Day 147 - Friday, Yoga, and a Surprise

Today was another busy day.  I had an appointment at lunch time so I couldn’t exercise during the day.  But, I did make it to my favorite yoga class of the week.  That was a really good thing.  Then, I came home and got set up for the evening.  I managed to do 45 minutes on the bike before I realized I didn’t have anything left.  I figured that an hour and 45 minutes was probably good enough for the day and left it at that.  It was probably a good thing.  With the change in my medication this week I have definitely not felt 100% myself.  I’m not trying to make excuses, but I don’t want to do anything silly either.

The challenge today was making the decision to stop at 45 minutes on the bike.  I was really, really tired and just felt like pushing more wasn’t going to get me any more progress.  It’s hard for me to always tell the difference between listening to my body and slacking off.  But, since it was only 15 minutes, it’s not the end of the world either way.  But, I do think I made the right decision.

The surprise of the day was a really, really good one.  I had gone to yoga and was just getting settled in on my mat when I saw someone out of the corner of my eye.  My cousin was there!  I have really missed working out with her the last few weeks.  She hasn’t been able to get out and it just hasn’t been as much fun without her.  So, having her there tonight was a wonderful surprise and really made my evening.

It’s weekend.  I am so happy to be able to go to bed early tonight, sleep in tomorrow, and have a great weekend.  No matter what happens, weekends are always good.  Enjoy!

 

Day 146 - A Long, But Successful Day

Today was a really, really long day.  It was an office day, so I was up early.  And then, I ended up staying a little later than normal.  So, by the time I got home I was pretty tired.  But, since I knew time was short, I went straight upstairs to change into exercise clothes.  I did an hour on the bike before anything else.  Then, I went to a 7:00 yoga class to finish up the exercise for the day.  I think I am getting more used to the Thursday night teacher, so I’m getting more out of the classes.  That’s definitely a good thing.

The whole day counts as a challenge.  I’m not sure why, but this project at work is really getting to me.  And, when my stress levels go up, everything else just seems harder.  But, I’m pushing through.  And, I get to come home to Michael and Steve.  That is always a happy thing. 

The surprise of the day was just that I am getting better at my yoga classes.  I can hold down dog longer now.  I still can’t hold it as long as most of the class, but I’m getting better.  And, I think I am getting more flexible overall.  It’s really a good feeling when I can bend and stretch in ways that I just couldn’t a month or two ago.  Yes, I still have a long ways to go, but I am really starting to see progress everywhere I look.

Day 145 - Back to Work

It felt so good to get back to my classes at the gym tonight.  My muscles were rested and ready to go, and I was antsy.  Plus, it had been a really rough day at work.  By the time I got to class, I was ready to let go of all work thoughts and really focus on exercise.  It was a great diversion, and a great workout. 

Yesterday, I noticed something really bizarre.  Because Tuesdays and Thursday are my normal office days, I am usually sore from a class whenever I am in the office.  Yesterday, I wasn’t sore because I had missed my classes Monday night because of the doctor’s apt.  It felt so strange to be able to move freely around the office.  I never thought I would miss my aches and pains!  Then again, I am sure I made up for it tonight, and tomorrow will be back to ‘normal’.

The challenge today was leaving work at work and focusing on exercise once I was at the gym.  Sometimes, I get so caught up in everything going on during the day, it is hard to shift gears when the day is over.  But, when the classes are so demanding, it definitely makes it easier.

The surprise for today was how well Michael did in his swimming lesson.  Before Thanksgiving, he was afraid to jump in the deep end, and couldn’t be more than a foot away from his teacher without being really nervous.  Today, he jumped in the deep end several times, and allowed the teacher to be several feet away.  And, he swam an entire length of the pool independently.  He is definitely getting better in the water!  That makes me so happy.

 

Day 144 - Resting Today

I’m sorry this is going to be short tonight.  It was a rest day but I’m really, really tired. I think changing my thyroid medication is taking a toll on me.  I am expecting it to get better, but I think it’s going to be a rough week or two.  

Today’s challenge is the fact that I’m really, really tired.  I’m so glad I didn’t have to do any exercise today.  I am going to go to bed relatively early tonight and hope for energy for tomorrow.  Cross your fingers for me?

The surprise was just that Michael had two great days at school in a row.  He’d been having a rough patch lately, so it was an extra nice surprise.  I’m greedy, and hoping for three in a row tomorrow!

Day 143 - A Chaotic but Hopeful Day

Today was an odd day.  I had a doctor’s appt this afternoon and a support group meeting scheduled for tonight.  The appointment ran really, really late, so I missed my exercise class and my support group.  But, the good thing is that I was still able to get both hours of exercise in.  I figured I should do an hour at lunch time and then did a second hour when I finally got home.  I’m really exhausted, and am sad I missed my meeting, but, I am so glad I got my exercise in.

The challenge of the day was just making the timing work to get as much as possible done.  It meant exercising really late, but I am hoping I’ll still be able to sleep tonight.  I am hopeful that today’s doctor can really make a difference for me.  He is changing my thyroid medication, so I really hope to see good things.

The surprise of the day was that the doctor really listened to me.  He asked questions and didn’t question my answers.  So many doctors have come out and accused me of lying when I tell them about my diet and exercise.  I really appreciate that he listened, believed me, and is going to come up with a plan to make things work.  I am tired, but really hopeful.

Day 142 - Roller Coaster of a Day

Today has really been an up and down type of day.  I got to sleep in and had a relaxing morning, but then Michael had a really rough afternoon.  Then, something amazing happened.  Like I said, up and down, up and down.  The good news is that I was able to get in two hours of exercise; two hour long sessions on the bike. 

The challenge today was really intense.  Michael was in a really terrible mood most of the afternoon.  He was argumentative and grumpy and really extreme.  Normally, he will get in a mood and it will pass within an hour or two.  Today, it lasted for several hours.  Toward the end, he was upstairs in his room and I was downstairs crying.

Then, the surprise/miracle of the day happened.  Michael came downstairs and he was calm.  He actually noticed that I was crying and asked if I was crying because of his behavior. He had never made that kind of connection before.  He has understood that he has had bad behavior, and that I get sad sometimes, but he has never connected the two so directly.  Let alone put it into words. 

After that, he was pretty much back to normal.  We played some Christmas games on the wii and then went for a drive to see how many people have put up lights.  It was actually a fairly nice evening.  Of course, I feel like I’ve been on a day long roller coaster ride.  But, at least the hills were as good as the valleys were sad.  And, tomorrow is another day.

Day 141 - Twenty Week Results

It is hard to imagine it’s been twenty weeks.  That’s a long, long time for me to stick to such a strenuous exercise routine.  But, I am definitely seeing results.  I love this week’s picture.  I am starting to have collarbones!  Imagine that!

 

So, twenty weeks and 42 pounds.  It’s still not where I was hoping to be, but every picture shows more and more of a difference.  Every pound lost seems like a huge step forward.  I will learn to be patient.  And, along the lines of appreciating every pound, Steve did a comparison of today’s picture with the picture from two weeks ago.  There aren’t a huge amount of differences, but today’s picture definitely shows major improvement in the head and neck area.  Did I mention collar bones?  I know they’re not really pronounced yet, but, you can tell they are there.  That’s progress!

 

 

Today’s challenge was not being disappointed when I got on the scale and realized I didn’t lose anything this week.  I was crushed.  But, then I realized that it’s just a number on a scale.  Every single day I am moving forward.  Some steps are bigger than others, but I am not going to stop walking.  I will get there!

Today’s surprise was another quiet moment with Michael.  I told him I needed some cuddle time.  While he was on my lap, the Christmas Clock went off, and he asked me to sing with the clock.  I can’t carry a tune in a bucket, but he asked me to sing every Christmas carol I knew.  It was so sweet I thought I would burst from happiness.  Not a bad day!