Baked Grapefruit And A 5k

OK, OK it is a virtual 5k. But it is a start. It is something. Katie from Runs for Cookies is hosting a virtual 5k in honor of her birthday. 5k is 3.1 miles, I guess, and I went ahead and signed up. I will be walking my 5k, and I will be doing it on three separate occasions.

Like I said, it is a start.  A nudge. A hope that the possibility is out there somewhere for me to, at some point, actually run a 5k. There are many steps I need to take along the way. This is my first one.

Happy Birthday, Katie!

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I just finished mile 2 of my 3.1 mile walk. I had to use my "Walk Away the Pounds" video, though, because it is crazy cold out and I just don't feel like enduring that right now. Anyway, WAP is a no-excuses deal. Weather is no excuse.

Before starting my walk, I popped some grapefruit in the oven to try - for the first time - baked grapefruit. I really like grapefruit, regardless, but something about it intrigued me.

Basically you half a fruit, sprinkle some honey or sugar on it (1 tsp.) and pup it, flesh side up in the oven on a baking sheet for 15-20 minutes at 325. I've seen some people broil it, too, or add other things (like jelly). Spark has the recipe right here: Baked Grapefruit. Some people will remove the white stuff that separates the pieces, or dig them each out. Not me. I like to eat that anyway, so it was no bother.

Excuse the photo. One thing about this blog for me, is that it is quick. I don't spell check or proof read much, and my photos aren't always top notch. But I need to journal; it helps keep me on track and keep me sane sometimes. This picture was taken from my phone. 

The verdict? Not bad. Kind of nice to have something warm in my tummy. I like my grapefruit room-temperature to begin with, so this isn't much different. Except that it is warm and actually easier to remove the section and white part - pith, I think it's called. I eat that stuff. I don't know if I'd bake my fruit every time, but it's not bad for something different. I used honey and sprinkled some cinnamon on it, too.

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As I grabbed my grapefruit, happy and satisfied with my workout, I wondered if I was bipolar. 

Not really bipolar, bipolar, but wondered why healthy habits were so hot and cold for me.

I mean, today I dropped the kids off at their activities and had two hours to burn. I'm using that two hours to:

exercise

write a quick entry

get dinner in the oven

Huh? Exercise? How does that work that I have time to do that today, but can't seem to find time 98% of the rest of the year? It baffles me how this works, and I know it is up and down because I've been both before. 

Right now, I can't see being a slothy over-eater in my future. But history would pattern me being in that rut again. Boy, if I could bottle (whatever it is) and sell it --or hoard it for those times when I don't seem to be producing it-- I would.

Maybe it is forced habit and once you get on, momentum keeps you going, and once you fall off, you need to grab that momentum again. Donno. Remind me of it, though, when I lose it and spiral again, would you?

Better in BETA, and Over-using "Airquotes"

Sunday is my "free" day. I don't know why I say that, because I'm not really on any "program" or anything. I've just mentally put myself in this weird "BETA" mode of fitness and health. Like I said, it all started with Lent. And Sunday is a day where that you can break your "fast" if you choose. Interestingly enough I haven't really went on a "binger" (I'm totally just over-using the whole "quote" thing now I hope you know - imagine "airquotes").

I didn't "officially" start my fast at the onset of Lent, and I really don't like/want to discuss it too much because it is personal. But since we're friends, I'll share a little bits regarding my fast from bakery items/sweets/desserts. It started out rough, but is now very easy. My cravings are way down, but the habit remains (example: St. Patrick's Day dinner, being handed a cupcake, and accepting it out of habit... or automatically eyeing up the bakery items when I'm buying a coffee).

Last Sunday I had ice cream; this Sunday I did the same. It was nice, but a lot. I'm just not accustomed to all the sugar. I felt doped-up after eating it. But enjoyed it. Wasted a lot of calories on it, but whatever.

So, what I'm actually getting at is that today I took the kids to a movie. Got popcorn. I didn't completely deny myself because I wasn't sure that would be the best bet. But I got a little junior-sized portion with no butter and extra salt. It was a far, far cry from my regular butter-soaked bucket that I normally eat. Normally I'd have eaten more popcorn than I did today and would have tripled the calories with extra butter on top. So, hey. Go me.

I went for a walk, too. And later (gosh, what a day of JUNK) we ordered pizza, and I didn't eat it right away out of "habit" but instead waited until I had the kids in bed, and then grabbed 1 piece (rather than 3), ate it, and was done with it. No beer (even though I could have - I instead decided to just drink water) Followed it up with a grapefruit topped off with some Sun Crystals, and called it a day. It was not a stellar day, but it is a slow continuum of a more thoughtful, intentional way of nourishing my body. I journalled every bite.

Step In The Right Direction

I did OK last night.

Wha-Whaaat?! Raise the roof, raise the roof.

I stayed within my caloric limit last night. I'm not sure how. Convinced that the calculations are wrong... I'm not saying I ate the best foods, or that the 3 Guinness beers aren't going to congregate amongst my mid-section and hang out a little longer than another calorie-comparable food. But that's OK. I went for a long, long walk, which should counteract the nibbles I had with my last beer, and should have increased my metabolism for a while.

I actually thought more about what I put in my mouth, and that's a step in the right direction.

I don't know how some times in my life it seems to fit so good to be more thoughtful on my eating and fitness, and then other times I just flat out don't care.

I don't know, but, by the grace of God, I am grateful for the reprieve of being a slave to food. It is exhausting.

365 Days of Exercise Day 4

Whelp. I did it. Day 4. Contemplated cashing in on a 10min. quickie, but did the whole thing.

20 min. walk, including a hill

How are you doing? Is there anyone out there anymore? I need some links to blogs that are actually updated.

365 Days of Exercize - Day 2

Ooops!!

I did it again.

And better than Brittany, though, since I didn't lose my dignity.

Went for a walk today, about 20 minutes, moderate walk. Not a "workout" but a heart-health pace.

I didn't really go over my "condition" (I like quotations, don't you? - These are all airquotes, too, for fun.) of this experiment, but bare minimum I need to do 10min. of exercise a day. And I'll only give myself a 10min. workout pass twice a week. That should do me for days where things are crazy busy or I don't feel like it. Unless I'm puking up my toenails, I should be able to manage 10min. of intentional movement.

Shouldn't we all?

By the way, before my walk I was literally (LITERALLY) half-asleep. My brain had already started to fizz out, checking out, really. My body wanted to crawl under some cool covers and say "nigh-nigh" - but I didn't let it, and I made it through Day 2. Raise the roof.

365 Days of Exercize - Day 1

Yes. This is what I've turned into. Challenging myself to 365 days of exercise. Walking, biking, treadmill, stationary bike - whatever. But managing to do it daily, every day, for one year.

Starting August 1, 2009.

In addition and accompaniment, I will also be reading through the Bible using The Daily Walk Bible(KJV)

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This isn't just vanity, or health. For me it is a discipline, something, at this point in my life, I feel like I am very much lacking.

So I suppose that means that I'm going to have to check in here every day and post. Which is fine, because I really don't have a huge gathering of folks checking me out anyway. But it will be good to hold myself accountable.

I hope that a conscious effort to move will encourage my body to shed some pounds. But I'm not sure it will. I also hope that my conscious effort to move with make me more accountable, and will be a good reminder to myself to be faithful and have discipline, something I lack. I hope that I learn a bit about myself as I use a small walk, ride, movement of my body to focus on centering myself.

We will see.

Day 1... later

I'm doing OK. Yesterday I walked. Today I was pretty lazy, but then around 5pm I said, "Girl. You gotta go walk. You promised." I was going to go outside to walk, but then instead grabbed a Walk Away the Pounds video. I thought I grabbed the 1-mile one, but mistakenly did the 2-mile. I could feel myself resisting and complaining within 2 minutes of starting the workout.

But I pressured on. I put my hands on my overgrown, falling down over my thighs tummy and pushed on. Those videos are more intensified than a regular walk. And I can do them barefoot. So there's really no excuse for me not exercising.

My eating hasn't been great, but it hasn't been horrible. Instead of candy or some other delectable sweet I opted for a Kashi bar (after some grueling shopping I was in dire need of nourishment). I had an orange for a snack. I'll have dinner tonight. But most importantly -- I worked out. I got up and made a point of moving my body beyond what I normally would.

Today was a good day. Thumbs up.