Where did THAT come from?

I had my annual physical a few weeks ago. Each year my husband and I make it a competition to see who's doing better. Thanks to a very regular exercise routine, I can claim victory; however even though the majority of my test results looked great, my weight did not.

Since late February I've put on 13 pounds! Now how exactly does that happen? I asked my doctors. They did thyroid tests--since that can usually explain that kind of weight gain over a relatively short period of time. Thank goodness all was normal. The doctor told me to keep a food journal. Nothing fancy, but just for 2-3 days write down what I ate and put calories with it. I found the problem--food. Actually excess food.

I've fallen into a pattern of thinking that because I work out that I'm entitled to eat what I want. That doesn't hold true anymore. Sure, I can run 4 miles, 3-4 times a week---but having two or three brownies on Wednesdays is not a plan for good health. I told a friend yesterday that I'm not into being thin, I just want to be strong and healthy--a theme you've heard from me before. Food has a place in that. I don't want to go on a diet or deprive myself of food I love, but I also need to learn that I can stop at one cookie.

I've been eating salads all week (love Wendy's Baja salad with no dressing or tortilla chips-- chili and salad taste great together) and incorporated fresh fruit and veges back into my snacking diet. I've cut back on the coffee. I feel better. I actually had a very late brunch today and told myself I wanted a hamburger --YUCK! It just didn't settle well w/me.

I realize that my goal of having a Demi-Moore-at-40-body might not be a reality. But I would love to return to where I was last summer when I took my fit test, felt great about myself, fit smashingly into my clothes and when food was still a friend. Time to rekindle an old friendship!

An unexpected break

It’s been too long. An infection, treated with antibiotics, followed by a cold kept me from working out the last two weeks. I ran and did pushups yesterday for the first time after my hiatus. Not my best run ever but it felt good to be out and about again. I ran for twenty minutes. While my legs would have been happy to continue, my lungs were ready for a break. I experienced firsthand what a lapse in exercise diligence can do to one’s cardio endurance. Just another reminder that fitness takes time and must be done consistently. My fitness test is a short four weeks or so away which also serves as a good motivator.

I missed the April blog topic about music and what people listen too. I’m one of those non-music listeners. In fact, I prefer to listen to NPR in the car. I never have been one to run to music. I’ve always found ear buds annoying and trying to get the right music playing was just a distracter. I just take in the scenery and mentally get myself to the next point. To pass the time, I’ll purposely come up with a topic or problem and mull through it as I run. I’m not talking about anything of huge importance like rising gas prices or the nuclear reactor in Japan. But it helps me pass the time. I choose to look at running as a chance to relax and get away from my other responsibilities. Strange, I know, but it works for me.