Yesterday we had our third 3 mile session out on the road with Dog and I was definitely feeling the fatigue from Tuesdays walk. The hills were a little harder to push up today for some reason, even the dog wanted to be carried most of the way.
When I get home from the walk I have the same feeling that I do when I've had a hard workout. I've always downplayed walking as a "noneffective exercise", which is silly of me, especially when you have three heart rate climbing, sweat inducing hills to walk up. You don't hit them until the way home, so you have no choice if you really want to get home and lay on the couch.
That bit about walking being noneffective if a huge obstacle for me, I get in the "all or nothing" mentality with exercise (er most things) and feel like I have to do this huge amount of cardio to be effective which of course only burns me out in a very short amount of time. I'm learning that exercise doesn't always have to be this huge chunk of time or cardio that makes me look like a contestant on the biggest loser.
I'm reminding myself that even though it's not in the gym, it still counts and three miles is definantly a good workout for me.
I made a mental list of the food I ate yesterday and here it is, if you're interested.
Breakfast/lunch: quorn chik'n patty on a bun with honey mustard. This was really random, I was hungry and wanted something quick.
Later on I had a Sobe lifewater (100 calories for the bottle)
After cleaning I found some of the pecan pralines left over from the wedding and ate a handful of those.
Dinner was oven fried fish (2 fillets) and a salad with shaved Parmesan, green and yellow peppers and ranch spritz.
After the walk I was feeling hungry so I made some oats: whole oats, cinnamon, brown sugar, walnuts and water. I made this too sweet by not measuring out the brown sugar, I will do that next time.
I'm putting a lunch together for work this morning and will take a picture of it when I get there. We plan to walk another three miles tonight.
I was looking for some inspiration today and I found you! I’ve got a lot of weight to lose (100lb) and I’m running the London Marathon next April. Right now though I can sympathise with what you said in your previous post about only being able to run for a minute - that’s all I can do, too! I love your blog!
Good for you! 3 miles is great and no doubt that’s at least 400 calories you burned! Walking is great exercise! I know it seems like you could be doing something more effective, but imho it’s the best. You can do it anywhere, it’s easy to keep up with and you get outside! You will get faster, you can push yourself and you will lose weight. Pump your arms at your sides if you want to feel like you are doing more. It also helps to keep your hands from swelling when you walk.
I know what you mean about feeling that lesser amounts of exercise don’t count somehow. After becoming a mom, I realized that 15 minutes at ANYTHING can make a difference if I keep at it. I’ve lost 30 pounds by swimming laps a half hour at a time, three times a week. It’s taken me five years, but I’ve done it! You’re doing great!
walking is one of the best exercises you can do besides swimming. Works out your whole body and it gives you get a great cardio workout. It will tone and strengthen your muscles. Actually it is better than running in a lot of ways because it is easier on the joints. And it is free. Plus you have the advantage of good clean air and a beautiful view of the mountains…those hills you have are a doozy as well!! So give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done! Dog needs a name…
Keep on walking! Good job! I lost 30 lbs. in 3 months JUST walking 3 miles and eating healthy! Very EFFECTIVE!
oh, and I sooo hope you keep “Dog”!
theres such a thing as too sweet?
I need to measure so I dont go overboard but then I always seem to add more anyway…
Walking is way better than jogging or running, easier on your knees. 3 miles is awesome! I always feel better after I walk, like it’s time well spent. My husband and I do bring ipods but we still chat and talk about stuff we wouldn’t at home with the tv going on and stuff. Walking clears my head and helps me to focus on goals. It’s just great exercise. Good Job Girl!
Also, I agree with Nancy Kennedy’s style. It is true that you may think that a little amount of exercise isn’t going to do “squat.” But I really think that when you hear weight loss goals of for example, celebrities or people on tv, the goals seem unachieveable. Sometimes I lose 1 pound a week, sometimes it’s a pound a month. But, I haven’t put it back on. I still have about 25 more pounds to go . I’m not going to time it. If it takes a period of months, OK. If it takes a few years, OK. The point is to be healthy. To keep your routine of exercise and healthy eating, always. Also, never listen to negativity, on any small scale. Ignore it. Listen to your heart, what you are saying. Many people do not have the drive that you have. In my opinion, you are a total winner. Someone who sees their goals in sight, and is achieving them with pride, strength, and a terrific talent for writing! Go Girl!
Way to go on your accomplishment! Walking outside is really a lot harder than most think especially with hills. I am totally beat after hubby and I walk at the state park. It’s much harder than the in-home walking I do that is for sure.
I also have to work on the all or nothing attitude.
Hubby and I are going to start the 30 Day Shred here soon. I’m scared! LOL
Nice work! I remember this snippet from an exercise book. Cardio is any exercise that uses the muscles of your arms and legs, raises the heart rate. You’ll know your working hard enough when you need 2 or 3 breaths to speak a complete sentence. Any less your not working hard enough and more it’s too much. I walked hills as my primary exercise and lost a lot of weight. I also get many compliments of my legs. Hiking is an amazing full body workout. Here in NYC I run/walk in Central Park which is very hilly. Yesterday I did the Pride Run, 5 miles in 1 hour 02 minutes.
Congrats on your progress.
The oats sound yummy! And the oven fried fish too!
Great job on all the walks
I’ve been resting my knees from running for a week and was pouting and hating that I was walking ’cause it didn’t feel like a ‘real’ work out. Maybe I didn’t get that ‘high’ from it. But i definitely felt it the next morning - well rested and my body felt like I had pushed it the day before. Walking is soooo good for you!
Why don’t you update more often? It’s kind of annoying…
I have been reading your blog for quite some time now. Although we rarely agree I continue to come back because I think one day you are going to figure it out. I started reading back in September…since then I have dropped almost 50 lbs…working full time, have a 2 1/2 year old, a husband who is in the service and never home (and by never I mean literally, he spent 80 days of 2008 at home) and yet you have not lost much. Maybe this is mean…but it frustrates me when I read your blog because you call it “Natural weight loss” yet no real loss…I didn’t starve myself, or spend more then an hour and a half at the gym 4 days a week MAX! (an most weeks I was lucky to get in an hour, 3 days a week). You have GOT to change what you eat! I eat well and fill full and snack all the time. But I feel like you want to loss weight…but not really. You don’t have to starve or eat crazy foods, but sweets and sodas, and flavored waters, and pasta (even if it is wheat) and a whole other slew of things you have to cut out! You just have to.
Sorry to be a b*tch but I just couldn’t take it anymore. Everyone is always so nice and I think you need to really look at the pictures your take of what you eat and ask yourself…”Is this really want I should be eating” I think a good portion of the time you will realize NO!
Also, when it comes to health care. I am sorry you don’t have it, I am sure it sucks, and as far as the heart issue that really is a b*tch because you have had that since you were a kid (at least I think that is what you said), but the being overweight part, I don’t! That IS something you can control, I have a slow thyroid and am controlling mine without meds so you CAN do it! So for that portion of it, I don’t think I should have to pay or anyone should have to pay for you to have health insurance if you are not covered because of your weight unless they can prove you have a medical condition that causes you to be overweight, which you have never mentioned having one and since you are trying to loss weight I would assume you do not!
Good Luck, I am glad you are walking…I hope you get focused and realize you can loss weight, but when you get to where you are (and I have been very close to where you are) it is all the way or never going to happen. So I hope you get to going for it all the way.
I’ve been inspired by my son’s baseball coach. My son was struggling at bat, deciding whether to swing or not, a lot going on in his head. The coach said to go to the plate with the idea that you’re going to swing. That way, you only have to make one decision (not to swing). I’ve adopted that way of thinking. I don’t get up in the morning thinking maybe I will swim, maybe I won’t. I have to think, I’m going to swim today. Sometimes life gets in the way and I can’t follow through. But that’s okay. My batting average is still pretty good!
I really benjoy reading your blog, you are a big part in helping me lose weight, thank you
hello?
…tapping on computer screen like that annoying paperclip from old school Microsoft word…
are you in there? I miss you!
I’m a new reader who recently stumbled across your blog and LOVE IT!! We seem quite scary, except I’m trying to lose weight AND look for love (shaking head.
You’ve definitely inspired me (especially to upkeep my blog) and I wish you and your new husband the best of luck!
Liz
Where are you??? I miss reading your posts - you inspire me
Hi! I was just doing some research on the internet and I came across your blog. I was looking up info on the Day off Diet plan, and I saw that on your original blog you were talking about it… so i was wondering if u could personally tell me about it and how it went for you. I also looked at Jenny craig and others like that, but they all seem to be nearly 350 dollars a month! so if you could pleas write back with your experiences that would be great! Thanks in advance!