John McCain is Messing with Me

Yesterday I was going to sit down and flesh out my two weekend posts, then write another post about the new plan trainer Traci and I have created. But alas, an e-mail from the McCain presidential campaign wiped that out.

They invited me to be the only local radio reporter to travel in the motorcade - very cool. The problem is, the invitation was extended on Sunday, so I had to wipe out my schedule for yesterday and today, because that's when he is here! A little notice would have been good, but I will make do.

However, that means this brief note is all I have time for today. So, I promise to update the other two and tell you about the plan tomorrow.

BTW, the only workout I got in yesterday was walking to keep up with presidential campaign staffers and members of the secret service. The bonus? Being in better shape means that's possible! (Those people are quick - but then I knew that.)

Yours in health, Kate

Sunday Inspiration

I will come back and flesh this out later, but I have to get to the gym. I thought this was an interesting story. See Here.

Walk from Obesity - The Report

I am running short on time as I go to meet up with Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. I will give you a full report later, but it was a very humbling and energizing experience.

Tomorrow is the Walk From Obesity

I go before people like myself tomorrow. There will be people who have lost weight. Want to lose weight. Can't control their eating. Have tried everything. Workout constantly. Eat healthy. And some who may have had surgery. That is the only thing I haven't done with regard to my weight.

I am tipping the scale at 167 right now. That is 18 pounds higher than where I was at the end of May. It is 27 pounds higher than I would like. It is 32 more pounds higher than my original goal. It is unacceptable.

I have had people remind me that muscle weighs more than fat - it does. But muscle is not what is making the buttons want to bust off my pants right now - it is fat. Fat that I swore I would never let come visit again. Fat that has no place in my life. Fat that I can blame no one but myself for - I have failed me.

As I slid back into old eating habits (huge portions and high sugar), I also started to slow down my exercise. That's a 1-2 punch to the gut - literally. I now am living proof of what I have preached for a very long time - "This is forever. It's a lifestyle change. You can't go back to the way you were before, it won't work."

I am feeling very hypocritical as I prepare to stand before these people tomorrow. Some will be looking for hope, some for inspiration. I plan to give them both and I will be looking for both for me as well. I expect I will find it in stories and struggles that sound startlingly like my own.

Yours in health, Kate

P.S. - I have already been proactive - my brother and I are now training for the Des Moines Marathon 5K. Since I refuse to be slower than I was last year - I guess I have no choice but to skim off some weight and get running again.

I hate being a Girl

O.k., you know that's not true. I would not want to be a man for anything - that blood-brain vacuum thing that happens - I need to be able to think.

But I do sing the ditty, "I hate being a girl" to the tune of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "I Enjoy Being a Girl" from Flower Drum Song. I do that when I have my period and I am unstoppably miserable. I am crampy and hungry constantly. And tired. Like right now.

Boy, I'm just peaches and cream today. This will teach me not to back to back my birth control packs. You see, I had been skipping my periods by putting my pill packs one right after the other. (Knowing laugh.) But I decided I should go ahead and have one this month. What the hell was I thinking?!

On that note - I think I am going to go home and enjoy being a girl.

Yours in (poor mental) health, Kate

Busy Day

I wish I was about to post something useful, but alas, you get my list:

First, the good news - pre-approval has been given for a home loan!

Regular news - Have cramps and am tired - period and lack of sleep will do that.

Busy news - Work is crazy, many things going on - tomorrow is special presentation starring Kate. I am practicing yoga breathing and I don't even do yoga.

Crap news - I am being audited by the state of Iowa for 6! years! Now I must go deal with this.

Really crap news - all of this is affecting my workout potential.

However, two things I am quite grateful for above - I have a job to stress me and it will help pay for my home!

Yours in (mental) health, Kate

Working on an "Alternative"

I am just not feeling it today. I didn't fall asleep until 9 last night, so maybe that is why. I mean I do get up around 2:45 a.m. every day.

I just walked with my friend Chandler. I really need to run. Then go home and do core and some body weight work. My one real fitness accomplishment for the day seems to be sending out an e-mail to see if anyone has heavier hand weights I can buy off them.

I currently have 2 pound and 8 pound. The 2 collect dust kitties and the 8 pound present little if any challenge. I need some 15 and 20, especially since gas has kept me home working out more often. Plus, this winter, when we're butt high in snow - if it looks dangerous I do not want to be wandering across town. If I have weights I can dance some salsa for cardio and lift at home.

It's not perfect, but it's a nice start. If my roomie and I get a house, I want to get one of those things that holds your regular bike stationary. That way I can use it for cardio in the winter. Chandler says he has a weight bench I can buy cheap, I asked him to bring a picture later in the week. That's a handy accidental find.

To quote a great character, "I love it when a plan comes together."

Yours in Fitness, Kate

Back to Life - Monday

Yesterday was so nice, I didn't even touch a computer. I didn't go to work, I just lived. So, apologies for not posting. But belatedly, my Sunday Inspiration is the weather. Yesterday was the official end of summer and today is the beginning of all and the weather could not be more perfect. We have been sunny and nearly 80 for a week and this week looks to be the same.

Yesterday we got a brief sprinkle, but otherwise it was awesome. After dinner at Mom's I sat outside and soaked in a little sun. Then I helped moved around their bedroom furniture. After that I went and put in a super-fast 35 minute cardio/core/weights workout and headed to meet my Dad for a movie.

I truly took the whole weekend off work, it was weird, but I liked it.

Now, back to the grind today. I have a list of 10 things I need to get done this week, besides my usual duties, so here is to a week of accomplishments.

With the beautiful weather I will be doing my cardio outside as much as possible. The only thing I wish is that I had bigger hand weights, mine are only 8 pounds and that's way too little for most of what I do. Otherwise, while it's nice, I can regularly workout from home.

Have a great week!

Yours in fitness, Kate

Sunny Saturday

There is a patio in my future. I don't know where or if I will be eating or drinking, but I will be sitting outside enjoying the unstoppably beautiful weather at some point today.

This morning I did my run to the farmers market. I was encroaching on being late because I watched too much of the news (good/bad habit of mine) so I debated driving. But then I took a deep drag off the crisp end of summer air and trying jogging down the street. I made 2 miles in 16 minutes, not bad. I didn't really feel like I was running that fast, but apparently I was.

I met up with Lori and her mom and we grabbed the produce for the week - brussel sprouts, potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, squash (for Lori), honey crisp apples, french beans, and at least two other things I am forgetting. I noted to Lori and Barb on our way to their hotel that the FM basket has gotten heavier as I have gotten healthier. That works out well as it's always up to me to carry it after it hits 10 pounds. Today was pretty close to a record, it easily weighed 20+ pounds, I had to put my hip into it.

Back here at the apartment I did some body weight work on my arms and legs and tons of abs. I have taken to putting the "Abs Diet" book next me me when I am on the mat to remind me of form on certain moves. It's fun. I hope sooner or later to not need the book.

I worked out to Bon Jovi's "New Jersey" disc. I had forgotten how much it was really just fun, plus a couple of good ballads and a couple of rockers, all-in-all, a pretty good workout disc.

When I am done posting, I am headed to the shower, then onto my day. I don't know what it will hold. I am fully prepared to wing it. This is my second day off and as I ran past my office this morning I felt a little pang of guilt. But not enough to go in this weekend, this sunny set of days is all mine.

Yours in health, Kate

Lori's Actual Crush & I'm Off

Turns out, as Lori informed me on the way back from Henry Rollins tonight, her real media crush at the moment is Keith Olbermann. (There you go roomie, the record has been set straight.)

As for the show, Henry rocked, of course. He told old stories and new. He was funny and poignant and intelligent and (as usual) I walked away thinking harder than when I went in.

On the way back Lori and I got into this hilarious 'fight'. When we are both amped up and punch-drunk-tired we tend to banter about absolutely nothing of importance. We laugh hysterically as we come up with even more convoluted scenarios and explanations to make each other crazy. It's all a game, but if anyone ever heard us, they would think we were loons.

As for the other part of this post title, "I'm Off". Besides the obvious, that I am a bubble off plum, I am actually off work today (Friday). It is my first vacation day since becoming full-time at the radio group. And I have asked that someone to cover my weekend shift as well. That means, for the first time since January 2006, I will have three days off in a row!

To be honest, I am feeling a bit lost. It's weird. I have been working so hard, so long, that it just feels like it's part of me. But I know I have earned it, so I am going to try to enjoy. I hope to sleep in this morning. Then go put in a long, hard workout, use the pedicure certificate Caelen, Annette and Casey got me and meet my mom for lunch. Beyond that, I have no clue.

Lori is gone most of the weekend, so I am looking for some form of trouble...

Yours in (mental) health, Kate

Henry Rollins

I am very excited. I am going to see Henry Rollins tonight. He is a writer/ spoken word artist/ author/ political dissident. He is highly intelligent (which is the sexiest thing ever!) and he is well built.

He comes to Des Moines/ Ames every year. This time it is Ames and it's FREE - yea!

I remember sitting in my seat at Stephens Auditorium in Ames three years ago when he came. I saw how hot he was and thought, "Someday, I will have a body I am not afraid to introduce him to." Now, I realize, I was letting my insanities make him out to be too shallow to date a fat girl - which is totally unfair - but that's what I was thinking.

Today, I feel better and wouldn't be embarrassed to bump into him. However, Lori would probably knee cap me, because he's her crush, but hey.


Yours in health, Kate

Investigation

I am investigating the murder of Michele Davis. She was shot to death while driving down the freeway in Des Moines last Thursday. It has absorbed my day. In fact, I am going to the press conference for new information in about 45 minutes.

I have not gone to the gym, I nearly forgot to eat and I am craving sugar. All because this hits me in the gut hard.

The police aren't able to say 100%, but the more I dig, the more is confirmed - this was a domestic situation gone bad. Michele Davis was running for her life when she was shot on the freeway. So far no one has come forward to say they noticed anything.

It happened in plain sight, but there are no witnesses until she died and her car rammed into other cars.

This hits too close to home. 28 years ago, this could have been my mom.

I know the police will get their man and if in the meantime I can get the public information to make it happen - more the better.

-Kate

The Abs Diet

I am just starting to hunker down and read "The Abs Diet for Women" by David Zinczenko, the Editor-in-Chief at Men's Health and Women's Health magazines. Already I am on board with his idea of constantly mixing protein and whole grains and complex carbs - it's actually how I ate before I got off track.

The thing that really has me intrigued is his (scientifically backed) belief you only need 20 minutes of cardio at a time. No more 45 minute runs? Hell yea! And the exercise side seems to be about weight lifting and tearing up your abs - two of my favorite things!

I am going to read more tonight, but I think this is going to help me reboot things the right way.



By the way, it's getting cooler, which puts me in mind of soup. But soup tends to be salt and calorie laden. Yesterday though, I hit the mother-load. I found Campbell's Select Harvest Light soups. I had one for lunch today, the whole can - 120 calories, 6 grams protein, 8 grams fiber and still too much sodium. But hey, I am damn full and I had a big serving of veggies!

Yours in health, Kate

From the beginning... Find Your "Other" Thing

After ending up in the hospital at this time last year, I began struggling with my eating again. I was told I was eating too little and had to increase my calories. I was told I was teetering on malnutrition. I was freaked.

First I ate too much, then I ate too little, then I evened out. Then I started flirting with sugar again. Then I started binging on sugar again. Now I am trying to get back into recovery on the whole sugar thing. (The giant piece of ice cream cake for my birthday not withstanding.)

Today I interviewed the woman in charge of the Walk from Obesity, it's the 27th and I am the 'celebrity' speaker. Helping other people is something I am passionate about. Helping people take that first step or stay motivated in their weight loss journey is important to me. That's why I am looking forward to the walk.

But after she left this morning, I felt the snugness of my pants and felt sad. I have let myself go, given in too many times to sugar, eaten away at my pain via cake and cookies. So, as I worked away the 'whys' tugged at me.

I have wondered for some time why it was easier the first year to deal with food than it has been the second year. Today, perhaps, I have come to at least one answer - I lost my 'other' thing.

When you are trying to lose weight, you need something to distract you from food, especially if, like myself, you are a food addict. When boredom sets in or when free time appears or when emotions get heavy - you need something else. I realized that my crash into the emergency room last year was about a month after Caelen went to school full-time and I went to work full-time outside the house again.

When I came up on the other side of being ill and had the food world opened up to me again, I had nothing to distract me. As I settled into a stressful job with too many hours that never took off, I fell back into old patterns. I took to scanning the break-room for free food and sneaking a snack here or there. As the stress rose, so did my calorie count.

If I had still been in the 'Caelen world' I would have had a full-time distraction. Teaching and loving him was my passion and more than enough to keep me from diving into doughnuts. But outside of my home full of healthy food choices and 4-year-old fun, I have been vulnerable to the same temptations as everyone else.

Now I realize I need a new 'other' thing. Work is long and arduous at time, it can't be the other thing. Workouts have become just part of what I do, like bathing, a goal I set for myself a long time ago - so it's definitely not the 'other' thing.

I don't know what it is. But I am going to spend the next few weeks trying to figure it out. In the meantime, I will eat healthier and let finding my 'other' thing, be the other thing.

Yours in health, Kate

Sunday Inpsiration - People You Don't Even Know

I stopped by one of my favorite blogs today and found a nice surprise. The female author has been losing weight. I didn't know. It's so awesome though. She seems like a nice person and she deserves to be happy. I know from experience, being healthier makes you happy, so good for her. It's Web Gal, whose blog I have linked to the right.

That got me to thinking. I don't know her, yet she inspires me. Then I looked back over the inspiration columns I have written. Very few of them have related to someone I know. Mostly they have been about complete strangers. That's what I find so intriguing.

Something about these people and their stories help me believe that change is possible. That success is tangible. That hard work and perseverance pay off. More than a good diet and exercise program - belief - is key to success. You have to believe you can do this, that it is better, that healthier is better. If you don't believe, no one else will and you will begin to feel they are right, you ARE bound to fail.

So thank you to all the anonymous and semi-anonymous people I have profiled. The people I read about or see on infomercials every day. Just because I don't know you personally, doesn't mean I don't believe in what you are doing.

Yours in health, Kate

Fry-Day & Sat-er-Day

Friday - Going along fine. Then I was run over by a buffet. The Iowa-Iowa State game was today and everyone was tailgating a day early. I stuffed myself, it was ugly. Then at 12:15, I remembered that I needed to be at the gym in 45 minutes to train with Traci. Urp.

I got to the gym and begged/warned Traci that the cardio warm-up should be skipped. (I was afraid I would puke.) She just looked at me with disbelief and stuff me on this stair climbing/ elliptical machine that makes me not only raise my heart rate, but bounce up and down. Urp.

She pushed me hard and laughed every time I belched. Her only request was if I decided to barf I should try to make the bathroom or a garbage can. Other than that, she made no changes to the workout she had planned for me. Urp.

But it was good and I made it through sans chunks. Ya! Urp.

Sat-er-Day - Got up and went to a drizzly farmers market to hunt and gather weekly supply of vegetable delights. Got spit on wet, but not soaked, so I was glad I went. The vendors were miserable because it had poured right before we arrived. I felt for them. Some didn't even go this week due to the precipitation.

Then I went home and watched a few minutes of the news. I was suddenly overcome by being tired, so I went and lay down on my bed. I set my alarm for an hour and planned to get up and go to the gym. I slept through it two or three times before Mischa pounced on my belly - I suspect it was his way of shutting off the alarm once and for all, since he doesn't have thumbs. I shut it off and laid there groggily.

I finally looked at the clock and said - crap. It was 12:30! Working out was out. I needed to get a shower, grab coffee and allergy medicine and go volunteer at the Planned Parenthood Book Sale. It was day three.

This time I was a volunteer coordinator. That meant three hours of walking, running, answering questions, corralling carts, lifting boxes and handling money. Turns out it might not have been the worst thing that I missed the workout. By the end of the day on concrete, my knees are hurting.

Tonight I worked for Marianne on the Star 70's show. You would think, after 3.5 hours on my feet earlier today, I would sit for the show. Nope. I'm not sure I even know how to sit during an air shift. Right now I am sitting down for the first time in about 9 hours. I am feeling for factory workers, big time.

Well, right now my eyes are crossing, because I am tired. So good night.

Yours in fitness, Kate

Roses for my Birthday

These are the roses I got for my birthday. They were from the man in my life. (And my mom.)
That's right, when my mom asked my nephew Caelen what she should get me for my birthday he said, "I think she would like roses Grandma." So, on Monday, there was my mom holding these. They are beautiful and awesome, just like the people I got them from.

Special note - we are raising one hell of a good man!

Yours in (mental) health, Kate

My Left Knee

No, this isn't a sequel to "My Left Foot". I will not be talking about an artist who is mostly paralyzed but can miraculously play guitar.

I walked instead of running yesterday for my 37 minutes. On my way up to Valley High School my knee started hurting. I blew it off and kept going because I live by the expression, "Walk it off". It got a little better and I stared down the Valley track.

When I was in high school, I couldn't run all of the way around it. I would pant, bitch, moan and inevitably slow to a walk (almost crawl) while thinking my heart could probably explode at 17. So, on the way to the school, which was really about making a loop past it and heading back to the gym, I decided the track and I were going to come to terms.

I approached the blacktop and it looked as daunting as ever, amazing the tricks the mind plays. I took lane 8 - the outside lane - and started in earnest. The track yawned out in front of me like a big black tiger that would rather consume me than let me run. I started running harder, I have no idea why. I finished the 1/4 mile-lap in 2:20. Not bad. That fat high school girl has retired.

Anyway, the knee. I had to walk harder to cover the same distance back to the club. By the time I got back I knew my knee was cranky, but today it's out-right pissed off.

This is the knee I had to have rebuilt 10 years ago (all original parts) after an idiot ran through me rather than around when playing softball. (He was out so HA!) With that knowledge, I have a theory - the warranty is up on the reconstruction. If this persists, as it has on and off for months, I will have to call the doc. For now, I am going home to fry my core.

Yours in fitness, Kate

P.S. - the 37 Workout went great yesterday and trainer Traci thought it was a great idea.

The 37 Workout

Today is my first full day of being 37. I was born at 11:52 p.m., so I was technically only 37 for 8 minutes yesterday. To that end (and because I was too tired to go yesterday), today will be my "Birthday Celebration Workout". I don't think normal people use those words together.



Since I am now 37, I have decided to do 37 of everything today - in a row. As in:

37 minute run (that's a 5K+)

37 squats (cake)
37 inverted crunches (doable)
37 push-ups (okay, that's gonna have to be done in multiple sets - but it'll be sets in a row)
37 bicep curls (love it)
37 of some other kind of crunch
37 tricep extension (that's gonna be sore tomorrow)
37 hamstring on ball moves (I have no idea what it's really called)
37 shoulder moves (we'll see how far I get after last week's injury)
37 butt extensions (nope, not even near what's it's really called, but I do it on a machine and I know what it is, so that all that counts)
37 of whatever I randomly choose at the gym

Appropriately that is 370 exercises + 37 minutes running. I think I will make this an annual tradition, so it will only get more challenging as I get older. Of course, we'll see what I have to say about this way of thinking at 95! But then, I like to think, I'll always be up for a challenge.

Yours in fitness, Kate

From the beginning... It's All About Me

Monday's columns are always about how to get started on a weight loss/ health regime or tips I learned at the beginning of my journey. Today is the ultimate one - It's all about me.

That may sound conceded or selfish, but it's flat-out the truth. You cannot do this for anyone except yourself. If you do you will fail and worse yet, you will blame that poor unsuspecting schmuck you were 'doing all this for'.

You will benefit this most from losing the weight - better health, better mental fitness, better relationships, better shopping - so it needs to be all about you. Especially since you are the only one who can keep the pumpkin spice Kisses out of your mouth (damn evil Hershey's people). You are the only one who can put your butt on a treadmill at the gym. You are the only one who is ultimately responsible.

So, on my 37th birthday, as I take stock of my life, I am grateful to me. I have stumbled, I have failed, I have put another Kiss in my mouth - but I have also come a long way baby. And because of that, I expect to celebrate several decades of birthdays to come and that is the ultimate gift - for me.

Yours in health, Kate

I do not know this baby, but this is how much I love birthday cake too.

Sunday Inspiration - CrossFit Success

My friend Bret sent me this story the other day. I think he realized how much Sue's story would remind me of mine.

She woke up to the reality of what she had been doing to her body and decided in earnest to deal with it. She was going along on her own, getting results, but wanted to take it to the next level and decided to get a trainer. The trainer got her into CrossFit and today she is leaner and stronger than ever.

Now, this is where I put my reminder about CrossFit: It's not for beginner's - beginner's puke. (Even some really fit people puke.) Instead you have to have a basic level of fitness before you can meet the tough challenges the workouts put forth.

Now, that being said - if you are ready for that 'next thing' this is a great choice. The workouts challenge everyone, at every level, because they can be customized. It's a great way to break up your routine and have fun. Every time Bret and I do one, it's fun and I feel accomplished - not every workout can say that.

So, if you want to know more and see what it's done for Sue, check out this story.

Yours in fitness, Kate

Being Cautious

I took today off from working out. I decided pushing my luck with the shoulder was a bad idea. It was even bothering me when I jogged. But late tonight it's feeling better.

I ran short on time today anyway. My Dad and Step-mom Lorie, took me to lunch at Thai Flavors, took me to a movie and gave me a gift card for my birthday. It was way too much for them to do, but ultra-appreciated.

I went and used part of the gift card right away - I had asked for a gift card for this Chicago Bears jersey I found at Gordman's. It's way cute and just for women. I went and grabbed it and plan to rock it often. (I tried to find a pic to share, but couldn't)

Like Cubs fans, Bears fans know their limitations and just weather them anyway. Only Cubs fans this year are getting scared, they're waiting for the other shoe to drop. The team is 5 games ahead! Go Cubbies!

Anyway, better go to bed. Have a good Sunday!

Yours in fitness, Kate

Um, ouch

I tweaked my shoulder yesterday at the gym. At least for once I know exactly what I was doing when I ended up in pain. I was doing assisted pull-ups. Only I was doing the inner part of the machine, so that I worked my biceps hard with my back. Well I was in the midst of my second round, at like number 7 when it felt like a large rubber band snapped me. Then pain. Then I went ahead and tried for the next one - uh, no.

I stopped, threw down with another set of bicycle crunches, realized how much the shoulder hurt, stretched and called it a workout. I had been going for over an hour between cardio, core and weights, before it happened, so gratefully I did get a full workout in. Still it was annoying and as I typed this I realize it hurts a little more than I was willing to admit earlier this morning.

When I woke up this morning I was very happy, it was down to dull and almost completely able to be ignored. As the morning has progressed it has moved to sore and noticeable. Once it hits ouch again, I will grab ibuprofen, but not until, I hate to take meds if I don't have to. That's a big step up from when I was obese.

Everything ached all of the time when I was overweight, so I constantly popped Advil like candy. Then one day I was complaining to my chiropractor about being light headed, so he took my blood pressure. It was high (I traditionally have low blood pressure, even fat) and he asked what I had been eating, etc. When he found out I was popping like 9 Advil a day, he said no more. Within a week and a half my blood pressure had lowered. So ever since then I have only taken drugs when absolutely necessary.

Anyway, today I will take it much easier when I workout and will not do shoulders. Hopefully by later this weekend, this will have gone away.

Yours in fitness, Kate

I am going to find my way to the gym today

I haven't been inside my gym all week. I took Sunday and Monday off. Tuesday and Wednesday it was running outside and core and light weights inside. Today I must reacquaint myself with cardio machines and free weights.

And it's perfect timing - it's only 61 degrees outside. With my chilly tendencies lately and the fact that my shoulder throbs when it gets cold, I am grateful for my gym.

Even though it requires gas to get there. And I am broke. Which is my fault. Which makes me stressed. Which means I need to workout even more. Which means I need to stop typing, now.

Yours in fitness, Kate

Cooling Down

By the time I hit the street to run yesterday the temp had dropped about five degrees and the humidity by 25%. It was comfortable, in fact, just about perfect to run.

For a couple of days now I have been nursing my back and wondering why I was queasy. As I was stretching yesterday I found my back had improved and realized the problem with my tummy - snot. That's right, mucus.

I used to have allergies pretty badly, but they were yet another health malady that went away as I lost weight. The last two weeks though I have been sneezing again, suffering headaches, and now I realize, getting erpy from post-nasal drip.

That realization, along with the Dixie Chicks' "Sin Wagon" coming on my headset, fired me up. I headed out the door with a vengeance. It was all sprints and hard walks. Half way back the temp cooled another five degrees and the wind started to blow. That was inconvenient as my right shoulder has taken to aching fiercely when it gets too cool. But I sucked it up and kept running. After two days off, there was no way I wasn't going to.

Today is supposed to be even cooler, which is great. As much as my shoulder hurts, it means I can run outside again and do weights and core at home. That saves me gas money, because I don't have to go across town to the gym.

That's one of the things I have been thinking about lately, cooling down means winter will be here before we know it. Last year I missed several workout sessions due to butt-high snow. This year I won't allow that. I need to get some new dumbbells and a stationary bike or something for cardio. Or maybe I will go ultra cheap and just rent a different exercise video every week from the library. That's an interesting thought.

Well, I realize this has been a bit of a rambling post, but I don't think I am awake yet, despite having been up since 2:35 this morning. Anyway, break over, time to work. Have a good day!

Yours in fitness, Kate

Two Days Off

I took Sunday off from exercise. I was sore all over. Three days of hitting it hard and I was paying the price.

Yesterday I took the day off as well. It was a combination of still being quite sore in my upper back (from both the pole dancing and working my lats with weights) and frankly, I was feeling lazy.

Yesterday was my first full week day off, um, well... It's been a long time. So when I woke up and my back still hurt, I thought it was probably a sign.

So, the sum total of what I did yesterday was - get up, eat breakfast, lay around petting cats, shower, meet family for lunch, eat too much, run quick errand at Target, go home and become way too sleepy, eat just small bowl of cereal and strawberries for dinner, pack workout gear and food for work, go to bed at 5:30 p.m. That's right, no typo there. I slept a good portion of the time between 5:30 and 2:30 a.m. too.

Lori said I probably needed it, if I was nodding off at 4 yesterday. She was probably right. Today I am doing much better though.

This afternoon I will hit the gym hard and I plan a full week of doing just that. So, the time off is gone and I am all back 'on'.

Yours in health, Kate