Youth and Obesity

Interesting article from Reuters about the growing number of obese children. Timely article, too, considering that I just had lunch with 100+ teenagers at McDonald's. I was there for the Apple Dippers, which are a nice 100-calorie dessert to follow the tuna-and-wheat-cracker entree I had prepared for myself. The kids were there for the fries, apparently, judging from the number of trays I saw with the telltale super-sized red cartons on them. It also seemed as though most trays had large sandwiches like Big Macs or Quarter Pounders on them. That's a lot of fat calories for lunch. Curious, I asked one of their teachers if any of the kids had ordered salads. At first she said 'no', but then she remembered seeing one (ONE) walnut-apple salad. She also said she had seen several kids with yogurt parfaits. So that's what, 4 or 5 out of 100 kids. And as I was leaving, I saw two of those yogurt parfaits sitting untouched while their purchasers finished...you guessed it, their super-sized fries. Oh well, it was a better choice than the Big Mac combo, I suppose.

If I had had access to the fast food and convenience food options these kids have (not to mention the funds to purchase them), there's no telling how big I would be today. When I was their age, canned fruit (as opposed to fresh) was about the worst dietary choice I could make. Pizza, burgers, and such were available, I just usually didn't have any money with which to purchase them. For that matter, neither did my parents. "Snack Night" was a big deal at our house. We each got to pick one thing that we wanted, and Dad would go to the store and purchase just those things. Mom would almost always get a Butterfinger candy bar, my sister asked for Hostess Twinkies, Dad would get some sort of Hostess product, and I would get the Hostess Banana Flip. It only happened about once a month, and the whole excursion probably set Dad back about two dollars, but it was A Very Big Deal to us. Limited snacking--what a concept!

Obviously, I lost my way somewhere along the line, and for that reason, I can identify to some degree with teenagers today. It's easy to get caught up in doing what everyone else is doing, and not really considering the long-term consequences of what we're doing. I can only hope that we somehow "fix" the system so that these kids have a good shot at long, healthy lives.

The whole experience reminded me of my own commitment, so I took the stairs back up to the office. Seven flights, all uphill. :) It wasn't pretty, but I made it. I definitely need to continue to do this, at least once a day.

Back to the Grind

The Chicago trip is now a memory, and a very good one, at that. It was so much fun to see my friends, especially those who are sharing this same fitness journey. They've all done so well, and I'm so proud of them. One has lost 62 pounds, another is training for a marathon, and still another is maintaining a 70+ pound weight loss. They set the bar high, and I love them for it.

I managed to eat properly during the entire trip, with a few delicious splurges to remind me that I was on vacation. I worked out almost every day, in one form or another. Perhaps that's why I came back to a 1.4 lb. weight loss for the week!

So now I'm back into the swing of things. I've got a good start on an energetic playlist for my Shuffle:

Walking On Sunshine ~ Katrina & The Waves
Walk the Dinosaur ~ Was (Not Was)
These Are Days ~ 10,000 Maniacs
I Touch Myself ~ Divinyls
Brick House ~ The Commodores
Material Girl ~ Madonna
Tell Her About It ~ Billy Joel
Celebration ~ Kool & The Gang
I Just Called to Say I Love You ~ Stevie Wonder
Cartoon Heroes (Radio) ~ Aqua
If I Had $1,000,000 ~ Barenaked Ladies
Rescue Me ~ Fontella Bass
25 Miles ~ Edwin Starr
Don't Stop ~ Fleetwood Mac
I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) ~ Daryl Hall & John Oates
Express Yourself ~ Madonna
Walking In Memphis ~ Marc Cohn
You Make Me Feel so Young ~ Frank Sinatra
Get the Party Started ~ P!nk
I'm So Excited ~ The Pointer Sisters
He's So Shy ~ The Pointer Sisters
We Are Family ~ Sister Sledge

What's odd is that many of the songs are not music I'd listen to on a normal day, but it's all perfect for walking. It's not bad for housecleaning, either! In fact, I think I'll try it now. :)

42 and Counting

Today was my second assessment at Fitness Together, and 42 is the Big Number. That's how many pounds I've lost since February. Giving credit where it's due, 32 of those pounds have been shed since I started working with the trainers 3 months ago. (Trainers, take a bow!)

Of the 32 pounds lost, 11 were muscle pounds, meaning I replaced 11 fat pounds with 11 muscle pounds. More good numbers!

One of the best numbers was my active heart rate: 91 after a 3-minute step test. Six weeks ago, it was 117, I think, but to be fair, last time we used two steps and this time only one. Still, it's a good number. :)

I moved from below average to average in a couple of categories, and in one, I moved from well below average to the simple below average. Woo-hoo!

The only other thing I remember is that my pinch tests for body fat came out in the 20s for triceps and hip area, but is still in the low 30s for thighs. My thighs were not pleased as they have been tortured with all sorts of contortions these past few months.

And I still can't do a real push-up. But I did 20 Cammy-ups and I think I only did 5 during my initial assessment.

So overall, I'm Very Pleased. In total, I lost only 2.75 more inches (my shoulders even measured bigger!), but the weight loss and other numbers more than made up for it. Great momentum for the vacation I embarked upon today.

Not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty damned proud of myself. And more than a little grateful to my wonderful trainers.

Sunday: Started Soggy, Stayed Soggy

I suppose this morning was the ultimate test of my commitment. For about 50 minutes, Fran and I slogged through a pouring rain to complete our Sunday morning walk on the Greenbelt. Puddles that were minor pools when we first saw them were minor ponds on the return trip. At one point, it even appeared to be raining tiny frogs. They were everywhere.

This had to happen on the day I decided to wear a fitted t-shirt. Usually I wear baggy shirts (body image + all my shirts are too big), but today I decided to wear one that actually had shape. Needless to say, by the time we finally got the cool breeze Fran anticipated, I had turned the Greenbelt into my very own wet T-shirt contest. The frogs didn't seem impressed.

I had planned to go to Target after our walk, but considering that I had to wring out my clothes before I could even get in the car, I detoured by the house, peeled off to the skin, toweled off, combed my hair and set out again. A normal person would have showered first, but considering that it was still raining steadily, I figured, what the hell.

At Target, I bought the prize I won for making my challenge of 500 minutes extra walking in August. It's a teeny tiny iPod Shuffle (the silver one, so that it doesn't clash with my workout wear.) I'm now busily searching the web for walking/workout songs to download while it charges. And since I didn't get the iPod nano I had originally planned on getting, I added a heart rate monitor watch to the prize pool. It was on clearance for $36. It says my resting pulse rate is 77-79, but I don't know how accurate that is. I have an assessment with the trainer this week, and I'll try it then to see how the results compare.

For my September challenge, the definition of extra walking is changing. Part of my lifestyle change is a commitment to a minimum of 30 minutes exercise six days a week. Three days a week is trainer time. The other days, I walk and do some floor exercises outside the training studio. Since 30 minutes is my minimum (15 on trainer days), I'm only going to count what I do beyond that in September. My goal is 300 minutes for the month. That's truly extra time. The other is my new lifestyle. I had 70 minutes extra for the first week of the month, and I feel like that should have been 75, but I'm sure I'll make it up on my Chicago trip, which begins this week.

And now it's time for my last trip out into the wetness. Might as well end the day the way I started it.

Interior Redesign

Leo at zenhabits.net had a great little challenge today. I'm still mulling over a few things, but the overwhelming thing that jumps out at me is how badly I want to truly have nothing to do. To get there is going to require a LOT of lists and streamlining and thinking, but I'm really feeling geared up about it.

Imagining what I would do if I had nothing to do reminded me of a fun little exercise I did a year or so ago. I pulled out pen and paper and made a list of things I would do if I won the lottery. When I finally put the pen down and reread what I had written, I was amazed to see that quite a few items were within my reach. (Thing Glenda the Good Witch: You've had the power all along, my dear.) Back then, I think Hire a Personal Trainer was #3 on the list. I messed around before I actually did it, but I finally bit and it's been life changing. Really life changing. With the coaxing of a friend, I'm now considering actually becoming a Certified Personal Trainer sometime next year. I'm still at the exploratory phase, and I have along way to go until I've reached a comfort level with my own fitness, but I'm definitely feeling a little buzzed by the idea. At minimum, just completing the curriculum would give me information I really need to maintain my own fitness level.

I love when things like this happen. Out of the blue, an article or idea comes along that completely changes what I think I know about myself. Amazing!

Seven Forms of Torture I Highly Recommend

A friend asked me this morning what exercises I recommend as "must do" for a beginner. My mind was blank at that moment (it was early), but later I remembered a great article on Sparkpeople.com that covered a lot of the exercises my trainer forces me to do on a regular basis. There are seven exercises listed and we do five of them. I loathe every single one of them (along with planks!) It's partially for that reason that I recommend every single one. They're tough, but they make me stronger. (I have to keep reminding myself of that while I'm doing them.)

Here are the exercises listed (the Sparkpeople article has a neat little demo of each one):

7 Exercises to Work Your Whole Body The Ready-to-Order Workout -- By Zach Van Hart, Staff Writer
Ever gone through a workout and afterwards said, "That was great, except I forgot to work my triceps," or "I should have done a set of leg lifts," etc.? Here’s a workout that will have you thinking, "Why haven't I done this routine before?" The following 7-exercise workout will take care of every major muscle area.

1. Hamstring Flexion with Ball The hamstring flexion is a great exercise to strengthen your hamstrings and calves, and improve your stability in your core. To start, lie on your back and place the Swiss ball underneath your feet with your arms to your side. Raise your hips off the ground until your body is a straight line on an incline. Then, roll the ball towards you with the
bottoms of your feet, which will cause your knees to shoot up. Roll the ball as far underneath as you can, then roll it back out and repeat. It’s important to do all the work with your legs and not to cheat by using your arms. Do two sets of 10-12 reps. (Cammy notes: We did this one tonight, but I had to do 2 sets of 20!)

2. Wall Squat with BallThis exercise is an awesome workout for your quads and can also help with posture. To start, place the Swiss ball against a wall and lean against it with your back. Stand straight up with your legs shoulder-width apart and bent slightly at your knees. Then, lower straight down until your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Stand up and repeat for
10-15 reps. (Cammy notes: I haven't done the 'reps' version of this one in a while. The trainers usually make me squat and hold it for some ungodly length of time, like a minute. They also like to make me do something with my hands like lifting weights, or sometimes just holding them. One thing I've learned from this exercise (and the trainer) is that whenever I do them, I feel better the next day if I do a little bit of easy walking on the treadmill for 5-10 minutes when we're finished with the workout.)

3. SwimmingThis is a great workout for your lower back, one of the more neglected parts of the body. It requires no equipment so you can do it anywhere. Start by lying face down on the ground, with your hands and legs extended so you make a skinny X. Simultaneously lift your opposite arm and leg (right arm-left leg, left arm-right leg) 6-12 inches off the ground. Lower and
lift the other arm-leg combination to the same height. Do two sets of 20-30 total reps, 10-15 of each combination. (Cammy notes: I actually like this one. Well, okay, maybe that's going too far. I'll put it this way: I don't hate it.)

4. Crunches with Swiss ball By exercising with the Swiss ball, your typical crunch has a little kick added to it. Start by sitting on the Swiss ball just a little forward from the top, with your feet in front of you on the ground and your knees at a 90-degree angle. Then, lie back until your back
covers the ball. Place your hands to either the side of your head or across your chest, but not behind your head. Come up until your body is at a 45-degree angle with the ball. Release back down and repeat, 10-15 reps. (Cammy notes: This is definitely an easier way to do crunches!)

5. Reverse Flys with Swiss Ball and DumbbellsThis is a great workout for the shoulders and upper back, areas that can be neglected. To start, sit on the top of a Swiss ball, holding the dumbbells to your side and your palms inward. Have your feet on the ground, your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and lean over until your chest is close to your legs. Keeping your arms straight, raise your hands up until they are perpendicular to the ground and even with your shoulders. Bring them back down and repeat 10-12 times for two sets. (Cammy notes: We don't do this one, but I might have to suggest it.)

6. Dumbbell Lateral RaisesThis exercise will work both your shoulders and arms, and dumbbells are required. Start by standing with your legs shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Then, raise your arms until they are even with your shoulders and perpendicular to the ground. Keep your elbows as straight as possible. Do two sets of 10-12 reps. (Cammy notes: Another one I don't hate--it depends on the number of reps. I don't think I get to do 12 of anything anymore.)

7. Pushup with Swiss ballThis is the classic chest exercise, with a little bit of a twist. Start in the typical push-up position, facing the ground while your hands keep you off the ground, but place the Swiss ball under your knees. Then push up until your arms are straight, lower, and repeat. Do two sets, 10-15 reps. (Cammy notes: Another one I haven't done, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to.)

Those are the seven forms of torture covered in the article. I would add an eighth one: planks. We did a couple sets of those tonight. I never did link together more than one thirty-second hold in each set, but I did try!

I'm sure none of these exercises is pretty when I do them, but they're all effective and at the end of it all, I feel good--really good--for having done them.

Even when I haven't done them particularly well.

Struggling Through

I'm in one of those Blech! periods that seem to pop up from time to time. What makes this one marginally interesting (to me, anyway) is how I'm managing it. Once upon a time I would have used it as an excuse to eat non-healthy things in great abundance, but now my reaction seems to be...just blech! No follow-up. No angsting over the cause, the effects, the future. Just blech!

I had a horrible workout last Wednesday. There were actual tears involved. I'm not sure why, exactly, except that it seems like everything is so much harder to do these days. I wouldn't mind the struggle so much because we have added a little weight (*very* little) and a few (and I do mean few) more reps on some things, and I'm not this for the Easy Factor, but I think the combination of feeling like I'm right back where I started and the fact that the front part of my body seems to be melting into one unsightly blob in my midsection, combined with a fickle scale, was overwhelming for some reason and I had a sniffly moment.

But like I said, I didn't resort to a pity fest with Little Debbie as my only guest. Instead, I came home and tried on clothes that I was sure would be too big. They were. I smiled and went to bed happy. The next morning I had to try on even more clothes to prepare for a jeans day at work. All six pairs of jeans were too big! I wore the least big pair to work and beamed when a lot of folks mentioned the weight loss. Snifflies over.

Yesterday I went to Catherines and found new jeans. They're called The Right Fit and I love them. They only had one pair in my size, but I have another pair on order. Life without blue jeans is unimaginable.

This morning I went to walk the Greenbelt, but I was the only one who showed up. The trainers are in Louisiana on an unauthorized field trip, and I think my walking buddy was out of town as well. I walked the shorter of the two trails and a small portion of the other one, but the place was deserted this morning. No bicycles at all, and I only saw three other walkers. It was kind of spooky, to tell you the truth.

So here I am, still sort of blech-y, but not as much as before. I think we'll just have to call that Life.