I had my Weight Watchers meeting tonight. I lost 1.8 pounds the past week for a grand total of 18 pounds altogether. It has taken me eleven weeks to lose 18 pounds - which the WW people tell me is above average of WW participants. It feels very slow to me. However, I am encouraged that I've stuck with this for 11 weeks now.
The meeting topic tonight was "soup." And I stopped by the grocery store on the way home and bought the ingredients to make some wonderful soup. And it IS wonderful. Only 3 points per bowl. So good - and healthy. It'll be my main dish at lunch and dinner for the next few days.
There was a WW leader-in-training at the meeting tonight - a very nice looking man who handled the first part of the meeting. Probably mid-fifties. He said he and his wife had just celebrated their 31st anniversary yesterday. He had lost 80 pounds. He showed the photo of himself taken a couple years ago - and he doesn't even look like the same person now. It reminded me of some of The Biggest Loser folks - how after losing weight their faces have angles that were hidden behind layers of fat previously. He provided some much needed inspiration for me.
There was a woman sitting behind me who talked to the woman next to her - loud enough for everyone in the room to overhear the conversation. This is her third time at WW - last time she lost 150 pounds, but then gained it all back. GAINED BACK 150 POUNDS!! Then she started talking a out all her physical problems. I wish I could provide you with a good imitation. It would have made a hilarious comedy routine. She started listing physical ailments - in detail - and the list seemed endless.
I haven't exercised (i.e. walked) as much as I would have liked this week, but I'm still on track to make the Monthly Marathon.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Saturday, October 04, 2008
How's it going?
So, how is everybody's first few days on the October Challenge going? I'm doing pretty well. At my Weight Watchers weight-in on Thursday, I had lost 1.6 pounds - for a total of 16.2 altogether. It has taken me ten weeks to lose that! I've jogged on the mini-trampoline a couple of evenings while watching TV.
Let's hear from some of the rest of you!
Let's hear from some of the rest of you!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
New Beginnings, New Goals
Terrell's Goals:
I have been on a very informal, inconsistent, push-away-from-the-table diet for a while now. As always, the first few pounds are easy. I'm down from a high of 220 to 211. My doctor wants me to get my "good cholesterol" up (exercise) and my "bad cholesterol" and sugar down. I do not tolerate statin drugs well. I have tried and given up on Lipitor, Crestor, and Vytorin. They give me terrible muscle pains and have affected my "liver" numbers. Now he wants me to try simvastatin -- a very low dose at bedtime. I'm not sure simva- is any different from the other statins. I guess I'll try it. But if exercise and diet could replace it, that would certainly ease my mind a lot. I've been tempted to try the fish oil and red yeast rice regimen. But how do you know you have potent stuff when it is unregulated?
Enough rambling...
Here are my goals in no particular order --
1. exercise 30 min. minimum each day - that should equal about two "marathons" per month.
2. drink only water (lots of water), coffee or tea, and maybe an occasional juice
3. fish twice a week at least
4. desserts only at special events, and only once a week (anytime cobbler is served is definitely a special event)
5. weight target: Under 200 by inauguration day; 180 by 2010.
6. weekly posts on MM to report my progress or lack thereof.
7. less sugar
8. less cholesterol
9. less processed foods
Well, that's it for now.
Here I go.
I have been on a very informal, inconsistent, push-away-from-the-table diet for a while now. As always, the first few pounds are easy. I'm down from a high of 220 to 211. My doctor wants me to get my "good cholesterol" up (exercise) and my "bad cholesterol" and sugar down. I do not tolerate statin drugs well. I have tried and given up on Lipitor, Crestor, and Vytorin. They give me terrible muscle pains and have affected my "liver" numbers. Now he wants me to try simvastatin -- a very low dose at bedtime. I'm not sure simva- is any different from the other statins. I guess I'll try it. But if exercise and diet could replace it, that would certainly ease my mind a lot. I've been tempted to try the fish oil and red yeast rice regimen. But how do you know you have potent stuff when it is unregulated?
Enough rambling...
Here are my goals in no particular order --
1. exercise 30 min. minimum each day - that should equal about two "marathons" per month.
2. drink only water (lots of water), coffee or tea, and maybe an occasional juice
3. fish twice a week at least
4. desserts only at special events, and only once a week (anytime cobbler is served is definitely a special event)
5. weight target: Under 200 by inauguration day; 180 by 2010.
6. weekly posts on MM to report my progress or lack thereof.
7. less sugar
8. less cholesterol
9. less processed foods
Well, that's it for now.
Here I go.
Anyone want to get the MM going again?
How about an October 2008 challenge? Everyone will make their own goals. Here are mine:
(1) Attend my weekly Weight Watchers meetings each week - and STAY for the meeting (as opposed to just weighing in and leaving). Nine weeks so far - 15 pounds lost.
(2) Do some kind of exercise every day - aim for 30 minutes minimum. Use my pedometer to keep track of mileage - and go for a MONTHLY MARATHON!
(3) Write down every single thing I eat and keep track of WW points.
(4) Remember: It's not a diet - it's a lifestyle change. This is forever - not until I lose some weight.
If you want to join in, just write your own goals in comments - and we'll check in with each other week - and at the end of October we'll see how it went and decide whether or not to try it for November. One step at a time . . .
(1) Attend my weekly Weight Watchers meetings each week - and STAY for the meeting (as opposed to just weighing in and leaving). Nine weeks so far - 15 pounds lost.
(2) Do some kind of exercise every day - aim for 30 minutes minimum. Use my pedometer to keep track of mileage - and go for a MONTHLY MARATHON!
(3) Write down every single thing I eat and keep track of WW points.
(4) Remember: It's not a diet - it's a lifestyle change. This is forever - not until I lose some weight.
If you want to join in, just write your own goals in comments - and we'll check in with each other week - and at the end of October we'll see how it went and decide whether or not to try it for November. One step at a time . . .
Sunday, May 21, 2006
May (or Maybe not)
I wish more folks would get involved with the Monthly Marathon. I need the encouragement! We haven't been very dedicated to it in May. We have walked very sporadically and kept poor to non-existent records.
With graduation for Lil and the usual end-of-year madness for a teacher, time has been short.
A couple of weeks ago I popped into our local Salvation Army Thrift Store, as I do often, to check out the latest book donations. There, among the usual tangle of rusty, warped, and/or dented No-Names and Huffys, were a matching pair of green Raliegh Sprite Bikes, probably 30 -40 years old but in good shape for their age. Knowing they were great bikes in their day I bought 'em for $9.99 each, threw them onto the truck and drove them straight to Bob's Cycle Shop. I told the new Bob (the original Bob sold out a few years ago) to put on new tires and cables and fix 'em up for me. I figured $50 bucks apeice, he estimated $75, the final bill was about $100 each. But, be that as it may, for a little over 200 bucks we have two cool green smooth-running ten-speeds.
Today was our first chance to give them a decent workout. We rode them along the riverwalk to the Braves Stadium and back (9.2 miles). Brannon took our pics as we celebrated with strawberry popsicles on our return. The pic is in our backyard. The Riverwalk is on the levee in the background.
With graduation for Lil and the usual end-of-year madness for a teacher, time has been short.
A couple of weeks ago I popped into our local Salvation Army Thrift Store, as I do often, to check out the latest book donations. There, among the usual tangle of rusty, warped, and/or dented No-Names and Huffys, were a matching pair of green Raliegh Sprite Bikes, probably 30 -40 years old but in good shape for their age. Knowing they were great bikes in their day I bought 'em for $9.99 each, threw them onto the truck and drove them straight to Bob's Cycle Shop. I told the new Bob (the original Bob sold out a few years ago) to put on new tires and cables and fix 'em up for me. I figured $50 bucks apeice, he estimated $75, the final bill was about $100 each. But, be that as it may, for a little over 200 bucks we have two cool green smooth-running ten-speeds.
Today was our first chance to give them a decent workout. We rode them along the riverwalk to the Braves Stadium and back (9.2 miles). Brannon took our pics as we celebrated with strawberry popsicles on our return. The pic is in our backyard. The Riverwalk is on the levee in the background.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Shame and Disgrace!
It's April 30th, and I've done an terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad job of keeping up with my walking this month. I HAVE walked but not as much as I should have. And I haven't kept track of any of this. I WILL do better in May. I must. I've got a beach trip planned in July, and then in late August/early September I'll be returning to Alaska which is a very strenuous vacation. Gotta get into shape!
Joan's April Report
I have not done well in the marathon this month; but I am determined to report whether for good or ill.
I will make a couple of excuses: the first part of the month was occupied with lots of car trips requiring lots of sedentary time. For the last week I have been unable to put on closed shoes due to some minor toe surgery (removal of the nail from the "piggy that went to market.") That thing has been SORE!! And the doctor told me to wear only sandals for a week or two and let it heal and get a lot of air. My poor feet usually don't see the light of day often; they get cold easily, so I wear socks even to bed. So -- they have not only hurt; they have also been COLD.
Excuses aside, I logged a grand total of 17.9 miles in April - almost nine miles short of the goal. I will get a slow start next month until I can wear closed shoes and socks again, then I hope I can get the whatever-it-takes to get back into the program.
Yea for those of you who are persevering!
I will make a couple of excuses: the first part of the month was occupied with lots of car trips requiring lots of sedentary time. For the last week I have been unable to put on closed shoes due to some minor toe surgery (removal of the nail from the "piggy that went to market.") That thing has been SORE!! And the doctor told me to wear only sandals for a week or two and let it heal and get a lot of air. My poor feet usually don't see the light of day often; they get cold easily, so I wear socks even to bed. So -- they have not only hurt; they have also been COLD.
Excuses aside, I logged a grand total of 17.9 miles in April - almost nine miles short of the goal. I will get a slow start next month until I can wear closed shoes and socks again, then I hope I can get the whatever-it-takes to get back into the program.
Yea for those of you who are persevering!
Monday, April 17, 2006
Monday Update - T&S
It's been a week. Sheila and I are having a tough time remembering exactly our routes and mileage this week. I think we skipped Tuesday (I was busy recording the scripture for the Last Supper reenactment at our church) Sheila, Lillian and Daisy took a brief walk that night. We may have skipped Wednesday, as well. After the Maundy Thursday service and the Last Supper we drove over to the Library and took the Riverwalk almost all the way to the by-pass and back -- I'm guessing 3 miles total. Friday and Saturday we walked the downtown route -- about 3.6 miles each. Sunday a 45 minute walk to Ridge Ferry Park and back. About 2.2? So that's approximately 12.4 miles for the week and 38.9 for April.
I need a new digital camera. Lillian, I'm sure, would like me to stop borrowing hers so often and I want to do a collection of higher-res Riverwalk pics. There are just some gorgeous photo opportunities along the rivers.
We often meet folks we know as we walk: the Poe family on bikes at Ridge Ferry; Leigh Callan, who wanted info on a CD of The Civil War; George and Ann Pullen by the library; Ernie Studdard, a couple of times this week on Broad; David and Susan Campbell, out on a "Great Date" a while back; students, former students, and other school kids who know me even though I don't recognise them. At school, some kid will pop up about once a week to say, "I saw you walking last night, Mr. Shaw!"
I love living in Rome. Great weather, (OK, except for July and August.) Beautiful scenery. Good cultural, entertainment and sports opportunities. Close enough to Altlanta and Chattanooga to taste the big city delights occasionally. Close enough to the Pocket, Little River, Cohutta, etc. to see nature undisturbed. Shoot, we've got Marshall Forest, Blacks Bluff, and Whitmore Bluffs in or touching the city limits. Rome is small enough that you never feel anonymous, but large enough that you don't feel everyone peering into your business.
I'm feeling a little lonesome on this blog, though! Let's hear from some of the rest of you Monthly Marathoners!
I need a new digital camera. Lillian, I'm sure, would like me to stop borrowing hers so often and I want to do a collection of higher-res Riverwalk pics. There are just some gorgeous photo opportunities along the rivers.
We often meet folks we know as we walk: the Poe family on bikes at Ridge Ferry; Leigh Callan, who wanted info on a CD of The Civil War; George and Ann Pullen by the library; Ernie Studdard, a couple of times this week on Broad; David and Susan Campbell, out on a "Great Date" a while back; students, former students, and other school kids who know me even though I don't recognise them. At school, some kid will pop up about once a week to say, "I saw you walking last night, Mr. Shaw!"
I love living in Rome. Great weather, (OK, except for July and August.) Beautiful scenery. Good cultural, entertainment and sports opportunities. Close enough to Altlanta and Chattanooga to taste the big city delights occasionally. Close enough to the Pocket, Little River, Cohutta, etc. to see nature undisturbed. Shoot, we've got Marshall Forest, Blacks Bluff, and Whitmore Bluffs in or touching the city limits. Rome is small enough that you never feel anonymous, but large enough that you don't feel everyone peering into your business.
I'm feeling a little lonesome on this blog, though! Let's hear from some of the rest of you Monthly Marathoners!
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Joan's Update
I have been very busy lately and haven't been home much to post my progress here or to write for Daddy's Roses. My (I probably should say "our" because Jim walked almost all of this with me) total for the month of March was 64.9 miles. Most of that was walking tours during our trip to the Mediterranean.
Since the beginning of this month, I have been home seldom and have had to spend a lot of time in the car. Most of my exercise has been acheived by going up and down to and from the attic, packing boxes and push-pulling them around and stacking them, and other moving-related activity. I spent 5 days with my daughter's family and took her 3 children for a walk every day around the block in their community for a total of 5 miles.
Terrell and Sheila are doing SO Well! Way to go, Terrell and Sheila!!! And I am really enjoying the pics Terrell is posting of their treks around town. I am jealous of their proximity to such a scenic walking route! I won't try to use the lack of one as an excuse for my lethargy, however.
I hereby promise to get off my (let's see -- what is an acceptable term here?) "couch" and get serious about the marathon again.
Since the beginning of this month, I have been home seldom and have had to spend a lot of time in the car. Most of my exercise has been acheived by going up and down to and from the attic, packing boxes and push-pulling them around and stacking them, and other moving-related activity. I spent 5 days with my daughter's family and took her 3 children for a walk every day around the block in their community for a total of 5 miles.
Terrell and Sheila are doing SO Well! Way to go, Terrell and Sheila!!! And I am really enjoying the pics Terrell is posting of their treks around town. I am jealous of their proximity to such a scenic walking route! I won't try to use the lack of one as an excuse for my lethargy, however.
I hereby promise to get off my (let's see -- what is an acceptable term here?) "couch" and get serious about the marathon again.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Terrell & Sheila, again
We are having a great time walking. My mother has a friend coming to visit and asked about what she ought to show of our dear hometown. I couldn't help but think as we strolled along the Oostanaula tonight that she couldn't go wrong taking her friend for an amble along the Riverwalk!
The swallows are entertainment enough for anyone. What frantic little graceful wonders, soaring, swooping, gliding, lighting briefly to add a fragment to a nest or feed a nestling, then off to swoop, soar, and glide again. Beautiful little birds!
The Cliff Sparrows build huge adobe cliff dwellings (above) to rival the Anasazi right there on the side of a busy modern highway bridge.
And the barn swallows with their fancy forked tails, too aloof for such a commune, build individual hanging mud huts (above) here and there farther under the bridge.
If birding's not your cup of tea, just take a gander at the pretty old buildings reflected in the water as you meander up the Oostanaula behind Broad Street up to the library and on to Ridge Ferry Park and the Chieftains Museum. Or detour on to Brioad itself and enjoy a real cup of tea at George Kastanias' Victorian Tea Room or a cup a' java at the Forrest Coffee Shop. Then check out the local history at the Floyd County History Museum on Broad.
Like machinery? Take a gander at the old Swing Bridge (Robert Redden Footbridge, above). This old railway bridge used to turn on this center column so steamboats could move up the Oostanaula. See the gears and wheels of the turntable?
Tonight we got in 4.5 miles along both sides of the river. Yesterday after church we took Daisy down t0 Heritage Park and back (2 miles). And Saturday we walked to Barron Stadium and sampled international foods at the Rome International Festival. We had a Chicken Curry Rice dish from the Indian community of South Africa, we had a beef and rice dish from Korea. Bright red chicken from India, Dulce de Leche Cake from Liberia, some wonderful Potato-Rice-Meat croquette and a Cabbage-Meat roll made by my friend Widad of Kurdistan (Iraq). While we were there we walked a mile on the football track, then across the river to the Salvation Army store on Second Avenue, where I bought two 25¢ paperbacks and a coffee cup with the Clocktower on it for 39¢. (2.5 miles) That brings our total for April to 26.5.
(I took the pictures above.)
The swallows are entertainment enough for anyone. What frantic little graceful wonders, soaring, swooping, gliding, lighting briefly to add a fragment to a nest or feed a nestling, then off to swoop, soar, and glide again. Beautiful little birds!
If birding's not your cup of tea, just take a gander at the pretty old buildings reflected in the water as you meander up the Oostanaula behind Broad Street up to the library and on to Ridge Ferry Park and the Chieftains Museum. Or detour on to Brioad itself and enjoy a real cup of tea at George Kastanias' Victorian Tea Room or a cup a' java at the Forrest Coffee Shop. Then check out the local history at the Floyd County History Museum on Broad.
Tonight we got in 4.5 miles along both sides of the river. Yesterday after church we took Daisy down t0 Heritage Park and back (2 miles). And Saturday we walked to Barron Stadium and sampled international foods at the Rome International Festival. We had a Chicken Curry Rice dish from the Indian community of South Africa, we had a beef and rice dish from Korea. Bright red chicken from India, Dulce de Leche Cake from Liberia, some wonderful Potato-Rice-Meat croquette and a Cabbage-Meat roll made by my friend Widad of Kurdistan (Iraq). While we were there we walked a mile on the football track, then across the river to the Salvation Army store on Second Avenue, where I bought two 25¢ paperbacks and a coffee cup with the Clocktower on it for 39¢. (2.5 miles) That brings our total for April to 26.5.
(I took the pictures above.)
Friday, April 07, 2006
The Barn Swallows & Cliff Swallows
The barn swallows and 
cliff swallows have returned to the bridges of the Oostanaula. They are busy building their mud homes 
under the bridges. Soon the Mama swallows will be attacking me on the riverwalk for coming too near their babies. It's fun to watch these flying insect eaters (Anything that eats mosquitoes is a friend of mine!) swooping up and down the levee, so low they seem to brush the grass, never lighting except at the nests.Monday about 4 miles. Tuesday - zip. Wednesday 4 miles again, a little over 3 miles on Thursday, Friday - zip. 17.5 for the month. Great walking weather. (Pics from Google)
Sunday, April 02, 2006
April Goals? Terrell & Sheila
We took Lillian to Jackson, Tennessee, for a tour of Lambuth University. We enjoyed the visit and managed to walk a good bit. We came back to Monteagle to spend the night and then spent much of today touring the gorgeous University of the South campus on top of the mountain at Sewanee, Tennessee. These are three pics from the web:
I wish we had taken a camera. Sewanee is a beautiful campus with scenic overlooks of long valleys including the one above that spreads beneath a huge Memorial Cross. The All Saints Chapel is resplendant with wonderful stained-glass windows depicting the history of the Christianity, the Episcopal Church in England and America (even Wesley), and the history of Sewanee itself. One window has a VW bug in the background of one scene! The campus architecture is modeled after English schools. Most profs and many students (members of the Order of Gownsmen) even wear Hogwartesque open black robes to class. We took a walk down the sidewalks from the main campus past the theology school and then along a sandy meandering path through the woods to the cross and overlook. There and back about 3 miles total.
Lil is still leaning toward attending Mercer, but we enjoyed the visits. I wore my new pedometer both days and ran up twelve and a half miles. I'm gonna arbitrarily count half of that toward my April goal.
Sheila and I have set a walking goal of matching our March 2.5 or so miles per day average.
Here's how we've done so far this year:
January - 27 miles (approx)
February - 29.5 miles
March - 74.2 miles
Year so far - 130.7
I wish we had taken a camera. Sewanee is a beautiful campus with scenic overlooks of long valleys including the one above that spreads beneath a huge Memorial Cross. The All Saints Chapel is resplendant with wonderful stained-glass windows depicting the history of the Christianity, the Episcopal Church in England and America (even Wesley), and the history of Sewanee itself. One window has a VW bug in the background of one scene! The campus architecture is modeled after English schools. Most profs and many students (members of the Order of Gownsmen) even wear Hogwartesque open black robes to class. We took a walk down the sidewalks from the main campus past the theology school and then along a sandy meandering path through the woods to the cross and overlook. There and back about 3 miles total.
Lil is still leaning toward attending Mercer, but we enjoyed the visits. I wore my new pedometer both days and ran up twelve and a half miles. I'm gonna arbitrarily count half of that toward my April goal.
Sheila and I have set a walking goal of matching our March 2.5 or so miles per day average.
Here's how we've done so far this year:
January - 27 miles (approx)
February - 29.5 miles
March - 74.2 miles
Year so far - 130.7
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Mon/Tues Update - Terrell & Shiela
A couple of miles on the levee and downtown each day. 74.2 miles for the month.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Whoopee!
Great to hear from you, Brandy! Sheila and I have been lucky in great weather in March and the encouragement of each other. Also I made my ridiculous goals at the first of the month and tend to get kinda obsessive about such things!
We logged over 17 miles on the pedometer on Friday and Saturday at Cypress Gardens. I'm not sure how much of that to count. We did very little walking on Thursday and Sunday since we spent a total of twenty hours in the car.
I think I'll just arbitrarily count half of the Florida miles. That gives us 70.2 miles for March! I have whupped my "March Starry-eyed Pie-in-the-Sky Idealist Goal - 62 miles (Whoopee, I'm Mr. Buff!! I might even run a ways, come April!)"
We logged over 17 miles on the pedometer on Friday and Saturday at Cypress Gardens. I'm not sure how much of that to count. We did very little walking on Thursday and Sunday since we spent a total of twenty hours in the car.
I think I'll just arbitrarily count half of the Florida miles. That gives us 70.2 miles for March! I have whupped my "March Starry-eyed Pie-in-the-Sky Idealist Goal - 62 miles (Whoopee, I'm Mr. Buff!! I might even run a ways, come April!)"
Checking In
Hi Folks, I've been somewhat remiss for this month. I haven't logged my miles and I know I'm short for this month as the dogs and I did quite a few shorter walks due to the puppy having had his little surgery. Sounds like everyone who has been posting has been going above and beyond the call of duty, that's really great! I'd guess my mileage for the month is around 16 or 17. I go on vacation on Wednesday and won't have a car so I'm hoping to maybe get off to a better start for April. Love all the photos you've all been posting.
Brandy
(walkmydogs).
Brandy
(walkmydogs).
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