Friday, January 30, 2009

Weight Loss Challenge - new step record

Well, I gotta say this about winter -- it makes for some tough walking when the way isn't plowed, and that has to burn up more calories, right?

Today's weight -- 139.6 WHOOO HOOO! Now, I've made this weight before, pre-Christmas, so it's taken me a month to get back to that. I'm hoping it's onward and upward (downward?) for the next little while. I have a couple of birthdays in February, but I think two pieces of cake won't be too bad. It's not like the nearly constant offerings of sweet temptation over the holidays. I hope.

And I hit a new record in number of steps, achieved by walking for two and a half hours in -20 C. weather (that's -4 Farenheit). Bit brisk by the lake and see above re the tough going, but it was sunny and I felt I'd been cooped up too long.

Also, my friend got me one of those exercise balls for Christmas. I definitely feel I need some toning, so I started working with that in addition to walking on the treadmill. Boy, I sure felt it! So I'm not doing too much yet with that. I hope to do more every week. And this weekend, I'm increasing the slope of the treadmill. There's also more snow in the forecast, so more shoveling.

This week's step/treadmill tally:
Jan. 23 - 1 hr. on TM
Jan. 24 - I hr. on TM
Jan. 25 - 20,527 steps (!!!!)
Jan. 26 - 1 hr. on TM
Jan. 27 - 1 hr. on TM, plus exercise ball (first time I lifted the thing with my feet while lying on my back, I dropped it and smacked myself in the face)
Jan. 28 - 14,705 (in a blizzard to pick up my nephew at school) plus I shoveled 3 times
Jan. 29 - I hr. on TM, 10 leg lifts with eball, 10 leg/arm lifts with eball (to work the abs -- and boy, did it!)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I sit on my ball at my desk to relieve some pain from an injury: but, as a result, I have stronger abs and hamstrings, as they 'grip' me to the ball and keep me balanced and able to type.

Maybe try it for 20 minutes?


LW

Margaret Moore said...

That's what my friend recommended, too, and to strengthen my core, but the ball's too low for me to do that. Holding the ball and raising it with my legs really works the thighs as well.