Small Celebrations

I must celebrate my small successes or I'll go crazy, because the scale is not celebrating with me!

Today I passed up a Birthday Cupcake from a student. I felt bad declining, but I had my class sing Happy Birthday to the Birthday girl and I let the girl offer my cupcake to my college student Participant/Observer. So, all were happy this time. My colleague says to accept the BD treat from the students, but to then throw it away. I think by the time I get to my desk after teaching, I've been seeing/thinking about that treat the whole time that I'll just devour it. Plus, after teaching my classes, I often feel like I deserve a Gold Medal... and in the absence of that, I'll accept a sweet treat! So...

I've vowed to try to give up Cake,Candy,and Cookies... especially cookies. Cookies go thud in my stomach and I don't even feel good after I eat them. Candy, I don't really mean. There must be exceptions, but that will be a rarity, I hope. Today was my first day of this and I didn't even pause in picking up a mini candycane from the pile that was left in the Faculty room. I crunched it in a few minutes going out to my car and I regretted it!

Another success is my running. I've increased to 4,3,and 3 minutes of times running, but I'm doing more after that and it feels good.

Last night I made a bag of popcorn, and served myself half. When I wanted to go back for the other half, I started enjoying my glass of ice water. I LOVE eating ice cubes, and it can be a good substitute for extra calories.

Now for my rant: My wrist, or elbow or arm hurts... moreso with use. I've started learning to mouse with my LH, but it hurts now typing and I think it hurt a bit when I was practicing piano before. It's been x-rayed and I think it was bursitis in the elbow, but I don't know about the wrist. I'm sick of inflammation. I guess I'd better try taking my ibuprofen and seeing if that helps. It doesn't hurt too bad, but I worry more about it restricting my activities. I LOVE using the computer, and I love playing piano. I'd like to be one of those old ladies who can still play piano at my nursing home.

My other rant: My weight is going up!!!! I'm hoping it's water-weight corresponding to my cycle, but who knows. This stinks!!! I've been relatively good in my eating/exercising for 3 months now and NOTHING very noticeable in the weight department!!! And it definitely is NOT muscle gain. I wish I could say I was continuing with strength training, but I'm focusing on running now and am letting the other stuff pretty much go for now, though I am stretching here and there. My calves were almost painfully tight today.

Let's see, oh yeah... another plus: I like to drive thru McD's and get a large Diet with extra ice and a small French fry for an after school snack. Well, I've been skipping the fries on many of the days recently. Today I skipped the soda and am not even stocking it at home any more! I have diet lemon lime stuff, but am thinking about switching to tea and water. That's good. I've had quite the "Diet Coke" habit going in the past.

Ok, that's enough ramblings for now... feels good!

Spring!

I've been doing well with my running. I've been running outside in the early morning. I've overcome the broken treadmill, and the broken mp3 player. I am listening to a PlayAway audio book from the library called Firefly Lane. I think it may even have been a MC book club choice recently. I am thankful for my appropriate gear: My worn joggers bra I've had for years... it's comfortable and all I need. I have a tech l/s shirt which does much for warmth, and a nice pair of lined work out pants with pockets. I keep those in my bedstand drawer so I can pull them on when I wake. I have a head band to keep my ears warm, and my new convertible gloves/mittens which I LOVE! I also am happy to have my cycing jacket which is entirely dayglo yellow/green, so I can be seen in the dim light of dawn. It is a phenomenal wind breaker too and I can pull the sleeves over my hands if I haven't worn my gloves. Ipop a kitchen timer in my left pocket and the PlayAway in my right pocket. I also love my Asics sneakers with red trim despite the salesperson's advice to get something less bright. I love RED! So, I don't guess or gather in the morning; I don, grab and go.

I am charting my running and trying to make one tiny increase in duration or intensity eAch week on my way toward my goal: 30 minutes of solid running 4 times a week by Fall. I'm up to 22 minute runs with 3X3 minutes minimum of solid running. I allow myself to have easy days (walking or light running) and that is up to 35 minutes. I'm proud of my efforts and feel good running.

Unfortunately the scale is not tipping in my favor toward my weight-loss goal. I actually went up in February and back to my forever-normal weight so far in March. It is so difficult. I truly believe I'm fighting my age (45), but I'm determined! I do love certain sweets and am trying various techniques to eat better and less: Keeping crunchies in the house like celery and pepper pieces, enjoying 3 bites of a sweet and tossing it, filling up on salad before a heavy meal, waiting 5 minutes when I suspect I might be full, trying not to eat at night, substituting ice water for snacks, trying to leave something on my plate. Wow! That is a huge amount of strategies. None of them are totally new to me, but most of them are not actually happening as much as they can. Sooooo, I guess I know what I should do, that's the first level of learning. Now I have to thoughtfully force myself to do more of it, then hopefully it will become less thoughtful and more automatic... a much higher level of learning.

OK... I'm still at it!!