The first time I saw the KOKO acronym, I had to puzzle it out for a minute before I realized what it meant. I'm the type of e-mail user who would rather write 'granddaughter' than DGD. I don't text-message at all, or I might see the advantage of electronic shorthand. Basically, though, I like to be clear.
Oh, and I love to type.
So. KOKO means keep on keepin' on. Looking at the letters reminds me of that old cereal commercial where the animated character declares he's "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs!" [What a sorry-ass excuse for a breakfast food Cocoa Puffs are, eh?]
But I digress.
I haven't been KOKO-ing very well lately. In spite of my determination to get back on the horse many times this past year – most recently just 16 days ago – I'm still standing in the barn with a saddle blanket in my hands, wondering which direction the posse went.
On November 27, I vowed to do a light weight-training routine every day. I think I did it twice, and I haven't touched a dumbbell since. I have promised myself – and you – I would follow the eDiets menu precisely. The truth is, I start off with a bang and end with a whimper.
Every morning is the morning.
I wouldn't blame you a bit if you didn't believe me this time, either. But ohmygoodness, how I hope that this morning really is The One that gets me back on track, right down the beam, on the straight and narrow.
Saddled up.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query get back on the horse. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query get back on the horse. Sort by date Show all posts
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Yesterday? Not so good.
I attempted a 30/30 rowing/treadmill workout yesterday morning and barely got past 10 minutes on the rower before I had to quit. Slight chest pain, nothing to worry about, and a general sense of malaise, and I gave up before I'd barely started. I hope to do better today.
It's fr-fr-freezing cold! Well, actually, it's quite a bit less than freezing [23 degrees!] right now. So the intentional activity will most definitely be of the indoor variety. Today might be the day to try one of those DVDs I bought recently.
Food yesterday was fine, though.
I started a post about the big debate going on regarding America's obesity epidemic. I actually care less about the condition of America's waistline than I do my own, selfish bitch that I am, but I do read my Google News Alerts about obesity, just to see if there are any new developments that might be useful, interesting or blow all the current theories out of the water.
Nothing so far. Eating less and moving more are touted to be the keys to reducing girth, last time I checked. I've been trying that for several years, but have not, in the past, made quite such a determined effort to eliminate refined sugar and white flour as I have since the beginning of this year. That, combined with increased intentional exercise, has been the magic formula. And I'm still only losing weight at the rate of 1.3 pounds per week.
I'll take it. It's better than staying the same or continuing to pack on the pounds.
When I was trying to write that other post, I thought about the diet industry, of which I am now and have been for years, a consumer. Just as the pharmaceutical industry is more interested in treating your symptoms than in preventing or curing disease, the weight-loss industry has a financial stake in making sure we continue to want to pay for their help in losing weight.
Follow the money. If Miracle Weight-Loss Pill ABC really worked, wouldn't we all be taking it and wouldn't we all be thin? If Spectacular Diet Plan XYZ was the answer, why are we all still looking for a different one, one that works? Just as one size doesn't really fit all, one plan/pill/method doesn't fit all, either. I had to find what worked for me. Right now, a low-glycemic plan is working. But my body could turn on me in one or three or six months. It's happened before. Is it built into the plan that you'll enjoy some initial success and then stop making progress?
Who knows ...
Today, I'm feeling a little subdued and disheartened for some reason. I'm impatient and unsettled. I'd like to get back on the same horse I was on a month or so ago, full of enthusiasm and hope and energy.
Maybe tomorrow. Or, if I'm lucky, maybe an hour from now.
It's fr-fr-freezing cold! Well, actually, it's quite a bit less than freezing [23 degrees!] right now. So the intentional activity will most definitely be of the indoor variety. Today might be the day to try one of those DVDs I bought recently.
Food yesterday was fine, though.
I started a post about the big debate going on regarding America's obesity epidemic. I actually care less about the condition of America's waistline than I do my own, selfish bitch that I am, but I do read my Google News Alerts about obesity, just to see if there are any new developments that might be useful, interesting or blow all the current theories out of the water.
Nothing so far. Eating less and moving more are touted to be the keys to reducing girth, last time I checked. I've been trying that for several years, but have not, in the past, made quite such a determined effort to eliminate refined sugar and white flour as I have since the beginning of this year. That, combined with increased intentional exercise, has been the magic formula. And I'm still only losing weight at the rate of 1.3 pounds per week.
I'll take it. It's better than staying the same or continuing to pack on the pounds.
When I was trying to write that other post, I thought about the diet industry, of which I am now and have been for years, a consumer. Just as the pharmaceutical industry is more interested in treating your symptoms than in preventing or curing disease, the weight-loss industry has a financial stake in making sure we continue to want to pay for their help in losing weight.
Follow the money. If Miracle Weight-Loss Pill ABC really worked, wouldn't we all be taking it and wouldn't we all be thin? If Spectacular Diet Plan XYZ was the answer, why are we all still looking for a different one, one that works? Just as one size doesn't really fit all, one plan/pill/method doesn't fit all, either. I had to find what worked for me. Right now, a low-glycemic plan is working. But my body could turn on me in one or three or six months. It's happened before. Is it built into the plan that you'll enjoy some initial success and then stop making progress?
Who knows ...
Today, I'm feeling a little subdued and disheartened for some reason. I'm impatient and unsettled. I'd like to get back on the same horse I was on a month or so ago, full of enthusiasm and hope and energy.
Maybe tomorrow. Or, if I'm lucky, maybe an hour from now.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Double nickels
Today is one of those 'big' birthdays – you know, the ones ending in zero or five. Fifty-five marks me as a Baby Boomer, and probably qualifies me for a senior discount at some restaurants. I joined AARP at 50, but resigned when they endorsed Medicare Part D. They keep trying to get me back. Believe me, they don't want old folks like me as members of their group!
I don't think I've ever talked about this here [I checked the archives], but when I started my quest for good health and fitness, one of the motivating factors was that I was turning 55 this year. For some weird, indefinable reason, I just didn't want the rest of my life to continue on the declining path I'd been on since I turned 50.
My health is good; I have only a couple of minor and manageable little issues, but all in all my systems are Go, and my doctors agree. I see some 55-year-olds who look and act more like 70 … or, as I get older, 90! I keep pushing what I think of as 'old' farther and farther away from whatever age I am.
So this, to me, was the year to get back on the horse, so to speak, to knuckle down and git 'er done. I realize now that to get and stay healthy I will probably always have to:
- Carefully watch what I eat
- Exercise daily
- Avoid sugar
- Keep a food/exercise journal
- Take vitamins
In addition, to have a good life, a nice life, a fulfilled life, I want:
- A spiritual foundation
- Sobriety
- Love
- Good family relationships
- A positive attitude
The rewards are worth the work it takes. Maybe I'm finally moving out of that mindset that wants what I want when I want it. Good things come to those who wait, and all that.
Remind me of this post when I start whining, will you? And thanks for being here.
Monday, September 11, 2006
It's [almost] always good to get away
My husband and I have gone to a recovery-oriented conference each September for the past seven years. It's a wonderful reunion with friends we don't otherwise see during the year, full of fun and fellowship in a beautiful, peaceful, wooded setting.
When you lose 40-plus pounds from one year to the next, you get a lot of attention. And scrutiny. But only one question, over and over and over.
"How'd you do it?"
Those of you who have lost weight will immediately recognize that glazed-over look in the questioner's eyes when you start reciting the familiar 'eat less-move more' mantra. I mentioned how helpful blogging has been, and that journaling of any kind is highly motivating. I usually lost them when I said I'd worked up to an average of 90 minutes of daily intentional activity.
A man about my age also had lost a good deal of weight this year, and we spent some time talking about our respective routines, favorite concoctions [both yogurt-based!] and challenges. The most important thing each of us has in common is that we recognize we're doing this 'one day at a time.'
Each and every day I wake up and thank God for my sobriety. I would have nothing – nothing – today, were it not for my continued abstinence from alcohol, and I cannot maintain my abstinence without His help. Thus endeth the spiritual references.
In a similar, but not so life-or-death way, I've been working my weight-loss program a day at a time. It's as simple as making a daily decision to work out, avoid sugar, eat healthful foods, limit portion sizes, drink enough water, keep a food and exercise log. And blog. Can't forget the blog! Heh.
The down side of an event like this is the natural letdown when you pull back into your own driveway, leaving all those friends and all that fun behind for another year. And, of course, the inevitable weigh-in, where I once again stayed the same. I had slight hopes when I left of actually losing a pound or two. But in addition to restaurant meals there were many snacking opportunities. I know that just because food is there doesn't mean I have to eat it. I didn't go overboard. [There were, after all, dozens of people watching every bite I ate!] And I did run or walk each morning I was gone. But I did eat things not on my plan.
After years of looking for simple solutions, blaming external circumstances and making excuses, I've learned – finally – that the only thing I can truly blame for a not-so-great weigh-in is myself. And I am not the number on the scale!
Where will you find me today? Back on the horse!
When you lose 40-plus pounds from one year to the next, you get a lot of attention. And scrutiny. But only one question, over and over and over.
"How'd you do it?"
Those of you who have lost weight will immediately recognize that glazed-over look in the questioner's eyes when you start reciting the familiar 'eat less-move more' mantra. I mentioned how helpful blogging has been, and that journaling of any kind is highly motivating. I usually lost them when I said I'd worked up to an average of 90 minutes of daily intentional activity.
A man about my age also had lost a good deal of weight this year, and we spent some time talking about our respective routines, favorite concoctions [both yogurt-based!] and challenges. The most important thing each of us has in common is that we recognize we're doing this 'one day at a time.'
Each and every day I wake up and thank God for my sobriety. I would have nothing – nothing – today, were it not for my continued abstinence from alcohol, and I cannot maintain my abstinence without His help. Thus endeth the spiritual references.
In a similar, but not so life-or-death way, I've been working my weight-loss program a day at a time. It's as simple as making a daily decision to work out, avoid sugar, eat healthful foods, limit portion sizes, drink enough water, keep a food and exercise log. And blog. Can't forget the blog! Heh.
The down side of an event like this is the natural letdown when you pull back into your own driveway, leaving all those friends and all that fun behind for another year. And, of course, the inevitable weigh-in, where I once again stayed the same. I had slight hopes when I left of actually losing a pound or two. But in addition to restaurant meals there were many snacking opportunities. I know that just because food is there doesn't mean I have to eat it. I didn't go overboard. [There were, after all, dozens of people watching every bite I ate!] And I did run or walk each morning I was gone. But I did eat things not on my plan.
After years of looking for simple solutions, blaming external circumstances and making excuses, I've learned – finally – that the only thing I can truly blame for a not-so-great weigh-in is myself. And I am not the number on the scale!
Where will you find me today? Back on the horse!
Monday, November 27, 2006
It's a "thin" day
First, wanna see my Christmas tree? I thought you might!Now regarding today's title: You know what I mean. You wake up and your stomach is more concave than convex. You breathe deeply, fully. You walk taller, sit straighter.
You're not afraid to try on your smallest-sized jeans.
That's how I feel this morning, although I'm still in my jammies. Heh. It's pretty easy to feel thin in an oversized T-shirt and knit PJ pants.
It's a great feeling on this Monday, which I've designated as "Get Back on the Horse Day." I did well over the weekend, but I haven't stuck strictly to the food plan and I haven't pushed myself with the walking. And I haven't picked up a dumbbell in a very long time.
It's easier for me to be consistent with intentional activity when I do it every day. Therefore, taking a walk [or using the rowing machine, or doing a fitness DVD] every morning eventually becomes a good habit, replacing the one where I sit on the couch knitting while watching "Clean Sweep."
"They" warn not to strength-train on a daily basis, but I think I'm going to throw caution to the wind. If I use lighter weights – five pound dumbbells instead of 10 – and stick to a few careful moves as part of a daily routine, I think I'll be able to make weight-training a habit. Knocking off every other day or, worse, telling myself I only have to do it three times a week, just isn't working for me.
It might work for you, but I have to figure this out for myself.
I think "they" are speaking more to firefighters doing killer routines in a gym, rather than chubby housewives who just wants to create a new good habit. Oh, and some muscle tone in their upper arms.
Time to saddle up.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
How I handle staying the same
Mostly I whoop for joy, since it means I haven't lost any ground!
I also take a minute to look over my progress, realizing that a week or two of little progress usually follows one where I've had a big loss, and that's what's happened this week.
And I get back on the horse, so to speak. I walked yesterday morning, as usual, and even added a mile to my usual route. That extra bit of terrain includes another steep hill and a couple of barking beagles, so it's not an easy thing for me to do psychologically. Physically it's not a problem, though.
I've sampled quite a few weight-loss/fitness blogs since the beginning of the year. One thing I don't want to do here is become negative. I also don't want to make excuses or whine. At the same time, I don't want to be a Pollyanna about this, all sweetness and light. Rather, I just want to be matter-of-fact and practical and sensible. You know ... grown up! When I started this project I knew it would probably take a year to get where I want to be. It takes daily vigilance – no slacking!
Speaking of projects, do you remember the one I couldn't tell you about until the gift had been delivered? It arrived; now I can talk about it.
My son is a newspaper reporter and had mentioned a few months ago that he'd like a CD of newspaper songs. There is no handy-dandy list out there, so Google, iTunes and I found enough to fill two CDs. I had such fun putting it all together, deciding how to arrange them on their respective discs [one disc is blues/jazz, the other is rock/alternative], and especially designing the graphics.
He seemed pretty impressed. I've been thinking of other categories to create one-of-a-kind gifts. The Spousal Equivalent's son is in finance, so a collection of money songs would be appropriate. And the SE is a psychiatrist. Here's what Wikipedia had to offer on that subject!
I also take a minute to look over my progress, realizing that a week or two of little progress usually follows one where I've had a big loss, and that's what's happened this week.
And I get back on the horse, so to speak. I walked yesterday morning, as usual, and even added a mile to my usual route. That extra bit of terrain includes another steep hill and a couple of barking beagles, so it's not an easy thing for me to do psychologically. Physically it's not a problem, though.
I've sampled quite a few weight-loss/fitness blogs since the beginning of the year. One thing I don't want to do here is become negative. I also don't want to make excuses or whine. At the same time, I don't want to be a Pollyanna about this, all sweetness and light. Rather, I just want to be matter-of-fact and practical and sensible. You know ... grown up! When I started this project I knew it would probably take a year to get where I want to be. It takes daily vigilance – no slacking!
Speaking of projects, do you remember the one I couldn't tell you about until the gift had been delivered? It arrived; now I can talk about it.My son is a newspaper reporter and had mentioned a few months ago that he'd like a CD of newspaper songs. There is no handy-dandy list out there, so Google, iTunes and I found enough to fill two CDs. I had such fun putting it all together, deciding how to arrange them on their respective discs [one disc is blues/jazz, the other is rock/alternative], and especially designing the graphics.
He seemed pretty impressed. I've been thinking of other categories to create one-of-a-kind gifts. The Spousal Equivalent's son is in finance, so a collection of money songs would be appropriate. And the SE is a psychiatrist. Here's what Wikipedia had to offer on that subject!
Friday, April 28, 2006
Ouch!
Week before last I added some running intervals to my long daily walk. Last week I could barely walk down a step. Running uses the front thigh muscles, apparently, or at least the running I do – flat surfaces and downhill.
So after a week off, I picked up the pace again yesterday. And while I was picking up the pace, I decided to increase my weight lifting efforts by adding a couple of dumbbell moves, and increaseing the number of reps I'd been doing on the bench.
Needless to say, I'm kind of sore today. It's been my experience, though, that getting 'back on the horse,' so to speak, is the best way to work out the kinks. So I'll be heading out as soon as I log off here to go kick my ass again.
I'd rather be an exercise addict than a food addict. [Anyone remember the little schoolgirl in Annie Hall? "I'd rather be a methadone addict than a heroin addict."]
Wow. That's going to get some strange hits.
So after a week off, I picked up the pace again yesterday. And while I was picking up the pace, I decided to increase my weight lifting efforts by adding a couple of dumbbell moves, and increaseing the number of reps I'd been doing on the bench.
Needless to say, I'm kind of sore today. It's been my experience, though, that getting 'back on the horse,' so to speak, is the best way to work out the kinks. So I'll be heading out as soon as I log off here to go kick my ass again.
I'd rather be an exercise addict than a food addict. [Anyone remember the little schoolgirl in Annie Hall? "I'd rather be a methadone addict than a heroin addict."]
Wow. That's going to get some strange hits.
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