Resting

"Flower Bed"
by Duy Huynh

I'm taking a break from the blog for a while. I just don't feel inspired, and I'm really tired. Something has to give, and this is an obvious choice. So I'm going to let the blog "rest" for a while. And try to squeeze in a little rest for me too. If I feel inspired again later and resume posting, I'll be sure to let you know.

"Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."
~ Ovid ~

A Decision and One Ounce of Discipline

"Snow on the Long Leaf"
Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge
photograph by Jack Culpepper

Today was weigh-in day for me. Down 1.2 pounds, and I am pleased. It may not sound like much, but I have worked so hard to turn things around and get headed in the right direction. So much of the battle for me is mental and emotional. Scratch that. 98% of the battle for me is mental and emotional. And add to that the fact that my body seems to have declared recently, with a vengeance that "I am 48, and I no longer want to let go of body fat!" Talk about frustration! I have been so frustrated with my failure to drop the weight that I think my efforts deserve. So when I stepped on the scale today and Charlotte told me I was down 1.2, I was thrilled.

This week I cranked up my activity a little. Research shows that people who want to lose weight need 60-90 minutes of moderate exercise most days for the greatest success. So when the CrossFit workout is 20 minutes, even though it is an intense 20 minutes, I need to add more activity to my day--especially since my normal routine is so sedentary. I sit at a desk all day long. And the desk I sit at is in my own house, for goodness sake! I don't even have to walk to my car. So this girl has to make a point to MOVE. This week I added a little jogging on a couple of days, I increased my walking, and I did some yard work over the weekend. Oh, and I went shopping several different times which involves moving your body around the mall. Shopping is good.

I also kept my food diary this week. Fact is that people who keep a food diary eat less food. I've just got to do it. It's worth it, and it's not that hard. I mean it's not like it requires any skill or smarts or hard work or even much effort to keep a food diary. All it takes is a decision and about one ounce of discipline. I can write down what I put in my mouth. If I want to lose the weight I will write it down. It's as simple as that.

I'm off to St Simons for the weekend to attend Rachel's wedding and for a little R&R. Have a great weekend everyone! See you on the blog next week.

A Lost Treasure Found

The Lake at Lullwater Park on Emory Campus

Do you know that great feeling you get when you find something precious that you had lost? You lost it so long ago that you were not even looking for it anymore; you had forgotten all about it. And then you stumble upon it--in the pocket of an old coat or beneath the silk lining of your fancy clutch purse. That's the feeling I had tonight when I went for a walk at Lullwater Park. I haven't walked at Lullwater Park since before I started CrossFit. I used to walk there regularly with a good friend. But life changed, and I got busy doing other things.

Well tonight I came home from the gym, grabbed Melvin's leash, and we headed out for a walk. And then I stopped a few yards from the house and said to Melvin, "do you want to go walk at Lullwater Park?" He looked up from whatever he was sniffing, cocked his head to one side and tried really hard to understand what I was saying. "Let's go walk at Lullwater Park; let's do it!" He ran to me with great excitement, not sure exactly what we were about to do, but very happy to participate in whatever I had in mind. As we drove to Lullwater, Melvin peered out the passenger window with joyful anticipation. As soon as his paws hit the pavement of the parking lot, he knew exactly where he was. No need for me to lead the way. He walked me, pulling me along the exact route we last walked nearly two years ago.

It felt great to rediscover this lost treasure. I plan to return there regularly. I don't want to lose it again.

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If you are not familiar with Lullwater, you should check it out. It's a gem hidden inside the city. It is the perfect place for walking and jogging. There are excellent paths and trails through the wooded, rolling terrain. There is a suspension bridge, a lake, geese, ducks, turtles, and even a Great Blue Heron! There is a large grassy lawn for reclining or frisbee or whatever. It's a great place for an escape, and it is just minutes away. I think the easiest way to access Lullwater is via the Emory Clairmont Campus. You can park for free after 6pm and on weekends at the Clifton School.

Shopping, Diet, and Other Mundane Stuff

Me and Melvin enjoying the recent snow at the cabin.
I want more of this in my life (enjoyment, not snow necessarily).

I went shopping over the weekend for something to wear to Rachel's wedding. I have been putting off buying new clothes until I lose more weight. And since I work from home, I've been able to get away with it. No one cares what I wear while I'm sitting at my desk at home. Melvin never notices that I rotate between two pairs of jeans day after day. But I needed something for Rachel's wedding so I went shopping on Saturday. No luck. I went again Sunday afternoon, and this time I went with Shana. She had me try things I probably would not have tried. I bought a cute skirt and blouse--not too dressy so it's something I can get a lot of use from. That's important. I went shopping again on my own Monday night and bought another skirt and blouse. It's good to have some clothes that fit. I plan to buy a few more pieces over the coming weeks for spring and summer. When these get too big, I'll give them away, but for now it's important to have clothes that fit and make me feel good.

I'm doing ok with my "diet". I would like to do better, but I'm doing so-so and keeping my food journal this week. I've tried to crank up the activity a notch or two by doing some extra walking or jogging. Over the weekend, I worked in the yard. Besides my crossfit workouts, I tend to be so sedentary. I sit at this computer all day long and evenings too, so adding some activity to my day is a good thing.

I'm feeling tired...like all the creativity and energy has been drained right out of me. I think this comes from months of going non-stop. I don't really see things changing anytime soon. People aren't meant to work 7 days per week, week after week. I'm realizing that I will have to let some things go. I will have to say "no" to some things. I just can't do everything the way I want to do it and do all that everyone wants me to do. I'll do my best, and my best may sometimes disappoint me. It may disappoint others. But that will just have to be okay.

There is not enough time to do all the nothing we want to do.
~ Bill Watterson ~

Oh My

"Moth Mother"
by Duy Huynh

Oh my. I submitted the article I wrote about Shana, ("Come On", February 16) to Lisbeth for consideration for the Affiliate Blog. The neat thing is that she published it. The scary thing is that she published it on the same day that the topic is "outstanding female athletes over age 40." And she sort of included me in that category. I panicked when I read it and thought, "oh no, did I misrepresent myself? She has me confused with some other PatC. Is there anyway I can get a retraction printed before anyone reads it?" Then I thought, no she's not talking about me. Her reference to "outstanding female athlete/affiliate owner" is a reference to Shana. Please let it be a reference to Shana. I am as uncomfortable with that description as I am in jeans that are two sizes too small.

Silly me. I'm working on fitting into those jeans and into that image--outstanding female athlete. I've got the female part nailed.... The rest will come.

I'm Back

A female cardinal just as the snow began to fall.
photograph by Jack Culpepper

This will be quick. I got stranded at the cabin over the weekend due to the snow storm so I am behind on everything. I am back at home now, but two or three days of "out of the ordinary" has made my normal routine seem like it's in a parallel universe. I'm working on getting back to normal and catching up at work. I could not afford to miss work today, but it was unavoidable. So now I am in serious catch-up mode.

I hope you all are doing well. I'll catch up with you again here as soon as I can.