Monday, November 30, 2009

A light day with exercise - work got in the way - is that an excuse? Maybe.

12:00 noon Walked 2.2 miles with a dear neighbor friend (we're quite sure we were sisters in a past life).  I feel energized to sit down and do the editing of a document for work and am looking forward to taking a stretch break in a few hours.  Ended up running some errands rather than walking again.

This morning I had thoughts about how this is not unusual - to start with an exercise program and be gung ho and go all out....the challenge will come in the future when the energy to continue wanes and the positive changes in body start to feel a little uncomfortable and self-sabotage comes in...more on that later.  This time WILL be different.

Looking forward to yin yoga class tomorrow - something in addition to the  walking.

92.5 to Marco

Sunday, November 29, 2009

"Feeling Good"

Another gorgeous day in South Florida.  A friend from Colorado stopped by late in the day.  We caught up a bit and then just before she left we went for a brisk 2.2 walk.  As she pulled away in the car, I walked another 2.2 - so -  4.4 today.  Feeling absolutely GREAT about walking and learning how to pick up the pace.  Pretty cool - I walked a total of 31.3 miles in the last 6 days - definitely progress in overcoming exercise resistance this week.

VIDEO HERE: Michael Buble "FEELING GOOD"


"Feeling Good"

Birds flying high you know how I feel
Sun in the sky you know how I feel
Reeds driftin' on by you know how I feel

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Fish in the sea you know how I feel
River running free you know how I feel
blossom in the trees you know how I feel

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good

Dragonfly out in the sun you know what I mean, don't you
know
Butterflies all havin' fun you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done
And this old world is a new world
And a bold world
For me

Stars when you shine you know how I feel
Scent of the pine you know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine
And I know how I feel

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good


94.7 to Marco

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Walking on Sunshine

Wow what a glorious day here in south Florida.  It was cool, breezy, delightful.  In the morning I walked for 4.6 miles - much of it with a dear friend who lives in the neighborhood.  Mid afternoon I phoned my mother and asked if she wanted to walk so we walked along N. Ocean Blvd. for 2.5 miles.  And then this evening the dog stood by the door and essentially asked "aren't we going for our evening stroll?"  (Keep in mind the dog walked all but 2.2 miles earlier).  So, drum roll please - I walked 9.3 miles today.  WOOT.

The endorphins are definitely kicking in :-).  Enjoy the song.

Video - I'm Walking On Sunshine!!

I'm walking on sunshine , wooah
I'm walking on sunshine, woooah
I'm walking on sunshine, woooah
and don't it feel good!!

Hey , alright now
and dont it feel good!!
hey yeh


99.1 to Marco

Friday, November 27, 2009

Dickens to Thoreau








The sum of the whole is this: walk and be happy; walk and be healthy. The best way to lengthen out our days is to walk steadily and with a purpose. Charles Dickens

It feels so good to sit down after the 4.4 walk this evening.  I'm wondering if I would be more productive during the day after walking in the morning rather than at night.    I'll find out tomorrow.

"An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day." Henry David Thoreau


108.4 to Marco 

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

“It is not good enough for things to be planned - they still have to be done; for the intention to become a reality, energy has to be launched into operation.” Walt Kelly

Last year at this time, I likely would have come home from Thanksgiving dinner and curled up on the couch and watched television or gotten into bed feeling stuffed and tired. Tonight I walked my dog in the clear and cool breeze for 4.4 miles after having mindfully eaten a delicious dinner with family.

Life is good. I am grateful.

112.8 miles to Marco.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

What would my excuses have been today?

It was pouring this morning and I woke with a headache.  In fact, as I sit here and look outside, although the rain stopped, the headache endures.  I could say "uuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh I don't feel like walking - it's cloudy, damp, no energy, so much to do - need to make the shopping list for the grocery store, need to fold laundry, need to start cooking, yada yada yada. Change isn't easy, in fact - I wrote most of this blog post over an hour ago with the plan to go out then. All the familiar reasons of days gone by.

But that was the old me, the one from the day before yesterday and many days and years before that,  a queen of excuses not to exercise. That person cannot exist today. Inspiration comes from Yossi Ghinsberg who succinctly talks about  The Now is Here ( click "next" at the link to get to page 2 in order to hear what he has to say).

I'm going to get up from this chair now and challenge myself to don a  t-shirt, comfy slacks and Saucony sneakers, go outside - in the humid sticky Boca Raton weather, and take the 4.4 mile walk.  I am moving.  When I return it'll be 117.2 to Marco.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

126 to Marco

Welcome to n=1, Overcoming Exercise Resistance; my newest blog.

For years I've thought about the phrase "exercise resistance" (in my mind a play on the words insulin resistance) and often pondered what the tipping point is to clear the hurdle of resisting exercise. Specifically, how do individuals who once struggled to "find time", or made incalculable excuses, switch to not only embracing exercise, but implementing it into a life-long commitment to oneself. I am human and determined to move (physically and mentally) from pondering to action.

This endeavor will be a very small pilot research study (n=1) and will explore thoughts that emerge with resisting exercise and, more importantly, the motivation to move past those thoughts and commit to a more healthful way of living. One day, one step, one thought, one class...at a time.

"126 to Marco" explained: I live 126 miles from Marco Island Florida (according to Google maps). The magnificent Family Support Weekend for families with Children with Diabetes will convene on December 31, 2009. I will see dear friends and make new ones there, and plan to walk the beautiful beach effortlessly with others. So, I have decided to walk 126 miles, on average 4 miles per day at a time, in and around my neighborhood between now and December 31, 2009.

I "missed" the weekly YinYoga class today - excuse: too busy online with Twitter (follow me @CureT1Diabetes), Facebook, creating this blog, various email accounts etc. and I didn't prepare well - you may know the drill. However, I'm going to log off now and walk my dog for 4 miles. And so begins the journey of one.

Thanks for reading and please share what motivates you to exercise consistently.

(p.s. If you know of a tool I can use to log my steps and post exercise on the blog, please let me know. )

(p.p.s. Comment 13 here in the NYTimes on November 18, 2009: In a study of overcoming exercise resistance (n=1) ;-) I’ve discovered that when walking, there’s a surge of joy that occurs just about at the 2 mile marker which produces a boost of energy to walk at least another 2 miles or more depending upon the weather.
— Ellen H. Ullman, MSW
UPDATE:
Day 1 -Walked 4.4 miles with the dog and even jogged a tiny bit. 121.6 to Marco