The Wonders of Walking...

The workout thing keeps not happening. Well, not the kind that occurs indoors on a piece of equipment.

However, upon review of the original MegaChallenge Regulations, I am reminded that it wasn't about working out on a piece of gym equipment--it was about moving. So, in spite of the fact that the stationary bike in the basement is doing a superlative job of the stationary part of its title, I managed to get in a workout. We walked 5 miles (14/200) on a gorgeous trail this morning.

I have to give kudos to municipalities that take the time/money/effort to design and build green spaces into their plans. Our new hometown has gone to incredible lengths to put in all sorts of walking/jogging/bike paths. They run along rivers and through shady areas and near parks and by the library. Truly lovely.

I am not counting the very long stroll we took through an art festival this evening. Yes, it was movement and technically counts. However, I got more of a workout laughing out loud at the amazing hula hooping going on at one of the booths than I did from the walk.

Food? I was stellar. We packed a bag of water and healthy snacks for both excursions. We ate our meals at home. I didn't even glance at the funnel cakes and other fried fair fare.

All in all it was a wonderful day.

Whoa! Two Days in a Row...

Blogging that is.

Don't panic. I didn't like go all wild and work out or anything.

I haven't completely neglected my fitness quest, though. Ye ole fitday account is re-up and running. So, check one item off of the "To Procrastinate" list.

One of my excuses is that I took my kids to meet their new teachers*. I am already in love with both classroom teachers and the support staff promises to be equally amazing. B's teacher has a sign that says, "A quiet classroom is not an indication of learning." I'll buy that!

I always loved going back to school. New pencils and notebooks have always been my thing! And it was always nice to have a fresh start.

I am kinda looking at this re-focus on the MegaChallenge in the same way.

Oh--and in case you are wondering about the weight gain thang, here's the deal. And I swear on an elliptical trainer that it is the absolute truth.

My scale was off. Seriously. I was in "maintenance" so I would pop onto the scale like once a week or so. If it was under 149, I was cool. Sometime after my sweet boy moved in, the scale developed a crack--so Marchish?--and my theory is that it stopped telling me the truth.

I was traveling all over the place, working about a million hours a week (give or take), under a truckload of stress, and eating out 2 meals a day. So, I knew I was at risk for some gainage, but I didn't really have time to think about it much. After a while I broke down and bought another scale--and that is when I discovered the deception. If it had been a couple of pounds different, I would have chalked it up to calibration or something. But 10 pounds was a rude awakening. Gah!

So, my little scale-enhanced denial party is over. I am heavier than I want to be. Not a huge amount, but more than I would drop without some focused effort.

The good news is that I know I can get back on track and that I didn't let it get way out of hand.

Now, to get the shoes laced up and downstairs to the bike.

Soon.

*Can you believe that school is starting already?? Wasn't there supposed to be some correlation between back-to-school and fall? Thought so!

And Just Like That an Entire Year Passes...

No, I didn't fall completely off of the planet.

I took a job that involved working for an organization that required that I curtail a significant portion of my advocacy/openness/personality. I learned a whole boatload of new skills, made a couple of terrific friends, and discovered that I am much happier when I can openly share what I think and who I am.

So, to catch you up on a whole year's worth of events, we'll do the bullet list trick.

• I nearly died on August 6, 2007. Yep, on B's 9th birthday. Bad timing. Emergency surgery on August 7, 2007 saved me. My best friend nursed me back to health for weeks. I'm all better now.
  
• I discovered a job opening, interviewed, and was hired between August 16 and September 17, 2007. It was exactly what I hoped for and not what I expected at all. Funny that.
• I moved everything we own a couple of hundred miles over the course of September and October 2007. (See job.) We now live on 6+ acres in a gorgeous part of the world.
• My photo was chosen for the cover of the Breaking Ground Arts issue in September 2007.
  
• My kids went back to public school in October 2007. (See job. See move.) I relearned all I wanted to forget about Special Education--but discovered that some districts actually want to make it work for everyone.
• I gained a "significant other" in March--or so. He was significant before. Now he lives here. I suppose that makes him super-significant, right?
• Our--his and my together--co-created artwork was exhibited for 2 months in a "solo" (except that we are 2 people) show at our city hall from April - June 2008. It was a surreal experience walking in and seeing 25 pieces of our soul lining the walls of a public building.
  
• I attended my 6th MegaConference in June 2008.
• My son turned 10 on August 6, 2008. Yes! A decade!
  
• I gained about 10ish pounds over the course of the year. Stress eating (See job. See move. See kids in school. See incredible cook aka significant other moving in.) does that to me. It's time to get that gone.

So, sports fans, it is time to get back on the MegaChallenge Bandwagon. I still like the 200 workouts in a year deal. I still like basing it on the MegaConference schedule. That means I would have to kick some major pre-contemplation into gear and get a move on.

We installed a workout room in our basement--so I literally have no excuses for not working out. Well, not any that hold water.

I am also thinking that keeping track of the stuff I eat via fitday would be a good idea.

I am doing a whole lot of thinking.

Time for some doing!