Mileage Monday Reboot

(photo credit - www.yogadudes.com)

I'm still getting used to not having any pictures from the old site. Over the last several months I've gone a long ways with no pictures. It surprised me to find out I've walked 71.1 miles with no pictures on the map. And here I thought my workouts were slacking off.

I need to get mysrlf organized and keep better notes for the week from here on out. Since I got back from vacation, I've been dealing with a chest cold that will not go away. I feel fine, I don't feel sick at all. I'm just coughing like crazy, especially in the morning and evening. It is going away, but it's taking it's own sweet time leaving.

I may do some very light marching in place this next week, but nothing strenuous. It's driving me mad not exercising. I had good intentions while on vacation. I was all set to get 10k steps in during the day most days of the week. Get on my elliptical every day, yadda, yadda, yadda. Then whammo! Got hit with the sick stick.

Until next week! Keep moving! Hopefully this thing will be gone by then.

Mileage Monday: Last Pictures From The Site

I skipped last Monday's post because I was out of town celebrating my parent's 50th wedding anniversary in Whistler, BC. I will be doing a recap of the vacation (this time I mean it, unlike last year's trip to Miami), in the week or so.

Sadly these are the last pictures I have saved from the old virtual walk site. Next Monday's post will be a bit different, and with no pictures. Since being back from vacation I haven't exerciesed at all because I came down with a nasty chest cold. I didn't think it was wise to try to exert myself while coughing up a lung or two. Feeling better now, so we'll see if I can start back up tomorrow.

Mile 910 (Jessica Smith for 3.3 miles)

Mile 913.2 (Jessica Smith for 3.3 miles)

Mile 914.2 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 919 (Jessica Smith for 4.8 miles)

Mile 920 (elliptical for 1 mile)

That 4.8 miles I did using Jessica Smith's Walk On: 21 Day Weight Loss Plan DVD was FitBit's step challenge day. FitBit gave everyone the challenge of beating their best step day. My berst day prior to the challeng was around 13,000 steps. For the challenge I made it just over 15,000. However, on vacation I beat that step goal. Stay tuned to see how many steps I racked up each day.

I will be aiming for 10,000 steps a day once I get over this cold. I figure if I can do this kind of stepping on vacation, I can do it here also. It will be good for me. I tend to workout and then sit for the rest of the day. No more of that.

Keep moving!

Catch Up Post: Mileage Mondays

First off, let me apologize for being a really bad blogger. I have a habit of posting for a little while, and then dropping off the face of the earth for months. So it is time for some catch up posts. There's a bunch of things that have happened in the last several months that I need to get you all (all 5 or so of you who read) caught up on.

On deck first...Mileage Mondays. Some sad news. The virtual walk site that I've been using since April 2008 is no more. It shut down in the first week of May, and I am sad to see it go. No warning, no email, nothing. I found out from a fellow SparkPeople member (one of the co-leaders of the virtual walk/run team I help lead) posted about it. At the time, I wasn't working out out consistently, so I had no idea it was gone until I saw her post. So what does this mean for my Mileage Monday posts? I'll still be posting on Mondays, but there will be no pictures. I still have a back log of photos that will last me a few weeks (like I said, bad, bad blogger), and then after that, I'll just post how many miles I completed for the week and what I did to get them.

On the plus side, a former co-leader of the SparkPeople virtual walk/run team, Monty (sadly he passed away from lung cancer almost three years ago), made up a post showing the mileage points for each state border on the route. So, I will continue on the walk using those points of reference. Here is an old image of the walk across America route.

I was in Kentucky when the site shut down, and am still currently in Kentucky according to Monty's mileage points post. Since my last Mileage Monday post, I've passed through Sonora, KY in Larue county, Eastview, KY in Hardin county, and Hardin Springs, KY, also in Hardin county. I have 143.5 miles to go until I reach the Illinois border on the walking route.

And now on to the back log of pictures for this week.

Mile 896.4 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 898 (Jessica Smith for 1.5 miles)

Mile 901 (Jessica Smith for 3 miles)

Mile 902.4 (Jessica Smith for 1.4 miles)

Mile 903.4 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 906.6 (Jessica Smith for 3.3 miles)

While it is sad that the virtual walk site is no more, that won't stop me from continuing on. It was a very big motivator to keep going, as the photos along the route were so pretty. Ah well. Life goes on. Find another source of motivation, or make adaptations to an old source, but make sure you keep moving!

Mileage Monday: Back In The Swing Of Things!

I think I'm finally getting back into the exercise groove! Last week I worked out 5 days, Tuesday through Saturday. Today (Sunday) is going to be an active rest day. Active in that I'll be giving our dog a bath. Luckily he is very cooperative with bath time, but it's still a lower back workout.

What did I do for the last five days for exercise? Well, I bought myself a new walking DVD. This one is by Jessica Smith. She's got a ton of workout videos on YouTube, so check her out there. If that link doesn't work, just go to YouTube and search Jessica Smith TV. I ended up buying the DVD because I had enough Amazon gift cards to buy me a splurge. I think this will kick start me into exercise again. The DVD I bought (which I'll get into more info in another post) is four workouts in two DVDs. Each workout is 30 minutes each, which is the perfect amount of time in my opinion. On the fifth day I did a mile on the elliptical. I'll start up the DVDs again tomorrow (well today since it's Monday).

Needless to say, I have more mileage pictures to share! It is definitely good to get back into exercise! I feel a ton better, and feel like I'm accomplishing something. So, let's get to those pictures. Since my last Mileage Monday post, I've passed through several cities in Kentucky. I've passed through Howardstown, White City, and Buffalo, all of which are in Larue County. I have about 13.6 miles until I reach Sonora, KY.

Mile 889.4 (Leslie for 2.4 miles)

Mile 890.4 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 891.8 (Jessica Smith for 1.5 miles)

Mile 893.6 (Jessica for 1.7 miles)

Mile 894.8 (Jessica for 1.2 miles)

Mile 895.4 (Jessica for .7 mile)

(photo credit - Virtual Walk Site)

I am on the move again, which is good! Hope everyone is doing well. Keep moving!

Milelage Monday

Been dealing with allergies for the past week, but not sure if it was that or some strange cold. Everyone in the house seemed to have a different version of the same thing. I've had a headache for the past who knows how long (a month?) off and on, and the last week and a half my sinuses have been aching and giving me a hassle. My husband had a bad headache for the better part of last week, and my mother in-law had the same sinus thing and a nasty cough. We all seem to be on the mend though. My sinuses still feel a little strange, but not as bad as they were.

I didn't do much in the way of exercise last week, but by Thursday or Friday, I had enough of feeling blah. The elliptical actually made me feel a bit better. Sweat it out of me, we'll see if that works.As long as my chest is clear, I should be fine to exercise.

I'm all caught up on my back log of virtual walk pictures. Which means I need to get my butt moving so I can get more pictures for next Monday. That's a good motivator right there. Since my last Mileage Monday post, I've passed through Howardstown, KY in Nelson county and I'm currently passing through White City, KY in Larue county. Let's get to the last of my saved pictures!

Mile 877.8 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 878.2 (elliptical for 1/2 mile)

Mile 880.6 (Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

Mile 883.6 (elliptical for 1/2 mile and Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

Mile 886 (Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

Mile 887 (elliptical for 1 mile)

(photo credit - Virtual Walk Site)

I just came upon my 8 year Sparkaversary. I joined SparkPeople.com 8 years ago because I finally was fed up with the yo-yo exercise/diet circle. The website is still extremley popular even with other free weight loss sites and apps out there. I've been tempted to try out other apps (such as MyFitnessPal), but I'm a loyal Sparker. I do use the FitBit site, but FitBit and SparkPeople can be linked together so that's a bonus. I still would recommend SparkPeople to anyone who wanted to lose weight or become more active. It still has one of the best online communities I've come across.

Keep moving!!!

Mileage Monday: Short And Quick

Here are some more of the pictures I have saved from the virtual walk site from the last several weeks. I mentioned in my last Mileage Monday post that I've been dealing with anxiety and avoidance issues. I'm getting a hold of it though, at least to some degree. I do intend to write about it, but it is a touchy subject. It's personal and hard to talk about sometimes because it makes me feel uncomfortable. But I figure there are other people with cerebral palsy who are dealing with the same set backs and fears, so why not share my experience? That's what this whole blog is for right? To share my journey and how I deal with my situation. I won't be "cured" of anxiety, but I can learn to deal with it and keep moving forward. It's no fun to go through, and is downright scary sometimes.

Onward and upward. Here are some more pictures from the cross country walk.

Mile 868 (Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

Mile 869 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 872 (elliptical for 1 mile and Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

Mile 872.4 (marched in place watching The Biggest Loser for .5 mile)

Mile 874.8 (Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

Mile 877.2 (Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

(photo credit - Virtual Walk Site)

I'm almost current with the pictures. I have three left. Now if I can just get my butt up and moving I can add to those pictures. It seems I've lost my mojo. I'm nowhere near as consistent with exercise as I once was. I'll get there again, I just need to focus and DO IT. Keep moving!

Mileage Monday: Slacking Again

I've missed several weeks again for my Mileage Monday posts. I won't appologize, I won't make promises to do better, but they will still be posted. I may miss a week here or there, but oh well. As Roni and Carla would say...WYCWYC.

My workouts have been hit and miss lately also. I'll get into the why of that at a later time, but long story short, it has to do with avoidance of a certain issue. If you guessed fear of falling as a cause for this avoidance, you're spot on. Like I said, a story for another time. But it's time to deal with it.

On to the virtual walk progress report. I'm still going, although like I said, it's hit and miss. I got back on the wagon this morning though. Only did 1/2 mile on the elliptical, but it's something. I still have a few weeks of pictures to get caught up on, so let's get started.

Mile 858.6 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 861 (Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

Mile 861.4 (elliptical for .5 mile)

Mile 862.2 (Jessica Smith for .8 mile)

Mile 864.6 (Leslie Sansone for 2.4 miles)

Mile 865.5 (elliptical for 1 mile)

(photo credit - Virtual Walk)

Onward and upward. Hope everyone who is dealing with the tons and tons of snow is safe and staying warm. Wish I could send you our 90 degree weather. How about I send you 30 degrees of warmth? I'll give you all 30 degrees from our temps. I miss the 70s and 60s. Too soon to be getting into the 90s. Bah. Oh well. Keep moving!

Mileage Monday

Here's some more catch up pictures from the virtual walk site. Starting off a new week raring to go as always. Hopefully I can be consistent this week. So far so good.

Mile 845.4 (Leslie for 2.4 miles)

Mile 846.4 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 848.4 (marched in place for mile, elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 849.6 (marched in place for .75 mile, elliptical for .5 mile)

Mile 850.6 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 851.6 (elliptical for 1 mile)

(photo credit - Virtual Walk site)

Keep Moving!!

Mileage Monday: Hard Habit To Break

I realize now that I sometimes don't post a Mileage Monday entry because I have nothing to say. Well, today is one of those days. However instead of not posting anything at all (like usual), I am still posting the pictures and a short update. This is my first success at beating my procrastination and deadline issue too. It's almost 4 PM here on the west coast, and I am in fact posting. Woohoo for me!

Since my last Mileage Monday entry, I've passed through Maud, KY (Washington county) and Bardstown, KY (Nelson County). I have 20.5 miles to go until I reach Howardstown, KY.

Here are the pictures from the virtual walk site I still have from a long time back.

Mile 838.4 (walk down the street for .2 mile)

Mile 839 (elliptical for .6 mile)

Mile 839.6 (elliptical for .6 mile)

Mile 841 (elliptical for 1.4 miles)

Mile 842 (elliptical for 1 mile)

Mile 843 (elliptical for 1)
(photo credit - virtual walk site)

It has in fact been way too many times that I skipped a Mileage Monday post. The .2 mile walk down the street (first picture) was back in October when I screwed up my upper back by startling. No more waiting until I have "something to say".

Keep Moving!!

End Of Year Ramblings And One Resolution

(photo credit - blog.medi-share.org)

There haven't been very many posts on this blog in the last year, and I'm hoping to remedy that in 2015. My main goal for 2015 is to stop procrastinating. Not really procrastinating, More like I need to stop giving myself a time limit on when things get done by. Example, I like to get the Mileage Monday posts up early Monday mornings, like before 9 AM. But who says they can't be uploaded until Monday 11:59 PM? It's still Monday right?

Just because I have a set time in my head doesn't mean it has to be done by then. If it's late, who really cares? As long as it gets done, that's what matters. I'm holding myself back...again...with the "all or nothing" mentality. I used to do that with losing weight long long ago. I'd lose a few pounds, then would get stuck for several weeks, so I'd give up. That's pretty much what I'm doing now with "deadlines".

Yes, deadlines are good to have, but to have them be so strict is pointless. I need to be more relaxed (in more ways than one) with when I post things. I have a long long long list of posts to write, but nothing gets done because of my "deadline" issue. So no more deadlines. Just do it and don't worry about how long it takes.

I have a major backlog of pictures from the virtual walk site, but that doesn't mean I've been exercising regularly. Again, my whole "deadline" problem. The deadline I give myself with workouts is I need to start by a certain time. When that start time comes and goes, I start the procrastination process. I need to retrain my brain by telling myself that as long as my workouts get done that's the important thing. I don't have to do it by a certain time (although I love getting my workout done by 8 or 8:30 AM). That's sometimes not realistic.

I'm not making excuses anymore (not that I did here on the blog) for why I'm not getting things done. I'm tired mainly of my "things get in the way/people are coming over" excuse. If people are coming over, so be it. I'm not letting that be an excuse to take the day off from exercise. If people are here when I need to get in the shower, so what? Other people are not the problem, I am the problem. I shouldn't let anything or anyone get in my way of doing what I need to or want to get done. I'm too worried about what other people are doing or thinking. I'm too worried about what the dog is doing for Pete's sake.

So that's pretty much my ramble for the day. I haven't made up any New Year's resolutions. I don't usually wait until the new year to start before I start working on a goal. But this year I am making a resolution to stop worrying about "start and end" deadlines. And to stop procrastinating when those deadlines come and go.

I need to really start implementing the "What You Can When You Can" attitude. I've already written about the WYCWYC strategy, I just need to put it into practice.

Hope everyone has a great new year and a fantastic 2015!