Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Riding in the snow and sleet (on the exercycle)

I just rode my bike through beautiful Loch Etive Scotland for about 12 minutes. VITA Digital Productions. We got 4 virtual jog and bike ride DVDs for Christmas. It's 59 minutes, but I'm out of shape, and ate too much for the holidays, so we'll do this in segments. It begins on a roadway with birds chirping and sheep bleating with gorse (yellow) and Blue Bells blooming (late May). I'm not there yet, but the explanation says I'll see the ruins of a stone cottage used in the 1960 movie, Kidnapped. As the sleet and snow hit the window of my office, it's a nice diversion.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Photo on the frig trick

Posting a photo of me (thinner) on the frig door never seemed to work. But I saw a recent photo of Isabella Rosellini with her twin sister Ingrid and 1/2 sister Pia that might work. She has really packed on the pounds--still beautiful, however. Now 60. Where does the time go? Trying the exercycle again and have asked for cycling dvd's of Italy and Ireland for Christmas.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Regular Day Off and catching-up on home chores today. My walking path continues through the roundabout way in old Colona and along the Hennepin Canal. This morning, geese were taking a dip in the Canal -kind of cold I think. But these feathery friends were enjoying the water. Now on to my chores - tree trimming, weed trimming, gutter cleaning, and window washing.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

I'm back after a long time. Still walking as much as possible. Have changed jobs, no more 50 - 60 hour weeks. I still haven't had the time to try out "snowshoeing". And last winter - almost no snow. Hopefully this winter will be the time and back to Nautilus in December.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Do weight loss programs inspire you?

A study says The Biggest Loser is de-motivating. What do you think? Poll. http://walking.about.com/b/2012/10/30/is-the-biggest-loser-a-turnoff-to-exercise.htm

Sunday, October 28, 2012

I am reminded of walking meditation:

As always in the fall, I begin walking again. In the summer months I get a great deal of exercise just gardening, but in the fall I need to force myself to get out and walk. I was reviewing my long forgotten journal that I kept at Beliefnet for a while, I read this entry, which I do not think I ever posted here. But I thought it might serve as inspiration for those who come along dithering about walking this winter.
It isn't easy for me to discerrn God's will for my life or to comprehend the guidance I do get. I'm too ready to mull over it, to overexamine it. I went for a walk today. It was a wonderful day as the temperatures had soared to 74 degrees by mid-afternoon.
As I began my walk, I began the way Sister Ellie taught us, except that I was walking faster than she recommended. I began with a short prayer and then I reminded myself to empty my mind, to walk, to let thoughts occur to me, to look at them and then drop them. Taking my own council, then, I reminded myself to look for those small gifts that God offers me especially when I am outside. Then I began to walk, allowing my gaze to go where it willed, to watch in a detached fashion the goings on in the park.
I saw kids playing in the park. I saw teenagers gathering into a large group. I noted that the wind was strong and pushed against me as I walked into it. My mind wouldn't stay empty for long but it wouldn't muse either, so it was a good exercise.
I often walk along a trail around a park. It is almost a perfect mile around. Approaching the first turn with my eyes observing a small boy, but thinking nothing more about him, I felt mysteriously as though I wasn't a part of the scene--all feeling and no thought, it vanished as soon as it presented itself. I made the first turn and then the second. With the wind now behind me and on the far side of the park so that the trees were windward, I began to note the leaves--millions of leaves, it seemed--blown out of their winter hiding holes or off the limbs they'd never been torn from before. I thought, "That's it. I'm like a leaf blown from the tree and blowing in the wind." But then I thought, "No. Because the leaves are dead." I watched one dance across the path as though doing a cartwheel. I saw the teens had begun a game of football and watched a pass.
Feeling less as though God was giving me gifts and more and more as though I was just reviewing many of my life's lessons, I came back around to the final turn of the mile. It was then that I looked ahead and thought--this is just a loop and I'm stuck in it. I need to break out of the loop. But I didn't like that direction. It goes up past the vast high school parking lot--empty for the holiday--and it looked bleak, but I took it anyway. In the last square of still green grass under the last tree before the lot, I saw a squirrel sitting upright nibbling on something. Even in bleakness, there is life. I had not seen a single squirrel in the whole walk around the park. It is usually teaming with them.
Behind me, a house owner yelled at the receding back of his teenaged son and made me jump around to see the disgruntled scene. It jarred me. I know the man, but I preferred to turn my head and hope he didn't recognize me as I hurried up the sidewalk. I thought about the walk and how I used to walk that way every day one summer when I took summer school. My friend and I would walk up to a donut shop at the top of that hill. I couldn't remember if the walk had even then been half concealed by loose gravel or if that was a new thing. The wind continued to push me up the hill. There, in the middle of that blacktopped expanse without a tree in sight, I saw a maple leaf fall as though from nowhere. I looked and didn't see any other leaves. The uphill steepened until I reached the corner and I turned just across from the old donut shop and walked down the north side of the football stadium. The stadium blocked the wind, but the tall fence hemmed me in and limited my vision.
As I neared the final turn that would take me back to the park and my car, a German shepherd ran to the corner of his yard and began to bark at me aggressively--in my mind I responded, "Peace . . . I'm not coming your way." Before the thought was complete, he'd turned and run out of sight. I didn't see or hear him again.
I looked behind me at the fence-lined sidewalk and noted that it had been a comfortable downhill slope protected from the wind and peaceful. Then I walked past the end zone of the football field where so many stop to watch the game, then past the baseball field, then approached the teachers parking lot. I noted the sign, "Do not enter," and puzzled over having noted it--do not enter what? A bleak and empty parking lot? I passed by the entrance and observed the granite sign donated so long ago in 1980, seven years after I had graduated from that school. That's the entrance, I thought. And let it drop. I crossed the street and spied my car. Heading for it I thought, "If there was anything there, I missed it."
Once home, as I climbed out of the car, something seemed to say, "Things aren't always what they seem." And that is all I know. But of that, I feel certain.

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Saturday, May 19, 2012

A toasty May 19

I headed out for an afternoon walk about 3:30 and discovered it was quite hot! So I headed for the shady spots along the creek on our own property. Much more pleasant than walking along a four lane street with hundreds of cars zipping by.

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Role of Irisin in exercise

Exercise stimulates the release of MYOKINES which offer protection against many diseases including diabetes, cancer and dementia, but until recently they weren't sure why. Now there's a newly discovered myokine named for the Greek goddess Iris (messenger), IRISIN, which is the messenger from the muscle during exercise "talking" the white fat into brown fat which burns calories into heat. Or something like that. When I googled it I see there's already a pharmaceutical company producing it, but you can do that on your own by exercising. Read a dumbed down version here.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

April 17, walking

I walked about 35 minutes today, although I slowed down a bit up the street to break off branches that were sticking out over the sidewalk. Lots of people out working in their yards--or hiring it done. Also saw a home being remodeled. One drive way had 8 trash barrels and when the man noticed me looking at them he said, "They've been gone for 2 weeks." I smiled and moved on, but who even has that many trash cans?

Sunday, April 15, 2012

46 and doing it for God's glory

http://bodybuildingandfitnessdaily.blogspot.com/2012/04/npc-texas-shredder-2012-post-prejuging.html

April showers are needed in Central Ohio!

We finally got some nice April showers yesterday. When we got home from the movie (October baby), our power was out from a storm, so supper was more cold picnic style than the bbq pork roast I'd planned. Today we're looking a temps near 80. Steam bath? I did my 20 minute walk after church about 11 a.m. before it got hot. Windows open, we'll eat in the dining room and enjoy the spring air.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

High calorie week-end

Last night my husband's Cursillo team had a meeting--lots of snacks plus homemade ice cream. Then today we attended a party for our friend Jim DeVore who died in February. There was lots of food. Then tomorrow night our couples group from church will be meeting. So I hopped on the exercycle this evening, for 23 minutes and 83 calories.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Monday morning

After exercise class today, I stopped at Thompson Park and walked for 15 minutes. The day promised to be unusually warm, so I thought doing it early would be a good idea. The low spots were flooded, but it wasn't too hard to get around. Not many people out and about since this is spring break week for Ohio State and many of the local schools.
This photo is from Spring 2006--looks much the same, though, without the dandelions.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Dark clouds rolling in from the northwest

But I got in 25 minutes of walking in the sunshine. The forsythia are glorious. They were cut down to about 6" two years ago when the street was repaired and the wall and sidewalk built, and now are about 6' tall. If you have scrungy, straggly bushes, cut them back. You'll thank yourself (or your gardener) next year.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Now for a nap

I had a 30 minute walk this afternoon. It's nap time.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Evening walk

Walked around the neighborhood after 7 p.m. Rain had stopped. Forsythia are beginning to bloom. 20 minutes.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Record heat--almost

I walked outside this afternoon for 25 minutes, and did stretching and weights in exercise class 1 hour this morning. Unusually warm for mid-March.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

A lovely day in the neighborhood

Despite my cold, I went out and walked about 20 minutes. Really lovely day. Also 15 minutes and 55 calories on my exercycle.

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Exercycling on Thursday

52 calories, 15 minutes. Raining outside. Later while watching HGTV, 20 minutes 73 calories.

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

First day of my first cold this winter

Sigh. I just hate colds. They last forever, it seems. So I'm skipping exercise class this morning, and got on the bike for 20 minutes. 2 miles and about 54 calories. Slow and easy.

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Watching HGTV and cycling

20 minutes, 80 calories, 3.2 miles on the exercycle.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

We haven't had our winter yet

10 minutes 32 calories on the exercycle, and 20 minutes walking outside at 65 degrees on Feb. 29, plus 45 min of exercise class this morning.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Exercycle while listening to. . .

the philosophy of freedom. It's a 54 min. lecture. I cycled for 15 minutes, 2.2 miles, and burned 63 calories. I'll have to finish the lecture some other time.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Exercycle on a windy day

10 minutes tonight watching the Lawrence Welk show on PBS--it was Salute to New York, originally filmed Oct. 15, 1977.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Exercycle--planning ahead

Just got off the exercycle. 30 min. 4 miles. 81 calories. Going out for our Friday night date tonight. Rusty Bucket.