Of Cabbages and Kings

With a nod to Lewis Carroll for my title, here are some bits and pieces of things that are happening in my life.

Today was my WW day and I'm happy to report a .4 pound loss. Add that to last week's 2.6 loss and I'm feeling downright sassy about my progress. I have never been a big loser. My numbers, even when I'm being downright angelic, are usually little numbers, partial pounds.  I've been transferring some of my older posts from another blog and came across this one.  It reminded me to think of this .4 loss not as less than half a pound, but, rather, as almost two whole sticks o' butter.  Thanks Paula Deen!

I was in the midst of my C25K last Saturday, feeling great about my running, enjoying the beautiful weather, loving the music I was listening to, planning what to fix for dinner when, KABOOM!  my knee was suddenly speeding toward the ground at a much faster pace than my normal.  I tripped on one of the boards on the boardwalk.  I skinned my elbow and have bruises and some aches on my knee and wrist.  Other than that, it's okay.  I picked myself up, decided I was okay and continued my run.  I'm using that for a metaphor of how I'm approaching my weight loss.  If I get tripped up, I'll pick myself up and keep on going.   I've run twice since Saturday and things seem fine.  I've decided to repeat one more day of Week 4, but by Saturday I'll be on Week 5!   I'm excited.  In my ideal world, I'd like to be running 4-5 miles three or four times a week.  

I finally did something I've wanted to do since I was in college. I signed up for BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) starting next September. I'd heard about BSF when I was in college and some friends took it. I've been in lots of Bible studies in the intervening years, but for one reason or another (moving 18 times in 20 years, working full time, living in Europe, babysitting my grandbabies three days a week . . .) it never happened. Well now it's going to and I'm excited. BSF is doing a new study on Isaiah and I'll go right before my Weight Watcher weigh in.

I have to confess that I caved in when an adorable little girl scout knocked on my door a couple of months ago.  Add to the cuteness factor the fact that her mother is a friend of mine.  And the fact that they didn't have the option to send the cookies to the troops or give them to a homeless shelter.  So, the mom was going to bring me the cookies when they came in.  I see her at church on Sundays.  She was away for a couple of weeks and then I was gone.  I'd kind of forgotten about them.  I got an email from her last week saying she'd bring them to church.  Did I mention that I ordered two boxes of my favorite Thin Mints?  [you know, 1 sleeve=1 serving] Anyway.  When Sunday came, she'd forgotten to bring them.  I took this as a sign.  I  gave her the money and told her to send the cookies in to her child's teacher (for snacks for the class).  Another confrontation with GS cookies avoided.  I'm safe until next year.

All Is Not Lost

One hundred days ago I wrote this very optimistic post.  I was in the midst of a fairly successful push toward finally getting back to the business of losing my weight.  I went so far as to name a day, today, when I would look back and see how far I'd come. Well, clearly, my optimism was unfounded.  I failed to reach the weight loss goals I set.  I gained rather than lost weight.  I failed.  Again.   Or did I?


Here's what else I did in those 100 days:

• I ran/jogged/walked 88 miles.  I keep track on my nike+.
• I re-started my C25K program so that I run more than walk on my runs (I'm in the middle of week 4).
• I went to my Weight Watcher's meeting every week but three of those weeks to hear my great leader and to get support from my friends there.
• I went to the gym twice a week every week but two of those weeks.
• I  set myself a challenge to omit potatoes, pasta, & rice from lunches and I've stuck to it for four weeks.
• I ate a good WW breakfast every day, even those five days I was traveling. 
• I started biking two or three evenings a week with my husband.  The weather is finally perfect for this and it's a good time to spend together.  We go for a little over an hour--12 or 13 miles.
• I journaled my weight every morning, except during my trip.

All is not lost.  I am not a failure.  I am making small changes and working toward my goals.  I just forgot that it doesn't happen magically.  Perhaps 17 pounds was a bit over-ambitious to lose in 3 months. I'm closer now than I was then to reaching my goals.

By the way, Laura Spangler's book, 100 Days of Weight Loss: The Secret to Being Successful on Any Diet Plan,  that inspired my over-optimistic post back then, is still a great book.   It's filled with great ideas for making small changes (dare I say incremental improvements?) that can will make a difference.  I especially liked her essay on the first two bites.  Basically, she says the first two bites  of any diet splurge food are enough.  When you decide to sample that scrumptious looking cake your friend brought to the potluck, you only need two bites.  The first two bites will let you appreciate the flavor, texture, and aroma.  Delight in those two bites.  They are the best.   The taste won't get any more wonderful than the first two bites, so either give away or toss the rest so you aren't tempted to eat anything less than the best.  I'm working on this one.  I think she's right, it's a matter of my slowing down and enjoying the 'wonderfulness' of those bites and following through with getting rid of the rest.

I am not a failure.   I am making incremental improvements and making progress.

How about you?  What good habits have you claimed even in the face of temporary disappointments at the scale?

Water

Well, here I am. I'm in the midst of moving my blog here and decided it's about time to stop fiddling with layout and gadgets and things and write a new post. I've imported some posts from my other blog so the archives don't seem quite so bare.

It was hard to choose a name for the blog. My first two choices were already taken, but I'm content with Incremental Improvements. I think this is how most change for the better is accomplished; in small steps. I've made some good tweaks to my exercise and diet in the past two years, but I still have farther to go in the fitness and weight loss areas.

One thing I've been trying in the past two weeks is to try to drink more water. Everyone tells you to drink a lot of water, but, somehow, even though I like water, I fall short of the recommended amount. Here's my plan: first thing each morning I fill a glass pitcher with ice and water (both filtered from my fridge). I have a glass, put the lid on the jar, and put it in the fridge. My overall goal is to drink the entire jar (it holds 8 cups, I just measured) during the day. At first I would be faced with two or three glasses still to drink at bedtime, but now, I usually finish before dinner. I pour a glass before each meal, whenever I feel the urge to check how the fridge is doing (you know), before and after I exercise, and, incredibly, whenever I feel thirsty. I've been doing this for two weeks now. It's working. I feel more "full" during the day. My friend, the bathroom scale, reports that I've increased my percentage of water by 2 or 3%. I've managed to avoid the siren call of (diet) killer snacks [are you paying attention, M&Ms? I'm not listening . . .] One of my first hurdles was making my pitcher off-limits to DH. He's a love and wonderfully supportive, so he's on board with my plan.

I'm going to continue to be very intentional about drinking water. I want to cement this habit in my routine.

How about you? Are you drinking enough water?

Running Alone

Tomorrow is my Wi and, for once, I'm looking forward to it! There has been a wondrous convergence of staying on plan and exercising chez moi this week and I'm loving it. I grabbing for the golden ring as the carousel goes 'round, hoping to regain my motivation and renew my progress toward reaching my goals.

I'm moving along on the C25K--half way through week three. My body is remembering, "oh yeah, this is what it feels like to keep on running, rather than walking at the first impulse." And it's not too bad. I like running. And I like running alone. Just me. With my ipod, my thoughts, and some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen. I have "friends" on the running path. I don't know their names, but they're the people who run regularly about the same time I do. We smile or nod when we meet. It makes me feel good to see them. There's the man with a new puppy (a pit bull) that he has to carry most of the way. An older woman who has great running form and always smiles or says hi (is she older than I am?) There's the Japanese man who doesn't look that old, but who runs at mid morning. (Is he retired, so rich he doesn't need to work? or just able to arrange his schedule so he can enjoy running in the prime of the day? and how far does he go, anyway?? definitely beyond my farthest point at either end. He never waves, he nods his head in a way that makes me imagine it's a mini-bow, in keeping with his heritage). Usually it's individual people. People in twos or threes are often too involved in their conversation to notice other people.

I run on a trail along the Potomac River. There's always something to see. Once I saw a beaver swimming under the wooden bridge I was crossing. Last week I saw a prothanatory warbler. (I had to look that one up--my son is the bird expert in the family) There's a family of bald eagles nesting at the farthest point of my run--the parents and three babies. They've nested in the same tree for three years now and checking on their progress is good motivation to go the distance. It was fun watching the babies learn to fly. They were remarkably clumsy at first, almost bumping into each other when they flew. It reminded me of the children's story by Cannon, Stella Luna. The tides this spring have been remarkably high. In the low places near the trail, you can still see signs of the water that sat for weeks. Once last winter a whole gang of boys was playing ice hockey at just that place--on the sleek frozen pond that measured 50 yards across. Their parents were on the edges of the pond, cradling steaming paper cups of Starbucks coffee. Now that place has tiny purple wild flowers coming up amid last fall's leaves and little fringes of grass.

One thing I did this week that helped me stay OP was actually drinking all that water they want you to drink. I pour a big glass pitcher (with a top) full of ice water in the morning and then drink from it during the day. The first few days I had to chug two or three glasses right before bed. I've gotten better at it now. The hot weather helps. I try to drink a glass whenever I'm tempted to eat something off plan (and this happens much too often for comfort!) All that water has kept my tummy feeling fuller and me feeling better about myself.

Enough rambling for today. I'm hoping tomorrow brings good things!

I'm Done

with week TWO of the C25K! Yay me! I'm enjoying running more and, as ever, the BTL nike+ challenge makes it fun. I resolve that this month I will NOT be at the bottom of the leader-loser board

DH is away for a week, but I'm managing to stay on plan, say "NO" to the munch monster, track my meals, and exercise. The biggest challenge is evening meals. It would be sooo easy to make a hot dog for Jay and then just give in to pasta, potatoes and rice, but I'm making good dinners. Last night I made Tonyne's Lemon Orzo (yum) and tonight I'm making a WW taco sald (sans chips or tacos). A little planning (like defrosting the beef for tonight and having planned what I'm going to eat) goes a long way to making it easier to avoid late afternoon munches.

Hoping for a negative number at WI this week. And hoping this motivation stays in place.

Hopefully yours,

Done with Week 1, Bring on Week 2

I just finished the first week of C25K. I found an awesome (free) podcast on itunes with Christian music. I have to say it was easy. Today, I added another run during the cool down walk. I'm ready for next week. I'm feeling in the groove with my plans. Nothing like a bit of halo shining to get me through lunch time with a modest cottage cheese and mandarin oranges (fat free and sugar free respectively). I've got a nice fat roasting chicken and lots of beautiful veggies that are going to meet my grill in an up-close-and-personal way tonight. Gorgeous strawberries for dessert.

The forecast is predicting heavy weather tomorrow, thunder storms and lots of rain. I've bought tickets for a West Point Cadet Choir concert and am planning to take my dad for an outing. He should love it. He was a WP grad in the class of 1939. His stroke 16 months ago left him confused and not making a lot of sense, but he still enjoys music and remembers all the words to almost any song he hears. An hour or so of patriotic songs, including some WP songs should make him happy. If we can just get him out without too much interference from the weather.

Happy weekend. I'm sticking to my 3 things (yes to C25K, and NO to noontime carbs and M&Ms).

Three Things Challenge

Carly, at Chubby Chicks Run Too is doing a three things challenge. Sounds like a great idea to me, so I'm doing it too. Here are three things I'm going to do differently to help me reach my goals.

1. I will complete the C25K (Couch to 5K) program. I did Week 1 Day 1 on Monday and I can do this.

2. I will not get into my 2 yr old granddaughter's M&Ms (a little stash for rewards in her goal of being potty trained) even though they are very tempting to me.

3. I will not eat bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes at lunch time. I've drifted away from the WW guidance in this regard and it hasnot helped.

I will check back here occasionally to report on my progress.

WI tomorrow. We'll see.