Problem? No problem.

Chuck took the kids ice skating this evening. Not just the big kids, he took them all. It's a rare treat for me to have the whole house to myself. You'll never guess what I did.

Did I drink the last beer and play on the internet? No.

Did I shower with the door open? Not yet.

Did I clean the house just so I could enjoy seeing my living space neat and tidy if only for a few moments? Yeah, right.

As soon as they were out of the driveway, I changed clothes (with the door open), grabbed my gatorade and the iPod, and hopped on the treadmill. Six slow miles without a single interruption. It was heaven.

I don't have a problem. It's a passion. :o)

January 2012 Measurements

(All measurements are in inches.)

Weight: 182.4

neck: 14
shoulders: 43.5
bicep: R- 12; L- 12
chest: 39
bust: 40.5
@ braline: 35.75
waist: 33.25
@ bellybutton: 34.25
low ab: 37.25
hips: 41.25
thigh: R- 22; L- 22.25
calf: R- 13; L- 13.25

Estimated Body Fat: 30.4%

Freak Out

I took my measurements before working out today. Wrote them all down, then used the same body fat calculator that I've been using the last couple of years. (I know it's not the most accurate way to assess body composition, but I mainly use it to watch for a downward trend.) The last time I did this, I was at 26.9%. I figured that being right after the holidays my number would be (artificially?) higher. And it was. 38.7% THIRTY-EIGHT-POINT-SEVEN PERCENT!!??

!?!?!?

I admit, I freaked.

It wasn't until hours later, I was at work and realized why it was so high. I had entered my height as 60 inches. That's five feet! I was so relieved, I literally LOL'ed.

So, given the fact that I am SIX feet tall- not five- my estimate came out to 30.4%. I'm not loving that number, but at least it is still in the "acceptable" category for a woman. And I bet once I'm back to a more normal diet, that number will go down quickly enough.

Happy New Year 2012

We are two days into the new year, and I haven't screwed up writing the date even once.

I usually make resolutions for the new year, but I haven't yet this year. Maybe I'll have my act together in time for the Chinese New Year, January 23 this year. It will be the year of the Dragon. Cool.

I did put together a workout schedule for myself for this month. I will be running every other day and doing either strength training (weights) or yoga or resting the other days of the week. My main goal this month will be to build my base mileage. I'm also doing some interval runs to break up the treadmill monotony.

So, more on resolutions to come! I'll also be recording weight and measurements, and I'll talk hubby into taking some fitness pics for me.

Today's Motivation

RUNNERSWORLD.COM'S DAILY KICK IN THE BUTT:

When you hit a rough patch, try to imagine yourself as an Olympic athlete who's headed towards the finish line. Envision your running form as smooth, graceful, and relaxed. Think of a runner who you really admire and imagine yourself running just like him.

Christine Luff, Mental Tips for Long Runs, About.com Guide

Wheat Belly

It's time for me to own this. Remember all those tweaks I was making to my diet at the end of the summer? Particularly the juice fasting and trying to go gluten-free?

Well, I've rebounded off of it. Hard. As in, I've gained about 10 pounds since August. And that really ticks me off because I had FINALLY gotten down to below 170, after four years of working at it.

Soon it will be the new year, and I will be trying again to lose "that last 10 pounds" like millions of other people. At least I'm in good company. In the meantime, I'll just try to get through the holidays without gaining too much more. Hopefully the long runs I have planned for the day after Christmas and New Year's Day will help somewhat.

Experimenting over, time to go back to what I know works. Count calories! So simple, yet so effective. I don't think that all calories are the same, that I can eat whatever junk I want just so long as I stay in a "caloric deficit" day to day. I think of that as the "Diet Coke" mentality (it's calorie-free, so it must be good for me!) and I just don't believe it. But, I also can't eat unlimited amounts of anything and expect to lose weight. And I certainly can't eat unlimited amounts of homemade pizza or Cookies and Cream. So, after the holidays, first thing I'm going to do is go back to logging my meals daily at My Fitness Pal. (jhmomofmany <-- Look me up!)

I'd rather live happy and die OLD.

It's been a few months, but one of the most inspiring movies we watched over the summer was Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead a Joe Cross Film. I'm not going to do a complete review- feel free to check it out yourself if you're interested- but one particular scene has really stuck with me.

Joe is visiting a diner in Oklahoma, talking with a table of patrons and asking if they would consider changing their diet if they knew it would extend their life expectancy. One of the middle-aged men says he would rather "die happy", and the others agree.

First of all, I believe many people would be healthier we could get rid of this idea that bad habits somehow enhance our life. "At least I'll die happy." So says every smoker, drinker, druggy... and obese binge-eater.

But will you really be happy? Visit the hospitals and nursing homes. Ask those suffering from cancer, diabetes, liver disease, emphysema, or heart failure if they are dying happy. Unfortunately, premature death is not the worst thing that can happen to a person who persists in bad habits or harmful addictions. Even worse is the pain and suffering that usually accompanies these diseases, sometimes lasting years. I find it hard to believe that anybody would actually choose to "go out" this way. Who would do that to themselves or their family?

Of course some people end up with chronic or terminal disease through no fault of their own; I'm not pointing fingers at them. But I'm convinced that nearly all of us have the ability to make choices that will better our own odds of living a longer, healthier life. Get real! We all know the difference between habits that are healthful and those that are not. And really, is that THAT much harder to order a salad rather than a huge entree and appetizers and beers and dessert? Is yet another night of flipping through three hundred channels of reruns really more fun than hitting the gym or going for a walk?

Me personally, I'd much rather give up the junk food and alcohol (already gave up smoking years ago) and live free from these addictions. I want to LIVE happy. And, God willing, in a hundred or so years I will die happy.