I am participating in a walking group at work as part of the Thrive Across America program, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente I believe. Since my employees are super competitive (gee, I wonder whose example they're following....), we are each striving to do 60 minutes of physical activity EVERY DAY, the majority of which is done in the form of walking the campus loop, which provides between 30-40 minutes of activity at lunch every day. This is invigorating for me; the fresh air, getting out of the office, its like a mini Zen endorphin break in the middle of the day. It's also helped keep me, along with WW, motivated to log my physical activity as other people are counting on me to do my part, and that seems to be a much better motivator than just being out there on my own.
The desire for variety and multitasking (as some day it will start to rain here and I may not be able to go walk around for 40 minutes and sit at my desk like a wet dog for the rest of the day, caused me to make what I've dubbed an "impulse wellness purchase" or IWP. I got a desk bike. No, not a desk attached to a bike, but rather a bike you can pedal under your desk at work.
One of my coworkers is using this as her 60 minutes of activity, and since I'm trying to find different ways to burn calories and alleviate the calf/foot pain I experience after sitting at a desk all day, it seemed like a great idea. It comes in the mail today and I am super geeked about it. Hopefully, it'll help those pounds come off a smidgen faster, and give me the legs I had in high school and college (thank you marching band... shut up haters).
This weekend marks the first real "outing" that I will participate in since I've gone dairy/bread/complex carbs/essentially gluten free. My sailing people and I are going to the end of season celebration for the Interclub Race Series (WHICH WE WON!) over in Alameda, and I need to give myself a peptalk before I get there: Stick with meat and veggies, avoid sauce, NO ALCOHOL. Maybe half of a dessert (because you're doing well and its been ages and the closest thing you've had to dessert lately is the handful of chocolate covered walnuts about 3 weeks ago). The advantage of weighing myself Friday morning is that I know how good I need to be over the weekend, or if its ok to splurge for a Junior popcorn at the movies or not go nuts at the gym, but instead go for a nice long walk. I'll let you know how I do.
I'm hoping that this whole diet thing doesn't make me a hermit; I think this will be a good chance for me to get out of the house/office and socialize with people. Unfortunately, it seems like in our society socializing = eating/drinking things that aren't good for you, and I am determined to avoid that trap and have a good time regardless of whatever peer pressure I might sustain to have a glass of wine. I'm thinking I'll ask for a seltzer with a lime wedge over ice and no one will know the difference.
I am so crafty.
EFF! I'm not supposed to be drinking wine!?! I haven't given that up yet---just everything else. You are a great inspiration MBK!
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