20 miles on recumbent bike!

I did it! I clicked play on my recording of the Biggest Loser and rode my recumbent stationary bike all the way through it... worked out to 1 hour 44 minutes skipping the commercials... and .... drum roll please... I am so thrilled... 20 miles... YEAH BABY!

This is so major for me... when I first started on this bike... I could barely do 5 minutes! If I can do this so can you.... Yes You Can!

Mary E. Robbins
307.788.0202
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Robbins Run Ranch

Boing... Bounce... Weight Bounce... ugh

May 2nd 2012: Day 121 in 200 days challenge:
2 miles on treadmill: 61:44 minutes: 1.9 to 2 mph: 3 odo

May 3rd 2012: Day 122 in 200 days challenge:
Stationary bike: 62 minutes: 11.6 miles: 777.6 odo

I feel so much better when I get a workout in ... in the morning... :)

Yesterday I bounced up to 313.8 lbs. Has to be water retention ... because I did not eat that many calories... my muscles are still really sore and I weighed the same this morning. Frustrating.

I decided to start using Shakeology as my early morning snack.

I used to walk walk walk... it had been a while since I'd walked any real distance without stopping to pick up something or just working around the ranch... I was actually surprised at the effect it had on me. Drove home the point that I need to walk more.

I know I need to add in some more cardio and resistance... but am not quite ready to do that yet. One day one step a a time. That hour on the treadmill yesterday was all I had in me.

Today is another day

I am certainly going to be glad when this weight starts going down down down... geez...

Mary E. Robbins

Week 3: AAArrrrGGGGHHHH! Oh...Building Muscle!

It's week three weigh in day. I weighed in, and what did I see. That miserable scale did not budge. Yes my first impulse was to grab it and slam it against the wall in a full on temper tantrum. I resisted, I do not want to buy another scale. 300.5 - 0 = 300.5 phhhttt... still above 300 pounds.


I've logged all the calories, logged calorie expenditures, actually done the workouts, worked out until I could barely walk away from the stationary bikes.

I did the math and according to the figures I lost approximately 3.064 pounds of fat. Or rather I had a 10,724 calorie deficit for the week.  10,724 divided by 3500 (the number of calories in a pound of fat) equals 3.064 pounds of fat burned off.

OK, so what does this mean?  As far as I can tell, from the information I have at hand, this means that I have gained approximately 3.064 pounds of muscle.

This is why, or rather one of the main reasons why, I keep a food and exercise journal.  So I have a better idea of what is actually happening.

Yes I have been here before. Week 1 lose weight, week 2 lose weight, week three stay the same or bounce.  In the past it's always sent me spiraling out of control, or rather I've given up because what I thought was going to happen did not and I said "It doesn't work, why even try".

Not this time!  This time there is no second guessing. I  actually have the math to back up what I have actually done. Yay food and exercise journals.

I know there is increased muscle strength and endurance. That tells me I am building muscle. Which as frustrating as that scale not moving is, the muscle building is a very good thing for the long run.

Muscle weighs more than fat, it also burns more calories than fat does, and it gives me the strength and endurance to be able to do the activities I want to do. I can actually feel the muscles in my legs getting stronger, I can feel them in my abdominal region.

So what am I going to do? I am going to keep on keeping on. The scale may not

have budged, but I am still on target for where I want to be.

One day... one workout at a time.

Life is a journey, enjoy the trip.
Mary E. Robbins
307.788.0202

What’s behind weight loss/weight gain?

Did 6 kilometers on my elliptical. Program #4, which is a hill program, Level 3 difficulty. I am adding a kilometer a week, or rather 7 workouts then add 1 kilometer and start the count over again, over and over. How far am I going to take it? I actually have not decided yet. Perhaps the distance it takes me to do 60 minutes or 45 minutes at a time. I would like to work it up to be able to complete a marathon distance. Obviously that will take some time…lol.

It amazes me how different it is working out on the elliptical, with the arm levers; than walking the roads/hills here with my trekking poles. The elliptical makes me think of walking in water; except my feet generally do not go to sleep in the water.

Yes they go to sleep on the elliptical, same thing on the tread-mill or walking long distances. I’m not sure they actually go to sleep, but they tingle like they are. That’s one of the reasons I use the trekking poles when I walk distances. Between the extra weight, some back injuries, and the nerve damage from west Nile virus it makes it very easy to stumble after I’ve been walking for a while. Go to take a step and the foot doesn’t go quite where you thought it was going to go…lol. So, adapt, use trekking poles and keep from landing on your face…lol.

It’s better than it was. I believe it will continue to improve as I continue to build the muscle girdle around my core. Guess I could have said strengthen core muscles. By core I not only mean abdominal muscles, but back muscles as well.

This core strength is imperative to keep me off the surgeon’s table. There has been some lower spine damage. The doc told me several years ago I was going to have to have surgery to fuse some vertebrae. I will not have that surgery unless I absolutely have too. So far so good, building up the core muscles, one day at a time, is working.

If I expect this body to continue to function removing the extra fat I’ve self-destructively packed on my frame is a necessity as well.

The mechanics of my body works pretty well as far as fat loss goes. However; dealing with the mental/emotional/spiritual issues that triggers the behavior that packs on the pounds has been quite the adventure.

This bit is why you see so many people gain the fat back, usually plus some, after losing weight. Or yo-yo diet their entire lives. It is necessary to deal with the issues behind the weight gain/or loss. (loss in anorexics – gain in the case of over fat or obesity)

As much as we might like it to be; obesity is not just diet and exercise. Or perhaps I should say nutrition and movement.

The total person is involved. This is one of the reasons journaling is so useful. The journal is a safe place to explore, or simply express thoughts and emotions. Put your journal In a safe place. If you want to share it that’s fine; but if you are not ready to, put it somewhere where no one else can access it; until you are ready to share it. Some posts may be for your eyes only.

One of my challenges is learning how to live in the present. Rather than rehashing the past over and over. Doing the shoulda/woulda/coulda bit or waiting to live until I do this or that. Projecting my life into the future. Doing either or both can and will steal your life if you allow it.

In moving on, allowing myself to live in the present rather than rehashing the past I have been able to let go of some very hurtful events.

I had been struggling with the concept of forgiveness. Forgiving myself for not being “perfect”, and forgiving others for their hurtful words and actions. Forgiving does not mean that what they said or did was “ok” by any means. What it does do is release you from their grasp. Their word or actions, no longer have the ability to hurt you emotionally.

Forgiving your self means; ok I acknowledge my past, I deal with the consequences of my decisions/actions/words, it is what it is. Acknowledge and learn from the mistakes you have made, and then move on. This equals growth. Live now.


I read a great article in O magazine this morning. “The Beauty of Today” by Eckhart Tolle. I found it in the May 2010 issue of O.

It is as follows:

Most of us would agree that O’s tenth anniversary is cause for celebration. And yet some people feel ambivalent about anniversaries, birthdays, and the like. Some even feel a little guilty when they think about the past, tough the memories may be pleasant. “Am I avoiding the present moment?” they ask. They belong to a growing number of people who are “practicing presence”—endeavoring to let go of an excessive and unhealthy preoccupation with past and future, and embrace the place where life happens.

There is a fine balance between honoring the past and losing yourself in it. For example, you can acknowledge and learn from mistakes you made, and then move on and refocus on the now. It is called forgiving your self. Or you can carry a burden of guild (self-identification with mistakes) for many years. You may occasionally fondly remember eve3nts, places, or people from the past and while doing so be accepting of the impermanence of all things. Or you may wallowing nostalgia and see the past as more precious than the preset.

Be vigilant, so that you don’t allow a burden of negative past to accumulate in your mind. In the form of guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, anger, and so on. Forgiveness happens naturally as soon as you realize that the past cannot prevail against the power of Presence.

The future, too, needs to be honored, without making it more important in your mind than the present. Of course, you can make plans, and you can hold an intention in your mind of something that you wish to manifest in your life, and then take appropriate action. But the power of creating a better future is contained in the present moment: You create a good future by creating a good present. How do you do that? By recognizing the goodness that is already inherent in the present moment, even in the midst of challenges. Discontent, blaming, complain, self-pity cannot serve as a foundation for a good future, no matter how much effort you make.

Where to find that goodness when recession hits, when you lose your job, your home, when things seem to fall apart around you? In all things that we tend to overlook: feeling the gentle breeze on your skin, the sunlight filtering through the clouds, the sound of the rain, the waging tail of a dog, the shiny apple you are about to bite into. You notice the in-and-out flow of your breath, the feeling of aliveness inside your body. And then there is the beautiful stillness behind it all, which is deep within you. It is through gratitude for the present moment that the spiritual dimension of life opens up.

So let’s celebrate our anniversaries as they arise. What we are really celebrating, though, is the present moment, the door way into Spirit, and all there ever is.

*****end of article*****

I appreciated what Eckhart Tolle had to say in this article. I hope it was a blessing to you as well.

Life is a journey, each moment to be appreciated.
Mary E. Robbins
Robbins Run Ranch
307.788.0202

Weigh in Day: Resulting 90 Day Action Plan

Day 4 of 90 day action plan.

Last week March 5th I weighed myself and found I had gained 2 pounds. This week I stayed the same, didn’t lose didn’t gain. I looked back over the past 2 months and reviewed my eating patterns and activity levels.

I was not happy with what I saw. I was working out about half the days. On days that I workout my eating patterns are healthy. On the days I missed my workouts, my eating patterns were not healthy.

I also noticed that my state of mind is much better when I work out. It would seem there is a direct correlation between working out and a happier healthier me.

When I look at the total amount of fat I have to lose, it can be rather discouraging. As in what’s the point I will never get there. When I think like that it is a self defeating attitude.

This journey is like driving a car, where you look you go. In this case, where I think I go. So what is the solution?

I already have access to excellent workouts, top notch support, and fitness experts thorough Beachbody. However the only person that can actually make this happen is me.

You can have the best trainers, workouts, fitness experts etc available to you but if you do not make use of them then your results are nada.

Rather than beating myself up over a 2 pound gain, I started asking, how can I do this. How do I keep going?

An idea was born. Pop! See the little light bulb light up!

My 90 Day Action Plan came into existence!

The core premise is to workout 2 times a day for 90 days.

180 workouts in 90 day.

Log into WOWy, Beachbody’s online gym for each workout.

Day 1 I followed through. The night of day one I didn’t sleep.
Day 2 I messed up. I didn’t workout.
Day 3 I caught up on the missed workouts. Did 4 in one day. That was a grit it through day by the end of the day. But I felt good about myself even though my muscles were screaming.

Day 4 I am heading for my first workout of the day.


An added bonus to logging into WOWY every day. I am entered into Beachbody’s daily contest every day. Increases my odds of winning something in the daily giveaways… it’s fun to see who won each day and what they won.

What will I do at the end of my 90 day action plan? I will evaluate my progress and format another 90 day action plan. There may be some defeats and setbacks, but my days of failure are over.

90 days, one day at a time, I CAN DO! 90 days at a time to a rockin bod!

Life is a journey, one day one workout at a time.

Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians
Independent Beachbody Coach: Move it from fat to fit!
307.788.0202

Later tater… I’m logging in and working out!

New Year, from fat body to beach body

Ok, here is where I am starting. Measurements and pics.

Here’s the measurements:
Age: 48 (49 on feb 5th 2009)
Program: hip hop abs-but will be doing others after complete this one
Height: 5 ft 7 in
Weight: 289 (was at 299)
R Arm: 15.5
L Arm: 15.5
Chest: 50
Waist: 41.5
Hips: 58.5
R Thigh: 36
L Thigh: 36
Goal Weight: 149 -i'd actually like to go down to 145 but can't get my mind past losing 150 pounds just yet 299-150=149

I was 299 in December, 295 jan 1st, 293, jan 8th, 289 jan 15, 289 jan 22nd. That leaves me with 10 pounds down, 140 pounds to go.

I live on a ranch in south eastern Wyoming; about 200 miles northeast of Denver Co. it’s been pretty nice for a few weeks, then the weather turned cold again. It’s 7 degrees. Could be colder, thankfully it is not below zero right now. Frankly I had enough of that last year. So did my animals. The warm then cold is tough on them, they all have shelter but it’s still cold. My attitude is a bit cruddy today. I have a real case of spring fever this year. So want it to warm back up and stay warm for a while. Before it gets hot.

299 is the heaviest I’ve ever been. Time to get this stopped before it’s 399. I noticed I’ve been hiding in my fat. Took me quite a while to admit that to myself. I’ve spent the past several years dealing with illness-west nile virus, surgery that destroyed my abs and pelvic floor. The surgery was in September 2005. there’s been 3 surgeries over the past 10 years or so. The last one was a doozie. But I am still here. I’ve recovered some strength in my abs, but have a long way to go. My insides don’t feel like they are falling out if I lift moderately now. Before I got sick I could lift a railroad tie and walk of with it. I went from that to not being able to pick up my coffee pot. I freaked out and packed on the pounds, snarfing everything in sight.

Better now. Made a new years resolution that is making a difference: here it is:
The greatest year of my life.
Live life now, appreciate each moment as it happens.
Live in peace within myself.

I am living now, not waiting until I am at a certain weight. Eliminates the hiding in the fat bit. Wipes out excuses, and blaming myself for what should of could of or would have been if I was at such and such a weight and so on.

I made it, 30 minutes on my elliptical this morning. I've been working on hip hop abs. I am doing the moderated version at this point, because frankly that's all I have in me right now. I thought I’d add the elliptical then some time and do the hip hop abs too. My elliptical has the arm levers so I get the upper body, along with the ab and leg workout with it.



I can see the red bar on the WOWY timer from my elliptical, frankly last night and this morning that was a big part of what got me through it. Mentally and emotionally it really feels good to have started my day off with completing my first workout of the day.

I'm working on my first glass of water for the day. I know I’m not drinking enough h2o.

Here comes my starting photo. This is the same pic that is on my before pics on my beachbody profile.

Something I am really looking forward to is to be able to lie down on my bed. On my side, and not have my belly lie down beside me.

That and to have my thighs not rub when I walk. Although I wonder about that one. I rode horses a lot when I was a kid, bareback, and developed considerable muscle mass in my thighs. Guess I’ll just have to wait and see. At any rate it will be wonderful to not be carrying around that second person.

I remember looking in the mirror when I was I college and thinking I was obese. I weighed 145 pounds at the time. Well I made it happen; now I actually see myself. I’m not sure what to call the torture so many of us put ourselves through, rather than enjoying our lives. But that was then, this is now, what changed, my mindset is what changed.

A lot of binging, journaling, reading, and work later. I am 144 pounds heavier than I was then, 30 years older, and finally free.

Gee sounds like the fat should just float off, hmm anyone have a magic wand...no? Ok guess I'll have to work it off. I was a bit pissed when I got on the scale Thursday. It was irrational, but I was pissed that I stayed the same rather than losing weight. I know I’m building muscle, I know it was irrational, but I was still pissed.

It’s taken me a few days to get my attitude in check. Happily I did not binge after weighing. That is a major victory for me.

I started to do the 2day fast product team beachbody has yesterday. My attitude wasn't in the right place and that didn't workout out too well for me. Made it through 2 meals then had some celery and broth, ate supper with my husband last night. Steak and salad, and a slice of key lime pie.

Yes just a slice, not a whole pie.

Over the past 25 years I have yo-yoed up and down so many times. I just do not want to do it any more. I want to actually be able to enjoy moving around. Go to a dance and enjoy it rather than having my back and feet in constant pain from too much fat and not enough muscle support. Or just go to a movie without being worried that my butt won't fit in the seat. Or book a flight without cringing at the thought of people on both sides of me, flying cheek to cheek literally.

Getting rid of sleep apnea would be a good thing too. I was so excited to find a pair of insulated bib overalls big enough to go on over a pair of sweat pants. They are a size 52 in men’s. Thank God they had them. Makes it much less miserable to be out taking care of the animals in the cold. My thigh is bigger than what my waist was. On a high note, I don’t have a problem with my blood pressure being high. At least I didn’t as of my last checkup.

My dad is coming to visit in June this year if all goes well. I really want some pounds off and to be in much better condition before he gets here.

Guess I am a combination of hope, fear, and determination.

Take care of you

Life is a journey, One day one moment at a time… ok I rambled again.
Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs

Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians

Team Beachbody

Happily on the Body Transformation Challenge.

I have had some positive results. First off I stopped weighing every day. That was driving me a bit batty. (more than usual) Actually I stopped weighing weekly as well. I am weighing and measuring monthly. First day of the month.

I got on the scale and whipped out the tape measure this morning. On the pounds issue: I actually gained a pound. So I am at 287lbs. However; on the inches issue: I actually lost 5.5 inches overall for the month. Whoo Whoo.

The first of April I started a 30 repetition workout chart. 30 times at hip hop abs, 30 oxycise level 1, 30 walks around the loop, 30 times on the elliptical at 5km (with increasing resistance) 30 times on the red exerciser (10 minutes each with increasing resistance).

I am still working on my 30 repetition workout. I tried doing all of it each day to start with and it kicked my behind. It was too much for me along with the yard work and kennels. Here are my repetitions for April. Walk loop: 12 times, Oxycise Level 1: 1 time, Red Exerciser: 18 times, Elliptical: 12 times, Hip Hop abs: 1 time.

I am continuing with my 30 repetition workout. When I finish up with this one I will continue on to the next level. I’ve quit beating myself up for not being superwoman. I think that is a positive thing. Lol. I am not making excuses, simply doing a bit each day. Happily I can see and feel the results. On my body the most noticeable for me is in my face. It doesn’t look like a pissed off puffer fish any more. Yay! Yes there Is still too much fat in it but not bloated with my features disappearing into flesh.

I know why I gained a pound. Frankly I’m glad it was only one pound. My eating was all over the place. Some good days and some BBBBBAAAAADDDDD days. My stress levels were pretty high and I went binge nuts. Snarf Snarf Snarf. I know I did it, the ice cream is gone. Along with quite a bit of other foodstuffs. I can’t say exactly what I did because I didn’t write down what I was eating. I know I was putting away 3 to 5 thousand calories a day several times a week. Frankly I was seriously dreading stepping on the scale. I am pleased that I didn’t gain more than I did.

Now to address the binging issue. Eating like that is not about being hungry. It’s a coping method. A compulsive addictive behavior. Basically hiding from life. I am making some major positive long term changes in my life and I freaked and snarfed. Yes I said positive changes, I still freaked. Change can trigger all sorts of buried, emotional land mines. It seems like every inch or pound that comes off my body uncovers another one. Then Boom- explodes all over the place.

What to do? Deal with each issue as it comes up. Sometimes it’s going to be messy. Sometimes not. But as each issue is dealt with I am getting healthier, stronger, more balanced overall.

First I’m not beating myself up over it. It happened can’t change that. Go on from here. Change the behavior. One step one day at a time. Ok, how do I do that?

Step 1: decide to. Step 2: write down what I eat. Every bloody bite. Step 3: when looking for something to eat ask myself if I’m actually hungry. Step 4: get a drink when grazing impulse comes on-see if I’m thirsty rather than hungry. Step5: use substitutions when urge to snarf is overwhelming-sugar free gum. (yes I know that is a crutch but it’s better than stuffing a half gallon of ice cream down my throat or eating several pounds of potatoes, or whatever I can get into my mouth) Step 6: daily plan- not set in stone but timeframes of when to do what. Things to accomplish for the day. Step 7: keep working on organizing my office (life/house/so on). It’s taking a bit to dig out from under. One day/one moment at a time.

These are some of the daily/weekly things in my life:

Read 10 pages of a good book a day (current reading The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson )
Workout
Office organization
Write in food journal
Write in journal/blogs
Back paperwork: not total just make a difference-a bit each day
Clean house: not total just make a difference-a bit each day
Grooming: initial spring groom-dogs
Yard: garden
Kennel Care
Personal Correspondence
Business Calls
Business Correspondence (paper/email)
Edit webpages
Business Calls
Photo editing
SEO
News letters
Listen to productive CD’s mp3’s (Tracy Biller/Jim Rohn/Al Turnquist) while working out, working in kennels, housework etc.
Meetings
Husband/Family (important)
Relax (relax not collapse-write in some down time so do not collapse)

Now to slide them into time frames. Check off daily so can see progress. I am going to put this list into a table and check things off daily.

I as amazed at how much that helped with the workouts. I can actually see progress on paper.

What does this have to do with fitness? Think about it. Fitness has to do with overall health, mind/body/spirit. The total person. Dealing with stresses in a healthy manner. Accomplishing goals. Being a healthy happy person.

Take care of you!

Life is a journey, enjoy the trip.
Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians

Bright Cold Wyo Morning, fitness goals Jan. 2nd

Good Morning…
Yes it is a good morning. It’s bright sunny and cold, and absolutely beautiful outside. It was 2 below zero Fahrenheit when the dogs chased me out of bed this morning at 5:00.
My back seems better, still pain radiating down my legs and arms and a bit dizzy; but not as bad as yesterday pinched nerves can be a bugger.

I’m hoping using the reverse incline will pull me back into alignment. I was having severe muscle spasms in my back after taking care of the kennels for several days. I’m thinking that is what pulled me out of alignment. I am wearing an abdominal and back support trying to hold things together. That has helped a bit. I’m thinking that the more I move the more chance I have of coming back into alignment so I walked a km on my elliptical this morning. I am restarting my training program to get ready for the half marathon the end of May 2008. I’ll be adding 1 km a week up until the race, maybe a bit more just before. At any rate it will help me to increase my endurance and elongate my leg muscles a bit.

My Daily Meal Plan at this point is as follows:
Eat at least 1 fruit daily
Eat at least 1 salad daily
Listen to my body
Eat only when hungry
Write down what I eat
Write down my exercise/workouts

Workout Plan:
Elliptical-start with 1 km per day increase 1 km per week
Oxycise Level 1-several times per week
Hip Hop abs-several times per week
After it warms up a bit do some lifting on my bowflex. The bowflex is out in the quonset… there is no heat in there and frankly I refuse to lift any more weight than I already am in subzero temps. I’m lifting 20 to 55 lb bags of feed, dragging 100 foot hoses full of water, dragging my feed tubs, beating the ice out of water containers with a 3 pound sledge hammer. That 3 pound weight doesn’t seem like much until you do a couple hundred reps with it. Tossing bales of straw into pens and distributing the straw about with a pitch fork. Once it warms up I’ll be cleaning out kennel runs with a rake, shovel, and pitch fork, and grooming dogs as fast as I can to get their coats brushed out before the heat of summer gets here.

At any rate that’s the plan for now.

Life is a journey… enjoy the trip…
Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs

Brain Twister

Wow… Even though I had to decided to not let it bother me. It did.That weight bounce did a number on my attitude. Truthfully it frustrated and pissed me off. But you know it was a HELLO … pay attention to what you are doing. Part of it was due to fluid retention from working out. However, most of it was from an ice cream binge. Ok there it is the truth is out.

On the high side I got on the scale this morning, and voila! 282 lbs. I lost what I’d gained and dropped an additional pound as well, YAY!

I’m seeing some bobbles in my progress, lose some, gain a bit, and lose again. Happily it’s a healthy progression in the right direction. The right direction in my mind being losing weight. So far I’ve lost 17 pounds.

I finally picked up the tape measure and checked my hips measurement. I”ve lost 1.5 inches off my hips from the last time I’d measured. Truthfully I didn’ t measure them at 299. But I could barely get my biggest jeans on so I know I’ve lost more than an inch and a half. But I am 1.5 inches smaller than I was in January of this year. I weighed 285 then, shot up to 299, and now am down to 282. I’m going to work for a 7 inch loss on my hips by my anniversary. I plan to use oxycise to do this. I’m not sure it will take that much off by October 26th 2007 but it will be interesting to see.

Gotta run, full day ahead. I’ve already done several hours on the computer, now it’s get changed and out the door to go buy dog food and unload it. That will be a workout, especially if David doesn’t help. I’ll be buying a bit over 1000 pounds of feed.

My workout yesterday consisted of dragging the 150 ft water hose, and moving 11 or 12 stock panels. Carrying them one at a time to where I’ll be putting up some more dog pens. Gotta get the pens up and prepared for winter before the end of September.

There are around 50 dogs coming in to board for the winter. Whoo Hoo… it’s the dog care workout.

Life is a journey… enjoy the trip… Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs

Shake it...Quake it... Wiggle that Butt!

Just a thought or two… I was having my morning coffee and listening to the Today show and Kool and the Gang came on. A little a.m. concert… under a tent in the rain no less…lol.

At any rate I was thinking about working out. And here came celebration and get down on it.

Lo and behold a lightbulb went off in my mind… So working out can be a drudge.

Oh come on you know why you put it off. Dread it, sit on your butt.

Ok fun solution time. Pick some music you like. Something with some energy. And shake it.

That’s right wiggle it, jiggle it, swing it back and forth. Have a good time, even it it’s just to half a song.

Dance baby dance… whether you have 5 pounds to lose, or are stuck in a chair with 300 hundred plus to lose.

Wiggle what ever you can wiggle. Party baby party… Stuck in your office all day… wiggle in your chair.

Whoo Hoo… it’s a great fat off party… shake it … quake it… Party on.

Do what you can. Have a good time.

Doesn’t matter what shape you are in or what age you are… it’s a feel good party. Be happy… wiggle that butt!

Ok that’s my thought for the day…

Life is a journey… dance dance dance… Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs

307.788.022 USA Mountain Time

Sunburned Nose and Toasted Toes

It's been 100 or above for weeks. Truthfully I feel cooked. Well done... ugh... on an up note I got on the scale this morning. Didn't want to. My husband talked me into it, I was feeling like jabba the hutt before the remake... on one of his bloated days. Then what do my surprised eyes see. I lost 3 pounds. YAY! So my workout plan is working. My workout plan at this point is ... WORK... pull the water hose, clean the kennel, groom the dog. Drink fluids like they are going out of style... only a slight exaggeration. I'm drinking quite a bit because it's hot, I'm working and I'm sweating like a horse on a cattle drive. geez...

I want to do oxycise in the evenings. Before I can do that I need to clear space on my office floor. I have tubs of work stacked in there.... as I get the work done I'll have more room, and I sent for a belly dancing dvd.

I've always wanted to learn how to belly dance. and dancing off some fat appeals to me. should be fun. As far as lifting weights. for now that consists of dragging the water hose (150 ft full of water) dragging/lifting stock panels (heavy welded wire 52 inches high, 16 ft long) loading cement pieces and cement blocks on my pick up truck, unloading them here, stacking the blocks, and working the pieces into walkways. unloading wooden pallets off my pickup truck and trailer. dragging my feed cart with 50 to 100 lbs of feed on it.

Repetive motion from dog grooming, raking kennels, mucking out the whelping house, etc. Once I get some projects well underway to completed, and we get more into winter I want to get back on the bow-flex. I like the way lifting weights makes my body feel. I want to go after my heavy bag a bit too. That is so nice if I've had a frustrating day. He he... I can just beat the snot out of it and not be concerned about hurting someone or lawsuits...lol...

I'm not getting much distance work in at all. Just walking up the hill and back around the kennels. I'm going to have to set aside a bit of time specifically for distance. Take one of the mastiffs with me and work them a bit while I'm at it. If I start dragging my legs then they can pull me home. plus it will give me some upper body work handling their leads. It will have to be early in the morning though. the heat is to much otherwise.

Today's Workout: drag water hose. groom dogtake photographs. I know that sounds strange. but dragging the hose is walking and resistance work. Grooming is repetive upperbody and arm workout. taking photos involves knee bends, and walking, as well as holding position in a partially bent knee position.

Ok my goal is to get fit. Healthy... be able to enjoy life in this body. Since it's the only body I have this go around. I'd like to be able to enjoy it. Frankly dragging around an extra 100 plus pounds does not give me much enjoyment.

How did I get to 100 plus pounds overfat.

In a nut shell. I saw myself as obese when I wasn't. I ate compulsively until I was. Got sick, west nile crud, had major surgery necessary but completely trashed my abs. Messy hysterectomy, lots of toxins drained into my body. Recovery has taken a couple of years. But I am recovering, and getting into condition one day one step at a time.

I see myself as I am now. I have no desire to be a bobble head doll (so skinny that I look like a bobble head). Compulsive eating is behind me. Happily no longer an issue. Yes I know sounds flip, it's not, took a good bit of work to accomplish that little feat. Now I journal instead of eating myself to death.

Happily I eat to live...rather than live to eat.

I want to be able to walk a marathon. I've picked out one the end of May 2008. I don't care where I finish in the race as long as it's not dead last. So I picked one that has an ultramarathon along with it.

Hopefully I should be able to finish before the last ultramarathoner gets in.

It would be great to have someone to train with. If not locally... then over the internet.

Completing a marathon is not a new goal. It's been on my life list for a long time. It's not about winning a race. It's about getting healthy, and actually being able to enjoy walking.

A walk around a fair, going shopping, having a spring in my step ...rather than every step being an effort filled with pain and frustration.

How am I doing? I'm overwhelmed but making it anyway. One day at a time...

Life is a journey... one step at a time... Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs

http://www.robbinsrun.com/

May 9th... wake up and get healthy...

Beautiful morning… late start for me today though. I didn’t get up till 7:30. Needed to get some sleep. Didn’t go to bet till a bit after 2:00 a.m. I did however get the menus all posted on my blogs. So that was a good thing.

Wow…got on the scale… 295 lbs. It’s official. I don’t like fat. You know I have no desire to be a bobble head… you know… so skinny your head looks like the head on a bobble head doll. But I have at least 100 pounds too much hanging on me. I really don’t like being this out of shape… magic wand anyone… zap… in peeerrrrffffeeeccccttt condition… ha… only if my being is downloaded into a cyborg body.

So… how do I do this.
No magic formulas… fat is not all gone tomorrow.
Seriously… OK here’s my plan.2 pounds of fat a week. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I lose 2 pounds a week. Not an excuse… OK… I want a good amount of muscle mass to live my chosen lifestyle… soooo… rebuilding muscle mass will cause the actual weight to see saw… I knew I’d get heavier then start going down in weight… that’s where I am now. I didn’t realize just how
out of shape I really am. Pppphhhttttt! Ok…. One day one step at a time. I can stand to sit in my office chair again without my back swelling up and partially paralyzing my hands and arms… so there is progress. Painful progress… but progress just the same. I can walk to the mail box and back and still do kennel chores… more progress… after surgery I couldn’t even lift my cast iron kettles. Forget lifting 40 and 50 pound feed bags… I can lift them now. More progress. Now to get rid of these fat rolls… I’m not swelling up as bad as I was. The pants I was wearing are trying to fall off… but I’m not small enough yet to fit in my others… so hello suspenders. Ok… so there is progress… Now focus on one day at a time. One step at a time… kind of like grooming one dog at a time… raking out one dog pen at a time… forking out the straw in the runs… shoveling out the fowl house… one shovel at a time… it’s the dog brush…dog poop… chicken poop workout… oh don’t forget the fence building… and mowing… I’m either going to get into shape or die. Probably feel like I’m a dead piece of hamburger quite a few times… already been that way… it will get better… I remember feeling good after walking a half marathon distance… I want that again. Actually I want to walk a full marathon…not an ultra… but the full… and ride my bicycle a century ride. I’d love to go on a bicycle tour of the continental divide… that would be too cool…

Ok so there is some motivation… focus on the positive… live life…don’t wait for life… live it now … because now is actually all you have!

Life is a journey…enjoy the trip… Mary E. Robbins & The Hairballs
Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians