My husband and I have been busy this past week.  The best workout I got was definitely this past Thursday.  We volunteered to distribute commodities to families in our county.  We were told this is one of the largest counties this agency services. 

I spent four hours lifting grocery bags full of food into a shopping cart and then unloading them  in the people’s trunks.  I always seemed to get the person that was parked at the far end of the parking lot.  I had to laugh to myself when I’d ask them where they were marked and they would point and say, “Way down there.”  I said to myself,  “Ah, just more exercise.”

I forgot to bring my Onrom pedometer.  It’s the perfect size and easy to use.   I didn’t take one break during the four hours of food distribution.  Heck, just pushing the cart from one end of the armory to the other was quite a haul.  All in all, it was a great day.  I was tired when I got done but my arms and legs didn’t hurt.  

This agency only distributes food 3 or 4 times a year.  This makes the 3rd time in succession I have helped.  I can see I am getting in better shape.  The first time I only worked for two hours and went home a whipped puppy and my arm and leg muscles were sore for a few days.  Three months ago, I helped for about 2 and half hours and had sore arms for a few days. 

I enjoyed talking with the people as we walked to their cars.  I hope I was able to brighten  someone’s day.  I look forward to the next commodity day.  I’ll be volunteering again.  Perhaps the next time, I’ll remember my pedometer.

We’ve been so busy with this lawn service the past two weeks.  We had a three lawns that were really tough.  Two of the jobs were on foreclosed homes.  The grass was so tall it was like hay.  Of course, there was all kinds of garbage in the yards we had to clean up first.  The third property we had to cut and clean up was for an individual who has been placed in a nursing home.  The lawn mower threw a piece of metal wire into the front of my leg cutting that yard.  Yikes…that hurt.   What a way to end a grass cutting season.

I’ve lost another 4 pounds in the past two weeks.  I’m going to have to start using my treadmill since the lawn mowing season is done for this year.  I have to force myself to get on that thing.  I wish I could walk where I live but it’s impossible.  I tried it once and was chased by two dogs.  We live in the country and people are not required to have their dogs enclosed in their yards.  Everyone but us allows their dogs to run loose.  I was a city mail carrier for many years and got bit a few times so I’m scared to death of dogs.  Then definetly sensed it when I tried to walk where they lived.

There are three reasons I am having success losing weight.       1.  Daily physical activity

                   2.  Eating Healthy

                   3.  Using a journal (track my food + activity)

It’s easy to see what is working for me when I can read it in black and white. There are many types of food and activity journals available free online.  At Bella Online (The Voice of Women), the site lists  a dozen free online food diaries and diary templates.  Each one describes what is available with their journal.  Bella Online also has good advice on Healthy Eating.  It’s an informative site.

My sister has gone home but I am still losing weight.  She called two days ago and she is continuing to gain weight.  She has gained two pounds while I have lost 6 pounds.  Both of us are happy.

I have had success and failure in many of my weight loss attempts.  I sat down and thought out what I had done in the past to lose weight.  I also thought about what my past weakness were that caused me to gain weight. 

I’ve tried to keep a journal on what I eat, when, and the amount of physical activity I had each.  I also tracked my weight on the same page.  I haven’t been doing it so faithfully but realize when I do keep track of excercise, calories, and weight, I have better success at losing pounds. 

This journal has also showed me where I have had set backs on my weight loss journey.  When I see it in black and white, it’s easier for me to make adjustments.  I have found my downfall is sweets.  My journal has showed me, I am not able to resist sugar frosted cookies, cheesecake, fudge, or chocolate desserts.   

I use to make the excuse I was buying the cookies and fudge for my mom.  Actually, she didn’t usually didn’t get much because I’d eat the stuff up in two days and go buy more.  My excuses/reasoning can be so illogical sometimes.

I’m still giving individual dessert servings to my mom and husband at suppertime.  I haven’t gotten into what I call “their stuff”.   This system is working for me.  

I’m feeling good and so glad I’ve had two months in a row of successful weight loss.  I’m going to continue on this path.  I don’t call it a diet.  It’s just a healthy choice in my lifestyle change. 

The lawns down here are still growing fast.  It’s time for me to hit the road and get some grass cut.  I love this form of exercise.  I’ve named my push mower Baby.  I take care of her like she’s one of my kids.   It’s time for us to exit……….stage right!!!!  

My sister flew in from California for a month long visit.  She had been sick before she came and I told her I was going to get her to gain some weight.  She had gotten down to 97 pounds before the doctor got her medicine regulated correctly for her.  

She decided to help us with our lawn service.  I thought to myself, how am I going to get her to gain weight after she’s been pushing a lawn mower 4/5 hours a day.  Using a lawn mower has been helping me lose weight.  I tried to talk her out of helping but she wouldn’t hear it. 

I realize muscle weighs more than fat so I figured yard work might help build her arm and leg muscles.  She was here for about a month.  I could see her strength and endurance grow each week as she was mowing.  She felt good too. 

I working on changing her eating habits.  She had been living on candy smarties and yogurt.  I fixed balanced meals and made sure we sat and ate as a family.  I fixed desserts for everyone but myself before we ate so I wouldn’t be tempted.  I also kept cheese sticks on hand when she wanted a snack along with some ritz crackers.  I told myself those were hers and didn’t eat any of them.

She flew back home this past Sunday.  She got on the scale before she left.  Much to my amazement, she has gained 6 pounds during her stay here.  She told her husband what a good cook I am and wants my recipe for spagetti and bread pudding.  I hope she will continue to gain weight slowly until she reaches a heathy weight.

On the other hand, I also got on the scale, I have lost 4 pounds during her stay here.  It’s all about calories in and calories out.  It’s been a positive month for both of us.  I hope we can both stay on the road to good health.  I’m doing it one yard at a time.

Thursday my husband and I volunteered to help pass out food for a county organization. We both grabbed a bottle of water and headed for the armory at 7:45 am. We weren’t sure what to expect but were looking forward to helping in some way.

Wow…talk about a great workout. We spent almost 4 hours loading 30 pounds sacks of food off the floor into a grocery cart and then taking the cart to a client’s car and unloading it. Depending on the family size, they got either two or four bags. Up and down….back and forth…wow…I could really feel it in my legs and my shoulders after a couple of hours.

I forgot to bring my pedometer so I’m not sure how far I walked. I wore a pair of cheap tennis shoes with no support. My feet started hurting after a couple of hours. The hard concrete really takes a toll on my feet. Next month I’m wearing a good pair of shoes. I usually wear cobbie cobblers…they are great.

I really enjoyed helping this organization. This was the best workout I’ve had in a long time. I woke up Friday morning with sore arms, sore shoulders, and sore legs. I wonder how many calories I burned. I’ve never been sore after working out at the gym. I guess it goes to show I don’t push myself hard enough on the machines.

I met some nice workers as well as nice participants. People were so genuine. I heard some heart-wrenching life stories from a few of the clients. I sympathized with them and put them in my prayers.

This day was not only a great workout on my weight loss journey but an eye-opener to the despair felt my so many in this community. I hope my words of encouragement and prayers help.

(I retired from the post office. This postage stamp says it all.)

For me, losing weight is one of the hardest things to accomplish. I know….I’ve lost over 100 pounds three times in my life. I’ve asked myself over and over, how could you let yourself gain all that weight back AGAIN. I’ve rationalized all kinds of reasons, and made all kinds of excuses for myself. The bottom line, I made poor choices and consumed more calories than I burned.

In recent years, I’ve been what I call a yoyo dieter. I lose some weight and then gain some back. Having lost my girlfriend last month at the age of 59, I’ve decided I need to get back into a serious weight loss mode. I remember how her kids use to call her for advice or encouragement. I want to be around for my kids.

Today, I am renewing my effort at this weight loss journey. I’ve started my day with a bottle of water and a cup of coffee. I’m not hungry right now but plan on having a bowl of oatmeal when I do decide to eat.

Last year I bought a really nice treadmill. I haven’t figured out all the programs on it. I really only want to know how far I’ve gone, the speed, amount of calories I’ve burned, and the amount of time I’ve been on it. I also like the fact I can adjust the incline.

Each time I’ve lost weight, I’ve done it through good food choices and exercise. I know I can reach my weight loss goal again.

I’m off to take a walk on my treadmill. My short term goal is: lose 2 pounds this week.

After you have finished a few minutes of warmup strolling, gradually increase to a brisk pace (as if you were late for work). A “brisk” walk is different for everyone. I depends on your particular physical condition. Don’t over do it if you’ve been inactive for a long time.

You will know if you are at “your own pace” if you are capable of talking while you walk. If you don’t have enough breath to talk, you are overdoing it. If you are walking by yourself, I’m sure you don’t want people to think you are a nut case talking to yourself as you’re walking. Check your breathing every so often by humming or counting softly to yourself.

The sound of your breathing is another gauge of workout intensity. It’s normal to breathe harder than usual during your walk, but you shouldn’t be wheezing or gasping.

Walking can be fun. Find your pace that is comfortable for you. Find the amount of time you can walk comfortably. You will see them both increase as you continue to walk. Stick with it and you will see the pounds melt off.

I suggest using a Pedometer. It will count the steps you take. It’s always nice to see in black and white exactly how much you’ve accomplished. It’s good to keep track in a journal so you can see how you progress.

Sunday’s Workout:

Yesterday was another beautiful day. The air was crisp and cool. It was a perfect day to thin out the trees in the back woods of our property. I took my clippers and started tackling a part of the woods no one has ever cleared.

I cut down lots of smaller trees, sapplings and brambles. They are so thick, they keep the bigger trees from getting bigger. Once I had them cut down, I chopped them into smaller pieces so I can haul them to the burn barrel.

I got so caught up in my cutting, I didn’t watch the time. I should have quit while I was feeling good. Oh no, I had to wait until my leg, left shoulder and back started hurting.

I limped into the house and looked at the clock. I was surprised to see I had been cutting down trees for 3 hours. No wonder I was hurting.

I took a hot shower but was still in a lot of pain. I had one demerol pain pill left, and took it without hesitation. (I had been saving it for a time I was
really hurting.) I fell asleep about 45 minutes later.

This woods is helping my lose weight and build muscles. I just hope it doesn’t kill me before:
1. I reach my weight loss goal.
2. I have the woods cleared of all the small trees and brambles.

I’m still sore today so I’m going taking a break from the yardwork.

I’m off to make some homemade tenderlions and also a big pan of swiss steak.

Friday Workout:

I took a break Thursday from working in the yard. I was back at on Friday. Late spring, we had a very hard frost and it killed some of our trees. We’ve had some pretty good winds last week and it several large dead limbs fell along the back part of the yard.

I took my trusty clippers and cut them up. I cut them so I could get them in the burn barrel without having to worry about starting the woods on fire. I cut and hauled, cut and hauled. I had to use a pruning saw on some of the branches that were too big for my clippers.

While I was burning the branches, I started raking up the leaves in the area the branches had fallen. I also raked a couple of the flower beds near the area. These dried leaves were great fuel to the fire.

After I got that area raked up, I took a shovel and went to the front of the house to pick up the dried weeds and plants I had gotten out of the flower bed on Wednesday. Although I put stuff on those fire ants, I was afraid there might be more in those piles of stuff. I chose to use the shovel and not get my hands or feet anywhere near the debris. I threw that stuff in the fire as well.

I worked out in the yard for about an hour and a half. I felt great when I finished. Looking at what I had accomplished made me feel pretty good as well.

I stayed and watched the burn barrel until it was at the smoldering stage. It was then time to hit the shower. My hair and clothes smelled like smoke.

I’m not sure how many calories I burned. I know I did some muscle building. I prefer yard work to a treadmill any day.

How I love this time of the year!!!!!

Tuesdays Workout:

We have woods one the front and back of our property. The previous owner had made a nice clearing in the back. We enjoy sitting out back and watching the squirrels, birds, racoons, and deer.

The cleared area is starting to fill back in since he didn’t actually kill the trees he had cut down. I figured it was better if I cut all the sapplings down before they became trees. I didn’t realize what a big job it was going to be.

I grabbed my trusty tree/scrub cutters and off I went into the woods. It seems like every tree he cut down, 4/5 more grew up from the root system. I became one cutting machine. I was out there for hours cutting.

I had to quit when the blisters I developed starting really hurting. By this time, my shoulders were feeling the strain from those cutters. Although I’m not done clearing, the area looks better.

I plan to do some more cutting as soon as the blisters heal up. (I wish I could work with gloves on. I hate the feeling of them on my hands.)

Now I have sore legs, arms and shoulders. It’s a good kind of sore though. Losing weight while building muscles = a nice looking yard. Definitely a win-win situation.