2010, let's review it again

It's New Year's Eve, so I'll continue last year's tradition with a blog today about the year's progress, and one tomorrow about my new year plan. Here's how I did:

1. Running: I spent much of 2010 dealing with plantar fasciitis that began around Christmas 2009. So I did not achieve my goal of running a 10-miler. However, I did run the 10k on Thanksgiving again and finished about a minute faster than the year before, again with little training and hotter weather. I did transition to barefoot shoes, which allows me to run with less heel/arch pain. However, the adjustment in my leg muscles is still ongoing!
2. Staying active: In my 200-minute/week plan, I achieved this 19 of 52 weeks (about 37% of the year). January and December were my best months with more than 1000 minutes (1151 this month alone!) I averaged 25/mins of activity a day. I had 80 days off, more than last year's 70, but I did have the injury to thank for some of that. My lowest months were September and October, which tells me I must continue to work to make activity a priority, even when I'm busy, as it's better for me overall.
3. Eating: Since the new Weight Watchers plan rolled out after Thanksgiving, I've been MUCH better about writing down what I eat, no matter how "bad" it may be. This, in combination with the activity, helped me lose 2 pounds compared to this time last year. Pretty cool considering most adults gain 1-2 pounds a year in their 30s and beyond. So that's as if I kept 4 pounds off my frame! I am continuing to work on getting more fruits and veggies in.
4. Professionally: I did not take the CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) exam, but I did get accepted into Leadership Houston ... which I decided was a fair trade-off. It's been a great experience so far and I'm learning so much that will benefit me personally and professionally. Plus I have some really fun classmates!

So as far as my "resolutions" went, I was able to stick to some, I had to sideline others but mostly due to circumstances beyond my control, or other opportunities that presented themselves. They say the best part of being a leader is staying flexible. I think I did a pretty good job of keeping 2010 in stride.

On to 2011!! I expect many big things to come in the new year. We'll celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary, which means I will also hit the decade mark in my fundraising career. I have some ideas of what else I'd like to achieve ... but you'll have to come back tomorrow for that!

Some like it hot

So this morning I ventured out of my comfort zone and tried a hot yoga class. I've been to yoga plenty of times, but never the hot variety, though many friends have raved about it.

This summer, I bought a Living Social deal for 5 yoga classes at Yoga One. At $25, even if I only used it twice I was ahead as a guest class is $15.

In true former journalist style, I procrastinated until the last minute possible to start using my pass. I decided that my extended break out of the office for the holiday would be a great time to use as much of the pass as I could. The studio is in Midtown, which with no traffic, is 20 minutes tops from Casa Burns.

As YOH's website notes, hot yoga is done in room 102-105 degrees (though I think the thermometer read 110 by the end of class) and 50-60% humidity. So basically, it's like a Houston day in August but less humidity.

Upon entering the room with my mat, towel and bottles of water (I took about 48 oz.), the warmth hit me immediately. Participants are encouraged to arrive early to acclimate to the temperature. Seeing as I'd just gotten up about 90 minutes earlier, I enjoyed the chance to lie quietly on the floor. In fact, I would have liked to have just napped right there! I'm one of those that needs to be warm to sleep.

We were encouraged to stay in the room for the whole 90 minutes, and if it got tough at all, feel free to take a break, grab some water, and rejoin when all was good. I only had one point, about 45 minutes in, that I plain needed to just lie down for about a minute. I did take a few more water breaks than the rest of the folks but that was minimally disruptive to the routine.

Our practice consisted of pretty standard poses. Most I had done in other classes before. I noticed the heat in the room made it a little easier to push myself a little further (in fact, I can already feel that some in my legs now!). The breathing is more key in this kind of yoga than others, and once you get the hang of it, feels quite refreshing. I went in still having a little bit of the sinus issues tickling my throat, and those are greatly reduced now.

Another difference: you SWEAT. Boy, you sweat! Like dripping off you as you stand there. Like soak the bath towel through. I don't even think I've sweated that much running! But it felt awesome. I felt so clean. I felt like I didn't want to put any bad food in my body anytime soon. In fact, I didn't get hungry until a good hour after the class, and the scrambled eggs I ate then were the BEST eggs ever. I drank all the water during the class, and another 16 oz. on the way home. I have never felt so hydrated and it feels good!

I'm a little worn out now, but am relieved to know I've gotten my exercise in for the day, so now I can just enjoy the day as it progresses. I have a lot to do on my list today, but I feel pretty peaceful about it.

So I think I'll be going back Thursday morning for another round. Who's in?

Level up!

So the good thing about not fitting into all your clothes is it makes you take a hard look at yourself and your habits. And I realized it might be time to go a little boot camp on myself. I have been giving myself a lot of excuses these past 3 months to take it easy on the exercise (walks around the block are better than nothing but nothing close to a good gym trip, run or class) and on my nutrition (everything seemed to be a special occasion and I have eaten way too much bad stuff).

I decided I would start making some small changes that would be easy to implement, and keep adding until I wipe a lot of the bad habits that creeped in away. First up was a new snack rule: "Nothing but fruit after dinner." This started last night. I had some delicious clementines and an apple. There was a good sale at the store so I stocked up. Usually by dinner, I've eaten most of my Points allotment for the day, and now that fresh fruit is free, this is a good way to hit that sweet tooth.

Another one, at least for the short term, is that I'd like to workout every day for the rest of the year. No easy workouts. I hit the elliptical and weights yesterday when errands got in the way of a run before dark, and totally busted it in kickboxing tonight. I already have the rest of the week planned: repeat of Sunday tomorrow and Thursday nights, Zumba on Wednesday, a class or cardio on Friday depending what time I make it to the gym (as I have a pending car repair to deal with but there's a gym across the street!). If I get through that, then I'm off on vacation the rest of the year and remaining scheduling should be much easier.

The next change I want to tackle is two fold. I want to cut back on afternoon coffee for several reasons: 1) even though I get a nonfat latte, it's still 90 calories. 2-3 of those a week are worth a decent workout, 2) I'm a sucker for Starbucks, so this would save $8-12 a week. That's a new piece of clothing by the end of the month! and 3) it helps with part 2, making sleep more a priority. I need to get back to 7 hours a night during the week. I need to make 11 p.m. a usual bedtime. This will be the hardest change, so I'm giving this one a few days to do it.

I'm hopeful that these changes, while small, will be the start of some big progress. Time to take things to the next level! (Speaking of ... I plan to blog again this week about exercise intensity. Stay tuned and bug me if you don't see it by the weekend.)

More sweat, less salt!

I had my follow-up doctor's appointment on Friday. The good news? I can go from monitoring my blood pressure daily and now only need to do it occassionally? The bad news? Three months of results have me at an average 120/80, or just BARELY pre-hypertensive. This prompted several pieces of advice: follow the DASH diet (which emphasizes fruits and veggies), cut back on sodium where I can, and aim for 45 minutes of exercise a day.

The goal is to fight the slight increase in BP I'll get as I age, so that I don't become hypertensive and need meds. So when I got home Friday night, Adam and I started scouring labels. It's really something to see how much sodium is in the items in our pantry! Sure, canned/jar food is going to have more than fresh, but it was quite an eye-opener.

This was good timing, actually. I've been following the new Weight Watchers PointsPlus program since it came out almost a week ago. I've been eating at least an extra piece or two of fruit a day thanks to not having to count them anymore. My new routine is an apple when I get hungry after dinner. Then if I'm still peckish, I have a few small squares of organic dark chocolate (translation: pretty low in points) and that does it. I used to carb up with toast, waffles, etc.

I even had a banana before my run today! I am not a fan of bananas, but I'm learning to love them since they help with muscle cramps and I don't have to count them anymore either. This week, I'm going to try to make bananas my breakfast (except the 2 mornings I have meetings) and keep up the nighttime apple habit.

The exercise recommendation has led me to settle on a goal of 300 minutes a week next year. I'm really going to have to work to schedule that in. I am already seeing benefits in an energy boost since kicking off my latest batch of activity on Thanksgiving.

The biggest other change? Having to visit doctors more frequently. Have to go back to my main doc in 6 months, and she said I should also be seeing my endocrinologist every 6 months also to monitor the synthroid. But if it makes for a healthier me, I'll do it. Just a big shift from someone who pretty much goes once a year and doesn't get sick much.

Welcome to Day 76

Wow, the end of November! The month, and year, have really flown by. I'm happy to report I had one of my better months, exercise minutes-wise, even if not a great month on the scale. 856 minutes this month ... only January was higher with 1046. June and August came close with around 800. The rest...eh. I have made my 200 minute goal just 15 weeks this year. However, several weeks were at 170 or more, so it's a start and possibly one of my more active years in the past few.

A nice chunk of that time was the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. I rocked the 10k, in my barefoot shoes. Sure, I had some aches and pains towards the end and for a few days afterwards, but knowing I could go that far, and even shave about a minute off my time from last year (despite heat and humidity) was a great feather in my cap for November. It gave me hope and encouragement that I can get on the healthy track again.

See for me, that's what this whole adventure is about. Trying to take care of my body so it takes care of me. It's not for vanity (though, I would love to look totally hot in a swimsuit for our second honeymoon next summer-who wouldn't??). It's not a diet. It's living my life to the best of my ability. And realizing that eating the right things and making time for exercise can enhance all parts of my life, not just the physical. Even just the past few days, I've noticed a lift in my mood, slightly better nights' sleep, and increased productivity.

So with just 31 days left, I won't make my "70 days off or less" goal. But I can aim for 80. I'm not sure if I will start off 2011 weighing less than 2010 (I'm technically up about .4 right now). But I can workout in a more effective way that if the scale doesn't move, it's because I will have the baby muscles back in 4 weeks. And I'm going to really dedicate myself to tracking what I eat, especially since the new Weight Watchers allows for nearly unlimited fruits and veggies.

I'm already seeing changes. I was hungry before bed last night and ate an apple. I had a banana for breakfast and another apple this afternoon. That may be more pieces of fruit in 2 days than I've gotten in some weeks! See, I'm not as perfect as I may seem ;) I did even eat a cookie at the holiday party tonight (but stopped myself at one!!).

I think the key to a healthy lifestyle is constantly recommitting yourself to the big picture, then figuring out how to make the details work in the execution. And with that, I will also spend the next 31 days dreaming up big goals for 2011.

Whip it, into shape

It's time for me to get serious again about fitness. We have 61 days left in the year. In the past 2 months' flurry of activity, I have not made my fitness a priority, and it shows. I've gained back the 6ish pounds I lost after summer vacation in June. I'm sore from lifting weights Saturday. I got winded on my walk/run Sunday.

I dislike that it takes me feeling sluggish to become "scared straight" again, but I am only human. I'm also not pleased that after a good July and August, September and October were my downfall. Sure, I know those are my busy months. But I could have planned better to combat that. I leaned on the activity in my life like a crutch, and I'm feeling the effects.

And sure, I have the thyroid issues now that I wasn't aware I had before. But all the more reason to get things back into check, right?

So I've already started this morning tracking what I eat and drink. No matter how bad it looks, I'm writing it all down. It helps make me really think about what I stuff my face with, and if it's worth the exercise I'll need later to work it off.

I am at 69 days off exercise this year. That's a little shy of my 65 goal and pretty darn close to the 70 I took off last year. If I workout every day remaining, that's 63 straight (counting this past weekend). That's really not that bad. If my goal is to lose weight, I can't really afford to miss a day right now.

I am going to the gym after work. I'll do the same tomorrow. I'll work towards switching that to the mornings after my schedule eases in 12 days.

I will hydrate. I will hydrate. I will hydrate. In fact, I'm going to fill my mug as soon as I post this.

I will start 2011 better than I started 2010. So who's with me? What will you do in the next two months to make your health a priority? Let me know and let's support each other.

Silver and gold

I often write about physical health and wellness, but today I write about the spirit. I just finished a week that started and ended with gathering of friends. I can wholeheartedly agree with all those studies published touting the health benefits of interaction with others! I feel that this week, I was really blessed with the "silver and gold" friends in my life.

Sunday brought Drinks, Dessert and Diapers, benefiting DePelchin, an event thought up by myself and my buddy Susan Barnes. I just became friends with Susan this year ... we are fellow Junior League members, and hit it off immediately. I discovered later this is because her birthday is the day before mine, so she shares a lot of my Virgo qualities. While volunteering at the Extreme Home Makeover build in July, we decided we should celebrate our days together, and it would be cool to do something for others instead of just having a party for ourselves.

It was decided we'd do a charity item drive, and after researching several organizations, learned that DePelchin Children's Center has a program for teen moms in transition that could use diapers. It took a few months from our August birthdays, but we harnessed the power of Facebook and our networks and to date, have collected more than 6500 diapers (about 20 weeks worth!).

What was great about this project was it brought so many people together around a cause. In the weeks leading up to the party, we had people bringing us diapers every time we turned around. At the party, everyone from family, fellow League members, Leadership Houston classmates, co-workers (past and present), even some UH alums and Susan's choir members were part of the success.

Not only was it so rewarding to see so many old and new friends, but I am grateful for the new bond I have established with my partner in crime. This event has brought to light a big need in our community, and we're already scheming about how to take on that larger initiative. Stay tuned as I'm sure there will be more to come soon!

The week ended with a watch party at our house for the UH v. SMU game. The friends we had over are some of our oldest friends ... since college, in fact (though Adam went to school with Joe since middle school). These are our friends who have seen us at our craziest ... and still are willing to hang out with us. Anyone who has known me for a good length of time knows that if I laugh so hard I snort, it's REALLY funny ... well, I snorted a lot on Saturday. It was great to just let loose and goof around for a few hours (which became 6 thanks to the storm delay in the game, which we quickly remedied with some Wii tournaments).

This has been a particularly active few months for me, and these two parties remind me that it's all about the people. I will try to keep that in perspective the next few weeks when I get stressed or overwhelmed about the balance. Because within that activity, I'm creating a lot of interactions which are likely benefiting both their and my health in the big picture.

So whether you are a new friend or old, thanks for being my friend. I may not get a chance to say it to each of you or even see you often enough to do so, but I appreciate you being whatever part of my life you are able to be. I hope I can be just as good to you in return.

Biopsy bites

Two weeks ago, I underwent my thyroid biopsy. If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you already know that I got positive results, which is comforting. But I thought I'd take some time to recount my experience of that day and since then.

I took the day off work, which was smart. In hindsight, if I have to do it again, I'll take a second day to recover, or at least make sure the procedure itself gets scheduled for the morning. I THOUGHT that was the plan, but turns out my morning appointment was just the consult with the endocrinologist. Fortunately, his son was who did my procedure, so I could get in for the biopsy the same day. After the consult, it was pretty certain I'd be put on synthroid based on my blood work results, but the final verdict would come post-biopsy.

I am quite thankful that I have a friend who went through this same procedure about a year ago. She did not hold back and told me how painful it would be. She. Was. Right. All the web sites that said it wasn't "any worse than having blood drawn" lied, or those writers have superhuman tolerances for pain.

When I arrived for the procedure, I had to lie down with a bolster pillow under my shoulder blades and lean my head back. I was basically upside down so that they could easily do the aspiration on my thyroid. I was not given any anesthesia ... doc's reasoning was that it would only numb the skin, and wouldn't prevent any other pain ... plus, that's more needles. No thanks.

They took three samples. It hurt like hell. My mom, who came with me, said they were pretty big needles. When it was over, doc asked how I felt. My response: "All I could think was I wondered if this is how it would feel to be stabbed."

I'll admit, I'm not a fan of pain, but I'm not a baby either. However ... I was glad I didn't have to drive myself home right away. And when I did, I slept about half the evening. And I was sore, BOY I was sore for that whole next day. And my voice was hoarse. But by Friday, I was feeling pretty normal again, physically.

That's when the "what if" thoughts started kicking in. See, I was supposed to get the results Friday or Monday at the latest. I kind of expected it to be Monday, since I had the procedure done late in the day, and they needed time to send it to one of the best pathologists in town to review. (Or so I was told.) As small a chance (about 5%) as I had of it being cancerous, I still worried some about it. I know that if it had gone the other way, I'm very lucky to live in Houston and have MD Anderson in my backyard. But I still was not excited about the prospect. As positive as I worked to be, it was just nagging in the background.

You can imagine my relief when I finally learned Monday afternoon it was benign. I was disappointed, however, that the procedure doc sent the information to his dad's office Friday afternoon, and they opted to mail me the report instead of calling me. MAIL biopsy results?? I know it's probably routine to their office, but this is my thyroid and my quality of life we are talking about here. I suppose if it were serious they would have called ... but if they'd called, they'd have saved me a weekend of worry. But by that point, I was just relieved to get the positive results.

So after reminding the nurse the doc wanted to start me on synthroid, I began my prescription a week ago. The first day was tough. I woke up, took my pill, and the prescribed hour later when I could eat, I was nauseous and exhausted. I called in sick for half a day and worked from home the other half.

Then I was doing great until today. I came back from a lunch meeting feeling very spacey and again, a little queasy. After working through it for an hour without subsiding, I came home early and slept again for 3.5 hours. Thank goodness for sick hours, and that until now, I've not had a big need to use them.

I realize it will take a good 3-6 weeks of being on this dose of the meds for my body to adjust and regulate itself. I can be patient. I'm just not used to being a visitor in my own body. Everyone knows I'm a bit of an Energizer bunny ... I can go go go, and that's what gets me through busy seasons like the one I'm smack in the middle of running. But I'm not used to my body quitting on me. I guess one bad day per week out of seven is pretty good, but it's still odd to me.

I am determined to get through this. This is MUCH better than any of the alternatives, and such a minor health issue compared to what others I know deal with every day. Everyone tells me when I get to the other side when my body has adjusted, I'm going to feel great. It's not that I feel badly right now, I just clearly have my days or moments where I feel differently. And that's okay. After all, as much as people joke that I may be superhuman, I am after all, just a regular human like everyone else.

I'm not perfect

I'm coming off my worst week this year, health and fitness-wise. I only worked out 2 days for a total of 79 minutes. I didn't track what I ate (or drank). I'm up a few pounds right now, but I know I'm retaining water for not drinking enough of it, and only getting 4.5-6 hours a sleep a night until last night.

I'm in one of those "two week patches of crazy" where my work and volunteer commitments all converge. I'm pretty much getting it all done somehow, except for the diet and exercise. Funny how we always let ourselves go first, huh?

To top it off, I got the results of the ultrasound on my thyroid. It confirmed the goiter that the resident and physician were sure they'd discovered in my physical two weeks ago. It's multi-nodular, so the good news is that it's most likely non cancerous. But to be safe, plus to treat it, I now must go for a fine needle aspiration. From what I have found from research online, it's not much worse than getting blood drawn (except I can't workout for 24 hours afterwards). Not only will they test the fluid for cancer (usually only 5% of goiters are found to be positive from what I read), but this will also determine how stubborn the little bugger is. If it keeps coming back, I may have to try more aggressive treatments of radiation and/or surgery.

I will admit, I'm a little nervous. It seems like a fairly standard procedure, but this is one of my first brushes with a health concern. Now, hypothyroid runs in my family. So I'm not totally surprised, and this might help explain that while I work out pretty hard and watch what I eat most of the time, it's hard to see a change in the scale. So I'm a little excited to see if there's a difference in my metabolism (and to see the results of my blood work coming in the mail to see if I need meds in this area too). I go in about 2.5 weeks and I'm not sure how long after that I get the results. So more hurry up and wait.

Couple this with an elevated BP at the doc's office, which led to her asking me to measure daily and come back in November (hypertension runs on the other side of my family), and it really hit a point home for me.

We aren't perfect. We can't control heredity. And if someone looks "healthy" doesn't mean they don't have their own battles they are fighting.

I appreciate that so many friends and colleagues are always commenting on how I set a good example, that my posts and blogs help encourage them to take ownership in their own health and well-being. But as hard as we try, we will always have times we don't hit the mark, like I'm having right now. It's important to remember that each day is a new day. Bear Bryant said it's up to us to decide whether to use it for good or evil. Our health may not be that dramatic, but we make our own choices every day what to eat and how active we will be. It's my vow that I will do a better job this coming week of at least getting some quick walks in to deal with the stress, chaos, and meals I don't have control of what's on the menu.

But I also want you, dear reader, to walk away with this: be proactive in your healthcare. Get a yearly physical. Ask lots of questions. Go for whatever tests the doctors send you for, even if they are scary. Knowledge is power. I had no idea a few weeks ago these concerns were lurking in my body. At least now, I can work to manage and minimize them to the best of my (and modern medicine's) ability.

What you don't know, could hurt you.

Return to Zumba

(Or "Why Childhood Dance Lessons Are Important")

On a whim, I took a Zumba class at the gym today. It was literally the realization at 11:15 a.m. that there was a class at noon, and I didn't have any plans standing in the way. So I decided to get my butt off the couch and go for it. I'd taken Zumba twice before, and found it a fun workout.

It was still fun! If you like to jam out to hoppin' music, and don't mind working up a serious sweat, you should give it a try. I like to think of it as a combination between jazz, hip hop, Latin and even a little bellydance.

It's an hour class but really about 54 minutes of activity. By 20 minutes in, I was completely drenched. There were a lot of moves that reminded me of my dance classes from childhood or routines from the drill team days. I was grateful I've had this training so I don't look like a flailing fool in these classes :)

But the most important part? I felt like I was playing. And that's what should keep us going.

So parents, make sure the kiddos get at least a dance lesson or two in while growing up. It might help them stay healty as an adult.

Building a better community ... literally!

A mere 6 miles from my house, the nucleus of a volunteer effort to give a family that gives much to our community a new home is underway. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has come to Houston, and The Junior League of Houston, Inc. was asked to provide dozens of volunteers each day to help keep things moving smoothly on site.

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to be a part of such a unique opportunity. Our League was asked to help with the Katrina rebuild in New Orleans in 2006, and I had to miss that due to work obligations. With shifts morning, noon and night, I made sure to snag something that would fit into my schedule and do what I could to help. 7:30-11:30 p.m. might seem crazy late, but you know I'm a night owl!!

The main volunteer check-in is a tent in the Rodeo's stockyards off 288 and Airport. This is where we spent a lot of our time at the beginning of the shift. We checked in general volunteers that signed up on the HHN Homes site, as well as tradesmen showing up to do their thing.

My first hour or so was spent with our team running the check-in (thanks Perry Ann for asking me to lead!), which mainly consisted of me sending any troubleshooting or tough questions via walkie to Stathis, the man with the plan. He seemed to have an answer for everything, was super calm, and thanked everyone a million times for helping. A perfect volunteer coordinator!!

Once the rush of help was sent to the site, we were able to send some of our JLHers over. I went in the second wave about 9ish. When we arrived, framing was in full swing. Once the crane and such cleared some of their tasks, we followed behind the skilled workers disposing of scrap wood and then even moving some not needed wood planks to the side for later use. My favorite part was when Phoebe and I impressed the safety guys after we carried a pile over. They gave us big high fives, and I seem to recall making a quip about Junior Leaguers can do more than have lunch, or something like that. They loved our can-do attitude and how we were willing to jump in and get our hands (and jeans!) dirty. I love dispelling myths! (And bonus...free workout!)

About 10:30, the last of our League group headed back to the tent to straighten up and ready it for the next volunteer wave coming at midnight. The transition of how to run the tent was key, so super thanks to Nancy Jane and Cassandra for staying late to make sure that happened. Stathis was so impressed by how organized and thorough our crew was, plus how genuinely nice we all were. Thanks to all the ladies who came out and made such a great impression!

So I may be a bit zonked if you see me Wednesday. But it was totally worth it knowing the little things I did, even if mostly "behind the scenes," will help make a better life for a family in our community.

My name is Lisa, and I'm a volunteer junkie. And I like it that way.

My Photos from the Adventure

You deserve a break...

It seems after several great weeks, my body is rebelling against my fitness routine. For the past 4 weeks, I've hit or surpassed that 200 minute mark twice (including an impressive 244 last week), and got in the 160-170s range the other two. I have steadily lost at least a pound a week, and even saw another disappear yesterday (which I hope stays gone for the weekend weigh in).

But since Friday, it has been a challenge. Started that morning with my ankles feeling wonky on my run, so cut it short. Saturday was so packed that it was day 37 off (only 2nd in July). Sunday I could only stand cardiovascular and skipped weights. Monday's short tae bo and Tuesday's short run brought much soreness the following days.

So what gives? Why such drag and pain? I can only guess it is my body craving recovery. Just like we have to give ourselves breaks from being on the right side of nutrition or we will blow it, it is not a bad thing to cool the exercise jets now and then too.

So I still walked tonight, but just briefly. I will do something tomorrow, possibly just a walk or light yoga or pilates. I probably won't even make 150 mins this week but that is ok. I will hit it strong again this weekend.

Now, it's time for another sliver of fudge, right? ;)

Forever Young

I didn't mean for 10 days to go by before posting this entry, but I'm in the vortex of a chaotic time of year. End of the semester at work is always hopping with activities, plus the end of a school year in general sends everyone into "get a bunch of meetings booked before people go on vacations" mode. It's also the end of another Junior League year, which means I'm balancing at least 2 leadership jobs. Needless to say, I haven't had much time to spare but I expected it.

And in the middle of this bustle of activity, I spent 24 hours (literally almost to the minute) traveling to Dallas for a reunion. And not just any reunion...my 8th grade reunion. Yes friends, it's been 20 years since I was a geeky Catholic schoolgirl and no, I don't still have the plaid skirt or cardigan sweater hanging around.

Six months ago, I wouldn't have dreamed I'd be hanging out with people I hadn't seen since the pre-teen years. But now, I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

There's something very healing to both the mind and heart to pick back up with people who knew you way back when. For the 50 in our class, we had a special bond. We traveled to retreats and on class trips together. We were reprimanded by the priest after church for some reason we don't really remember why. We played sports together, choreographed dance routines for PE class and got all decked out for our graduation. We had crushes on our classmates, and they had crushes on us...and some of us didn't discover who crushed on who until decades later.

Some of us were at the school all 9 years...some only middle school and others like me, just 8th grade. But on reunion night, we were all the same. We shared the memories that had come flooding back over months of emails and Facebook posts preparing for the gathering. We made new memories getting to know the adult versions of each other. No matter if someone was your best friend or you barely spoke to them back then, now we welcomed each other with open arms.

While many people I know were surprised I'd go to all this trouble for an 8th grade reunion, several of my classmates remarked that for them, these were the people they'd developed the real bonds with, even if they hadn't kept in touch since. Think about it: we all split and went to different high schools. We split even further for college. We now live all over the country. Even if we'd developed close friends in HS, those nasty hormones that hadn't taken full effect yet in our early teens tended to get in the way in the later years. Colleges may have reunions, but you rarely get the chance to get the friends you spent time with together again. This is the one cohort that is small enough for us to pull a gathering like this off and for it to have meaning.

So for one night, we relived "The Promise" we made 20 years ago: "When you need a friend...I'll always be there." And we got to feel "Forever Young" again ... and I've been jamming out to the 80s new wave almost non-stop since, just to hang on to that feeling a little longer.

Maybe that's how I've made it through the 10 days since. It's like I found a small fountain of youth to re-energize me, and I can't wait to visit it again in 5 years. Go Mustangs!

Sharpening focus

Now that we are into Month 4 of the year, I thought it was a good time to review my fitness progress. While I'd logged 2400+ minutes of activity by 3/31, I was surprised to see that January was my best month yet (1046 and only 4 days off) with an average of almost 34 mins/day. February and March showed steady decline... averages of 24 and 23 min/day, respectively. This was the AHA! moment for me.

AHA! So that's why I haven't lost much weight yet.

Not to mention, AHA! If I'm going to lose more, I have to step it back up. I've mentioned before I eat out a lot due to my busy schedule of work and volunteer meetings. Even if I follow my Food Revolution to the letter, restaurant food will always have more calories/fats/sodium than home cooked foods. So I have to work out. And dang it, Jillian Michaels ended up being right. While walking is better than zero activity, that alone is not enough for my fitness level.

Since I'm not back to running, this means more trips to the gym to use the elliptical, cycles, rowers, whatever will not stress my foot. I have mentioned a bit on Facebook about trying morning workouts again. I have been adding a day a week so this week, I am up to 4 mornings. I got my butt out of bed yesterday to the gym, and I plan to do so the remaining weekdays.

Already, I'm feeling a difference. I had a lot more spring in my neighborhood walk tonight and was faster than I'd been in months. Is it the exercise, the food changes, or both? Not sure, but I'm hopeful that I'm moving in a good direction.

I've thought more about the beverages part of my revolution too (as I drink my first Sprite Zero in about 10 days, yeah!!). There are a lot of days I like a second dose of coffee after lunch. And I like wine with dinner. But maybe, I should limit myself to one or the other. So far, I've kept to that since Sunday. They do say the little changes add up...and that could be a good 500 calories if I was indulging every weekday.

I realize the number on the scale is not the only measurement, but it would be nice to see a drop this weekend rather than a gain. I do take my monthly tape measure later this week, which I'm looking forward to since I've upped my weightlifting intensity also.

The adventure continues!

You say you want a revolution...

So we are about 3 months past Christmas. I'm down 5.8 pounds. I'm happy with that -- if I keep up the pace, I'd be down almost 24 pounds by next Christmas, and I'd be well within the healthy range for my height. Considering I am limited in physical activity as I continue to slowly recover my injury, this is pretty darn good.

But I've been feeling lately I could be doing better on the nutritional side of the equation. Between re-reading Fit to Lead and watching the first episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, I was inspired to think about what other changes I could make.

I went to a reception at lunch Saturday and was hit with nothing but fried foods...and literally, felt horrible later in the day for eating them. It wasn't just my conscience...my tummy actually ached. At first, I was flustered at the lack of fruits and veggies on the menu, but the more I thought about it, it was MY choice to eat them. I could have skipped the fare and grabbed a sandwich or something else healthier after the event.

On my long walk later that day, I decided it's time for me to take control, and start my OWN revolution. No, I don't have a fryer I need to bury in the backyard, but I could make some efforts to eat more healthfully. So, here is my pledge:

Lisa's Food Revolution

• Beverages: Drink a glass of water with each meal. I don't drink enough, and I can feel that some days. Plus it is said that water helps rev the metabolism. With meals that I drink coffee or alcohol, I will drink an extra glass. And I will work to cut out soda to where it will be an occasional treat. I am on the "zero" brands now, but those have sweeteners and that's just more chemicals.
• Breakfast: I eat it everyday, which is a big plus. I will only allow myself 2 "processed" breakfasts a week (e.g. Eggos, microwave sandwiches). On days I eat a carb-based breakfast (TLC bars, toast), I will take a piece of fruit for a mid-morning snack.
• Lunch: I eat a lot of meals out due to my job and volunteer work. Fish will be my first choice of protein, followed by chicken and then veggie options. I will not eat beef unless I know it's grass-fed. I will consider other lean proteins such as bison or pork. I will have at least one green with the meal and limit bread as much as possible.
• Dinner: Same rules from lunch apply if eating out. We cook a lot at home so this is easier, but we do need to cut back on frozen pizzas...one option is to switch to more Amy's brand organic.
• Evening Snack: Same as breakfast, only 2 processed treats a week. That means it will take even longer to finish the frozen Girl Scout Tagalongs in the freezer, but hey...I'm proud that nearly 2 months later, and I've only eaten half the box so far! Freezing them really does work ;) Again, I will work to get more fruit in here as at breakfast.
• Eating Out: In addition to what I already said about my meals away from home, I would like to get to fast food & fried foods = zero. It's just not worth how yucky I feel afterwards.
• Indulgences: Any plan that does not allow for breaks will fail. I will allow myself to break these rules for special occasions. If I have a meal where I do not follow my new rules, I will get back on track the next meal, not the next day. This is a lifestyle, and life is not always perfect. I will not beat myself up for being human.

I'm also going to work to get back on track with the 200 minutes/week exercise plan in April. I was still active in March but didn't hit that mark any week (ranges were 146-178 minutes, so still not a total slouch!).

So, what changes are you making to be healthier this spring??

Wii bronze

We Burnses have had the Wii almost 3 months now. Apparently, on the Fit Plus, when you hit 10 hours of activity, the little clock turns bronze and gets all jumpy and excited. It was impressive and made me proud ... what I failed to mention in my last blog is I'm improving, but still battling, my plantar fasciitis. I've decided to take one more month off running to continue healing.

The good news is I only hurt badly a few days a week versus every day. The bad news is most people heal in 4-6 weeks. But they probably rest completely, while I have stayed mildly active for my weight loss, to keep my sanity and relieve stress. Most people don't have to dress in suits so much for work either, even if I do have one really well cushioned pair of shoes I can wear with most of them.

So I guess I could have been healed already. But I probably wouldn't be as happy. So I will learn a little patience, and set my sights on a 5k in May.

2 months down...

2010 seems to be flying by! Thought it would be a good time to update the blog on my health and fitness adventures so far this year.

I'm happy to report I am roughly 5 pounds lighter than I was at Christmas. If I keep up this pace, I would be 20 pounds lighter for the year by my birthday, which would be wonderful. I would be at a healthy weight for my height with some cushion for those times of year that just get crazy and I fluctuate 2-5 pounds. I should also be able to fit back into the skinniest of my suits then :) For me it's not about the numbers, but how I feel. And I feel better already, but would feel even more so another 10-15 down the road.

I've also lost about a half inch off most measurements on my body, which means I'm toning up. I am even starting to see outlines of muscles. Yay for weightlifting!

I have worked out 1694 minutes in the past 2 months, with 12 days off (I still have to workout today). I'm pretty much on target for my "only 65 off a year" plan, but I can't let March be as crazy as February (8 were in Feb!). That's an average of about 29 minutes a day, so even with having 2 weeks where I didn't hit the 200 minutes (but several where I went over), it's all working out.

Most importantly, I am feeling better overall. I feel I have an even better attitude towards life, much more balanced. I have had some very hectic months between work and volunteer gigs, and am looking forward to a slight break that mid-March will offer. I have to think the increased focus on what I'm doing to my body makes a big difference.

So how is your year going?

Off the road again...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood...and I'm having to take the one of rest and cross-training. I'm not "heeling" like I thought I was...turns out my run last Sunday made what seems to be plantar fasciitis worse this week.

I'm lucky that my massage therapist is also a runner. That way, he could tell me stories of his running buddies who refused to rest, needed surgery, and had to sit out SIX MONTHS. When you put it that way, his advice not to run for at least 4 weeks is not so bad.

I've gotten some Doc Scholl's inserts specifically for heel pain and PF that are helping a lot in my dress shoes and in my cross training. I was encouraged to keep up my walking, Wii, elliptical and weight lifting (especially since my weak calves are likely the root of all this), so that's promising.

I will admit, I was a little bummed I won't be running the Rodeo 10k (though, I might be able to walk it if I keep "heeling"). Instead, I took it as opportunity to focus on the Bayou City Classic in March. I was waffling between which race to do anyway. I know I can do a 10k with little training as I did in November, but I'd like to train for at least a week or two if I can.

If not, there are plenty more races this spring, and the goal of the 10 miler this fall. It's hard, but I have to keep the big picture in mind. In the meantime, I'm going to take this as a challenge to be active in different ways and build my muscles. It reminds me of my toe injury last summer...which forced me to appreciate being active at all.

After all, perception is reality, right?

The best laid plans...

...are usually foiled by a return to reality. Today was my first day back to work after 2 weeks off. I was a little ready to get back to some routines and interactions with the outside world, but a little nervous about my newfound resolve to improve myself. So I made a plan.

And broke it. Adam is always telling me I like to make plans "so then I can break them."

I never intend to of course...life just gets in the way. I planned to leave at 5 today to have enough time to eat and catch an 8p yoga class. I left at 6. I was winding down about 5:15 (not far off my plan for those who know me well) then got tied up on something for one of my projects this weekend, and there went the time. I then resolved to do a yoga or pilates video at home instead. About 2 hours later after decompressing from a long day, I settled on a walk. Did a little more than 1.5 miles in 25 minutes, which for me, is a really good clip. Add some ab work into that and I proud that I didn't slip completely (I decided walking is OK if it is at a level of exertion. I was puffing, plus had to ditch gloves and earmuffs due to getting warm. Yay!).

I planned to go to the gym tomorrow morning and go into work later since I am working nearly all day Saturday. I came back to an email for a 9a meeting tomorrow. My plan at this point is an exercise video at home instead since I have volunteer work tomorrow night. I may settle for a walk again. As long as I do SOMETHING, I think the plan is not a total failure. At least the thought of planning is moving me in the right direction.

What I need to plan better is road nutrition. With two mornings in a row of not going straight to the office, I haven't been able to take my lunch. I did good to avoid french fries etc. today. I'll have to try again tomorrow, perhaps for a salad instead of just a sandwich. This is probably going to be the hardest part of the 2010 Plan. I eat out a lot for work and with the volunteer schedule I have for the short-term. I have to make the best choices I can, even if they aren't always fun. 'Cause I want to be fun for a lot more years to come.

Off to redo tomorrow's to-do list and reconfigure what didn't happen today...at least today tipped towards success (albeit altered) than failure on my plan.

Plan for a New Year

New Year's is a great time to re-evaluate goals. This year, instead of calling my goals "resolutions," I am setting my 2010 Plan. Here's what I will work to achieve this year:

1. Running: Last year, I set out to run a 10k, which I did on Thanksgiving. This year, I want to run more 10ks. My ultimate goal is to run a 10 miler in 2010. I'm targeting one in Clear Lake in October. This gives me 9 months to train...which is realistic considering I will still have a full work & volunteer plate, at least for the first half of the year. I also ran my first 5k in 2008...so this is a nice increase of about 3 miles per year for racing. If this works, I'll target a half marathon for 2011.
2. Staying active: I'm going to continue the theme from 2009 of trying to be active everyday, with the 65 day off allowance for account for illness, injury or just plain crazy days. I'm going to add a caveat, however. I want to log 200 minutes of exercise a week, actual exercise I plan, not just walks to meetings across campus :) Real Age says we need to get at least 80 mins of intense exercise (cardio or weights) a week to keep visceral fat (the kind around internal organs) away. I figure to lose weight, I need to up this, and the 200 is a good almost 30 mins a day average. Days I will run or lift, I know I'll get more in, so it should work itself out.
3. Eating: I'm going to get back to writing down what I eat most days, no matter how bad it is :) I'm hopeful this will keep me more accountable.
4. Professionally: I want to become a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). The test is offered quarterly. I likely won't test until the second half of this year, but feel this would be a great time to earn certification, as I passed the 5 years consecutive fundraising experience mark in 2009 and qualify in all the other areas as well: amount raised for organizations, community service, etc. (Though I've been fundraising for more than 8 years, I did take a brief break to finish my grad coursework and went back to newspapers to do so.)

I do want to continue the other themes discussed in my 2009 review, such as balance, making time for family, etc. but these cover the major milestones I will work towards this year. So what's your 2010 Plan?? Let's share and keep each other accountable...happy new year!