Huffing and puffing...

[fajrdrako]

Since Sept. 4 I have lost 9 pounds. This is a good thing, since so far it has been easy. I'm not even really dieting, just trying to eat healthy food, recording what I eat, drinking six to eight glasses of water a day, and doing some sort of exercise every day - usually walking to and from work. Last night I tried using a DVD called Yoga for Weight Loss for Dummies. It was excruciating, really. I returned it to the library today.

For the time being I'm fine, but I know the old pattern. A few weeks from now the weight loss will have slowed to a stop. The nicely descending graph I've been drawing daily will turn into a horizontal line. I'll get impatient, and then discouraged, and stop weighing myself, taking the bus occasionally instead of walking, then more occasionally, and the weight will creep up.... My cycle is usually about six weeks.

Sigh.

Okay, how to break the pattern? "Do more exercise" is one idea, and I'm already commited to doing something physical daily - but more than that?

Maybe it's just a matter of being stubborn.

It might look as if I'm worrying prematurely, since I haven't got to any plateau stage yet and it is likely weeks or months in the future. But it sneaks up on me at a time when I'm ready to - literally - forget about exercise and watching what I eat; just dropping it from my mind. Like having a short attention span, though of course I don't have a short attention span for things I really love.

I wish I could bring myself to really, really enjoy exercise.

And truly, I do enjoy walking out of doors. But not in summer heat. And not when it's icy and slippery outside; it's just too easy to slip and sprain or break an ankle.

Maybe the answer is treadmill and audio-books. That's something to consider, anyway.

I have incentive. I have drive. I can do this. I just wonder how...

Comments

[wijsgeer.livejournal.com]

doing something with other people? like at a fixed time in the week?

(organize a fan and treadmillgroup)

[jkluge.livejournal.com]

If you don't get bored with them, treadmills are great. I want want very badly, but I need one with a wider belt due to my size. You're not a large person, though, so I think you could get one of the very affordable ones.

I loved the ones they had in the weight room where I used to work.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

The weather in these parts is so brutal that if I didn't have a treadmill, I wouldn't walk at all.

Also, I find it easier to stay on the treadmill when I have something set to do while I'm on it - TV episodes, cartoons, etc. I find that I stay *longer* on it now that I have the little iPod nano dedicated to exercising - all the music is the same beat, and as it shuffles through the large pool of music that I've created I get fascinated as I hear old favorites or things that I don't hear often anymore.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Treadmill and audiobooks. Preferably Miles (which I'm working on, honest!), since he tends to help with a nice fast pace [g].

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

I have the same troubles. Although I exercise regularly. But I guarantee, it is possible to eat more than one can exercise - doing the exercise just makes it easier - doesn't make it automatic.

Finding fellow victims and doing it with people helps, both in doing the exercise and avoiding the snacks/not-so-good food choices.

Re: winter - ice walkers are nice, but in an urban setting, one is continually going from pavement to snowy-icy areas. Stairs are good if you don't have knee problems.

Many years ago, I had an opportunity to participate in an aerobics class. Music and various bouncing around. It was a lot of fun. That was a good period for my weight control.

Have to go out and exercise now.

I'll leave you with a quote from a VT governor that my aunt kept posted: "You have to keep moving. If you keep moving, they can't bury you. It's against the law." Deane Davis.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

"You have to keep moving. If you keep moving, they can't bury you. It's against the law." Deane Davis.

Oh, that's brilliant! I must remember that. Keep moving.

Sort of like Miles' "forward momentum".

Now I'm going to dance for five minutes.

If you notice me stopping moving - just poke me gently with a stick, okay?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes! You can't do better than Bujold. I rather like that idea. Walking my way through the whole series. That would be fun.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I really should start trying the treadmill. And using it with an iPod is a good idea. maaboroshi and I have talked about going to the exercise room in our building with her DVD player, and I love that idea, but can't exactly force her to do it.

Still: using the iPod would probably work.

Maybe I'll try it tomorrow.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think I should maybe try to persuade maaboroshi and maaseru to this. We've talked about doing tai chi together but it hasn't happened. But ... never say never... I'll try again.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Good luck. It has helped me a lot.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I really need a treadmill cause, esp. in the winter, it's still too much TROUBLE for me to go to the apartment's work out room on a daily basis. I am convinced that if I had the treadmill in my apartment, I could use it any time I wanted and not be self conscious about other people being there.

I always take my ipod when I work out. Really works for me. I used to walk on the treadmill, listen to the ipod and read, lol.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

I am ordering ACC in audio this week. Although I'm still not sure I'm going to be able to listen to The Dinner Party without wanting to climb under the couch.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Right! And it should work. I'll try it tomorrow.

[coalboy.livejournal.com]

I found SparkPeople via

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I found SparkPeople via <l-juser=pegkerr>. I'm not getting much farther, because I'm finding it more difficult to get loose to exercise, but I haven't gained back what I've lost.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I haven't gained back what I've lost.

Excellent! I gained back what I lost last time - but I'm now pretty much back to where I was before. So there is hope, if I don't lose heart.

SparkPeople is good. With coaching from maaseru, I am using www.thedailyplate.com for food-tracking. Seems to work. So far.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Do you find the dinner party scene difficult?

I don't know if I do or not. I thought I had no problem with it at all, but I've never been able to reread the book to that point. I'm not sure why. Not sure at all.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

esp. in the winter, it's still too much TROUBLE for me to go to the apartment's work out room on a daily basis.

It's a problem. Much easier to just go into my living room and do it. Years ago I used to run on a little trampoline in my living room, in front of the television. It was great. But sadly, that was when I got plantar fasciitis, so no running in front of the TV now. And in this living room, lovely though it is, I have no room for a treadmill.

I'm thinking of getting a tiny portable DVD player like maaboroshi has, for the exercise room. No, I have no money for it right now, but I can think about it, right?

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

"plantar fasciitis" what dat?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Plantar fasciitis is a hideous curse from malign gods.

Basically it's when you strain a tendon on the bottom of your foot, just under/inside the heel. It's hideously painful. The cure is to do certain exercises, like picking things up with your toes, and not to walk on that foot, and to be patient forever and ever. And to put heavy/strong/expensive arch supports in your shoes, and only wear shoes that are new. And if you've been running or walking or even just standing a lot, you have to stop. Actually, you have no choice but to stop, because it hurts so much you can't do those things any more. Did I mention how much it hurts? Very, very painful. Worst in the mornings when you wake up. Rather like a bad sprain, only it's harder to cure and lasts for eons.

It's the most common sports injury of all, they say.

Not something I want to ever get again. I had to stop walking to work for a year or so. I hated that.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

The Dinner Party is one of three scenes I almost always skip during a reread of the series. The other two are the mutineers-in-the-snow scene in The Vor Game, and Mark's torture in Mirror Dance. So that gives you some comparison.

For me it's like watching a train wreck. You know how horrible what's going to happen is, and you know it's inevitable, and you can't help but glance over and then away, over and then away.

Ever try reading out of the corner of your eye? It doesn't work very well...

So you've only read ACC once??? How many times have you read the rest of the series?

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

Eeee, so it does eventually go away kinda?

And I thought my knee issue was god-awful.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Eeee, so it does eventually go away kinda?

Yes - at least< mine did. I still occasionally get a twinge if I've been wearing old shoes, but no more than that.

I guess it's sort of like having a knee issue, only you it's in the foot.

[(Anonymous)]

The Dinner Party is one of three scenes I almost always skip during a reread of the series.

I usually reread in bits and pieces - picking favourite scenes. Occasionally I do a full reread, but if I do, I don't skip anything. If I did skip, there is one scene I would skip - one that I always want to skip, and wish I did after I read it. It's one of your skip-scenes too: the torture scene in Mirror Dance. Because of it, I don't generally reread Mirror Dance at all, and sort of write it off as my least-favourite Vorkosigan novel. A terrible confession: I not only don't like Mark much, I find him kind of dull.

I like the mutineers-in-the-snow scene a lot.

I don't think I could read the torture scene in Mirror Dance out of the corner of my eye. It's a little too central to the plot.

Since I usually read in bits and pieces... I've read the whole series through, once when the books first came out, once later - but stopped about 1/3 into ACC and then skipped on to Cetaganda - or Diplomatic Immunity? - I don't remember whether I was reading them in story order or publication order. So some books, like Cetaganda and DI, I've only read twice. Borders of Inifinity three times, and a fourth time as an audio-book. Shards, Barrayar, The Warrior's Apprentice, and The Vor Game, I've probably read four or five times right through, and countless times in bits and pieces. This will give you some indication of which my favourites are.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oops - sorry - I'm reposting this because I forgot to sign in.

The Dinner Party is one of three scenes I almost always skip during a reread of the series.

I usually reread in bits and pieces - picking favourite scenes. Occasionally I do a full reread, but if I do, I don't skip anything. If I did skip, there is one scene I would skip - one that I always want to skip, and wish I did after I read it. It's one of your skip-scenes too: the torture scene in Mirror Dance. Because of it, I don't generally reread Mirror Dance at all, and sort of write it off as my least-favourite Vorkosigan novel. A terrible confession: I not only don't like Mark much, I find him kind of dull.

I like the mutineers-in-the-snow scene a lot.

I don't think I could read the torture scene in Mirror Dance out of the corner of my eye. It's a little too central to the plot.

Since I usually read in bits and pieces... I've read the whole series through, once when the books first came out, once later - but stopped about 1/3 into ACC and then skipped on to Cetaganda - or Diplomatic Immunity? - I don't remember whether I was reading them in story order or publication order. So some books, like Cetaganda and DI, I've only read twice. Borders of Inifinity three times (and I've read "Labyrinth" more often than that), and a fourth time as an audio-book. Shards, Barrayar, The Warrior's Apprentice, and The Vor Game, I've probably read four or five times right through, and countless times in bits and pieces. This will give you some indication of which my favourites are.

Memory is slightly different - I've read it completely three times, but don't tend to reread favourite bits the way I reread my other favourites. There are scenes I remember well and adore, but just don't pick it up so often.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

I tend to relisten more often than to reread anymore. Which makes it harder to reread bits and pieces. But I do occasionally pick up Memory for choice bits like the fishing scene or the "two falls out of three" scene. Or Komarr for the shopping scene or the girlfriend litany. Or ACC for Ekaterin meets Admiral Naismith, or the Love Letter, or the attic scene, or the Council of Counts scene. The others I don't tend to do that to so much.

So you can see which are my favorites, too. I am so happy they're finally out in audio.

As for Mark, I adore the fat little creep [g]. Esp. in ACC. I just like how he's managed to pull himself out of the disaster that was his life and wind up with his very own happily-ever-after. And how he's so obviously Miles's clone in his personality, but also how he's so obviously himself. But to each his own. There are people out there who don't like Elli Quinn, too [g]. And I just don't understand that one.