4/20/10

Day 100: 17,025

I did it! I did it! If this was 2001, I would have totally made it so there was confetti raining down all over the page and I would have turned your curser into a little pair of running shoes and then your computer would have crashed. FUN TIMES! But I did it! I've never achieved any sort of fitness goal at all in my entire life, so while this may feel like an old lady-ish form of exercise, I'm feeling chuffed and very proud of myself.

So what's changed for me in the last 100 days? Let's see...
  • I exercise pretty much every single day. This is a statement I've never been able to make before and one I couldn't have imagined making this time last year. It doesn't matter if it's a holiday or a weekend or an incredibly long work day, I still get out there and move.
  • My asthma has diminished greatly. This time last year, I was using Advair, twice a day, every day, and I was still having a lot of tightness in my chest and rattly breathing. Now, I may use my rescue inhalor once or twice a month. It's awesome.
  • My back doesn't hurt anymore. I blamed the aches in my back on a bad chair, a bad mattress, too much time in the car, whatever. The truth is, I needed to exercise more and get stronger, especially in my core.
  • My waist is smaller. I've always had a nice, slim waist but last year, I started to notice I wasn't so little in the middle anymore. While I'm not where I want to be, I'm on my way there. My clothes are fitting much better.
  • My cheekbones are returning. Hi, cheeckbones! I missed you!
  • I have tons of energy and great stamina. For the last few years, that time between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. have been my enemy. I was exhausted and wanted to nap or consume a heroic amount of caffiene just to get through the rest of the day. That just doesn't happen anymore. A lot of the things I dismissed as, "Eh, I'm just getting older" don't happen anymore. It's very freeing to get out and do things without being hit with exhaustion in the middle.
  • Sitting still for long periods of time feels unnatural. I remember working at my computer and glancing at the clock to find several hours had passed without my notice. I can't do that anymore. I have to get up and move every 20-30 minutes or I start to feel trapped. Every few hours, I really feel like I need to go and walk for at least 20 minutes. This has helped me have a much healthier relationship with my work. I am less all-or-nothing and I'm actually getting more done because I'm taking breaks that keep my mind fresh.
  • My house and yard is tidier. I knew that housework could be a real workout but until I started wearing my pedometor, I never really realized how tasks like taking the garbage from the kitchen to the can or sweeping can really add up.
  • I've saved a ton of money on gas. For the most part, I only take my car to and from work. I do most of the rest of my errands on foot. When you have to carry you groceries home from the store, it makes you shop differently too. A big box of ice cream sandwiches doesn't seem like that big a deal when you've got the cart and the car, but when you have to carry it home (and get it home before they unthaw!) you start to look at your purchases differently.
  • My dog is better behaved. When we first got Ginger, she was a wild little pup. She's still wild but not totally embarrassing to take out on a leash now. She used to lose her mind if she got within 100 yards of another animal. Now she's excited but looks to me for direction instead of becoming a crazy, barking monster that scared strangers and irritated her owners. Good girl!
  • I'm paying more attention to how I treat myself. I haven't become some heath nut whose whole life revolves around being fit, but I am a lot nicer to myself and being nicer has meant making some better choices. Stupid little things, like taking my allergy medication every night or have more fruits and veggies or getting a good night's sleep, have become a lot more important to me. I like my body a whole lot more now and I want to be nice to it.
So, what now? Will I stop wearing my pedometer? I've got it on today and I'm planning to do my usual long walk with the dog after I get home from work. Next week, I'm going to start the Couch to 5k program. Will I go for another million steps? Maybe. I'm not quite sure yet. I think I'll take the rest of the week off of blogging here and let you know what I decide next week. I'm leaning toward yes.

4/19/10

Day 99: 10,827

I need to walk 16285 steps on my final day to make my goal. Can I do it?

4/18/10

Day 97 & 98: 13,034

My knee has been killing me and it's really affecting how much I've been able to move. It's a bummer. I have two days to make up 7112 steps! What a way to end! But I'll be ding danged if I'm going to miss my goal.

4/16/10

Day 96: 12,659

Only 146 steps behind!

4/15/10

Day 95: 10,359

My knee is still killing me but I've got to keep keeping on... such a shame to have this happen so close to my goal!

4/14/10

Day 90 - 94: 36,615

I took a hard fall on my knee on Friday night and I've been struggling since then. I am so clumsy and my knee is still killing me, almost a week later.

Day 90 - 7860
Day 91 - 11,812
Day 92 - 5738
Day 93 - 9260
Day 94 - 10,279

I made my goal most days but there were a few in there that just were not going to happen. I've felt bad for the puppy because she hasn't gotten her usual jaunts. I'm bummed out that my little experiment could come to a close on such a down note! My knee is starting to feel a bit better, so maybe I'll be in fighting form again soon. I'm 3164 steps behind.

4/9/10

Day 89: 11,125

Not a single aerobic step was earned! Instead, I ran errands and cleaned out our guestroom for the impending arrival of a friend. The room used to be full of boxes and other crap-- it was like we owned a 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 1 storage unit. Now it's a cutesy and clean guestroom that I just want to take naps in.

4/8/10

Day 88: 12,685

This week has just been one thing on top of another. I took Ginger to get groomed in Montrose and thought, "Self, why don't you take yourself to lunch?" So I did. And when I came back, my car was dead. I tried calling Patrick and my phone died. I spent about an hour looking for a payphone and it's scary how hard it is to find a payphone now. While I was wandering, Superhero Patrick somehow found my dead car, jumped it, and headed back to work! At the end of it all, I was slightly sunburned, very irritable but very, very thankful for my magic Patrick man.

4/7/10

Day 87: 9958

One of the things I've been marveling at is my own body's efficiency. The more I walk a route, the more my body will work to make that route as efficient as possible, which means I earn fewer steps. I don't realize it while it's happening but those subconscious little changes-- cutting across a corner instead of crossing the street properly, using a longer stride when I know the path is level and smooth, walking a little closer to the inside of a well-known curve-- really add up. I need to start walking in new places!

4/6/10

Day 86: 10,208

It was rainy but cleared up in the afternoon. Only 1881 steps behind!

4/5/10

Day 85: 0

I couldn't find any spot on my body to hide my pedometer in my Easter outfit, so I had to leave it off. I don't think it matters much though-- as with most big holidays, exercise wasn't really at the front of my mind. I'd rather skip it and just make the steps up later.

4/4/10

Day 84: 10,371

I spent a ton of time working on the house this weekend, picking the oranges off our tree and delivering them to folks around the neighborhood. My leg is feeling a lot better. 7839 steps ahead!

4/3/10

Day 83: 10,009

Just over! My right leg is still feeling tight and a little painful. I think I need to work some stretching into my daily routine.

4/2/10

Day 82: 16,498

I did not intend to walk so much but when you walk to the store, walk to take something to one neighbor, walk to see a friend and then walk to and from dinner, it adds up!

4/1/10

Day 81: 10,214

I yoinked something in the back of my right leg and I'm limping...