Mileage Monday

Feeling a lot less sluggish than I was last week. I am glad I took last weekend off from exercise. I am also taking today (Sunday) off. It’s important to take days off every now and then or it can you can get run down. Haven’t made up my workout schedule for the week yet, but it might just be random. I am planning on strength training Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but cardio might just be whatever I do and whenever I do it. My niece (“K”) is down this week, and we’re planning on a bike ride Monday through Friday. Might squeeze in something else during the week.

Here are some more pictures from the virtual walk site. Since last week’s post, I’ve passed through Vincent, KY in Owsley county. I have about 38 miles until I reach Irvine, KY in Lee county.

Mile 692.8 (elliptical for 1 mile)                           Mile 696 (watp for 3.1 miles)

            

Mile 697 (elliptical for 1 mile)                              Mile 698 (elliptical for 1 mile)

             

Mile 706 (watp for 5 miles)                                  Mile 708.4 (elliptical for .3 mile)

             

(photo credit - http://exercise.lbl.gov/index.html;jsessionid=1F4E2B8269D80C6DF557FB31D1D6D77B)

Hmmmm. my miles seem to be off. Oh well. Not sure what happened. I must have had a brain fart along the way when I was organizing the pictures. Pretty area of the country still! A little more than 700 miles in, and the trees are still green.

I’m getting close to getting caught up on the pictures. I have one left (from Saturday). Have a great week, and keep moving!

My Walking Progress

(photo credit - www.visualphotos.com)

It’s hard for me to tell just how much progress I have made with my ability to walk. Once I sit down and think over the last several month, I realize I have made significant progress, in many areas of walking.

Walking with others. This is probably the most significant aspect lately. In an earlier post I talked about how I basically just other people’s ability to help me based on their body type and how strong I think they are (wow, I just read a bit of that post, and my mindset has changed drastically since then). That’s very bad on my part. I talked about how I needed to trust others more, and trust myself more. I have done that.

Since that post, I’ve had five other people help me walk somewhere. Five! That doesn’t count the chiropractor or assistant #1, let’s call her “D”. I’m now completely confident (more like 90% confident) with Dr. Van Loon. I am getting more and more confident with “D”. I have also had assistant #2 (let’s call her “Y”), help me a few times and am getting used to her. Plus, my niece “K” has been helping me around a bunch lately, and it’s getting easier.

About a week and a half ago, I went somewhere with my “K” and my in-laws. During the time we were out, both my mother in-law and my father in-law helped me. Those were probably the scariest times for me. My judgmental state of mind rearing its ugly head. My in-laws are older, and they both have bad knees and have a hard time walking themselves. I let that get the better part of me that day, so I was more hesitant and unsure of myself. But, it all worked out. I had a few bobbles with my mother in-law, but I stayed on my feet. I did take a Xanax that day, but it wore off while we were out (we were gone a long time). So the walking I did with my mother in-law was without anything in me. Good thing was I didn’t have a panic attack. My heart was racing, but I was able to control everything else.

Think that covers everyone who has helped me so far. And there will be more people in the future who will help me also. The thought of that actually makes me anxious, but it will happen. I need to get used to it. Side note, I went to the doctor for an annual checkup and the doctor and I talked about my anxiety. She says that I need to not be afraid to ask for help. I’m not afraid really to ask for help, but I don’t like to ask for help either. I like to do things on my own if I am able. She said people are more than willing to help others, some actually want to help because it gives them a good feeling. I understand that, and I’m trying to get that in my head. If I need help, ask. I still feel sometimes that I’m putting pressure on people when I ask, or that it’s an annoyance to help me. Need to get that out of my head.

So, I have made quite a lot of progress. I have a ways to go to where I want to end up (totally able to walk unassisted like I did when I was a kid), and I think I can get there. I haven’t fallen yet when someone else has helped me. Came close a few times (once with “K” and once with my mother in-law). But not yet. It’s best not to think about that. I’m not putting a goal date for when I want to walk alone after all I have done that already, little bits at a time. It will happen when it happens.

The major thing I need to work on still is the fear, anxiety, and panic attacks. I did get my own Xanax prescription the other day too. I don’t plan to take it too often, only when I really think I’ll need it.

And that’s that. I’ll be working on all of this forever, so I will send in updates on my progress when ever I think I’ve made more progress. Practice make perfect (except with oral presentations, still going to avoid those like the plague. No amount of Xanax can help me with that, hehe). Walking with cerebral palsy is tough no matter how severe the case is. But, it's better to walk than not.

One More New Gadget I’ve Come To Love

(photo credit – nutribulletblog.com)

Seems like I’ve gotten a lot of new gadgets over the last several months, and I love them all. I’ve talked about my new adult trike, my FitBit Flex, and the FitBit Aria scale. Still need to write up reviews on the FitBit gadgets, and I’ll be doing that in the next few weeks. Today though, I want to talk about my new friend in the kitchen. The NutriBullet is awesome. This is more than just a blender. You can put anything into this thing and it will pulverize the heck out of it.

I’m sure most everyone has heard of the VitaMix and the Ninja blenders. Those are super duper blenders, but to be honest, I can do exactly the same thing with the NutriBullet, and for way cheaper. My husband surprised me with the NutriBullet a few months ago, and got it at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Around $95 dollars retail, and he used a 20% off coupon. So, great deal. If I ever have a problem with the blender, I can take it in and exchange it for another one as long as I have the receipt. BB&B are great like that. They don’t care how long you’ve had a product. As long as you keep your receipt, you can take it back.

Anyway, I now have come to enjoy oatmeal. I’ve never been a huge fan of oatmeal, sadly, because I couldn’t get over the texture. It tasted, honestly, like snot. Bleh. Maybe I cooked them wrong, but I couldn’t take it. With the NutriBullet, I put in 1/2 cup of dry oatmeal and use the “milling blade” that comes with the NutriBullet. The milling blade basically turns oats or any other dry ingredient into a fine powder.

Once I have my oats powdered, I then add in about one cup vanilla soy milk (Silk), one full banana (fresh or frozen), and sometimes I add in some peanut butter. Put on the “extraction blade” and let her rip. Blend it for about 30 to 45 seconds and you’re good to go. It is a bit of a thick smoothie, so it takes some getting used to. You can of course add in whatever fruit you want. The other day I used a medium apple, and also added about a teaspoon of cinnamon. Yum.

So I now have a way to enjoy oatmeal. That’s not the only thing I’ve come to enjoy because of the NutriBullet. I also now enjoy Greek Yogurt. Can’t stand the stuff plain, but add it into the blender with a bunch of fruit, and it’s great! Kale also. I’ve added kale with frozen raspberries, a banana, and just plain water, and that’s a great snack.

I mainly use the NutriBullet for my afternoon snack, although I’m using it more now. I have the oatmeal shake a few times a week, and then I’ll have green smoothie with a sandwich for lunch. Then my afternoon smoothie. Yum, yum, yum.

And it’s super easy to clean too! Just rinse off the blade and you’re pretty much done. Once I’m done with my smoothie, I like to fill up the cup 1/3 of the way with water, add a little dish soap, put the blade on, and blend for 10 seconds.

Awesome little gadget if you like smoothies. It is small, so you make one smoothie at a time. But it’s so fast, and you get three cups with the blender (two small cups, and one tall cup), that you can make multiple smoothies in no time.

I see no reason for buying one of the over-priced blenders, when the NutriBullet does exactly the same thing. You can see some videos on YouTube that show the proof. I’ve even made tuna salad with it. Hehehe. Highly recommended by me!

Great way to make sure I keep moving!

Mileage Monday

Still going strong with the virtual walk. I’ve been feeling a bit sluggish for the last several days, but I make sure to keep moving. Took the weekend off from exercise, and that helped a bit. Back at it today though. Since my last Mileage Monday post, I’ve passed through Booneville, KY in Owsley county. I have about 3.5 miles until I reach Vincent, KY. Should get there tomorrow with the five mile Leslie Sansone I have scheduled. Here are more pictures from the site.

Mile 681.6 (elliptical for 1 mile)                               Mile 684.8 (watp for 3.1 miles)

                

Mile 687.8 (watp for 3.1 miles)                               Mile 689.8 (watp for 2 miles)

                

Mile 690.8 (watp for 1)                                           Mile 691.8 (elliptical for 1)

                 

 

(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)

Have a great week! Happy Veteran’s Day!

Mileage Monday

Back to regular Mileage Monday postings. For now, I plan on only including mileage from the elliptical and walk at home DVDs and videos (Leslie Sansone). For now I won’t include the miles I achieve with my adult trike. I may change my mind eventually. The virtual walk does allow for mileage from biking as well as swimming. For now though, I won’t include that. That may change soon though depending on my mood. I also won’t include any miles I rack up just marching in place as I watch TV shows or my YouTube subscriptions. I have no idea how many miles I get from doing that. I like being accurate in my mileage, so if I’m not sure it will drive me nuts.

On to some of the mileage pictures I’ve had saved for a while.

Mile 665 (watp for 3.1 miles)                          Mile 667.4 (watp for 2 miles, elliptical for .5 mile)

                 

Mile 670 (watp for 3.1 miles                              Mile 672.6 (watp for 1 mile, elliptical for 1 mile)

                 

Mile 675.6 (watp for 3.1 miles)                               Mile 680.6 (watp for 5 miles)

                

Keep moving!!!

This Week’s Workout Schedule

(photo credit - www.fitsugar.com)

I love all the trainers on The Biggest Loser. So glad this season has started. I always ask myself every season who I would choose if I could have one of these guys train me. I usually flip flop, but I think I’ve settled on Bob. He can kick your butt, be sympathetic, AND take no excuses from anyone. All at the same time. Plus he seems to have a great sense of humor (I love his laugh). Dolvett is a close second, and Jillian is a close third.

I’ve decided to plan out my workouts for the week from now on. Leslie Sansone’s October challenge made me decide to do that. Having my workouts planned ahead of time made me get it done faster and earlier in the day.

This week’s schedule looks like this:

Monday – Full body strength training and 5K With A Twist DVD

Tuesday – Elliptical for 1 mile

Wednesday – Full body strength training and 5K With A Twist DVD

Thursday – Elliptical for 1 mile

Friday – Full body strength training and 5K With A Twist DVD

Saturday – Elliptical for 1 mile

Sunday – Elliptical for 1 mile or take a rest day depending on how I feel

This schedule does not include any marching in place I will do as I watch TV or my YouTube subscriptions. It also doesn’t include biking. Hopefully I can get my workouts done early in the morning this week. That’s my goal. At least the strength training.

Hope everyone has a successful and active week. Keep moving! Who’s your favorite Biggest Loser trainer?

Results From Leslie Sansone’s October Challenge

(photo credit - hellaheaven-ana.blogspot.com)

I am quite pleased with my results from Leslie Sansone’s October challenge. I followed the workout schedule pretty well. I did take a few days off here and there, but for the most part, I kept moving every day. I used the elliptical, Leslie Sansone DVDs and videos, and my adult trike.

I also received an early birthday gift…the FitBit Aria (scale). I’d been mulling that over for a while, and the husband ended up getting it for me last week. I’ve only used it a few times, but so far, I think it’s pretty accurate. I started the challenge off using my needle scale, and my weight was at 140 (close as I can tell)). I weighed in on November 1 and the Aria said I was 137.5. So, woohoo for me. I also weighed in this morning, and it said 136.6.

I plan to weigh myself daily for now, to see how much the new scale fluctuates. But I do like seeing the “3” in my weight again instead of the “4”. I think the combination of my elliptical, the DVDs, the Trike, and my FitBit Flex has had a great deal of impact on my activity level lately. I’m aiming for 10,000 steps a day, and it’s tough. I’ve made that goal a few times, and will keep trying.

I’m also starting to march in place as I watch certain shows. The Biggest Loser being one of them. I watch it on demand, and can’t fast forward the commercials, so I march in place. I usually take breaks during the commercials, to check my step count on my FitBit app, and to see who all I passed along the way. It’s fun to try and beat people’s step counts.

I hope Leslie Sansone does another of these challenges again. I enjoy them! Keep moving!