Operation "Arm Flaps" - Week 1 Wrap up

Managed to complete the push-up challenge for week 1, which was 3 workouts (M, W, F). Stuck in abdominal/core operations T, Th... but failed on Saturday because i was out of town farting around (not an excuse, really).

Only did the extra arm work on M, which needs to change. And the ab/core work is quite necessary - as i'm feeling the crunch of the crunch, and know that i'm weak in the midsection.

So i'll give myself a grade of B- for Week 1. i can do better.

Circumference of Arm Flaps: 13 5/8" / 34 1/2 cm

Potentially a loss of 3/8", or 1.5 cm - but this could be within the measurement error. Expect to not see something substantial until the end of Week 4. But slow and steady...

and yes. i know that's an ugly tank top. i'm doing laundry, alright?

Let the running commence...

New goal is to run at least 5K every day. So far, so good. I used to run 5M a day, but I haven't done that in almost a year, so I'm very happy with 5K. I ran it VERY slowly, so my goal will simply to be run faster, not run farther. I always get into the trap of running farther, but that takes longer and eventually I get to the point where I can't dedicate as much time to it as it requires. This time, I'm going to try to make it take less and less time instead. That's more efficient, right?

I feel good. My ankles and calves are sore, as they always are when I start up. That should go away in a week. The soles of my feet are pretty tender right now (I run barefoot), so I'm stuck on the treadmill, but once they toughen up I'll head outside... hopefully before the weather gets too nasty. We have nice golf cart paths I can run on here.

Here's to the happiness that running brings me!

Belly "Dancing" day 7

The good news... I have done something with my belly dancing video every day - something other than throwing it out the window which crosses my mind the whole time. I've only been able to do about 10 minutes at each section. I hope that counts - I wanted it be 30 minutes a day but frankly, it's just too hard for me. My arms feel like they're going to fall off and I still can't figure out the difference between a hip up and a hip drop.

Ok, so here's the embarrassing part... it's not actually a belly dancing video. Turns out, it's an exercise video using belly dancing moves with two lucious belly dancing babes in the their cute belly dancing outfits. I'm kind of embarrassed that I didn't read the box right, but oh well...

So anyway, I was going to just keep suffering through it, but now I'm mad and have changed my mind! Instead, I went to Amazon and bought an actual Belly Dancing video for beginners and chose overnight delivery!

I'm not giving up on the challenge - I've been doing it every day and I will do them again tomorrow - but if I want to belly dance, I want to do it right! So when the real video comes in Tuesday... this video is going out the proverbial window!

but I still feel stupid.

Cryptically Mitzi Day 6 & 7

My challenge is progressing. The grade of this challenge is so steep, it's almost vertical. Partially, I suspect the cryptic crosswords get harder as the week goes on. Or maybe I got tireder?

Still, I got some clues out.

Q Head brought back gem and spice (6)
A NUTMEG

Q Mine history ends in shame (4)
A PITY

Q Old mathematician reversed half-size curved structures outside (10)
A ARCHIMEDES
(I liked this one: arch + the maths dude in the bath Archimedes + demi backwards)

QFive hundred each? Remainders is the most expensive? (7)
A DEAREST

Q This occasion completed the opening? (5)
A EVENT

Q Certain old town in the southeast (4)
A SURE
(That 'old town' being Ur, the town which the biblical Abraham came from; see? all those years of Jewish education paid off!)

So that's my six successfully answered cyrptic clues. The endorphins effect of getting over-excited about my newly exercised skills can be deceptive - as the crosswords start difficult, stay tricky and grow more cunning by the day. I was right ot stick with only 3 clues a day. Any more is like that extra martini - dangerous!

I give up...

I give up. I cannot go to bed by 10:30 at night right now. It is not reasonable or possible. I did start running again, though, so maybe I should try that instead.

Day 6 - Return of the Yoga

I don't know why I didn't do yoga yesterday.  I have no excuses.  I just didn't do it.

However, inspired by dinahmow's most recent post, I got yoga in for the day just under the wire-- with a mere 20 minutes left of the day.  Yes, I feel better.

With all this feeling better stuff when I get done with yoga it's a wonder I'm not doing it all day long.  Well, we're just a week into the challenge so there's time yet for it to become habit.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!  Namaste.

reasons or excuses?

I always feel that when people give a list of reasons for doing,or not doing, something they had said they would(or would not) do...those reasons are excuses. A cop-out.
So...here I am, on the eve of week two with an excuse/reason of my own. Oh dear!

What happened? I missed my 30 minutes of pedaling on Thursday. I have what I think is a reason, but it sounds like a cop-out!

On Thursday morning I whizzed about, doing domestic stuff and fully intended to get my 30 minutes in after my stint at school.

I was a "helper" at a local school which was hosting a visit from some Japanese students from our Twin City. It was a happy few hours, lots of laughter, great co-operation  from all the kids and friendships forged.

But I came home with a crashing headache, probably from bending over low kiddie-size desks for hours. So I didn't get on my bike.

But I did swim 1200m on Friday and pedaled for 45 minutes so I figure I'm still in the game.