Week #3 - Pound a Week and 6-month Moon Walk Challenge

This has not been a good week. I only logged two hours in the pool, seven miles walking and the numbers on the scale are still rising. Since starting the moon walk challenge in June, I've gained nearly twenty pounds. I joined the pound a week challenge determined to reverse the trend. To say I was angry this morning when I checked the numbers would be quite an understatement. On the bright side, I did decide to behave like a grown-up and not throw the scale through the window. I didn't even throw it in the trash. Instead, I gave myself five minutes for pouting, followed by ten minutes of planning. Next week will be better.

I have a big decision to make. One of my co-workers in Chicago has started training for a triathlon. Swimming is his weak spot, so every day we're in the hotel, he'll spend time in the hotel pool. Another co-worker may coach him. Do I dare squeeze myself into a bathing suit and swim along? I love swimming, but no one I work with has ever seen me in a swim suit. The closest they've come is seeing vacation photos of me in my dive gear. I don't think I can do it, but maybe I can find out what time they're training and log some hours at a different time. I have to do something different. Walking alone is obviously not working.

Steve's tip this week is about Isometric Exercise. Check it out.

Week #2 - Pound a Week and 6-month Moon Walk Challenge

Week 2 has come to a close and I'm going backwards! Too bad the goal isn't to simply make the scale change by a pound every week. I'd be doing great then.

I mentioned on KK's blog that I walked more than 20 miles this week and managed to gain weight. After I pushed the save button, it occurred to me that I shouldn't just spout off numbers like that when I have a pedometer and can be more accurate.

So how far did I walk over the last 7 days?

Friday - 1
Saturday - 1
Sunday - 2
Monday - 4.5
Tuesday - 4
Wednesday - 5.5
Thursday - 4.5

Looks like 22.5 miles! On a side note - any guesses which days I was in Chicago with its temps in the mid-80s and which days I was roasting in Houston?

So 22.5 miles and a gain of 1 pound. This brings to mind a visit to the doctor's office when I was about 11 years old. My mom wanted him to recommend exercises for me. His suggestion? Try pushing away from the dinner table sooner. I didn't fully appreciate that advice then, but I think it might be time to give it a try.

Steve's tip for week three concerns setting a timer when you sit down at a computer so you remember to move at least once an hour. He also shares an entertaining story about his adventures at Target. I can put this week's tip to good use when working in Houston. However, when working is Chicago, I'm generally in a conference room with 10-15 other people for the bulk of the day. We don't take hourly breaks. My first reaction was - well I can't use the timer in Chicago. My second thought - hmmm, wonder what they'd do if I got up once an hour and walked around the room. It might be fun to find out.

I'm off to celebrate my success in the moon walk challenge with a stroll around the block. While walking, I'll be thinking of ways to improve results in the pound a week challenge.

What challenges have you set for yourself and how are you doing?

Week #1 - Pound a Week

The first week of the great Pound a Week Challenge has come to an end. How did I do? I'm probably cheating a bit as I didn't weigh in until Friday morning (instead of Wednesday), but I did manage to take off a pound. I'm going to stick with Friday weigh-ins from now on, so I'll be out of step with the group, but, for various reasons, Fridays work better for me.

This week's tip from Steve - take the stairs! My first thought when I read that tip was "I already do that!" However, on further thought, I don't always take the stairs. In fact, in one building I frequent, I don't even know where the stairs are. I plan to find more stairs to climb this week.

Pound a Week Challenge

This morning, in my 4 AM stupor, I signed up for Steve Mancini's Pound a Week Blog Challenge. I missed the blog part - - - was focused on the challenge of losing one little pound a week. It sounds so doable. So, I signed up. Then I read the guidelines and learned I'm supposed to blog about the experience. So here I am...blogging because I signed up. Haven't done anything else, mind you. But I've committed.

In the introduction, Steve introduced the idea of eating a bit slower, taking time to actually taste food. And here's a novel idea - - - if you find you don't particularly enjoy what you're eating, stop eating it. That sounds easy enough.

The other tip was a small lifestyle change that I'd already incorporated for a different challenge. The tip is

When you drive to the store, park further away from the entrance.

The reason I'm already parking further away from the entrance? That has to do with that other challenge I mentioned earlier - the Moonwalk Challenge. More on that tomorrow. I'm off and running, er, walking.