channel." So I pulled up a hip hop dance workout.  Yeah, my hips just don't move like that.  I know it's just practice and repetition.  However, early this morning was not the time for me to be trying something new.  So I put Gus' reflective vest on him and we circled the apartment complex a couple times - both walking and jogging.

Please forgive the phone picture - I need to get some pics of him looking all official in his vest.  I figure if one of us is going to look like a dork while we walk, it's going to be him!  Safety first!

According to GoWear Fit, I burned nearly 600 calories and walked over 5000 steps before breakfast!

Melissa was not available to walk this evening so I opted to head to the gym and give Gus a break.  I haven't been to the gym in a few weeks because it has been so nice outside.  It was good to do some strength training in addition to some machine-based cardio. 

Goals met exceeded today:
Calories burned - 3293 (goal 3010)
Steps - 11627 (goal 8000)
Moderate Activity - 82 minutes (goal 30)
Vigorous Activity - 31 minutes (goal 15)

Today was the first day I ever met my Vigorous Activity Goal -- and not only did I meet it, but I more than doubled it! 

I'm watching the end of The Biggest Loser, then it's time for bed.  Gus and I have an appointment to walk with MM dark and early in the morning.

Happy Monday

Gus slept through the night!  Which means we did not get up early to exercise.

But we did go for a walk with MM again this evening.  Another 1-1/2 miles in the opposite direction on the trail - just a little change of scenery.  Gus & I jogged a little bit. 

So I discovered that I have Sports and Fitness On Demand through my cable package.  This evening, I tried about 2 minutes of a Bellydance Basics video.  I guess I just need to keep practicing it and doing the Basics version over and over again.  I'm not sure my hips will ever move like the instructor's hips do though.  After I decided Bellydancing wasn't for me today, I opted for The Biggest Loser 30 Day Jump Start, which is simply 10 minutes of cardio led by Tara from a few seasons ago.  I need to do it a few more times to get the moves down but I think I could enjoy it and progress to other classes.

It makes me miss my free step aerobics classes in Virginia.  There is an awesome Coalition for Health & Wellness where I used to live that offered free aerobics classes most nights of the week in various places in the county.  When I lost weight the first time, I was going to 2 nights of step aerobics with my friend Angie every week. 

I ate the increased veggies, decreased canadian bacon and cheese version of the homemade pizza tonight. 263 calories.

Planning to meet LS at the track dark and early in the morning!

Back At It

So Gus and I have not exercised in about a week - he has a good excuse (UTI/acute cystitis that required 2 antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory); I do not.  It has been a stressful week with Gus being sick and having to go out every couple hours - we did not get much sleep.  Last night, Gus slept 6 solid hours so hopefully things are getting back to normal.

We walked at the park with our friend MM this evening.  There is a nice path that is marked every 1/4 mile.  There are horses in the pasture adjacent to the path and this evening, we had old carrots and apples to feed them.  Fun times.  Gus got nose-to-nose with one of the horses.  I think he misses his horse friends in Virginia.  We walked about 1-1/2 miles and jogged a little bit.  Here's what Gus is doing now.

Then home to make homemade pizza using a 100% whole wheat thin & crispy crust.  I opted for canadian bacon, mushrooms, and black olives!  Yum.  MM came over to eat and to catch up on last week's Survivor and Big Bang Theory.

Half of this pizza was 201 calories!  I knew I was sharing it, so next time I would cut back on the cheese and the canadian bacon and up the veggies to be able to eat the whole personal-sized pizza.
So my sister and I challenged each other this month.  My goal is to lose 12 pounds by November 1st and hers is to lose 10.  The reward is a $20 amazon gift card (for downloading new music for our workout playlists).  Let's just say I have to kick it into high gear for the next 8 days if there is even the slightest chance I'll make it to my October challenge goal.