New Me on Monday

That's a little omage to one of Lori's favorite bands, Duran Duran. But then again, there were very few of us who escaped lusting after John Taylor.

Today was the beginning of week two of getting back in touch with my health. I am eating right and exercising, now I want a professional to back me up. So, I am paying for a trainer to kick me in the pants with both.

My new trainer is Desiree. She got her start working at Curves and decided helping people make real changes was a calling. She's petite and fit as hell. She may be shorter than me, but I am pretty sure she could take me. That's what I need - fear. Nah, just kidding.

But it is nice to have someone ready to answer my questions, guide me and want my success as much as I do. Honestly, I will miss trainer Traci, because she became a friend. But new gym and a new trainer may be exactly the remedy to my tailspin.

Today was just get to know the program and online service for logging foods. I also went ahead and bought my friend Lori's Bodybugg. It's an armband that keeps track of energy output.

I am hoping that between the bugg and a trainer I should be able to figure out what works and what doesn't for me. The gym subscribes to the Apex system. They say there are five elements to success - food intake, cardio training, supplements, weight training and personal assistance.

I felt a little like I was in boot camp when trainer D told me I need memorize those. However, she assured me she isn't Jillian. LOL. Hopefully that is the case, I can't imagine I would take that well. No matter how much I want to do this right. ;)

Yours in fitness, Kate

Happy Made-Up Holiday

O.k., now that we have my cynicism out of the way.

I was going to blog yesterday, but as is typical in winter for me - snow screwed everything up. I was too busy keeping up with the national weather service and traffic to blog or workout.

I had it a heck of a lot better than my brother Gordon though, he got hit in the front of his truck and in the back by guys who couldn't drive in the snow. The one who hit him from behind was from Texas, so that's no shocker. However, the creep hit him and ran - low-life. I may look into weather the DOT may have tape of the incident to find the guy.

Back into the gym today though. Just like every other time I have missed workouts and returned to the gym, I was once again reminded of how good I feel after. The difference this time is, that until Tuesday, it had been months. Not anymore.

My knee brace is doing o.k. It shifts more than I would like. Plus sometimes I wonder if it's causing more pain than it relieves. It pinches and it doesn't allow a full stride. So my Achilles has flames again and the front of my ankle was cranky the other day. All of that said, it won't stop me from doing what I need to for me.

I plan to workout in the morning before heading to my mom's. We still have the biggest loser contest going on and this may be the first week I lose instead of gain. That would bring into numbers my new found readiness to get healthy again.

Yours in fitness, Kate

Three m&ms

I ate three of the little candy coated lovelies today and a small piece of chocolate. Afterward I felt horribly guilty. That despite the fact that otherwise I had eaten like a champ.

And I laughed at myself. A week ago I was eating full-on cookies, without guilt. Too funny. I have turned the corner and headed back in the direction of health.

It's not that anyone should feel bad about a little cheat, they shouldn't. In fact, everyone should indulge now and then to avoid a binge.

But with my sad history involving sugar, I am going to be hyper-vigilant for a while.

On Monday I am meeting with my new trainer. We are going to take a hard look at food and the options that should really be in my arsenal. I am sure there will be a bit of culture shock because trainers have a whole different idea about food. But I am willing to give their way a try.

I love learning new things. A different way to eat, that may offer new ideas intrigues me. And maybe they will let me keep just a little chocolate.

Yours in health, Kate

New Gym

I learned a lesson today, there is no direct way to get anywhere on the skywalk. :)

That being said, I joined Gym F/X today downtown. I am way excited. And I was way good on food today.

I got an extra workout today as I discovered that there are no direct routes on the skywalk. So what I thought would be a 15 minute walk became 30. It annoyed me and amused me simultaneously.

I also tried doing squats, that went o.k. But when I tried doing lunges, uh,no. My knee was not having it. I will have to have a trainer work with me on alternatives.

Anyway, I am really going to do this. I have even made a two year commitment to the gym to get a good deal.

I am working on a new food and workout plan. As soon as I have an hour to myself I will write it down and share.

Yours in fitness, Kate

Getting Excited

Ever since I decided to look into switching gyms I am getting pumped up again. The very idea of having a place, right down the street, to relieve my stress excites me greatly.

That's one of two main reasons for this weight gain - stress. Whether it's work, love, a cancer scare or life, stress has sent me to cookies time and again. Now, even when I am not stressed, I am back to the point of mindlessly eating.

It makes me crazy when I think what I have done to my body. What the fat, saturated fat, calories, sugar, etc. do is, well it makes me ill to think about it. You would think that would be enough to stop me. But no, I am as stubborn a sugar eater as I am in anything else apparently.

Anyway, my meeting with the gym is at 1 p.m. tomorrow. Hopefully it will be as good a fit financially as it is in proximity. I'll let you know tomorrow.

Yours in transition, Kate

Removing the Excuses

The excuses: My knee hurts. I am stressed and I eat. My gym is too far away.

My answers: I am going to wear a knee brace. Not everyone stuffs their face when they are stressed, suck it up. I am changing gyms.

I have really danced around that last one. I did not change gyms when my contract was up because I didn't want to lose trainer Traci. But my contract is up in March and I know this time that's not a good enough reason.

I can't really afford to train right now. And I really can't if I am paying for gas in my beat up '93 Buick that gets 15-17 mpg to get back and forth the 16 miles.

But most importantly, the travel time across time and my messed up schedule have teamed to make me complacent. When exercise feels like a burden more than a gift, I will not do it. This has felt like a yoke around my neck for too long.

This new gym is 8 blocks from my office. Even in the bitter cold, there is a trolley that will take me to the front door and a skywalk to walk back within a block and a half of my office.

I am not naming the gym yet, because I have not signed up. But I will say, after a brief conversation with the manager, I feel exhilarated and excited. Time is no longer an excuse, travel money is no longer an excuse. I can work this in to my schedule. Whether it's going in right before I go to work or running down over my lunch or sneaking in after office hours - I would be a two minute trolley ride or a 6 minute walk from my gym!

No excuses, that makes me happy.

Yours in transition, Kate

It's a Blur

Last Wednesday I had a swimming lesson with coach Kelli. I finished up my lessons on Monday. I am now substantially more proficient at being in a pool. It is simply a matter of practice, practice to work my way toward a mini-triathlon next year. In the meantime, this winter, I will try my gym's indoor tri.

But again, to last Wednesday - I forgot my goggles. Not the world's biggest deal, I had forgotten them before. We were working on turns and I was trying to figure out where the wall was when I went under water, so I had my eyes open often. I've done this before again, no big deal. I did note to Kelli that my eyes were stinging more than usual and that the water tasted worse than ever (still working on that breathing thing), but I didn't think anything of it.

When I got out of the pool and headed toward the showers, I noticed that things were foggy. It was humid, I thought maybe the pool and shower area had steamed up. But when I went to get out of the shower, I realized it was more than steam. The chemicals had burned my eyes.

Things were so blurry and foggy it was making me dizzy. If I could read anything it was double. I had a little panic attack, something that hasn't happened since I lost all of the weight. There are two things I need for my job - my eyes to read and my voice to speak.

I mentioned the problem when I got upstairs, turns out they were treating the pool with some especially harsh chemicals. I told the trainer in charge that it was bad and he said sorry, but the pool had to be treated. (He wasn't really any more apologetic on Monday when I told him I had to go to the eye doctor, that was a little frustrating.)

That afternoon, I got eye drops, they didn't really help. I had Lori get me eye wash, that's when things began to clear up a little. By the next day things were better, but not perfect. I went to the eye doctor. She said I had gotten lucky and things were going to be o.k., but not to forget my goggles. She also said they need to put up a sign when they are going to 'shock' the pool, so they don't get sued. (That suggestion at the gym got me a blank stare.)

So, what have I learned? You buy equipment for a reason - remember it and use it.

Yours in fitness, Kate